oh rhodie

I understand now why lots of people stop blogging once they have babies. (Though I guess I was tapering off for a long time there already...) And I have lots more respect now for people who blog for a living and have babies. I don't know how they manage to post anything on the internet that you can't do from a phone. Speaking of which, if you are interested in seeing more Rhoda and hearing less Hannah, you can just check out the pictures I post on Instagram, which is just a lot easier to keep up with these days.

Four weeks have come and gone, and so have our month's worth of visitors. Robbie is back at work today and Rhodie and I are all on our own for the first time. It's been okay so far but during one of her naps this morning I heard a mouse trap go off in our laundry room and I wanted to scream (it's the fourth mouse we've caught this week). I also really want to take a nap but I can't seem to fall asleep, thanks to the man operating the jackhammer right outside our window (SERIOUSLY??). But it's okay. We're having a good time here together and settling into a normal routine. I think it will be even better once Rhoda has the coordination/ability to put her binky back in her mouth when it falls out. That's probably the most important milestone of babyhood, right?

I also went back to church yesterday for the first time in a month. Physically I was ready but if it weren't for the promise of Christmas music every week I'd probably wait a little longer to go back, as long as we're being honest here. The problem with going back to church after a baby break, as my mom warned me, is that people assume that you're ready to serve in the same capacity and with as much energy as you had before baby. Turns out moms have a really good sense about these things because she's right—both about not having the same energy and about people suddenly wanting to ask you to do stuff. I'm just going to have to get real comfortable saying "no" or—easier yet—ignoring my email inbox. Don't judge.

But overall, motherhood has been a very pleasant experience so far. Rhoda is a great baby. She likes taking baths, she is a good nurser, she seems to sleep well, and everyone comments on how pleasant she is. We took her to the movies which is as great as everyone says it is (the experience of taking a newborn baby, that is) and it probably helped that the theater we went to had leather recliners and reserved seating. She is starting to smile back which is really gratifying. She has gotten way taller than chubbier each week, so it's getting to the point where I wonder if I'm soon going to have to wrap her around my body while I feed her. And on top of all these great things, it's Christmastime and everything is just infinitely better with a Christmas tree in your house. I guarantee it.