Family Pictures

A day early!

Someone offered to take Nate's shift tomorrow so we're heading to the cabin tonight to spend New Year's with Nate's family!

Ornaments

Thanks to my mom, we have some finished (not rained on) handprint ornaments!

2 Lines

One year ago today, Nate and I got home from Christmas traveling and while he unloaded the car, I impatiently took a pregnancy test.  It's so crazy that just one year later I'm typing out this post with my 4 month old daughter on my lap.

Reading Together

I decided to try reading to Korra for the first time tonight.  I thought she might still be too young, but I was impressed by how much she enjoyed it!  We read through 8 board books and the whole time I kept thinking, "I can't believe I'm reading with my daughter."  I look forward to doing it every night for a long time to come.

Long Nap

The last 3 days, Korra has taken a 2+ hour nap every afternoon.  Quite an unexpected change from the baby who's naps are usually 30 minutes or less.  She is so unpredictable.

Closed Door

Last night we slept with our bedroom door open because the baby monitor was acting up.  By this morning, I remembered why we sleep with it closed.  Nobby sprinted into the room and onto our bed no less than 3 times during the night.  He decided to give himself a loud bath between us and then chose to sleep on top of Nate's head.

Headed home.

Shopping!

My Christmas gift from my parents- a shopping trip to my favorite outlet stores!  Getting ready to head out with my mom, sister, and Korra for a fun day of new clothes and girl time.

Comparing Pictures

Comparing my baby pictures to Korra and then comparing my pregnancy photos to my sister's belly.  Not the same on either count.

Legos

Todd and Nate with the Lego buckets.

Merry Christmas!

Enjoying time with my folks, my brother Todd, Nate, and Korra.  Opened presents (most were for Korra), ate buttermilk pancakes, watched Elf, and Skyped with far-away family.  Merry Christmas to you all!

Korra's Christmas Eve Outfit

Left Korra's handprint ornaments outside to let the paint dry and... It rained. Guess we need to try that again.

4 Hours

While I'm really looking forward to being with family, I'm not looking forward to the 4 hour car ride with a baby who has decided she hates her car seat.

Christmas Eve Traveling

Nate's working until noon so Korra and I are getting everything packed so we can head to my parents' house tonight.  Really looking forward to spending Korra's first Christmas with my family!

Like Me

Korra is a morning person.  Wide awake and happy at 6 am even though we didn't get home until after 11 last night.  Wishing she was a bit more like Nate this morning I really wanted to sleep in.

Only in Private

I had such a wonderful time last night and Korra was so good- at least in public. She saved her total melt-downs for the car when it was just the 3 of us. Oh well. Guess I've got to take what I can get.

Nervous Mama

We're heading to our favorite Decatur restaurant and then to a holiday get together with a bunch of my high school friends.  While I'm really excited about both of these, I'm also really nervous about how Korra will handle being out and about that long.

Early Riser

Korra's been sleeping so well at night lately that I decided to stay up late reading, thinking I would be able to sleep in this morning.  Wrong.  Korra's been wide awake and demanding since 5:15.

Korra has discovered her voice. She's spent most of the day squealing and shreeking.

Christmas Baking

The oven's been on since 9 am.  First Korra and I made salt dough ornaments.  She was a little overenthusiastic and grabbed handfuls of the dough when I tried pressing her hand into it.  After that I baked snickerdoodles and peanut butter kiss cookies.  Finally, I have pecan monkey bread in the over for tonight's brinner with a few girls from college. Yum!

Sufjan

Really, really enjoying the Sufjan Christmas album.

Snuggle Time

I love that Korra loves to nuzzle into my neck and rock in the rocking chair with me.

Back-Up Pictures

After our computer crashed, I decided it's time to back-up all our pictures so I'm beginning the long process of putting them all on Google AND on a jump drive.  Better safe than sorry.

Korra's Quirks

When Korra sucks on her hand or paci, she brings the other hand up and strokes the back of her head.

Dress-up

Went through Korra's clothes and spent some time seeing which clothes now fit my growing girl. She did not enjoy our dress-up time as much as I did- putting cute clothes on your baby is fun!

Took Korra to ride the Christmas carousel- she wasn't really impressed, but we enjoyed the time hanging out with our friends.

Impatient Shut-Down

I am anxiously waiting for these last 10 minutes to pass so I can shut down the last few things in the library, lock the door, and leave for the break!

Assistant Drama

Just because I know some of you enjoy reading about the ongoing little drama in my life...

My assistant STILL hasn't done the ONE thing I asked her to do during these final exam days.  But I have such a hard time confronting her about it because the things she does do are usually pretty nice.  Take today for example- she's been putting together a Thank You lunch for our custodians and cafeteria workers ALL morning.  It's so sweet of her and I'd be a total jerk if I told her to stop doing it and shelve books, but again... when will she actually do her job?!

Good Day

Not only is today the last day before Christmas Break, but I got to bring Korra Bear to work this morning!

Nate is awesome! After many trials with many parts, he's fixed our desktop computer!

After-School Meeting

I want to complain about having to stay after school today for a meeting, but then I remembered this is the first time I've had to stay after late all year.  So I'll just suck it up.

Coward

My assistant's been on the computer (doing who knows what) for the last hour.  I asked her this morning to organize the nonfiction section... and it still hasn't been done.  And apparently I'm still too cowardly to say something to her about it.

Christmas Schedule

Nate just got his schedule for next week and it's even a bit better than I expected!  He's opening Christmas Eve, but then he has off until Saturday!  Yay!

Amazing Neighbors

We are so incredibly blessed to have such amazing friends as our next-door neighbors!  Dinner with them on Sunday night and then they've helped out with Korra yesterday and today.

I'M in charge!

It both annoys and insults me when students and teachers need things and they ask ME for my assistant.

Christmas Reading!

A big book order came in!  I get to read them first!

Book Repair

Spending my day combing through the fiction section, organizing, and pulling books for minor repairs while listening to Christmas music.  Not a terrible way to spend the day.

Painful

Listening to middle school students sing the National Anthem every morning has become painful.  Most kids just cannot sing.

Take Your Daughter to Work Day

Since all our college babysitters are gone for Christmas and Nate only works until 9 today and Wednesday, I got permission from my principal to bring Korra to work with me for an hour!  Looking forward to a little extra time together.

First Christmas Party

Korra's going to her first Christmas party today!  Looking forward to hanging out with the neighbors!

Strike

Korra was on an eating strike all day. She refused to eat for more than 30 seconds- and those "meals" only occurred every 2-3 hours. On the plus side, she took several hour-long naps and she finally ate well right before going to bed. Hoping for a very uneventful night.

Footie Pajamas

Is there anything cuter than a baby in footie pajamas?

Sleepy Saturday

Korra slept a solid 4 hours for Ben while we were at the movie, but she then woke up every 2 hours from 1 - 9 am.  Guess I'm going to be napping every time Korra does today.

Hobbit

Because I am an awesome wife, Nate and I are going to see The Hobbit tonight at 10 instead of Sunday afternoon.  Big thanks to our neighbor Ben who's watching Korra last minute for us!

The Ups and Downs of Dinner

The crock pot tamale pie recipe we tried for dinner was a flop but right after dinner our box from Omaha Steaks arrived!

Hang Out

It's getting to that time of day where I am so ready to leave.  And Nate, being the most wonderful husband in the world, invites me to Google Hang-out where I get to see him and Korra for a few minutes.  It's exactly what I needed to get through this last bit of the day.

So much for sleeping in

Even though I'm leaving the house an hour later than usual, Korra woke up ready for the day at 5:30.

Sick Sitter

This week's babysitter just called to let me know she's got a fever and probably won't be able to come tomorrow.  This actually makes me a bit happy.  Not because I want Amy to be sick but because it gives me a perfect reason to go into work late.  Nate gets off at 9:00, so it's late enough to enjoy the morning with Korra, but not so late that I'll have to take a sick day.

