Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Back to Work I Go....

I survived my first week back to work! More importantly, Ben survived week 1 of being a Stay At Home Dad. He has one more week to go! The kids were so funny this week. So excited to have me back, but also took some time adjusting. I was called Mrs. Van Meer more times than I can count, and was told many times how the routine was different with Mrs. Van Meer. Diana, a program assistant in my room and I spent much of the week laughing at their comments. I can not thank Sandy Van Meer enough for being my long term sub. The kids learned so much while I was gone and I came back amazed at what they have been doing!

Lucy is now 12 weeks old and seems to be on a bit of a routine. She is sleeping in her crib at night through the night most of the time! This has made working a lot easier. She loves getting a bath every night and is quite the sport when it comes to our evenings at the Ft. George. She smiles a lot and is really trying to talk to us! Although we still have no idea what she is trying to say. Probably something like "Damn you are the coolest mom ever!"

Next week during spring break we have a busy week planned including a couple of days down in Seaside with Grammie Connie, Aunt Kay, Uncle Jack, and cousins Susan, Ethan and Noah. I am excited that we get to go to swim lessons that week too!

Family Fun

This weekend we visited the Ft. George Tap Room not once, but twice! Is that something we should be proud of? Maybe. Maybe not. The Tap Room is the place that we go to hang out with friends, socialize, and spend time out. It is very baby friendly and has lot of room for walking around with a fussy baby, and is very easy to nurse there as well. The staff is wonderful and John the bartender always makes sure we are having a great time. When we were there on Friday evening a patron was overheard in the bar saying "Wow, there sure seems to be a lot of babies and kids here lately!" To which someone quickly responded "Yes. Isn't it great that these parents have a place that they can go with their babies and feel comfortable and have a great time?" Sums is up pretty well!

Last night we had a little family photo shoot. Lucy is getting so big these days!

Back to Work!

Tomorrow, after 11 weeks off from work, I go back to my life as a full time first grade teacher. I am really sad to be leaving Lucy, but I am really not sure if the life of a Stay At Home Mom is the right fit for me. Some days I loved it. Some days I didn't. Most days I waited for visitors to come over, or Lucy and I would head out and see people. I know it will be hard. I know I will be tired. I know I will miss her. But I also know that I have 20 anxious 6 year olds that can't wait to have their teacher back!

What was in that water?!?!?

As you might have all heard, this was the Year of the Babies at Hilda Lahti Elementary. Late last spring we discovered that three of our teachers were expecting babies in December and January. Add new hire Kim Chambers to the mix and the next thing we knew she was also expecting a January baby!

Rewind to last March. Brittney and I went to a conference together in Eugene. At some point during the 4 hour car ride we started chatting about family. We had both stated that we felt ready and were going to start trying at "some point" and see what happened. Apparently that "some point" was happening sooner rather than later! Brittney and I both realized we were expecting soon after that trip to Eugene. One day after school Brittney told me that she was going to be gone the next day because she had a doctor appointment with a doctor in Seaside, Dr. Greco. I had also just made an appointment with Dr. Greco and knew that the only new patients she was taking at that time were pregnant women. I then told her my secret and we became excited that we would be going through this uncharted territory together. A few weeks later a teacher came up to Brittney and said "You need to talk to Nicole she has something to tell you." Suspecting something was up I followed Brittney down the hall and the three of us slipped into the counseling office and Nicole shared that she was due December 10th.

At the end of the year we hired a new kindergarten teacher, Kim Chambers. After school was out Nicole invited Brittney, Zach, Ben and I over for dinner as part of the new "baby club". When we arrived she told us that there was another expecting couple joining us for dinner. Much to my surprise it was Ben and Kim!

These 3 girls have been there for me throughout my entire pregnancy. We spent the fall working with our big bellies and showing up to work at 7:00am. We shared our aches, pains, and excitement together on a daily basis. In November the staff threw us a shower which was so special. Between December 1st and January 21st we all welcomed happy, healthy babies! Now when we get together with our babies we spend hours talking about all that comes along with motherhood. We are all headed back to work in the next few weeks and will now spend our time at school planning and prepping so we can get home to our babies!

Here we are with our babies:

Brittney and Karli, Nicole and Odessa, Carrie and Lucy, and Kim and Kincaid!

Karli, Odessa, Lucy and Kincaid.

Future Knappa High School Class of 2030!

Swimming!

Thanks to my friend Nicole, Lucy and I have been going swimming every Tuesday and Thursday for the past 4 weeks. Nicole discovered a mama and baby swim class "Kinder Swim" at the Seaside pool that happens twice a week. Although it is a bit of a drive (45 minutes) it is totally worth it. The Seaside pool is ah-mazing. The lesson pool is a warm 93 degrees and the staff there makes you feel so welcome. The lifeguards are super friendly and the teacher, Chris Ford is a mom of one of my old classmates. Chris worked at the pool when I was little she taught some of my swimming lessons! Every time we enter the water she greets Lucy with a big smile, scoops her up, and takes her around the pool. I was able to get some pictures of swimming when Lucy was 8 weeks old and Tory joined us for the morning. Nicole and Odessa are just a few of our friends at the pool. Brittney and Karli have also joined us, and my friend Emily and her daughter Daphne. I am sad that we won't be able to go Kinder Swim once I return to work, but I plan on going all Summer. Swimming followed by some hang out time at Grandma Connie's house makes for a fun day out!

Emily, Daphne and Grandma Cheryl

A relaxed Lucy enjoying some pool time!

Nicole and Odessa with Lucy and I