haphazard musings

transition

so we've had some transitions around here lately.  and thought you should know how they are going.

transition one: parenthood.

we are loving this - even if she isn't. :)

 

we are completely overwhelmed and in awe of her.

we are totally and unreservedly and unabashedly in love with her.

we are seeing a completely different side of ourselves.

i am mushy and ridiculous - i can't help but kiss her cheeks 50 times a day. 

ryan is completely wrapped around her itty bitty finger - he's in deep folks and we are praying her comes out of it before she actually gets old enough to ask for stuff...

and we never saw ourselves as people who would be those people who turn into gushy, the only thing we talk about is our baby.  however, we've totally embraced everything about it! and we talk ceaselessly about her.  it's a bit ridiculous.  hopefully, it will wear off a little. 

but we feel like we are getting a handle on how to not freak out and how to be flexible and how to do life with a baby.

transition two: back to school.

this one was harder and easier than i thought it would be. 

i realize that doesn't make much sense, but it's true.  i always thought i would be a mom who was totally ready to go back to work after her maternity leave.  however, i started dreading the return about halfway through my leave.  the first four weeks all i could manage to think about was feeding the baby, sleeping, and healing.  the second four weeks, i basically spent my days thinking "we are down to only three mondays...we are down to two mondays..." etc.  i cried about it several nights towards the end when i would think about it.  when people asked about it in the last couple days before leave was over, i started tearing up without warning.  ryan was totally worried that i had fully lost my ability to reason - at all. 

in the end, i cried all the way to school on the first day away from my girl. i took my mascara with me and got ready there. :) and then, everything went up from there.

i got to school and everyone was so nice on that first day and so encouraging - even my students.

in each of my classes at least three kids said, "mrs. frasier, we are so SO glad you are back."  and then four girl hugs and one really awkward guy side hug before the first bell, i was feeling pretty good about being there.  my co-workers are also mostly working moms, too and have been wonderfully encouraging.  and now three weeks and a spring break later, i am truly enjoying my job again.

i am still struggling with the balance and how to "do it all", but everyone struggles with that...right?!?  i'm not sure how to finish grading all my papers and write lesson plans and still leave as soon as possible after 3:10.  i am so eager to see miss maelle, i am completely worthless after the bell rings anyway.  i also really haven't figured out how to cook dinner after school either...BUT i really do love teaching. 

i love my students. 

i love that maelle is at school with me at the daycare at school.

i love the look my students get when they appreciate what we read or they feel confident about what they have written.

i love that i get so excited to pick up my girl after school (and sometimes see her in the middle of the day).

i love that while i feel like i am moving out every time i leave for school and that i may never feel rested again, i feel like, for the moment at least, i have the best of both worlds. 

(ie, it's spring break and summer is coming!)

 

2 months

in the craziness that has been the last three weeks, i forgot to put up the pictures we took of Maelle on her 8 week birthday. or whatever you are supposed to call that...

we went to the doctor and had our big appointment - shots and everything.  three of them.  she was so mad. :)  but handeled it like a champ!

no sickness.

no crying after the fact.

no fever. 

just happy smiles!

thankfully!

so we took a few pictures.

this time she was a little bit interested in the sign. :)  she didn't mess with it at the one moth pictures.

then she got a little angry. 

so we changed locations.  and we got happy again. 

at 2 months, Maelle, you are a very happy girl.  all your people at day care are surprised how happy you are.  they keep asking, "does maelle ever cry? she's so happy." 

we are loving watching your personality develop.  you love to play and grab at things.  and are starting to bring everything you touch to your mouth.  you smile at us all the time, just begging someone to play with you and snuggle you.  you are quite happy to cuddle all the time.

you are also starting to put on the chunk, and we think it makes you so cute!  at the doctor they weighed you in at 12 pounds 10 ounces.

they had to measure you twice at the doctor because they were surprised at how much you had grown.  you are now 1 foot 11 inches tall.  you grew 2.5 inches since your last appointment.  which explains why you are already wearing 3 to 6 month clothes.  you are just too tall for all your other stuff.

you have finally gotten over your bottle hatred.  there for a couple weeks you just screamed at the top of your quite powerful lungs (we know they are there and are thankful you don't use them very often) every time we gave you a bottle.  now however, you chug those babies down as fast as you can and are happy as a clam.

you travel and change and adjust to new things so very well.  you go out to eat and are happy.  you go to basketball games that are so loud and love them!  you are a flexile little girl.

you are still sleeping like a rockstar - or maybe not like a rockstar. :)  you go to bed around 8:45 and sleep until we wake you up at 6:30 for school.  on the weekends you seem to sleep all the way until 8:00.  we love that you sleep in!

here you are at one month.

and two months.

we are so thankful that you joined our family on December 31! 

 

water...

so, the school doesn't have water today.  

and yes, we are still having school.

we have 1600 students and faculty and one girls' room and one boys' room.  4 stalls. 

picture this

full of water from a hose from outside.

and these

 

next to every

 

you go.  you dump the bucket.  lots of water really fast and the toilet flushes.

then out of courtesy, you refill the bucket for the next poor soul that has to go.

i decided to go early in the day - like right after school started in hopes of better conditions...

the students are grossed out to the max.  

and while i admit it, it's not a pleasant experiences and it doesn't smell like roses.

i keep reminding my kids that at least they don't have to walk a mile to the pump and carry the water back.

they also have bottles of water for kids and staff.  and they are complaining about that too.  

i reminded them, at least it is clean, fresh and free.

not everyone has that luxury.

 

i will be showing this video the rest of the day...