Yes we have a Halloween Post!

We can't skip blogging on Anna's second Halloween. Last year she was about 7 months old. She wore a heavy chicken costume. She was carried house to house and people actually gave her candy. She was insistent on her 6:30 bedtime, which we dared to push a little till around 7pm before she started getting cranky. We went with C/M/O (TJ was in school), L/A/A, and my mom.

This year, Anna was a cheerleader. The weather was most perfect, probably in the low 70's and dry. We were joined by TJ/M/O/B, L/A/A, my mom, and her husband R. Aunt S stayed behind at our place to hand out candy. This year we got to watch Anna join in the fun with the older kids (princesses and pirate). She ran to keep up and we encouraged it. She ate rice krispy treats as she went house to house. She said "thank you" sometimes and I think I heard "Trick or treat" once. She got a kick out of one woman's cat inside her house. I think she thought it must be weird to go door to door to people's homes and get candy while people told her how cute she was. We loved to watch her do this whole thing. We were with friends and family and it was pretty perfect. She kept up till around 7:30 when we all decided to head to my house for dinner, where we were joined by L, CM, and Z.

Everyone brought food and we ate and had good conversations with lots of catching up to do while Ghost Hunters Live played on the TV (as is such every year). Anna played with the other kids and I realized how wonderfully busy it kept her. She was having fun. Around 9pm, she went to bed, and I dug through her candy :) Folks stayed till around 11PM.

We skipped the dinner at my place last year just because it all snuck up on me. Friends had moved away, Anna had a sleep schedule, and I was still a new parent longing for sleep. It was great to have folks back again this year, though a smaller group. We missed the others, but it was still fun as usual. One amazing change is in the kids. A, O and M are so grown up and Anna is not far behind. I remember when O and M were Anna's age. Crazy. It's happening before my eyes.

Before she went Trick or Treating, TJ/O/M and Anna and Paul and I headed over to one of Paul's friends' who owns a car dealership. The place was all decked out and had a few games and candy for the kids. It was actually really cool. The kids had fun and the employees took pride in their spooky work. Anna bobbed for apples:

Halloween bonus: With all the kiddos at our house playing on Halloween night, they dove into Anna's Leggo wagon. Paul glanced over and saw something shiny and familiar in one of their hands. There was the nice Timex watch I had bought myself back in May because I needed a nice watch to wear with my nice clothes. I knew Anna-bear had run off with it and placed it somewhere, but I figured searching would be pointless. Turns out I was right on both accounts! I got my watch back, though! Thanks SpaceDaddy and fun kiddos!

Now, has anyone seen the Indiana Jones' clothes? We have a naked Jones and it's not pretty.

...And yes, we have teething

I spotted a definite canine eruption this morning on her top right. Not nearly where we expected to find the first pop up, but there it was, staring at me as I was tickling her upside down at drop off this morning.

No swelling, ro redness. Just more drool the past 2 days.

No notice. And that's how it goes.

She melts my heart

First thing this morning as she's getting dressed, she picks up the Snow White book and counts the dwarfs: "ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! FIVE! SIX!" OK she missed #7 but baby can COUNT. As clear as DAY. Wow. She did it again when I asked her to. And then again. Beautiful, happy sounds to my ears...

Dressed her in the halloween (not scary, remember) outfit her Nana sent her. Beautiful, cute.

Peaceful breakfast. She actually let me get dressed while she ate. I haven't been able to leave the room without her screaming for me the last two weeks (ear infection). Silence, peace, happy eater.

"Rocket ship!" she said, pointing at my space shuttle bubble bath (don't judge me). YES, BABY!!!! THAT'S A ROCKET SHIP!!! WONDERFUL! WAY TO GO! Where'd you learn that? I mean, we've probably said it a handful of times. Did you remember? Or were you born knowing what that was because of mommy's love for it?

On the way out the door, Anna on my hip: Anna, can you say I love you mama?
"I LOVE YOU MAMA!!" Clear as day. Clear, and perfect. Perfect, perfect.

She's said "I love you" alot, and she's said "mama/mommy". But never all together. This was directed at me. With a big silly warm smile on her face, all cuddly-like. This was the sweetest, most heart-melting sound I have heard in the past 19 months.

A content and happy morning.

Geeeeko!

A gecko snuck into my house as I opened the door to bring in a package on the way to put Anna night-night. Squealing and giggling on my hip, Anna delighted in this but I did not. I HATE geckos.

They move really fast and weird and it's like they have zero brains. Like little ADHD lizards. Those green standard lizards I can deal with. At least it seems they are thinking before they move.

Geeeeeko!Geeeeko! OK, Paul was not home. I had to do something. I couldn't very well leave this thing to squirm around in my house till he got home. I am the mama.

I bravely tried to catch it. Anna on my hip, giggling, squealing, GEEEEEKO!

I caught it! There it is in my hand, Anna do you want a good look? Oh look the tail is gone. Oops. That's means it's around here somewhere. Don't look...

...just throw the gecko outside. Say bye-bye. Bye-bye gecko. Then, as I turned to go back inside, there was the tail, ofcourse it's flip-flop squirming all around now without a body. Wonderful. It's at the foot of my stairs. Just go pick it up and toss it. You're a neuroscientist, you know what's going on here. No big deal.

No, I don't want to touch it. I use a piece of paper that was shoved into my doorknob as a flyer for something I'll never now know...trying to scoop it up...damn, did you know you can AGAIN cut that tail into two and BOTH parts will start flipping and squirming? Yeah, that's disgusting, and now two times to deal with. Crap.

Lots of scooting with lots of paper and Anna actually still on my hip giggling, the parts made it out of the house.

Texas. Ecchh.

Sun, not flower

Anna, can you say Trick or Treat?
Holding out her green cloth pumpkin, she practices for tomorrow night: "Treekitsweet".
"Good job! What's this?" as I put the ducky into her bag...
"Duck!"
And this?
"Elmo!"
And this?
"Deeseewah!" (Dinosaur)
And this?
"Sun!"
No baby, it's not a sun, it's a flower.
"SUN!"
No baby...
Eyebrows furrowed: "SUN!"
Anna...
Head shaking: "SUN!SUN!SUN!"
OK, it IS a sun flower. We'll compromise. Good eye.

Children's Fall Party

We joined Ommom and her family at Space Center Houston last night for the Children's Fall Party. It was pretty cute and fun...I have been to the Space Center before but since it's a visitor's center, and I work for the real deal ;) I've not been in a long time, and I've never really walked through the whole thing. So we did last night and were amazed at the stuff they had there, especially their moon area. It was way fun. Plus Anna got to dress up like a cheerleader (Denver Broncos, though in the pink form), which was a gift brought back from Ommom from her Denver visit awhile ago. We are psyched she gets to wear it for Halloween!

We are on one solid week of sleeping through the night again. It was all due to the ear infection. We still don't have teeth: isn't it funny when you're in the thick of it, looking for answers, you could swear those gums look red and swollen? Even then I knew I was grasping at strings, hoping teething was the answer. Though the ear is still slightly draining, it's definitely on the clear, but I guess that just means we still have teething to deal with. It's OK, we'll just cross that bridge when we get to it too. Also, her cough has stopped. Yee-ha!

In fact, I feel like we have our happy, less-irritable, less cranky, less clingy little toddler back. Then again, this weekend I will be home with her without Paul (he's working) so I guess time will tell. I may be pulling my hair out by Saturday afternoon ;)

Either way I won't be sleep-deprived. None of us will. Whew. Bring on the beautiful weather!

Anxious

I am not excited at all that in 7 days, we will be leaving our Anna-bear for 4 long nights. Without us. What the heck am I thinking and why is Paul agreeing to this?

