Catching Up

I love it when people blog - I hate it when I don't.
So I'm catching up.

Here is what has happened in the last 2 months:
1. I finished my 2nd year at Edith Bowen - yeah! I love it. I learn something new every day, and get to take on challenging tasks.
2. I finished my first cycle as the Assessment Director - successfully MAP'd, CRT'd, and DIBEL'd all our kids. Then organized it on a GIANT spreadsheet. Then merged it into individual assessment reports for students. It went fairly smoothly, I did learn some things that will help next fall.
3. At the same time as testing I was finishing my 14th? school musical, The Phantom Tollbooth Jr. We had a great new sound system which helped and we made it through. The kids aren't quite at the performance level I would like, but we'll get there.
4. Art finished spring semester with another set of good grades. He is a very diligent, albeit procrastinating, student. He is on to math this summer (which means I correct math homework nightly, back to school).
5. We tore out and xeriscaped our park strip, it looks so much better. We spread a lot of bark and have planted a lot out front (Grandma likes to move my birthday to Spring so we can celebrate by buying flowers.)
6. Art has started the downstairs bedroom rebuild, it's going to be awesome when he's done. Currently it's many piles of wood.
7. Miles got his newborn - oops, 7 month - pictures taken by my friend Taryl. She did such a great job, I'll post some of my favorite below. Father's Day is made!
8. Speaking of Miles, holy cow has he grown! I think he saved everything for the second I got out of school because he has changed so much in the last two weeks!

• He learned to clap
• He learned to scoot
• He's almost crawling
• He pulls up on his knees
• He rolls over the second you set him down
• He gets into everything
• He eats solids, and LOVES them. He's such a good little eater, he even does little finger foods without any trouble.
• He's learned to put himself to sleep (again, (see last post) 6 month growth spurt and shots did us in!)
• He slept 2 hours and 40 minutes yesterday and I had to open the blinds to wake him up!
• He is no longer swaddled (again, we regressed, but Mom is home now so we're getting things back in order.)
• He loves to go on stroller rides, and frequently falls asleep while strolling, it's adorable.
• He's had play dates with the ladies at school that had babies this year (we had 5 babies (well the last is coming any day now) born in one year!)
• He is adorable.
• He is sweet. 
• He is so funny.
• Ok, those aren't changes, but they are just some of the reasons I love him so much, and i'm loving being home all summer. 

So that's where we're at. I hope to blog this summer, it's a goal. My goals are also to make homemade baby food (already did one month, took 2 hours and $20, and was really fun), walk daily, and hike once a week, go to the library every week (early literacy is important!), keep up on the yard, and all sorts of other stuff i may or may not get to...

ok, caught up.

A Mother's Woe

Let me start by saying - I love motherhood. I love being a mom. I love tubbies and nursing and stuffing wiggly legs into jammies. But I am going to be very cliche here - I wish babies came with instruction books.

You have purchased the 2012 MAR Model, it is known to be very smiley, rarely cries, but only sleeps for 45 minute lengths. For tips and troubleshooting see appendix B.

Oh how my life would be simplified.
You see the 2012 model I purchased has sleeping issues, in that he sleeps exactly like his Papa - not at all. Ok, that's not true. He sleeps, he is actually a pretty good night sleeper. He still wakes up twice, but only with a wimper, he drinks his milkies and is immediately back to sleep. No crying nights - just milkies - twice - always. (I am knocking on wood, I am SO grateful to not have a night crier. I can sleep and nurse, I'm ok with that.)

So then we go to daytimes. We discovered early on that a schedule is REALLY important or he doesn't go to sleep well at night. So Art has been so good at being on top of it (especially for a man who believes that anything requiring a set time is against his style). So Miles naps about 8:30, then again about 11-11:30, and finally at 3. And like clockwork exactly 45 minutes after you put him down he wakes up. And when you walk in to see what all the noise is about (he likes to talk) he looks up at you with big sparkly blue eyes and an open mouthed grin - and you're faced with a major decision.

Does he look "done" - as in "done-napping" - should I give up, smile, and talk to him?
OR
Do I avoid his eyes, ignore the pouty lip, and swaddle him back up (I'll get to the swaddling issue soon - I'm sure you're waiting with baited breath) and try to put him back to sleep?

