Santa Visit

Gabbi had her first visit with Santa and she was just enthralled with him. She couldnt stop staring at him. The snapshot that was taken caught her looking at the camera as we called her name. We never got a smile out of her because she was too busy examining Santa's face. She turned 9months this week too. Her walking steps are occuring more frequently so maybe she will start walking while we are in Texas, who knows. But I can say this is a very special christmas for me because of the blessing of my daughter.

Wow, first steps already!

Gabbie took her 1st couple of steps today! I am so amazed just how fast she is doing things. My thought is she will be walking on her own in the next 7 - 10 days. She is growing up and she's not even 9 months yet! How will I feel when she goes off to school, enters middle schools, goes off to college, gets married....ugh!

What a week!

It was such an interesting week. The weather was soooooo COLD. Gabbi had on layers and her gloves. She seems to be taking all her firsts in stride...snow, cold and sleet. I have one week left of school and it cant get here soon enough. I am ready for the break and I am very excited to be going home so that my family can meet Gabbi. It should be very fun.

Teeth are here!

We have been pretty lucky with Gabbi's teething. She has only had 1 night where she was cranky with her teething. She now has two teeth!

School picture

Gabbi took her school picture at daycare. I know I am her mom but she's just so darn cute.

Church Sunday

Gabbi is off to church this morning. I am always tickled by the baby outfits you can buy that really are mini versions of adult fashion. She easily outdressed me today.

Happy Thanksgiving

Gabbi experienced her 1st Thanksgiving and she did very well. Although she didn't care for mashed potatoes, she loved being with family. Being the baby in the bunch, brings lots of extra love and attention. Even though we missed spending time with my family, we had a very nice Thanksgiving. And, we look forward to spending Christmas in Texas.

Gettin Ready for Christmas

Today I started going through all the Christmas stuff and found Gabbi's 1st santa hat. Of course, I just had to try it on. The holidays are upon us and I am very excited to experience them with her.

Signs of a Tooth

Teething is officially here. Gabbi has an edge of her 1st tooth breaking through her gum line. So far, she has been pretty inaffected. But who know how she will feel once the entire tooth makes it through the gum line. Fun, fun, I can hardly wait!

Lordy Lordy Look Whose 40!

Today was a busy nonstop day at school full of things I do not enjoy dealing with. Through it all I kept thinking," today is my birthday....I deserve a stress free day." Well of course that did not happen and it was so busy I did not eat all day. The highlight of my 40th birthday was eating a chocolate cupcake in one hand and rocking my daughter to sleep in the other at
8:30pm. As I ate my cupcake and stared at her, I remanisced on how my life has just flown by....Wow, I am actually 40 years old! When I was in high school, I had my whole life planned out, married by 25, 3 kids, a house and a dog...That is hilarious because my life is nothing like that....Nope, I am 40 with an 8month old and 2 cats, lol! And even more I don't think I would change a single thing in my journey...It's been an interesting ride and I look forward to more years watching my daughter grow up and one day I hope to see her turn 40!

Found in the darndest places

This whole mom thing is new to me and now that Gabbi is crawling everywhere, I realize I have to be on my toes at all times. This morning as I was brushing my teeth, I looked down and she had pulled herself up on the toilet bowl and had her hand inside of it, playing in the water....UGH!!!! Now the lid stays down at all times.
Later as I was cooking breakfast I noticed it was a little too quiet...well Miss Gabbie was helping herself to the cat food! Anthoney and Sam just had these looks like, "do something shes eating our food!" Oh my goodness, part of me wanted to laugh and the other part was in a panic, "my baby was eating cat food!"
She survived and was annoyed that I pulled her away from her new found dish. What a day, and that was just the first couple of hours :)

Flower-rama!

Gabbi's paternal grandmother bought her this obnoxiously cute flower headband, and of course we had to wear it!

What a Bite

Unfortunately for Gabbi, she experienced what it feels like to be bitten. At daycare, another little toddler bit her hand. Needless to say Gabbi was not a happy camper. Although I never thought that this would happen, I am glad that the daycare provider takes these matters very seriously. She let me know the incident happened and will be meeting with the toddlers parents and filling out a report...wow! We are very thankful to have found a childcare provider that genuinely cares for the children she watches.

Another milestone

Today we went to store and we went in without the baby carrier. Aniyah weighs 19 pounds now and she and the carrier are a little on the heavy side. So today we were brave and went in without it. She sat in the basket all big girl like; wow, she really is growing so fast!

