We are still here....

but I am a bad blogger Mommy.  So just to keep you up to date, we are all doing well.  Both Big Bear and I are working full time AND taking university classes (I am working towards a Master's in Counselling and he is working on Geology/Geography).  Little Bear has moved to the daycare in my school so we are all happier with less driving time and less time overall in daycare.

We spent 3 weeks bumming in Arizona with my parents and my brothers' kids.  Otherwise we are just trying to keep everything flowing with our busy schedules.  I am sure many of you can relate!  We still love and think about all of the amazing people we met through the adoption process- just haven't been very good at keeping in touch.  Promise to work on that!

Loves to ya'll!

I Can't Believe he's 2! Happy Birthday Biya!

Family is the Best!

Little Bear and I were fortunate to be able to travel to see my family in Phoenix over the holidays.  It was his first time meeting his Pappa, Uncle Kirk, and cousins H and C.  Grandma or "Hey" as all the grandkids call her had already met LB when she flew up to help after my surgery in March.  I loved watching him interact with everyone, seeing those bonds forming,  but it was soooo hard to leave my family at the end.  Good thing Bart was here waiting for us in Canada or I might have been tempted to stay there!

Christmas at home with Daddy!

LB freaked out the first time Mr. Potato Heads' arm came off!

Hanging out with Pappa at 5am-They are both early birds!

Cruisin' at the zoo with my new BFF Chy.

Uncle Kirk is the greatest!

First Pro Family Photo

Updates

We are doing great.  Day care worries are gone-Biya has adjusted well.  He is a running (sort of), sliding, playing in dirt, throwing rocks in the lake kind of a boy.  I haven't perfected the balance of mothering, housekeeping, wifing, teachering, Zumbaing, belly dancing yet....house is a disaster, I am slightly (grimace) behind on my marking, I accidentally baby talk to my husband, but....we make time for this kiddo and that is all I care about right now.  I think the rest will come with time.

I DO need to get my house tidied up though before my big Bead For Life party.  I love doing this fundraiser and find it an excellent kick off to the holiday season.  My friends loving giving gifts that keep on giving, and the beaded jewelry is lovely.  If you are interested in helping out Ugandan women and having fun doing it I would suggest you check out this site: http://www.beadforlife.org/indexB.html. It is soooo easy to run a party and it costs you nothing but time.  An excellent organization.

And because no post is complete without a great Biya photo (or three):

Anxiety over day care

Sadly I have to go back to work on Sept. 6th, which means day care for Biya.  I am seriously struggling with this.  Biya seems to be well attached and adjusted to our famly life-but what if he starts to see his new day home provider as "mama"?  He will be with her from 7:45-4:00 every day until December.  Of course they will have a relationship.  Already I am super jealous of the time that she will get to spend with MY son.  Ack!, just typing this has me crying again. There is no way that I can be the stay at home Mom financially speaking.  Life is so not fair. 

I am trying to console myself with the knowledge that come January when he's 2 we can move him to the regular daycare that is right next door to my classroom so that I can see him anytime I wish.  It will also mean much less time in day care overall-only 8:20-3:15. Still not ideal but better.  Am I horribly selfish that I can hardly wait for him to turn 2 so that he is in a bigger daycare with more kids and more adults and LESS chance of him thinking of one of the care givers as "Mama"?  The lady who will care for Biya from September to Dec. is a good friend and I know she will do a good job, I am just nervous about being replaced. 

I know intellectually from having watched my husband (who had to return to work the day after we returned home from Ethiopia) that the bond does happen-its a matter of the QUALITY of time spent together -not neccessarily the QUANTITY. However, my heart doesn't want to listen to facts.  My heart wants to say, let's sell the house and everything we own, rent a trailer, and let me quit working!

Words of advice from BTDT would be welcomed, this anxiety is keeping me up at night (and goodness knows good sleep is hard enough to come by with a little one around!).

Wordless Wednesday