We’re finally heading into beach weather in Chicago. And by beach weather I mean dog beach weather. Don’t get me wrong we can take Gordon to the beach all year round, and he usually goes for a dip no matter the temperature, but we’ve got a 4th wheel now. Lucy happily tags along most places we take her, and the dog beach is no exception. She even lets us dress her up in sun hats and sunglasses – no complaints.
Our lives have been everything but routine pretty much since I left my full-time job back in 2011. Living life as a freelance designer and photographer makes it difficult for me to establish a set hour-to-hour routine. All the books say I’m supposed set hours for myself, but to be honest that’s why I dove into the freelance world to have more freedom. Fitting in client meetings and traveling to do photo shoots, then brainstorming or editing make it nearly impossible to set hours (you never know when creativity will strike and you certainly don’t force it.) Then add in caring for a home, cooking, and social time, and poof no routine. It’s certainly a good way to keep my life interesting. And when summer in Chicago hits everyone goes into “summer mode.” Lots of late nights, weekend trips, festivals, BBQs, all the fun stuff that make you want to stay as far from a daily regimen as possible.
So that being said, Lucy really has no particular daily routine, but she does have a morning routine… that I freaking love. When she wakes we snuggle while she eats breakfast. She slowly let’s her eyes adjust to the morning light, getting wider and wider as the minutes pass. Then when I feel she’s done, I unlatch her, burb her, and lay her next to me while we practice our ABC’s and spelling her name. Goodness she is a happy girl in the morning. She’s all smiles and coos. Then I start to get ready for the day. After a while she fusses from being on her back. So I sit her up against the pillow while I continue to work around the apt. Once she’s bored in the bedroom we start our new adventure for the day.
My maternal grandfather recently passed away. I knew him as a loving, hard-working man who took much pride in his family. Before he left us, he and Lucy got to meet briefly.
As with my grandmothers passing, I was asked to give the eulogy at Papa’s funeral. It’s difficult and emotionally draining to write a eulogy, but here is what I came up with…
“Those who knew Papa know he loved life. He was a simple man, with simple pleasures. Loved soccer. Loved to cook. Loved to go on walks with his grandchildren. And he absolutely loved sitting in a folding chair with a beer in front of his house. I’m sure many of you here have spent countless hours on the sidewalk of Cortez Ave chatting with Papa. He loved the company. Papa was a people person. Like a true Italian his heart swelled with joy whenever he was surrounded by his friends and family, especially when it included a big meal and a glass of homemade wine.
Papa immigrated to Chicago from Italy with my grandmother in the 1950’s. Although it was hard to leave the only home they ever knew, they were in search of a better life for themselves and their growing family. Throughout the years he worked hard to provide for his wife and six children. He once told me he worked up to three jobs at once to support his family. He spent much of his career working for the village of Melrose Park, driving his truck #102, and pouring concrete for various projects. Papa was always cooking for the Village. Whenever they would ask, he would respond with “cinque betz,” five dollars. He was so important to the village that they even gifted him with a street in his honor. Papa was more or less a Melrose Park icon. You always knew where he was because of the American and Italian flags that stood on his car.
Besides working for the village, he was incredibly involved in his community. As a devout Catholic, he spent much time volunteering at Our Lady of Mt Carmel. Always ready to help when he could. He took much pride in his services to the church, especially every summer when he would help carry the Madonna around the neighborhood along side his friends, brothers, and nephews. When I was a child I remember watching Papa walk the collection baskets around during Mass and think “Wow, he must be really special to have a job like that.” He was also heavily involved with the Annual San Francesco feast. A tradition that he carried with him from is hometown of San File in Calabria Italy. He even he helped start The Flowers of Italy club with his brother, Joe.
Papa knew everyone and everyone loved him.
What made Papa so special are the traditions he carried on throughout the years. Most people don’t understand the time and effort someone has to put in to making homemade wine, homemade sausage, or even keeping a luscious home made garden. For Papa these things weren’t optional. These were traditions engrained so deep, that they became more than annual events they were his way of life.
Papa will live on through the traditions he has passed down to us. We will keep him alive with every story we share and every memory we relive. Every time my cousins think back on the times he would take us to the deli to get candy, or the soccer games they went to with him, or the playful pranks Papa would play with them. I want them to be filled with the joy of having a grandfather that cared. A grandfather that always wanted to know how they were doing. And a grandfather that was so proud of his family.
Many people have expressed their sympathies about my Papa’s long, painful battle, offering their warm hugs and kind words to help fill our sad hearts. Cancer is a viscous sickness, and Papa took it head on for over five years. Over and over again, he beat the odds and bounced right back. Always eager to help, and ready to drive his sister-in-laws around for the next errand. Papa fought up until the very end.
I am grateful to have known Papa for as long as I have. He got to see me as a baby, a child, an adult and most recently a mother. After he passed, I realized that as much as it hurts to see him go, this is all a part of the cycle of life. And just like the symbolic flood of the Old Testament, we’ve had our own flood in these past few days. A flood to help wash away our sorrows and pave new paths for our family.”