Tough Day

This year I have been placed in charge of an alternative program which currently has 41 students. My hours are later and my workload has doubled but I have enjoyed getting to know these kids. But I find myself struggling with the severity of some of the problems some of these students have. Today I lost a student who is moving because quite frankly it is not safe to stay here. It seems now that I am a mom, the pain and worry of a parent is so very very real to me. And the pain of this student's mother brought me to tears. He was really doing well but unfortunately his past doings have put him in danger. His mom is not willing to risk losing her son and I understand that. I worry alot about all my kids and that is literally how I view them, as my kids. I wish I could do something to help them and at times I feel totally helpless and that frustrates me. Today was a day I wish I had not become an educator not because I dislike my job but because sometimes it just hurts too much.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

PUMPKIN PATCH DAY

The pumpkin patch day and Halloween party went well. Gabbi had a great time. I am going to have to get used to all this party stuff. I was never a trick or treating kind of kid, and I didnt like dressing up so I am trying to make sure I dont' pass on my hang ups to her. With my luck, Halloween will be her favorite holiday!

19 pounds!

Gabbi is finally over her cold and seems back to her old self without the snot;0)
She was weighed recently and she has hit the 19 pound mark; she's just growing! The learning progression is so amazing. She is just moving and climbing and totally intrigued with everything that is new to her. But of course everything new has to be tasted....ugh why does everything have to go in the mouth!
The next couple of days will be busy for her; it's pumpkin patch day at daycare, on thursday my high school has a trick or treat night for kids so we will attend that and on friday, its costume day at day care....oh so much fun......

Naval Ball

Last night we attended the JROTC Naval Ball. I am the department chair at school and this is a function I always look forward to. The kids look awesome. They are in uniform and formals and its just nice to see the kids in a different setting. Gabbi, of course, was very inquisitive and was busy looking at everyone and everything. One of our English department chairs came over and asked to hold Gabbi. It seems she was the big hit of the night! We didnt stay long but I was glad the kids were able to see me not just as an assistant principal but a mom and a supporter of them and their program.

MedCheck!

We had to make a trip to Medcheck today because Gabbi is not feeling well at all. Unfortunately, I passed my germs on to my daughter and I feel so bad. Her temp got up to 101 so off to Medcheck we went. The doctor actually did not prescribe anything for her. He said it would run its course and Tylenol would be enough to help her feel better. So tonight Gabbi and I took are medicine and off to bed we go. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

7 months today

Gabbi turned 7 months today; the time has just flown by. Unfortunately, we are both sick! I have been down since Wed. and tried really hard to keep her from getting sick but today she woke up with a stuffy nose and slight fever. We will spend the rest of the weekend trying to get healthy. Fall break cant get here soon enough!

Splish Splash!

With Gabbi's growing personality, it is funny to see what makes her laugh. I am realizing that she really likes to take baths; she likes playing in the water. Tonight she thought that me pouring water all over her to get the soap off was the funniest thing. As soon as she saw the pink cup headed her way, she would get all excited and start giggling. I am so thankful for the simplest things. Who thought bathing a child could be so much fun:) Its too bad we all grow up and forget just how fun the most simplest tasks can be.

Party! Party!

Today was a busy day for Gabbi. She was invited to a birthday party so off to Monkey Joe's we went. Of course all of the play areas were too big for her but she tried! Although she couldnt actualy jump around, she did have alot of fun. We ended our day at a sectional soccer match. It didnt end well but it was good seeing old friends and having them meet Gabbi for the first time.

Who will she be?

We made it through another week and Gabbi just seems to be growing so fast. She now looks in her toy box and pulls things out she wants to play with. You forget how smart babies really are and it is really cool watching them go through the learning process.I am blessed that she really is a good baby. She doesnt complain much at all. Her personality is truly a mix of her dad and me. She loves to laugh and has a sense of humor (thats her dad) but she also lets you know when she's not happy with something or someone; she can have an attitude.....well that's me:) Hopefully she will keep both. I love the fact that she is just a happy baby; too much attitude can get you in trouble; I ought to know. I look at her and wonder who she will be in this world but for now, I truly enjoy every moment I have watching her grow.

Supportin the team

Today we headed out to support the volleyball team as they played in the tournament semi-finals. Gabbi had her "little devil" sweatshirt and was happy to be at the match.
The match started out a little slow with the girls being down 2 games but they rallied back and won the next 2. Unfortunately, they lost the 5th game. But it was good to see the fight in them. Hopefully this will help them prepare for sectionals.
It was funny watching and thinking about the changes I would have made....the coach in me came out and I have to admit I miss that part of me. So much of my life, if not all, is work and being a mom....that part of me, the competitor, the teacher through athletics needs to find a way to come out. Who knows how that will happen, maybe I will coach Gabbi one day:)

Wow, she's just growing

I am just amazed at all the things Gabbi is learning to do. This weekend, she stood up in her bed! I am so glad we lowered her bed last week. She is just so curious about everything. She will crawl through, over and under anything she can fit her body into. This weekend we also transitioned to baths with her sitting up. She is really strong. At times, watching her is all so surreal. It really is going by so fast....and I try every day to slow it down but she is not having it.

