Friday, February 21, 2014

Easter Seals

I am officially a working woman!  I just finished my first week back at work and it went pretty well, albeit exhausting.  I forgot how much more tiring it is to wake up even a few hours earlier each day!

Our mornings this week went fairly well- I got out of the house with everything I was supposed to (including Leah), when I wanted to, and made it to work with time to spare.  I'll chalk that up as a success.

Our evenings were a little iffy-er as my compulsiveness wanted everything completed the night before, and I wanted to shower, and I had to feed Leah, and I had to pump, and I just wanted to go to sleep at like 7:00 with Leah.  They were ultimately successful evenings, just not quite as early as I was planning.  I know it will get easier and faster and we'll just figure it out and get used to it!

My work days have been pretty good.  I don't have a computer yet and it was a kind of weird week (like there were a lot of special events this week), but I've met a lot of people and have gotten started on training stuff.  There is SO MUCH to learn.  It's different working for an organization that provides state services rather than private services- so much paper work.  It's kind of nice how systemized everything is... is that even a word?  Like at SARRC there were SO MANY systems with the intent to make things simpler, but it turned in to too many in both number and differences between each different one.  Everything is really streamlined with state services.  Other times, I feel like I am still working for SARRC, like when the new printer broke down the first day we had it ;~)

I miss SARRC, no doubt about that.  There are things I've seen this week that I want to share with SARRCies because I think it will benefit them, and there are things that I've seen that I know SARRC does better and I want to help Easter Seals improve.  Ultimately, I'm excited to figure out what the hell I'm doing on a daily basis, getting to know people, and making a difference.  It certainly is difficult being the newbie again!

Looking forward to week two!

Missed this girl all day, every day!

Last Day

Sorry for the delay on this actually getting posted...

Today was my last day... Not actually quite as dramatic as it sounds, but it is my last day before going back to work. I got lucky with an extra day home with Leah since she's off for Presidents' Day today.

My day started like this and I never, ever wanted it to end.


After some breakfast and snuggling, we headed out to the Wetlands Park which was a sort of nature discovery center. We met up with friends from a moms' group, went on a nice walk, and hung out in their museum area while the kids played. Leah's even learning what it means to be a girl as she went to hang out in the bathroom with her friend Presley :~)

We even braved the grocery store together- not my favorite thing and not as fast or easy with Leah, but I wanted all the time I could get with her!

After Brian got home and we had dinner, we started our new night routine. Everything went smoothly and we had our first work and school night bedtime snuggles!  Love my girl!


Thursday, February 20, 2014

Winning Streak (2)

Another winning streak in the Aronson home!

Johnny has been home by himself for about 10 hours each of the last three days and I came home to a clean house and happy puppy each time!  Prozac FTW!

Also, apparently it's Love Your Pet Day. Love you J-Dog, my sweet, sweet puppy! So proud of you!



Sunday, February 16, 2014

Happiest baby watching her Daddy dance during an impromptu song session. Have a great week!


Thursday, February 13, 2014

Four Months

My sweet, sweet girl is four months old!



Stats: At Leah's four month appointment she weighed 14 pounds 14 ounces (77th percentile)- not nearly as much as I thought she would weigh.  Her rate of weight gain has definitely slowed, which is typical as she reaches 4, 5, 6 months.  Her height takes after her daddy as she is 25.5 inches long- the 90th percentile!

Milestones: Leah laughs and smiles all the time.  She thinks her daddy is just hilarious!  She's hanging on to easy-to-grab toys and bringing them right to her mouth, as are her burp cloths, her hands, our hands, etc.



Watching Daddy play football- it was SO cold!

Leah loves playing with all her new friends and going hiking is one of her new favorite things to do.  She's also just starting to pay more attention to brother Johnny as she tracks him around the room!
Friends at Krispie Creme
Carrie and Gia (rhymes with Leah!)
Hanging with Cousin Lisa
Watching the Jayhawks with Mommy



I love you sweet girl!  It's been the best four months!

PS- pictures added to this post

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

First Day of School

Today was Leah's first day of school! We woke up verrrry early so that Brian could drop her off with me and not be too late to work... And to practice for our early mornings next week.
It was cold outside this morning and all other jackets were in the laundry!

Drop off went well. I cried a little bit when I handed her off, but it wasn't because I was nervous or scared. If I was crying for those reasons then this would not be the right place for Leah. I cried because I have so loved these last four months at home with my sweet baby girl. Because someone else gets to see her smile all day. Because she might roll over for someone else before she does it for me. Because it's a big step, a big change, and that's scary. 

Brian led me right out of the classroom as soon as we handed her off and we got one last glimpse as we left. I think he got a little emotional too. Leah seemed to be looking right at us as we walked away, but there were no tears (Leah's) so I was happy.

I stayed super busy all day. After coming home to pump (my life of pumping to survive has begun!), I had a dentist appointment. After that, I headed to Avigail's for craft day (why did we start this like two weeks before I go back to work?). I love, love, love the bibs and burp cloths she has made for Leah and the burp cloth made today. 
Bibs from Avigail!
Burp cloth (That's navy, not black. I would never use mizzou colors)

After crafting, I got fingerprints for work, checked out some neighborhoods before deciding if we want to look at homes in the area, mailed Leah's Valentine's Day gift to her Grandpa (check your mail, Micah!), and then went to pick her up. 

