Did I Mention...

How much I miss naps? Not naps of my own (I'm not much of a napper) but I really wish Miss A still took them. Especially since she's been getting up a lot at night these days, which I hope is due to the cutting of two year molars and not just a habit she's getting into. Last night at around 4:00 am she called from bed "I need Dada to take me to the Doctor!"

The previous night was actually worse and then we were out of town the following day and I managed four hours of driving, miraculously without even the urge to fall asleep at the wheel. I did however have what I call a 'fatigue headache'. So actually, I could go for a nap these days. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only tired one. We settle for quiet time on the couch together. I take what I can get.

YouTubesday

It took great restraint not to post this as soon as I found it. I have personally watched it... let us just say 'several' times. It is the closest thing to a trailer that exists up until now. Enjoy.

What a Bad Idea

Yesterday Peter and I took Miss A to something called 'The Preschool Wellness Fair'. The purpose is to screen vision, hearing, development and speech/language. And the kids also get a free nutritious snack! Sounds great, right? That's what I thought until we walked in the door. It was pretty much chaos from the very beginning. While I sat down to register her she and Peter were running up and down a nearby ramp. I had dragged Peter to this thing pretty much upon his arrival home from work so he hadn't even had a chance to unwind.

The first (and only) screening we did was speech/language. They had a special room for this and outside the room was a few chairs and a very few toys. Trying to convince Miss A that we should stay in this area was an impossibility. She found the stairs at the end of the corridor which she wanted to 'explore'. I told the people at the desk where we'd be when it was our turn. I felt guilty because my poor husband was pretty much souly responsible for chasing after A since I am still pretty gimpy and this big (massive, huge, enormous) belly doesn't help either.

When it was finally our turn we pretty much had to drag her, crying, away from the stairs and tell her "Come on, we're going to do something fun." We were all supposed to sit at this little table and A was to look at pictures and tell us what they were. Yeah. Right. A table full of toys just behind us was WAY more interesting. I apologized to the girl and told her I was going to get the free snack and see if that would help. It did, a bit. It's always helpful to screen speech and language when you have a mouthful of crackers. When she finally settled down to answer she did great. Except for a part with a small basket and boat. She was asked to put the boat 'in' the basket. No problem. Under, beside, behind? All went 'in' the basket too. Whatever.

The vision screening (which we've basically already done) was in a huge room with tons of play areas. There were craft tables, playdough tables, car ramps, tunnels, you name it. We waited for at least a half an hour until it was our turn. A was happy to play so it wasn't so bad. But when it was her turn... forget it. No way. It was at that point we decided to leave.

All in all it was a pretty frustrating experience. I'm not totally sure what went wrong. I think it may have been a combination of things. I guess A was a bit young. But since she's supposed to be going to Preschool this fall I thought it was a good thing to do. The layout of the 'fair' is a bit overwhelming. Hard for a kid like ours to want to actually do something structured when there is SO MUCH COOL STUFF EVERYWHERE! I don't know. I was very thankful for Peter who somehow managed to keep it together as I was progressively losing it.

I know it's dumb but if I'm really honest with myself I'm disappointed because I know Miss A is really bright and I wanted to see her do well at all of the screenings. The thing is, I already KNOW she's bright. I don't really need proof. This whole thing was probably more of a learning experience for me than anything. At least now I can't say I don't know what that whole thing is about. Maybe we'll try again next year and maybe it won't be such a total bust.

Oh Brother

I seem to be saying that a lot these days. It's funny how we (well, I do) adopt new sayings at different times. And obviously these sayings become 'cleaner' once we have children. And once those children listen to every. word. you. say. and can repeat it clearly.

I have reached the 'really pregnant' stage. I think I may need to remove my wedding rings soon. I only noticed yesterday that I'm feeling a tad puffy in the hands and the rings are getting a bit snug. I've been getting all those ignorant comments from people that seem to come during the last few months of a pregnancy.

"You're going to be HUGE by July!"

"You've still got a long way to go!" *Translation: You're going to be HUGE by July!

"You look like you could have that baby RIGHT NOW!"

Thanks. Thank you all. Because there is nothing better than feeling like you are pretty enormous and then having those feelings confirmed by the inconsiderate comments of mere acquaintances. This is a down side to my job. I see a lot of people. And for some reason those people are fascinated by this sort of thing. And because they don't know me well, (other people's clients anyway) they feel they can say almost anything to me. No matter how stupid.

On Saturday we had a Birthday get together for Peter. Before heading over to our friend's house we stopped by Dairy Queen to pick up a cake. I had worked all day and then spent the remainder of the afternoon and early evening making snacks for the party. As we walked up to get in line at DQ I was both waddling a bit and limping because my ankle was sore and I really needed to get off my feet. This lady who works at my bank was already standing in line. I noticed she was chuckling at me. I flat out asked her if she was laughing at me. She said "No, not at you." Hmmm. Sure. What was so funny? The fact that a very pregnant girl, who was having difficulty walking was in line for ice cream? Don't I deserve ice cream? I mean, I'm carrying around this kid, who is kicking the crap out of my insides and making me want to pee every five minutes. Carrying it around on an ankle that was operated on a mere four months ago and continues to swell and be uncomfortable, perhaps even more as this child grows bigger. Don't I deserve a little something for all my trouble? Or should I go home and have some celery sticks so I don't balloon up further thus causing myself more difficulty walking? Grrr. Rant over.

