Schedules

With my new job and Ciera's new school have come some scheduling issues. We are picking our way around them and every day has a bit of a different solution.

Ciera is now attending a school that she LOVES, but it's located 20 minutes from our house. Her hours are 8:15-2:15. She has 1 minimum day per month which lets out at 11:40.

Logan is still at the Montessori. His hours are 8:10-3:00-about 5-7 minutes from our house. He has several minimum days per month that let out at 12:30. Typically I've been the minimum day mom and pick up several children on minimum days while their parents are working.

My job was supposed to be 7:50-2:00. I let them know in my interview that those hours would no longer work for me, so they adapted my hours to 8:15-2:25.

Brian leaves the house every morning at 6am and returns at 4. His commute is much longer than any of us.

So, here's are solution. Ciera and I leave the house at 7:30, I drop her off and then head back to Lincoln for my job. Logan is getting a ride to school to school with a neighbor and is currently ok with that set up (he gets his text messaging paid for not complaining about it). I get off at 2:25, 3-4 times a week I pick up a child at my school at 2:40, then we head to Logan's school to him and his friend up. I then drop off the 2 brothers. I've clearly left Ciera's pick up out of this discussion. We are still not sure what to do with that yet. For a while at least, Brian will be leaving work 1 1/2 early to pick her up (with 3 furloughs a month that he can use however he wants, this is currently working). On days that he can't leave early (like next T, Th) I will either pick her up at 2:40 or 3:30. We 'think' it will work out. Her best friend lives walking distance from the school and that is what she chose to do all of last week, so hopefully it will be fine.

Minimum days are a bit trickier. For Ciera, either she'll hang out with her friend, Brian will take a furlough day or we'll see if Grandma would like some Ciera time.

Minimum days for Logan were ok when I had my previous position. My lunch was at 12:25 and it was just enough time to pick the boys up and drop them off (the other mom is off at 1). However, with this position my lunch is supposed to be at 11:00. We may be able to move my lunch around on minimum days or I may just have to pick them up a little early-not really sure yet how we'll work that one out.

My school's yearly calendar doesn't quite match up with Ciera's and Logan's. Logan gets out the end of May, I get out the beginning of June and Ciera will get out mid-June. Also, Spring Break is on different weeks-not the best, but it's not the worst.

So it's not perfect, but it's pretty darn good considering I'm no longer at home at their beckon call.

mp-new job

My subbing at the school in November, led to a full day temporary sub in Dec/Jan and I just signed the papers today for my full day PERMANENT aide today. I should get to come back next year as well, unless the budget stuff bumps me from the position. I even get benefits! The downside is I have to leave the boy I'd been... working with and move to another classroom-great teacher and sweet kids though.

mp-New Years Day, 2010

Got the garage all cleaned up, organized and turned into 'Logan's Hang-out' complete with leveled pool table and his new Basketball shot game. Cleared out a bunch of stuff, hoping to find homes for it all, replaced all the burnt out light bulbs and am almost ready for family to come tomorrow. Imagine how productive I could've been if I hadn't read all day!

Happy 1st Birthday C!!

Today is the 1st birthday of a dear friend that I met through the Internet. I had the privilege of meeting her in person twice as well as her husband and her adorable baby boy. She now lives much further away, but through the power of the Internet we have been able to stay connected. I eagerly await new posts from her and enjoy hearing about all of the new challenges that have come with her new home.

Her little man is so adorable and quite a miracle. I know that his little heart have touched so many lives. I hope they are all having a wonderful day celebrating his first year of life!!

13 years ago today...

I became a mother and my life was changed forever!!

My baby girl has become a teenager and although Brian and I have always joked about being afraid of her teenage years, I think we are both very proud of the woman she is becoming and look forward to the next few years.

Although there are moments when we wonder how she will manage to get through the day, we are actually quite confident that she is equipped to deal with the challenges life will bring. She is a bright, funny and loving girl.

It may not always be easy, but we are immensely grateful to have the opportunity to watch her grow, learn and flourish!

OK...

It's been pointed out that I haven't updated, although to be fair I did post last week and sometimes others' don't post that often.

I haven't pumped since last Sunday. Technically I should consider myself done and actually put the pump away. I still get tingling at night that makes me want to pump, just a little. It's not discomfort, but it's like a little whisper in my ear saying, 'Please won't you pump just a little. It won't hurt anyone and you can still say your weaning.' Fortunately I've been able to just go to bed and ignore the little voice. However, I did get a bit of leaking this evening and I'm not even sure how it can be possible. It's also entirely possible that the voice I hear isn't asking to be pumped, it's my breasts screaming at me to get them out of the horrendous contraption that Ciera says I need to wear each day to avoid nipple peek through. Have I mentioned how much I hate wearing a bra and I'm particularly not caring for the new padded version. I didn't want to spend too much on a new bra until after the girls had gone back to their 'non-lactating' selves. So I will continue to suffer through in my $10 padded bra and wait patiently for the hour of the day that I can take it off and let them breathe. (Perhaps more info than you actually wanted to know, huh?)

As for Christmas, it's coming whether anyone is ready or not. I'm actually doing ok though. We (I) got the tree up last Saturday and most of the holiday decor is out as well. I still need to bring out the wreath and organize the mantel decorations, but it'll happen I'm sure.

I've been working at an Elementary school as a 1 on 1 aide for a 4th grader. The position started out as a sub position for 3 days and it looks like it may turn into a permanent position. I am with him the entire school day (5.66 hours) and I've been there for 2 weeks now. I am also still at Toys Be We as seasonal help and working 16 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. I still don't really care for it, it's retail and cruddy pay, but I committed to the position for the holidays and I'm not one to not honor a commitment. I will work the 2 weeks that we're all out of school as well. This week and last week have been pretty busy with both jobs, but it's not forever and hopefully the paycheck will be appreciated. Brian is taking off the 2 weeks that the kids are out of school to hang out with them, so they should still have a good time while I'm working. Plus Brian is looking forward to the time off. He hasn't taken any 'real' time off since I delivered the twins.

We've got a couple of other things going on with school and the kids started basketball last week. They both have practice twice a week and Ciera still has softball once a week or so. Basketball games don't start until January though so I'm not missing any games due to the toy store.

The good news is I'm in pretty good spirits and still enjoying the season. I can be caught humming Christmas tunes when I don't think anyone is around. I went out gift shopping a few weeks ago and totally impulse bought. I spent 2 hours chatting on the phone and wandering the toy store. Most everything I bought is going back, but a few things were actually keepers. I've had a good time finding the things I needed and have even helped a friend price and find items that she needs. It's been a lot of fun to spend someone else's money. Anyone need a personal shopper?

I worked a full 8 hours today and my feet did not care for it too much. I'm officially headed to bed. I've been really good about waking up by 5:30 to get to the gym by 6 am before dropping the kids off and heading to work, but I'm debating about going tomorrow morning. We'll see.

Time to pack up the pump?

This is a repeat entry from the twins' blog, but it's such big news in my life that I felt the need to share it everywhere.

The babes are 9 months and 10 days and I think I'm just about done pumping. I only got 11.5 oz today. I've been waiting for the output to not be worth the effort and I think we're just about there. Technically, I was supposed to stop at the end of November, but it's really been hard to stop this time. Partly because the amounts have been so high and perhaps partly because I don't really know if I'll ever have this opportunity again. I just hadn't really been ready to give it up, but I think the time is coming soon. Perhaps by the end of the week even?