by Rachel | Professional Development
For the 4th summer in a row, my Music Therapy Round Table colleagues and I devoted a few days to what has come to be called the “MTRT Summit” — where we focus on brainstorming and planning for the following year.
This year we convened in northern California, where our newest colleague Matt Logan lives. While we spend a good majority of the long weekend sitting around his table with our laptops open, we did find time to enjoy some delicious food and wine (in Napa Valley, no less!).
I arrived early Friday evening, so Matt and I went out to dinner and started doing a little preliminary planning for the weekend. Michelle and Kimberly’s flight had been delayed, so they didn’t end up getting in until 11 pm. I was already asleep by the time they got to the hotel! We had a super early morning on Saturday, which began with coffee and breakfast at a yummy diner in Berkeley.
Next we met up with Matt’s friend and photographer Tara, who took photos for our website and promotional materials. She was great to work with, and it was a bonus that we got to hang out on the water at the same time. I can’t wait to see the photos after she edits and sends them next week.
After the photo shoot, we headed to Matt’s house for a long day of work. And by “work” I mean bouncing ideas off of each other, setting goals for the year, coming up with new projects, and enjoying the awesome company. We only see each other in person twice a year, so it hardly feels like work even though we are super productive and our brains hurt afterwards.
It’s really amazing how much we can accomplish when we are all together in the same room! One of the very best parts of our yearly summit is recording the podcast, since we’re used to doing it via Skype. Being able to read each other’s cues, make eye contact, and really just chat without having to worry about any potential technical difficulties is a breath of fresh air. This month’s episode is one of my favorites.
The best way to avoid the afternoon slump? A delicious lunch followed by a quick wine tasting. When in Rome, right? We were all ready to get back to work following our excursion, and ended up ordering pizza later that night because we were on such a roll and didn’t want to stop working. That’s when you know you love what you do :)
Our last full day together! Matt made us a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning, and then we picked up right where we had left off the night before. We finished recording both podcasts, mapped out our new content, did quite a bit of writing, and came up with topics for the entire next year. Whew! We more than earned an afternoon in Napa Valley, which is where we headed as soon as our work was done.
Matt took us to his favorite winery, Judd’s Hill, where we learned all about lots of different kinds of wine (and of course, tasted them too). The weather was gorgeous and it felt so wonderful to sit in the sun. The view wasn’t so bad either — miles and miles of vineyards with mountains in the distance. Next we had lunch and then enjoyed another tasting at a different spot before heading home.
All good things must come to an end, and for us, that was the next morning. Michelle, Kimberly and I headed to the airport at 5 am to catch our flights, but not before taking one last photo. I had a looooong day of flying, followed by a two hour drive home. After being away from my son Parker for the first time since he was born, it was pretty sweet to see him when I walked through the door.
I can’t wait to share with you everything we have planned for Music Therapy Round Table and Music Therapy Pro this year. Not only that, but our summit inspired me to make some big plans for my own personal businesses (Listen & Learn and Music Therapy Connections) as well. Now I just need a few more hours in each day to carry them all out! ;)
by Rachel | Family Life
The last solo flight I took was almost exactly two years ago — when Parker was just a glint in my eye — to visit my friend Vanessa in Orlando. Since then I’ve traveled a LOT, but it has always been with my family. The last 6 flights I’ve taken have included a carseat, stroller, giant suitcase, multiple diaper bags, and a baby strapped to my chest.
So it feels a little strange breezing through the airport with just a carry-on and shoulder bag. I forgot how easy it is! But every time I see a family carting all of the aforementioned baggage, I get a little teary; this is the first time I’ve left Parker overnight, let alone for a long weekend.
I’m not going to lie: there were LOTS of tears as I said goodbye to him this morning. Poor Zach had to endure my endless stream of reminders and post-it notes tacked on to every surface of the house, but he took it like a champ. He knows how hard this is for me, but he also reminded me a million times how great this trip will be. And how much I deserve it, bless his heart :)
Every summer, I get together with my music therapy colleagues Michelle and Kimberly (and this year, Matt too!) for a “working weekend” in order to plan the upcoming year for our podcast and business. Matt lives in California, so we are heading there for 3 days of extremely productive work…plus seeing the sights of San Francisco and enjoying the wineries of Napa Valley. It’s going to be awesome.