Reaching Out

It has been a tough week at school but Gabbi always has a way of making her mom feel better. Today, when I arrived at the sitter, she was being held by her when I entered. For the first time, she reached out for me! Her actions totally made my week; the girl recognizes her mom....that was pretty cool. I underestimated the amount of guilt that I feel daily for the amount of time I spend away from her. I often worry that she will think the sitter is actually her mother! But today, Gabbi gave her insecure mom a little slice of heaven and I am thankful.

Camera Friendly

Gabbi got her 6month pictures taken, and she just loves the camera. She is definitely not shy, which scares the heck out of me. And this weekend, she threw her first tantrum! Now where she learned how to do this I dont know but I just stared at her totally amazed she knew how to do it. Once I snapped back into reality, she and I had a chat about not having anymore of those.....yeah right!!

Checkup

Gabbi had her 6 month checkup and she weighed in at 18lbs and is 26 inches long. She's just a growin:) Unfortunately, she also got 5 shots! She was soooo not happy. We decided to give her the flu shot too just to try and keep her as healthy as possible. She's been pretty lucky the first 6 months of her life and has not gotten sick. I am knocking on wood right now. Even though she got quite a few shots, she didnt get a fever and she took her 6 months pictures without having a "tude"
Today we sported our Texas Tech outfits in support of the big UT - Tech game. You can never be too young to be a Raider fan. Go Tech!

6 months

Gabbi turned 6 months today. Time seems to be going by so quickly and she's growing so fast. She is definitely a curious baby. She crawls all over the place, checking things out. Tomorrow she has her 6 month checkup and 4 shots...YUCK! I look forward to finding out how much she has grown since our last visit...should be interesting.

Who could resist this face?

This morning we were up early to take part in the Jason Baker Memorial Walk/Run. Many years ago, one of my students"Gabbi" lost her older brother in the line of duty. At the time she was 12 years old and it was pretty traumatic. As the years passed, I was her teacher but we became good friends. Through high school, she always came back to help me out. Now she is 21, and is "Tinker Bell" at DisneyWorld! She has always had dreams of acting etc and now she is. It was a big surprise to her to see me but also because she did not know I was expecting. So this morning, Gabbi, my student, met Gabbi, my daughter; it was pretty cool!
After the walk, Gabbi got dressed and went to church with her dad and grandparets; Hence, who could resist this face? Nothing like being excited about going to church:)

She's crawling!

It's official, Gabbi is crawling!! She had been dragging herself around the last couple of weeks but this weekend she figured it out and got on all fours and began crawling. Wow, it is amazing to me to watch this little girl figure her way through this big world. What a joy!

What a Week!

This week has proven to be one of the most difficult in my educational career. As an educator you never think that you may ever lose a student. This week reminded me that you should never take a day for granted; life can be taken away in an instant no matter how old or young you are. God has his plans and whether we agree or not, the plan always moves forward. The understanding may come now or later but it always comes, and with it comes healing, too.
On a positive note, I was able to watch my former volleyball team play. The girls were very excited to see me and Gabbi and I was thrilled to see them. Seeing them made me realize just how much I miss them and my good friend, Beth. We spent alot of years together and I miss that time, with her and the girls. But the girls are just fine....and so am I. Time goes on and priorities definitely change. Although I love and miss those girls, I am happy with where I am. And unfortunately for them, my new school beat them in 4! Darn it!
Its friday and this 3 day weekend is over due! Gabbi had a ball at the volleyball match but she was overstimulated and she's been trying to catch up ever since. Hopefully we can get some rest this weekend! we deserve it:)

Such a cutie!

The Chicago trip went very well. The weather could have been better but other than that all was good. I found the cutest hat in Nordstrom's for Gabbi. It was a little windy so I didnt want to risk her getting sick. Once I put it on her, I just kept thinking, "you're so stinkin cute!!!" The flower on her hat is bigger than her head:) The hat was quite the hit with all who saw her.

Friday Already

The week flew by! It is amazing how much there is to do and so little time to do it. I actually left work a little early today. We are headed to Chicago for the weekend to "feel" like we are on a mini vacation:) Hopefully it will be nice weather and we can relax a little bit from the hustle and bustle of life!

