A new start

LIfe is good!!! Nate started his new job on Monday and is loving it. He feels there is a lot of potential and enjoys working with the team he is on! It's nice to see him get up in the morning with enthusiasm about the day ahead of him ... I know he loved being with little D all day, but he was definitely excited to be back in the workforce! The timing couldn't be better as I received my last teaching paycheck today ... and he gets his first one tomorrow! 

Danika and I have been busy busy busy! Being the hermit crab that I am, Ive really had to step outside my comfort zone to meet other mommies and keep myself in the adult world. As our friend, Ashley, says - its like dating all over again! The palms and pit are sweaty as I walk into a new meetup group, heart pounding, insecurities rising! I have to remind myself to take things sloooooow as to not scare away the new mommy friend! HA! I thought I was done with all that. Oh no, it's just the beginning! 

My buddies are getting their classrooms ready for the new year! I am slightly jealous as I kinda miss the excitement over a 15 cent bottle of glue, 10 cent folders I buy in bulk to organize my classroom. The anticipation of meeting your new class, and the dread of watching "that" student walk into your classroom, knowing full well he/she is going to do everything possible to make your life miserable. Let's talk about what I wont miss. I will not miss having someone telling me how to do my job when they have no idea what my kids need, i will not miss the exhaustion of the first months of school as you work day and night to get things rolling, I will not miss the parents who cannot and will not take responsibility for their lack of parenting or disciplining of their children, I will not miss watching other teachers sit at their desks and play on the computers while their students color. I will not miss the ridiculous unpractical staff meetings that are held "just because we can." I will miss my thirty smiling faces, eager to learn and laugh and discover their world. Isn't that what teaching is supposed to be about?

Little Danika is 9 months old tomorrow! WHere has the time gone?! My little goobar has her appointment ttoday, so we'll see just exactly how fat she has gotten! SHe's a big one! She's wearing a lot of 12-18 month clothes now, with her big ol' belly filling up most of them! She's a proficient crawler and cruiser. I took her to a gymboree class yesterday and she had a blast! I had no idea she could scurry up ramps and crawl up stairs- amazing! She had so much fun, but also slept really, really well last night. 

I went to my first birth and it was an awesome experience! The mom and dad did wonderfully, and it was a great learning experience for me. My next step is to get my lactation counselor certificate, then onto pre/postnatal fitness and nutrition! Now if only I could get a paying customer :) Here are a few pictures of the last few weeks :) 

Big news!

Big news!!! Nate-O has a job! After 8 very long months of unemployment, he has a job HE is excited about and will excel in! Nate got called last Monday and of course I was yipping at him for spending so much time on his cell phone (minutes) ... he just rolled his eyes and closed the door. He emerged awhile later and gave me knuckles ... apparently he had done well on an initial phone interview. He took their personality profile on Wednesday, and was then called on Thursday for an interview on Friday. He went in on Friday and came back with a great feeling about the job, only to be called 4 hours later for a follow up interview on Monday for the position. He left on Monday morning looking quite studdly and came home with a job offer, and a pretty decent one at that. Nate's super excited about the possibilities, and even putting on work clothes Monday morning!! 

Ari ... ari ari ari ... I finished my doula training! yeah! It was FUN and I learned a LOT. I'm much more prepared and confident than I was a week ago, however I do wish there was more hands on training. I have three clients due in the next 3 weeks, so hopefully they go well! There will definitely be updates :) Now. THose are free clients so I can get my certification. The trick is now getting paying clients. All the friends of the people I have now met with are calling expecting free services. Well, sorry. Gas and doula supplies are expensive, as is time away from my family. I am signed into 6 free clients, and I feel thats more than enough (only 3 needed for certification) . We'll see!!! 

Danika, danika danika. What a mess! She has gone back to razzing, however its much more forceful and its usually with food in her mouth :( I think she's almost to the point where she's boycotting babyfood except the really good stuff (apples, mango, etc). I tried THREE different foods tonight and she gagged, spit up and cried on all three of them. Drama queen. She did however to go a pastry shop where I met two clients today and she did SO good. She's such a chill kid- quite content laying with the formula lid or snuggled up in my lap :) Such a snuggler! 

