Top 10 Ways My Pregnancy With Little C Foreshadowed Her Personality

My baby girl Little C is celebrating her big 3rd birthday this week!  I am no different than any other parent when I wonder where the time went.  I remember my pregnancy like it was yesterday. 

It's hard to believe that 3 years have passed since I gave birth to Little C in Japan.  I clearly remember my ambivalence about having a baby in a foreign country.  I remember interviewing friends who had babies in the local Japanese "ladies clinic" about their experiences.  I remember going to prenatal appointments and trying to understand the doctor's thick accent and gesturing with the nurses who spoke no English.  And of course I remember the joy I felt when the doctor handed her to me for the first time.  Little C is my blonde-haired, blue-eyed Japanese baby.

My pregnancies with Big C and Little C couldn't have been more different, which seems appropriate because their personalities are on opposite ends of the spectrum.   As they say, hindsight is 20/20, and I can look back and pinpoint aspects of each pregnancy that foreshadowed certain personality traits. 

As I gear up for the headache of a Barbie themed Chuck E. Cheese party, I can't help but think about how my little girl came to be and how I should have paid more attention to those signs that Little C was going to be payback for everything I ever did to my parents.  Here are my...

Top 10 Ways My Pregnancy With Little C Foreshadowed Her Personality

10)  I never cared for spicy foods until my pregnancy.  (THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO HER SPICY DISPOSITION.)

9)  In utero, Little C didn't seem to be a big fan of sleep and she didn't let me sleep a whole lot.  (SHE GAVE UP NAPS ALTOGETHER SHORTLY AFTER HER 2ND BIRTHDAY AND SHE STILL DOESN'T LET ME SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT.)

8)  My morning sickness was never in the morning but in the late afternoons.  (4 PM IS HER WITCHING HOUR WHEN I CAN EXPECT BLOW OUT TANTRUMS AND NAUSEATING CLINGINESS.)

7)  She moved around in my belly constantly.  (THAT GIRL RARELY SITS STILL.  SHE HAS 2 SPEEDS: ON AND OFF...NO IN BETWEENS.)

6)  She was breech for so long that my doctor was ready to book the C-section I was adamently opposed to.  She finally decided to turn around right before the deadline the doctor had given me.  (THAT GIRL IS THE MOST STUBBORN CHILD IN THE UNIVERSE.)

5)  Because we lived in Japan, I ate a lot of fish during my pregnancy, and yes (go ahead and gasp), I ate raw sushi.  (SHE WILL EAT ANY STRANGE FOOD YOU PUT IN FRONT OF HER, AND 1 OF HER FAVORITE FOODS IS SALMON.)

4)  I had some complications during the pregnancy that put me on full alert whenever I had to undergo routine testing.  (LITTLE C ALWAYS HAS ME ON FULL ALERT!  SHE'S ALWAYS GETTING INTO TROUBLE AND KEEPING ME ON MY TOES.)

3)  She didn't feel like greeting the world so I had to be induced.  (SHE INSISTS UPON DOING THINGS WHEN SHE WANTS TO AND ISN'T TOO THRILLED WHEN SHE'S TOLD WHAT TO DO.)

2)  I exercised throughout my pregnancy, mostly running and walking when I could no longer run.  I even walked/jogged a 5k when I was 7 months pregnant.  Regulars on my workout playlists included P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, and Madonna.   (THIS PREDICTED 2 THINGS: SHE LIKED THE WALKING SO MUCH THAT SHE DECIDED TO WALK WHEN SHE WAS A MERE 10 MONTHS OLD, AND SHE CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THOSE FEMALE POP STARS, INCLUDING LADY GAGA.)

1)  I had no pain meds during my labor and delivery.  (WELL, THIS DOESN'T REALLY FORESHADOW ANYTHING.  I'M JUST THINKING THAT MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE DRUGS TO MELLOW HER OUT A LITTLE!!!)

What aspects of your own pregnancy predicted something about your child's personality?  And if you don't have kids, has your mother told you any stories about her pregnancy that fits with your personality? 

  

Uninspired

I woke up this morning and realized I didn't have a blog post planned.  I usually take the weekends off and then have plenty to write about for Monday's blog post.  But today, I'm uninspired. 

I used to blog every day.  Then I tried for 5 days a week.  Now I'm lucky if I post 4 times a week.  Life is busier than ever, and all those great ideas I have in the shower or in the car somehow disappear the second I sit down at the computer.  Then there are days like today when I'm so busy that I've only been home for about 30 minutes total.  And quite frankly, there are about a gagillion other things I should be doing right now instead of typing away. 

