McIver Basketball :)

I love my school. And that is cool.

Back in Nashville, I had very limited experience with an all special-needs school and it wasn't a very good experience. So, when I accepted a job at McIver, a special-needs school from K-22, I really wasn't sure what was in store for me and if I would stay there long. BUT, I happen to love my students, my co-workers (most of them ;)) and I LOVE my job.

So, as my maternity leave nears its end, I am excited to get back to work and be reunited with the things I love about it. Even as my heart breaks so that pieces of it can stay back home with my babies. (Yes, even the toddler who drives me insane at times).

And, one of the things I love most about my job is supporting my students as they have basketball and soccer games, the two sports our school participates in. Grey and I went to one of the basketball games earlier this week to watch our tigers win 28-26 in a great game!

I sported Grey in my baby wrap. Yes, there is a baby in there...

The Goldston Family- both Trenida and Danny work at McIver and were two of the first people to help make me feel welcome.

The three new mommies of the year: (L-R) Heather and Madelyn, Me and Grey (I guess he was trying to act tough in between the ladies) and Aftynne and Mackenzy.

Whit, Danny, and Deborah. Some of my favs. :) I have to say that this pic looked much better in the camera than it does on my computer... I'll have to get a better one of you guys next time.

The littlest Mommy.

So, we made Skylar give Grey a bath the other night.

J/K! And don't be alarmed grandparents- we were right there! I could have easily thrown the camera over the shoulder should anything have happened.

Anyways, Skylar is a pretty good big sister. She loves her little, "Baby Gay" as she calls him. (Yea, we didn't really think about that one when we named him... note to future parents- have your older children pronounce your future children's names before you settle). She loves all things baby- and he just fits right on in there. She is very concerned when he cries and will scream, "hush baby gay" over and over until he is quiet (also what she does for the dogs). Sometimes it requires getting right in his face to tell him to "hush".

The other day when I was in the shower, Skylar came in twice to tell me that "baby gay crying again mama!" and I could hear her telling him to hush from the shower. So much concern for him. :)

She loves to wrap him up and put him to bed as well as give him his monkey paci. And most of all, she love to hold him on the couch and give him kisses and hugs. Although she usually only holds him for a few seconds before she literally pushes him head first in any direction to get him off of her. We're working on this...

Really, she is the perfect big sister- except where Mama is concerned. Then she is a little terror. I have learned to be very surreptitious when I nurse him or else she will start to scream, "Mama hold Skylar" a gazillion times and then try to climb up on top of his head. Ensuring pain for both mom and babe. She has even taken to hiding my nursing pillow. The other day I asked her to get it for me from the other room and she took it and threw it in the bathroom and shut the door. Again... we're working on it... :)

Seriously though, Skylar is amazing! She is getting to that wonderful age where she can play tricks and is very emotionally aware. The other morning when I was feeling horrible with a high fever, she asked me, "What's the matter mama?" And then proceeded to take care of me. :) And she has a wonderful sense of humor! One morning this week, I asked her to get her socks and shoes on so we could go somewhere and I had already handed her her socks. As she routinely hides things when she doesn't want to wear them/use them/etc., I knew that I wouldn't be able to find them and I kept telling her to go get her socks and put them on; to which she kept replying, "where sockies mama? I don't know where sockies!" Then she pulled her other hand out from behind her back with her "sockies" in hand and said, "Ah, there they are!" laughed crazily and ran out of the room.

And here are some pics:

Skylar is giving Grey a butterfly kiss. Or making him kiss her: not really sure which.

Nice big kisses there!

My little photographer! The other week when I was taking pics of "baby gay" she jumped right in alongside me with her camera and started taking pics too. Telling him to "say cheese!"

Evidence of liking to wrap him up. I think I forgot to mention that she likes to wrap herself up too now.

As you can see here:

She is very interested in the little details. Or she might have put something in his ear. Or she might have been cleaning out the lunch that I ate earlier while nursing. I'm not going to say that his ear hasn't caught a few crumbs from me while I was eating and nursing at the same time...

And one of my favs! Finally a pic of me with one of the kids!

New baby Mason Cao!

My cousin, Ashley Cao, who is exactly two weeks older than I am, (and was basically my twin growing up) was also pregnant at the same time as me; due five days behind me. Ashley and her husband Binh were expecting their second child, a male child, whom they named Mason.

So, I am extra excited now that Mr. Mason is finally here! And of course, I have to mention the similarities to Grey as it is so soon after his birth! Grey was two weeks early/Mason two weeks late-- however they were the exact same size at birth! 7.9 lbs and 20 inches long!

As you can see- Mason is super cute! He has a head full of dark hair and a good set of lungs on him. :) Happy that mom and baby are doing great tonight! Love you guys!

New pics of Grey

Here are some new pics of Grey that I took last week... I love baby details and tried hard to get some close-ups of his face, hands and of course little feet.

Here is Grey modeling his little g'dipes for me. And yes, I realized a few days after he was born while showing the gdiapers off to my grandmother that the "g" for gdiapers is also perfect for Grey! It's like I'm a supermom who got his diapers monogrammed! Needless to say I was stupid excited about it! And, no it was not planned.

Our first snowman!

Just in time for Grey to get the doc's orders to go off the billilights, the snow came in! However, we haven't really gone outside to enjoy it too much. The first day was windy with some sleet(?) coming down, so we stayed inside; the second day Skylar wasn't feeling well from the remnants of her strep throat, so we stayed inside. On the third day though it was beautiful outside and Skylar was finally feeling better, so we dropped Grey off with Nana and went outside to build a snowman! Skylar was really into making the snowman, although she didn't want to put a scarf or hat on him. For our first attempt, I think we turned out a pretty cute, Skylar-sized snowman!