Clara is the funniest little baby these days!! If you smile at her, she'll look at you, then light up with a big smile and hang her little mouth wiiiiiide open! She flaps her arms and buries her head into whoever is holding her - so cute. She's a little stinker at bedtime, but hopefully that's a temporary thing. Most nights, I spend from 8 to 9PM, sometimes after 10:00, trying to get her to sleep, which is challenging when preparing for Halloween and Audrey's birthday! But we'll get there. She seems to be cool with sleeping with a pacifier, although that's about a 50/50 deal. With me around, she seems to want the real deal, still, although she's doing her hunger strikes with Amanda during the days, still. I can't believe a growing baby can go 7 hours on 7 ounces!! She sure makes up for it when I get home!
Clara also rolled over a few nights ago, although she hasn't repeated it since. She was reaching for a toy, on her tummy, and her giant head leaned over to the side, and the weight of it pulled the rest of her over onto her back. She was so surprised to look up at me! and then, of course, she smiled her big fabulous grin.
The Halloween costumes are made, all ready to go for tomorrow night, except for digging up a onesie for Clara to wear. All three of them will be cupcakes!! I'm so excited - the costumes turned out so great and were so fun to make! Emily gets to wear her costume three times - trick-or-treating tomorrow night, Hope's birthday party the next day, and to school on Thursday. I'm glad, because she'll be good and tired of it by then, and we can just put it away and move on to the next thing - Audrey's birthday!!
I'm just about through with a nasty cold that I had for almost 2 weeks. It was the full-on deal: sneezy/tickley nose for 4 days, cold sores and swollen gums, fever, congestion and sinus headache, nasty lingering cough and snorty nose, and worst of all, stupidity!! I don't know when I've ever been knocked so completely stupid before! I couldn't hold a thought, or follow another person's train of thought. I couldn't figure out problems at work, I couldn't handle making dinner at home, I was just absolutely lacking mental capacity. I'm so thankful I don't live that way all the time, because it was SO frustrating!!
The last few weeks have been really testing for me, ever since Travis spent that week in Singapore, and the birthday, and me getting sick. I'm still getting up every night with Clara, and nursing takes a lot of brain energy for some dumb reason. So I guess it's not like there's really that much going on, but it's relentless. So Travis and I took a weekend "off," leaving the kids with Sullivan grandparents and going up to Minneapolis to see some friends who we were close with when we lived up there. It was so stress-free and fun, even though we brought Clara with us! She apparently thinks it's 20 minutes too far, because she screamed the last 20 minutes of the trip in both directions. I suppose it wouldn't be 20 min too far if we hadn't made the trek over to Barnum each time, but it was worth it. Emily had such a great time that she bawled her eyes out as soon as she saw me and Travis walk into the house. (She had made plans, and was afraid she wasn't going to get to do everything on her agenda! but she did, of course.) I felt SO much better after that trip, just relaxed and in much better spirits. I was not sad at all to drive away from my kids, and delighted to return to them, so it was perfect.
I think Audrey is just about done with naptime, and tonight is a momentous occasion because she actually went to sleep without her blanket! I pointed out to her that her blanket was leaving her skin around her lips very pink and chapped, and it was hurting her, so I put chapstick on her and told her that if she had a blanket it would rub it off, and that her lips were so pretty with her chapstick on. So, vanity won out in that one!! Emily was still smacking away at her thumb when I left the room, but Audrey apparently went right to sleep. I think ditching the nap and the blanket at the same time might be a good way to go - she doesn't seek out her blanket during the day to nap, and she's exhausted enough at night to just pass out without it. Of course, now that I've written this, it'll all fall apart. :) but it's a good try, right?
Emily is continuing to love preschool. I get to sign up for conferences this week, to be held the week after. I only get 15 minutes, during which I figure the teacher will say how much she loves Emily's smile and enthusiasm, that she's a wonderful little kid, and how much she likes having her in class. If it's anything else, I'll really be surprised. She sure takes her academics seriously at home! She is drawing letters like crazy, always asking me how to spell things so she can write the words down, one letter at a time. She is writing her own thank-you notes for her birthday presents... maybe at this point I'll have her hand them out at Audrey's party! I've been so busy I haven't had time to sit with her and get things organized and mailed out. But her sentiment is there!
So, for Audrey's party, we're doing the same old family gathering after her birthday, but opening presents on her birthday (Tuesday) and trying to make that day as special as possible, even though I need to be at work that day. I really figured I would take a day off to do birthdays for my kids, and if it had been a normal workday like today, I would have, but it's a planning session for the next 8 weeks and I need to be there. ugh. I also need to get her some birthday presents... Details, right? :) I can't believe it was 3 years ago that I met her. What a charming little thing she is. All chatter and song, just enjoying life and growing as fast as she can.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Happy Birthday, Sweet Emily
Wow, she's FIVE!!!
Emily had a great day today. She was a bit apprehensive about turning 5, since we told her that five-year-olds don't suck their thumbs anymore. But she sure had a good time today!
The day started with the girls coming downstairs, discovering that Trav and I had hung up pink adn white streamers and pink balloons all over the house. We had scrambled eggs and donuts for breakfast, with Dad! He had an evening meeting today, so he felt justified in going in to work a few minutes late. Emily chose to wear a sparkley blue dress, with stripey tights! I even curled her hair, and put in her favorite barrette. Then they played for a little while this morning, and then took Clara to her 4-month checkup. Poor girl got another round of shots :( We picked up McDonald's on the way home, and then had a picnic in the car in the parking lot of Emily's preschool, just to be sure she'd get there in time. It was a beautiful, clear sunny day, a little on the chilly side but still warm enough to be gorgeous and pleasant. When I walked her up to the door, she went bouncing on ahead of me, and her teacher greeted her, "Hey there, birthday girl!!" It's funny how that reassured me that Emily was going to have a great day!
