This morning she watched me make eggs with much amusement! After a good breakfast, brushed teeth and hair, we were out the door to day care with no problems. Right now she's trying so hard to get her own socks and shoes on, so giving her a head start on that task gives me some good free time to get myself together in the mornings since Paul's been out early all week. She is getting easier and easier right now to get ready to go in the morning, as long as I include her in the details (how about THIS shirt and pants? How about eggs? How about we go brush your teeth, yay!). You get the idea.
Once at school today I was mortified to learn that only my daughter and one other were actually there today. I guess the other parents took off and took their toddlers with them so out of mommy guilt I told them I'd pick Anna up after her lunch today. More than anything else I could tell already that Anna will be bored without her buddies. I don't have much planned today at work so I'm flexible. But it's Paul's schedule at his clinic that is requiring us to stay later before heading to Austin tonight for Thanksgiving at my mom's. His last patient is at 4pm and then he's got to pack up all his junk that's required to fry a turkey and who knows what else. So I imagine we'll actually get out the door tonight at 7pm.
This 7pm departure time means cranky Anna in the car ride because this child will not sleep in her car seat. Occasionally she'll nap mid-day if absolutely necessary but as far as night trips go, she just wants to be in her own comfy bed. No sleeping sitting up for this one. So this will be such a fun car ride tonight!
Pray for us.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Bathtime!
I watched her play in the tub for a good 45 min tonight I think. Her water got cold and we filled it up again. The bubbles went away. What most kids found out about at age 7 months or so, Anna really discovered tonight: the joys of laying in the tub and mega-splashing. Like big waves at like 2 Hz so that the amplitude was large enough to slosh water out of the tub! Terrific! She's splashed occasionally in the past, but tonight I had to cover myself with a towel :) And then I watched her pretend play something or other in the water. I wondered what she was pretending to do. I couldn't tell. She'd put her hands into a cup full of water, put her hands in her mouth, then rub her hands up and down her legs and feet. No clue on my part!
This evening while at work, Paul and Anna called me. She sang to me over the phone her ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle. And "I yuv you mommy!". I have been waiting for those songs over the phone for 20 months. Ahhh...
So much is going through my mind when I watch her play and sing and talk to us. You can see the neurons making their connections in her little brain. She is fun to watch. I wonder what features of her face will remain constant as she grows and how much will change as she gets older. She's so happy talking to me I can't imagine that she will fight with me on a regular basis when she gets older (even though we have our moments even in toddler-hood). I am fully aware when I watch her that what people swear to me is true: enjoy it all now and let it all sink in now because it goes by fast.
CS said she saw Anna and her class at day care today, playing on the playground. Lots of laughing and screaming and running and playing! One day I've got to take off of work to go see that!
This morning I was on the phone with Disney World, firming up our travel plans for Jan. On hold, Anna's favorite night-night song came on: "I know you" from Sleeping Beauty. Yes, I know that song by heart. Over and over every night. Hearing it on the phone made me think a few things:
-Awww, that's my baby's song!
-Wow, wait, really...not just my baby's song, but other people's babies' song, huh?
-Hmmmm....Disney sure knows what they're doing, don't they? I was NOT A DISNEY FAN before Anna was born. Ask Esther, I hated Disney. They just make movies that revolve around the tragic death of the mother of some poor little deer or lion or cat or dog or whatever. Sad crap. Sleeping Beauty is still the only classic I've seen and I haven't seen the whole thing thanks to a toddler with a limited attention span. But I digress...
The point is that when I heard that song on hold, that means other people's kids love it too, and I came to understand the basis for gazillions of dollars Disney takes in every single day. Yep, I'm about to be one contributor.
This evening while at work, Paul and Anna called me. She sang to me over the phone her ABC's and Twinkle Twinkle. And "I yuv you mommy!". I have been waiting for those songs over the phone for 20 months. Ahhh...
So much is going through my mind when I watch her play and sing and talk to us. You can see the neurons making their connections in her little brain. She is fun to watch. I wonder what features of her face will remain constant as she grows and how much will change as she gets older. She's so happy talking to me I can't imagine that she will fight with me on a regular basis when she gets older (even though we have our moments even in toddler-hood). I am fully aware when I watch her that what people swear to me is true: enjoy it all now and let it all sink in now because it goes by fast.
CS said she saw Anna and her class at day care today, playing on the playground. Lots of laughing and screaming and running and playing! One day I've got to take off of work to go see that!
This morning I was on the phone with Disney World, firming up our travel plans for Jan. On hold, Anna's favorite night-night song came on: "I know you" from Sleeping Beauty. Yes, I know that song by heart. Over and over every night. Hearing it on the phone made me think a few things:
-Awww, that's my baby's song!
-Wow, wait, really...not just my baby's song, but other people's babies' song, huh?
-Hmmmm....Disney sure knows what they're doing, don't they? I was NOT A DISNEY FAN before Anna was born. Ask Esther, I hated Disney. They just make movies that revolve around the tragic death of the mother of some poor little deer or lion or cat or dog or whatever. Sad crap. Sleeping Beauty is still the only classic I've seen and I haven't seen the whole thing thanks to a toddler with a limited attention span. But I digress...
The point is that when I heard that song on hold, that means other people's kids love it too, and I came to understand the basis for gazillions of dollars Disney takes in every single day. Yep, I'm about to be one contributor.
Quick Hits and Bragging Rights
WARNING: First time mom bragging to follow. I can't help it. It's my blog and I love her and she just amazes me everyday. I am trying not to turn into one of those moms who thinks every little move is just adorable but it's tough when she's been so happy and helpful the past few weeks.
On sunday morning Anna chose to wake up at 6:45 instead of her usual 7-7:15am. We are certain this has something to do with the fact that mommy and daddy stayed out till 1am at the NASA 50th Anniversary Gala in Galveston. That will teach us to sneak away while she's asleep! This is why parents of toddlers don't stay out late, people (unless you are one of those strangely blessed parents whose toddler sleeps late...TJ maybe?)
This weekend, Anna looked right at me during lunch and said, "pacis a fu babies!" Daddy is telling her that paci's are for babies. She likes the phrase, but only somewhat gets where we are trying to go with this. She will also happily say "Yucky paci!" and throw it down, then proceed to ask for it again later. She still gets her paci in the car and during sleep. She will take it out of her mouth when we ask her to. That's a start. But she is still teething her 4 canines and with the holiday travel approaching, we're lightening up a bit. We figure we're going to have to use reason rather than force.
She finally liked hanging on the bars at The Little Gym.
This weekend she pee-peed on her little potty when I did :) She was so proud!! So were we. She will actually tell you when she's gone in her diaper if she thinks about it. Awareness! That's on the right path!
She is being extremely cooperative and happy still ever since we got back from Colorado. Is this another phase or can I attribute the awful attitude of the previous weeks to ear infection, cold, and teething? I don't know but she's a super cool toddler at this time. Even brushing her teeth has become fun for her.
When we go to get her from her crib after she's woken, she has lots to tell you! Usually it revolves around her paci and I'm not entirely sure what she's saying but she is loaded with inflection and exclamations!
She will list off the names of her friends at school, and then add "book!" as if it were one of her friends. SHE LOVES BOOKS. When I pick her up from school, she's always sitting on the floor looking at a book and she immediately runs up to tell me the story and show me the book. Every night before bedtime, story time is a a real treat for all of us because she is so involved and just loves to name stuff and point stuff out.
And baby can count to 13. If you ask her to count something, like the ducks in her book, she will point to each one and assign it a correct number..."one, tooo, steee, fou, hive..." it's the coolest thing I have EVER heard.
