It's Here, People!

The First Tooth!

Maybe I'm too excited about a measly, little first tooth - but I can't help it - I'm really excited! However, I'm not very excited about the prospect of being bit during nursing; but it was still pretty fun to see Jacob's first little tooth poking out from his lower gums. (And it's sharp!)

Way to go, buddy!

BYU Boys

Robbie usually isn't superstitious, but he makes an exception for BYU sports. Our baby will now be wearing the following outfits in order to help ensure Jimmer leads us to another victory!

(Jacob was apparently very anxious about the upcoming game in these pictures)

Go Cougs! 

So you had a bad week . . .

That's life right? Not every week is awesome, and some weeks (or two weeks, whatever) are just downright sucky.

Not to be a total complainer, but I think you will agree that the last several days have not been "my week":

*I tripped over my own, too long, pajama pants and stubbed my toe. (Not that unbelievable since I recently slipped on the over-frebreezed kitchen floor, fell on my butt and knocked over the whole trash can.) But just besides being klutzy, now my toe nail is totally black and threatening to fall off. Ew! Right before spring and summer - come on!

*Jacob is still barely getting over his surgery and an ear infection. It has been kind of awful. Extra baths, ointment, then an ear infection, no sleeping, antibiotics, diarrhea (from the antibiotics -- and sorry if that is too much information), a pro-biotic to help combat the diarrhea, more baths, still not much sleep, sad baby, sad mom, no sleep . . . sleeping baby in my arms. Sigh.
*Robbie just got back from being away for a week long conference. It was rough. I'm really glad he's back.

*I spent 2 hours at the doctors office and 4 hours at another office (with my sad, hungry baby) making sure all our paper work was in order for our insurance.

*In more Jacob news, he peed during a diaper change in the middle of the night and he has quite the distance and arc. It was dark, and I couldn't see where the puddle had actually formed. I did the best I could to wipe up the floor and put my baby back to bed. But on the way out - yep - I totally stepped in it. Soo gross. 

Yes - I am being a downer. But in my defense, it was a really hard week. 

I would also like to say, that things have been much better. Not suddenly perfect, but better. At least I'm not a single-mom anymore and Jacob did start to sleep a little more, which means I get to sleep a little more. 

But what really made me start feeling better was watching and helping this little fellow go from this:

 To this:

 I do love being with this sweet guy, even during a "bad week". 

It's Friday.

I'm not sure if this really needs an introduction. There was only one song that really depicted how I felt about this weekend . . .



Move over, The Cure, you no longer have the corner market on Friday feel good songs. I believe you may have met your match in this pre-teen, auto-tuned, badly dressed, with even worse make-up, pop star hopeful. Tough break.

There are so many confusing and awesome things about this song. Although it is literarly the most popular song in the world right now - for all the wrong reasons - it is still baffling why she is so torn over what seat to sit in . . . and why she wanted to brag about being able to name the days of the week in a row . . . and why she is friends with a 30 year old rapper. Why, why, why.

Oh well. It's Friday. We, we, we so excited.

Dear Spring,

Hello. How have you been? I hope this does not come across as pushy or rude . . . but I was just wondering if you planned on sticking around? I am in no way trying to tell you how to do your job, or presuming to know better than you do, but I couldn't help but notice it is 68 degrees today. I couldn't help but dream of more warm breezes and hope for more walks outside without my eskimo suit and 12 blankets wrapped around my child. I just don't want to be jerked around, is all, Spring. We have had such good times together in the past, but it has been a long, cold winter these many months without you. I just want to know if this is for "real". We had a couple of warm days a few weeks ago, but it didn't last. I don't know if I can take the heartbreak again.

Yours Truly,
Sarah

LOL

If you want to laugh out loud, check out my friend Megan's story about subbing for a 3rd grade class . . . I was dying!

Megan's Blog Post: Spellcheck

Thank You!

I've been saying this for quite some time - he is just more entertaining about it . . .