Audrey and Clara and I went home and rested for a bit, though nobody slept except Clara who finished her little car-snooze after I brought her in. Then we went to Target and picked up a few more things I needed in order to finish the day, and to the library, where Audrey showed me where her "Library Preschool" is held. It's just their storytime, but Audrey LOVES it. Not only is it just the right kind of activity for her, but she gets to go there while Emily is at her preschool. It's only half an hour, but she feels so special. Sure enough, when we walked into the children's area at the library, the librarian greeted her, "Hi, Audrey!! How are you today?" and then gave me the funniest look. :) I explained to her that she normally comes with her sitter but today she was showing me where she comes for storytime. I got a good laugh out of that!
We picked up Emily at her preschool, and she came out wearing a crown that said Happy Birthday, Emily, all pink and purple and covered in stickers. Her carseat was already covered in stickers she got from the doctor's office... our whole house is covered in stickers... anyway. We went straight to Riley Park, with the girls eating their Fruit by the Foot and singing. They played for about half an hour, then came home and made rainbow cupcakes. Then we opened presents, and Emily was really, really excited. She got a beautiful new globe, a beanbag chair, a journal, and a stuffed Hello Kitty kleenex box cover (so she can keep her kleenex box in her bed, since she gets bloody noses at night. it's SO cute!!) Audrey was have a good time until the beanbag chair became an issue, because she really, really wanted to jump on it, but it's Emily's birthday and she wanted it to herself. Not sure how I'm going to handle that one, ongoing. But it's a super cute chair - pink polka-dots!!
Travis went to pick up Pizza Hut, and got enough to feed Jenny and her girls, who came by on their way home from an appointment in Des Moines. Then, Emily's friend Hope came across the street to give her a bottle of bubble bath and a shower loofa / stuffed zebra - so cute! So of course we had to have a bath, and then Emily got to chat with both her Grandmas on the phone before crawling into bed.
So, to summarize: Donuts for breakfast, McDonald's for lunch, Fruit by the Foot for snack, and pizza and cupcakes for supper. Pink decorations, preschool, the park, cousins, friends, bath, and Grandmas on the phone. I think we managed to check off nearly everything on her list of favorites. She smiled all day. It was so fun to do that for her! I love her so much.
... however, I am exhausted, the house is trashed, Clara is feeling crummy from her immunizations today, and Audrey is having a hard time feeling second-fiddlish. So, tomorrow is another day! off we go!
Emily had a great day today. She was a bit apprehensive about turning 5, since we told her that five-year-olds don't suck their thumbs anymore. But she sure had a good time today!
The day started with the girls coming downstairs, discovering that Trav and I had hung up pink adn white streamers and pink balloons all over the house. We had scrambled eggs and donuts for breakfast, with Dad! He had an evening meeting today, so he felt justified in going in to work a few minutes late. Emily chose to wear a sparkley blue dress, with stripey tights! I even curled her hair, and put in her favorite barrette. Then they played for a little while this morning, and then took Clara to her 4-month checkup. Poor girl got another round of shots :( We picked up McDonald's on the way home, and then had a picnic in the car in the parking lot of Emily's preschool, just to be sure she'd get there in time. It was a beautiful, clear sunny day, a little on the chilly side but still warm enough to be gorgeous and pleasant. When I walked her up to the door, she went bouncing on ahead of me, and her teacher greeted her, "Hey there, birthday girl!!" It's funny how that reassured me that Emily was going to have a great day!
Audrey and Clara and I went home and rested for a bit, though nobody slept except Clara who finished her little car-snooze after I brought her in. Then we went to Target and picked up a few more things I needed in order to finish the day, and to the library, where Audrey showed me where her "Library Preschool" is held. It's just their storytime, but Audrey LOVES it. Not only is it just the right kind of activity for her, but she gets to go there while Emily is at her preschool. It's only half an hour, but she feels so special. Sure enough, when we walked into the children's area at the library, the librarian greeted her, "Hi, Audrey!! How are you today?" and then gave me the funniest look. :) I explained to her that she normally comes with her sitter but today she was showing me where she comes for storytime. I got a good laugh out of that!
We picked up Emily at her preschool, and she came out wearing a crown that said Happy Birthday, Emily, all pink and purple and covered in stickers. Her carseat was already covered in stickers she got from the doctor's office... our whole house is covered in stickers... anyway. We went straight to Riley Park, with the girls eating their Fruit by the Foot and singing. They played for about half an hour, then came home and made rainbow cupcakes. Then we opened presents, and Emily was really, really excited. She got a beautiful new globe, a beanbag chair, a journal, and a stuffed Hello Kitty kleenex box cover (so she can keep her kleenex box in her bed, since she gets bloody noses at night. it's SO cute!!) Audrey was have a good time until the beanbag chair became an issue, because she really, really wanted to jump on it, but it's Emily's birthday and she wanted it to herself. Not sure how I'm going to handle that one, ongoing. But it's a super cute chair - pink polka-dots!!
Travis went to pick up Pizza Hut, and got enough to feed Jenny and her girls, who came by on their way home from an appointment in Des Moines. Then, Emily's friend Hope came across the street to give her a bottle of bubble bath and a shower loofa / stuffed zebra - so cute! So of course we had to have a bath, and then Emily got to chat with both her Grandmas on the phone before crawling into bed.
So, to summarize: Donuts for breakfast, McDonald's for lunch, Fruit by the Foot for snack, and pizza and cupcakes for supper. Pink decorations, preschool, the park, cousins, friends, bath, and Grandmas on the phone. I think we managed to check off nearly everything on her list of favorites. She smiled all day. It was so fun to do that for her! I love her so much.
... however, I am exhausted, the house is trashed, Clara is feeling crummy from her immunizations today, and Audrey is having a hard time feeling second-fiddlish. So, tomorrow is another day! off we go!
Sunday, October 7, 2012
I was not expecting that!
(One of my favorite quotes from Emily, upon slipping off of a stepstool.)
