How in the heck does one decide on a day care provider for their child?? If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would have laughed if I were asked to be a stay-at-home mother. I was advancing in the ranks at my job and thoroughly enjoying my generously increasing salary and new found independence. Why would I want to give that up? My, how things have changed. Since spending the past 14 weeks (minus that one week I had to go back to work...thanks mom, for making that easier on me!!) with our son, I am already getting anxious thinking about leaving him with someone in 6 weeks. Yes, I get to spend the next several weeks at home still and I couldn't be more thankful. So not only do I
not want to look for day care, but who is good enough? Who gets to see our little man sit up, crawl, walk, say his first word? Will they be as excited for him as I want them to be? Will they feed him and change him and hug him and love him? Probably, but no one can do it better than me!
Unfortunately, society has evolved to a two-income standard of living. We could probably make it work on Greg's income alone, but that's not fair to him. How could I ask him to let me stay home with our son while at the same time substantially decreasing our gross income and increasing the pressure put on him to be the sole provider. The pros and cons on this one is a difficult list to make!
But, the contract is signed and back to work I go on July 31. That is not a day I look forward to, but hopefully we can make the best choice for our son in who we leave him with each day. I feel like he needs me, but I need to remember that all those kiddos at school need me too! At least I owe it to them to be fully present and committed to them while I am at work.
Anyway...enough about that for now. On a happier note, we just got back from a great visit to Minnesota for Greg's niece's high school graduation - congratulations, Mandy!!! Ben did fantastic on the airplane both ways, but he was a little fussy for everyone there. I'm sure it was a difficult adjustment for him, but I wanted the family to meet the little man Ben truly is! I didn't take my camera out nearly as much as I wish I had, but I'm hoping G-ma Dee can help with that! :-)
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| Happy boy waiting at the airport for his first plane ride! |
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| Ben and daddy at graduation. |
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Good thing Ben liked the wind, cause there was plenty
of it...obviously! :-) |
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Ben finally let G-ma Dee hold him and he was
completely entertained by his cousin Ryan! |
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We took our monkey (dubbed Maggie...because he flirts
with her like this!) with us. |
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| Successful airplane ride home...asleep through the landing! |
We are off to Florida to see the Dalton (my mom's side) family on Saturday, so wish us happy travels! I will try to be better with the camera on this trip!
And, here are some current Ben photos.
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Who doesn't practice their Superman pose when they're
butt-naked? And who doesn't love a cute little baby bum? |
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| Yeah, I'm cool like that! |
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| Ben's new activity gym...he LOVES it!!! |
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| He sure does love his daddy, too. |
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| That sure is one good lookin' kid!! |
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Wait...so you said I gag myself when I stick my hand
down my throat. How about if I stick both hands down
my throat? |
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| Whaddya mean I have to wait even longer to see daddy? |
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| I'm a big boy now... |
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Yeah, this flying stuff is fun, but how am I supposed to
see the fan from this angle? |
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| Happy Ben! |
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Practicing wearing our sun attire so I won't pull it off
when we go to Florida. |
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| I get to sit up all by myself? |
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| He can make it bounce all on his own!! |
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| Rockin' his mullet. And catching up on his Hells Kitchen. |
And the video....enjoying his activity gym and the monkey daddy bought him at the Minneapolis airport.
