Tribue to John Williams

Yeah, I know I promised pictures of me and the girls and stuff. Until I actually get around to getting it posted, please enjoy.

Dress for me, Dress for you

Today the family was getting ready to go to church. I put on a maternity dress. It was blue. Annie was thrilled to see Mommy in a dress and wanted to but on a blue dress too.

She put on one of her summer dresses. It was too cold to wear such a thin dress outside and it got nixed in favor of a warmer, pinker dress. Ordinarily the little princess would be thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to wear a dress in her favorite color. Not on the day that it didn't coordinate with Mommy.

Since I plan to make good use of out this dress for the next few months, I saw this as being a reoccuring problem.

Annie was consoled with going out and finding a warm, blue dress to coordinate Mommy. I don't know what kind of fashionista I'm creating, but I consoled myself that she did need a few more warm things for the winter.

P.S. Be on the lookout for our blue dresses next week.
P.P.S. Oh, and just wait and see what we turn out for Halloween. There will be a preschool parade and everything.

catholicvote.com video

Elizabeth makes her debut...

...in the Quotable Quotes.

The girl likes to wake up early. When God smiles on me, Elizabeth's content to play in and around the bed quietly while I doze for a little while longer.

The other morning I hear one person having this two-sided conversation asking permission to watch a tv program and the response.

Elizabeth: Word World? [sounds more like wo-wol]
Elizabeth: No!
Elizabeth: World World?
Elizabeth: No!


Rinse. Repeat.

The Dental Verdict

I'm going to loose the tooth. It's gotta get 'extracted.' They can't just good ol' yank it because there isn't a lot of tooth structure left above the gum line and the roots need to come on out.

Now Tim and I need to figure out what the best option is for treatment is once the tooth is gone. We could do an implant which would likely last the rest of my life, but it's a very pricey treatment that is totally uncovered by insurance, or we could get a bridge. That might be the more likely option as the tooth next to this goner needs some work. It's less pricey, but has to get replaced often.

Endodontic Experience volume 3

Pregnancy beats up my teeth bad.

I went this morning for a root canal. The tooth looked pretty damaged on the x-ray, and the endodontist found a lot of decay in the tooth. He had a great manner--friendly, happy to explain what he was doing and why and to the point. He told me that he wanted to make sure the decay and any lingering infection was gone, and he wanted to make sure that the tooth would no longer cause pain, but he wasn't sure he could finish the root canal as he wasn't sure if there was enough tooth left to adhere to a crown. I need to consult with my dentist and possibly yank the tooth. Am I going to have a denture at the ripe old age of 27?

***

Speaking of dentures, growing up, I remember my dad wearing dentures. I remember watching him get ready in the morning, and part of the routine was him brushing his teeth, then brushing the dentures and putting them in. My dad was missing his two front teeth (among others). Watching him care for his teeth I remember thinking, "I lost my two front teeth, will they ever come back?"

Compliment for Mommy

Tim's just headed out of town on a business trip. I was getting the girls ready for bed. Annie was putting on her night gown, but had it twisted and was struggling to put it on.

I asked, "Annie, can I help you with that?"

"Oh yes, Mommy! You know how to help. You always help the best. You take care of me."

Adding Labels to Posts

I've started adding labels to the posts. If I find time (um, yeah, I'll get right on that) I may go back and add labels to older posts. Will this make my blog more readable? Will I get more comments?

Shouts & Murmurs

Ah, the New Yorker cracks me up. So what if I haven't had time to actually read it since college?

Have a little think

Courtesy of Tim:


situation is our insisting on Annie going to bed in her own bed -- full scale temper tantrum. Then, abruptly:
Annie: Dad, I have a little idea
Me: oh yeah?
Annie: Maybe I should stop yelling
[puts her pointer finger in the air, up near her face]
and have a little think.
Think, think, think.
Like Pooh.
He's a little bear.
Maybe I should build my bed a little bigger, and then it won't be so small!
And I should stop yelling.
Dad, I stopped yelling.
Will you read me a story?
Me: Ok.

And I thought, I must be the best dad ever.

