In a Whirlwind

Ok. Need some happy thoughts sent my way. As some of you know, I was a teacher for many years before we adopted Colby and I stayed home with him. There are many reasons that brought me home and had me leave my job. Not all were my choice but in the end it turned out great. I am thrilled with knowing that I have had over a year with my son, at home. The growth he has made would not have been possible if I was teaching full time and he was in day care. I thank God that I had this chance and that financially we have been ok. However, things would be easier if I did have a job again. And with Colby going to morning preschool in the fall, Mommy now has some free time. So, here I am putting in resumes and hoping something comes up. This trully isn't a great time to be looking for a teaching job. So many layoffs and schools closing. Thankfully I have a reading certificate so I can be a reading support teacher, not just an elementary classroom teacher. I have already had 2 different interviews this spring. I recently had an interview for a part-time reading position at an elementary school. The school is great and it would fit nicely, although it is a long commute. The principal interviewed 9 people and 4 of us went for a second interview. That was yesterday. Now they are checking references and will send 2 names to the superintendent to choose from. Ugh! How much more complicated can the process be??? So I should here something soon. Keep your fingers crossed. I also have an interview scheduled for tomorrow (I just got a call for it this morning!). This would be a full-time position teaching reading/language arts in a middle school. Not really where my experience is but 6th grade can't be that bad, can it?? I have a ton of other resumes sent out for posted positions and am just waiting. Ugh! I am so tired of getting my hopes up, becoming a nervous wreck for each interview, and hearing "No thanks. We found someone else.". When will good news come my way.

So, I am just asking for you to send us good thoughts and keep your fingers crossed that some good news comes my way.

Big Boy, a Bike, and a New Look

Well, I had a few spare moments on Saturday morning while Mike and Colby were mowing the lawn. I felt the need for a change so now my blog has a new look. What do you think?

Also, my little boy is becoming more of a big boy everyday. I am excited, yet a little saddened, by the latest news. My big boy received his information for preschool. He will be entering the 3 year old preschool through our city in the fall. Yikes! I think this will be a great thing for him. He loves to learn new things and the structure of a classroom might settle him a little. But good luck to his teacher! We'll see how Mommy feels in the fall.

And a few great photos. My big boy is learning how to ride a very big boy bike. Thanks to my wonderful sister, Karin, we have a big boy bike for Colby. It was my nephews', Max and Alex, bike. It is a little big but Colby loves it. Mike brought it out on Saturday morning thinking we would just push Colby around on it and maybe he'd peddle it a little. Well, he got the hang of it and we had to go out that night and get him a helmet. He can peddle all the way down our street but hills are still a little tough. So we'll stick to straight aways. You might notice in the photos, but Colby loves to look down at the tires and the peddles turning, not straight ahead. We'll have to work on that I guess. What a big boy!

First Camping Trip....We Survived!

This weekend we went to Lake Warmaug. We have been there before for an afternoon to picnic and bring the kayaks out but this weekend we camped. Yes, I spent the weekend in a tent! We went with Mike's parents. I was a little worried about how Colby would do sleeping somewhere strange, and not in a bed, but he did great! He LOVED it!

We went up early Friday and spent the weekend swimming, walking, kayaking, fishing, and just having lots of fun. I did leave for a few hours to help my mom at my grandparents' house. We are still trying to sell some things and Sat we had another tag sale. Friday friends of Mike's parents came up with their grandkids, Jair and Brin. They had a great time playing with Colby. It was fun to watch them swim, play in the sand, and blowing bubbles. Late Saturday, when I returned, David, Jocelyn, and Lizzie came up for dinner. Lizzie is getting so big. She and Colby played great together. By Sunday we were all tired and ready to go home. Even Colby was ready to get back and sleep in his bead. We left early Sunday and just spent the day doing some chores and catching up on sleep. Overall the weekend was great. Camping was fun, but I do know what Mike will get for his birthday: an airmatress. Ugh! The ground was so hard and bumpy. Not much sleep.

A Few Cute Pics

Well, we are off on an adventure today. We are going camping! It will be Colby's and Mommy's first camping trip, sleeping in a tent. Mike grew up camping with is family and boyscouts but not me. We did take many family trips, but in our small camper. No tents! We'll see how it goes. Thankfully we aren't going far, just to Lake Warmaug where we have visited for the day often. So it will be familiar to Colby. Mike's parents are going too. Friends are coming for the day today and then David, Jocelyn, and Lizzie will be up for late afternoon on Saturday. I will be going to help my mom at my grandparents' house for a little while on Saturday. I'm so thankful that I can help her but still spend the time with my family too.