Travis was in Singapore last week, and more than 10 days after he returned, I think we might finally, finally be getting back to normal. I really didn't think it would knock me out the way it did. I thought for sure I could meet the needs of my own three children for a couple of days, but I really struggled. I had some help, both planned and unexpected, but next time, I will definitely ask for more! Wow. Not only was it stressful, it was hard on my little ego to feel like such a failure. They were all alive and fed when Travis got home, and I managed to avoid any ER visits or major appliance failures. Other than that, we were a sorry crew when he walked in the door Friday night!
More than anyone else, Audrey really put me through it. For example, she ate half a jar of raspberry jam one night, after dinner. I sat down to nurse Clara, and thought the other two were just playing like usual, but when I saw the empty jar in the refrigerator the next morning I realized why there was also jam on the carpet. One day, while I showered, she drew on the wall with colored pencils IN the crack of the corner - how do I clean that, really?! She managed to also eat a tube of her (fluoride-free) toothpaste while she was home with the nanny, so it's not just me that she's testing. I think she's ready to give up her naps, because she's only had one nap in the last 3 days, and it meant that she was up past 9 PM tonight. On the flip side, she is able to pick out the letters of her name, like out of an alphabet puzzle, and put them together in order to make her name. She can also sing Baby Beluga like it's nobody's business! She is a lot to keep up with.
My sister has recommended a book to me to read about raising gifted children. She said she just kept thinking of Audrey over and over as she read it. I am glad that I have a built-in fallback in having Emily around to challenge Audrey in ways that I can't, but I'm sure that doesn't satisfy everything she needs. I've been careful not to push Emily too much academically at home, because as the oldest child, she's probably experiencing a tremendous amount of expectations from me than I don't intend to place on her. :( I want her to enjoy school (she LOVES preschool!) and realize that it's not just a fun place to be, but that she is supposed to be learning there; teachers are supposed to pay attention to her and meet her needs. If that isn't happening, I want to be a part of things right away and make sure she's getting a good experience. I think that Johnston has a very good parents of ELP program that I would like to get involved in, if it doesn't seem to presumptuous. At this rate, I think it's probably okay to attend a meeting now and then!
Clara is on the verge of discovering her hands, and she is delighted to be able to grab a toy and bring it to her mouth. I'm not sure she knows that she's in control when that happens, but she's enjoying it nonetheless! She learned to buzz her lips today, like a little burbley trumpet player (yeah, yeah!). I got a video, which I'll try to share but we'll see how it goes, uploading it. We discovered that she absolutely knows that the sound of the garage door opening means that Mom is home, and that she will not take a bottle after 3:30 PM because Mom is supposed to be home by then!
We had a lot of fun as a family this weekend, going to a pumpkin patch / orchard on Friday and then watching the Cyclones win on Saturday, over at a friend's house with at least 10 other kids there. Now we get ready for birthdays and Halloween and a trip to Minneapolis! It's going to be a crazy month, and when I get a chance to stop and look around again, I'll have a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old! How is that possible?!
Travis was in Singapore last week, and more than 10 days after he returned, I think we might finally, finally be getting back to normal. I really didn't think it would knock me out the way it did. I thought for sure I could meet the needs of my own three children for a couple of days, but I really struggled. I had some help, both planned and unexpected, but next time, I will definitely ask for more! Wow. Not only was it stressful, it was hard on my little ego to feel like such a failure. They were all alive and fed when Travis got home, and I managed to avoid any ER visits or major appliance failures. Other than that, we were a sorry crew when he walked in the door Friday night!
More than anyone else, Audrey really put me through it. For example, she ate half a jar of raspberry jam one night, after dinner. I sat down to nurse Clara, and thought the other two were just playing like usual, but when I saw the empty jar in the refrigerator the next morning I realized why there was also jam on the carpet. One day, while I showered, she drew on the wall with colored pencils IN the crack of the corner - how do I clean that, really?! She managed to also eat a tube of her (fluoride-free) toothpaste while she was home with the nanny, so it's not just me that she's testing. I think she's ready to give up her naps, because she's only had one nap in the last 3 days, and it meant that she was up past 9 PM tonight. On the flip side, she is able to pick out the letters of her name, like out of an alphabet puzzle, and put them together in order to make her name. She can also sing Baby Beluga like it's nobody's business! She is a lot to keep up with.
My sister has recommended a book to me to read about raising gifted children. She said she just kept thinking of Audrey over and over as she read it. I am glad that I have a built-in fallback in having Emily around to challenge Audrey in ways that I can't, but I'm sure that doesn't satisfy everything she needs. I've been careful not to push Emily too much academically at home, because as the oldest child, she's probably experiencing a tremendous amount of expectations from me than I don't intend to place on her. :( I want her to enjoy school (she LOVES preschool!) and realize that it's not just a fun place to be, but that she is supposed to be learning there; teachers are supposed to pay attention to her and meet her needs. If that isn't happening, I want to be a part of things right away and make sure she's getting a good experience. I think that Johnston has a very good parents of ELP program that I would like to get involved in, if it doesn't seem to presumptuous. At this rate, I think it's probably okay to attend a meeting now and then!
Clara is on the verge of discovering her hands, and she is delighted to be able to grab a toy and bring it to her mouth. I'm not sure she knows that she's in control when that happens, but she's enjoying it nonetheless! She learned to buzz her lips today, like a little burbley trumpet player (yeah, yeah!). I got a video, which I'll try to share but we'll see how it goes, uploading it. We discovered that she absolutely knows that the sound of the garage door opening means that Mom is home, and that she will not take a bottle after 3:30 PM because Mom is supposed to be home by then!
We had a lot of fun as a family this weekend, going to a pumpkin patch / orchard on Friday and then watching the Cyclones win on Saturday, over at a friend's house with at least 10 other kids there. Now we get ready for birthdays and Halloween and a trip to Minneapolis! It's going to be a crazy month, and when I get a chance to stop and look around again, I'll have a 5-year-old and a 3-year-old! How is that possible?!
