Work Work Work, All Day Long

My busy work time has come. I worked very long days Thursday and Friday and never saw sunlight. When the bright rays were out Saturday, my eyes hurt. It was too sunny for me. Sensitive eyes and pale skin. You might think I'm a vampire. But sleeping has been no problem for me this weekend! I've been napping and going to be early.

Using my brain is more exhausting than physical activity.

I gave a presentation in front of 50 plus people, most of who I do not know. This was my first big presentation at my current position. I thought it was sweet that many of my teammates and management came to watch and to see how that little blonde girl would do. I felt confident but during my speech I stumbled on a word (I have trouble pronouncing some words - lame) and heard my voice quiver once. Grr....I like to challenge myself to overcome nervousness and even if I am nervous not let other people see it. I give myself partial success status. My audience did nod their heads so it appeared I was saying something coherent.  Round 2 will be Monday morning. I will prevail!


What about Teagan? With her mommy being gone.

Well....her daddy is AWESOME! He's pretty much been a single parent. He does it all and never complains. He's my rock. Sadly I only saw Tea for an hour Thursday. And I got home right at bedtime Friday.

But don't worry. She played all day with her Grandma Friday. They went swimming at an indoor REC Center. I'm pretty jealous!

Saturday night, I was Tea's buddy. She just wanted me to rock her and not go to bed. And so I obeyed her request. We rocked and rocked and sang songs. Her bedtime was later than normal but neither of us minded. I spoiled her (bad mommy right?) and I loved every moment of it. She deserves to be spoiled when she barely saw her mommy for two days.

1 week of overtime to go! 2 weeks till I go part time!

Cuteday Tuesday

Box + Kitties + Teagan = FUN!

Dear Teagan

Dear Teagan,

You are 18 months old. What a blessing you are. I love this age. I know I say that about every age, but you truly are a delightful little girl. You LOVE to go outside. Maybe its because you were born in the summer. Winter with cold weather and less daylight is not working out for you. You would play outside in any condition, but we keep you inside and its dampening your spirit. You are a hawk when it comes to spotting things in the sky - airplanes, birds, and especially the moon. You will shout "moon moon" over and over again loudly, even if its only a moon sliver or daylight. You can always find it. You have a million toys but you prefer to play with Mommy and Daddy. You must have our full attention and we love giving it to you. You love to run. You will run from room to room or even just in circles. You find this very entertaining and giggle the whole time. You recently started singing by yourself. Hearing "Baa Baa Black Sheep" through the baby monitor is just plain cute. I swear you learn a new word everyday. I love having chats with you. You use "milk" for any beverage. When you ask for "milk" Daddy and I have to ask if you mean "milk milk" or "juice milk." You make sure to point out the Hersey's syrup when you want a little sweet. Speaking of sweets, you used to gobble up a treat by shoving the whole thing in your mouth. Now you eat treats slowly, savoring them.  You still love animals, especially cats. You love to pet them, sit on them, and now climb on them. "Teagan don't sit on kitty," is said very often in our house. You're beginning to snuggle! Something Mommy has dreamed about since you were born. We have our spot on the couch and watch (parts of) movies curled up with a blanket. I love these moments. You love your books. You have favorites. Some books never leave the bookshelf while others are read 100 times a week. You still are cheerful, smiley, and love people. You're starting to be shy around new people but you'll warm up and give out hugs. You bring so much laughter and happiness into our home.

I love you with all my heart baby girl.

Love, Mommy.

Mom WTF

It has been brought to my attention that since I'm going part time I will no longer be a ftwm (full time working mom). Which backwards is Mom WTF. I really like the Mom WTF. Mom WTP is not as catchy. I will need to ponder on a new phrase (or just search the internet). You know, some companies consider 32.0 or more hours full time. Can I cheat? I'll be working 32 hour weeks.

So I'm not going part time until Feb 10th. It cannot get here soon enough! I'm going to have a really busy couple of weeks at work with overtime. Overtime pay = good! Overtime hours = bad.

And I have not had a week day off with my little girl since Christmas. I'm itching to have Mommy and Tea day. I think she is too.

Just need to survive the next couple of weeks. I can do it!

It's actually easy working more knowing there is a light ahead.

