Job Search Update #2

Well, after two weeks of interviews, I have accepted a job with Easter Seals Nevada.  Easter Seals is a national non-profit organization that assists people with disabilities.  My job as a developmental specialist (as I understand it now) in the early intervention program (ages 0-3) is a combination of support coordinator and parent trainer.  I will have a case load and will visit those families addressing IFSP goals with the families.  In addition, I will coordinate with the other therapists to ensure goals are being met, troubleshooted (is that a word?), and changed appropriately.  I will spend a lot of time in contact with the other people on the case, and help the families with transitioning out of the EI program and into the school districts.  I am sure that my understanding of the position will evolve once I start.

I have mixed emotions about this.  As for the job itself, I am really excited.  It's close enough to what I was doing before, and uses many of the same skills I learned at SARRC, to go in with confidence both about my performance as well as liking the job.  At the same time, it is different enough for me to learn new skills, new state processes, and discover if it's something I really enjoy doing.  I really liked both supervisors I spoke with during interviews, and know a co-worker from the book club I am in.
I am thrilled to be working again.  Financially, it will allow our family to do more, see more, have more.  Mentally, it will allow me to speak with people older than 3 months old during the day, and continue to grow in a field I have come to love.
It does mean, however, that Leah will be attending daycare during the day.  Brian and I did the leg work for this (thank goodness) during July and August, as we knew the day would come when I would return to work.  We found the Green Valley Christian School and enrolled Leah there yesterday (pretty much within an hour after I accepted the job- I was so scared the spot would just disappear!).  I'm very pleased with all my interactions with the staff, with the classrooms, location, etc.  It's just that my baby will be with someone else all day... It will be good for both of us, and I'm sure much harder on me than on her.  And of course today she started this "I only want my mommy" cry when someone else was holding her.  Thanks for making this easier, kid.

I'll update you again once I start (February 18th).  For now, we celebrate and Leah and I enjoy our last few weeks at home together!

Last night at SmashBurger to celebrate

Brian and Leah brought me the Special Plate!

I will so miss moments like this one

My goofy, smiley baby

Prozac Puppy

Well I have pretty much failed the Johnny challenge I set for myself.  It's truly a lesson in motivation and reinforcement- I cannot earn points for cool things from dog trainer Leah, so I haven't done it.  However, I DO have Johnny pictures and a Johnny update.

After an hour and a half wait at Johnny's new doctor's office (seriously!? I don't wait that long at the pediatrician!), I met with the vet about medicating Johnny.  With the possibility of me going back to work in the next few weeks, we need to try something new with this guy.  He's cute, he's funny, and he's (still) a mess.  The house we are in now does not allow for us to block off any area for Johnny when we're gone, so he pretty much has full reign and therefore many more opportunities to wreak havoc when we're gone.  So what does this mean?  Johnny started taking Prozac.

Waiting at the Vet

It's been a bit of a mess so far- we got capsules instead of tablets as they were significantly cheaper, but much more difficult to split in half so that Johnny can get the correct dose.  But he's been on the meds for three days now and they are definitely wiping him out.  No difference yet in the anxious whiny bark he has all day every day, but we did go out to dinner last night and came back to a clean house.  Not yet prepared to attribute it to the medicine (and no, I did not take baseline data although I did think about it), but who cares!  I'll take a non-destroyed house any day.

(Appropriately) Snuggled with his Tizzi

Watching Leah

On our way to Red Rock Canyon

Umm, whose bed is this?

Night One with Prozac

My Doll

Fremont Adventure

Today we headed to the new Container Park with Zach and Alana. I'd been wanting to go, and it seemed like the perfect thing to do on this beautiful day. Leah didn't think so until after she ate. 

After lunch we walked down Fremont Street and-lucky us- ran right into the MLK parade. It was so entertaining although not exactly the best parade I've seen. The drumline was so loud and so fun!

It was so good seeing and spending time with Zach and Alana (come see us again soon)! We had fun with you guys!

100 Days

Today is a VERY SPECIAL DAY!! How special is it? It is SO SPECIAL because Leah is 100 days old today and it's Sara's birthday!

Job Search Update

Just had interview four of four over the past week and man... I did not miss this process!

Denied job one which is ok because I'm pretty sure I was not smart enough for them and they were cold anyway. I never actually interviewed- just took some tests- and I'm pretty sure I failed. 