Monday, September 17, 2012
Clara Wows
There's so much going on in my family that whenever I blog, I don't feel I ever get into as much detail about each girl as I'd like. So, this post is about Clara! Emily's preschool class gets a marble in their Wow Jar whenever they get a big Wow, and I think our little one has definitely been earning it lately!
It's amazing, the amount of things she can do now that she couldn't do a month ago. She now holds up her head well enough that I can carry her around on my hip, which is great because she was getting too big for the on-her-back hold, especially when I tried to do it with only one arm. She'd get all smooshed and complain about it. She really enjoys her toys, her fish gym and her bouncy seat, and it won't be long before she's got more control with her little zombie arms. We borrowed a bumbo for her to sit in, which she likes because she can sit with her sisters and watch them play, although she's only good for about 5 min at a time there. It's hard work, controlling that noggin!! She smiles so easily, like she's always having a good time! She sucks on her hands when she's hungry, which is a hilarious, slurping sound. She's also a very noisy nurser, with lots of slurps and commentary. And just the happiest kid there is. Even if she's got wicked diaper rash, she still just squeaks her displeasure - I wouldn't really call it a cry. She can wiggle herself around on the floor now, to the point where I have to be sure she's exactly in the center of my bed if I leave her there. And she loves to stand up on my lap and stretch out her long legs. Bathtime is SO fun! Emily has decided she's big enough for a shower now, so Audrey and Clara get to have baths together, and really enjoy their time together.
I'm so in love with this little girl. I love her snuffy little baby noises, and her soft, round, fuzzy head that's just perfect for me to nuzzle and kiss. She's got the best little toothless grin, and she's really involved with what's going on around her. There's no "plopping" her to the side - she wants to be up with the rest of us, sitting on my lap during dinner, seeing what's going on! she's been a stinker about taking a bottle, but she's getting better and seems to be able to get by pretty well when I'm at work. But I love coming home to her! Tonight, she nursed probably 6 or 7 times between 3:30 and 8:30. I don't mind, I love snuggling with her and feeding her, and she loves it, too. She often stops nursing to just smile up at me, then keeps grinning and dives back in for more, with the attitude that what she's doing is special, as though no baby has ever nursed like her before. I'll probably be up with her in the night tonight to feed her, too, but I really, really don't mind, because she's really fast and she generally lets me sleep pretty well. And I'm happy to see her no matter what time of day. :p
My life is to happy and dull to be a reality TV show. Nobody would watch it - too saccharine. When I'm old and senile and don't know where I am, I sure hope that I think I'm here, now, with my amazing family and happy little life. These really are the good times. It's not just that absolutely everything goes my way, although plenty of it does. I actually get satisfaction from knowing that the things that have been or could be stressors to my life are things that I've learned from and have made me a better person, and I'm happy anyway. I'm just thankful I've had pretty light doses of Real Life so far. I promise to be a quick learner of life lessons, if it means I can keep this going!
It's amazing, the amount of things she can do now that she couldn't do a month ago. She now holds up her head well enough that I can carry her around on my hip, which is great because she was getting too big for the on-her-back hold, especially when I tried to do it with only one arm. She'd get all smooshed and complain about it. She really enjoys her toys, her fish gym and her bouncy seat, and it won't be long before she's got more control with her little zombie arms. We borrowed a bumbo for her to sit in, which she likes because she can sit with her sisters and watch them play, although she's only good for about 5 min at a time there. It's hard work, controlling that noggin!! She smiles so easily, like she's always having a good time! She sucks on her hands when she's hungry, which is a hilarious, slurping sound. She's also a very noisy nurser, with lots of slurps and commentary. And just the happiest kid there is. Even if she's got wicked diaper rash, she still just squeaks her displeasure - I wouldn't really call it a cry. She can wiggle herself around on the floor now, to the point where I have to be sure she's exactly in the center of my bed if I leave her there. And she loves to stand up on my lap and stretch out her long legs. Bathtime is SO fun! Emily has decided she's big enough for a shower now, so Audrey and Clara get to have baths together, and really enjoy their time together.
I'm so in love with this little girl. I love her snuffy little baby noises, and her soft, round, fuzzy head that's just perfect for me to nuzzle and kiss. She's got the best little toothless grin, and she's really involved with what's going on around her. There's no "plopping" her to the side - she wants to be up with the rest of us, sitting on my lap during dinner, seeing what's going on! she's been a stinker about taking a bottle, but she's getting better and seems to be able to get by pretty well when I'm at work. But I love coming home to her! Tonight, she nursed probably 6 or 7 times between 3:30 and 8:30. I don't mind, I love snuggling with her and feeding her, and she loves it, too. She often stops nursing to just smile up at me, then keeps grinning and dives back in for more, with the attitude that what she's doing is special, as though no baby has ever nursed like her before. I'll probably be up with her in the night tonight to feed her, too, but I really, really don't mind, because she's really fast and she generally lets me sleep pretty well. And I'm happy to see her no matter what time of day. :p
My life is to happy and dull to be a reality TV show. Nobody would watch it - too saccharine. When I'm old and senile and don't know where I am, I sure hope that I think I'm here, now, with my amazing family and happy little life. These really are the good times. It's not just that absolutely everything goes my way, although plenty of it does. I actually get satisfaction from knowing that the things that have been or could be stressors to my life are things that I've learned from and have made me a better person, and I'm happy anyway. I'm just thankful I've had pretty light doses of Real Life so far. I promise to be a quick learner of life lessons, if it means I can keep this going!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Normalcy
I think we're starting to figure out what's normal. This coming week will be our first full week of work and preschool. So far, I think we're set up well. Clara is taking a bottle no problem now, and Amanda seems like she's into a routine with the girls. Emily LOVES preschool, just like I thought she would; her teacher comments that she loves to see Emily's smile every day. Imagine that - my girl is smiley! Audrey is handling the adjustment well, and I've gotta say that I do love my Wednesday afternoons with her. Travis has planned another trip, to Singapore this time, for the end of September, so he seems to be rolling along nicely in his job. The only hiccup in our family seems to be the project I'm currently on at work, and I'm afraid I'm going to just totally screw it up. It's either much simpler than I think it is, and I'm overthinking it, or I have no freaking clue and it's going to blow up in my face. I just don't want to make a fool of myself, whereas usually I try to actually do a good job at things. But, in the larger scheme of our family life, it's a pretty small problem to have, and I'm glad we're limited to that.