Dissertation Blues

Although I passed my doctorate comprehensive exams in June, I have yet to begin on my brief. Heck, I dont even know what I want to research. Right now I am just so busy and tired, the thought of working on this thing doesnt even cross my mind. Of course today I thought about it because I was cleaning and found a sample dissertation over principal leadership effectiveness. With time passing quickly, I've decided to have a brief completed by Dec. Surely I can make that....?There was a time I thought I would have this thing finished in a year, that is hilarious to me now. It's been a year and I haven't even started! I know I will get it finished...when...well that is the question!

5 months and counting

Gabbi turned 5 months this week. Wow, 5 months already. She is growing so fast. She can crawl backwards but hasn't quite figured out how to go forward:)
On Thursday night, we went to our first volleyball match. She was very interested in her surroundings. I dont know how much of the match she actually watched but she seemed to enjoy herself.

Hell of a Week!

Oh my gosh, I was so tired yesterday. I was very grateful to have made it through the first week of school. I worked over 36 hours in 3 days! I fear what the rest of the school year will be like. This next week I am going to go to work at 8:15 or so and will work until 6:30. I hate the schedule but there's nothing I can do about it now. At least the first week of school is over with and I am not having to pull 12 hour shifts. My stress level was ridiculous!
On a positive note, I enrolled 8 new students in the alternative program I supervise to replace the 13 that didnt show up. I hope to get another 5 to 10 students in by next Friday.
In the meantime, Gabbi seems to be taking it all in stride. She's spending alot of time with her dad and grandparents and I am very thankful for that.
So the weekend is here and we will spend this time hanging out. I feel extremely guilty for missing out on so much time with her. She's growing so fast and I don't want to miss a thing. Having a child makes you re-evaluate everything you thought was important in your life and you realize what was a big deal is really not at all.

They're Back!

Today was the first day of school and we had the usual bumps in the road. BUT we made it through the first day! I worked
6:30 to 6:30 since I am responsible for an alternative program this year. I think it sucks but what's a girl to do. On a positive note, I hired two teachers for this program and they are awesome! They care alot about kids. So even though I am dead tired, Gabbi and I have hung out for a couple of hours and now I need to get some work done before I head to bed in order to do it all over again tomorrow.

Struggle

The last 3 days have been difficult and I have struggled with the basic ins and outs of the day. On Wed, I had a long day working until 7:00pm because of student registration. Thankfully, Gabbi was picked up by her grandparents but by the time we drove home, she was asleep for the night. I was so disappointed. I think I spent a whopping 20 minutes with my daughter before she crashed. On Thursday, Gabbi was with her grandparents again. I worked until 5:30 and although I got to pick Gabbi up sooner, I was still bummed and tired. On Friday, I was back at work early and was swamped with work. I had a bag of M&M's the whole day. I am trying to lose weight but I was trying to do it the right way:) At 3:45 I went and picked Gabbi up and went back to work. She and I worked untiil after 5:00 before we headed home. After she went to bed at 7:45, I completed the work I brought home. We have a new system at work and there were errors I had to correct. It took 3 hrs! I am not looking forward to this year; I miss my daughter and we live in the same house:(

What a Picture

This picture of Gabbi is one of my favorites. It seems she loves the camera. Her grandfather is always taking pictures of her so she's become quite comfortable with the camera.

Mom and Me

The sitter took our picture on Friday and I am so pleased with the images.
My little Gabbi is just growing so fast!

Ears are Pierced!

Today was a big day, we got our ears pierced. Well, Gabbi got her ears pierced:) The hardest part was actually marking her earlobes. She moves ALOT! We went to a place that had two people so they could do both ears at the same time. Once it was done, she did not cry much at all. She did such a great job!

Summer Blues

This week seems to be flying by and I really want it to slow down. I am off on Friday and this weekend will be the last weekend Gabbi and I have before I officially go back to school. Next week I actually have a day where I am working 7am to 7pm! Thinking about it makes me want to cry; being away from my daughter is more difficult than I could have ever imagined. This will definitely be a challenging year that I am not looking forward to. I never imagined myself as the "mushy" mom but I really am that, if I could win the lottery and stay home with her, I would! I find it so gratifying just to be "Gabbi's mom."
So keep us in your prayers as we begin a new challenge.

Carrots Anyone?

Today we added carrots to our menu and Gabbi seems to love them. Hopefully we will make it through 3 days without any issues.

What a Bow

My mother, grandmother and aunt have been here the last couple of days visiting. We have been very busy and enjoying the time together. We actually went to Chicago Sunday and Monday and Gabbi did quite well with the trip and stay. We had a doctor's appt yesterday where she got 4 shots; she was a trooper. And the good news is we dont go back until Sept! My aunt has had fun getting her dressed and doing her hair; too cute!

