The Working Mom by Kay Luna

Wow, does pregnancy change a body.

I expected that, to a point. But the baby is 6 months old now. When do things get back to normal — or almost normal, even?

I’m still shedding hair like you wouldn’t believe. It comes out, literally, in handfuls every time I wash or comb out my hair. I have to get down on my knees and scoop up the hair that falls onto the bathroom floor every morning. It’s not to the alarming point yet, but it’s definitely annoying.

But you know what’s not annoying at all?

Seeing my little daughter smile real big– showing her TWO tiny teeth — when I turn off the hair dryer and say, “Hi, little girl!.”

Like I said, having a baby changes everything.

My friend, Carol, got me one of the best Christmas gifts ever: A gift certificate for a day at the spa with her.

We finally got to go on Saturday, and it was WONDERFUL. An hour-long massage, and luxuriatingly long pedicures and manicures — and lunch brought to us from Miss Mamie’s. Very nice.

I have to say, the massage was a strange experience at first (I’m a little uncomfortable with all that touchy-touchy stuff!), but I left feeling really, really relaxed. I needed that.

I’d love to go to the spa every weekend, but obviously that isn’t an option. At this point, though, even a few minutes alone in the bathroom would seem luxuriating to me!

What do you folks do to “get away from it all?”

The baby made it through her first 4th of July, but she has decided that booming fireworks are SCARY.

Poor little thing. We took her out to Camden Park in Milan for a cookout with friends and the big fireworks display on July 3rd, and I couldn’t wait to see her reaction to all the pretty colors in the sky.

She did so well during the daylight hours, playing on a blanket at the park. But when dusk hit, and those fireworks started exploding, it was like she was watching a train wreck: She was utterly appalled by what was going on, but couldn’t help but watch — with a look of complete shock on her face.

When she started crying hysterically and clinging to my hair and shirt, with her face buried into my shoulder, my husband and I decided — promptly — that it was time to go.

But the next morning, she enjoyed watching the 4th of July parade in her grandparents’ tiny hometown — and watching her big brother and cousins go by on a float — so all is well.

Anyone else have any good stories to share about their kids’ reactions to the holiday?