First off, Kevin and I had a wonderful anniversary. He surprised me with tickets to the musical The Light in the Piazza which played at the Buell Theatre. We both really loved the musical, and apparently, it was one of those things that people either really love or really hate it. We knew a few other people that went to see it, and there were definitely mixed emotions on it. Granted we do are not regular theatre-goers, so we weren¹t sure if our opinion was because we didn¹t have all the knowledge that someone who frequents the theatre does. Like, was the setting changes too slow, the lighting not right, etc. However, our good friend who has annual passes to the Buell to see a wide range of productions said that he too liked the Piazza. So, we weren¹t completely off our rockers because we really loved it!
Some Brooklyn news to share -- When I took her to the doctor for her 15-month check-up last month, her doctor informed me that she is developing at the level of a 2-year-old. I knew that my lil¹ girl was very smart, and I felt like she was advanced as far as what she is capable of doing, but to hear her doctor say that, really meant a lot to me. I am so proud of her and how interested and determined she is to learn new things.
Kevin and I have realized that she is watching everything that we do -- she tries to put on her shoes like she sees us doing, she tells her doggy to get down when he jumps up on her highchair after dinner to see if there are any scraps left over, she walks around the house on her cell phone (one of our old ones) talking and walking all around. It has definitely put a question in our mind when we do things like drink directly out of the milk carton do we really want her doing that? probably not, so we better not.
She did surprise us one night though -- I was making dinner and Kevin was doing something in the one of the cabinets. Needless to say, we both had our backs to her for a moment. I heard a trickle of liquid, but I wasn¹t sure where it was coming from. I turned around and saw her holding a pitcher full of Kool-Aid. She had grabbed the pitcher plastic, thank goodness! off the kitchen table and was trying her very best to maneuver it over to us. By this time, Kevin whipped around to see what she was doing. The pitcher proved to be more than she could handle, so down went the pitcher completely full of Kool-Aid. She had this shocked look on her face, I started laughing and Kevin looked at her and shrugged. She shrugged back at him, completely in disbelief, as I ran up the stairs to get some towels. Both of them were still in the same transfixed positions when I returned. She literally just stood in one spot, barely moving as I cleaned it up. When I was done, she came over to me and gave me a hug as to say she was sorry. I told her that accidents happen and that it was okay. Needless to say, Kevin and I learned a big lesson -- Keep things in the middle of the table because our daughter is TALL!
One more thing to share -- We have started teaching Brooklyn to fall asleep on her own. Up until now, we have either cuddled with her, rocked her or walked around with her to get her to go to sleep for both naps and bedtime. She has taken many of naps with us laying in our bed, or laying across us in the rocking chair. I must admit that we have really enjoyed holding her, breathing in her sweet scent, getting to gaze down at her beautiful face, watching as her chest moves up and down, watching as her hair turns from straight to curly as she is a bit of a sweaty sleeper, listening to her little snore, watching as she drifts off to a heavier sleep as her pappy (pacifier) falls out of her mouth and watching in amazement at how still she is after all she is usually so busy running around playing. While those times will be missed so much, Kevin and I both feel that it¹s time for her to learn how to fall asleep on her own. Please say a prayer for all of us that it¹s a smooth transition, as this family does not believe in the cry-it-out method, but instead helping her learn through encouragement, human touch in the form of back rubs and support.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
So blessed…
Tomorrow, Kevin and I celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary, and Saturday marks our 10th year of being a couple. We have been a part of each other’s lives now for 17 years as we started out just being elementary school classmates. We have come a long way from those days on the playground chasing each other and flirting innocently. We survived the trying high school years together, and found out more about each other during the college years. As with every relationship, we have had our ups and downs, but I can honestly say that there is no one in the world I would want to experience life with than him. He is my best friend, my partner in life, the father of my daughter and my husband.
There are so many reasons why I love and am in love with this man, but here are just a few…
-- The smile and look of awe that spread across his face the moment our daughter was born.
-- Cuddling with him in bed, sharing anecdotes about the day’s events.