My brain is also turning to mush. This has really been obvious to me in the past week. It's so frustrating because I know what I mean to say but what actually comes out of my mouth is all wrong. My coworkers seem to find it amusing and I try to be good natured. What is the point of being upset?

I am happy to say that Miss A seems to be past her days of not wanting to have her picture taken. She is now happy to pose for a photo. I took this one last week and when I looked at it I began laughing to the point of tears... it just struck me as funny. When I showed her she began laughing as well (probably because I was) and so we sat and laughed together about what a silly girl she is.

YouTubesday

These are the the kinds of videos that brighten my day and make me feel excited like a teenage girl again...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA D!!!

Today is my lovely husband's Birthday. Unfortunately, we won't be seeing much of each other because he works until 3:45, we kiss at the door and then I work until 9:00(ish). Miss A and I made a treat for us/him. Also, I thought the picture diary would be a cute present he could check out from work. Almost as good as spending the day with us.

This one was taken last night actually. Miss A was so pooped that she tipped out of her chair and crashed on the floor. It's a cute one of both of them.



And here are our cookie making adventures.









And as you can see Miss A is holding a special Birthday cookie with a candle in it!



We love you Papa D!

The Sun Has Gone to Bed (and so must I)

So Miss A has this new thing she's doing. Often when going up or down stairs she stops and says she needs to do "The Sun". At first I didn't know what the HECK she was talking about until she started going up on her bum and singing the song seen here and especially seen at 2:24. It's official, I've given birth to the strangest and cutest kid ever. I wonder what the next one will be like.

Thank Goodness and a Belly

I have managed to get Miss A into the tub twice in a row using the same method. First of all I run the bath without her even knowing, therefore we avoid the protest before we even attempt to get her in. Then I make a heart on the wall with the finger paint soap and also put a small puddle on the side of the bath. Then I lead her to the bathroom to reveal the bathroom paradise. We now have NO toys in the bath except "Baby Anna" and a wash cloth both of which she keeps VERY close tabs on. We usually spend the first part of the bath with A washing baby and me washing her. Then at some point she wants the baby and anything else out so the tub in completely empty. She then proceeds to lay on her tummy, submerge her face and blow bubbles. As I said before, her fear is definitely NOT of the water. Anyhow, I am so relieved and happy to have finally found a way for her to be comfortable with bathing again. I can tell that the same concerns are still there so I just try to be very sensitive and careful not to do anything that would upset her.





And since I always bug everyone I know to post or send pictures of their growing belly... Here is mine. The expression I have in this picture is very odd, Not sure why.

Better but Not Back to Normal

Just an update for those of you who might be wondering how we are doing over here...

Things have been... better. Not better enough to get rid of the sick feeling I have been carrying around in the pit of my stomach or the urge to cry all the time. (The later may have something to do with pregnancy hormones too.)

I appreciate all the feedback and good wishes more than any of you could possibly know.

I have wondered myself if she is more aware of this pregnancy and it's future implications and aftermath that I have given her credit for.

And I also would not be surprised if this could be fall out from the whole ankle breaking fiasco. Really, she coped amazingly well at the time, perhaps she is just allowing herself to react now that things are back to 'normal'.

I do hope it is a phase that is over quickly. My heart has been breaking when I see her behave in ways that seem so opposite to her usual self. It is something I can't seem to stop thinking and worrying about. Which does no good at all other that to give myself an ulcer but I can't seem to cut it out.

Anyhow, I will write again soon. I am hoping that it will be to say that things have settled down.

Issues

Okay. We are having issues. There's the bath phobia thing. Then this weekend Miss A had what I think you'd call a 'Night Terror'. It was SO scary! She woke up and when I tried the usual stuff that I do when this happens she started to freak out and scream and writhe and kick. She seemed afraid of me, she hid in the corner of the room and when she'd look at me she'd scream. No matter what I said I couldn't calm her down. Eventually, I left the room and called for Peter's help. I began sobbing uncontrollably because I just couldn't believe what was happening. Peter was somehow able to pick her up and soothe her and then we sat together in the living room for a while watching a show to make sure she was calmed down. She seemed fine all of a sudden and kept asking "Mama feel better?" She went back to bed relatively easily and slept the rest of the night without a problem. It took me a long time to go back to sleep since I was so freaked out by the whole ordeal. Has anyone else experienced this or anything like it?

We also seem to be struggling with eating right now. Like, not in a picky way. In a, I don't want to eat anything kind of way. She's nibbling on stuff but she really doesn't want to have anything to do with sitting down and eating a meal. This is SO not her. She is the girl who loves to eat. Who eats bizarre things. Who has a huge appetite.

And then there's the crying. Everything seems to make her cry these days. She's just really not herself. I would describe her as miserable actually. With very brief sunshiny moments. Not nearly enough sunshiny moments these days.

So I don't know. I'm feeling pretty down about all of this. I keep thinking about how I will deal with this stuff when I have a new baby to deal with as well. I know I will be lacking the patience I need to handle this stuff. To be honest I'm lacking the patience now. My belly is getting bigger and more in the way all the time and it makes it difficult to wrestle with a very strong toddler. I'm feeling a bit like I'm treading water and my legs are slowly turning to lead.

YouTubesday

This is a fake trailer for a real movie coming out in December. I was just screwing around on Youtube and found it. I thought it was so incredibly well done and splices together footage of the actual actors who have been cast in the movie. I would never take the time to do something like this myself but I am enough of a geek to appreciate it when someone else does.

