Tomorrow

  Katherine is 8 months old tomorrow.  Yippee!!  I've reached the point where I'm ready to start focusing on getting myself together much earlier than I did with Jackson.  I started looking around for new job opportunities when he was about 15 mos. old and this time I'm already working it.  I have interviews next week for both an internal and an external opportunity.  I keep coming full circle to the point where I love everything about my job but for a few things that I'd change and those are the things that I cannot control.  So guess what?  I've had the kids, enjoyed the flexibility that I needed to be able to pull this motherhood after 40 with stressful job thing and now I'm ready to break out again.  I was sad to think that I'd maxed out on my career and hopefully something will come about where I can take steps forward again, both professionally and financially.  When it reaches the point where you have not an ounce of respect for the people who control your income and your advancement, it's time to move on.  Unlike before, I think I'm coming to terms with leaving before I even have the interviews.  This is a good sign that I'm ready I think.  It hasn't been fun for a really long time and I'm starting to feel like I've been left in the dust by those who've had the good sense or the good fortune to find new opportunities.  We'll see what the coming week brings.  So much for not having an interview suit as an excuse, huh?   

 

And the other big step that I've already taken is to join Weight Watchers now vs. waiting until I stop nursing the baby.  I was going to keep it a big secret and magically slim down before everyone's eyes but it's been slipping out in conversation and so what?  It's not something to be ashamed of.  I am actually proud that I took the matter in hand and decided not to wallow in the excuse that I got flabby having the kids and until Kate is weaned I'll just have to live with it.  So far so good.  I dig the program and found it easy enough to transition to.  I never used to be the type of person things "happened" to but when I was younger of course it was easy to take charge of things like dropping a few pounds.  Honestly, I never really put much effort into watching my weight at all - I just burned off what I ate naturally through normal activity and exercise.  So now I have to put effort into it but I have finally realized it's something to do for myself, not a punishment.  Right now there are always half a dozen things competing for my attention in the same block of time and some of them just have to get done but I realize from the few times I've taken the time for a walk or to do some yoga, the world didn't come to an end because I wasn't folding the laundry or god forbid, WORKING!!!

Progress

It's after 2:00 p.m. and I have not had a shower yet today.  I've been busy with the baby and in between her feedings and naps and her bath I've addressed the envelopes for the holiday photo cards & put the return address labels on them, wrapped and packeged the gifts that have to go into the mail, put a bow and some fresh holly & berries on the plain green wreath I bought and hung it on the door, cleaned up the kitchen from lunch, put away Jackson's laundry.  Doesn't sound like a big accomplishment, I know but the fact that I had the gifts for four people together and now packaged to mail, all my addresses in one place (ok 3 places but I knew where all the places were), the cards ordered and here, etc. is major for me because now I can focus on the loose ends and the little extras that make the holiday special this week instead of panicking and being a grinch..

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Now to grab a little "me" time and have a shower....Jeff took the older two and went out to get the Christmas tree.  We'll decorate it later, probably before and after dinner.  I'll put up some decorations around the house while Alex gets the majority of the ornaments on the tree.  After she goes to bed I usually rearrange them but she's a big help in getting them out of the boxes and onto the tree.  My shopping is substantially done but for the gift certificates I buy for the daycare ladies.  I have a shopping list for the Christmas dinner and I'll do that grocery shopping Thursday afternoon.  Tomorrow I will start wrapping the kids' things and if necessary come up with a list of things for Jeff to pick up this week when he's out.  He has the next two weeks off.  I have no extra time off because of that nice long maternity leave at the beginning of the year.  I'm going to take a week in January I think, to do whatever I feel like doing.  I would love to take the kids to PA for a few days to do some visiting.

Jackson and Kate have been incredibly cute together.  I took some great pics of the two of them last Saturday.  Yesterday, Jackson had on my straw gardening hat and was playing "Old McDonald" with his stuffed animals.  He'd hold one up and I was to sing the song and add whichever animal he was holding.  Of course I wished I had the video camera handy and didn't.  Note to self, pull it out and charge the battery so we'll have some video of the tree trimming.

Selfish

We were invited to two parties tonight.  One was an adult only gig and I started looking for a baby sitter way too late so scratch that one.  The other was an open house that began at 5:00 p.m. Jackson's nap lasted until 6 and then Kate fell asleep.  I really wanted to stay at home anyway.  It's not that I didn't want to go.  I did.   It's just that I'd rather stay at home.  After a lovely day together I wanted to just hang out with my boys and my girl.  I hope the kids like us when we're older because we won't have any friends left.  Seriously, we get so little quality time together as a family that I just revel in it when we have a day like today.  We went to the mall to get Jackson's hair cut, did a little Christmas shopping, had lunch, came home and relaxed a bit.  I must wrap Jackson's birthday presents as we are celebrating at home tomorrow.  I'm also baking cupcakes and making party bags for him for school on Monday.  I want him to feel really special with this birthday as lately he's been wanting to be the baby, be Kate, be in the crib, etc.  How my life has changed in three years.  These kids really center me and also love my husband all the more for making it possible for me to be their mother.  I am one of the luckiest people in the world and count my blessings every day!

