I'm Still Here! and June Rundown

Hi Friends! It's been a while, hasn't it? Like, I don't know, June??? The last time I blogged, I had just started summer vacation, and now I'm in the throes of another school year. I look back at that chunk of time and think, That went by so fast! At the same time, I'm not quite sure how we managed to pack so much into such a short time. Every time I thought about playing blog-catch-up, I was overwhelmed. Where should I start? So I've decided to give you a rundown of our summer...but I'm going to do it one month at a time. Here goes nothin'!

June

Pinsky Family Vacation...It was of to Gatlinburg for the Pinsky Crew this year. We got to spend time with Uncle Sherman and Aunt Nancy, as well as Momma and Pops. Ethan's favorite stop was the aquarium.

As soon as we got back, it was off to Cincinnati for Cindy's bachelorette party...also known as my first night away from Ethan. We painted pottery, ate a nice dinner, and spent a night out downtown. The next morning, Steven came home and made as breakfast!

I came home, unpacked, and repacked. This time, I was off to Atlanta for a conference, leaving my boys at home. I got to meet some lovely ladies from different schools in my corporation. It was refreshing to spend time with other passionate educators.

To round out the month of June, Kevin went out of town for his brother, Steve's bachelor party.

I Made It...

...through my first year as a working mom. 

It was trying at times. Ultimately, it was extremely rewarding. Rewarding to the point that when Kevin mentioned something about me not having to work in a few years, I internally panicked. 

My class was huge so much fun. Not to say that there weren't some bumps along the way, but we made it. It was the perfect group to come back to. They had a great sense of humor, lots of motivation, and were bursting with creativity. I will miss them. (Even though I hear next year's class is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!)

Right now, I have my feet up and I'm ready to read my first "big person book" of the summer. 

Here's to another successful school year in the books!

2012 ~ Our Year in Review

2012. 

As I look back at this year, I realize how much life has changed, and how far we've come. Here's a look back at our year....

Things I Forgot

Well, I made it. I got through my first official week back at work. I won't say it went perfectly, but it went. I have to say that I love my students...all 29 of them! There are, however, some things I forgot about teaching, and I was reminded of them this week.

1) Your feet will hurt...a lot. I forgot how much I have to be on my feet, walking around, monitoring groups, rushing to use the copier/restroom/eat a snack/prep for activities...all during my 50 minutes of prep time. My poor tootsies are so achy by the end of the day!

2) You have to scarf down your food. A 30 minute lunch isn't really a 30 minute lunch, once you drop your kids off, use the restroom, wash your hands, heat your meal, check your mailbox, and clean up with time to spare to pick up your kids. It's really only a 15 minute lunch...if that.

3) You will sweat. At night, when I set out my clothes for the next day, I don't ask myself what will I not sweat in. I ask myself what will I sweat the least in. The constant movement (see the first entry on this list) causes you to perspirate...and it ain't pretty.

I'm sure there are many more things that I will remember as I experience them and think, Oh yeah! For now, I'm just glad I made it through {mostly} unscathed. 

Thoughts: Working Mommyhood {Part 1}

Thursday was my first official day at work. Even though I have going in to school consistently for the last month, yesterday was the first day that I was required to be there at a certain time, and stay there until a certain time.

I'll start by saying I'm a bit overwhelmed, but I think that's to be expected. I'm used to staying at school until I'm done at a good stopping point. Well, those days are over. I have to leave at a specific time so I can get home to the sitter. {So far, Kevin's had to relieve her, as I've been 15 minutes late each day.} I'm having a lot of trouble stopping when I'm in the middle of things. Then, all I do is think about those things all the way home. 

On the flip side, I've been having some guilt about not being with Ethan. Well, guilt isn't the right word. I'm sad, and jealous of the babysitter for getting to spend all day with him. I never feel that way while at work, but once I'm home and I realize I only have a few hours before bedtime (and those hours are filled with making dinner, eating dinner, bath, and bedtime routine), I get sad. Sometimes I find myself thinking, I hope he doesn't forget who I am. Silly, right? 

