Addressing the To Do list

Who knew that having one person not working outside the home would make life so much easier? I mean, I knew it would be a bit easier when I stopped working since we wouldn't have to juggle schedules as much but I had no idea that it would be a LOT easier.

Why is it so much easier? I have time available to attend to the important items that might not get addressed in our desired timeframe if we were both working, which helps keep my stress level down, and we even have time for more plain, old-fashioned, FUN.

Here is a snapshot of what I've been up:

• This week Emma's CI acted a little quirky and required 2 unexpected trips to see her audiologist as well as multiple phone conversations. This could have required a real juggling act if both of us were still working, but since I was home it didn't.
• We're in the process of doing some estate planning and will generation that is a bit trickier to execute when you have a special needs child. I had the time to research what needs to be done, check with a few parents in our similar situation to find out who the experts are, and even schedule our initial consultation.
• I can PLAY with the girls at night. I don't have to work after putting in a lot of hours working as "mom/therapist" during the day. It is so nice to relax and play with the girls and have more family time together.
• Enrolled Julia in swim classes for this session and attended the first lesson. She loves swim lessons and we were lucky to find the perfect date/time for our schedule!
• Researched and followed-up on alternative approaches I think Emma will benefit from. I've been trying to get to this for a couple of months now and, with the extra time available now, I've completed it in a week. The results? I have a phone apt. this week with a top researcher from the University of Delaware that wants to help facilitate a comprehensive evaluation on power mobility for Emma (this man is doing amazing things with infants/toddlers and robotics) and Emma has a craniosacral therapy appointment scheduled for next week.
• Put in some time researching the internet business I'm trying to start, registered the domain name and did some more research for the business plan. I have a LOT more work to do here and need to put more time into this as it is a high priority for me, but I know I'll have more time to devote to this next month when our babysitters are back from summer break.
• Reconnected with my contacts in Linked In (a professional networking site) and partially updated my profile. I still have to complete my updated resume and a few other items so that when I'm ready to jump back into the job market I have everything ready to go
• Found time to measure, assess and order an appropriate ramp for our minivan to load Emma's stroller. This will save a lot of wear and tear on my back from lifting her stroller in/out of the car. Her stroller is AMAZING, pushes like a dream and we love it (even if there are a couple of minor details we would change), but it is quite heavy to lift and I'm looking forward to getting the ramp.
• Emma's been using a communication board with her speech therapist that is the best of all the boards we've tried. I was able to contact the Delaware Assistive Technology Initiative (DATI) and found that they have the same communication board that we can borrow - they have reserved it aside for us and we are picking it up on Monday. We've borrowed items from DATI in the past and it is a great FREE resource for DE residents.

You'll notice that I didn't say I'm a stay at home mom. That's because our life does not lend itself to stay at home - I'm much more a mom on the go. I'm busier all day long *staying at home* than I was at work. I often don't get a chance to eat, drink or go to the bathroom when I want like I could at work, but I sure love the smiles, hugs and kisses that come with the territory.

Our recent adventures

We've been a busy bunch lately. The weather has finally started to act like summer and we've been spending a lot of time outside enjoying it!

Here are things we've been doing recently:

1. I finished up my last month at my job and now officially unemployed. I'm going to take a bit of time to relax and enjoy the summer before I jump into something new.
2. Julia started camp and LOVES it. Every Tuesday they have a field trip and last week she went on the school bus to the Can Do Park. The highlight of the trip? The school bus ride, of course! She's been wanting to go on the school bus ever since she realized what they were - with a school bus stop in front of our house, we have to watch and wave to the kids every morning.
3. Chris finished his second 5K run - the Victoria Flick Bubble Run/Walk. The proceeds go to help purchase durable medical equipment for children, which is a cause we align behind! Chris shaved more than 4 minutes off his previous 5K run time and came is 3rd place for his age group and 17th place overall! We are so proud of him!
4. Emma continues to be a shining star. Every night she loves to stand on our lap and walk up our chest while she laughs like crazy! She is also very, very close to sitting unassisted. Her fine motor skills are getting better and she is now grasping objects between her thumb and forefinger. She has also pointed with her forefinger once or twice! Water continues to be her favorite thing to play in, and with the nice weather we've been having she's been spending quite a bit of time splashing in the pool.
5. Finnegan will celebrate her 7th birthday on July 4th! Happy Birthday, Finnegan! We love you for the joy you bring to all of our lives, the way you let the kids walk all over you without any protest, and the delight you find in fetching the ball incessantly!

Changes

The economy is causing a lot of people to make changes, and we are no exception to this.  I found out this week that I'm part of a corporate downsizing.  In the 13+ years that I have been there, I've had 11 managers, 5 different positions, completed my MBA, and had the pleasure to work with more exciting, creative, unique people than I've dreamed possible.  During those same 13 years, I've adopted a dog, met and married Chris, and had two beautiful girls.  

For the last couple of years I've struggled with working vs. staying home with the girls.  I was able to transition to a part-time position which worked really well and allowed me to participate in most of Emma's therapy sessions, have fun time with Julia and take the girls on field trips.  It was a great balance for me while it lasted, but I have to say that I'm really looking forward to spending more time with the girls.  We are lucky that Chris has a job he loves that seems pretty secure for now.  My severance package will continue our benefits for a while and enable us to have Emma's second CI surgery under our existing health benefits, which was my main concern as Chris' benefits do not cover cochlear implants.  

So, in a few weeks I'll be free from work!  I've been working since I was 14 years old so this will be a new experience for me.  I'm going to recharge a bit, enjoy the summer, look into starting the business I've considered.  I'm excited about the new chapter in my life that is about to begin.  I think this change is good!