We are leaving her with Paul's parents in Louisiana while we go to a conference in Colorado.

They need to know that she seriously doesn't sleep well on travel. She has become clingy lately, she may be teething...she's fighting an ear infection that should hopefully be gone by then. She likes to sing ABC's to sleep, plus Snow White's song, plus 1-2-3 bumblebees, and whatever else she asks for even after her books have been read to her. She may wake in the night several times on travel, looking for her paci. She may be looking for her mommy and her daddy too. What if she wakes unconsolable and confused?

She may try to fight naps on top of that. She won't want her teeth brushed. What if she keeps asking for us? FOUR NIGHTS is a LONG TIME to be away from both mom and dad. What am I thinking? This is NOT OK. NOT OK, NOT OK. BAD MOMMY AND DADDY.

She's only 19 months old. Well, 20 months old by then.
Bad, bad, bad. What have I done?

Good night and good morning

Anna's moods last night and this morning have been fun and encouraging. Talk about cooperative and sweet. Maybe it's the weather? We'll take the rough days if they are sprinkled with some good ones in-between like this.

Last night we taught her how to say Trick or Treat! Won't that be fun this Friday?

Her cheery mood may be due to the fact that it looks like her ear is clearing up, after the shades of gunk turned from red/brown that was last week, through yellowish, and finally to bright green yesterday morning. Wondering what that meant, I called her ENT to see what he thought. He wanted to check her tubes to be sure there wasn't something crazy happening there. Apparently, all is good in that area, and it's just a nutso ear infection that is taking a little while to clear. They cultured it and told me to call back Friday for results and updates on her ear.

This morning her ear looked really good: no gunk leaked out overnight. I guess that's expected after having paid the $30 co-pay for a sanity check. You can guarantee that as soon as the money hits the table and your day is disrupted with the doctor's visit, things will start to improve.

I'm so grateful but bummed I didn't get any photos of the funky stuff.

Easy target for the Air National Guard

All it takes is a flapping silly-man-thing and a beach ball and she's ready to join the Air National Guard. These people know who they're marketing to...19 month-olds are easy targets. Airplanes all around us and helicopters putting on a show overhead, and this is Anna's most captivated moment at the airshow yesterday. We stood here awhile:

We stayed a few hours but left in time for her nap, especially as Paul and I noticed there weren't nearly as many planes in the air as we'd expected = boring. As soon as her nap came, so did all of the planes overhead, including the war reinactments. With bombing.


Ha.Ha.


Regardless, she mercifully slept through the attacks and woke just in time to run out to watch the Thunderbirds show, which has a great view from Paul's clinic across the street.

By the way, if you're keeping score

Third night in a row of peaceful sleep last night (yay, more Vick's on the feet and chest and no coughing!). Myself included. I think I only woke once or twice. She didn't even fight going to sleep. Her ear wasn't even as gross this morning.

Today at drop off, since we were late, I got to leave her in music class, which is her favorite thing in the world. They gave her a pretty pink scarf, and I passed her off to the teacher and didn't hear a peep.

Yes, it counts...two days in a row of no screaming at drop-off. Darn it, it's Friday. I fear we may lose this peaceful streak with the interjection of the weekend. Ah well, the two good days were great while we had them!

It's COLD!

Mention the word "cold" and she goes, "OOooohhhOOoohhOOoohh" all sing song, like OOH, it's COLD! Last night we watched SpaceDaddy play softball and it was a beautiful cool night. It was already cold but add to that Anna's latest addiction to "ice, ice, ice" and her little hands were frozen while she guarded the team's beer cooler. I took every opportunity to warm them in mine and I remembered when people who cared about me used to do that for me too. I guess I'm growing up and it's my turn. It was sweet and I was happy to help.

Toddlerhood is tough

This morning she said "otameel, oatmeel". It's the cutest thing ever. She sounds like a little person. Ever had a pet for a long time and you always wondered what they would sound like if they could talk? You get the idea. I love when she says new words so clearly and almost perfectly. It's like I'm talking to a 2 year old or something. She's still 19 months. Well, 19.5 to be exact. She watched me make her oatmeal and was fascinated. And it was only the microwave and water.

She usually enjoys oatmeal, but this morning as I sat her down to eat, she took one bite and started screaming. Unhappy. She kept eating. Unhappy. I'm tired of asking her what's wrong, like I can fix it, so I gave her some milk and fruit and let her just do what she was doing. She calmed down after a bit. I think she was so hungry that she was ticked she had to use her hands to slowly get bits of oatmeal into her mouth (I tried to thicken it, credit here)...since she still stinks at getting the spoon to her mouth without dumping all her food out.

Paul left while she was eating and I was only half dressed, which was fine, except these days the child gets oral antibiotics, ear drop antibiotics, and forced tooth brushing and forced hair brushing. The ear drops go OK, but the oral meds are hit or miss. If you leave it out for her long enough in the little cup, she'll get curious enough to go over and take it all. But sometimes if you just ask her to take it, these days she'll either be cooperative and drink up, or just downright refuse. She used to love taking meds, it was so easy. Now it's on her terms (just like the tooth brushing). Adding more time it takes to get out the door. I was tired of the games this morning, so I had to resort to holding her down to get the meds in. That was no fun but at least she didn't spit it back at me.

All of this resistance made us late getting out the door. At least she still enjoys putting her shoes on at this time.

After changing her poopy diaper (just great), which amounted to more resistance, I could actually feel my anger building, and the loss of control that would soon follow if we didn't just get out the door soon. I don't think I even finished getting myself dressed. We just fled and were still late.

I am getting tired of "nice mommy" and she is only 19.5 months old. It's about time to put the smack down. Too many games just wear me out and drag on and on. You can't blame me for trying...trying to just give her a chance to do the right thing...or trick her into doing the right thing. Any parent who's been here before recognizes my mistakes and realizes I'd eventually come to this conclusion myself...that for the most part it's going to be mommy's way or else.

...OK now we're under attack

...by more and more planes. It's cool and all, but um...just woke sleeping beauty from her nap. Guess we'll go outside and watch them fly over?!

Here come the planes!

One by one we can hear and see all the different types of planes coming to land at Ellington Field for the Wings Over Houston Airshow. This air force base is just right down the street from my neighborhood so we have front row seats to the fun every year. Anna is going nuts pointing them out all the time. It's non-stop and fabulous! Her head is going to explode (in a good way) when we take her to the actual air show this Saturday. We can't wait to see her reactions. And the weather should be beautiful.

She hearts airplanes, big time. How cool is THAT?

**

Today she didn't even cry when Paul left her at her classroom. Wow. When I picked her up, her teacher blew her a kiss bye-bye and Anna blew one back. As we left the room, she looked through the window, pointed at her napping buddy and said, "ocky, ocky, ocky". She said his name all the way down the hall. I am relieved because other than AS, all her other toddler buddies moved up to the next class in August. She used to ask for them but hasn't in awhile. I am glad she's found some new names!

My own R&R

Before I forget, Anna's newest words: steeberries (strawberries she had last night for dinner, yum!), siren (wee-oo-wee-oo), socksnshoes (socks and shoes. She's always said socks and always said shoes but now it's socknshoes!).

Her ear didn't seem to be as messy this morning. She slept all night (night #2). Thanks to my mommy peeps encouraging me to try the Vick's on the feet thing, I gave it another shot even though it didn't seem to work last week. I'm not sure if it worked last night but all was quiet. It seemed to work when she was a baby the few times we tried it. Or again, maybe just coincidence. Regardless, last night her bath was in mentholated J&J, and she got Vicks on the feet and chest. She fought going to sleep (screamed) for about 3 min then not another peep. Score!

