The world of being a SAHM

...is the best! I sometimes feel guilty about how much I get to read and cook and play with Claire! But then I try to just count my blessings. My yearbook from the school I taught at last year came in the mail yesterday, and I did see a few students I would miss, but they were mostly seniors who are already gone anyway! The one candid picture of me in there, I had this look on my face like, "Please take this picture so I can stop gritting my teeth in a fake smile and go back to gritting my teeth and getting my never-ending load of work done." Also a hint of "When is lunch?" there. My desk was so messy; I've got to say I don't miss grading a single bit! However, as of now, I am planning on teaching two freshman composition classes at the college in the spring. So I'll have to get back into that grading mode in a few months!

I've been trying to get some video of Claire's new trick, nodding her head for yes. She loves it so much, because when I ask a question like "Do you want to go outside?" or "You need some juice?" she nods her head vigorously. She's also figured out how to point to a body part when she hurts it, which is very often. She points to her knees a lot, and to her finger the other day when some hot oil popped out onto it! Youch! She had this big fat blister on it for two or three days. Color me guilty on that one, folks! She's always fussy while I'm trying to make dinner, it seems! I end up either holding her or letting her stand beside me on a chair, either one of which is a recipe for disaster! (Pun intended!)

Here's Claire helping me clean--she enjoys a paper towel about as much as anything, going around cleaning the floors, cabinets, and her face. The second pic is her zoning out to Sesame Street! She's apparently had all the fun she can take, having strewn all her toys around the living room and waiting for me to put them all back so she can start all over!

Jay has been super-busy with his building project in Ardmore, and he also just started four houses in Calera. His schedule would be a lot to deal with if I was still working full-time, too.