Goodbye...Well Kind Of...

I started this blog two and half years ago as something to challenge me 

but also after being encouraged by my husband to do so for personal reasons.  

Well it has been a crazy 2 1/2 years and this is something that I am glad that I have done, 

and I am glad that I will have the opportunity to look back on.  

That being said, I decided that I wanted to stop blogging.  

When I told this to my husband, Joe, he because very upset- 

 "But I love your Blog- How else am I suppose to keep up with you and Collin?"

It kind of made me laugh, because while this was something I did for myself, it turned into something that my husband love's especially lately because I am home with Collin while he is at work.  

After some thinking and debating, Joe talked me in to continuing to blog but it will only be occassionally and mostly about Collin.

So stay tuned for Collin updates...

Thank you...

It is crazy to think this time last year- I was waiting to find out if I was pregnant!  

Actually, I was tell Joe that there was no way I was pregnant =0)

What a difference a year has made- especially for me. 

Yes our lives have changed but I too also have changed!

I went thru ZPL, and really have tried to continue embracing this new more relaxed me! 

That being said- I need to send out a very very big THANK YOU!

Last week I went back to work.  

I am working 2-3 days until August when Bug will start daycare at which point I will be working 3 days a week.  As I got into my car last week to drive to work I was excited.  Yes, I was leaving Collin but it was with Joe and then on Friday it was with my mom.  Over the next month and a half when I go to work I will be leaving Collin with people I love and trust and that to me makes a huge difference.  

So my first days back were not spent worrying about Collin because I knew he would be just fine. 

Instead I could dive right into patient care and dealing with unlocking all my accounts.  

I went in last Wednesday morning, with it in my head that the day was going to suck- therefore I should just go with the flow.  I basically use 3-4 different systems a day and figured all of them would be locked because I was gone so long.  I gave myself extra time to get to work, part, get to my office, unlock my computer and get up to Labor and Delivery.  To my surprise only one system would not let me in, something that took me all of two minutes to fix- seriously am I this lucky!  My day just continued to get better as seeing all faces and recieving emails from patients welcoming me back.  

Friday I was in the clinic and it was booked- but booked with patients that I had missed and seen for their other pregnancies, it was good to see them and catch up and of course show baby pictures.  

It is funny how excited my patient's were for me to be pregnant and to see pictures- I think it because we kind of share a closer bond now.  

My co-workers are amazing, especially Jen who covered for me in my absense and basically made sure that I came back to nothing!  YOU ROCK! 

They have supported me in working part time and even gave me the schedule back!

Love just jumping right back into it. 

My husband is amazing and has stepped up to the plate.

Though he has learned a little bit in his times alone with Collin- like when you use the extra outfit in the diaper bag- you need to replace it- it doesn't magically happen itself.  

He has totally made me laugh out loud a couple times at work and I know has enjoyed his one on one time with Collin.  

My parents are so supportive and I could not have asked for anything more.

They are there when we need them and also so respectful of Joe's and my wishes when it comes to Collin.  It has been so fun to see them with Collin.  

Our friends and family are crazy!  

I got so many texts last week from friends and family members just to check to see how I was doing

and wish me luck on my first week back!

And then there is this little guy-

Seriously, sometimes I do think I am the luckies girl in the world!

Thank you everyone for everything!

Changes - Part 2

Part 2 of Changes- LAUNDRY

With Collin I have realized how much more difficult it is to do laundry during the day.

I use to do laundry on my day off before Collin because it was easy to throw a load in here and there, but now it is hard with me trying to keep an eye on him and have to lug the laundry up and down.

We are only doing laundry once a week right now- 

I HATE LAUNDRY.

When I lived by myself I would only do it every 2 weeks and I did it once a week maybe every two before Collin just because Joe had so many clothes.  

But now I need to do it once a week with Collin and us.

So I put it in the hallway upstairs the night before- Joe takes it downstairs in the morning and I work during the day to get the loads done.  

At night Joe brings it up

and we fold it together after Collin goes down.  

Why- because it takes us no more than 10 minutes to fold if we are doing it together.  

Yes there are some weeks I have to fold it myself if Joe is doing homework or various other things, 

but have two sets of hands is amazing!

Then Joe bring it upstairs, we put ours away before we go to bed and I leave Collin's outside his room and I put it away the next day.  

How does life change- Part 1

While I have commented that our life on a whole has not drastically changed-
things have changed.  

More so the day to day stuff.  

So over the next couple days I am going to go over the small changes.

First up......
Dishes

Now that I have been home for extended periods of time I have changed the way I do dishes.  

I use to wash every bottle after I fed Collin and about 4 weeks ago I decided to stop doing all dishes during the day.  

I just placed everything in the sink and decided to wash them when I did dinner dishes.  

This includes any dishes I use during the day so my coffee mug, my lunch plate, etc.  

Yes this was hard at first but it saved me a lot of time- you figure 2-3 minutes a bottle at least 6 times a day so 18 + minutes but also saves a lot of water and soap.  

This way I can just wash everything together with our dinner dishes which I have to do anyways.  

I know this is totally a non Laura thing to leave all dishes in the sink but it works and saves me time during the day which is more time I can spend with Collin or doing other things I need to get done.

My many faces....

On a day that I am feeling a little down about something,

I just take a quick second to scroll thru these because

1) They sum up feelings pretty quickly

2) They just make me laugh... because he made these expression in a matter of minutes

So here is to laughter

 No I am not smiling- I am cranky and need a nap!

Maybe you also need a nap!

 Ha ha ha- 

ok maybe I will smile for you

 This is my "grandfather face" because I look exactly like my grampy when I make it

which makes mommy laugh

 I think I just passed some gas face...

Happy Monday

Family Tree

 This is a great gift idea.

I actually got one of these for my mother and my grandmother over 10 years ago- WOW- long time!

Now that we have a family of our own, I wanted one and hinted at wanting one to my mom.

So for my birthday, I was so happy to see that my hints paid off.

The Hallmark Family Tree

 I decided to put it in the entry way so we can look at it as we come and go.  

Of course Collin is in the center.

I need to get some more picture pieces to add some more pictures.  

Totally love this idea!

Cribs... take two

Collin is 3 months.

I have been waiting for this because it meant that hopes of more consistent naps schedules were on their way.  

So this last week I bit the bullet!

I want him to get use to taking his naps in his crib- 

not his car seat or swing- unless it is necessary.

I am lucky that Collin slept in his bed since the second night so I did not have to do any transition to his crib from our room.  Looking back this is one of the smartest decision we made and IF we ever have another child they will be sleeping in their crib from day one!

I had noticed in the last two weeks he has been become more consistent with his nap schedule. 

Small nap in the morning about 90 minutes after walking,

longer nap in the afternoon around 1-2 pm,

and then another small nap.  

The smaller naps last anywhere from 20-30 minutes and the longer naps 45in to 1 hr.  

So I started last thursday with having him take naps in his crib.

When he starts to get tired- ie fussy or rubbing his eyes, 

I have been taking him upstairs,

rocking him with his wubba (yes i know some people are against pacifiers but I am going to use it for at least a week or two until he is consistently taking naps in his crib) 

and singing a song to him.  

Once he start getting sleepy I put him in his crib and put his sleep sheep on.

I leave the room and so far he sleeps. 

Yes I am going back to work in a week and a half but Joe and my mom are going to be the ones watching them so my hopes are they will help me with this- he takes his naps in his crib routine.  

Once he goes to daycare in August I am hoping he will be taking more regular naps and am going to request that he takes his naps in a crib as he has a crib assigned to him.