Fifth Anniversary

Very happy celebration for our fifth anniversary, and here's to five more very happy years together!

Mary Sits!

Mary sits!


(Be on the lookout for a few post-dated blog posts. Not a lot of computer time lately, so it's taking a little while to get them written, edited, and posted. Stay tuned.)

Honest Scrap

Oh Wynken, thank you so much for thinking to include me in your Honest Scrap tagging challenge. I learned about you and now you'll get to learn about me.

Now, 10 Honest Things about me:

1. I want to live at the beach. If I could, I'd happily buy a second home or retirement home on the beach...most any beach, it doesn't matter.
2. I depend on coffee to feel like the day has started.
3. Back when I was employed, maintaining files was a big time-consuming part of the job. Now that I'm a mom at home, it's the first thing I put off doing.
4. I don't like putting off cleaning the bathrooms or sweeping my floor.
5. I've finished my Christmas shopping for the children on the list
6. I haven't started for the adults on my list
7. My keys went missing and turned up under the grill (located on the deck)
8. I love photos of my kids
9. The last book I read was MaryBeth Hicks's "Raising Geeks"
10. I've recently begun watching 'Cosby Show' reruns

Preschool Playdate

The girls and I are headed over to the playground at preschool. It's kind of a summer mixer, get-to-know-you, sort of event. Annie will see some of her friends from last year's class, and Elizabeth will be meeting some of her classmates for the first time.

Lots of firsts around here these days.

New tooth!

Mary, at 19 weeks of age, has sprouted her first tooth. I felt the sharp edge last night at bedtime, when she grabbed my hand and started chomping. The new tooth cutting seemed to trouble her & keep her from falling asleep.

In other developmental news, she rolls from back to tummy and from tummy to back. Her sisters delight her and provoke deep belly laughts. She will post, and use her legs to push herself forward. This often results in her face mashing into the carpet rather than any kind of scooting forward, but she's working on it. She is also working on strengthening her back muscles to sit unassisted, but she still needs some assistance as yet.

These first four and half months have flown by.

Potty Time!

Elizabeth is not learning to use the potty. For several months now, she would play at going potty. She would climb up on the toilet, wait, say "all done", then make unholy messes by stuffing as much toilet paper as she could into the commode.

I wondered aloud to Hubs when would Elizabeth start using the potty?

He had a hunch that one day, when no one was watching, she'd secretly slip away to the bathroom and sort it all out.

He was right. Elizabeth did just that.

She's been having success using the bathroom, wearing her Big Girl Princess Panties, and she's even spent an entire day dry. She's also creating opportunities to strip buck naked. She's been streaking in the library. I thought most girls waited until sorority rush to do something like that.

Happy Birthday Soldier

My brother is deployed on his third tour of duty to Iraq. He's sleeping in a ten man tent with little internet access, so I doubt he's ever going to see this, but I wish him a happy birthday just the same. Um, get past the first 30 seconds then it's entertaining.

Added Element!

As I've told you before, I'm little more than a monkey banging on a keyboard. Coding, features, and all that computer stuff that makes a blog cool is new to me. So the first step in updating my blog and making it cool was adding a label cloud.

Um, I totally found a tutorial online and followed the directions. Worked for me.

P.S. This does mean that I need to go into the archive and update posts with labels.

I'm going to try to read up on blogging in my spare time, but in the meantime, I figured I'd keep posting so at least there was new content while I figured out features.

So, is it just me, or does 'spare time' sound like an oxymoron?

Making the blog better?

So I'm faced with a decision.

Here's a decision I already made. I decided after looking at a few other blogs, that I liked some of their features and wanted them on this blog. Since I'm a non-techical person (aka a monkey typing at a keyboard) I thought I might be able to search google for the content and features I wanted. The wealth of information is staggering. First off, in order to play the game, I needed to learn the lingo. Apparently one of the things I liked was a 'tag cloud.' I didn't even know that starting out. As I searched and read, then searched and read some more, the more I learned that there is a lot of information out there on how ot make a blog better. There is vast room for improvement on this blog.

