RBOC:Long Time, No See Edition

Well, hello there, blog. I keep thinking about posting, but then I just don’t. Every time I think of a good bog post, I immediately think that *this* shouldn’t be my first post after such a long hiatus. So, I’m just going to bite the bullet (pun not intended) and post.

• I started a new postdoc at a VA hospital. For those of you, like me, that didn’t know, the VA has a thriving research program, well now you do. This particular hospital is associated with a MRU and that helps with resources, etc. So far I really like it.
• LabBFF is now exLabBFF. I’m still not sure what happened there, but she has made it passive-aggressively clear that we are no longer close friends. I’m sad about that, but I’m not sure what to do about it.
• On a related note, I don’t have a lot of friends here in PostDocTown. I’m not sure how to make more. I did join a working moms group on meetup.com and have gone to a few running/speed walking meetups. I’m hoping that this will parlay into some real friendships. On the other hand, it’s hard to make time for friendships with Kiddo.
• Speaking of Kiddo, he’s wonderful. He’s already a year old—now 13 months! He doesn’t really talk yet, but he can use sign language. Well, limited sign language. “All done” is his utilitarian sign. He uses it when he’s done with his meal, a particular food on his tray, bath time, being held, reading a book, playing with a toy, amongst other things. He has also started to sign “more,” which is useful, but doesn’t help when he wants “more” bath and it’s bed time. Still, it’s useful to try to figure out why he’s upset.
• Kiddo isn’t walking, yet, but is cruising. He’ll stand on his own—without holding on to something—for brief periods. He’s a pretty cautious kid, though, and I’m certain he’ll start walking once he feels comfortable. I have a feeling it’ll be like crawling. Kiddo didn’t crawl until he was 10.5 months. However, once he started crawling he was a pro. He started off crawling laps around our house at top speed (much to Dixie Dog’s dismay).
• Being a working mom is hard, but has gotten tremendously easier now that Kiddo is sleeping more at night. Getting at least 4 uninterrupted hours of sleep at night has been pure bliss. I’ve noticed that it has also caused an increase in my productivity at work. There’s a reason why sleep deprivation is considered torture.
• In TMI news, I’ve stopped pumping! It’s amazing how much free time I have now and I love it. I still nurse Kiddo in the morning and evening. I sometimes contemplate weaning him entirely, but I don’t want to give up the convenience factor. Most of the time when he wakes in the night I can nurse him and he falls right back to sleep. I’m afraid of disturbing that delicate balance. So I think we’ll continue with the morning/night nursing until Kiddo or I am just done with it.
• Dr. Man has finished his training and has a job. Well, a temporary job. He starts his proper job at the beginning of October. His temporary job is a bit stressful both in terms of the work and his hour-each-way commute. I’ll be glad when he’s done with this temp job at the end of August!
• Speaking of end of August, my little brother is getting married in three weeks! I can’t believe it! However, I’m excited about the event.
• Also, said wedding coincides with the three-decade anniversary of my birth. So no birthday plans for me. I’m hoping that we can celebrate it in September after Dr. Man takes his boards.

Well, enough with the brain dump. I’m hoping this will get me over the hump, so to speak, and allow me to start posting with some regularity.