It happened again...

I neglected you!  Super sucks, I know.  Friends, again?  ok good. 

Moving on....

So since I've blogged last, our fam has had a few exciting changes.  Johnny has a new job!  Yay!  In addition to owning/running the most awesome adult kickball experience here in Tampa, he's now an editor/manager (you like my slash --/ moment, right) for an internet/marketing firm.  He manages over 30 sites/blogs.  His interns and freelancers do the writing, he does the editing, concept creation, and managing.  You like how I made that sound like I know what he's doing, huh?  Don't ask me any other questions about what he does, because I got nothing.

Harper transistioned from home daycare to well, uh, daycare in August.  And she's done great!  Her teachers are happy and impressed with how quickly she's acclamated to their school.  Apparently her climbing skills are out of this world.  Haha, I knew that already.  I'm happy that she's learning, appears comfortable and is happy.  No tears at drop off makes a for a very happy mama!

Change number 3... we've moved about a half mile away from the beach.  It's so laid back here.  Our section of the beach is a self proclaimed weird, eccentric area and our neighbors and beach residents like it that way.  Their slogan is "keep it weird".  Seriously.  It's on signs and and banners and stuff.

So, now as we are gearing up for the holidays, my mind turned to my neglected blog. I've missed this!  I will be better.  Plus, with all the comings and goings of this season, I need some place to reflect and stay sane.  You have been on my mind.  I've going to get better at documenting the making and growig of our fam.  Really I am.

Hold me to it, ok?

Can a Working Mom practice Attachment Parenting?

That was my question as I pondered this parenting style and the undeniable fact that I was returning to work.  Nonetheless, I was determined to make it work!

As a teacher/educator, I have the benefit of added in breaks to my work schedule.  Due to the fact that Harper was born via (emergency) c-section, this afforded me 8 weeks as opposed to 6 weeks of maternity leave.  And my maternity leave ended right before Spring break, so I had 9 wonderful uninterrupted weeks with my girl!  I was a babywearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding junkie!  And I loved every minute of it!  As did Harper.  Due to her small size at birth, I definitely wanted to do everything I could to ensure her health and development stayed on track.

Then came the dreaded day that I had to go back to work.  I had to make sure everything was in place for my girl and our style.  I found a great caregiver.  When I started back to work, I came with breast pump in-tow!  Fortunately, my position and schedule allowed me to sneak away at leaast twice a day to pump.  My body certainly had to adjust to the new schedule.  When it was time to pump, boy was I ready!!!

When we got home, it was babywearing and breastfeeding time!  This allowed my girl and I to reconnect and allowed us to maintain our bond.

Almost a month after I went back to work, a wonderful thing happended... SUMMER BREAK!  Two more months of time with my girl. 

Now my high needs baby is a high needs toddler (different blog post for a different day!).

Yes, you can work and practice attachment parenting.  Work to achieve the right balance for you and your family.  And enjoy the ride!

Time management

I've got to get better!  I want to blog, be an awesome mom and Teacher of the Year (well, pretty darn close).  But how to do it all?  How are other working mommies doing it?

Artsy Fartsy

Being the working mom that I am, I've got to make the most out of my time with my little girl.  In my mind, I'm really artsy fartsty.  But I never seem to make anything worth talking about.  So I figure why not involve the little one and implement a weekly craft activity on the weekends.  So, went searching for craft ideas and came across this neat website. 

The girls (my niece is here this weekend) and I are had fun creating Easter Eggs!

Harper turns 1!!

Technically it was almost two months ago, but hey, I like remembering good times!

Customize your own digital collage

Healthy Me, Healthy Family

So... it's time.

Time to get my butt back in gear and get my body back.
Time to for a change!
Time to stop the excuses and just do it.

I know how to eat well and I know how to lose this baby weight.  It's just the exercise factor!  I don't have the time!  I'm so exhausted in the afternoons/evenings.  Plus,  I want all the time I can get with my girl! (and my guy!)  And as much as I don't wanna do it, hate to do it, just plain dread it... I have to do it....

Wake up at the butt crack of dawn to exercise.  And for me, in order to get out of the house and in to work on time, the butt crack of dawn is 4:10... AM!

Well, maybe not that early.  Let's see... (working backwards)

6:30  Leave the house to drop off my girl
6:00 Wake her up, get her dressed and ready to go with sippy cup in hand
5:20  Get dressed
5:05  get my lunch, and all other materials ready and waiting by the door

So, 4:10 it is!  That allows for me to hit the snooze alarm at least once. 

