tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81806942024-03-12T21:25:26.999-07:00Cynde's SpaceThis is Cynde's Space, a blog filled with the thoughts and ramblings of a self-proclaimed Renaissance girl who lives in the desert.Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.comBlogger169125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-65589184215833498562014-08-14T06:53:00.002-07:002014-08-14T06:53:59.913-07:00Morning ReflectionWriting quickly so I can get in my blog post before my little dragon wakes up. I cannot believe my little guy is going to be 23 months in only four days, which means in a month, he will be two.
This might give a hint as to why I haven't blogged since October. I have been busy dancing, jumping, playing, running, singing, climbing, sliding and keeping up with my toddler. Everyone tells you what Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-56878661292187685972013-10-23T07:02:00.001-07:002013-10-23T07:02:32.839-07:00Thirteen Months and a New Perspective on TimeMy blog has gone by the wayside; I have been enjoying the evolution of a little boy. A little boy who is no longer a baby, but a toddler. He turned 13 months on Friday and I am still in denial that so much time has passed. He is running around the house, playing, singing, dancing, talking up a storm (much of it gibberish, but more real words than I thought possible), exploring, investigating, andCyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-61407356887050816672013-07-07T15:20:00.004-07:002013-07-07T15:26:23.397-07:00Going MobileWhen you have a nine-month old, the words, "going mobile," have a whole new meaning.
We went mobile a few months ago when little man started rolling all over the place. This was akin to one of those brick phones from the early 90s. He was mobile, but pretty much stayed in one area. We rolled all over the front room together...frolicking, giggling. We were starting to get anxious about Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-82137640310663625432013-02-17T09:09:00.002-08:002013-02-17T09:11:58.958-08:00Lessons Over the Last Five MonthsMy son will be five months old tomorrow. Five months! This has been the quickest five months of my life...I can remember so vividly the day he was born. And, everyday of those five months, I have been amazed by all that my little boy can do. Not only has he evolved over these months, but so have I. I have learned a lot about myself.
1. I can function on six, five or four hours of sleep. I was Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-6596308065478890522012-12-27T13:10:00.000-08:002012-12-27T13:10:26.472-08:00Three months and three holidays laterOur little man is now 14 weeks old. Every month he grows older, he continues to astound us. The day he turned three months old, he decided to celebrate by rolling from his tummy onto his back.
I have been horrible at writing my blog, but I have to admit...I haven't missed it. Every moment I am able, I spend with my little boy. The smiles, the giggles, the little happy dances...they are unlike Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-74517697837019335442012-11-13T11:30:00.003-08:002012-11-13T11:30:50.326-08:00The Fastest Eight Weeks of My Life (And, Most Wonderful)When I was pregnant and preparing for maternity leave, eight weeks sounded like an eternity to take off. The longest holiday time I had taken from work was three weeks and that was when I got married. I thought the eight weeks would drag along, but this has been the fastest eight weeks of my life.
It doesn't seem long ago that I was at the hospital giving birth to my little one and now he is Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-10624768801254919882012-10-17T10:24:00.000-07:002012-10-17T10:24:03.342-07:00What I Learned My First Month as a MomYep, my son will be a month-old tomorrow. It is unbelievable how much he has already grown and how much he and I have learned together. I am in awe of my little man. One month seemed pretty far off when we brought him home the first day. But, the time has flown by; it has been an amazing, yet challenging first month. Here is what I have learned in my first month:
1. Sleep? What is Sleep?
They Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-18389778729396990252012-10-06T19:02:00.000-07:002012-10-06T19:02:16.437-07:00Enjoying Today and TomorrowWe decided that breastfeeding our son was the best decision we could make. Outside of the health benefits of breastfeeding, there is an unexpected benefit of time bonding with my little boy. It is a special time we have together. And, lately, when I look at him, I begin to think about so many things.
