The New "Normal"

My "normal" now is not that normal.  At least what it used to be like last year.  I'm trying to make it somewhat normal now.  For Olivia.

My "normal" now is Olivia and I all the time.  It used to be Patrick and I.

Anywhere I go, Olivia is generally with me. Which is great with me.  We make a good team!
Our friend, Meg Licht made this for O.


I only have time to myself on my hour long commute for work.

I don't have Patrick there to take our daughter when I would need it.  If I would want to go out with friends for the night, they can all just say, "Oh, I'll just have my husband watch the kids so I can go."  I don't have that option.  I have family in town that will watch her, but they watch her all week while I'm at work. You don't really want to take advantage of them too much to help with Olivia.

I knew there would be a change in things when she was born, but I thought Patrick was going to be here for all of this.  That's not the case anymore, so I've had to get used to things without him.  I'm learning how to do this every day.  But it is definitely hard.  I miss having him here.



2 weeks ago we had Olivia's baptism with close family.  Mike and Shauna are her Godparents.  We had a great time and she was absolutely perfect!  Aunt Jude and Grandma MC made her gown, booties and bonnet.  She also got Aunt Jude's pin that she wore in her baptism.  So special to have that handed down.

Wearing her gown with Patrick's baptism cross and Aunt Jude's baptism pin.


Aunt Jude's bracelet

Olivia has been very lucky to have her Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Shauna to watch her during the week while I'm at work.  They seem to have so much fun!
Olivia in the sweatshirt Grandma Zim made.


I've been back at work for a month and a half now.  I got right back into the swing of things.  We are busier than ever.  It helps time fly during the day.  I really look forward to seeing Olivia every night.  Unfortunately I only get an hour or so to be with her.  By the time we get home, unpack, get her bottle and jammies on...it's bedtime.  Then I pick up the house and get everything ready for the next day.  Then it's time for bed!  I usually go to bed by 9.  I don't always fall asleep by then, but I'm at least relaxing and watching TV.  5:30am comes really fast the next day to get up for work.  Especially when we had daylight savings!  Still hard to get used to.

We are looking forward to having spring right around the corner.  Especially with the nice weather we've been having.  I can't wait to go on walks with Olivia! 

Olivia is now 4 months old.  14 pounds 5 ounces and about 25 inches.  Right on track.  Her weight is 60% and length is 75%.  She's still a peanut!  We are starting to get out of 3 month clothes and into 3-6.  It's fun to get her into different clothes...but I'll miss the small ones:(

It's March Madness time!  I am doing a bracket with my dad and his friends from school.  Who would have ever thought I'd be doing a bracket with my former teachers?  LOL.
I picked Syracuse (Patrick's Alma mater), Notre Dame, Pitt and Duke for the final four, with Pitt winning.  Don't ask me how I picked them.  I just did.

Both my sister and sister-in-law both started blogs recently.  See them at the bottom of my page to follow them.  They are doing a nice job and I look forward to reading them, along with the others I have links to.

Last weekend I had my niece, Rachel, spend the night for her birthday sleepover.  Patrick and I did that last year and it's now a tradition.  Rachel still remembers everything from that day, as do I.  This year we went to see Gnomeo and Juliet, had McDonald's for dinner, colored, played Wii and watched a movie at home.  Sunday  morning I made waffles and then we went to church with Grandma and Grandpa.  My parents had Olivia overnight for the first time without me!  I did alright with having her gone.  It was just weird to not have her here.  I missed her a lot.
Rachel having fun at McDonald's

Rachel eating ice cream with Magic Shell on it!


My birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks.  Yuk.  36.  Way closer to 40 than I want to be.  I really don't care about it if you ask me.  Last year I went out for Sunday brunch with Patrick at our favorite restaurant.  It was on Easter last year.  

This weekend I'm looking forward to finally having some plans with my friends.  Saturday morning we will be visiting the Leatherbury's in Ritchfield.  In the afternoon, a few of us are getting together at the Blaine's, right here in Fond du Lac,  I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone.  I miss them all so much!

I've been driving Patrick's car back and forth to work so I don't put the miles on my car.  His car has plenty of miles on it.   The lease is up this summer.  I've been looking around for our next car already.  I'm excited!
This week I hit 155,000 miles!





Hope you all have a great St. Patrick's Day.  Patrick would always say that this was his second birthday.

Olivia on her 4 mo photo shoot from Aunt Cara.

She found her feet today!

Comments

  1. Hi Christy!
    Thanks for sharing!! I admire you so much and your courage! Olivia is so lucky to have you! She absolutely adorable!! Try to enjoy every minute because before you know it, they'll be all grown up. :-)
    Sara Widmann

    ReplyDelete
  2. I picked Pitt too and I dont know why. Keep writing. Love the pics. Meg can knit??? :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Christy, What a story you have! Olivia is precious and you are, too. Say "hi" to Wisconsin for me--I grew up there and my parents live in Appleton. Keep up the blog, it'll be better than a scrapbook when Olivia gets big and can look at it. :)

    ReplyDelete

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