Find it both odd and hilarious that the kids pronounce the word string as "skring."

$1

If I had a dollar for every time my assistant said she was going to shelve books and then didn't, I could work part-time.  Seriously, I have no idea what she does all day.

Korra cried again when I handed her to the sitter. I cried the whole drive tp school.

Picture!

Learned how to take and post pictures with the new tablet!

Cat's Cradle

The 6th graders have gone crazy over Cat's Cradle.  I see them playing it in the halls and they're begging me for yarn.  I was even able to get several kids who haven't read a book all year to read one (and make a 100% on their AR test!), just for a piece of yarn.  If I'd only known it was so easy to motivate them!

Unreasonable Expectations

I know it's unreasonable, but I want the babysitter (or Nate) to text me about every hour with an update on how Korra is doing.

12 classes coming to the library today (sometimes 3 at a time) and an AR party. Crazy busy.

Korra cried as I handed her to the babysitter this morning. Just when I thought it couldn't get any harder...

Fantasy in Lights

We took our annual ride on the trolley through Fantasy in Lights tonight with our friends Amber and Derek and their 9 month old baby.  As we were waiting for the trolley I realized that in the past 3 years we've gone with 3 different children- NA, AL, and now Korra.  Korra was pretty good considering how cold it was, though she was more interested in trying to chew on the hood of her coat than in the lights.

Cookies!

Headed to pick up 14 dozen cookies plus frosting, sprinkles, etc for the first of three AR Cookie Decorating parties!

Projectile

In an attempt to get Korra to swallow her reflux medicine (as opposed to spitting it back out at me while smiling), I may have put the dropper a bit too far back in her throat because she projectile vomited all over herself.  Not the best way for either of us to start the morning.

Spent the day dreaming about the delicious roast we're supposed to have for dinner only to discover I never plugged the crockpot in. Fail.

Say It Nicely

What's a nice way to say, "When you come to the library, I need you to act like a teacher- and not the lazy one that you apparently are.  Stop playing on your phone and grading papers and get your class under control.  I'm not your babysitter"?  I'm having trouble wording my email...

Insane Fines

Of the 1200 students at this school, 378 have library fines and/or overdue books.  And that's after my "Food for Fines" day where they could bring 2 items for our canned food drive to have their fines waived.

No pictures

I haven't been able to post any pictures in a while because our desktop computer crashed right before Thanksgiving break. I'm still taking plenty of pictures but with no connection cable and no computer with an sd card slot... Nate's hoping the last part he needs to fix it will come in today. Also coming in today- our new tablet! It's our only Christmas present to each other and I'm rather excited about tying it out. All that to say, hopefully I'll have posts of pictures soon.

Compliments

Every time I'm out with Korra people stop me to tell me how beautiful she is, what big, pretty eyes she has, what a sweet smile she has. I have to admit, I love it. I'm glad other people think she's as cute as I do.

Laying in my bed with Korra, listening to her talk. I hope this becomes a regular mother-daughter thing.

Sound Sleeper

While Korra slept for 7 hours straight last night, I did not. I wonder how long after she sleeps through the night it will be before I get out of the habit of waking up every 3 hours.

Rolling

Korra rolled over from her tummy to her back! Just like the scooting, I'm not sure if she meant to move like that, but it's cool all the same.

Must Sleep

I usually try to keep Korra awake until 9 so she'll sleep til 6 (but you know how well that's worked out). Tonight, I'm thankful she's sleepy before 8. I don't care how soon she's up again, I need to sleep NOW. I plan to stay in my jammies and sleep as much tomorrow as possible.

New Favorite Snack

Yogurt with an equal amount of granola.  Yum.

Winter Display

Just about finished up my winter window display for the library- "Warm up with a good book!" with snowflakes cut from old book pages and book recommendations written on mittens.

Not Enough Sleep

Before I went back to work, Korra was sleeping from 9 pm until 7 am with only one feeding in between. But now... She's wanting to eat twice a night and usually at 5 am- making it nearly impossible for me to go back to sleep before I have to get ready for work at 6. And there's no hope for an afternoon nap. I don't get home until 4:15 and her only other nap before bed is 30 minutes while we eat dinner. What's a sleepy working mom to do?

It's Coke Time

Being a working mother has driven me into caffeine dependence.

Omg. They are doing a fire drill while I'm pumping.

Traveling Book

A book got turned in to the library that is not ours.  I did a little Google search and found that it's from a middle school that's 100 miles away from us!  I called their librarian and it turns out that book isn't even checked out.  I'm sending it back, but I have to wonder how it got here.

On the move

I'm pretty sure she doesn't do it intentionally, but when Korra's on her tummy she can propel herself forward and backward the length of her crib and turn a full 180 degrees. Watch out, world- Korra's on the move!

This 20 min commute feels like an eternity after 8 hours away from my baby.

Unexpected Perks

I was 15 minutes late this morning but 1) I don't love this school so I didn't care too much and 2) it's so big no one even noticed.

Half Day

I think I would very much like to work part time.  Today was great.

Almost All Clean

While I was out, my sub cleaned out 2 more closets/rooms.  Today I tackled another closet full of holiday decorations.  Just one more room/closet to go!

"Musty"

Just found out that my school's mascot, the mustang, is named "Musty."  Does anyone else think this is hilariously appropriate for a middle school?

Bullied

Why is it that I feel so easily "bullied" by medical professionals?  It feels like you HAVE to do what they say.  I called the pediatrician to make an appointment to talk, but the nurse tried to convince me I didn't need to see her, but just needed to reschedule the upper GI.  I ended up just saying I needed to talk to my husband about it and now I have to call back to try to make an appointment again.  Ugh.

Decided to hold off on the procedure until we can talk more to Korra's doctor about why she thinks it's necessary. Having conflicting feeling about my decision.

Korra's crying because she's hungry but I can't give her anything to eat until after her procedure. Hating this.

Upper GI

Tomorrow morning I don't have to go to work.  But I do have to take my baby to the doctor, help them give her a bottle of barium, and then allow them to Xray her.  I'm expecting it to be a traumatic experience for both of us.  Here's hoping I'm wrong.

Beautiful Day!

It's gorgeous out!  Enjoyed a long walk with Korra and in a bit we're going to run some errands and visit Nate at work.

For My Daughter

While getting out the Christmas decorations, I came across my box of old childhood stuff. It it were several dolls & stuffed animals that I had decided to save for my children. But you know what? Now that I actually do have a child, I look at that stuff and think, no way I'm giving those ratty old things to my baby! I think I'll keep my Cabbage Patch doll and favorite Teddy bear to show her, but she has plenty of nice, new stuffed animals to play with when the time comes.

Korra is 3 months old today!

Lemon

Nate thinks our baby is a lemon and it does appear she's falling apart.  She's got some sort of reflux thing going on, she has a yeast infection rash, and she has eczema.  Not only does she need to get an upper GI scan on Monday, she also needs to see an allergist AND a dermatologist.

Thermostat Wars

My assistant and I are locked in a heated (pun intended) and thoroughly silent battle over the temperature of the library.  She keeps turning the AC on 60* while I keep setting the heat to 72*.

Look At My Baby

I ask nearly every student and teacher who even mentions Korra if they want to see a picture of her.  It's a little insane how much I want to show her off and talk about her.

Good news- we have a babysitter for next week! Bad news- Korra's rash is worse so she'll be going to the doc this afternoon.

Made blueberry muffins for the sitter in hopes of convincing her to watch Korra next week too.

"Colic"

While the sitter said that Korra was good, she also asked if she might have colic.

