The "Mom Haircut"

I have been wanting to get a haircut for a while now. I mean, I wear my hair in a ponytail every single solitary day, and it's getting old. When I do blow-dry my hair and leave it down, inevitably it ends up back in a ponytail within a couple of hours anyway. So, I finally broke down and made an appointment to get my hair cut. I had an idea of what I wanted, but when I got there, I started looking in a book for styles and found one much shorter than I had originally planned. I talked to the stylist, and she agreed that the cut would look good on me. After a luxurious shampoo, she got me set up in her chair and went to town. Eight inches, a blow-dry, and some styling gel later, I had a trendy little shag haircut, and I love it!! It's kind of choppy looking, so I can spend as little or as much time on it that I want because it's supposed to look kind of messy. Easy and stylish! What could be better? Well, apparently what I thought was cute and trendy is actually a "mom haircut". I can only hope that means that it's quick and easy to take care of and not something like the dreaded "mom jeans". I didn't know what to think when a couple different people accused me of getting a "mom haircut". I thought they were implying that I was getting old or something, but I think I've decided that I don't really care. I think the haircut is very flattering because it actually frames my face and looks nice no matter what I do or don't do to it. "Mom haircut" or not, I still think it's cute and trendy, and guess what! I am a Mom!!

Ruby's New Home

Well, we finally had to make a very difficult decision about Ruby. We have had her since she was 5 1/2 weeks old. She turned 6 this year. We initially thought she was going to be fine with Maya. She didn't seem to pay too much attention to her. She would get just close enough to sniff her for a second, then she would be on her way. Well, there were a couple of times when Will was at work that I would be feeding Maya, and Ruby would sit right in front of us and just bark at us. I didn't care for that at all, and it made me not trust Ruby around Maya. More recently, I started putting Maya down on the floor for tummy-time, and again, Ruby would just sit on the floor and bark at Maya. The straw that broke the camel's back happened one week ago. I had Maya down on the floor on her belly, and I was on my hands and knees over the top of her. Ruby was sitting by the blanket, and she started sniffing Maya's hand. I was praising and encouraging Ruby because I wanted her to know that it was okay to get close to Maya and to sniff her as long as she was gentle with her. Well, Maya suddenly jerked her hand, and Ruby thought she was playing. Ruby went into play/pounce mode and nipped at Maya's hand. I know she was just playing, but she can't play with Maya in the same way that she plays with us for obvious reasons. I picked Maya up off the floor and yelled at Ruby. I decided right then that Ruby had to go. When Will came home, I told him what happened. I didn't think it was fair to have to punish Ruby for doing what she thinks is playing, but at the same time, I have to protect Maya. God forbid something happen to Maya, and all I would be able to say is, "I thought something would happen sooner or later...". What kind of an excuse would that be, and how would I explain to Maya that we chose our dog over her safety? I couldn't do it.

So, with a heavy heart, I packed up all of Ruby's belongings and drove her to Springfield, IL, where she is going to live with my Dad and brother. They offered to take her in, so she could live with people who love and care for her. I felt so much better, knowing that she wouldn't have to sit in a shelter waiting to be adopted by people who might treat her okay. Dad and Alex know her quirks, so there wouldn't be any surprises. I know that she'll feel better going to a familiar place to be with people who she absolutely adores. Sure, her life will be different, but she'll adjust just fine. I'm confident of it. The great thing is, we'll be able to see her anytime we want, and if we want to try to get her back in the future, that's a possibility. We definitely wouldn't have those luxuries if she went to a shelter. Even though I felt extreme guilt for having to get rid of her, I feel much better knowing that she's going to a loving home to be with people who she loves.

The Fifth Week

Maya has been with us now for 5 weeks! She gets cuter every day. She has become really smiley, that is until the camera comes out! I think she hates the flash, so the smiles seem to disappear on cue (or it could be because she can't see her Mommy's smiling face anymore when the camera is right in front of it)! She's really starting to coo a lot, too. I love to listen to her. Sometimes I think her voice surprises her. She's really experimenting with how to make different sounds, and some of them crack me up! I think sometimes she is trying to laugh! At least that's what it sounds like... I love it!

She's also starting to fill out. Every part of her body is getting just a little chunkier all the time. Her creases and folds seem to get a little deeper every week, and her little fingers are starting to get fatter. Sometimes I call her "toad". She's just so squishy. I could hold her and hug her all day. I love it when she buries her head into my neck, and I can feel her little breaths on my skin. I also love how I can make her stop crying just by picking her up (not to say that she doesn't start again, but initially, she stops). There isn't a single thing that I don't love about her. I've never felt this way toward any person in my entire life. There's just no greater love than the love for a child.

We Have the Same Haircut!

We had a visit from my dad and brother Alex from Springfield, IL last week. I was so excited for my dad to meet Maya. Kids have always flocked to him, and I was certain that Maya would find him just as entertaining. Boy, did she ever! From the second he picked her up and started talking to her, it was all over. Love at first site, for both of them! Maya was smiling from ear to ear while dad talked and sang to her. She absolutely loved him! Dad said it was because they have the same haircut. Hahaha.... It was so cute. My brother even held her. He's never been around a baby before, so I didn't know if he would want to hold her or not. He looked a little nervous, but I think he was just as excited as dad to get his hands on her. He just kept saying, "She's so soft!" Maya seemed to take to her Grandpa and Uncle Alex very easily. It meant a lot to me that they came all that way to see her. Dad's been super-excited about her arrival since he found out I was pregnant, then as time got closer, he started calling more frequently to check on me. He said over and over again, "I just can't wait!" I knew he couldn't, and I didn't think it would be long before he came to meet his new granddaughter. He called us today to check in, and he told me how special it was for him to be able to spend time with us. He said that the pictures just don't do her justice. He said, "It's like the Grand Canyon or humidity. You can't quite understand it until you see it or feel it."