I have to admit this to myself, overall. April was not too shabby. In the thick of things April (and really March, too) felt like a hill we’d never get over. There have been work/life balance stresses and H preschool stresses, and having a three-year-old stresses. When H turned 3 in March it was like a switch flipped and an obstinate, boundary-pushing, bedtime-hating little stranger appeared. We’ve also been sick in waves, and none of us were getting any sleep for at least a couple of weeks.

Really, the mood changes and bedtime disruptions have happened before in waves, we just forget what they’re like until another one comes around. But H is older now, so somehow it feels more intense. She is the sweetest human being alive until about 7:30pm.

But, now I’m looking back and thinking that in many ways, this month rocked. We had Las Vegas to kick it off. And once we were able to get a little sleep and see through the whirligig of mischief that is our lovely child, we started having a few ideas about what was going on with her and how to keep everyone calm. She started taking dance classes, which is just the cutest thing ever.

And some good news!

I’ve been added on as a contributor to two new websites, so those are two regular, paid writing gigs to add to my writing life. I won’t announce what they are until I’ve got the contracts and paperwork sorted out, but it’s pretty exciting stuff.

Plus, I’ve finished The Invention of Hugo Cabret with 3rd grade and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler with the 4th grade. I finished 1st grade (Clementine), 2nd grade (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane), and 5th grade (The Strange Case of Origami Yoda) before spring break. So the only novel I’m currently reading is with 6th grade. We have 1 more chapter in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The end of novels in library class signals the end of the school year to me, when we ease up and do fun stuff and shorter projects from now till June. So that is great stuff, too!

Onwards to May. We’ve really got to get our backyard sorted out, and I need to plan what I’ll be doing with H for the summer. Hopefully nice weather will come and stay a while.