Meditation

Matthew Chapter 11, verses  28,29 and 30.

"Come unto me ,all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you , and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and  ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light "

I am not behind!

The past four months have honestly flown by.  Since returning to work after Kate's birth I have no idea where the time has gone.  We had the Christening, Jeff did his travel stint, work has been very busy.  Halloween was fun.  Jeff and I took the kids to my office to trick or treat on the Friday before.  Jackson was scared of the actual trick or treating deal in the dark and also of the doorbell ringing at our house which set the dogs to barking, etc.  Not really his gig.  Katherine is now sitting up with some assistance, loves having a bath - especially at the end when I put her on her stomach and she splashes & "swims" for a while. 

I'm in a restless frame of mind - I want to push forward on the decluttering of the house - out with the old, out with the old, out with the old.  I don't even want anything new - just out with the old. 

I'm Baaaack

It has been a very very busy month since last I wrote.  Jeff just returned from a 10 day business trip to California for the launch of NASA's DART satellite.  Work is busier than ever and we're running recruiting open house events in three cities in November so all the prep work for those is going on.  Whew!  I'm in need of a day at the spa!

I've had a running list of cute things the kids have been doing that I wanted to write about but now can't remember them all except that Jackson looked at his sloppy joe one night at dinner and proclaimed that the sesame seeds look like raindrops.  He was such a good boy while Dad was gone but missed him terribly. 

Ok - cute stuff that Jackson has done recently -

One morning getting ready for school I was trying to get his shoes on and he kept shuffling his feet around - when I got exasperated with him he said "Chill out, Mom" and had this look of triumph on his face because he has used his newly learned phrase in context.  How could I help but be proud?

Snuggling with the baby has become a routine.  He hugs and kisses Kate before he goes to sleep, gets down on the floor to talk and laugh with her, entertains her when she's playing in her exersaucer.  I can tell it's not a kiss just for show - he really loves her and that makes me so happy.

One night I asked "Jax, how about a hot ham & cheese for dinner?" and he replied "How about a corn dog?".  Too bad we were fresh out of corn dogs, huh?

He will be Spiderman for Halloween.  There are already several cute pics of him in costume as well as a few from Friday of Piggers dressed as a ladybug and posing with her new beau Donovan, dressed as billygoat....more later. 

I got out recently - last weekend while Jeff was away I had a babysitter come over and went to a scrapbooking crop on Friday night and to a wine tasting at the neighbors' on Saturday night.  The wine tasting was a great time.  There were 5 wines and food to go along with each and the company was fabulous because it was all the neighbors that I chat with periodically by the mailbox, etc. and we really got to catch up.  Best of all, I only had to stagger up the street to get home. 

Tomorrow we're off to a baby's first birthday brunch and later Alex will join Jackson for the Halloween trick or treating.  I like to stay home and greet all of the neighborhood kids and hand out the candy.  Katherine may go with the big kids and she may stay home with me...that has not been decided. 

It's so wonderful to have Jef f back home.  My partner who makes me and our children so happy and who I need so much to make things run around here.  (Notice I left out the word smoothly because who has a smooth ride these days?)

 

 

 

The Christening

The christening was a huge success - HUGE.  Katherine was in the best mood, rare form, you name it.  She looked surprised when the first trickles of water hit her head but then she laughed out loud.  After church we changed into her party dress (see pics from photographer) and she was carried around all afternoon with two breaks to nurse.  Jackson was a well behaved little man both in church and afterward at the party.  The day was gorgeous, the company was wonderful and the food was delicious!  I love to throw a good party.  Thank goodness my mom was there to help put the leftover food away because there was a ton of it that had not even been touched.  I'd ordered extra and the caterer also gave me extra on top of it.  We'll be having stuffed shells quite often!  This is Kate before it all started but after we opened her gifts from her godparents - note gold bangle on Princessina's wrist...there is also a crucifix around her neck.  She was born to wear gold!  Holding her is her godfather Dillon who is as cute as they come.  Having just celebrated his 16th birthday he spent the weekend doing "family stuff" and so I have got to just love him love him love him for being such a sweet young man!  Not that he's an angel by any stretch but he did homework on the drive down here. 

Yes, that's right, Mom was here and we had a lovely visit.  She really does hate to be away from home so who knows when I'll be able to lure her back here.  Having her here makes me want her to come again.  And so this isa pic of my two mothers - mother mother and godmother.  The one who I really wish llived down the street or who could visit monthly is my own godmother, Aunt Dee.  We would be like two peas in a pod...I was so happy they were here and have to say that as my father was at the wedding - coming through for me when I really needed him - these two were there and I really needed them to be.  I won't get into the psychodrama of my mom being at her soninlaw's sister's out of town wedding the following weekend after not being at my own wedding, etc. etc. But I do have to comment on a new fact I gleaned from our last conversation - my sister and BIL now have a dog to add to the 5 kids scenario and they named it "Rudy", which is a fantastic name but it also happens to be my beloved Grandfather's name.  Now that in itself may be ok but my Granny had this thing about names and nearly died when my mom wanted to name a cat "Stanley" which had been her own father's name....what is up with that????