18: the lucky number

I met with my adviser on Tuesday, to make sure I was on track to walk in graduation on August 14th ! I am only 18 credits away from GRADUATION. I will still have my senior capstone to finish up in the Fall, but I can still walk in summer :) Hip Hip Hurray. Amalie has big a HUGE motivation in getting done. I can't wait to be done and have more time to hang with my little lady.

Also I have lost 18 lbs on my "hot mama diet" :) about 15 lbs more to go to get back to the 130 lbs I was when I got pregnant. I haven't been too hardcore about my diet, but trying to eat well and exercise when I can, I continue to loose a pound or two a week, hopefully I'll be back to my normal self early summer.

18 is MY number this week !

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End of the term

It has been a little over three months since Amalie was born. I have never been so challenged and stretched in my entire life ! I am so thankful for this though, I have grown up a lot and continue to grow into this new roll, a mother. Yesterday Chad and I went on our weekly Saturday walk as a family. (It seems like this is our only time together throughout the week.) It is truly cherished though ! I can't imagine any other thing that brings me more joy than being with my husband and my daughter. When we got married we felt like we were a "family" but I don't think anyone can describe fully how your heart changes when a child is added into the mix.

I have really been struggling with being away from Amalie so much when I have to go to work. I work 5 nights a week so I only get to put her to sleep 2 nights :( When I am home I have housework ( which sadly comes at least priority) and homework and making dinner and juggling all the other parts of life. I try to spend as much time as possible with Amalie, but I feel so sad sometimes at the end of the day I feel like I haven't been able to have that undivided attention and time with her. She is quite social and doesn't mind being watched and held by anyone, but deep down in my heart I get so sad sometimes that she doesn't get the majority of her day with me her mama !

I never pictured myself as a stay at home mom, and not to say that I want to do that, especially once my kiddos get into grade school, but I can tell you that I am going to work so hard in getting a work from home or great part time job once I graduate. I commend those who work full time and have their kids in daycare during the day but for me I just don't think I could do it ! I never understood people who wanted to stay home and not work, but now I understand. I think with so many things we have these ideas of how we want things or how we think we will do things, but I am learning every week that really until you go through it you have no idea what you want or what you will do. I try to be flexible and go with "what is best right now." approach. For all plans change, and If I never want to change my plans around I would end up just really discouraged.

So what will next term hold? Gosh I have no idea ! But I'm sure excited to find out.
Life is such a crazy wonderful journey !

And having a kid makes it SO much fun !

Thank you for my husband and my little Amalie for keeping me sane this term, it has been rough !

I-Phones, why I love them

For awhile now I have wanted an i-phone, but their wasn't much of a need for one, so we never decided to add the extra expense to our budget. Their are so many reasons why I am so glad we canceled cable, and a few other expenses to get these. But the main reason i love them is we are able to take and send video easily to each other. Going back to work has been good, but I miss my little Amalie SO much ! Especially those 8 hour shifts are killer. ONce I come home she is fast asleep and I wont get to hold and kiss on her until around 7 am when she wakes up for a bottle. Chad is great about sending me video clips so I can watch on my break. This one is my all time favorite though, she is such a talker these days !