It's Been...

two months since my last blog post. Whoops.

ten days since Jack's 1st Birthday party. My little King of the Wild Things had a blast. We all did. I can't even begin to speak of how grateful I am for all of the support from friends and family we have here in South Dakota. It doesn't quite make up for being so far away from my friends and family in South Carolina and Michigan, but it eases the pain a bit. We had such a great turnout of friends and family, and were blessed with perfect weather that day. It couldn't have been any better than it was. And seriously, what did we do before Pinterest? Could not have pulled off anything nearly as cute without it!

11 weeks since the start of the school year and things are finally running smoothly. My routines are set, my kids are fantastic, and I still love my coworkers. I'm starting to plan for my class's Christmas party (next month!) and I'm excited for some new ideas I came across. Yes, on Pinterest. 

33 hours since I slipped and fell down the stairs at work. Ouch. Darn snow...

too long since I read a good book. I'm open to suggestions before I begin my annual Christmas rereading of the Harry Potter series. 

a while since I made dinner at home. Baked salmon is on the menu for tonight and I WON'T decide to scrap it and get take out instead. I won't. 

a busy few months, but I'm ready to start blogging again. Work has finally slowed down and I'm no longer going in on the weekends. So on that note, I'll see you for "Five on Friday: Jack's Partay" in just a few short days!

Thankful For...

For the last few weeks, I've seen lots of people post on Facebook things they are thankful for. I typically use the month of November to really think about my blessings and what I'm grateful for, but I thought today: why limit that to one month a year? That being said, I'm thankful for...

My little family. My husband and I, along with our son, make quite the family. It's a lot of compromise, a lot of give and take, a lot of laughter, and a lot of new experiences. I love being a mom, a wife. I love having a purpose. It's everything I was meant to be. 

My friends. Oh, I have some wonderful friends. I love our girls' nights. I love our lunches. I love our secret Facebook group conversations. I love that you don't mind babysitting so Aaron and I can go out. I love you all. 

My job. It's hard but I love it. I love the challenge and I love the fulfillment it gives me. I love my new school so, so much. I love it's energy, it's positivity, and its  proximity (yay 4 minute drive to work!). 

My health. I know so many people, so many young people, with chronic illnesses and it makes me grateful that I'm not suffering from anything debilitating. 

My larger family. My parents , my sister, my nephew, my niece, my extended family, and my inlaws. They are The. Best. I don't live near many of them, but thanks to Facebook, email, cell  phones, and Instagram, I am able to keep up to date with all the goings-on and share what's happening in my life, as  well. 

Jack's new daycare. I was devastated when his old daycare closed. It was so. hard. to find a daycare to begin with. I had no idea what we were going to do. Through the power of social media and with the help of some amazing friends, I found a place run by a "friend of a friend." It's small. It's cozy. Jack gets a lot of one-on-one attention. And the best part is that he literally grins from ear to ear as soon as he realizes that's where he's going in the morning. I couldn't be happier and more relieved. 

So there you have it. I'm one lucky girl. I try to remember these blessings each day, but some days it's harder than others to be thankful. On those tough days, it's all I can do to put a smile on my face, but really, those are few and far between. I'm lucky. I'm happy. I am blessed. 

Five on Friday

It's been a while. Life is a whirlwind of work, baby, husband, family, and friends. (Not in that order.) So here's what's happening. 

One. 

Oh my. I love my job. Love. I have some of the sweetest kids in my class. I also have a few testy ones who are going to need to be whipped into shape. It's all worth it, though, when I see those little lightbulbs go on in their heads. When I get those hugs at the end of the day. When something funny happens and we all laugh. When I get the sweetest notes and drawings. Such an important job I have. Such a rewarding one. 

Two. 

Speaking of this job of mine, I signed up for a graduate Literacy class this fall. It's every Tuesday evening from 4:30-7:30. Yuck. 

Three. 

Wedding bells are a-ring-ing. On Thursday, the three of us fly to Lawrence, Kansas to go to Aaron's brother's wedding. Cannot wait for that sweet girl, Megan, to join our family! Maseltov! 

Four. 