I think about the places he will go, the wonders we will show him in this world. I think about Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-29500912200022547142012-10-02T20:29:00.001-07:002012-10-02T20:29:32.785-07:00He's Arrived!I know this is a very late blog post. I have been in sleep-deprived baby bliss for the last two weeks; two weeks today to be exact. My son turned two weeks old today and it is still unbelievable to me that this little boy is in my life.
After nine months of a happy pregnancy and the wonder of another life growing and thriving inside me, it all came to a crescendo on my due date. September 18 atCyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-84704392623742998402012-09-15T08:27:00.000-07:002012-09-15T08:27:14.601-07:00Ben and Jerry's Day September 15 is a very special day in our home. It is what we have dubbed Ben and Jerry's Day. Why have we made it an ode to that yummy ice cream concoction?
Sixteen years ago today, this guy and this girl who had a friendship blossom over the Internet and on the phone suddenly found themselves sitting on the Santa Monica Pier together, talking over two pints of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. It Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-6513692838342141422012-09-13T14:07:00.002-07:002012-09-13T14:07:13.316-07:00I Surrender For the last week, I have been working from home and waiting for the baby to start that chemical chain reaction that we commonly call, labor. With me being at 39 weeks, I have also learned to surrender a bit of my independence.
If you read the last couple of blogs, you will know the baby is sitting pretty low, in the head-down position. And, I have been dilated and effaced for the last two Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-72891280684905403252012-09-04T17:04:00.000-07:002012-09-04T17:09:25.408-07:00Lady in Waiting (or, Ticking Time Bomb)This morning was my weekly appointment with my OB/GYN. It was time to see how far I had progressed toward the baby's arrival. I was anxious to hear what she discovered, given the news last week.
Last week, I was 80% effaced and one centimeter dilated (the measurement of the cervix opening). What does this mean? My cervix had thinned out (the cervix is 100% effaced when a woman delivers a baby)Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-44662801414310785622012-08-25T06:47:00.000-07:002012-08-25T06:47:14.985-07:00Christmas Everyday
Truly! It is like Christmas everyday at our home lately. There are boxes by the front door or we get the key o'joy in our mailbox that gives us access to the BIG mailbox where they put the special mail. I am pretty sure I have written about the generosity of our friends and family. But, I am not sure I have expressed it enough. We are blessed beyond belief; they are spoiling us and our Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-16187321879597034462012-08-11T08:19:00.002-07:002012-08-11T08:19:50.675-07:00My First Impulse PurchaseRyan and I haven't been purchasing too many baby things. It may be a bit of superstition, but 90 percent of what we have for the baby right now is from others.
Not that we haven't roamed around the Babies R Us on a Sunday afternoon. Or, trolled the internet, looking at adorable toys and clothing -- I have accumulated quite the list of bookmarks on my computer, all filed neatly under the folder Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-78248376365720450852012-08-04T07:33:00.000-07:002012-08-04T07:33:37.541-07:00Victory. Or, getting a car seat installed on a Sunday afternoonLast Sunday, we were happily informed by a Babies R Us email that the car seat for which we had registered was on sale (for 3 days only!). We pondered and decided that we would purchase it that day (in my head I saw anxious pregnant women scrambling to Babies R Us to purchase the car seat until there were none left). It was one thing to purchase it, but we had no idea what we were getting into Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-15938439847781542242012-07-28T06:27:00.002-07:002012-07-28T06:27:48.387-07:0012 Emotional Stages of Pregnancy: I am at Blissful ContentmentI am beginning to wonder if there's a list of the 12 emotional stages of pregnancy and I haven't seen it. Here is my take on this list:
1. When I first found out I was pregnant, there was excitement. Loads of tears. Love, love, love. I couldn't stop looking at Ryan and thinking about how blessed we were.
2. Then, at the first ultrasound, it seemed like a miracle; something unbelievable. We madeCyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-57140196778649441432012-07-22T08:16:00.000-07:002012-07-22T08:16:13.803-07:00Reflection: Sixty Days and CountingIt is unbelievable to me that I am now only 60 days from my estimated due date. Where has the time gone? I never expected this part of the journey to fly by so quickly. But, as I reflect back on the last seven months, it has been a truly wonderful experience full of the unexpected and new.
