I don't think I'm going to blog anymore. My life at present is so dull compared to the others that are linked to our website.

I did get stung by a yellow jacket today. Dammit.

Did you know that you can seriously give yourself carpal tunnel/tendonitis symptoms by holding a baby for long lengths of time in awkward positions? It's true. I've been holding Julia for inordinate periods of time lately (she's been much fussier than the last few weeks) and my wrists both hurt. Add in my sore neck from keeping her head on my shoulder (that's the position she seems to like best) and I'm a basket case. I mentioned that there should be a parent body conditioning course a few weeks ago and now I'm thinking of designing one. Pregnant parents could practice with those lifelike dolls or sacks of flour or something. Dwayne and Raquel, are you listening?

In her blog, Donna talked a few days ago about (in my opinion, at least) rude questions people ask when they find out you're single and 35. Having been single myself until age 31, I feel somewhat empathetic. Everyone should understand that it's not a bad thing to be single, for god's sake. Seeing some marriages out there should convince people of that. A friend of mine attended a wedding this weekend. At the reception, the bridal couple were too busy arguing to come out to the dance floor for their first dance. And the guests were talking about how both new spouses have a history of cheating on one another. Gosh, what a match made in heaven.

Once you're married, though---daytime TV is for the birds, but I did catch something when flipping through the channels from Dr. Phil. I don't even know Dr. Phil, but I've heard a little about him in the newspaper. (It has definitely paid off for him to be friends with Oprah.) Dr. Phil says that you can't just speculate about getting divorced or run to the courthouse and file at the drop of a hat. He says you have to earn a divorce. Earn it by trying everything in your power to save your marriage first--including a revolutionary thing called "talking to your spouse," counseling, retreats, whatever. I think Dr. Phil is on the right track with this one. (Didn't my husband just say this same thing a few days ago with his blog on the Episcopal gay bishop?)

Doesn't this mean we're meant for each other?

Postscript--I had to stop typing and run upstairs because Julia woke crying. As I warmed her bottle, I held her on my shoulder. And wouldn't you know--she hit me right in the eye with one of her little fists. Parent pain, indeed.

Robyn, I'm with you. My potted plants have spent themselves heroically, blossoming to the end of the summer despite my haphazard watering and deadheading. They're toast (pardon the pun). But somehow, I can't bring myself to just stop watering them and let them pass into annual plant heaven. I guess I'm waiting for that first frost to come and take them away. I realize I have awhile to wait--after all, my tomatoes are just really getting started producing. I'm never happy, I guess.

Julia was a bear this morning--just not happy. No amount of eating, rocking, swinging, burping, or holding made her content. At least content enough to relax and go to sleep for an hour, which is what I wanted her to do. I went out to lunch with some co-workers and she's been basically sleeping ever since I packed her up to go to the restaurant. I think she's trying to make it up to me.

I made Yankee Pot Roast for dinner tonight. I hope it's good. Don't worry, Greg my honey, I'm not going to ruin it at the end by trying to make dumplings in it. If nothing else, pot roast makes the house smell oniony good. Speaking of, I have to go stir things up in the pot. Mmmmm.

I've been home for three weeks and I think my brain is starting to rot away. Seriously. I've been meaning to sit down for at least two weeks now and figure out what adjustment to make to my tax exemptions, direct deposit allocations, and flexible spending account deductions to allow for the taxes that my short-term disability payments aren't paying and to keep things on an even keel otherwise (don't worry if you don't understand what I mean, it doesn't matter) and I still haven't done it. I just need to do a little financial analysis, but I'm procrastinating about it like it's our 2004 tax returns.

I've been managing to keep the checking account balanced and pay bills like always, but this task just seems beyond me. Not that I'm willing to go back to work to get my brain back in shape or anything.

If I had had a normal delivery and couldn't afford otherwise, I'd be going back to work in 3 weeks. Many of the employees I deal with when I'm working are forced to do just that (I handle leaves of absence for my company). I would not be ready. Not by a long shot. Julia's just getting to the point where she's trying to smile and she's also starting to really look at you when you hold her. I'm not ready to leave that.

