Sacrifices and Struggles:

Today, I went back to work. 6 weeks flew by. I didn't cry until I pulled out of the driveway. I was busy all morning keeping my mind off of my emotions. But the day has gone pretty well/fast! Devon will be home most of the time with them, so that helps. Not that I don't love our sitter, because I DO! Tasha is wonderful with them. I guess I'm just an OCD Mom!
I still haven't had more than 2 hours of consistant sleep in 6 weeks. That has been tough. Alyvia is a GREAT sleeper. She has been since 7 weeks old and only ate every 3-4 hours as a newborn. Mason eats every 1.5-2.5 hours. It is a struggle. We recently started to put rice in a bottle or two throughout the day, just a teaspoon or so. Hasn't helped yet. I hate complaining. HATE HATE HATE it because I don't want people to think I don't LOVE being a mom. I do. I'm not depressed, not regretful, just EXHAUSTED! Whew. The one thing I have gotten down is a routine nap time for both of them. Lyv sleeps anywhere between 1 and 4 during the day. Mason has been taking his longest nap then too. So, I can nap as well! Usually. Now that I'm back to work, that doesn't happen every day, but I'll adjust (or Mason will start sleeping more through the night)!
I hate that I have to sacrafice Mommy time for work. But I am thankful that I have a job.

Excitement:
Now that I AM back to work, Dev and I can start saving for a few things. Most importantly, a HOUSE! We are leaning more towards building. We dont want to end up in something we don't LOVE. With the values of homes declining, I don't want to be STUCK somewhere. We really love stick-built homes...the one's built in warehouses instead of outside! No weathering, less labor, less money! A lot of them come furnished with appliances. We'll see!
We also want to start saving for....wait for it...DISNEY! Our plan is to take the kids the summer AFTER Alyvia's kindergarten year. She'll be 6, Mason 3 1/2.

Devon INTERVIEWED with Madison Twshp and should know if he got a position very soon! He also kicked butt on Columbus' test and will know where he stands in the next month or so.

In the meantime, I need to strengthen my trust in God again, I've started to lose sight of that lately.

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Long time, no blog!

I know, I know...I am slacking major on updates on, well, everything!

Our newest addition, Mason, will be 4 weeks old tomorrow! They have flown by, and I have LOVED being home all four of these weeks. I don't want to say this, but I go back to work two weeks from this Wednesday :( One day, I will be a SAHM - in the mean time, work is just something I have to do!

Two kids is a WHOLE different world. Definitely a challenge. Alyvia is great with him - she doesn't pay much attention to him, but about every 2 hours or so, she'll ask to see him, hold him, kiss him. She loves to sit by me while I nurse him. She is so concerned when he cries and tries to help me soothe him. I love to see her love him.

He eats on average about every 2.5 hours. BFing has been a challenge, but I am trying to stick with it. My supply took forever to come in, and I still don't feel like it's enough. We supplement one or two times a day, but every other feeding is all me. I do have a pump, and that helps sometimes.

Alyvia is two and half. Dear Lord help me hold back the tears. She is so incredibly smart, it makes my heart melt. She loves to sing and sign. Her Granny has DVDs that she loves to watch and learn from. She knows more sign language than I do! She is on her independence kick. I have a love/hate relationship with it. She responds to everything with "I know how to please!" We are working on recognizing the letters of her name. She knows A, L and Y. She can recognize a circle and triangle and lots of colors - yellow, pink, blue, green, red, orange, purple. Her favorite book is 'Brown Bear' and can basically "read" it to me. We are still potty training, and she'll go all day at home, but going number 2 in the potty is a no-go. She just will not do it. (Advice on this one?!) We've bribbed her with suckers, M&M's, new movies...she will not budge.

Miss Z turned two a few days ago. She is learning and growing by the day. Watching the girls grow up together is awesome.

Devon has an interview with Madison Twshp tomorrow morning, and is also testing for Columbus tomorrow afternoon. He also got news that on the next schedule round, he will be moving to day shift at OSU! So things are slowly but surely moving forward. Thank God.