California, New School, and Birmingham...Oh My!!

So it has been a very busy few weeks for us...when is it not?

A few weeks ago, I flew to California with Sam, Luke, and my sister Amanda.  We met up with my parents, and spent the week visiting my Dad's mother and siblings.  I was VERY pleasantly surprised with how well both Sam and Luke did during the flight.  We opted NOT to bring supplemental oxygen this time, since Sam has done so well without needing it on previous flights.  He did great in the high altitudes too, with no obvious increase in cyanosis or his other cardiac symptoms.  Sam truly enjoyed playing at my grandmother's mountain cabin, and loved my uncle's jacuzzi and his house's proximity to the beach!  This was Sam's second trip to the Pacific, and he could have cared less how cold the water was, he was ready to dive in!  Luke was an angel, and decided it was time to start sleeping 6-7 hours at a time!  I hardly know what to do with a baby who sleeps!  The flight back was a little more rough, although not altogether bad.  Sam and Amanda sat together in a row in front of me.  Luke and I were literally squeezed in between two obese men, which made breastfeeding not only impractical but impossible.  Thank God I packed plenty of formula

The Monday we returned from California, Sam started at his new school.  It was tragic.  He hasn't been out of school more than few weeks since his birth.  This summer, not only has he been out of school for 8 weeks straight, but he has had a truly eventful 8 weeks full of Nana's and Yaya's and aunts and cousins...who would want to go back to school after all of that??  But his new school is great, and his sweet teachers have been so good.  I think they were totally baffled and freaked out when I informed them about his heart...I think they thought he might drop dead on them any second.  After a few tense days though, Sam has gotten used to his new friends and teachers, and they have relaxed about him!  He happily walked into his classroom today, and has spent everyday since the first day talking his head off about the new toys and new playground and new friends when I pick him up at the end of the day.

With Sam being out of the house, Luke and I have had some one on one bonding time...which really hasn't happened much since he was born.  Luke is SUCH a laid back kid...NOTHING like baby Sam.  Here's a photo from one of our recent busy days of doing nothing:

This past week, Chris had a business trip to Birmingham, Alabama.  The whole family came with him, even the dog.  We stayed at a nice little Embassy Suites.  We had an eventful 32 hours, which included one room change at the hotel due to leaking sinks, Sam puking in the lobby AND in his bed (sinus drainage caused a cough which caused a gag which caused...well, you know Sam...), and a brave trip to the zoo!  Which Chris was at work, I decided to take the kids out.  It just so happened the zoo was RIGHT next to the hotel, and (bonus) it was half price admission day!  Biggest problem: we didn't bring our stroller.  Thankfully, the rental stroller at the zoo was just big enough to squeeze Luke in his car seat and Sam.  (Note: stroller rental was NOT half price...)  It was warm, but not humid - a real rarity these days.  We thoroughly enjoyed our day.  Sam has a short attention span still, but loved seeing the animals.  I laughed out loud when he called the ostrich a dinosaur.  His favorite exhibit, however, was a the 'kids zoo' that included a water play area.  Luke, again, was an angel, and slept through most of the whole trip.

I have really enjoyed my maternity leave, though it has been extremely busy.  I have rarely had a single day where I just got to relax with my babies.  I don't know how, but the house seems to need more cleaning and more attention when me and the kids are home.  I feel like I'm constantly cleaning.  And I tend to get really bored in the house really quick.  Even though I LOVE being at home with the kids, I am ready to go back to work.  A) Sam's social nature and his super smarts have proven to me daycare is great of my kids development - I truly feel like he would be a different kid entirely if I had been a stay at home mom with him (and I don't mean in a good way).  B) I am a terrible person and wife after being locked in the house all day.  For my sanity and for Chris's, I need to be out and about.  C) I have a whole caseload of developmentally disabled kids who need me back at work!  For most of these kids, I'm their only option for PT.  And I'm happy to get back to them and do what I do. 

I have one more week at home, then it's back to our old routine. I'm ready.  But I'm going to live up this last week!

~Kathy