1 vs. 2

Being a parent is a challenge.  It is the hardest but most rewarding job in the world.  Everyone has their own parenting style that works best for them.  However I have noticed that my parenting style has definitely changed from being a first time mom to being a mom for the second time around.

There are some commercials out there by Luvs diapers that hit the nail on the head when it comes to being a mom for the second time.  My favorite is the new mother nursing in a restaurant hiding in the corner using a cover and looking around worriedly.  The scene then cuts to the same mother with a new child who is matter-of-factly nursing at the table without a cover when the waiter (a young male) comes to take her order.  She confidently says “hey, eyes up here” and proceeds to give her order to a startled and stuttering young man. 

As mentioned in a previous post, I use a cover when nursing in public, but you get the idea.  So here are some things I have noticed that are different for me the second time around.

Confidence.  I am much more confident and sure of myself with the second baby.  I feel like I can “read” him better and respond to his needs faster too.  I am also way way less concerned with doing everything the “right” way and just doing what is right for us.  We tried every sleep trick in the book with Goober and she could probably have ranked in the top ten for “World’s Worst Sleepers”.  With Frog Face we are much more laid back and still try to establish a good bedtime routine and sleep habits, but if he fusses too much, then he gets to come to bed with me.  With Goober we were adamant about not cosleeping, so much so that even if she was sick she could not sleep with us because whenever we brought her into our bed she thought it was party time.  Come to think of it, she is still like that!  I also learned that even though I am exhausted because of sleep deprivation now (Frog Face seems to be following his sister’s trend of poor sleeping, despite starting off pretty well in this department) that there is a light at the end of the tunnel and that he will eventually sleep through the night.  Having gone through it once and come out on the other side, it is easier for me to keep things in perspective.

Germs.  With Goober, if her pacifier dropped on the ground I would immediately run to wash it off with soap and water.  I made people wash their hands before they held her and wouldn't let anyone sick near her.  I also pre-washed all Goobers new clothing so it wouldn't irritate her skin.  Maybe it’s because Frog Face is so much bigger than Goober was that I feel he is more “sturdy”, or maybe it’s because I know that trying to prevent Goober from sharing her germs with her brother is like trying to get the cats to stop shedding.  Now, if a pacifier drops on the floor, I give it a once-over to check for said cat hair then pop it back in his mouth.  Same goes for food that falls on the ground for Goober.  As long as it appears reasonably clean she can still eat it.  This doesn’t mean that I purposefully expose my 3-month-old and 3-year-old to germs, I do avoid them where I can (making Goober wash her hands, trying to prevent daycare kids from sticking their fingers in Frog Face’s mouth so he will “bite” them, etc.) but I don’t freak out about them as much.  (Except of course if I know someone has the stomach flu.  Then the house gets locked down for quarantine and the kids get put in plastic bubbles with gas masks and hazmat suits).  I also call the pediatrician less often and try the “let’s wait and see if it gets better” method.  Because of daycare germs, I am pro at handling illnesses, especially colds.  Prop one side of the crib up, run a humidifier, use baby chest rub, alternate acetaminophen and ibuprofen (after 6 months) every 4 hours for a fever, and we are good to go!

Multitasking.  It is amazing what you can do one-handed when you have to.  It is also amazing what you can do while nursing.  Frog Face is getting heavier, so it is harder to do things while he is nursing now, but when he was still semi-small I could fix a snack, run a bath, do laundry, and pretty much anything else while he was contentedly latched to my chest like the little leech that he is. I have also become a pro at baby-wearing and will plop Frog Face in a sling and then go about cleaning the house while he “helps” by giving me a baby-jibberish running commentary about how I missed a spot on the counter.

Putting baby down.  I specifically remember an incident when Goober was around a week old that I was home by myself with this tiny new baby and I needed to go to the bathroom.  The only problem was she was sleeping soundly in my arms.  I literally did not know what to do with her.  So I somehow managed to pull down my elastic maternity pants and use the bathroom while still holding the sleeping baby.  This time around with Frog Face I recognize that it is okay to sit him down with some toys in a safe place while I use the bathroom and if he fusses and (heaven forbid) even cries for a few minutes the world is not going to end.  (With that being said, I still don’t like for him to cry and will try to rush the peeing process so I can go get him again).

