Back to the Grind

I have been dreading this week for most of the summer.  For me, back to school marks a return to more chaotic days...ones that begin with a 5 am alarm clock, making lunches while downing coffee and contemplating the logistics of a caffeine drip, simultaneously applying makeup and entertaining a one year old, followed by starting work days at 9 am and finally coming home at night to an equally exhausted husband and an overwhelmingly energetic one year old.

But I have had some pleasant surprises so far this week.  When school ended last June Hannah generally woke up around the time we did.  I would put her in her high chair and feed her bites of food while simultaneously making lunches, straightening up etc.  This seems to be considerably easier this fall.  Hannah has been sleeping until 7 or so, then I toss a waffle in the toaster, cut up a "nanana" and some strawberries and she self-feeds, while I work around the kitchen and "visit" with her.  This also means that I have had a whole hour to myself between the time that Tanner leaves for school and Hannah wakes up...such a luxury.  After a quick morning shower, this week I have had time to write thank you notes, address baby shower invitations, get a bit of work in, and today...I am blogging.

Other things are a bit more complicated.  I miss the days of being able to drop her in exersaucer in the hall while I put my makeup on and dried my hair.  Now, unless I can get her to play in her ball pit for 10 minutes or so, it is almost impossible to finish getting ready while she is running around the house like a banshee.  I suppose I should push these tasks up into my newfound hour of freedom, but I am always afraid to turn on the hairdryer, for fear of waking her.  Makeup is a bit less of an issue, as something about it being August and 110 degrees means that I have decided some moisturizer with sunscreen, powder, mascara and a bit of lip gloss does the job.  The entire process takes about 45 seconds, the same amount of time it takes a one year old to unroll a roll of toilet paper, coincidentally.

We seem to have fallen into a pretty decent schedule at night as well.  Hannah has been going to bed pretty consistently between 8 and 830.  We read with her, give her a bottle (I know, I know, it is going away in a week...or so), rock her for a bit and then put her into her crib awake.  Most nights she does not cry, and if she does it does not last long.  She has really been sleeping well.  I am so grateful for this.

I am not sure we have taken a picture of her on our good camera since her birthday.  Here are a few pictures from the iphone on Saturday.  Hannah had a blast at Paige's first birthday party.