I will never understand South Dakota weather. On Monday it was 94 and by the end of the week, it was 45 degrees cooler and snowflakes were falling from the sky. I am NOT ready for winter. I want my fall. My season of cozy sweaters, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, knee-high boots, colorful leaves, and brisk morning air. If we have another blizzard in October (or, God forbid, sooner) I will flip. 

Five. 

Jack started his new daycare a few weeks ago and he loves it. I love it, too. It's 3 blocks from work, run by a "friend of a friend," and when I pick Jack up, he is happy. Like, grinning from ear to ear. I have never seen him so happy at daycare. It makes me feel good that he's in a place that he likes so much, and in a place where the kids and employees like him so much, too. Every morning we're greeted by a three year old girl who loves Jack to bits, and it's the sweetest thing ever. She calls him Jackie and I don't even care. 

One Day

One day you'll be walking and I'll wish you were still the weeks old baby who wanted nothing more than to be in my arms. I'll be chasing after you everywhere. 

One day you'll start kindergarten and you'll be so excited to buy school supplies and start going to school with the big kids. I'll cry your first day as I drop you off. 

One day you'll have a crush on a little girl and she'll break your heart. I'll hug you and let you cry on my shoulder, if you want to. 

One day you'll want a cell phone and you'll be upset that your father and I won't buy you one. 

One day you'll get your driving permit and I'll be proud and scared shitless at the same time. 

One day you'll go on your first date. You'll tell me not to wait up, and I'll pretend that I don't. But I'll lay awake to make sure you come home and wish that you'd tell me how it went. 

One day you'll graduate high school and I'll be so extremely proud of you and bursting with joy. 

One day you'll go off to college and I'll be so sad to see you go. I'll sit in your bedroom, smell your pillow, and shed a few tears. 

One day you'll meet the woman you're going to marry and I'll love her like my own daughter. 

One day you'll escort me to the front row in the church on your wedding day. 

One day you'll have children of your own. I'll bounce them on my knee and spoil them rotten, and then you'll finally understand how a parent can love their children so much. 

Five on Friday

One. 

Back to work I go! I officially started school Tuesday afternoon, and let me tell ya...it was rough! Having to leave Baby Jack and actually be somewhere at a specific time...yeah, that was hard. But I'm ready for a new school year. I worked hard all week on finishing up my classroom and it's pretty much done. I think the kids will like it, anyway. We had Meet the Teacher Wesnesday night and I was able to meet some of my new kiddos and their parents. I think I'm going to have a good group. I have a feeling I'll have a few challenges, but that's ok. Sometimes those are the ones who turn out to be my favorites! 

So, as most of you know, I moved schools and changed grades this year. While going back to work was tough, it was made easier by the fact that I love my new school. Love. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere is positive and fun, and it's been an awesome week. I'm ready to make my new school my home for the next nine months!

Two. 

After a long week of packing, driving, cleaning, and unloading, Aaron's parents have finally moved to Rapid City. We are so happy to have them here! I am so glad Jack will grow up knowing his grandparents and being able to spend time with them on a regular basis. He is one lucky kid!

Three. 

It's almost Fall and the Central Stated Fair is in town. That means Gyros, funnel cakes, and the German tent. 

Four. 

Jack's daycare informed us they are closing at the end of September. After a lot of looking, I finally found a place. Seriously, what did we do before social media? I was lucky to find a place by inundating friends and strangers alike with requests for daycare information. It paid off and Jack starts his new school Monday. 

Five. 

In just a few weeks we get to travel to Lawrence, Kansas to watch my brother in law and his wonderful fiancée get married. It'll be Jack's first plane ride and our first with a child. Can't say we're looking forward to that part, but we are definitely ready to see this lovely couple get married!

A Look in the Mirror

A few weeks ago, I read an article about a mother of five from Canada who went to the beach in a bikini for the first time in years. A group of teenagers, noticing the stretch marks on her belly, began to make fun of her, saying she should be ashamed to go to the beach and put a body like hers on display. The comments made her feel ashamed, embarrassed, angry. She responded to those teens in a blog entry, which soon went viral.

I hope those teens read her entry. I hope they felt guilty for talking about this mother that way, for making her feeling badly about herself and her body. I hope she hit a nerve with them; I know she hit one with me, and thousands of other women who have been blessed enough to give birth to another human being. 