She is now singing songs outloud all by herself for you if you just ask her to. The other day we got rounds and rounds of Itsy Bitsy Spider out of nowhere so then we asked for Twinkle Twinkle and ABC...OK the words aren't PERFECT but she loves to sing for us and we are just amazed. She is very serious about her singing.
A quick reminder that we are new at this parenting thing and therefore have the right to be amazed! Paul and I just look at each other like: ARE YOU HEARING THIS TOO? Last night at story time I wish we'd have had a video camera running. Maybe we'll set one up because we were just rolling with laughter.
She helps me cook her breakfast, loves waffles, and knows that fire, the fireplace, the oven, and the toaster is hot. When the water runs hot as she's washing her hands, she will tell me: HOT! If her food is too hot, she will tell me HOT. She blows on it to cool it but she's been doing that for a few months now. She knows that ice is cold.
She likes wearing a jacket when it's cold outside.
She's alsways had this "uh-uh-uh" high pitched, urgent almost whine. I swear ever since the day she was born. As a newborn, it was an indicator that a full out scream or cry was forthcoming in just a few seconds. As a toddler, I can see it heading down the path to habitual whining so we are nipping this in the bud this instant. When she starts that we tell her to stop that whining and "tell mommy" or daddy or "show" us what she wants to say. Most of her response is Anna-talk with some key words in there we can pick up on so it's helpful and I think actually working. At least she knows to stop, look at me, and talk to me.
MY GOD THE CHILD IS A BOTTOMLESS PIT LATELY. Do they really have growth spurts, or is this just another wive's tale? Because baby has been putting it away in piles and I am getting concerned! She's not fat or overweight, but geeze I feel for the child if she keeps this up because if she's inherited both her daddy and mommy's genes for the love to eat, she doesn't stand a chance! She will taste ANYTHING you give her but then spit it out if she doesn't like it. At least she's open to trying it out first. She will go around her plate and name all the food on it.
There's so much more I should post that she's doing but ofcourse I can't blog it at the time and then I forget. I'll get better at this. She's just growing up, fast.
On sunday morning Anna chose to wake up at 6:45 instead of her usual 7-7:15am. We are certain this has something to do with the fact that mommy and daddy stayed out till 1am at the NASA 50th Anniversary Gala in Galveston. That will teach us to sneak away while she's asleep! This is why parents of toddlers don't stay out late, people (unless you are one of those strangely blessed parents whose toddler sleeps late...TJ maybe?)
This weekend, Anna looked right at me during lunch and said, "pacis a fu babies!" Daddy is telling her that paci's are for babies. She likes the phrase, but only somewhat gets where we are trying to go with this. She will also happily say "Yucky paci!" and throw it down, then proceed to ask for it again later. She still gets her paci in the car and during sleep. She will take it out of her mouth when we ask her to. That's a start. But she is still teething her 4 canines and with the holiday travel approaching, we're lightening up a bit. We figure we're going to have to use reason rather than force.
She finally liked hanging on the bars at The Little Gym.
This weekend she pee-peed on her little potty when I did :) She was so proud!! So were we. She will actually tell you when she's gone in her diaper if she thinks about it. Awareness! That's on the right path!
She is being extremely cooperative and happy still ever since we got back from Colorado. Is this another phase or can I attribute the awful attitude of the previous weeks to ear infection, cold, and teething? I don't know but she's a super cool toddler at this time. Even brushing her teeth has become fun for her.
When we go to get her from her crib after she's woken, she has lots to tell you! Usually it revolves around her paci and I'm not entirely sure what she's saying but she is loaded with inflection and exclamations!
She will list off the names of her friends at school, and then add "book!" as if it were one of her friends. SHE LOVES BOOKS. When I pick her up from school, she's always sitting on the floor looking at a book and she immediately runs up to tell me the story and show me the book. Every night before bedtime, story time is a a real treat for all of us because she is so involved and just loves to name stuff and point stuff out.
And baby can count to 13. If you ask her to count something, like the ducks in her book, she will point to each one and assign it a correct number..."one, tooo, steee, fou, hive..." it's the coolest thing I have EVER heard.
She is now singing songs outloud all by herself for you if you just ask her to. The other day we got rounds and rounds of Itsy Bitsy Spider out of nowhere so then we asked for Twinkle Twinkle and ABC...OK the words aren't PERFECT but she loves to sing for us and we are just amazed. She is very serious about her singing.
A quick reminder that we are new at this parenting thing and therefore have the right to be amazed! Paul and I just look at each other like: ARE YOU HEARING THIS TOO? Last night at story time I wish we'd have had a video camera running. Maybe we'll set one up because we were just rolling with laughter.
She helps me cook her breakfast, loves waffles, and knows that fire, the fireplace, the oven, and the toaster is hot. When the water runs hot as she's washing her hands, she will tell me: HOT! If her food is too hot, she will tell me HOT. She blows on it to cool it but she's been doing that for a few months now. She knows that ice is cold.
She likes wearing a jacket when it's cold outside.
She's alsways had this "uh-uh-uh" high pitched, urgent almost whine. I swear ever since the day she was born. As a newborn, it was an indicator that a full out scream or cry was forthcoming in just a few seconds. As a toddler, I can see it heading down the path to habitual whining so we are nipping this in the bud this instant. When she starts that we tell her to stop that whining and "tell mommy" or daddy or "show" us what she wants to say. Most of her response is Anna-talk with some key words in there we can pick up on so it's helpful and I think actually working. At least she knows to stop, look at me, and talk to me.
MY GOD THE CHILD IS A BOTTOMLESS PIT LATELY. Do they really have growth spurts, or is this just another wive's tale? Because baby has been putting it away in piles and I am getting concerned! She's not fat or overweight, but geeze I feel for the child if she keeps this up because if she's inherited both her daddy and mommy's genes for the love to eat, she doesn't stand a chance! She will taste ANYTHING you give her but then spit it out if she doesn't like it. At least she's open to trying it out first. She will go around her plate and name all the food on it.
There's so much more I should post that she's doing but ofcourse I can't blog it at the time and then I forget. I'll get better at this. She's just growing up, fast.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
They said she likes to dress up
While Paul and I were in Colorado a few weeks ago and Anna was staying with Paul's parents, they dressed up all the grandchildren in matching outfits and took pictures. No small feat I'm sure but they said it was fun! The pictures prove it...she does clean up nicely!
Our thoughts were that we hadn't seen her in 4 days and from the looks of these pictures, we came home to a two year old! My did she grow when we were gone?
Friday, November 21, 2008
Astronaut!
Last night we went to the 10th anniversary party of the International Space Station. Ten years on orbit is a really long time. Good for us for controlling our processes such that it's still safe and gunk-free (for the most part). It still seems new to me!
While sitting in an auditorium waiting for a series of speeches from the world's space agencies, our beautiful toddler shouts out, ASTRONAUT! Not just once, but over and over. We got comments, "how cute! how sweet!" She was proud of herself!
Like a good toddler, she behaved herself as long as she could but we had to leave in the middle of the speeches because men speaking in boring blue suits in a language she doesn't understand doesn't hold her attention like Mickey Mouse does. She rathered digging through the diaper bag or getting up and down off the seat. Several times she shouted out: "MEEOOOWWW and MOOO!!!" as she was thumbing through her board book.
I guess Paul and I were expecting a little more exciting display with photos and movies but it was mostly about content of the speeches. The kids next to us were also getting bored. Even the ones who came in excited for what they were about to hear/see. Excited about the space program. They ranged from 2 to about 9.