-- Hearing the excitement in his voice that his sprinkler system is finally fixed after he’s been battling with it for two years.
-- The text messages he sends me while waiting on a court proceeding to take place that he’s covering for his newspaper.
-- Watching him come home after a long day at work and sit down to play with Brooklyn before he changes his clothes or does anything else.
-- His great work ethic and his steadfast desire to make his daughter proud of him.
-- The way he’ll call me and tell me how great I am, how much he loves me, what a great mom I am and then asks me if it’s alright if he goes to the Mammoth game.
-- How he crams a 5-day work-week into a 4-day work-week so he’ll have Fridays off to spend with his daughter.
-- His love of warmer weather so he can get outside and mow his lawn.
-- His willingness to help out with anything around the house from laundry to cooking to taking out the trash.
-- How he fills up the gas in my car for me after his early morning bible study.
-- Hugging him and smelling his cologne that he puts on just for me.
-- Listening to the one-sided conversation he has with his dad when they are talking about sports and the excitement in his voice.
-- How he sneaks downstairs to play football on his PlayStation if Brooklyn and I lay down for a nap together.
I am so grateful that I get to share my life with such an amazing man. I can’t believe it’s only been four years… it feels like a whole lifetime!
There are so many reasons why I love and am in love with this man, but here are just a few…
-- The smile and look of awe that spread across his face the moment our daughter was born.
-- Cuddling with him in bed, sharing anecdotes about the day’s events.
-- Hearing the excitement in his voice that his sprinkler system is finally fixed after he’s been battling with it for two years.
-- The text messages he sends me while waiting on a court proceeding to take place that he’s covering for his newspaper.
-- Watching him come home after a long day at work and sit down to play with Brooklyn before he changes his clothes or does anything else.
-- His great work ethic and his steadfast desire to make his daughter proud of him.
-- The way he’ll call me and tell me how great I am, how much he loves me, what a great mom I am and then asks me if it’s alright if he goes to the Mammoth game.
-- How he crams a 5-day work-week into a 4-day work-week so he’ll have Fridays off to spend with his daughter.
-- His love of warmer weather so he can get outside and mow his lawn.
-- His willingness to help out with anything around the house from laundry to cooking to taking out the trash.
-- How he fills up the gas in my car for me after his early morning bible study.
-- Hugging him and smelling his cologne that he puts on just for me.
-- Listening to the one-sided conversation he has with his dad when they are talking about sports and the excitement in his voice.
-- How he sneaks downstairs to play football on his PlayStation if Brooklyn and I lay down for a nap together.
I am so grateful that I get to share my life with such an amazing man. I can’t believe it’s only been four years… it feels like a whole lifetime!
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Molly Molar
EXCITING NEWS!!!
As I was brushing Brooklyn's teeth last night, I noticed something sparkling and pearly toward the back of her mouth nested in her top gum. What could it be!?! A molar! Holy cow! Kevin and I had NO idea that she was growing one of those yet. She hasn't been sleeping too well at night and is a little extra sensitive about anything entering her mouth - basically main symptoms of teething, right? But, we both thought she was getting another tooth on the bottom to bring her duo to a trio. And, guess what, as I continued brushing, I found another molar, same position just on the other side.
That means, she now has six teeth on top and two on the bottom. Her toothy smile just keeps getting better and better, and I must admit, her new teeth - even though not fully in - are so adorable!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Gotta love technology, right?
It’s never seizes to amaze me how friendships can remain without actually talking to a person, but instead communicating via text messaging on the cell phone or via emailing on the Internet.
Case in point– I have a friend, someone whom I have known for almost 22 years, whom I have not talked to in like forever. I cannot actually remember the last time I heard this person’s voice, even though I would recognize it immediately if I heard it. Our friendship used to be based on many, many phone calls and many, many face-to-face meetings. However, now, it has been reduced down to only text messaging. I got a text message from my friend on Monday, which I didn’t realize I had until today. Here’s our conversation…
Friend: Hey how are you? Just wondering if you are busy Thursday or Friday
Me: Hey you! I have to work both days. What were you thinking though?