Again, this morning the cough ticked her off, as well as the fact that she was wearing long sleeves. She must get that part from her daddy. But the congestion was minimal.

I fought a fever all day at work yesterday and right now I am about to get a little rest at home before my afternoon with her starts because when the fever hits, it's no fun.

I found a new CD with some of Anna's favorites and I played a preview for myself in the car yesterday before I picked her up. Is it screwy to have been so excited about playing it for her?

We have answers!

I'd have screamed for the past several nights straight, too.

Last night as I was bathing Anna, I noticed a pool of blood in her right ear. I called Paul over to do a sanity check, and yep: he agreed. As she sat there happily playing with her fireman in the tub (lots of bubbles and dancing and singing), we decided it must have something to do with her tubes...maybe complications of them trying to work themselves out. I wasn't going to stand for another night of misery for all of us so we brought her into the ER around 8pm. She was seen quickly, and by lots of actually friendly hospital workers who were super nice to her. She didn't care for them, until it was time to confidentally tell them "BYE BYE!".

Anyway, turns out she officially has her first ear infection. This was not on my list of possible things keeping her up at night. I missed this because she wasn't congested, had no fever, and wasn't even pulling at her ears. It wasn't even on my radar.Yes, she screamed at night, and yes she was cranky and clingy during the day, but teething is a good cause for that. She does have tubes, but that's because of chronic congestion while she was a baby that was causing trouble with her hearing, with the potential to affect her ability to learn to speak. (Turns out no problem there!)...not for recurrent ear infections. Before the tubes, she literally couldn't hear us throw a pot on the garage floor!

I had an ear infection in May. The first ever in my life for me and it hurt worse than child birth labor. NOTHING without a prescription helps that pain. The only thing that helped my pain was actual Vicodin that I had left over from Anna's birth (that I didn't need then). Ear infections are incredibly painful. Believe me. I am a pretty tough chick. The doc said that it was a good thing she had the tubes on this one...it was bad. All the little kiddos out there with an ear infection have my empathy. It sucks. No wonder she didn't want us to leave her side the past several days and nights!

While at the ER we got a chest x-ray for her cough. I didn't expect they'd find anything and they didn't, yay. I like data and results, people. She sat still like a good girl during the x-rays. In fact she was really good the entire time at the hospital, except when our (12 year old) doctor did his eval.

Last night we got home around 10pm and she actually slept soundly all night, with the exception of the coughing, which amounted to one fit. In the meantime, by the time we got home, my fever had also spiked to 101.2 and I felt it. The cold/chills was the worst. It broke around 2am. I came to work, and Anna went to school. I think my fever is back, but Anna was in a cheery mood this morning, with just a little congestion that actually seems to be growing. No fever.

I suspect she may have had already what I'm coming down with and we just missed the fever, or she never had one. In fact we checked her temp this weekend and nothing. I too, am developing a cough. Ugh. No one touch my door knobs.

Despite my fever and her cough, we had a peaceful night's sleep. I think the ear drainage is offering her some major relief. I know I was just wishing my eardrum would burst when I had the infection, just to get some relief. This morning she woke up with more crap draining out of her ear. It's gross but pretty cool to see what that crap actually looks like.

Here's the thing, people. Before I had a kid, I'd hear these same horror stories from friends and co-workers. I thought, "eh, kids. That sucks. Who'd want that?" But once we were in it, it wasn't that bad. Maybe it's because the folks at the hospital were so friendly and quick, and it was still early in the evening, etc. Maybe it's because she was still in pretty good spirits at the hospital. Maybe it's because we love her so much it's worth it.

Up.All.Night.

Good thing I went to bed at 10:30 last night. I woke around 12:30 to the sounds of Anna's screams, not on the monitor, but from upstairs in the game room. Paul was not in bed next to me.

He had been trying to console her in between bouts of fussing/waking since soon after I went to bed. Nothing was working. I took her downstairs to our bed. No luck, she wanted out. She wanted to be anywhere there was light. So she snuggled with SpaceDaddy for awhile in the recliner with the TV on, then came over to lay down with me on the couch. By 1:30 she was still awake but rubbing her eyes, so I had to be the bad guy and attempt to put her back to her own bed now. She screamed for about 10 min then passed out. SpaceDaddy passed out too. I, however, couldn't get back to sleep. In fact until 7am I think I only slept an hour between 3-4am. That's because when she can't sleep, I am on edge and I can't sleep, out of expectation that she's going to wake at any moment. It's like watching the clock when you have insomnia. It really doesn't help you sleep, does it?

So I feel like trash today. I thought I might be whimping out by feeling like trash until I reminded myself that this kind of sleep disruption has been going on for about 7 nights now. In fact I can't remember a full night's sleep. So it must be starting to take its toll on me. I have started going to bed earlier to try to get some rest before the screams start.

I am driving myself nuts with the "WHY's". Last night she ate a ton for dinner, and even urped up some of it when she was playing because she was so full. Maybe last night she had heartburn? Am I kidding myself? My intuition says teething...Here's a list of her symptoms as of this morning.

Runny nose
A little more drool
Difficulty eating her cereal (fussing)
Still red, swollen gums.

I dragged myself up to her room ready for a fighting, defiant, cranky toddler. I was tired, cranky, miserable myself and was in no mood to negotiate over anything. We were getting dressed, fed, and out the door in a pile of tears and screams if we had to. What I got instead was a cheery, smiley happy Anna-Marie who was chatting it up like nothing had happened last night.

Her cheery attitude disarmed me and actually cheered me up too. That's impressive because when I'm miserable and someone wants to cheer me up, I usually tell them to take a long walk away from me. She was cheery all the way to her classroom, where she proceeded to scream as usual when I left her behind.

Now I am feeling actually more tired, plus chills, achey, just "blah," and my face feels warm. Could I be coming down with something? Could she?

GGGrrrrrr.....

Oh my goodness, the talking!

Tonight she was helpful and sweet. As I was cleaning the table and floor after her dinner, she took a wet wipe and started wiping down her chair! So she does pay attention when I'm cleaning up after her. It was awesome and actually helpful! She chatted the entire time.

She also chomped down her broccoli with Ranch dressing at dinner, which was impressive.

She talks almost non-stop. It's the cutest thing ever. Paul and I just look at each other and laugh. Sometimes we ask each other: Did she really just say that?

Sorry, it's just that even 19 months later I'm still new at this and amazed.

Wait, I thought they said "No Halloween?"

Do you remember the shoe incident at Anna's daycare (click here, if you need a refresher)? Jac-o-lanterns are too representative of scary, satanic halloween apparently.

So imagine my surprise as I got a peek into their art room as Anna and I were walking down the school's hall this morning when I saw wicked, scary halloween witch pictures all laid out for the pre-K kids to color and paste for art class! If that's not traditional scary halloween, then I don't know what is. Anna's little pumpkin shoes look like nothing compared to this!

Note to self: ask the school director what their real intentions are for halloween dress since it's not clearly laid out in the parent hand book. Not to be confrontational, just to be clear.

Weekly Highlights

New favorite songs: Chuga-choo-choo from a Parents "When I grow up" CD and Choo-Choo Soul's main theme song. Also Rock-A-Bye Baby, strangely enough. That's one we just never used when she was actually a baby. Also her latest favorite: "Clementine". That one is REALLY cute to hear her sing.

