tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-342930632024-03-13T13:15:58.545-05:00The Passing ThereAnnegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-33835858601436338852013-12-19T13:30:00.005-05:002013-12-19T13:30:56.855-05:00LanguishingA year after my last post on this blog and I find myself waking up in my big bed alone because the husband likes to get up well before it is humanly reasonable in order to work out at the gym before work. I lie in bed for a bit listening to the giggles and talking coming from the eldest's bedroom. Then the door opens and I hear more giggling, but with an echo, because they are in the bathroom. Most likely the eldest helping the youngest to turn on the sink for some unknown reason. Then they go back to the eldest's room because she has the big bed with more room for playing. I continue to enjoy the warmth of my flannel cocoon, delaying getting up even though we have school to get to, daycare drop-off, and work. Always, work.<br />
<br />
So, I get up and we do the usual routine of eating, dressing, cleaning, and trying to get out the door without arguing. That's an impossibility, but I always hope it will happen.<br />
<br />
It's Christmas time which is my favorite season. It has always been my favorite holiday. Family getting together, good food, happy memories, giving gifts to those I love. Everything about it is wonderful and it just keeps getting better with my girls getting older. A pink and purple, glittery, plastic bomb will be exploding in our house on Christmas morning and I couldn't be happier.<br />
<br />
I'm so very, very happy in this moment in my life and couldn't want for more. I just want to remember this feeling and keep it with me forever.<br />
<br />
Also, the gym is closed on Christmas morning so I'll have all of my favorite people in the whole world to wake up with that day. Perfection.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-64572689291474585062012-12-13T09:14:00.002-05:002012-12-13T09:14:54.090-05:00Sappy sadness<i>This is the last draft that I wrote and never published. I wrote it earlier in the spring this year when all the animal babies were being born, everything was beautiful, and my baby was 18 months old and stinking adorable. She's now 26 months old and OMG, how did the daughter make it to three years old because her sister might not get to 27 months?</i><br />
<br />
It's interesting how you can be going along your day and then suddenly some totally random thing can set you off and you start crying for no good reason.<br />
<br />
We're not having any more babies (unless someone wants to give us a lot of money so we can afford to pay the exorbitant prices for daycare, that is.*) and it hit me the other day at Goodwill. Two and done. I was dropping off a couple of bags of clothes that my youngest has outgrown and weren't "good enough" for the consignment shop. I handed the carefully packed bag to the man working the drive-thru drop-off and he tossed over the edge of the big bin full of other peoples donated clothes and when it hit those other bags it slipped sideways and a little jean romper with a tiny, pretty, glittery fairy surrounded by tiny silver stars on the front bib slipped out of the bag. It came partway out and slid between the bars of the cart and almost fell onto the ground.<br />
<br />
I cried about it, that little piece of clothing that both of my daughters had worn. The eldest wore it with a long sleeve onsie that had eyelet lace around the collar paired with a sweet pair of white tights because she was a winter baby and needed the coverage. My youngest had worn it with pink leggings sporting little bows on the ankles, paired with a short sleeve white onsie with ruffly sleeves because the jumper didn't fit her until spring.<br />
<br />
I almost got out of the car and snatched that jumper out of the cart to take it with me. I already have two overflowing boxes with clothes that have sentimental meaning for me. I plan to make them into lap quilts for both of them someday when I've gathered enough material. Why didn't I keep that jumper? I have no idea, but I drove away and left it there. I couldn't have the guys working the drive thru thinking I was a crazy person, jumping out of the car and snatching a baby jumper out of the bin, with tears streaming down her face.<br />
<br />
We're not having any more babies and it still makes me sad sometimes.<br />
<br />
<br />
*I also need a time machine to make myself 10 years younger because I'm an old fart that shouldn't be having any more babies.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-16270996916794201662012-11-30T16:03:00.000-05:002012-11-30T16:03:17.622-05:00OMG, kid (night potty training follows)<div class="MsoNormal">
I thought for sure the daughter just had the same
peeing at night issues that I had until I was about 7 or 8 years old.
Although, mine may have had something to do with some trauma caused by a
family member who is not and will never be missed by myself. That’s a
story for some other day, if ever. Anyway, back to the subject on hand,
peeing at night.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She
filled and I mean FILLED her pull-up so full I’m positive she lost 5
pounds just taking it off every morning, so I never pushed the potty
training at night thing. Until the day that she pulled on said pull-up
right before bed and started peeing in it before she got it fully pulled
up. Excuse me? You waited to pee in the pull-up instead of the toilet?
Gauntlet thrown. Bribery challenge has commenced.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
next day I showed the daughter how I wrote the numbers 1 through 7 on the white board. Each number represented a day that she woke up
with a dry pull-up. If she could get a circle around each number for 7 days in a row she
would get the super expensive, huge, plastic toy horse she had been
lusting over at Target. I explained peeing before bed and that as soon as she
woke up, she should take off the pull-up and put on underwear. She was
giddy with excitement. I was giddy with excitement. The toddler was giddy
with excitement (she had a cup of fruit snacks in her hand). The husband
was a bit reserved about the whole idea. I guess he’s the smart one in
the house.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
next day the daughter was thrilled to show me a dry pull-up. She was
giddy with excitement. I was giddy with excitement. The toddler was still
sleeping. The husband pointed out the fully soaked pull-up hidden behind
her bedroom door. Yeah. She pulled off the wet one and put on a dry one
as evidence that she didn’t pee overnight. Oy. She did this three more
times. The second one was hidden on the floor, at the end of her bed.
The third one was lying in the hallway next to the dry one she put on
after taking off the wet one. Oy, again. Also, my husband is now smugly,
smart.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
I
dropped the whole plan, but left those numbers up on the board. It was
occasionally brought up during conversation. She would tell me that she
has to make sure to pee before bed and then do so. Sometimes she would have a mostly dry
pull-up in the morning, but not quite. I was just happy she wasn’t
hiding wet, pee-filled pull-ups anymore.<br />
<br />
I am knocking on wood as I type
these words (they are being typed very, very slowly with one hand)…she
was legitimately dry yesterday and again this morning. She used the
toilet before bed and right after she woke up both days (still knocking
on the faux wood). Could this be it? The daughter is giddy with
excitement. I’m giddy with excitement. The baby is too busy picking her
nose to be giddy. The husband is bordering on giddy. Hopefully, he’s
still the smart one since borderline giddy is about as giddy as he gets, but I claim the smartest of all award because I
snagged one of those super expensive, huge, plastic toy horses on
clearance at Target in early November. 65% off bitches!Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-23332224727086514832012-11-13T10:03:00.000-05:002012-11-13T10:03:26.894-05:003 weeks left with observations/reflectionsI have 3 weeks left to be pregnant and some days I hope for less and some days (rare days) I wish it weren't over yet. This is my last pregnancy and as miserable as I usually am while pregnant it is going to be my last so I want to remember as much as possible about how it felt and feels.
<br />
<br />
9 months of heartburn is a no-good, awful, bad thing. No matter which way you slice it, my first pregnancy was a breeze with my two to three heartburn episodes in the first trimester.
<br />
<br />
Fetal movements have actually grown on me. I'm starting to enjoy them because it means she's still with me and waiting to come out to meet her family. I don't feel like she's some alien being trying to get out the fast and easy way anymore.
<br />
<br />
**************************************************************<br />
<br />
2+ years later and I'm sad that this was all I got around to writing about being pregnant with my second and final child. *sigh* I'm all melodramatic and shit these days. I also have some weird compulsion to take my few draft posts and either publish or delete them. I chose to publish this little tidbit.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-31311147547321297042012-11-07T16:33:00.002-05:002012-11-07T16:33:45.411-05:00Antiques Roadshow makes me cryI'm just so darned happy for those people that end up owning some piece of crap worth thousands of dollars. Like the lady I saw last night with the <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200605A29.html" target="_blank">goofy looking chair</a> that caused my waterworks to overflow. I had even seen that exact episode before and I'm pretty sure I cried the first time too. Me = Sap.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q3YjRbQPL1OhyPx3AG6st_FEJ1E0jJlocBlTGzn94M73KCqUbojRMCAQ4NQp6VYt701DYcq-Ph14Ur4DUl6oWTxT4f6aUoU6ByHS6Cz63_wvidstKusn4a3TQghBdNcfhVAm/s1600/wa200605A29_00.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Q3YjRbQPL1OhyPx3AG6st_FEJ1E0jJlocBlTGzn94M73KCqUbojRMCAQ4NQp6VYt701DYcq-Ph14Ur4DUl6oWTxT4f6aUoU6ByHS6Cz63_wvidstKusn4a3TQghBdNcfhVAm/s320/wa200605A29_00.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
<br />
Anyone else cry at totally inappropriate things?Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-82669425465829666762012-11-06T11:03:00.001-05:002012-11-06T11:03:31.534-05:00Just the way she is. Part 2 - my eldestAnd OMG, not another post about your kid! In all fairness this was another draft that had to be taken care of or my OCD would kill me.<br />
<br />
March 29, 2010<br />
- Pink is in! While at Dick's of all places the daughter immediately ran across the aisle and yelled, "I like it!" while holding a pink sports bra. Then she found the bikes and wanted to ride all the pink ones. I think we have a girl.<br />
- This weekend at the pool was a "jump" ahead and a "jump" back. The daughter accepted being put under the water when jumping into the pool from the deck on Saturday. Then Sunday she didn't want to, but wasn't upset about insisting not doing it which. On Saturday she jumped by herself and I caught her several times. Sunday, she still wanted to hold me hands while jumping. Big jumps forward and then little jumps back.<br />
- I keep telling the daughter that she mommy has a baby in her belly but she's not getting it. She loves babies though. She wants to look at them, smile at them, hand them toys and so on. I hope she loves this new baby too, although she probably consider the baby the intruder much like I did when my baby brother came home.<br />
<br />
April 9, 2010<br />
- Newest songs that she will stand up and perform for me: ABC's, I'm a Little Teapot, and Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. My favorite is the teapot song.<br />
- The yell of "Mommy!" and the running leap into my arms is the highlight of every weekday and a great way to end the work day.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">This poor neglected post. So much has changed since it was started over a year ago now.</span><br />
<br />
July 28, 2011<br />
- The daughter is in love with her little sister unless she's in one of those 3 year old moods and she asks us to make her 9 month old sister stop looking at her.<br />
- She's a contradiction: Loves princesses, cars, fairies, dragons, fluffy dresses and running with her daddy.<br />
- Her swimming skills have advanced so much over the summer. Our kid that was terrified to put her face in the water or get her ears wet is now jumping into the pool, swimming 2-3 feet unassisted, lying on her back with BOTH ears in the water and more. I give all the credit to her amazing teachers at the YMCA.<br />
- I'm starting to see less enthusiasm to jump into my arms at daycare pickup. She's more interested in making sure all her friends are continuing to follow her instructions before we leave. Fun to watch, yet still sad.<br />
<br />
<b>Another neglected post update.</b><br />
<br />
April 24, 2012<br />
- She's 4 and crazy.<br />
<br />
May 29, 2012<br />
- Still 4 and crazy, but we love her.<br />
- She loves swimming and got to swim in the neighbor's pool for a bit until the thunderstorm rolled through. She was not very happy that she couldn't go back out and swim more after dinner, but it was just too close to bedtime. She's hovering in the same swim class level (Eels) at the local Y, but she is improving in her abilities.<br />
- She's a yellow-tip in TaeKwonDo and she loves it. She's allowed to punch and kick people which makes it a great outlet for all that energy and aggression. Her test for her orange belt is this Saturday and I'm sure she'll do amazing.<br />
- A very picky eater, just like me. She will try something first though at least. I keep telling her she needs to at least try, and she makes an effort now to do so instead of refusing immediately.<br />
<br />
June 4, 2012<br />
- A much more punctual update this time, but I wanted to mention the funny this weekend.<br />
- I asked her if she wanted to go to a jewelry party with me and she said yes and immediately began planning her wardrobe. She wavered between a pretty dress or a skirt/shirt/tights combo. She finally decided on a pretty skirt, shirt, and tights. She made sure to mention that she had to wear panties so people couldn't check out her bootie. She proceeded to sing, "Shake mah bootie!" over and over again.<br />
- At home, while watching TV, she was doing this crazy butt wiggle, shimmy thing in the chair with her butt up in the air. I asked what she was doing and she told me it was her bootie shake dance and then cracked up in hysterics. Crazy kid.<br />
<br />
July 15, 2012<br />
- We are going to the zoo today and the husband asked if she wanted to go I'm pretty sure the entire neighborhood heard the squeals and shrieks of "Yes".<br />
- She knows everything. I thought she was supposed to worship her parents and believe everything they said and she wasn't supposed to distrust and disagree so much before she was 15. We're going to be in major trouble when she's a teen.<br />
- Dresses, dresses, dresses. The only acceptable article of clothing. Skirts are OK, but dresses are way better. How did I have such a girly-girl? I hated dresses growing up.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-49106648494754029912012-11-05T08:22:00.001-05:002012-11-05T08:22:08.032-05:00Ain't science grand?Here's a fun little experiment to try if you are bored and have the following items on hand.
