Spoiled

I know I can complain about my busy life and how we continue to stay go, go, go; but in all honesty- I really am spoiled.
I have my own personal yard crew. Look at that pair! The best part is that they work for kisses!
I have my own maid. Since Ryan has decided to start climbing, her shirt always comes off of our shelves, closets, and floor covered in dust. I mean we keep our house clean, but she always finds the spots.
My own hair stylist. I just love how her milky fingers mix with my already ratty hair to create a nice crusty finish.

My own personal trainer. I mean if she is gonna put the weight on me, then she is gonna sit there and laugh at me while I try to take it off. This little butter bean is quite the inspiration.

I love everything about my day. Although there are tough, busy days it's all worth it! On another note, this little girl is having her 1st birthday party this Saturday. What a big girl!!

Is it too much to ask...

I always knew I would find myself in the world of the working mom. I watched my mom successfully do it when I was a child, and I knew I had the working mom gene embedded in my code. Bill and I were fully aware of home much daycare was going to cost. Therefore, we were even fullier (is that a word) aware that we would have to be, on -the- go, constantly working parents in order to give Ryan the best childcare possible. A lot of people have asked us how we do it (not to toot our own horn), but honestly I think we have to have the busy chaos in order for our lives to run effectively. I know that I have to be downstairs by 7:15 in order to be out the door by 7:20, so I can then get to work on time (7:40). Luckily my amazing husband makes my lunch and takes Ryan to daycare every morning- I mean he's amazing. I know that I get off work at 3:40 and have to hurry home to go running so I can pick up Ryan at 5, so she is not there with all of the slacker kids. I know I have to make her dinner as soon as I get home from picking her up because she had her snack over two hours ago. I know these things and I love them about my life. It is the rare day that is not what I signed up for...

Head out the door at 7:30 to pull up to my parking spot right at 7:39- good timing right, but wait, my make-up has not been applied. I run in my room, put on my make-up just in time to hear the homeroom bell ring. My lovely homeroom enters, I take roll, only to find my yearbook rep standing, no lurking, behind me- SURPRISE. Now he did help me so much, but I did not have time to sit in the room with him that day, I had to take random candids of teachers to fill in my final page for the yearbook. So I know everyone I work with is totally sick of me saying, "Okay you guys, get together, SMILE!" Heck, I am sick of saying it. When I stroll back in my room at 9:19, 1 minute before planning is over I catch my lovely rep walking out the door reminding me, "Final deadline, Monday." Umm yeah thanks buddy, if you check my blood pressure you would know I am thinking about that!

2nd period- average competition party. So I check my e-mail and chill with my kids while they stuff their faces with cheese puffs and powdered donuts. Lunch - amazing turkey sandwich to be accompanied with 2 girls crying at the end of my lunch table- poor things. I mean there is nothing worse than middle school drama, I remember just being distraught some days and others I was on top of the world. After lunch, I head back to my hall and hear a child VERY upset so that situation had to be dealt with.

Then one of my students scraped his face outside during PBS recess (something we reward our kids with) while jumping down from the monkey bars- likely story, right?

Finally, I was able to finish my 4th and 5th periods in a somewhat normal fashion. Perfect time to start a normal day, right?

After school, I had a meeting at 3:30, which went until around 4:15. I sped home to change for soccer at 5, ran soccer from 5-7, then had a meeting after practice from 7-7:45ish.

I finally trudged up to my front door around 8 o'clock absolutely exhausted only to find that my sweet baby had already gone to bed. So on Thursday, I got to see my daughter for a grand total of 2 minutes in the morning while I was trying to put my boots on without falling over- real special encounter.

I mean, I know it may be too much to ask, to see my own daughter, once a day, but come on. I mean I honestly do not know what I am worried about, it looks like things are being taken care of at home.

There's No Place Like Home

Well I think it's safe to say all of my babies are happy that mommy's home. Five days is a long time to be away from this crazy group.