Going out.  Leaving the house is actually much easier for me with Frog Face than it was with Goober.  Again, I put that down to more confidence.  I know that no matter what happens while we are out, I can handle it.  It does help to have the Weatherman with me though so he can take one child and I can take the other.  Still, it’s not that bad.  It helps that the weather was nicer so taking my just-born Frog Face out in the summer as opposed to taking Goober out in the winter makes things easier too.  Also, I pack a lot less with baby #2.  With Goober I would pack that diaper bag to the max with toys, clothing, diapers, blankets, a water bottle and snacks for me, etc. and tote it with me everywhere.  Now with Frog Face, I still have a diaper bag but it is packed with a lot less crap.  Even then the bag usually stays in the car and I only carry my nursing cover (which also functions as a car seat cover, spit up rag, and blanket) and then a small diaper pod that contains a few diapers, wipes, plastic bags, and a small changing pad.  I figure if I need anything extra, I can always run out to the car to get it.

There are numerous other areas that are different between Goober and Frog Face as well:  I am better at nursing, I do use generic diapers (but name-brand at night since they are more cozy and often hold more), most of Frog Faces outfits are from second hand stores (and most of Goobers now too),  I try to take lots of pictures, but I do seem to take less of Frog Face than I did of Goober (mostly because I just don’t have the time to get the camera!) and I realize I don’t actually need all those amazing baby products I thought I needed with baby#1 (re: wipes warmer, although I still love my diaper pail and changing table). 

I always knew that the second baby would be different from the first.  And this proved true right from the moment he was born (delivered by a nurse because he came too fast for the Dr. to get there…but more on this in a later post).  But that first night in the hospital is one I will never forget.  Goober slept in the bassinet by my bed (see: sleep training was already on my mind! Also, I didn’t know what to do with her: the nurse actually had to tell me to give her a kiss!) but Frog Face slept in my arms.  I figured, he had been curled up with me for the last 40 weeks (plus a couple days) that his first night in this great big world he needed to be curled up with me again. 

I wonder how things will change when #3 comes along someday (in the distant future I might add…daycare for 2 kids is expensive enough!).

Doing some housework while my little man sleeps happily in his sling

He is such a good helper!

Lesson 101 in multitasking: how to carry two kids at the same time

Welcome home cats!

I am grateful that my job is usually weekdays from 8-5.  However, there are occasionally things that come up at the zoo that require me to work extra evenings and weekends.  It really sucks when those evenings and weekends all fall at the same time.  Like last week.

Monday night we had a friend visit who we have not seen in years and also picked up our new freezer.  Tuesday night we had a monthly volunteer meeting at the zoo so the Weatherman was home with the kids by himself.  Wednesday nights we have church like we do every week (the Weatherman and I work in the youth group while Goober attends AWANAS and Frog Face makes his way from one teen-age girl to another during youth group, being the ladies’ man that he is).  There was an event on Thursday which I skipped out on because the kids were over-tired from being up past bedtime the last three days.  However, I made up for skipping the event by working both Saturday and Sunday for two more events.  These events were all part of one big thing: a grand opening of a new exhibit at the zoo.

I started working at the zoo in February of 2008.  Even before I started working, the zoo was actively raising funds for a new exhibit for our jaguars, bobcats, and our mountain lion.  The old exhibit was outdated and small and a new home was desperately needed.  But like many things, it is impossible to just click our heels together and wish for a modern facility to spring up overnight.  Over the last 5 years, our partner non-profit organization, the Friends of the Zoo, have been hosting special events, seeking grants, and receiving donations all for the express purpose of our cats.  Enough funds were finally acquired in 2012 and we broke ground on our new exhibit last fall.  Now here we are, a year later, with a million dollar exhibit that is beautiful and modern and a stunning new addition to our zoo. 

But with something so grand that we have worked years for, we can’t merely open the doors and casually allow people to wander through.  Oh no.  It needs some pizzazz!  It needs a ribbon cutting!  It needs some pomp and circumstance and an official grand opening. Or two. Or three.

