4 Months Past and We're Just About in a Routine!

5 cent a smile..saving for college. 

Our baby is nearly four months old. FOUR MONTHS! In some ways it feels like its flown by, and in other ways to hard to remember life the way it was before. He is such a joy! He's just so amazing and captivating and just utterly enticing all in the same moment. I really don't know how its possible.

I am surprised by how much "fun" he is to take places. I feel like we are playing house whenever the three of us (four, including Bandit) load up in the car and take off to some generic place like Burlington or SportClips (which we did this weekend). Does this feeling ever go away? I certainly hope not. I am so proud of our little family. I'm proud of how we somehow deserved this little person. I'm proud of how we have managed to keep him alive and happy for four months.

And I'm REALLY proud that we somehow keep it together through the rare to often crying fits that can pop up for no reason at all. "Oh, you hate your car seat today? That's unfortunate, since the day is just starting... "

Packing up to head out. 

I'm also thankful....extremely thankful. He is truly a gift from God, and now I understand why people call babies miracles.

The three month mark started another chapter in our lives. I'm now officially working full time again in the office, and Jackson is in a full time in-home daycare facility. It was a little heart-wrenching at first. I had hoped to work part time from home for around a year before returning back to the office 5 full days. So this came on us a little early, but I think we adjusted well. I am very grateful for the time at home I had with him home during the day, I'm also very happy to be back at work.

If I'm lucky, Jackson falls
asleep during the warm up run.

I'm a huge advocate and supporter of moms who want to return to work. I'm also on the side of moms who want to stay at home full time. You do whats right for your family, and I've seen both work out wonderfully when the mom makes the choice that is best for them.

Full-Time daycare has opened up several other opportunities as well. I loved having him at my sister-in-law, but I was pretty limited on what I could do on those days. Most of my activities (gym, horse, etc) were located in Olathe/KS and I live in South KC, so driving 30 min (w/traffic) home and then back out to whatever I want to go was just not working out. Having daycare in Olathe just a couple miles from work saves me lots of drive time, and opens up time for me to head out to see the horse in Paola, or to work out afterwards. My schedule is definitely a little more normalized.

Some days drag by and I miss my little guy. Other days go by quick and before I know it, we're hanging out. Some days get super busy and I feel like we didn't get any time at all to just "be", and other days I've planned to do NOTHING except just sit on the couch, floor or bed and bond. What a treat those times are! Achieving balance is never an easy task, but we seem to manage to do ok.

We're happy, and my baby is happy...so surely we're doing it right. :)

Dana

Enjoying a quite Sunday morning on the deck. 

We love to jog!! ...most days.