The Daily Show - Crisis in Dairyland - Message for Teachers
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

And in all seriousness, I don't think that teachers are above any blame or accountability for education today. I think the idea of 3-5 years of work, then earning tenure so it is nearly impossible to be fired is absurd. BUT, at the same time, let's be real, you can't just completely dump on teachers for not changing the world when we have children coming to us from impoverished, drug ridden, violent and uneducated families and backgrounds. Not that these children are inherently unable to learn, but you have to realize it is tougher than your average suburb kid with a Batman lunch box, PTA parents, coming into school talking about the trip they took to DC to learn about our nation's history. (Hell, my school didn't even have a PTA, PTO . . . I could barely get a chaperone for a field trips. I still worked hard and did what I could. I really enjoyed teaching, but anyone can see the uneven playing field, for both students and teachers.)

There are lots of bad teachers out there, and lots of good ones, too. And the last thing I want to say (I keep saying "one more thing" in my head, but I just keep going!) is that in the end, you get what you pay for. Don't pay someone $30,000 and expect them to work like you're paying them six figures. If you want the very best and brightest to come and innovate educational reforms to help low income communities succeed, put your money where your mouth is. It almost seems likes only a mediocre achiever or a saint would be drawn to teaching (and that is coming from a teacher). Let's keep it real when we talk about the problems in education. Are teachers part of the problem/solution? Yes! Of course! But lets look at the whole puzzle before we start throwing teachers under their own Hyundai econo cars (which I drive), in their chalk covered dress suit from two seasons ago, shall we?

I Read Too Many Baby Books

Way too many. And then when I have to make a decision about something that is not covered in one of my 900 baby books - I am paralyzed trying to figure out the "right" thing to do in order make sure my baby is getting the "best". What a crock!

Some books have been helpful, but not to the point of obsession that I take them. I thought Happiest Baby on the Block had good ideas and tips, but when things didn't go smoothly, I would fret: "Oh no! Jacob is crying! My baby isn't the happiest on the block!" (Because of course everyone wants their  baby to be not just happy, but the happiEST, leaving all those other babies in the dust.)

I have come to realize (not on my own, mind you, with the help of many hours of therapeutic talks with basically anyone who will listen) that there is not one right answer. Does that sound cliche'? Of course it does. I've said it to myself many times, but I don't know if I've ever really tried to believe it until now. There is no magical book that will tell me the "best" thing to do for every situation I will encounter for my little Jacob . . . and even if there was, there would be another book to refute that, and still it may just not be the right fit for our little family. I am the Mom, and I (or me and Robbie) will have to be the one to make the decision and live with the consequences, whatever they may be.

For my own sanity, I need to practice giving the audience of experts, doctors, authors and other parents in my head "the bird" and just do what feels right. I do have mother's intuition! I just need to learn to follow it, and stop worrying about what the thousands of authors of all the baby books in the world will think of what I'm doing. The anxiety I cause myself from obsessing over what everyone else thinks I should do is not worth it. My baby is happy (most of the time) and healthy and everything else needs to fit in with my comfort level and what is best for our little family.

My right answer may not be the same as someone else's right answer. And that's just fine. And maybe my "right" answer might actually be wrong, but at least I want to be able to live in my own skin and try things out for myself. Parenting is messy, and that is ok with me (or at least, I'm working on making it "ok" with me). Do I feel like I need to have a mass baby book burning? No. But I do need to take all the advice with a very large grain of salt and remember that I am a good mom, too, and I can make the final call . . . with or without "expert" approval.  That feels good to say!

Brave Boy

Jacob had a minor medical procedure yesterday.

He did great, I was the one who was emotional and worried. Figures.

 Jacob charmed all the nurses and doctors, even though he wasn't able to eat from 4:30 to 8:30 am. I was so worried he would be extra cranky, but he was a champ.

  I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of him in his mini hospital gown.

Everything turned out fine and we're all doing well. Which is great. 

But that little hospital gown was just too cute to resist!