Thursday night was the sneak peek for dignitaries and major donors.  These honored guests were treated to an evening of private tours of the exhibit along with appetizers and beverages.  Saturday morning we opened the exhibit to members of the zoo and media, also giving behind the scene glimpses into the animal exhibits and barns.  Then Sunday was our official grand opening to the public, with face painting, cookies, and lots of volunteers to engage the public and answer questions about the cats.

As the Manager of Special Event for the zoo, I was in charge of organizing the volunteers for all three of the openings and also helping during the events.  As an educator who is trained to engage the public, I was also out front (or on Saturday behind the scene at the bobcat barn) interpreting the exhibits for the guests and answering questions.  For the public grand opening we had over 1,500 people attend!

As much as I love being a part of the zoo and helping out, it is always hard to be away from my family, especially since I am away from them so much on a normal week anyways.  Goober has come to associate my work shirt with me leaving and when she sees me put it on, the waterworks start to flow.  It was hard to leave a crying Goober on Saturday to come to work.  I think it was even harder for me when she saw me put my work shirt on again Sunday and said “I no cry mommy” without me even saying I was leaving again.  Then Sunday night there was a going away party for some zoo volunteers that I attended for an hour and Goober again put on a brave face.  It was hard though when I got home just in time to tuck her in and hear her say “You come back mommy!” At which point my heart breaks and I reassure her that I may have to work sometimes, but I always come back. 

Meanwhile Frog Face does well at first but as soon as he figures out that momma is gone, he goes into hysterics and screams like a little banshee, refuses to nap, and ends up regurgitating most of his bottle on himself and on daddy. 

With that being said, my favorite part of the day yesterday was snuggling with Goober in bed and when I took Frog Face back from the Weatherman and he immediately looked into my eyes, snuggled in, and promptly went to sleep.

Being a working mom often has my heart torn.  In an ideal world, I would be able to work afternoons (while the kids nap) and then be with the kids in the morning.  I love my career, but it is often hard, especially with weeks like last week, to be there for my children and be professional at my job as well.  I realize I am very fortunate to work at a facility that supports families and allows me flexibility to take off work for doctors, dentists, etc., but there still doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything that needs to be done and give my children the time that they need. 

But then, all moms I believe feel that way. 

Look at the crowd! (I should mention that I think all the photos were taken by the zoo director's husband, so he gets the credit!)

A small visitor getting up close to our Jaguars

One of our amazing volunteers sharing a jaguar pelt with the public while they wait in line to see the new exhibit

Me holding the microphone while the director of the Friends of the Zoo gives a speech.  The microphone kept having feedback issues and it took a while before someone from the crowd shouted that it was my radio that was interfering with it.  As soon as I turned the radio off, the feedback stopped.  So much for me being helpful!  I feel like I actually caused more issues than help!  But it was good for comic relief!

Ribbon cutting for the new exhibit!

To pump or not to pump?

We just got a chest freezer for our garage! This makes me inordinately excited and a bit weirded out because I used to get excited about stuff like new movies, games, books, or other recreational stuff.  Somewhere along the line I actually became an adult (eek!) and now practical things like freezers and blenders and picking out bedding for my daughter’s room became the highlight of my shopping experiences. 

One of the reasons I am so excited for this new freezer is that our current freezer is packed to the max, and one of the items that is increasingly taking over the room usually reserved for food is my surplus breast milk. 

Which leads me into my next topic: I. Hate. Pumping.

There.  I have said it.  I absolutely HATE pumping. 

I love nursing my son, and before him, my daughter.  I love the bonding and the cuddling and the fact that I am giving him the best nutrition I can.  I love the sleepy “milk coma” look when they are fully satisfied and have that little milk dribble out of the corner of the mouth, and I love the smiles and coo’s they give me.  I love it when he will pull away for a second just to give me a big gummy grin and then go back to eating.  I love the convenience of breast feeding.  I never have to worry about bottles, formula, the milk being too hot or too cold, etc.  No matter where I am, I can just whip out a boob and he is good to go!  I used to be nervous about nursing in public, but now I can nurse just about anywhere and not care at all.  I do use a cover in public, not because I am shy or ashamed or anything, but I do try to respect other’s feelings and don’t want to make anyone else feel awkward.  There are many breast feeding advocates out there that are adamantly opposed to using a cover, but I have always believed that people are more receptive to something if it is not shoved in their face (now doesn’t that create an interesting visual).  I especially love gazing down at my chunky monkey healthy son and knowing that not only did I grow him well when I was pregnant, I also am growing him well now that he is outside too.  My child’s sole nutrition and the cause of his growth is all because of me!  Also, I like the fact that I burn an extra 500 calories a day.  And it saves us a ton of money (after the initial cost of pumping supplies) since formula is crazy expensive!