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 coffee mug
</li>
<li>Some water
</li>
<li>1 microwave
</li>
<li>2-3 packets of oatmeal (optional)</li>
<li>1 bowl (optional)</li>
<li>1 spoon (optional)</li>
<li>1 old vinyl placemat
</li>
</ul>
<br />
Fill the coffee mug with water, microwave it until boiling (~3.5 minutes) and pour the water over the oatmeal in the bowl. Mix it with the spoon. Turn the hot coffee mug upside down on the vinyl placemat and leave it there for about a week (this time limit is an approximation based on how long I left the coffee mug sitting on the old vinyl placemat and may not be a necessary amount of time to create the expected result). Enjoy your oatmeal breakfast if you went with the optional ingredients.<br />
<br />
After that week or so has passed, attempt to pick up the coffee mug (this may require a bit more force than normal) and admire the impact that all that science has had on the vinyl placement.<br />
<br />
I would insert a photo here, but I wrote this post about 6 years ago, didn't finish it, and those placemats are loooong gone. I leave it to you to recreate and admire science stuff at work.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-37736145353061044702012-11-02T12:35:00.001-05:002012-11-02T12:35:10.938-05:00What? What!?Two posts in a row? Yeah, but they are both about my eldest kid, so don't get too excited.<br />
<br />
Gems from the past month:<br />
<ul>
<li>8-9ish year old girl comes to our door for Trick or Treat while I am getting ready to head out with my two kids. This 8-9ish year old says the following, "Trick or Treat! I'm sexy and I know it!" while dressed in a Snow White costume. The husband and I of course crack up. The daughter repeats this phrase for the next 4 days because, damn, Mom and Dad thought it was funny when Snow White said it. </li>
<li>We spend 2 hours at the zoo, in costume, trick or treating our hearts out. We walk all the way back to our car because you can't park in the zoo lot since way too many people took advantage of the incredible weather that weekend. The daughter says the magic words, "I have to go potty! I can feel the pee coming!" Yes, she peed behind a random brick building, mostly in the open. Her words after this novel experience? "I can't wait to tell everyone I peed in the grass. Can I do it again tomorrow?"</li>
<li>In the car, it's raining (shocker in NE Ohio in the fall), and she says, "Look, alligators! The wipers are chomping like alligators!"</li>
<li>I have decided to start being aggressive about getting the daughter to wake up in a dry pull-up. How, you ask? Bribery. I have promised her one of the BIG horses at Target if she can wake up dry for 7 days in a row (there are lots of plans to help her with this). Day 1 - she takes off the wet pull-up and puts on a dry pull-up at some point during the night or very early morning. "Look! I'm awake and my pull-up is dry!" I think she kind of missed the point with the sopping wet, evidence against her lying in the hallway.</li>
</ul>
Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-63225890273048092412012-11-01T14:22:00.000-05:002012-11-01T14:22:44.321-05:00Oh, 4 and 3/4...You are somewhat of a mystery. You are a surprise around every corner. You make me laugh, you make me cry. You make me occasionally want to tie you up, duct tape your mouth shut, and shove you in a closet, but that is a much rarer urge than when we had 3 and 3/4 living in our house.<br />
<br />
You went from ecstatic about picking out winter tights and snow boots at Target, to wanting to bawl your eyes right out of your precious, little head because you NEVER get to buy pretty shoes.<br />
<br />
You went from thrilled about getting your friend a birthday present for her party, to screeching about NEVER getting to buy a toy horse for yourself.<br />
<br />
You went from supremely happy about visiting the pets at the pet store, to going prone on the ground because you NEVER get to have any pets.<br />
<br />
Note to all parents out there. Don't take 4 and 3/4s to the pet store unless you plan to come home with a fuzzy, cute bunny and his bunny friend. The alternaive option is to go with the rule "you must be at least 11 to own a rabbit". Rules rule 4 and 3/4's life. Rabbit ownership was dodged for at least another 6 and 1/4 years. *phew*Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-44245386772392703402012-07-15T08:25:00.000-05:002012-07-15T08:25:04.221-05:00Just the way she is. Second Edition.My second daughter turned 10 months old yesterday and I realized I neglected to start her one year log of changes and accomplishments <a href="http://thepassingthere.blogspot.com/2010/03/just-way-she-is.html" target="_blank">like I did for my first daughter</a>. The second one always gets the shaft. So, it is time to start it since she isn't going to get any younger now.<br />
<br />
July 14, 2011<br />
- She is a very accomplished noise maker. She does raspberries, clicks her tongue, makes kissy noises, wiggles her tongue back and forth while making a sort of "lalalala" sound, and squeals and laughs all the time.<br />
- She sits up great if you put her in a seated position.<br />
- She pushes herself backwards when she's on her belly.<br />
- Did I mention the squealing and laughing at everything.<br />
- Loves her big sister to pieces unless big sister is trying to give too much love, then she gets crabby.<br />
- In bed at 6:30, up to eat at 5am and back asleep until we get her up during the week. Sleeps until 8am on the weekends.<br />
- She has the beginnings of butt scooting skills like her sister the way she turns herself around and pushes herself backwards while sitting.<br />
- Eats just about anything you put in front of her and wants more, more, more.<br />
<br />
July 21, 2011<br />
- She clapped for me when I picked her up at daycare today. I walked in and she clapped for the first time. Love it!<br />
- The husband and I are convinced she is saying "More" when she wants more food, more ball playing, more peek-a-boo, more bouncing and more flying. It sounds a bit like ma, but with the rrrr sound at the end. We're probably just crazy parents though.<br />
<br />
July 29, 2011<br />
- My baby gets whiny when she's tired or wants held. She starts to make this low growl/whine noise until you address her needs.<br />
- Felt so bad yesterday when I ran out to my car to get my purse that didn't get carried in and heard her screaming and crying within 30 seconds of the door closing. Must have scared her when I walked away.<br />
- When will those top 2 teeth come in? We hope soon because we love our usually happy, giggly baby.<br />
- I finally got a cuddle-bug. She loves to rest her head on things. The tray on her highchair, the edge of her bouncy seat, your shoulder, the floor (while bent at the waist and sitting) and so on.<br />
<br />
August 3, 2011<br />
- While the husband took big sister to her swim class yesterday I took the baby home with me so she could go to bed. In the car on the way home she laughed continuously for 5 minutes at nothing I could see. She thought it was hilarious though.<br />
- She met Elmo on TV for the first time and LOVES him. She also enjoys the monster that hosts Sesame Street, whose name escapes me right now.<br />
- Since she loved Elmo so much, we brought out big sister's talking and dancing Elmo. He was uproariously fun for about 2 minutes, then he just got scary.<br />
- She went to bed at 6:10 last night and appears to be not wanting the bed-time nurse session any more. She prefers to just be put down in her crib so she can sleep. This makes me sad. I love rocking her to sleep at night.<br />
- On the flip side, she's up at 4am to get her morning nursing session in, which I enjoy as well even though I'm exhausted. We all go back to bed so it isn't a huge deal.<br />
<br />
August 8, 2011<br />
- The husband handled drop-off on Thursday and Friday since the daughter was home sick with me and apparently the baby is not happy when daddy leaves her at daycare. I drop off today and get a wave bye-bye and she's back to being busy with her books. Sheesh.<br />
- We're back to loving the bedtime nursing session which makes me happy again. I believe she's happy too.<br />
- I don't think I mentioned the head bumps. They are her version of hugs and kisses. She loves you very much if she bonks your head with her head.<br />
<br />
August 22, 2011<br />
- She has finally gotten the hang of the sippy cup. Water has become fun to sip and spray too.<br />
- We had a cake trial run for her one year birthday next month. She got to try a piece of the husband's birthday cake and she dug right in like a pro. I have high hopes for a great smash cake experience.<br />
- She may end up being a butt scooter just like her sister. When she saw the Storytime Elmo show up across the room, she moved those 10 feet to get to him like her life depended on it.<br />
- Lots of stranger danger issues this weekend, but we got over it with plenty of cuddles and snuggles with me.<br />
<br />
August 26, 2011<br />
- We have another word, "Ni Ni" also known as "Time to go to bed mama, I'm tired". I asked her if she was tired and she told me "Ni Ni". Smart little baby girl.<br />
- She moved to the baby room today. Normally, they wait until the babies are older and walking/crawling well, but they had too many little infants coming in and not enough good walkers and crawlers. So, they've adjusted the room description to fit the not quite crawling as well.<br />
- Daddy is her hero, sun, moon, stars and all the light in her life. When she sees him there is much squealing, clapping and mad butt scooting to get to him. I melt.<br />
<br />
August 30, 2011<br />
- It was bound to happen. My poor baby. She's terrified to let go of me at daycare drop-off. Her separation anxiety is not just for dada anymore. It includes me. Such a sad face today, but at least there wasn't any hysterical crying. Not yet.<br />
- My little daredevil loves to be flipped upside down, tossed in the air, jiggled and bounced, and pretty much any other motion/flying type of game we can think of to do with her. Giggles galore!<br />
<br />
September 15, 2011<br />
- My baby is one year old now. She got 3 shots at her check-up and although she screamed while getting them she calmed down immediately after I picked her up.<br />
- Her birthday party was on Sunday and our house was extremely crowded with all the immediate family. She didn't cry at all and smeared icing and cake all over her face like a champion birthday partier.<br />
- We were told to start moving her off the bottle to the sippy and incorporating whole milk. I don't want to because I want to keep my baby a baby. I need to also get over myself.<br />
- She's scooting everywhere and getting into everything.<br />
- When we tell her no, she shakes her head at us and we all laugh. So much for discipline. *eyeroll*<br />
<br />
September 22, 2011<br />
- Last night was spent roaring like a lion and making monkey noises. Her mimic skills are amazing.<br />
- She loves to point to body parts. She doesn't always get them right, but the game is hysterical.<br />
- Peek-a-boo is a big favorite these days. She'll cover one eye and wait for you to ask where she is, then uncover her eye and giggle maniacally when you say "Peek-a-boo!"<br />
- There are 4 top teeth all coming in at the same time. She's running 100 degrees most days with all those teeth coming in, but she's sleeping great at night. No more 2:00am wake-ups!<br />
<br />
October 5, 2011<br />
