A Little of Everything

Fall has arrived and so has lots of change. Overall, when I can sit back and look at everything as a whole, I am pleased with the change. However, when I start to think and nitpick at everything, I am not so happy. I guess that is how change just is.

I had become accustomed to being home and enjoying lots of time with Colby. I can see how our time together has been so important. In Colby's development in all areas. In our bonding as a family. And in my growing into the new role of Mommy. I couldn't have asked for anything more. The road to my being home was not planned, nor was it all that wanted at first. But it has become the best part of my life. But now, that will all change.

I received a full-time teaching job again. I am now the reading teacher at a small school right where we live. It is a new teaching role for me, previously only being the classroom teacher, so now I have a new role to learn. I have been working now for two weeks and can only now sit back and relax a little. I think I have fallen back into the teaching role very easily, sort of like riding a bike again after a long time. But this role also has me working with other teachers and supporting them. That is a new role I am not as comfortable with yet. However, it is going very well I think, except for an exception or two. We are all learning a new reading program together and it will take some time to implement well. But I am thrilled with my new job and all that it holds.

On the home front, Colby is in pre-school in the mornings, riding the bus, and loving it. Mike has been able to put him on the bus in the mornings. He has also been able to watch him most afternoons or his mom did. Thus changing our roles. I really miss my time with Colby waiting for the bus and eating lunch together. Running errands and just relaxing together. I also REALLY miss nap time! I feel like I am missing a lot of his day. Although happy at work, I find myself wondering what he is doing and how his day is going. This week Colby will start going to a day care after school in the afternoons. Another big change. I hope it goes well. We shall see. Thus far we are doing well, although Colby has been more whiney and a lot more tired lately. Is it growing pains or all the change? I'm not sure but it is definitely something I need to keep an eye on. I have already asked both school and day care to watch for me.

For now, I need to learn to balance Mommy and teacher and not forget about wife and just plain old Melissa. Ugh! How do you all do it?

Long Week

Sorry I haven't had time to post on here. It has been a very long week. Even if it did start on a Tuesday! I started back to work Tuesday and now the Reading teacher at a small elementary school in town. Thankfully a very short commute and my school day schedule will be the same as Colby's. But boy has it been a tough change.

Colby, Mike, and I are all battling some sort of cold. It seems to hit Mike hardest but I'm tired of the cough and stuffy nose in the morning. Colby seems to be fine during the day but has not been sleeping at night. Both Wed and Thurs nights he woke up. Wed was just about every 2 hours. Doesn't make for a cherry start tot he mornings. Mike has been able to put him on the bus in the mornings and a few afternoons he has been home. Thankfully his parents live really close so they can come get Colby in the afternoons. But we really need to sort out a day care situation. I feel bad asking them to watch him every day. But we are waiting to see how Mike's schedule turns out. The winters are sometimes slow.

Me... I think I have been so overwhelmed with the new job and learning my new role that I haven't had much time to think of other things. I really miss my quiet mornings with Colby snuggled in bed and then putting him on the bus. I miss lunch with him and running our errands in the afternoon. I miss bringing him to see my mom at work and having lunch with her, Uncle Lou and a couple of the guys there.But, we can do that during vacations. Most of all, I miss my little guy. But the kids I see and the schedule I have keep me very busy. The school also starts early so I am done by 2:30 and have been trying to get home around 3 or 3:30 (depending on what planing and prep I have to do at school).

This morning we are headed to CT Loves to Read at the local Target. The CT Reading Council puts this on usually in Feb but they changed it to Oct this year. Mike's mom will be there too. She dresses up as Mother Gooses and reads to the kids. Other town volunteers come too. The kids all get a free book, some goodies, and a T shirt and hopefully we let them see that Reading can be fun. I promise to get some pics and post some soon.

Changes: The Good and the Bad

Well, I guess I caught a few people's attention. Yes, things are changing. I had an interview on Tuesday and I received the job. I will be teaching again. Again, after 2 years away. This time I will be the reading teacher at a small school in the city we live in. So now the changes and adjustments begin.

