Ok, this was supposed to post last Thursday on the 21st but it didn't! So here it is anyway :)
This Friday Colton and I are headed to Colorado for a week! Yes, only Colton and me :( Korbyn will be staying here and will be staying with both memaw's and papaw's. I would absolutely love to take her, but we've never been ourselves and I don't even know what to expect so we're not going to be taking our 8 month old to find out. Colton's friend who he grew up with and now works with is getting married on Sunday. So a bunch of our friends are going up for the wedding and then a few of us are staying for a week of vacation. Our plan is to leave Friday at noon arrive sometime Saturday morning (it takes 16 hours) and then leave again on Thursday and be back on Friday. Sunday is the wedding and then Monday on we'll be riding trails and just relaxing and having a good time. I'm SO excited! I've never been to Colorado but I heard it's absolutely beautiful and I'm mainly looking forward to the weather. It's supposed to be 70's during the day and around 40's at night, so packing is kind of hard because I have to totally shift gears! I heard that the hardest part is coming back to 100 degree weather. I'm not looking forward to that but I know I'll be so ready to see Korbyn by then that it will be the LONGEST trip home ever. These past two weeks that I've spent with her have really let me get to know her better. I know that sounds crazy but it's like a completely different kid! She's not high maintenance at all...as long as you give her attention ;) Which is probably why I'm getting almost nothing accomplished at home! But I love every minute of it. I'll find myself just cuddling her and not wanting to do anything else but hold her. And I would love to be at home and raise my babies, and we could off of what Colton makes but we could never get any further, we'd be stuck where we are now and we want more for our family. I'm sure 20 years from now I'll look back and wish that I had stayed home, but right now what's important is providing the best we can for her. And when she gets older we want to take her on trips like this, but we won't ever be able to do that if we're a one income family. I think that's why I'm so excited about this new job and the counseling. I'll be doing what I love but I'll be working 8-3 everyday with school holidays and summers off to spend with my kids, that way I'll get the best of both worlds :)
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Inconsistent sleeper
Korbyn has always been an inconsistent sleeper. Sometimes she'll sleep for 11 hours straight and other times she'll wake up every couple of hours! And we can do the exact same thing and we still may get a different outcome. I'm so nervous for the memaws because I'm hoping that she'll sleep good for them, but I know she's going to have some rough nights when we're gone all next week. Sometimes I'll put her to bed around 8 and I'll have to wake her up at 7:15 to get her ready for the day, and other times we're not so lucky ;)
Mmmmm! Who would want to wake this sweet lil' angel?! She loves to have a blanket right up next to her face when she sleeps.
I LOVE this picture! She really does love being read and sung to. Now we go nowhere without a book in the diaper bag. After Colton saw the picture he said he wished he had grabbed his bass magazine and not my Better Homes and Gardens lol!
Mmmmm! Who would want to wake this sweet lil' angel?! She loves to have a blanket right up next to her face when she sleeps.
I LOVE this picture! She really does love being read and sung to. Now we go nowhere without a book in the diaper bag. After Colton saw the picture he said he wished he had grabbed his bass magazine and not my Better Homes and Gardens lol!
Changes
These are just some cute pictures from our last days at school for a while :( She looks terrified of that horse but she's really not, I just snapped it at an awkward time. Her teacher had text me and asked if she could paint her toenails, I was thrilled! I've been wanting to paint them but there's no way in heck that I could get that girl to sit still long enough for me to do that. She said she did it when she fell asleep...duh mom!
I looked at my last post and realized it had almost been two weeks since I've updated our blog!!! Most of you already know that I've quit my job at Insurance Network. It just wasn't me. I now know that I am NOT an office person and I could care less about spreadsheets and meaningless (to me) deadlines. Fortunately it hit me really quick, about 2 or 3 days into it. I remember a saved excel formula worksheet was entered and then re-saved wrong and my entire department was going crazy because of it and I just sat at my desk thinking "who cares?!" This is so pointless to be wasting that much energy stressing over something so small and meaningless, just change the dang thing and move on. Now I'm not going to sit here and say that everyone who works in an office setting should feel that way, not at all! I know of plenty of people who work in offices and absolutely love their job, I'm just not one of them.