So the decision I'm faced with is do I want to put in the time to spiff this up? Or do I keep it as is, with my sister and brother in law checking in occassionally. My husband says he reads it too, but so far, I can't tell. Hm, it sounds like a bit of a time committment, but possibly also a new hobby.

Why yes, the blog did get a haircut

Or a new look at least. I was hoping that going with a different template would let me do a few different things in the sidebars....but none of my options changed. Am I gonna have to learn me some html? Dang-nabbit.

We miss Mary!

My sister flew in from Seattle and spend a week visiting. Some highlights from the trip include:

1. Elizabeth roaring like a t-rex at house flies in an attempt to scare them away.

2. Mary introducing the girls to Outkast's "Hey Ya" by telling them they were dancing to the dinosaur song.

3. Going to the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum and having Elizabeth insist on seeing the t-rex bones, only to yelp in fright, run away, then insist to take another look. The girl likes being scared.

4. Annie bickering with her sister and telling her that her lunch will be "Bacon poo in a big bowl!" While it was unkind and was disciplined, keeping a straight face on that one was hard work.

5. Getting to watch a movie with my sister. She suggested Stardust. Good pick.

6. On the last morning of Mary's visit, Annie woke up and over the baby monitor sang, "Aunt Mary, I'm awake! Let's play hibernating bears now." A game where they sat under a blanket and pretended to be bears.

I'm sure there are more. Mary, would you care to chime in?

the 'hood

Baptism

Mary Eileen as she was baptized yesterday, or as Annie likes to say, "Bathtized."

Baby Mary Pic

Thought my limited readership might like to see a picture of Annie, Baby Mary, and I at the hospital when Mary was born. Mary arrived March 31, 2009. She weighed in at 9 lb 8 oz, and was 21 inches long. Enjoy!

Heard 'round Here

A three almost four year old can come up with some funny things to say.

"But my feet are gentle"
"I don't want to ruin my pickle-appetite"
"Um, what were we talking about?"
"Dad, I have to wash my hands! I was digging around my nose."

Multiple Choice Test

Just one question. Pick one:

a) dishes
b) laundry
c) paperwork

Blog Feeder

I think I signed up to receive a blog feed on blogs I follow. I think I have also made my blog available for view? Pretty much point and click.

Sisterly Love

Mary, new, cosleeps with Mommy&Daddy. The older girls also coslept with us when they were younger and like to return to the bed sometime during the night. I mention this to set the scene I saw this morning.

Elizabeth, 2, woke up in our bed, facing Baby Mary. Mary was already awake, and smiled a big toothless baby smile at Elizabeth as she opened her eyes.

Elizabeth smiled back, sat up and said, "Meme likes me." E then stroked Mary's face and said "There Meme. My Meme. Our baby." And laughed.

Mother's Day

I was driving with the kids. (Incidentally, you can fit three carseats in the back of a 2006 Honda CRV.) Annie, 3, starts talking about Mother's Day. She states her intention to make a card for me. Elizabeth, 2, chimes in "Me too!" to show her ethusiastic willingness to also make a card for Mommy. Annie, thinking that Elizabeth has volunteered to help Annie with her card, tells Elizabeth very firmly that no, she can't help. I clarify that Elizabeth wants to make her own card, and Annie is molified. Annie asks if she can make the card when we get home. I informed her that Mother's Day was several days away and she had plenty of time to make a card for Mommy. She then asked if I would help her make the card. I told her that Daddy would be happy to help her. She then asked why Daddy would help and not Mommy.

Mommy: Well, Honey, you're making a card for Mommy.
[Lightbulb going off in a three year old's head]
Annie: Oops.

Three Children

Adding a new baby to the mix has been a little cra-zy. And at the same time, I heard a song on the Christian radio station that sang "Whatever my lot, it is well with my soul" and that explains adding a new baby tot he mix pretty well too.

Still Pregnant

I'm 39 weeks today and showing no signs of impending labor. That's all that's relevant about labor.

About pregnancy though, I'm nesting like crazy today. You know what's getting my attention and MUST be cleaned? Fingerprints and smudges off the wall. I'm also working on catching up laundry because I don't want any phone calls asking where something is nor do I want to think about it during the babymoon.

