Growing up Vinalhaven: witching hour

Hello!

Sorry it's been so quiet around here lately - we're still here, but WOW, does a full-time job take ones blogging time away!

I've been really enjoying subbing at the school again, and feel like I slipped back into it pretty easily. I think (hope) that the kids are learning, and I've almost got all their names down (K-12 - sheesh!). OI realized today that I'm about halfway through my subbing and the time has absolutely flown. There are certainly challenges and days where I feel like no matter what, I've failed (at being a teacher, a wife, a mom, an all-around human being), and some when I'd just like to give myself a pat on the back for getting it all done. Most days, it's all of the above...

But this whole "witching hour" thing.

WOAH.

I didn't notice it so much when I was home during the day and could get a lot of the dinner prep done while Finn was napping, but now that I pick him up from daycare, come home, walk the dog, and have a very limited amount of time to get dinner on the table, I've noticed it a whole lot more. First off, Finn is very adamant about not wanting to leave daycare, not wanting to put his jacket and shoes on, and not wanting to be picked up, instead choosing to walk out of the building and down the stairs by themselves. Then, he MOST CERTAINLY does not want to get in the car, and does that really fun back arching, screeching, freak out thing in his car seat. By the time we get home, he's calmed down and MOST CERTAINLY does not want to get out of the car. Regularly, we walk the dog when we get home, so I pop him in his stroller or let him walk until he starts tiring out. That usually works pretty well, but when we get home, there's this super tricky time. We've usually got about an hour before Daddy gets home, and that hour finds me by the window, mentally trying to convince every vehicle that drives by to be Chad so I can hand this little devil child over. The screeching, whining bundle that was once my sweet little boy is quite a handful and VERY tricky to keep entertained, especially when I'm trying to get dinner together.

All is not completely lost, though - I know this is all a phase, and I've discovered that he's more likely to NOT freak out if he's participating in the dinner prep (AKA making a huge mess of foodstuffs while I get dinner together). I'm secretly hoping that he's getting interested in cooking because, as much as that would slow things down sometimes, it would be SO FUN. Just imagine - in a few years, he could have his very own little repetoire of meals he can make by himself. Which would, hypothetically, encourage his sibling to imitate him and they could cook together...Ah! So cute and fun.

But in the meantime, here are some fun photos of our last few weeks. Finn turned 20 weeks yesterday, and we reach the 20 week mark (halfway!) of this pregnancy tomorrow. I guess 20 is the magic number this week. Only 10 more days until we find out the sex of the baby!!!