Where to update next?

Wondering if I should try to continue updating all of the micro-blogging sites and still post here. The jury's still out, but I've noticed that the updates here are becoming fewer and farther in between.

I'm working on getting back into college to finish my Master's, and the process should be finished soon. I've already had an advising appointment, so the rest of the work is essentially a formality. But I'm working on it already, because I want make sure I'm allowed to register in July.

Besides that, I am gearing up for Shelby to come visit in July. It's going to be great, but also a challenge, because that also marks the time when Michael will be at wrestling camps full time. I'll have Shelby and Jensen by myself most of the time she's here.

Jensen is growing exponentially, and I found out today that at 20 months, he can hold his own body weight and swing like a monkey. He's so strong! It's also obvious to me that he's learning quickly. It was only a couple of weeks ago that he would get frustrated trying to put together one of his puzzles. Now we mix up the pieces to all 4 of them and he can put all of the pieces where they go in a matter of minutes.

He just got his first trike, and since it's been rainy outside, he's been practicing his riding skills around the living room. We've decided to start safety early, and he brings me his helmet throughout the day to practice putting it on and off. (It's sized for a 3 year old, btw....)

He is full of energy, and it's hard to keep up with him all day. Lots of times I resort to still napping with him. I am looking forward to having him sleep the whole night in his crib, starting at a decent hour. Right now he fights tooth and nail to stay up later, and since during the day I still can't leave him alone in a room, even for a couple of mintues, without him climbing something, it's a struggle to get time to get things done that need any true amount of focus on my part.

However, being with him is a fantastic gift, and I am so glad that I am getting to see all of these developments as they happen. It will be too soon before I am overwhelmed with trying to work and finish my classes, so I'm trying to enjoy the time with him while I'm fortunate enough to have it.

Future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades

At lunch at Applebee's in Bayside with the Termite. Isn't he cool?

Dancer Pics

Dug through some old photo boxes to find dancer pictures for facebook. (You're welcome, Jenny!) Here is a link that facebook says should allow public access:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1566336&l=60c434ea22&id=666058694

These are from the first year, but I quit scanning after an hour. Year two is probably still buried in a box somewhere.

Retroactive

More pictures, most recent first:

At Breakfast with Santa at school with the Termite

Halloween (RAWR! He's a lion!)

In Oct, on the way home from Jensen's birthday weekend upstate

At Vacation Bible School, I was the main character in the daily skit - 2008

With my Uncle Kevin at a wolf rescue event-2007

Ha! My glamour shot, going on 3 years ago (?)

At the airport, waiting for the plane back to NYC - 2006

Limbo

Tomorrow starts what may be my last week of work for this school. Possibly I won't know until Friday. They're waiting for the teacher on maternity leave to decide whether she'll be back Feb 2, or wait until Sept 09.

So, 5 days or 5 months.....we'll see soon enough.

Almost Christmas?

That's how it seems...at school we're already in rehearsals for the Christmas show and the ballroom dance finale event. I've already signed up for Secret Santa at work and breakfast with Santa for Jensen. But, I still haven't caught up from September! This is us, upstate at my Aunt's house...

And that same weekend, picking apples at a nearby farm.

This was us at Halloween, with our little lion...

My little boy is just joy and light everyday. The teachers at his school all know him, and tell me every day how great they think he is. They call him their little surfer boy, with all that brilliant blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

We are having such a great time, I just wish we could make the days slow down and enjoy them more. He's getting big so fast, and it is truly amazing to watch as he learns and grows!

Working

Things are, as always, crazy.

I went to cover a class for a friend of mine from church who works for a private school. She happened to let me know that a long-term sub position was available because of the teachers is pregnant and due almost any day.

So, I went to interview last Thursday, did the coverage for my friend Friday morning, and was offered the full-time job before I left for that afternoon.

I spend most of the weekend and all day Monday finding and securing a place for Jensen at a local daycare that I felt comfortable with and could afford on my sub salary and still have a little left over. (Okay, honestly, it's very, very little.)

However, the kids are fantastic, they have tons of supplies - every kid has a book in each subject and for some classes even have their own workbook that they can write in! It's amazing to see the comparison between this and my Brooklyn hoodlums, and the amount of resources available here. All in all, it's a pretty cushy job, and it was a good way to bring in some extra money, try going back to work for a short time to see if I'm ready, and get something to put on my resume for the time I've been out of the workforce to stay home with Jensen.

He has had a great time at "school" the last couple of days. They feed him all the time, and he's doing projects already! He's growin' up so fast!

Termite tornado

Oh, boy, this baby's fast! Jensen is officially walking, all by himself, ALL THE TIME. I don't know where this little energizer gets his fuel, but he will go and go until he simply cannot do anymore.

Everyone is back to work now-Amy's been at school for a whole week already, and today was Michael's first day back at the office, and therefore, my first day of having the termite to myself in quite some time.

Whew...and it's only noon!

He finally quit running and is down for a nap. It's a little later than usual, so I'm hoping for a longer stretch of quiet.

He is also learning today...it is important to us that he learns to communicate with the animals so he doesn't hurt them and doesn't get hurt. Today he pushed Sydney a little too far, and she hissed at him. He is a smart boy and backed off. Okay, so there were about 20 seconds of crying for being scared, but ultimately, that is a good thing. He was able to understand she had had enough, and he listened to her, so she didn't feel that she needed to go further than her warning. In a house with 5 cats, he has done really well and only gotten scratched lightly a couple of times, and even that was accidentally done in the midst of playing.

So, now everyone is calm, and the furry ones are doped up on catnip (thought I'd mellow them out for naptime) and baby's sleeping.

Hhmmm, perhaps Momma should nap, too?