- No one on this earth is as funny or exciting as her big sister. She actually throws her head back and laughs until her belly shakes when her sister is entertaining her. Another melty heart moment for me.<br />
- 2 of those dastardly 4 teeth have emerged. The middle-top-left one came first followed by the middle-top-right one. The ones on either side of those are right there waiting to make an appearance. We'll be very happy to see them.<br />
- Sleep has gotten a bit better as well. She's now up at 5am to nurse and then back to sleep until it's time to get up for the day.<br />
- We accidentally left her purple knit blanket at daycare on Monday and she wasn't nearly as excited to get the pink one. Last night she had her purple one back and was so very happy to see it. She grabbed it and held it tight, then she laid her head on her blanket and sighed. I'm pretty sure it is her first lovey.<br />
<br />
October 11, 2011<br />
- Word count: Mama, Dada, Ni-Ni (night-night), Mo (more), and recently Uh-Oh.<br />
- We have some horrible, no-good diaper rash going on right now. We're trying Desitin, Pinxav, Aquaphor, and today I started giving probiotics in one meal each day in the hopes that is a yeast rash that needs some good antibodies to clear it up.<br />
<br />
October 26, 2011<br />
So much to post...<br />
- Went to the doctor for the rash and he prescribed nystatin, no more wipes - only warm, wet cloths for wiping, aquaphor/vaseline/A&D only, and no cow milk or cow milk products. He thinks the constant pooping could be a food allergy. The rash is much better, but the pooping is still going pretty strong. I wonder what we will have to eliminate next...gluten?<br />
- There is standing! After months of refusing to bear weight and doing the most amazing mid-air split (she could hold that sucker forever) when we tried to lift her up to stand, she is finally putting her feet down and standing. Not very steady, but it is progress.<br />
- I brought up the little piano that babies stand in front of to play and that prompted a lot of standing interest. Up next - Push n Ride and lots of baby proofing.<br />
- I'm pretty sure she said "Ba" for ball on Sunday. She points to things with her index finger and looks at me to name it. She pointed to the ball, I said ball, and she said, "Ba!" That's another word to me.<br />
- The pointing is adorable. She points to her hand, her arm, blocks, balls, chairs, tables, and anything else you can imagine. She's soaking it all up and will probably suddenly burst into conversation one day when we least expect it.<br />
- Other random cuteness. I love hearing the giggles from the back of my car when the daughter cracks up the baby. I love the faceplants into my plant that the baby makes after scooting over closer. The arms go out to her sides and her wide open mouth plants itself on your shirt, pants, sock, whatever. It's her version of a hug.<br />
- There are now at least 8 teeth in her mouth in various stages of growth. Two are fully grown in on the bottom and one on the top, one on the top halfway grown in, and four more just breaking through on the top and bottom. She's weathering the tooth explosion pretty well and happily we are still nursing. She doesn't really bite, but she tends to "chew" while nursing so we just muddle through it. I'll be so sad when we're done, so I'm sticking with it. We're down to just a morning and evening session and I see less and less interest in the morning session.<br />
- Halloween is coming. We got her a ladybug outfit because the skunk outfit the daughter wore for her first halloween is missing. I really wanted some comparison photos of them in the same costume, but we can't find the adorable skunk with pink bows on the ears. Sad clown face. The daughter is thinking she'll be a princess/fairy/dragon rider for trick or treat.<br />
<br />
October 31, 2011<br />
- She's added another word. "Dat" She'll point with her little finger and say, "Dat" asking us to tell her what it is.<br />
- She's learning gentle, but still thinks it is way more fun to pull her sister's hair and whack her in the face with a book. Slow progress being made on that front.<br />
- We bought a cute ladybug costume and she never wore it. I may shove her into it tonight just for the photo op. What a waste of money that costume turned out to be.<br />
<br />
November 6, 2011<br />
- Just figured out that putting the back of her hand to her mouth and saying, "Bwow!" was blowing kisses. She's been doing that for a couple months. Who knew?<br />
- When she's sitting in her high chair eating dinner she'll lay her head down sideways on her arm and smile at me. Cuteness overload!<br />
- We now have full-blown pulling herself up on stuff and she's gradually working towards taking a step to cruise on the furniture.<br />
- If there is a pillow on the floor she will find it, lie her head on it, and cuddle with it. More cuteness overload!<br />
- Bath time is full of splashing and playing with the water come out of the faucet. She doesn't even care when I dump water on her head. She just keeps on splashing and playing.<br />
<br />
November 16, 2011<br />
- She's reached the age where I need to tell her "No" and she laughs at me and continues to do what she shouldn't be doing. Funny, kid.<br />
- So far, she's a great eater. She loves pretty much anything we put in front of her. Broccoli, pot roast, carrots, turkey, chicken, tomatoes...basically everything her sister would never eat or anything we are eating.<br />
- Still nursing morning and night. I can see the morning sessions going away soon. She still nurses, but not with as much enthusiasm. I love the night-time sessions though. Cuddling my sweet baby close to me is precious time.<br />
<br />
November 24, 2011<br />
- First thanksgiving eating real food and she wasn't a fan of the turkey meat, but she loved the mashed potatoes. She'll love the sweet potatoes I'm making for the 2nd Thanksgiving dinner at my parent's.<br />
- Today she climbed the entire flight of stairs to the second floor because her daddy was up there brushing her sister's teeth. She'll climb mountains to get to her daddy. I teared up because she's growing up too fast.<br />
- The rash started to come back pretty bad on Wednesday, but with no milk products in her diet (since she's been home for 2 days) it is clearing up pretty fast. We need to be a bit more strenuous in reminding daycare that she is not to get milk products.<br />
<br />
November 27, 2011<br />
- I'm making rookie mom mistakes like forgetting that if the baby doesn't go to bed with a full belly she will be up 2-3 times overnight crying piteously. I'm tired today.<br />
- The tree is up and other than pointing at it a couple times she has pretty much left it alone despite the big sister trying to show her every ornament and light.<br />
- She loved the thanksgiving food at my parent's house. Mostly the sweet potato casserole I made. Rightly so, as it was delicious!<br />
<br />
November 30, 2011<br />
- She is starting to go find a private spot for pooping. I totally that they did this eventually. So funny!<br />
- This weekend the husband and I are going on an adult night out and leaving before she goes to bed. This means I won't be nursing her to sleep Saturday night. This makes me sad because I'm afraid that she won't want to nurse to sleep anymore and I love that time of day the most. It's so quiet, calm, and comforting. Especially now that nursing is no longer an Olympic event for her.<br />
- I love playing on the floor with her. If big sister moves or makes a motion like she's headed our way, she makes a beeline for my lap, buries her face in my arm, shoulder, or chest, and then "hops" up and down on my lap in anticipation of her coming. I don't know if it is terror or excitement. Maybe a bit of both. But it is all equally cute.<br />
- We introduced Baby Smash as well. I feared for the life of my laptop keyboard, but the cute was overwhelming and I didn't want to make her stop bashing away and laughing. The big sister occasionally glanced over from her Angry Birds game to watch.<br />
<br />
December 2, 2011<br />
- Last night while she was eating dinner we started playing a game called "Are you done eating? No? Then I'll tickle you." I kept asking her if she was done and she will normally wave her hand at me or throw some food on the floor, the former is preferred, but last night she would just turn her whole body away from me in the chair. So, I tickled her. She loved this game. I noticed some white in the back of her mouth and thought at first it was just some food from dinner, but it never moved after every tickle or bite of food. She got a molar! What do you know there was another one on the side to match. No wonder she was drooling like crazy last week for a couple days. That explains, that.<br />
- She learned how to chow on uncooked baby carrots and she loves those things nice and cold from the fridge.<br />
<br />
December 13, 2011<br />
- I love when she scrunches up her nose and giggles after nursing in the morning. She's so happy with a belly full of milk.<br />
- She knows what we're talking about, but is refusing to talk. I told her to look in her mailbox to see if there was any mail. She scooted right over and opened it up, pulled out the little package, and showed it to me.<br />
- I had her with me trying to get ready for work in the morning without waking up the husband so I got dressed in the closet with her on the floor. I handed her my socks to play with while I got my pants and shirt on, but that wasn't right in her mind. She kept putting my socks on top of my feet and doing the "Ah! Ah! Ah!" sound to get me to put them on. She clapped for me once they were on.<br />
- She loves turning off the lights for me. Good thing she can't reach the light switches on her on yet.<br />
<br />
December 16, 2011<br />
- 15 month check-up revealed that we have a petite baby (that's what the doctor kept calling her, so sweet) with a medium sized head. 19 pounds, 29.25" long, and an 18" head.<br />
- She was sitting on my leg and kept bobbing up to her feet without holding on to anything. Made me wonder if she would stand on her own, but she still immediately sinks to her butt.<br />
- She is loving anything on wheels that can be rolled across the floor, table, etc.<br />
- She dances to music by swinging her arms from side to side and headbanging. Adorable!<br />
<br />
December 22, 2011<br />
- She keeps pointing at the tree and saying, "Ah?" which is pretty much what she does with anything in her vicinity. I'm expecting her to break out chatting in full sentences any day now.<br />
- 15 month old giggles are infectious, especially ones that are elicited from bouts of tickling.<br />
- I know she's done eating when she either starts stirring up the contents of her tray in a frenzied side to side hand motion or pulling on her bib while screeching, "AH! AH!"<br />
- She started walking while holding our hands and she giggles like a maniac the entire time.<br />
<br />
January 2, 2012<br />
A new year has brought many new things...<br />
- She took 3 unassisted steps to me right after Christmas and has refused to do it again since.<br />
- She is finally getting that 4th bottom, middle tooth that has been missing for a while.<br />
- She's pairing the 4th bottom, middle tooth arrival with 2 new bottom molars.<br />
- These new teeth are still being ground together to produce the most horrifying sound known to man.<br />
- We did at least 10 laps around the first floor with the Fisher Price grocery cart last night. Giggling every time she slipped or hit something, because we all know that's the best part.<br />