Baby Contest

The Fox 59 Baby Contest is on again. It took them about a week to get the site back up and running again after it crashed with so many hits. Below is the link to Aniyah's page. It can be copied and pasted into the address bar. This link takes you directly to her picture. The contest ends August 4 so be sure to vote!

http://beautifulbabies.trb.com/wxin/babies_home_gallery,0,4359108,permalink.ugcphotogallery?u=magjh

Bilingual Education

Tonight Gabbi and I have added an event into our bedtime routine. She has been used to the 3 "B"'s (bottle, bath, bed) and this has worked very well. But I am adamant that my daughter know, understand and appreciate her Hispanic heritage. And I definitely want her to speak Spanish so tonight we added another B to our routine, a "bedtime story." I have found some great bilingual story books that are large and colorful, full of short stories that read in English followed by a Spanish translation. Our first book tonight was titled, "My Mom is Great, Mi mama es estupenda" Of course, I picked that one out:) I hope she is soaking this all in and one day she and I will communicate effectively in Spanish.

Texas Tech bound

Aniyah is big enough now to fit into her first Texas Tech outfit. Who knows what the future holds for her. Although I have my own hopes and dreams for her, I want her to be the best person she can be, doing something she loves to do.

Cereal Day

Today Aniyah started eating cereal. She took to it like she had eaten from a spoon before. It was fun to watch. I look forward to introducing new food to her as she gets older. We are also practicing our "sitting up" and that is coming along, too. I know I have said it many times before, I cant believe just how fast she is growing.

System overload

The baby contest began today and there were so many entries and so many trying to vote on the first day that the server crashed! When they get it back up and running, I will post on the blog so you can vote.

Happy 4th !

The 4th of July has always been a special day in our family; its my grandfather's bday. Since he has passed away, the 4th has not been the same. Today I have spent thinking about all the things I did as a kid with my grandpa on the 4th. And today I spent time telling Aniyah all about him. I miss him everyday but today I know he is having his own special 4th of July in a place full of peace and tranquility. Although I wish he were here with us, he is free of such a painful disease that discriminates against no one.

Cutest Baby Contest

Aniyah has been entered into Fox 59 Cutest Baby Contest. Please go to the link below and vote for her beginning Monday, July 6.

http://beautifulbabies.trb.com/wxin/babies_home_gallery,0,4359108,permalink.ugcphotogallery?u=magjh

Meal Time

Gabbi keeps making progress. She is just a rollover queen! I have not gotten alot of sleep the last couple of nights; I'm just so paranoid she's going to suffocate or something. Somehow she ends up sleeping on her stomach and it drives me nuts. I have captured her bottle holding; she loves to eat.

Little Mile Markers

This weekend Aniyah is now holding her bottle and she can roll over! Wow, the baby is growing so fast.I am so excited to see her growth and development; it is awesome. We also put her high chair together so she can start practicing sitting in it. I plan on starting her on cereal the week of the 18th. She really is growing so fast!

In the end, we are all the same

Last night we were all bombarded with the news coverage of the death of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. One was expected and one was a total shock. As I reflected back to being a kid, I laughed at myself as I too was influenced by both of these people. In elementary school, I was desperate to have "Farrah Fawcett" hair. I worked really hard to get that feathered look. I remember being so jealous of Emily in the fourth grade, she had the perfect feathered look:)
As for Michael, well who could forget the premier of the video Thriller. Now growing up in a small town, the fact that we were getting MTV was a miracle so the video premier was huge. We talked about it for days and we all planned and watched the big event. As a kid, I was a big fan. To this day, I have his #1 songs album on my IPOD.
But as I went to sleep, my thoughts were with the kids these two have left behind, how difficult it will be to continue on without your mom or your dad, no matter how old they are.
In the end, although they were Mega Superstars, we are all the same in God's eyes and we start and will end our lives in the same way. Race, ethnicity or money will not change that! there struggles are over now and I hope they are resting peacefully.

Birthday Party

This week one of Aniyah's fellow daycare buddies turned 1 so they had a birthday celebration. The sitter does such a great job of capturing the events in some pretty awesome pictures. The pictures we received showed Aniyah having a great time. It was no wonder she had a hard time going to bed that night. She had such an exciting day!

3 month checkup

At Gabbi's 3 month check up, she weighed in at 14lbs 8 ozs and is 24 inches long. Wow! she gained 2lbs and grew 2 inches in a month. We were lucky and did not have to get any shots. But the doctor did remind us that next month she will be getting 4! UGH! So it seems she is coming along quite well; thank God.
The other good news is my mom, grandmother and aunt are going to be visiting in July. I am very excite to have them here. It will be great to have them spend time with Gabbi.

Thank God!