Before I type anything, I generally check my husband's blog, Dwayne's blog and the blogs of Greg's co-workers. I like reading the rantings of these genuinely creative people. If any of my co-workers want to set up a competing series of blogs, let me or Greg know. I know he would help you out. And you get past that "why would anyone want to read anything I have to say" thing and eventually you just don't care, you type.

Having said that, I don't know what to comment about Ryan's latest blog. Hmm. Well, yes indeedy. Okay, then.

I just can't think of anything more to type after reading that. Until later---

OK, I made it one whole day without typing something about Julia, so now I can tell what we did yesterday. We went to work! Oh, what excitement. Actually, it was fun. Julia slept soundly while she was passed between about 15 adoring (or they put on a good impression of being adoring) people.

I booted up my work computer and printed out a report that I have access to but no one else does (other than MIS, and who wants to bother them if you don't have to). So that made me feel useful. And I got Julia added to our health insurance and put some life insurance on her and changed my beneficiaries so if I die she gets some money. All good things to get taken care of. I also brought in donuts for my birthday.

Then it was time for us to leave and I put Julia in her carseat. Big mistake. I've adjusted the straps now, but I stuck her in there when they will still a little too tight and she screamed. I closed the door to my office and fed her, but she was still mad. I hope none of my co-workers were on any important phone calls. We skedaddled as soon as possible (is that how you spell skedaddled? Not a word I use often.).

Last night, the family went for a walk. This morning, Allie, Julia, and I walked Allie to daycare and then Julia and I went around the block. It's going to be nasty hot and humid today so this was the time of day to do a little exercise. Now "Cool Jules" is sleeping (as her daddy has decided to christen her).

She became an official person as registered by the federal government today. We got her social security card. I wonder if there will be anything left of social security by the time she's 80 and can start collecting?

Yes, I am old. Well, so what. You're as much older as you read this as I am. Got that?

I had a wonderful birthday. My husband spoils me rotten and I love the incredible gift he got me. My sisters and my parents came for the day on Saturday, which was very nice. Not too long of a visit is a good thing when you're still transitioning back into new parenthood.

People are always very impressed that my husband insists on making me a birthday cake every year (or at least ordering one, but usually making one). I think he's trying to make it up to me for the fact that I never had a birthday party as a kid because my birthday is in August and it was too hard to get my school friends together. Nope, never had a birthday party. Not even one. Everyone reading this should get together and have a great big pity party for me. I bet if you got a bunch of those tiny sympathy violins in one place in cyberspace . . .

I decided I need to have at least one post to this blog that doesn't mention you-know-who, so I'm going to tell you another time what we did today.

What's up with the spellcheck on this thing that it highlights "blog" as a typo? Weird.

Greg and I took Julia to the doctor yesterday for her 2-week checkup. Everything is fine. We bet on what her weight would be, just like we guess what the total will be at the grocery store when we fill up the cart. I said 7 lbs., 2 oz. Greg said 7 lbs., 5 oz., I believe. The nurse, getting in the spirit of things, guessed 7 lbs., 9 oz. Then she went off to weigh Julia.

Remember, this little girl was 6 lbs, 13 oz. at birth and lost 6 oz. before we left the hospital. I read somewhere that it can take 2 weeks for a baby to regain the weight they lose after birth. Well, that wasn't a problem for Julia. She weighed 7 LBS., 12 OZ!

I'm proud of that, for some reason. I have no idea why. Gaining weight is at no other time in your life cause for celebration, but there you go. She's getting to be a big girl and I think it's cool.

Speaking of--the getting-to-be-a-big-girl is hungry again. Later--

So Raquel and Dwayne are having a baby. I'm very happy for them and I'm sure Raquel is over the moon. Dwayne--are you in shock or are you raring to go on this new adventure? Don't worry, I'm sure Raquel's whole personality won't change, at least not immediately. I would probably try to get those long motorcycle rides in pretty quickly, however!

