Mama Goes Back to Work

Unfortunately my maternity leave could not last forever and I had to go back to work on November 16. It was a sad day for all of us, but I am so grateful for the 16 weeks I had off with the kiddos! We had so much fun and got to spend so much quality time together. As much as I hated to leave my little guys, I was also a little excited to go back in a new position as the Community Program Director. I am hoping that once things settle down I will be able to have a more flexible schedule and spend more time with the kids.

#mamagoesbacktowork

I'm not sure who this transition was harder on, Emmett, Clara, or I. Luckily we discovered that Emmett will take bottles as long as they are VERY warm. If they are even a tiny bit too cold he will cry and refuse them, but get them nice and toasty and he is fine. We didn't figure this out until a few days before I went back, so I was a bit stressed out at the end. He did great his first week! He didn't sleep as well as he normally does for los Abuelos, but I chalk it up to not having his normal swing and routine.

I prepared Clara for my return to work beginning a month ago. She initially cried when we talked about it, but was starting to get excited to play with Aba and Bayleaf, and play with Abuela Sheri's toys and Teegee. My first day Dada did not have a car as he had forgotten to pick it up from the mechanic so Fafa saved the day and picked Dada and the kids up so I could get to work on time. I was pleasantly surprised that we were all able to get ready (including fed, clothed, potty, and hair and teeth brushed) on time (this did not happen the other days)! Clara had no problem going with Fafa since Dada was going too and didn't care when Dada got dropped off. It was a smooth transition the first day...

Dada is taking Paid Family Leave (I'm thankful we live in California where this is possible) and stays home Tuesdays now. He not only survived his first entire day with two kids, but managed to take them to the library story group (on time) as well! However, Clarita had such a fun day with Dada that she was absolutely devastated when he had to go to work on Wednesday. She sat by the door screaming and it took me a little while to calm her down. Then I had to leave which prompted 10 minutes of screaming for Aba. It only stopped when Clara declared that she had to go potty. She at first stated that only Mama could help her and started to poop in her pants when Aba told her that Mama was gone. Luckily she acquiesced and there were no more problems the rest of the day. Grandma Donna came to help Aba out on her first day watching all three kids. Aba was definitely tired by the end of the day, but said it went fine.

To further complicate matters, Abuela Sheri got called for Jury duty! Thursday she had to be there so Aba watched all three kids again. Clara had music class so Dada took her, but Bailey had to miss Gymboree as Aba was not about to take all three kids ( I don't even think I would be brave enough for that). Aba said her second day was great complete with long naps (for my kids at least) and very little crying (it may help that Clara was gone for an hour)! Clarita told me that her favorite part of the day was playing with Aba (over music class)! An added bonus was that we were able to eat dinner and make it to Gymboree on time after work!

Friday Aba watched the kids again and it was a success! She said that having Grandma Donna help for a couple hours around lunch time each day was a lifesaver! I got home a little early and Clarita and I picked up pizza and we all celebrated a successful first week back at work!

This week, Tia took a stab at watching all three kiddos since she had Thanksgiving break. She survived the day and even managed to get a few cute pictures of the girls in the fall leaves! She said that by the end of the day she was so tired of hearing, "No Bailey, don't touch that!" as was I every time I watched them all. Hopefully Clara will get better at sharing soon (she thinks sharing means giving Bayleaf only one toy and getting upset when Bailey wants to play with other things).

As much as I hate having to leave my kids, I am glad that they are in such capable, loving hands. We are beyond blessed to be able to have family watch our kids! And it is good for Clara and I to have some time apart as she throws more tantrums when I am there and we sometimes drive each other crazy. We are both so stubborn and constantly in power struggles (sometimes we both win and lose). I think the time apart makes us appreciate each other more and value our time together! And I really do love my job and feeling like I make a difference in people's lives!

Practicing wearing heels like Mama

Dia de Dada con Dos Hijos - Capitulo Uno

Shannon leaves at eight after helping (doing most of the work) to get the kids ready and by 8:20 Clara is crying after bonking her chin on the wood floor (she gets a bruise later so it was legit) and Emmett covers his face in spit up during tummy time.

Right before Clara tipped over and bonked her chin. I did warn her that it could happen.