Potty Tales

Wow! This potty training thing is tough. It's been happening gradually for several months. My goal is to have A trained before the baby comes. Also, she is starting preschool in September and must be trained by then or she won't be able to start.

I don't know why I wasn't expecting it to be hard. I guess because several months ago she sat on the potty and went #1 and #2 without batting an eye. It gave me a false sense of security. Then there was the whole breaking my ankle thing. Potty training during that time was pretty much not happening. So now we've been back on track. We've tried just switching to big girl panties but... the laundry... with the still sore ankle... was too much. So we're doing the pull ups thing. Which sometimes seems pointless sometimes. I try to talk to her and explain that she needs to tell me when she needs to go. When I ask her if she needs to go she won't. And I don't want to make her. We have good treats for when she does go and when she does go she seems very excited and proud of herself.

So. Maybe I'm just impatient. It's happening. Just not as easily as I hoped. What else is new? Really.

Unreasonable?

The driveway and main door of our neighbors home happens to run right alongside both ours and Miss A's bedroom windows. This is unfortunate for many reason. Especially in the winter when people need to let their vehicles run to warm up.

Last summer new neighbors moved in. I'm not sure what the living arrangement is. If it's a young couple or if the girl or guy own the house and are renting a room out to the other. We have tried to be friendly but they don't seem very interested.What has really been bugging me lately is that they seem to frequently have people over on weekends. The problem? Their guests smoke outside the door.

Sidenote: Having grown up with parents who drank alcohol on a regular basis as well as hosted many drunken gatherings I am familiar with how ingesting a fair amount of alcohol affects your ability to judge how loudly you are speaking. I spent many nights of my childhood laying awake for hours in bed listening to the boisterous voices of my parents and many of their 'friends'.

Having explained my prior expertise in this area I think it's fair to say with much certainty that my neighbors guests are under the influence while standing outside my window. They proceed to 'talk' which is actually yelling. This happened on the weekend waking me up at 2:30 AM. I think this is ridiculous. On another occasion several guests were leaving and I suspect they were all heading to the bar. They must have stood outside shouting back and forth to one another for at least 15 minutes before they finally left.

Is it unreasonable for me to expect more from our neighbors? Is it too much to ask that they are quiet after 11:00? I'm not talking about unavoidable noise such as vehicles coming and going or doors opening and closing. I'm talking about the yelling. Yelling at all hours of the night. So far they haven't ever woken Miss A up in the night. I think that might be grounds to go outside and play the bitchy neighbor role.

I keep thinking about the best and most non confrontational way to deal with this. I'm not sure it's such a good idea to deal with it in the heat of the moment when we are angry and they are intoxicated. That situation has the potential to even be dangerous. I'm thinking about putting a polite note in their mailbox explaining my view. Perhaps they don't even realize how obnoxious their friends are being. The pessimist in me tells me they won't care and they'll just blow it off and then things will be even more unpleasant. I just don't know. What would you do?

Okay, Now This is Becoming a Problem

So my kid, the kid who loves water, who has always loved water, who likes to go totally underwater while swimming... Has developed a phobia of the bathtub. And today (Saturday) while I was at work she freaked out when her dad tried to do the dishes.

I have no idea how this happened. The only thing I can think of is that we will sometimes give her a cotton ball to 'wash her face with' while she's in the tub. Peter said once one went down the drain when she pulled the plug. I'm not sure if that's when it started or not. But it has been getting progressively worse.

It began with her being happy to have a 'tub tub time' but at some point she would kind of mildly panic and begin to throw all her toys out of the tub and get out herself. In the past few weeks the time she would stay in shortened and the mild panic became full fledged crying and freaking out and frantically trying to get everything out of the tub. Last weekend while we were visiting her Grandma out of town she and her cousin had a bath together. It started off fine and about five minutes in she had a melt down, chucking everything out of the tub, etc. I lifted her out of the tub and sat her on my lap as I sat beside it. She started screaming and crying and reaching out for her cousin (who is about 1 year old) saying we needed to take her out of the tub. My hand happened to be on A's chest and her poor little heart was pounding so hard and fast. I had to take her out of the bathroom and calm her down.

Tonight, (Saturday) was the worst so far. She did NOT want to have a bath and kept saying so repeatedly as I ran the water. I was hoping she'd change her mind. Then I told her she didn't have to have a bath but I was going to have one. I got in the tub and her dad sat in the bathroom with me. She kept wandering in and out of the bathroom with a concerned look on her face. Then she said she'd like to have a bath too. She got undressed and climbed in with me. She was smiling and happy at first and then suddenly she looked so sad and said "I don't wanna take a bath either." and started to cry and climb out.

I feel so terrible about this. She is clearly so afraid. I was reading a bit about this on the internet and found it is one of the most common toddler phobias and usually one they outgrow. Next time I will try having a shower with her and see if she likes that instead. She has also expressed interest in going swimming when we go to the Y and I think I will take her next week and see how that goes. It just breaks my heart seeing her be so afraid of something that is kind of unavoidable. I know I can resort to sponge baths but I'd really like to find another way. And if it's getting so severe that she doesn't even like to see us washing dishes that is a real problem...

Does anyone else have any experience with this? Any ideas?

YouTubesday

Another reason why I love Yo Gabba Gabba. I actually enjoy the music.

