Europe, Colombia, Naps, Maternity Leave

So. I do a lot of things. It is impossible to do all of them well all of the time.

My wonderful husband picks up most of the slack. I do not know how single parents do it. They are amazing. 

My cousin Bryson just got married here in the US (In Utah the day after they graduated from BYU.)

Then 6 months later, since it was not official in France where his wife is from, they got married there again.

 His blue Czeck Republic shoes :)

 Notre Dame

They came last weekend to see us and Grandma Rebeck. They came over in the morning when the babies were napping then we met up with them and took them to the Alligator Attraction so they could feed and hold alligators.

We are planning a trip to Colombia so I have been thinking about traveling some. 

The point of this is that other countries respect time. The French wedding reception lasted until like 1am because of the multiple courses of dinner and enjoying one another. 

Naps are pre-scheduled into the day. I bet people are more productive even with the down time. And maternity leave is way longer than 6 weeks. A mother should stay home a year. I've been thinking about that these last couple of days. Daycare is complicated this first year. It seems so unnatural to have somebody else be with my baby especially when she is mostly breast feeding. I pump in the car on the way to work and at lunch while eating and typing my notes while I keep my operatory door closed with my foot so nobody walks in on me. 

I may not have a sleep-trained baby, but I should not have to. If I could quit my jobs for a year, it would be okay. I could be a mommy and only a mommy. And I could do that one task really well. 

I can not quit my jobs. I like them. They satisfy me. I love the social interaction and the creativity with the dental job. I like the creativity and the positive feedback I get with photography. I help people with both. I would like to cut back a day at the dental office, but I can't do that to my regulars. Plus I really like winning over new patients too. I CAN cut back on photography this baby's first year. And I have. Not by an explicit decision. I find time to take the photos, but have zero time to organize them because of Julia baby. I am letting go though. Like the Frozen song. It is impossible not to. At night, I have big plans to stay up and go through a handful of people/client photos but then I fall asleep next to my baby after valiant attempts to get her to stay put by herself. In the day, I plan when she is tired for when she can just go into the car seat to sleep because I am not really just at home, and fighting w/ her is exhausting. At night, she does not just go to sleep. It is the saddest cry and it does not stop. So She'll fall asleep with me, but when I lay her down, she either wakes right up or wakes up within 15 minutes.  So it feels like I am more on "disability" than maternity leave. Not a disability leave, just having to live with the cutest disability ever. So cute.

Here're some photos of my sleeping baby. None of which include her in her crib. 

 Picking up Daddy from the airport after he drove Uncle JT to BYU.

 I do try.

I need a vacation then a nanny.