Light switches

Another reason this library is dumb- none of the light switches are in the places where you feel intuitively that light switches should be.  And yes, I am being that petty.

Babysitter

Today is the first day that both Nate and I have to work.  Really thankful for our college student babysitter.  I know she'll be wonderful, but I'm still a little nervous.

Christmas Parade

Today is the dreaded Christmas Parade.  Almost all the roads near our house will be blocked off from 3-8 PM.  Girls are checking out early from school to get their hair done.  Small towns are insane.

Insurance Love

Know what I think is extremely attractive?  A man who takes care of our car insurance even though I've been promising to do it for 3 days.

11 pounds!

Went to the lactation consultant this afternoon to have Korra weighed and talk about her eating issues.  She seems to feel that it's probably reflux related so hopefully the GI scan will get us on our way to figuring things out.  The good news is that Korra must be eating pretty well when she is eating since she's now up to 11 lbs 4 oz!  Guess we shouldn't be worried about her starving to death- if only she wasn't so cranky when she doesn't eat.

Upper GI

As Korra is still not eating well during the day (usually only eats a tiny bit between 7 AM and 4 PM), the pediatrician scheduled an Upper GI scan.  Here's hoping we're one step closer to figuring out what's wrong with my baby.

Quilts and Blankets

Korra now has 8 beautiful handmade quilts and crocheted blankets.  That's not even counting the several store-bought blankets.  Here's hoping she's cold-natured :)

Windows

Another reason this library is inferior to my previous one: windows, or really, the lack of them.  This library has a row of small windows near the ceiling and none in my office.  I used to have a half wall of windows in both the library and my office.  As it's barely light when I get here and leave, it would be much nicer if I could at have some windows to see the sunshine.

Balancing Thoughts

I think... I hate this school.  I hate this job.  I hate being away from Korra.

I make myself think... I love providing for my family.  I love having food to eat and a house to live in.

Working Mother

After work is just as hard as work.  I have 5 measly hours between getting home and going to sleep.  Not nearly enough to spend quality time with Korra and Nate or do the things I want to do (like cook dinner or go for a walk) much less housework.  Finding a balance is going to be very difficult.

Button and Fly

It's been almost 3 months since I wore maternity pants but I sometimes still forget that I can't just yank my pants down in the bathroom.

Receipts

About 400 kids owe library fines.  My assistant is INSISTING on printing a full page receipt for every measly 20 cent fine.  Is this a battle I want to pick?

It's Not Easier

Today is proving to be a lot more difficult than yesterday.  I already miss Korra so much I want to cry.  Even though she didn't let me sleep last night and threw up on me this morning.

For thr past 3 weeks, Korra has only woken up once between 9 pm & 7 am. Last night- 5 times! So tired.

Guess who's baby has a fungal diaper rash in all of her little fat rolls?

I Survived!

Today was not nearly as terrible as I thought it was going to be.  I missed Korra like crazy, but knowing that she ate well and that we had already done this Working Mom thing once made it much easier. 

Cell Phones and Gum

When bringing your class to the media center, it would be awesome if you, the teacher, wouldn't sit there chewing gum and playing on your cell phone.  Really.

Korra Ate!

Korra ate for Nate!  Anxiety level decreased by half!

Here I Go

About to head off to school and I'm much less anxious than I was last time.  I thought for sure the idea of an entire week would be more than I could handle, but I think the fact that I've already done this once actually helped even more than I hoped it would.

Back to School

Trying to prepare for a full week of school.  I have all my lunches packed, all our dinners planned out, and all my clothes laid out.  Here's hoping all this preparation makes the week go smoothly.

Babysitter Worries

I just found out our babysitter will be having surgery this week and won't be able to watch Korra.  Thankfully, the two days Nate has to work are also the college's Reading Days, so a wonderful college student we know said she's be able to babysit.

Carseat Vomiting

What is with that carseat?  Today Korra vomited all over herself and the carseat as soon as we pulled into the grocery store parking lot.  Ugh.

Thanksgiving Recap

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  Not only did I get to spend the week with all of Nate's family, but my mom, dad, brother-in-law Chris, and cousin Julie (plus our friends Roger, Rachel, and Rose!) all came the day after Thanksgiving.  I have to say the best part of the week were all the people who were willing to walk around with Korra whenever she was fussy.  I'm not sure who got more spoiled by that- me or her!

Korra has decided her carseat is the best place to poop. We've already had 2 blow-out diapers on the drive home & we still have at least another hour to go.

I thought Korra was too young to really notice her toys (much less have a favorite) but I was wrong. She coos and smile at this butterfly rattle every time.

Apparently, in the past 5 weeks since we've last taken a long car trip, Korra has decided she does not like riding in the car.

Here We Go

Getting ready to leave with the in-laws to the cabin.  Here's hoping Korra will sleep (or at least not scream the whole time) on the drive up.

Baby Swap?

Who is this baby who is taking a 2 hour nap?

Button-Busting Bust

Put on a button-down shirt this morning, but just realized I can't wear it.  Turns out my waist-line isn't the only thing that is bigger post-baby.

Packing

Doing laundry and getting Korra's and my bags packed for our trip to the cabin with Nate's family tomorrow.  Nate will join us on Wednesday after work.

Korra Helps

As you know, Korra sometimes demands to be held.  So we've taken to putting her in the carrier while we do chores.  Today Korra "helped" me wash dishes and "helped" Nate vacuum.

Peanut Butter M&Ms

Today was really, really hard.  But it's not anything that a weekend of snuggling with Nate and Korra (and a large dose of peanut butter M&Ms) won't fix.

Eat, Baby!

If Korra would eat for Nate (she refused to eat all day), going back to work would be a lot easier for all of us.

Really Hard

Just 2 more hours until I'll be home with Korra but I'm really struggling right now.

Inbox

It took all morning, but I finally finished going through my email inbox.

"You're Back!"

A lot of the kids seem happy to see me. It's nice.

Time to Pump

Locked in the equipment room- First time pumping at school.

New Assistant

I wish my sub could be my assistant.

Nightmare

So during the little bit I actually slept last night, I dreamed that when I went back to school from my maternity leave (as I am doing today) and that I was visibly already pregnant again.

Anxious About Tomorrow

Went to school for 3 hours. Somehow feel both more and less anxious about tomorrow.

Inspiration Pictures

I just put a bunch of pictures on my flash drive (I've posted a few favorites below).  I'm going to put them on my computer at work tomorrow.  My hope is that it will comfort and inspire me.

Ask And You Shall Receive

Asked my sub if she would be willing to come in tomorrow to help with the Book Fair and she said YES!

My Busy Sub

Just got an email from my sub asking if we could reschedule our meeting this afternoon.  Honestly, I'd like to ask if instead she could come in tomorrow.  And maybe stay most of the day.  I mean, she did schedule a Book Fair for this week... I don't really want to have to close it out on my first day back.

Last Day

Today is my last day of maternity leave. Knowing I only have to work one day before having 9 more days off makes it much more tolerable.

Thank Yous

I'm going to school tomorrow to meet with my sub.  Guess I have to finish the Thank You notes to the teachers.

Snuggle Time

Everyone wants to snuggle with Nate.

Aisle Dancing

It's a lot more socially acceptable to dance to the Christmas music down the aisles of the grocery store when you're holding a baby.

Car-seat Blow-out

Had a diaper blow-out in the car on the way to the grocery store. Had to clean up & change her in the back seat while she screamed. Not fun.

Advice, Please

What do you do when your baby is ONLY happy when being held?  Is this a "bad habit" that needs to be remedied?   I don't mind holding her, but I'm not the one who will be home with her all day.

12 + hours

Another post about sleeping...

Korra's been asleep since 9 PM.  She's woken up twice to eat, but has gone right back to sleep.  I'm both curious and nervous about what this will mean for her daytime naps (as pathetic as those normally are).