Once Ethan is in bed, it's time to get more work done. You know, all the extras that I wasn't even able to think about at school. Then I think, When am I supposed to shower? Run personal errands? Call my eye doctor because I accidentally forgot to go to my check-up and my contacts are forever-and-a-day old? Finish reading my Book Club book? And the list goes on. And on. And on.

My friend, Libby, told me that the first month going back to work is very overwhelming, and then you start finding tricks that help you manage Mommyhood and Teacherhood. I'm very much looking forward to that! For now, I'm doing what I can, and doing it to the best of my abilities. 

Just a Taste

Today, I went to school for several hours to clean up and organize my classroom. I'm lucky that my maternity leave substitute did a fabulous job of keeping my room tidy, so I didn't have a ton of work to do. I left Ethan in the very capable hands of my friend, Debra.

As soon as I was handed back my classroom keys, I knew it was happening: I was no longer just a stay-at-home mom. Although I don't have to get back into the classroom for a little while, it is all becoming real. I know that navigating my way through working mommyhood will be challenging. Period. I have some real fears about going back to work, on which I plan to elaborate in future block posts.

For now, I'm just going to enjoy my time with Ethan, and worry about work later. 

Babes on the Move

I'm talking about the little ones...but us moms look pretty good, too! These are some of the wonderful ladies that I work with, and our adorable new additions. Did I mention my school is a baby factory this year? Don't drink the water unless...well...you know! 

Last weekend, we participated in the Great North Run, which is a fundraiser for the Washington Township Schools Foundation. We walked a 1K and chatted, too. It was lots of fun. I'm hoping that I'll be ready to run the 5K next year!
 

Happy Valentine's Day!

This little cupid (pictured with his Valentine's gift from Momma and Pops) went to my school to deliver treats to my students. The kids welcomed me with hugs and swooned over my little sweetheart. 

Later, I got a special delivery from my three Valentines.

Thanks to "Auntie Debbie", who will be babysitting Ethan, Kevin and I will go out for our annual Valentine's Day dinner. This year will be a little different than last year or the year before, but it will be just as special!

Happy Valentine's Day to our friends, family, and readers in blog-world! Hope you get to spend it with the ones you love!

Valentine's Cake Pops

Tomorrow, Ethan and I will visit my class during their Valentine's Day Party. This will be the first time I see these wonderful kiddos since Ethan's impromptu arrival. More importantly, it's the first time they will meet Ethan in person! 

We couldn't very well show up at a party empty-handed, so we decided to make some delicious cake pops. Ethan took a very loooooooooonnnnnnnggggg nap, which allowed me to get these tasty treats together. 

2011 ~ Our Year in Review

I saw this type of post on another blog I enjoy reading, called Dear Baby, and thought it was a great idea! I hope you enjoy reminiscing as much as I did!

January: To kick off the new year, I decided to start a book club. I'm happy to say, that almost three babies later (two Ethans and a soon-to-be A.J.), we are still going strong, and coming up on our one year anniversary!

 

February: I spilled coffee all over my old laptop and got my new MacBook Pro. That little act of clumsiness, I found out later, could be attributed to my {then unknown} pregnancy! 

March: The Fox Hill Elementary Math Bowl team won their competition! These kids sure did make their coach proud!

April: Kevin and I, along with my brother, Yuval, and his girlfriend, Michelle, took a trip to San Diego. Among our favorite outings was a visit to Sea World!

May: It was finally made Facebook and Blog official...we were expecting our little bundle of joy!

June: We had a wonderful time {except for the flight delays and late luggage arrival} in Myrtle Beach with our family. Even Cousin Will and Ethan are in this picture!

July: We spent time with lots of friends this summer. Here we are on our friends, Andy and Allison's, boat on Geist Reservoir on the Fourth of July. It's one of our favorite things to do on those hot Indiana summer days!

August: It was so hard to pick a picture for this month, since there were a lot of things that happened. My favorite, however, was the birth of our nephew, Will. He has added new flavor to our family, with his big, beautiful smile, and easygoing nature. (Ethan has a few things to learn from him!)

September: During this month, we finally completed Ethan's nursery. It's a good thing, too, since he decided to make an early entrance in our lives...see next month!

