Little Lady, GET IN THE CAR SEAT

Anna’s been calling herself a “lady” lately. Must be something she picked up at school! I asked her if she was mommy’s girl and she said, “No, I’m a lady”. It makes Paul nuts because it implies she’s older and he’d like to keep her his baby. But I think it’s cute as hell. Especially if you call her “Little Lady.”

 

In other news, she’s now pee-peeing on the potty regularly, including at school. But she’s skipping naps at school, making her a mess for the evening. Not sure what’s going on there but we’re hoping that the time change will help things since it’ll be later for her biological clock and so maybe she’ll be more tired. She still sleeps 2-3 hours for naps on the weekend.

 

It’s been car seat HELL all week. I literally have to climb on top of her to force her in and buckle the belts. She screams the whole way home but I’ve gotten ear plugs so that helps ME! It’s just awful. Twice she passed out in the car from her screams. She just keeps screaming “It’s Too Tight!!!” but it’s not. We can’t figure it out. She’s less crazy in the mornings but worse in the afternoons. We’ve tried everything, including positive and negative reinforcement and nothing is working. It’s prevented us from doing a few fun things this week just because we can’t get past the car seat to get into the car and go anywhere. She was this bad back in May when she was teething but now we can’t find an excuse. Also she’s been a cranky, defiant booger the last week or two. So either she’s not feeling well, or it’s another developmental phase we will just have to adjust to. I think it’s the developmental thing.

 

The thing is when she’s this crazy, it ruins my day too. The other day I was walking down the hall at work and realized something was bugging me. I didn’t know what it was so when I thought it through I realized that when she’s cranky and defiant, it affects my day. So there you have it.

 

Our last resort with the car seat is that we’re going to go and buy her a booster seat this weekend. There are a few available for 2 year olds. The straps are still the same 5 point harness so I’m not sure how far we’ll get but it’s worth a try. Maybe if she helps to pick out the right one, it’ll work. Here’s hoping!

 

 

 

October's on the way out...already

This is a picture of Anna taken March 26. A few weeks after she turned 2. I just found it and I've loved it and I can't remember if I posted it yet. I love it because she's such a big girl. It was the first time she pushed a little cart around the grocery store by herslef. She doesn't even usually go with me if I can help it. I just hate grocery shopping as it is and don't want to worry about a potential toddler meltdown. Anyway, look how little she looks, just back in March!

Here's the picture I took of Nicole and Bono at JSC a few weeks ago. The look on her face is priceless!!

Anna's helping Paul today with putting out Halloween decorations...

Ballunar Festivval. Anna's first time getting her face painted. I thought she'd hate it but she surprised me! And totally lost her cool when I had to wipe it off before bedtime.

KC (Kitty Cat), our latest edition.

I am currently uploading all the pictures we took this summer to Anna's Flickr site (see side bar and click to enter). There are so many, this will probably take all night. Also, I didn't feel like weeding through them all to get rid of the crappy ones, including the ones with less flattering shots of my big butt... ;) So if you dig through all those pictures, you've earned the right to see the less flattering shots.

Last night we met up with Ommom at JSC for the annual Ballunar Festival. Paul couldn't join us because he was working a high school football game, bummer! But the weather was GREAT and Anna had a blast. At one point she asked to go to the potty. Knowing these were the porta-potties I told her she should just go in her diaper... She said NO and so we went to the porta-potty. She took one look in there shook her head, said she was going to fall in, and said she'd just pee-pee in her diaper. HA! I am sure the darkness and lack of cleanliness also had something to do with it...

She's been much better about the potty. In fact she's back to asking to go several times a day so hopefully we're back on track.

Today she's been a ROTTEN terror. We even skipped out on the Little Gym because of a major tantrum she threw in the car. She's been fighting the car seat AGAIN. It comes in phases. I made her sit in Time Out for about 30 minutes after that tantrum, all during the time she'd have otherwise been in the Little Gym. She cried in the beginning and then removed her socks and shoes and half her shirt and waited. How she could be perfectly happy for 2 days each way for Colorado this summer but barely survive a 3 mile ride is beyond me. This is pure CRAP. She's 2 years, 7 months old and she's too old for this crap. It grades my nerves and she always ends up in Time Out as soon as we get home. UGH! Doesn't she know it's more fun to be out doing things???

BOOGER!!

Back to normal again!

I gt back from Indiana on Friday and enjoyed the weekend with Paul and Anna-Marie. The weather here is like actually fall. For a little while, anyway. I'm done with travel until November, which will be flat out horrible.