Here we go!  Come the butt crack of dawn, it will be me, my Nike's and  the little Bobble Head girl on the Turbo Jam videos.

It is time!

The ABC's of me

ABCs of ME




So, I copied this topic from someone... um,, Thanks!


A - Age: 33


B - Bed size:  Queen, when my money grows up, I'll be in a King!


C - Chore you hate:  all of them.  But putting away laundry is up there.


D - Dogs' names: Savion (my college dog) and Steven.. the evil Beagle


E - Essential start to your day item: coffee.  It's a must have.  Multiple times a day.


F - Favorite color: Blue.



G - Gold or Silver: If I had to choose, gold


H – Height: 5'3



I - Instruments you play:  Piano PLAYED clarinet


J - Job title: Mother,Teacher


K - Kid(s): 1,  Harper!.



L - Living arrangements:  Oh boy... How about where I want to be... In a beach house, where I can go to the beach in to watch the sunset as often as I want.

M - Mom's name: Brenda



N – Nicknames: Simba, Reecie-Mae, Ree-Simba, Shorty, Shorty-Roc



O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: I broke my leg at 10yrs old. I stayed two nights.  I also missed 1 day of school.  That was the only day of school I missed K-12.  Yep.


P - Pet Peeve: Stupid drivers.  Please just don't drive if you can't do it effectively.


Q - Quote from a movie:  "You outta bash Mr. ____ head in and think about heaven later"... Sophia, The Color Purple


R - Right or left handed: Right.



S - Siblings:  1 brother, 1 sister (didn't know that huh?)


T - Time you wake up: On weekdays,4:45, on Weekends 8:30-10:00... My girl knows how to sleep in on the weekend!



U- Underwear:  I wear them... most of the time.  :)


V - Vegetable you dislike: Okra.  It's just not my thing!  Now, if it were fried, I'm all over it.  But that takes away from the whole healthy thing.


W - Ways you run late:  every morning to work.  I gotta get better at that.


X - X-rays: hm?  none lately.

Y - Yummy food you make: Macaroni and cheese, if I must say so myself.  It's sooooo good!

Z - Zoo animals:  I kinda like them all.  If I had to pick.... maybe the zebras.. They just look cool.

Wordless Wednesday

Harper turns 1

Harper celebrated her 1st birthday on February 16.  She partied hardy with her friends and family!  Wanna see?

It's my birthday!

I'll cry if I want to!

You see me right?

Singing Happy Birthday is serious stuff!

Melanie and Harper's bonding time!

A cupcake fit for a little Princess!

No updates?

So it has come to my attention that I don't update my blog enough.  I have no idea what you guys are talking about!  Two updates in 6 months sounds good to me!  Ok, here's what I'll do.  I'll do two posts today.  Yes, just for you, I'll do it.  Are you excited? 

A Crosskey Update
Sheriss
I'm good!  I'm back to what I love... working as an special educator at the elementary level.  Enough with the semi, wanna-be adults (high schoolers!).  And I'm back in Tampa!  Having the beaches and beach culture right at my disposal is awesome!  Now, if Ican just find the time to get out there more!  My current challenge?  Balancing all that I do and staying sane.

Johnny
He's doing good too.  His sports league is expanding into Orlanda which is great for him. But it means he'll be traveling a bit, which, of course, we'll miss him.  But you gotta do what you gotta do!  He's also got his hand in a lot of pots and is trying to manage it all.  Pray for him folks!  :)

Harper
Our girl is doing just fine!  Walking, talking (in her own way) and getting into everything!  As of February 16, she turned 1.  Amazing, I know!  Truly doesn't seem like it's been a year.  She's still a little one, weighing 16.5 lbs and standing tall at 27 inches.  Her doctor doesn't seem to be concerned with her small frame and so neither shall I!  She's finally saying mama regularly! 

That will about do it for now! But wait, get ready, here comes another post!

Monday Musings

Well, welll, well!!  Look who we have here!  It's me!  I'm  back again!

Geesh, it's been a minute!!  Being a working mom is something else!  But I'm going to TRY to blog more.  I've got to document our family happenings!

Let's see...

• Harper's almost a year old!!  Next Wednesday as a matter of fact!  Can you believe it?  Time passes so quick!
• She began walking a little bit before 11 months.  She's really taking off!
• She's still a little one, but no worries!  She's just going to be petite for a little bit. 
• We're attending a new church.  It's going well.  I've joined a women's small group to further our connection to this new community.  I'm looking forward to it actually!

Well that's it for now!! Can't share all the goodness at once!  I'll be back soon.  I promise!!