Clara is a real chatty baby now! She's discovered putting her hands in her mouth, and I fear that it's only a matter of time before she moves from sucking on her fists to sucking her thumb, but we might luck out. She seems to be capable of going to sleep on her own much more easily than my first two babies. Emily is firmly a thumbsucker and I think it will absolutely crush Audrey when we take away her baby blankets someday... I was wondering if I could soak them in something nasty-tasting, but I don't want her ingesting chemicals or other nasty stuff... maybe I could soak them in spinach juice or something. :) Anyway, my girls are having a great time together. Emily is learning that Audrey likes to keep things from her (the last puzzle piece, the other half of whatever she has) just because she enjoys what happens - Emily screams and begs and gets mad and then gets in trouble for pushing/stealing/etc. I am hoping Emily learns to outsmart that one, because it'll be a much easier lesson to teach than to try to get Audrey to stop doing that. I remember doing those same things to my older siblings because I so desperately wanted them to play with me or acknowledge me (or get their noses out of a book!), and then being forced to figure out a new way to play with them. It's hard! I won't make her do it yet, not when she's not even 3!!
Speaking of, we will soon be entering Birthday Season. I've been making a list of things that I think my girls would really like, for both birthday and Christmas, so hopefully we won't just be adding another layer of crap to our toy-filled house. I am trying to find the bright side of birthdays, in that it means I can get rid of the toys they don't play with (or with some, hide them until Clara is ready for them), and maybe it'll feel a little less congested in my house. We bunked the girls' beds - awesome!! - so there's a little bit more room in their room now. I am hoping someday to move those bunkbeds into Clara's room, when she's ready for a bed too, and turn the yellow room into a playroom. Then I can tell them to go play and they can actually have a place to themselves to do that. As it is now, if i tell them to go upstairs, Audrey gets into my eye makeup (i'm sorry, but that eyeshadow was absolutely stunning on her. what a beauty!) or my lotion or my toothpaste... She seems to really enjoy being left to her own devices. She "painted" her nails the other day with magic marker. I think I've got a real girly girl on my hands! She's in a princess outfit or a leotard probably 60% of the time, asking me, "Don't I look beautiful?" Oh yes, she does.
Emily's first preschool project was a construction-paper cookie. The kids had to cut out the circle, and then glue black circle chocolate chips to it, using the same number of chocolate chips as they counted on the roll of a pair of dice. Then they wrote their name on it. Emily's circle was absolutely perfect, and she spaced each of the letters of her name to match the location of her five chocolate chips. The next day, she and Audrey sat down at their craft table and made their own cookies, howling at me to make more chocolate chips! make more! make more, Mom!!! They each made at least 2, including using a large can of tomatoes for tracing the cookie circle. Audrey's cutting was adequate, but then Emily would clean up the edges until they were perfect and round. I'm not sure I've got the right kid in preschool... :)
In my own head, lately I've realized that I seem to be at a weird point in my life. As I was growing up, I knew that I wanted to get married someday, and have kids. In college, I realized that I didn't want to do music for a career but that I did want to have a career of some kind, and heck, why not engineering? So, now I've got it all: amazing husband, 3 great kids, a career with a fantastic company in a great location with great flexibility for my family, a nice house, wonderful neighbors, lots of great friends, happy family... so, now what? It's not that I'm unhappy without something to chase, because this truly is awesome where I am. It's just the first time in my life that it's happened!! I mean really, now what do I push myself towards next?
Clara is a real chatty baby now! She's discovered putting her hands in her mouth, and I fear that it's only a matter of time before she moves from sucking on her fists to sucking her thumb, but we might luck out. She seems to be capable of going to sleep on her own much more easily than my first two babies. Emily is firmly a thumbsucker and I think it will absolutely crush Audrey when we take away her baby blankets someday... I was wondering if I could soak them in something nasty-tasting, but I don't want her ingesting chemicals or other nasty stuff... maybe I could soak them in spinach juice or something. :) Anyway, my girls are having a great time together. Emily is learning that Audrey likes to keep things from her (the last puzzle piece, the other half of whatever she has) just because she enjoys what happens - Emily screams and begs and gets mad and then gets in trouble for pushing/stealing/etc. I am hoping Emily learns to outsmart that one, because it'll be a much easier lesson to teach than to try to get Audrey to stop doing that. I remember doing those same things to my older siblings because I so desperately wanted them to play with me or acknowledge me (or get their noses out of a book!), and then being forced to figure out a new way to play with them. It's hard! I won't make her do it yet, not when she's not even 3!!
Speaking of, we will soon be entering Birthday Season. I've been making a list of things that I think my girls would really like, for both birthday and Christmas, so hopefully we won't just be adding another layer of crap to our toy-filled house. I am trying to find the bright side of birthdays, in that it means I can get rid of the toys they don't play with (or with some, hide them until Clara is ready for them), and maybe it'll feel a little less congested in my house. We bunked the girls' beds - awesome!! - so there's a little bit more room in their room now. I am hoping someday to move those bunkbeds into Clara's room, when she's ready for a bed too, and turn the yellow room into a playroom. Then I can tell them to go play and they can actually have a place to themselves to do that. As it is now, if i tell them to go upstairs, Audrey gets into my eye makeup (i'm sorry, but that eyeshadow was absolutely stunning on her. what a beauty!) or my lotion or my toothpaste... She seems to really enjoy being left to her own devices. She "painted" her nails the other day with magic marker. I think I've got a real girly girl on my hands! She's in a princess outfit or a leotard probably 60% of the time, asking me, "Don't I look beautiful?" Oh yes, she does.