Working the System

Isn't it funny how things just evolve? I mean, at one point, things are going along all fine and dandy and then all of a sudden you find yourself somewhere completely different and you think "How did I get here?"

For instance just a couple of months ago Miss A was consistently sleeping through the night. On the rare occasions she did wake up I could easily rock her a bit and put her back to bed. In these past couple of months things have gradually shifted. One particular night, she kept waking up and I was repeatedly going in to comfort her, finally I decided to leave her for a bit thinking she'd fall asleep as she always had before. Instead she climbed out of the crib. This was a turning point. Obviously, there would be no more waiting for her to fall asleep again. If I wouldn't come and get her out of bed she'd just do it herself.

What has evolved is the following. If she cries in the night (which is happening more and more frequently) I promptly go to her, whereas before I would wait her out and she'd usually drift off again quickly. What I found was that rocking with her a bit wasn't working. She seemed to not settle back down if I removed her from bed. What I resorted to one night was giving her a bottle and then going back to bed. To my surprise this worked like a charm and it could be done with little interruption to my own sleep.

The downfall? It would seem that I have been getting up almost like clockwork at 3 am to give her a bottle. I'm finding this to be a problem. I don't mind doing that sort of thing every once in a while, as a treat, to help calm her down and get her back to sleep. What I feel is happening is that she's working me. That she's waking up in the night and instead of just rolling over and going back to sleep she knows that if she cries out I'll make her a bottle and she could really go for a bottle right now.

Maybe this doesn't seem like a big deal. I think it is. I miss the girl who slept through the night. I miss my sleep. I am fully aware that my nights of half decent sleep are numbered and I'd really like to take advantage of them while I can. So what can I do? I'm trying to come up with a game plan. Feel free to give suggestions. I would also take words of encouragement.

And now, a mish mash of photos to amuse you.

Me Time?

I mentioned some time ago that Miss A had decided to quit having naps. In addition to this she has now started getting up about an hour earlier than usual. This hour was valuable to me. I would use it either to catch up on needed rest or to have some quiet time to myself before having to start the day. It's not simply the getting up an hour earlier, it's the yelling "Mama! Mama! MAMA! It's wake up time!" that comes along with it. And if I don't haul my butt to her room pronto she catapults herself out of the crib herself, which I try to discourage telling her to "Wait for Mama!"

I've already had some difficulty sleeping through the night even when Miss A does. This lack of sleep is catching up with me. Not to mention the whole, eight weeks spent on my bum with people looking after me (I'm not complaining) followed by suddenly jumping right back into work and housework and everything. Sigh. Just feeling a bit rundown.

When you are feeling rundown it's a bit scary trying to imagine how much more rundown I'll feel once this new baby arrives...

I guess when you sign on for this mom business you are signing away things like rest and me time. I do look forward to the day when I will have those things again. And I except that the choices I have made make those things nearly impossible to have at the moment. That's okay. I'm going to make it.

YouTubesday and Other News

How does one find the time to blog once their child in no longer napping? I've had a few things I wanted to blog about lately but I never seem to be able to sit down and do it. I'm not expecting it to be any easier now that I'm back at work either.

Yesterday was my first day back. I survived. My foot had the imprint of my shoe indented into it by the end of the day, which was... interesting. I did as I was told by my physiotherapist and promptly did my hot/cold contrast bath for both my feet and was nearly as good as new. Today is going to be a bit more hectic, so we'll see how I'm feeling tonight.

Have any of you seen this children's show? It is part of the new programming on 'Treehouse' and Miss A is in love with it. I admit I am strangely fond of it as well. It is really bizarre which is probably the reason.



So Miss A has started to climb out of her crib. Mostly in the morning when she wakes up. Once she did it in the night when she couldn't get back to sleep and I was trying to leave her alone hoping she'd drift off. She is very competent at it so I don't worry that she'll hurt herself. Which is why I don't think I'll switch her to a big bed yet. I still think, in general, she'd stay in her crib better than she would a bed. I may change my mind in the next couple of weeks... We'll see.

Hmmm... What other news? General cuteness? A has started saying "I can't feel better." when she is sad or after she's been disciplined. And then eventually she'll tell us "I feel better!". Also, yesterday at the grocery store she specifically asked to buy broccoli. My heart swelled with happiness.

YouTubesday

My most recent song obsession. This movie is so beautiful and pure. I saw Glen and Marketa perform it at the Academy Awards and was instantly cheering them on to win. (Which they did) I saw the movie as soon afterwards as I could. I highly recommend it to everyone.

The Things I Have Learned

Well. This is officially my last week as a cripple. My last week as a non working one anyway. As of next Wednesday I am back to work and my family will be assuming our usual routine. To be honest, this scares the crap out of me a little.

You see I am a creature of habit. When I first broke my ankle things were crazy. I was in the hospital, having surgery, trying to get a grip on the fact that this really did happen. Once I arrived home I had to adjust to everything. I had no choice but to sit back and let everyone look after me/my family. This is a very hard thing for a control freak to do. But if you are forced to do it long enough you can get used to it. Longer still and you depend upon it. My fear as we approach this new independence once again is that we won't be able to do it. Which is silly, I know, because we were doing it before this all happened. Still... It freaks me out.

But here are some valuable things we have learned over the past several weeks.

My mom is awesome. We knew this, because she repeatedly displays her awesomeness over and over whenever we are struggling. (which unfortunately seems often) She has truly outdone herself this time into hella mega awesomeness. Though we have some ideas about ways we could even begin to repay her that task will be truly impossible.

