Anthony's 1st Birthday Party: What I Learned

So I survived my first 1st birthday party with minimal tears (mine). I learned a lot and hopefully you can too from reading this blog post.

1st Day of School

Today was Anthony's unofficial first day of school in his new big boy classroom. We got the letter in his cubby last week that he would start transitioning out of the baby room these last two weeks of August and would be in his new room full-time after Labor Day (it might as well been his college acceptance letter - yes, there were tears). But when I dropped him off this morning they said he would be in the new class ALL DAY LONG because they had some new babies starting this week. What?!! I thought I still had time to prepare for this... I still need to buy him a nap sack thingy because no cribs in the new room... I didn't pack him enough snacks... and will I still be able to visit him on my lunch break like I've done every Wednesday and Thursday for the last 8 months?!!!

When I returned to work in December, I took solace in thinking that my return to work didn't have to be permanent. I joined job groups, I scoured Indeed daily and I fell for every It Works, Beach Body, toothpaste, Keto coffee, you name it direct marketing recruitment post (sorry, just not my thing) that would allow me to be with Ant and work from home and maintain some type of income - so I could quit my 9-5 job that I loved, because I loved my new 24 hour/7 days a week one so much more. In the meantime, I found a daycare for Anthony on Wednesdays and Thursdays that was a short drive from my work so I could visit him on my lunch break. And that is how these last few months have gone. Leave work at 12:15, drive to see Anthony, nurse him, rock him to sleep, drive back to work. Our little routine gave me peace of mind and really helped me get through the day. If anyone reading this is researching daycares I highly recommend considering ones near your place of work that allow you to visit! And obviously I never found a new job so Anthony has remained at school two days a week and I have grown to love his school and his teachers.

Anthony's first day at school

But now Anthony has new teachers and a different schedule being with the toddlers. So I decided to skip my visit today for the very first time. I wanted to see how Anthony would do in his new class without me and don't want him to become reliant on me coming to feed him every day he's at school since I'll have to start weaning him off of breastfeeding sooner rather than later. Luckily I had an extra busy day at work to keep me focused and before I knew it, it was time for me to pick him up - always the best feeling to watch Ant's face light up when he sees me walk in the door!

And how did he do? He did GREAT and I am one relieved mama!!! Both times I called to check on him he was happy playing with his friends and he went down for a nap no problem. And as you can tell from the pic below, he is all tuckered out from his exciting day!

Anthony spent his first day in his new classroom and then fell asleep on our walk around the neighborhood.

Even though it was a good day, I'm still on the fence about my visits. His new teacher said I am always welcome and of course I want to see my baby who I'm always missing but I'm also trying to figure out WHEN I should do that because I don't want to disrupt his new schedule. So when is the right time to stop visiting - now? When he's 2, 3, 4, 10? Asking for a friend.

Worst Case Scenario

Normally I try to keep things light here. Posting about my latest Netflix watching habits and funny trials as a new mom. BUT Facebook keeps reminding me of a topic that I've been wanting to address for a while now. I've never talked about my anxiety to anyone before but the fact that two articles have popped up in my newsfeed in the last two days I'll chalk up to Facebook spying on me, somehow knowing my innermost thoughts. Before I read the articles, I thought it was just me - I didn't know there was a name for what I have been experiencing since my son was born. It's nice to know that post-partum anxiety is not uncommon.

Thank God for Netflix

So our belief has been confirmed... Ant is indeed the good luck charm the Eagles needed because THEY. WON. THE. SUPER. BOWL. And we are 100% taking credit.

Baby Bird

The Philadelphia Eagles are in the Super Bowl matched up against the Patriots -- what a time to be alive!! It's less than two hours now until kick-off and the anticipation has been building throughout the week. My husband said it feels like Christmas Eve when you can't sleep because you're so excited and the suspense of whether or not Santa came keeps you tossing and turning all night long -- I'm not a big football fan, but today I 100% agree with him.