Emily's first preschool project was a construction-paper cookie. The kids had to cut out the circle, and then glue black circle chocolate chips to it, using the same number of chocolate chips as they counted on the roll of a pair of dice. Then they wrote their name on it. Emily's circle was absolutely perfect, and she spaced each of the letters of her name to match the location of her five chocolate chips. The next day, she and Audrey sat down at their craft table and made their own cookies, howling at me to make more chocolate chips! make more! make more, Mom!!! They each made at least 2, including using a large can of tomatoes for tracing the cookie circle. Audrey's cutting was adequate, but then Emily would clean up the edges until they were perfect and round. I'm not sure I've got the right kid in preschool... :)
In my own head, lately I've realized that I seem to be at a weird point in my life. As I was growing up, I knew that I wanted to get married someday, and have kids. In college, I realized that I didn't want to do music for a career but that I did want to have a career of some kind, and heck, why not engineering? So, now I've got it all: amazing husband, 3 great kids, a career with a fantastic company in a great location with great flexibility for my family, a nice house, wonderful neighbors, lots of great friends, happy family... so, now what? It's not that I'm unhappy without something to chase, because this truly is awesome where I am. It's just the first time in my life that it's happened!! I mean really, now what do I push myself towards next?
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Hi ho, Hi ho
...it's back to work I go.
Today was a tough day. Instead of grudging the details right away, I'm going to write about the few interesting things that have gone on around here lately. Just little, notable things that my girls have done that remind me of how incredible they are - and just what a job it is to be their mom!!!
Audrey was drawing letters, several weeks ago (early July). She was very proud of herself, drawing the letters A, U, P, R, and M... on the wall! in MARKER!! *forehead smack* Not that she could have done this on paper so I could save it and date it. Instead I had to take a picture (when she wasn't looking, of course), and then figure out some way to effectively punish her so she doesn't write on the walls in marker again, without destroying her pride in her wonderful work. It was tricky, so I just went with a gentle "don't do that" and encouraged her to write more on paper. She won't, though. I don't know how she's gotten the practice to draw such nice letters.
The girls have tried out biting this summer. Emily was so surprised the first time it happened that it actually cracked me up. She was holding something away from Audrey, who was mad and screaming, while Emily just quietly held it away from her (as the youngest child, this "keepaway" business really makes me mad quick!). So Audrey was fighting back, and Emily started shouting, and finally shouts, "AAIEEE!!! She BITED me!!!" which, I'm sorry, was kind of funny. and at the same time, annoying. So Audrey got hauled off to the corner, and I had to put neosporin and a bandaid on Emily's chest, just below her collarbone, because Audrey really did get a good bite on her. I'll bet it really did hurt a lot, and very nearly broke the skin, so I was concerned about infection. But it seems to have healed up okay. I really wanted to tell Emily that maybe she shouldn't keep things away from Audrey like that, but I can't condone biting... I was just pissed at both kids!! A few weeks later, then, Emily bit Audrey, not quite as hard. I asked her what she thought Audrey would do if Emily bit her. I think it finally dawned on Emily that biting was probably not the way to get her sister to move over on the couch where she wanted her to be, that Audrey would probably scream and then Emily would get in trouble. It's always a little strange to me that such simple logic must be taught, but it's satisfying when it sinks in. I don't have to be a screaming lunatic as often that way.
So, that same night as the first biting incident, I was tucking Emily in to bed and she looked up and asked me, "When you go to the hospital, do you die?" Jeepers!! Turns out, the book we had read for bedtime was about a snowplow who digs out a town buried in snow, and helps everyone get where they need to be. In the end, the firetruck gets to the fire, the mail can go through, and the doctor saved his patient by getting him to the hospital. But really, we have to talk about death at bedtime?! These crazy questions are nonstop with her. "How do you make paper?" "What do you do at work?" "Where do sunflower seeds grow on a sunflower?" "What do ants eat?" "What's the difference between a tuba and a sousaphone?" Really. It's very hard to keep supplying answers that are good enough for her! She'll ask and ask and ask until I figure out just it is that she wants to know.
I told Emily's preschool teacher that she is a very, very bright girl and she'll just love having her in her class. I hope Emily is more ready to respond to her teacher than she is to me. She seems to think that when I tell her something ("Get down off the couch!"), she is entitled to a thorough explanation of my case before she'll consider following my instruction. Even if the explanation is provided, ("If your knee slips, you will crush Clara!") and repeated ("Get down off the couch!"), she might find an alternate solution (climbing higher) that she thinks will work better. I know that she's thinking about this, she's not just ignoring me, most of the time, but jeepers I'm just trying to get Clara through infanthood without any crushed ribs, so just do it because by now I'm shouting and mad!! Off to the corner she goes. She hates the corner, and has done everything there to piss me off that she can - like screaming her most ear-piercing yell or sucking her thumb - but I won't relent. It's such a battle, and while I can get her to shape up temporarily, it seems totally ineffective as an overall deterrent to make better choices in her actions. I try to give her the choice of obeying, or going to the corner first and THEN obeying, and that works for some things, but a lot of times her temper gets the better of her. Things that put her sisters' well-being in jeopardy don't get that warning, and she doesn't seem to be putting it together that she can't just use her force to get her way. I know that everything will change once preschool starts (Monday, already!) so I guess I'll just wait for the next curveball and see if it supercedes this.