She sings her heart out, very seriously, and even the eyebrows mean it. It amazes me that she can sing this well at this age, really. It's so adorable and she is so serious. She has learned her ABC's this way and can almost count to 10 because of it. She shouts at me in the car the titles of the songs she wants to hear: "Bus! ABC! Puppy! Quack Quack! Bumble Bee! Twikle Twinkle!" and back and forth I go between the songs, even when she's changed her mind as the song starts. When she's cranky, we sing. We sing when she's going night night, and sing during diaper changes. We sing in the tub and on the potty. She will look right at me with those deep grey-green eyes and sing her heart out with me. It's the sweetest thing ever. I keep trying to record her singing but I never get a good one. This singing stuff is something I know I'm m going to miss after she gets older.

Right now everything she does is for real. I love this age because she doesn't fake anything.

She's learned the word, "tickle" (tee-kil). It took me awhile to figure out what she was saying but then I got it. I think it's something SpaceDaddy must have worked on her with. Otherwise, she's heard it from me but not with much emphasis. She will say "tee-kil" and we know we're supposed to go tickle her. It's hysterical.

She's getting better about wanting a bow in her hair. I'll put it in, with her consent, and when she does pull it out later, she'll exclaim "UH-OH" with concern until I put it back in.

And latest achievement: she is trying to HOP. Everywhere. Especially down the stairs. I am also learning that this new skill can also disrupt their sleep habits. So we're in a rough patch. She really squats down low and tries to hop. She can *almost* get both feet off the floor together, and she may have done that at the Little Gym this morning, actually. Mostly, she just leads with one foot and jumps up while the other foot follows. And she is very proud of this. I don't know what started the hopping, but she's digging it and apparently on schedule with that skill.

She can count almost to 10. She can do 1, 2, 3 and then lags until 7, 8, 9, 10! It's really cute. We count the steps on the stairs as she goes up. Today's Little Gym class was all about numbers so that was a fun bonus for her.

When you ask her if something's funny, she'll laugh. She knows what "funny" means.

She LOVES to help with chores around the house. It's fun, though it can slow us down sometimes.

I am sure I'm forgetting something so I'll have to update this again later...for now I have to go plan the meals for the week. I hate that.

To teethe or not to teethe?

OK , really, we *think* we're seeing red, swollen gums on the bottom where her canines will be coming in soon. We *think* this would explain her recent clinginess (I mean, super clingy...I can't even put her down without a fit...or leave the room before she comes running while whining my way. You get the idea). We *think* this would explain the all-night party she had with us last night, which started at 12:15 am, and was NOT coughing-induced. We *think* this would explain the cranky-pants attitude for the past few days.

I wish I were certain. At least we'd know what we're facing. When I took a good look while doing the usual hold-Anna-down-while she's-screaming-because-tooth-brushing-is-non-negotiable routine this morning, I was relieved and excited that this time I'd swear those gums are red and swollen. But there's not much drooling (yet) or much hand biting/finger sucking (though some this morning). So I kinda second guess myself.

Trust me folks, this clingy, cranky child is not our Anna. I can see little glimpses of her here and there, though. Like through the Motrin, which I broke down to give her his morning before summing the energy to take her to the Little Gym today.

She has been napping for the last 45 min. And now she's just coughed herself awake. She's sitting up. Crap. Please go back to sleep...Lord knows you need it, kiddo. OK, there she goes...whew.

Anyway, last night was a fun flashback to months and months back during her previous teething bouts, though I can say she really wasn't all that bad in the sleep disturbance area with teething. Waking every few hours to cry and then go back to sleep was her usual practice during teething. But other sleep challenges included the time she learned to roll over in her crib in one direction and then called for help to get turned back over. Or when she learned to pull up in her crib...that was a neat new trick she liked to try at 2am, and again, she'd call for help because she didn't know how to get back down. Or when she started learning to crawl. Or started learning to walk...making the inside perimeter of her crib. All the major milestones have come with some kind of sleep disturbance, which is not unusal.

The best investment we have EVER made in the baby equipment area was a video monitor. We can see what all the fuss is about without her ever knowing we are peeking in. So we can't ever get busted. It's wonderful, wonderful, and like watching an addicting reality TV show, only better. We have come to know her sleeping patterns and preferences. We can see if she's safe while she's screaming for us. We can see if she needs help or if she's thrown all her stuff out of the crib in anger. We can see if she really needs us to interfere. We can see what time she really falls asleep and wakes up in between playing in her crib. We have been able to watch her sing to herslef while playing with her feet. Now I can see if she's sleeping on her hands, or if she's in a good position for me to go up and clip those fingernails she fights me on when she's awake. If you're reading this and you're about to have a baby, or have a young one right now, go and invest in the video monitor. It will buy you HOURS AND HOURS of comfort and entertainment :).

You can do that??

Yesterday I took an hour and a half off of work to get my hair cut and highlighted. I've always thought I was lucky to have a job that allowed me the freedom to come and go like this because there's no way I have the nerve to bring Anna with me and expect her to fully cooperate the entire time. Not even for a quick haircut! How can I chase her around with my hair cape flying in the wind? Talk about an uneven cut.

So you can imagine my incredible AWE when I witnessed this woman pleasantly getting her hair colored, while her 14 month old and 3 year old sat patiently for around 2.5 hours!! I mean, no fussing no fighting, no running, no screeching. This woman even had the nerve to have calm, fun conversations with her stylists as she was getting her scalp massaged and hair washed in the seat next to me.

Me to my colorist: I know you're only 20 but do you comprehend the magnitude of what's going on over there? Let me explain why I thought this kind of thing didn't happen in this universe. Where do these kids come from?

My colorist: Yeah, actually that's impressive.

Me: Well if she's a SAHM I guess she just has done it lots of times before because she had to make it work, so these kids just must be good at behaving themselves?? Just used to it?? It's the double edged sword I have with Anna. I have anxiety about taking her out when I need calmness or patience or I need to think. So she usually stays home with Daddy or I do this stuff by taking off of work! Do you think this mom knows how good these kids are being? It's amazing!

Colorist: I have a two year old brother...blah blah blah....

Later I got close to the mom and had to snoop. It's something I've taken to since Anna's been born. Normally I'm not a talker :)

Me to mom: your kids are amazingly well-behaved!

Mom: Yeah, I'm really shocked! I've never done something like this so this was a test to see what would happen. I was so nervous about this!

Ah...OK so some moms do just take the plunge and try it. Even with tin foil in their hair, knowing they can't get up and chase their 3 year old when she decides to run off. Even when she has to sit under the hair dryer for 15 min.

Surely her 14 month old must be down to one nap per day? Or surely she can nap in public in her stroller (unlike Anna)?

I am a fully accomplished, intelligent, motivated, respected individual. Bringing my 19 month old to a place where I myself have to be still and good is a challenge beyond my comprehension. Even though Anna's not a difficult toddler...she's just: A TODDLER.

I am amazed at the whole show that went on there yesterday. Truly amazed and it's just a reminder of how all kids and families are just different. It also again makes me question my perception of what I think is difficult about having a 19 month old. Maybe it truly isn't as hard as I'm making it in my mind?

My colorist and I agreed to bring Anna next time just to see what would happen. But oh yeah, with SpaceDaddy in the waiting room for back-up. Ha!

Nice shot, SpaceDaddy!

Going through the camera pics today, I found this one. I'm usually the one to really take pictures around here (thus I am virtually absent from photos of Anna's life), so I examined closer.



Looks like SpaceDaddy thought to bust me on Anna's video monitor while trying to clip her fingernails while she slept last night. I always thought it might be humorous for him to watch me sneak in and run away, flashlight in mouth, everytime she made a single movement. Last night I ran in and out of that room so much I gave up after getting only her THUMB nail clipped. I guess I'll have to try again tonight.

