Up to speed….

Well…..It's been a minute!  Life has been utterly hectic the past ohhhhh- 7 months!  HA!  I am finally finding pockets in my schedule to feel a bit normal.   To take back 20 or so minutes to myself….and like an old friend, I find comfort in my blog.  My old creative outlet comes to the rescue!  I've decided to sit down & type every time I get the urge to buy Cadbury Mini-Eggs.  So I should be submitting an entry possibly 5x a day.

So I said goodbye to Florida December 30th.  We drove away from the humidity, alligators & water moccasins and drove right up to Greenville where we were greeted with 15 degree weather.  My husband took a position back with his old company which relocated us to the great state of South Carolina.  This would be my 11th move in 18 years.  People always ask me how I do it….But honestly?  It only really got hard the past 4 years…after I had children.  NOW I am finding it extremely difficult.  Before I thought it was an adventure.  We would show up in a new city & have a few days to check it out & try to decide on what the coolest area to live in would be….hit up the local bars & eventually meet a ton of great people only to do it again in about 18 months….But now??  Here is what went down the past few months…..

Saying goodbye to our friends in Florida was very hard.  Hayden did not take it very good at first.  She missed her teacher & classmates & often said how she wanted to go back to Florida…I had finally met a good group of people through kid's gymnastics, dance & swim & was getting settled into a routine. I liked my doctors & pediatrician & was getting amped to start my work out routine.  But I digress.  The opportunity in Greenville would launch my husband's career in a great direction so we decided once again to make the jump….

Last Day with her Dance Friends

Last Day of her class at Bright Horizons

Arriving Via Express Jet to Greenville

In our Hotel Room Awaiting Corporate Housing

Reedy River at Falls Park Downtown Greenville.  10 Minutes from our home

So we arrive in Greenville (With a dog, Cat, 4 Year old & Newborn) & our relocation team tells us that the corporate apartment is closed for the holidays (did i mention it's midnite?) So we got put up in the Ramada Inn.  It's now 2 AM.  We have just driven 9 hours & we have 2 vehicles stuffed with as many things as we could fit for the 2-3 months that we might need to live in corporate housing while looking for a permanent home.  We get to the Ramada….It's a one bedroom Studio.  ONE BED.  4 humans 2 animals and ONE BED??  Now I'm blowing a gasket. Welcome to Greenville.  Needless to say- within minutes we were moved to our 2 bedroom suite.  I hated having to take the earrings off and go in there with my "Mastic" on full display but mama was not playing at 2 AM with a crying baby.  We were there for 2 days…finally our Corporate apartment was ready.  Wait….let me re-state that- our 2nd floor walk up apartment.  I did mention it was 15 degrees, right?  And I have a small baby & 4 year old?  And 2 cars filled with stuff?  UGHHHHHHH

We lived there for a full month and 4 days.  Because of the time of year, people were not selling or renting their homes!  Not many people decide mid-year to uproot their families out of school or leave around Christmas time.  We were panicking! We finally found a great place very close to down town, great parks & all the shopping that I am certain to be doing during our time here.  It was new construction & came on the market right when we needed it to!  I found a great Gym, School extra-curriculars & a baby program for our son.  Things are falling into place.  It REALLY helped a lot that I have family friends here that I grew up with in NY.  They make us feel so welcomed!!  We have been spending lots of time together eating great food & laughing.  I have not seen them in about 18 years but we fell right back into the groove.   I tell you what- having done this so many times….this has been the easiest of transitions.  Partly because of our friends…but mainly because we feel complete.  Everything that we will ever need is right here with us…..and it did help that my mom came to town for 5 days to hang out!!

New House

Just a cute Picture of my kid...

