Hi from the Flight Deck

Sleep training update: oops, I was supposed to be sleep training. Taking the baby to Oregon (three hours away) did not help. I picked the baby out of his crib twice tonight, because he did not nurse himself into a passed-out stupor the first, I mean second, time I tried to put him down. At least he is not spending the entire night in our bed, like the night we got home from Oregon.

Breastfeeding/pumping update: I am still pumping once a day at work. My goal was to stop after Oregon, so I was still trying to ramp down production this week. I am fearing the change though, and I'm not sure I will actually stop pumping next week. I also feel like I need some time to get used to not eating whatever I want all the time (i.e. dessert with every meal). Will I have to reel myself in on the sweets-eating once I drop the daytime feeding?

Job update: I successfully settled my first case yesterday. Which means I am now down to one active file. The work is not pouring in yet. Funny thing, though--somehow my secretary is busier than ever with my boss' work. And yet, I have nothing to do. This probably means I am more likely, not less, to get laid off by the end of the year.

Next job update: Had a good meeting (and long lunch) today with my friend about starting a business. We are going to start writing the business plan soon, and are now gathering demographic information and plotting possible locations. We will have a brainstorm by Skype with our third partner currently in Colorado sometime in the next two weeks. I miss Colorado. I lived there for over seven years but now looking at it from the East Coast again, it still seems so cool and sexy.

What else?

I just ordered the "performance" version of the Ergo baby carrier. Nothing makes me happier than going for a walk carrying the baby. And carrying 19 pounds in the Baby Bjorn was making my shoulders, neck and back very, very sad. I can't wait to go hiking with the little guy strapped to my back!

I am part of a 90-mile relay run on August 3, and I will be responsible for two legs totaling 11.5 miles. Currently I'm good for at least 4.3. I don't look forward to you, August 4.