My New Job!

I have landed my DREAM job! It has been the job that I have wanted ever since I was a little girl. I started this job exactly 10 weeks ago. It does not pay much [actually it doesn't pay anything] in terms of money, but it is rich in love, smiles, coos, and diapers.

Yep.... you guessed it.

I am a stay-at-home mom :)

Ever since I was little, I have always ever wanted two jobs. I wanted to be an elementary school teacher and I wanted to be a mom. As I grew older, it was still always these two jobs. For the past couple of years, I was able to fulfill my first job- being a first grade teacher. A now, I am finally blessed with the most wonderful, amazing and important job I could think of-motherhood. Before I was ever pregnant, I knew that I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. During my pregnancy, still the same. Once Zach arrived, I was 100% sure that I did not want to leave him, but it was also a hard decision. Even though my job as a teacher is extremely demanding, I loved teaching. If you take away all the politics, the low pay, the assessments, the behaviorally-challenged kids that can really push you to the max, the constant interruptions, the lack of resources, etc. I loved to created fun, challenging lessons and to teach. I love the interactions with the kids. I loved seeing them walk into my classroom every morning and telling the good morning. I loved scoping pinterest and other teacher blogs to find fun lessons and art projects. And I loved to see the kids grow. First grade is such a wonderful grade to teach because it is amazing to see how their reading and writing really take off in that one year.

The day I drove to my school and told my principal that I was not returning next year, I was excited. I knew that this was what I wanted to do. However, after being away for 7 weeks, making that drive to the school I got a little sad. I realized that part of me was really going to miss being in the classroom. The next week was spent cleaning out my classroom and packing up all my teaching supplies. As much as I know that I am going to miss welcoming new six-year olds come August, I know that I made the right decision and I have no regrets.

You see, this new little boy entered my world 10 weeks ago, and I am now his teacher. I will not only teach him to read and write, but I have a greater responsibility. I will teach him about the Lord. I will teach him right from wrong. I will teach him manners and how to treat others. I will teach him how to have fun and play. And I will watch him grow. Instead of someone else witnessing his first steps and first words, Lord willing, I will be there for his first word, his first crawl, his first step. I am trading in 20 kids for this one (for now- Lord willing, more will come later!)

I am so thankful that I now I have my dream job. These last 10 weeks have been quite the adjustment and learning experience, but we are surviving (and I would even say thriving!) I am very excited to spend every day with Zach and see what the Lord has in store for us in the future.

Two Months!

I am two months old and becoming a big, social boy! This month was filled with lots of excitement (just like my first month!) I am really growing and starting to develop a personality. My mommy and daddy are enjoying me so very much. Here is what happened in my second month of life:

• Attended my first high school graduation- way to go Aunt Jessica!

 I got all dressed up.

 I love my Aunt Jessica

 All of mom's brothers and sisters

• Was dedicated to the Lord at church.

• Witnessed two baptisms: Aunt Jessica and Mary! 

• Celebrated Uncle Jon's birthday!

• Celebrated Father's Day

 cool like dad

• Made the transition from my Rock and Play Sleeper in mom and dad's room to my crib in my own room. Mom and dad had a hard time with this. Dad said, "This is so sad" and that he missed me. Mom said it felt like empty nest syndrome and it was like I was going off to college. The first couple of nights were a little difficult because I was not use to sleeping in such a large space. However, I adjusted pretty quickly and have no problem sleeping in my crib now. I am such a big boy!
• I am a really good sleeper. I only wake up if I am hungry and can go back to sleep. Nowadays I have my last feeding between 9:30 and 10:00. Toward the end of this month, I have been able to sleep almost the whole way through the night, waking up only once to eat. I can sleep for a good 6-7+ stretch and usually wake up around 7:00 in the morning. 
• What drove mom and dad nuts were my baby monitors. They kept clicking at night and waking them up. Dad said that he was so mad at them that he wanted to shoot the monitor and he doesn't even own a gun, he would go buy a gun just to get rid of the monitors. Thankfully, my Uncle David and Aunt Kim have the same monitors and helped solve the problem! 
• I LOVE the birds on my swing and bouncer. I can watch them for a very long time. Mom and dad often find me smiling and laughing at them.  

• Mom and dad went on their first date since I have been born. They went and saw Iron Man 3 while Gramma watched me. Mom kept checking her phone to see if I was okay and couldn't wait to rush home and see me. They both missed me a lot, but mom really did because she has never been separated from me. 
• Tie-Dyed my first t-shirt.... errr I mean onesie with Upstream.
•  Met more of my cousins!

• Used my Ergo carrier for the first time at the Botanical Gardens. Mommy loves how much freedom she has with the carrier and having both hands free. I love it because it is so cozy and I fall asleep. 

 can you see me?!?

• I am such a smiley and happy baby.  I can smile if someone smiles or talks to me.
• I love to talk to everyone and anyone. 
• I am getting better eye control- mommy misses my cross-eyed face but she says my smiles make up for it. 
• I have started to discover my hands/ fists. I love to suck on my fists and wrists, and I do it very loudly. 