My husband is running the Boston Marathon.  We would have a lot more time to explore our surrounding & get a better feel for the area but every weekend we seem to be working around his running schedule.  2 hours on Saturday….3 hours on Sunday.  This thing can't come fast enough!!  I've been spending a lot of time trying to get myself to feel healthy.  I've had many months of feeling tired & sluggish & very agitated.  I finally saw a General Practitioner & got a blood test panel.  Turns out my thyroid is practically shutting down.  I needed to Triple the dosage of my medication.  I seem to feel a little bit better.  It was also determined that I had a bad stomach bug & needed to be on a 2 week course of antibiotics. So with those 2 things knocked out….I began to work out with a trainer.  Monday, Wed & Friday I meet with a guy who has been beating me up.  This past Friday I went so hard I threw my back out.  After a few days of chiropractic care, I was able to get back in the gym today & get back on track.  I still have some big goals for myself this year.  Jason & I plan to do our first Tri-athlon in the fall- exact date & place TBD….and I want to get on the cross fit hype.  Trying to figure out how to do that with 2 kids and no baby-sitter as of late….who knows how this is going to happen.  All I know is Next year in May…I will turn 40.  I want to accomplish at least a few more goals before then.  Is getting botox and fake boobs a goal?  lol.  Ok..  I may settle for a push up bra.

So today I had a phone call with one of my besties & we were talking about the major differences you notice when you have the 2nd child...  Here is a list of the things that I came up with.

1. While nursing, it is not abnormal for the older one to try to get on it as well.  (Stiff arm to face!!)
2. You will teach your older kid to buckle themselves in because standing out in the cold to buckle TWO kids in is just NOT happening.  
3. The ever present Highchair cover while eating out with 8 toys attached has turned into mommy's coat bunched up all around him…and the toys are the coasters & silverware.  (spoons mostly)
4. The older kid gets put in the bathtub not because I am overly conscious about cleanliness but so that I can get a moment's rest.
5. I only "Make" his baby food if i feel like it.  
6. My new hang out is the mall play center.
7. My wardrobe consists of workout clothes from old navy.
8. My 2nd child does not yet have a baby book.
9. When arguing with my husband in the car, I can spell "asshole" in 1.2 seconds, dip shit in 1.1
10. My 2nd child has never worn clothing pre-washed in Dreft.  And i'm not so sure I ever pre-washed anything of his in general. 
11. I did not buy one single new exerciser….and most of his toys are pink.  
12. Almost all of his clothes are hand me downs.  Instead of raising an eyebrow at the idea…I kick myself for ever buying ANYTHING new!  
13. I don't run to the doctor for a cold.  A fever has to be over 103 for me to start worrying.
14. Diaper changing every 1/2 hour is over rated.
15. I WILL Breast feed anywhere I need to.  I'll respect your aversion to seeing two deflated circus twisty balloons and cover up but I have no control over the noises my son will make if he's ravenous.  You've been warned (as opposed to excusing myself & hiding in an electrical closet like I used to)
16. If you want to romance me, you better do it before 6:30 PM because I got a schedule & mama needs to get to sleep by 9.  
17. I no longer have patience.  Period.  So if you give me an attitude I WILL tell you everything about yourself in 30 seconds because I "ain't got time for that".

I think I'll stop there before I scare another mother out of having a second child.  I like to poke fun at everything…but truth be told…I love having my two.  I am amazed at what an incredible big sister my daughter is to her baby brother.  She is nurturing, attentive…she loves to make him laugh…she cuddles him, she runs to tell me if he wakes from a nap & is crying….I am so blessed beyond measure…tired…but blessed. 

Dreaming about Vacation

The blooming trees 

So here is one more thing I want to talk about before ending this post….I'd like to know your thoughts about going to work vs. staying at home.  I have been thinking about going back to work at some point.  Ideally I'd like to find something flexible…so that I can feel like I'm contributing not for financial reasons but for creativity!  It's been so long since I have felt that.  I try to be creative with my children, take them on field trips…through Facebook or this blog…Something is missing!  I have been researching ways to work from home….anyone have any ideas?  Also….there is nothing more annoying than when someone says to me…"I would love to be a stay at home mom".  I love that I have the choice…but please don't insinuate that what I do every day is easy.  It is the hardest, most selfless thing that I have ever done.  Every bit of me is given to these children from the minute I wake up until the moment I shut my eyes.  Though I would not change that for a second- it doesn't mean that I'm living the life of Riley over here.  I'm sure it will pay off in time, but right now it feels thankless.  There are not too many pats on the back from society for being a SAHM.  No extra bonus…no paid vacations….Just keep that in mind. 

My Little buddies