Pray for me.

BTW She hated the honey

Eighteen dollars and 3 different bottles of honey later (leading to Buckwheat), the child would prefer to take actual cold medicine over the taste of honey. She looked right at the dose, went to drink it, and turned away and said NO! We dipped it into her paci, and she reluctantly sucked on it. Then she proceeded to gag and actually almost vomited! She hasn't "almost vomited" at anything since she was a newborn!

She was repulsed. Amazing. She will drink the cough medicine straight up just for fun if we let her.

She has a 2:40 doc's appt today, likely for them to tell me she's got a cough, let's wait it out, thank you very much for the $20 co-pay. She's had the cough going on 2 weeks and it's bad a night. No snotty nose...only chest congestion. I guess we'll see!

At least she's napping without a fight.

No Halloween

My mom (Nanna) sent Anna-Marie some pretty cute jac-o-lantern halloween "crocs" in the mail yesterday. Anna loved them right away and this morning wanted to wear them to school. They come off kinda easy for a kid hard at play at school, but it's her half-day there and so I just brought along a back-up pair for when she does yank them off or trips onto her face and her teacher's had enough of them.

When I got her to the classroom I explained why I brought back-up sandals. She explained it's a good thing I brought back-ups because the kids aren't allowed to wear anything that is representative of halloween to school...huh? She said jac-o-lanterns are not allowed because they're scary. But Anna can wear a shirt with a simple pumpkin on it. She can't wear a shirt with a scary cat on it, but a regular happy black cat is fine. I think I got a quick mental reminder that Anna attends a Luthern day care/school. Ah-ha!

Anyone remember your witch trial history?

I am reminded to go review my history. Especially Pagan/Wiccan.

In the meantime we need to filter her halloween attire for school...

Pee pee and Buckwheat Honey

This morning both SpaceDaddy and I went up to get Anna ready for school. Isn't she one lucky toddler to have BOTH parents greet her upon wake-up? Talk about some valuable timeshare there...

She was cheery and sweet but as usual, refused to get out of her crib. Then it dawned on me: "Anna, do you want to go sit on the potty?!" She said yes with a nod and we were off to the bathroom. SpaceDaddy credited me with creativity and as I left her sitting on the potty with her daddy nearby, I hear him shout: "pee-pee!" Coming back to the bathroom, she was pretty proud, exclaiming that she just made "pee-pee!" I was happy to be there this time to give her lots of cheers and high-fives! After she wiped (she wiped her hands, folks...I gave her a wipe for the fun of it and she just wiped her hands...wiping her butt is a new one I'll have to learn how to do with this potty stuff), she got up and flushed! She thought that was fun so she flushed again. Then we declared "All done, YAY for pee pee on the potty!" And she laughed and laughed and SpaceDaddy got her dressed for some breakfast before school. She earned eggs and toast with honey and apples/bananas. I am not sure if we're on a roll here, and I understand from those friends who have potty-trained before me that it comes in waves and ebbs...sometimes easier than others, so we are just enjoying the moments and letting them be what they are for now. No pressure.

In the meantime she has this nasty, stupid cough. While I realize coughing has a purpose, I can't understand what use it would have at night when the cough should know that the body needs its rest if it's going to fight off whatever's going on in there. So it bugged me (maybe more than it bugged her) that she had another coughing fit around 2am (no assistance from me required) and then this morning on her last hour of sleep. She was a little more tired than usual on the way to school.

Last night I read a few articles on how honey is better for night time cough than even cough syrup itself. Most people who like the natural cures probably would have tried to encourage me to try it awhile ago, but this is the first time I've heard of a real clinical study for myself (maybe I'm behind here), just in time to offer an alternative to over-the-counter cough syrups that haven't been shown to work in children Anna's age, and could do more harm than good. Granted, the more harm part is caused by idiotic (albeit hopeful, helpful, desperate) parents who feel like the cough syrup isn't stopping the cough so their child must need more. Thus the overdose scares, giving OTC cough syrup the negative spotlight. It's painfully simple. Give your child the dose on the bottle, people. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work. You don't give more. You try something else.

I sent Anna to school with a dose of 8-hour cough suppressant today. Don't know if it will work, but I went to the local nutritional store and picked her up some Buckwheat honey. According to the research, 1/2 teaspoon 30 min before sleep should help do the trick. And buckwheat honey is the best for all of its good stuff (like antioxidants). HEB had no buckwheat, though they had every other flavor and variety! Apparently buckwheat honey is produced in states along the upper East coast, and not Texas. So it's a little tougher to find. Anyway, I brought it over to the school with instructions for them to give just before Anna's nap. One of the administrative assistants had heard the same study. Another I talked to was surprised and skeptical. I guess we'll see... granted Anna does still have the cough suppressant in her system.

Hopefully the honey will help with her nap.

She's fighting her nap because she has to pee...?

A frustrated SpaceDaddy just called me about a little friendly toddler who is 2 hours awake past her nap time. Is she looking for mommy? What's her deal?

He did say that as he was trying to get her to sleep, she pointed at her bottom and said, "potty?" So he put her on the potty, and a few minutes later, we have pee-pee! She even said, "pee-pee!". She even flushed. Definitely pretty cool.

But she still won't nap!

I think she missed me

I have been away all weekend so I missed her from Friday till just yesterday when my plane came back in time to pick her up from school. I got a big hug, which is usual when I pick her up, but I think this one was a little longer :) I had to hold back the tears because her teachers didn't know I'd been away: geeze, long day lady? When I got home, SpaceDaddy already had dinner started and we played and ate till bedtime. At bedtime, she didn't want to let me go so she and I snuggled awhile and sang ABC's till she finally gave in to sleep. She woke at 2:30am in a coughing fit and when I went in to help, she had a hard time letting me go again. I hate that cough. Last year it lasted from October to January. Look at that, it's right on schedule. I am NOT letting this one go until Jan. No way, no how. I am giving it one more week before I intervene.

She seemed extra happy this morning, like the pre- "Up Yours" Anna. We are pretty sure her bottom right gums are red where her canine tooth may be coming in.

I got extra hugs and smiles and kisses this morning. Ahhhh...

She has learned more words since I left. And she is starting to put two words together. I was only gone for 3.5 days! This morning she was repeating EVERYTHING I said, much more clearly than ever. Plus she helped make her breakfast. She likes to help to do everything, which is a blessing and a curse. Mostly it's cute. It's the talking that kills me because it's really cool. What a little person she's becoming!

She sang her heart out on the way to school. I mean LOUD AND CLEAR. She cried when I left her but it actually wasn't her worst and it ended before I opened the door to leave, which was nice. She only has half a day, and it includes music class. The afternoon is with SpaceDaddy. I'll get her on Thurs afternoon again.

I am glad to be home!

Yes, I did tour a grocery store

Yes, people. This is my life. I actually went on a grocery store tour last night.

It was sponsored by the JSC nutritional office (we get free nutrition counseling here at NASA, which I might add, is actually pretty cool). We met as a group at the local HEB. We were there to learn how to read labels and just look for stuff to watch out for. I didn't learn anything new, to my surprise. So I guess I know how I'm supposed to eat. But what was surprising was the fact that HEB has a whole bigger selection than the Kroger I have shopped at the last 6 years. PLUS the organic/good for you versions of food are on the shelves right next to the crappy versions so I can find what I want without cruising the "organic/healthy" aisle only.

For example, I found some really yummy peanut butter that's kosher/vegan/organic/all-natural/no preservatives, etc (http://www.ilovepeanutbutter.com/) right next to the crappy Skippy we usually buy. So I bought the good stuff. And when I got home I was surprised at how GOOD it actually is. Everyone knows natural peanut butter isn't that great tasting. But this stuff had raisins and cinammon in it. And I also got the dark chocolate version. Hello, even the same calories, close price as the Skippy and zero trans fat.

