In February 2014 when we baptized Ellerie, Paul and I were talking to the pastor (the same guy who married us four years prior) about how tough it was to "balance" work and parenthood. I'm paraphrasing, but he said something along the lines of:
"I know. It always seemed strange to me that the decade where we are busiest at our jobs is often the same decade that we're starting a family."
"YES!" I remember thinking. "You get it!"
I wouldn't change where we are for anything. If I could go back and do it again, I wouldn't wait to start having kiddos until our "careers were settled." I wouldn't wait to dive into my career until my "kids were grown." Because first of all – I have no idea where my career is headed. And second of all – I am technically "grown" and my parents still help me constantly. Safe to say you can't "finish" either of those races. 😉
Which brings us to here.
Paul's finishing his final rotation of his second year of residency with a month of night and evening shifts. This is the year that I was warned about by one of the wives at the banquet last year. "Oh, second year… Not going to lie. That's the worst one." (Cut to me, chugging my cocktail.) During second year, the residents have a decent amount of responsibility but no seniority which makes for pretty intense shifts and pretty limited time spent at home. But we're at the end! Another few weeks and he's a third year. (Please tell me that means 1/3 of the work.)
Ellerie is amazing. Safe to say year two of parenthood blew year one out of the water (gross understatement). But the qualities that make her amazing are the same qualities that make her think climbing on the back of the couch is a great idea! I think she thinks her middle name is "CAREFUL!" As in "Ellerie!Careful!Getdownfromthereplease!"
I'm busy shipping and customer servicing and website updating and design planning and social media marketing and COOing. But it feels good. This whole process has felt like "hurry up and wait. Hurry up and wait." It's fun to be in one of the "hurry up" phases.
So yes. All the things. Not the least of which is an 18 week pregnancy. I joked on Instagram that if you want your pregnancy to go slow, send your husband on deployment. If you want your pregnancy to race by, start a business venture (or just have a toddler). Last time around I was counting up the weeks a day at a time. This time around I look up and realize we're nearly halfway there.
'Tis the decade, I guess. I am so happy to be here.
enJOY it 
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