So, my first day at work. Amanda showed up on time and with her usual smile, and got the extra carseat into her back seat for Clara so they can all go out and do things together. I topped off Clara and took off for work. An hour later, as I was sitting in a meeting, my milk let down and it actually drenched my shirt. Ugh. It wasn't a huge spot, right near my armpit, but still enough that I was wet and sticky and uncomfortable. and embarassed!! Then my coworkers started filling me in on what had gone on while I was gone, and what I might do to get up to speed, except that there were a whole lot of things they assumed I knew because they happened before I went on leave. I felt so stupid - I don't even know if I have forgotten these things or if I ever knew! This is exactly why it's better to start a new job after maternity leave, because in that case I wouldn't be expected to know anything!! I've even forgotten people's names -- it's bad. It wasn't even noon and I wanted to crawl under a rock. Then I got a call from Amanda that Clara was pretty distraught and hungry, wouldn't take a bottle. So I drove home and fed her, picked up lunch, and was back in the office in 50 minutes - not too shabby! Clara slept all afternoon, while Emily went over to play with Hope, and Audrey took a nap. I thought it was nice that Amanda got a bit of a breather after all of Clara's hysterics. She'll figure out the bottle thing soon, right?? Anyway, I spent way too much time chatting with coworkers in the afternoon, but I couldn't do much else because 1) my boss was on vacation - nice, and 2) someone at Deere thought I had been fired and rescinded my access to nearly every system that requires a password. The helpdesk couldn't reset it because they were, coincidentally, having issues with password resets, but they started a ticket on it in the afternoon. I can't view the progress of the ticket, though, because - of course - I'm locked out of their system!!! Gah!! So I gave up and came home... and realized that I left my milk and pump in the new mom's room at work. *sigh*
It was a pretty much "duh" kind of day. I can't even describe the feeling - overall, pretty lousy, with a dash of futility and self-loathing, and yet a tiny amount of excitement and relief which was offset by the dread of doing this 3 days next week. Throughout, Travis was so supportive - getting ready in the morning, on IM at work, and with the kids while I prepared dinner. He didn't bother me when I was grumpy and self-doubting, but didn't let me dwell on it or take myself too seriously. So we had a really nice evening, after all that. It'll get better, right?
Today was a tough day. Instead of grudging the details right away, I'm going to write about the few interesting things that have gone on around here lately. Just little, notable things that my girls have done that remind me of how incredible they are - and just what a job it is to be their mom!!!
Audrey was drawing letters, several weeks ago (early July). She was very proud of herself, drawing the letters A, U, P, R, and M... on the wall! in MARKER!! *forehead smack* Not that she could have done this on paper so I could save it and date it. Instead I had to take a picture (when she wasn't looking, of course), and then figure out some way to effectively punish her so she doesn't write on the walls in marker again, without destroying her pride in her wonderful work. It was tricky, so I just went with a gentle "don't do that" and encouraged her to write more on paper. She won't, though. I don't know how she's gotten the practice to draw such nice letters.
The girls have tried out biting this summer. Emily was so surprised the first time it happened that it actually cracked me up. She was holding something away from Audrey, who was mad and screaming, while Emily just quietly held it away from her (as the youngest child, this "keepaway" business really makes me mad quick!). So Audrey was fighting back, and Emily started shouting, and finally shouts, "AAIEEE!!! She BITED me!!!" which, I'm sorry, was kind of funny. and at the same time, annoying. So Audrey got hauled off to the corner, and I had to put neosporin and a bandaid on Emily's chest, just below her collarbone, because Audrey really did get a good bite on her. I'll bet it really did hurt a lot, and very nearly broke the skin, so I was concerned about infection. But it seems to have healed up okay. I really wanted to tell Emily that maybe she shouldn't keep things away from Audrey like that, but I can't condone biting... I was just pissed at both kids!! A few weeks later, then, Emily bit Audrey, not quite as hard. I asked her what she thought Audrey would do if Emily bit her. I think it finally dawned on Emily that biting was probably not the way to get her sister to move over on the couch where she wanted her to be, that Audrey would probably scream and then Emily would get in trouble. It's always a little strange to me that such simple logic must be taught, but it's satisfying when it sinks in. I don't have to be a screaming lunatic as often that way.
So, that same night as the first biting incident, I was tucking Emily in to bed and she looked up and asked me, "When you go to the hospital, do you die?" Jeepers!! Turns out, the book we had read for bedtime was about a snowplow who digs out a town buried in snow, and helps everyone get where they need to be. In the end, the firetruck gets to the fire, the mail can go through, and the doctor saved his patient by getting him to the hospital. But really, we have to talk about death at bedtime?! These crazy questions are nonstop with her. "How do you make paper?" "What do you do at work?" "Where do sunflower seeds grow on a sunflower?" "What do ants eat?" "What's the difference between a tuba and a sousaphone?" Really. It's very hard to keep supplying answers that are good enough for her! She'll ask and ask and ask until I figure out just it is that she wants to know.
I told Emily's preschool teacher that she is a very, very bright girl and she'll just love having her in her class. I hope Emily is more ready to respond to her teacher than she is to me. She seems to think that when I tell her something ("Get down off the couch!"), she is entitled to a thorough explanation of my case before she'll consider following my instruction. Even if the explanation is provided, ("If your knee slips, you will crush Clara!") and repeated ("Get down off the couch!"), she might find an alternate solution (climbing higher) that she thinks will work better. I know that she's thinking about this, she's not just ignoring me, most of the time, but jeepers I'm just trying to get Clara through infanthood without any crushed ribs, so just do it because by now I'm shouting and mad!! Off to the corner she goes. She hates the corner, and has done everything there to piss me off that she can - like screaming her most ear-piercing yell or sucking her thumb - but I won't relent. It's such a battle, and while I can get her to shape up temporarily, it seems totally ineffective as an overall deterrent to make better choices in her actions. I try to give her the choice of obeying, or going to the corner first and THEN obeying, and that works for some things, but a lot of times her temper gets the better of her. Things that put her sisters' well-being in jeopardy don't get that warning, and she doesn't seem to be putting it together that she can't just use her force to get her way. I know that everything will change once preschool starts (Monday, already!) so I guess I'll just wait for the next curveball and see if it supercedes this.