- We went to the pool and she was a total pro. Even attempting to doggy paddle a little on her own so she could get to her big sister, daddy, or the ball faster. I have high hopes for some great swimming lessons when she starts over the summer.<br />
- She lets me know she's hungry by pulling up on her highchair and saying, "mama, mama, mama, mama" over and over again.<br />
- Actually, anytime she wants help or needs something she says "mama, mama, mama, mama, mama" over and over while pointing or trying to do the thing with which she needs help.<br />
- She's also shaking her head "No" when we ask her stuff and she doesn't want it or doesn't want to do it.<br />
- She also will stop clinging and whining at me if I ask her if she wants to go "night-night". Silly girl.<br />
<br />
January 5, 2012<br />
- I spoke too soon about the clinging ending with "night-night". Last night she was more than happy to curl up on my lap with her arms out when I asked if she wanted to go "night-night". She was tired.<br />
- She had a full sentence last night during dinner. No idea what she was saying but it was important, involved pointing around the room, and throwing her hands in the air.<br />
<br />
January 9, 2012<br />
- We've moved on to head shaking for "No" if we ask her things. She still refused to talk, but at least the the head shake "No" is cuter than hearing it yelled at you like her sister.<br />
- There are so many new little babies in daycare that she has already been moved to the toddler/two room, which is really scary for me. She's not doing well at drop-off because it isn't her teachers that she knows and loves. She doesn't know these teachers at all. They eat in chairs at a table and she looks so tiny sitting there with her feet not touching the floor. My baby doesn't even walk/talk and she's already moved up to where her sister was at 2 with walking/talking.<br />
- She is now consistently pointing at nose, eye, ear, and mouth when you ask her. Next up, belly, hands, feet, arms, and legs.<br />
- I don't know when she got so smart, but she knows that brushes go on your hair, ponytail holders go on your hair, phones go to your ear, and every thing else goes in your mouth.<br />
<br />
January 18, 2012<br />
Illness hit our house this weekend so I didn't get to blog about the wonderful things that happened.<br />
- We got another word: nana. As in, banana, give it to me now so I may stuff it in my mouth and smoosh it between my fingers. Yum!<br />
- We got 6 wobbly, top-heavy steps from the husband to myself. She was so proud of herself and clapped every time she attempted it.<br />
- I dropped off a forgotten item to the eldest at daycare and peeked in at the little one in her room. I didn't go in because that would have caused hysterics, but I just wanted to go in there and cuddle for a while. I didn't though because I knew it would hurt her and me when I had to leave. I was looking in and she was scooting over to the teacher, tugging on her pants, and crying. The teacher looked down at her, scooped her up, and cuddled with her on the floor. I wish that could have been me.<br />
- We're still nursing morning and night and I love it. I'm going out of town for work in a few weeks. I'll be gone for 2.5 days. This means I'll miss 5 nursing sessions with her. I hope she doesn't quit on me. I hope my body doesn't quit on me. This is my last and I don't want those moments with her to end yet.<br />
- She's picked up her sister's cough and was extra clingy last night before bed. Although, she was loving her bath. She especially enjoys putting her hands under the running water and occasionally sticking her head under it and letting the water run down her hair and face.<br />
<br />
January 25, 2012<br />
- Still in love with daddy, but more willing to come to me these days which makes me happy.<br />
- Leaving daycare yesterday we saw her first, and favorite, daycare teacher and she squealed with delight and held out her arms to her. Both of my girls love her so much because she's a wonderful lady.<br />
- I'm amazed every day at how much she understands and can communicate without speaking more than ma-ma, ma-ma, ma-ma, and gesturing.<br />
- We took some quiet time together this morning after she was done nursing and talked about the chair, nightstand, butterflies on the blanket, pillow, and many other things. She's continually absorbing. I'm still waiting for fully formed sentence structure to start coming out of her mouth.<br />
- Ah, the mood swings in the evenings. Forgot all about these after a full day at daycare when we try to squeeze in dinner, play, bath, and bed in a one hour window after work. She gets pouty and will turn her back to you and refuse to look. Then she'll throw herself on her belly and protest with some whining. No, she doesn't want picked up, no she doesn't want to eat, no she doesn't want to play, no she isn't thirsty, but PICK ME UP!<br />
<br />
February 1, 2012<br />
- She had her first bath with her big sister and they both loved it. I'm not ready to actually try tackling washing both at the same time. This time her big sister had already taken a shower after swim classes so she jumped in just to play, not get clean.<br />
- I heard Elmo come out of her mouth the other day when I was reading the Sesame Street Baby Faces book with her. Sounded just like Elmo to me so it counts.<br />
- Another evening where she was just angry and nothing we did was right. She finally calmed down when her daddy let her eat some of his salad for dinner. Weird kid was loving the lettuce, tomato, mushrooms, and of course...cheese. Guess we'll be dealing a rashy butt this week after that.<br />
- Daycare told me she crawled across the table so fast this week and grabbed another child's goldfish that they had to put her at a separate table.<br />
- This lactose thing is going to be the end of us all. She loves cheese, milk, yogurt and all things lactose, but her butt does not. I really hope she outgrows this.<br />
<br />
February 24, 2012<br />
- The baby is starting to become a more confident walker. She stands up on her own in the middle of the floor and will take more than a few steps to get where she wants. She stops, laughs, and then drops to a bear crawl to get the rest of the way. Silly, stubborn child.<br />
- I keep wondering when she is going to talk to me. We carry on conversations all the time with me saying words and her responding with head shakes, finger pointing, and gestures.<br />
- I messed up and gave her pierogies with cheesy mashed potato filling. Her bottom was on the verge of bleeding, but we got her back from the brink with yet another round of sopping wet, water wipes and lots of aquaphor.<br />
- Then my mom messed up and gave her cheese when she was at her house one day. Only a slightly red bottom this time because it was only half of a cheese stick and not a full meal like I did with the pierogies.<br />
- We discovered that she loves ketchup. Food, her fingers, and a straw are all just vehicles for the ketchup to reach her mouth. She is in love with the stuff.<br />
<br />
March 2, 2012<br />
- My little punkin' pie has a cold and a fever and a slight ear infection. She fell asleep on me today after we got back from running an errand after the doctor visit to confirm all that illness. She's sleeping in her crib now.<br />
- She has this look. It's the look she gives to people she doesn't trust and it cracks everyone up every time she uses it. I need to get a picture of the "look".<br />
- She drank out of a straw today too. I have no idea when she learned how to do that, but I figured I would give a juice box a try before pouring it into a sippy cup.<br />
- Also, she is now a walker who can be lazy and crawl/scoot if necessary. But, she does officially walk and you bet I got video evidence and shared it with everyone. 17.5 months and finally walking!<br />
- Still not a whole lot of talking though. I mentioned it to the pediatrician and he didn't seem too concerned. After all, she has her sister to talk for her.<br />
<br />
March 7, 2012<br />
- Daycare mentioned that my baby was moody yesterday. I asked what that meant and they said that if she didn't get what she wanted right away she would throw herself on the floor and cry. I don't know...sounds pretty normal for an almost 18 month old.<br />
- The mood swinging is going full force these days too. One second she wants to climb in your lap and read a book. The next second the book is awful and must be flung at your head. Immediately after that she needs to cuddle with her sister's play phone. Right after that she MUST.EAT.NOW. Food isn't handed over in 1 second, body is thrown to the ground and there is much yelling. Good times.<br />
- She's in bed by 6:30 every night and isn't very fast to wake up in the morning. She likes to gather up all her pacifiers in her bed and make sure her blanket is clutched in her hands. Then if she's up to it, she'll let you pick her up out of bed.<br />
- We're still enjoying mommy and baby nursing time in the morning and evening. She insists, so who am I to refuse her?<br />
- She nods yes for us now so it isn't just silent staring and pointing to try to get her point across. Now she can confirm when we suggest the correct thing. Makes communication a bit easier, but talking would be even nicer.<br />
<br />
March 11, 2012<br />
- The weather is gorgeous today so we went for a walk. The daughter rode her bike that she got for her birthday and the little one thought it was hysterical to see her up ahead on her bike.<br />
- We walked around outside too. She had some trouble with the slight hill on the driveway and was very, very unsure about stepping over or on the seam in the cement. The transition to grass was even crazier. She really did not want to step off the cement and onto the grass. I didn't realize she had never really been outside walking ever, so this was all new. I showed her how my feet were on the grass so she got brave and did it. She was a bit unsteady because the ground isn't as flat and even as she was used to, but she did great and only fell down two times.<br />
- She tried fruit snacks for the first time today too. I've been waiting to give them to her because I'm a choke hazard worrier. She did fine though and wanted more, more, more.<br />
- We're finally getting more words too. She said: cup, dats da-da, and that's about it. She's still generally pointing and hoping we understand what she wants. Still getting a lot of head shaking and nodding as answers.<br />
<br />
March 29, 2012<br />
- We went on vacation last week and had more fun than I ever thought possible. The baby ended up sleeping in the laundry room at the condo with her sister on the pull-out couch in the living room. None of us sleeps well in the same room so it was for the best. It didn't stop her from waking up every day at 6am.<br />
- She's a little fish and loves the pool and baths. She blows bubbles, will scoot off the edge of the pool into your arms with no hesitation, and just generally enjoys playing in the water.<br />
- The walking ability has gotten better and better and she's moving faster and surer these days.<br />
- She still does not like to go outside and walk around. She insists on being held or sitting in the stroller. We tried the wagon when we got home from vacation and I didn't even make it 3 steps before she freaked out and I had to take her out and carry her.<br />
