The dog days of summer are officially here

OK, folks, I'm going to vent (perhaps it's really whining) so if you're not interested in hearing me vent then just skip this post.


Well, it's July in Florida and only a few days away from August (which is the hottest and most uncomfortable month, in my opinion) and I've definitely got cabin fever. . . if I don't get out the door before 9:30 a.m. it's either (1) too hot to go out for an exercise walk with Vivi in the stroller, or (2) Vivi's already fallen asleep for Nap #1 of the day and I don't want to move her from her crib to the stroller. I'm managing to get out at least 2x a week for about 1.5 hrs of walking/exercising, and on the days when I don't get outside I try to do a floor routine indoors using an exercise tape for inspiration. But, I am starting to realize that I'm in desperate need of adult conversation on a regular basis. I love Vivi, but I sometimes feel bored being at home with her. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time on my hands to pick up any consulting work to do from home - she still requires a lot of time and attention, it takes a lot of effort to care for her and just manage to cook & clean some days. Hence, the lack of posts on the blog lately . . . Don't get me wrong, I love Viv and I love being at home with her, I just need a little connection to the outside world - other than a 5 min conversation with the guy that works the counter at the gym twice a week.

I'd go to Gainesville and visit but I'm feeling trapped by Viv's ability (read, lack thereof) to sleep well while away from home. . . and when the baby doesn't sleep well, I don't sleep well. . . and ultimately, I'd rather be bored and well rested at home than sleep deprived and entertained in Gainesville.

I know, Riv, I need a play group. Yes, folks you read that right, "I" need a play group. I'm sure it'll be great for Viv too, but I think it's more for me than for her at this point! So, I re-registered on Jacksonville Mommies and am going to get on the stick about participating in some functions. I initially registered before Vivi was born and didn't feel the need to participate in any chats or discussion groups, so my account was locked out for inactivity . . . hopefully, I'll find some other half-crazed moms that I can enjoy spending a little time with and make some new friends.

I'll keep you all posted on how it goes . . . wish me luck!

Watch me grow !

One Month Old


















Two Months Old


















Three Months Old


















Four Months Old


















Five Months Old


















Six Months Old

Vivienne is two months old tomorrow - time is flying!

I can hardly believe Vivienne will be two months old tomorrow - where does the time go? Well, I guess I can just chalk it up to the old saying "time flies when you're having fun" because we've definitely been having a great time with our new little one. Of course, there are those challenging moments too - when you're up in the middle of the night pleading with your baby to go back to sleep already, and when you're stripping the baby down for a full-body wipe down due to a BM blowout that gets all over baby, her clothes, whatever she was sitting on when she did her business, and the changing table cover too! So, as you might guess, laundry has been one of the things keeping me busy during my days at home with baby Viv. : )

We've had lots of visits from family and friends and there is so much work to do (both for Steve at KPMG and for me at home) that the days and weeks slide by effortlessly.

Steve's family (Marylee (Mom), Deborah (Sister), Kenneth (BIL), Julia (Niece), and Alan (Brother)) came up earlier this month, and it was especially nice to see Marylee with her two granddaughters on her lap at once. Julia is such a sweet little girl and Deborah has been showing her our pictures since she was a little baby to make sure she knows who we are when she sees us (a couple of months can pass during certain times of the year (read, when the Gators aren't playing football and the holidays have passed) which is very nice. I plan to do the same with Vivienne so she knows the faces and names of our family members and can recognize them even if it's been a while since she's seen them last.

My parents, Rachel and Roger, came up for a visit on a Saturday and spent the night with us. Steve and Roger went to The Players Championship while my mom and I went to the Avonlea Antiques Mall (I got Vivienne a little Beatrix Potter book while we were there - I'm going to try to collect them all for her) and just hung out at home with baby Viv. We had a nice dinner at home that evening and opened one of the bottles of wine we'd received from my cousin, Meri, and her husband, Jim, when we got married (we're saving them for special occasions) to celebrate the birth of Vivienne and it was delicious!

My first Mother's Day was fantastic! Steve and Vivienne bought me a huge bouquet of pink and white lilies (they smell so good!) and a very nice silver locket that I'd been eyeing for some time, gave me a sweet card and took me out for brunch at my favorite restaurant, Biscotti's.

We are looking forward to Vivienne's baptism on June 28th, and I am especially excited that my sister, Helene, and her family are coming to stay that weekend with us. Helene and her daughter, Eliora (she's almost 6 mo. old now!) will stay on with Steve and I for a couple of days into the next week so we can have some time together, just the two (really 4!) of us. One of the nicest things about my experience as a SAHM thus far is that Helene is also a SAHM and we can talk to one another several times a week - yeah for sisters! I'm also looking forward to Vivienne's baptism because it'll be the first time that my other sister, Pam, will get to meet both Vivienne and Eliora. I am hoping Pam will bring her son, Skyler (he's 7.5 years old), along but am not sure how interested he'll be in getting up so early to go to church and attend a baptism . . . but who knows, maybe he'll be excited to meet his new cousins and see his aunts . . . we'll just have to wait and see.