It is official, I have passed all three parts of the doctorate comp exam. Thank God for putting this feat behind me. I felt pretty good when I left but I felt that way the last time and I failed. But, i was contacted a couple of hours later and told the good news. I am definitely relieved and ready to get going on my dissertation topic, if I only knew what that was. This weekend I am going to spend time narrowing down my choices and putting a plan together to get my brief completed. My hope is to shoot to finish by next August, but you never know what the Lord has planned. For now, I will celebrate this accomplishment:)

Second Attempt

Well here I am again, preparing to take my doctorate comprehensive exam tomorrow. Since I have attempted and failed once, I am actually not nervous about tomorrow. At least I know what to expect and I am not 9 months pregnant and cranky:) My test begins at 10am so say a prayer for me tonight or tomorrow morning that I can get through the process and do my best.In my mind, whats the worst that could happen, I fail? That's already happened so it can only get better!

3 months today!

Today Aniyah is 3 months and we headed to the photographer. She took some really great pictures. I am actually going to enter her into Fox 59 Cutest Baby Contest. If nothing else, she's my cutest baby:) when I get the information I will send it out to all so you can vote for her. I have included one of the pictures she took today. Her fat little cheeks and "rolls" on her stomach and arms are too cute!

Sunday Best

As we were getting ready for church today, I just had to snap a quick picture. Hopefully she will always enjoy going to church, even when she's a teenager and would rather sleep til noon!

Just Growing

Aniyah continues to amaze me with her growth. This morning I got up and her leg was hanging through her bed bars! She can also keep her head up pretty good as well as follow objects or people. I think when we go to the doctor in two weeks she will be 15 pounds. We are up to 6 ounces per feeding. The girl likes to eat:) One of my favorite things is her smile. It just melts my heart!

Movin and Shakin

Aniyah is quite the little mover. She looks like she is ready to crawl if she could just prop her body up. Her upper body and neck are pretty strong and she likes to look around and be nosey. This morning when I got up her arm was dangling out of her bed. She moves so much in her sleep; it is amazing. I am off today and tomorrow so I am looking forward to doing alot of nothing with my daughter.

We Made It

So Sunday morning we woke up at 5am and Aniyah ate then we headed to the track arriving at 6am to start our walk. By the time we got there, she was already asleep. It was a nice morning so the 2 hour walk was pretty peaceful. We walked a total of 8 miles so we averaged 15minutes a mile. We won't be winning any races any time soon:) Aniyah slept through the whole thing! I was glad we were able to participate in the event and plan to do it next year.

Relay for Life

Today Aniyah and I will be participating in the Relay for Life walk. Our building has a Math teacher with terminal cancer. Through his ongoing battle, he refuses to stop working. Everyday he comes into the building even if its to straighten and organize textbooks. I am in awe of his strength. So today we will walk from 4 - 4:30 then I am going back tomorrow morning and walking from 6am - 8am. The two hour walk will be in honor of my grandfathers who both battled cancer. Two hours of walking seems so minimal compared to what they endured and how honorably they fought. Today like everyday I honor my grandfathers for their love and guidance. Their memories live on through the lives of their families and I look forward to sharing all those memories with Aniyah.

summer school begins

Today was the 1st day of summer school and we have about 450 students. This is cake compared to the 2600 during the school year:) The kids are in the building from 7:30 to 12:30 so today I left the building at 1:30. Anytime I can get off work early, I am so out of there to pick up Aniyah and get home. I look forward to next week when I have a couple of days off.
Aniyah's latest activity is sticking her entire hand in her mouth. It seems she has discovered her hands and she thinks its great to put them in her mouth. Sometimes she makes herself gag from having her hand so far down her throat. I am hoping to break this activity before it becomes a habit.

What a personality

It is amazing to watch Aniyah's personality come out. From her birth, she has had a happy demeaner. She only displays crankiness when she's trying to fight off sleep and when we're slow with her food. As she gets older, she smiles and actually laughs. There is something about her feet being in the air that she thinks is absolutely hilarious. She is also quite the talker and she doesn't care who it is. If you talk to her, she is going to talk back. We call her Gabbi and it looks like she is going to be quite the "gabber" I look forward to watching her grow and all the milestones we will cross as we continue on this wonderful journey.

Made it through the week

Thank goodness its Friday; we made it through the week. Because it was the last week of school, I was so busy. Last night was graduation and I announced last names beginning with K - R and for the most part, I didnt butcher the names too bad. I made myself a cheat sheet to help myself remember the right pronunciations:) This was my first time participating in graduation wearing a cap and gown looking all official like; it was pretty cool. We got through the ceremony in 90minutes so it wasn't horribly long.
Today I went to work and entered grades and signed off on teachers end of year checklists. I was able to leave at 2:30. I actually took Aniyah in today for a couple of hours. So many had requested to see her I thought today would be a perfect day with out students. she was quite the hit:) I am thankful for the weekend to catch up on some rest.