While it's impossible to cater to that age group in a speech, I couldn't help but feel, as a parent, that NASA kinda missed an opportunity to capture some of the kids in the crowd with a little more "oomph". I suppose Pre-baby Tara would have sat and listened carefully to all of the leaders tell us about the wonders of the acheivements of the ISS and the NASA team. Post-baby Tara was sort of relieved Anna was antsy enough to have to get up and walk out. Or maybe I am just getting more and more cynical that I feel like NASA sometimes doesn't do enough in the public relations area, when they really could do so much more. Last night was a great effort but for some reason I just wasn't feeling it. Granted, they're not Disney, but they are NASA.
The rest of the party at Space Center Houston included a band and food. The band wasn't playing much while we were there. Where were the astronaut autographs and photo ops? Where was the anniversary cake? Balloons? Did I miss all of this and just give up too soon?
The up-side was that Anna danced a little bit when the band played, she got to see "spaceships" and "astronaut" mock-ups, and on the way out we got a goody bag that contained some pretty could space stuff. Inside the bag, there was a little foam astronaut.
"ASTRONAUT!" as she played with it all the way home.
While sitting in an auditorium waiting for a series of speeches from the world's space agencies, our beautiful toddler shouts out, ASTRONAUT! Not just once, but over and over. We got comments, "how cute! how sweet!" She was proud of herself!
Like a good toddler, she behaved herself as long as she could but we had to leave in the middle of the speeches because men speaking in boring blue suits in a language she doesn't understand doesn't hold her attention like Mickey Mouse does. She rathered digging through the diaper bag or getting up and down off the seat. Several times she shouted out: "MEEOOOWWW and MOOO!!!" as she was thumbing through her board book.
I guess Paul and I were expecting a little more exciting display with photos and movies but it was mostly about content of the speeches. The kids next to us were also getting bored. Even the ones who came in excited for what they were about to hear/see. Excited about the space program. They ranged from 2 to about 9.
While it's impossible to cater to that age group in a speech, I couldn't help but feel, as a parent, that NASA kinda missed an opportunity to capture some of the kids in the crowd with a little more "oomph". I suppose Pre-baby Tara would have sat and listened carefully to all of the leaders tell us about the wonders of the acheivements of the ISS and the NASA team. Post-baby Tara was sort of relieved Anna was antsy enough to have to get up and walk out. Or maybe I am just getting more and more cynical that I feel like NASA sometimes doesn't do enough in the public relations area, when they really could do so much more. Last night was a great effort but for some reason I just wasn't feeling it. Granted, they're not Disney, but they are NASA.
The rest of the party at Space Center Houston included a band and food. The band wasn't playing much while we were there. Where were the astronaut autographs and photo ops? Where was the anniversary cake? Balloons? Did I miss all of this and just give up too soon?
The up-side was that Anna danced a little bit when the band played, she got to see "spaceships" and "astronaut" mock-ups, and on the way out we got a goody bag that contained some pretty could space stuff. Inside the bag, there was a little foam astronaut.
"ASTRONAUT!" as she played with it all the way home.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Contagious fist bumps
Anna has been skipping, smiling, and running to her classrooms in the morning. It's the sweetest feeling to watch her haul it down the hallway, holding my hand, and smiling up at me occasionally like, "are you as excited as I am?"
This morning when we entered (she likes to knock first), I heard, "Anna!" And it wasn't from her teachers, but from a little buddy Walty. How wonderful! We applauded Walty and he got all shy and silly. These guys are growing up!
Speaking of growing up, she just flat out walked away from me today, and straight over to Miss P. This is the second day in a row for that! She gives Miss P a fist bump, me a snotty kiss, and bye-bye! This morning when she fist bumped Miss P, Rocky came over and fist bumped Miss P. Then one by one they all came over for fist bumps. Hardy-har-har. I left her with a smile and not a care in the world.
I am so happy the crying at drop-off is behind us. It's a very liberating feeling to go to work confidently knowing your baby is happy to start her day. YAY!
This morning when we entered (she likes to knock first), I heard, "Anna!" And it wasn't from her teachers, but from a little buddy Walty. How wonderful! We applauded Walty and he got all shy and silly. These guys are growing up!
Speaking of growing up, she just flat out walked away from me today, and straight over to Miss P. This is the second day in a row for that! She gives Miss P a fist bump, me a snotty kiss, and bye-bye! This morning when she fist bumped Miss P, Rocky came over and fist bumped Miss P. Then one by one they all came over for fist bumps. Hardy-har-har. I left her with a smile and not a care in the world.
I am so happy the crying at drop-off is behind us. It's a very liberating feeling to go to work confidently knowing your baby is happy to start her day. YAY!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Again, what's with the pee-pee and nap-fighting? I'd prefer sleep.
Well it's Tuesday...Spacedaddy's day to be home with Spacebooger (Anna).
At 1:44pm I check in with a phone call:
Spacemama: Why do I hear our baby in the background?
Spacedaddy: Uh-huh, she only napped for 30 minutes today. Woke up crying hard!
That's not our usual, happy wake-up Anna. Yep, the hallmark of teething...4 glroious canines. Or wait, could we facing another ear infection maybe? She HAS been pulling at her ears... No, no...not again...not the confusion and guessing. It's CLEARLY teething.
Spacemama: Hon, I am soooo sorry! Are you able to get anything done today with her up?
Spacedaddy: I am forcing her to play on her own.
He is managing to get SOME things done...
Spacemama: It's the teething...I am sorry, hon!
At 3:30pm, Spacedaddy calls me:
Spacedaddy: Anna, tell mommy what you did today?
Anna (over the phone, promted by daddy): Peepeeonapoddy!
Spacemama: You pee-peed on the potty?? What a BIG GIRL! Daddy, did you give high fives and YAY?
Spacedaddy: Lots of high-fives and yays!
She's hanging with Spacedaddy some more tonight while I tend to a personal matter with good friends. Hopefully his pudding concoction adds ibuprophen to the mix, which she refused him earlier today. If only she knew it was for her own good...
At 1:44pm I check in with a phone call:
Spacemama: Why do I hear our baby in the background?
Spacedaddy: Uh-huh, she only napped for 30 minutes today. Woke up crying hard!
That's not our usual, happy wake-up Anna. Yep, the hallmark of teething...4 glroious canines. Or wait, could we facing another ear infection maybe? She HAS been pulling at her ears... No, no...not again...not the confusion and guessing. It's CLEARLY teething.
Spacemama: Hon, I am soooo sorry! Are you able to get anything done today with her up?
Spacedaddy: I am forcing her to play on her own.
He is managing to get SOME things done...
Spacemama: It's the teething...I am sorry, hon!
At 3:30pm, Spacedaddy calls me:
Spacedaddy: Anna, tell mommy what you did today?
Anna (over the phone, promted by daddy): Peepeeonapoddy!
Spacemama: You pee-peed on the potty?? What a BIG GIRL! Daddy, did you give high fives and YAY?
Spacedaddy: Lots of high-fives and yays!
She's hanging with Spacedaddy some more tonight while I tend to a personal matter with good friends. Hopefully his pudding concoction adds ibuprophen to the mix, which she refused him earlier today. If only she knew it was for her own good...
Monday, November 17, 2008
Tonight during story time
It was Paul's night to read Anna's stories and put her to bed. As I gave her my night night kisses while leaving her to her daddy, she grabbed me by the hand and motioned for me to lay down with them on the floor. Anna in the middle, mommy and daddy on each side.
To SpaceDaddy: "What a lucky toddler to have both parents' attention for night-night stories, huh?"
There are toddlers out there everywhere who would kill for one of their parents to read them a night-night story.
Part of me (the crazy part, ofcourse) thought, "should I do this? I don't want to spoil her with both of us being here!" The more reasonable part of me (the mom part) reminded myself that we should do this as often as possible because the future won't always guarantee us such an accommodating schedule.