I also didn't realize HEB = Central Market. So now I know there's a place that I can go when I need to buy "good for you" and "not-so-good-for-you" groceries all in the same place.

I didn't realize it was that easy to eat better. SCORE!

Am I really posting about a grocery tour? Sigh....

It looks like we get fall back

The weather today has been beautiful!

Anna is back at school. I hope it went well...I mentioned her latest oppositional behavior stints to her teachers and they just looked at me like, "yeah, and...?"

Did I mention I am new at this?

Just in case, I left them with a new bottle of Children's Motrin :)

A Letter to my 8 month old

I found this on my computer...a letter I started to Anna on her 8 month birthday. The intention was to write letters like this monthly. That was almost a year ago and not another letter since...but lots of photos and the start of this blog. Anyway, here's the letter. It jogged some memories.

Nov 8, 2007:

Good morning, Anna! Happy eight month birthday! Sorry it has taken me 8 months to start writing to you. I hadn’t thought to do it, really because I’m just not a very sentimental person that way! But I thought now even though it’s late, it’s something. I can give you a quick rundown of your first 8 months, though.

The first night we brought you home from the hospital, you screamed for almost 2 hours, inconsolably! Nanee was here and tried to help but was stumped. Daddy ran out at 1am to the drug store to get some Mylicon! Not sure if it helped but you calmed down shortly after. We tried all kinds of pacifiers that night, and you hated them. I tried nursing, but it didn’t calm you. So we just bounced you and tried to shush you. That screaming episode carried over for about the first 3 weeks of your life, each night getting earlier and earlier. It made Daddy sad to hear you so upset so I would stay up with you, trying to soothe you. Nothing really worked, except lots of bouncing, so that’s what I did! Plus I made up a silly “everyone loves Anna” song to sing to you, even though I don’t really think that helped either! We just had to wait it out with you every night. At your 4 week doctor’s visit, you were diagnosed with acid reflux. That explained all of the crying, which became much more frequent, the choking during feeding, and arching the back while feeding. Those things stressed me out! But you were a beautiful, dark-haired baby, very alert, and gave lots of fake smiles along with little sighs you’d breathe while you nursed. You were sweet and loved to be bounced! You hated the swing but loved the rough bouncy seat, a rough stroller ride, and you’d love for mommy and daddy to stand with you under the noisy vent hood over the stove. That was the one sure way to get you to calm and sleep. We lived under the vent hood for about 2-3 months! Amazingly, though you were a horrible napper, you started sleeping through the night from 9 or 10pm till 5am very early, probably around 7 weeks old. I remember the first time you slept 7 hours straight was when we were visiting Nana in Austin. We were all surprised. I also remember the first time you let me put you down to play without crying to be picked up…that was around 7 weeks as well. You were fussy and so I put you down, which made you happy! Before that night, you didn’t like to be put down because you liked to be comforted from the reflux pain. But the Prevacid we were giving you was finally starting to work and you learned about a whole new world of floor-play! That night also was at Nana’s in Austin. You had so much fun there, then when we got home you were fussy again so I thought you must hate your home! Speaking of first times, I remember the first time you smiled and meant it, probably around 7 weeks old. We were having a horrible morning and I was leaning over you in tears. Then you smiled at me! What?! I smiled back, even with the tears. That is the same smile that still makes my day everytime you do it!

At 2 months old, you finally took a paci! Thank goodness! One afternoon you were fussing yourself into a nap and daddy tried again at one of the several different paci’s we’d tried in the past, but this time you took it, and fell asleep right on the floor all by yourself! Since then, it has been very helpful in getting you to sleep or better enjoy the car ride! Also, when you were 8 weeks old, you came to mommy’s PhD graduation ceremony, and then the next night you went with mommy and daddy to see Gwen Stefani in concert in the Woodlands. You did really well! We danced and you slept J. Also at around 2 months old you started to enjoy your swing and actually take long naps in it. You don’t use it at home anymore because by now you nap in your crib like a big girl. So we are about to put the swing away for good, even though you do still nap in the swings at day care. You started sleeping in your own crib upstairs like a big girl at 2 months old. At 10 weeks old, we took you to the swamp camp in Morgan City. Your first boat ride! You did really great! I remember you slept through till 5am and I was shocked. Also you played by yourself a whole lot in the Pack-N-Play when we hung colorful towels over the sides for you to look at. You were really happy. Again, I was stunned you played by yourself for so long! Aunt Kristyn and I took some great pictures of you playing in there. You were soooo pretty. By the way, you are known for being a pretty baby…no, beautiful baby. And it’s true…I’m not just saying that. Everyone says it, and they always qualify it as, “and I really mean it, not all babies are this pretty. Yours is REALLY pretty.” It’s the eyes you got from your daddy. I think you have my mouth, though! But everyone sees you as looking like your daddy, which is OK. I was hoping you’d have his eyes J But we never expected you to be so pretty, really!

At 3 months old, you started day care at G D. Johnna and Joy were your teachers. Mommy didn’t cry when I left you for your first day because when I left, you were playing and happy. Daddy had some tears J . They had so many fun things for you to do! Since you were happy, I was happy. Plus I was ready to begin life back in the real world J. You have done really great with G D since then. They moved you to Infant II when you were about 5 months old. I thought you were too little to go but you seemed to like it in Infant II. At 3.5 months old, you started waking up in the middle of the night…no more sleeping straight through! And you started going to bed earlier and earlier, until eventually you settled on a 6:30pm bedtime! Also at 3 months, you rolled over from tummy to back. A few weeks later, you rolled from back to tummy. Since then, even to this day, you are better going from back to tummy than from tummy to back. You still get mad when you get too tired to bother turning off of your belly and we have to do it for you. Sometimes you just get lazy! Tummy time was never your favorite thing, but you started enjoying the exersaucer Tami gave us. At 3 months old, you also got Ducky, which is a big yellow duck you picked out yourself. He goes with you to day care and you sleep with him at night.

At 4 months old, we started to feed you baby food. You started to like it, but then got a really bad cold, and then hated it from then on. Even day care was surprised you hated solids! It’s OK, solids were just for fun. But mommy had already stocked up on over $100 worth of baby food, thinking you’d dig in! The good news is that I got all that for $5 since I found some really good Target coupons! So we ended up donating it all a few months later when it looked like you’d never take to pureed baby food!

At 5 months old, you got better at going to sleep all by yourself at night, without needing daddy to help you. By the way, it was daddy who helped you get to sleep. He’d place you in your crib and “ssshhhhhh” you while stroking your hair and you’d cuddle your face into Ducky. You were usually pretty restless, but by 5 months old, you figured it out and went to sleep without much help from daddy, and without much flip-flopping around your crib. However, at this age you started waking up in the middle of the night realizing you were on your tummy and we’d have to go in, turn you over, and give you the paci or bottle to get you back to sleep J. At this time, you were usually up around 10pm for a paci, midnight for a bottle, and 3:30am for a bottle. Daddy had the shift till 2am, and mommy had 2am-wake up. That worked out well!