Happy Birthday to me!

And my nephew Joey.

How to Work out from Home

HOW TO WORK OUT FROM HOME - watch more funny videos

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.

Merry Christmas!

If we send out Christmas cards this year, they won't arrive before Christmas, as we will only be taking a suitable picture for a holiday card on Christmas day. If the cards don't make it out, please know that we still wish you a very merry Christmas!

Spreading the Holiday Cheer!

Girls' Night Out

Happy Birthday Kate!

To celebrate her birthday, Kate, Nicole, and I went out to dinner. Just us. No husbands and no kids.
Guess where we went to dinner?

Tempus Fugit

Happy Birthday, my little koala bear! It has been a year already? The time has flown by. We brought you home from the hospital and you were such an alert, awake baby. You would nap during the day, and had to suffer through sleeping through the noises of a rambunctious toddler. I don't know how your nervous system was able to deal with it. You took a shine to your older sister right away.

In an effort to keep up with the pace and action, you were rolling over by 3 months of age and army crawling by 5 months. Mommy prompted your first baby grins, but your first genuine laugh was in response to your sister. We sat on the sunny deck one spring afternoon. Your sister was playing peek-a-boo with you from the top of the Little Tykes slide. You sat on my lap wriggling your arms and legs as you giggled with glee as she appeared and disappeared from view.

As you continued to grow and develop, you sat up unassisted the next month at 6 months but showed little interest in being fed any pureed or jarred baby food. We waited a little while to introduce any solids, and once we did, you were determined to do it yourself. Cheerios and bananas have been a staple in the house during the last year. You also love to dip your fingers into yogurt, guacamole, white rice, and noodles, be it spaghetti or lo mien.

You walked by 8 months of age and quickly mastered your skill. You enjoy getting in on the action and excitement around the house by playing chase. You also love to climb. Now that you are a year old, most days you manage to scale either the chair to the top of the dining room kitchen, or the toilet to the vanity to sit in the sink for awhile. Some days you achieve both together. You protest vehemently when I pick you up to safely deposit you on firm ground. You have amazing balance and uncanny climbing skills.

You began speaking around the same time you started walking. Your first word was "mama." You call me when you wake up from naps, and when you need help with your sister. You will also sigh contentedly and say 'mama, mama' when I pick you up, snuggle you, and carry you around the house with me. You also like to say Annie's name too. You tend to clap and laugh or cry and struggle when you say her name. You say "Daddy." You know all your family. You sign for 'more,' 'eat,' and 'bye.' And there are other words you sometimes use, like 'hi,' and 'this'. You are certainly able to make your wishes and needs known.

You continue to laugh and smile. You wake in the morning with a delightful smile on your face. Mama and you spend a few quiet minutes together, changing diapers, playing pat-a-cake or having a nurse, and getting ready to start the day. You continue to smile most of the day as you made various discoveries as you motored about the house. Dad loves to tickle you. You love to play pat-a-cake and have 'Frappe, Frappe' sung to you.

There are many people who love you.

Love Means Tickles

Last night Annie was getting settled for bed.

She slung an arm around my neck, nuzzled in and said, "Mommy, I love you."

I told her I loved her and I loved Elizabeth. Annie got excited about the idea of Mommy loving not one, but two people, so she started mentioning all the people she loved. It turned into a pretty funny litany.

"I love Mommy. She can tickle me.
I love Simon. He can tickle me.
I love Elizabeth. She can tickle me.
I love Daddy. He can tickle me.
I love Caitlin. She can tickle me.
I love Katherine. She can tickle me.
I love Baby Emma. She can tickle me.
I love Aunt Dawn. She c an tickle me.
I love Uncle Mark. He can tickle me."

So love means tickles?

Hot Babywearing German Daddy

Quotable Quotes

"Mommy, do you like me?"

"Yes, I like you, Sweetie. So, do you like Mommy?"

"I like craisins, Momma."

