A new beginning...

Tonight is quite bittersweet. 😥😩

It marks the end of my almost full/partial maternity leave. And what a blessing it's been! 💗💗

I have treasured the time I had home with Dan and tried my hardest to soak in all the baby snuggles, coos, laughs, smiles, nursing, and yes, even the endless spit-up, poop, and being soaked in my own breastmilk constantly. I will miss it all. 💞💞💞

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new journey for me. After I drop both boys off at school at the crack of dawn (by 6:30 😩😩😩!!!), I will start a brand new position at a brand new school, my first high school experience. I'm definitely a bit trepidatious but mainly excited. I know I have a lot to learn but am trying to remain open-minded, positive, and welcoming of this new opportunity. I will get to work closely with 47 students who have recently exited ESOL services, being their advocate and case manager. I will get to support them directly in their classes and also share and practice new strategies with teachers. I will be as strong of a resource and guide as I can to both these kids and their teachers. 💪🏻👏🏼👍🏼👏🏾

Last week, I met with my new principal, who is coming back to the school after being a successful middle school principal for several years. He seems personable, caring, gracious, hard-working, and extremely kid-centered. He has already expressed great gratitude with me being there and wants me to really make this ESOL Focus Teacher position my own. Flexibility is the name of the game for him. I have a feeling I will be treated like a professional and have my time be respected, both of which are extremely important to me. 🤗

On the parenting front, Will and Dan had their first (almost) full days in their respective new rooms at school. Will loves his new teacher and especially enjoys circle time in his new big boy room. Dan continues to be a calm sweetheart and has already made a lot of friends in the infant room, both old and young. He hasn't slept through the night for awhile now, though, and I think he's going though a growth spurt. Hopefully, he relearns his old awesome habits soon! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

On the workout front, I am really enjoying my Orange Theory Fitness HIIT workouts a few times per week. On weekdays where I'm not going to OTF, I will stop at Anytime Fitness right by my new school to get in a quick workout (via live classes with Skyfit) on the way home before I pick up the boys. When something matters to you, you make time for it. Fitness is my sanity, so I will continue to make it a priority this fall. 💪🏽💪🏻

Some mantras I am trying to start the new school year with:

1. Be kinder to myself.

2. Be OK with not getting my to do list done every single day.

3. Sleep more. - Early to bed, early to rise. 🙏🏻😂💤💤💤

4. Work smarter, not harder. 

5. My boys come first. Always.

Here's to new beginnings!  

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Read this!!

If you're a parent about to send your kid(s) back to school, teacher, or anyone concerned with the well-being of our next generation, this is definitely a must-read. 

This is definitely what our kids need to hear, learn, focus on, and hopefully absorb each and every day. 

Thanks for sharing this, Mary!! 💗💗💗

https://www.facebook.com/glennondoylemelton/posts/10154425315164710

Strauss arrives!

I've always had a soft spot for animals. 🐱🐱🐭🐹🐰🐻🐼🐨🐯🦁

In fact, I am a bit obsessed. I've always been an animal lover and loved having pets. In fact, I'd probably have a pack of dogs and several cats if no one stopped me. Thankfully, for our house, wallets, and sanity, Greg regularly prevents this from happening. And I'm not looking for him to run away either. 😝😝

I've owned many kinds of animals throughout my lifetime -- from fish and guinea pigs to ferrets (best story ever😂😂), turtles, hermit crabs, bugs, cats, and, of course, dogs. I also had a neighborhood pet-sitting service from 5th grade through college. My first dream career path? Becoming a veterinarian. 🐱🐶

Naturally, having a newborn and toddler at home is the absolute BEST time to introduce more four-legged friends to our home. 😂😂😂😂😂

But Kay, as we know, is not normal. 😂😂

Meet Strauss. He's a beautiful 5 year old big gray boy who is such a cuddler and lover. He's coming from a family who had two young boys and was absolutely fabulous -- and so chill -- with them. He may currently still be in hiding in our house after arriving this afternoon, but we are beyond excited to get to know him. And who is THE most thrilled?!! Will, the early animal lover, of course. #hesclearlymyson 😍😍🐱🐱

I've always believed children deserve the gift of pets early on to instill a lifelong love of animals. Pets teach us responsibility, compassion, humor, loyalty, trust, and what unconditional love and joy can be like. What a privilege for any child! 💗

Welcome to our crazy household, Strauss! Despite how insane and loud it may get, we will love you to pieces. 

Always. 💞

And we also love to cuddle. 😍🐱👍🏼🤗

Oh, Will!

It's true. I have been slacking on this blog. 😬😬

And it's all the Olympics' fault. 😝😝

But hey, a girl's got to sleep. And when you go to bed after midnight every night, your newborn has not been sleeping as well recently, and you're teaching first thing in the morning, sleep is precious. 💤💤💤

We've also had quite a lot going on. Shortly after my BIL and his awesome girlfriend (and their two adorable cats) left us (once they found their new apartment in VA as travel nurses in the area), my wonderful, long-time friend Marcia arrived with her father and 1 year old (also named William). We had such a blast introducing our boys to one another and getting to talk about the highs, lows, and unpredictability of motherhood. So candid. So honest. So real. It was a short but certainly awesome 48 hour visit! 💗💗💗

My in-laws arrived on Thursday night in time to begin Daniel's baptism weekend. My parents followed on Friday night, and my aunt and uncle the following day (Those two couples stayed at a hotel; our townhome is big but not THAT big). 😜

Dan's baptism day was certainly memorable, all thanks to his big brother's antics. Throughout the mass and baptism ceremony, I was reminded why we cannot bring Will to church currently. 

