Back in the Groove

I still can't believe the Holidays are over!  I am now back to work, so that also means my time at home has come to an end until next summer:(  I was so fortunate to have 5 months home with Bryn and 7 with Harper.  I do wish this country had more maternity leave, a year would be amazing!!!  I was really anxious about returning to work for a few reasons: #1 I am a control freak and dislike having a sub anytime, but to have one who is going to be starting out the school year and continuing all semester is a nightmare for me.  I also knew that the sub was not that great and had heard through the grapevine she was awkward and didn't have a nice personality and that she really struggled with my Spanish 1 Per 7 class.  #2 I didn't want to leave Bryn since she has had her struggles with allergies and she isn't the "easiest" baby in the world.  #3 We had to find new daycare, since Linda could only take Harper and not Bryn until later in the year.  Well we took a look at some daycares from references, but they just didn't seem to be a good fit.  Then we had one for a daycare right near my work.  We took the kids to check it out and we knew before we even left that it was THE place!:) 

"Tia Gracie" has been doing this for 20+ years and is only open TWTh (the days we need).  Her own kids went to the same primary and high school as I did.  She has a great, big yard where the kids play and plant food in the garden.  She then has them help her cook from the things that grow.  She cooks all her own food and baby food.  They go on long walks around the neighborhood in the mornings.  She speaks Spanish!  Harper went last week for the first time and had a blast picking oranges and making juice.  He couldn't wait to go back.  Some days Harper is the only kid there so he gets lots of one on one time:)  

My mom stayed with Bryn all last week as I transitioned back to work.  Bryn was fighting a little cold and could be teething.  She proved to be difficult as she did not want to take a bottle, but finally gave in as she was hungry.  Her napping was hit and miss and the swing was pulled back out!  She def is happier when she gets a good nap in:)  We just wish she would take 2 a day, at this age Harper took 3!!  We do almost everything the same with Bryn as we did with Harper, yet she is sooooo different.  Just chalk it up to diff babies and diff personalities:)  A big shout out to my mom who not only came everyday and watched Bryn, but prepped dinner for us each night and even did some cleaning and laundry!!  Thanks also to Grandma Donna and Grampsy Pat for extra hands during the week and to Grandpa Dave, who now comes with Nana on Mondays to help with both kids.

Well all in all it has been a pretty smooth transition back to work.  All my fears about the students being hard to manage, not being well trained, not knowing anything did not pan out, thank goodness.  In fact I have really great students and no problems with any of them, even the "notorious" Per 7 kids are great and do their work.  I think many of them were just anxious to have me back, so word to the wise (teachers): "Get and bad substitute teacher and your students will be begging for you to return!"

Harper loves his new "Tia Gracie" and looks forward to going everyday.  He gets to take his superman backpack, he looks so cute pretending to fly to the front door, I need to take a picture of it.  They have lots of fun there, especially playing in the backyard.  Bryn started yesterday and I was really nervous, but she did well.  She drank her bottles fine and took a long 2+ hr nap.  I did bring over an extra rock and play that Kaila let us borrow.  We will work on transitioning her to a pack and play as time goes on.

Bryn:
-still swaddled for sleep
-does not like to sleep in pack and play
-will sleep in rock and play and my bed
-takes one big nap in the day, usually over 2 hours, but fights any naps later in
  the day, which is too bad since she gets pretty fussy in the evenings
-loves her bouncer
-can sit up pretty well on your lap, has total head control
-can roll from tummy to back, but not back to tummy yet
-appears to be teeting, lots of drool and shoving her fingers in her mouth (it
  almost appears one of her bottom canines is coming in first, but who knows
-still has bloody stool from time to time, (her doctor says it is okay since she is
   thriving) there is not really a rhyme or reason,
   but I am always skeptical if I eat out, since I cannot 100% control the
   ingredients (therefore I don't eat out often)

Bath-time yoga

Bundled up for s'mores

Close up

Harper:
-a bundle of energy
-Spiderman is still his favorite toy
-now asks what certain words mean
-everytime he hears bad words like stupid or shutup on tv or radio, says "we
  don't say that"
-loves going to the park with his buddy Luke
-happy to help Bryn, likes to give her toys or binky if she is getting "fussy"
-One night I was trying to finish dinner and she was getting fussy, before 
   I could move Harper said "Don't worry Mom, I got this" and went over to calm
   Bryn down

S'mores night with our neighbors Cole and Baron

Flying like Superman while watching the movie with Dad (notice the Spiderman pjs)