So what do you do on those days when you have absolutely nothing to write about?  How often do you post on your blog?  Do you blog when you know you should be doing other things?

  

Students Forced to Think Like Terrorists?

The other day I read in the news about a high school teacher in Australia who assigned the students in her conflict and terrorism class to plot an act of terrorism.  The students were asked to plan a terrorist attack that would kill as many innocent people as possible. 

As an educator myself, I understand the teacher's desire to spark her students' creativity in a project related to events that really do occur in our world today.  But I have to question her methods.  Can you imagine your 15-year-old daughter coming home and asking you to help her plan a terrorist attack?!  I know I would be less than thrilled.

I think one of the reasons this article lingered with me is because I actually completed a similar assignment myself.  I was taking a criminology class in college, and I had to write a paper describing in great detail a realistic terrorist attack.  (I won't share my very creative idea lest I get in trouble myself!)  But this was ages ago, several years before the attacks on 9/11.  We live in a different world now.  Back then, I didn't think twice about the assignment.  After all, our class was focusing on terrorism, and the assignment made me realize that there really are crazy people in this world who sit around brainstorming the exact same thing I was.  But now?  Between terrorist attacks and school shootings, should we really be ENCOURAGING our kids to think like that?

So what do you think?  Are you outraged by this teacher's assignment?  Or do you think the assignment would have taught them "feelings of regret and sympathy for the victims of their fictional massacre" as one parent said?

  

Wife on the Roller Coaster Meets PBS

I usually don't post twice in 1 day, but I just couldn't wait until tomorrow to post this.  I'm so excited to share with you that I was invited to be a guest blogger at PBS's POV blog Regarding War!  My Q & A and my 1st post are up, and I hope you can go over and visit me.  And I'd love it if you could leave me a comment...maybe if I get a lot of comments they'll want to keep me around.    I know we're all busy, but if you get some time, check out the other posts on Regarding War.  The blog has some wonderful writers from different backgrounds and affiliations with the military.  Good reads. Thanks for your support!!! Q & A With Wife on the Roller Coaster Reflections of a Military Spouse (I promise not to post for a couple of days to make up for my double posts today!)  

Top 10 List of Random Thoughts

My brain has been absolutely fried lately, and my thoughts are all over the place.  So here are my...

Top 10 List of Random Thoughts

10)  I wish Mr. Roller Coaster would find his alarm clock because he stole mine and I want it back.  But then again, do I really need to know what time it is when Little C wakes me up in the middle of the night to go pee?

9)  Why is it that Wal-Mart NEVER has red onions?

8)  Is it weird that I felt possessive over the John Deere when Mr.  Roller Coaster mowed the lawn?

7)  Little C will tell anyone who will listen what her full name is, and the other day I overheard Big C telling a stranger our phone number.  Time for a PERSEC talk.

6)  Where is all this laundry coming from?!

5)  The welcome home banner the kids and I made for Mr. Roller Coaster is still hanging in our family room.  I just don't have the heart to take it down yet.

4)  I recently finished reading "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" (AWESOME book by the way!).  As soon as I finished it and passed it along to Mr. Roller Coaster, he bought "The Girl Who Played With Fire" on his Kindle.  Call me old-fashioned, but I much prefer turning a page than pushing a button.

3)  Little C's 3rd birthday is rapidly approaching.  Barbie party at Chuck E. Cheese.  Oh joy.

2)  We bought a new camera so we wouldn't have to lug our fancy Nikon to Jamaica, but the memory card doesn't fit into my universal card reader.  And because I'm too lazy to install the new software, I have yet to see all the gorgeous pictures I took.

1)  The deployment has truly come full circle.  Mr. Roller Coaster's parting gift to me was a nasty case of poison ivy.  Well, break out the calamine lotion because he's passed it along to me once again.  Thanks honey.

What are some of your random thoughts today? 

Situational Awareness

 

I wouldn’t call myself a paranoid person. But I definitely have a reasonable level of situational awareness. As a woman who frequently lives alone, I feel I have to be aware of my surroundings to protect my safety and security. I double check the locks in my house before I go to bed. I carry my purse straps on my shoulder rather than in my hand. I never leave expensive items in my car. And when I learned over the weekend that during our vacation in Jamaica, someone hijacked my husband’s credit card number, I’m thankful for my diligent monitoring of our finances.

