The End of a (two-day-work-week) Era.

Welp. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day. This week actually is going to be quite the week. With my part time schedule, the teacher I share my job with and I rotate our scheduled days quarterly. So, one quarter she works Monday through Wednesday, and I work Thursday and Friday. Then the next quarter we flip flop. Tomorrow marks the end of my beloved two day work weeks and starts the three day work weeks, for the rest of the year.


We also have conferences tomorrow, which means I'll leave my house at 7:15 A.M. (thanks to a lovely commute) and I'll return home no earlier than 9:00 P.M. If you do the math, that means I probably won't see my kids at all tomorrow. Do a little more math and you'll realize I'll be spending lots of time with my pump tomorrow. Sidenote: I am so so tired of pumping.


I'm extremely thankful (as I've mentioned multiple) for my schedule and that my administrators have basically handed me the reigns in regards to my part time position, but it's going to be a tough day tomorrow. Not only am I sure to be tired (thank you no-sleep-Simon), but I am positive I'll be missing Kirsten and Simon more than I've had to in the passed few months.


Each time my schedule changes I feel the need to readjust. With summer breaks, maternity leaves, part time stuff, and all the other teacher-related schedule things I feel like I'm constantly getting used to a new schedule. Sometimes it makes me crazy, but I am trying really hard not to feel sorry for myself (or feel too crazy) because the set up I have really is so good and I really am lucky to have it.


On that note, I'm off to pack up diapers, antibiotics, bottles, frozen milk, extra clothes, play shoes, blankies, pacifiers, lunches, Ibprofen for Simon's teeth, and God know what else I need for my kids to take to daycare tomorrow. Oh, and then I'll get clothes ready and pack my own bag and pump stuff as well. I may even be a good wife/mama and set out things for dinner while I'm gone tomorrow. Maybe.


Good night friends, and I hope we all have a happy work week, whether our "work" is at home or somewhere else!

Toddler Pilates.

A lot of times you hear about the terrible twos. So far, I (mostly) disagree with that term. I'm loving this age, in fact each age/stage Kirsten reaches make me more starry eyed and in love with her. I'm not saying things are perfect and she's an angelic little being who listens all the time, but what I am saying is that the things we can do together, the conversations we have, and the relationship that is growing make my heart so full.

She's old enough now to enjoy so many things, it really blows my mind sometimes that I have this kid. I was just getting used to the fact that we had a baby, and now all the sudden she's gone and gotten big enough to do things like go to Pilates classes. Yes, Pilates classes. Who knew they had those for toddlers? Especially in Iowa? You all probably thought all we did was milk cows, chase pigs, and de-tassle cornstalks. Wrong!

Our little town is so unique, and I love it for that. When I came across an advertisement for Toddler Pilates you can bet your bottom dollar I put that on my calendar right away. And for $5 a class? It's a steal, in my opinion. Money well spent for an hour of exercise and playing with other kids, especially in the middle of a dreary midwestern winter.

Here's my two-year-old working her little bootie on the Pilates mat. I about died watching her follow directions, participate, and enjoy being with the other kids. All the while giving me a glance every minute or two to be sure I was still there.

The class was for Kirsten, but Simon got in and practiced a little Baby Pilates too. Can you find him? Actually, now that I look at this photo, I think he missed the Pilates memo. Looks like he had his mind on Yoga, as he's obviously doing a little Downward Dog in this pic.

Have you done any fun classes with your toddlers?

Winner!

Today's the day, friends! The lucky winner of the fabulous gold bracelets by Charlie & Marcelle is...

 Megan! Congrats hun, you're going to be sporting some fabulous new wrist candy soon. I can't wait to see some pictures of what you choose to get. I'll be emailing your info to Charlie & Marcelle and they'll be in touch with you about your bracelets!

Head on over to her sweet blog and see more about her photography and her adorable little girl. 

Thanks everyone for entering and spreading the word! Also remember if you didn't win, you can use this code (MIDWESTERNITA20) to get 20% of anything you'd wish to order! 

Bits & Pieces :: Big Decisions & Sickies

I'm picking the winner of my giveaway on Thursday, if you haven't entered yet go here for your chance to win!

We're sick around here. Ugh. Kirsten had a really high fever that lingered for days and turned into an ear infection. Simon got whatever bug it was and it caused an ear infection for him too. So they're both on antibiotics, and hopefully on the mend. Because the sleep situation is not good, at least for Simon. *ETA* I had to come back and note that it's just been noticed that Simon has four teeth coming through on top. I suppose that could have something to do with his lack of naps and unwillingness to sleep at night. Le sigh. 