It just so happened that when I put in my two weeks at the daycare another job offer came up literally a couple days after I accepted the Insurance Network job. At the daycare we have a special needs girl who volunteers her time helping out with the kids and along with her she has a job coach. The job coach's responsibility is to teach the girl anything that may help her become more independent. So at the daycare she helps out anywhere she can (there's plenty to do there!) and a couple of mornings a week they'll volunteer at a nursing home and help wash dishes, fold towels etc. And I know another time she took her grocery shopping where she had to make her own list and then shop for the items. The job coach came to Jennifer and myself that week and said that she was moving out of town but the girl still has one more year left in the program at the high school and the girl's mom would really like it if Jennifer or I got the job because we were already very familiar with each other and knew what to expect. I told her I would absolutely love to but I JUST accepted another job and Jennifer really wanted to stay at the daycare, and that's where it ended. About three weeks into my IN job, the job coach and the girl's mom text me asking if I was still interested in the job coach position because they're interviewing for it that week. I told them I would have to seriously think about it before I decided to risk my current position. So I thought about it for a couple of days and then came to realize that I am not happy at IN and the amount of money really doesn't matter when you aren't. I sent over my application and resume and got an interview.
To make a long story short, I got the job! I'm very excited because this is really helping me to get my foot in the door towards my career goal which is school counseling. Even in my interview the principal looked at my resume and said "why haven't you pursued counseling sooner?" I kind of laughed and said "well...right after college I got married and a few months later we were expecting a baby and it just got pushed to the back burner and nothing has ever really presented itself to lead me in that direction." He then told me that he would really like for me to start working on my teaching certification asap so that next year he can put me in a classroom (because in Texas you have to teach for two years before you can counsel)! So the long term plan is while I'm in my job coach position I'll be working on completing my teaching certification, then come next year I'll hopefully be able to get into a classroom to complete my one year internship and then teach for two years and while I'm teaching I'll be working on my master's degree to counsel. I know, it's a huge task and it's going to be a lot of hard work but I want this SO bad. I've already been working on my teaching certification, which is one reason why I haven't been able to post anything and of course the other reason is because Korbyn is home with me now :)
I would have stayed at IN until the job coach position started which is in August but I had to tell them sooner because I was scheduled to go to my insurance licensing classes and exam for an entire week and I really didn't want to put myself through that if I knew I wasn't going to even be using it. I was supposed to start those classes on a Monday and I told them at IN on a Thursday. I was SO nervous I was almost shaking when I told my manager and the HR manager about my situation. But I was completely honest and upfront about everything and you could tell they appreciated it. Then I told them that I really needed this job for as long as I can until August but I completely understand if they feel I need to leave immediately, just because I knew that they needed to get someone else in there to train right away. They were so nice about it and said they would love to keep me on until they found someone else to replace me. That at least gave me two more weeks of pay! But now I get five weeks of Korbyn all to myself!!! I decided to pull her out of daycare for the time being especially since I don't have a job, but she'll be going back when I start the job coach position. When I knew that I would be out of a job for a while I had offered to clean a couple of people's houses just to earn some extra cash and I've actually had to recall my offer! I've just been so busy taking care of Korbyn, working on my teaching certification and trying to get everything together for our vacation that I barely have time to clean my own house! So there have been many changes taking place at the Coates' residence and I'll try to keep you all posted as much as possible :)
I looked at my last post and realized it had almost been two weeks since I've updated our blog!!! Most of you already know that I've quit my job at Insurance Network. It just wasn't me. I now know that I am NOT an office person and I could care less about spreadsheets and meaningless (to me) deadlines. Fortunately it hit me really quick, about 2 or 3 days into it. I remember a saved excel formula worksheet was entered and then re-saved wrong and my entire department was going crazy because of it and I just sat at my desk thinking "who cares?!" This is so pointless to be wasting that much energy stressing over something so small and meaningless, just change the dang thing and move on. Now I'm not going to sit here and say that everyone who works in an office setting should feel that way, not at all! I know of plenty of people who work in offices and absolutely love their job, I'm just not one of them.
It just so happened that when I put in my two weeks at the daycare another job offer came up literally a couple days after I accepted the Insurance Network job. At the daycare we have a special needs girl who volunteers her time helping out with the kids and along with her she has a job coach. The job coach's responsibility is to teach the girl anything that may help her become more independent. So at the daycare she helps out anywhere she can (there's plenty to do there!) and a couple of mornings a week they'll volunteer at a nursing home and help wash dishes, fold towels etc. And I know another time she took her grocery shopping where she had to make her own list and then shop for the items. The job coach came to Jennifer and myself that week and said that she was moving out of town but the girl still has one more year left in the program at the high school and the girl's mom would really like it if Jennifer or I got the job because we were already very familiar with each other and knew what to expect. I told her I would absolutely love to but I JUST accepted another job and Jennifer really wanted to stay at the daycare, and that's where it ended. About three weeks into my IN job, the job coach and the girl's mom text me asking if I was still interested in the job coach position because they're interviewing for it that week. I told them I would have to seriously think about it before I decided to risk my current position. So I thought about it for a couple of days and then came to realize that I am not happy at IN and the amount of money really doesn't matter when you aren't. I sent over my application and resume and got an interview.