Jobs two through four were all similar positions at various agencies- as a developmental specialist/ support coordinator. Mostly intriguing although I liked some of my potential supervisors much better than others. Hopefully I'll hear back from them soon. 

Many more applications and resumes have been sent, so we will see what happens. 

Mostly I am just incredibly thankful for Avigail, Shana, and Leanne for watching Leah during my interviews. Thank you times a million and I hope I can help you out with your kids sometime in the future!

Three Months

My sweet baby is three months (and, contrary to popular belief, 13 weeks- not 12)!

Stats: This is an off month for a doctors visit, but I'd guess Leah is close to 14 pounds and 24 inches. She is definitely growing- it seems like the clothes she wore yesterday won't fit her tomorrow!

Milestones: Not yet sleeping through the night, but is down to only six feedings and wakes up once between 3 and 4 am. She shows a lot more interest in her toys by batting and grabbing them- I think the hanging monkey and elephant are her favorites!

Leah is making lots of new friends both in and outside of Las Vegas. Her favorite new friends are Sara and Mark, hands down!

She's been on her first trip to the Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, and to Thomas & Mack for a UNLV basketball game.

Leah was given her Hebrew name during her baby naming in Phoenix and met a lot of new friends during that trip too.

I am so looking forward to what the next three months will bring as Leah wraps up the "fourth trimester" and wakes up even more to the world around her. Happy three months, baby girl!

Johnny Challenge Week 1

So last Wednesday (it took me a while to get the video working and post this, sorry) I got a happy New Years email from dog trainer Leah (as opposed to baby Leah) detailing all the new classes the Dog House Training Academy is going to have this year. I'm slightly disappointed dog trainer Leah didn't move to Las Vegas with us because for $99 a class (either 6 or 8 weeks) Johnny got a good physical and mental workout for an hour a week and we were held accountable for practicing the new skills. There are so many of the current classes I wish we could sign up for!

Dog trainer Leah also presented a challenge for her students: each week she will post a new skill and the owners are to take pictures or videos of their dog completing this challenge. Each video or picture is worth some points which can be exchanged for some pretty cool things. Unfortunately the rules specifically exclude non-Arizona residents which is a bummer, but Johnny and I decided we're up for #dhta #52weeks challenge anyways. 

So in an effort to make this blog a little bit more about its namesake, I present weekly challenge number one: "down stay make a circle around your dog while holding eye contact"

PS- I'm sure I've said this before in previous posts, but we would highly recommend dog trainer Leah to anyone in Phoenix looking for obedience training (or other types of dog training).  You can find more information here or here.

I straight up cannot get enough of her right now (or ever)...

Oh, hello Johnny!

Shabbat Shalom

12 Weeks

Today Leah is 12 weeks old which means if we were still in Phoenix my beloved maternity leave would be over and I'd be going back to work at SARRC.  I cannot even imagine that happening right now. 

Today is also the first day since we moved here that I really wish we were still in Phoenix. You see, as undesirable as going back to work sounds, it has to happen.  And going back to SARRC is a million times more appealing than looking for a new job.

2014

Well, the new year hasn't started exactly as planned... I have been feeling totally crappy the last two days- so crappy that last night we left the party I had been so excited about early, and watched fireworks on The Strip from my couch before passing out at 12:01.  This is the second year in a row I have been sick on new year's eve!

View of The Strip from where I was hoping to see fireworks

Baby New Year!

But I'll start feeling better soon and 2014 is going to be a great year!  I am beyond excited to see Leah grow and learn.  The "fourth trimester" is quickly coming to an end, and I just know she is going to grow up so quickly from here on out.  She got a tummy time mat from her Grandpop for Chanukah and she's already showing off her neck strength!

We already have visitors, trips, and bachelorette parties scheduled for the first three months of the year, and a wedding I am soooo looking forward to in July.  We are in the process of looking for a house to buy, so fingers crossed that goes well.  We've discovered Red Rock Canyon and I hope to spend some quality weekend time hiking there.  Maybe Johnny will even grow up and calm down this year because I certainly cannot buy a new couch until he does and that is on my list for 2014!  Leah has so many friends waiting to be born in Las Vegas and in other places... the list goes on and on.

2013's going to be hard to beat, but I know it can happen!  Happy new year everyone!