It's a strange reflection of society, or at least the way I think society sees things, when I have to question if it's the right thing to do for us to sit down altogether as a family and enjoy night-night story time. All 3 of us, together. Hmmm....
********
Spacemama: Anna, do you want some pudding?!
Anna: Poooding, yummy!
Spacemama: I'm just going to mix your medicine into it first, OK?
Spacedaddy: Will it make you feel better to tell her you're doing it?
Spacemama: Yes, I guess so.
And it did.
After a crazy full dinner, she ate the pudding with the antibiotics, but tonight she didn't eat the pudding with the Benadryl.
To SpaceDaddy: "What a lucky toddler to have both parents' attention for night-night stories, huh?"
There are toddlers out there everywhere who would kill for one of their parents to read them a night-night story.
Part of me (the crazy part, ofcourse) thought, "should I do this? I don't want to spoil her with both of us being here!" The more reasonable part of me (the mom part) reminded myself that we should do this as often as possible because the future won't always guarantee us such an accommodating schedule.
It's a strange reflection of society, or at least the way I think society sees things, when I have to question if it's the right thing to do for us to sit down altogether as a family and enjoy night-night story time. All 3 of us, together. Hmmm....
********
Spacemama: Anna, do you want some pudding?!
Anna: Poooding, yummy!
Spacemama: I'm just going to mix your medicine into it first, OK?
Spacedaddy: Will it make you feel better to tell her you're doing it?
Spacemama: Yes, I guess so.
And it did.
After a crazy full dinner, she ate the pudding with the antibiotics, but tonight she didn't eat the pudding with the Benadryl.
Houston, we have a booger-eater
Anna: AAACCCHHOOOO!!!
SpaceDaddy: Anna, go ask mommy for a kleenex...wait, too late. Ick! Anna, no!
SpaceMama: Do you need a kleenex?
Too late. She ate her first booger. Picked from a full nose like she has now, I am sure it was pretty ripe.
SpaceMama: Ohhh, no!!! That's gross, baby!
She chews.
SpaceDaddy: Anna, go ask mommy for a kleenex...wait, too late. Ick! Anna, no!
SpaceMama: Do you need a kleenex?
Too late. She ate her first booger. Picked from a full nose like she has now, I am sure it was pretty ripe.
SpaceMama: Ohhh, no!!! That's gross, baby!
She chews.
We drugged her last night...
...and as I watched her eat that delicious, happy pudding (yummy!), she was ingesting antibiotic and Benadryl. Is it OK to feel bad about that? She's fighting a sinus infection. Sometimes she'll happily take her medicine straight. Other times, she'll walk away and come back for it when she's good and ready. Last night I didn't feel like playing around. We doped her yummy vanilla pudding with her meds and I watched her happily gulp down the concoction her loving, trusting mommy just gave her.
Something about the whole ordeal made me feel a little guilty.
Paul: "You're just making the medicine taste better!"
Yeah, that's it, right? Just making it taste better...I think I was stunned at so naturally trusting she is of her mommy and daddy. I mean, ofcourse she's supposed to be. Most mommies and daddies love their little ones. Some mommies and daddies do terrible harm to their little ones. But the little ones are wired to love and trust their parents (and throw tantrums and be uncooperative too, ofcourse). She had no idea I was drugging her. I think this is what made it a little more weird in my mind than giving her the medicine straight up. In fact, I was kinda shocked I was thinking any of this at all.
But she just ate up that yummy pudding.
And then she got sleepy. And that was even more super weird.
The effects of the poison.
I think I hate Benadryl.
Something about the whole ordeal made me feel a little guilty.
Paul: "You're just making the medicine taste better!"
Yeah, that's it, right? Just making it taste better...I think I was stunned at so naturally trusting she is of her mommy and daddy. I mean, ofcourse she's supposed to be. Most mommies and daddies love their little ones. Some mommies and daddies do terrible harm to their little ones. But the little ones are wired to love and trust their parents (and throw tantrums and be uncooperative too, ofcourse). She had no idea I was drugging her. I think this is what made it a little more weird in my mind than giving her the medicine straight up. In fact, I was kinda shocked I was thinking any of this at all.
But she just ate up that yummy pudding.
And then she got sleepy. And that was even more super weird.
The effects of the poison.
I think I hate Benadryl.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Here you go!
Spacemama: Anna, will you bring daddy this napkin?
Anna to SpaceDaddy: "Here you go!"
Spacemama to SpaceDaddy: Did she just say "here you go?"
Cute.
*******
Tonight she actually slept hard enough for me to clip her long claws without me having to duck and run, flashlight covered, which is the usual light-sleeper tossing and turning I face during sleep-based nail-trimming attempts.
She is still extra clingy, especially to me, but on several occasions she's wanted BOTH of us present. She hasn't had any sleeping and nap issues (separation anxiety) and her nose is clearing up some. I made it to the parent's chapel at her school yesterday, just in time to make it back to NASA for an important meeting. Remind me to post pictures on Monday of the Anna at parent's chapel last year versus this year. It's amazing how fast these little boogers develop.
My head has still been hurting off and on with the sinus infection but I think it's improving. It's a good thing Anna has still been the awesomely happy, goofy, silly toddler she has since we've all reunited. I wonder if her good behavior is a honeymoon phase, sure to resort back to defiant, uncooperative toddler as soon as the routine and apparent boredom sets back in. You know, the kind you slowly sink back into once reality hits after a really great vacation.
She also understands TONS of what I say to her, including following my directions, even if I think she won't and I say it anyway. That includes discipline. She definitely knows when she's busted.
The weather here has been mercifully cool, and beautiful! It's almost enough to tempt us into attempting a zoo visit tomorrow, but we'll see how it goes. We still have Halloween decorations to put away, and floors and bathrooms to clean.
On that note, Paul doesn't work at the hospital (Weekends) for the rest of the month! Yahoo, weekends can be fun again!
I am still surprised and excited and proud of how well she did while away from us for several nights. This is monumental, folks.
I have noticed the last 2 days that she is smiling and happy alot more. Maybe she was that way before we separated but I am getting a good look at this right now. She was playing with a scarf at the Little Gym today and she was just genuinely happy. It's that big smile. We peeked into the back seat tonight on the way home from Cafe Express and she was all silly smiles. When she smiles, she means it. She is happy. We must be doing something right. Or at least she's OK with it.
Anna to SpaceDaddy: "Here you go!"
Spacemama to SpaceDaddy: Did she just say "here you go?"
Cute.
*******
Tonight she actually slept hard enough for me to clip her long claws without me having to duck and run, flashlight covered, which is the usual light-sleeper tossing and turning I face during sleep-based nail-trimming attempts.
She is still extra clingy, especially to me, but on several occasions she's wanted BOTH of us present. She hasn't had any sleeping and nap issues (separation anxiety) and her nose is clearing up some. I made it to the parent's chapel at her school yesterday, just in time to make it back to NASA for an important meeting. Remind me to post pictures on Monday of the Anna at parent's chapel last year versus this year. It's amazing how fast these little boogers develop.
My head has still been hurting off and on with the sinus infection but I think it's improving. It's a good thing Anna has still been the awesomely happy, goofy, silly toddler she has since we've all reunited. I wonder if her good behavior is a honeymoon phase, sure to resort back to defiant, uncooperative toddler as soon as the routine and apparent boredom sets back in. You know, the kind you slowly sink back into once reality hits after a really great vacation.
She also understands TONS of what I say to her, including following my directions, even if I think she won't and I say it anyway. That includes discipline. She definitely knows when she's busted.