Now please don’t get me wrong.  I have nothing against formula feeding.  My mom raised five children on formula and we all turned out just fine.  Breast feeding is just something we chose for our family and what works best for us.  When it comes to pregnancy, birth, and child care I try to look for alternative, natural methods.  For instance while pregnant I go on a strict no-caffeine no-medicine policy.  I took absolutely no medicine while pregnant (including drug-free, completely natural labors) with both of my children.  I wouldn’t even take Tylenol or antacids!  So it makes perfect sense to me to give my child the most natural and best nutrition I can: breast milk.

But going back to work and keeping up with breastfeeding is a challenge.  Because did I mention I hate pumping?  In order to continue to provide my son with milk, I have to pump at least three times a day.  I am so very fortunate that my work is supportive of breast feeding and I am able to arrange my schedule a bit to pump on my morning and afternoon breaks and then over my lunch hour.  Sometimes I have to pump in the mornings or the evenings too.  But at work I have a nice private room with a comfy couch.  Many working mothers do not have these luxuries and must pump in their car or at their desk under a cover or in any other number of crazy places.  And if you are going to pump, then a good quality pump is a must.  You cannot skimp in this area! I have a Medela Pump in Style Advanced and it has not let me down yet! 

So what is it about the pump that I hate so much?  I hate being tied down.  You can get a hands free bra that holds the pump pieces in the correct spots so you can do other things while pumping, but for me it is just the fact that I actually have to sit for 20 minutes (I don’t like to be tied down and I don’t do well with relaxing and sitting).  There are also portable pumps that you can clip to your belt and then move around while pumping, but breast pumps are also crazy expensive (around $250 at least for a good double electric one) so I am not buying another.  Pumping is uncomfortable, inconvenient, time consuming, and generally just annoying.  I will get started on a project at work and then have to stop because I have to go pump.  My lunch break is cut short because I have to pump.  Plus, I feel like some kind of dairy cow hooked up to a machine expressing milk.

However, I am very fortunate to have an abundance supply of milk.  I never had a serious issue pumping enough milk for my daughter and this second time around with my son I have a great milk supply so I have rarely had to use any of my freezer milk.  Sure there will be dips in my supply in the future, but for now I am still going strong.  Some women struggle constantly with being able to provide their child with enough breast milk.  I was able to nurse and pump enough to exclusively provide Goober with breast milk until she was 5 months old (when we introduced solids) and then continue to supplement solids with breast milk until she was 15 months (at which point I had to wean her due to a surgery and the medications the surgery would involve).  Frog Face is eating about 15-18 ounces at daycare right now and I am pumping about 20 ounces or so a day so I am able to freeze a little each night to add to my stash.  I send all my milk that I pump on Tuesday to daycare on Wednesday, and whatever he comes home with on Wednesday is added to the freezer so that he can have fresh milk the next day.  Breast milk keeps well in the fridge for approximately a week so whatever I pump Friday is sent to daycare on Monday and any extra I need to pump over the weekend is frozen.  This system seems to work well.    

I am also fortunate that both Goober and now Frog Face seem to have no issue transitioning from breast to bottle, so they would get bottles when I was not around, but nurse when I am home.  For various reasons, there are many many women out there who are not able to breast feed their child so they exclusively pump.  I am part of a Facebook group for exclusively pumping mothers and I am constantly amazed at the perseverance and dedication these mothers have.  I mean, these ladies are getting up in the middle of the night, sometimes more than once, to pump for their babies.  They suffer engorgement, mastitis (a breast infection), plugged milk ducts, bleeding nipples, you name it!  But they still willingly pump every 2-4 hours for their children.  It’s amazing what a mother will do for their child.

So I say: Pump on ladies!  Pump on!  And also woohoo for a deep freeze!