Changing Table Cat

Nobby keeps climbing up on the changing table.  He thinks it's an excellent place to take a nap.

Night-time Sleep

Despite Korra's spotty napping during the day, she's fallen into quite a lovely sleep pattern at night.  I put her to bed at 9 PM and she sleeps until 2 or 3 AM.  After nursing, she goes right back to sleep until 6 or 7.  I'm pretty happy with this arrangement- I hope it continues!

Unpaid

My paid maternity leave (aka sick leave) has ended after 10 weeks.  Today is my first unpaid day.  I go back to work on Friday.

Only 20 minutes

Korra has only slept for a total of 20 minutes in the last 7 hours.  Though we are both very tired (and cranky) only one of us seems to want to sleep.  Guess who that is?

GRE Tutor

Helping my brother study for the GRE makes me feel super smart. Those years of teaching 8th grade math have really paid off!

Creativity Cookies

I just made the most amazing cookies- and all without a recipe!  To a basic cookie dough, I added oatmeal, graham cracker crumbs, chopped peanuts, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips.  I'm super proud of these absolutely delicious cookies!

Chat with AL

Currently chatting on Facebook with AL.  I have to ask her to explain her texting abbreviations about every other sentence, but still enjoying catching up with her.

Snotty Korra

I'm not sure which is more sad- Korra's little congested snuffling or how she screams when I use the bulb syringe to clean out her nose

Same Weight

Just got weighed at the doctor's office. Still 10 lbs to lose :(

Things Korra Hates

Her reflux medicine, getting out of the bath, having snot sucked out of her nose, putting on long-sleeved shirts.
As I inflicted all of these horrors upon her in the past hour, she is one unhappy baby.

Baby Carrier

Baby carriers must not be very commonly used in this area because I get a lot of inquisitive stares on my daily walks with Korra.

Good Babysitter

Had a good chat with the neighbor who will be watching Korra. Feeling a bit better about going back to work.

Subject Line: Unprofessional

When I send you an email regarding my maternity leave, I think it's more than a little unprofessional to send me a reply with the subject line "hey."  Especially as we have never met in person.

Cover Letters

I've already applied for 3 jobs today with plans for at least 7 more.  Only difficulty- writing cover letters!  How can I make sure it's obvious how awesome I am?

Mocha Visit

Korra and I are going to get a mocha and visit Nate during his break at Starbucks.

Working Mom

I know that millions of women go back to work after having a baby.  I know I have to go back to work to support my family.  I know that there will be parts of my day at school that I will really enjoy.  And yet these reminders are not making the thought of going back any easier.

Dark Too Early

I always forget how this time of year- right after daylight savings- puts me in a bit of a funk.  I need more sunlight.

More Issues with Payroll

Of course, the payroll office lost the letter from my doctor.  I can't decide if they are inept of just determined not to allow me to use my sick days for maternity leave.

Poor Nate

I think Nate has almost had as hard a day as Korra. He had to be at work at 5 am and had to go back in the afternoon for a meeting. Then he had to wait for almost an hour at the pharmacy to pick up Korra's prescription. Just when he gets home and sits down, a neighbor friend asks if he can run an errand for her- and of course he does it because he's just that wonderful. Hopefully he'll get to rest tonight.

Shots Are Good

Besides the obvious upside to immunizations, another plus- Korra's been sound asleep for 3+ hours!

2 month check-up recap

Korra now weighs 10 lbs 5 oz and is 22 in long. That puts her in the 30th percentile for both weight and height. The doctor seems to think Korra's tummy troubles are caused be acid reflux, so she's got a prescription for that. As for the shots- 3 to her little thighs- she handled it about as well as could be expected. Screamed for a while and now she's just occasionally making really pathetic whimpering sounds in her sleep. Poor baby.

Impatient Patient

Been waiting for 90 minutes & still haven't seen the doctor. Korra's getting hungry, I have to pee, & we're both ready for a nap.

Monitor Freak-Out

I woke up in a panic at 2 AM because I realized the baby monitor wasn't plugged in and the battery had gone dead.  With Korra sleeping in her own room and our doors closed (to keep heat in and cats out), I can't hear her at all without the monitor.  Plugged it back in and sure enough she was crying.  No idea if she'd been awake 2 minutes or 2 hours, but either way I felt terrible.

2 Month Check-Up

Korra and I are going to the pediatrician this morning- going to get weighed, measured, get some shots (eek!), and I'll hopefully get some advice about Korra's digestive issues.

No Posts

I haven't posted at all today because it has been utterly uneventful.

Girl Scout Songs

I was singing old Girl Scout songs to Korra (it's amazing how many I still remember!) and realized she could be a Girl Scout one day.  I could be her troop leader.  I could teach her (and her little friends) these songs.  I know it's weird, but it's the first time I really realized that I have a DAUGHTER.  Not just a baby, but a daughter.

I Miss Her!

I did not anticipate feeling so anxious about being away from Korra for just 3 hours. Movie date was good but I missed my baby.

First Date!

Nate and I are about to leave Korra with a babysitter (my teacher friend TK) for the first time so we can go on a date to see Wreck-It Ralph.

New Hat

I made Korra a new hat.  Like it?

Motivation Pants

I'm still 10 lbs up from my pre-pregnancy weight and I think I'd be totally fine with that (and the way my body looks) if I had pants that fit.  I have 3 pairs of pants that do not give me an atrocious muffin top and since only one of those pairs are appropriate to wear to school, I am very motivated to lose that last bit of baby weight before I go back to work.

Water Baby

Korra absolutely loves the bath.  I think she'd stay in there all day if we let her!

Too Soon?

I may have put away Korra's newborn clothes too soon.  These 0-3 months still seem too big.

Moby Wrap

I love putting Korra in the Moby wrap and going for our daily walks. No matter how fussy she is, she calms down and eventually falls asleep. It's like magic.

Newborn Clothes

Put away all of Korra's newborn clothes. I can't believe my baby's so big!

Another Cousin!

I can finally announce it- Nate's brother Dan and his wife Genevieve are having a baby in April!  That means Korra will have 2 cousins coming that month!

PS- Laura and Genevieve told me their big news only 2 days apart and then swore me to secrecy- it almost killed me that they didn't know about each other until after Korra was born!

More Great-Grandparents!

My parents will be here in a bit with my other set of grandparents!

Runny Nose

I've been ignoring my runny nose for 2 days.  Now my throat is starting to hurt.  I guess I have to admit it- I have a bit of a cold :(

Scratch That

I had big plans to clean the house today while Nate is at work.  Korra apparently planned to be fussy and be carried around all day.  Guess whose plans won out?

2 months!

How can it be that I'm astonished that 2 months have passed but at the same time feel as though she's always been a part of our life?

Our Halloween

Fish tacos for dinner, watching Evil Dead 2, and passing out candy.  Perfect Halloween.

Halloween Outfit #3

Korra in her Cinderella outfit!

Call the Midwife

I'm really enjoying watching the new show Call the Midwife- all 5 episodes are currently on the PBS website!

Halloween Outfit #2

Can you see those dimples?!  Just like Nate's!

Snuggle Time

Snuggling on the couch with Nate, Mrs Reynolds, and my sleeping baby- perfect way to spend a chilly day.

Sleep win?

Korra slept for 6 straight hours but is now wide awake. Do I still count this as a win?

Girl Time

It's been just Korra and me all day.  Nate worked from 7-4 and then left immediately for the trivia finals.  It's cold and dreary outside so we've spent the day watching movies and napping.

The joys of motherhood

It's 3 am. I've been awake for an hour and a half with a baby who will not eat or go to sleep and who requires I replace the pacifier in her mouth every 5 minutes.

Halloween Outfit #1

Korra has several Halloween outfits.  We're wearing this one to the neighborhood Fall Festival today!

