Sick Baby Girl

It was bound to happen someday. My poor girl has a double ear infection. I hate seeing her sick. She just looks so miserable...

Week One

I made it! I just finished up my first week at my new job. It was an overwhelming week for me. You have to remember-even though my degree is totally acceptable for my job; I never thought I would ever end up doing something in criminal justice. I took zero classes on the subject and saw myself doing adoption or foster care, if I ever went to work. I was certainly thrown into the criminal justice field this week, though! Luckily, I will spend about a month doing observations before I start tackling my own case load of probationers. I saw some very interesting things this week. I helped with drug testing other women, saw several people get arrested for violating their conditions of probation, went to court, went to the jail, and on and on. I missed Maddie like crazy (of course) but she seemed to adjust well. I suppose it's mommy that is having the hardest time adjusting. I hope that I learn quickly and in the end-actually end up enjoying my job. I think there's a possibility!

Nerves

Monday will be a big day for me. I start my first day on the job as a probation officer and I am SO nervous. This is a big time job and I know I have some pretty intense training to work through. I hope that things come quickly to me and I succeed at what they have for me. It's always nerve-wracking when learning something new and then having to perform in it. I suppose what I am most nervous about is managing my life as a mom and "new-found" career woman. This will be very new to me. I have had 10 GREAT months at home with Maddie and I'm scared to completely change my life around. I don't like change, at all. I function off of a schedule and I try to stick with that schedule as much as possible. When something throws a kink in it, then that causes stress to me. I'm sure I will pick-up a new schedule through this all, but I will have to have time to adjust to this transition.
I'm also nervous about what this means for another baby. Obviously, the money is going to be nice, but I don't know how career and pregnancy fit together, especially with a 6 month probation period. I've just never done it. How do I possibly go back to work after a maternity leave when I spent so much time at home with Maddie? Can I still nurse?
Originally, we had plans to start trying again in March (when Maddie turns 1). March is quickly approaching! We want our children close together; always have. Now with the job, I don't know if that's the best decision. Maybe I should wait a few more months because I don't know what other people would think. Gosh, I just don't know....
What do you think?

Christmas 2008

Maddie's first Christmas has come and gone. It was an interesting day for us in the Crouse House. I woke up at around 4:30 in the morning to the sounds of a very sick husband. Poor Jaime was throwing up and running a high fever. Christmas day started off pretty slow. I kept Maddie and myself away from Jaime while he slept in the bedroom. Around 3:00 in the afternoon, he stumbled out so that we could do Santa with Maddie. Even though he felt awful, he was a good sport, and Maddie really enjoyed opening and playing with all her gifts.

Luckily, Jaime felt better quickly and we moved right into a visit from his mother! This is only the second time that she has seen Maddie, so it was very special. She arrived on the 29th, and on the 30th, she babysat while Jaime and I went out to eat for our anniversary! It was a lot of fun to be out alone, but by the end of the night, we were both ready to get home and see our girl. It's funny how babies change things!

Now we have rung in a new year, Jaime's mother has left, and we are all trying to get back into a normal routine again. I start my new job very soon and I'm pretty nervous about the transition from mommy to career woman/mommy. I hope that this experience, along with the rest of what 2009 has to offer, is full of blessings and a ton of fun!

Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks:

Maddie and Mommy at JTB

Christmas Eve

Stocking Stuffers

Gifts from Santa

Grandma Jan came to visit

Going out for our anniversary!