Aunt Brianna Visits

My sister, Brianna, is here for two and a half weeks while I finish up the school year.  She's just graduated from University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, and one of the perks of having a sister that's an artist is that she always has a camera ready.  She took a bunch of pictures of Mikaela today and they're alternately cute and funny.

Philadelphia Zoo May 2011

Oh Memorial Day weekend Bob decided we needed to go do something as a family.  So, on one of the hottest days yet of the year we went up to the Philadelphia Zoo.  Mikaela is still a bit too young to really enjoy all the animals but she was pretty happy to be driven around in her stroller.  They do have a family pack you can buy, well a few different choices which is totally worth it when the kids are young but old enough to enjoy the different shows and such.

Aislynn had a good time too, she took a lot of great pictures with her camera.  I'm totally jealous of her camera, it's awesome and takes really great close up pictures.  I foresee lots of time spent at the zoo in the future!

4 Months

Mikaela is 4 months old now and growing so fast.  She giggles now when Daddy makes a funny noise, and when she gets tickled.  She had her first tub bath tonight (I had been giving her a sponge bath until now) and she loved it as much as I thought she would.  I can't wait until she's sitting up and playing with her toys.  It's so much fun watching her discover new things and make the funny faces.  I think her favorite time of the day is the morning when Daddy gets her up and dresses her.  They have a nice morning "talk" and share some laughs before each of us goes our separate ways.  She's so happy all the time and she sleeps through the night as well.  Usually she goes to bed anywhere from 7:30-8:30 and often doesn't wake up until around 4 am for a bottle, sometimes I have to wake her up before I get in the shower so she can eat before I have to get moving.  At this point I'd really like to laugh in the face of the people who were adamant that there was no way I'd have another baby as good as Aislynn was.  I think that our kids are products of their parents.  ;)

3 Months

Mikaela is 3 months old now and boy has she changed in the last few weeks!  Still a really good baby (HAHA to those of you who thought I couldn't possibly get this lucky a second time!), she now sleeps all night through, often having to be woken by Bob or I to get her changed and dressed for the day during the week.  She goes to bed around 8-9 pm and if we don't have to go anywhere in the morning she'll sometimes sleep until 8 am.  The first time she slept all night without waking up I woke up in the middle of the night to make sure she was still breathing!

She scooches all over her cradle now, I'm a little nervous about moving her to the crib because she moves herself into the corner.  Although she does move her face if she can't breath and since she's such a healthy baby I know there's not much to worry about, I just can't help it.

She smiles all the time, especially at her Daddy early in the morning.  Even if we've woken her up from a sound sleep as soon as you talk to her she starts smiling her big toothless grin.  As soon as she spots her big sister, Aislynn, she smiles too.  She just loves watching Aislynn and just stares at her smiling all the time.  It's really cute.

She had her first trip to the Ocean City, NJ boardwalk on Tuesday.  Being off for spring break, Bob also had a day off with us so we took her on that trip to meet up with her godmother, Amanda.  It was really nice and we got to use our awesome stroller!  Isn't it funny the things that we get excited over once you have kids?

Later that night, Bob was playing with her on the couch and got her to laugh out loud for the first time on video.  As soon as I can get one saved on my laptop I'll post it.  Nothing quite as enjoyable as a baby's laugh.

The time is flying by but we are enjoying every minute of it.

Going back to school

A few weeks ago after I went back to work to find out that I had no position as a teacher's aide in the school I've worked in for three years, which lead to my unwilling and unsolicited transfer, I started thinking that perhaps it was time to get off my ass and do something about it.  I thought about getting a different job, something closer to home; had visions of being one of the unlucky ones to get laid off. (shh don't tell my husband that) Then one of the women I work with mentioned how she's finishing her psychology degree.  She had her entire college experience paid for either through grants, scholarships and/or tuition reimbursement through school.  It suddenly struck me what an idiot I was being.  I already have some credits at my local college, so why not try to go back?  So after talking to my husband about the benefits of it, I sent my application.  I'm starting back to college this summer (Gloucester County College).  The best part about it is that I can do it from home, most if not all of it.  I'm so excited and so anxious to get going.  I know this is the best thing for me and our family.  Fifteen more years in the pension system gives me paid benefits for Bob and I for the rest of our lives and on a teachers salary rather than an aides salary that's a HUGE difference.  I'd like to retire a college professor truthfully.  Maybe I'll teach poetry?  I don't know, but it is going to be fun!

I'd like to add that if my husband wasn't as supportive as he is, I sure wouldn't be able to do it, well at least not with the ease I know I will be able to.  Thank you honey!