I managed to get a few runs in while I was out for the week, but not really. This morning I met up with the 4am running group and pounded out 2.8 miles at a pace of a10.5 minute mile. Must be the weather because I felt fine at my best pace yet! I didn't even want to puke afterwards. It's soooo much more fun running in cool weather than 80 degrees and 90% humidity. Even at 4am.

The cat is now named KC (abbreviation for Kitty Cat, which we do still call her. We go back and forth). Anna is decorated with scratches from constantly picking up KC or hauling her around the house when she doesn't want to be, but Anna is a good sport and doesn't cry over it unless it's a really bad scratch. In the meantime, the cat enjoys attacking my feet while I simply walk across my floor, or chewing on my shoe while I'm actually wearing it. She also enjoys climbing up my leg while I simply sit there, and this morning she climbed up my back while I sat on the couch.

Call me what you want, but the claws are going to go in the next few weeks...as soon as I get a vet appointment. It maintains household sanity. And our furniture.

Anna is doing and saying all sorts of cool things. Right now she's started giving a little crap at bedtime, saying "don't leave me". I can't tell if this is a result of me having been gone for the week, or if it's a new part of her development we've been expecting anyway. Right now we try to reason with her that we all need to go to sleep so we can play in the morning and sometimes that does the trick. Truthfully she's attached herself to Paul since I've been gone and so he's been doing alot of the bedtime routine but I susupect that will change once we settle into the way things were before I left. Half mommy and half daddy.

The cat provides an outlet for Anna to safely boss someone around. I heard her threaten to put KC into time out last week. Cute but a little weird. I don't think KC minds as long as she's not being squished or carried upside down.

Overall Anna's getting better with reasoning when there's something she doesn't want to do. If we explain to her why she needs to do it, that helps some. And when that doesn't help, Time Out is still really effective.

Anyway, she's a super cute and super smart 2 year-and-7-month old. She knows her colors mostly now, though yellow and blue are a little tricky. She really enjoys pointing out colors in stuff! Lately she's asking for "Gotta get that Boom Boom" (Boom Boom Pow from Black Eyed Peas). Then her little head starts bobbing side to side, very seriously, in the car seat. Can't help but lose it with giggles on that one!

She's back to using the potty at school, yay! But sporadically at home. At least she's not really resisting it anymore. So we're still no where near potty trained yet.

Well, gotta go pick up the Booger and get ready to teach tonight's class. Later...

On my way to Indianapolis / Terre Haute for outreach. Last one of the yearon my schedule. I was home just long enough for some good hugs!

Sent from my IPod touch. I'm new at this touch screen thing so Please excuse the typos.

I'm not sure if she was this smart and sweet when I left for our yearly girl's trip to Vegas but now that I'v been home she has been so chatty and sweet and smart. I guess she missed me!

Sent from my IPod touch. I'm new at this touch screen thing so Please excuse the typos.

Bono comes to JSC

Apparently Bono of U2 was here at JSC today. I didn’t know it till I read some Twitters about local sightings and then my co-worker, Nicole came by to ask one of us to go with her to stalk him.

He was at Building 9, to which I have access J.

I thought for sure even once we got in the building that security or someone would be stopping us to ask what we were really doing there.

We found Bono touring one of the space shuttle cockpit mock-ups. A few security guards caught my eye, and one wrinkled his nose at me, like: “I see you, don’t be a bad girl!” and I gave the sign: “We will be quiet and good, I promise” which was enough for him because he let us hang out and watch.

Noted at that time: we were the only NASA folks stalking him from what I could tell. Everyone else on sight was off doing their work like true professionals. Well, at least while Bono was in Building 9.

We followed him out to get a good picture of him getting into his bus. Still, NOBODY was stopping us! I was futzing with the camera, trying to figure it out, when Bono and his people called us over to take a picture with him personally. I got the idea this had to be quick and I didn’t want to intrude, so I sent Nicole (the bigger fan than me) to get in the pic with him while I snapped the photo.

No stress here! I figured out the stupid camera just in time and got a shot before he had to be whisked away. We thanked him profusely while still attempting to be the professional NASA personnel we are.

J

The photo was taken with Tracy’s camera so she’ll have to download it and send it to me but when I get it, I’ll post it here. Yay!

Summary: He was smooooooth. And friendly….and Nicole got to hug him which I am happy about. Personally I’d have drawn blood for Rob Thomas but I am glad I could make Nicole’s day! Seriously, that was cool!

Her actual email to me is below:

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

THANK YOU

You rock.

At Nora's wine bar with my peeps minus kendra and juniper who went for Indian food. SUCKERS! You're missing out!

Up 22 hrs straight! Yay me!