The weather here has been mercifully cool, and beautiful! It's almost enough to tempt us into attempting a zoo visit tomorrow, but we'll see how it goes. We still have Halloween decorations to put away, and floors and bathrooms to clean.
On that note, Paul doesn't work at the hospital (Weekends) for the rest of the month! Yahoo, weekends can be fun again!
I am still surprised and excited and proud of how well she did while away from us for several nights. This is monumental, folks.
I have noticed the last 2 days that she is smiling and happy alot more. Maybe she was that way before we separated but I am getting a good look at this right now. She was playing with a scarf at the Little Gym today and she was just genuinely happy. It's that big smile. We peeked into the back seat tonight on the way home from Cafe Express and she was all silly smiles. When she smiles, she means it. She is happy. We must be doing something right. Or at least she's OK with it.
Friday, November 14, 2008
The up-side to a sinus infection...
...is that nothing has any flavor.
No taste = why bother to eat = wow, look at the scale move.
Nice!
No taste = why bother to eat = wow, look at the scale move.
Nice!
We're home! Did you miss us?
Last night was a battle between good and evil within my own head. That is, the bacteria happily living in my fluid-filled sinuses were not about to be taken down by the antibiotics without a fight. For 2 or 3 weeks I've been fighting congestion in my head and chest. While we were on travel, it was a bother but it didn't slow me down. But I realized I might be facing a sinus infection and saw the doc yesterday, who confirmed it. Apparently, green snot that lasts longer than 3 days warrants a doc's visit, according to him. Boy was I late! Last night was the worst ever, including a fever, painful sinuses, and I thought I might also throw up at one point. By 6am I felt much better, like the biggest battle is over, but still had a low-grade fever. I haven't slept in weeks because of it but I guess I kept thinking it'd go away on its own. Boy am I ready for a good night's sleep. Did I mention this is the first sinus infection I've had (that I know of)?
In fact, like mother like daughter. It turns out Anna has one too. ANOTHER one. So AGAIN she is on antibiotics. I don't understand where all of the fluid is coming from. Did we both start with a cold that turned into this or did it stem from allergies? Judging from the deep cough the three of us have (and doc said mild bronchitis for me and Paul, actually), my guess is a cold. But who knows. I just want this all to GO AWAY.
Anna also has 4 happy canines that have just poked through the gums and she is actually a pretty happy little toddler. She had such a great time with Paul's family and all their cousins, she has been nothing but all smiles and cooperation since we got home yesterday. I guess she needed a vacation too :) She even knows more words and is stringing them together to make sentences. Before we left she could count to 6 and last night she counted to 13 (going up the steps) all by herself. She seems to have a sharper sense of humor and is really into giving out hugs. Whether she picked this up while there or it's just an example of how fast she's developing is beyond me! I can actually have a funny conversation with her. This morning I asked her if she was ready to go back to school and she starts rattling off the kids' names in her class. She hadn't forgotten! And her words and names are very clear, just like a little person. That has freaked me out entirely! You are really going to talk to me one day for real...one day you will have an intelligent conversation with me and there will be no fooling you about anything that I can fool you about today...
I have zero experience here but I'd swear we have a two year old. She's 20 months.
This morning I tried to wipe her green booger nose and she refused, arms pushing me away. My response was, "my, you're swinging at that one, aren't you!" She got up off the floor, "swinging, swinging, swinging!"Me confused at what she was asking, she grabbed my hand and took me over to the back door to point at her swing in the back yard! SWINGING, get it? Hahahaha. Too bad, it was raining and we had to go to school.
In the last 24 hours the fact that she's such a big girl has just been proven over and over. We were away from her for4.5 days, during a time which she didn't really ask about us and didn't even have problems sleeping at night or going down for a nap (that I know of). I am HAPPY about that. I am NOT sad she didn't seem to miss us. I would like to think she forgot all about us! She played with her cousins and her grandparents and the dog. I don't know all the details of her visit, I am sure they'll come out in time, but I can tell that she was busy, busy. She even napped in the stroller a few times while they were out shopping, which is beyond my belief. I have only known her to fall asleep in the stroller once in her life: after a hard few hours of play at Disney World when she was 14 months old. It's good that Paul's mom is busy and took Anna with her everywhere. To my discredit (I suppose), I don't take Anna all around town. First of all, I hate to shop in general. If I have to do it, I do it quick and by myself. Second of all I hate to encroach on her nap time because as a baby I learned quickly she just couldn't shut out the stimulus coming at her in public to be able to relax and just fall asleep. Instead, she'd scream and squirm till I got her home to sleep. Paul's mom pushed Anna's boundaries, both knowingly and unknowingly, which rocks because it gave Anna a chance to experience new things and for me to know she is in fact getting more and more flexible. Like a big girl.
Remember I am new at this so anything off-routine surprises me...
When she saw us again, she seemed happy and has asked for extra hugs alot more since. This morning as Paul was leaving, she asked for a group hug. It was really, really sweet and cute.
She is all smiles, and pretty easy-going right now. She seems to be handling the interruption in her routine. She has been a little clingy to me at home, but it's OK. If I leave the room, she cries and chases me. This morning she held it together at drop off, and last night she went to bed and slept without problems other than the occasional wake-up, crying out about what seemed to be due to disorientation..."oh yeah, I'm back at home now".
I love the fact that she's turning into a little person all her own, complete with a wonderful sense of humor. She even gets my little jokes.
I am so glad our separation worked out so great. I do think she had fun, and so did we in Colorado. In this way I wish we had more local family so Anna didn't get so bored with just mommy and daddy around. At least I think she is making friends at school. Or at least knows their name. When I dropped her off this morning, Reese came up to her and they grabbed each other's hands, both with big smiles on their faces. How cute is that?
Well, on to catching up at home and at work. Welcome back to reality!
In fact, like mother like daughter. It turns out Anna has one too. ANOTHER one. So AGAIN she is on antibiotics. I don't understand where all of the fluid is coming from. Did we both start with a cold that turned into this or did it stem from allergies? Judging from the deep cough the three of us have (and doc said mild bronchitis for me and Paul, actually), my guess is a cold. But who knows. I just want this all to GO AWAY.
Anna also has 4 happy canines that have just poked through the gums and she is actually a pretty happy little toddler. She had such a great time with Paul's family and all their cousins, she has been nothing but all smiles and cooperation since we got home yesterday. I guess she needed a vacation too :) She even knows more words and is stringing them together to make sentences. Before we left she could count to 6 and last night she counted to 13 (going up the steps) all by herself. She seems to have a sharper sense of humor and is really into giving out hugs. Whether she picked this up while there or it's just an example of how fast she's developing is beyond me! I can actually have a funny conversation with her. This morning I asked her if she was ready to go back to school and she starts rattling off the kids' names in her class. She hadn't forgotten! And her words and names are very clear, just like a little person. That has freaked me out entirely! You are really going to talk to me one day for real...one day you will have an intelligent conversation with me and there will be no fooling you about anything that I can fool you about today...
I have zero experience here but I'd swear we have a two year old. She's 20 months.
This morning I tried to wipe her green booger nose and she refused, arms pushing me away. My response was, "my, you're swinging at that one, aren't you!" She got up off the floor, "swinging, swinging, swinging!"Me confused at what she was asking, she grabbed my hand and took me over to the back door to point at her swing in the back yard! SWINGING, get it? Hahahaha. Too bad, it was raining and we had to go to school.
