Gratitude: Day 5/30: Red Cups

I feel a little silly for admitting this, because in hindsight it seems like a silly assumption, but before I had A.J., and in those first few weeks, I thought that once babies started sleeping through the night then they would KEEP sleeping through the night. Now, some 17 months later I can say, "What the heck was I thinking??"

You see, A.J. had us fooled. At 6 weeks he slept for a 6-7 hour stretch. And from 6 weeks until about 4.5 months he continued to sleep in those big stretches at night until he was in a routine of going to bed at 9 and waking up at 6. Then the teething started. And it didn't stop. And our nights of good sleep became fewer and farther between. When he wasn't teething there was always something else to blame the crappy sleep on. Why, oh why, did someone not tell me that sleeping through the night was not a permanent thing?

So what does A.J.'s sleep habits have to do with my grateful spirit today? Well, last night was one of those brutal nights. From about 11pm to 3am he woke up crying every hour. From what I can tell there was nothing bothering him to warrant being awake. Finally, after sleeping in stretches of 30 minutes between his crying jags, I got up with him at 3 and settled on the couch for a little mama cuddles as we call those middle of the night feedings. Within minutes I could tell that he had settled into the deep sleep that had been evading him all night. Back to the crib he went and I crawled into my bed, only to stare at the ceiling for an hour and a half. I think, in total I managed 3 hours of sleep last night.

Enter my beloved red cup. I am proud, and somewhat shocked, to say it has been several months since I visited Starbucks. It is much easier for me to resist the call of the bucks when the weather is warmer. I think my absence made our reunion on this cold dark sleepy morning so much sweeter. If I could have fit through the drive thru window, I would have hugged that sweet barista as she placed my warm red cup of goodness in my hand. I drove home with the heat blowing on my feet, the cup warming my hands, and a smile on my face.

Am I still tired? Heck yes. Are there dark circles under my eyes? Oh yeah. But I'm plugging along. And I am reminded that on some days it is the little things that make all the difference.

Gratitude 4/30: Modern Medicine

Those who know me well know modern medicine played a large role in making me a mother. And since A.J.'s arrival almost 17 months ago, modern medicine has kept him alive on a few occasions. From seizures to allergies to that crazy brush with dangerously low platelets, we have learned a lot about the human body and about the resources available to help us when we're sick.

Tonight, a friend of mine is in the hospital hoping that modern medicine can keep her from delivering her baby more than three months early. My heart breaks for her and I can only imagine how scary this experience is. My prayer is that her sweet little girl decides to hang out in the womb for several more weeks. But if that is not meant to be, I am thankful that so many advances have been made in caring for micropreemies. The statistics are still scary, and the complications of such an early birth are many, but the fact that her daughter has a 70 percent chance of survival is nothing short of a miracle.

So tonight, I will say a little prayer for KA and her whole family as well as the doctors and nurses who are all working together to do the best they can to care for that precious little baby. God makes miracles happen every day, and some days those miracles happen through the hands of good doctors.

Gratitude Day 3/30: There's no place like home

Four years ago today, I signed what felt like a million pieces of paper. I wrote my initials until the S and the H blended into some weird symbol like the artist formerly known as Prince. I think my hand even cramped at one point. But three hours later, I had keys in my hand! For the first time in my adult life, I no longer had to pay rent! Hooray for home ownership.

In the four years we've lived here, I've learned to be thankful for more than these four walls and the roof over our heads. I am also thankful for our quiet neighborhood, and our awesome neighbors. There was no way to know when I got pregnant with AJ in the fall of 2008 that I would be one of seven women on our blog staring at two pink lines within weeks of each other. Over the past 17 months we have often joked that our homes are all full of the same messes, that we all have the same sleep deprived looks. Our babies have turned into toddlers and we can share all of the milestones. It's such a cool bond and it will only get cooler as those toddlers grow into kids who share classes and sports and all sorts of adventures.

So today, I am thankful for my home, and all that comes with it!

Gratitude: Day 2/30: Election Day

The first election I voted in also happened to be my first election working at a television station. I took a break from work and drove to the campus polling place with one of my coworkers, Dan Smart. I cast my ballot for the guy who didn't win.

Of course, I didn't find out he didn't win for several weeks. And the Supreme Court was involved. Ah, Indecision 2000. Dimpled chads. Recounts. Hanging chads. More recounts! All eyes were on Florida. And I was there!

A lot has changed in my life since November 2000. I am certainly more jaded than I was back then. I have different priorities that determine how I cast my vote these days. Tonight, I am watching the returns come in from my couch, in sweatpants and a Gator teeshirt. That's a first for me. For almost 10 years, I spent every election day/night/early morning after in a newsroom. Tonight, I get to decide when I go to bed. What a concept.

Tonight, I am grateful for the right to vote. I am thankful to live in a country where I am free to voice my opinions and even more importantly, I have the ability to do something! I cast my vote this morning with a big smile on my face. I was smelly from the gym, and in a rush because Karl was home watching AJ for me, but nothing was going to stop me from sliding my ballot into the machine and grabbing my I VOTED! sticker.

And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in saying I'm grateful for an end to political ads and robo calls! Here's to a few months of peace and quiet before the campaigning starts for 2012! And mark your calendar, The Homburgs are having an Election Night party in 2012! Consider yourself invited!!