- The drive wasn't terrible as we were able to keep her happy with snacks, toys, and pacifiers (especially driving through the mountains). She only protested strongly a few times and calmed down very quickly.<br />
- She loved looking at the zoo pictures with all the animals. I think more than when we actually went to the zoo since she passed out in the stroller for almost 2 hours.<br />
- She's making more animal noises like for the elephant, dogs, and sheep. Cows are hit and miss and usually end up roaring like a lion.<br />
- There are more attempts at words like, please. It comes out "eeeeesss" with her chin up and a big grin on her face. We still don't have a whole lot of talking though she does a lot of pointing for us to tell her what something is all the time.<br />
<br />
April 2, 2012<br />
- She learned to actually speak a word yesterday. Over and over and over again. BABY. She loved saying it repeatedly while pointing at baby Tarzan on the TV, showing me her baby doll that she got for Christmas, and asking me to sing Rock-a-bye-baby while rocking her baby doll.<br />
- The cute was when she would "dance" while I was singing and rocking her baby doll. By dance I mean close her eyes, swing her arms back and forth, spin in circles, and giggle until she lost her balance and fell down. I was laughing so much my cheeks and stomach hurt.<br />
- We did some coloring yesterday as well and she was very offended when I tried to draw on her paper or write her name on it. It was apparently her masterpiece and I ruined it. Then she decided dumping the crayons out on the table and then putting them back in the box one by one was far more fun that applying them to paper anyway so we did that for 20 minutes.<br />
- She loves walks in the stroller and is slowly starting to enjoy being outside without being carried. She has taken quite some time to warm up to the outdoors without being held or placed in a stroller. Now that she's braver about outside we can try to approach the wagon again this coming weekend, possibly.<br />
<br />
April 5, 2012<br />
- Another word! "There" She used it when I asked her where the pillows were. She's finally starting to talk...sort of.<br />
- Every day at daycare drop-off and pick-up we have to point at the art and pictures on the walls to identify what is in them. While I know she does it to learn more and it will help her talk soon (hopefully!), I just want to get in and out so we can get on with our day. I keep telling myself, patience, patience, patience. Make the elephant noise one more time, yes, that's a lion (again), and there is a baby in that picture, you already know that word.<br />
- She's growing up so fast. She gets her shoes out of the closet, puts her arms in her sleeves by herself, and wants to feed herself (mostly) which gets very messy. Miss Independence is really starting to crop up.<br />
- Every time we go up the stairs she wants to crawl and insists on picking up every piece of lint, hair, or dust on each step and hand them to me. We only make it 2 steps before I grab her and run up the rest of them. I think I might need to vacuum.<br />
<br />
April 19, 2012<br />
- Mini word explosion - door, dog, icky-icky (poopy diapers), No! Nnnnnno! and NO! NO!, as well as NO!<br />
- Stickers are a fun thing to play with. We put them on our shirts.<br />
- We get kisses now. Not the kind you would expect, but at least we aren't presented with a cheek to kiss. She makes a fishy lip face and an exaggerated kissing sound.<br />
- She's obsessed with babies. Points at anything and calls it a baby. Elmo is a baby, kids are babies, her sister is a baby.<br />
- She brings me her baby doll or her sister's "Jingle Baby" doll, hands them to me, and then makes an arm rocking motion. That's my cue to rock the baby and sing Rock-a-bye-baby. She loves this.<br />
- "Jingle Baby has a blanket that was originally my baby's taggy blanket. We play a good-night, wake-up game with them. I put the blanket on the baby, making the shushing noise with my finger to my mouth, rub the baby's head, and say, "<br />
Night-night baby", very quietly. She then whips the blanket off, I exclaim, "WAKE UP, BABY!", and laughter ensues.<br />
- Every weekday evening when dinner is done, we play for about 20-30 minutes before bedtime. She goes into the playroom to get the play coffee pot and a utensil from the play kitchen. She brings them into the living room, sits on a stool by the coffee table, and proceeds to eat from the coffee pot. She punctuates every bite with a "Num, num, num!" sound.<br />
<br />
April 24, 2012<br />
- She got a stomach bug on Sunday. I didn't realize she was that sick until she threw up. Missed indicator #1 - I had to get her up at 10am when she's normally up by 8am. Missed indicator #2 - she refused to nurse after I got her up. Missed indicator #3 - she refused to eat anything for breakfast. Missed indicator #4 - she was much warmer than usual. Poor baby was still giggling and loving while feeling like crap.<br />
- Due to illness mentioned above she took a nap on me that day as well. That is my favorite way to spend an afternoon. Cuddling my warm baby in my arms while she sleeps.<br />
- We spent about 15 minutes last night singing songs like Itsy-bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus, and so on. She loves Itsy-bitsy so much it is ridiculous. She knows all the hand motions, but wants me to hold her hands to do them all together. We always clap and laugh at the end.<br />
- Drop-offs at daycare have been so hard for me lately. She clings to me and doesn't want to go to her teacher and I am so tempted to just take her and run out the door to play all day. Darn job and bills...<br />
<br />
May 1, 2012<br />
- We have more words! Door, eye, her sister's name, but I am still Dada. She'll get there eventually, I hope.<br />
- She loves to hug and kiss her big sister hello and goodbye every day at daycare.<br />
- I asked her if she could say Mama, she nodded an enthusiastic yes, and then said DADA! in a very loud and emphatic tone. Kids.<br />
<br />
May 15, 2012<br />
- New words! She's starting to repeat what we say in her own garbled baby talk. We've got stuck which sounds like duck, duck which sounds like dog, and dog which sounds like duck, moo, walk which sounds like wok, all done (TWO WORDS!) which sounded like all done, more, bye-bye, hi, and as always, dada.<br />
- The dada love continues. She calls her sister dada and still calls me dada. We even make the mmmmmmm sound. I say mmmmmmm and she does too and then I say mama and she says, "DADA!" and laughs hysterically.<br />
- The husband sprains his finger and gave her his hand to hold. She grabbed on tight, he yelped in pain, she laughed, and grabbed harder.<br />
- She loves to use her sister's keyboard and sing into the microphone. It usually includes a lot of baybee and aaaaahhhh sounds.<br />
<br />
May 21, 2012<br />
- We have MAMA! Finally, she has realized that I am mama, not dada. Music to my ears.<br />
- She's a little mimic. If her sister does it, she must do it too. Funny, yet can be dangerous.<br />
- Swinging still freaks her out for some reason. We've tried any number of times to swing her at home, at the park, and at the neighbor's. No luck. She just cries and wants out.<br />
- I'm not going to be able to document the words as much from here on out. They are coming out of her mouth fast and furious. She picks random words that we've said to attempt to repeat them back. She'll be non-stop words, if she can get her sister to stop talking for a few minutes.<br />
- She refused several go-to foods this weekend while her beloved dada was gone biking some ridiculous distance. We went out to eat the next day and she continued to refuse anything I tried to give her but she ate like a champ when dada fed it to her. She's got him trained so well.<br />
<br />
***Just over a month and a half to go before I publish this post. My baby is growing up so fast.<br />
<br />
May 24, 2012<br />
- Last night the No's were overwhelming in their magnitude and volume. Nothing was right.<br />
- I wish I had gotten the sheer number of No's on video, but instead I got a hilarious video of her putting a grape in her mouth, letting it plop out onto the table, scooping it back into her mouth and repeating. Her sister was giggling like a hyena the entire time. I also captured "the look" which made me happy.<br />
- She refused to eat anything except cheese (which thank goodness she seems to be handling just fine so we are no longer lactose free!) until dada came home and held her on his lap and fed her the same food she refused to eat for me. Stinking toddlers. She definitely knows how to play us. I was prepared to just let her be hungry and suffer the early morning hungry's.<br />
<br />
May 29, 2012<br />
- We went to the Memorial Day parade and she didn't care for it much at first. The husband had to take her away when the Shriners showed up in their old fire truck and their little 4-wheelers. It was just too much noise. She didn't care for the drums in the marching band either. They came back and she sat on my lap for a bit and started to clap and dance when a group would go by with music playing on a radio or something. She really got into after that even when the real fire trucks showed up, she was fine.<br />
- She's been eating cheese, ice cream, and drinking regular milk with no signs of that horrible diaper rash. I think we might finally be in the clear. No more lactose intolerance!<br />
- The word explosion has been crazy. She repeats the last word we say every single time. She has little imaginary conversations in her babble talk version in an attempt to sound like us.<br />
- She loves strawberries, pineapple, bananas, mandarin oranges, apples (no skin), and nectarines (no skin). She does not like blueberries. She's a smart baby.<br />
<br />
June 4, 2012<br />
- I can't believe how grown up my baby is becoming.<br />
- She tells me when she's got a dirty diaper by pointing to her butt and saying, "Poopy. Diaper." That's two words used together.<br />
- She also said, "Up, Mama" at my parent's house. Another two words, put together, making a sentence. *sigh* yet so proud.<br />
- She's getting into helping with chores now. She discovered the little dog vacuum that I had purchased for her sister so long ago. She liked it, but when I put the batteries in so the canister stuff would spin around, the ears would flap, and it would make dog noises like barking and whining, she was in love and didn't want to stop vacuuming. She did help her sister scrub the entry hall and I captured that bit of child labor on camera.<br />
- We are officially back to full on lactose eating! No more diaper rash from eating anything containing lactose and she is so much happier now. That girl missed cheese, ice cream, and goldfish.<br />
<br />
June 7, 2012<br />
- She amazes me more and more everyday with what she comprehends and processes. She loves to repeat words back at us and wants to know what everything is called.<br />
- I remember with my first daughter I would have a running dialogue of what we were seeing and doing anywhere we went. I haven't done that with my second daughter and I feel bad. It's not all my fault though, the first one does tend to take over the conversation.<br />
- She transitions to the official toddler room tomorrow. I don't know if it is a second child vs. first child thing, but she seems much too little and young to be moving already. My baby.<br />
- If you tell her that you love her, she leans in, and gives you a little head hug and smoochy kiss noise.<br />