In the last 24 hours the fact that she's such a big girl has just been proven over and over. We were away from her for4.5 days, during a time which she didn't really ask about us and didn't even have problems sleeping at night or going down for a nap (that I know of). I am HAPPY about that. I am NOT sad she didn't seem to miss us. I would like to think she forgot all about us! She played with her cousins and her grandparents and the dog. I don't know all the details of her visit, I am sure they'll come out in time, but I can tell that she was busy, busy. She even napped in the stroller a few times while they were out shopping, which is beyond my belief. I have only known her to fall asleep in the stroller once in her life: after a hard few hours of play at Disney World when she was 14 months old. It's good that Paul's mom is busy and took Anna with her everywhere. To my discredit (I suppose), I don't take Anna all around town. First of all, I hate to shop in general. If I have to do it, I do it quick and by myself. Second of all I hate to encroach on her nap time because as a baby I learned quickly she just couldn't shut out the stimulus coming at her in public to be able to relax and just fall asleep. Instead, she'd scream and squirm till I got her home to sleep. Paul's mom pushed Anna's boundaries, both knowingly and unknowingly, which rocks because it gave Anna a chance to experience new things and for me to know she is in fact getting more and more flexible. Like a big girl.
Remember I am new at this so anything off-routine surprises me...
When she saw us again, she seemed happy and has asked for extra hugs alot more since. This morning as Paul was leaving, she asked for a group hug. It was really, really sweet and cute.
She is all smiles, and pretty easy-going right now. She seems to be handling the interruption in her routine. She has been a little clingy to me at home, but it's OK. If I leave the room, she cries and chases me. This morning she held it together at drop off, and last night she went to bed and slept without problems other than the occasional wake-up, crying out about what seemed to be due to disorientation..."oh yeah, I'm back at home now".
I love the fact that she's turning into a little person all her own, complete with a wonderful sense of humor. She even gets my little jokes.
I am so glad our separation worked out so great. I do think she had fun, and so did we in Colorado. In this way I wish we had more local family so Anna didn't get so bored with just mommy and daddy around. At least I think she is making friends at school. Or at least knows their name. When I dropped her off this morning, Reese came up to her and they grabbed each other's hands, both with big smiles on their faces. How cute is that?
Well, on to catching up at home and at work. Welcome back to reality!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Lift Off
Well, today's the day. Spacedaddy and I are sitting in the Lafayette airport waiting for our plane to leave. Anna was having lots of fun with her cousins and the rest of the family. She did cry when we left but it wasn't too bad. That's just typical Anna. In fact she was enjoying herself so much she wanted nothing to do with me and my lame attempts in the last 24 hours of routine Anna care: changing her diaper elicted glorious tantrums in front of everyone, forcing me to power through...thanks for making me look good in front of the in-laws ;). Forget changing her clothes, who has time for that? (tantrum galore). Yet this morning:
Nanee: Anna, will you go with momma to change your diaper?
Anna: Yes! (head nodding)
And the little booger trots into the bedroom without a peep.
Little. Booger. GGgrrrrr....But honestly I hope it's as easy for Nanee the rest of the week. Several experienced moms have told me they'll be on their best behavior away from mom and dad. Good! I hope so!
After a 2 hour family meal at Olive Garden last night, Anna got to bed around 9:30. She didn't go down easy...Spacedaddy had to lay down next to her pack and play. But it was quick and baby slept through the night, even through the apparently new cough that's started. She slept. I did not. Typical. I listened to her cough and I worried over it. Then I heard her giggle in her sleep. These guys do dream. How cute.
Four teeth are showing. Count 'em. 4. Teething, snot, cough, travel...all good combo. At least she is in great spirits. She's supposed to be napping now. I wonder if she is? Spacedaddy's holding back on calling...we are just so curious.
Anyway, here we are at the airport. Our plane has left us. We volunteered to stay. Well, only for another 2 hours. Delta gave us each $400 vouchers for future use if we gave up our flight today. Sure! We have no real agenda. On top of that, they gave us first class on our way to Denver. Aahhhhh...Did I mention these tickets that we're using today are already free due to Paul's American Express point rewards? It's a good thing because flying out of Lafayette was way convenient and costly if we were to pay for it. It's a tiny airport.
Life can be good. Or maybe it's one big dose of good karma for us. We'll take it!
Actually I think it's Delta's way of making up for the crap they did to me earlier this year. I was coming back from a speaking engagement at a college in the upper penninsula of Michigan. An island. With a tiny airport and 2 gates. My plane left at 7am. I showed up at 6:35. I stood in line behind a family in tears when one of the members told me good luck trying to get onto this flight. What? Apparently Delta has this 30 min rule. If you are even there one minute behind the 30 min pre-flight time, they shut you out. Even if you're there with all your bags and everyone else is still going through security watching you, feeling bad for you standing there. As you watch them seriously close the plane up, even though your seat is empty, Delta has no empathy for lack of punctuality. Because the plane only leaves that island once per day, and I'd already dumped my rental car keys into a lock box at the closed rental car place, I hitched a ride with that nice little family (Canadians who decided to drive to their destination in Chicago) to Lansing, where I then picked up a rental car, drove to the Detroit airport and whined till they got me on a flight to Houston that night. I had to get to Houston because we were going to Colorado the next day. The Delta operator on the phone wanted to charge me $1000 for new tickets since I "missed" my flight in the UP. It's different when you show up at the airport like: HELP ME. They did for a $25 fee. But I was this close to starting up a I HATE DELTA.COM website. Today they made up for the whole incident. But Southwest is still our first choice.
And Spacedaddy just confirmed with Nanee that she is eating buscuits with honey and butter with her fun cousins. Not sleeping. Seriously, honey?
Nanee: Anna, will you go with momma to change your diaper?
Anna: Yes! (head nodding)
And the little booger trots into the bedroom without a peep.
Little. Booger. GGgrrrrr....But honestly I hope it's as easy for Nanee the rest of the week. Several experienced moms have told me they'll be on their best behavior away from mom and dad. Good! I hope so!
After a 2 hour family meal at Olive Garden last night, Anna got to bed around 9:30. She didn't go down easy...Spacedaddy had to lay down next to her pack and play. But it was quick and baby slept through the night, even through the apparently new cough that's started. She slept. I did not. Typical. I listened to her cough and I worried over it. Then I heard her giggle in her sleep. These guys do dream. How cute.
Four teeth are showing. Count 'em. 4. Teething, snot, cough, travel...all good combo. At least she is in great spirits. She's supposed to be napping now. I wonder if she is? Spacedaddy's holding back on calling...we are just so curious.
Anyway, here we are at the airport. Our plane has left us. We volunteered to stay. Well, only for another 2 hours. Delta gave us each $400 vouchers for future use if we gave up our flight today. Sure! We have no real agenda. On top of that, they gave us first class on our way to Denver. Aahhhhh...Did I mention these tickets that we're using today are already free due to Paul's American Express point rewards? It's a good thing because flying out of Lafayette was way convenient and costly if we were to pay for it. It's a tiny airport.
Life can be good. Or maybe it's one big dose of good karma for us. We'll take it!
Actually I think it's Delta's way of making up for the crap they did to me earlier this year. I was coming back from a speaking engagement at a college in the upper penninsula of Michigan. An island. With a tiny airport and 2 gates. My plane left at 7am. I showed up at 6:35. I stood in line behind a family in tears when one of the members told me good luck trying to get onto this flight. What? Apparently Delta has this 30 min rule. If you are even there one minute behind the 30 min pre-flight time, they shut you out. Even if you're there with all your bags and everyone else is still going through security watching you, feeling bad for you standing there. As you watch them seriously close the plane up, even though your seat is empty, Delta has no empathy for lack of punctuality. Because the plane only leaves that island once per day, and I'd already dumped my rental car keys into a lock box at the closed rental car place, I hitched a ride with that nice little family (Canadians who decided to drive to their destination in Chicago) to Lansing, where I then picked up a rental car, drove to the Detroit airport and whined till they got me on a flight to Houston that night. I had to get to Houston because we were going to Colorado the next day. The Delta operator on the phone wanted to charge me $1000 for new tickets since I "missed" my flight in the UP. It's different when you show up at the airport like: HELP ME. They did for a $25 fee. But I was this close to starting up a I HATE DELTA.COM website. Today they made up for the whole incident. But Southwest is still our first choice.
