It’s kind of like a sabbatical.

I have an announcement to make.

No wait, I have two announcements to make.

1. I have resigned from my position at the DDRC. (For those of you who don’t know, I work for the Developmental Disability Resource Center. I’m a speech-language pathologist on the early intervention team. That basically means that I go to the homes of two to three year old boys who aren’t talking yet…and help their parents get them to start talking.) Anyway, my last day is June 26th and while I’m very sad to be leaving a job that I truly loved, I’m more excited than I can even explain to be able to stay home with my baby. I’ll blog more about my job later.

2. I need to take a break from this blog. I think I was a little preemptive in getting it started in the first place. I have so many things rolling around in my head that I’d like to write about but I just can’t seem to set aside the time right now to get them down. That along with all of the other things that I have in my brain really seem to be stressing me out. Stress was pretty much the opposite result I wanted from this blog. Originally I thought to myself that I would just put this project “on the back burner,” but I seem to be bothered by its presence on any of my burners. So I’m going to take a step back, finish up my responsibilities at work, and kiss my baby A LOT. I’d like to say that this will be a short break, but I’m going to say it is for an undisclosed amount of time to leave myself fully unrestricted. (But I WILL be back, so no need to take me off of your blogrolls!) In the meantime, I’ll leave you with a list (one of my favorite things to make) of all the other jumble I have in my head. I’ll be working on letting go of some of it… developing others…and hopefully I will have a lot to blog about when I come back!

In no particular order:

• Digial scrapbooking
• Sewing clothes for Z (soulemama style)
• Sewing lessons in general
• Knit toys (particularly blocks)
• Cloth diapering Z
• Z starting solid foods
• Photography (or at least learning how to use something besides auto on my camera)
• Baking (yes, again)
• Cleaning out my basement
• Downsizing
• Organizing my kitchen (It’s never gonna end Nate. I’m sorry you didn’t know this when you married me.)
• Card making (Neve, I’m still mad at you)
• Gardening
• Aprons, bibs, and tutus
• Seeing by best friend's baby
• Seeing my new nephew
• Going to Idaho
  

By the way, if any of you are experts in any of the skills above…feel free to teach me. Except I can’t pay you…but I could cook for you! And of course, I'll still be updating my family blog because we all know, Z's cup runneth over with cuteness and I can't resist sharing.

Okay bye, I’m off to get started on that baby kissing.

One Success and Off To Bed

So after a grueling day of being chronically late, stuffy nosed, thirsty, hungry, and generally cranky, I made it to my last appointment. I decided to stop at Good Times for an *ahem* fountain drink to help me keep from collapsing while working with a kiddo I knew would be bouncing off the walls. It was fortunate foresight because apparently the little man was having a day similar to mine.

After I followed him around his house for about 30 minutes determined to get SOMETHING out of him, he finally lost it. He threw himself down on the floor and gave mom and I front row seats to a finely crafted two-year-old tantrum. Head banging, fists flying, legs kicking. In a moment of brilliance I grabbed the big bouncy ball we had been playing with and made a floor-kiddo-ball sandwich followed by some fancy occupational therapy stuff that Neve taught me. Calmed the kid right down. (sensory activities are magical that way)

At that moment I picked up a car that was sitting next to me. Kiddo, while still laying on his back, signals to me that he wants that car. No no no...he WANTS THAT CAR. But he already has two cars in his hands. AHA! Let's learn about sharing.

I offer to give him my car if he gives me one of his. Unacceptable. He lets me know again he WANTS THAT CAR. Similar bargaining by the mean therapist, similar refusal by the stubborn toddler. Another tantrum erupts. I keep my cool and while kiddo is crying I lay down next to him and explain that "we have to share if we're going to be friends...I'm sorry that's just the way it is." Kiddo stops crying long enough to look me in the eyes and hear me say "that's how we roll."

Kiddo hands me one of his cars.

Mom roars with laughter and said, "Oh Miranda, that was cute."

Success.