Annie's Birthday

In an effort to include more pictures, here are a few from Annie's birthday party. These are actually taken by Pat, since Tim and I are slow to download our pictures and even slower to edit them. Enjoy!

Excitement in These Parts

I am excited to be having another baby. I am not excited to have morning sickness. That is all.

Edit: When I'm feeling better, I'll post about Annie's birthday and other goingons.

Baby Sitter's Club--Check in!

I'm outting myself as a once-upon-a-time HUGE Babysitter's Club Fan. Check out the blog that makes fun of my one-time passion.

Just waiting for my supplies to come in...

and then I can pursue this. I'm sure it's going to be one of my favorite hobbies, just as soon as the girls get some hair. Going on three years and I'm still waiting patiently.

Another Blog to Waste Time Reading

A parent over at TBW.com posted a link for this blog. It's pretty funny. Cakes--gone horribly wrong.

Rotten Stinker

Stress has been piling up around here the last month or more. We've been riding out Tim working long hours, taking business trips, family medical emergencies and the girls being ill. Today The Mama wasn't feeling well, and my temper was unusually short all day. As we finished up bathtime and I grumped my way through picking up the towels, I had the most suprising interaction with Annie.

She reached up and took my face in her hands. She gazed in my eyes and said. "Mommy! I love you. I love you even, even when you are grumpy." She really caught my attention. I stopped mid-grump and smiled.

Hmm, where has she heard something like that before? Surely not, "Annie, I love you, even when you cry." Knowing that she had my attention she continued,

"I'm sorry you're yelling at me. Please don't yell. Let's love. Let's huuuug."

She was so full of grace and kindness for her mom, especially when mom was being a rotten stinker. It was such a wonderfully charitable moment.

I apologized. She gave me huge bear hugs, where the shoulder drives into your throat and threatens to crush your larynx. one of those hugs.

Enter a Babywearing Contest for Free Carriers! Go on, do it!

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Ever Google your Username?

I blog here and post regularly to a parenting forum. One of the users there asked if any of us have ever googled our username to see what came up. Sure enough, this blog was the first hit. It was several hits before anything that actually pertained to Poland showed up. I don't know if I should be flattered or skeeved out.

Annie's First Joke

Annie and I were snuggled up on my bed for naptime. As she was falling asleep she put her face next to mine.

Annie: You know what's a silly face? You know what's a silly face?
Me: What's a silly face?
Annie: Yours

Yep, my daughter's first joke was at my expense.

Quotable Quotes

At dinner I had a apple cider.
Annie: Drink your beer mommy.
Drink it all up.
There you go. Thatta girl.

Yikes!

I realized I've only posted 14 times in 2008 and it's already May. That's really a very poor showing. Better get to blogging!

Slings, Sunglasses and Sunhats

Here's an oldie but a goodie. This picture was taken a little over a year ago. Elizabeth and I were at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes for a CLC retreat.

Cheap Media

I was at Target the other day. In case you didn't know, Target can kind of be a bad mommy fix in the mommy world. You go in for one thing, then spend some time browsing, shopping, looking around and keeping the kids entertained while you entertain yourself shopping. There is a whole thread devoted to this topic on the parenting forum I belong to. Anyway, I was in Target. They had DVDs for $5.00. Makes me really glad that I've neglected keeping up with home media...I was able to get Sense and Sensibility and About a Boy each for $5. Tim was like "I'm happy if you're happy--but you know everything is moving to HD and Bluray right?" Whatever. $5 for great movies is a great deal. When both the girls are down in the afternoon for a nap--I pop in Sense&Sensibility and fold laundry. *Sigh* :)

Comfy Joey Sale

Oh, I'm drooling over the reversable pouches. I want one for my sister-in-law expecting her first, one for my sister-in-law that recently had her second, and even one for myself. They're on sale too.

www.comfyjoey.com

Snissors

Annie has been really keen to use scissors all by herself. I found a pair of kid's scissors with the child-size handle and blunt tip. I let her open her package of fruit snacks with her scissors. I turned around to find her about to cut the bow off her new Sleeping Beauty outfit. I cut up the pages of my favorite book, so I guess it's normal to cut up the things you love, I'm just glad I caught her in time.