This woman's blog entry made me think. The next time I took a shower , I stopped and really looked at my body. I saw the stretch marks on my own belly, the tops of my thighs, my torso. They've faded in the last nine months so they're not very noticeable anymore, but they're there. I saw the hair on my head that is still shedding after nine months, that I find everywhere around the house. I saw a fuller face and a thicker body, one that is a good 25 pounds heavier than I'd like for it to be. I saw the pooch of a tummy that wasn't there two years ago, but now keeps me from squeezing into my size 8 pants. But. I also saw breasts that nourished my baby for five and a half months, that made him grow and thrive. I saw my belly, the place where my baby spent nine months, the place where I first felt him kick. I saw my arms, a little thicker than they used to be, but where my baby finds comfort when he's sad, grumpy, or just in the mood to snuggle. I saw my face and my smile, the same one my baby sees when I go to get him from his crib in the morning and when I pick him up from daycare in the afternoon. I saw my legs, which my baby clings to as I make his bottle in the kitchen, as he stands there waiting to be picked up.

Looking at the changes my body has gone through in the last 18 months didn't make me sad. Do I wish I were skinnier? Yes. Do I wish I didn't have stretch marks? Yes. Do I wish my dang hair would stop falling out, finally? Absolutely! But I am proud of what my body has accomplished, this feat that not everyone has the ability to do. I've made and given birth to a human being. A tiny person who could one day grow up to be a doctor, a teacher, an engineer, or President. He's going to make a difference in this world one day, this little boy who I gave birth to. In fact, he already had. I proudly wear these changes on my body, these warrior wounds, these "tiger stripes," as some people call them. I proudly wear them as I look on at my little boy and feel the happiest and proudest I've ever been.

A Summer of Firsts

Have I mentioned that I'm not ready for my summer to end yet? Well, in case I haven't... I AM NOT READY!!!! It's been such a wonderful summer with friends, family, and lots of time spent with my Jack Norman. I am so blessed to have a job that allows me to have this time each year. I could never be a full-time stay-at-home momma (bless you all, you are Wonder Women!), so I'm thankful to have the best of both worlds: a job where I can be a working mother for nine months of the year and a stay-at-home momma for the other three. 

This was my first summer as a stay-at-home mom, and it was everything I imagined it would be. It was fun. It was exhausting. It was busy. It was hectic. It was stressful. It was wonderful. It was unforgettable. I was lucky to experience a lot of "firsts" this summer with my little boy, who keeps getting bigger and bigger right before my eyes. Every time I look at him he looks just a little bit older, more like a little boy, and a little less like a baby. It's exciting and heart-breaking at the same time.

Here are some of the "firsts" I witnessed this summer:

Standing tall.

My baby is pulling himself up. He started sometime in June and has been standing at every opportunity ever since. Lately he's been letting go and standing on his own for a few seconds before plopping down on his little diapered bum and it's the cutest thing ever because he is so dang proud of himself. As soon as he sits, he looks up at me to see if I saw him. And I did. Every time.

 

Cruisin'.
Jack loves to cruise along the furniture. He walks from the couch to the chair and back again. He cruises kitchen cabinets, dining room chairs...just about anything. He started doing that in June, too.

Walk hard.
A few weeks ago I bought Jack a walker, and after a bit of a wobbly start, he has taken to that thing like a fish to water! He loves pushing that thing around and will plow right through a pile of toys with no problem. If he's headed somewhere, look out! He has no problem running over your toes. I know this from experience.

 

Finger foods.
Before the summer began, Jack was just learning how to eat Puffs. Most of them ended up all over his highchair and on the floor, with only a few actually ending up in his mouth. Since the summer began, this kid has gotten good at feeding himself. Not only is he eating Puffs, but he also nibbles on peaches, banana, cheese, spaghetti, mac n cheese, and bits of hamburger. And that's just what he's feeding himself. He definitely takes after me... he's got an appetite!

 

Waterbaby. 

I bought an inflatable pool for Jack and me this summer. He loves the water. Loves. It. He could literally spend hours in the pool or tub, just splashing his little heart out. I love seeing his face light up when he hears the bath water running and he gets just as excited when I pull out his little baby Speedos for an afternoon swim.
 

Ballin'. 