Situations like this make me feel vulnerable. And I don’t like feeling vulnerable. Toward the end of my husband’s deployment, I encountered another vulnerable moment that reminded me of the importance of situational awareness.


One night, as I was outside turning off my sprinklers, I saw a car parked on my lawn. I started walking toward it to see if anyone was inside, but then I realized how stupid it was for a woman to approach an unknown vehicle in near darkness. I returned to my house, locked all my doors, and called the police. As I waited 30 minutes for the police to arrive, I turned off the lights in my house and repeatedly, borderline obsessively, peeked out the window. I watched as the car’s headlights turned on for 5 minutes and then flipped off again, meaning that someone was actually in the car and just sitting there.


I have never called the police before, and I felt kind of silly for doing it, but it sure made me feel better when 2 patrol cars blocked the car in and approached it with guns and flashlights drawn. The driver claimed he was waiting for my neighbor to come home and wasn’t aware that my lawn was private property. The cop assured me that the man did not have alcohol on his breath and that he was apologetic. (The cop also said the driver was wearing a dress shirt and tie but, in my mind, spiffy clothes don’t exactly eliminate him as a potential criminal.)


The car pulled into my neighbor’s driveway, the police left, and I continued staring out my window. The car sat there for another 30 minutes, periodically turning the headlights on and off before leaving. I still felt uneasy about the whole situation. But right before I went to bed I looked out my window one last time and happened to see the car pull into my neighbor’s driveway again, right behind my neighbor. They walked into the house, and yes, he was indeed wearing a dress shirt and tie.


I still don’t understand why this man parked on my lawn, how he failed to notice that my lawn was not the street, or how he seemed oblivious to the fact that his actions were highly unusual. But I’m glad I called the police instead of spending a sleepless night worrying that someone was going to break into my house. As the old saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry, especially while our husbands are deployed.


If only our situational awareness was as acute while we were in Jamaica!

Do you have a heightened situational awareness when your husband is gone?

Mil Spouse Friday Fill-In

I've missed the last couple of Wife of a Sailor's Mil Spouse Friday Fill-Ins, but I'm back!  Here are this week's questions...  

   1. If you could be a fugitive from the law for whatever reason, what would your crime be? (from It’s a Hooah Life)Wow, I'm such a goody goody, I don't think I could ever commit a crime large enough to force me to be a fugitive.  But if I had to choose, it would probably be reckless driving for speeding on the interstate...I love to drive fast.  Public intoxication might be fun too. 
 2. How long do you think you will be a military family? (from Julie the Army Wife)That's a good question.  At least 12 more years.
 3. What’s your favorite recipe? (from Keep Calm and Soldier On)A recipe I found in Real Simple for Thai Chicken Curry.  I've tried tons of curry recipes, and this one is by far the best.  And the great part is that I can substitute chicken for shrimp or tofu, and it would still be fantastic.
 4. What would you want your last five words to be when you leave this life? (from My Goal is Simple)Nothing left undone or unsaid.
5. Where do you hope to retire? (from Pennies from Heaven)Either South Carolina or Virginia.  Definitely NOT Alabama, Florida, or New Jersey. 

Lessons of the Day

Lesson #1:  Do not schedule both a dentist appointment and a doctor's appointment on the same day for the same child.

Lesson #2: Do not leave your umbrella in the car during said appointments.

Lesson #3: Do not assume you'll have time to go home for lunch between appoinments.

Lesson #4: Do not allow your children to bring their own toys into waiting rooms (unless you don't want those toys to come home with you).

Lesson #5: Don't forget to take deep breaths.

  

Top 10 Reasons Why I'm Terrified About Going Back to Work

Two weeks ago I posted a top 10 list about why I'm excited to go back to work.  But as excited as I am to return to the work force, I'm also suffering from some major anxiety as the start of the school year gets closer and closer.  I try to be optimistic about most things, and I fully intend to embark on this adventure with a positive attitude.  However, I feel the need to work out my feelings, get them off my chest and ask for support and advice.

So here are my....

Top 10 Reasons Why I'm Terrified About Going Back to Work

10)  What if I don't like my job?  I'd hate to put my family and myself through this huge adjustment only for me to be unhappy.

9)  What if I don't have time to spend with my friends?  I'm so used to being able to meet friends for lunch or plan an afternoon playdate for the kids.  I won't be able to do that anymore.