I have learned that the world will not fall apart if I can't do anything. Also, that by doing so much I had caused Peter to be unsure as to whether he could do certain things. Most importantly, putting Miss A to bed. This is something I had always done. Sometimes, a burden I didn't want anyone else to have to deal with. I feel terrible that this was one of the many tasks that fell into Peter's lap when I was unable to do it. I feel terrible because it was totally unfamiliar territory for both him and A and because I hadn't shared the responsibility I caused them both undue stress when they had no other choice. Peter has been amazing. I have loved watching him handle things in his way and appreciate that it is different than my way. It was so important for both of us to learn that we can each to everything that needs to be done around here. Especially with another baby on the way. The way I was going before this accident I would have had a nervous breakdown for sure.

I have also learned that people are amazing but when it comes right down to it you have to know that it's all on you. There were a few times in the past weeks when I found myself thinking “Where are all those people who said 'if you need me call'?” I called. I left messages. Nothing. There were far, FAR more times when people where there. Sometimes before I called. Without being asked. Bringing food, visiting, babysitting, just being amazing in general. But there are still those times when you feel alone and it seems that no one is available. I found these times valuable too. Because I realized that I could survive them, no matter how much they truly sucked.

And finally I have learned that you can be a parent from the couch. It was difficult. Miss A and I both had to get used to it but we developed our routine. I can see how delighted she is to see me walking again. I don't think I will ever really know or understand how difficult this has all been on her. Early on her behavior was a good indication. Things seem to have settled down now.

I am excited to really get back to 'normal' but I'm happy to have been able to find positive lessons in this “garbage dump of a situation”. (I stole that from this freaking incredible movie)

Goodbye

I am very sad to report that today we had to say goodbye to our beloved family cat, Casey. After nearly seventeen good years his kidneys finally couldn't continue functioning. Watching him go was one of the most difficult things I have ever done and I honestly don't know if I could go through it again.

Casey, you will be missed.

Introduction

Everyone, I'd like you to meet the tiny person who has been making me ill for months now. Seeing that little face makes everything seem just a little bit easier...

Almost There

I didn't expect to blog much during this recovery time but my absence has been longer than I thought it might be. Sitting at the computer has not really been an option for me. I have been spending most of my time with my leg up - on the couch. Peter has been reading my email to me as well as any blog comments. He says he feels like an assistant to a celbrity. Ha ha. But he managed to get an old laptop running for me so now I can blog more easily and check my own email. The freedom!

I won't bore you all with the details of my recovery. I keep getting asked how my ankle is healing, to which I reply "Fine, I think." How should I know really? (I'm having an x-ray on Wednesday and I'll be told then.) I have not really had any pain since about a week after my surgery. Only discomfort when my ankle is down. These days it feels okay down but still starts to swell rather quickly. As long as everything looks good with my x-ray on Wednesday I should be able to start putting some (definition of 'some' has yet to be determined) weight on it. I have booked myself to go back to work the second week of March. I am really hoping that was not too optimistic. I just went by what my doctor said.

I have already had two sessions of physio. The second of which was last Friday. I think I blew my physio's mind when he saw how much range of motion I had gained in only a week. Clearly the guy doesn't know who he's dealing with. He gave me exercises - I did them. I improved a tremendous amount in only one week. Perhaps he is used to people not actually doing the exercises he gives them. Personally I am going to do whatever it takes to get up on my feet as soon as possible. Besides, I'm sitting on the couch most of the time it's nice to shake things up a bit with a few exercises.

The pregnancy seems to be going along fine. I have my ultrasound next week and an appointment with my midwife tomorrow. I have noticed this baby is WAY down low. It's noticable to me because I carried Miss A up, like super high. I suppose this will have everyone convinced I'm having a boy this time but I won't be convinced until I hear my midwife tell me one way or the other after the birth. The sickness seems to still be hanging in there... which is another story entirely.

I feel like a total bore right now because I am not doing ANYTHING. I find myself telling Peter about interesting things I saw on television on any given day. Sheesh. We did get out to see a movie on Valentine's Day. 'Juno'. I HIGHLY recommend it. It's such a cute little movie.

I am amazed that I have not totally lost my mind yet after this many weeks of being so isolated and having to depend on everyone so much for everything. It has certainly been a test of my ability to 'let go'. I'm sure this experience will make me a better person. I can say I have spent most of this time just being a really frustrated person.

That's all for now. Thanks again for all your well wishes and concern. Miss you all.

Papa D's Picture Post

This is Papa D. Just to let you all know, Mama D is recovering from her broken ankle. Gramma D is feeding us well and making sure Baby A behaves herself. Here are some pictures of our recent adventures...

Baby Hulk:


after Hulking Out:



Mama D lying on the couch looking great:



Mama D lying on the couch looking great again:


Hello all friends of Mama D

The Reason

So. Hi. I've been... away. I was planning on writing a post at the beginning of January explaining my absence. I was simply going to post this picture:


and then a brief explanation of how during the first few sickly and dark months of pregnancy I am pretty much unable to tolerate being near the computer for any time longer than it takes to check my email. I have thought of many of you often and keep checking in on you. I have wanted to send emails... It just hasn't happened.