Revisions Complete

Finally, I submitted my final revisions on my doctorate work. Hopefully I will not have anything returned for additional revisions. I have 3 weeks to study and prepare for the June 19 exam. Since I have gone through it before, I know what to expect and what I can prepare to help me get through the Q & A. Summarizing each section of my portfolio will help me answer some of the questions.
On a positive note, I am entering the last week of school. Whew, I am so glad. Even though we work through the summer, we only have a couple of hundred kids in school, nothing like the 2000 during the fall. The big event this week is graduation on Thursday. It should be interesting. I have already started practicing the names I have to read.....even though I know I will mess someone's name up:)

Memorial Weekend

This weekend is always such a big weekend in Indianapolis because of the Indy 500. I must admit I am not a race car fan and make sure I stay out of that area because of the traffic. This weekend will be no different. In honor of the race, the sitter created this picure of Aniyah.

Survived!

Well we survived our first week. And needless to say we are tired and glad we have a 3 day weekend. Although we got off to a tough week with Aniyah going to childcare, I felt better as the week progressed. The sitter is great and I feel she really cares for Aniyah very well. I am getting picture updates all the time and I am so thankful.
I think we have gotten our new routine down and she seems to be adjusting quite nicely. Me on the other hand, I am exhausted. Hopefully I will get back into work shape soon. Next week is the last week of regular school with graduation on Thursday. I have to wear a cap and gown and announce names...YUCK! I KNOW I am going to mess up somebody's name!
This weekend I hope to finish my doctorate revisions and begin studying for the second attempt on the comp exam which is June 19. The rest of the time will be spent hanging out with Aniyah and doing a whole lot of nothing:)
I have posted the magazine cover our sitter created. She is very good with the pictures

Remember When

Today was an interesting day at school. Today was the seniors last day and so the day was filled with a graffittied bathroom, water balloons being thrown, baby oil on the floor and a huge water balloon fight in the parking lot. Although the senior pranks were minor, it made for a long and tiring day. All day I reflected back on my senior year and my last day. It is such an exciting time full of such different emotions. Little do they now that time just moves so fast! I hope they enjoy every single second of this time as they move on to the next chapter in their lives. I'm just glad I made it through the day without getting pelted with a water balloon:)

Reassurance

This morning when I dropped Aniyah off, I was surprised with a great set of pictures from the sitter. She had taken some awesome pictures including one that has her as the cover of a magazine. She wanted to give me something to help with my anxiety as a new mom. I was so touched by her gesture. And, Aniyah looks so cute in the pictures. She doesn't look the least bit sad that she's not hanging out with her mom:) The sitter loves to take pictures of the kids she cares for so I look forward to seeing what I am missing out on. It's her way of helping parents stay connected even when we cant be there. I am very thankful for that.

Whew! What a Day!

It is fair to say that I did not get alot of sleep last night. I woke up every hour from 9pm - 4am and then just gave up and started getting ready for work. I got Aniyah dressed and she slept through the whole thing. She's not used to getting up so early. I dropped her off at 6:30 and she slept through her mom's tears! Today was the first time I was away from her since the time I found out I was pregnant back in August. I called the sitter a couple of times throughout the day and she did very well.
My return to work went well; students and staff welcomed me back and I actually felt missed. It didnt take long before I was back into my daily routine. Although as soon as 3:30 hit, I was so out of there. I couldnt wait to pick up Aniyah even though we were headed to the doctor.
Now as for the doctor's visit, Aniyah weighed in at 12 pounds 4 ozs!!! Wow, she gained almost 3lbs from last month. She grew an inch too. That was the good news; the bad news came with the 4 shots she received, 2 in each thigh. Her feelings were so hurt! It took her a little bit to regroup but she finally did. She was quite a trooper. Well, we made it through the first day and hopefully each day will get a little easier. Although I know there will never be a day that I didnt wish we were home hangin out.

Next Chapter

I have just put Aniyah to bed and I am totally dreading the next 9 hours. I could have never imagined just how emotional and gutwrenching dropping her off at the sitter would be. Thinking about it makes me want to cry. Where did the time go? My pregnancy seems a distant memory, (although I still have the gut as a reminder:) The last two months have just flown by and I cant believe its time to go back to work. I used to think that I had a pretty blessed life: good family, health, profession but Aniyah has brought a sense of completeness that I never knew existed. I cannot imagine my life without her. It is the little things that fill my heart with so much joy. Today, she laughed out loud. It was awesome! She just overwhelms me with so much love. I have often struggled with my faith, wondering - questioning but Aniyah's presence resonates the message that through it all there is a God who has had mercy on my life and its mistakes and gifted me with such a priceless little girl, how could I ever repay that gift!