October: Ethan Eric Pinsky entered our lives at 8:04am on October 22nd. He weighed in at 6lbs., 7oz. and 20 inches long. He is our greatest blessing this year.

November: We had a lot to be thankful for this year, like the Little Turkey above. This month, we were also thankful that I was able to take time off from work to start my stint as a stay-at-home mommy. We were very thankful for friends and family who generously gave their time to help us as we navigated the choppy waters of new parenthood!

December: Oh, Tobi! We were hoping to end this year with a bang, and boy, did we! Our dog-baby had surgery on his right leg (left leg to be operated on in early 2012), and began his recovery, which is going so well! In a few months, he'll be back to his old, mischievous self!

New Developments

Week 37 has been quite tiring. While I love my class, I think I should have stopped working a week ago. In addition, Kevin went to Boston for work this week, and I was stressed that the baby would come while he was gone...along with all the overwhelming work I have to do to prepare for my absence from work. I only have four school days left, and as much as I will miss it, I am relieved because this job is taking a toll on me emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Some new pregnancy developments this week:

• Sciatic nerve pain - today I thought my leg was going to give out, and I had to sink down to sit on the floor
• Larger swollen ankles
• Extremely stuffed nose
• Taut belly (more so after a LONG day of work) 
• Almost 100% effaced, 0cm dilated  

Today at work, though, one of the teachers said, "You know, you're two weeks away from your due date. It's OK to start looking pregnant from the back!" That made me feel good!

37 Weeks...and counting!

A Shameless (Important) Plug

I don't normally do this, but I thought I'd get the word out on my blog. 

Last weekend, in a moment of productivity, I wrote a grant through the Donors Choose website. If you have not visited, you should. Public school teachers write grants for materials to enhance the teaching/learning experience, and through the kindness of strangers, these grants are fulfilled. I myself have had two grants filled through Donors Choose. 

The current grant I wrote is for an ActivSlate and ActivPens, which work with my brand new Promethean Board, an interactive white board. Read more about my project, "An Inter-'Activ' Classroom" on Donors Choose. If you, or anyone you know, would like to donate (any amount, great or small), my students and I would appreciate it. Also, take a look at the other incredible projects posted...you might be inclined to help out another classroom.

I'll let you know if/when it gets filled...wish me luck! 

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day weekend was full of lots of shopping and productivity for Kevin and I. Here are some thing we got done:

• Found two dress suits and casual slacks for Kevin
• Bought dressy maternity dress, comfy jeans, and cute tops
• Purchased several pieces of clothing for baby
• Baby bedding was finished and handed off to my brother for quick delivery to us
• Washed and put away baby clothes
• Started to organize baby closet
• Ordered "Pinsky Family" return address labels
• Bought a fancy-schmancy breast pump
• Wrote and sent "Thank-You's" for my baby shower
• Swept three rounds of Euchre against my brother and his girlfriend
• Spent 8 hours grading papers (I love my job)
• Read my book club book

It's no wonder I'm a little worn out! 

Yesterday at school, as I was walking around a corner, a female student looked right at me, pointed at my bump, and squealed, "CUTE!!" It made my day! So, here I am with my CUTE bump at 31 weeks.

Kid Quip

I forgot to post this due to my "Pregnant Brain Syndrome"...you know, where you forget things unless you write them down. Then, you forget, A) that you actually wrote them down, or B) where you wrote them down. It's funny, because I usually feel so together, but I just can't get myself to stay on top of things! Luckily, people give you A LOT of free passes because you're pregnant. After all, growing a baby is HARD WORK!

Anyway, I digress. Last week, while teaching exponents, one of my students looked at me and said, "This is so easy for me! Either you're a really good teacher, or this math is not hard." My response was, "Let's just go with I'm a really good teacher." I guess I'll take a compliment from a student wherever I can get it!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Oh boy! It seems like I packed three weeks into one this week! If I keep up this pace, it'll feel like the baby is here in no time! 

There are two significant changes that affect my daily life. The first is going back to work. I'm at school from about 7:15am and leave between 5 and 6 at night. LOOOOOOOOOONG days for this pregnant lady! I still LOVE my class...always a good thing.