My milk stash.  Each bag has anywhere from 2-5 ounces in it.  Poptart boxes are perfect for storing milk.  If you freeze the milk in the bags flat, they are easy to stack and sort.

The reason I pump: 12 weeks today and almost in 6-9 month clothing!

P.S. - I apologize for the delay in posting.  It has been a crazy week!  The zoo is opening  a major new animal exhibit and we have had our hands full.  I have been working on writing this post for days.  I will try and do better at posting in the future.

Sick Days

One of the things I hate most about being a working mom is the sick days.  It's not the staying home with the sick child that I hate, it's the constant battle that I wage with myself to decided whether to stay home with my sick child or go to work.  When a child is sick, no one is quite like a mommy when it comes to taking care of them.  Dad's do okay, but there is something about a mommy that makes them feel a bit better.  Especially when the sick child is a 2.5 month old.

When my child gets sick, there are several options I have to consider.  First of all, how sick are they?  If they just have a cough and runny nose but no fever, then I usually send them to daycare.  If I kept them home every time they had a cold, I would be home all the time.  If they have a fever, then how high is it?   Most daycares will take a child with a fever as long as it is below 100 F.  Of course, vomiting mans no school although diarrhea is iffy.  One time Avery had diarrhea for about a week but no other symptoms so she went to school anyways.

Aside from the sick kid factor, I have to consider work too.  How many sick days do I have left?  Do I have any meetings, projects, programs, etc. that I cannot miss?  If the child is sick for more than one day, then which day is easier for the Weatherman to get off?  We usually try and alternate sick days with the kids.  I am committed to my job, but ultimately my family must come first.  What is best for my child?

In this case, it was best for me to stay home with the little Frog Face.  Yesterday at daycare they said he slept all day but was still eating well.  When we got home we realized he had a fever of 99.5-100.  Nothing super high so I wasn't really concerned.  Gave him some tylenol and it took the fever down.  However, it did get up to 101 early this morning so I made the decision to keep him home.  Breast milk is supposed to reduce the amount of illnesses in babies since they get the mother's antibodies.  If this is the case, I would hate to see how sick they would be if I didn't nurse them!

There are many things that can be said about a good daycare.  Goober has learned social skills and gotten a head start on education, among other things.  But the germs are horrid!  I keep telling myself (and everyone keeps reminding me) that these germs will build their immune system, but it is still hard to see those you care about sick all the time.

The best thing about sick days though are the snuggles.  Sick children = snuggle bugs.

At least (this time) it is not vomit.  I HATE vomit!  I am admittedly an emetophobic.  One of my biggest fears as a parent, aside from something serious happening to my children like cancer or hospitalization or stuff like that, is that all of them will get a stomach bug at the same time and be spewing everywhere.  Despite this, when Goober has thrown up, I immediately push my fears to the back of my mind and rush to hold my crying, puke covered child.

That's love right there!

Goober an I on my 30th birthday: I just found out I had mono and she had an ear infection with 103 temp

Goober with another ear infection,  She eventually did get ear tubes that significantly decreased the infections

Busted!

Goober always brings home a lot of art projects from daycare.  I love that her “school” is constantly engaging them and allowing them to create items and explore with paint, markers, crayons, etc.  However, this presents a bit of a problem for me.  I started out saving every little scribbled on piece of paper that she ever touched.  Treasuring them like they were the most priceless Picasso and DaVinci paintings in the world.  And to me they really are!

However, I soon ran into a problem of what to do with all these works of art.  The fridge was full, the baby book was overflowing, my desk at work was decorated, and the folder that I had been stashing the extra artwork in was beginning to look like it was vomiting red and blue renditions of puppies and dinosaurs. 

As much as I hated to, I realized that I would need to start being a bit more selective about which artwork I kept and which I had to reluctantly part with.  Anything with hand and footprints?  Totally keeping those.  Yet another coloring book page or paper plate animal?  Maybe. 

But Saturday I made a mistake.

I was cleaning the house and sorting through some of the artwork that had inevitable accumulated on the table.  Among these was a blue car (Goober LOVES the color blue.  Everything has to be blue!).  Not being a hand or footprint, I quietly discarded the car and promptly forgot about it.  Later that day Goober had just finished a sucker that was a reward for using the potty, and being the good girl that she is, she went to throw the stick away.  Suddenly I hear “Oh no!  Mommy look!  Car in trash!”  At first I had no idea what she was talking about, but then she comes running in to me with the most pathetically distressed look on her face and holding the blue car. 