8)  What if I'm too tired to cook dinners?  I usually cook dinner every week day, and I don't want to give that up and resort to fast food.  That wouldn't be good for our budget, my kids' nutrition, or my waistline.

7)  How will I handle it all when my husband travels?  It's hard enough being a single parent as a Domestic Engineer.  What will life be like as a working single mom?

6)  Will I waste my weekends catching up on errands and household chores instead of relaxing?

5)  Will I have enough time and energy for my family?

4)  How will I cope with the disappointment of missing important events?  I just learned that Big C's Open House for 1st grade is the same night as my Open House as a teacher.  I have NEVER missed an event like this for my children.  What else will I miss?

3)  How will I find the time to work out?  Exercise is a large part of my life.  I like being fit, and I like having that stress reliever.  Once I start working, I'll have to either wake up at o'dark thirty or hit the gym after the kids are in bed at night.  Neither option sounds very appealing.

2)  What if I'm not a good teacher?  I'm typically a pretty confident person.  But I can't help but harbor a little bit of self-doubt.

1)  Will I have enough time to myself?  Will I be able to keep blogging?  Will I have time to read other blogs?  Will I have time to read magazines or novels?  Will my ME time completely disappear?

Do you have any advice for kicking those nerves and anxiety?  What's the best way to balance it all?

Transitioning

A few days ago, as I sulked on the shuttle that took me from the la-la land of an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica to the airport that would transport me back to reality, I realized that I haven't posted anything on my blog in several days.  I also realized that it's been quite awhile since I wrote anything off-the-cuff.  I've done some guest blogs.  I've shared my Blue Star Families posts.  I've done my Top 10 Tuesdays.  But when was the last time I just free associated?

So today I'm just writing.  I'm not even going to spell check this.  I'm just going to be me.  As I am.  Right now.  In this moment.  In all my imperfection.

My husband has been home from deployment for over a week.  But the transition period I've been anticpating has only just hit me.  We spent a glorious week in Jamaica while our kids got spoiled by their grandparents.  For that week, nothing mattered but us.  Getting to know each other again.  Catching up on sleep.  Relaxing.  Escaping reality. 

But reality is upon us.  It hit me as we sprinted through the airport to make our connecting flight.  It hit me as we drove down the interstate with our daughter vomiting in a Zip-lock bag.  It hit me as we unpacked our bags from both our vacation and his deployment.  It hit me as I thought about the transitions we're all about to make.

In a few short weeks, our household is going to be unrecognizable.  First, Mr. Roller Coaster came home.  Next, I go back to work as a kindergarten teacher.  Then Big C will transition to 1st grade, and Little C will start preschool.  Soon after that, Big C will start his 1st season of soccer.  Lots of transitions in a short amount of time.  And I'm not a big fan of change.

Despite the big changes in our lives, I'm thankful that those changes are positive ones.  Our family is whole again.  My kids are growing up.  And I feel so lucky to have been hired amidst lay offs.  Change is good.

And by the way, I want to thank everyone for the wonderful comments you left for me welcoming Mr. Roller Coaster home.  I apologize for not reading blogs and responding to your comments but life has been crazy lately!

Stages of Deployment: What Is Normal?

My latest Blue Star Families post...  

 

At one point or another, most of us have relied on scientific theories to reassure ourselves that we’re normal. Specifically, stage theories break down events into categories and describe appropriate behaviors for each. These theories exist for most life-changing events: marriage, pregnancy, child development, even grief. I figured there had to be a stage theory for military deployments, and my inquiring mind prompted an internet search. I was curious to see how my first-hand knowledge of deployments matched up to those stages, to see exactly how normal I am as a military spouse.


Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a standard set of deployment stages. Every Google hit seemed to outline different phases. Some listed as few as three stages, some as many as seven. And although every article seemed to discuss a similar progression of emotions, I found no consensus on the labels given to those stages.

After consolidating and applying my research, I discovered that I’ve successfully passed through the Pre-Deployment/Anticipation of Departure phase (the weeks prior to my husband leaving), the Deployment/Emotional Disorganization stage (the first month he was gone), and the Sustainment/Recovery and Stabilization stage (the months between the first and the last). As I write this, I’m restlessly passing through my final day of the Re-Deployment/Anticipation of Return stage (yes, that means my husband is coming home tomorrow). And so far, regardless of the title assigned to my emotions, I’ve progressed quite predictably through the prescribed cycles. I am indeed a normal military spouse.