100% Organic Halloween Decorations

Thanks to a large spider, we don't have to decorate our house for Halloween.  He's build webs all around the house and this morning, he built one across our front door (we had to take it down just so we could get out!)

For Aunt Bisa

Is there anything cuter than a baby in footie pajamas?  A baby in DINOSAUR footie pajamas!

It's Always Something

So Korra's sleeping a lot and well... but she won't eat.  She'll nurse for about 2 minutes and then scream for 10.  She does this during every daytime feeding (and has been for more than a week) but she eats sweetly and for a full 20 minutes at night.  It makes me worried and frustrated I can't figure out what's wrong.

Turned A Corner?

We've had more good days than bad with Korra the last week or two.  She's happier when she's awake and she goes down much easier for naps.  She's sleeping for 4-5 hours at a time during the night and going right back to sleep at her middle of the night feeding.  Is our wild baby settling down? (knock on wood for me, please!)

Heartbreak

Listening to Korra cry for 45 minutes because of gas nearly broke my heart. I hate that there was nothing I could do to make her feel better. I don't know how I'm ever going to handle it when she gets sick or hurt.

Unpredictable

Given how little Korra usually sleeps- when she takes several long naps, it kind of freaks me out.  I'm rather worried we're in for a sleepless night.

Standing Room Only

Korra is only happy when we are holding her while standing up.  Why should it make any difference?

Payroll

Dealing with Payroll concerning my maternity leave (and sick leave vs leave without pay) is really stressing me out.

Locked in a Crawl-Space

While our neighbors had their crawlspace open to access their lawn tools, Mrs. Reynolds decided to go exploring.  Of course, they had no idea she was in there until late last night when we couldn't find her.  Though I feel sorry for that kitty, I hope she learned her lesson!

2+ More Weeks

The doctor has approved me for at least 2 more weeks of maternity leave (meaning I can use my sick leave and get paid!)

Sleep repeat

I tried to do everything the same last night as I did the night before in hopes of replicating the same sleep results. While she didn't go to sleep quite as easily, it was still 6 hours between feedings! But, now it's not even 6 am & Korra is wide awake & wanting to play. Oh well, at least she's cute.

Leave Request

Going back to the doctor tomorrow and praying fervently he signs my maternity leave request for 8 or more weeks.

Feeling sick to my stomach. Health insurance went up by $150 per month.

So Much Sleep!

Korra slept for 6 straight hours last night! 8:45-2:45!  And then she went right back to sleep (after nursing) for another 4 hours!  All that sleep made it much more tolerable that she just peed through her diaper (so I had to change her clothes and the sheet) and threw up on me (had to change my clothes) and now refuses to go back to sleep. 

Mismatched

I just realized that the socks I've had on since 10 AM do not match- like at all.  I've even put on and taken off my shoes and didn't notice.

More Family Visitors

Had a really nice time with my parents and grandparents and now Dan and Genevieve are here!

Her Own Room

Korra slept the whole night in her nursery for the first time.  I was really nervous, but she slept pretty well.

Great-Grandparents

Korra's being fussy.  Thank goodness her grandparents AND great-grandparents are coming tomorrow!  There will be so many people wanting to hold and soothe her!

Doula Katie

So today I finally got to meet (in person) someone who was super helpful on my labor day.  A friend of a friend, who I'd only chatted with on Facebook, is a doula.  When my water broke but labor didn't start right away and when that on-call doctor was NOT going along with my birthplan, I gave her a call and she was so wonderful.  She gave me advice and talked me through things and promised to even come to the hospital and stand up to Dr. MeanFace if I needed her to- all without ever meeting me in person.  Well today we finally got together for milkshakes and she's every bit as wonderful in person.  Too bad she's moving at the end of the month- she's one cool lady!

Interview

I got an email from a former student who wants to interview me for her educational psychology class.  Should be interesting.

It's like she knows

Of course, the two nights Korra won't sleep proceed the two mornings when Nate has to work at 5 am.

School Anxiety

My guaranteed 6 weeks of maternity leave was up yesterday.  Even though I will (hopefully) be out for another 5 weeks, I'm feeling a lot of anxiety about going back to school.

Nursing Pad Review

These homemade nursing pads are the best!  They were easy to make, cost my nothing because I already had the materials, are soft, AND don't leak!  Yay!

Nursing Pads

Since my nursing pads suck (they leak and stick to my nipples- sorry if that's TMI), I'm making my own using the directions from this site.  Here's hoping they work!

Seriously, Baby?

Korra has only taken two 30 minute naps since 8 AM.

Korra's First Charlie Joe's

Took Korra to Charlie Joseph's for the first time.  She slept through the whole experience, but Nate and I enjoyed the food.

I Get It Now

As much as I complained about being pregnant and as painful as labor was and as difficult as having a newborn is, when Korra smiles at me, I totally understand why people keep having babies.

Baby Mush

I love that sometimes Korra just wants me to hold her. I love this baby more every day.

I Write A Lot About Sleep

Almost as much as I write about poop...

Anyway, Korra has been going 5-6 hours between her first night-time feeding which will be great once a) she goes right to sleep after it and b) I stop waking up in a panic because I've slept more than 3 hours in a row.

Oh, and last night she decided she really wanted to be awake (and held upright) from 2:30-4:30.  Thank goodness that's no longer the norm.

Free Time?

My baby is currently taking her second 2 hour nap of the day.  I don't know what to do with myself- but this is definitely a problem I don't mind having.

Korra and Nate

Picture Fail

While we got lots of pictures of Korra, Laura and I failed to get a single picture of the two of us together.  Guess we'll just have to get a good one once she has a baby bump!

Sleepy Girl

After not sleeping AT ALL yesterday, Korra slept well last night and has already taken 2 long naps today!

Good Food

Another reason I'm thankful Laura's here- she's enabled me to cook real food!  We had scalloped potatoes and apple crisp last night and banana chocolate chip muffins for breakfast.

Support Needed

Thankful Laura was here today- Korra has been fighting sleep all day.

Auntie Laurie!

My sister will be here any minute to meet Korra and spend the weekend with me!

Wiggle Bug

Korra managed to pull both of her arms out of the sleeves of her sleep gown and put one through the neck hole during the night.

Parental Worry

I think parenting can pretty much be summed up by worrying over every decision I make (Is this really what's best for her?  Will this just cause more problems later?)

Bottles

Our first attempt of Nate giving Korra a bottle is going pretty well- lots of dribbling, but no crying.

Baby Memo

Somehow, no one told Korra that babies are supposed to sleep a lot.  She only slept a few minutes at a time all day!

Pattern?

Korra's had a similar schedule during the middle of the night and morning for 5 days now.  Do we have an actual pattern emerging? (knock on wood)

Starbucks

Nate starts his new job at Starbucks tomorrow morning!

First Bath

Korra got her first real bath today (that belly button's finally normal) and she really liked it!

Individual

Until very recently, I used to believe that children are what their parents make them. Korra is her own person- not just some extension of Nate and me.

Baby Visitors!

Jenni and Lindsay, plus their respective babies, are coming to visit today!

Aunt Katie

My sister's going to have a baby in April!  I'm going to be an aunt and Korra's going to have a cousin!

Hats!

It's cold enough outside that when we went for our walk, Korra was finally able to wear one of the many cute hats she has!

Sleeping Family

In the hotel, Nate sleeping on one side of me, Korra on the other.

Wedding Recap

Despite Korra fussing during the ceremony and having a medium-sized melt-down during the receptions, I had a wonderful time celebrating with some wonderful friends I don't get to see nearly often enough.

5 hours!

It took 2 hours to get her to sleep, but once we finally did, Korra slept for 5 hours!

Thank You Note Time

Upside to a 3+ hour car ride- time to write all my thank you notes.