I know my friends will keep me thoroughly distracted and entertained, but at least a little piece of my mind will always be wondering what my baby is doing. I’ve already told Zach that I expect photos every hour and multiple FaceTime chats each day. And kissing his little face when I get home on Monday night will be the best moment ever.
by Rachel | Motherhood
From birth day to 1st birthday, Parker and I spent much of his first year together in that very position. I can’t even imagine the number of hours devoted to breastfeeding over these past twelve months, but I will treasure them always.
I know how many moms struggle with breastfeeding, especially those who have to pump several times a day, so I consider myself very lucky that it worked out so well for us. And I definitely don’t take it for granted, because I know that I might not be so lucky the next time around.
In all honesty, I’m really struggling with weaning. Parker does fine with whole cow’s milk, but it is very apparent that he is not ready to be done nursing. We are down to once a day, right after he wakes up, and then on Friday I leave for my first-ever overnight trip without him. All along I’ve planned to wean in time for this trip, because I don’t want to have to worry about pumping for the 4 days I’m away. Also, I figured having this time apart would help him get used to not nursing anymore.
But in the back of my head, I keep questioning this decision and wondering if I’m rushing it. Maybe we would both be happier if we continued…or maybe I’m just trying to delay the inevitable. Motherhood seems to be full of questions without definitive answers, and I feel like I’m just making them up as I go along.
We’ll see how the next few days go, and I’m going to take my pump with me to California just in case. But whether this week is the end or we keep going a little longer, I’m thrilled that we were able to make it to my goal of one year.
by Rachel | Family Life
Nevermind that I’m turning 31 today; the real celebration will be on Sunday when Parker turns ONE. And so begins a lifetime of overshadowed birthdays (as it should be; I’ve had my time in the sun).
This week is very bittersweet to me. I’ve been feeling nostalgic, thinking back to this time last year when I was getting ready to have Parker. It does NOT seem like 12 months have passed since then! As quickly as this year has flown by, I remember every moment of it so vividly. It helps that I’ve taken hundreds of thousands of photos and blogged semi-regularly along the way.
I have a fun little video to share this weekend involving the weekly photos we’ve been taking of Parker. It’s just incredible to look back at pictures of him as a tiny newborn, and then watch him run around the house, showing off new skills just about every day. I’m so proud of the sweet, smart little boy my baby is becoming.
So far, our birthday week together has been pretty wonderful. Monday was my last day of work until July, which in itself was worth celebrating! It’s so nice to have a break. On Tuesday, I went birthday shopping while my mother-in-law watched Parker, and then yesterday we hung out at home and I got some work done on the new playroom (our big birthday present to Parker!).
I’m kicking off my 31st year today with lunch and shopping, meeting up with one of my college friends who is in town for the weekend, and then dinner with my family. More fun is to come tomorrow, when we head to Chicago for a Cubs game with the president of AAA. He wanted to treat Parker to his first game, and Zach (being quite the devoted Cubs fan) is more than a little excited.
Sunday is the BIG day, though, and I am getting super excited. Between the playroom reveal and a big birthday bash, Parker is going to be quite the lucky little one-year-old. Photos and blog posts to come!
by Rachel | Family Life
Just as I started to feel like I was getting a handle on this whole “working mom” thing, summer break arrived. Not that I’m complaining! Actually, I’m super stoked to have the month of June off; there is SO much happening in these next four weeks that I’ll need the extra down time.
It’s hard to believe that almost exactly one year ago, I was wrapping up work and getting ready to have a baby! I spent the entire summer on maternity leave with Parker, and it was wonderful. So wonderful, in fact, that I was tempted to close up shop until September once again. But that isn’t a very savvy move for a business owner, and I figured I would start to get antsy about halfway through, so I came up with a good compromise.
In July I’ll be offering a 5-week early childhood music class as well as a 6-week summer session for my students. I’m looking forward to a more relaxed schedule (no Fridays!) and earlier nights, which means I can actually eat dinner with my family. Then mid-August, I’ll have another short break before kicking off the new school year session in September.
Yesterday was my first official day of summer break, and it was pretty much perfect: birthday shopping while my mother-in-law babysat Parker, catching up over the phone with several good friends, a long stroller walk, and early bedtime. The rest of the week looks promising with my birthday, a day trip to Chicago for a Cubs game, and Parker’s 1st birthday party. Hmm…I could get used to this.