Art is great at reswaddling and forcing Nap Part II, but he has to do it every day for at least two naps.  And that brings me to the swaddling issue. We didn't swaddle when he was first born because he wanted his legs out. Then someone gave us the Miracle Blanket swaddler and a story about how she wraps up her baby, plops her in her bassinet, says goodnight and her little one would sleep for 2 hours. So we started swaddling.
Actually it helped, he stopped whacking himself in the head and waking up even before the 45 min. body clock went off. So we became swaddling supporters, he knows when he's wrapped up it's sleep time.
But now he's getting big and wiggles out of that thing in seconds, then proceeding to whack himself until he's fully awake.
Do you see my woe's?

So here's my spring break project:
1. Teach Miles to put himself to sleep so that when he stirs at 45 minutes he can wiggle then put himself back to sleep (I know, a bit of wishful thinking here, but at least he'll be able to put himself to sleep at naptime instead of rocking and lovies)
2. Break the swaddling habit.
(3. Deep clean my house, finish my ruler project, write a measurement and a fraction unit, make the gumpaste flowers for Grandma's cake, exercise, and get caught up on my ELED grading.)

I tried to start yesterday. He took two 45 minute naps in the morning slots. Then I took him on errands with me and he slept for almost 2 hours in his carseat. (I woke him up because he was 30 minutes late for milkies).

So I started again this morning.
He is currently sleeping in his crib with one arm swaddled (the other wiggled out, and reswaddled 3 times before I cussed and said fine leave your dang arm out), the other tightly gripping his blankey, after having wiggled and talked himself to sleep (with my hand on his belly - it's supposed to help keep his arms swaddled, guess not).
It's been 30 minutes.
I have 15 minutes until I face the dreaded decision again. Or maybe he'll love one arm out so much he'll sleep for 2 hours. Or he'll whack himself in the face and be up in 5 minutes.

Could someone please send me Appendix B?

(Try telling that face to go back to bed...)

A Random Tid-bit

This is the kind of thing a lot of people post on facebook, but I've determined I'm too shy for facebook. But my blog is primarily for me, and the few people who read it have already accepted me for all my oddities.

So here it is - not really worth that introduction.
Every time I suit up to pump here at work - that means door locked, pumps applied, boobies hanging out freely - I have to pee. OR I need a spoon (because this is when I eat lunch). But alas, I am literally connected to the wall and unfit to leave the room. You'd think I would learn and plan ahead, but I don't, so I suffer every time.

There are certainly bigger things to worry about in this world today, but I'll stop to take joy in the little things - even if they cause me grief.

No wonder...

It's Wednesday, which means I don't see any kids. Which means I can spend my lunch eating, pumping, and NOT gathering all the supplies for my next group.
However, I have been working all day and I feel like I have nothing done, so I got to thinking (while standing at the copy machine making one more pile of word cards) about why that might be...Here's what I came up with:

• I teach 9 groups (30-45 mins each)
• All have 4-16 kids
• Each one is a different level AND subject
• Each one is direct instruction
• They are all intervention, which means they have to be meaningful instruction - not just fluff
• We never get to silent read, color, quietly write, do anything independent
• This 30 mins is intended to bridge gaps, make gains - we have to see results!
• So if you're a teacher, and many of you are, think about writing sub plans that are direct instruction for a full day to 6 different grades. And then do it for EVERY day.
• It's no wonder Wednesdays are still so exhausting.

That's all, I have work to do. 

catching up...

I should blog more...
because I hate people who never write. And then I am one.
But frankly, life is a bit crazy. And when it's not, I want to do NOTHING. Or get caught up on EVERYTHING I should be doing.
Like right now, I should be doing dishes, pumping, grading, working on the ward party, or eating something other than Glaus cake for dinner - but I'm not. Cause Miles is asleep, and Sundays are horrid on naps and I don't want to do anything to wake him up (including finding something healthy in the refrigerator, that could somehow wake him up, I'm sure of it.)
So I'm going to eat my cake and write a bit - and I'll feel like I've accomplished something because I won't be one of those people I hate who never blogs.

So what has been going on?

Lots of this...

And by this... I mean naked wiggles after tubbies, which he thinks is awesome.

Playing toys - Art built him a cool play gym, he loves a little toy time.

Extreme silliness - this kid thinks his Papa is hilarious, and a lot of other random things.

sMiles - he has definitely earned his nickname

More toys, and hanging out on the counter laughing at Mom while she dances, sings and cooks dinner. It's the only time I have to choreograph.

more toys...

And more toys - especially on his tummy, the kid thinks he's big.