- I broke out a Baby MacDonald DVD yesterday and she loved it when Old MacDonald started playing. She would sing Ee-Ii-Ee-Ii-Ee-Ii-Ee-Ii-Oooo through the whole thing. I need to sing more songs with her.<br />
- A little over a month to publish this and see just how much everything has changed in a year.<br />
<br />
June 18, 2012<br />
- If you tell her "I love you." she leans her head on you for her version of a hug.<br />
- She's getting particular about eating. She can feed herself, but sometimes will refuse to do so. Most of the time she doesn't want me to feed her and it has to be daddy. On Father's Day daddy was out with his dad and I wasn't good enough and she wouldn't feed herself again. Her big sister stepped up and fed her the entire meal. What a trooper my 4.5 year old has turned out to be.<br />
- We now have to buy a kiddie pool after seeing her fall in love with one at a birthday party this weekend. Swimming lessons start on Saturday and I have zero worries about whether they go well.<br />
<br />
June 28, 2012<br />
- Oh, the toddler tantrums. She was so mad about having to go to bed this past weekend that she stalked away from me, banged her head on her door, almost did it again and remembered that it hurt the first time, turned around, threw her sippy cup on the floor, and then threw herself prostrate on the floor and cried. This all lasted about 25 seconds when she stood up again and I asked if she wanted to read a book now. She nodded and climbed into my lap.<br />
- Swim class was a success. She loves the water even though she was s bit hesitant at first, she warmed right up until I dared to dunk her under the water. No crying though, just a boo-boo face with a bottom lip stuck out and a definite, "NO" on doing that again.<br />
- She loves repeating the last word we say which could be very bad so now we have to watch our language in front of her sister and her.<br />
<br />
July 5, 2012<br />
- We spent some time outside in the shade because it was HOT yesterday. It was the 4th of July and it is required of all Americans to cook meat on an open flame, outside, while imbibing. Anyway, I'm pretty sure she asked no less than 8,381 times what <u>that </u>and <b>that</b> was. <u>That</u> was an umbrella and <b>that</b> was a pop-up tent. She did try to say umbrella which was hysterical hearing and seeing her try to form that word.<br />
- We promised the daughter that we would take her swimming in the neighbor's pool which we were headed out to do on Tuesday afternoon when the baby woke up from her nap and saw her sister putting on her swimsuit or as she calls it, her soom-soot. She was so sad in her tone of voice begging and pleading for her soom-soot so she could come too. Of course she got to swim with us and loved every single second despite her blue, quivery lip when the wind started blowing.<br />
<br />
July 9, 2012<br />
- There was so much noise in my car this weekend, but at least it was joyful. At one point, the daughter was singing "Hakuna Matata" at the top of her lungs with her slightly off lyrics and the baby was "singing" right along with her at the top of her lungs. I tried to record the singing, but the daughter stopped singing and asked who was on the phone since I was holding my phone out with the voice recorder on. Busted.<br />
- The neighbors gave us some small outside riding toys and one was spotted this weekend coming in through the attached garage. The only way I was able to get her off the thing was to bribe her with fruit snacks.<br />
- We swam every day this past weekend and it is still the favorite pastime for both girls. The baby (I still call her the baby, and probably will forever) gets a huge kick out of pushing off the steps and gliding quickly through the water while I hold her hands.<br />
- She surprised me this morning by asking to nurse when she hadn't asked for the past 3 mornings. We're still going strong in the evenings and not missing a single one unless her dada puts her to bed.<br />
- Daycare drop-off was super easy today because breakfast was being set out when we got there. She plunked right down in a chair and let me put all her stuff (blanket, snack cup, My Little Pony) in the chair next to her without complaint.<br />
- Current favorite foods - yogurt, ice cream, mac n cheese, fruit snacks, and crackers.<br />
- Current favorite songs - Old McDonald, Happy and You Know It, and Itsy-Bitsy Spider.<br />
- Current favorite toys - play foods and dishes because she likes to feed us, Magnadoodle, and books, books, books.<br />
<br />
July 11, 2012<br />
- The daughter went to the neighbor's to swim for a little bit last night, the husband took the baby downstairs while I got the daughter ready and out the door. I got back from dropping her off and the husband and baby came upstairs. She immediately knew. We hadn't said anything and she hadn't seen anything. She ran to the back door, crying, and saying her sister's name, outside, and pool. We were shocked. She KNEW.<br />
- She loves to get her own things when we mention them. Her shoes, her socks, her blanket, her toys, her cup, etc. Accompanying these actions are the non-stop narration of shoes, shoes, shoes or socks, socks, socks or blankie, blankie, blankie, or cup, cup, cup.<br />
- It is so sweet when she sits next to her sister in the recliner to watch Sesame Street or one of the Baby Einstein DVDs. That is, until they start pushing and annoying each other.<br />
<br />
July 15, 2012<br />
- She spent about 10 minutes in the car telling her big sister, "No" and "Quiet" just because her daddy had said that at one point. I'd never heard her say quiet and it was perfectly clear.<br />
- We're going to the zoo today and I can't wait to hear all the animal noises, see all the pointing at things, and to hear the protestations of "No!" when we ask if she wants to ride on the carousel.<br />
<br />
Well, that is a year of observations, stories and growth. On to post this extremely long entry. My baby isn't so much a baby any more with all the walking, talking, opinions, and ideas. I'm looking forward to even more of the same, but am bittersweet about everything that has passed already. I'm going to miss that little baby.<br />Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-39521528904523047862012-05-16T07:32:00.001-05:002012-05-16T07:57:07.933-05:00Sadness and lightMy <a href="http://www.jennepper.com">friend's</a> little girl lost her battle this past weekend. She was almost 17 months old and spent her entire life in the hospital. She was the miracle baby after her twin sister was born still.<br><br>
Every time we saw one of her photos or videos go up on Facebook my smallest would squeal and yell, "BayBee!" over and over again. She loved her just as much as everyone else that ever saw her or got the pleasure of meeting her. We are spreading sunshine and bubbles all over today and taking a moment of internet silence from 5pm to 8pm Eastern today during the calling hours. Please join me in spreading the message.<br><br>
You can email knepperfamilydonations@gmail.com or even send a PayPal donation to them to contribute.<br><br>
Thank you!<br><br>
<div "text-align: center;"><b>Bubbles for Ainsley</b></div><br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWV30ety2hOx3U4E-ZmdWY3wxjN_qksp6oFDA3tf-z7f82_bw6BcmgYJc1J8rsz3S4s-A4bmT9-S7P1YshNNLprlX0nBSeTs2AmmAPgaqVV53itMdNWaMKVqz0F8kXZOZVbbB/s1600/ainsleybubbles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWV30ety2hOx3U4E-ZmdWY3wxjN_qksp6oFDA3tf-z7f82_bw6BcmgYJc1J8rsz3S4s-A4bmT9-S7P1YshNNLprlX0nBSeTs2AmmAPgaqVV53itMdNWaMKVqz0F8kXZOZVbbB/s320/ainsleybubbles.jpg" /></a></div>Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-40518152107038704182012-03-29T13:12:00.004-05:002012-03-29T13:43:08.166-05:00The Vacation 2012We are home from our first full family vacation that did not involve a bike race before, during, or after. It also did not involve me being pregnant and uncomfortable the whole time either. We went to Florida and had a blast. Here are some highlights that I want to remember in bullet form, of course.<br /><br />- Driving down overnight was a bust. The daughter was up talking to us quite often during the night and that just resulted in not only the driver, the husband, being exhausted, but myself and the daughter as well. At least the baby slept most of the time.<br />- We could have easily spent the entire week at the resort and been happy, but I'm glad we didn't because there is entirely too much to do elsewhere as well.<br /><br />- Disney was hands-down the best day of the week. The daughter was ecstatic. Snow White was our first princess encounter and she had a very intense discussion with her about the witch and the poisonous apple and the hazards of taking food from strangers. So sweet!<br />- She got all dolled up with her hair up, make-up and nails done, and her Cinderella dress (favorite princess) on for lunch with the princesses in the castle.<br />- She freaked out a bit when we walked in and saw Cinderella in the flesh, but she got over it quick and gave her a big hug and told her about Snow White needing to stay away from the witch and not eat the apple. This became a theme with all the princesses she saw that day including Belle, Jasmine, Tiana, and Ariel.<br />- We rode the magic carpet ride at least 4 times that day and drove the race cars in Tomorrowland at least 6 times.<br />- We rode the Buzz Lightyear ride which she did not like at all, but she did enjoy meeting Buzz right outside to get her picture with him.<br />- The first time on the People Mover was scary, the second time fun, and the third time was so exciting she was telling everyone on the tram that the dark park was coming up and that she would keep everyone safe with her Minnie Mouse that has a skirt that spins and lights up.<br />- We got to ride the new Dumbo, but missed out on Goofy's Barnstormer because the line was too long for us to make it back for one of our FastPass times.<br />- We met Tiana and Naveen, but the daughter freaked out bad and actually tried to run away at one point. We realized later while talking to Naveen that he was the reason and it happens to him quite often. As soon as he stepped away she was fine with Tiana and we got a great picture with her.<br />- The It's A Small World ride was a huge hit and the last one we rode on before the parade and fireworks.<br />- The husband and the daughter both told me her picture was on the castle at the end of the night before the fireworks. I was looking at the wrong side of the castle and missed it.<br />- We did have to bribe her at the end of the evening by saying we would get her one of the fancy umbrella/parasols for sale in Liberty Square if she could behave the rest of the night, but then we forgot until she reminded us as we were leaving the park in the herd of people, while being carried by the husband. There was no way to go back. She hasn't said anything since, but my mommy guilt has kicked in something terrible and I have had no luck trying to find someplace that makes a similar umbrella.<br />- There are so many rides and things to do that we missed out on, but I have to keep reminding myself that we can go back. We'll wait until the baby is a bit older and the daughter as well. I'm already way too excited for when that day comes.<br /><br />- The husband and I went to Sea World by ourselves for 4 hours one day and I got to renew my love of rollercoasters by riding The Manta and The Kraken. They were great rides and made me miss Cedar Point so much. We have to start going there again soon.<br />- My party pooper husband wouldn't ride the water ride with me though. Boo!