Teach Me How to Mommy

So baby Holly Jane is two months old.  It's been a whirlwind.  I feel as though I officially gave birth at the worst time of year.  Not only was she born during a blizzard, but she went home in subzero temperatures and there has been snow, ice and rain to follow it up.  My "big" kids have had snow days, Presidents Days and vacation days making this one loud, messy and busy house. Yet, of course that all means nothing.  Holly is healthy and happy (well before 5pm that is) and I've always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and I guess that's what this is.   I went into my third trimester thinking that having three was going to be a lot like having two.  It is and it ISN'T.  I kind of figured I had it down after John.  I've had an easy baby and a not-so-easy baby so I know what it's like.  Also, I've been juggling two for three years, how much different could it be to add one? Well here are five things I learned about adding ...

Our friendship spans over two decades, but it's this photo that really marks the start of this blog.  Three kids just months apart hanging at their grandmothers' beach.  They organized themselves from tallest to shortest and most to least hair - just kidding, this was the best we could get.  They knew how to walk, but not that great yet and whether they knew it or not their futures as "beach babies" had already been determined. We may joke, bitch or even exaggerate (what Amy and I..how dare you!), but always in our hearts and in our every thought are these three blondies.  We live for the summers which makes January especially painful.  But we will make it there again and take this same photo - as we will be doing until our walkers don't push on the sand. Happy Flashback Friday all - let's hope for an early summer.

This week (or at least the start of it) I found myself slightly less busy than other weeks. For me, this meant one day away from school at a training and days when I took my lunch period to spring clean my classroom and make phone calls for the kids (as opposed to scarfing down food and grading).  I was still up way too late and technically it was a 5 day work week (haven't had that in awhile), but the pace was just a bit slower. I guess anything is less chaotic when compared to Christmas. I started to feel a bit more "together" and less frazzled, which lead to a decision I don't usually make.  When I make it to Thursday I always breathe a breath of fresh air.  It's the last daycare day of the week and on Friday my mother-in law comes to us and spoils the kids.   So when one of my students asked me if I could watch him perform at the "open mic spoken word" show after school I said yes.  I always leave as soon as I can (which is always later than I w...

We all give dads a bit of flack.  Wait, I don't want to speak for you.  I give my own husband a lot of some flack.  He's really awesome at a lot of things, most importantly being a dad.  Yet, you know, he still finds time to watch football, take a quick snooze and drink some beer.  For some strange reason I can't find the time to do that in my life, so I tease him.  He's a good sport, plus I think a few jabs here or there are worth it as long as he still gets what he wants. Sometimes it dawns on me just how great I have it.  He's home every night and when he walks in the door his on "dad time".  There's no time to change, put up his feet or even go to the bathroom - it's time to be dad.  I do it too so I know that it can be hard, but never do I hear a complaint. Many dads do this so I am not ready to give him a gold star.  But not every dad, would do this.... This is my husband's favorite tv.  He researched it forever...