Friend: I am off Sat too if you want to do something
Me: Have plans Saturday. What about Sunday?
Friend: OOOPS….Sorry wrong person
Me: Ummm..OK. So, how have you been? We haven’t talked in forever!
Friend: Good and you
Me: Good… so what have you been up to lately?
Friend: So would Sat work for you?
HUH!?!
Not sure how to take the last part considering the original “hey, what are you doing message” was intended for another set of eyes, so I hesitated when responding. Could I pick up the phone and call my friend? Absolutely. But, I didn’t. Instead, I responded with “Have plans Saturday. Are you busy Sunday?”
What does this mean? Probably that we won’t get together and that our next form of attempting to contact one another will be via text messaging. Does this mean that I don’t value this friendship…absolutely not, because I do. It sounds lame to say it’s easier to communicate this way, but if it wasn’t then wouldn’t one of us have picked up the phone!?!
Case in point– I have a friend, someone whom I have known for almost 22 years, whom I have not talked to in like forever. I cannot actually remember the last time I heard this person’s voice, even though I would recognize it immediately if I heard it. Our friendship used to be based on many, many phone calls and many, many face-to-face meetings. However, now, it has been reduced down to only text messaging. I got a text message from my friend on Monday, which I didn’t realize I had until today. Here’s our conversation…
Friend: Hey how are you? Just wondering if you are busy Thursday or Friday
Me: Hey you! I have to work both days. What were you thinking though?
Friend: I am off Sat too if you want to do something
Me: Have plans Saturday. What about Sunday?
Friend: OOOPS….Sorry wrong person
Me: Ummm..OK. So, how have you been? We haven’t talked in forever!
Friend: Good and you
Me: Good… so what have you been up to lately?
Friend: So would Sat work for you?
HUH!?!
Not sure how to take the last part considering the original “hey, what are you doing message” was intended for another set of eyes, so I hesitated when responding. Could I pick up the phone and call my friend? Absolutely. But, I didn’t. Instead, I responded with “Have plans Saturday. Are you busy Sunday?”
What does this mean? Probably that we won’t get together and that our next form of attempting to contact one another will be via text messaging. Does this mean that I don’t value this friendship…absolutely not, because I do. It sounds lame to say it’s easier to communicate this way, but if it wasn’t then wouldn’t one of us have picked up the phone!?!
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Loving my new status….
Ever since leaving my past job in late October, I’ve been enjoying my new status as PTSAHM…that is Part-Time Stay-At-Home Mom.
At my past job, I worked 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, but then you factor in about two hours of drive time, a one-hour lunch break and I was really away from my baby girl 11 hours per day. I left around 7 in the morning and didn’t return until a little before 6 every night. It was awful. When you add it up, I was away from my daughter 55 hours during the week, when there are only 120 hours in the 5-day work-week, and realistically, 45 hours of it I have to account for sleeping. This left me with 20 hours to spend with her. After doing this for the first 10 1/2 months of her life, I couldn’t take it anymore.
When I went to college, I experimented with management positions as I was the managing editor of my college newspaper my senior year, and worked as an editor my sophomore and junior years as well. I really liked managing people, the budget and the content of the newspaper. It was really a lot of work, with a lot of late nights, but it was so worth it. And, it is why I never scheduled any early morning classes on Tuesdays – I mean getting home after 2 a.m. on Monday morning and then having to watch a taped show with a few friends before going to bed at like 3 a.m. some mornings, getting up at 7:30 a.m. to make it to the 8 a.m. class wasn’t something that thrilled me! In fact, my junior year, I was pretty much a shoe-in to be managing editor, when a former student who decided to transfer back, swooped in and got the job, based on the fact that she was a senior. The reasoning behind the decision was she was a senior and I was a junior. They didn’t want anyone holding that position for more than a year. I was really angry and heartbroken. I was so ready to step up and show what I had to offer in a position like this. But, I had to wait a whole year before it could be my turn to prove what a good managing editor I could be.
I guess it’s all about the power of being in management and getting to know what goes on behind the close-door meetings that excites me. I liked to be over other people and have the opportunity to hire and fire. I know, I sound really power hungry, but that really is what I thought I wanted.
