I took a big step.

A big, scary step.

HUGE.

*gulp*



I quit my job.




Holy. Crap. This has been a long time in coming...something I've wanted to do for a while. But I could never get up the courage to make the change (I think I've mentioned before about my fear of change, despite the fact that the change always ends up being for the better).

I'm sure a lot of you remember me bitching about my job. You can catch up about some of it here and here or even here. (I have way more examples but I don't need inundate you with my whining, miserable work stress posts.)

My maternity leave has been winding to a close. I was supposed to go back November 23rd. Of course, I was having the "usual" new Mommy feelings about going back to work and leaving my baby. I've cried a boatload of tears over it. But unfortunately my job would not make any exceptions to my schedule. They said that they had no part time work for me. Fine. I sucked it up and told myself Just go back for now, but keep looking for part time work.

A phone call with my supervisor last week changed all that. I still don't feel comfortable going into details but let's just say, I was pissed off after I hung up that phone. I was angered and unhappy and uncomfortable about what I was going to be going back to on November 23rd. I shed some angry tears. Then Big D said the words that set it all in motion.

"Just quit, honey. I can't stand seeing you like this and that place makes you so unhappy. Just quit, and you can start looking for a part time job now."

The affect his words had on me was insane....it was like a crashing wave of relief washed over me. I wiped away the tears, looked down at my snoozing baby boy, and nodded.

It was time.


So here I am! Jobless, and mildly freaked out for a different reason.

But feeling so insanely relieved, calm and content, feelings I haven't had in such a long time.


And I couldn't be happier.

Dear Hunter,

It's official. You are THREE MONTHS OLD.

Slow down your speedy growth, buster--Mommy and Daddy can barely keep up with you!

You have discovered your hands...and what an amazing discovery it IS for you, little man. Mommy laughs when she sees you trying to jam your whole fist into your mouth, and she often has to pry it out so that you don't gag yourself! And then when your thumb ended up in your mouth for the first time after one particular hand-sucking episode, it was like magic! Your eyes seemed to widen in surprise. You've almost gotten the knack of sucking your thumb but you still manage to sometimes poke yourself in the eye at the same time!

Mommy hates Elmo but can't help but sing the Elmo tune to you because it makes you smile or giggle...EVERY SINGLE TIME. So I've taken to inserting your name into it, instead of Elmo's: Da da da da, da da da da...Hunter's World! Your other favorite past time is listening to Mommy and Daddy say "Ma ma ma ma" or "Da da da da" to you. Not only do you laugh in response, but you then try to talk afterwards.

You love your baby swing; it's the only place you will nap for a consecutive 2-4 hours. Otherwise, if anyone tries to put you down for a nap in your crib or pack-n-play, you are KING of the cat-nappers! Ten to fifteen minutes after we've laid you down, you are awake and NOT happy to be there. Mommy's newest trick to try to get you to nap in your crib? It's called a "Mommy Bear"...a stuffed teddy bear that plays "sounds of the womb". It sounded kinda cheesy but man, oh man, it works! I've gotten you to take a 45 minute and even an hour nap so far in your crib! Nana and I were both SO excited the first day it happened.

You went to your first fair, the Durham Fair, and it seems you approved! Not only did you stay awake the entire time, but your eyes widened in surprise when you heard the cows mooing. Your second fair was the Portland Fair (much smaller!). Mommy carried you in the Baby Bjorn so you were able to look all around and Daddy showed you the truck pulls, making sure to tell you that he can't wait for you to get bigger so you can see and enjoy so much more at the fairs!

You've moved up to Size 2 diapers--our big boy! As of October 22nd, you weighed 15 lbs 3 oz. You also experienced your first cold this month, poor boy, and it involved a lot of sneezing, coughing and pghlem...yuck! You also managed to pass that cold on to Daddy but he didn't mind in the least.

You experienced your first Halloween, little man! You were the cutest Pumpkin around. Mommy took you to the mall with friends and we watched as the big kids trick-or-treated. Don't worry buddy, your time will come.

You now grab at things in front of you, Hunter, and Mommy loves to see the surprise on your face when you actually can squeeze it: it being Mommy or Daddy's fingers, a toy hanging above you, a blanket over you. If I cover you with a blanket, you immediately try to cram it into your mouth or pull it over your eyes and giggle.

Mommy knows she is blessed as she relishes every single moment with you, whether it's nursing you, singing a silly song, rocking you to sleep or just staring into your warm brown eyes. Daddy loves to come home from work at the end of the day to your happy, smiling face. You always look so excited to see him!

So much has changed in the past month little man, and you've grown so much, but one thing that hasn't changed is our love for you. Every day it grows stronger and every day we stare in amazement down at you, so happy you are a part of our lives, a part of our hearts.

Love you always,

Your Mommy and Daddy

Happy (belated) Halloween, to all!

My tired little pumpkin...no morning nap becuz we were on the way to the mall for

their trick-or-treating Saturday morning.

Sophia the kitty, Julia the princess and Hunter the pumpkin. Cuties!


Mommy and Hunter in matching orange!

Group shot of the kids!

Poor little guy got so overheated in the insanely hot mall that Mama stripped off his cute jack-o-lantern sweatshirt. Oh well. And then he zonked out!

Enough of the pictures, you devil Mama-razzi!

My happy Halloween boy on his very first Halloween. :-)

Hope you all had a fabulous day!

And as if I don't torture him enough, here is Mister Bear (we didn't wear this on Halloween....it would have been too tight with his clothes underneath...but it was a gift at my baby shower so I at least wanted a picture to prove Hunter wore it at least once!)