Good start to the day. At 8:40 Baby Emmett poops. I happen to catch it on video and send it to Shannon and tell her that he made a surprise for her.  

She replies "Nice.  Hopefully he didn't leak through because there are no more diapers.  Don't forget to hang them up I forgot about that."  But of course it leaked through.  Why wouldn't it?  I find a diaper in the washer that is dry.  They don't soak up water and the washer spins out a lot of the moisture on its last cycle anyway.  I hear Clara scream while looking for another diaper and I fear that Emmett has peed all over while I was gone but upon returning back to the pack n play I am relieved to see that he has not.  Clara is just laughing/screaming at him because he is playing with the diaper insert.  Nine o'clock comes and I find Clara pooping on her potty. Good for her! Having a potty trained kid is awesome!  Baby Emmett gets a little bit fussy.  He looks tired but I know he is going to have to eat soon. I sneak outside to hang the diapers and liners to dry.  I come back to find Baby Emmett sleeping and Clara playing upstairs. 

 

A happy Baby Emmet

A sleepy Baby Emmett

At least they're both happy!  9:50-Baby Emmett wakes up super happy as I am warming up milk for him. Clara has a snack of yogurt and milk. Baby Emmett finishes eating by 10:15 while Clara eats one and a half yogurts as a snack.  I scramble to get the kids ready to go by 10:20. We're on our way to the library in the stroller at 10:21.  We make it to the library at 10:29 with only a little bit of speed walking involved. An hour goes by playing with Playdough, painting turkeys, gluing feathers on turkeys, reading and singing with no drama.  The instructor asks where Shannon is and I tell her she had to go back to work because her maternity leave is over and that I am taking family leave every Tuesday and will be bringing Clara and Emmett.  A mother tells me how awesome she thinks that is.  I thank her and agree with her.  Its too bad not every father feels the same way.  Spending that extra time with your children when they are young is something that you can never get back.  Like the Visa saying goes, it's priceless.  Clara helps push the stroller most of the way home and we make a stop at Family Dollar to drive the barco. Seegee takes a ride with Clara.  Even I get in for a little bit. Clara wants me to put my feet in but I cant quite squeeze in.  

Get in line for a boat ride!

We get back in the house at 11:56, just in time for lunch. Baby Emmett falls asleep on the way home and wakes up at 12:05 with a wet diaper. Clara goes potty by herself just before 12:30 and I hear the seat close.  I go in there and see that my daughter is a genius child who can use the big potty all by herself! OK, not quite, but she did wipe by herself and put the paper in the big potty closing the lid after. Did she wipe well?  I don't know but a little bit of pee never hurt anybody.  It's another yogurt for Clara and baby Emmett has 3 ounces of milk. He gets a little fussy at the end but I know he's full. I tell Clara "nap time" and that I'm going to give Emmett a bath. She wants to help. It's just after 1:00.  I know her mother wouldn't let her but I bring in a chair to stand on and she says" thank you, Is that for me?"  And that alone makes it worth it.  Bath time is much more fun with her helping anyways. Clara eats some tomatoes while we bathe Emmett, rounding out her lunch of yogurt, a tangerine and half a chip. Shannon won't like that.

bath time is so much fun!

We finish and she goes down for a nap by 1:30. Emmett is asleep by 1:40 in the swinging chair. I think it took me ten minutes to put a onesie on him reaffirming the fact that I hate dressing little ones until they can move on their own. While they are sleeping I catch up on some tasks that I have been putting off for a while (months in one case), do some core exercises (also been putting off for months, and its only ten minutes!) and then read about four pages in my book that I started reading a month ago before Baby Emmett starts waking up at 4:09. I'm unable to get milk warm enough for him until 4:17.  Meanwhile, he is crying and crying and crying some more. At first I try to not let him wake up Clara then I consider it a lost cause and give up. He downs 4 ounces by 4:25. I hear Clara while I'm feeding him and check on her and she is sitting on the bed. I ask her if she wants to sleep more and she says yes and pulls the blanket over her so I close the door back again. Not the answer I am used to but I roll with it.  Baby Emmett and I hang out and change his wet diaper. Clara calls out at 4:48 "I need to go potty". After she goes potty we get ready to go to Los Tios for dinner. We are heading out the door at 5:00 (yeah, ready in 12 minutes!)  when Clara asks for a galleta. She told me earlier that momma lets her have one after a nap so I agree to it.  Baby Emmett remains super chill.  Aba takes him to meet Shannon in Reedley for a church council meeting at 5:30. Clara and I remain to eat dinner.  Clara has to sit in my lap while we eat. All she has to eat is chips that Tio fried in the deep fryer. They are super yummy and I understand but the soup that Tia made is very delicious as well but she won't try it.  At 6:30 Tia gets the bath ready.