Oh, I'm "sick" too. Ugh again. Mastitis for the win. I'm on the mend now though, but ouch! I'm pretty sure it's directly related to the lack of appetite from my little man while he's been sick. 

We've got some big decisions to make. They're they kind of decisions that we can't really make right now though, we just have to agonize over and mull over options and prepare to make the decision when the time actually gets here to make it. I'm working on my patience regarding this bit.

It's gorgeous here this week. Like 70s everyday. Kirsten and I had a play date this morning at the park and a lunch date with my sister, it was perfect. She needed to get out of the house, and Peter stayed home taking care of our sick little man. 

Puppies! We're pretty sure our Ava-girl is going to be a mommy again in a few weeks (beginning of April), although prenatal care for a dog doesn't involve unltrasounds so we cannot be quite sure. Heck, it doesn't even include a single appointment. Lord knows I haven't had the poor pup pee on any sticks. Do you think they make those? Ew. Anyhow, we are all (especially a certain two-year-old) very excited about the "puppeeeeees" in Ava's belly.

And friends, that's all I've got for you today. Please go enter my giveaway and check out Charlie and Marcelle's shop, such cute cute stuff and fabulous customer service. 

Black & White.

First off...thanks everyone for entering my giveaway to Charlie and Marcelle. I'm super excited about it, and if you didn't get a chance yet go here to check it out and enter. 

Now, onto today's post...

*   *   *   *   *

Well friends, I'm here today wishing that I wasn't about to go where I'm going with this post, which is all about Simon and me (and yes, that's grammatically correct, Simon and "me"). 

I shared with you a few months ago my sleeping part one post, in which I was desperate and sleepy. Then I popped back in with the sleeping part two post a month or two later, in which I was well rested and cheerful. I'd jumped on a bandwagon and it whisked me off to a magnificent land of zzz's and dreams. 

While my little jaunt off to dreamland was nice, it was a short stay and I'm now back to reality. Or my reality, as it seems. The reality I face is that babies who exit my uterus do not like to sleep all night long. I know so many people whose babies sleep magnificently, many of whom are younger than Simon, including my twin nephews who are four months old. Four months and sleeping all freaking night long!  Kirsten was the same way that Simon is now, he'll tease me with a few good nights and I'll get all excited about the fact that maybe I'll get eight uninterrupted hours or sleep again, and then the next thing I know I'm waking up to cries at 2:00 A.M. 

In part two I talked about how we did some crying, as in letting Simon "cry it out", and - voila! - he was sleeping though the night for ten to twelve hours. But, as always, we're back at square one now with Mr. Simon acting like a newborn and waking every three to five hours (on a good night). So, I decided we needed to commence round three of sleep training. I really didn't want to do this (I mean who does want to sleep train), but I have been so desperate for some rest that I went there.

This past Monday was deemed night one of sleep training 101 for our little boy. On Monday night, Simon went to bed (as usual) around 7:30. At about 11:00 he woke up, crying. I had just gotten into bed and really gotten comfortable and warm under the covers. You know how it takes a few minutes before the bed feels warm after you climb in, right? Anyhow, the bed was warm, and the cold air outside of the cozy covers was not warm. 

Plus, how the heck to babies know to wake up the second their mommy or daddy drift into la-la-land? It's like he has some REM sensor in his crib that notifies him when I'm beginning to doze off. Anyhow, as he began to cry I did not want to get out of bed, I was warm, cozy, and exhausted. So, I laid there like a bump on a log and let Simon cry. And cry. And cry. He cried for forty-five minutes. 

I couldn't handle it any longer, so I got out from under the warm covers and fled down the hall in the cool night air to get him. When I got in his room, I lost it. My poor baby was on his hands and knees, with a wet spot as large as a basketball under his face soaked from his tears. I picked him up and he immediately nuzzled his little head into my chest and wrapped his arms around me. He was squeezing me. And he was shaking. 

And me? I was sobbing. What the hell was I thinking? How could I let him cry like that because I was too cold and too tired? I'm getting mad and sad and angry all over again right now thinking about how childish I was. He is my baby, and he needed me. He needed me. 

For some unbeknownst reason (to me) he does not like to sleep in long stretches, and I guess that's just going to be the way it is. I will not do what I did that night again. I cannot do that again. 

In part one and part two of this saga I titled the posts the "Gray Area" because I really didn't know how I felt about sleep training and crying. 

Since those posts were the gray area, than this post is the black and white. My gut feeling and my aching mama heart for the tears that my baby shed the other night aren't lying. Those feelings and those tears set me straight. I don't like that it came to this point, but I am certain that I'm not in any gray areas anymore.