Blur

My life is currently a blur.

 

There are so many reasons this is true including I have an infant, I am in my first year teaching, I have a 3 year old, and my husband is constantly (not really although it feels this way) traveling.

I think anyone of these things is stressful and challenging, all of them happening at once just makes me lucky. Almost 5 months ago Callan was born and I am so happy that he is here. Like his older brother he is an absolutely delightful baby. Of course I take credit for this part of my boys as anyone who has met Aaron knows well that is not exactly who he is.

As I find myself trying to be the best at everything I feel like I am the worst at everything. I cannot be the best mother, teacher and wife at the same time. I know on those days that I am being a good mother and spending time with my boys, I am neglecting the lesson plans I should be writing. And on the other hand when I am leaving the school at 5 each day I know that I have missed out on time with my boys because I worked just a little bit longer in an attempt to be more prepared and provide a better educational experience for my students.

It is hard, but I think it is the right thing for me. I love that my job allows me to spend weekends with my boys, it does not require me to travel and spend nights away. I get the opportunity to always be thinking about education and how that relates to students and eventually how that will impact my own children. Staying home with my boys is enjoyable, but I know from maternity leave and from summers of spending extending weeks and months with my kids that I function better in an environment where a structure is required. When I teach the structure is required, I do not design it, although it is flexible it is firm. At home for the most part it is free flowing I am not structured enough to spend everyday here and feel like we accomplish something. When I think about it, it feels like it doesn’t make sense. It seems like I should want nothing more than to stay home with my own children rather than spend time with someone else’s.  The only way I understand it is that I feel like I am a better mother and a better wife if I do not spend all day everyday with my own kids. Does that mean I don’t give it a second thought?  Absolutely not, I think about it constantly. I try so hard to take the advice of so many grandparents and to cherish this time hold my infant and loving my rambunctious 3 year old because soon enough I know that these days will be distant memories.

I am going to keep on keeping on, loving my weekends and summers and never ever wishing a moment away. Okay maybe the moment when they are both screaming and I am just done…that moment can go away. I love this time in my life. I love being a mother and I loving the massive challenge that is teaching. I also love my husband. He supports me in so many ways, usually it silently and steadfast. I am so happy with my pick of a husband. He has completely brainwashed me into believing he is amazing. I hope that someday my boys will be just as amazing and talented as he is.

 

So as these years blur by and it becomes difficult to differentiate between the passing weeks, months and years I will be focusing on happiness and fullness. My life is completely full and most of the time it is completely happy. What more could I ask for?

 

Updates

Callan nearly 5 months old

rolls from tummy to back

really really tries to scoot on his tummy

rolls from back to tummy

constantly flapping his arms and kicking his legs

loves SMILING

loves Nolan

loves laying on his changing table

enjoys taking baths with his big brother

enjoys exploring everything by putting it in his mouth

doesn’t love alone time

doesn’t love sleeping alone

doesn’t love having is shirt changed

doesn’t love

 

Nolan 3 1/2 years old

loves to pretend he is a super hero

loves to run, jump and play outside

love eating broccoli!

loves his little brother

loves give hugs and snuggles

loves to tell you he loves you

loves to reading books

loves watching shows

loves to make new friends

doesn’t love sleeping alone (but he now does it!!!)

doesn’t love sauces…ketchup, BBQ sauce

doesn’t love when his daddy is away (he generally has a hard time at daycare when Aaron travels)

Nolan has a lot to say and wants to tell you everything about everything. I love him so much!

7 Months

Nolan is growing and changing so fast! The month of March flew by so quickly. Aaron had to travel almost every weekend this month so Nolan and I had a lot of time to hang out at home together. Nolan is able to sit unassisted and play with his toys for several minutes. He is also trying very hard to crawl. He has not figured out that he needs to lift his head while moving his legs, but that doesn’t seem to slow him down. I think he may end up with rug burn on his face soon. He is mobile enough to scoot reach or roll to  get just about anything he wants. Of course the things he wants are usually not this things we want him to have, including our cell phones, remotes, computers, cords etc.

