Back to Work

Just in case you were wondering where we went...I'm back to work! Last Tuesday was my first day and things have been pretty hectic around here trying to work out a new routine. I'm lucky to be able to work part time, 2 1/2 days a week, and my new director has been very flexible in allowing me to work out my own schedule. I will be working Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and half days on Friday. I had originally wanted to work Mondays instead of Tuesdays but I just found out yesterday that Eden's follow up programming and auditory-verbal therapy sessions will be on Monday mornings, so it actually worked out well. Eden's cochlear implant will be activated on Halloween! I admit that I am really starting to get stressed out about the impending surgery. I have been thinking about it a lot, lying awake at night worrying and making up horrifying stories in my head. I'm sure that going back to work right now really isn't helping my anxiety level. I normally wouldn't consider myself a worrier, but apparantly I internalize more stress and anxiety than I am cognitively aware of. My body has funny little ways of letting me know when things aren't right (stress induced rashes, cold sores, weight loss). Unfortunate that these just end up adding to my stress! I could really use some therapy but I don't know when I would fit it into my schedule. Maybe I should get a massage or something.

Now let's get to some fun news... Holland has added a new sound to her ever expanding repertoire...the mmmmm. She now says ma, and even mama pretty consistently. Even before dada, haha! Holland is also learning to exert her will more, and has taken to throwing things and hitting the bottle out of our hands when she doesn't want it. She has also decided that she doesn't want to eat anything that she can't put in her mouth herself. We added in an evening meal of finger foods. Last night the girls had small pieces of broccoli, cheese, and apple on their trays. Holland sat in her seat and ate every bit of it, as happy as could be. She doesn't want a thing to do with baby food. Eden has become quite the little bird lately when it comes to eating. She will open her mouth wide for every bite, loves all the same finger foods as Holland, and loves baby food. She doesn't quite have the coordination to pick up little pieces of food to feed herself but she loves trying. She does well munching on a larger piece of bread, a celery stick, or an apple slice because she can hold on to them easier and get them to her mouth. Lately Eden has gotten much better at rolling to both sides while she is playing with her toys on the floor.

It is really fun to see the girls unique little personalities emerge. While they are both really sweet, good-natured babies, they are very different. Both love being around people. Holland is very analytical and stares and stares when she meets someone new, always trying to figure things out. Eden is more social, smiling and interacting more with new people. She has a more goofy sense of humor and just seems to "get" our jokes. I would say, in general, Holland seems to be more introverted and Eden is more extroverted. It is so interesting to see how they are interested in different toys, find different things funny, and relate to us and other people so differently. I'm just loving getting to know them.