But, then I take you forward to December 2005, when my precious daughter entered my life. All aspirations of becoming a manager and ruling the world, in my mind, faded. They were gone. The only thing that I really, truly wanted to be was a good mom. A part of me really desired to be a stay-at-home mom full time, but I knew that I had to add to our household income, and I was at peace with that. However, there were days when I was driving to my old job that I would cry the whole way there because I really felt like I was sacrificing too much and getting little back in return. I was only getting 20 hours with my daughter and instead was spending way too much time with my co-workers who were nothing but a batch of nasty, deceitful women who were out to get you. So, with much consideration, praying, discussion with my husband and a long interview process by my current company, I quit.
Now, I get to be off with my daughter 2 whole days, just me and her. I work really close to home, so my once 11 hour days are cut to a little over 9 hour days, but the biggest difference is…I am only gone 27 hours during a week. It was not my doing that allows this opportunity for me – it’s my boss’. She came to me after I had been here for a few months, and after we were toying around with the idea of me adding a 4th day, and she said that she wants to keep me at part-time because she feels it is very important that I get to spend as much time with my daughter as possible. I am so blessed to have such a great boss!
So, as I first stated, I am loving being a PTSAHM. I get to do so many fun things with Brooklyn including a Wee Ones Gymnastic class that we just stared yesterday, along with walks, eating lunch together, taking the occasional nap together, playing together and having some really good Mommy and Brooklyn time. I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity, and I am in constant awe that God has gifted me such an amazing daughter and has allowed me to work part-time to enjoy life’s little moments with Brooklyn.
At my past job, I worked 5 days a week, 8 hours a day, but then you factor in about two hours of drive time, a one-hour lunch break and I was really away from my baby girl 11 hours per day. I left around 7 in the morning and didn’t return until a little before 6 every night. It was awful. When you add it up, I was away from my daughter 55 hours during the week, when there are only 120 hours in the 5-day work-week, and realistically, 45 hours of it I have to account for sleeping. This left me with 20 hours to spend with her. After doing this for the first 10 1/2 months of her life, I couldn’t take it anymore.
When I went to college, I experimented with management positions as I was the managing editor of my college newspaper my senior year, and worked as an editor my sophomore and junior years as well. I really liked managing people, the budget and the content of the newspaper. It was really a lot of work, with a lot of late nights, but it was so worth it. And, it is why I never scheduled any early morning classes on Tuesdays – I mean getting home after 2 a.m. on Monday morning and then having to watch a taped show with a few friends before going to bed at like 3 a.m. some mornings, getting up at 7:30 a.m. to make it to the 8 a.m. class wasn’t something that thrilled me! In fact, my junior year, I was pretty much a shoe-in to be managing editor, when a former student who decided to transfer back, swooped in and got the job, based on the fact that she was a senior. The reasoning behind the decision was she was a senior and I was a junior. They didn’t want anyone holding that position for more than a year. I was really angry and heartbroken. I was so ready to step up and show what I had to offer in a position like this. But, I had to wait a whole year before it could be my turn to prove what a good managing editor I could be.
I guess it’s all about the power of being in management and getting to know what goes on behind the close-door meetings that excites me. I liked to be over other people and have the opportunity to hire and fire. I know, I sound really power hungry, but that really is what I thought I wanted.
But, then I take you forward to December 2005, when my precious daughter entered my life. All aspirations of becoming a manager and ruling the world, in my mind, faded. They were gone. The only thing that I really, truly wanted to be was a good mom. A part of me really desired to be a stay-at-home mom full time, but I knew that I had to add to our household income, and I was at peace with that. However, there were days when I was driving to my old job that I would cry the whole way there because I really felt like I was sacrificing too much and getting little back in return. I was only getting 20 hours with my daughter and instead was spending way too much time with my co-workers who were nothing but a batch of nasty, deceitful women who were out to get you. So, with much consideration, praying, discussion with my husband and a long interview process by my current company, I quit.