Craigslist

A few years ago, my dad bought for me a really nice goose down comforter from Costco. It was for a queen size bed. At the time I slept on a twin, and when I got married, I upgraded to a king. Never had a queen, and didn't have plans to get a queen in the near future. I feel really bad that I made Dad get it and it was sitting here unused.

I decided to list the comforter on Craigslist. Craigslist is an online classified website. I initially listed it as New In Package (NIP), excellent, unused condition, yada yada yada, for $50.00. Seemed like a fair price to me. No one was interested. I saw a similar and gently used (used, mine is new!) going for $60.00. I waited a week, then relisted mine at $60.00, NIP, excellent unused condition, yada yada yada. I had people lining up around the block for it when I raised the price by $10.00. Perhaps it helped that the cold weather finally set in? Is there some kind of psychological phenomenon that people expect to pay that much and are suspicious when the item doesn't cost the amount they thought they would have to pay?

It sold, and I have $10.00 more than I expected. I don't understand.

Who bit you?

Tim was sitting at the breakfast table and was peering thoughtfully at his arm. He then rubbed it vigorously and said, "That was some bite I got last night."

With a two year old who is known to bite her little sister and a 10 month old who just cut a new tooth, biting is not uncommon, but I was surprised to learn that Daddy had been bitten after a pretty calm night.

I was incredulous, "Who bit you?"

"A bug."

It never occurred to me that he could possibly be talking about a mosquito bite. I was looking for a culpable party in the 2 and under set.

Got your horrible coffee, right here

Tim brewed a pot of coffee for us Sunday morning. He poured the coffee, added the cream, and was interrupted by a crying baby, demanding his attention.

"The coffee needs sugar." he told me as I cruised through the kitchen.

I fetched the sugar from the dining room table (it had been left there by the company we had the previous night) and added it to the coffee. I emptied the sugar bowl. I was then interrupted by a crying baby, demanding my attention.

Tim went to refill the sugar bowl. I thought it was a terrific kindness after I emptied it. I busied myself with calming a crying baby and returned to my cup of coffee once the baby was calmed. I returned to Tim tipping in another spoonful of sugar.

"I already put in sugar!" I cried, much too late to save the coffee from sweetness overload.

Tim groaned. "Well, your coffee will be very sweet and mine will be horribly sweet. I added another spoonful to your coffee and two spoonfuls to mine." He chivalrously offered me the remaining coffee in the pot to cut the sweetness in the coffee and try to salvage the cup.

"I'll just add more cream to mine."

Tim pulled out, not creamer, but soy-milk. We have soy-milk because Annie is allergic to cow's milk. The carton of soy-milk and the carton of creamer are roughly the same size. While some people out there claim to love soy-milk lattes and the like, soy in coffee is not a taste Tim nor I prefer. Tim moves so quickly sometimes. I couldn't act or speak quickly enough to keep him from dumping in additional sugar and I couldn't keep him from dumping in a liberal dollop of soymilk to his coffee.

It was a horrible cup of coffee.

"That's A Funny Way to Feed a Baby"

A Sesame Street clip from 1977. I love Big Bird.

Quotable Quotes

Daddy gives Annie a kiss while she's sitting in her high chair. Daddy walks into the kitchen where Mommy is making breakfast.

Annie: Ew, Daddy.
Ew.
Ew, Daddy.

Daddy: What 'ew, Daddy'? Did you not like being kissed by Daddy?

Annie: Ew, Daddy.

Daddy reaches for Mommy and gives her a kiss.

Daddy: It's ok. Mommy likes being kissed by Daddy.

Annie: Ew, Mommy!
Ew, Daddy!
It's very yucky.
Kissing is yucky.

Walmart acted like I was lying about my mom DYING

I went to Walmart today. I went to try to return some items of clothing my mom had puchased before she was hospitalized and her health deteriorated. They still had tags and I had the receipt. It was the only reason I was there.

The clerk said it was past 90 days and she couldn't process it. Essentially the manager said the same thing, and so did the supervisor. The supervisor was the worst though. What a rude, unkind, uncivil woman. Event hough they still sale the exact same items (color and everything) she refused to do anything to issue a refund or store credit. She talked down to me, to the point I actually told her, "please don't talk to me as though I were stupid." She refused to help, treated me like I was lying about why I was there with the return, was R-U-D-E the entire time she spoke to me, but then said, "we like to try to help people" after she absolutely refused to hear me.

