Lots to cover:

Lots to cover:

Work Update: So I didn't get the teaching job at Stepping Stone Schools :(...but I'm still searching for work. Nico is making it harder and harder for me everyday though. The more days go by the more I feel like I need a Brilliant Work from home and make $$$ IDEA. I know i'm not the first and won't be the last to have this inner tug of war going on but I need to figure out what to do. I have sent out my resume to a couple places...lets see if any fish take the bait!

2 moms that I met today did. 2 years ago when they had their kids they thought that the baby food market didn't have a lot of healthy options...so they set out to start: Nurturme, where they make 100% natural gluten-free baby food that all you need to do is add water/formula/breast-milk to. They get natural fruits and vegetables from local farmers, dry the food in their houses and have a packager....They are selling their products at Whole Foods and a couple other stores....INCREDIBLE!!! I was very impressed. And the baby food actually tasted good!

Peter Update:I wanted to give Peter a Shout out for 2 great accomplishments. The first one: HIS HEALTH TEST! Last year in Sept he took this same test. All his numbers dropped!! He went from Cholesterol levels of 193 to 157! Specifically, his Triglycerides went from 117 to 38!!! The doctor gave him an A+.

The second one: HIS DRIVE at WORK. The morale in Peter's department hasn't been that cheery lately, but unlike a lot of his co-workers who are just bickering and complaining, Peter decided to try and do something about it. He set up a meeting with his manager to hear his opinion of the situation and see what were ways he could help to fix it or lift spirits. The meeting went great and this is what his manager sent out to another manager.

I wanted to quickly point out that I was very impressed with his preparation for this meeting, his delivery of the feedback in a very mature and constructive fashion, and his ability to communicate and listen effectively. I feel comfortable that our mentor program is in good hands and am glad that we have an AE with those behaviors and characteristics helping the newest members of our AE family navigate their first months in the department.

I'm very thankful to have Peter in the department.

Austin Update: It's breastfeeding Month here in Austin. Even though I'm not exclusively breastfeeding, I went to an event today at City Hall (that's where I met the women who make the baby food). It was really funny cause they were SOOOO EXCITED and SOOOO ALLLL ABOUT BREASTFEEDING that it was kind of creepy. To be honest about breastfeeding, IT WAS REALLY PAINFUL...for a LONG time, not just the first couple days, but I stuck with it because I knew that it was good for Nico and me too. Let me remind you Nico is 7 months, in the first weeks of feeding, I didn't think we would even make it to a full MONTH of breastfeeding. I didn't think there would ever come a day where I would enjoy it, but I can say that in the last couple months I have...a lot. I must say though, that even in the beginning, it was nice feeling like I was the ONLY PERSON who could feed Nico! It was very empowering in a time that I had lost all sense of self-worth basically. Now, knowing that even though I don't have a lot of milk, Nico still NEEDS me to fall asleep sometimes is special. I am completely in love with this little man and I can honestly say that I FORGIVE him for all the pain, tears, blood, and scars that feeding him caused me! I do believe that breastfeeding definitely added to this insane bond and attachement I have to him. I must say that I dont' think that formula is bad or that Nico will get sick, be dumb, or get ear infections because he is no longer SOLEY ON BREAST MILK (just had to get that off my chest). Sometimes, around my breastfeeding moms, I felt a little ashamed to pull out my little formula bottle but I don't anymore cause I know their not judging me (they know we are all doing the best we can for our babies)...and the people who do, well....they aren't very nice people.

The end for today...