Ok this plane is going to Vegas and I'm all caught up on work with all the time in the air today. So I'm going for wine with another free drink coupon...since my hot chocolate was missing the spike!

In the meantime I need napkins so I guess I'll wipe my hands on my Bailey's stained pants. May as well go all the way.

Sent from my IPod touch. I'm new at this touch screen thing so Please excuse the typos.

Why alcohol is bad for you

>
> It's like this.
>
> I'm currently on the plane to Vegas for Girls Weekend. It's a yearly
> thing.
>
> I have traveled Southwest so much they have sent me tons of free
> drink coupons. They keep building. I decided to use some for the way
> to Vegas. Even though it's a 7am flight, it's Vegas baby!!
>
> So I embarrassingly order a hot chocolate with Bailey's. I'm not
> much of a drinker anyway so I build up confidence to ask for this at
> 7:30am and handed over my drink coupon.
>
> Then I realized this plane is going to Denver. My next plane goes to
> Vegas. Is it all in my head...the judgement?
>
> I get over it and when my drink comes the little bottle of Bailey's
> is separate from the hot chocolate. I lay it down against my book
> and try to make room on my crowded tray.
>
> The gradual wetness tells me that this Bailey's was opened already.
> For my convenience and all.
>
> The drunk In seat 16A has spilled her morning breakfast all over her
> table and her friend Rachel Brady's first mystery novel (yay for
> hard cover).
>
> Where are the wet wipes NOW?
>
> Trying not to make a scene, I catch the attendant for napkins. Wet
> them please. Fellow passengers to my right, front, and behind me
> hand me their napkins too. They apparently must have smelled the
> liquor bc I was being as quiet and calm as possible.
>
> Did I detect pitty from them?
>
> The attendant asked if I would like a replacement Bailey's... "Oh
> no, There's plenty left!" (I don't need alcohol and I'm not that
> big a clutz...) heh.
>
> I wonder if people will just think this is coffee stains on my pants?
>
>
> Sent from my IPod touch. I'm new at this touch screen thing so
> Please excuse the typos.

Anna told Paul this morning that she didn't want to go to school. She wanted to knock on doors and get candy in her bag!

Updates

Quickly:

I have kept up with my 4am running group with the exception on missing Monday morning due to the late Rob Thomas concert the night before. Thanks to Southwest airlines it's cheaper to fly mom in from Austin and spend the whole weekend than to pay a sitter for us to go to the concert. Which was by the way amazing! We had floor tickets so we were so close You could see every facial expression! And his voice is amazing...

Anna has decided to start using the potty somewhat again. TJ gave us a fun potty video a fee months ago so I played it a few days ago and Anna watches intently. She even asks to watch it. She's gotten better about the potty at school as well. So maybe we're on an upswing. Who knows?

In the meantime she's getting spook smart. She can tell us about her day and funny little details. She's doing well with the kitties even though they'd rather run and play than to be carried around. They tolerate her. The black one is going to Rachel tomorrow and we'll miss him bc he's a riot!!! But we're keeping the grey one who's female. After asking Anna over and over what to name this kitty she says I don't know! Or "the grey one". Finally a co-worker, Tracy, suggested KC: short for Kitty Cat, which is what we've been calling her. Cute! So last night we told Anna the new name and she said, "no, it's Miss Grey!" Paul and I looked at each other. I told her sure baby, call her what you want bur the vet records will reflect "KC". So there you have it.

Kc is little and purrs loudly.

Yesterday U gave a lecture to a group of students downtown about my NEEMO6 mission. And realized I had forgotten alot about that part of my life as it was really 5 years ago already. So much has changed since then. Wow.

Tomorrow I get on the plane for our annual girls trip to Vegas. Splurge time.

Ok enough. Gotta go shower from this morning's run and tag Paul for his!

Sent from my IPod touch. I'm new at this IPod touch screen thing. Please excuse the typos.

A note from Anna-Marie's teacher

As written:

"Anna had a great day today!! She loved the squirrel book and stuffed animal. She sat on "her" potty and went tinkle in the AM. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

PS She still didn't want the pics.

Paul and I noticed Anna's frustration with her classroom potty last night during open house. True to what her teacher's told me, she asked to potty and the had a meltdown once there. I am pretty sure it had to do with the awful scary, shaky toilet seat! So I brought in one from home and that seemed to work at least today.

Tried the pictures again for the heck of it. No luck!

Sent from my iPod

Show your "mad" face

Dear Anna,
This morning I distracted you with the kitties to get you to wear a nice outfit for pictures. You barely consented to let me do your hair (and demanded a purple bow) and we got out of the house on time. We had a car seat melt down over which you'd rathered stay in time out than to get into the car, but alas I am currently stronger than you.