Because I’ve allowed myself to get lost in time, I was actually shocked when I realized last week that I was already in that Re-Deployment stage. Suddenly, I had only a week to prepare for my husband’s homecoming. And suddenly, I was frantic! My brain went into overdrive as I made a mental list of everything I had to do. I need to clean my house. I need to find the perfect reunion outfit. I need to stock up on his favorite foods. I need to prepare my kids. I need to prepare myself.

I have to admit I had mixed emotions about the deployment ending, and at first I felt selfish and guilty for experiencing that inner conflict. Of course I was positively giddy at the thought of seeing my husband again. But his homecoming would be almost as much of an adjustment as his departure was. I’ve grown so accustomed to being alone that I wondered how I would handle the transition from this life I had created back to the life that was, the life that should be. I tried so hard to take advantage of my solitary existence while my husband was gone, and I worried I’d miss that time to myself when he came home. I was also disheartened that I had failed to accomplish everything I planned to do during his absence, and now it’s too late.

I was almost apprehensive about the reunion. The deployment has changed us both. Will we still recognize each other? Will we struggle to get to know each other again? Will I still be the independent woman I’ve become once I’m no longer forced to be? Am I insane for thinking these thoughts? But according to those stages of deployment, I was relieved to learn that no, I’m not crazy. All of these questions, all of these conflicting emotions are normal.


Once I assured myself that my Re-Deployment feelings were natural, I relinquished my guilt and moved on to another part of this stage: Operation Mega Clean Up. My house is by no means unkempt, but I wanted it to be perfect. My husband hasn’t seen his home in months, and I didn’t want his first impression to be disappointing. I hid unsightly clutter. I mopped the floors. I dusted in the nooks and crannies. I straightened picture frames. I hung the Welcome Home banner the kids and I made. I ensured our lawn was manicured (by which I mean I paid someone to manicure it). I don’t think our house has ever looked this presentable.


After a week of renewed energy and frenetic nesting, I’m now not-so-patiently waiting to pass through to the next stage of deployment. Whether it’s called the Post-Deployment stage or the Reunion stage or the Return Adjustment and Negotiation stage, it all means the same thing. The deployment is about to end. My husband is about to come home. And life will once again be normal.

Top 10 Reasons Why I Feel Like a New Woman

As I write this, I'm sitting on a Caribbean island, wearing a string bikini, listening to the clear blue waves crash, and drinking a fruity beverage.  The kids are home with their grandparents, and my husband and I are making up for lost time, celebrating that 10th anniversary he missed a couple of months ago.  Life is good.  So here are my...

Top 10 Reasons Why I Feel Like a New Woman

10)  Airport security lines aren't nearly as daunting when you're not traveling with a 2-year-old and her full bladder.

9)  Food tastes so much better when someone else is cooking it.

8)  Not much is more relaxing than sitting in a hot tub at night when everything is pitch black except for the changing colors of the jacuzzi's inside lights.

7)  All inclusive resorts really are ALL inclusive!

6)  I've been reunited with the rejuvinating powers of uninterrupted nights of sleep and midday naps.

5)  After months of reading a page here and a page there, I am actually going to finish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!  Not to mention the fact that I read an entire magazine in one day.

4)  It really is ok to have your first alcoholic beverage before noon.

3)  The only to-do list I have right now includes eating, sleeping, reading, drinking, and swimming.

2)  It's been days since I heard the word MOMMY.

1)  My husband is home safe and sound, and I finally feel like a wife again.

What are you doing this week to pamper yourself?

  

Wife on the Roller Coaster Meets Mrs. Gambizzle

I'm so excited to be guest posting for Mrs. Gambizzle today over at Life as a Sailor's Girl!  She features military spouse/significant other guest bloggers every week for Mili Mondays.  So check out my guest post The Power of Positivity, check out the other mil spouse posts, and definitely take a look at Mrs. Gambizzle's  beautiful jewelry!  

  

Welcome Home Mr. Roller Coaster

 

 Deployment #2: Over and Out. Welcome home Mr. Roller Coaster.  

Wife on the Roller Coaster Meets Mrs. S

I had the lovely pleasure of guest blogging today for one of my favorite bloggy girls Mrs. S over at The Adventures of Mr. Superman and Mrs. S.  She is such a sweetheart, and I adore her blog.   While you're checking out my guest post Trading Places, make sure you stay awhile and visit with Mrs. S. You'll love her!  

Tick Tock: Ignoring the Deployment Clock

My latest Blue Star Families post...