Readership of One!

Someone today sent me a message electronically to let me know they read this blog. They are not a family member either, so there someone actually reads my blog. Now I better get to posting...

Another New Blog

It only has a few posts, but I'm really excited to see how it develops. I got this recommendation today and I really look forward to implementing some of the ideas with the girls. The focus is on teaching the Catholic Faith to toddlers and preschoolers.
http://firstheralds.blogspot.com/

New Blog

I stumbled across a blog that I'm really enjoying regarding thoughts on parenting and parenting style. http://blog.positivediscipline.com/

I agree with some of it, have a few quibbles with the rest, and overall enjoy the challenge it presents to my beliefs about parenting.

In the last two and a half years that I've been working on my own parenting style, I've decided it's not always about what you choose to do, but rather why. If you have a good, clear sense about why you are doing something, it radically changes what you elect, or decline, to do. As a parent, I see everyday how much control I have over the girls' lives and how it ultimately rests with me what kind of life I choose to give them.

McPartland, McPartland, McPartland

She doesn't read my blog, but I want to wish her a happy birthday today anyway.

St. Patrick's Day

Yeah, the list for ways to communicate non-violently was really supposed to be a wish for a Happy St. Patrick's day. Incidentally, the observance of St. Patrick's day was moved this year since it falls in Holy Week. Holy Week trumps other feast days liturgically.

They're a delicacy

Tim was holding Annie.
Annie was picking her nose.
Tim asked Annie to stop picking her nose.
Annie pulled her finger out of her nose, only to put it in her mouth.
Tim and I thought that was gross.
Annie began slurping loudly, which her Daddy taught her to do when she enjoys something.
Annie continued slurping heartily.
Annie added "Yummy"
I commented to Tim, "She's enjoying her boogers so much, it almost makes them look appealing."
Annie continued, "That's delicious."
Tim replied, "They're a delicacy."

Contributing to Peace

10 Things We Can Do to Contribute to Internal, Interpersonal, and Organizational Peace

(1) Spend some time each day quietly reflecting on how we would like to relate to ourselves and others.

(2) Remember that all human beings have the same needs.

(3) Check our intention to see if we are as interested in others getting their needs met as our own.

(4) When asking someone to do something, check first to see if we are making a request or a demand.

(5) Instead of saying what we DON'T want someone to do, say what we DO want the person to do.

(6) Instead of saying what we want someone to BE, say what action we'd like the person to take that we hope will help the person be that way.

(7) Before agreeing or disagreeing with anyone's opinions, try to tune in to what the person is feeling and needing.

(8) Instead of saying "No," say what need of ours prevents us from saying "Yes."

(9) If we are feeling upset, think about what need of ours is not being met, and what we could do to meet it, instead of thinking about what's wrong with others or ourselves.

(10) Instead of praising someone who did something we like, express our gratitude by telling the person what need of ours that action met.

The Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC) would like there to be a critical mass of people using Nonviolent Communication language so all people will get their needs met and resolve their conflicts peacefully.

2001, revised 2004 Gary Baran & CNVC. The right to freely duplicate this document is hereby granted.

Rewards to Grow Program

I use disposable diapers. Pampers is the brand we use, because I like their fit best for my girls. Pampers has the Rewards to Grow program. I've faithfully entered the points on my packages of diapers, but I must admit, the rewards were disappointing. Often they had a limited quanity, or absurdly high shipping fee. It looks like they've revamped their system and I've got a reward coming that I'm actually excited about--a $25.00 gift card to L.L. Bean. It's going to take 8-10 weeks to deliver. I'll have forgotten about it before it arrives. I think this whole program has room to grow.

