Contrary to this calm picture, the last two months have been filled with chaos. It feels like life has been flipped upside down and back again. We
did get moved into our house and set up as much as we could before school started. However, our to-do list is long, so it still doesn't feel finished. There was a bit of a fiasco with some bedroom furniture that we ordered, and we still are waiting on one piece. So I don't feel completely settled in the house. The house itself is great! I love all of the improvements we did. There is plenty of space for Megan AND other people to be here. I love the colors and the backyard and the neighbors. It is a great place to live.
So, school started for both Justin and me. He started work on his Ph.D. (finally!!) and it has been challenging. He is in class on Mondays and Tuesdays (my mom comes to stay with Megan) and he watches Megan on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. He doesn't get a lot of studying in while Megan is awake, so he is putting in a lot of late nights and getting up early to take care of her or go to class. I don't know how long he will last, but hopefully next semester won't be as demanding.
I was excited about going back to school. It was harder going back this fall than after I had Megan. She is so much fun right now and it is hard to walk out the door when a little girl is waving at you with a sad look on her face. But I love the beginning of the year because you get to start over with new kids and better procedures and renewed focus. Except this year I have been handed some challenges that I was not anticipating and I am not handling it well. I have 16 boys and 4 girls in my class which would be crazy enough, but I have some special needs in my class and the added stress is taking its toll. We just finished the 6th week of school and I just now feel like I am getting into a rhythm. It has been soooo frustrating and exhausting and defeating and it has been really hard to go to school everyday. I am taking it one day at a time and hopefully it will continue to get better.
Now on to the good stuff: MEGAN!!! She is amazing. She has adapted to me going back to school very well. She has her Nana on Mondays and Tuesdays, so life is good. She is getting spoiled rotten. Luckily she is already so sweet that a little spoiling won't hurt her. She had some diarrhea around 10 months that we think was a result of something I ate because it was only after she ate from me. So she lost a little weight. Then she went in for a weight check he next week and the doctor asked us to put a scoop of formula in her bottles just to give her some extra calories. That has definitely helped her weight. She has a little belly now and seems taller, but she is still little bitty for her age! The next week, she finally cut some teeth and they just keep coming. I think #5 and #6 are on the way. Then, this last week she started making some signs (like bath, drink, and eat). So our communication is growing. She is still not consistently saying any words, but I do say "mommy" everyday so she can practice if she wants to. I can't believe she will be a year old in three weeks!! She seems so big and so small at the same time. I can't imagine life without her (as frustrating as she can be at times) and she really is soooo sweet. She smiles easily, is climbing on everything, and is interested in how everything works (that is from Justin). She loves containers and cleaning (that is from me). Here are some pics of the little doll:
This a 12 month outfit - maybe we can wear it for basketball season!
Showing off her climbing skills.
Hanging out with mom.
This was her reaction when we sang "Happy Birthday" to her. What a cutie!
Her first look at the monkeys!
At the elephants 
Pumpkins decorated for Boo at the Zoo
The Great Barrier Reef aquarium
Cupcakes are good!
