The Math Autobiography 18/31 #sol17

Inspired by Stacey who was inspired by Teri.

1:  My husband and I each have one sibling. He has a younger sister and I have a younger brother. All of us didn't get along great as kids, but thankfully we have grown closer in recent years. It probably helps that we all live quite some distance away as distance makes the heart grow fonder. 

2: We have two children, a four and a half year old and a six week old. We knew one wasn't enough and we are open to more, but will wait and see how two is for a while!

3: Our kids have three loving and doting grandparents who all spoil them in their own ways. Gramma (my mother in law) lived with us and was Nanny to Micah for over two years and so was able to indulge his every wish for what to play and when to play. Nana and Papa are in California but FaceTime and visit often. They spoil our kiddo in amazing sewing projects (like themed playhouses), vacations, rough housing (papa of course),  sweet treats and more. My husbands father was out of the picture long ago and he passed away before the kids and I had a chance to meet him.

4: Four is the amount of years (almost 4 and a half really) in between my kids. Our second baby in between was my husbands return to school to get his undergraduate degree. I am so far extremely thankful that life has worked this way as Micah is such a great big brother helper!

5: Five minutes is my default amount of time to use as a love and logic choice with my child. Example: do you want to play for two more minutes or five more minutes?

6: Six years that I spent as a classroom teacher before becoming an instructional coach. One year teaching fifth/sixth split, one teaching first grade language learners, four teaching various forms of Kindergarten (half day, extended day, and full day).

7: Seven is the age I was when I flew on an airplane alone for the first time. San Francisco to San Diego to visit my aunt, uncle, and cousins. I've never been afraid of flying or of flying alone and I took many more trips alone after that.

8: Eight is the number of years we have lived in our house. We got in the housing market at just the right time! We live in a perfect location not too far from the Puget Sound, peek a boo views of Mt. Rainier, close to shopping and dining, a block away from a great playground and park, and a block away from the neighborhood elementary school. My husband has put blood, sweat, tears and a lot of hours working on our house. We did a huge remodel a few years ago taking it from a two bed one bath to three bed two bath with a giant and beautiful kitchen.

9: Nine years married! Our wedding was a blast! We were the last ones partying and finally turned in around 4am. But more importantly our marriage is better than anything I could have expected. We have major ups and even major downs and difficulties, yet we always manage to walk and talk it out. Our neighborhood walks together have helped us hash out and problem solve many a situation over the years. Sometimes we compromise and sometimes we take turns. It is a marriage that takes effort and constant reflection.

10: Ten are the amount of apartments and houses that I've been able to call home: my childhood house, my college dorm, an on campus apartment, a teeny room aboard semester at seattle, a bedroom in a Senoras apartment in Cordoba Spain, an off campus apartment in La Jolla, an apartment in Hillcrest, my first apartment living with my now husband in Liberty Lake, WA, a basement apartment on the beach in West Seattle, and the house we've been in for 8 years also in West Seattle.

11: Eleven are the years that I've lived outside of my home state. I'm a Cali girl at heart and can't believe it's been that long!

12: I played recreational soccer for twelve years growing up. I eventually settled into the position of left full back. Once I get in better shape and breastfeeding is not tying me down, I hope to play again!

13: Thirteen was a transformative age for me as I had my Bat Mitzvah and starred as the lead in a five person play. It's also when some kids in my 7th grade class drank a mixture of various alcohols and Listerine and one threw up right next to me in Science class thus turning me away from all alcohol until I was 19. At thirteen I found out which of my cousins drank, smoked, and had tattoos thus shattering their idol status in my mind. It's really the age I started experiencing and viewing the world from a perspective that blended more than just my parents influence.