At 6 months old, mommy and daddy took our first trip away from you to Chicago so mommy could accept an award and give a speech. Nana came to stay with you and you must have had fun with her because when we got home you didn’t seem to have missed us! 6.5 months you also came to Colorado with us so mommy could speak at a CSU student conference. You were teething on that trip, but did a really great job other than the occasional crankiness with that tooth (although you were most cranky right before mommy’s presentation)! You did really great on your first airplane trip to Colorado on Southwest Airlines and even sat in the cockpit! You slept through your first boarding and take-off on mommy’s shoulder. You sat in daddy’s lap for your first landing. You enjoyed Colorado, and we went to all the places mommy and daddy used to go while we were students there. We were excited to show you everything! You even went to Estes Park with us and got to go inside the Stanley hotel and Rocky Mountain National Park. There, you got your first touch of a Colorado creek. We had so much fun with you! 6 months was the best month so far because everything was funny to you and you were sooo full of smiles. Even the first 2 teeth didn’t ruin your happiness! During that time, Nana was staying with us because daddy has just opened his physical therapy clinic and Nana was helping with that and with you! She had so much fun with you for the 6 weeks she was here. You used to make each other smile! You also started sitting up at around 6.5 months. Also during this month, you got such fluid build up in your ears from congestion that you lost your hearing! Mommy and daddy and your teachers were worried until the doctor told us it was just fluid build up, and 2 weeks of Benadryl cleared it up! Whew! It was such a busy month for you!

Month 7 came with a happy baby, but more opinionated baby. Nana went back to Austin after 6 weeks, and mommy went to Las Vegas for the weekend with some friends. Daddy called mommy telling me he was having tummy pain, and he was a little worried because nobody was around to help if it got serious. When I came back home, daddy went to the hospital to have his appendix removed! He was there for 4 nights, and we missed him lots. But you and mommy hung out and got through while daddy recovered. In the meantime, you were sprouting 2 new top teeth. Not everything was as funny anymore, and you demanded to be carried face-out instead of on my shoulder like I was used to! You also preferred to bear weight, which always made you most happy. You got better at sitting and playing on the floor with different toys, and putting them all in your mouth. We also realized that since you hated baby food, maybe you’d like grown up food. And we were right, since you attacked daddy’s home-made chicken noodle soup! So you started eating off the school menu at day care during this time and you’ve enjoyed everything from pizza to pancakes. We love it! Also at 7 months, you went to Louisiana for Aunt Kristyn’s baby shower and you had a horrible virus that caused terrible diarrhea for like 7 days, including while we were in La! But it didn’t make you cranky at all, thankfully. It just resulted in some diaper rash and lots of dirty diaper changes! YUCK!

And now we’re in month 8. Sorry the previous months are just a blur written on this page! Today’s your first day as an 8 month old. You passed out so early last night because of Day Light Savings Time change. We fell backwards last weekend, and you were already an early bedtime baby and now it’s worse J. You’re usually ready for bed by 6:30 but last night you barely made it till 6! Last night after your bath, you fell asleep on the bottle and I couldn’t keep you awake. You woke up at 4am for a bottle, then went back to sleep till 6:40. Wow! Daddy got home just 5 minutes after you went to bed and was sorry he missed you so he went upstairs to kiss you goodnight. These days you are starting to say mamamama, and I think you may be starting to mean it. You still say dadadada, which you’ve said since our vacation in Estes Park, CO in September (and you didn’t mean it then). You are enjoying to splash more and more in the bathtub, and you’re really enjoying your bath toys. There is one octopus in particular that you like when I use it to squirt water into your mouth! The first few times I squirted you with it, you laughed. Now you just want the water so you open your mouth and stick out your tongue. But really I think your favorite toy is still Temperature Ducky, even though Nana bought you a few other yellow rubber ducks. Out of the bath, you’re getting better about not fussing at me so much! You used to hate the drying and dressing part, and I don’t know why. But you’re doing better about it now. Speaking of dressing, you hate, and have always hated, getting dressed! Specifically the part of getting your hands into the sleeves. It’s even worse when you’re tired. We try little tricks to distract you, like giving you toys or sitting you up to put your sleeves through, which sometimes work. For now during changing time, you like to try to roll onto your belly and reach for the diapers and wipes. The wipes are your favorite, probably because they make a crinkly noise when you play with them. I always try to make you laugh to try to get a look into that silly mouth of yours. We noticed yesterday that you’ve got a 5th tooth coming in, on your bottom right. I knew something was going on in there because you’ve been cranky lately, but Daddy found the actual white bumps and he showed me this morning. Good girl! I know tooth pain really hurts! You are doing great with it, though! You get pretty cranky at school with Miss Polly, Kathleen, and Denise, but at least it doesn’t affect your sleep at home at night J. In the meantime, you’ve got this terrible cough that has lasted about 4 weeks now, and I am about to call the pedi to see if there’s something I should do here! You’ve also had a runny nose and you HATE it when I wipe it! Boy do you fuss me!

3 miles solo this morning

...and at my pace, it takes awhile. Darn you daylight for waiting to show till 7am! That is much too late to get started on a longer run. And I still have many, many miles to build! I am soooo looking forward to moving the clock backwards at the end of this month.

Also, judging from the horrible heat and humidity of this morning, it looks like our brief fall is over. Rats.

Spacedaddy does Anna time

This seems to be Spacedaddy's week of playing catch up on time he may have spent away from Anna while working some weekends over the last 18 months of her life.

He had her all day yesterday, took her again today, and even though Thurs are my afternoons with her, he gets her this Thurs too because I have to be present for a review at work that afternoon. Additionally, tonight I have plans till around 7:30 so he even gets dinner and bedtime. Even more, I am out of town Friday, returning Monday so even more time with Anna.

The biggest challenge to me hanging with Anna so much is just being creative enough to keep her happy. That is my challenge, but it seems like keeping her entertained and involved comes easy to Paul. Plus it seems her cranky attitude phases don't bother him as much as it bothers me. He is less uptight about it, but I guess that's what dads do?

Spacedaddy saves bath time

As part of her new-found attempts to defy mommy and daddy, bath time (her favorite activity) is no exception. So she immediately started fussing at me when I placed her butt in the tub last night.

Paul had taught her a few nights ago how to wash her own hair. He happened to be present at this bath last night, and when the fussing started he asked her if she could wash her own hair. So she did and bath time was fun again. Followed by "Up Yours" when I tried to get her out of the now-cold water 30 min later.

Months and months of mommy bathtime made fun turned not-fun and then revived again with a brief, new tactic by Spacedaddy that involved Anna's participation instead of just playing with her usual bath toys. I think that the fresh, new approach to stuff is going to be required around here over the next few years. I am going to have to learn to get creative, I guess.

Up yours

If she could tell me, "Up Yours", I think she would.

Still, on the way out the door this morning she told me, "I Love You!" and "Happy Birthday!"

What a little Thug Muffin.

She is home with Paul today because Tues afternoons she is with him. Thurs afternoons she is with me. But this morning Paul had an open schedule this morning and so wanted to keep her with him again all day. I wanted her to go to school this morning because she has music and story time today, but then the weather turned crappy so I figured fine. Although this will do nothing to help her routine/schedule, which is now only a scaffolding of what it used to be.

She sat captivated last night through about 20 DVR play-backs of a brief Sleeping Beauty music video ("If I know You") that popped up on the Disney channel (again, thank you DVR). I was amazed that she was amazed. She's never seen a Disney movie cartoon. Here is this Sleeping Beauty chick singing to a bunch of forest animals about her dreamy prince that she's met in a dream, and my daughter, who knows NOTHING about princesses and fairy tales and all that stuff, is mesmorized. The voice of the woman is obviously that of a 40's-50's era sound, but it's timelsss to Anna's ears. Disney knows it can make Baby crack- an addiction for even 19 month-olds. It blows my mind and defies my theory that little girls only like girlie things, like Princesses, because they're taught to. Hopefully the draw to these movies for such little ones is that they're embedded with subliminal messages that say, "Don't tell your mommy and daddy 'Up Yours'". Maybe that's really what she's attracted to?