Busted.

I immediately gushed “On no sweetie!  How did that get in there?  Let’s go put it on the fridge instead”.  Looking slightly mollified, we head into the kitchen to put the blue car in a place of honor on the fridge.  Meanwhile I am feeling incredibly guilty (how was I supposed to know she was in love with the blue car?) and also laughing at the situation at the same time.  It was so adorable how genuinely distraught she was over finding her blue car in the trash. 

And now what I once thought of as trash I will treasure forever, always remembering the story that goes with the blue car.  

Favorite Parts

I suffer from long-term amnesia.  I have a wonderful short-term memory, which is why I excelled in school since I was an excellent test taker.  Not only could I memorize material, I actually understood the concepts as well.  But some things that happen in my past I cannot remember clearly, or I have intentionally blocked. 

Middle school for instance?  No clue what I did for those three years of 6^th – 8^th grade.  Those were dark dark times of typical coming-of-age hormones, bullying, and teasing.  They were so unpleasant that I choose not to remember them.  It’s like my mind shies away from the topic whenever I intentionally try and think about it.  I can remember vague details, but nothing concrete.

This is completely opposite from the Weatherman who has a horrid short term memory (“Where did I leave the remote again?”  “Oh crap!  I was supposed to go by the bank today!”) but he can recall odd bits of trivia and silly random facts from years ago that my brain has dumped and long since forgotten.  This would make us both very rich if he ever got to play on Jeopardy, but for our every-day living it can sometimes be a challenge.  However, between his short-term memory loss and my long-term memory loss, we actually complement each other very well!

A major downside of my amnesia is that I have trouble remembering specific incidents from my children’s lives.  Not so much with Frog Face but more so with Goober.  It is hard for me to remember the little things she used to like, the way she acted, and other endearing little qualities I swore I would never forget.  I am very much a “past is the past, let’s live in the moment and look to the future” kind of person, but this sucks when you have children that you want to remember things about! 

The good news is that I take tons of pictures and videos and I also keep a journal of my thoughts and feelings.  Between all of that I am able to look back and remember the things I do not want to forget.  However, to help me remember all the little things that make being a parent the most rewarding job ever, the Weatherman and I have invented a little game called “What was your favorite part?”

Each day after the kids are in bed we share what our favorite part with Goober and our favorite part with Frog Face was.  It can be anything.  For instance, yesterday my favorite part with Goober was watching her dance in the water from the hose in the backyard as the Weatherman made it “rain” on her (teehee…”the Weatherman made it rain…”).  With Frog Face my favorite part was the smile he gave me when I picked him up from daycare.

What we have discovered by playing this game is that we are forced to look for the good in the little every-day moments, especially since we know that we will have to account to each other what that special little moment was.  Even when both kids are tired and crying to be held at the same time, picking up toys (again), or when I am exhausted beyond belief because Frog Face had me up every two hours all night, I am still trying to look for the little tiny things that make this crazy life worthwhile. 

So what was your favorite part today?

This picture is from earlier this year, but still a special moment of Goober jumping in puddles

Those gummy smiles just melt my heart!

Oh, so your a zookeeper eh?

So it has occurred to me that while I do work at a zoo, many people may not realize what exactly it is that I do.  My job is common in the zoo field, but not what first pops into most people’s heads when they hear about where I work.  And since it seems people are actually reading this blog (woohoo!) I thought I should probably clarify what my job entails.

I do not feed, clean, monitor, or work extensively with any of the animals.  I do not get to go in animal barns or behind the scenes without permission.  I do not get to go in with the elephants or pet the lion (nobody gets to do these things anyways, not even the zoo director for what I hope would be obvious reasons).  I don’t give shots, I don’t do vet care, and I don’t prepare animal diets. 

I am not a zookeeper.

I am an educator. 

