It's nice to know there are still people out there checking this blog! I've done some reading to see what's going on with everyone and thought I'd check in and let you know how we're doing.

We moved to Fairfax, VA at the end of January. It's been wonderful! My husband is happier than he's been in years - he's loving his job again, he has a 15-minute commute, and it's no longer a 15-hour ordeal to see his family. I think we've visited them more in the last six months than in the six YEARS we were together before that. They're thrilled, of course, since they get to spend time with Eleanor.

I found a job within two months of getting here, and started at the end of April. I'm a writer/editor for a big government contractor, and I like it. I'm learning a lot, and I love being able to write again. We found a daycare less than two miles from the townhouse we're renting, and we love it. Eleanor was 9 months old when she started, and she adjusted really well. (The first day, the teacher told me when I went to pick E up, "We wish ALL our babies were like Eleanor!") She's been in a separation-anxiety phase of crying at dropoffs lately, but overall they tell me she's doing great there. I drop her off a little after 7 am; then Andy leaves work at 3 (he gets there at 7) and picks her up on his way home. They have about two hours of daddy/baby time until I get home around 5:30. She's gotten really attached to him, and he's gained a ton of confidence in his parenting skills without me being the default because I was around all the time.

I miss E while I'm working, and sometimes it seems like there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done, but overall, being a working mom feels much more balanced and fulfilling than being at home did.

We celebrated Eleanor's first birthday on July 13:

She is a joy and a delight. Ever since about 5-6 months, motherhood has gotten better every day. I love tickling her and making her laugh. I love watching her eat things I never thought a baby would like, like Gardenburgers and pasta with pesto and dill pickles. I love that she sleeps through the night and we all wake up happy and refreshed. I love her chubby little arms.

She started crawling around 10 months, and from there things just exploded - a month after she first crawled she pulled up for the first time; within a few weeks she was cruising, then letting go to stand momentarily on her own, then taking a few tentative little steps here and there; and last night she strolled across the room so nonchalantly that it took me a minute to register what I was seeing.

Life couldn't be better right now.

A few more pics:

About 9 months old:

Trying out a first birthday gift: