A Glorious Weekend

I started back to work this week and it was a difficult start. Even though I had dropped Jackson off at daycare on and off for the past two weeks, Monday just seemed so "official" with me not being able to just be a mommy anymore. I cried in my car while the rest of the district started the institute day and then went in with red puffy eyes after my dad soothed me over the phone. I never knew I'd love being a mommy so much! The week got easier as the kids arrived and I hit the ground running! I have a wonderful group of kindergarten kiddos- again! and I really love my job- again! It's crazy how much more energy I have this fall since I'm not unexpectantly 6 weeks pregnant :)
Matt had Friday off of work and we both had Monday off, so it was a glorious three-day weekend for the Rife's! We were busy walking and enjoying the weather that is only here for a short bit longer. It was beautiful and 85 degrees all weekend with very little humidity. We were out at the lake and Starbucks and Sunday we made the treck up north to the Botanical Gardens for the day. Jackson is so long now that he sat in the stroller without his infant carrier because his little legs hang over the edge! He looked like such a big boy in his stroller. We packed a picnic and a bottle for Jackson and enjoyed God's creations. It was a marvelous time together and at one point I just hugged Matt with tears in my eyes and couldn't believe how wonderfully happy I felt. Life is so wonderful.
After the gardens we came home and barbecued kabobs and the three of us sat out on the deck together, enjoying the evening weather. We tried to get Sox to come out, but she's quite jumpy with all the city noise and kept to herself inside. We believe Jackson to be going through yet ANOTHER growth spurt, and so he is consuming several oz's of milk a day and sleeping several hours throughout the day- as well as still sleeping through the night with 10-12 hours. I was told not to tell other new parents that :) As the weekend came to an end, we made a trip to the mall together and bought Jackson a tiny pair of Puma tennis shoes. They are so adorable and I told Jackson that he now has better shoes than his mommy and daddy do. We are in big trouble if we keep this up! :)