And Spacedaddy just confirmed with Nanee that she is eating buscuits with honey and butter with her fun cousins. Not sleeping. Seriously, honey?
Thursday, November 6, 2008
T-2 Days...
Tomorrow we head to Lafayette with Anna. Saturday Paul and I get on a plane to Colorado and leave her with his parents for 4 nights.
Last night we had to go up to help her out twice when she cried and couldn't find her paci. Normally she'll just find it herself or leave it out. But right now with the teething, this action is pretty typical. She whimpered in her sleep a few more times through the night. I was up for good at 4:30am. She was up for good at 6:30. Still too early but in addition to the teething, her little internal clock is still working out daylight savings time. Apparently so is mine.
This morning:thick, runny nose. Blachhhh...ick. That goes for both of us, although I can wipe my own with less struggle than wiping hers! She doesn't mind too much, she just doesn't want to be bothered by it as often as I'd like. She will actually blow her nose if you ask her to blow. That's awesome. Alternatively I can give her her own kleenex and she'll wipe her own nose. It's less tidy but a bonus nonetheless.
Someone just told me it's ragweed time. I hope that's all this is. I was NEVER sick till I moved to Houston.
Getting into her carseat (thanks to Paul, she can climb in by herself, which is nice at 27 lbs): "Ice Ice Baby....bababababababada". It cracks me up. That is so Paul.
On the way to school she spots a bird, buses, more buses, rocket ships, cows. I am sure to repeat them back or else she'll shout them louder and louder.
At school, she struts down the hall to her classroom, enters like: I'm HERE! Big smile. Miss P calls her over and she runs over to Miss P and climbs into her lap. She fist bumps me and Miss P bye bye and I am out the door, both of us all smiles. I'll pick her up at noon.
Last night we had to go up to help her out twice when she cried and couldn't find her paci. Normally she'll just find it herself or leave it out. But right now with the teething, this action is pretty typical. She whimpered in her sleep a few more times through the night. I was up for good at 4:30am. She was up for good at 6:30. Still too early but in addition to the teething, her little internal clock is still working out daylight savings time. Apparently so is mine.
This morning:thick, runny nose. Blachhhh...ick. That goes for both of us, although I can wipe my own with less struggle than wiping hers! She doesn't mind too much, she just doesn't want to be bothered by it as often as I'd like. She will actually blow her nose if you ask her to blow. That's awesome. Alternatively I can give her her own kleenex and she'll wipe her own nose. It's less tidy but a bonus nonetheless.
Someone just told me it's ragweed time. I hope that's all this is. I was NEVER sick till I moved to Houston.
Getting into her carseat (thanks to Paul, she can climb in by herself, which is nice at 27 lbs): "Ice Ice Baby....bababababababada". It cracks me up. That is so Paul.
On the way to school she spots a bird, buses, more buses, rocket ships, cows. I am sure to repeat them back or else she'll shout them louder and louder.
At school, she struts down the hall to her classroom, enters like: I'm HERE! Big smile. Miss P calls her over and she runs over to Miss P and climbs into her lap. She fist bumps me and Miss P bye bye and I am out the door, both of us all smiles. I'll pick her up at noon.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
And it seems we have at least 3...
...canine teeth coming in at once, that is. Teething...yes. We saw one bottom left poking right through the gum tonight. That explains the early wake up and crying in her sleep. Paul thinks she's getting all 4 at once. I definitely have seen 2, maybe 3. With what must be a good bit of pain, I am reminded why we don't remember stuff from being this young. I just stare at her to marvel how well she's actually handling the situation. She hasn't been around long enough to learn how to be a complete sissy about it like an adult might be. You go, girl!
A day of prayers and Vanilla Ice
Drop-off was again all smiles. She actually struts right into the class, puts a big smile on her face, and pretty much says hey...then she changes her mind and clings to me but no tears. One of her teachers will come over and we'll distract her with a tickle or "fist bump" and she'll go to her teacher and smile and say bye bye as I leave. This is wonderful. Just in time to throw that out the window when we shake up her little routine with travel for a whole week...
Anyway, CS told me today that when she dropped off her daughter in Anna's classroom, they were settling in for snack time. She was pleased to see all the kiddos sitting at the table, praying (remember, this is a Christian-based school). Anna too? Wow. I asked her teacher afterwards, who told me they sit at the table, tell everyone to put their hands together, and they say the whole God is Good...thank you....food...Amen prayer.
In the car I asked Anna to put her hands together and pray. She put her little hands together and waited for me to say the prayer. It was really adorable and sweet. Really. Then she made me say it over and over again. She didn't attempt it herself, except for "Amen."
What freaks me out is what she's learning that I didn't know she's learning at school. What else does she know?
Like I just learned, also from CS that she and her class walks to and from their classroom holding onto a rope with little handles. Wasn't she just in the bye-bye buggy 8 months ago, and then the wagon over the summer? Now she's following walking rules? How cool is that? I haven't seen her in action yet but I'm looking forward to it.
She also has this recent obsession with Ice (maybe the teething?). She will shout for ICE! ICE! ICE! We used to give her the ice but now she's content with a frozen teether (saves the cold, wet fingers I guess). Anyway, lately Paul and I would follow her ICE ICE up with "Baby" to the tune of the Vanilla Ice song. She got me good tonight: she did her own version:
"Ice, baby...dadadadadadadada"
Over and over. Giggles all around. I can't believe the stuff she picks up...
Anyway, CS told me today that when she dropped off her daughter in Anna's classroom, they were settling in for snack time. She was pleased to see all the kiddos sitting at the table, praying (remember, this is a Christian-based school). Anna too? Wow. I asked her teacher afterwards, who told me they sit at the table, tell everyone to put their hands together, and they say the whole God is Good...thank you....food...Amen prayer.
In the car I asked Anna to put her hands together and pray. She put her little hands together and waited for me to say the prayer. It was really adorable and sweet. Really. Then she made me say it over and over again. She didn't attempt it herself, except for "Amen."
What freaks me out is what she's learning that I didn't know she's learning at school. What else does she know?
Like I just learned, also from CS that she and her class walks to and from their classroom holding onto a rope with little handles. Wasn't she just in the bye-bye buggy 8 months ago, and then the wagon over the summer? Now she's following walking rules? How cool is that? I haven't seen her in action yet but I'm looking forward to it.
She also has this recent obsession with Ice (maybe the teething?). She will shout for ICE! ICE! ICE! We used to give her the ice but now she's content with a frozen teether (saves the cold, wet fingers I guess). Anyway, lately Paul and I would follow her ICE ICE up with "Baby" to the tune of the Vanilla Ice song. She got me good tonight: she did her own version:
"Ice, baby...dadadadadadadada"
Over and over. Giggles all around. I can't believe the stuff she picks up...
T-3 Days...
...till we leave Anna with Paul's parents for 4 nights while we're across the country in Colorado.
Yesterday her ear started leaking fluid again. It's not an infection. It's just the reason she got the tubes in the first place: to leak the chronic build up. So it's gross but it's not bad.