Margaret's Wedding!

On our way to Margaret's wedding!

Motherhood

There was a time in my life, not very long ago, when having someone else's pee and vomit on me would be not only out of the ordinary, but disturbing.  Motherhood changes you.

Variables

I'm a terrible scientist. In my desperation to get Korra to cry less & sleep more, I've experimented with too many variables at once (no dairy, more gas drops, pacifier when she goes to sleep) and now I have no idea which is responsible for the 3 good nights we've had.

Stressing Out

Korra's being really fussy and I'm trying to get packed for the out-of-town wedding we're going to tomorrow.  I'm stressing about leaving by 9 AM and driving 4 hours and staying in a hotel... Hopefully everything will go smoothly.  And even if it doesn't, it's going to be ok, right?

Another Belly Button Update

(Most) of Korra's umbilical cord fell off!

Smiles!

This morning Korra looked at me and smiled in response to my smile twice! I'm in love.

Ice Breaker

On my walks, I've always exchanged pleasantries with neighbors on their porches, but never knew how to get the conversation to go further.  Now I know- have a small, cute baby strapped to your chest.  I got invited onto several porches and had some nice chats with neighbors I've only waved to before!

Silver Nitrate

Korra now weighs 9 lbs and 8 oz! Also, they put some silver nitrate on her stump- hopefully we'll have a belly button in a week.

Infected

Going to the doctor at 2 because I think Korra's umbilical stump is infected (yes, she STILL has it!)

Wubbanubb

Picture of Korra snuggling with her Wubbanubb (little stuffed animal that holds her pacifier).

Picture of Korra in her cute Sunday outfit.

Worn Out

While she was super well behaved at school, Korra screamed the whole way home in the car and now is zonked out.

Meet the Baby

Korra and I are headed to my school for a baby shower/meet-the-baby party.

My Rings!

Finally got my wedding ring back on! It's still a bit tighter than it was, but I'm happy all the same.

Dairy Free

Taking a week-long break from dairy to see if it helps with Korra's fussiness.  I must love this baby a whole lot to give up cheese, milk, and ice cream!

Forgetful

I am so forgetful, I feel like I'm losing my mind.

Normalcy

Trying really hard to establish some semblance of a normal life.  Making it a point to get up by 10 AM, eat lunch before 2, and take a walk every day.  Today was day one.  So far, so good.

Just. So. Hard.

I'm educated- I read all the books.  I've spent my life around babies and kids- babysitting, VBS, summer camps, teaching.  I have all the support anyone could want- loving family and friends.  And still- having a newborn baby is literally the hardest thing I've ever done in my life.  How do single teen mom's do it?

ONE MONTH

Korra is one month old today! Wow!

Wilmer UMC

Korra is making her church debut at Wilmer UMC today.  Is it too much to hope she'll be sweet during the whole service (and the pot-luck lunch afterwards)?

Embarrassed Daughter

Is Korra going to be totally embarrassed one day by this blog?  Do you think she'll ever read it?

Baby Poop

I heard that parents talk about their baby's poop a lot.  I guess it's true because here's another post about Korra and pooping...

She cried for about an hour last night (3-4 AM, on and off) when she pooped.  Does it hurt her?  Scare her?  Why can't she just grunt quietly like the rest of us?

Facebook Timeline

Did you hear that all Facebook private messages sent before 2010 are now posted on your Timeline for everyone to see?!  Yep.  Not that I have anything embarrassing, but still- not cool.  If you want to hide them, here's a tutorial.

Blow-Out #2

After exploding out of her diaper, Korra continued to poop on Nate, Nate's dad, the counter, and even the floor while being changed!  Thank goodness it was in the bathroom!

Korra was so good for the car ride & then went and cried all night long. Oh, babies.

Babies, being so small, require a surprisngly large amount of stuff for a long-weekend trip. Korra has more luggage than nate & me combined.

1st Road Trip

We're heading to Mobile for a long weekend.  Here's hoping Korra loves road trips!

Good Night

She still woke up to eat every 3 hours, but she went to sleep without crying after every feeding!  Yay for sleep!

Infant or Adolescent?

Korra is pudgy, has acne, and cries all the time. Is our baby going through puberty?

Korra wanting to feed constantly for the last 4 hours makes me want to eat my weight in chocolate.

Baby Whisperer

In my desperation to get Korra to sleep better, I'm reading The Baby Whisperer.  Yes, it's come to that.

Fantastic (sarcastic)

Woke up to a clogged milk duct (ouch!) and that Mrs. Reynolds didn't come home last night.  Oh, and Korra won't go back to sleep.

Late Night Crying

Why does she cry so inconsolably at night?  Why when I finally get her to sleep, does she wake up screaming 5 minutes later?

A Few Pictures of Korra

Just in case you've been hankering for some pictures of my baby...

 Can you tell the only time I think to take pictures of her is when she's in her bouncer?  Oh well.

Documentation

Got Korra's social security card in the mail. Picking up her birth certificate now. She's official!

Unpredictable

I think this newborn thing would be easier if there was some consistency.  The length of her naps, what helps her fall asleep... nothing is predictable.

College Savings

Made a big adult decision and started researching college savings plans.

Nashball

Took Korra to watch the boys play Nashball.  She was very well behaved!

3 Weeks Old

3 weeks ago, I was just 90 minutes away from holding Korra for the first time.  This has been the longest, hardest, most wonderful 3 weeks of my life.

I Love My Mom

I hope to one day be as good of a mom as she is.

Gram

My mom's coming tonight.  I hope she can help us figure out how to get Korra to go to sleep without crying for an hour.

Bags of Pink

We've gotten 3 kitchen-sized trash bags full of pink girly hand-me-downs.  Korra can wear a different outfit daily for the next year and still not wear it all!

Spit-Up

The only time Korra seriously spits-up is right after a bath.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Check it off the list!

Added baby to insurance AND got my flu shot- all during one nap. Today has been very productive!

Not a Good Sign

Started crying as I drove past my school- so great is my aversion to going back.

And the winner is...

I ate, then slept.  Looks like we'll have to try for the payroll office another day.

Decisions

It's 9:30 AM.  I was up most of the night with a crying baby who is finally asleep.  Do I: a) sleep, b) eat, or c) go to the payroll office and enroll the baby on our health insurance because they close at noon?

The Reverse Nap Effect

My desire to nap increases exponentially the closer it gets to the time Korra will want to wake up to eat.

Belly Button Update

I'm back to having an inny, but Korra's still stubbornly refusing to loose that umbilical cord stump.

Cooking Dinner

Usually, I love cooking dinner.  Right now, not so much.  Mostly because Korra seems to have some sort of ESP that makes her wake up (and scream) the second I either start cooking or sit down to eat something I just made.  Thankfully, we've had some great friends bringing us dinner pretty regularly!

Baby Gadgets

3 baby gadgets we've loved so far...

Video Baby Monitor (so I can see if she's breathing!)

White Noise Machine (lulls her back to sleep when she gets fussy)

Itzbeen Baby Care Timer (tells exactly how long it's been since our last feeding- because it's easy to forget!)

PJ Lunch

You know you're the parent of a newborn when it's noon, you're still in your PJs, and you're eating cookie dough for lunch.

Blow-Out

Something for the Baby Book: first blow-out diaper.  Ewww.

Ben Folds Five AND Fraggle Rock?!

2 of my favorite things!  In one video!

30 lbs!

Of the 40 lbs I gained during pregnancy, I've lost 30 of them!

Answered Prayer

Last night was about as good as you can expect to sleep with a 2 week old baby.

Sleep Prayer

Praying fervently for a peaceful night of sleep for all 3 of us.  It's been a rough day.

