Adjusting

So as you gathered from my last blog, going back to work is an adjustment for all of us.  This week has been better.  I am getting into more of a groove with my schedule (although it does change) and Angelines and Emily are thick as theives!  Thank God I still breastfeed because otherwise I think I'd be completely dispensable in Em's mind.  There is nothing quite like coming home to her four-toothed grin, watching her wriggle in anticipation as I change into my house clothes and then greedily throw herself at my chest when I finally offer her the breast.

She is growing so fast I cannot believe it.  Everyone warns you about babies' vertiginous growth when they're just new born: "Enjoy them while they're small; it doesn't last!"  And it is oh so true.  Our Emily will be eleven months old on Sunday and I cannot believe the changes she's made in less than a year.  She's a pretty expert crawler now albeit with her own "style" (one knee and one foot...).  She's learned to climb the stairs quite well and is even pretty good at coming back down all by herself.  She pulls herself up on everything and has now even graduated to using the wall for support alone, that is to say no actual "pulling," to stand herself up.  She pushes chairs about; and she even has begun letting go and standing (although only for a few seconds before she gleefully throws herself onto her bottom).  I am nearly sure she'll be walking by or shortly after her birthday.

...I was interrupted after beginning this post.  The first Friday of every month I go to a breastfeeding support group meeting.  At first, it was really nice to listen to other new moms' stories and difficulties and get advice myself or have my own questions answered; but anymore I go mostly because I have come to really enjoy many of the mothers in the group.  It's fun to see their babies growing up and today was especially fun because now that Emily is crawling she was really able to interact more with the other kids. 

Today was a small group.  We were all "regulars" and Emily was the only baby under a year, so there wasn't much discussion of nursing today--at this point we're experts!  So we were mostly just chatting and discussing other child-rearing related topics.  Emily scored a cookie off one little boy, played with a big gym ball for a while and pushed another kid's tricycle around the room for a bit.  I'd say she had a good time, and of course, so did I.

Now she is sleeping and so I wanted to finish my post.  I was originally going to write about work...but I'm not up for it now.  I am happy to be working, but it is difficult at times to not be in control of what I'm teaching.  The children's classes especially tend to be challenging because I still find myself making things up as I go, which never turns out very well.  Kids' classes are the ones that need to be the most carefully planned and at this point I feel as though it's a bit haphazard.  But I try to remain positive about it and remember that planning isn't part of my job, which makes my life five thousand times less stressful.  I am so grateful that I can just come home and BE with Emily and Angelines and leave work at work!  If that means I need to suffer a bit in the classroom...right now that's a sacrifice I am willing to make.