Once you were over it, you showed me in the car how you were going to smile big for your photos. You also showed me your mad face (cute!) and your sad face (cuter!) and I laughed and laughed because I didn't know you knew how to do that!

Then I got a call from your teacher at school. You apparently flat our refused to take photos today, despite my best efforts in making you look cute. All of your friends took theirs, your teacher tried all kinds of things but she said it made you mad and you even threw yourself down in a tantrum.

So if you're wondering why we have school pictures of you every year until now, it's all your fault. You little diva.

Love, Mommy

Exercise is Bad for your health

To offload a little of the guilt I had over being behind on the half marathon training already, and to take advantage of the weekend schedule, I got out for a quick 2 mile run on Saturday morning. I was just patting myself on the back for a pretty decent pace time (thanks again Chaelene, you party girl, you) when I came around the corner to my house to see 2 women hanging around 3 little kitty cats. I didn't know anyone, and instead of nodding and pretending like my music was too loud to really notice them, I (unusually) asked what's up...

15 minutes later I have committed to a 4am running group and have 3 kittens in my guest room upstairs. Since Anna's been born, a fish has been our biggest committment after our 2 life-long cats died within a week of each other over Christmas '07. Honestly it's been nice not having an extra bag of cat food to pick up, a littler box to clean, or a vet bill to pay. The cats were great friends but I don't miss the litter sticking to the bottom of my feet as I walk down the hallway, and getting Anna out the door in the morning without any unecessary distractions is a requirement for my sanity these days.

Long story short, Rachel is taking the black one as a birthday gift to her daughter (Rachel's not only a mystery novel writer (order her book through Amazon at the link on her website here: http://www.rachelbrady.net/), a triathlete, a NASA engineer, and a fabulous mother of three, but she's also a humanitarian. The woman never stops.). We have decided to keep the grey one(thanks to Paul's pathetic pleas and the cat's tolerance to being carried by the neck by the household toddler. Think": Darla on NEMO), and we are still looking for a home for the striped one. One cat is about all I can handle at this point in my life. Because honestly, let's all admit who's cleaning this litter box?

If you missed it, the answer is "C": Spacemama.

And what I learned during my first run this morning is that there is a whole world of 4am people who run and bike. Not just this crazy little group of neighbors. Apparently it's the thing to do to fit it all into the schedule I have been complaining about. See? I knew I wasn't alone. I am the youngest of the group, and with me makes 4 total women. They too are training for a half marathon (but theirs is the Houston half and mine is the Disney). This morning we did 2.8miles at an 11 minute pace, which for me is pretty impressive. Especially at a time when I should be sleeping. Tomorrow and Thurs morning it's 4 miles (which I have told them: Go ON! Save yourselves but they claim they leave no woman behind...we'll see). I really am not ready to cover 4 miles at that 11 minute pace but I guess there's nothing to do but give it a shot. On Saturdays they run "long" and they're up to 8 miles. I am NOT at that pace yet so I'll be doing an abbreviated version, on my own I'm sure, till I can catch up. As I explained to them, every year I know I have a half marathon in Jan and every year I start cramming for it in October/Nov. So they're where they probably should be and I'm catching up.

As much as I think 4am is insane, I realize that after the run, I can get alot done before my day even starts at work. It's a whole new world of possibilities! RIGHT?!

Americans don't need to sleep, do they?! But here's a secret...I am OK on lack of sleep for the first 2 weeks or so. After that, I get horrbily cranky. I warned Paul it would come and he said he'd rather me complain about lack of sleep than lack of schedule to run. I guess it's like being forced to have to listen to one horrible Yo Gabba Gabba song versus the other. Neither is better, it's just a different tune.

Anyway, thank goodness today Anna was in an amazingly agreeable mood because I realized we had to rush out the door earlier than usual so I could cover some morning meetings. I have to teach class tonight until 10pm. I will be beat and I'd considered letting them out a little early (for my own sake) but since they bombed their first test, I'm going to drag the night out as long as I can tolerate it myself...

By the way, a funny thing. I went to a lunch today with like 10 other Tweeters. These are people I work with here at NASA but have never met (except Spacemonkey and biochck) before, and who I follow on Twitter (and some who follow me because I guess they think diaper and Elmo tweets are worth it for the occasional ISS science tweet). So we enjoyed Mexican while actually meeting each other in person, introducing by screen names. "Hi, I'm Spacemama"...who? That's right, I only have 75 followers versus hundreds...I don't also have much to say, but after this morning's run, I was hungry :)