The minute we leave this guy alone with a computer, the tap, tap, tapping starts. That’s normally when we remember we left a laptop open and run frantically to wherever we left it.

This time it was the Chop’s computer… and the Peanut left a few Ritz cracker crumbs in his wake.

For over two years I’ve only had decaf coffee in the house. First I was pregnant, then I was nursing and then the smallest bit of caffeine made me insane. I’d still drink a small pot of coffee every morning or so, but it was always decaffeinated.

Over the weekend I finally broke down and bought regular coffee… and wow, I have really missed it. Even though the Chop and I regularly visit Starbucks, there’s nothing like having caffeine at the crack of dawn when the Peanut wants to play. I almost feel bad remembering how many mornings I’d “play” with him before the Chop woke up, trying desperately to keep my eyes open and my brain working.

We have a pretty good schedule worked out – we trade off waking up with him every morning. Some days that means 5AM, some days it’s 730AM – the only constant is that after two hours, we switch. The Chop usually heads straight back to bed when his shift is over, but about 50% of the time I stay awake and start work. The Peanut normally goes down for his nap 3-4 hours after he woke up, so I can usually knock out a four hour stretch. Then when he wakes up, the Chop takes over and I go between working and play for the rest of the day.

We’re pretty lucky.

My parents are moving to my side of the country. They’ll be five hours away by car, but by car makes it seem close. Really close.

I know it will be great for Oliver and overall we’re pretty happy for them – but also slightly panicked.

It’s much easier to parent the way you want when there’s no one close enough to judge you for it.

My baby turned one yesterday. It’s hard to believe a year has already passed since we brought him home. It doesn’t seem like just yesterday, but maybe six months ago? Certainly not four seasons.

We had an awesome party, replete with an elephant cake, balloons, close friends and family and a very happy and exhausted birthday boy.

Sadly this morning he had to go in for his one year appointment – three vaccinations and a tiny vial of blood for tests was not well received. By baby or mommy.

We maintain websites at several locations, but we tend to suggest one particular server company… and right now they are down due to a nameserver issue. I’ve received 5 panicked phone calls from different clients… and multiple emails… but sadly, there is nothing I can do. So I sit and wait, constantly refreshing the “information update” page, following the company’s tweets, wondering just how bad this day is going to be.

Earlier I noticed someone was having a birthday on Facebook… so I went to post on their wall, and I was unable to see it. Did they do that on purpose? I don’t believe she likes me very much… we went to college together, but since then our lives have taken very different roads. I’ve often wondered if she’s just mad I parlayed my degree into running my own business and doing pretty well at it. She comments occasionally on pictures of the ‘Nut, and says she wants to meet him, but never goes farther than that (ie, actually meeting him).

Our honeymoon ended up being awesome, even though we missed the Peanut terribly. Italy was amazing – we really loved Pompeii, Venice and Florence. The food in Florence… wowza. I would move there for that alone, lol. Venice, we loved the atmosphere, but didn’t particularly love the food (very fishy-tasting seafood). Rome was hectic, but we stayed off the beaten trail and had wonderful cappuccinos and food (cheaper than being in the center of Rome) every day.

Now we’re back home with the Peanut, who’s growing way too fast. He’s starting to crawl(ish) backward, is crazy vocal and loves almost all the food he gets (peas = not so much). My parents loved being here while we were gone, and I’m pretty sure my mom would move here in a heartbeat, if she could only convince my dad.

It’s pretty rare these days that one of us gets to do anything sans baby. Not that it’s a bad thing, just that it’s most definitely a different thing. We don’t live near family and while we have friends in the area, most of them live far enough away that it’s just not feasible to drop him off. Plus, I’m not sure we’re ready to do that just yet. Leave him with family? OK. Leave him with a sitter? No.

Today I went to the grocery store (I know, wow, we’re living on the edge!) and the bank, while the Chop had baby duty. Sadly, duty lately means one must hold and entertain the sad, teething little one. For instance, the Chop today explained (in great and hilarious detail), how one prepares the recycling to go to the curb. The Peanut sat in his little chair and watched and learned. Later, I took a shower while he sat in the same little chair in the bathroom, hugging his elephant and listening to me talk about shampoo.

Poor kid, we’re really not that entertaining, LOL.

The Chop and I had a “very baby” New Year’s Eve, spending it down south with our friends who also have a new baby (he’s 3.5 months older than the Peanut). This meant the babies played, ate and slept while we drank, played board games and generally had a hilarious time. It also meant that the Peanut woke up around 2AM. (We were still awake, fail number 1.) We went to bed around 3, but the Peanut stayed up until 4… fail number 2. And then he was up again at 530, and then 615, and so on, until I got up with him at around 8… fail number 3. After breakfast and another board game, the Chop and I came home and I promptly took a four hour nap… win!

A pregnancy, a baby, a friendship rekindled, a flood and loads of visitors made 2010 an incredibly interesting, stressful, insane, happy, amazing and overwhelming year.