I have been horrible at updating this month- I think i've taken only like 25 ictures ! SAD! And my baby girl is almost 9 months... and I'm almost 27... what the crap. 

Crazy Crazy!!!

Wow, guys ... so SORRY its taken me so long to update this guy! LOTS of changes!!! First of all ... Danika is really 8 1/2 months old? REALLY??? How the CRAP did that happen? My baby doesn't grab her feet or blow raspberries anymore ... I wish I could videotape every minute of every day. 

So what IS she doing now? More than I am ready for! Little miss D has got crawling DOWN ... though she looks a bit ridiculous .... she does a one legged crawl and pushes herself forward with the other leg ... kinda like she's kneeling on a scooter. It is soooo silly!!! She is ALSO a finger food pro ... it's SO nice to be able to feed her most food off of my own plate. She LOVES bits of avacado, toast w/ cream cheese, toast with cream cheese and roasted red pepper, apples and carrots. She is also pulling herself up on EVERYTHING, and cruisin' around the house. Mom and Dad are so mean ... we put her bottle clear across the room and make her go get it :) She's also saying "Mom and mama" alot ... sometimes to me, sometimes to her bouncy ball or bottle :)

Big news for me! As you all know I am not going back to teaching this fall - yeah hoo! HOWEVER ... this coming weekend I'm doing training to be a Doula, which is a childbirth assistant. I have a wonderful mentor and several clients in the upcoming months, though they are all free so I can get my certification. I may actually have my first paying client! Check out my website : Http://www.storksupport.net . Its in its very beginning stages but gives you a general idea. This is just the first step ... I'm hoping to get my pre and postnatal fitness certification, prenatal yoga cert, and lactation consultant, eventually possibly doing massage and creating my own childbirth education program including all of the above!!! 

Lots of crazy things happening lately ... I haven't uploaded any pictures as of late, but I'll update you soon!! 

Lords and Ladies

What a crazy couple of weeks! Well, maybe its only been a week- who knows- it feels like several! We have been a busy crew! I posted that Dani girl is pulling herself up now and boy she is loving it! She loves holding my hands and other objects (couch, chair, etc) and cruisin' around the house! She also has, finally, after weeks and weeks of rocking on her hands and knees, figured out the crawling thing (sorta). She woke up this morning and just started going (again, kinda). Ya know, no matter how many books I read and how many other babies I see doing similar new tasks, I am just constantly amazed by and in awe of her. I sometimes can't grasp how incredible she is and how blessed we are. I have her first day of "crawling" on video but we still cant figure out how tog et these things uploaded, so one of these days you'll see it! 

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Last weekend, Nate and I decided to go to the Renaissance Festival. I reluctantly went along for the sake of Nate and how much he talks about it and LOVES it. I thought I was in for a day of weirdos and crazies but it turned out to be absolutely one of the most neat experiences. I had SO much fun with my little family. We saw jousting, petting zoos, stocks, tons and tons and tons of celtic trinkets and other nicknacks. I "learned" how to play the digeridoo (my fave) and tried on pirate armor! I could go on and on and on but I just wouldnt be able to do it justice. If you have the opportunity to go to the festival in Larkspur, dont miss it!!

For all the photos go to: 

http://www.facebook.com/album.phpaid=127669&id=831739417&l=b6db7245d3

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One of my latest and greatest hobbies??? THRIFT STORES! Oh my gosh! I have so much fun! Every day I go is something new and exciting. I have gotten danika SO many toys (probably unneeded toys) that are practically brand stinking new and just need a little spit and shine to spiffy them up. I doubt that I will be buying any new toys for quite a while. I dont have pictures yet of all my "jewels" but I have a lot and I'm oh so proud of them :) I could probably make a good amount of money buy resale on craigslist if I had the upfront! I am SUCH the bargain hunter- come shoppin with me! 

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Last but not least, I have lost my mind. I know I'm crazy and that's okay! Not knowing what our income is going to look like in, oh, less than 30 days, I have decided to go out on a limb and try cloth diapering. I figured I can save us 50 bux a month by spending a little bit now. I got them in the mail today and cant wait to get them washed up and ready to go! These diaper covers are SO SO SO cute. You better believe there will be pictures of my ultra diapered babe :)