Lots of Teaching + Leaving My Baby

We’re leaving for Chicago today! It’s almost graduation weekend, and we’re getting there a few days early to enjoy the city and so I have the option of going to senior week activities.

To be totally honest, I have exactly zero desire to go to any of the senior week activities, but if I have a friend going, I might show up.

We’ve already established that my relationship with college is complicated, and frankly, I’ve talked to approximately five people from school since I left. So, my idea of an ideal “senior week” is hanging out at the hotel where I studied a ton, returning to the yoga studio where I did my 200-hour teacher training, and doing whatever shopping and restaurant-visiting I feel like. Class picnics and after-hours museum nights honestly don’t hold the same appeal, but you might find me there

So, today my mom and I are getting our nails done, my friend is coming over to watch Pippa and Ben, and then my family is driving up to Chicago.

Aaaand I’ll be bringing my diploma because UChicago sent me my diploma and diploma holder in December, and I have this fear of there being an awkward moment when I walk in the ceremony where they don’t give me anything because they already sent it to me. So, instead, maybe there will be an awkward moment where they hand me something even though I’m already carrying it. Or, I hand them a diploma to hand back to me. I don’t know, but at least I won’t be empty-handed! #overachiever #readyforallthings

I’m hoping to post on Friday and then again to recap the weekend, but we’ll see how busy Chicago things get!

Yoga Teacher Training

This Sunday is my last day of teacher training, and while I’m definitely looking forward to not being out till 11pm multiple times a week, I’m kind of sad. I really love TT, and I’ve learned and grown a ton this round.

Last week, two of the four people in my TT class weren’t around for the community class we teach every Sunday, which meant the other two of us taught the whole thing. Instead of teaching 10-15 minutes of class, we each taught for a solid half an hour, which was pretty daunting. It’s one thing for me to teach a private class, where I’m doing most of the class with my students. I never blank on what’s coming next or how to explain something when you’re doing the postures alongside them. It’s an entirely different thing to cue, adjust, walk around the room, try to change the lights and music, and hold space.

But we killed it.

I don’t say that lightly or as if it’s obvious because we were both pretty rough when we practiced at TT on Wednesday, and super nervous going into the studio Sunday. But we pulled it together, hit my playlist almost perfectly for the first time, and felt really grateful for the opportunity after the fact.

My dad even came to the class! My mom hasn’t been feeling well, so she’ll try to make it next week. And if not, hopefully I get a class to myself after auditions and she can come then.

Ben

My little dude is now 12.3 pounds and looking so freaking big. He’s nearly as tall as Pippa, but still quite lean and not as long. He’s better about not peeing in the house, but not perfect. I’m ultra sad to be leaving him this weekend. (And don’t even get me started on the week-long beach trip to the Outer Banks we’re taking in July… to a house that isn’t dog-friendly. He would be adorable at the beach. And then there’s the week I spend training for my job in NYC in August.)

When Hayley came over to meet him on Monday before she sits for him and Pippa, she commented that she couldn’t believe he’s seriously like a baby. While I am fully aware that actual humans are tougher and more complicated than pups, he’s good practice. He requires less supervision than two weeks ago, but only by about two minutes.

He loves to cuddle up in my dad’s lap on the couch, and even hang out there on his own. He army crawls out of his crate in the morning and curls up next to me for some love before we go outside. When I try to take him on a walk, he usually plops into the grass in the sun and looks up at me like, “So, this is where you pet me, right?”

And it hasn’t been all rainbows and sunshine. He has a “witching hour” nearly every night after dinner or at some point after my parents get home. It can last one hour or four. I have 100% cried multiple times because he will not shut up or calm down, or sleep for more than 6.5 hours at night when I need more than that.

But the bottom line is that I love him and I can’t imagine giving him up, no matter how often I think, “What did I get myself into?”. He’s my buddy, and he’s a challenge, and I adore him.

Your turn:

What’s new with you? I’ll be answering comments on the car ride, so talk to me!