I walked back out to the car with my girls, put my head down on the steering wheel, and just cried. Why would I lie about my mom dying just to get some help from Walmart's indifferent CS?

More Potty Training Success

Annie pooped on the potty again today!

She wore padded 'panties' this morning until bathtime.
We finally found the Strawberry Shortcake underwear on Ebay. Advertised as unopened. I bid and we're waiting for them to arrive in the mail.

Is this what ordering from the Sears and Roebuck catalog was like back at the turn of the century?

Remind me to post pictures later. Not creepy potty pics, but cute ones.

Potty Training

Is begun.

It's started with Annie finding peeing on the potty a great novelty.
We've had her pee when she's asked or when I remember to get her to the potty.

This weekend, she saw her cousin's underwear and stated that SHE wanted to "wear Strawberry Shortcake on my bottom."

Tim told her she needed to poop on the potty, then she could have the underwear. Sunday she talked about it, Monday she talked about it (but pooped in her diaper), Tuesday, I wanted her to be able to have the pants because she was so serious about it.

We spent five hours in the bathroom before she finally pooped on the potty. I was thinking it would be more like 40 minutes. I wasn't really prepared to go the long haul like that...be forewarned, you will need to live in your bathroom when you start potty training! Annie ate mac-n-cheese for lunch on her little potty.

She finally pooped and we went to Target to find the underwear. All of us were excited.

They didn't have Strawberry Shortcake in her size.

We are going to go check out other places for the underwear, but she hit her diaper again today. Tomorrow we'll try to hold out for another win on the potty.

Happy Birthday Annie

Annie turned two back at the end of August. Here are a couple of pictures.

We had a lot of great pictures that I didn't post because the kids in them aren't my kids. If you were there and would like to see the pictures of your children, let me know.

My obsession with Pachelbel continues...

I forgot about this arrangement of Canon in D. OK, I'm done with Pachelbel, I promise.

More on Pachelbel

If you clicked on the links in my last post, you understand the musical influence of Pachelbel's Canon in D. Of course, I found a song about family life set to the same song. Check it out here.

RobPRocks.com

Rob Paravonian, you funny, funny man.

Quotable Quotes

Daddy: Annie, Daddy loves you. Do you love Daddy?
Annie: I love Mommy.

At least she didn't say "No."

Dignity of Women

I'm excited to check it out and learn more.


http://www.dignityofwomen.com/

Spelling test

I noticed a spelling mistake in the title of one of the blog posts "Annie Surives Bleach in the Face" should read "Annie Survives Bleach in the Face." Spelling mistakes are one of those things that, when I notice them, they really annoy me. Yet there are so many little blips and omissions that my brain glosses over or fills in the right letters so that I don't really see it, even though it's right there, just daring me to notice.

Our Morning Prayer

Lord God, Please give
Daddy a wise heart,
Mommy a patient heart,
Annie an obedient heart,
and Betta a joyful heart.
Amen.

The husband and I just finished reading Fr. Thomas Dubay's A Prayer Primer for our Teams of our Lady. In trying to make sure prayer is part of our daily life, I was trying to say morning prayer from the Office of the Hours. The girls must have had some innate sense that Mommy was trying to do something really important, and they would always get upset, fight, or cry. I knew I wanted to pray, I knew I needed to pray. I also had to make it something the girls would enjoy, so we made our own prayer.

I stumbled upon this prayer almost by accident. I was trying to get Annie to off the stairwell so I could put the baby gate up to keep Betta from climbing the stairs (yes, she is old enough to climb the stairs but not yet old enough to climb back down!). I realized I was grumpy and growing impatient.

I said to Annie, "Let's ask God to give Annie an obedient heart and give Mommy a patient heart?"

Annie immediately hopped off the stairs and said, "Here you go. Heart, Mama" and pretended to hand me a heart. I thought this kind of prayer could work on a daily basis. We've only been saying it for a couple days, but she seems to like it, and I certainly enjoy the grace and blessings of being able to pray .