Top Favorites of 2010

1. The Peanut! We adore him. He doesn’t sleep much (’cause he’s a robot), but he’s an amazing, adorable and happy baby. I’ve taken over a thousand photos (actually probably more, and omg, that’s insane), loads of videos and am still constantly amazed that we made him.
2. Being married to the Porkchop. They say a true test of marriage is having kids, so perhaps the ultimate test is having one before your first anniversary. I can’t imagine anyone I’d rather be married too or raise a baby with – we’re still as happy and in love as we were when we met.
3. Finding out I was pregnant. We were shocked and it took us a few days, but it was a pretty awesome surprise. Also, telling my parents 🙂
4. Finding out an old friend was also pregnant, reconnecting and becoming fast friends again. We missed you guys and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be pregnant and bitchy with — or moms and awake at 4am ichatting with. I can’t wait to watch our sons grow up together. 🙂
5. Having so many friends and family visit. If I’d have known all it took was a baby to get people to visit in droves, I’d have had one years ago, lol. It was amazing having so much help and showing him off.
6. Going to my parent’s for Christmas with the Peanut. They adore him and we got some much needed rest.
7. The Chop’s sister getting married! She had one not-so-good engagement years ago that crushed her, and seeing her so happy has been awesome.

Top Bummers of 2010

1. The great flood. Stupid freaking flood that wrecked our basement. Granted we met a great contractor, and increased the value of our house, but what a nightmare five months it caused.
2. Pregnancy, wtf. Pregnancy is a) hard, b) sucky and c) excruciating. He was definitely 100% worth it, but oy. Hard shit.
3. Not going on our honeymoon to Italy. We scheduled it for March of 2011, but now we’re leaving the Peanut with my parents… a whole other set of concerns, lol. As in, can I leave my almost 6-month-old while I go for two weeks to a foreign country? We’ll see!
4. Labor. Wow. I dunno how people do it more than a couple of times. I think after two or three I’ll be all set. Overwhelming and excruciating, it was the worst pain I have ever felt. And it went on and on and on, lol.

The good 100% outweighs the bad. I am overwhelmingly grateful and thankful every day.

Things I’ve learned so far:

• Too much vodka will make you feel very, very good. Then very, very bad. Combine that with fresh citrus-type fruit juice, and you’ve screwed the pooch for two days.
• One should elope. No matter what you do or say, your mom will commandeer the wedding. Elope while you can.
• Working for yourself is awesome. Until you want to take a vacation, or have a long weekend, or a baby, or a wedding… then you’re screwed.
• Planning on getting pregnant? Pregnant already? Take a vacation. Now. You might think that it will be too much of a hassle, but trust me, you haven’t experienced hassle yet.
• Having a baby before your first anniversary is definitely an experience. Don’t do it if you haven’t been together very long and/or haven’t been getting laid regularly. You won’t know what being married is like… being married with kids is a vastly different animal.
• Moving across the country to a place you love is perfection… until you have a baby and you realize that having family around might be really helpful.
• Pregnancy sucks. Also labor. It will be worse and hurt worse than you expect… for both of you. You have not felt pain. Plus the hormones afterward are a nightmare.
• Sleep is magical. Sleep in, sleep late, go to bed early, etc. Get it while you can, because if you a) get older, b) get pregnant or c) have a kid, you will never get as much as you want again. Ever.
• Having a great camera is key. Particularly one that can also take video. One of my favorite mementos from our trip to Ireland is a video of me driving a tiny car in the country. 😀 A smart phone is good too… especially if you have kids and there are grandparents involved. My mom now expects a picture every morning.
• Visiting Santa at Christmastime with an infant is a freaking nightmare. Prepare for everything.
• Children require constant stimulation and attention. Want to get some work done? Invest in every type of baby toy imaginable. Particularly the play mats with things that move and mirrors. And mobiles. I’ve currently reached the end of the attention span of a two month old.

We took the Peanut for his first official visit to see Santa this weekend. Unfortunately Santa was outside the entire time, in 35 degree weather, and I was wearing flip-flops. Sigh. The Peanut stayed quite warm, covered in blankets, but momma froze her freaking ass off. You’d think being a parent would mean your judgement improved, but oh no, that would make too much sense.

See, when the basement was ruined and then fixed, all of my shoes were down there. And they are all now covered in ick and I refuse to touch them. So yeah, I gotta go buy some shoes… but I’ve been a little busy (ha ha). So now it’s freezing cold outside and I keep wearing flip-flops because all of my other shoes are no good. What’s really sad is that everyone else had hats, coats, gloves and they were jumping up and down (we waited outside in a line… not the brightest idea) — and I had on a sweater and flip-flops.

Being a parent has fried my brain.

A couple of weeks ago the Chop had gone home for his sister’s wedding, so my parents came out to help me while he was gone. I can’t tell you how necessary that was. Trying to juggle working and a baby is slowly frying my brain. We’re exhausted all the time and work is getting done at about 1/2 the pace it was, which for some clients means I get really annoying emails every day asking if something is ready.

The Chop says I have spoiled them for years, turning work around at a very fast pace (ie, same day) and now they’re squawking about my taking a week to build a site (seriously, come on — a week is too long? bite me).

Before my mom left the Chop and I had our first outing sans baby… for sushi and a Sufjan concert. The sushi was magical and Sufjan was quite good too, but I think I would’ve appreciated it more had I not wanted to curl up and sleep, lol. People tell you about not sleeping, but until you’ve been severely sleep deprived (now for six weeks straight), you really can’t comprehend it.

The Peanut is starting to sleep for longer(ish) stretches — 3.5 hours, woot! — but I would kill for 6-7 hours of straight sleep. He’s had a bad bout of gas the past couple of days (omFg), but I think we’ve moved past those screaming fits (poor kid, you feel bad for him, but you also want to tell him to quiet down, lol). The books say he should spontaneously start sleeping through the night soon. I await that day with great anticipation.

He’s smiling now, though, so that pretty much makes up for everything. 🙂