Bath time is still so much fun!

After bath Clara runs around naked taking everyone's temperatures. She then eats two and a half bags of Grape Escape and a carrot. At least she is getting her fruits and veggies!  We hang out and play with Los Tios and Bailey until 8:00 when we finally go home to meet Mama.

Let me take your temperature!  So what if I'm naked.

Clara eats another cookie and tangerine. She gets ready for bed-read, brush teeth, read under the covers with Dada (doesn't read with Mama :( but Mama takes Emmett down stairs to put him in the swing because he is fussing a bit) go potty and get into bed. I close the door at 9:04. Shannon and I take our time getting ready for bed. At 10:15 after nursing, Shannon turns Emmett into a burrito, a happy burrito, and tells him to sleep until 5.

Ok Baby Emmett, time to become a burrito!

What a happy burrito!

He doesn't listen and wakes up hungry at 3:00.  Oh well, that is life with kids and they are so worth it. (plus Shannon gets up to feed him while I get to go back to sleep :)

Dada's Fiesta

Clarita has decided that birthdays equal parties and insisted that we needed to have a fiesta to celebrate Dada's birthday. She even went so far as to refuse to sing happy birthday to him until his fiesta! Dada and a few friends went to Vegas for the night on his actual birthday and Clara finally relented and agreed to sing happy birthday to him via video. We decided to have a family birthday fiesta the Saturday following his birthday and were lucky enough that everyone was able to attend! We ate pasta, and of course cake (with a number nine candle that Clara picked out) and ice cream, the kids ran around absolutely crazy, and we had a nice evening of hanging out. Baby Emmett got snuggles from everyone and Clara, Tristan, and Teegee plowed through the house like hurricanes! Poor Bayleaf had a reaction to her vaccinations and had a fever and was a little under the weather. That being said, she still managed to rally and play with the big kids for awhile. We had a great night celebrating our favorite Dada!

"Come on Bayleaf!"

Who doesn't eat shoe for dinner?

Pillow fight!

This is how I found them sitting!

Where did Dada and Tia Alyssa get their photogenic smiles from?

Not Abuela Sheri! (We always joke that none of
the grandma's can smile on cue)

He's nine!

Postre

Poor Bayleaf

Hug it out (pants optional)!

Bayleaf Turns One!

Our little Bayleaf turned one November second! Hard to believe that it's been a year since she was born and since I got pregnant with Emmett. She is such a sweet and fun little girl and we have so much fun with her! Clarita absolutely loves Bailey and gets so excited when they are together. We were lucky enough to spend the day with sweet Bayleaf on her birthday and we had a ton of fun! We played, painted (Bailey was more into eating the paint than painting), and had a little family party for her that evening and she even got to practice opening presents (Clarita was more than willing to help out).

Playing dentist

Paint is real yum!

Cleaning the paint off the floor, I taught her well!

Painting equals bath time!

A potty!

The Saturday following her birthday los Tios threw Bailey a birthday bash. Tia did a great job decorating and even making a super cute onesie and tutu for the Little Chubette! We had a very fun time at the party. Highlights included all the kiddos playing, watching Bailey eat her cupcake, opening presents, and playing with the presents (Clarita really enjoyed the last two!). I went early with Emmett help set up and he was a trooper. The Little Guy was content to sit in his carseat "talking" and watching everything going on for over an hour. He was then content in the carrier and even took a couple of naps in it! He also enjoyed cuddling with everyone, especially Tio Robert! Clara did great despite taking a very short nap. Bailey seemed to enjoy the party and really likes all of her new toys!

Such a happy little guy!

Jack

How many kids can fit in here?

The answer is five!

Besties

Laura and Eden

Pastelito!

Kierito and Reedcito

Tio Robert snuggles

Keiko practicing her babysitting skills