<br />- We took the daughter back 2 days later and saw the Shamu show and the daughter LOVED it because the whales splash. We saw the dolphin and whale show as well and that was really cool with birds, acrobatics, divers, and more.<br />- We saw the Shamu show again because the daughter loved it so much and I tried to get her to sit in the splash zone, but she refused. Wimp.<br />- She also liked the dolphin nursery as much as I did. We got to see the smallest baby dolphin playing with a fish right in front of us for a few minutes. So cute!<br /><br />- The husband and I also went to Wet & Wild by ourselves on our last full day and it was so fun. The husband had never been to a water park and he really enjoyed himself. We rode Brain Wash three times and he rode the Bomb Bay Drop two times. You could not pay me enough to go on that one, ever.<br />- The husband injured his neck on the LAZY RIVER. Let me repeat that, he INJURED his NECK on the LAZY RIVER. Only my husband.<br />- I scraped the top of my foot pretty good in the wave pool. I was treading water in the deep part and didn't realize the waves had pushed me back into such shallow water. Ouch.<br />- So, in conclusion, we injure ourselves on the baby rides...<br /><br />- The drive back included an overnight stay in Mooresville, NC at a Wingate with the most comfortable hotel bed I have ever slept in my entire life. It was like sleeping on a cloud. We will be stopping there again, for sure.<br /><br />I want to go back now and do it all over again. It really is the happiest place on earth.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-36549029622147697312012-01-12T09:21:00.003-05:002012-01-12T09:21:47.273-05:00Oh.My.GahI just wrote a post about soup. Me=loser/dork with no life.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-43345144648112919192012-01-11T12:15:00.006-05:002012-01-11T12:37:09.418-05:00Soup is nutsI love soup, all kinds of soup, except for soup with onions in it. That's like putting poison in the well when Timmy is stuck down there. Anyway, I love soup. My favorites are the Steak and Potato soup from Campbell's Chunky land and the Traditional Chicken Noodle also from Campbell's Chunky land. I had a coupon and there was a sale (who isn't a sucker for a sale WITH a coupon?) and bought Progresso soups of the same ilk as Campbell's like Rich & Hearty - Steak & Roasted Russet Potatoes. Sounds good, right? You would be wrong and so was I. Sadly, I bought 4 cans of both steak and chicken and now I have to eat them all because a waster of food and money, I am not. Let's compare shall we?<br /><br />Campbell's Steak and Potato<br />- Lovely, thick, savory, beef broth based soup that is perfect for bread dipping.<br />- Nice, big chunks of tender steak.<br />- Lovely potato cubes without that annoying skin.<br />- Hidden surprise mushroom pleasantness.<br /><br />Progresso Steak & Roasted Russet Potato<br />- Thin, watery, bland tasting broth consistency soup that is definitely not compatible with my bread dipping.<br />- Itty-bitty, mouse bite sized, bits of dry steak. Seeing as steak is the first item listed in the name of the soup you would think to find plenty of it in the soup. Hahaha! Fooled you!<br />- Potato cubes with SKIN on them.<br />- Carrots. Okay, carrots are fine, but not nearly as pleasant as the surprise mushrooms.<br /><br />Tomorrow we'll see how the Progresso Traditional Hearty Chicken & Rotini stacks up against the Campbell's Traditional Classic Chicken Noodle. I have my crackers ready for the crunching in the soup and it better not disappoint.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-48491885710936475332012-01-02T13:48:00.002-05:002012-01-02T14:25:05.201-05:00Bucket ListI look at <a href="http://pinterest.com">Pinterest</a> once in a while.<br /><br />OK, maybe more than once in a while, but that's neither here, nor there. I keep seeing these pictures with big white words over them with some kind of bucket list type item. Some are cute, some are ridiculous, some are crazy, and some I've done already.<br /><br />The genius, overachiever in me is tempted to pin all the ones I've done and put them in a board called, "Ha! Did it!" just to prove I'm all worldly and have made my life so fulfilling thus far. Then, I really started thinking about the ones I've done like, "Let my hair get really long", "Own the dog I've always wanted", "Be as white as Deeta Von Teese", "Order dessert first at a restaurant" when I realized something.<br /><br />1. "Let my hair get really long" = I'm too cheap to pay for a haircut for 3 years. DONE!<br />2. "Own the dog I've always wanted" = Make a stupid bet with your husband that the pet store would never have a saint bernard puppy. If they do we'll get one even though we already have two semi large dogs in our small house with barely any yard. They'll never have one. Yeah, right. Her name was Becka and she liked to eat the drapes. DONE!<br />3. "Be as white as Deeta Von Teese" = hide in your home office playing video games and only go outside long enough to get in your car and go to work in the room with no windows. Repeat this for 4 years. DONE!<br />4. "Order dessert first at a restaurant" = doesn't everyone do this already? DONE! every time we go out to eat.<br /><br />So, I decided to skip on creating that particular Pinterest board. I'll stick with pinning crafts I'll never have time to make and inspiration ideas for the kitchen and bathroom remodels that may or may not happen in 10-15 years.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-64434225934372914852011-12-22T22:54:00.004-05:002011-12-22T23:11:00.059-05:00ChristmasHere is the ultimate in Santa excitement caught on camera.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxvjI7F79JeTPoLG5_Z5mSxW0EG6mVIHZGi5D3TTRz84tGQGSLm-e3CRgFDGrAmSFU2sjWMMOVveV8Pa6wmTgI8Qai55FWrFAkSwaEMBY-5WlGCzk90yNXkrR9XKebILtKmS9/s1600/DSC_5488.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxvjI7F79JeTPoLG5_Z5mSxW0EG6mVIHZGi5D3TTRz84tGQGSLm-e3CRgFDGrAmSFU2sjWMMOVveV8Pa6wmTgI8Qai55FWrFAkSwaEMBY-5WlGCzk90yNXkrR9XKebILtKmS9/s320/DSC_5488.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689171065024323970" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tXH_v3N7TarYRWDjbY8645hnCLCYD-KEEkiTseLNHavfUxb8qs2urQo1Iw6Ua_CmKVSZOVNYUJt8Vj0Jajqcz9Yr_B-KlgEFlWivsX84cEE4b21QxWVlkzCy9xk0yYurkqve/s1600/DSC_5489.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tXH_v3N7TarYRWDjbY8645hnCLCYD-KEEkiTseLNHavfUxb8qs2urQo1Iw6Ua_CmKVSZOVNYUJt8Vj0Jajqcz9Yr_B-KlgEFlWivsX84cEE4b21QxWVlkzCy9xk0yYurkqve/s320/DSC_5489.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689171069535056914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqTB9fAmykE3vsCzFBWrMN1zieV0s1k1NsZF7DBiJCByoh-In9nLNIii8-FfJbK_vws1oLHsy0mbaWQmWD9mr53Nigj0lvmCO0L3rCOQGXAD3FQ7vFc2930glvqwUiCxjmObf/s1600/DSC_5490.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqTB9fAmykE3vsCzFBWrMN1zieV0s1k1NsZF7DBiJCByoh-In9nLNIii8-FfJbK_vws1oLHsy0mbaWQmWD9mr53Nigj0lvmCO0L3rCOQGXAD3FQ7vFc2930glvqwUiCxjmObf/s320/DSC_5490.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5689171076309165186" /></a><br /><br />The cookies may have had something to do with it too.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-86887102038556352882011-12-16T14:43:00.003-05:002011-12-16T15:03:25.400-05:00Random "My Blog Looks Lonely" MomentsI danced like a fool with flailing arms, kicking legs, and head shaking in my kitchen to Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" when I was taking a break from studying for my final exam. It was a sight to see and I'm glad no one else was around to see that sight.<br /><br />I've been busy writing a year long blog post about my second daughter and I keep thinking I must be close to a year each time I update it, but I've only been writing it for 4 months. She's been in my life forever.<br /><br />2 weeks of blissful vacation until January 2nd coming to me, my precious. Thank you.<br /><br />The family Christmas party is Saturday. We're continuing the tradition I grew up with where all the families buy gifts for the children. This was always one of my favorite memories growing up and I'm so glad we're making these memories for my children and their cousins. The only downside is that it is no longer on Christmas Eve because of scheduling conflicts.<br /><br />If a certain family member continues to spell a verb with the present participle -ing as EN, I might snap. It's workING, not workEN. It's nappING, not napEN (yes, with one P). There is no way that this person graduated from the same high school as me.<br /><br />How am I supposed to concentrate on work when I start a 2 week holiday vacation in 1.5 hours? Better get back to it.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-51965517889792810332011-10-15T21:55:00.002-05:002011-10-15T22:00:31.826-05:00I'm an old fartAlternate title - I have become my mom and dad<br /><br />I don't understand the kids music these days. The husband and I are sitting in our kitchen listening to Pandora radio, best thing evah, and I had put on the station for the current hits and found myself getting up every other song to tell it I didn't like the song so it would "never, ever, and amen", play that song again. The husband finally, called it and told me to just find a better current hits station. We're old. I ended up on the adult contemporary hits station. It's awesome. We've heard Adele, Daughtry, Maroon 5, Evanescence, to name just a few.<br /><br />Those damn whipper-snappers and their loud, auto-tuned, obnoxious music. We don't get it anymore. We are old.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-74530199587806659452011-08-01T09:30:00.003-05:002011-08-01T10:55:36.404-05:00Stuff and NonsenseSo, I had a dream this morning about jujubes and a solar eclipse. I remember this dream because it was very rudely interrupted by a tapping on my shoulder and a little voice saying, "Mommy, I'm wet." Thankfully, the husband took care of it until the baby woke up due to the crying and general woefullness eminating from the daughter's room.<br /><br />I had another short anecdote to share, but while writing the 3 sentences above I have forgotten what it was. Thinking...<br /><br />Still thinking...<br /><br />Not coming to me...<br /><br />...<br /><br />Oh! I remember.<br /><br />I'm sitting in my living room yesterday watching the daughter and husband play with play-doh when I look at my fireplace mantel. I admire the lovely framed family photos and the cool looking pottery vase (wedding gift), take note of the temperature outside on our digital clock/thermometer thingy and notice the winter themed candle/candle holder.<br /><br />Hold up!<br /><br />It's almost August. I still have a clear blue vase with etched snowflakes holding wax snow with a snowball candle sitting in the middle on my fireplace mantel. Yeah. Oops.<br /><br />End scene.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-89325263505297278682011-07-28T13:07:00.002-05:002011-07-28T13:09:26.145-05:00Birthdays can be fun again!<span style="font-style:italic;">Originally written in January of 2011, but apparently never published...</span><br /><br />That is as long as it isn't an adult's birthday. I don't know when birthdays stopped being fun. I'm thinking sometime in the mid-20's when people stopped noticing it's arrival and passing or when we started blowing it off as just another day. We'd get a card from the parents, flowers and/or a lovely gift from the significant other, and a phone call from a few friends. No big to-do or exclamations of "Look how much you've grown!" or "When did you get so tall?" or "Who's a big girl now? Whooooo?".