Aaron always said he needed a kid who loves sports. Well, I don't foresee that being a problem because Jack is in love with his Melissa and Doug ball that his Pops bought for him. He loves rolling that thing around and gets the biggest smile on his face watching me bounce and dribble it. I think he's going to be into sports when he's older.

 

Park it. 

I got to take Jack to the park for the first time and boy did he love it! He giggles nonstop when he's on the swing and has even let me and Aaron slide him down the slide a few times. Most of the time we're there we just sit in the grass. He loves feeling it between his fingers.

 

Summer nights. 

With Aaron busy at summer nights each Thursday, there's really nothing else to do but take Jack downtown to go and visit him. While he's not crazy about the loud music, he does fine once his earmuffs are on and he can sit and people -watch while munching on some Puffs. I can't wait until he's a little older and we can go to the Kid Zone for some bouncy-house fun and face-painting.

 

I scream you scream.
Jack had his first taste of ice cream this summer. He noshed on some pistachio and absolutely loved it! Unfortunately for him, that will be the last time he eats that much sugar for a while, especially so close to bedtime!

Tiny dancer.
I think my favorite thing of all was when I got to see Jack dance for the first time. He has a couple of toys that play music and the first time I saw him bounce to the Fisher Price tune on his walker, I about died. He was in the middle of walking across the living room and had to stop where he was so he could dance. It was literally the cutest thing I've ever seen.

Toofers.
Jack got three teeth this summer - two on the bottom and one on the top, so far. The teething was no picnic, but it wasn't as awful as I expected. He still slept at night, but he ran a couple of fevers and was a bit of a cranky pants. He was extra snuggly, though, which made up for it.

 

So, there you have it. I didn't go on a vacation this summer. No trips down South or out west to Bellingham. No tropical islands. Not even a weekend trip to Denver. But I did enjoy my time off and all the time I got to spend with Jack. Yes, he went to daycare once a week so I could get a break and he could interact with some other kiddos, but when we were together I made an effort to put down the tv remote, let the laundry go, and worry about the vacuuming later. I wanted to enjoy every minute we had together because he will never be this little again. Next summer, he'll be running around and talking, and it will be all I can do to keep up with him. We'll have more adventures and our summer will probably be a bit more exciting because he'll be able to DO more things, but it'll never be like this one was. So I'm going to do the best I can to remember what this one was like and to appreciate the time I had with him before I go back to work and meet my 22 new second graders. 

Six on Saturday

Whoops...time got away from me yesterday and I forgot my weekly Five on Friday. This week, to make up for it, I have a special post ...Six on Saturday. Here are six randoms happening with our family right now. 

One. 

My dad and his wife came to visit last week and left on Tuesday. We had a great time. It was their first visit to South Dakota and their first time meeting Jack. We got to spend some time together, they got to see the Black Hills, and I think we all had a really good visit. 

Two. 

Two days after my dad left, Aaron's parents came for a short visit. Their visit wasn't so much a trip to see us, but more of a "we need to find a place to rent so we can move out here at the end of then month" visit. I cannot believe we are going to have family living near us in a few weeks! This will be the first time in six years we'll have family closer to us than a 6 hour drive. It will be so nice. I am excited for Jack to grow up knowing his grandparents and getting to spend time with them. I think that's so important and I am thrilled they want to be such a big part of his life. Of our lives.

Three. 

Thursday we went to Summer Nights to visit Aaron. I know I've said it before, but I love Downtown Rapid City. I think they do such a good job of coordinating events and making it a great place to spend time with family and friends. This week they had the Budweiser Clydesdales so we checked them out. Those are some fancy, pampered horses! They even brought the Dalmatian from the commercials...so cute. 

Four. 

This Friday we have Jack's 9 month check up. Poor guy will be getting some more shots, but I'm excited to find out how much he weighs and how much taller he's gotten! He feels incredibly heavy and it will be nice to put a number to his weight! Since his last visit he's started crawling, standing, cruising, eating solids, and has gotten 3 teeth. Can't wait to show him off to the doctor and nurses!

Five. 

It's August now. That means I only have a few more weeks of summer left. Three to be exact. 18 days. That also means I am knee deep in textbooks and Pinteresting my little heart out for classroom ideas. I've been putting off working in my room and haven't really touched it much since June. I'm heading in there tomorrow, though, to unpack a few more boxes and straighten up a bit more. I'm. Not. Ready. 

