The weather always seems to turn to "fall" just as the school year starts; perhaps it knows that we need help adjusting to the back-to-school routine. The JAM family had a very active and busy summer. Little Roo is constantly on the go, turning, kicking, swimming, you name it; never a dull moment. I hope this kid sleeps more on the outside than on the inside! For now, I'm very much enjoying the not-yet-powerful fluttering that serves as a constant reminder that I am not alone. But hopefully s/he slows down over the next few months if those movements get any stronger! I'm not sure how much more 're-arranging' my insides can tolerate...
Adelaide in the meantime has become quite proficient with her little tape measure, calling out numbers ("eighty-two, nine" is a favorite) as she sizes things up, and she has a mini-sized wheelbarrow that she uses to tote gravel around, thanks to helping Joey with a series of very extensive house/yard summer projects.
She also worked hard to keep up her reputation as a tiny traveler. This summer she ventured to South Dakota (via motorhome, which lost 2 wheels on I-90! prompting her comments like "Grandpa, slow down! the wheels might fall off!" with perfect timing during the last few months). Ada also went on her first canoe/camping trip and absolutely loved paddling around wearing her little red life jacket (tragically, we forgot the camera on that adventure) . And she made it back to Wisconsin to visit her grandparents and cousin Sam. Thanks partly to him, she is very excited for "our" baby to arrive. When we talk about baby coming and all the things s/he will do and need to learn, she often says, "... like Baby Sam?"
All of us are getting excited for her little sibling, and I am feeling more confident that she's going to handle the transition well. However, we recently visited a friend with a new baby. Ada was entranced: wanted to hold him, change him, sing to him, examine his little hands ... but when he started crying, she knew just what to do, "put he on the ground!"(pointing to the concrete patio). Maybe she's not ready to babysit yet :)
There are plenty of rotten aspects to being in residency while being pregnant; let's just say it's not a combination I would recommend to anyone wishing for life balance or sanity. However, as I am just in the thick of my toughest rotation of residency, which is perfectly aligned with the toughest part of being pregnant, I have been trying hard to keep perspective and focus on the silver linings. This pregnancy has been all about remembering my priorities, and only bothering with the important things. This means that I remind myself everyday that the only things that really matter are to get my job done (as efficiently as possible so that I can get home) and to spend time with my family. Fortunately, the tiniest of my family members comes along everywhere I go, so the two of us get lots of little moments to share experiences. Every time Roo jumps on my bladder or tries to push out my belly button, I think, "hi little buddy, I know you are in there!" while I push back on the little parts that stick out and make me look lop-sided. Time with the little one isn't hard to come by these days, but unfortunately I can't carry Adelaide with me all the time. So these last few months I have been learning that it's impossible to fit in all of the things I wish for, and I have to prioritize the big ones. Time with Adelaide is essential. And, at least occasionally, thanking my husband for holding down the fort and being full-time Dad / housekeeper / cook / savior -- this also is essential. All the rest -- just details. If the dishes don't get done, or I miss my exercise time, or I don't do any of the reading I had planne
d, well, there's always next year for those things. I am learning that working 80-hours per week and having a family is enough! This is a good lesson, because it makes me so thankful when I make it to yoga, cook a healthy meal, talk to a friend, or when I get caught up on my reading. These things don't happen all the time anymore, and almost never happen simultaneously. But that's okay. For a short while longer, life is all about getting through the work, making the most of moments at home, and absolutely cherishing the rest. I am learning a lot in residency; one extracurricular lesson has come from being forced to challenge and define my priorities, which is a good lesson, one that I hope I remember after life lightens up on me.