Changes

Every stage becomes my new favorite stage, but Ryan is at such a fun age right now- biting aside. She is definitely in a momma stage, like momma if you leave my side I am going to lose my mind. I can't help but say I do like this stage a bit. This little girl is just amazing that I do not mind the clinging. Especially since she's started calling for me. Nothing melts my heart more than coming to pick her up from daycare and as soon as she sees me she speed crawls and shouts, "Mama, mama." She is also trying to repeat everything a lot of the words we say. Like lamby is La-e, bottle is ba-ba, night night is ni-ni, bath is ba, and I am pretty sure I've already covered her other words. Check the most recent family pic...Also, Grammy & Pa came to town this weekend and gave Ryan her birthday present- a Dora couch. This was the most excited I think we have ever seen this little girl. Kate, my niece has a Dora couch that was a faithful companion through all of the Kosek road trips. No need to pack the pack and play, just throw the Dora couch in the back. Well, we decided to jump on the bandwagon. Check out how excited this little girl is in these pictures.

Too cute for words. Everytime she sees Dora she gives her a big kiss, so sweet!

Written Up

Being a 6th grade teacher, I know how a student has to really push your buttons before you write him/her up. I usually give more than enough chances before I result to something so drastic. In fact, I have only written up one student in my three years due to behavior in my classroom.

Well, it is quite the opposite for my little baby. Ryan was written up THREE times in school on Friday. She bit three different children at three different times in the day. The write up said...
"9:00 Ryan bit another child while playing. She was removed from that child and had a discussion about why we do not bite friends."

The next write up said, "9:15. Ryan bit another child in the face while playing. She was taken away from the other children."

The final write up said, "12:15. While playing Ryan got upset and bit a child's finger. She was taken away from the group (put in crib) and talked to about not biting friends."

Ya'll, whose child is this? Did I raise this vigilante biter? You know what is so funny is that I thought to myself, she does not bite, she just gives aggressive kisses. WRONG, this little chomper has tried to bite me three different times today alone, and totally out of anger. Once I was trying to change her diaper (which she has grown to hate) and I laid her down and she grabbed my hand and bit it. Then, I would not give her her bottle for lunch and she bit my leg. Then, I was undressing her for her bath and she literally pulled my arm over and screamed and bit it. Each time she bites me I give her a mini spaknin and say "NO" very firmly, which further pisses her off, but you know- she is just gonna have to deal with that.

I am just so shocked that Ryan is reacting this way, and even worse out of anger. Her little temper has really started to rear its ugly head. I love it how everytime she does something aggressive, everyone always says, "Oh, now I see Jenny in her!" Haha really funny people, like Bill never loses his cool.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I mean I want to be firm with her and let her know it is unacceptable, but you know she is also 11 months old. My mom said this is just the beginning of her testing me, but I think she's been secretly preparing me for 10 months now.

On an exciting note, the little pirana just turned 11 months and the plans are in full swing for her 1st birthday party. She is starting to cruise like crazy, which bugs me, I am not ready for her to walk yet, I like holding her too much. She climbs the stairs as often as possible, she is not even taking a break between steps anymore, she just jets right up there. She is also saying all kinds of words, MaMa, Dada, Dog (Da), BaBa (bottle), Hi, Bye Bye, High Five (she really does say this, pretty hilarious). I cannot believe how much she has changed.

As long as she can adapt to wearing a muzzle, then we should be good to go!

Weigh In # 4

One month down.
Weight today- 136- did not lose and did not gain, but you know I am really trying to not focus on the numbers, just the way I feel
Beginning weight- 144
Current weight- 136
Total weight lost in a month- 8 pounds

I am still working hard. I just always get a little off track on the weekends. Hopefully, I will behave this weekend, since I am running the 10K. I think it will make me behave Friday night and then I will re coop Saturday and hopefully be too tired to eat on Sunday:).

I know I have been horrible about posting what I eat, but I promise I am still up keeping my end of the bargain. I am just keeping busy with planning for baby girl's birthday party. One year old, can you believe it?