And then... last Sunday evening we called some friends to invite them skating with us. It was an absolutely beautiful evening. The skating oval was beautifully aglow with its many lights. I was the last to get on the ice. I was standing next to Miss A and we were just about to begin skating. She started to fall backwards. She had a helmet on and I'm sure she would have been fine but I instinctively reached out to try and break her fall a bit. I lost my balance and my feet slipped out from under me.

Let me stop here and explain that I have been skating all my life. I grew up in a small town where you skated in the winter and you swam in the summer. At thirteen I began teaching beginner's lessons. Shortly after we moved to the city. I didn't take any further lessons due to the cost but I still spent a lot of time on skates during the winter at community center rinks. I haven't skated nearly as much in the past few years but it is not something that you forget how to do. I CAN SKATE.

So my feet slipped out from under me. Nothing out of the ordinary. I couldn't count how many times I have fallen since I first learned to skate. I have never injured myself from a skating fall. Bruised my tailbone - sure. But that's it. I don't know if it was the mild weather, thus causing the ice to be a bit softer. If it was the extremely rough ice that caught my skate, or just no reason at all but once I was solidly on my behind I knew that something was horribly wrong with my ankle. And I calmly told Peter and my friends as much.

"Something is really wrong with my ankle."

They all looked down. And I believe I might have heard someone say "Oh no." My knee was still facing upwards but my foot was at a very strange angle and my toes were pointing more towards the ice than they should have been. My friend K is an Occupational Therapist which doesn't make her a doctor but it means that she is accustomed to seeing and dealing with injuries. We had a sled with us for Miss A so they maneuvered me onto it and pulled me to my friend's vehicle. I impressed several young athletic looking guys who skated along behind the sled in case we needed any help. They kept telling me how they couldn't believe how calm I was - that I wasn't freaking out - that they would be freaking out. I finally told them I was too pissed off to freak out. I couldn't believe that this had happened. I was pregnant. I had a two year old. I was a hairstylist. This couldn't be happening.

But it did happen. To save you the WHOLE terrible tale I will simply say that my ankle was dislocated and badly broken. They gave me some amazing drug which knocked me out for a minute while they popped it back into place and wrapped it until I could have surgery. I had surgery on Monday afternoon and got out of the hospital on Wednesday afternoon. My mother has been a saint. She has looked after Peter and Miss A when I was unable to and as I am still unable to she continues to do so. Miss A has been on 'holiday' since Thursday afternoon. My sister took her out to her place about one hour away. I miss her but I admit to sleeping really well at night and in general feeling less stressed out than I have since this happened. I know she is in the best possible hands, that she is happy and doing well and having a wonderful time. I think she'll be home on Monday.

Our church has already been amazing having meals brought over for what will seem like an indefinite amount of time. At times like this it is comforting to see how amazing people can be. Whenever I get discouraged about the goodness in people I try to remember things like this.

So anyway. This is where I have been. If I continue to be rather absent, this is why. I apologize to those of you who I should have called or emailed but who are finding out this way. My brain hasn't been at it's best. Thank you in advance for all your good wishes and concern.

Merry Christmas and Stuff

So, hey. Merry Christmas! I'm pretty sure I won't be blogging until it's over. I'm swamped. I still have to send out cards... So obviously, they'll be late. This is so not like me. Oh well.

Here's a few happy wintery photos as my present to you.

Sledding



Making "Snow Ones"



NOT MY HOUSE!

Say WHAT?

It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!

Bon was our winner last week.



Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!

"I don't like you. I certainly do not love you. Do we have to have sex?"

YouTubesday

If you don't already know, I'd like you to meet Robert Pattison - cast as Edward Cullen. And yes, I approve.

Experience?

Has anyone had any experience with, say, how many Christmas oranges (or ornanges) is too many in one day? (for a 2 year old) So far I don't think we've gone over three in one day. But that is not with serious distraction. I'm slightly concerned that we could have a blow out over here.

And also, any suggestions on how to keep said toddler from putting another piece of orange in her mouth before she's swallowed the first?

Latest Obsession

Dora Dora. It's the only thing she wants to watch. Not only that but specifically this episode. What could be better than Dora AND Santa? Nothing. That's what.

Another Winner

Bon is the winner.

Say WHAT?

It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!

MNS won last time. Who will it be today?

Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!



"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're all right..."

YouTubesday

This is the voice my niece has sing her to sleep every night if she wishes.

Exhausted...but back

We are home. Home is so good. I will try never to take home for granted again.

I don't want this to be a whiney post. I will simply say that last Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were the most exhausting and stressful days I've had in some time. Traveling with toddlers is no fun. Kudos to those of you who do it and don't find it so bad. Maybe it's just my kid. I'm sure it is, she seems to be an enigma.

My niece's wedding was beautiful. The hair went exceptionally well. Which is nice since I'm related to her and if it turned out badly I'd have to look at the pictures to remind me for the rest of my life.

Here are some fairly anonymous photos which should satisfy those of you who were curious about the hair, the dress, etc...

She is ridiculously gorgeous, I know. My favorite quote from the wedding day was from her husband. He said something like "And I am so very thankful for my wife," he gestures to her "How does that happen." Although it's not as if he is hideous or something.






Oh, and sadly... This



is the best picture we have of us from this wedding function. We all looked so nice too...

Three Things

First.

Mns won Say What? It was Platoon.

Second.

