Being a working mother is HARD!  I used to give 100% to my students at school even if it meant getting to school at 6:30 and not leaving until 6:30 those first few weeks… well times have changed.  I get there at 7:40 and I leave at 3:10.  If it isn’t finished I leave it there.  I bring nothing home.  I am so proud of myself for being able to do this, and I love the time I get with Kennedy in the afternoon, but boy does it make the work days hard.  I feel like I am so far behind at work and all I can do is day dream about when I will be with Kennedy again. 

I hate sending Kennedy to day care.  It hurts me so much still to let someone else raise her during the day.  She has been bitten twice by my friend’s baby since we have started going there.  I really don’t feel like she is in danger, but I HATE to drop her off.

On the good news…. here is a new photo shoot! (Click on the Photo)

Ladies and gentlemen we have a laugher. A few times in the past we thought we heard a little giggle out of Kennedy, but now it is official…. Kennedy can laugh! DeeDee had her laughing so hard she got the hiccups twice today! She is growing up so fast!

Current stats:
*eats about 3 1/2 oz per feeding
*sleeps 5-6 hours at night
*always falls asleep on the way to daycare and doesn’t wake up until 9
*starting to wear 3-6 month clothes
*can laugh, giggle, and coo
*still loves our bed
*has become very attached to “giraffee”
*loves bath time
*could care less about rolling over
*she doesn’t like being held like a baby, she wants to sit up and look around
* size 1-2 diapers
*starting to teeth (she chews on everything)

I can already tell that our pink giraffe lovie “giraffee” as jay and I call it) will be Kennedy’s security item. She loves to hold it, chew on it, suck its horns, and snuggle it. I always said as soon as I found what she is attached to I was going to run out and buy an extra. Well obviously I’m a little behind on the trends, because target no longer has giraffes….they now have elephants. We have a few pictures of kennedy’s dear Giraffee. Keep your eye out for Giraffee at your local Target:). (He is Carter’s Just One Year brand.)

…..will hands down be one of the worst days of my life. Everytime I look at my sweet angel I start to cry again. How in the world am I going to survive this. I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest.

Can you believe my baby girl is 12 weeks old?  Officially she will be 3 monthes on Friday.  I have to return to work on Thursday which leaves me with a hole in my heart.  Am I really going to pay someone to raise my little girl?  I know it is going to get easier, and I know I don’t really have a choice right now due to money, and I really really do love my job and it is who I am, but this doesn’t make it any easier or hurt any less to know that I will most likely miss most of her firsts.  It pains me to think she won’t be napping in my arms, or spending every waking (and sleeping) moment with me.  It pains me to think that she is going to love Mrs. Sherry.  My heart hurts so bad thinking about what is going to happen Thursday morning as I drop my baby off at someone elses house.  The good news?  This lady is wonderful and I am so thankful that she is going to be able to keep my sweet baby.  This lady will love Kennedy and Kennedy will love her too.  This lady has been doing in home day care for years and I have met several people who know how wonderful she is.  And more than anything, I love my job.  I love my students and a teacher of kids with Autism is who I am.  I love Oak Pointe and I love my co-workers.  I guess that is a lot better to leave her to do something I love than to leave her to do a job I don’t.  When asked who I am I previously would answer “I am a teacher of kids with Autism.”  I thought of my students as if they were my own.  A few things will be changing this year.  Who am I?  I am Kennedy’s mom.  What do I do?  I teach kids with Autism.  I will always love all of my students, but there is a new number one in my life.  I heard someone the other day say that if you live your life in this order than everything will work out just fine: God, Family, then work. 

To end the summer we took one final vacation.  (Yeah I know we go somewhere every weekend.  Let me tell you I am actually getting tired of going, going, going.)  This weekend we went to Charleston Thursday night and spent the night with my good friend and former co-worker, Karin.  She loves Kennedy and she is a great friend.  Jay had to go to court in Charleston on Friday so while he did that, Kennedy, Potter, and I went to the market.  Did you know you aren’t allowed to have dogs in the market?  After our visit to Charleston, we went to Dataw Island to spend the weekend with Doc and Dori.  We had a blast Friday night hanging out with Jennifer’s friends and their kids.  Kennedy had her first play date.  Sadly it did not go well…. moments after a cute photo shoot the other youngest baby (7 monthes) crawled over and grabbed Kennedy’s face and left a scratch under her eye.  This did not make Kennedy happy and the play data was officially over.  Maybe it is a good thing that Jay and I have no friends with babies right now:)  Saturday Jay woke up real early and went fishing with Doc.  They didn’t catch any fish so they bought some shrimp and crab cakes for dinner.  When they got home, Doc, Dori, Hayes, Jennifer, Jay, Kennedy, and I went to the the pool and played in the pool and ate some yummy lunch.  We had so much fun!  After everyone in the house (Potter included) took a 2 hour nap, Jennifer, Hayes, Kennedy, Jay, and I went to the beach.  We took some cute pictures and had a great time!  We came home to a yummy dinner that Doc and Dori cooked.  This has been such a great weekend it has gotten my mind of off that is coming this week.  Dori volunteered to keep Kennedy Thursday and Friday, but I told her I thought it would be better for me to start on a two day week before we have a weekend.  Here come the water works…..

Click HERE to see our Dataw Island pictures

These pictures say it all about our day.  It all started when I was woken up by my alarm (yes alarm not a baby!) after 7 and a half hours of sleep!  She woke up a diva however.  She fussed and griped all morning and ate several times.  I bathed her and bathed myself.  By 10:30 Dorri and Doc (Jay’s parents), Blake, and Blake’s parents were here and ready for church.  My mom and Scott, Daddy and Barb, Lauren and Kai, and Meredeth and Kyle all met us at the church.  Everyone was there for Kennedy’s baptism.  Meredeth, Barb, and I took Kennedy into one of the back rooms of the church and put Kennedy into her Baptism dress.  (Yes it took all three of us.)  She spit up immediatly but luckily I caught it! Yes I caught it!  The church had roped off the first two rows for us.  My special surprise for the family was I was being baptized with Kennedy!  I had met with the pastor ahead of time and worked everything out.  It was a beautiful service and Kennedy did great.  I was a little quick with my parts (I had practiced!)  Kennedy really thought about crying when he fist put the water on her forehead, but by the second and third time she was just working her Paci and happy as can be.  She slept through the rest of the service.  Afterward everyone came back to the hosue for a cook out including Russ and Jennifer and The Pastor and his wife and kids.  It was a beautiful and special day and I am so thankful that our family and friends could be there with us!

Here are our pictures from today!