Annie Survives Bleach in the Face

Annie survived licking tylenol, she survived a bout of rotavirus, and now she's survived spraying a bleach cleaner into her face.

Fortunately I was right there when it happened and I immediately put her in the bath and started pouring water over her head until she stopped crying about her eye stinging and started complaining about so much water.

I then called the doctor. They told me to put her in the bath again, then bring her over immediately. They would work her in.

The doctor can tell if there has been any damage to the eye by putting in eye drops that glow under a black light. If the dye is anywhere in the eye, it indicates that there is damage. An intact eye won't keep the dye on it. Annie had the eye drops put in and the black light was turned on. It looked like someone had put a flourescent eyeliner on her, but her eye looked fine. She was well. Fortunately the doctor's visit took all of 30 minutes.

Since our girl narrowly escaped injury, we asked her what she'd like to eat for dinner.

"Pizza!"

Husband is Brilliant

We have a television. We keep it downstairs in the basement. Our basement is the family room, and computer area, and the laundry area. We switched things around to make it more family friendly, and that meant the cable was no longer hooked up to the TV. Husband said he could get it working, but he'd need to find the right length of cable.

For about three months, the only thing I've seen on the television are Elmo DVDs and Barbie's The Princess and the Pauper. No news, no soap operas. No "Dancing with the Stars." I forgot about programs geared toward adults. I forgot that Bravo will run all the episodes of a season of" Blowout" in a single day. I didn't miss it. The television was for the benefit of the children.
Husband hooked up the cable last night. I didn't realize how isolated from the world I'd become. A news program was on.

"Ooh, look. There's a hurricane?"
"Yeah, it's about to hit the coast of Nicaragua."
"Have there been a lot of hurricanes this year?"

Stay at Home Mom

My husband and I were discussing the future a bit...where we see ourselves, what we'd like to do, how we would get from here to there...and we started talking about after we raised our kids (with the plan being for me to stay at home until the youngest no longer needed me at home be it kindergarden age or college age). I just assumed I'd re-enter the workforce since it would help financially, when I mentioned this, I found out that my husband and I were thinking different things.

My husband said, "Your job is raising the kids. That will take years. After you are done, you can do anything you want. Work or not work. Take a class. Babysit grandkids. Please consider keeping up the work of taking care of me. But I consider it my responsibility, my gift to you to let you do anything you want to do after you've raised the kids."

What a generous gift.

Little Women

"Mommy's Makeup. Ooooh, I'm so pretty. Oooohhh, Annie's a cutie pie. Betta No!"

Beauty Redefined

http://www.jpgmag.com/photos/69556

Check it out. Wow.

Consumer Report's Opinion on Buying Organic

I quote:

DO buy organic!
It pays to buy organic produce like apples, bell peppers, strawberries, and spinach, but if cost is an issue, you can save money buy not buying organic bananas, asparagus, onions and sweet peas because tests show they rarely have pesticide residue.

Happy Birthday Annie?

Today is Annie's Birthday. Her family party is this weekend, but I wanted to make the day special today. I figured I'd make today a 'yes' day. To let her do things she'd like to do (that weren't utterly dangerous like drown her baby sister Elizabeth in the tub) to try and celebrate.

We spent nearly an hour in the tub, met Daddy for lunch--late of course, because tub time extended itself 45 minutes--played on the play park in the mall (no outdoor activities because of the rain), napped, watched the Princess Movie (worthy of it's own post), had noodles for dinner, and went to have ice cream with the cousins to round out the day.

The pinnacle of the entire day was the Happy Birthday Well-wishes of family and loved ones.

Annie's Godmother Kate & her baby friend Simon spoke with Annie in the evening. Kate had been working on having Simon say "Happy Birthday Annie" most of the day. She was continuing to coach and encourage him to speak while on the phone.

Kate: [singing] Happy Birthday to you
Simon: silence
Kate: [singing] Happy Birthday to you
Simon: silence
Kate: [singing] Happy Birthday dear Annie
Simon: Ha Buu-day Lizabeth.

