Finally scanned that pic from the birth mother and other...

I've been SUPER busy the past week. Turning my attention from (and recovering from) the trip to SC last week... turning my attention to my big meeting in CO this week. It's ironic that my friend Carla wrote about Girl Scout cookies in her comment to last week's post.... b/c that's who I was meeting with in Colorado! We didn't talk about cookies (but for only a few minutes) but we did talk about sustainability with facilities that they're involved with (with delegates from across the country representing buildings nationwide) and we did have a conversation about greening more than just buildings... so -- I won't say anything more (I shouldn't) but do look for in the next 1 - 2 years (if Bella is still pushing cookies) something more substantive that goes along with the cookie sales!! They did tell me, too, that their packaging was modified to reduce the amount of it -- and that there are 2 cookie manufacturers / the councils in ea state get to choose which manufacturer to use. One of the manufacturers rolled out an enviro-friendly mascot and message. Got to see the literature. It was cute.

(also - a message for my dad's side of the family - unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to see my cousin Josh while in Denver. I worked 'til an insane hour at night... and got up at an even more insane hour in the morning to continue working on the PowerPoint. Mercer's birth mother and my step-sister's son are in Colorado Springs 45 minutes south of where I was... and I knew going into this meeting that I wouldn't be able to get down there (no transportation). So, we'll have to plan another trip out there where we can spend some time!)

Thankfully, I did not have as bad a recovery from this trip this week. I wasn't feeling well the day before (probably nerves more than anything b/c I was leading an all-day meeting on something different than what I'm used to!)... felt good that day... and felt pretty decent the day after (yesterday). So, it seems as if my body is healing. (I worked 51 hours last week and was DEAD. I worked 53 so far this week and feel fine. -- NOPE -- that's not part-time, but I may have to go back to full-time anyways. Todd's office had some lay-offs. He still has his job, but each employee still employed was affected with cut-backs in benefits and pay. So -- I "think" I can handle the increase in work if I need to. (I really don't want to, though, because I'm just getting to the point where I can really reconnect with Mercer!) ugh.

I have 1 1/2 weeks to go before I get my "all clear" to pick up the baby / start caring for him again. He got his 4th tooth. 2 on the bottom AND 2 on the top now. He'll be able to eat baby food with chunks of stuff in it soon. He's moving on up! He claps a lot now and has this huge grin on his face when he does it. (I think he's just impressed with the noise he can make!) We've tried to get it on video / we'll see if we can post a link over the weekend of that.

He likes hitting the floor when we put him down to play (and maybe crawl?). Again - impressed with the noise, I think! He's still not crawling, but he does rock back-and-forth... and now he can get his butt in the air and his legs under him a little... but he still scootches backwards mostly.

As promised: here's the photo that I mentioned in last week's blog. The birth mother got her phone fixed and texted me with her new number. I asked her if that was Mercer's first day of life or second. In this pic, he is two days old. He looks SO SO DIFFERENT! He even looks different than when we saw him late that night of his 2nd day! Also, remember, those clothes are Preemie --- and they're too big on him! Crazy how small he was and how much he's changed in these last 7 3/4 months!

Have a good weekend. C