Back to School

This is the first year since I was in Kindergarten that I haven't gone back to school as a student or a teacher. I definitely have some mixed emotions about it, but overall it's been a very enjoyable "back to school" season in the Mik house. I have loved seeing all of the first day of school pictures people are posting of their kids, and almost everyone captions the pictures with "where has the time gone?" I am aware of how fast these years will fly by, so today I relished the fact that I didn't have to send any children off to a first day of school yet. Instead we stayed home and made a cardboard house and baked cookies.... of course there were many moments of whining that made me think maybe sending them to school in a few years won't be all that bad ;)

No, the baby didn't get any of the cookies. Those cheeks are just because she has been neglecting exercise

I loved teaching, and I miss parts of it, but sleeping in a little later is nice and spending more time with the girls is priceless. Of course I couldn't resist all the adorable teaching preschool ideas on pinterest, so this happened in our house yesterday....

Just a little alphabet parking lot for their cars

Good thing my skills as a teacher can be put to good use as a SAHM.... too bad I don't have such expertise in other necessary areas for my SAHM career (you know like cooking, budgeting, grocery shopping, organizing, cleaning, and the other million things Moms do every day).  Happy new school year!

Cleaning with children

Cleaning. I have never really enjoyed cleaning, but now the thought of a nice Saturday morning spent deep cleaning my house all ALONE sounds pretty nice. You know that popular meme about cleaning your house with kids???

So so true. I'm living with two toddlers and a newborn, so I'm looking around my house wondering if it will ever be clean again. I've cleaned the house as a Mom of babies, and I've cleaned the house as the Mom of toddlers- each of those are sort of challenging, but cleaning as the Mom of a baby AND toddlers is pretty much impossible. My only cleaning goals in the last few weeks have been doing dishes, vacuuming, and wiping down the bathrooms. That's it. Last week I spent 2 days trying to vacuum and mop the teeny tiny main floor of our house. My first attempt was never finished, and my second attempt took most of the day. Here's what my morning looked like:

9:00am- The toddlers have just finished breakfast and the house is already a mess, so I begin telling them to put away all of their toys so that we can vacuum while the baby is awake.

9:30am- remind them to stop playing with the toys and actually put them away while I nurse the baby

10:00am- "pleeeeeeaaaaase stop dancing and put those blankets back in your room while I burp the baby."

10:20am- I hurry and get the vacuum out while the floor is clear for the next 45 seconds

10:30am- the kitchen is vacuumed, but the baby needs her poopy diaper changed IMMEDIATELY

10:40am- resume vacuuming

11:00am- dining room is vacuumed, but now the toddlers want to do a craft since I'm forbidding them from taking out a single toy until I finish vacuuming. "No, you may not use playdoh because I just vacuumed there! Yes, I will get the crayons out for you."

11:10am- resume vacuuming

11:20am- stop vacuuming to help the recently potty-trained 2-year-old use the bathroom. AT LEAST she didn't pee on the floor- that really would have slowed down my vacuuming. 

11:30am- resume vacuuming

11:35am- stop vacuuming to pick up the crap... I mean toys... I found under the couch 

11:40- resume vacuuming. so close to being done.

11:50- stop vacuuming to make lunch for the toddlers.

12:00- use the hose to vacuum along the floor boards, under cabinets, in the corners.... it needs to be done, because I skipped it last time.

12:10- give crying baby a pacifier and beg her to just wait 2 more minutes and then I will feed her.

12:15- done with vacuuming! just in time to nurse the baby while the girls eat pb&j

12:45- Baby is fed, burped, and content, but now the toddlers are done eating lunch and I need to vacuum under the table again (and wipe jelly off of everything that was within reach of the 2-year-old)

1:00- downstairs is vacuumed, and I guess I will spend their naptime mopping (or I'll probably collapse on the couch and mop another day when my kids are adults). Nobody will eat food or wear shoes ever again in this house! 

Just in case this post was making anyone think they didn't want (more) children.  They are definitely worth a messy house.

It only took me 4 hours to vacuum three tiny rooms.... good thing I have a small house. At what age can my children start vacuuming?? 

