Check in!

Guennie

It's been awfully quiet for awhile, how about we all check in with an update as to how we're doing?

What is the best thing going on in your life right now? Biggest challenge? Any big plans for this summer?

Guennie

I'll go first.

The best thing in my life right now is it feels like the first time my husband and I have truly progressed and despite our recent loss our relationship has continued to improve. I finally feel like we are truly a family. We still have things to work on but I no longer live on that rollercoaster of extreme ups and downs. For the first time since we got married I feel steady and stable. It's so nice to have faith in my marriage again.

My biggest challenge right now is probably a tie between working through this loss and trying to accept that my husband doesn't want to try again, and being a SAHM with an extremely active one year old. I love being with her but I never get a break. My husband does things he wants to do, mainly sailing in our club, but my entire life 24/7 is our daughter. I haven't done anything at all without her since she was born. I'm so tired. I'm really hoping this summer we can afford to pay our neighbor's daughter to babysit once in awhile just so I can have some time to recharge. I really need it.

No plans for the summer other than trying to get us out of the house more when it isn't too hot. I'm excited to set up our baby pool now that she's old enough to enjoy it more.

Geeps2

Great Idea Guennie!

The best thing right now is my 3 year old just turned 3 on 2/23 so she is now old enough to start preschool where I work.  She comes to work with me in the morning and I walk her to her classroom and then when class is over I go get her unless I have a meeting or am out of the building then I can have my Mom or in-laws come get her and bring her home to the babysitter.  I love how excited she is to be at Mommy's work and how well she is doing.  She needed to be out of the house for a while.  It gives my little man some much needed one on one time and attention with the babysitter who is a gift from God above.  I don't know what I would do without her.  

My biggest challenge right now is we are in limbo in regards to my hubs' job.  He works for a very small Catholic school that is set to close.  We had no warning and the whole school community is up in arms and there is a huge fundraising campaign in the works to save the school so there is some hope but we won't know until the middle to end of April if he will be employed after June.  We live within our means, thank god, but on one salary it is going to be really tough.  Trying to find a new job may prove to be not as easy as one would think.  Teaching jobs in this area are extremely hard to come by.  I have to work and I already am paying to have my kids on my insurance and if the DH looses his job I will now have to pay for him to be on and that bumps me up to a family plan that litereally will leave me with little to no money left to pay bills and buy food.  One would think that would put a kink in yearning for another baby, but nope, no it doesn't.  It won't happen because the hubs, even before all of this, was done having kids.  He is perfectly happy with 2.  I still ache for just 1 more and feel that our family would be complete.

We got a new pool last fall so we are looking forward to pool parties and lounging next to it.  Just hanging out with friends and family.  I can't wait for warm weather and sun!!!!

mandyreads

@Guennie so glad ya'll are working things out. Thoughts and prayers as you work through the loss.

Ups for me is we are finally getting LO who is 8wks old to sleep more than 3hrs when she first goes down at night. That has helped allowing me to sleep a little more or read before bed. Our first trip with LO is coming up in 2 weeks. Looking forward to how that plays out.

Not a whole lot of downs lately. I think we are finally coming out on top of all the sicknesses going around. And hopefully winter is finally retreating. Being stuck in the house with all the girls was fine at first. Then it wears on you.

I am excited for this summer. In June I am going to a book convention I have had to miss the last 2 yrs. (I am a book blogger and a huge book nerd). I will be taking LO with me.

Geeps2

Ohhhhhh Mandy!!!!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE to read and am always looking for a good book. Talk to me sister  Would love to read your blog.  

shelley1002

The good. The boys are doing awesome. I love that DS2 is able to communicate more. Helps a lot. He has started to become quite independent.

The challenges. DS2's new independence. He want to do thing himself. He tries to get in his car seat but can't. That's been a fight for a week or so now. He wants to go down the stairs by himself. He can't do that yet.
Other challenge is some upcoming things with DH's work that may have him traveling more starting in a few months. We are in a "wait and see" holding pattern.

No big summer plans. Take a few days off, play in the pool, local zoos, aquariums, and maybe a trip to Storyland in NH.

shelley1002

@Guennie glad to hear you are doing well and things are improving.

mandyreads

@Guennie I have been joking with some of my author friends that since they want me to bring LO they will have to sign up taking her for the night while we are there. Funny thing...no one has signed up yet lol

My blog is called I Read Indie. And if you fb...my fb name is Mandy Ireadindie. Let me know if you friend me so I know who you are. I am always on there. And I am always linking free or 99cent books my friends out out.

https://twimom101bookblog.blogspot.com/?m=1

harmonicbabe26

I feel like a major complainer these days so bear with me...

BEST THING: Little Screamer now only wakes to eat once per night (most nights) which means I can get a little longer stretches of sleep. Yay! Also, ever since she refused to nurse, I've been pumping for all her daytime feeds and - knock on wood - I have more than enough milk for her! Yay!

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: LO is soooo cranky!! I swear she is the queen of cranky, hope she grows out of it soon because I can't stand her shrieking ans crankiness. Some babies are that way I guess. And she just won't nap at all!! She requires SO MUCH WORK to be put down and then at best sleeps 30mins. It's exhausting!
Another challenge - MH is getting laid off on Monday. He knew it was coming and has been looking for something else for a few weeks. He's pretty high up the ladder so there aren't a ton of openings for that and we'd rather not move for a job right now. We'll see. Cross your fingers things work out for us. I really don't want to have to go back to work yet.

SUMMER: this is up in the air due to the job situation. If we're still here, we'll likely spend a week in the mountains in our cabin. Usually we take a beach vacay during my birthday week in late June, but not knowing what the new job will be AND with a tiny cranky baby we didn't feel like risking it this year.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! It's cold and rainy here where I live. We'll try to make the best out of it.