Boys Update

Well, it has officially been 2 weeks since we've said "good-bye" to the Nuk and we are still feeling the effects. Chase isn't sleeping that well and bedtime is an official nightmare. Chase refuses to stay in his bed and we're back and forth for at least an hour each night trying to get him to stay in his bed and go to sleep. I keep telling myself that this is a phase and it will pass, I know it will, but my patience are starting to wear very thin.

Luke has been causing us some major stress as well. He has decided that he is not a fan of the bottle and is going on a hunger strike while he is at daycare. Some days he'll take 3 ounces the entire time he is at the sitter, other times he'll take nothing. Most babies his age should be drinking about 6 ounces at each feeding. When we get home, he wants to have a nursing marathon which doesn't work well when it is time to make dinner. He still isn't napping on any schedule what so ever but my first priority now is to get him to eat. I'm so anxious that he is getting dehydrated. So, needless to say, there is never a dull moment!

I'm adjusting to going back to work. It is strange starting my day at noon but I think the more of a routine that we get in, the more I'm going to love it. 4th grade is going well, my class is quite chatty but I think will end up being a good group of kids. I'm looking forward to this long weekend, hopefully I'll have new pictures to post soon!

Bye-Bye Nuk!

Showing all of his "Nukies"
Waving good-bye to the Nukies and the garbage man

We finally did it. We got rid of the pacifier (Nukie), hooray!! Blake came up with the idea of having Chase give his Nuk to the garbage man. Chase was SO excited about throwing them into the barrel of the truck. I think the garbage man thought we were nuts, waiting for him on the corner and then asking him to wait while Chase threw his Nukies into the dumpster (missing with all of them, by the way!) The garbage man is going to take the Nukies to babies that need them. He was thrilled about the whole event until nap time. He told me that we could go to the store to buy new ones, poor guy. We're on night 3 without it and it hasn't been half as bad as I thought it would be. He asks about it every nap and bedtime but hopefully time will heal his sadness about the departure of the beloved Nukies!

4th Grade?!?

My principal called me on 8/7 to say that he thought Kim (my job share partner) and I would be better suited to teach 4th grade this year rather than 3rd. My initial response was anxiety and sadness about a change in grade level. I am still nervous about balancing working part-time and doing a good job teaching a new curriculum but I'm sure once I get in the swing of things I'll get used to it. I know that I have a supportive team that will help me with the millions of questions that I'm bound to have.

Kim and I "finished" setting up our room and it is full speed ahead now with the real work-what am I going to teach on the first day of school??? We start this Wednesday (8/20) and work 3 full days without the kids. Monday the 25th is my first day with the kids, working in the afternoons only. I am still having mixed emotions about going back. Luke isn't taking a bottle very well so I'm nervous about him not eating enough during the day. I know that he'll eat when he's hungry but that is easier said than done.

Mom's 30!

Chase helping me blow out my candles!

On August 5th I officially joined the thirty something crowd. Blake gave me a break from the boys during the day and I went to get a massage (could be my last one though, I was so sore afterward!) My mom brought us dinner over that night and made me my birthday cake. Chase was all about the cake, especially the cherries. It was a nice time. My how things have changed since my 21st birthday!

At the car wash, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...

Washing the wheels
More soap on the car or on Chase??

Luke watching us from the garage

There are only so many times that you can break out the kiddie pool so I decided that Chase and I would wash the car. We ended up having a really good time although I think that Chase got cleaner than the car did. It was a nice way to play in the water and actually get something done for a change!

Grandpa's Celebration

Waiting patiently to let the balloons go
Balloon Release

At the end of June, my grandpa passed away. His wishes were to have no funeral which was a difficult thing to follow through with because there is no official goodbye. My mom and Dom decided to have a celebration picnic in honor of my grandpa's life. There were over 100 people there, many family members and friends. It was a wonderful tribute to my grandpa's life and there really was a happy, peaceful feeling to this event, rather than so much sadness about him not being there. My mom and Dom did a great job putting the picnic together and we all agree that my grandpa was smiling down at us, wishing that he could have been there too. We released 86 balloons in honor of his 86 years of life. It gave me a feeling of peace which is what I needed to move on.