I'm still here...

It's been a long time since I posted on here and a lot has been going on in our lives.  For a brief recap...

October - Mikey took his annual trip to the NAYCE convention for work.  This year was in Orlando and much closer than normal, but it forced him to miss Logan's 1st Halloween Trick-or-Treat.  We did a local church's Trunk-or-Treat, which made up for it.  Little man was Captain America...and too adorable!

Daddy with Logan as Captain America.



November - One of my best friend's got married.  We had Thanksgiving with Mom, Ro, and her new Beau, Ronnie.  Great times and a non-stressful month.  Thank goodness, especially since I was still experiencing morning sickness from our little bug.

December - We decided to have a reveal party where everyone would be informed of our peanut's gender at the same time...even us!  The only people who knew what we were having were the Ultrasound Tech and the baker from our local grocery store. We loaded up the skype for some German-based interaction and cut the cake...It's a girl!!! 



Discovering that our little 'bug' is a lady...Welcome to the family Ryleigh Jane!



January - We began the new year with a family trip to Summerfield, FL.  Back to Homosassa Springs Park...Logan had a BLAST!...Time with Aunt Debi, Uncle Bill, and Michelle...Finished it up with a church service at Grandma and Pop Pop's church.  It felt like I finally got to say goodbye.

Walking with PaPa in the Villages...who'd have thought my Daddy would become a softie!

My Carolina Boy...Experiencing his first piece of Florida...a juicy orange!
Now we gotta get him up to Jersey for a Taylor Ham, Egg, & Cheese Bagel. I know he'll at least eat the bagel!

Visiting Grandma and Pop Pop.

At Homosassa Springs...

Looking at the gators...such an animal freak, like his momma!

Daddy, Aunt Debi, and Uncle Bill

Then we came home to celebrate Logan's 2nd birthday.  Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed and this is the last party to be thrown at our house.  In NC and January, we just can't house all of the family and friends.  But everyone had a great time.

Eating his ice cream cone cupcake.



February - A fairly quiet month that began with me losing one of my wedding rings in our local grocery store.  Apparently I am the only woman in history who's fingers shrunk during pregnancy.  Mike and a clerk looked for 30 minutes, but one of my bands was long gone!  Thanks to some great sales and a loving husband, I have a new ring that fits. It's a little big, but won't fall off!  (My finger is over a size and a half smaller than the day we got married.)

My new ring.

Celebrating Mardi Gras courtesy of my Aunt Cyndi...all the way from NOLA.

March - We moved Logan into his big boy room as we finish up preparations for Ryleigh's arrival.  He's doing GREAT in school.  We love his teachers, as does he, and they love him.  He's learning more everyday and I am always amazed at what comes out of his mouth.  The newest addition to his ever growing vocabulary is, "No, mommy 2 minutes please" and, of course, quoting his favorite movie, Despicable Me.

Playing like Daddy...going to be a little carpenter.

Loving his new big boy room and bed!

More later, now onto planning some more for my 6 weeks out.

It's weeks like these that make me wish I had a 'REAL' job...

For those of you who didn't realize, I have had a banner two weeks here in NC. 

Last week, Logan was hospitalized with croup for two separate nights.  That's right, he went to the hospital Sunday night, seemed better, went home Monday, and was readmitted Wednesday!  Then yesterday, I got a text at 2 am informing me of my grandmother's death.  She had been sick for a while and hospitalized over the weekend.  We were expecting her passing and she was ready to rejoin Pop Pop in heaven, but it's always painful to lose someone that close. To top it off, Logan has surgery to put tubes in his ears this morning, we are leaving in 30 - 45 minutes.  It's been a busy fortnight.

It's times like these that I wish that I had a REAL job.  Most people can take off for major events like these rather easily.  The work will be done by someone else or it will be there when they get back the next day.  Such is not the life of a teacher.  I missed 2 full days and 2 half days for Logan's croup/hospitalizations last week and I am missing 1 today for his ear-tube surgery.  Because of this, I can't afford to take off another day to drive the 10 hours for my grandmother's funeral.

It's not neccessarily the money that makes me unable to afford the trip, it's the intangible 'damage' that will be done to the progression of my lessons.  When I am absent, I have 86 kids to think about.  What will they do when I am gone?  Will they behave?  What work can I give that will keep them on track for when I return?  I know that some of my students appreciate me now, and some will appreciate me later, but few realize how much I agonize to be away from them and put a halt to their learning.

