Saturday, April 21, 2012

How does she do it?

I'm having some difficulties and wondering if the moms out there can offer me some words of wisdom.

Patrick is 10 1/2 months old, eating full on table food for the past month or so.  With this comes difficulties.  Number one being the time he's hungry in the evening.  I generally get him home from daycare by 5:00 but he's hungry by 5:15 or 5:30.  I rarely am able to get a good dinner cooked in that time, so he eats leftovers or I've been cooking sweet potatoes for him.  Then while he eats, I cook or at least start the meal that Joc and I will eat.  Then when he's done he's ready for his bedtime routine (seriously).  Joc gets home between 5:45 and 6:30.  Patrick's in bed and asleep by 7 every night.  Then Joc and I sit down to eat, or if I did manage to get a meal cooked and ate with Patrick, Joc eats alone.
I see many issues in my situation:  Patrick is getting used to eating by himself, so if I do sit down with him to eat he gets a little fussy that I'm not constantly helping him eat.  (this i think I solve by being consistent in eating with him)  Thoughts on that?  Also.  We aren't eating as a family.  I'm not sure we can wait for Joc every night because she doesn't get out consistently and Patrick is a mess if we were to wait.
I'm not really interested in pushing bedtime back, he almost always lays down and falls right to sleep. And we get him up by 7am so he needs those 12 hours (plus his naps are not always great at daycare so he's usually very ready for bed).

He's also become a bit funny with food.  He does this thing where he clenches his fists, bears down and moans/grunts and gets all read in the face.  I'm not sure what he means by it.... I'm trying to sign language thing but dang it, he's not participating yet and he refuses to tell me what his deal is... (c:  He also likes to take a bit, chew for a moment and spit the food out.  Yet an hour later he's fussy and wants a snack.  He likes fruit and apple sauce... but I need him to like other food!  I try to give him fruit for dessert, and only if he's eaten at least half his meal... so he's not just filling up on the sweet stuff.  Is this a phase?  Do I take him out of the highchair when he's playing and throwing his food to tell him it's not play time when he's in there?  Or let him play with the food?  Do I try different food in the same meal (if he's not liking what I made for him) to make sure he gets enough to eat?  When does the "this is what's for dinner, if you don't eat it then that's your choice" start?  I know it's too early now... but he knows what's happening... he knows if he whines and squeals enough he'll get attention... Am I creating a monster???!!!  I don't want to get in the habit of cooking one meal for me and Joc and something different for the boy.

Also, how often should I be giving him snacks?  I'm trying to start weaning him from the boob... so I'm trying some snacks between meals, replacing the boob... but sometimes I worry I'm giving him too many snacks and that's why he's not eating well at dinner.
What snacks do you give the kids?  (I've got yogury puffs, gerber veggies bit thingies, I cut up cheese, goldfish crackers are a new thing... )
Ba!

Working 4-5 days a week is challenging with a baby...

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Over

I received word today from UDM that I won't be moving forward in the interview process due to the fact that I am not, nor do I have immediate plans to acheive my PhD or DNP in nursing.  (Both considered "terminal" degrees in nursing.)  I was disappointed, but honestly expecting it.  I did interview 2 weeks ago now, did not feel great afterward and was asked twice if I planned on pursuing my doctorate, to which I was very honest (as I was advised to be) about not planning on going down that road in the next 3 years.  So.  There it is.  It's okay though.  I'm okay with it.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Progress

Up early on my day off. Patrick has been waking up at 5 or 530 or 6 the last couple weeks and I struggle with my decision to get up and feed him. This morning I couldn't fall back to sleep. Patrick does though as opposed to if I let him cry it out, he'd cry until 7 when he gets up for daycare. So I prefer to let him get another hour of sleep. But I am not doing him any favors. Ba, it's frustrating for me. What will make him go back to sleeping through the night? I just don't know.

I am in the process of interviewing for the UDM job, it's multiple steps with multiple people. I had a phone interview with a group of Detroit and grand rapids professors, and one interview with the dean of the GR campus but she's in Detroit as well. The search committee is reviewing my stuff and making a decision on my next steps... Then I believe the next step is a 10 minute presentation to the GR professors on campus then a trip to Detroit to interview in person with some people then I meet with the chair of the gr campus about what I would teach. I'm not convinced I'll get the job. I didn't have the greatest interview as they asked me a lot of mission and vision questions that I felt prepared for but as they were coming out of my mouth I felt they were disjointed and not thorough. Ba. I can only hope they consider giving me a shot. I'm still however, torn by my current job and what I would do. The couple profs I've talked to said there is quite a bit of flexibility with a professor but I cannot have 2 full time jobs. And my first year of teaching would be heavy with lecture preparation and test creation. I love love love doing simulation but it's not the main part of my role, even though I wish it were. So even if I went part time I would most likely have to give it up... I might however, try to talk UDM into working simulation into their curriculum and sharing the sim lab. But that might be a long term plan. I also miss my bedside nursing role. Lots of decisions to consider. But ultimately I suppose I need to wait and see if I get this UDM job before planning my next steps. Hoping to be through the process by may...or at least that's what I was told. 9 month contract would start in August...