Summer has officially left!

The leaves are beginning to turn and summer has officially departed, and with it my ability to throw my hair into a wet ponytail!  How under-appreciated my wet ponytails have been!  I hadn't realized how beneficial having a spring/summer baby was for this very reason- when I could manage to get a shower but not dry my hair because of my fussy little man, it didn't matter!  I could throw my hair up and I was set!  Well, those days are now gone and my blow dryer is back in business... now I just have to figure out how to make Lion Cub understand mama's need to get ready in the morning!

This getting ready time is especially important now that we are heading into a busier month!  We are going from virtually no activities in September to something nearly every day in October!  I think it will be good though- I tend to be more organized and motivated when I have more to do, and there certainly is a lot!  On top of keeping up on home-preschool and co-op I am also going to start attending a women's study again and a breastfeeding group to go towards my Certified Lactation Educator training (which I am beginning to pour time into again). 

Oh, and I'm working on a curriculum for a Chic & Savvy Mama's- Preparing for Birth and Baby class I would like to start offering this winter.  I am really excited about my ideas and think that it will shape up to be a very informative and fun class.  It is going to be a hybrid of preparing couples for birth while also teaching them about postpartum health, breastfeeding, attachment parenting and natural baby care!  I plan to offer a "tester" course to a few couples for free this winter and then start offering the class "for real!" 

Offering classes feels like the perfect fit for this point in my life.  I have poured so much time into my birth and postpartum doula training but with two small kiddos it is difficult to actually be able to put it into practice.  Teaching classes will give me the ability to work when my husband is home and can watch the boys and also bring in a little extra income which we could really use!  Plus, teaching is such a passion of mine!  I have been so positively influenced by the wonderful doulas, lactation consultants and midwives that I have learned from on my parenting journey that I just want to be able to pass that knowledge on to other families who will appreciate it and benefit from it!

I also want to say a HUGE thank you to all my bloggy friends who have been so supportive recently!  You have no idea what your kind words of encouragement and empathy have meant to me!  It is so nice to know that you are all out there when I am feeling quite alone and frustrated!  So THANK YOU!!