I'm sorry for my absence I've been asked to help write dramas for our Church for the Sundays leading up to and also for Christmas Eve. At first I thought I may have gotten myself in over my head but it's actually going really well and I'm actually nearly finished. It is going to be so weird to have line that I have written be performed by actors on stage. Crazy. Anyway, THAT has kept me pretty busy. Also, we are leaving tomorrow to head to my niece's wedding in a city 6 hours away. I am trying to get packed for that trip and I am also going to be doing hair so that adds to the stuff I need to remember and the stuff I need to bring with us. Sigh. So, yeah. Haven't had much time to blog. Or read blogs.

Third

Say What? is cancelled this week.


Be back next week!

Say WHAT?

It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!

Wow! I forgot again to post a winner. It was hard to pick. Carrie guessed a Karate Kid movie but Elicia kind of guessed the 3rd. Which it was. I feel so mean when I pick quotes from sequels...

Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!



"Maybe I finally found it, way down here in the mud. Maybe from down here I can start up again, be something I can be proud of, without having to fake it, be a fake human being."

YouTubesday

I was in this kind of a mood.

Random Cuteness

Just chillin' on the couch, reading a book. With her lay on.

Just Calm Down Mom

So I totally underestimated my daughter on Saturday. At the end of my work day my coworker asked if I was taking Miss A to the Santa Claus parade. Firstly, I had no idea the Santa Claus parade was that evening. Normally it is on Saturday mornings. (And I am working so I could never go.) Then I explained to her how I wasn't sure that would be such a good idea because it would likely just involve a lot of screaming and certain individuals trying to jump on floats or end up getting run over by one. I wasn't optimistic.

But later on I felt guilty. I decided that I wanted to try to take her. Even if it was awful, we could always pack up and come home.





And then it wasn't awful. In fact, it was pretty fun. I bundled her up warmly, buckled her into the stroller and we watched the parade together. She sat very patiently even between gaps in the floats. She gasped appreciatively at the lights, animals, vehicles and people. Pointing and asking "What's that?" frequently.

(A pretty impressive 'Transformer' float)





Finally Santa and his reindeer came. I thought they were in a bit of a hurry. I didn't even have time to get a decent picture. In the end I was so glad we went and I was so proud of my big girl!


(Quite frankly, this picture scares the crap out of me.)

Say WHAT?

It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!

My good friend The Big Fugr won last week. I had a feeling he might...

Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!




"Remember the game plan. First you win a point, then you lose a point. Keep the score at zero-zero. Pulverize him for the full three minutes. Then in sudden death you get the point, we win. I want him to experience pain. First he suffers."

YouTubesday

Man, I wish we had time to put more of these videos up. I filmed this about a week ago. I thought I should document her ability to mimic one of her favorite shows. Once I flipped the screen around so she could see herself she was in fine form singing and repeating the dialog. I think it perfectly captures her at this age. Her energy, personality, temper. This video has got it all!

Interesting Wardrobe Choices

Lately Miss A has been more opinionated about her wardrobe. On some level I think she realizes her choices are for home only. She hasn't requested to wear any of these outfits anywhere else.

Speedo with pink socks (Personally, I was impressed she chose matching socks...)



Faux fur coat (AKA-bunny suit) worn with diaper.



Ladybug (Last years Halloween costume)





And finally, my personal favorite - Tap shoes and a diaper (And of course we need to dance!)

Home Sweet Home

We just had one of those weekends away that makes you want to never leave home again.

We are homebodies. We like our home. We like our routine. Especially since we had Miss A. I have major anxiety when we travel. Mostly about, the sleeping. But also about the having to follow her around everywhere because she doesn't ever stop finding everything that she is not supposed to touch/eat/break. Because generally, it's all very exhausting.

We decided to make a trip to see Grandma this weekend. It was a short trip because both Peter and I worked at church on Sunday morning. While nearing the end of the two hour drive I realized that we would be back on the road again in less than 24 hours. It seemed like an awful lot of work for so little time there...

Miss A was in fine form discovering Halloween candy, dumping out a pail full of tiny toys/marbles/spare change etc. and then submerging one of the cat's food dishes in his container of water.

It was at that point that we bundled up and went outside. My mother in law reminded us that it was blustery out and I called back that it was okay, we needed to run some energy off. There is an entire acre of yard to play in. You would think that would be plenty of room. Apparently not, she would wander to the edges of the property and decide she wanted to go into the neighbors yards. I would tell her that we couldn't and she would have a screaming fit. This happened several times. I was so certain that going outside would be less frustrating than being inside. Wrong again.

It seemed like we had very little time to visit and then it was bedtime for A. I was dreading this part... We basically lay on the 'big bed' until she was ready to go to her own bed. (At home we simply rock together in her room for a bit, then ready or not, it's bedtime. And since she can't climb out of her bed at home...) After about an hour she finally went to bed.

Peter suggested we go to bed too but like an idiot I wanted to stay up for a while. I needed some adult time. Plus, his mom has way more channels than we do. When we climbed into bed shortly after 1 am I was confident that Miss A would sleep as late as she usually does. Imagine my surprise when I heard her crying at 4 am! But surely I could get her back to bed. Right?

Unfortunately, not. We tried rocking, then laying together on a big bed. Finally she just stood up and with baby and blanket in hand she headed downstairs at about 5:30. I will say that there is a really good lineup on the kids channel at that time. I was aiming to last until 8 and then switch off with Peter so I could get another hour or so of sleep.

At 7:50 bad became worse. Miss A stood up from lying on the floor and projectile vomited all over Grandma's rug. I rushed to her side and we both looked at each other in shock. Then I called Peter for help.

