Our Own Nanny

Everyone warns you that having a kid is a lot of work.  You hear a lot of... "No more sleeping in," "No more free time," "No more relaxing Sundays."  I remember taking all these comments with a grain of salt.  "Yeah, yeah.  I know." 

But I didn't know.  I had no idea.  Adding Elliott to our family has been like adding a second full time job on my list of things to do for the day.  To Do #1: Be a mother.

The only thing different about this “To Do,” is that I actually want to do it.  I love being a mother and I absolutely love Elliott.  A parent's love for their child truly is indescribable.  However, there are moments that I wish Mark and I had help.  Someone to help change the dirty diapers.  Someone to help put him to bed at night.  Someone to watch him so I can run a quick 30 minute errand without lugging around a car seat.  Someone to help entertain him so I can actually make a real meal again without Elliott constantly begging at my side to be picked up.

Surprisingly, my wish was granted!  My brother’s fiancé stayed with us while she was on rotation with an allergist in Overland Park.  She was like our own live-in nanny!  We had a fun two weeks and we were sad to see her go! 

Story Time

Going Swimming

Uncle Danny and Elliott playing with Legos

Currie Family Pictures

We had family pictures taken a couple weekends ago at Loose Park.  I stopped trying to pretend I was a professional photographer and decided to finally pay someone to do it.  My expensive camera can take some great pictures, but I'm too impatient to sit down and figure out how to really use it! We spent two hours goofing around at a gorgeous park in Kansas City and we had an absolute blast!  The pictures turned out better than we could have imagined.  I'm posting the links because it will be easier than downloading each picture. Enjoy!

www.nikkieads.com/slideshows/currie
http://nikkieads.exposuremanager.com/g/currie

Huey P. Long Bridge

One of Mark's first projects with HNTB was the Huey P. Long Bridge Widening Project in New Orleans.  It's a 2,300 foot railroad and highway bridge that crosses the Mississippi River.  The project cost $1.2 billion and took seven years to complete.  HNTB was the erection engineer and was tasked with widening the steel trusses at the top of the bridge.  For three spans of the bridge, the trusses were built on barges on the side of the river and then lifted into place.  Each truss was approximately the size of two football fields. Mark traveled to New Orleans weekly from the fall of 2009 to the spring of 2011 and worked on what is now known as the "Big Lifts."   

The bridge was finally completed this year and the Louisiana Department of Transportation held a ribbon cutting ceremony this past Sunday.  Mark and I flew down for the weekend to attend the ceremony with some of his coworkers.  He had a great time reuniting with some of the contractors that he worked alongside for 18 months.  After listening to them tell stories and reminisce, I have a much greater appreciation for what Mark does as an engineer.    I am very proud of him!     

I highly recommend a trip to New Orleans at least once.  The culture is so rich and the houses are absolutely beautiful. Most of the homes are built pre-civil war and are full of southern charm.  But (and this is a big but), one trip to New Orleans is enough to fulfill my curiosity for a lifetime.  The city is extremely dirty and there are neighborhoods that have still not recovered from Hurricane Katrina.   We spent most of Saturday shopping and touring Bourbon Street and the French Quarter.  We ate at a restaurant called Jacques Imos Saturday night and it was amazing!  It’s a whole-in-the-wall, but the food is “real Nawlin’ food” and comes highly recommended.  I am not sure I will ever be able to eat seafood in the Midwest again!  

 

A truss sitting on the barge below the bridge

One of the trusses being floated into place

Mark on the bridge

The lifts were done at night to diminish traffic delays so Mark has some gorgeous sunset pictures.

This is not Mark, but he did take the picture.  I think it's safe to say that he conquered his fear of heights while working on this bridge!

 

 

This one is Mark!

 

Some of the HNTB Engineers
Mark Currie, Sean Coone, Hans Hutton

Ribbon Cutting

14 Months

Elliott comprehends so much!  He now understands sit down, outside, walk, tubby time, upstairs, hungry and shut the door.  We are constantly giving him small tasks to do and he loves completing them!  I hope the fun in completing tasks continues when we start giving him things like mow the lawn or take out the trash.

 

He said his first word a couple days ago.  Drum roll please.....ball!  I'm sure you are all so surprised.  We were out for a walk and the neighbor boys were throwing a baseball back and forth.  Elliott reached forward and yelled "ball" several times until they were out of sight.  So cute!

 

We don't have any measurements, but I think he has taken some time off from growing.  He is still in 18-month clothes and some 24-month shirts.  Although he is slowing in height and weight, he certainly looks older every day. 

Favorite Things:
Being outside....he literally begs to go outside
Playing with sticks
Tubby time (he now tries to drink the water out of the faucet)
Basketball
Closing doors
Baby animal app on Mom's phone (which only comes out in emergency situations)

Eating like a big boy. 

He figured out how to turn Mom's phone on and off.

Playing basketball....again!

 

Weekend with Grandma and Grandpa Currie

Grandma and Grandpa Currie made a somewhat spontaneous trip to Kansas City this weekend after finishing up in the field. 

Big fan of the goats!

First fish

Riding with Grandpa...of course it was a Case

He wanted to walk on his own!

I continued my long weekend of relaxation and made a trip to Timber Creek Retreat with my friend, Leigh. It's a little lodge about 40 minutes south of my house that is somewhat like a bed-and-breakfast.  A husband and wife opened it as a place for people to "get away and relax" and that's just what we did. 

The sister did all the cooking....amazing! All the guests ate their meals together. 
It was kind of fun to get to know the other people there.

 

 

When I got home on Sunday afternoon, I took Elliott swimming!

 

Mom's Days Off

Mom's Days Off

 

I am writing this while drinking my morning cup of coffee and eating a bowl of oatmeal, and it's quiet in the house.  No TV, no alarm clocks, no husband, and no Elliott.  I took two days off to spend a 4-day weekend with my girlfriends in North Carolina and a few events came up so we had to cancel the trip, but I decided to keep my days off.  I had a corporate challenge track meet Wednesday night and got home two hours past my bedtime.  I promised myself I would take Elliott to Monique's in the morning so I could rest and have some free time. 

 

Elliott woke up promptly at 6:07am so it wasn't hard for me to keep my promise.  I pulled him into bed with me, but he quickly crawled off and walked out of the room as if he was saying "Come on Mom, we have a lot of things to do today."  I rolled over and pulled the pillow over my eyes.  A couple seconds later I hear Elliott standing next to me laughing.  I peak out from under the pillow and he's holding up an empty sippy cup, grinning from ear to ear (he LOVES his milk).  At that moment, I so badly wanted to spend the day with my son.  However, I resisted the urge and decided to take him to Monique's. 

 

The time off has been glorious.  I went to a coffee shop in the morning and read my book.  I treated myself to a manicure and pedicure with a gift certificate my mother gave me while I was in the hospital with Elliott.  Yes, it took me a whole year to take time for myself and get a manicure!  I walked around Costco at 2:00 in the afternoon and I could actually shop without the rush of anxiety and claustrophobia setting in. 

 

I have an amazing husband who shares responsibilities with me, but I still need time away every once and a while.  I am convinced it will make me a better mom!