11.01.10: Grateful

It's been a while since I've written here. Something about being busy living life. Some days that means soaking it all in and enjoying every moment. Some days, more often than I'd care to admit, it means hanging on for dear life and just trying to survive.

This time of year has the potential to involve a lot of the latter. Hanging on. Trying to stay sane. Drinking more caffeine. Doing more on less sleep. I have that nervous feeling in my tummy just thinking about all that *needs* to be done in the coming weeks. The trips, the shopping, the guests, the cards.

The truth is I want to love this time of year. I want to feel the way I used to feel about the holidays. I want to experience the anticipation, not the dread. I want to reclaim "the most wonderful time of the year."

In the hopes of changing my attitude, I am resurrecting this blog and taking a challenge from my friend Scarlett. 30 days of gratitude. One whole month of documenting the things I am lucky to have, the treasures in my life that might be overlooked or unappreciated. I am thankful for Scarlett's challenge because I really believe this change in thinking can change my holiday season for the better.

So, without further ado, today I am grateful for my laptop that allows me to type this entry while sitting in bed next to my snoring husband. Said laptop may be missing a control key and a space bar (thanks to a certain little dude who is fascinated by technology) but it keeps me connected with a world wide web full of amazing friends.

03.07.10: Spring or Bust

If there's one thing I've learned about the weather while living in Wisconsin it's that everything is relative.

40 degrees in September? That's COLD! Whip out the sweaters and bake something pumpkinish!
40 degrees in March? It's SPRING! Fire up the grill!

And in the spirit of our first 40 something weekend, we did some very important things.

What's missing from this house? Christmas decorations! That's right! It was finally warm enough to melt the snow in front of the house, allowing Karl to get up on the ladder and remove the wreaths from the front windows.

Also on the agenda this weekend: our first walk of the neighborhood.

This is the face of a little dude who is wondering why he is wearing a hat and coat when we just passed a guy wearing shorts.
Can you see him? They were a couple of blocks ahead, and I didn't have the creepy stalker zoom on my camera, so this is all I've got. Shorts!

Post walk self portrait.
We are both looking forward to many many more of these walks in the coming weeks.
Tomorrow's forecasted high is 48. That's close to 50 people!
Bring it on, Spring. Bring it on!

03.02.10: Ten on Tuesday: Snapshots from Vacation

Since we returned late last night/early this morning from 10 days in the sunshine state, I thought I'd dedicate this week's ten on Tuesday to some of my favorite vacation snapshots.

1. Team Grandpa: Mark my words, Grandpa Mark will forever be known as "The cool grandpa who lives with Mickey Mouse and drives a motorcyle." A.J. is clearly a big fan of his Grandpa and loved spending time with him.


2. When Peek a Boo goes horribly wrong: Contrary to what you see here, A.J. loved Grandpa Mark's friend Curtis. He was enthralled with his deep voice and was constantly watching him. Then, Curtis whipped out the peek a boo. And A.J. lost his mind. Poor sensitive little dude.

3. Not a creature was stirring: There were very few things I *really* wanted to do on A.J.'s first trip to Disney World. I set my expectations low since we didn't know how he would handle the crowds. The truth is he was amazing and his incredibly happy self, napping whenever he decided it was necessary no matter where we were. And in this case he decided to go to sleep while we were waiting in line to see Mickey. Love him.

4. Snack time at Magic Kingdom: My brother snapped this shot of the little dude and I right after I finished nursing on the porch of The Hall of Presidents. I'm pretty sure the imagineers who designed the front porch, didn't put the rocking chair there for a breastfeeding mom, but it was a nice touch. This picture makes me thankful that almost nine months in breastfeeding is so natural for us and I'm happy to have family who supports it.


5. Celebrate a Dream Come True: This is the picture I wanted. Me and my little dude, wearing his personalized ears. My brother took it while we were watching the parade. True story: I cried. How could I not? Those Disney people pull at my heart strings. The song, "Celebrate the dream inside of you, the dream that just came true." Um, ya think? :)


6. Biker Baby: We are in trouble. A.J. was in "hog heaven" on Grandpa Mark's Harley. We spent some time taking pictures one morning and let A.J. sit on the bike for a minute. He didn't want to get off. And then when it was time to leave and the guys had to fire the bikes up, A.J. giggled at the loud noise. I'm pretty sure he wants to trade in his jumperoo for a motorcyle.

7. Super Baby with Uncle Stevie: I think one of the most surprising things about being a mom is how it changed relationships within my family. I am so much closer to my brother now, and I love watching him with A.J. They have such a great bond and I know it will only get closer over time.

8. Training the Class of 2031: A.J. made his first trip to his future school. We walked across campus with him in the stroller and every. single. person. who saw him smiled. Clearly, his enthusiasm for the Gators is infectious. :)

9. Swing Kid: I think A.J. might be a tad depressed now that we're back in Wisconsin and we can't spend every day outside. He loved the fresh air and long walks. And he REALLY loved the swing set at the park. Now how do I explain that it will be a few weeks before we can swing at home?

10. Four Generations: A.J. has three great grandmas who are still living. This week he met my Grammy, his GiGi. I have so many memories of going on very special dates with my Grammy when I was little and I am so glad that she was able to spend time with A.J.

And a bonus just because I think he's the cutest baby ever:

Vacations are never long enough, are they?