I do get to give programs to children, school groups, adults, seniors, girl scouts and anyone else that schedules a program on zoo grounds.  I get to work with a select group of education animals and handle them during programs (chinchillas, snakes, lizards, frogs, owls, etc.) but I do not actually feed or clean these animals.  I do train these education animals.  As the Manager of Onsite Programs and Special Events I am also in charge of organizing some of the events that occur at our zoo, including our annual Earth Day celebration that sees over 1,500 visitors.  I train and mentor our Docents and other zoo volunteers.  I develop graphics for the zoo.  And I do a host of other things that crop up, such as camps, zoomobiles, distance learning, radio shows, and newspaper articles to name a few.

Some of our wonderful volunteers and I at the Denver Repository on our annual Docent trip

As a result, about 70% of my job is desk work: developing, scheduling, evaluating programs and workshops, designing graphics, planning events, and things like that.  In April and May I get really busy when field trip season hits and there is sometimes up to 15 programs in one day (I don’t do all 15 programs, praise the Lord, because we have wonderful volunteers and other staff that help).  April is also our Earth Day event which zaps all my time and energy.  About 90% of my job is indoors (for which I am very grateful when the weather is bad, but for which I am regretful when the day is gorgeous and I am locked inside). 

Zoos actually have many other jobs besides being a zookeeper.  Don’t get me wrong, zookeepers are the most common zoo job and they are so incredibly important, often working holidays, weekends, evenings, and during extreme weather conditions (hey, the animals still need to be fed and cleaned even if it is Christmas and -10 degrees outside!).  But there is also the maintenance crew, the vet staff, administrative assistance, record keepers (registrars), and of course us educators. 

All facility require individuals with different talents to work together in order to accomplish a task.  The zoo is no different.  Keepers care for the animals.  I teach.

So I hope you learned something!  Otherwise, I am not a very good teacher.

P.S.  there are lots of opportunities for educators to have experiences with other animals as well.  I have fed and touched an elephant, rubbed a lemur’s belly, fed a giraffe, viewed otter babies, lion cubs, and other new arrivals before the public, and things like that.  Today for instance I had the opportunity to watch the arrival of one of our newest animals and see our new Jaguar, Kira, up close (through a fence of course). 

All in a day’s work!

Giraffe encounter at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Getting to meet a wallaby at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo 

First Day Back at the Zoo

Well the first day back at work really wasn't too bad.  It was easier than I thought to get back in the swing of things and not miss Frog Face and Goober too much.  It helps that there are a lot of projects to do so I have less time for distraction.  I even made it to work on time!  Here is a sample of what our daily schedule looks like:

4:30am – Feed Frog Face

5:00am – Go lay down with Goober to try and get her to go back to sleep since it is too early for her to wake up (thankfully, this is not typical for her and she usually sleeps until her wake-up time of 6:30am)

6:00am – leave Goober awake in bed and go eat breakfast and check facebook quickly

6:20am – Put on makeup, brush teeth and hair

6:30am – Go feed Frog Face again

6:40am – Goober joins us (she never did go back to sleep) while I finish feeding Frog Face

6:50am – Pump after Frog Face is done eating

7:05am – Get Goober and Frog Faced changed

7:20am – prepare to get kids out the door (including another diaper change for Frog Face and a potty break for Goober)

7:30am – actually leave the house (woohoo!  so far so good with time!)

7:40am – get to daycare and drop Frog Face off (try hard not to cry and give lots of kisses)

7:45am – Drop a crying Goober off in her room (with lots of kisses)

7:50am – Arrive at work (Early!!!)

8:00am – 10:00am – dig out my desk, clean up, get organized, figure out email, and other work stuff

10:00am – 10:15am – pump (did I mention I HATE pumping?)

10:15am – 11:30am – work stuff

11:30am – eat lunch while working since STARVING

12:40pm – Pump again

1:00 – 3:30pm – Work

3:30pm – Pump. Again.

5:00pm – Leave work to get kids from daycare

5:30pm – get home and make dinner

6:00pm – eat dinner

6:30pm – play with kids

7:30pm – begin bedtime routines

8:45pm – hopefully get both kids asleep and then take a shower

9:15pm – check facebook and eat a snack (STARVING again!)