• I now find bath time more enjoyable since I no longer have sponge baths. I enjoy my tub and being in the water, although I have had a few 'accidents' if you would like to call it that. I also outgrew this infant sling for the bathtub and I am now in the regular blue tub.

• My mommy didn't have to go back to work! I was so excited that she did not have to leave me for 9 hours a day to go and teach. I am so thankful that daddy let her stay home with me :)
• My mommy did have to go in for teacher workdays but she took me with her. Nana came too and helped watch me so mom could actually get work done. 

• Mommy officially resigned from teaching which means she is now a stay-at-home mom! I am so happy and thankful that I get her all to myself :)

• I love to sit up on the couch or the bed. 

• The straps on my car seat had to be raised to the next level. 
•  Mommy calls me a little inchworm when I hold my head up. I am getting such good head control.  

•  Daddy likes to sing "Twinkle, twinkle little Zach. How I wonder where you're at." Mommy gets upset because she says that daddy teaching me a slant rhyme will confuse me when I get to school and I will think that Zach and at rhyme. Teacher problems....
• I can sit up on someone's lap and control my head.  
• My favorite book to read is "Dr. Seuss's ABC's" 

 

• I tried to sit in my Bumbo for the first time on June 6th. Still need to practice my head control a little bit more before I can sit in it all by myself.
• I went to mommy's classroom and met all of her students. Well, I was sleeping the whole time :)

 

• My daddy likes to sing, "Ahgoo I love you" to me. I sing back to him by saying Ahgoo. 
• I am starting to learn that my hands are connected to me. I am starting to swing and hit objects. 
• I can roll up on my side [sometimes]

• I hiked Chimney Rock with my mommy carrying me. It was a lot of steps, like 700! I also got my first souvenir with my name on it. It is a little Swiss Army knife.  

 

 this is what I did the whole time

•  Mommy found me in my crib one night where I moved myself 90 degrees. I have started to raise up my legs and knees and pull them to one side. Maybe I'll start rolling over soon. 
• I'm starting to get some peach fuzz on my upper lip and on my legs. 
• I hiked up Craggy Gardens and saw all the rhododendrons blooming.  

 

 

• Number of times I went to the Biltmore this month: 2 and 2 outdoor concerts on Friday nights

 grandpa and nana at the Fridays after 5 concert

 aunt jen calls this her house? wow!

• I sat up in my stroller for the first time.

• I met Isaac and Isabel- their mommies work with my mommy. Isaac was born 3 days before me and Isabel was born exactly a week after me. We are going to meet up for play dates!

 me (mommy), isaac (abby), isabel (amy) 

• I had my first round of vaccinations at my one month appointment.  I cried really hard and then feel asleep. I was a little fussy that night, just because I was in pain. Mom and dad say that it was harder on them (umm.... they weren't the ones who got poked 3 times!)

Statistics:
Weight:13 lbs. 11 oz. [75-85th percentile]
Height:24 1/4 inches [95th percentile]
Nicknames: Zachy-baby, Zachypoo, Pumpkin Pie, Zachy
Likes: My swing and watching the birdies go around, lying on my back and kicking, sitting up against a pillow, lights, fans, faces, bath time, people, my fists, facing outwards and looking around. 
Dislikes: Tummy time, getting out of the bathtub, being held against someone's chest (unless I am sleepy). 
Clothing: Outgrown 0-3 month. 3 month still fits although 3-6 month are the most snug.

Milestones:
Smiling when smiled at: 5/17/13
Cooing-sounds: 5/17/13
Laughed: 5/21/13
First night in crib: 5/19/13
Successfully drank out of a bottle: 5/22/13
Roll up on side and lay on side: 6/1/13
Hold head up with no assistance: 6/4/13

2nd Month Pictures: 

A Note from Mom:
My little man has really started to grow and explore the world this month. He is a very social little boy, who loves to talk to me, daddy or anyone. He is such a happy baby and smiles many, many times throughout the day. His smile melts my heart (as well as his dad's!). I love walking into his room every morning and sing our good morning song to him and seeing him smile in response. Zach is definitely an active little boy who prefers to be positioned outward so he can see everything going on. He is also active in that sometimes he prefers to be lying on his back or sitting up so he can squirm and kick about. It is fun to see his personality start to emerge. Justin and I have also started to get in the swing of parenthood. We are learning his communication cues and how to deal with him appropriately. He is changing and growing so quickly, and it's only been 2 months!

Zach, you continue to bring so much joy, love and happiness into my life. These have been two of the best months in my life. I love our little family of 3. I am so thankful to the Lord that I am able to stay at home with you and spend every day with you. Ever since I was a little girl I always wanted to be an elementary school teacher AND a mom. The Lord blessed me with a great job of teaching first graders for the past couple of years. NOW, I am so very excited and happy to have this new 'job' in my life. I love being your mommy and I look forward to having many adventures together. Before you were born I was a little nervous about having a boy because I was scared I wouldn't be able to connect and bond with a boy. But now you are here, you are so perfect and I wouldn't trade you in for a million girls. We have such a special relationship and I love you so very much.