I have already started looking into Mommy and baby classes. Our library has a toddler book activity on Fridays. And the water park near me has toddler time on Friday mornings. One thing I REALLY hated about working full time was that ALL Mommy & Me classes are on weekdays. Part time is already looking up!

Book Snuggler!

"Hands Hands Finger Thumb" continues to be a bedtime companion. I find this entertaining.

Wednesday Night:

We let Teagan go to bed with her book. 

You can see the book peaking out under her, along with a puzzle. The puzzle is all her.

Thursday Night:

Her daddy put the book in a different part of her book shelf to see if she'll grab the same book. I forgot to empty the trash from her room and came back into it minutes after we said goodnight. Teagan already had "Hands Hands Finger Thumb" in her bed. That sneaky little girl. Here is her later that night. 

What is that peaking under her blanket?

Friday Night:

"Hands Hands" is up at the headboard by Lambie, but what else is in her bed? 

Book & puzzle hoarder!

Teagan, I love you baby girl and your amusing little personality. 

Cuteday Wednesday

You get a double treat of cuteness this week. I couldn't resist sharing.

Sunday night I read Teagan "Hands Hands Fingers Thumbs" by Dr. Seus. A book I've always enjoyed. I liked reading it to my nieces so much that my brother once left me a voicemail reading the entire story.

Teagan shares my fondess of the book.

After I read it to her for the ump-teenth time ("again" is now a word in her vocabulary), I told her "night night." She wanted to keep the book, but I put it back in her bookshelf.

Here is Teagan when I checked on her later Sunday night.

Look closer....do you see a book? The sneaky little girl got up and grabbed it. 

And here is Teagan Monday night. I read her a different story Monday, but when I checked on her she was snuggled up with "Hands Hands Finger Thumb."

And then there's Tuesday night. I'm glad my chuckle didn't wake her up. This is becoming amusing.

Is it possible for a child to have a security book, like a security blanket? She has many books but keeps choosing this one to sleep with.

Tonight (Wednesday) I let her go to bed with "Hands Hands Finger Thumbs." I wonder if I'll have to start having to say "night night book," like I do with her stuffed animals.

Too cute! This is why you get a bonus Cuteday this week. Enjoy!

Cuteday Tuesday

Teagan and her Christmas pony

MLK Day

My husband had the day off today and I did not. Teagan and her daddy had plans to sleep in and I would go to work. I got in to work an hour earlier than I have been lately. My morning was so much quicker with just me. It was a glimpse into what life was like before kids. I never realized how easy it was to get ready. 

I was out the door before Teagan even woke up. First time I saw her for the day was after work. I did wake up her daddy by accident though. I spoiled his plans of sleeping in. 

Does anyone have recommendations for photobooks? I'm desperately trying to finish Tea's 1 year book. Shutterfly is annoyingly slow. I narrowed down the 3,000+ photos I took her first year to just 400. That still makes a pretty big book (90 pages) and Shutterfly is just awful. I've already invested so much time into it that I don't want to switch now. But for year 2, do you know of any faster photobook software?

Big News!

..... I'm NOT pregnant.

Ahahahaha. I have this post linked to my Facebook page. With a title like "Big News",  I bet people clicked on it hoping for a pregnancy status. We are probably asked daily when is baby no. 2. That will be another post by itself. We are not ready for a second child yet.

For those who don't read my blog the news is:

I'm going part time.

Okay, you can close this window now. For the my loyal followers, here is the scoop.

I always thought I would work full time. I never imagined myself being a stay-at-home mom. Then I had Teagan. Oh the love I have for her overwhelmed my heart. Actually being a mom changed my perspective on working. I started to dread Sunday nights for I would usually get sad. And this last holiday break was just not long enough even though I had 11 days off.

I was working a flex schedule - 9 hour days with every other Friday off. But that schedule was tough. I blogged about a crappy Friday I had last November. The following weekend, I updated my resume. Maybe if I found a job closer to home, I would have more time back and be happier. I would lose my every other off Friday though.

There were lots of jobs out there near my house but I was picky. My husband joked with me "So you pretty much want the same job but just closer to home?" Yep. I have a GREAT team and the BEST manager. I love what I do. My employer is family oriented and has pretty sweet benefits. Ugh.