Sunday we went to a party at Cosley Zoo for my little cousin’s third birthday. Cosley is more or less a glorified petting zoo. Lots of farm animals, ducks, and bunny rabbits. Perfect for a little person’s birthday party. When I was a camp counselor back in the day, I used to take my little kiddos here for “field trips.” It’s always nice to put kids up face to face with other species. A little reminder of who we share the earth with.
This little fella LOVES the camera. Every time I pulled it out he put on a great, big cheesy smile.
Lucy of course slept through the party. All three hours of it. She slept through lunch, and smelly animals, and cake and presents. Then woke up in time to say bye to everyone.
The second month is so much different than the first month. And I’m sure the following months will be just as different as the second month. Lucy has really started to show her personality. Awake, and alert for a good portion of the day. Smiling. Cooing. All the beginnings of a little girl with a bright personality. I get a kick out of watching her scan the room until something catches her eye. It’s almost as though you can see all of the little connectors in her brain shooting off with excitement. Then she flails her arms around kicks her legs signaling to me that she found something she likes. That thing is typically the ceiling fan, but sometimes its the window or the decor or her mommy or daddy. Precious little movements, huge developmental milestones.
Lucy let’s me wedge her into the couch at least once a day. She’s likes sitting up and looking around. I turn on the tunes while I work on the computer, and we take turns talking. The lighting was particularly awesome the day of this shoot. And Lucy decided to show off her many faces.
Things I learned this month…
Melt.my.heart
This has been a week of many firsts for Lucy. First Easter, first social smile, first walk outside with Gordon, first trip to the grocery store. I love knowing I can take Lucy outside of the house without her world falling apart. It’s quite the opposite actually. She loves going on little adventures. When we took her to Trader Joe’s she of course fell asleep in the car, but rather than lugging the car seat into the grocery store I put her in my Sakura Bloom sling. Damn, that sling works wonders! At first she was awake and observing all delicious treats. Then just like that, she was out cold. Totally comfortable, relaxed, and sleeping. Even just today I called upon the powers of the mighty sling. She was having a fit about something, so I put her in the sling and bam – out. I don’t think she was in there for even 20 seconds before she was zonked.
These are some Easter photos. Lucy is passed out and we can’t stop kissing her in her adorable little outfit. Oh, and Gordon photo bombed us a couple of times.
Lucy and I are starting to get into more of a groove now. I can pick out what her different cries mean – when she needs to be picked up and when she can work things out on her own. I know Lucy is supposed to recognize my voice, but she actually recognizes my voice. Just the other day she was screaming her face off while her and Des were waiting for Gordon and I to get in the car. As soon I jumped in and told her everything was okay and that mommy was there now, she let out few more of her sweet little cries then started to settle. What an incredible feeling. We drove off. I talked to her a little more and told her stories as her eyelids fell heavy until they were completely closed and she was in her dream world.
I’m not sure there is anything more peaceful than a snapshot of a sleeping baby. Especially one this adorable. A friend of ours who met Lucy for the first time this weekend said ‘It’s really hard to not stare at a baby.’ So true. If I had nothing else to do I would watch her sleep for hours, in a I’m-not-a-creep-but-I’m-obsessed-with-my-daughter kind of way. Another thing I heard this weekend that stuck with me was ‘This is the only time in her life you’ll be able to hold her so close for so long.’ So when she’s up in the middle of the night and won’t fall back to sleep or when she just wants to cuddle and walk around, I’ll remind myself of how rare these moments are.
It’s incredibly hard to believe a whole month has gone by since this little cutie made her appearance. It feels more like a really long day with little naps here and there. No matter how much you try to prepare for parenthood, there is nothing quite like it. Especially the no sleep thing… I thought I wasn’t getting any sleep when I was pregnant. This is a whole new ballgame. And I’m lucky! Lucy only gets up once at night, but then she tends to stay up. Sometimes for only 45min, and other times for a couple of hours. That’s usually when I start crying and asking her why she won’t go to sleep. It’s had to get mad when you have this little face looking at you, and all she really wants to do is eat and snuggle.
Which brings me to breastfeeding. Whoa, what an experience. It’s not as easy as it looks, thats for sure. Lucy is a healthy little girl with a healthy little appetite. She’s been feeding like a champ since the beginning. Let’s just say she falls into the “barracuda” style of breastfeeding. Yeah, she’s a real go-getter. So on the plus side she’s growing, but at the expense of two of the most sensitive areas on my entire body. We’re in a good groove now… since I’ve had a month to toughen up. It’s comforting knowing my little Lucy is growing because of what I am providing for her. Plus, at a month out I’m 8lbs away from my pre-pregnancy weight, after putting on a total of 38lbs. Yay! Breast is best!
Back to the parenting thing… I love it. I love my baby girl. And I love watching Des with Lucy. I’m not sure it will ever get old. Even down the road when they are teaming up against me for one thing or another.
Things I’ve learned about Lucy…
