I married a rock star!

As our 8th Anniversary passed and I found myself working 12 hours and falling asleep shortly after Claire proclaimed - Mommy, Daddy bought you a cannoli and shoving it down my throat, I quickly realized something....I think I married a rock star. For real, as much as we tried to "plan" for this contingency at work, it wasn't until I was up at 3AM on July 1st checking my E-mail and realizing the company had locked out the union workforce that I realized this was going to be tough. And just a few days into this ordeal it dawned on me that Dan certainly has the raw end of the deal,  but he is handling it like a champ! I get up every morning, head to work for a 12 hour work day, where they feed us if we are near a work out location and head home, usually arriving around 8. By that time, Dan got up and got himself and both girls ready, dropped Jenna off at daycare and Claire at the bus for camp, worked a full day, came home to pick up Claire, pick up Jenna, make dinner for the 3 of them, do dishes, and baths. Sometime Jenna is out before I get home, other days I see her long enough to get a few hugs, read a book, and lay her down. Claire is excited to see me and never wants to go to bed. But I promise you, when she finally is tired she only wants her Daddy to brush her teeth, her Daddy to read her book, Daddy to tuck her in, and of course she only wants to snuggle with her Daddy. In the race to fall asleep, I have been beating Claire hands down! There have only been a few days she is out before me. Dan had them both on July 4th and had them out and about and to a friends for dinner. And both Saturdays he had them - this past weekend taking the car to be inspected, taking them to a pool party 45 minutes away and then back to Hoboken for another birthday party that afternoon. Yesterday I tried to give him a break, but I know he must be tired. And with all that going on, I nominate him for Father of the Year (as did many at the birthday parties!) and I came to the realization that I married a rock star.

Now the big question is how long is this going to last? I really wish that I had an answer for that, but all we are being told is pace yourself and prepare for the long haul. I'm not sure there is an end in the immediate future. Let's just hope it is over before our Labor Day trip to Vermont and the Zac Brown Band concert.

Since I am not seeing the kids much, Dan is wonderful about sending me pictures in the morning and afternoons. Here are some of the ones I have received



She could not be any happier with her camp! And let's forget Dans first successful pony tail...

  

Dan took Jenna for her follow up appointment with the surgeon. She got the all clear and no need to return again. Her stitches are still there, but do not bother her one bit. So glad this was done and over with!

I had to lay out their outfits, but they were sporting their 4th of July shirts for school and camp on July 3rd

Heading to camp this morning. This girl is rocking an awesome tan that I am super jealous of!

I told you Dan had this Mr. Mom deal down pat, right? He sent me this picture of the girls heading from the pool party to their second birthday party of the day. Either there is a gas leak in the car or he did a good job of tiring them out!

Not a bad work location for my first assignment, but unfortunately this gig ended last week.

And that is our crazy life right now! Claire is growing up before our eyes, preparing for the new school she got reassigned to for next year and Jenna just gets bigger every day. She took herself off the bottle about 2 weeks ago when she finally got the hang of the sippy cup. We had to give the cry it out method a go for the second time since we babied her so much during her surgery and Claire being gone. Jenna is down to one nap a day and no longer eating baby food. She loves the Dr. Praegers food - potato bite, brocolli bites, sweet potato, spinach, etc. She is not a fan of chicken nuggets but will eat brocolli and corn. She is already a better eater than Claire ever was.