One Old Dog Attempting Some New Tricks

Since I've stopped working, I decided it would be really fun to try some things that I always wanted to do, but never had time for. I don't really have an abundance of free time now, I think I just realize now how important it is to make time for yourself.  Do something just for you. Not mommy-you, or wife-you, just you-you.

First, I started ballet lessons. I always wanted to take lessons (what five-year-old girl doesn't?); two of my favorite movies are Center Stage and Billy Elliot!! So when I find out that my sister-in-law, Joanna, has taken lessons before and she'll take them again with me and my sisters Jenni and Jackie... well, we all signed up!

Jackie, Joanna, me, and Jenni... all looking like giant kids.

Getting a tip from Jackie. 

I quickly learn that Jackie is the last person I should be taking tips from.

All our feet in our spanking-new ballet shoes.

What I've learned about ballet so far is that it's HARD! I also realize that maybe my parents didn't put me in lessons long ago because they realized what I just learned the hard way- I have no natural dance ability. None.  Even if I don't learn anything over the next few weeks and if I continue to get pitiful looks from the other girls in class, I'll still be getting a killer butt workout! It turns out there is muscle under all that flab, because I sure was sore the next day!

My next venture is cake decorating class. Now this I can do! I have always had a major sweet tooth, so no surprise I have an interest in cakes and icing.  I'm also a little crafty and artsy and so I felt right at home in this class!  I LOVED IT! I was so inspired in fact, that I am starting to fantasize about having my own little cake business. I am definitely going to continue these classes and testing recipes, so those of you who live near-by... get ready to do some taste testing!

Here's the two layered pineapple up-side-down cake with pineapple buttercream icing I made for my brother's birthday. It turned out soooo gooood! I am sure I'll be making this again!

Of course, in the midst of all this hobbying, I've been hanging out with my sweet, sweet Carson. I. Love. Him.

Tonight Carson was so sweet and smiley I ended up keeping him awake much longer than I planned on.  He started giggling when I was playing fetch with Jet, so I hopped up and grabbed my camera and did a pretty terrible job catching his giggle-fit on video.  It's a good thing for Jet that Carson finds him so funny... it really encourages me to play with him more! Poor dog gets so neglected!

After posting this picture and video... and after my brother's friend didn't recognize me tonight... I think it may be time for me to start wearing real clothes and make up and stop wearing my hair up so much.  I'm such a slob!  Oh. My. Gosh.  Is this the beginning of "mom clothes?" Am I going to wake up someday and realize I have lost all sense of personal style and current trends and still look as terrible as I do in this video?!? I might need an intervention! Someone come and rescue me to the Galleria! YIKES!

My Growing Boy!

Carson is growing up so fast it amazes me!  Just in the past week he seems to have changed so much!
I've made a few short little videos of Carson for Sean,  I thought I'd post them for you too! Please, turn the volume down on your computer because my baby-talk voice is truly awful.







By the way- I weighed Carson at home a couple of days ago.  He's 19 pounds.  HUGE.

Memorial Day Fun

Back in the day, a beach trip for the Hales would have included several cold beverages, lots of SPF 4 sunblock (I like a tan as much as the next white girl), and plenty of fetch with Jet.  Fast forward to Memorial Day Weekend 2010... take away those cold beverages (ah, breastfeeding...), add one deliciously fat baby, and you've got a modern day Hale beach trip!

My two favorites... I don't know who to pinch first!

Lounging on Aunt Jackie

With  Godmother, Aunt Joanna

Our little family

Daddy and Carson

My mommy, me, and our fat little guy

We had such a fun day!  Carson seemed to like the water, and Jet LOVED it!  Jet was admired by a family near us whose little boy had been wanting a dog.  The father said he didn't really like dogs, but ours was so well trained he thought he just might need to get a black lab! Sean's favorite command for Jet at the beach (and no doubt, one of the reasons this family loved him) is "shake."  Sean loves to have Jet shake right next to my sisters as they lay out on their towels! I admit, I think it's pretty funny too!

