Summer is near...

Only 4 weeks left of work until I get to spend my entire summer with Kellen...I can't wait! I've been counting down for this moment since the day I returned to work in January, and I'm finding it hard to believe that it is almost here. Every school year, I anticipate my summer break with excitement, but this year is different. I essentially get to be a SAHM for the next three months - how lucky am I?!?!? So lucky. We are going to have so much fun: community ed classes, baby swim classes, day trips to the MN Zoo, walks to the park, volunteering through church, play dates with friends, trips down to Winona. Our summer is going to be jam-packed with lots of fun experiences for Kellen. I'm happy I'm going to be able to provide him with opportunities that he hasn't gotten to experience while at daycare. Which leads me to my first update...

Our daycare provider notified us on Friday that she is going to be retiring after Kellen's last day on June 10th. We could not be more pleased. We pretty much decided two months ago that we were done with her. I've had enough of her lazy ways and have been biting my tongue every time I pick Kellen up from daycare. (Seriously, you're sitting in your Lazyboy recliner again? Oh no, that's fine that you're taking yet another 4 paid days off next month considering you already had 4 paid days off last month. Yeah, I'm super pumped that you're making dinner and have no idea what Kellen is doing in the other room...glad I'm paying you to do such a half-assed job.) Okay, I digress. I guess I'm just bummed that I had such a good feeling about her when we first signed on - I cleary read her wrong. That good feeling has slowly been dissipating over the past few months. I actually considered taking him out of her daycare two months ago when I learned he would be the only one there. It wasn't quite as bad when I knew that Kellen was at least getting some interaction with the other two kiddos, but when they left, I was more sad about the missed opportunity for peer-interaction than I was excited about the 1:1 attention. I knew better - there would be no 1:1 attention...he was just going to be sitting on the floor playing with toys while she watched t.v. all day. Do I know for sure she just watched t.v. all day? No. But my better judgement tells me so... There I go, getting all negative again. Time to digress for-reals. So, onto a new and better daycare. I've got all summer to figure this out, and I'm seriously considering a center in Minnetonka. There would be so many benefits to this - he'd be right down the street from school; I'd get to have special mommy-Kellen time on the way to and from work; he'd have tons of peer interaction and structured learning opportunities; if he got sick I'd be able to pick him up right away; I wouldn't have to book it out the door right at 3:30 to pick him up -I'd actually be able to stay after work a little bit to get some things done (cuz we all know I'm not able to get it all done during the school day). I know there'd also be some negatives - more likely to get sick from being around all the kiddos; more expensive; possibly a higher teacher:child ratio. I'm okay with this though. I think it'll be a nice change. We'll see what pans out this summer.

Aaron and I have officially become members of a local church. It's called Prince of Peace and it is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. I seriously love this place and am so excited for all of the opportunities and experiences that we'll have individually and as a family. They have a wonderful children's ministry that I can't wait for Kellen (and our future children) to be part of. The lead pastor is so inspiring. I can't wait to volunteer and learn more about my faith. For those of you who have known me for a while, this might be surprising to read. For quite some time, I've questioned my faith. I've always known that I believe in something - I just didn't know what that something was. I was baptized and confirmed. I went to church somewhat regularly growing up. But once I hit 20ish, I started having a lot of questions and doubts. I wasn't sure what my purpose was or if I even had a purpose. I think what turned it all around for me was becoming a mother. The moment I held Kellen in my arms, I felt the most amazing love, and I knew there had to be a God. How could there NOT be? How could I be blessed with such a gift and He not have played a role in it? I feel genuinely lucky that I've found PoP.

Last update: breastfeeding is still going strong and I see no reason why we won't be able to make it to the 1 year mark. A few people have asked me how long I plan on breastfeeding for...and I'm not sure if they are just asking because they're curious or if they're asking because they think I've been going too long. You'd think I'd have a standard response to these questions, but I find myself stumbling on my words every time it comes up. Most recently, I've been able to mutter something like 'once we make the transition to cow's milk' or 'probably through the summer.' I don't know why, but these questions make me so uncomfortable. I don't go around asking people about what and how they fed their children. Why do people feel the need to ask me such a personal question. Maybe I'm just being overly sensitive about it...

Okay, I think that's it for now. How's that for randomness???

Until next time...