The second change is my diet. After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD), I decided it was time to do some research about what I should be eating. This has caused me to plan out my meals and snacks during the week, which has not only been helpful in keeping my sugar at a normal level, but in making good choices. Since my diet was decent to begin with, I just had to make a few modifications. Next week, I get an ultrasound (will hopefully post new pictures of the little man) to check the baby's growth, and meet with a nutritionist to make sure I'm on the right track. I'm also taking my blood sugar periodically, and things look great...my doctor even complimented my numbers!

Here I am at 29 weeks. This time, we actually took it a few days ago, so no last minute PJ shot!

Quick as a Flash

That is how I feel about Week 28. What a whirlwind!! 

We went to our new nephew, Will's, bris. (For you non-Jewish folks, that means circumcision...yeah, I know what you're thinking, but Jews will use any excuse to celebrate and eat!)

 

Note the other new member of the family, Elmo Pinsky.

 

 Ignore my odd expression, please!

I also started the 2011-2012 school year. I absolutely love my class (we're only two days in, though), which is both good and bad. It means my time before maternity leave will fly, but it also means I'll really miss them when I go, since I won't be returning this school year. I will say that these first few days have kicked by butt! Being on my feet a lot these last few days has made me one sore pregnant gal! Fortunately, my husband has cooked dinner so I don't have to continue on my feet at home...I am very grateful for his willingness to do this.

After failing my first glucose test, I went in for my three-hour test. Don't think I did well at all...mostly because I used a glucometer to test myself after each blood draw. Let's just say the numbers were not pleasant. I'm waiting to see my doctor, but I've already begun to monitor my diet and spread my carbs out throughout the day. I let myself mope about this news for a day, and now we're dealing with it and moving on.

 

Here is my 28 week picture. I know my ticker says I'm 29 weeks today, but this was taken yesterday (we almost forgot, hence I'm in pajamas), so technically, it counts. I think it's quite fitting to associate this picture with this particular week...I'm exhausted!

The Close of the Second Trimester

I'm cutting it close with this last picture and update! We took it last night, so it was technically still my 26th week!
 
I've made it to the LAST week of my second trimester! When I found out I was pregnant, I thought, 40 weeks is a REALLY long time! In reality, it sped by...along with my summer break! 

Week 26 was quite busy, as I started going back to school to work on my classroom. Kevin had to move my desks and hang posters in high, dangerous places. These days, I'm lucky I don't fall on my face when I try to walk. Decorating bulletin boards is a slow job, since it takes me longer to do anything physical, especially bending to pick stuff up.


I know as soon as the school year starts, time will fly, and before I know it, our baby will be here!

The Name Game

Today I told my class that we are expecting a baby. They were VERY excited. They asked lots of questions, like "How many months pregnant are you?" and "Do you know if it's a boy or a girl?" and "Do you know what you're going to name the baby?" To the last question, I replied that we had names picked out, but that I was open to suggestions. I was curious at what they would say, and I'm glad I said that, because one of my kids came up with the funniest name suggestion. Let me preface the suggestion by saying that we have been working on a unit about "Space and Technology". 

The name was...

Galileo.

That's right...Galileo Pinsky!! 

HILARIOUS!!

So until we know what it is, I've dubbed the baby, Galileo.

P.S. - The same student said, "Good luck with having that baby...it's gonna hurt!" Seriously????

Forever and a Day

That's how long it seems it has been since I've blogged. Let me try to recap all that has happened since the unfortunate MacBook incident.

In the last two and a half weeks, I've...

...given the first part of the state test to my kids.
...had a Native American Powwow at school.
...had a Lia Sophia party.
...gone to my book club discussion.
...attended a baby shower and a bat mitzvah.
...had our taxes done.
...coached my kids to a win in our local Math Bowl!
...got rear-ended (BOO!).
...walked a 1K (so pathetic compared to last year!)
...visited with my wonderful in-laws.
...had lunch with my brother downtown.


Phew...that about covers it!! Hope I didn't miss anything!

A Valentine's Day Surprise

I'm a little behind on my posting! Here is the beautiful Valentine's Day surprise that was delivered to my classroom. I'm one LUCKY girl!