The lovely photographer for all the beach pictures is my Aunt Nina.  She was in town visiting us from Minnesota.  Carson fell in love with her right away... just like everyone else!  We'll miss you, Nina!  Sure wish we lived closer!

Yea for Uncle Jeff!

We had such a fun weekend celebrating Uncle Jeff's graduation from NYU Business School.  We hadn't seen him since Carson was just a few weeks old, so it was really fun to see them play... now that Carson is so much more smiley and fun!

Jeff and Carson.  I think his eyes are so weird (Carson, not Jeff) because his Mamo had taken about a zillion pictures and the flashes had to be getting old!

Just love this one.  Sigh!  Can't get enough of those smiles.

Dinner out on Saturday night to celebrate while Carson spent the evening with Grandma.

Jeff just had to get his picture taken with him wearing Carson after I told him how much the ladies love Sean when he's wearing it.  Honestly.  I had a woman come up to me one day at the mall and ask me about Carson while Sean was wearing him... she said, "A man wearing a baby is so sexy!" Whoa!  So, ladies, what do you think of Jeff?  Pretty sexy, right!?  Especially with that burp rag on his shoulder!  Super hot!

Here Carson and Lila are meeting for the first time.  Lila, our friends Matt and Lan's daughter, was SO CUTE!  Carson totally blew it with her though.  He fussed the entire time!  Maybe she'll give him another chance... she did like his toy!

Swimming at Aunt Sheryl's with Uncle Jeff, Aunt Jenni and Aunt Jackie.  And Mommy and Daddy.  Carson seemed to like it pretty well!  I love all his ROLLS in these pictures!!!  He is so fat!  Yum! Yum!

When do I catch a breath?

All in the past two weeks, we have had a birthday party, an engagement party, a crawfish boil, a Cinco de Mayo party, two Mother's Day parties, a wedding shower, and our weekly playdates!  And all the while Sean's been working a 12-hour night shift at work!  Whew!

Luckily, I've gotten pretty good at handling Carson on my own both at home and when we go out.  It seemed like such a juggling act at first, but now I'm pretty impressed at how quickly I can make decisions regarding what to pack, when to feed or pump, and how to make it all happen on time! And this from the world's most indecisive person!

It hasn't been fun feeling like a single parent, but Sean is really doing an important job.  He's working on one of the many teams who are trying to stop the oil leak in the gulf.  This makes him a little unpopular... unfortunately... but they are working so hard, I am really proud of how they are handling the situation.  For the next two weeks, Sean will be back on his regular day shift and then back to nights again.  Carson and I are enjoying having him back on his regular shift! Please say a prayer for the men and women who are working so hard to fix this devastating situation... and for the gulf and all its wildlife and the families who depend on it for their incomes.  I feel like we're holding our breath until this is all resolved.

And now for some pictures of all the fun we've been having...

From left to right... Karter, Jayce, Carson, Caroline, and Maci at our first playdate!  So funny!

I need to take some more pictures at our next playdate because these babies are growing up fast, and our group is expanding!  I have said it before, but I just can't say it enough... our Wednesday play group is awesome!  I LOVE everything about it! The kids are so cute and so fun, and the mommies are amazing friends.  I always look forward to it!

Me and Barbara on her birthday.  We had so much yummy wine and cheese, I can't wait for another reason to celebrate... do we even need one?!?  Let's just have more wine and cheese!! (By the way, can you tell this woman has twin girls?  Check out the bottles and high chairs! Ha!)

At Sarah and Nate's Cinco de Mayo party, I took this video of Carson laughing at my dear friend, Beth.  Of course, that's after I stared in disbelief and then wiped the tears from my eyes... precious!

Next up... Mother's Day!  Sometimes I still can't believe how blessed I am to have Carson in my life.  I find myself saying, "Sean!  This is OUR baby!"  It was a nice day, I only wish Sean could have been there.

