Facing Another Big Decision

This one has to do with my career.

I spend 2-3 hours a day commuting into the city for my dream job. I love my job, but it leaves me no free personal time, or time with the boys other than what we spend on dinner, bath-time, and reading before bed. I am worried about when J* starts Kindergarten in the fall, and when they both start after-school sports in a few years. Will I be the mom who CAN'T go to the games?

Its not that I was looking for an immediate solution to these questions. But one popped up yesterday. My old job, which is 4 minutes from my house, is available, and my old boss took me to dinner last night to pursue re-hiring me.

Its not my dream job . . . it'll be a step back in title, and a world away from my current career path (it would be clinical instead of research), but it is an ideal situation in every other way.

So I am faced with the horrible decision of choosing career over family. And its making my stomach very ill.

I think I've done alright so far . . .

How do you discuss adoption with your children? We read J* a book a lot called "The Day We Met You" and I change some of the words to make it more personalized. I have a book for Cooper, called "Before You Were Born: Our Wish for Baby" that is about frozen embryo adoption. I haven't started with it yet, but I will.

J* remembers the time when Cooper was growing inside me. He says things like, remember when we went to the carnival and I rode the roller coaster by myself, because you had Cooper in your tummy and couldn't go with me?" This kid has a memory like an elephant!

He did ask me once about when he grew in my tummy. We had a short conversation when I explained that he grew in another woman's tummy for us, b/c mommy couldn't grow babies back then. Avery special woman grew him for us, and her name was M*. That was about 8 months ago, if I remember correctly.

About a month ago, he mentioned her name once (and with perfect pronunciation, no less). Last night, my FIL was putting him in my car and was saying how he would miss him while he was in FL for the weekend. The poor man's jaw hit the snowy ground when J* asked him to say hello to M* for him, b/c "she grew me in her tummy, you know".

Unbelievable.

New Pictures

These were taken last week by Cooper's most loving daycare teacher . . .

J-man and his friend K-man:


Coop playing piano:


Coop eating, then inspecting, his banana:

I'm still here!

Sorry for the quiet . . . I got overwhelmed with holiday stuff from before Thanksgiving, and am just digging myself out from under it all now.

I am making a NY resolution to blog at least once per week. If I don't, please yell at me!

The boys are doing great . . . Coop is talking more and more, and J* is turning into such a little man and a great big brother. Will post a more detailed update with pictures very soon.

Double pinky swear.

Decision made

We've decided that we don't want to add to our family anymore. We are happy, complete. And knowing that feels really nice. Thank you all for your comments. You guys are the best!

A big decision

The quandry in a nutshell . . . Cooper's bio family have been storing 3 remaining embryos. They have decided their family is complete. They have offered them to us, or they will be discarded.

Storage fees are $400 per year. I kinda think we're done too, financially, physically and emotionally. But how can I be sure?

What would you do?

The Winnahhhhhh!

The winner is Nurse Mommy! I will email you for your address! Thanks to everyone who played in my contest!

Bloggy Giveaway time!

The Bloggy Giveaway Carnival is back, so I'm offering up the chance to win this hand-crocheted strawberry hat for the baby girl in your life . . . or soon to be! It is made with washable/dryable acrylic yarn, and should fit 6-9 months size.

To enter in my random drawing, please leave a comment here, and be sure to include a valid email address! Entries will be closed on Oct 31st at midnite.





Be sure to check out all the other blogs offering giveaways at The Bloggy Carnival main site!

I have learned my lesson!

I was changing the Coop's diaper and J* starts dancing around saying he needs to pee. I told him to go (he potties by himself ALL the time), but he wouldn't go without me. He continues to whine when I am elbow deep in baby poop, so I say in my usual snippy, smart-ass response I usually reserve for my husband, "well, just pee in your pants then, if you won't go by yourself". He went back to watching TV, standing by the couch. I thought I bought myself 2 extra minutes.

Boy was I wrong! Yes, he did. He peed himself. And what did I get? "but Mom, you told me too!".

I have learned my lesson. The Hard Way.

Tympanostomy Tube Surgery

Yep, Coop has ear infection #7, poor little guy. So we saw the ENT yesterday, and he will be scheduled for ear tube insertion (bilateral myringotomy) in about two weeks. Yes, I know its quick,easy and the best thing for him . . . but I'm not worried about him. I'll be a mess, holding my baby as he is put under anesthesia. UGH! Please send all valium this way!