One month old today & a quick visit from Nan & Pere yesterday

I managed to get out for a run yesterday - my first one since Vivi was born - and it was oh so nice to move freely and quickly and to be outdoors! While I was out enjoying myself, my mom and dad called to say that they'd like to stop by for a quick visit before attending a performance of Mozart's Requiem at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts here in Jacksonville. So, it was a doubly-nice day - I got to exercise and see my parents too! Just in case you're wondering, Vivi will call my mother (Rachel), Nan (which is a family name for Grandmother), and my dad (Roger), Pere (which is French for grandfather).

It's also been a nice weekend for Steve too - who also got a run in - because he hasn't had to work this weekend and isn't headed to the airport anytime this week either! Life is quite different now that Vivienne's here; it's a quieter, simpler life and we don't get out as much but we eat well (I really do love to cook!) and strangely enough, I honestly think we're taking better care of ourselves now that we're not cramming the weekend full of activities. For now, I think we're quite content to spend our free time at home and we have no plans to travel for some time yet. Luckily, we live close enough for most of our family to visit us with only a short drive required on their part and lots of our friends are understanding of what its like to have a newborn and are making plans to visit us at our home.

This weekend began the Parade of Homes and I am hopeful that we can make a trip to St. Johns County one afternoon this week to see some of the homes featured - who knows, maybe we'll find a home that we'd like well enough to purchase! Rusty & Shari - one of the couples we know that live in St. Johns County - are coming to visit us next Saturday afternoon and I think we may head over to the Riverside Arts Market (http://www.riversideartsmarket.com) and perhaps grab a bite to eat outdoors at The Brick or at European Street. I can't wait for their daughter, Skyler, to see Vivienne. Skyler is 4 and is a fun-loving, sweet, imaginative girl. I was still quite pregnant the last time we visited with them, and when we arrived at their house Skyler came running up asking "where is the baby?" - later that day she informed me that Vivienne would be black! I found this to be hilarious and tried to explain to her that babies generally look like their parents and since Steve and I are both caucasian, Vivienne would not be black. Skyler persisted in her belief though so I am curious as to (1) whether she'll remember what she thought and (2) if she'll be surprised at all to see that Vivi is not black after all!

A quiet Easter Sunday

Since Vivienne is only 3.5 weeks old today, she's not been cleared by her pediatrician to attend church yet (we have to wait until she's 6 weeks old to take her out "in public"). So, our Easter Sunday has been a very quiet one this year. Steve and I both commented how much we missed attending the sunrise service on the St. Johns River that has been our tradition for the past few years, and we plan to be a part of it again next year - provided we still live in the same neighborhood.

That's right, we've been throwing the idea around of moving out of Duval County and into St. Johns County in order to (1) be in a better school district, and (2) have more room in our home for Vivienne and all the accoutrement which will most assuredly be growing at an exponential rate as she gets older. But, seeing as the housing market is struggling to come to life - this big move may or may not happen in 2009. We'll see. For now, we love our house and our neighborhood and Vivienne is not of school age, so there is no big rush and we're happy to wait until the "time is right" to put our house on the market.

Steve is seeing the end of a brief, but intensely busy-time at work. He had to cut his paternity leave short in order to return to work to get started on an annual report for one of his clients, and he's had to work late quite a bit and has gone out of town overnight twice in the past two weeks, so I am really looking forward to the completion of the report for this client. Luckily, Steve's mom, Marylee, has been staying with us during the week - I don't know what I would've done without her! - so I have had help caring for Vivienne during this time. Yeah for terrific mother-in-laws!! Marylee is the best! : )

Speaking of great moms, my mother, Rachel, came over for a brief visit yesterday to bring us the Christening gown that her mother handmade for her when she was a baby so we can use it for Vivienne's upcoming baptism. (No, we haven't set a date with the church yet, but I'll be sure to let everyone know as soon as we do!) My mom also took some photos of us and was kind enough to give me a wonderful (and oh so very much needed) backrub. It took three attempts to give me the backrub (baby interupptions) but my mom was patient and persistent enough to make it happen. Gotta love moms! I've got to come up with some extra special gifts for Mother's Day this year!

Vivienne's finally here!!!

Our darling girl has finally arrived and we couldn't be happier!  Our first week at home has consisted of lots of snuggling and kisses intermixed with feeding the baby, changing diapers, admiring just how cute Vivienne is in her various outfits (and taking photos), and trying to sleep when we can.  My mother, Rachel, was with us for the first few days at home and was a great help with cooking, cleaning and taking turns holding Vivienne - it was a blessing to have her with us and a time we'll always treasure.  Steve's mom, Marylee, arrives tomorrow and we anticipate a wonderful visit with her as well.  I'll be posting more pics soon but I've gotta run, its time to feed this lil angel : )

The waiting is the hardest part

So, Vivi's estimated due date has come and gone and we're just playing the waiting game now.  I can hear this voice in my head that sounds like Bob Barker from The Price Is Right saying "Vivienne Harris, come on down!!" but apparently she is not listening.  I've joked all along throughout my pregnancy though that since this child is mine, she'll be late!  We saw the doctor yesterday and they performed an ultrasound to ensure that Vivienne is still doing well and that my body is still providing a good environment for her and found that she's doing just fine and can hang out happily in "Hotel Mom" for a while longer without any trouble.  So, we're waiting - somewhat impatiently, but with no major complaints. We'll keep you all posted on any big news!