Carson with Mommy and Grandma

Don't look too excited, Carson, really.

A bottle from Grandpa

Playing with Aunt Jenni

Cozy with Uncle Butch

It's a good thing Carson can't see Lisa's tattoo, because he'd be so scared! I'm scared! Ha!

Flying with Uncle Johnny

First dip in the pool!

My fourth grade teammates and I threw a wedding shower for our dear Emily.  She hates to be the center of attention, so we threw it "southern style" and didn't make her unwrap her gifts in front of everyone... and we had so much food it was a bit ridiculous!  It was so much fun to see all the girls and bring Carson up to school for a visit, even if he was cranky tired!

Meredith, Me, Beth, Melissa, Emily, and Sarah- the BEST team ever!  I'm glad summer vacation is only days away because I miss these girls and I'm going to make them hang out with me and Carson all summer long!

Getting a bottle from Miss Suzie.  So sweet!

Meredith and me with our babies, Eloise and Carson.  They are just two weeks apart!  It was so fun to go through our pregnancies together and now to watch our sweet babies grow up together!  She is so much fun and such a supportive friend... and so much tanner than I am!  I had no idea I was so pale! 

  I am so lucky to have been able to call all my teammates at school my close friends.  They're what I miss most about not teaching anymore. It's a good thing Carson keeps me so busy, or I'd really be upset!  Hopefully one day they'll take me back!

Post Baby Body

If you've been reading my blog for the last few months, you probably know how badly I took my pregnancy weight gain.  I'm a little embarrassed by that now.  In fact, I'd like to go back in time and tell my pregnant self to "shut up and eat another cupcake."

At the time, I was completely freaked out by what I would look like after the baby was born.  And how do I look after?  Not half bad!  I thought I'd be crying my eyes out over stretch marks and impossible to lose fat... but I'm not!  I don't really care! Ha!

I definitely don't look the same as I did before I had Carson, but my attitude has changed too.  My body did an amazing thing, and through breastfeeding it continues to support my little man now!  How awesome is that!  I appreciate my body now more than ever before.

Don't get me wrong, I would love not to have stretch marks, fatter than before butt and hips, or a little extra to love around my middle, but to be honest, I don't care enough to do a whole lot about it. I'm sure my hubby might like me to care a little more, but then again, I think he might like my new body image better than he liked my old body.

I truly realize now that there are so many more important things in life than how I look in a bathing suit.  I'm reminded of that everyday I spend with my husband and son.  Now when I choose to eat healthy foods and exercise, I'm doing it to stay healthy and happy for my family.  I feel like a brand new person.

So, bring on the bathing suit... and the cupcake!

Job? Mom.

As of today, I am officially resigned from my teaching position.  I thought I would have a lot to say about this, but strangely enough, I don't.  In fact, writing my letter of resignation seemed more like checking something off my to-do list rather than the significant, life-changing event that it was.

1. Shower
2. Feed baby
3. Write my resignation letter

I spent the last six and a half years teaching 4th and 5th graders, and only the last 11 weeks raising my new baby boy... but it honestly feels like a lifetime ago that I was in the classroom.  My days used to be consumed with classroom management, teaching strategies, conferences, and grading papers.  Now, my days are filled with feedings and diaper changes... and I'm perfectly happy with that.  I can honestly say that I hardly ever even think about what's going on in my classroom.  That's not because I don't care, because I do.  I loved teaching and I'm sure I'll return to it one day.  If anything, being a parent is reaffirming my belief that all children deserve the best education possible, and a teacher who truly cares about them.  I think I feel this way because I feel so called to what I'm doing right now- being a mother to my sweet Carson.

I know without a doubt that this is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing with my life right now.  There isn't a thing more important to me, nor anyone I'd rather spend my day with than my son.  He is the most important job I'll ever have, and I couldn't feel more blessed to be his mother.