Anyway, here are a few pics I promised. My mom took them when she and my dad took Colby to the air show while Mike and Iwent to a family wedding. Doesn't he look like such a big boy??

A Little Bit of Everything

It certainly has been an eventful week. I went and signed Colby up for swimming lessons through the town PAL (Police Athletic League) program. He'll start June 22 and go Tues and Wed afternoons for half an hour each day. I think they will help to lessen Mommy's anxiety around water anyway. Colby is almost fearless with water. He has always loved his bath and the first time he saw a pool he jumped right in. The same with the ocean, he walked right in up to his neck. At least he'll take a few lessons and hopefully learn how to keep himself afloat and swim.

This week we also gave up our dog Misha. She is a 90 pound black lab. Sweet as can be but full of energy. She loves people, especially kids and that became the problem. She would jump up on them. The neighbors kids were scared of her and Mike was worried something might happen. It isn't fair to keep her cooped up inside when they come over. Also, we hope to get away camping this summer and go to my parents' house in New Hampshire and we can't bring her. She really needs to be on a farm where she can herd animals, not kids. She was starting to nip our heels to "herd" us. So, Mike called the SPCA where we had gotten her and they have found her a new home. Hopefully it was the right thing to do. I don't know. I didn't want to do it. I really miss her. But I guess it is for the best.

This weekend we have a birthday party for my nephew Keith. He is just 2 months younger than Colby. The boys love playing together and there will be lots of other kids there. It should be really fun.

And on the potty front: Colby has been in undies for months now, with no issues! What a big boy. He loves his Mater and Race Car undies. The only time he wears Pull Ups is at night, for bed. I really wasn't sure how to handle night time. Colby is a real sound sleeper. He has slept through the past couple bad thunderstorms. But every night this week, he has woken up at night, asking to go potty or for us to fix his blankey. Thankfully, the door is on Mike's side of the bed! So we are getting woken up but Colby is staying dry all night! WOW! Now, when will he learn to go potty on his own and not wake up Mommy and Daddy?? I really am proud of our big boy!

Finally, it has been just over a month with Colby wearing his glasses. Thankfully he is very good about them, wearing them all the time. He sometimes forgets after nap but then he'll remember. Our last eye doctor visit the doctor asked us to patch his good eye to help the left eye get stronger. That has been a struggle and Colby really can't see well when we do it, but he is keeping the patch on for about 20-30 minutes a day. We head back to the eye doctor mid-July. We'll see if it has helped. I really hope so. However today, Colby and I were running a couple errands, post office and to Staples, and when we got home: NO LENS! He popped a lens out of his glasses already! And I have no idea where it is. Thankfully the glasses are getting fixed but no glasses for a few days. UGH!

I promise photos next time. My mom sent a few cute ones of Colby and Grandpa at the air show from a couple weekends ago. And I'm sure we'll have some from the party tomorrow!

Memorial Day Weekend

Boy was this a busy weekend. I'm not sure we have recuperated from it yet. Friday we went with Mike's parents to Lake Waramaug. Aunt Trisha was home for the weekend and she came too. We had a nice picnic and enjoy some wonderful sunshine. Aunt Trisha brought Colby for a ride in the kayak. Mike caught a small fish and it scared Colby when it jumped out of Grandpa's hands toward him. Colby enjoyed "casting" his fishing pole with a bobber on it. He actually did very well.

Saturday Mike and I had a family wedding to go to so Colby spent the day with my parents. They brought him to an airshow where he was able to sit in different planes and see them fly. He had a blast! They also went to my Aunt Doone's to get the miniature horses ready for the parades on Sunday and Monday.

Sunday we had the Woodbury parade. It is a small parade but Colby enjoyed it. Once again he sat with cousin Corbin in the surrey. I drove Willy in the small driving cart. Part way through the parade, Colby sat with me and wanted to drive too. We both held the reigns for a little while but soon I heard, "No Mommy! I do it mineself!" Thankfully Aunt Doone was leading Willy so Colby was able to drive! He was so proud of himself.

Monday was the early day. We had the Naugatuck parade. Corbin and Colby were in the surrey again. The Naugatuck parade is very long so Mommy and Daddy got lots of exercise. After a little nap at home, we went to my Uncle Lou's for a picnic. Colby enjoyed playing with the other kids. It was a fun, but tiring weekend!

Unfortunately, the only day Mommy remembered the camera was on Sunday. My parents did take photos at the air show, which I hope to get soon. But for now, here's a few from Woodbury.