A Few Things That ARE Kid Related

1. I've nursed since August 2005. I had a four week hiatus between weaning Annie and having Elizabeth
2. I currently have no plans to wean Elizabeth. She doesn't like not-nursing. I'll probably wait until I"m pregnant. The milk changes and I imagine she'll be less interested in drinking it.
3. I know how to climb from my deck across the decks of a few neighbors and get to the ground. I know this because my daughter locked me out of the house and I had to climb down to let myself back in through the front door. I had my other daughter with me and my husband was out of town at the time.
4. I got in a car accident and had staples in my head. My head got cut because I had just puchased a high chair & it was in the passenger seat next to me. The baby was in the back and I didn't want to leave the hospital until a doctor explained to me twice how they were certain the baby was OK.
My car was totalled. The other driver was at fault, but the officer on the scene didn't ticket him.
5. I hammered a hole in the door to the bathroom because the baby barricaded herself in there.
6. I know the theme song to Elmo's World, Barney, & Strawberry Shortcake.
7. I know the villians' names in most of the Barbie movies.
8. Ask me my opinion about laundry pre-treater
9. Both my feet are injured from playing with the kids
10. I consider a cup of coffee my daily treat to myself. A way to take care of myself in the mornings when the kids are their most needy

Twenty or so things about me that AREN'T kid related

Ok, it's been a while since I posted so to break the drought, here are 20 (or so) things about me that aren't kid related--

1. My brothers used to jump off the roof of the house and the deck all the time and would also encourage me to do it. I feared getting hurt so I never did.

2. That didn't keep me from jumping off 50 ft rock faces into water or going in waterfalls or swimming under this rock formation because they encouraged me to do something dangerous.

3. Growing up, we had all sorts of pets-- cats, dogs, ducks, snakes, fish, turtles, frogs, squirrels, hamsters, gerbils, mice, lizards, a rare bird, and a guinea pig. The last pet I had died when I was in high school and I haven't had a pet since.

4. The longer I go without having a pet, the harder it is to imagine ever having a pet again. I'm glad that I don't have the responsibility of taking care of a pet.

5. My SIL thinks I'm anti-pet because I don't like it that her cat jumps on the dining room table owners, really I don't dislike pets.

6. I often wonder if a person's attractiveness is an attribute or an attitude

7. My best feature in college was my long hair, I think.

8. I met my husband during a rummage sale--it was a fundraiser prior to our pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Israel, Palestine, & Jordan)

9. I made two pilgrimages to the Holy Land. The first when I was 16, then a year later at 17.

10. I developed an intense, multi-year crush on my husband's friend, who was also there when I met DH.

11. I attended the wedding of the guy I had a crush on, and that's how I re-met my husband. I hadn't seen him in two solid years before that

12. My husband is the best match for me, even when we don't see eye to eye.

13. I wish my house was broken enough, cluttered enough, or plain ugly enough to get on one of those re-design shows. I think it might be ugly enough.

14. Even though I don't have cable, and never watch anything but the PBS kids channel, I loved "What Not to Wear", even when Stacey London was so hyperly-critical of what the people wore

15. Another show I have a soft spot for is "Star Trek Voyager." I used to watch it with my mom. I only cared about the show because I got to watch it with her. So I've seen the entire serious, start to finish, because of her.

16. My sister is in Seattle, and I really wish she were living somewhere in Northern Virginia so we could go shopping together and convince each other to buy unnecessary, but beautiful, flattering clothes.

17. While I don't consider myself attractive, I do think I've developed a good sense of fashion (not high fashion, but making clothes look pulled together)

19. My biggest failing at looking good is that I have no clue how to style my hair apart from putting it in a pony tail.

20. My mom died this summer, and it blows me away as I realize how much my mom did for us children as we grew up now that I'm a parent. I wish we had more time to enjoy our relationship now that I was an adult and parent

21. I sucked big-time at every job I ever had...except when I was a waitress. I rocked being a waitress

22. I don't have any career apart from being a stay at home mom. My husband has even said that when I'm done with raising the kids, I'm free to do anything I want. He hopes that I choose to continue putting up with him , but he consideres that freedom to choose to work, not work, putter, garden, dote on grandkids to be his gift to me for raising our children

23. I really want to do some major renovation on my house, I'm trying really hard to restrain myself from getting started without consulting the Husband.

25. I'm 26 and turning 27 this year. I was born in the year of the rooster.