To make a long story short, I got the job! I'm very excited because this is really helping me to get my foot in the door towards my career goal which is school counseling. Even in my interview the principal looked at my resume and said "why haven't you pursued counseling sooner?" I kind of laughed and said "well...right after college I got married and a few months later we were expecting a baby and it just got pushed to the back burner and nothing has ever really presented itself to lead me in that direction." He then told me that he would really like for me to start working on my teaching certification asap so that next year he can put me in a classroom (because in Texas you have to teach for two years before you can counsel)! So the long term plan is while I'm in my job coach position I'll be working on completing my teaching certification, then come next year I'll hopefully be able to get into a classroom to complete my one year internship and then teach for two years and while I'm teaching I'll be working on my master's degree to counsel. I know, it's a huge task and it's going to be a lot of hard work but I want this SO bad. I've already been working on my teaching certification, which is one reason why I haven't been able to post anything and of course the other reason is because Korbyn is home with me now :)
I would have stayed at IN until the job coach position started which is in August but I had to tell them sooner because I was scheduled to go to my insurance licensing classes and exam for an entire week and I really didn't want to put myself through that if I knew I wasn't going to even be using it. I was supposed to start those classes on a Monday and I told them at IN on a Thursday. I was SO nervous I was almost shaking when I told my manager and the HR manager about my situation. But I was completely honest and upfront about everything and you could tell they appreciated it. Then I told them that I really needed this job for as long as I can until August but I completely understand if they feel I need to leave immediately, just because I knew that they needed to get someone else in there to train right away. They were so nice about it and said they would love to keep me on until they found someone else to replace me. That at least gave me two more weeks of pay! But now I get five weeks of Korbyn all to myself!!! I decided to pull her out of daycare for the time being especially since I don't have a job, but she'll be going back when I start the job coach position. When I knew that I would be out of a job for a while I had offered to clean a couple of people's houses just to earn some extra cash and I've actually had to recall my offer! I've just been so busy taking care of Korbyn, working on my teaching certification and trying to get everything together for our vacation that I barely have time to clean my own house! So there have been many changes taking place at the Coates' residence and I'll try to keep you all posted as much as possible :)
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Happy 4th of July!
This year for the fourth of July we were invited to spend the weekend with Jennifer's family near Corsicana. They have a lake house on Richland Chambers and it was a much needed mini vacation! The little neighborhood that their house is in only has about 10-12 houses and everyone knows each other and they celebrate the fourth every year together. In the morning they have a "parade" where everyone decorates a lawnmower, golf cart etc. and rides around the loop a couple of times. Then they have a lawn mower race, kids games, and a firework show. Jennifer's son Cutter rode with her brother Rob in the parade on their lawnmower, it was so cute!
The fireworks show was pretty awesome considering everyone in the neighborhood chips in for the entire thing. Colton and a couple of our friends went out on the lake in the evening and were coming back when they started the show. They did it on one of the boat docks and we were literally laying down on the boat watching them. Fireworks have never looked that big and have been that loud! Then we decided to move when we were getting covered with the cardboard pieces falling from the sky!
They also had this little pond with bass and perch in it right in front of their house. The guys started fishing in it to take Cutter, well he reeled in a few then moved on to something else but of course the guys continued to fish in it for a while. It was fun watching them because every cast they threw they had a bite in a matter of seconds, that's MY kind of fishing :)
We left on Friday and came back on Monday and up until Thursday we were planning on taking Korbyn with us. Thursday morning my mom called me asking how she was feeling and sounded pretty concerned that she may not feel up to going this weekend ;) so she offered to keep her for the entire weekend. I was VERY nervous because this was the first time that we've been away from her longer than a night. I couldn't help but be pretty neurotic about the whole thing and I actually typed up a letter FRONT AND BACK of how to take care of her!!! Looking back it was kind of ridiculous but I know my mom said she had to look at it several times (I'm telling you this girl is set in her ways and knows what she wants!).
Well it was a much needed break for Colton and I. I haven't felt that relaxed in a very long time. And we got to spend a lot of quality time together too which was SO nice. Of course I called my mom every morning and every evening to check on her. The first couple of times was pretty easy, then it got to the point where I was tearing up when I was hanging up the phone, I missed her terribly :( So of course Monday morning I was ready to head home the instant I woke up and it was the longest drive in the world! When we got to my mom's house I turned the corner and I saw her playing on the floor and she looked at me and started getting excited and moving her arms and feet and I immediately started crying because I was just so overwhelmed with joy to finally hold her again!!!!