Luckily, there were plenty of emergency vehicles for him to play with in the "cry room". 

Still, here are the two main highlights:

1. Will held it together for about 9 minutes in the pew during mass before deciding he needed to repeat everything the priest was saying and continually say "Hi _______!" to each family member around him. He also clapped and yelled "Yay!" every time the soloist sung or responded. Then he started to run his toy firetruck along the pew until he couldn't go any further. "Move, Grandma, move!" 😩

It was at that point Greg removed Will from the mass. 😩😩

2. Perhaps the most impressive Will stunt of the day was his discovery of the baptismal font. The deacon told him he could touch the font water, which resulted in him splashing the water furiously, scooping it out, and drenching his shirt and the entire floor in the process. Then he decided to run his little fire trunk around the rim of the font, telling, "Grandpa! Grandpa!" (Yes, he finally made the association that his grandpa was a fireman). Perfect timing indeed. 🚒🚒🚒

Needless to say, the other family whose daughter was being baptized gave my MIL the look of death. 😩😩😩😩

So, my MIL scooped Will up and ran to the closest door she could find, a small un-air conditioned chapel. And yet we could still hear Will yelling how much he wanted to go outside. 😩

"Can Grandma take you outside?"

"No."

"Can Grandpa take you outside?"

"NOOOO!!!"

#ilovetoddlers

Did I mention it was also the hottest day of the year yet?!!😩😩

You may be wondering where Greg and I were doing this stunt. The deacon insisted that we (the parents and godparents) move to the front entrance of the church to wait and then walk into the baptism area with the baby. It only felt like a few minutes, but let's be honest -- toddlers need only a few seconds to wreck havoc in any scenario. 😇😜😝

Well-played, Will, well-played. 😂😂😂

I heart the Olympics!!

It's true -- I am addicted to the Olympics. I always have been. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Growing up, I would tape record every figure skating, gymnastics, and swimming event in the Olympics and then continually rewatch them, trying to commentate what was happening by memory. I then would write handwritten letters to my favorite athletes and often get return letters with autographed pics! I really need to find where all of them are.😁😁

How fitting that my (part-time) maternity leave would coincide with this year's Summer Olympics. NBC will be continually on in our home for the next 2+ weeks, and I know what I am doing every night.🎉🎉

We even have gotten the boys into the Games. Even Dan has enjoyed seeing the American gymnasts in action!👶🏻👶🏻

I'm not sure what it is about the Olympics that make them so ridiculously watchable and addicting. Sure, there's the grandiose idea of all countries being united for 17 days. There's also the thrill of seeing Americans dominate many of the events. But I think what most impresses me is all of the athletes' dedication, hard work, and commitment to make it to the pinnacle of their sporting careers. We don't see the long, hard days of training over many years these athletes put in daily. We don't see the blood, sweat, and tears involved. And we certainly don't see the sacrifices they regularly make just to continue competing and realize their Olympic dreams. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I am most impressed by the athletes who are parents themselves and are somehow able to balance their lives as athletes and parents. This is no easy feat, and many of them say they have a renewed perspective and appreciation for what really matters since having children. 💞💞

Isn't it the same with all working parents? Aren't we all just trying to be the best examples and role models for our children that we can be? Aren't we all not exactly sure what the heck we are doing and just trying to take things one day at a time?🙏🏻🙏🏻

We may not be racing or competing for gold medals, but we are each running our own kinds of parenting marathons....just hoping we have enough endurance and gas to get us successfully through each day and be the absolute BEST people we can be for our kids. 💗💗💗

You're amazing, warrior women. Never doubt that!! 👍🏼👏🏼🎉💗💞😍🌟💪🏻

A whirlwind week!

What a whirlwind week it's been! 🤗

I successfully survived four days of having Dan in daycare in the mornings and teaching. The teachers there love him, and it certainly helps that he is such a happy and calm baby. #dreambaby 👶🏻💞😍

On Monday, we also welcomed by wonderful brother in law and his girlfriend into our home. They are going to be serving as travel nurses in VA for the next few months and are now in the process of finalizing housing. I really wish they could stay with us, but both of their commutes would be WAY too insane, even compared to Greg's. Fingers crossed everything is squared away for them today!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Kevin and Ashley also brought their two cats, which causes Dexter great curiosity and Will great joy.🐱🐱

We are also continually getting furniture delivered for our new guest bedroom downstairs, which was previously Greg's office. This will help to comfortably accommodate future guests, especially for Dan's baptism later this month!🌟🌟🌟

A good friend suffered a miscarriage this past weekend, so we are taking her out tonight for a much-needed ladies' night out. And yes, I am happily seeing Bad Moms again. Mamas, you MUST see it! Of course, it's hilarious, but the serious message is important too -- and very unexpected! 💗💗💗

I've made it back to Orange Theory for some quality workouts, which have felt amazing. I continue to be reminded of the importance of a little "me" time every day, even if it just means a quick walk with the dog after the boys are in bed.💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

Remember to take care of yourselves. If you don't, who will, and how on Earth will you ever be able to really take care of anyone else?!! 👏🏼👍🏼💪🏻💗🌟