Wedding Ring

When will my wedding ring fit again?  All the swelling's gone down in my feet, but I still can't get my rings on :(

Just. So. Tired.

Why won't this baby sleep?!

Fussy Babies

Bisa, Jenni, and baby Ellia came to visit today!  It was great to see them, but unfortunately, Korra and Ellia took turns crying pretty much the whole visit.  Oh babies.

Reunion

Tonight is my 10 year high school reunion.  I'm not going (you know, the whole two-week-old baby thing) but I'm looking forward to hearing all about it from friends who are.

Time Flies

I figured out why the days go by so quickly.  I don't get up until 10-11 AM, I take an hour long nap in the afternoon, and I go to bed about 8 PM.  If I don't count all the times I'm up for feedings, I'm only awake for about 8 hours a day...

Thankful for Insurance

Got our hospital bill in the mail today.  Before insurance, the total for my 48 hour hospital stay is $9634.35.  That's just insane.

Smells Like Cabbage

In an attempt to relieve some breastfeeding-induced pain, I have cabbage leaves in each bra cup.  Felt really good at first (they were nice and cold) but now I have to deal with the fact that my chest smells like cabbage.

Photoshoot

Our wonderful neighbor Laura took some fantastic photographs of Korra on Wednesday.  Here are a few of my favorites!

Belly Button Bonding

I think Korra and I are both going to have our big belly button moments on the same day- you know, like a mother-daughter bonding thing.  I'm very close to having an innie again (though I doubt it'll ever look quite the same) and I hope she's close to losing that umbilical cord stump.

Vitamins

Korra REALLY hates her baby vitamins.  She spews them back out at me and screams bloody murder.

Sound Machine

Korra's really digging the ocean sounds from her white noise machine.  Too early to hope it's a cure for fussiness, but thankful it's working for now.

Uncle Brian

Korra's going to meet her Uncle Brian for the first time this morning!

Baby Bodily Functions

In a 10 minute span, Korra pooped on Nate and vomited on me.

Ode to Bouncer

I love the vibrating bouncer seat and the 2 (and counting!) hours of peace it has given me!

Gaining Weight

Korra's packing on the pounds! At the doctor today she weighed 7 lbs 12 oz!

Growth Spurt

So this is the growth spurt they talked about.  All we do is eat and cry (and by "we" I mean both Korra and me)

Rough Night

Korra fussed on and off from 2:45 AM until about 9.  Nate and I are totally exhausted.

Cloth

Trying out our cloth diapers for the first time!

First Outing

Took Korra on her first outing. Went to Target & Jersey Mike's in Auburn. She was SO good- slept through it all!

Amazon Prime

Cancelled our Netflix and upgraded to Amazon Prime.  So far, really enjoying the content but sad there's no "Recently Watched" category.

Crazy Pathetic

Hormones must still be crazy- cried while watching Yours, Mine & Ours.  Pathetic.

Snuggly

Is there anything more wonderful than a newborn sleeping peacefully on your chest?

Hiccups

Korra has the most severe hiccups all the time.

Moby

Tried the Moby wrap.  Korra and I both approve.

7 pounds!

Went to the lactation consultant this morning and Korra has already surpassed her birth weight.  My big girl is a full 7 pounds now!

40 Weeks?

Today was my due date.  It's so crazy how much has changed in less than a week.  Just look (taken on Friday)...

And now I have this (taken on Tuesday)...

Leaking

I was not prepared for the amount my body would leak fluids in various places- beginning with my water before labor and now my milk.  I'll be really excited when all bodily fluids are once again under my control.

Sleepy Girl

All Korra does is sleep and eat.  That's perfectly fine with me.

Little Sounds

Slept a little less well last night but not because of crying.  I guess I was just so tired on Monday night, I didn't notice all Korra's little noises but last night every little whimper and squeak woke me up.  And heck, if that's all that interrupted my sleep, we're doing really well!

She Looks Like a Baby

Lots of people have been speculating about whether Korra looks like me or Nate.  Personally, we both think that at this point, she just looks like a baby.  She's nicely symmetrical and doesn't have a cone head, but I think we have a little while before we'll know what she really looks like.

Korra Mae

We got to the hospital at about 6:30 on Saturday night.  Blessedly, labor was short (less than 6 hours from when I started to feel mild contractions) and by 10:08, Korra Mae was born.  Nate was amazing and with his help, I was able to give birth without any medication.  The whole experience was totally surreal and all I could think when it was over was, "I did it!"  I've had quite a few "I did it!" moments over the past few days. Like breastfeeding successfully or even just touching my own feet (which are back to their usual size!)  We're all starting to adjust to this new life together, but we couldn't be happier.  I'll try to remember to take more pictures and post more often, but no promises.

Promise to go back & recount the past days events, but for now I'll just say Korra Mae & I are hoping to be discharged soon

Heading to Hospital

Having some contractions about every 5 minutes.  Hoping this is it and heading to the hospital!

Waiting and Waiting

3:08 PM

I'm glad we're waiting at home instead of at the hospital, but I'm still feeling really anxious.  I'm anxious for labor to really begin and then I'm even more anxious about how things will go once we get to the hospital (especially if we have to go before labor's in full swing).  I do not want to be pressured to do things I'm not comfortable with and I worry the longer we have to wait, the more likely there will be interventions I'd rather not have.

Doula

1:20 PM

Thanks to an amazing friend (Danielle), I was put in touch with a lady in town who is a doula. We've been chatting on Facebook, but haven't had a chance to meet yet.  After my terrible conversation with the on-call doctor (who's not even from my practice), where he tried to scare me into checking into the hospital immediately, it was such a blessing to be able to call Doula Katie (her name is Katie, too).  She reassured me that I'm being perfectly safe by staying at home until labor really starts AND she agreed to come to the hospital if I need her to help me stand up to this on-call doctor.

My Water Broke

9:15 AM

I'm writing this now, but I don't think I'll post it until later.  I don't want everyone who reads it to be as anxious as I am.
At 5:20 AM, I woke up from a light sleep.  I went to the bathroom as usual to find that my water had broken.  Now I'm not talking about the gush you see in movies.  It's the faintest trickle that has had me feeling like I'm peeing on myself for the past 4 hours.  Nate and I tried to get some more sleep, but no luck.  Still no contractions, so we're just going to hang out, go for a walk, and wait until labor progresses (or starts!) before heading to the hospital.

Home Alone- Day 1

With Nate gone for the long weekend, I'm trying to relax and yet keep myself from going stir-crazy (which is easier said than done these days).  Today I ate handfuls of chocolate for my after-school snack, talked on the phone for a long time with my sister and sister-in-law, made tacos for dinner, and now plan to play Plants vs Zombies until I go to bed at 8:30.

Full Term-itis

The only way I can describe the anticipation of being 9 months pregnant (to someone who's never been) is like Senioritis- times a million.  I am just so over being pregnant and so ready for what's coming next.

Attention

When my belly first started to show, I loved the attention.  Now I feel like I might punch anyone who makes a comment about my physical appearance (since everyone does).  It's looks like a boy.  You're carrying all in front.  You are all belly.  I think you dropped.  Looks like you're working hard.  Seriously, if I'm pregnant for much longer, someone's going to get a karate chop to the neck.

Dragon Con

Nate's off to the first day of Dragon Con- meaning everyone there is on Baby Alert level Orange.  He'll only be about an hour away, but it still makes me a little nervous.

Plants vs Zombies

To help pass the time between now and FuPu's arrival, I've decided to start playing through Plants vs Zombies again.  Nate's on to something- I'm able to sit and relax much longer playing than I am when I watch movies.

Issues with Gum

Apparently I'm the only person in the school who enforces the "No Gum" policy.  Even the teachers chew it.  And then, I'm told I can't give lines as punishment because it makes kids hate writing.  I give up.