Nolan cannot get enough of my necklaces, I think he believes I wear they as a chew toy for him. So each day when I get home from work I have to remember to take them off before he gets his slobbery little hands on them.  Nolan has tried a few new foods. He is still just eating one solid meal  a day in addition to his milk. We usually feed him in the evenings so that he can have the necessary bath right after he eats. So far he has not complained too much about any of the vegetables he has tried.  Nolan loves bath time, he enjoys kicking and splashing in the water. As long as he has his squirting toys he is happy the whole time. I am trying to get him used to water and make sure he is not scared of it, because I am hoping to take a “Mommy and Me” swimming class this summer.

Nolan has his first round of antibiotic a couple of weeks ago. We took him in to the clinic because he had a fever, cough and runny nose.  As it turns out he also has a slight ear infection. He just finished his antibiotic and is doing much better; but there for a few days he really struggled. His temperature topped out at 102 F.  Which was very concerning, but with a little Tylenol and forcing him to eat it came down.  It was so hard to watch him not want to play or eat.

So glad is his back on track. While Aaron was in Indiana my mom was on Spring Break so she got to come up to Wichita and spend a couple of days with Nolan while I was at work. I was so thankful we didn’t have to take him back to the daycare center for the whole time Aaron was away. I think Nolan like the center just fine but that is where I believe he picked up that nasty cold and I just wanted him to stay healthy for awhile before having another sickness.  The rest of the time Aaron was gone Nolan got to play with cousin Marissa as she was on Spring Break. It was so nice having family watch Nolan.

Once Aaron finally got home from Indiana Nolan and I were so happy to see him. Nolan just smiled and wanted to play with his Dad and I think Aaron wanted the same thing.

I am looking forward to April so that we can have more family time! I also hope this rain lets us so we might be able to take more walks. Nolan loves taking walks, he likes to look at the trees and hear all the sounds of the kids around the block playing. I enjoy the walks just daydreaming about when Nolan is running around kicking a soccer ball like the kids in the park. I know those days are not too far off.

 

 

3 Months!

Nolan is 3 months old!

Nolan is growing and learning so quickly!  He is already 3 months old.  November was a busy month for the Traffas Family. We celebrated my 27th birthday on November 8th, Aaron and I went out to dinner at a restaurant we hadn’t tried before; The Newport Grill. It was great, wonderful selections of entrees, delicious desserts and custom-made cocktails!

Aaron has been tirelessly working on finishing up the recordings and artwork for his CD. It is currently at the disc maker and should be shipped soon to make it here by Friday December 9! Aaron Traffas Band’s CD release party is December 10th in Manhattan at Bobby T’s. I am so excited to see the finished product.

On November 21st I returned to work at TFI Family Services.  So far I feel like things are going well at work. I haven’t cried yet. Nolan and Aaron are trying to find their rhythm at home.  Some days  are great while others I think Aaron get a little stressed.  As any person providing childcare would feel. Luckily Nolan is a very good baby and most of the time is very easy to get along with. We are all just settling into our new schedules and seeing if this is going to work for us long-term.

Some of the  developmental milestones Nolan (as a 3 month old) is currently working on include:

