Red River

James, Ellie, and I went to Red River, N.M. August 7th-14th with Grandma-ma, Papa, and Great-Grandmom. Unfortunately Sean had to stay at home because of work and Simon wanted to spend time with his friends in Waco before school started. Ellie was a big help with James, she is a wonderful big sister. We had fun but James' teeth were bothering him because his one year molars were coming in so he was a little fussy! We had gorgeous weather the whole time so we spent most of our time outdoors, on walks, and at the two playgrounds! Below are some of my favorite pictures from the trip.

James & Ellie

Mommy, James, & Ellie on top of Greenie Peak

Papa & Ellie

On the playground

My favorite picture!

First Day of "school"

Today was my first official day back to work but I won't have students until next week. I will be teaching 3rd grade Social Studies & Science at Silberstein Elementary with DISD. Going back to work full time was a hard decision but I knew it was best for our family. I also think being a Teacher is the best career for me since I can pick James up by 4:30 most days and have so much time off to spend with both of my boys (once #2 arrives!)

James had a great first day at Brookhaven Child Development Center! I only cried twice, once in the morning leaving for work and once during my lunch break. I am so grateful I do not have to drop him off. Sean will get James dressed, feed him breakfast, and drop him off at school every day. I will be picking him up! I had no idea I would miss James so much during the day. I know he is in good hands and will have a great time at school but these first few weeks are going to be hard. BCDC is a little bit of a drive for me after work but well worth it. It is a small facility but the teachers are wonderful. There are only eight students in James' Toddler 1 class with one teacher, Miss Deb, and a teacher assistant. Miss Deb has two sons, 27 and 25, and two grandchildren. She has been a pre-school & Sunday school teacher for over 20 years. I can tell James will really like her. Sean and I talked to her for 30 minutes about James' schedule and the curriculum they will be starting soon. I got to peek in on the class when I picked him James up today. He was sitting at a rectangular table with his back to me with three other students and was doing an art project with Miss Deb. I couldn't believe how all four of the toddlers were sitting so quietly, all participating, and completely engaged in what Miss Deb was saying. James made a house and he chose a red square for the bottom and a blue triangle for the roof. He also got to place doors and windows on the house, which were yellow rectangles. I of course saved the picture and will be laminating it and putting it on the fridge!

16 weeks

I am 16 weeks today and well into the second trimester. I have been eating pretty healthy, craving a lot of veggie sandwiches, fruit, and an occasional bean burrito from Taco Bueno. Sweets tend to make me a little nauseous so I haven't really eaten many desserts! Below is what babycenter.com says about how our little avocado is growing:

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Our next doctor's appointment is on August 17th but it is only a quick checkup where Dr. Matthews will listen to the baby's heartbeat and make sure my weight, blood pressure, and protein levels are normal. We will have our next sonogram at our September appointment!

Last Day of Mother's Day Out

Today was James' last day of Mother's Day Out at Wilshire Baptist Church. We had such a wonderful experience these past 6 months. James started at Wilshire in January going two days a week from 9:30-2:30 when he was only 9 months old. I was on the waiting list for three months and was so excited when we got in. We would be staying at Wilshire but I am going back to work full time and Wilshire only offers classes three days a week. James will soon be going to "school" five days a week! I took a picture when we dropped him off. It isn't great but James' favorite teacher was Pam, who is holding him, and I wanted a picture of them together. James LOVED Pam and I think she loved him just as much! She has agreed to babysit for us so we will be able to keep in touch. Mildred is wonderful and loves James like he is her own grandson but sometimes I need a backup in case she is busy!