Today her ear wasn't leaking, but her nose was. Alot. And it was yellowish, looking like it could turn green by tomorrow. And it was flowing. I too have congestion and a sore throat. I wonder if her throat is sore too? This morning she woke around 5:30 am crying in her sleep. She was up for the day at 6:15. She doesn't usually cry in her sleep, and she usually sleeps till almost the new 7am. So what gives?
A cold?
The teething?
So now we face a possible cold + teething + travel + where's mommy and daddy while we're gone. All sleep-depriving symptoms piled on top of each other, when individually they're bad enough. I hope Nanee is prepared for some potentially sleepless nights and a clingy toddler by day.
With the ear infection and previous recent travel and the teething, we've back-slid on the paci progress. She is once again demanding the paci in the car. So she gets it for now (in addition to sleep). After the holidays/travel/teething are over, we'll start again.
Yucky, baby! Paci is YUCKY!
She just laughs when I say that. Blahhh....
Yesterday her ear started leaking fluid again. It's not an infection. It's just the reason she got the tubes in the first place: to leak the chronic build up. So it's gross but it's not bad.
Today her ear wasn't leaking, but her nose was. Alot. And it was yellowish, looking like it could turn green by tomorrow. And it was flowing. I too have congestion and a sore throat. I wonder if her throat is sore too? This morning she woke around 5:30 am crying in her sleep. She was up for the day at 6:15. She doesn't usually cry in her sleep, and she usually sleeps till almost the new 7am. So what gives?
A cold?
The teething?
So now we face a possible cold + teething + travel + where's mommy and daddy while we're gone. All sleep-depriving symptoms piled on top of each other, when individually they're bad enough. I hope Nanee is prepared for some potentially sleepless nights and a clingy toddler by day.
With the ear infection and previous recent travel and the teething, we've back-slid on the paci progress. She is once again demanding the paci in the car. So she gets it for now (in addition to sleep). After the holidays/travel/teething are over, we'll start again.
Yucky, baby! Paci is YUCKY!
She just laughs when I say that. Blahhh....
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Yes, I voted...here's my soap box
I am a registered Independent. To the Republicans who know me, that somehow makes me a "Stinking Democrat". To the democrats who know me, I'm just Tara. Why do the Republicans feel so strongly about me not being a Republican? It boggles my mind that you have to "choose" a camp. Why do I need to "belong"? Why can't I take a non-biased look at the issues on both sides and choose my own way? Why can't I decide that George Bush has done a sucky job the past 8 years, just like we expected him to?
I want the war in Iraq to be done. Anybody care about the horrors over in Darfur? It's disgusting. Does this mean I don't support the American men and women over in Iraq? No. Does this make me un-patriotic? No, unless you're a Republican judging me...these days Republicans think this makes me un-patriotic. Yeah? Well, suck it. There. I am a federal employee. Thank you, America for taking care of me and my little family.
I am fiscally conservative, but at the same time, I do think we need to be taxed as Americans, until someone can come up with a better plan. People, if we didn't pay taxes, think of the idiots we'd be investing in: sucky schools raising stupid kids...the kids who will be your doctors, lawyers, emergency workers, and worse, our political leaders. If the rich kept all their money, they should be prepared to provide for themselves, from food to clothing to education. It takes investments as Americans to make America work. What is WRONG with people? Nobody LIKES their taxes being taken from their hard-earned paycheck to pay welfare to the guy who won't stop drinking and driving and find a darned job. But it's not a matter of TAXES, it's a matter of how it will be spent. So stop your complaining. You're taking "Share the wealth" to some extreme, aren't you? Really.
I don't normally blow up about politics because it's not my passion. It's the democrats' and the republicans' passion.
But Yes, I voted. This time I voted for the winner.
I want the war in Iraq to be done. Anybody care about the horrors over in Darfur? It's disgusting. Does this mean I don't support the American men and women over in Iraq? No. Does this make me un-patriotic? No, unless you're a Republican judging me...these days Republicans think this makes me un-patriotic. Yeah? Well, suck it. There. I am a federal employee. Thank you, America for taking care of me and my little family.
I am fiscally conservative, but at the same time, I do think we need to be taxed as Americans, until someone can come up with a better plan. People, if we didn't pay taxes, think of the idiots we'd be investing in: sucky schools raising stupid kids...the kids who will be your doctors, lawyers, emergency workers, and worse, our political leaders. If the rich kept all their money, they should be prepared to provide for themselves, from food to clothing to education. It takes investments as Americans to make America work. What is WRONG with people? Nobody LIKES their taxes being taken from their hard-earned paycheck to pay welfare to the guy who won't stop drinking and driving and find a darned job. But it's not a matter of TAXES, it's a matter of how it will be spent. So stop your complaining. You're taking "Share the wealth" to some extreme, aren't you? Really.
I don't normally blow up about politics because it's not my passion. It's the democrats' and the republicans' passion.
But Yes, I voted. This time I voted for the winner.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Space Ships
On the way to school this morning…
Anna: Space ships, space ships, space ships…
Me: what?
Anna: SPACE SHIPS! (pointing out the window).
We passed in front of NASA on our way to school, just like we do twice a day. Usually she shouts MOOOOOOO for the Longhorns NASA harbors in the name of Texas and all that's holy livestock protection. Not this time. She was pointing at the Mercury and Gemini (is that Redstone and Atlas and Titan II?) rockets that sit outside the front NASA gate. Correct me as to what's really out there, LW.
Spacemama is proud!
I've never loved falling back more...
I was so happy to move the clock back one hour, I ran 4 miles on Sunday morning before 7am. Sure, we were beat by the end of the day and Anna ended up going to bed by the new 7:00pm, but this morning I ran yet another 4 miles while Anna and Paul slept and STILL made it to work by 8:30. Yeah, baby. Who cares that it gets darker earlier? I am useless in the evenings anyway. This morning I felt like I could do anything by 8am. If this is the new norm, I am re-energized. I am going to finally start getting the miles under my belt for that Disney half marathon in Jan.
As I ran yesterday and today, the streets were dead. I had the neighborhood to myself but for a few fellow joggers. My MP3 was playing all kinds of music, not just the typical motivational EMINEM I usually run to: Peter Gabriel, 10,000 Maniacs, Paul Simon, Christopher Cross, The Eagles, Toad the Wet Sprockett...the sky was blue and the air was clear and the music was calm. My run was peaceful (albeit slow) but it was what I needed. It was actually almost a shame to have headphones because I am sure the birds and other morning sounds would have made me happy...if I were walking. But I need something to drown out the sound of my own heavy breathing, people. I do realize that the "serious" runners don't use headphones. And I will be forced to ditch the headphones in the Disney Half Marathon (rules). I guess the fact that my left earbud is going out on me is an indicator that it's almost time to let go. But I'm not ready yet.
With the new early daylight I can get my butt out of bed and get that day started so desperately earlier that I need it to.
As I ran yesterday and today, the streets were dead. I had the neighborhood to myself but for a few fellow joggers. My MP3 was playing all kinds of music, not just the typical motivational EMINEM I usually run to: Peter Gabriel, 10,000 Maniacs, Paul Simon, Christopher Cross, The Eagles, Toad the Wet Sprockett...the sky was blue and the air was clear and the music was calm. My run was peaceful (albeit slow) but it was what I needed. It was actually almost a shame to have headphones because I am sure the birds and other morning sounds would have made me happy...if I were walking. But I need something to drown out the sound of my own heavy breathing, people. I do realize that the "serious" runners don't use headphones. And I will be forced to ditch the headphones in the Disney Half Marathon (rules). I guess the fact that my left earbud is going out on me is an indicator that it's almost time to let go. But I'm not ready yet.
With the new early daylight I can get my butt out of bed and get that day started so desperately earlier that I need it to.
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