Weekends

Now that I have gone back to work full time, my weekends have become an oasis. My Monday starts with a mental countdown to the weekend. On my way to work, I think to myself, "only two days till Wednesday...then my tough straight-through day, then it's Friday!" 

On Monday mornings I am contemplating whether we could afford for me to just stay home. By Tuesday I am thinking of how taking care of a couple kids could add some supplemental income. I am settled into the work week by Wednesday and by Thursday and Friday I am thinking about how I am going to make the jump to Assistant Principal next year. Then the cycle starts all over again.


I love my weekends. I am behind in grading and feeling overwhelmed, but none of it matters. I get to hang out with Sprocket and B and soak up some family time that is marinated in relaxation. This weekend and the last have been especially great.


Last Weekend: Normie came to town! She got in on Friday night and we hung out and ate pizza. It was early to bed so that she could ride her very first century: The Brewery Tour 100. B and Normie left around 6 AM, and Sprocket and I met them in Ft. Collins at around 1 for some brews at O'Dell's Brewery. I made the most amazing RAGBRAI-inspired PB & J sandwiches for them: crunchy natural peanut butter, raspberry jam, marshmallow creme, nutella, pretzels, and bacon. I brought all the ingredients and made them while sitting in the brewery. Normie was quick to point out how motherhood was treating me (and her) well. She called it the "maternal super power." She is easily impressed.

My order card from the PB & Jam stop on RAGBRAI -- the inspiration for the Brewery Tour sammichs.

About 15 miles down the road (at the 75 mile mark), B and I switched off and I rode the last 25 miles with Normie. She was tired...and a little quiet, but it was a nice ride into town where we hit up Lefthand Brewery. She hit exactly 100 miles as we pulled into the parking lot of the brewery, so there was lots of cheering. B met us (with a baby, beer, and a mustache that got lots of suspicious glares) and then we decided to head home and grab some barbecue. B left with Sprocket in the car and Normie and I began the mile ride back to our house. We took a quick detour to the tasting room of Oskar Blues, which is about two blocks from our house. Normie enjoyed a pungent IPA (really, that was the description of the beer) and I tried a Dale's Pale Ale. We rode home, showered, and grubbed on some ribs and pulled pork at a nearby barbecue joint. It's no Kansas City barbecue...but it will do in a pinch.


We slept in on Sunday morning and headed to lunch at Oskar Blues with Lara and Jeremy. There was great conversation (who knew that the law book publishing industry was so interesting) and confirmation of the loosely planned Pikes Peak Ascent in 2012 (if you remember, Sprocket in my womb caused me to bow out in 2010...at the time I faked an injury in blogland).

Normie left on Monday morning (after some bacon and chatting) and B and I hung out and enjoyed the bonus day at home.


This weekend: B and I headed to a local brewery and watched the Iowa-Iowa State game with our neighbors, who are Iowa fans. Iowa State won in triple overtime and Sprocket got to witness his first state victory!


Boobie Bonus: And you thought you were going to read a post in See Teacher Run Land that didn't involve some boob talk? Ha.


The past two weekends have been especially awesome because I have transitioned Sprocket to exclusive nursing! Woot. Last Sunday, I started trying to eliminate bottles while I am at home. It was a little rough at first, but Sprocket started to do much better by Monday. We also started using a slower flow nipple on the bottles he gets while I am at work, hoping that it helped with his frustration while nursing. He is generally eating a little less when he gets bottles (4 - 4 1/2 ounces instead of 5 1/2), but we are okay with that. Nursing is going to allow me to go much longer in providing Sprocket with the boob juice (I was at the end of my rope with all that pumping) and I think that outweighs (pun intended) him gaining weight super fast. He is healthy and happy and nursing...and that is enough for me. I have had to slowly decrease the pump sessions so that my chest doesn't fall off...but I am making headway and hope to only have to pump at work starting next week. We still have some rough patches where Sprocket insists that he really wants a higher flow boobie, but I just try to be patient and make it work. I won't lie, I am still crossing my fingers...but hoping that we are on the path to more nursing and a heck-of-a-lot less pumping.


Now, head over to Half the Rice and help me peer pressure Normie into posting something for us adoring fans.


Oh...and enjoy some Sprocket pics.

Blurry...but cute.

This kid loves his pureed Chicken and Apples