I never in a million years thought you could ever get this attached to someone. I always knew that it would probably be a little difficult to leave my baby but OMG! It's awful and I never want to do it again! BUT in two weeks Colton and I are leaving for Colorado for an entire week...I don't even want to think about it.
The fireworks show was pretty awesome considering everyone in the neighborhood chips in for the entire thing. Colton and a couple of our friends went out on the lake in the evening and were coming back when they started the show. They did it on one of the boat docks and we were literally laying down on the boat watching them. Fireworks have never looked that big and have been that loud! Then we decided to move when we were getting covered with the cardboard pieces falling from the sky!
They also had this little pond with bass and perch in it right in front of their house. The guys started fishing in it to take Cutter, well he reeled in a few then moved on to something else but of course the guys continued to fish in it for a while. It was fun watching them because every cast they threw they had a bite in a matter of seconds, that's MY kind of fishing :)
We left on Friday and came back on Monday and up until Thursday we were planning on taking Korbyn with us. Thursday morning my mom called me asking how she was feeling and sounded pretty concerned that she may not feel up to going this weekend ;) so she offered to keep her for the entire weekend. I was VERY nervous because this was the first time that we've been away from her longer than a night. I couldn't help but be pretty neurotic about the whole thing and I actually typed up a letter FRONT AND BACK of how to take care of her!!! Looking back it was kind of ridiculous but I know my mom said she had to look at it several times (I'm telling you this girl is set in her ways and knows what she wants!).
Well it was a much needed break for Colton and I. I haven't felt that relaxed in a very long time. And we got to spend a lot of quality time together too which was SO nice. Of course I called my mom every morning and every evening to check on her. The first couple of times was pretty easy, then it got to the point where I was tearing up when I was hanging up the phone, I missed her terribly :( So of course Monday morning I was ready to head home the instant I woke up and it was the longest drive in the world! When we got to my mom's house I turned the corner and I saw her playing on the floor and she looked at me and started getting excited and moving her arms and feet and I immediately started crying because I was just so overwhelmed with joy to finally hold her again!!!!
I never in a million years thought you could ever get this attached to someone. I always knew that it would probably be a little difficult to leave my baby but OMG! It's awful and I never want to do it again! BUT in two weeks Colton and I are leaving for Colorado for an entire week...I don't even want to think about it.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Little rascal
I got some pretty cute pictures of Korbyn when we were at home sick last week. I had her on the kitchen floor and the sunlight was peeking through the blinds onto the floor and she kept trying to grab it! She would just look at it and then slap her hand on it and try to grab at it, it was so funny! She's like a little kitty cat!
Well take a look at this little rascal. I had set her on the couch for a second while I grabbed something out of the kitchen, literally for a matter of seconds. When I came back around the corner she had pulled herself up and was reaching for the remote on the coffee table! She didn't see me right away so I just watched her for a while.
Then she finally saw me and gave me this huge smile! I turn back around and she's already back up trying to grab the basket!!! She is getting SO fast. And we really have to watch her now when we put her on the couch (or anywhere that's not on the ground) because she is so close to crawling that she'll just fling herself forward wanting to go that she'll come pretty close to just falling straight off. I think it was the same day, but I was sitting on the living room floor playing with her and she turned and grabbed the foot rest of her high chair and was trying so hard to pull up on it but couldn't quite do it because it was pretty high and I gave her a little boost and sure enough she was standing holding onto the high chair all by herself! It didn't last long because she doesn't realize yet that when you let go you fall (I'm sure she will VERY soon), and she fell and rolled on her back and then cried of course, but only for a minute. I know we have a lot of that to look forward to. I just can't believe that my baby is already 8 months old!!! She'll be walking before we know it :)
Well take a look at this little rascal. I had set her on the couch for a second while I grabbed something out of the kitchen, literally for a matter of seconds. When I came back around the corner she had pulled herself up and was reaching for the remote on the coffee table! She didn't see me right away so I just watched her for a while.
Then she finally saw me and gave me this huge smile! I turn back around and she's already back up trying to grab the basket!!! She is getting SO fast. And we really have to watch her now when we put her on the couch (or anywhere that's not on the ground) because she is so close to crawling that she'll just fling herself forward wanting to go that she'll come pretty close to just falling straight off. I think it was the same day, but I was sitting on the living room floor playing with her and she turned and grabbed the foot rest of her high chair and was trying so hard to pull up on it but couldn't quite do it because it was pretty high and I gave her a little boost and sure enough she was standing holding onto the high chair all by herself! It didn't last long because she doesn't realize yet that when you let go you fall (I'm sure she will VERY soon), and she fell and rolled on her back and then cried of course, but only for a minute. I know we have a lot of that to look forward to. I just can't believe that my baby is already 8 months old!!! She'll be walking before we know it :)
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