  • He is able to focus on and follow a moving object. Watches faces intently-Yes, Nolan loves to watch everything going on around him. One of his favorite things is watching his mobile. He looks at the little animals above his changing table very intently too.
  • Settling into sleeping, eating, and waking patterns and can sleep longer.-Sort of, he has started to take a longer nap in the afternoons and eats every 3-4 hours.
  • When held in a sitting position he can now hold his head up.-Yes he can, he has good control over his head almost all the time with the exception being when he is sleepy.
  • Lifts head and chest while lying on stomach-Nolan is able to do this, however he does not like to do tummy time very much so, he get frustrated quickly.
  • Will now notice certain objects of interest and swipe at them with his hands. He just started swiping at objects in the last week!.
  • Can now push down on a hard surface when being held in a standing position. Yes Nolan pushes down and makes little stepping movements when supported in the standing position.
  • Can kick quite strongly now as his knee and hip joints become more and more flexible-YES-Nolan has been doing this for a while, he enjoys laying on his back and kicking his legs and swinging his arms.
  • He is developing intellectually and begins to laugh out loud. –Yes I think so, he enjoys interacting with us and smiles and “talks” to us, I don’t know if it would be considered a laugh though.
  • Spontaneously smiles.-All the time, especially in the mornings and when he wakes from a long nap or finishes eating.
  • Turns head and neck to find the source of a sound. –Nolan is very interested in figuring out where sounds are coming from. He will turn his head back and forth trying to figure out who is talking or making noise. Sometimes he gets upset if we turn him away from the TV and he can still hear it. He will turn his head back and forth vigorously searching.
  • Holds hand open. Yes he no longer has his hands balled up all the time.
  • Can grasp and shake a rattle. Yes he can, however we don’t give him any rattles just yet, as he doesn’t really have control of his hands and he tends to hit himself in the face with his hands. He does grasp our fingers and shakes them. Recently he has started exploring how his fingers taste. Constantly sucking on his hands exploring the sensations.
  • Can roll from front to back-Not yet, he doesn’t like to spend much time tummy side down. But he does seem like he is getting closer to rolling from back to front. He arches his back and get up on his heels.  I think this is something he will continue to work on this month.  Nolan also is very interested in what is above him, meaning above his head (out of view) when lying down. He tilts his head up and tries to look at all the thins that he can’t see, whether it be people toys or yes sometimes that darn TV.
My favorite time to spend with Nolan is having conversations. He loves “talking” to people it gets him so excited. Since birth he has made noises, I think this little guy is going to be quite the talker when he can get his point across.  When Nolan cries it is not really like most babies cries, he kind of just yells to see if you are paying attention then stops to see if you are going to fix his frustration. He is absolutely wonderful. Aaron and I often wonder how we are so lucky to have such a great little guy.
I can’t believe November is already gone. We had an enjoyable Thanksgiving break spending time in Smith Center, Sharon and Belle Plaine. In Smith Center Nolan met his Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Hundley (my mom’s parents) for the first time along with many great aunts and uncles and cousins. Aaron unfortunately did not join us as he had been fighting off a cold. On Friday we headed to Sharon,  it was nice to see Aaron’s family. During the dinner there was not any one point when everyone was at the table. Having two babies under 3 months sure does change the dynamic.  Finally on Sunday we headed to Belle Plaine to see my Dad’s extended family. Nolan had a great day and enjoy visiting with lots of cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. We are so blessed with great families and I always enjoy Thanksgiving as it is the best time to celebrate family and what we are thankful for. This year there is no question Aaron and I are so thankful for Nolan coming into our lives and turning everything upside down…and we LOVE it!
I am so happy we found the time to make it over to Pratt this month to have Stacie Strong take some family pictures of us. They turned out great and I can’t wait to get my Christmas card put together featuring these pictures.

36 week appointment

Baby Nolan's Car Seat

Well we are in the home stretch here. Today we had our 36 week appointment. Everything went well, nothing really to report. Our normal doctor is on vacation this week so we met with a nurse/midwife just to make sure there were no problems.

We did find out however that I am a carrier of Group B Strep (GBS), therefore once I go into labor I will need to have antibiotic through an IV to try to ensure that the baby does not become ill. For low risk carriers such as myself, if I am given antibiotics during labor there is only a 1 in 4000 chance of delivering a baby with GBS. So hopefully everything goes well and the medication prevents the transmission of GBS to our little guy.

Today Baby Nolan’s heart beat was 157 beats/minute.  The nurse said she believes he is still head down.  I have been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions for about 3 days now, that are pretty frequent. I have been having abdominal tightening for about two months, but these definitely feel a little different. More discomfort than before  that is for sure.  I finally have my bag packed for the hospital. I have also been spending some time this week washing tiny little baby clothes. Why is laundry so much cuter when it is tiny?

Tomorrow is my last scheduled travel day for work. I have a meeting in Emporia, then I am in my office until D-day. It will be nice knowing I don’t have to travel anymore. It is just not very comfortable to drive and I get so tired.

Our 37 week appointment is set for next Tuesday, August 16th. That same day we have our final class, Car Seat Safety, so we will have the car seat installed and ready for Nolan’s first ride. Nolan’s car seat arrived last week on our door step thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Traffas. Aaron and I love the car seat and look forward to having it filled with a little boy.

It’s a BOY!

Aaron and I are announcing today that we’re expecting our first child.
Our son is due in early September and we couldn’t be more excited.
He’ll be the first grandchild on Aaron’s side of the family and the first
male grandchild on my side.

We had our first sonagram on Wednesday, and here are the first
pictures and videos of our son.

Videos of our Son