Merry Christmas!

still conflicted

So I started back to work a week and a half ago.   I was, of course, dreading it and plotting all kinds of ways to be able to quit and stay home and still pay our mortgage.  But then I got back to work and was immediately reminded in many ways of how much I like my job.  I think what I do is important.  I think it is fun and rewarding. I enjoy my students and my colleagues.

Zoë took to her teachers and class easily and was adjusted to taking a bottle by day 2. Here is her grinning on her 1st day.

Her teachers are fantastic and it is possible she gets more kisses at school than at home as she always seems to have lipstick on her forehead when I pick her up.

The time between picking them up and dinner and bedtime is crazy.  I run around with my hair afire, helping Jonathan on the potty, cooking dinner, rocking Zoë, feeding the dog, etc.   I feel like I don't get a chance to look anyone in the eye until they are in bed.  And that makes me sad.  As much work as it is to be at home all day, there are peaceful moments and chances to sit and snuggle or set up train sets or draw pictures.

Plus I have major baby brain.  For example, Tuesday on the drive to work I panicked that I didn't have my keys and almost turned the car around to go home to look for them.  I mix up my classes, lessons, and cannot focus on anything for more than 5 or 10seconds.  I am so grateful that I had a few weeks of lessons planned beyond my maternity leave; but I am a little nervous about when they run out and I am forced to do long range planning with my courses.  I set up a coffee pot in my classroom, but I'm not confident coffee will be enough.

So I guess at least for now, I'm still working and still conflicted about it.  I'm trying to savor every minute of Christmas break.

Potty Time!

I know you shouldn't tell people things like this, let alone publish it.  Jim thinks I am ridiculous, but when Zoë drank 3oz from a bottle 2 days in a row and I mentioned it to someone, she stopped and is back to her bottle-hating self.  So as silly as it is I do think you can jinx your luck with babies and toddlers.  Which is why it will be months before anyone knows when Zoë first sleeps through the night.  But since I'm actually not very invested in this milestone- I'm making an exception. 

Last Monday, Jonathan decided that it was time for potty training.  We've been talking about it a lot for the past few months and he knows the deal- pee in the potty gets you 1 M&M; poop gets you 2 M&Ms.  We haven't used pull-ups or big boy underwear.  Occasionally he'd try to pee in the potty- but not on a regular basis.

Honestly, I've been putting it off.  I am just not convinced that diapers are not way more convenient than having to find a bathroom in the mall or at the playground or clean up accidents in big boy underwear in the car.  But Jonathan came home from school  and announced that he NEEDED to wear underwear in that tone of voice where a 2 1/2 year old means business.   So I sighed and gave in.  I made him wear a diaper for naptime, but when he woke up we broke out the undies.

Thankfully he really was ready because I didn't really have the patience to play extra games this week and I certainly didn't have the energy to clean up extra messes and do more loads of laundry (Zoë makes quite enough work in those two areas herself).  We had 2 accidents on Monday (one while he was on Daddy's shoulders- ha ha ha), but he peed and pooped in the potty and the rest of the week and weekend we were accident free!  We sent him to school this week with his undies- and no accidents yet!  He is pretty good at getting his pants on and off by himself and I think despite my grumblings and new stress about taking him out in public, we are on the way to having a potty trained little guy!

exercising

Jonathan continues to argue about simply everything. He also has a rudimentary understanding of the concept of exercise.  To his mind it is something that is characterized by people doing odd things but is also a decidedly good thing.  The following exchange is a pretty good example of talking to him lately is like:

Jonathan: Can I drop this?  (referring to a Christmas ornament)
Daddy: No honey, it would break.
Jonathan: But I want it to break.
Daddy: Why do you want it to break?
Jonathan: Because I need some exercising.

Hilarious, yet exasperating.