Back From My "Sob"batical

Well, Life with The Wood's has been rather busy (hence the 7 blogging days that have mysteriously disappeared without a single word...) I guess that's what happens when you are transitioning from 2 naps to 1. You see, I used to sleep at 9:30am and then...no, not me, sillies. Baby girl just decided last Thursday that she had HAD it with morning naps....I mean, they are for babies! So, I had to surrender my morning blog time to play with my sweet morning-nap-free bundle of sassiness. And, let's face it folks, by the time she goes down for her afternoon z's, Momma is beat. AND I still have to squeeze even an hour 1/2 out of her. Ava used to sleep for a total of 4 hours during the day. She's just not in the mood...this girl wants to PLAY! As a matter of fact I am listening to her sweet voice talking to "Quack Quack" right now through the baby monitor. Sigh. We'll figure it out. I think God is trying to get me to be more flexible. So all that to say, she has been keeping me pretty active. I know....get used to it, right?

Fast forwarding to Sunday. Church is always interesting with a little one. Our church has an awesome nursery that Ava has been going to since about 6 months or so. She is also going through a little separation anxiety. I have to be honest...in everyone I have spoken to (including her Dr.) and in everything I have read, I learned that something like 85% of babies go through this separation anxiety by 9 months of age. Well, I felt like I deserved to frame a Star Mother of the Year certificate when we got through 12 months and Ava hadn't gone through it. Low and behold, she was saving it for a rainy day. It hit me like a brick wall. Come to think of it, it started when we began transitioning her off of bottles so now it makes a lot of sense. But anyway, if I started to walk away, there was a penalty to pay. And leaving her in the church nursery? Nuh uh. We tried a couple of Sundays ago and they paged us to come get her. It was really a distressing thing for me to experience. BUT, her Dr. reassured me and told me that I would need to worry if she wasn't going through this right now. So, everytime I get stressed, I remind myself of that. So now we take her to the cry room and enjoy the service together (and 5-6 of her closest screamiest friends). But it takes us back to when she was really little, so it's a-okay with me to get her through this right now.

And then the triumphant morning came! I had my MOPS meeting on Wednesday (which I had been dreading because I would need to leave my nursery drop-out back in the nursery). I literally lost sleep over it. I handed her over to the fabulous girls who work in her room and she did get upset. I did my motherly duty and walked away, leaving her, as she cried "Mum." It was pitiful. About 10 minutes later, one of the girls at my MOPS table (thanks goes to Liz) went to check on her for me and when she came back (trumpets, trumpets, trumpets) she told me that Ava was playing quietly with her friends. I cried. I'm not going to lie. I was so happy and proud of my sweet independent Ava. So, maybe, just maybe, this is the start of something good. And Thanks to God for answering that prayer that I repeated over and over again on Wednesday around 3:30am. (I wanted to make sure He was awake and got my message).

And then today, I spent a wonderful day with Ava and our friends Adrian and Jenna. We went to a yummy lunch and then to the Galleria (Thanks again Adrian! -- send some pics!). We walked around forever, let them play, and even stuck them in the Santa-less chair for a kodak moment. Those girls are too funny.

So that's what we have been doing. Phew! I had MOPS, I had an Uppercase Living Open House, I cleaned, I cooked, I went to the Galleria, I let Keith shave the dog (what?!?! ...nevermind. I'll just let you picture a shaved pug.), I have been to Walmart daily, watched Blue's Clues nightly, and loved my husband and baby hourly. It has been a busy 7 days.

And now, I get to look forward to the weekend with my husband and little A-Claire, and I get to pack till my heart can't take it anymore. Next week we are going to Houston! Yaaaaaay!

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods." (Psalm 95)

If I don't blog before we leave for our trip on Wednesday, have a blessed Thanksgiving. Don't worry, I'll be back...don't have any separation anxiety. It'll be okay.

...My Busy Beaver (or bear...)