The next Jonas Brothers . . .

Birthdays, Weddings and Teeth . . . Oh My!

What a busy month already, and it ain't over!

Cooper only turned one, and he's already celebrating on the Birthday Bell Curve schedule. This is something we came up with in college if your bday fell in the middle of the week. Your Birthday Bell Curve celebration started the weekend before and lasted until the weekend after. Of course, it expanded to a month-long party by the time we were seniors . . . .

Anyway, 3 cakes later, Cooper was officially one-year old. Formula gone. Crawling over. Toddler time has arrived! Unfortunately, so has his 5th ear infection, so he is on close watch. Since he had one a month from June - Sept during NOT primetime sick weather, if he gets one more, he may need tubes. As of yesterday, he had 4 teeth coming in on top - all at the same time. He is still a sweet little guy, despite the pain he must be in! And in grand Coop style, he had an allergic reaction to another antibiotic, this time Cefdinir. It was only a "little rash" this time.

He has a few words/phrases now too . . . Dada, Mama, wha dat?, and Tiger (FIL's cat). He does a mean head shake for a NO! too, LOL!

First cake:



Hubby's sis got married over the weekend, and J* was a ring-bearer . . . in name only. He donned the tux, looked sweet as ever, but wouldn't walk down the aisle. Well, at least we have good pictures.

Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy, happy birthday to my sweet miracle boy. Cooper, me dear baby, you are growing up too fast! Mama loves you!

mended

Geez! That Coxsackie virus threw us all for a loop! I finallystarted feeling better on Sunday, 8/31. That's nine days of fever, aches, fatigue and double pink-eye. Hubby and my mom had it too (my mom watched the Coopster on the day his fever was 104.9F, so she got cooties too).

Anyway, we're all better and back to work/school. Just in time for a big birthday celebration around here tomorrow! I can't believe its been about a year to the minute I *finally* went into labor!

It be my birthday, and I'ze be sick

UGH! Caught the cooties from the kiddos! Happy Birthday to me . . . .

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times

We've had quite a month. We ended July with a week-long stomach bug for both kids. Luckily they resolved just in time for our week long trip to Aruba with my parents, brother, SIL and kids. We had a GREAT time! Jackson learned to doggy paddle without his life vest AND to hold his breath and go underwater! This is a big step for us! Coop loves the water too of course. And we met a baby named Miles that was his twin! My nephew actually went over to Miles when he was crying and said "don't cry Cooper!". It was funny!

Cooper was walking all over the hotel room, and now he is just toddling all over. Its sad to see his babyness slowly going away, but he gets to walk down the aisle at my SIL's wedding in Sept, so that's great! I really wanted him to do that with Jackson, who is the official ring bearer.

On the flight home from Aruba, Jax spiked a high temperature and was screaming that his eyeballs hurt. We got home and he was 104 degrees. Turns out he had Coxsackie virus, with the blisters in his throat and everything. He missed 4 days of school last week. Of course, lo and behold, Cooper got it last Friday afternoon, and has been sick ever since. He went as high as 104.9 degrees. I have NEVER seen that high a temp before! Its so scary! But he's on the mend . . . no fever today, just quarts of snot. Lovely!

Long Overdue Update

Sorry for the lack of posting . . . I just can't seem to get my act together these days. We've been busy, and now the kids have another stomach bug. I am DONE with puke. NO MORE I say!

Jackson had a great birthday. We had the fourth annual pool party with fabulous weather. This kid is good luck, we think. Either that, or no one dare rain on his parade, LOL!





Cooper is ready for his birthday rapidly approaching . . . he even knows how old he'll be!



Scarier yet . . . he'll be walking to his own party.

All better, and with teeth too!

thanks for the well wishes . . . Coop's rash resolved quickly and he was just fine! Then, on June 29th, he finally sprouted a tooth! Not to be outdone, tooth #2 was just behind it on July 5th! He turned 10 months on the 3rd, and celebrated by climbing up one step on the stairs. Here comes trouble. Oy!

J's b-day is tomorrow, but his party is on Sunday. I'll leave you with a few pics until I recap the party.

J's first fish!




Coop's first trip to the beach:

Poor baby

Not chicken pox, but amoxycillin allergy. Enough to scare the shit out of me.

Too cute

Can my kids be any cuter? And I can say that, because I have no biological input to either of them . . . so I am impartial (yeah, right)!