9:30pm – clean bottles from the day and get milk ready for tomorrow

9:45pm – lay out clothes for the kids and myself, fix lunch, fill up water bottle, etc. for tomorrow

10:00pm – Drop into bed exhausted

2:00am – Frog Face wakes up hungry

4:00am – Frog Face wakes up hungry

4:30am – repeat from top

I do miss my children a lot during the day, but my job provides me with amazing opportunities, both for myself and for my kids.  Today for instance I took an owl for a walk.  Bowie, our 1.5 year old Barn Owl, loves to be outside.  Since he can be temperamental, it is important for the staff to work with him on a regular basis so he remembers us and bonds with us.  It was for this reason that last year when he first came to the zoo the education staff took turns taking him home overnight and hand feeding him so he could acclimate to us easier.  Bowie also will get to fly around our office and “help” us with our work.  He has “helped” by typing random things on our keyboards, hung up the phone for us (while on important calls by the way), and pooping all over our floor.  Since I have been gone for over two months, it is important I spend time with the animals so we can get to know each other again.  So today when I was getting a bit sleepy, I decided to take Bowie for a walk around the zoo.  He wasn’t too happy to see me at first, but as soon as we were outside he perked up and really started enjoying himself.  I enjoyed myself too.  I might just have to do this again tomorrow with our screech owl.  Good exercise, enrichment for the animal, everyone is happy!

Bowie helping me with computer work

He is very fascinated with this paper I am reading too

Conflicts

So as I am thinking of going to work tomorrow for the first time in over two months, a lot of conflicts keep running through my head. (along with other thoughts such as "Goober better get to sleep and stop singing to herself because she is going to be really tired in the morning")

First, I am excited to be returning to a job I love and doing something other than changing diapers and sitting on the couch.  I am looking forward to getting back into our rhythm and routine and start our new normal, as crazy as that normal is going to be.  I miss working with the animals a lot too. On the other hand, I really didn't mind sitting on the couch and changing diapers.  I loved (almost) every moment of snuggling that little Frog Faced guy, watching him sleep, smile, and just look at me.  It will be hard to leave him tomorrow, even though we did "practice" daycare last week to get us both used to it.

Second, I cannot believe that my little Frog Face is over 2 months old already!  He smiles, tries so very hard to laugh, holds his head up pretty well, and has such a special personality already.  I also can't believe that my Goober is going to be 3 years old next month!  Part of me is excited for him and his sister to get older so I can see the people that they will become.  But part of me is also screaming "Hold on!  Who said you could be so big already".  (this is also the same voice that often screams "What in the world are you doing being a parent?  Who said you were responsible enough for that?!") Those first couple days after giving birth are exhausting and uncomfortable and at the time I remember just trying to survive from day to day.  But now looking back at it I really miss those newborn days and wonder where they went.

Along this line of thought, I miss being pregnant.  But at the same time it is nice to have my body to myself again (for the most part anyways, there are still some things that are dedicated to the little Frog Face).  Despite this last pregnancy being a bit rough on me, I am one of those weirdos who enjoys most aspects of pregnancy.  I don't even mind labor that much.  I know, I said I was weird didn't I?

Fourth, I am really looking forward to fall and all that the season brings.  Halloween, Thanksgiving, and (my favorite) Christmas are just around the corner.  There are several special events at the zoo coming up that are always a lot of fun, including our fund raiser A Wild Affair and our Halloween event Boo! at the Zoo!  Also, cool days, leaves changing colors, pumpkins, snuggling under blankets, and football (even though I don't really like football and we don't have cable so the Weatherman can't watch football, having the sport on in the background always adds to the fall feel).  But I also HATE driving in the snow and getting all bundled up to go outside.  I also don't like the cold much anyways and often get cabin fever during winter time because I don't like going outside as often.

Fifth, we had family visiting for the weekend and while I am glad to get back in our routine, I also was sad to see them go.  It was so fun having them around to liven things up a bit and to take the kids so I could actually shower during the day and also pee in peace.  Our cat, Little Pete (who is actually a girl cat, despite the masculine name), is glad they are gone though because she always hides the entire time we have any guests.

So as you can see, I have a lot of things running through my head!  I have often been told that I think too much, and those people who have told me that are probably right.  Probably.

Goober really took a liking to her Uncle Beardo

A full house is a happy house!

Grandpa and Grandma Nosebig with Frog Face and Goober