Now, I get to be off with my daughter 2 whole days, just me and her. I work really close to home, so my once 11 hour days are cut to a little over 9 hour days, but the biggest difference is…I am only gone 27 hours during a week. It was not my doing that allows this opportunity for me – it’s my boss’. She came to me after I had been here for a few months, and after we were toying around with the idea of me adding a 4th day, and she said that she wants to keep me at part-time because she feels it is very important that I get to spend as much time with my daughter as possible. I am so blessed to have such a great boss!
So, as I first stated, I am loving being a PTSAHM. I get to do so many fun things with Brooklyn including a Wee Ones Gymnastic class that we just stared yesterday, along with walks, eating lunch together, taking the occasional nap together, playing together and having some really good Mommy and Brooklyn time. I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity, and I am in constant awe that God has gifted me such an amazing daughter and has allowed me to work part-time to enjoy life’s little moments with Brooklyn.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
A week in paradise?? Sure!!
HOORAY! I can make a new entry...trust me I have been trying for about a month to get my blog to allow me to type a post with no success, until today!
-----
Kevin and I decided last weekend that we should work on scheduling a summer vacation this year. We began to toss ideas around about where we could venture, not coming to any conclusions though. Another plane ride for Brooklyn or an in the middle of the night drive to our destined location?
A few days later, I got a call from my grandma saying "Would you all like to go to back to Hawaii??" We went with my family to Hawaii in spring 2005 for my mom's 50th birthday. We visited Kona and Oahu during that vacation and had a blast. We went para-sailing, experienced first-hand a luau, went to Pearl Harbor, went on a boat to see whales (which we didn't), went swimming in the ocean, ate pineapple, visited a dormant volcano getting to walk through a lava tunnel, got to eat amazing food, and really got to spend a little more than a week in paradise. It was wonderful. Kevin and I had often talked about going back for a vacation, but we figured it would be later down the line.
So, when my grandma called and proposed the idea, I was so giddy! I would LOVE to go back. This time though, Grandma said that she would like to go back to Maui. Her and my grandpa spent many Octobers in Hawaii, and she hasn't been there in like seven or eight years because she couldn't imagine going without him here, but she said that she really wants to do this. With approval from my mom, dad and sister, our vacation plans went into full swing. We now have two condos, round-trip plane tickets and a SUV reserved, and we're already making plans about sights we can see and what our days can be consumed with... How does walking along the beach for 5 miles sound?? Great, huh!?!
We just have to wait until late September before we'll be sinking our toes into any sand. I cannot wait to take Brooklyn to Hawaii - I think she will just absolutely love it!!
-----
Kevin and I decided last weekend that we should work on scheduling a summer vacation this year. We began to toss ideas around about where we could venture, not coming to any conclusions though. Another plane ride for Brooklyn or an in the middle of the night drive to our destined location?
A few days later, I got a call from my grandma saying "Would you all like to go to back to Hawaii??" We went with my family to Hawaii in spring 2005 for my mom's 50th birthday. We visited Kona and Oahu during that vacation and had a blast. We went para-sailing, experienced first-hand a luau, went to Pearl Harbor, went on a boat to see whales (which we didn't), went swimming in the ocean, ate pineapple, visited a dormant volcano getting to walk through a lava tunnel, got to eat amazing food, and really got to spend a little more than a week in paradise. It was wonderful. Kevin and I had often talked about going back for a vacation, but we figured it would be later down the line.
So, when my grandma called and proposed the idea, I was so giddy! I would LOVE to go back. This time though, Grandma said that she would like to go back to Maui. Her and my grandpa spent many Octobers in Hawaii, and she hasn't been there in like seven or eight years because she couldn't imagine going without him here, but she said that she really wants to do this. With approval from my mom, dad and sister, our vacation plans went into full swing. We now have two condos, round-trip plane tickets and a SUV reserved, and we're already making plans about sights we can see and what our days can be consumed with... How does walking along the beach for 5 miles sound?? Great, huh!?!
We just have to wait until late September before we'll be sinking our toes into any sand. I cannot wait to take Brooklyn to Hawaii - I think she will just absolutely love it!!
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
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