Mid-Summer

Yowsers. It's July. The past month has been very busy for all of us. Matt started a new job, Marek really tricked-out the last few weeks, and I am just trying to keep up with these boys!

We kicked off summer with a party at our in-laws near Wausau. It was quite the party! They roasted a whole pig and cooked a big 'ol hunk of beef Polynesian style. This is the closest to Hawaii that I'll probably ever get! The boys explained the whole process of getting the beef in the ground and we got to see the unveiling. It goes something like: dig a hole, make a fire, get it HOT, put in the meat, cover the meat with alfalfa, seal it with newspapers and a tarp and finally the dirt, then let it cook. I doubt there is much European influence in this style of cooking, but we really think that it would be fun for Oktoberfest!
























Matt has had some weekends off with his new job which has meant the world to us as a family. If I we had our choice, we would stay home on weekends and catch up with all that there is to do around the house but it being summer, there is just so much going on every weekend. We have been able to spend time with my family with Matt which makes trips to Minnesota all the more precious. The 4th of July weekend was mostly spent in the car but we managed to be with both families and I'm not sure if anyone understands how difficult that can be (for me). I am so burned out by the weekend, the last thing I want to do is be in the car for any amount of time. We got a photograph of all 22 grandbabies for this year's Christmas card and the weather was beautiful. I didn't see one single firework but I heard it was quite the show. At the cabin, Marek went on his first boat ride and had there been more time, I think he really would have enjoyed swimming in the lake.








Marek is really quick with his army crawl. He's got up on his hands and knees a couple of times but I think he might skip the conventional crawling altogether and go straight to walking. Daddy found him standing in his crib on Sunday morning! He also sprouted two teeth this month and says Mama and Dada. I am lamenting the fact that he's too busy to want to be held or cuddle anymore but I'm hoping the novelty of movement wears off. He's opening cupboards, eating power cords, getting stuck in small situations and all around exploring his world. It is a lot of fun but I can't believe how fast my baby is growing up. We bought a new food processor this weekend and I made and froze some baby food to get started on that phase! We've tried a few things intermittently over the past couple of months but I really don't think he was ready and I felt pressured into trying it. I wish I would have held off and gone with my own instincts and his signs of readiness. Even now we are just casually trying new foods every few days or weeks but it is fun to make and fun to see his reaction to new textures and tastes.




I've had a hard time with life the last few weeks. I leave the house around 7:15am and get home around 6:30pm, sometimes later with traffic and road construction. My baby goes to around 7:30pm which gives me about an hour with him, most of it is spent nursing. My days are 11+ hours and I only get paid for 8. I put 140 miles on the car every day. My back is sore from sitting all day and never running. I get so angry at my situation and I tend to take it out on Matt. My work took away my second day from home and sometimes I can't even get one day a week at home which I really need to stay sane. I still get up a couple of times at night with Marek and although I don't want those nighttime feedings to end (I'll take whatever time I can get with him!), I am dog tired driving in to work and I pray that God gets me there alive some days. My weekends are my time with my baby and my family but the world around us doesn't seem to understand that. We have a lot of parties and events this summer and if babies are not welcome, I probably won't show up. Marek is my priority right now and I just can't care so much what other people need from me. We are so fortunate to have our Trina come and live with us during the week to watch Marek, I know he's in good hands. But this wasn't the reason I wanted to have babies. I should be with him more. He should see his family more. His Papas miss him and his Grandma pretty much missed his whole baby stage that she loves so much. Even when we are with the family, I don't want to give him up. Both Matt and I feel like something's gotta give. We have sacrificed a lot the last year, especially Matt with his career, and I feel like we just need to get through this year and things will change. We are trying to remind ourselves of our countless blessings and focus on what is good and really make the most of the time we have together. Having a baby is easy. He's easy to love and easy to please. It's the life around us that's the hard part!