We first found out we were pregnant over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend -- hmmm, maybe we should include Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-90053941375902828232012-07-14T09:29:00.000-07:002012-07-20T17:57:20.478-07:00We Want to be SurprisedOver the past few months, we have done our baby registry, gone to classes at the hospital, interviewed daycares, and done meet-and-greets with pediatricians. In addition to talking to people every day, they all add up to a lot of encounters where we are asked what we are having. And, of course, being witty and a bit devilish...we always say, "A baby, we hope." Sometimes we get giggles, other Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-31442842869942604972012-07-07T07:58:00.000-07:002012-07-07T07:58:11.547-07:00Mission Impossible: Seven Hours of Sleep
Early in my pregnancy I read an article that said it was best to get at least seven hours of sleep every night, more if you are able to. The benefit would be a healthy baby, healthy you and shorter labor. Yes, shorter labor. A study had been done that women who got seven hours of sleep or more had shorter labors than those who had five to six hours of sleep every night. My mission: seven hours Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-25539964652656025012012-06-30T06:09:00.000-07:002012-06-30T06:09:50.296-07:00Naming CeremonyIn Cherokee tradition, a baby isn't named until they have a naming ceremony. The tribe elder provides a name to the new member of the family through divine inspiration and the assistance of the ancestors. Being part Cherokee, I may want to subscribe to this tradition. Why? Discussing the name we want to give to our still-loading child has become a daily conversation.
I never thought when I Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-73511891967045490982012-06-23T06:45:00.001-07:002012-06-23T06:45:25.112-07:00Nesting: An Illness or Just Hormones?Nesting. This is something I haven't always fully comprehended or understood. Deep down, I am a gypsy at heart. I crave traveling, moving around, fitting everything into one bag. Of course, after living in one house for about ten years, I have accumulated more than my gypsy heart tends to feel comfortable with. And, most of the stuff -- books and my own art (along with the materials it takes to Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-2858390163816478442012-06-16T07:09:00.000-07:002012-06-16T07:09:16.457-07:00Three-Hour Tour: A Story of Registration and Survival
Is it coincidence that it took us the same amount of time to register at Babies R Us as it did for the castaways to end up on a deserted island? I don't think so. However, the castaways on Gilligan's Island may have packed quite a bit more than we did for our tour.
It was a warm Monday evening and we arrived at the behemoth baby mega store, Babies R Us, with one water bottle, one granola barCyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-58584947483093239812012-06-09T11:40:00.001-07:002012-06-09T11:40:42.838-07:00I'm Sensing a Disturbance in the ForcePregnancy has been a new adventure. When I saw the plus sign, pregnancy was an alien state to me. My closest friends don't have children. If they do have children, they already had them when I met them...or, they had them in another state or country. A little perspective: my sister's baby shower is the only baby shower I have been to in 20 years. Babies were not a discussion topic around the Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-66961752172020620872012-06-04T18:00:00.000-07:002012-06-04T18:00:03.321-07:00Adventures in Searching for DaycareAlthough our child is still "loading," there is so much to do to prepare for its arrival in this world. And, the preparation goes beyond having the essentials, like a bed to sleep in, diapers, clothing. One of these essentials is infant daycare. And, boy, we are finding it is a doozy of an effort.
As a full-time working woman, I am taking maternity leave, but then will be heading back to work Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8180694.post-9511227730705404982012-05-25T06:08:00.001-07:002012-05-25T06:38:08.686-07:00Talk to the Belly
I am amazed at the love I am feeling already for this little being growing inside me. I am 23 weeks into my pregnancy and our little Baby Dragon (yes, that is our nickname for our little one) has already endeared herself or himself to us. We have already given the baby some personality traits based on its activity throughout the day (boy, this baby moves) and its bit of attitude when we go in Cyndehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07055055900640440275noreply@blogger.com0