Extra! Extra! New Gray Addition

For my post today, I'd like to introduce the newest Gray addition: CJ!

CJ was born just last weekend and is just a week old! To the amazement of my OB/GYN and all of us, CJ weighed in at 8 lbs, 13.5 oz!

When we did the last ultrasound, just three days before CJ was born, the doctor estimated he would be 7.5 lbs. So, we were all amazed when he tipped the scales, close up to 9 lbs!

For me, I was totally not surprised. I felt justified. This whole pregnancy, I have just been exhausted and aching and hurting everywhere. It was so different from my first pregnancy, where I felt other than being a bigger size, I hadn't felt much discomfort.

Now, I know I haven't been a wimp. I'm a petite 5' gal, weighing 105 lbs. pre-pregnancy. At the time of delivery, I climbed up to 142 lbs. Hey, I was practically carrying 50% of my weight. Can you imagine how many leg presses that equaled in a day's worth of running around with a three year old toddler?

Enough of me.. back to CJ. He is a total angel, perfect in every way. I can see a strong resemblance to daddy with his strong chin and I think he has my eyes. So cute!

The 2 days in the hospital were actually very restful. CJ was sleeping 3-5 hours stretches, so I got lots of sleep. Especially with the nurses taking him back to the nursery after I fed him.

But, that sweet sleeper was deceptive. Somehow, once we got home, the little angel started "waking" up to the world, and the honeymoon was over. No more sleep for anybody!

It's all coming back to me now... "sleeping like a baby" sure has taken on a whole new meaning!

Rainy Days & Mondays Get Me Down

Rainy days used to rank up there on the list of things enjoy. Really. Right up there with fall weather, a cup of hot chocolate or tea, along with a book or a fresh page opened to a new entry in my journal.

Rain makes everything at home cozy and is very conducive to breaking into a good read or letting words just flow from my pen.

But, those days are pretty much few and far between as a mom of a toddler boy and soon-to-be TWO boys!

Now rainy days are something to be feared! Because it means being indoors with TJ! Heh, heh, heh.. I can hear TJ chuckling because he's got his mommy locked indoors, at the mercy of hours of playing pretend trains, car crashes, "can you play with me?" pleads, and going through the house, trying to "explore" (aka pull everything out of the closets/shelves) and rearranging more than just furniture.

By the time the day is over, the house looks like a hurricane has torn through it. The ironic thing is that when it is happening, I totally embrace and accept it because it is my only option. But, at the end of the day, OMGoodness. I am looking at every room, and I just feel tired, knowing the mess is waiting for me to clean up, after dinner and after the dishes.

But, I tell you all this because the days all end with a big hug and kiss from TJ, with the sweetest, "I love you, Mommy!" And I remember that this is what it means to be Mom. Along with Daddy, we are the first ones up at the crack of dawn and the last ones down, as we give him those final tucks into his bed. And in his little world, we are the biggest loves of his life.

Mondays are tough with Daddy back to work. Which means I'm on deck for the day. But, it's worth it. Even if it's raining. Thank God for Spring!

I Hate Doing My Taxes.. Especially This Year!

This weekend, I finished doing taxes for my business. And it was just totally painful. I had to do it now instead of waiting until April, because my due date is T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W. And I know that number crunching is going to be the absolute last thing I will want to do with a newborn attached to me!

But, it's especially excruciating to do taxes this year because of all the crap that is going on with the economic "stimulus" bill. I don't care if you're Democrat or Republican. For all of us hard working Americans, doing our best to pay our bills and mortgages, it sucks to hear about all the pork projects getting tucked into government spending. It's a non-partisan game of politicians getting what they want, at the expense of tax payers' money.

Sorry for ranting, but I have an inkling that if you have done or are doing your taxes, you're feeling just like me - just feel crummy about how every thing's going.

I did write a post on Silicon Valley Moms blog about some ideas I'd love to put into the economic stimulus plan. Check it out: Tax Breaks For Moms In the Stimulus Bill

Now, there's a real solution. 'Cuz us moms know... we're the ones who hold the purse strings, right? ;)