Ok, he is big, or getting that way fast! He's in 6 month size clothes, so he has a whole new wardrobe. However, Papa only allows one piece outfits when he's in charge, so I have to wear ALL the cute pants and onesies on the weekend.

Speaking of BIG, he turned 4 months yesterday! That's crazy, where has 4 months gone? 

He's getting so much personality

And charm

And he melts my heart. 

See - Big.

On to other things, other things - yes, life does exist outside of Miles.  I go to school every day. Art is a fantastic stay at home Papa (they have routines, and schedules, and activities). Art is still going to school and loving the learning, and hating the hoop-jumping. I am co-teaching a university class on Classroom Management, it makes me miss a regular classroom. So then I reevaluate my career. I am doing a play - The Phantom Tollbooth Jr. - It's a fantastic story, based on an amazing book - but I'll admit, the music is terrible. And I try to cook, clean, and exercise every now and again.
And there's Miles, so I guess that'll wrap it up here. Time for Milkies - we've definitely been doing a lot of that. 

Our Christmas Season

Christmas is different with kids, but not really when they're 2 months...
It started with Miles' blessing on December 23rd at my parents house.

First time meeting the Reina cousins, they really liked Miles

The Reina family

Trin & Rafa and Drew & Joni (Drew baptized Art's parents in Spain 33 years ago, and is now nearly a family member)

Big day for both of them...

Those Nielson boys are full of personality

The Greats

Four Generations in one photo

December 23rd also marked Miles 2 month birthday...

Here he is at 1 month...

 Now here he is at two months...

Christmas Morning - Miles slept through the present part...

But Lulu and Rudy REALLY liked opening gifts!

Joy...

I was just bending over to put on my shoes and found it so easy. Yes, putting on shoes made my day. So I thought I would make note of the joy in my life.

1. Miles - ok, that's obvious - but I never thought motherhood could be so amazing and wonderful. I truly love every second with him (even at 1 AM). I miss him when he naps (see #2), and I'm excited to see his little eyes peek open at me. Yeah, I'm in love.

2. Naptime - As much as I enjoy my little man I sure do love an hour or two to pee, eat, do dishes, do laundry, clean bathrooms, make cupcakes, put things away, craft, type with two hands, and the list goes on and on. (And then rest when he wakes up!)

3. Nursing - I love nursing! I had hoped from the beginning that it would work for us and I'm so grateful it has. He latched on the first time I held him and we've been able to battle through our difficult moments (why does it take so long for milk to come in??) to have a successful 3 hour feeding schedule (Jamie and Kelli, I can do 3 hours!!!) I'm working on pumping so little man can keep up the milkies when I have to go back to school.

4. A c-section - yes, be surprised, it was not in my birth plan and was fun in no way BUT it did give me one thing (besides the obvious) - two extra weeks off work! Thanks to the zipper I don't have to go back to school until Dec. 18, and will be there for four whole days before Christmas break. After the break, now that will be tough.

5. Shoes - well not just shoes, but general mobility. Going from very pregnant to a giant incision I have been itching to MOVE! I am finally feeling mostly functional, and have the doc's clearance to move, bath, and vacuum (why that was restricted I still don't know). It's so nice to hop in and out of bed at will, and crawl under the bed to get another box of diapers, and just generally sit and stand. Movement is nice.

6. My home - It's our first Christmas here. Last year we were homeless (sort-of) and did not decorate. I'll admit it was fun to get out our stuff and find new places for everything. We got the tree up last night and hung up a third stocking on the mantle, it's just nice to be home for the holidays. (wow, that sounded cheesy)

7. My family - This is the first Christmas I haven't been close to home and it's a little weird. I didn't get to hassle my mother about her hoards of decor, or help her pick out all the Christmas jammies. I won't be at Heidi's on Christmas Eve arguing with Andre (not a smart idea) in a game of Apples to Apples; however, I will get to see the whole lot at Miles' blessing on the 23rd, and we are very happy that Art's parents will finally get to spend the holidays with us!

8. My Love - We are home most of the day together, him in and out to classes, but we are home a lot. He is learning about babies and what he will do when he is home alone. He spends a lot of time talking to Miles. Together they goo and coo and make a lot of noises, and it makes me so happy to hear him giggling at Miles and finding utter joy in this tiny human. He really is a great Papa. 

How could that not fill your every waking second with happiness? (Now, talk about cheesy)