Babies. They're fun. A lot of work, but fun and funny. Julia ate this morning, about an hour ago. I let her drink a little over an ounce while she made all her usual little sighs and squeaks, then put her up on my shoulder for a burp. She let out such a whopper, oh my! I looked around for the trucker who went with it. And when I laughed at her, she looked at me like, what? Never heard a burp before? Not like that, little one!

I am home alone with Julia from roughly 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. With that much time, you would think I could get a lot done. Like thank you notes written for all of the wonderful people who have gotten Julia and/or Allie gifts, like cleaning at least one room of the house, like weeding my front walk (which looks atrocious right now, notwithstanding the really big weeds Greg pulled yesterday). Nope.

All I've gotten done today is kept Julia clean and well fed, emptied the dishwasher, swept the kitchen floor, took a one-hour nap, washed and made up bottles, written out the newspaper announcement of Julia's birth, and called the short-term disability insurance company who mistakenly think I did not have a c-section and who plan to cut off my benefits after only 6 weeks. I'm planning on making mushroom pork chops for dinner, but it just seems like I should get a lot more done, doesn't it?

Tomorrow will be better. Right now, Julia's making "give me a snack" noises, so I have to go. And she just sneezed twice. How can a sneeze be adorable? I am so in love.

Today is my first full day without any pain medication. I must be getting over this whole surgery thing. I put in my contact lenses (been really lazy about that since I haven't been going anywhere), wore a regular shirt (not a big T-shirt), and felt almost human.

Tonight, the family went for a walk. Greg and his girls. He is hopelessly outnumbered--a wife, two daughters, and even a female cat. Just wait until the daughters get to puberty--whoa whoa.

Tom and his wife, Amy, did a wonderful thing for us--they brought us a fantastic barbecued pork dinner. Considering that I sleep every afternoon (and thus don't cook) and Greg is kept busy serving the needs of the kidlets, it was a very cool thing. Thank you both!

I got a call this afternoon from work. It's nice to be needed, I suppose, but the question they had could have been answered by looking up someone who had been in a similar situation in the past and seeing what I did then. I guess they didn't think of that.

I'm just cranky because they called right when I was taking a nap. I'm starting to feel sleep-deprived despite my naps, so don't rile me. I haven't slept more than 3 hours or so without waking for literally two or three months. Am I too old to do this mom thing again?

Well, I'm two-faced, I'll admit it. Right after I typed yesterday about how motherhood was cool, I went upstairs and Allie proceeded to drive me nuts for the next ten minutes. I'll admit I got rid of her by sending her outside on the deck to be with her grandpa. I hope the gods of parenthood don't strike me dead.

I also caused other trouble for myself. Just last evening, I said to Greg, "isn't Julia a good baby?" What was I thinking to tempt the fates like that. She only was up twice again last night, but the first time was from 11:45 to 2:15 (yes, 2 1/2 hours). Blink, blink, went those little dark eyes, but they wouldn't close! I tried to get her down for 1 and 1/2 hours, then Greg tried for 1/2 hour, then I finally got her to sleep after another 1/2 hour. We tried rocking and walking and the rocking chair and swaddling and feeding and checking her diaper, but she wouldn't be comforted. My mom was sleeping in the living room where the swing is. If she has another night like that one, I think I'll put her in her swing and see if that helps. It would certainly help that ache in the middle of my back.

There should be some type of parent body-conditioning course---

Well, we've been home for almost two days now and things are going swimmingly. Julia is turning out to be a sweetheart of a baby. These last two nights, she's only been up twice each night. That's pretty good for a newborn.

Allie is busy being a wonderful big sister. She's very helpful in running to get spit cloths and forgotten items in the next room, and so far we haven't seen her try to hit Julia. I say that mostly in jest, but you never know.

I'm recovering all right--this certainly seems easier physically than Allie's delivery. I'm down to only one kind of pain medication and I'm not taking it as frequently as I could be.

My parents have been here helping and they're leaving tomorrow, so that's when we'll get our first test of this new family dynamic for the four of us. I'm looking forward to it just being us (no offense, Mom and Dad!).

Motherhood is so cool.