First Official Week!

Well, this is my first official week as a stay-at-home mom! It's not really going to be a regular week, as I am trying to get everything ready for our vacation Thursday. I am already loving this feeling! Even though I had the summers off at my former job, this feels different. It doesn't feel like a vacation, it feels more real and official! I have been noticing people post some pretty snarky Facebook posts about stay-at-home moms this weekend. I really, really hope that I wasn't like that when I was working. I don't think I was ever rude or looked down my nose at homemakers. I am pretty sure I was just envious and wistful about it. I think I am going to have to get used to the snide remarks, but I sure will stand up to them! I really don't think one is better than the other, it's just what is best for your family and what you can manage. I have wanted this for four years and am so thankful that it has finally happened, that nothing can knock me from my cloud (at least for a while!).


I have a lot I want to accomplish this summer, cleaning and organizing, as well as working on things with the kids. Sam is four and is already reading, so I want to work on improving his reading skills and his handwriting. Lilly still needs to master the basics; recognizing colors, letters, and numbers. Sam was so advanced in those areas that it is hard for me not to worry about her :) I know that she is right where she is supposed to be, but I want to give her the best start possible.

We haven't shared this with a lot of people, but we are pretty sure Sam has hyperlexia. Basically, he has advanced academic skills and an unusual interest in letters, words, and numbers, but has a delay in language and social skills. There is debate about whether hyperlexia is on the autism spectrum or not, but that doesn't really matter to us! He has not been formally diagnosed, but does receive speech (language) and occupational therapy. He is also in a special education preschool classroom to help with his language and social skills. I can not say enough good things about his preschool experience so far. We were so worried when he first started, but he has made so many improvements that I am thrilled with his progress! I cannot wait to see what kind of improvements he makes next year! It's really hard to tell at first that he has any delays, but once you have a converstation with him, you will notice that he uses a lot of learned phrases and has a tendency to repeat lines from shows he has seen. He is such a wonderful, funny, sweet, michevious little boy and we are so lucky that his delays are not more serious. Some days when he is having a melt down, or I have to repeat a direction for the fourth time, I have to remember that!

So that's the plan for this summer; clean, organize, play, explore, and learn!! It's going to be great!

Last week of work!

Tuesday I will start my last week of work! I can hardly believe that this is happening. I have wanted to be a stay-at-home mom for so long that it doesn't seem real yet. A lot of different things prevented us from financially being able to afford for me to stay at home. Thankfully, the last couple of years things have really fallen in place for us. Between Shaun getting on the fire department, working for his dad, and decent tax returns we have finally paid the majority of our large bills off! We made some decisions that weren't so great when we were first married and I was completing my graduate internship, which paid less than $400 a month! We definitely learned some things from those experiences and will be giving our kids some serious financial advice when they are older. 

Last week I said goodbye to most of my co-workers and some of the students. My principal didn't announce to the kids that I was leaving, so a lot don't know. I really wished that it had been announced in some way. In my role as school social worker, I interact with almost all 350 students. A lot of them rely on me when they are in crisis or just need someone to talk to. I am a little worried that someone will need me and become upset when they realize I am gone. I don't know if that is arrogant or not, but I do worry about next year. I was at the school for four years and really built some trusting relationships with students. Who knows, the person that replaces me could be so great that no one even cares that I'm not there anymore! 

I will spend next week sorting my files and all of my materials. I have to decide what to keep, throw away, or give away. We don't plan on me going back to work, but you never know so I will probably store most of my good materials. I plan on leaving several files explaining the different events and responsibilities that I am in charge of. When I first started there, I was given an empty file cabinet and a desk! The person that was in my position before me left me nothing! I don't want that for whomever replaces me. It should be an emotional, but hopefully relaxing last week of work!