To sum up. I didn't go back to bed. A was sick several more times until she finally crashed out on the couch for a couple of hours. She bounced back quickly, we had lunch and got back on the road.

We all went to bed early and things seem to be back to normal now. Hurray! Did I mention I'm a homebody?

Not Surprised

Some of the movies I choose for this game are so NOT girly movies. Such was the case this week. And so it did not surprise me when The Big Fugr won. I mean really girls, have you seen 'Over the Top'? I didn't think so.

Say WHAT?

It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!

I have now lost count of how many time in a row Kristen has won. I am also wondering if she has any competition. Come on people! Are you out there??

Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!



"The world meets nobody halfway. When you want something, you gotta take it."

Snowone

As I mentioned before we have been subjected to Christmas carols for some time now. Even before that Miss A has been talking about snow.

I have no idea where this has come from. I'm sure she couldn't possibly remember snow from last year, maybe I'm wrong. I guess they have referred to it on some of her shows, but still. It's like she knows.

When we are watching 'Baby Santa' she gets so excited the multiple times they show snowmen. Also, there is one part where a kid is making a snow angel and we have explained what she's doing.

We can often find her laying on the floor trying to duplicate. Only she tells us she's making a snow one.

One thing about having children. They can make you appreciate things that you may otherwise be dreading. Like cold. And snow. Enthusiasm is contagious.

YouTubesday

I feel dancey. Do you feel dancey?

And I Washed His Mouth Out With Soap...

Miss A has recently acheived the ability to mimic anything we say. I don't believe there is any word that really stumps her.

Last Night:

Peter and I are sitting on the couch and A brings her Ken and Barbie dolls to us. Being the funny parents that we are we begin a dialog between them, mostly for our own entertainment. (The male doll is actually named Blaine and he is very tanned with long flowing hair)

Barbie began running her fingers through Ken's sunbleached locks, telling him "I really like your hair, it's so nice!"

"Thanks!" he says in a surfer accent.

"Do you like my hair?" Which is actually a bit frizzy and wild.

"Yeah, it's bitchin'!"

I look at Peter with wide eyes and Miss A says "Batchin! Batchin!" We both stiffle giggles and I remind him that we will really have to watch our mouths from now on.

You Can't Win 'em All

For those of you who remembered I entered a short story writing contest, the results winner was posted in yesterdays paper. It wasn't me. Apparently stories about elderly women in personal care homes is more interesting than a good old fashioned love story. Not that I'm bitter. Well, maybe a little. But I honestly was expecting anything. Only hoping for the best. So many thanks to AM and Bon for helping me out so much.

There were two runners up stories in todays community newspaper. I have to say I liked them better than the winner. But sadly I didn't really enjoy any of them much. I was expecting to really have my socks knocked off by the winner(s). Not so. I'm not sure what I was expecting.

I guess when I think about it, there are a lot of books out there that wouldn't be my cup of tea. But they still got published. Just like not everyone would agree with me that this was one of the best books ever written.

The people who put together the contest have also planned a festival for next weekend. There will be some authors leading discussions, doing readings and lectures. There will even be a discussion on blogging! Unfortunately I will miss a great deal of it due to work but I think I will attend at least some of it. I'm glad something like this is happening in my community. Hopefully it will get more people excited about reading and writing.

Renaming the Game "Kristen"

Kristen is owning this game! Wow.

A long time ago, when I'd announce the winners I'd write a post about the movie I'd chosen and what it meant to me. Then I became lazy. And also, I wasn't sure if anyone cared. But today I have to say something about 'Pretty in Pink'.

Although I love this movie and found that it spoke to me in the sense that I was a poor girl myself, there are aspects that bug me. Their definition of 'poor' for instance. So Andie is poor. Because she lives on the wrong side of the tracks and because she lives in a small house. Not in an apartment, or a trailer, but a house. When I was young and poor I would have killed to live in a house.

Also, she has a car. A REALLY cool car. But it is old (which only makes it cooler) and it has a dent in it. Therefore, it is the car of a poor girl. Hmmm.

And finally, this poor girl seems to have her own line as well as an answering machine. Remember, this was the 80's. I don't think many poor kids were so lucky.

I guess when compared with the uber rich kids in her school she would be considered poor but not where I come from. In fact, as a kid I was jealous of Andie. I wished I had her life.

Say WHAT?

It's Friday again and that means it's time for Say WHAT? The AMAZING 80's quote trivia game. In case you haven't played before, here is the down low – At the bottom of this post you will find a quote from an 80's movie. If you choose to play you must, without using the internet as a resource, guess which 80's movie the quote has been taken from. But here is where the rules have changed. If by Sunday we still don't have a winner anyone may go ahead and Google away. The first person to give the correct movie wins! Fun, huh? Leave your guesses in the comments section and if you are the first to correctly identify the quote, you win! I announce the winner on Sunday and that winner receives acknowledgment, linkage and if they have a profile picture I post that also. I recap the winner every Friday and include all of the aforementioned information. And hey, even if you don't know the answer just give me a shout out. I like to know who's stopped by!

Kristen won last week with the help of her husband Luke. This movie is girly, so we'll see what happens.

Time for today's quote. Don't forget to come back on Sunday (or maybe Monday if I'm lazy) to see if you are a winner. Have fun and good luck!



"You know, it's so insane that someone you've never met, never talked to can be your enemy."