Impromptu Sunday hike

We took advantage of a break from the rain and the crew, including Atticus, ventured out for a family walk/trike ride

Jude’s day in Allen Field House

Check out a handful of picts from our weekend in Lawrence.

Finally, perspective

As I head into the last lap of maternity leave I have finally achieved mental balance and by extension, a glorious but sadly fleeting taste of perspective.   I typically begin maternity leave stepping into the soft glow of baby bliss (read: vicodin + sleep deprivation) with one foot dragging behind in the office.  Heart in baby, head still at work.

Once physically pried away from email however, I move directly into neurotic postpartum nesting mode creating “to do” lists for all of the things we need to simplify our lives, beautify our living space, and cute-ify the baby’s room.  This second lap of attempted productivity comes to an end after a flurry of stop and start activity that is inconveniently interrupted by an infant who apparently expects to be cared for and cuddled despite how much Mommy really needs to finish searching for the perfect combination of wall art that says modern baby-slash-all boy that will take him into his preteen years without too much additional investment.  Sigh.

I take stock in what I’ve accomplished away from work.  I’d vowed to read, write, and intellectually flourish outside the world of power point.  But I can only recall an endless circuit of nursing, burping, and changing. (pause) Ding, ding, ding!  That’s it!  That is what I’m supposed to be doing post incubation.  Sustaining the child’s life with my super-food and giving him just enough love and attention to keep him out of therapy (we call this “bonding” and it commands an additional four weeks of unpaid leave).

It is at this point the child realizes I have finally come to rest so he pulls out all the stops.  Big open-mouthed smiles, cooing, tugging at my shirt while nursing (inherently cute), and general reciprocation of affection.  Sometimes, he appears to be just staring into my eyes adoringly.  Huh, I like that.  It brings peace to my busy mind and warmth to my soul (kind of like the initial surge of baby bliss but without the vicodin).  This must be what they call perspective.  I will spend the better part of my life trying to recreate the feeling of this moment.  But for now I will enjoy this gift and cross the biggest “to do” off my maternity list.

Elfin Magic

Ok I admit I wasn’t sure how I would feel about our 2nd child.  I am so in love with Jude it was impossible to imagine replicating that with equal conviction.  At two, Jude’s very being is both immensely heart-warming and humbling. However I am reminded, these elfins, they have their ways.  First they break you down.  Like all dominant masterminds, their methods of torture are compounding.  Extreme pain followed by sleeplessness, relentless suckling, refusal to clearly articulate needs (designed to frustrate and confuse), and enough liquid exodus from both ends to make even the most veteran parent go mad.  Then with one little neck nuzzle, you’re hooked.

But this love for Gabriel is more like a new crush.  It is not yet the deep love I have for Jude that results from all of the joyful and trying times we’ve shared during his short but intense two-year tenure.  He can break me in an instant.  But I sense the Elfin Force is strong with this one too.  I see him watching me, assessing my weaknesses. He will be mentored by his older brother and I will be helpless to resist them. They know this. They are conspiring even now for a full takeover. And they shall win.

Week 8 line-up

Standings to follow….

Here is this week’s line-up:

• West Virginia at Louisville (+7)
• Tech (+7) at OU
• BC at Wake (-2)
• Illinois (-3) at Northwestern
• BYU at Utah (-7)

Standings after 6…week 7 line-up

Standings

• Robert 16-14 (recognize)
• Juj 16-14
• Mark 15-15
• Blaine 12-13
• Brent 11-19

Line-up:

• Cincy at UL (+3.5) (Friday night)
• Texas at Kansas (+13.5)
• South Carolina (+21.5) at Florida (the ol’ ballcoach back in the Swamp)
• Mississippi St at Alabama (-20.5)
• Troy at LSU (-19.5)

Standings after 5 weeks….week 6 line-up

Standings

• Juj 14–11 (recognize)
• Mark 14–11
• Robert 12-13
  
• Brent 9–16
• Blaine 9-11

Week 5 line-up:

• UL (+6.5) at Pitt
• Mean-face Baylor Bears (+27.5) at wound-licking Texas
• Kansas at Nebraska (+1.5)
• OSU (+3.5) at Texas Tech
• Alabama at LSU (+3.5)

Week 5 line-up

• Louisville (-13.5) at Syracuse
• kst at KU (-8.5)
• Texas at Tech (+3.5)
• Wildcard: Florida at Georga (+6.5)
• Wildcard2: West Virginia at UCONN (+3.5)

Standings after three weeks…week four line-up

Post week 3 Standings

• Mark 10-5
• Juj 10-5
• Brent 8-7
• Blaine 8-7
• RObert 7-8

And the Week 4 games are:

• South Fla at UL (+4.5)
• TT (+1.5) at Kansas
• Ok St (+12.5) at Texas
• Georgia (+1.5) at LSU
• Penn St at Ohio St (+2.5)

Standings after week 2…Week 3 line-up

Standings through two weeks of conference play….

• Mark 8-2
• Juj 8-2
• Brent 5-5
• Blaine 4-6
• RObert 4-6

Week 3 line-up:

• MTSU (+14.5) at UL
• KU (+18.5) at OU
• TT at Texas A&M (+21.5)
• Mizzou (+7.5) at Texas
• Arkansas (+10.5) at Kentucky (no big SEC matchups this weekend so I threw in Bobby Petrino’s return to the bluegrass state where he is 4-0 vs UK)