2 month pictures

I really want to capture Aniyah's growth so I am taking her each month to get her picture taken. It is amazing to me just how fast she is growing. She turns 2 months on Sunday.


Today, we have worked on getting her things packed for the sitter. Tomorrow we are dropping off her bassinet and comfy seat along with other supplies that she will need next week. On Monday, I just want to be able to drop her off and not worry about having to carry her supplies inside; it is going to be extremely emotional for me so I am not looking forward to it all. In the meantime, we have the weekend not to think about it!

Sitter Found, Finally!

We made a decision on a sitter, finally. We had two interviews yesterday and we found "the one."
She is very thorough and has been in the child care business for over 20 years. Also, she is close to school and very accessible. Although I am not looking forward to going to work on Monday, there is some comfort that I have in leaving Aniyah with her. Throughout this process, we have met and seen some pretty interesting people and situations. Finding childcare is extremely difficult and it is amazing all the things you notice that you did not notice before. So, here we are ready to start another chapter, I just hope I can make it through this one:)

Mother's Day

Today I experienced my first Mother's Day. I must admit it was surreal. Honestly, there was a time I thought that I would never be a mom and had just about resigned myself to that fact. Through God's grace and blessing, I gave birth to Aniyah. The meaning of her name, "God's gift" is truly that to me. I have experienced many difficulties but if I had to do over, I would 10 fold because she is worth the world and more. How I ever got so lucky to have this little girl, I don't know but I am extremely grateful.
Today I noticed just how strong she is getting. She can hold her head up pretty good; she's been practicing. We are beginning our last week together before I go to work so I am going to relish in the time that I spend with her. She is quite a special little girl.

Childcare Choices

We have begun interviewing sitters. Yesterday we went to an actual center and I was surprised to find out that the director is the parent of one of my former students and volleyball player, and my former student works there too! They are great people. Although I love the fact that they work there, we were not thrilled with the ratio of teacher to infant. There were 2 baby rooms and each room had 8 babies. We would prefer smaller numbers and we were shocked with the price....$256.00 per week!
Later, we went to two home sitters. One looked so bad on the outside, we didnt even bother to stop. The other one is actually doable. She lives very close to us and its on my way to school. She only has 3 children so Aniyah would get plenty of attention. Today we went to two places. One was a day care center and as I pulled up the workers were taking a smoke break on the side of the building so I didnt bother stopping. I don't want her around cigarette smoke smell. Then my home sitter visit was not good. Her daycare is at the back of her house and she has pets including horses. The smell was really bad! This was definitely not a place for Aniyah. On Monday, we have one home sitter visit and she is really the one I think we are going to use but we will see. It has been an interesting experience to say the least!

Moving into the big bed

Last night was Aniyah's first night in her room in her bed. Up until last night, she was sleeping in my room either with me or in her bassinet. Since we are preparing for a routine for our school days, I thought I should prepare myself for the change. It is amazing how they recognize the change of scenery. She fell asleep later than normal because she was so busy looking around! Monitors are great! I was able to hear her every move. This morning when I woke up and went to check on her I walked into her feet dangling off the bed. It was hilarious! She moves so much while she sleeps. So we made it through our first night apart and I think we are going to make it.

Who Do You Trust?

Finding a sitter is our main priority this week. We are meeting with a potential sitter on Monday. It is a scary process because you are entrusting someone else to care for your child. It is gut wrenching. This particular sitter will be close to school so I could actually pop in to check on her if I wanted. Hopefully the interview will go well.
We really have to find someone soon because I am returning back to work on the 18th. My principal was very understanding but it is a very busy time of the year and they need the help.
It's funny how having children changes what you get excited about. Yesterday we purchased a jogging stroller. I am so excited and ready to use it BUT of course Indiana weather is not cooperating. It is supposed to be cloudy and rainy the next couple of days. I have been back with my trainer a couple of weeks but I have to find a way to increase my cardio so this stroller should help out alot.

Time is Flying By!

I don't think I have ever been so aware of time. It seems like just yesterday that Aniyah was being born and now she is 6 weeks old.
She's no longer a newborn; as a matter of fact she has outgrown newborn clothing and has moved up to wearing 3 months. We've gotten quite close and being a mom cannot be described in words. You hear people say that you don't know love until you have children and that is so true. I am absolutely in love with my daughter in a way I never thought I could love another human being. I am truly truly blessed.
On another note, I have decided to continue with my doctorate work. I will retake the comprehensive exam on June 19. I am in the midst of making corrections and submitting my revisions. Hopefully I will be better prepared this time around. At the rate I am going who knows when I will graduate. BUT it's not how fast the race is run, it is about finishing!