I always wear a watch. And I have an annoying habit of repeatedly consulting it, regardless of whether or not I even need to know what time it is. Sadly, two weeks ago my favorite watch died, and because running errands with my rambunctious 2-year-old is restricted to only those essential to the upkeep of our household, I have yet to replace the battery. Since the death of my Casio, I have not known the time, the day of the week, or the date. But it’s actually quite befitting because I have spent my husband’s deployment purposely losing track of time.

During my husband’s first deployment, time was constantly on my mind. The date of his departure was tattooed in my memory, right next to his homecoming date. On any given day, I could enumerate precisely how long he’d been gone, almost down to the hour. I thought the calculations would be comforting, that my loneliness would be alleviated by each tally mark that was simultaneously added to my count of days passed and subtracted from my count of days remaining. But it wasn’t comforting. It only made my awareness of the calendar so acute that time stagnated. When my husband finally returned home, it seemed like he had been gone an eternity.

At the start of his current deployment, I adopted the opposite approach to time. I decided to disregard it altogether. I know what month he left, but I don’t recall the exact date. When someone asks how long he’s been gone, I have to pause to do the math. For awhile I drew X’s on my calendar to tick off the days, but I did it for the kids’ benefit, not my own. However, my son quickly lost interest, and my daughter can’t count past 14, so I stopped making the effort. Call me unconventional, but this method of ignoring the deployment clock seems to be working for me.

Despite the overall success of my strategy, I do occasionally wish I had a better perception of time. I read other military spouses’ blogs as they display deployment countdown gadgets and celebrate milestones like that glorious halfway point, and I ask myself if I should be observing deployment duration as well. There’s a sense of accomplishment and optimism associated with surpassing the uphill battle of the first half of deployment, and a sense of relief in riding that downhill momentum of the second half. Somewhere along the way in my deployment marathon, I missed that momentous halfway triumph. I look back and wonder if celebrating milestones would have reaffirmed my stamina and offered me a second wind.

I’m happy for these women who find solace in tracking time, but I remind myself why I chose not to fixate on a deployment clock. I spent a large portion of my husband’s first deployment wishing time away. I exerted so much energy envisioning our future that I wasn’t existing in the present. My primary focus was trudging through it instead of enduring despite it. Now that I don’t have a firm grasp of time in relation to the deployment, I’m living in the here and now. It doesn’t matter if he’s been gone 6 days or 106. All that matters is that I don’t let life pass me by while I wait for him to come home.

Sometimes it feels like my husband has been gone for years instead of months. But sometimes it feels like mere days since we kissed good-bye. My watch battery dying only confirmed my theory that I don’t need to be perpetually cognizant of time. In fact, by allowing time to pass naturally without the interference of incessant scrutiny, I’m pleasantly surprised by how rapidly the deployment is flying by. I’m reassured by the knowledge that one day, whether it’s next week, next month, or next year, my husband will be coming home. In the meantime, I’ll let the deployment clock silently tick away while I continue to live in a timeless state of blissful ignorance.

Do you keep a deployment countdown?

Top 10 Reasons Why I'm Excited About Going Back to Work

In a few short weeks my life is going to drastically change.  After 6 years of being a full-time Domestic Engineer, I'm going back to work as a kindergarten teacher.  (So basically I'm leaving my own kids to spend my days with other people's kids!)  It will be a huge adjustment for everyone in the family.  I'm starting to get nervous, but I'm excited too.

Here are my... 

 Top 10 Reasons Why I'm Excited About Going Back to Work  

10)  Adding a new title to my resume.  Sure I love being a Domestic Engineer, but it'll be nice to wear another hat.

9)  I'll finally be using those degrees I worked so hard to earn.

8)  I'll have daily social interaction with people other than my 2-year-old. 


7)  Life will have a completely different pace.  I may not be thrilled the first couple of weeks when my alarm is blaring in my ear, but in general, I'm looking forward to having a set work week with regular hours. 

6)  I get to buy a new wardrobe!

5)  I'll have a change of scenery.  I love my house, but I think I'll appreciate home more if I'm not always in it.

4)  Little C will go to preschool.  She's a very social little girl, and I know she's bored hanging out with me all the time.  She's going to love school and making new friends.

3)  My job will give me the intellectual stimulation I've been missing.

2)  Extra money!

1)  I'll gain a sense of accomplishment and pride for doing an important job that helps other people.

What are you excited about this week?