enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

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Sometimes I feel like a broken record. Each podcast episode starts with “I’m really excited about this week’s episode.” and most of my around here posts start with “thank you so much for your sweet comments this week.” (Not to mention what I continually say around the house…”what do you want for dinner?” “feel like another episode of [insert Scandal, Friends, Parks & Rec here]?” “nope we don’t eat that, Ellerie.”)

But I am really excited about each episode and I do really appreciate your comments. Thank you.

Big things this week :

Ellerie started daycare! Two full days, out of the house. I imagine I will have more to say about this as time goes on, but right now the important thing is : she loves it. Like loves it. Loves her teachers, loves her little friends, loves the toys & loves that everything is designed to be climbed on. I cried at drop-off but she did not and when I picked her up after the first day her teacher said “She is so ready for daycare.” and my mama heart burst in the best way. I can’t even believe what a better human being I was these past few days after I had some extra time for myself, the house and my work. We are all happy that the first week went well.

We learned about the real options we will have after Paul finishes residency (in summer 2017). They are different than expected (no super fabulous overseas billets, no staying put in San Diego) but I think we have a plan that we are excited about. I was getting all worked up about it and then realized we have almost three more years here. And I laughed like a maniac. Three years? Generally we move twice in three years. How foolish of me to start over-planning.

We have so much more to do here before we think about what’s next. I mean that literally, but it works figuratively as well.

Have a great weekend.

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22 responses to “around here.”

  1. jennie Avatar

    I’m a little weepy reading this, which maybe means I’m a mess, but maybe means that you write about “regular” life in the best possible way. It’s inspiring!

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  2. Beth Avatar

    So happy for your sweet family, Elise! Thanks for giving us a glimpse into the joys of your todays and sharing your excitement for the adventures yet to come. Happy weekend – cheers!

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  3. sonrie Avatar

    Do you ever say the ‘same thing’ to the wrong person? For example, I feel like I say the same things at work all day but then I will say that thing to my husband at home in the evening, just because I am sort of on autopilot with my responses … doesn’t always go over so well. 🙂

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  4. Carlee Avatar

    Thanks for sharing! My husband is in the military too and I over think things so bad and usually ask him all sorts of questions he doesn’t know the answers to. And for my Type A personality it’s hard not knowing.
    Carlee
    http://thelittlesloth.blogspot.com/

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  5. Kelsey, Esp. Avatar

    Ohhhhh the news about Ellerie starting daycare makes me so, so happy! Not that it’s my place to be, BUT I AM!
    I am a HUGE advocate that parenthood is not — and SHOULD NOT — be any parent’s sole source of identity/gratification/fulfillment. There is so, SO much to be said for REAL “alone” and “grown up” time after becoming a parent (I think you automatically appreciate the things you’re able to get done during those times MORE than before), and there is even more to be said for encouraging your kiddo(s) to have their own lives and identities, too, even at such a young age (albeit with restrictions and guidance and supervision).
    Kudos to both of you for totally owning this transition. YAY!

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  6. Abby Avatar
    Abby

    I just started reading your blog, which is fabulous by the way! The words billet, residency, and San Diego jumped out at me…my husband was a Navy doc…we finished our commitment last October. Our last billet came up 4 months before we moved so there is always hope that something you have your eye on maybe open!

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  7. Collette Avatar

    Yay for Ellerie loving daycare! Yay for Elise!
    Thank you for your creativity and bringing content I look forward to reading about. I haven’t yet listened to any podcasts but they’re on my radar.
    Have a fabulous weekend! x

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  8. camille Avatar

    It’s so sweet hearing about your mama adventures and how your family is growing 🙂

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  9. Jess Avatar
    Jess

    I think day care is a great idea, kids need socialization and you need a little break. I’m a huge planner so I’d also be ready to get down to business and plan out the next 3 years and then a move 😛 as long as I get to make lists!

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  10. Sarah Milligan Avatar

    So happy to hear daycare is going well! It’s perfect when you can find a place your child is happy to be. 🙂
    And it’s always nice to know your long-term plan because now you can ‘plan’ to enjoy every bit of your three years there.
    Have a great weekend!

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  11. Sarah Avatar

    Yay for daycare! It will be so great for you AND for Ellerie. A lot of times the general message “out there” seems to be that daycare is the lesser option, that your kids are with people who don’t care about them, etc. But I find that the opposite is true. My daughter LOVES her daycare, loves her friends there, loves her teachers — and they all love her too. So again — yay for daycare! 🙂
    (One unfortunate warning though — be prepared for a lot of illness in the coming months as E’s immune system adjusts. No matter how much they scrub, daycares are little germ incubators!!)

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  12. Debra Carr Avatar

    This is my favourite ‘around here’ yet, fact! Elise you are an awesome Mum!

    Like

  13. Megan Avatar
    Megan

    I hope you take one of those days soon and just do NOTHING. No work, no house tasks, just reading, maybe a walk, maybe a massage, but something totally for you and not for anyone else, and feel GREAT about it and not at all guilty.

    Like

  14. Lizeaton Avatar

    Love your honesty & how you just say it how it is. It is hard not to get worked up about things in the future. Hard to stay in the now. Thanks for keeping it all in prospective. It helps me do the same hearing it from others.

    Like

  15. Margaret Avatar
    Margaret

    How much longer will Paul be connected to the military? Is it a forever thing or only a few more years? I appreciate his service and the sacrifices you all make!

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  16. Kaylan Avatar

    Yay for daycare! Awesome you get that time to work, I know it’s a game changer for me and my business as well. have a great weekend!

    Like

  17. Emily Avatar
    Emily

    Yay, Ellerie! When my son started preschool at 2.5, I was a bit worried, but he just flourished! They really benefit from that interaction with other kids, and learning all sorts of things despite how young they are. It is a win/win!

    Like

  18. Kate S Avatar
    Kate S

    I can totally relate to daycare being hard. I think the hardest thing for me was (is) remembering that even though I think having a stay-at-home parent is ideal, it’s not an option for us as a family, and that’s okay. I sometimes feel like I’m setting my son up to be “less than” because I’m sending him to daycare instead of staying home with him, and I feel really guilty about that, but there’s no basis for that. You’d think I would remember what I read (maybe in Bringing up Bebe?) that children who go to daycare have some real advantages, but I conveniently forget that. And, like so much else, it’s really not productive to start comparing. I’m really grateful to have found an awesome daycare with wonderful people who love my son, and that’s a good thing. I will caution you to be prepared for sickness! My son has been sick twice in the first five weeks. Ugh.

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  19. Anita Avatar

    I started reading your blog last year and that makes me feel like I have known you for years. I love Ellerie like I have met that sweet little girl. The honesty in your writing has been an inspiration. Thank you for sharing with us. And yes, this around here episode is the best one.

    Like

  20. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    There isso much negative attention out there about daycare and I wanted to cheer for you when I read this. Good for you, good for Ellerie, good for you fam. You take your job seriously and I applaud that.

    Like

  21. Cynthia Friese Avatar

    Nothing wrong with being a broken record when you do such fabulous things! So, Heart your podcasts! The time you put into them is very apprecated by your listeners! Including me. So inspiring!!!!

    Like

  22. Chrystina Avatar

    Um… I also get really excited about your podcasts, so I think it’s absolutely okay for you to be really excited about them as well. And yay for more free time and Ellerie loving her new friends. This definitely sounds win/win right now.

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