<br /><br />This year is different though, because it's not my birthday. It is The Daughter's birthday. She's three years old. Her cake was picked out this weekend which was thankfully toned down from her original cake request.<br /><br />Me: What kind of cake do you want for your birthday this year?<br />TD: I want chocolate.<br />Me: Ok, easy enough. What kind of decoration do you want on your cake?<br />TD: I want Cinderella, Tiana, Lightning MsQueen (that's how she pronounces it), Sleeping Beauty, Buzz Lightyear, Mater, Sully, Belle, Darth Vader, Beast, Woody, Snow White, Shrek...<br />Me: Uuuuhhhhhh...<br /><br />Anyway, she picked the Buzz Lightyear/Woody cake from the catalog at the grocery store so we will actually be able to fit Happy Birthday on it between the plastic flotsam.<br /><br />I tried to talk to her about presents for her birthday and she poo-poo'd me and stated that Santa already brought her presents and that they are on her shelves in the playroom. What kid refuses gifts? Mine apparently. I'm sure she'll change her mind when she starts opening them in front of the grandparents after imbibing an unhealthy amount of chocolate Buzz and Woody cake along with the chocolate ice cream.<br /><br />At least I'm excited! More excited than she is, I think. It just feels good to be anticipating a birthday again. They should be fun and not just a way to mark time passing us by.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Follow-up: It was a fun birthday that we celebrated 5 days after the original date due to illness. The birthday girl got pretty sick and purged her birthday cupcakes at daycare the day of her party. She was better by the time we rescheduled and had a great day.</span>Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-67487376337007496452011-04-27T10:55:00.005-05:002011-04-27T11:10:19.658-05:00The RidiculousI'm pumping away in the bathroom at work minding my own business (gotta make the milk for the baybay), checking Facebook on my phone, switching to reading "Two Kisses for Maddy" when through my tears (sad, sad, sad book) I see movement on the floor. There is a bug. A really, big bug. The biggest motherfucking bug known to me and it has lots of legs, is big, scary and a bug.<br /><br /><em>*I would have inserted a photo of said bug, but you can look up house centipede on your own computer. I won't have it on mine. Just remember this was no ordinary house centipede, this was all the house centipedes' great-great-great grand-daddy and it was MAD.*</em><br /><br />I freak out. It starts coming towards me. Slowly, like it's stalking me for its next meal. I jump up, but can't get very far. I'm tethered to my pump. By my nipples. I freak some more. I try to stomp on the ground to deter its progress. The bug gets closer so I jump up on a chair like some crazy housewife who just saw a mouse in her kitchen, but without the screeching in horror.* Of course the sane part of my brain says, "You know those things can climb walls. You don't think some chair leg is going to stop it, do you?"<br /><br />Shut up, sane brain-part.<br /><br />So, I do what any insane person would do. I blow at it like I'm trying to put out a birthday candle on its back. The bathroom cleaning gods must have liked me that day because I dislodged a bit of fuzz from some corner of the bathroom with my superpower breath and that fuzz caught the attention of the me-eating bug and it went the other way and eventually disappeared under the door. I pumped standing on a chair for 5 minutes while avoiding a mammoth, icky-icky bug.<br /><br />Yes, I checked the walls, floor and door before I walked out of the bathroom to make sure he wasn't just waiting out there to ambush me.<br /><br />I hate bugs and yes, I know I'm ridiculous.<br /><br /><br />*I show my fear by running away or going all "deer in the headlights" in total silence.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-75069300530961841482011-02-10T11:59:00.002-05:002011-02-10T12:00:02.045-05:00Fortune for the day<strong><em>Do not give up, the beginning is always the hardest.</em></strong><br /><br />I needed this. Thank you fortune cookie fairy.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-70616196947963285692011-01-06T10:51:00.002-05:002011-01-06T11:03:14.888-05:00Last post on September 19th, huh?Well now, who's a slacker? That's right, me!<br /><br />I just had something I needed to get off my mind that no one else in the world would care one whit to know about. Then I remembered I had a blog where I could put this little tidbit.<br /><br />I have decided that all stores are out to screw the parent. They strategically place the toy section where my child will see it because she needs to be with me to try on the shoes or select which one of the 4 shirts from the clearance rack I have deemed suitable that she prefers.* I am going to start a petition that all stores must house the toys in a separate section over by the pots and pans. The section where no child wants to go. In addition, there must be 10 foot walls around this section that are impenetrable by any type of toddler/elementary age child's strength and will. This walled toy compound can only be accessed by a single door. This will be no ordinary door. This door will be so heavy and impossible to open that only the strongest of parents will be open to pry it from the frame in order to enter the toy mecca.<br /><br />Please sign my petition and help parents everywhere get out of the store without their child insisting on checking every toy on every shelf in every aisle when all we wanted was to get a pair of shoes since she left her only pair of shoes at daycare and snow boots look a little odd and can be very sweaty when it is almost 60 degrees outside. No one likes stinky feet in the house. Phew.<br /><br /><br />* Woe be to the mother that does not let the three year old** choose her own shirt. It will be hatefully dismissed as not suitable for wearing by even the dog.<br /><br />**Did I say three year old? Only in body. Fifteen year old in spirit.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-28493587084428482452010-09-19T21:27:00.001-05:002010-09-19T21:29:17.575-05:00Birth Story - The 21 hour marathonFor some reason a lot of this 21 hour marathon was hazy and dark in my mind. I also had completely blanked out/forgotten a lot of it until the husband reminded me.<br />We went into the hospital at 5:00pm and checked into L&D. They took me over to an outpatient area to start induction.<br /><br /><strong>Plan A</strong><br />My first Cytotech was placed at about 6:10 with plans for a second dose in 4 hours and then another dose 4 hours after that. I was allowed a delicious meal of jello, apple juice, chicken broth, tea, some cranberry crap juice and an Italian ice. Yum. I was also offered Ambien (gratefully accepted) to sleep through the Cytotech night ahead of me. At one point during the night I got up to use the bathroom, peed and flushed the toilet. I was turning to wash my hands in the sink when I saw the water rising up in the toilet out of the corner of my eye. I don’t think my 39 week 6 day body had moved that fast in a while, but I scooted my big butt out of that bathroom pronto. They came out and fixed it and offered a different room, but I just wanted to go back to sleep. I got dose #2 of Cytotech and they checked my cervix and there was no change in dilation – still at the 1.5cm I showed up with at 5pm. They came back 4 hours later and still no change so dose #3 wasn’t going to happen.<br /><br /><strong>Plan B</strong><br />Instead they put in the Foley balloon in to dilate me. Ham Hands Helen (nurse or doctor…not sure) tried to insert it, but she couldn’t reach far enough…OMG, that hurt!! She fumbled around for probably 10 minutes. The husband was about to tell her to get someone more competent to insert it because I was in some serious pain, but before he could open his mouth she decided to get someone else. The poor guy they brought in as pinch hitter had been sleeping, but was able to insert it in about 2 minutes. Frankly, Helen, I don’t give a damn, but you are not touching me again because my husband will knock your block off. My OB had prescribed 30cc to dilate me and I distinctly heard (although it was fuzzy with Ambien still swirling around) the resident doctor insist on using 60cc…the nurse argued because those were not my doctor’s orders so they compromised with 50cc. My OB was not happy to hear that they changed his orders (I’m sure someone got an earful). Anyway, they also gave me a lovely drug that starts with a D (can’t recall the exact name) because morphine wasn’t available. I was pretty out of it at this point and I blame that D drug for the hazy dark memories I have. The Foley got me to 4cm, but I still was not contracting at all on my own.<br /><br /><strong>Plan C</strong><br />So, Pitocin was administered. This time they started me low on the dose so I was able to labor fairly comfortably on my own for about 2 hours before they had to turn it up a bit since my contractions weren’t consistently strong enough to move me along. I asked for an epidural when I heard that they were turning it up. Pitocin sucks ass. I got comfy in bed and from there just waited it out to get to 10cm so I could push.<br /><br /><strong>The End</strong><br />So, at some point around 1:30pm we decided I could start pushing. They prepped everything in the room and got some volunteers in to help hold my legs (dead wood by now but at least they turned the epidural down when I asked so I could get feeling back a bit sooner so I had to endure one less catheter than I needed than with the daughter) and cheer me on. I started pushing a little bit after 2pm. I don’t remember the exact time, but I know that the little hand and big hand were close together near the 2. The interesting thing is that I wasn’t feeling contractions, the monitor wasn’t registering contractions and none of the nurses and doctors could tell when I was contracting. So, we all went by best guess and belly poking to see if it was hard. This was actually pretty funny to all of us so we were laughing the entire time about it. Either way, 45ish minutes later out popped the second daughter in all her glorious perfection. They placed her on my stomach and I fell in complete and total love for the 3rd time in my life and instantly all the complaining, whining, worrying, and crying during pregnancy meant nothing. It was worth every single second.<br /><br />She arrived 8 pounds 9 ounces, 20.75 inches with a beautiful head of dark hair, perfect skin and the most beautiful blue eyes.<br /><br /><br />Thank you to my MP3 player with kick-ass songs loaded on it so I could make it through Plans A, B & C without losing my ever-loving mind. Huge thanks to the husband for being willing to be my strong protector with Ham Hands Helen and crying when he saw his second daughter.Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34293063.post-32782991159499165802010-09-13T09:34:00.003-05:002010-09-13T09:37:58.807-05:00More mood musicI forgot these two extremely important songs.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I&ob=av2n">Israel Kamakawiwo'ole</a><br />Sorry, there is no embedding code for this one.<br /><br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JWiwuiT58Yc?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JWiwuiT58Yc?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Annegirrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14906154435189691638noreply@blogger.com0