I must say that I am excited about this new job. But it seems everyone else seems to be more excited than I am. I am not so sure how I feel about going back to teaching. I left my last job feeling so unsure about myself as a teacher so I'm not sure how being back will feel. I know I will do a great job but I'm not so sure I want to work again. From the first day we brought Colby home in Feb of 2009, I have been home with him. Just Colby and me. That is until this fall when he started preschool in the mornings. Now that we have adjusted and settled into that new routine we need to change again and Mommy will be gone all day. Not sure how Colby will handle that, nor how I will handle being away. I am so thankful that with all the schools in our city I landed in the school Mike's mom just left last year when she retired. So I know what to expect and already have a link to some of the staff. Now the trouble begins: Where does Colby go in the afternoon??? Since he is already in a morning program he can't be enrolled in an afternoon one through the city, but we need bussing so no programs out of the city. So a day care, not seem to have spots available. Ugh!!! I don't want to take him out of his preschool program, he loves it and since it is through the school system it is free. What do we do??? Thankfully for now, Mike's mom can watch him. Ugh! Now I remember why I don't like change.

Change

Change is brewing. I don't know if I have ever liked change but this is definitely change for the better.

The Big E

This past weekend we brought Colby to the Big E. It is a huge fall festival in Massachusetts. Around here, it is the unofficial end to summer and runs for about 3 weeks into October. It was Colby's first time there and we all had a blast. We saw the circus, the parade full of tractors, Mardi Gras type floats, and Budweiser Clydesdales, and lots of animals. We watched the draft horse show and we even listened to a music group. Colby loved that and began dancing to the beat. Everyone around him turned to watch him. He was so cute. Colby is still talking about the circus, his very first. I can't wait to bring him to a big circus. So, here are a few cute photos.

Corn Maze and a Happy Birthday

This past weekend Colby and I went with my mom, Aunt Doone, and Jaden to a corn maze at Lyman Orchards. We had a great time, even though we were lost for quite awhile, along with a bunch of other people. Lyman Orchard does a corn maze every year. Last year it had a presidential feel, this year was a UCONN theme. Specifically, the UCONN Huskies girls' basketball team. It was in the shape of the coach's (Geno Auriemma) head, the husky mascot and a ball. It was tricky to get through the first part. I think Aunt Doone got a little worried but we made it out and the boys had a great time.

Today is my mom's birthday. Although she's on vacation Colby and I were able to call and sing Happy Birthday to her. I hope she has a great day. She definitely deserves the rest and relaxation.

This weekend, no plans set but I do hope to get to the Big E or perhaps apple picking. And of course it is football season so I need to watch the Pats and the Giants.

My Snuggles

Today was such a great day. I'm not sure why but everything seemed less stressful and more fun. I had an interview in the morning so Mike stayed home to put Colby on the bus. I left after he ate breakfast and I got him dressed. When Colby came home he was in great spirits. He is loving that bus. We had lunch and he went down for a nap. About an hour and a half later he came out to the family room, climbed on my lap, and snuggled in for another half hour of sleep. I so miss those times when he would cuddle with me like that. Granted my arm fell asleep because he has gotten so big, but I loved that quiet time. We went outside and went on the swings and Colby rode his new bike for a little while. Mike's Uncle Steven sent it from Utah. It is a wooden Radio Flyer two wheeler without pedals. You sit on it and push with your feet while trying to learn how to balance. It is the wierdest bike I've ever seen but Colby is really getting the hang of it and can balance pretty good. Now I want to put the training wheels up a little on his big boy bike. Then while dinner was cooking we played an ABC game and just had fun.

As much fun as we had before dinner, boy did Colby find a way to get into trouble after dinner. He snuck candy off the side table after we had all just had some. This is a BIG problem we have found lately. Colby is starting to sneak things, especially food treats and candy. Not sure how to deal with this one. Then while Mike was trying to do some paper work, Colby brought out his crayons and markers and was supposedly sitting on the floor next to him coloring a paper but, nope, he colored the floor, the door to the basement, and part of the desk. Ugh! Thankfully I only have washable markers! I'm not sure how sucha great day went downhill so fast. I do know that the trouble started when the eye patch was put on. It seems Colby looses all control when he wears that. Not sure of the correlation, but it is true. Poor eyesight = poor self-control. Go figure!

Well, we ended the night with baking pretzles (after Colby dumped the yeast all over the counter). Melted butter and cinnamon topping always make things better, right?