Yes, Happy Birthday Elizabeth.

Grieving

I've been getting sick a lot lately. A little bug here, a little bug there. I've been to the doctor's office a lot. The nurses love seeing Annie and Elizabeth. Annie gets stickers and the nurses hold Elizabeth and coo at her. Recently one of the doctors pointed out that I had been in several times recently. She asked if there had been any significant changes recently. "My mom died." After expressing her sympathies, she said, "Yep, that would make you ill." I guess this is part of the grieving process.

Another part of the grieving process is that I get so angry. Usually really big, strong emotions are difficult and exhausting to sustain, so they subside. Not this anger. It's big, strong, exhausting and ever present. The husband forgets to clear his dishes from the table and I seethe all day. Annie dumps her drink on the floor and I want to storm out of the house like a hormonal teenager. And while I'm feeling so irrationally angry, this small still-rational portion of my brain speaks to me and tells me that it's not a big deal. Annie is just being Annie. So I try so hard to maintain the positive discipline and not fly off the handle. Reigning in the anger seems more difficult than even feeling the anger. Acknowledging that I am feeling it helps diffuse it though. I wouldn't mind moving through this stage a bit more quickly.

Slowly Coming Back

My mom died and we held her funeral. I feel like so much more happened but that really does sum it up.

My brother and his wife have been brilliant throughout all of this. My brother was appointed medical power of attorney and was listed as an executor of the estate. He and his wife have kept things organized and moving and I appreciate them so much for doing that, because I must confess, I would probably let it sit and sit.

We'll Miss you, Mom

Mom Update

Mom not doing so well recently. She's in the hospital and in critical but stable condition. Amid other serious issues, she had an episode where she was not breathing on her own. Doctors are taking blood work, cultures, and administering other tests to try to form an official diagnosis and prognosis. Please pray for her.

I'm on Facebook!

I'm a loser. At my sister's request, I joined Facebook. How long has this thing been around? And I'm a new member? Someone should revoke my permission to access the internet.

See, Harvard Agrees With Me

Harvard University's research shows support for Attachment Parenting.

Ride the Horsey

The girls and I headed to Burke Lake Park today for a trip on the carousel. Annie had a blast.

Quotable Quotes

"Mama?"
"Yeah?"
"I like your nurses. I like 'em."
"Um, thanks."

When Daddy's Away The Girls Will Play

The Husband is away on another business trip. He left yesterday afternoon. Annie had a hard time settling to sleep with him gone and seemed at loose ends when she woke up. It seemed that a crucial fixture of her sleeping and waking routines was missing. Daddy was away at work.

We'd gotten too complacent with routine. We were allowing the man to keep us down! I decided a wild crazy week of baby party was in order. I scooped up the girls and took them to the supermarket for juice, milk, cookies,jarred food, diapers, and hot dogs. Freshly stocked for a wild week without the old man keeping us down we walked to Starbucks. I got coffee, prayed Morning Prayer, and Annie stood by my table pointing out various things.


Other plans for the week include a NINO meeting, playing with the cousins, a trip to Burke Lake Park, and maybe some other fun baby-friend time.

New Toy

Our camera broke. It stopped taking pictures. The digital screen went black. The Husband and I went camera shopping. We're such suckers for an up-sell. We went with the Canon Rebel XTi. We're going to cash in some credit card reward points to offset the cost of the camera--before you go thinking we're Richy Rich or anything.

The Husband was tring to get a feel for the settings the other evening. Even playing around, we managed to capture some lovely pictures. Take a look...

Annie is deciding to run head-long down the hill that is our front yard.



Annie telling Daddy that she does not want to smile for pictures, nor does she want to share her popcicle.



Betta peering intently out of the mei tai.

Independence Day

Family got together for the Forth Of July. My sister from Seattle flew in that morning. Here she is, holding Betta.


Unfortunately, I don't have pics because the camera battery died, but the girls loved the fireworks display done by friends' HOA. Annie stood on the street shouting, "Boom! Boom! Fire up der!" and clapping and jumping around. She was heard down the entire street. Happy 4th everybody.