After the first 10 runs of the video, she got up and asked me to dance. That was fun and sweet!! Then: "Up Yours" when I told her it was bath time.

Anna's home today

As I was taking Anna down the hall to her classroom today, I overheard one of the Infant teachers saying she was going home because she felt sick. Hmmm, bummer, I thought. Then I heard her co-worker telling her that Ms K (Anna's teacher) and Ms J (sometimes Anna's teacher, in the Toddler room next to Anna's) were home sick today.

Stop right there! Didn't JK text me this weekend that her toddler, BK had a stomach bug, and wanted to know if Anna caught it yet? Could this be going around her classrooms?

I poked my head in, apologized for interrupting, and asked for elaboration on the symptoms. Yep: all stomach illness. I backed up, phoned Paul and asked him if we'd be able to keep Anna home today with him. He agreed that nobody likes toddler vomit, so in an effort to avoid our share, Paul agreed to take Anna with him to the clinic today.

I told the administrator, thanks but no thanks, we'll wait for this to pass, and maybe see you tomorrow or Wed. She agreed that was probably best.

I am out of town this weekend, Fri through Monday. On top of vomiting toddler, we don't want vomiting Spacedaddy, or even putting Spacedaddy in a position of feeling like crap over the weekend such that it's tough to take care of Anna. Last year when I went on this same trip, Paul had an appendicitis attack but held out till I got home before going to the ER for surgery! ;) It was not a fun feeling being far away when Paul was home sick with the baby. This year he'd have a toddler to chase around as well (and potentially vomit to clean).

The risky side of this delay in sending her back to school tomorrow or Wed is that this virus could still very well get her when she goes back, thus pushing the sickness into the weekend when, if she caught it now, she'd be over it by the time the weekend came, leaving then only me and Spacedaddy to take it on, likely over the weekend ourselves.

I am not sure there's a way to win this one, but we will try.
Thanks to TJ for toting Anna around this morning with MM. I hope she didn't give you too much grief. She loves you and we thank you :)

Terrible Two's or Teething?

Anyone know why our usually happy toddler has become extra clingy, outright defiant, and actually cries more these past few days? Hitting, swinging, "NO!", throwing, running away from putting shoes on and diaper changes (God forbid me to try and put her hair up in one of those cutsie pony-tails, or clip her nails, or ask her to brush her teeth). She even cried at bath time, which she usually loves! She has been waking from her naps with cries, complete with tears, that continues on for a good 30 min even after she's sitting in my lap and I've caved in to giving her the paci. Usually she wakes from naps all happy and singing in her bed. Her morning wake ups have remained happy. Just the naps suck. She even fought naps and bedtime last week, though no issues the past 3-4 days. Hey all you experienced moms, will Motrin cure this or are we in for the Terrible Two's?

She would totally act this way when she was teething as a baby. But now she's a toddler and I think the last round of teeth were probably 4-5 months ago (the molars) so I'm not quite sure what to expect from her at this age. She is, afterall, more of a little person who may express her pain and misery differently now. So is this it, or have the terrible two's hit us at 2 days shy of 19 months old? I have always heard it all starts at 18 months, so I have been bracing myself. We're not seeing any irritation around her canine teeth that are supposed to come it at this time. She has always been right on schedule with her teething. In between the bouts of frustrated tantrums and clinginess, I can see glimpses of happy Anna.

I am so confused! If this is the Terrible Two's, fine! Bring it on! If this is Teething, fine, bring that too! I would just like to know what we're up against, one way or another.

Another walk home

On the stroller ride home from the high school football game this evening (week 2 of the ones Paul's been working), it was cool out, breezy and clear and happy. Anna leaned back sideways in her stroller to get a good look at the sky and sing to her Toddler Action Songs that were playing on the MP3 player. She looked all around the sky as it was darkening and repeatedly pointed out, "MOON!" "STAR!" "AIRPLANE!" Ahhh....she is her mommy and daddy's daughter for sure.

So sweet. Super smart. I love her.

Now, she's sleeping...to bed with zero issues. Now I've gotta sneak in and trim her nails. Did I mention that this week she's decided she will not have her nails clipped? Silly girl, now you must roll around in your own trimmings!

Please oh please don't wake up...

This week's highlights

Peaceful stroller rides
Paci-free car rides
Nap fighting, bedtime fighting
Uninitiated hugs
More new words
Outright defiance
Helpful sweetie
The bumblebee counting song has become her new favorite...and she's pretty good too.
She shouts "NO!" to a song she doesn't want to hear!
Routine seems to be fading. On to a new one of some sort. Again.

She likes to body slam Paul like a little wrestler and then give him kisses.

Silly shakes

Maybe this is why she can't sleep...

Listen closely for "clavicle". Remember, her daddy is a Physical Therapist and her mommy has a minor in Anatomy. For those of you at work, think volume...

Go to sleep, little baby

Anna's been hit or miss this week on going to sleep. She used to love night night, but the past week has been rough. Some nights it's her normal sleeping routine and she plays/sings while falling asleep in her crib, other nights she stands and screams while we feel bad and watch her on the video monitor. We need her to get to bed no later than 8pm. She just needs her sleep. We know she is sleepy. She just doesn't want us to leave the room. It's been the same for naps, too. We hate it when we let her cry herself to sleep. It's sad. Doesn't last longer than 15 min, and we do go in once to let her know we hear her but it's bedtime. But still, she's such a happy girl, we hate that such a supposedly a peaceful time can be hard. It's obvious to us it's just separation anxiety. She just wants to be with us. I'm not blaming anything but the age I guess. I have read that 18 months hits a pretty big sleep regression due to huge cognitive leaps. I guess she's right on schedule! Sorry, baby...hopefully it's just a phase. These kind of things usually are. But it would be wonderful if it was a sign of teething. She's been early/on schedule for all of them but it's about time for the canines now. I'm not seeing anything funky in there, though.

Interesting she naps well at school, and now thinking about it, the two days she's been home with us this week as been the tougher nights getting to sleep....hmmmm....

Good God, what if she starts waking up for us in the middle of the night? Nooo, it can't happen, can it???

2 miles solo

This morning I ran 2 miles solo. But I have to put more miles under my belt at a time or the Disney Half Marathon in Jan is going to be really painful. Double that for Paul, who hasn't run much at all in the past 18 months. I guess I'm still ahead of where I was for my first half marathon at this time.

Another 2 mile ride

This weather is deceptively fall like. We couldn't stay inside...another 2 mile run with Anna happy in the stroller. Oh how I love the fact that she goes to bed between 7:30-8pm. I've been dreaming of evenings like this since she was born. Ahhh.....

Eat donuts while riding your bike

http://www.tourdedonut.com/

This is a bike ride I might actually do my best time in ;)

We're signing up! Anyone wanna join us?

More about Skinny Bitch

I'm realizing that this book is like a horrible mix between the fear-based drama that is Fox News and the extreme conspiracy approach from Michael Moore movies. It's scary that the American Public falls for this kind of stuff. Can people really not take unbiased information and THINK FOR THEMSELVES (and this goes for politics, too, people)? Needless to say I have skipped tons of pages, which brings me closer to the end. I hope it gets better?

Happy Anniversary NASA!

NASA turns 50 today!

Sweet

This morning she gave me a kiss bye-bye and this time she actually turned around, came back and asked me for a hug: "hug?" and reached out to hug me. Ahhhh...this was a first. She gives hugs, yes, but usually you have to ask (unless you're a dog or a little buddy). She doesn't even know how cute she is.