To say I was happy to see her is SUCH an understatement! She got a great report and had no problems drinking from a bottle. Pooped on her outfit though... Some things never change. 

Hanging at home after school
Sleepy girl!

We're excited for day two tomorrow!

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Friends Forever

Sometimes you meet someone and you know they will be your friend forever.

Sometimes you meet someone, go to their eighth birthday party, not be too fond of each other in the early part of middle school, bond over paddle boat rides through the canals of Galveston, and you know they will be your friend forever.  That's my Lauren!

Time zones don't keep us from talking on a fairly regular basis (although we were much better pre-children and pre-moving to Las Vegas), but they do keep us from seeing each other.  I was so happy when Lauren told me that she had a meeting scheduled in Las Vegas and she wanted to come visit with her family.  Brian and I went to Atlanta when Hannah was only six weeks old and now she is almost two!  Time flies and our families sure have changed, but it was like we had never left each other.

Having a 22 month old here was a wonderful glimpse into my future.  We were laid back when it came to scheduling and activities, and had a fun time hanging out at home.  I loved seeing Leah's toys actually being used (although I know it won't be long until she starts playing with them) and Hannah loved Baby (and her hat and shoes)!

We spent some time at the park.


We spent some time on the strip.  It was exhausting.


We spent some time at the Hoover Dam.


But mostly we spent a lot of time together and I loved every minute of it.  It is fun to think that our girls will actually be able to play together next time they see each other next.  It stinks saying goodbye, especially when I know it may be a few years until I see my best friend again, but we will be in touch as always.


Lauren, I miss you so much!  I am so thankful and happy that you and Bryan and Hannah came to visit.  We will see each other soon!

Winning Streak

"OK, we won a game yesterday. If we win today, it's called 'two in a row'. And if we win again tomorrow, it's called a 'winning streak'... It has happened before!" -Major League II

We have a winning streak!  Leah has slept through the night three nights in a row!!  That's 7pm until 7am.  Her naps still stink, but I'll take it!

Time for mesh bumpers?

Monday, February 3, 2014

Books

So thankful for this journal. Whenever I finish a book I write a little blurb about the plot and whether or not I liked it. With Mommy brain, I could pick up a book tomorrow that I finished yesterday and I might not know it!


Someone once suggested using an address book instead... Maybe a good idea, but it's also fun to see how many books I've read from a certain date. Three down in 2014, only 12 more to go to reach my goal. I'm starting work soon so I hope I can meet it!

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Super Bowl... Super Tied



So Week 3 of the NFL season rolls around... the Texans had already won their last game of the season, Peyton Manning was on his way to breaking offensive records, Jay Cutler was still playing, and Brian and I were missing fantasy football.  We decided to do our own survivor pool.  With the stakes not yet set, we made our Week 3 picks.  By Monday night, Brian was out of the survivor pool.

Ok, so not the best idea (at least not for Brian).  For Week 4, Brian put together a pick'em "league" on yahoo that just he and I were a part of.  We went head-to-head every week, each picking the team we thought would win every game.  For 14 weeks we picked regular season games (sure, Brian forgot to make picks every once in a while) and after four more weeks of postseason picks... we were tied!!  Pretty crazy- an entire season and we picked the SAME number of games correctly.

So tonight rolls around (we both picked the same team to win, so it didn't matter that we were both wrong anyways) and we decided to use a prop bet as the tie breaker.  Which team will score first? (Seattle).  Will there be a safety? (Yes).  Which team will call a time out first? (Neither- and it didn't matter that Seattle used the first challenge because we both picked Denver anyways).  Will the first challenge stand or be overturned? (Stand)... and on and on.  At the end of the game, we counted up our correct answers and we were tied again!!

Our two person fantasy season wasn't meant to be.  But since we both won, I will be getting my pedicure- foot massage included- from my foot-hating husband :~)

Ready for next season!
Even though I still think I won because I won the survivor pool.  Hmph.

Baby Scientist

A couple of months ago someone from the UNLV Auditory Cognition and Development Lab came to speak (aka recruit) at one of our Mommy Mixers.



The lady gave us a few examples of studies they have done and asked for some information if we were interested in participating in upcoming studies.  I thought it was pretty interesting, so even though Leah didn't yet qualify (you had to be three months and she was much younger at the time), I gave them our information... and sure enough as soon as she turned three months they called!

We successfully navigated campus and the building (finding the room in the building was in fact harder than finding the building itself), signed consent forms, and went to get studied.

Leah sat on my lap and they did the whole study on a screen in front of us.  I had to wear headphones with classical music playing so that what she heard was distorted and I wouldn't inadvertently bias her responses (even though I had no idea what they were looking for).  She told me a little bit about the study when we were finished, but I don't know if I'm at liberty to share it.  Leah did really well and I'd be more than happy to participate in other studies that she qualifies for!





Groundhog Day

One year ago today I found out I was pregnant.  Let's hope the recurrence of Groundhog Day doesn't touch this one!