Going back to work and daycare

Well we are 4 days in and it has been a bumpy road.  I wanted to clarify some updates in reference to some Facebook posts I had put up and update on how everyone is adjusting.

Jacob:  The first day was a little rough with some uneasy conversations that were had between the teacher and me in about Jacob's care.  I was slightly bummed to find out that they wouldn't swaddle him because I knew that he would not sleep longer than about 20 minutes at a time.  However, that was not a battle I was interested in fighting (unless he became so sleep deprived it was a problem) because he is a week shy of 5 months old and would soon outgrow it anyways.  This was a transition I would not (and am not at home) have done now but by no means is it life threatening.  They told me that it is not recommended by doctors to swaddle this old and it is apparently also a licensing issue.  That is water under the bridge.  The other concern was when the girl told me they don't rock babies to sleep.  This kind of bothered me because then I looked at the room and quickly realized that he was spending most of his day laying on his back on the floor if they were rocking him to sleep.  The next morning I spoke with the director and told her my concerns.  She was completely understanding and said she had no idea why the teacher said that because they absolutely do rock babies.  We went into the room and talked to the teacher and the director clarified that they do rock them and let the teacher know that needed to be happening (a different teacher than the one who I spoke to the day before).  I also had expressed our concern about the amount of time he was spending on his back because he has a flat spot on one side of his head.  When we went to Jacob's 4 month appointment the doctor expressed that if his head did not get better he might have to wear a helmet.  I know it is silly but I was not very excited about that thought so I have been trying really hard to keep him off of it when he is awake.  Well, at day care that was not going to work if he was laying on his back all day.  The director was also very understanding about this and told the teachers in his room about our concern and they have made a great effort to move him around often and give him lots of time "sitting" up, he is a supported sitter so they have had to get creative about how to help hold him up.  Based on the attention they gave to our concerns, we are feeling much better about his care and I really feel like the teachers like him.  The past two evenings his afternoon teachers face lights up when she talks about his day and how happy he was.  Ultimately, I want to know that my baby is happy and that he is being loved on....and sleeping and eating well.

Aaron:  Aaron has been to day care for two years now so it is not new to him however, he had been home with me for almost 6 months (that is a long time in his short little life).  He had grown to know the life that he went to school 3 days a week and was only there for 4 and a half hours, then we went home and played.  Well Monday when I took the boys in, it broke my heart because Aaron was not happy.  As we were walking down the hallway he was holding on to my leg saying "no mama no!".  I got him into his classroom and really like his teacher, she was very sweet and welcoming to him.  I knew once he was there a little bit he would have a good day.  I was not surprised that when I picked him up, he was happily playing.  Due to the adjustment in activity level and nap time he was a tired boy that night.  We have had a challenging week with both boys being over tired but some night have gone pretty smoothly despite all of that.

Mommy:  Well, it has been a roller-coaster to say the least.  I have experienced many emotions, some more than others.  I had forgotten how hard it was to step into the school year right in the middle of things.  I am slowly but surely sifting through all of the things I need to learn, know and do for work.  I feel like I run a marathon every day from the moment I wake up to the moment I close my eyes.  I have been logging about 5 miles a day on my fitbit, and that is just walking to do life not any exercise.  I hope that in time we become more efficient at our prep work for dinner and each day.  I have become the queen of to do lists and sticky notes.  I have sticky notes and to do lists for every part of my life so I don't forget anything.  I even have a sticky note smack dab in the middle of my back door.

Daddy:  He is taking life in stride and juggling the chaos and his crazy wife.  He has been a good ear for me to vent and move on with all of the frustrations the last few days have held and a great help in all of the prep work.

Here's to hoping each day gets better.

A Slice of Halloween

This year Halloween was a lot of fun because Aaron had so much fun and understood more of it.  In the beginning I was not sure how he would take to a costume, he is kind of finicky about "new" clothes.  So we bought the costume early and had to have may practice runs.  He became obsessed with the Toy Story movies leading up to Halloween so we went with a character he knew in hopes of that helping ease the blow.  Mommy could not decide between Buzz and Woody so we bought both.

 

 

Our first opportunity to wear costumes came when we went to the Zoo for Zoo Boo.  We met up with some friends and had a great day wandering around observing the animals.

 That same weekend we tried to go to the pumpkin patch, which we have done for two years, and get some pictures of the boys.  Well that plan was quickly overridden by the fall festival they were also having.

 

 The next day we went to the Fall Festival at Aaron's school, this was a planned trip.  This is where he had his first chance to trick or treat and he really liked it.  Grandma came with us and we had lots of fun.

 

And we finished up the season with trick or treating on Halloween night.  We went to my mom's neighborhood and hit up a handful of houses.  My Aunt was in town and came with us.

 

It is almost time...

It is almost time to head back to life as a working mom :(.  There are so many things I am going to miss about being home every day with my babies.  I will miss our lazy mornings watching cartoons in "mommy daddy bed".

I am going to miss all of the snuggle time with my sweet pea.

Trips to the park after nap

Trips to the zoo

Fun outings with friends

Being able to go to things at Aaron's school

And just spending time with these sweet babies!

(We have made the most of October, these are all events from this month.)