So I did it, during my year end performance review, I told my boss my work/life balance is off. I would no longer like to travel and I would like to work less. His response was "What else?" He thought my requests were fine. He said he completely understands. His wife stayed at home with their kids. He said if he could only have an hour of my time he would be happy. Don't I have the best boss???

I was very nervous to talk to him. Now I wonder why I was nervous at all.

So starting in February, I'm cutting down to 4 ( 8 hours) days a week. Its not a huge cut back, but I'll get 1 more day a week my sweet little girl. I feel so relieved!

Who wouldn't want one more day with this lovable  face?

Cuteday Tuesday

Here is Teagan helping her daddy celebrate turning 30!

Have a happy Tuesday!

Sleeping Toddler

My sweet baby girl was a great sleeper who even loved to go to bed. We would tell her "bedtime" and she would run to the stairs. After her bedtime routine, we could lay her down in her crib and she would tell us "night night." We could leave her room with her awake and there would be no peeps.

A week before Christmas that all changed. She would refuse to go to bed. She would cry and cry.  I hate cry it out. Bedsides putting up a fight to sleep at night she also would refuse to take a nap. Teagan was still taking 2 naps a day. She started to skip one of her naps.

Over the holidays, we visited my brother. Teagan climbed out of her pack-n-play 3 times! The first time was rather funny. Bret and I were exhausted one day and wanted to take a nap when Teagan did. We were all in the same room. After 5 minutes Teagan stopped making noises. Bret and I were just about out, then all of a sudden I heard a little voice next to me. I look over and Tea is inches from my face standing next to the bed. She climbed out!

When we returned home, baby girl used her pack-n-play skills to climb out of her crib too.

I watched her climb out once. It made my stomach drop. While placing her two hands on the railing she would kick one leg up on the rail. Then she would throw her body weight to swing over. She couldn't control the movement and just flew over and landed on her back.

I wasn't going to let that happen again.

Ironically, we bought a toddler bed a couple of weeks ago since we saw one on sale. We switched Tea to the new bed and voila! She started sleeping again. She's even back to her two naps a day.

I'm shocked how smooth the crib to bed transition was. The first couple of nights I found her sleeping on the floor. But other then that its been great! She hasn't even tried to leave her room.

2012

I'm not one to make new year resolutions. Mainly because I know I won't stick to them. But 2011 was probably the most challenging year of my life.  I am a working mom. I know that doesn't sound tough. And I realize there are people who have far greater struggles. I am pulled in every direction. I never give enough of myself to my husband, daughter, family, friends, work, pets, todo list, and even myself.

There is the saying that God only gives us what we can handle. But what if we can't handle it? Its not like the world will open up and swallow us. We just get though each day and say we are "handling" it. And that is what I feel like 2011 was. I feel like I'm just surviving, trying my best to keep my head up. I had way too many emotional nights that I care to remember.

Well for 2012, I'm done with being sad. That is not me.

A great friend past away last August. She was the most positive person I know. Even when told she had terminal cancer she was still upbeat. I've heard stories of her final days and how truly happy she was. Her name was Marianne. She had a big role in my life. She always said 'it is what it is" and went about her business.

So my new year resolution for 2012 is to be like Marianne.

"It is what it is."

I will not let negative thoughts linger on my mind.
I will change what I can control.
I will make the most of what I can't control.
I will say one positive thing for every negative thing I hear.
I will love my husband, daughter, and even myself the best that I can, and I will tell myself that is good enough.


Here's to you 2012 - Here's to enjoying life. It is what it is.

Cuteday Tuesday

Teagan insisting on wearing her boots while having milk and cookies

Doesn't this photo just make you smile?

My cutie!

Crazy Mommy and Sweet Tea

Hi!

Hi, Hello, Are you still there?

So sorry for the lack of posts lately. Whew, this holiday season sure was busy!!! There was so much prepping then it came and there was so much to do! Can I have a vacation from my vacation? I had 11 days off from work and we had something planned every one of those days. I'm beat.

Ahhh...I have so much to blog about. Here will be some upcoming topics. I really want to talk about these. Remind me to not forget!

- Teagan and sleeping (or more of too busy to sleep)
- Climbing adventures and a new toddler bed
- Surviving!
- End of year performance review with my manager.

But for now, here are some photos from the holidays:

HAPPY NEW YEARS TO ALL!