In truth, I could probably make it to the funeral if I drove through the night without really stopping and got only a couple hours of sleep, but my father, Aunt Debi, and mom have convinced me that Grandma would not want me to jeopardize my son who has just had outpatient surgery and my unborn child to attend a ceremony for her body.  She would tell me that it's not really her in there and that I can say goodbye from anywhere now. 

So, goodbye Grandma!  I love you.  Have fun with Pop Pop.  Eat a steak, have some cake, and just enjoy being with him again.  I will do my best to pass on the values you taught us to my kids, both natural and adopted (students)

My son, the shy one...

So, I picked up Logan from school yesterday and asked him to say Bye-Bye to his teacher Miss Kaycee.  He politely waved and he teacher made a comment like, "We'll get you to talk soon."  I was SHOCKED!  My son has been talking for over a year!  He speaks very well for his age.  Just this morning he reached for my hand and guided me into the kitchen saying, "eat buh-fast" (toddler translation = eat breakfast).

Well, apparently not at school!

I had to inform both of his teachers that he can say several words, including Grampa, Nana, Ball, Duck, and Casey!  With this new found knowledge, both have said they are going to work on getting him to talk at school.  Who knew my son was so shy?!?!

Random thoughts that have filled my head over the past few weeks...

• I miss my brother and sister-in-law.  It's not like I saw them that often, but it was nice to know I could drive a couple of hours and be at their front door.
• Logan is growing up way to fast.  He's already 18 months old.  Yesterday, the nurse soothed us with the fact that he was receiving his last immunization before kindergarten.  KINDERGARTEN!  He will start kindergarten in 2015....it seems all too soon.
• I want another baby.  I would love a baby girl.  My own little Ryleigh Jane to join her big brother.  Soon enough, I guess.  We'll start trying again this fall for our 2nd and final child.  Boy or girl, they will be greatly loved.
• I miss Europe.  I just went with some of my 'kids' and had a blast!  I miss the trains and the scenery.  Learning a new place.  It was horrible leaving Mike and Logan behind, though.  Sadly, with the economy as it is, I can't see us going over anytime soon.  Though I'd love to try Germany and visit Dave and Case.  They'll be there through at least 2014, so maybe if people start chipping in now, we can see them before they leave!

Breakthroughs...

Logan ate a green vegetable on Saturday.  He devoured an entire package of the peas from sugar snap peas, leaving Mike and I the hulls to eat.  This is only one of many changes we've been going through in the last month. 

Logan is loving daycare, especially Art and Water Play.  He still cries sometimes when I drop him off, but Ms. April and Miss Kaycee assure me that he never cries for more than a minute.  Mike definitely gets the better end of the deal, though.  Until recently, he has always been the one to pick Logan up...I was missing out.  You get to see him play and have fun and when he sees you there he just RUNS as fast as he can.  HE lunges himself into your legs to be enveloped by Daddy's or Mommy's loving arms.  It's great!  More updates to come...

Logan's 1st Day at Preschool (5/2/11)

When I feel that I'm a success...

As many of you would probably agree, we criticize ourselves more than anyone else ever does.  I often find myself questioning myself...as a mother...as a wife...as an educator.  Am I doing all that I can?  I know that it will all be 'OK,' but who wants to settle for just 'OK'?

There are sometimes when I feel successful.

When I bake, I feel like SuperMom!!!

Zucchini Bread for the men at home.

There are, of course, other times when I feel the sweet taste of success...When Logan smiles at me.  When a student says thank you (yes, it has happened more than once!).  When Mike holds my hand in the car.  I'd just thought I'd share my simple joy.

Aimee :p

The Dryer is Innocent and Other Random Facts of My Day!

• The  refrigerator is a thief...especially when you have a young child!  Logan pushed his phone under the fridge on accident this afternoon.  I did what any mom would do and got on the floor with a flashlight.  I saw it...gleaming red...over half of the way under the massive appliance.  Of course it's not on the floor, though.  It's on some kind of plate that can never be reached!  I am now convinced that all those socks that go missing are really under the fridge.  THE DRYER IS INNOCENT!!!
• Adults are worse than children when it comes to following directions.
• It's truly depressing when strangers speak to you with pity in their voices after you tell them what you do.
• The most adorable thing ever is to watch your child dance.  Logan has started shaking his little tooshie! :)

Short but sweet...gotta go bathe the booger.