Six. 

Aaron and I get to celebrate our six year anniversary next Saturday. Can't believe we've been married for six years and together for five before that. Lots to celebrate and be thankful for this year, so we'll have to plan something special for the evening. 

Right Now

I'm watching Masters of Sex. Such a great show!

I'm eating Veggie Straws. These things are the best guilt-free snack!

I'm reading Insurgent. Gotta finish the Divergent series before the summer ends. 

I'm wearing Champion athletic shorts from Target. Every. Day. They are so comfy!

I'm wishing it wasn't the end of July already! I can't believe my summer is nearly over. 

Jack's playing with his activity table like crazy. He loves that thing!

Jack's top teeth are coming in. He looks so darn cute. 

Jack's eating cheese, spaghetti, peaches, rice, and just about every flavor of Plum's food pouches. 

Jack's wearing cute little onesies from Carter's just about every day and they look adorable on him. 

Jack's enjoying bath time immensely. He loves to splash and play with his rubber duckies. He also has a set of water bugs that he loves to play with. 

Aaron's really busy at work. 

Aaron's enjoying having a lawn to cut on the weekends. 

Aaron's favorite meal is one of my recipes from Pinterest - my zesty baked wings. He even said they are as good as any wing he can get at BWW, which is saying a lot!

Aaron's parents are coming to visit today. Yay!

Five on Friday

This week I decided to do a little something different. Here's an "About Me" take on the usual Five on Friday.

One.
I'm originally from Michigan but moved to South Carolina in the first grade. I love, love, love the South. The history, the food, the warm winter weather. Buuuuut, I moved to the Midwest nine years ago and the Black Hills six years ago, and I am officially a fan. Never in a million years could I have imagined living in South Dakota, but here I am. People ask all the time how I ended up here, so here's the short version of that story: I met my hubs while we were working together in Columbia. About a year and a half later, he got accepted to the University of South Dakota School of Law and we decided to move. After graduation, he accepted a job in Rapid City and we moved here in 2008. So here we are, the three of us now, building our own lives in this still-somewhat-new city that we now call home. 

Two.
I am an avid reader and a book-buying addict. I have hundreds of books, many of which I haven't read yet. I have piles of books all over the house, all on a never-ending waiting list. One of my favorite books is To Kill a Mockingbird. The first book I read in its entirety in just one day was The Client; I stayed in bed all day on a Saturday when I was in middle school. I love the Harry Potter series so much and I try to read the series during my Christmas break every year. Harry Potter introduced me to the YA genre, which I love. I am a fan of Twilight (as horrible as the writing is), The Hunger Games, and the Divergent series. I am currently reading The Silkworm, by Robert Galbraith (aka J K Rowling).

Three.
I love to cook and there are fewer things I find more relaxing. I cook almost every night and I'm usually doing so with a nice glass of red wine. I constantly scroll through Pinterest to find new recipes and am ecstatic when I try one and it actually turns out as good as the blog promises. I cook a mean filet mignon, I can bake some pretty amazing chocolate chip cookies, and I love to use my Crock Pot to make a really delicious pot roast. In my opinion, which may be different from the hubs', the best thing I cook is a panko-crusted parmesan chicken from Martha Stewart. I top it with a Dijon butter sauce and usually pair it with twice baked potatoes. Come to think of it, it's been a really long time since I've made that; I'll have to add it to the menu pretty soon.

Four.
I am a second grade teacher and I love my job. Absolutely love it. It's hard, the paychecks aren't big, and I invest a lot of my own time and money into it, but I can't see myself doing anything else ever. This will be my first year teaching second grade, as I've taught first grade for the last few years. I am starting at a new school this year, so add to that the new grade and the usual new school year jitters - I am nervous! I really like the people I've met at my new school, though, and I think it will be a good change. One perk I'll enjoy this year is that it's only a five minute drive from our house (10 minutes if I stop at Starbucks first).

Five.