A little perspective

Yesterday was the Feast of the Assumption, and like a good practicing Catholic, I completely forgot about it when I woke up in the morning. After one of my sisters reminded me, I got on my laptop and in under 5 minutes had found the Mass times for 4 different Churches in my area. You know, I needed to find the perfect time to go to Mass that wouldn't interfere with dinner or bedtime. Definitely can't mess with bedtime. Then I fed the baby and successfully got two toddlers to go potty before heading out the door. Everyone who could walk was wearing reasonably clean clothes and matching shoes. The Officer was going to Mass at work, so I was flying solo with the girls- scary stuff at Mass.  We climbed in our minivan to drive 5 miles down the road to attend noon Mass in a Church with air conditioning and nice padded kneelers. We were early. Not just on time.... early. We sat through the entire Mass with perfect behavior from all 3 of the usual troublemakers (well maybe only 2 of them are troublemakers so far).  I didn't have to give any of my usual threats about timeouts or losing your donut. After Mass everyone who eats solid food was rewarded with a chocolate chip cookie (that includes Mommy), and I was feeling like I had just accomplished some remarkable feat!

It's a tough life I have

I had successfully kept my obligation (you know there are 6 entire Holy Days of Obligation that I have to attend) and nobody shed a single tear (including me!). Then I got on the computer and saw the following headline: People are dying for Christ- Go to Mass on Friday, and I got slapped in the face with a huge dose of perspective. It is 2014 and still Christians are dying for their faith every single day. The biggest sacrifices I have to make are battling a whiny child during the Homily or having a toddler put the pew down on my toes. Meanwhile there are people who are making real sacrifices for their faith. Sacrificing their lives for this wonderful faith. Oh I have so much to learn. Please Lord, never let me forget how fortunate I am to be able to practice my faith. Please Lord, protect these incredible people suffering for their faith.

Last Day

Thursday was my last day of the school year. Usually teachers are thrilled for the last day of school before summer vacation, but this year it was bittersweet for me. It was my last day of teaching preschool for a very long time. Possibly forever. I am now officially a SAHM.

When the Officer and I were dating and talking about starting a family I always thought I would stay at home once we had kids. I was getting a degree in Elementary Education, so I figured my choice would be to teach full time or stay home. So when the Officer and I got married we planned our budget accordingly, knowing that one day we might be surviving on just his salary.  When Belle was born I planned to just finish that school year. Working full time for the first few months of her life was SO hard..... I don't know how other Moms do it! I was so tired and always missing her! When the school year ended I told my Principal I wouldn't be able to teach full-time anymore, and he offered me a job teaching our new Preschool program. It was part-time and the hours matched perfectly with the Officer's hours, so I was happily able to continue teaching some and still be home most of the day.

I'll miss making crafts like this.... but I can always do it with the girls

For the last 3 years the Officer and I have juggled this schedule. I taught in the mornings while he watched the girls, and when I got home at lunchtime he left for his evening shifts. It was hard work for both of us to juggle this schedule, but I loved my job, and we loved that one of us was always home with the girls (except when court or training got in the way and then his kind kind family helped us out with babysitting). We took this schedule one year at a time, but now we are adding a third baby to the mix, and leaving 3 kids under 4 with a babysitter is a lot to ask. The Officer's schedule is also changing slightly, and his career is getting busier and busier. He has happily made so many sacrifices during the last few years in order for me to have my dream job, and he would never have asked me to quit. There are just so many little details about next year that make it obvious that my family needs me at home, and I'm so happy to do it.

I will definitely miss my coworkers and all our fun

This really was my dream job. I taught at a fantastic Catholic school, where I plan to send my girls in just a few short years. My Principal was more of a friend than a boss, and I was surrounded by the greatest coworkers anyone could ask for. The people I worked with were like family to me.... we prayed together, we laughed together, and we always supported each other.  It was a wonderful job, and I will miss so many parts of it (not the early morning alarm), but now I get to start my even better dream job. I'll still get to sing silly songs and teach the alphabet, but I'll get to spend every morning with my own children. We'll get to go to Mom's group activities and story time at the library. My girls are growing up quickly, and I'm so glad I get to spend these next few precious years with them full time.

Now I get to sit with my feet up all day while this goes on right?? 

I have been amazed by all of the support I have gotten with this decision. Everyone I have told lets me know how excited they are for me, and many women have told me that they wished they had stayed home or are glad that they did stay home. Nobody thinks I'm wasting a degree or will be sitting around all day doing nothing. I'm surrounded by people who see the value in a career as Mom. I'm glad that the Officer and I can make this option work, and I'm so grateful that I had the Officer's complete support with either decision. Now I just need to make sure I don't wear my pajamas all day, because we all know how I love my "dressy sweats" :)