Baby Names

I've decided that every time a student asks me what I'm going to name the baby, I'll just respond with that student's name.

No Need to Plan

I have to admit, I'm a bit bored at my job.  Usually I'd be planning for upcoming events- book club, Teen Read Week, the book fair- but since I'm going to be out, I don't have to do any of that.  I am so ready for maternity leave.

Getting Up

I sat down on the floor to look at a low shelf of books with a special needs student and then had to work pretty hard to get back up.  He said to me, "It's a lot easier going down than getting back up, huh?"

39 Weeks

My due date is one week from today.  It's such a weird feeling knowing that an event that will change my life forever could happen at any moment.

Something Good

Every morning I try to think of something good about the new day.  I'm not enjoying my job and I'm bored and tired after work, so for the second day in a row (with more to come), here is my good thing:  I am one day closer to having this baby!

Sore Ribs

I think FuPu has bruised my bottom ribs and sternum.  They are seriously tender!

New Stereotype?

I asked a boy, "Are you chewing gum?"

His response- "I'm not gay."

Is that a stereotype I didn't know about?

Metabolism x2

THIS explains why I am so stinking tired!

Thanks to Weekly Appointments

Got to leave school at 2:10 for my weekly doctor's appointment which meant I was home early enough to take a nice nap.  I feel pretty icky today (snotty, hot, and sleepy) so leaving early was especially wonderful.

Article

You may have heard me complain about one of our local "newspapers."  The grammar mistakes alone are enough to make anyone with a high school education cringe, but it's really the content that is appalling.  In case you didn't believe me, I've decided to type up one a recent article EXACTLY as it was printed.  It's long, but I promise it's totally worth the read.  I'd love for you to comment on your favorite grammar mistake as well as which part of the article you found the most objectionable.  Without further ado I present...

"Does God Want Christians To Be Involved in Politics?"

 

Does God want Christians to be involved in politics?  That question popped into my head as these past several months of political battlefields came and went.  For those who kept up with the 'many 'ugly battles, it looked like 'we' had all turned into savages.  We here at __ County News saw friends turn to enemies, neighbors drawing lines in the grass, and changing the 'Love thou neighbor' to 'Hate thou neighbor' because they are voting different.  We witnessed Christians being their own worst enemies with political battles going on amongst themselves.  What has happened in today's world with the salt of the earth and the light of Christianity?  Politics appear to be the answer to that question, which comes back around to my original question.

 

Now, first, let's get a clear definition of what politics means.  Politics are the activities associated with governing or running an organization connected with the Government.  I 'me' have never run for public office, but I have made applications with the __ County Board of Commission to be considered to sit on several boards.  I was never chosen because 'most likely'…. "I am too strong willed and not a Yes person." (Opps should not have put that, getting on a soap box, again.)  Those powers-that-be would definitely send out 'hate'mail on me because I do not mind.  I believe that you should stand up for what you believe in and I am a Christians which brings us back to that first question.

 

Should Christians spend their life in so-called full-time Christian service and reject what they see as wrongs in the world?  If Christians abandon politics and legal issues and wrongs, just to name a few, then it is quite possible that the freedoms of this world which are preached from the pulpit might someday be taken away by the government (politicians).  If those who love the Lord just sit back and allow 'politics' to prevail, the very freedoms that we all live for could be taken away.

 

Now, on the other side of that coin, the 'secular' realms of this world does impact everyone's life on a daily basis.  Pastors preach in pulpits across the nation that their agenda is to get people saves, which in this writer's opinion might help stop some of the meanness going on in this world today.  However, you have to get people to hear the Gospel and apply the Gospel to stop the bad in the world.  Like the Good Samaritan who helped the man on the road to Samarra who was hurt badly by robbers, he demonstrated compassion to a tribe of people, who was his tribe's enemies. 

 

I guess what I am trying to say in this article is that as 'Christians', we can be involved in politics without being evil.  A "good Samaritan" attitude is for Christians to get involved in politics in order to halt the oppression of the bad politicians. 

 

The Chick-fil-a controversy is a perfect example of how a non-Christian groups want religion taken out of everything.  If this ever happens, then "we" Christians and our nation will all die at the bloody hands of political dictators until the 'rapture' comes to save us all from the coming tribulation. 

 

Even like Peter of Haarlem, the lockkeeper's son, who used his finger inside a dike to stop a leak saw the need to save a town from the threat of flood waters.  Peter would have gone about preaching the Gospel, but chose to save the town from t possible impending disaster at the moment.

 

"I fear in the next few months, that we "the people" are about to be overwhelmed by a flood of government oppression, not particularly on the local level, but on the national level."  "I also fear that we Christian faith people are under attack.  And if we set in silence, we will be forced into silence at the hands of the Federal laws and politicians, who are currently elected or soon to be elected."

 

 And that is, my friends, the reason that we at __ County News work so many hours of day trying to keep the public aware of what is going on at the local level!  "You might not like what we report, but remember we sit on no boards and we hold no alliance to any group.  We have no particular agenda no are we running for any office."  Our goal is to provide the citizens of this county with local news so that they can stay informed as to what is going on in this county.

Hip Pain

I am so ready for my hips to stop aching.

Phone Smell

My phone smells like rice, which I guess is better than smelling like the toilet.

Mom Club

I had a great conversation after school with 3 teachers who all had FOUR natural childbirths each.  They were so inspiring and encouraging!

Last Monday?

IF FuPu comes on our due date, then this will be my last Monday at work!  (as next Monday is Labor Day)

Go Rice!

The rice trick worked!  My cell phone has survived!

Sleep Patterns

I'm tired at 9 AM.  I'm tired at 2 PM.  I'm tired at 8 PM.  Why am I not tired at 10 PM- when I should actually be going to sleep?

Movie & Carseat Date

Nate and I went to see The Campaign and then we (and by we I mean Nate) installed the carseat in the car.

Flight of the Conchords

I hope you love this as much as I do!

I Am That Person

I accidentally dropped my phone in the toilet.

Great and Better

The pot roast was amazing and the game of Ticket to Ride that followed was even better.  Fun night!

Pot Roast over Cheddar Grits

Making this for dinner tonight with Noelle and Chuck!

Not a Cold

Since last night my nose has been stuffy and my throat sore.  It's not a cold.  I cannot get a cold right now.

Family Values

I keep talking to FuPu about the importance of punctuality.  I guess we'll know if he/she is a good listener based on how close to my due date I go into labor.

Processing Success!

I got a bunch of donated books processed today!

Peace and Quiet

No classes scheduled for today.  My assistant is in a meeting for the next hour.

I Wish...

I wish we could go camping at Jekyll Island this weekend.

Dani!

Enjoyed dinner, dessert, and conversation with my sweet friend Danielle tonight!

My Fat Feet Testify

Compression socks were not helpful.

Last Orientation!

About to lead the LAST library orientation!

38 Weeks

At this point, asking me to wear shoes and pants for the majority of the day is a little unreasonable.

Title of my 2 hour meeting: What Is Social Media? Should be called "Waste of Time."

Compression Socks

Wearing a pair of compression socks today.  The hope is that at the end of the day, my feet will be less fat and sore.

Unlady-like

The squat I must do in order to pick things up off the floor is especially unlady-like in a dress.

Most Common Questions

Random Student (pointing at my belly):  What is it?

Me: A baby

RS: I mean is it a boy or a girl?

Me: I don't know- it's a surprise.

RS: But what do you want?

Me: A baby.

Tattle Tale

The principal asked me this morning how things are going with my assistant.  I told her and she said it was time for her to deal with it, not me.  I'm relieved, but I kind of feel like a tattle-tale.

Unneeded Stress

I am continually worrying over how to deal with my assistant.  Tomorrow I try one final (probably uncomfortable) conversation and then I give up and turn it over to my principal.