Being a mother is my calling. It's all I've ever wanted to be and it's everything I expected it to be, and more. I always thought I wanted a little girl so I could buy the frilly dresses and the tutus and the hair bows. In fact, I actually cried when I found out we were NOT having a girl (talk about awkward...that doctor was really squirming). But, I love. Love. My son. I cannot imagine being a mother to any other child. I love his smiles, his laughter, his squeals of delight. I love his cries and his screams of frustration. I love that he loves to roughhouse (as much as you can roughhouse with a 9 month old, anyway). I love it all. Would I like a little girl one day? Maybe. But in all honesty, what would give me the most joy is to have two little boys playing together in the backyard, building forts, digging for worms, terrorizing each other (and their parents). Maybe one day...

Stop Bragging About Your Kids

Really. Stop it. You know why? Because they know. Because I bragged about mine yesterday and do you want to know what happened? He clearly overheard and decided he was going to teach me a little lesson. That I was getting too comfortable with this motherhood thing. It went a little something like this:

Just before dinner, while talking on the phone-

Me: "Jack is doing so great with teething. I mean, he gets a little cranky during the day but he hasn't woken up during the night at all!"

Mother in Law: "I believe it. You've got such a sweet boy!" 

Me: "I do. He's the best! We're so lucky!" 

11 pm, just as I climb into bed and turn off the light-

Jack: "waaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!"

4:09 am, not a creature was stirring, except for-

Jack: "WAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

You see, this is not the first time he has done this. In fact, I remember the last time I spoke to someone about how well Jack had been sleeping and how he hadn't woken during the night in months. What did he do THAT VERY NIGHT? Why, he woke up in the middle of it, of course. It's almost as if he knows that I'm on the brink of feeling like I've got a handle on everything; like I finally have it all figured out. And then he feels the need to show me just who is in charge here, and that indeed, I have nothing figured out. Absolutely nothing. 

So, as this has become a trend in the last 8 months, I can only imagine how the rest of our time together will go. I imagine it being something a little like this:

Me: "That Jack, he sure does love soccer. He's so talented and we sure do enjoy watching him play."

Jack: "Mom, I hate soccer. I want to play hockey."

Me: "I just love that girl Jack has been dating. She's such a sweetheart."
Jack: "Mom, I broke up with my girlfriend."

Me: "I'm so glad I have another Broncos fan in the house. I love watching the games on TV with Jack!"
Jack: "I like the Seahawks now."

And so on and so forth. This kid certainly keeps me on my toes, there's no doubt about that! So, until the next time he decides to turn the tables on me, I'll just enjoy these sweet moments and hope he doesn't decide he's not a cuddler any time soon.

 

Our Week in Pictures

Day One: good  morning!

Playtime

The first of many this week

Jack LOVES to chase the cats. The cats do not love it.

Loudest toy ever.

Jack loves to snuggle and watch the Today Show with me

Daredevil Jack, balancing on the very unsteady bouncer

Watching mommy get ready

Off to daycare after a battle to get him in the car seat

Bath time!

A story before bedtime

Day Two: playing while mom wakes up with the help of Matt and Savannah

Morning snuggles

This is my "I only napped for 30 minutes and mom thought she'd be able to take a shower AND dry her hair" face

Off to Target!

Never thought I'd be cool with him chewing on a Coach purse, but whatever keeps him quiet...

Trying to decide on this hat. I think it's a "no."

Mmmm, peas and brown rice

I had time to cook lunch! Yum, shrimp!

Jack stopping to watch Penny on the Big Bang Theory

Day Three: let's start by climbing on mommy

Daycare supplies

Spa certificate is ready to go

Snuggle time before we leave

"Wait, wait, wait, lemme show you this before we go"

Jack's at daycare and I'm going to read in bed!

 

I had a lovely massage, a relaxing afternoon, and now Jack's back and we're going to play hide-and-seek!

Banging toys on the wood floor

Almost night-night time

Time for bed

Day Four: dressed and ready

Second outing to Target this week

Our Citrus Lane box arrived with some really cool stuff!

Post-nap bed head

Summer Nights

Dining al fresco

Hangin with Aunt Amanda

 This is what you get at 7:45 when you feed your baby ice cream for the first time

Day Five: woke up in a great mood...ready for Daddy to come home!

Came down with a fever and wasn't really feeling up for being outside, but Mom thought it was a good idea since we had been cooped up inside all week!