So, my first day at work. Amanda showed up on time and with her usual smile, and got the extra carseat into her back seat for Clara so they can all go out and do things together. I topped off Clara and took off for work. An hour later, as I was sitting in a meeting, my milk let down and it actually drenched my shirt. Ugh. It wasn't a huge spot, right near my armpit, but still enough that I was wet and sticky and uncomfortable. and embarassed!! Then my coworkers started filling me in on what had gone on while I was gone, and what I might do to get up to speed, except that there were a whole lot of things they assumed I knew because they happened before I went on leave. I felt so stupid - I don't even know if I have forgotten these things or if I ever knew! This is exactly why it's better to start a new job after maternity leave, because in that case I wouldn't be expected to know anything!! I've even forgotten people's names -- it's bad. It wasn't even noon and I wanted to crawl under a rock. Then I got a call from Amanda that Clara was pretty distraught and hungry, wouldn't take a bottle. So I drove home and fed her, picked up lunch, and was back in the office in 50 minutes - not too shabby! Clara slept all afternoon, while Emily went over to play with Hope, and Audrey took a nap. I thought it was nice that Amanda got a bit of a breather after all of Clara's hysterics. She'll figure out the bottle thing soon, right?? Anyway, I spent way too much time chatting with coworkers in the afternoon, but I couldn't do much else because 1) my boss was on vacation - nice, and 2) someone at Deere thought I had been fired and rescinded my access to nearly every system that requires a password. The helpdesk couldn't reset it because they were, coincidentally, having issues with password resets, but they started a ticket on it in the afternoon. I can't view the progress of the ticket, though, because - of course - I'm locked out of their system!!! Gah!! So I gave up and came home... and realized that I left my milk and pump in the new mom's room at work. *sigh*
It was a pretty much "duh" kind of day. I can't even describe the feeling - overall, pretty lousy, with a dash of futility and self-loathing, and yet a tiny amount of excitement and relief which was offset by the dread of doing this 3 days next week. Throughout, Travis was so supportive - getting ready in the morning, on IM at work, and with the kids while I prepared dinner. He didn't bother me when I was grumpy and self-doubting, but didn't let me dwell on it or take myself too seriously. So we had a really nice evening, after all that. It'll get better, right?
Monday, August 6, 2012
August already??
I have a little more than 2 weeks of maternity leave left :( Clara had better learn to take a bottle - quick!!
It's weird to think how long I've been talking with Emily about starting preschool, and now it's actually going to happen! I'm so excited for her, and kind of scared at the same time. I don't know why it's seeming that much more intimidating than it was to leave her at different daycares over the years, but when I saw on the list of school supplies that she needed a backpack, something about that just totally made me get all nervous for her! I think I've got nearly everything she needs, all ready to go, and all the dates on my calendar marked, for the home visit and the trip to see her preschool room ahead of time. I just can't believe it's really almost here!
The girls seem to be getting along with Amanda just great. I've got no qualms about leaving the kids with her, although it'll be interesting for her because the job is going to get a lot tougher once she's got sole responsibility for Clara (who's been staying pretty close to me this summer :) ), and the task of taking Emily to preschool. Still not sure how we're going to manage that one, with carseats and such.
Clara is the most awesome little baby. She snuggles and snuffs just like I adore in a newborn, and wiggles and snorts and all that good stuff. She is a FANTASTIC sleeper - I can pretty much count on at least 6 hours, and usually a good 8 to 10 without waking in the night. I haven't nursed her between 10PM and 4AM in weeks!! And if I can stay rested, it makes everything manageable. She is super conversational, and I just adore sitting with her and making faces, watching her smile, listening to her most amazing little sounds. I love this little girl SO much.
And I love my Emily and Audrey, too, of course. Last night, we all went for a walk together, with Emily pushing Audrey in the umbrella stroller, and Travis carrying Clara in the baby carrier. Emily took off running, and pushed Audrey right into a bump into the sidewalk, which stopped the stroller but not the girls!! The stroller flipped, and Audrey ended up with a HUGE goose egg on her forehead and a bloody lip. Emily felt so bad about it, but it really wasn't her fault. And Audrey was pretty tough. She stopped crying right away and her bonks haven't seemed to bother her much since then. I feel like she's going to end up like Muhammed Ali, after sustaining so many blows to her forehead she'll get all demented on me! Maybe that's why she keeps having so many accidents.... :)
I checked my blog this weekend to see when it was that we started potty training Audrey, and it was September 1. In that infamous post, I believe I said that I would not spend a year on it, like I did with Audrey. I wouldn't say that it has really taken less than that. So I'm going to just look out into the future and pick a good 12-month span with nothing major goign on in our lives, and reserve that for Clara's potty training. Anything less than that will be awesome.
I'm going to go enjoy the rest of this beautiful summer day!!
It's weird to think how long I've been talking with Emily about starting preschool, and now it's actually going to happen! I'm so excited for her, and kind of scared at the same time. I don't know why it's seeming that much more intimidating than it was to leave her at different daycares over the years, but when I saw on the list of school supplies that she needed a backpack, something about that just totally made me get all nervous for her! I think I've got nearly everything she needs, all ready to go, and all the dates on my calendar marked, for the home visit and the trip to see her preschool room ahead of time. I just can't believe it's really almost here!
The girls seem to be getting along with Amanda just great. I've got no qualms about leaving the kids with her, although it'll be interesting for her because the job is going to get a lot tougher once she's got sole responsibility for Clara (who's been staying pretty close to me this summer :) ), and the task of taking Emily to preschool. Still not sure how we're going to manage that one, with carseats and such.
Clara is the most awesome little baby. She snuggles and snuffs just like I adore in a newborn, and wiggles and snorts and all that good stuff. She is a FANTASTIC sleeper - I can pretty much count on at least 6 hours, and usually a good 8 to 10 without waking in the night. I haven't nursed her between 10PM and 4AM in weeks!! And if I can stay rested, it makes everything manageable. She is super conversational, and I just adore sitting with her and making faces, watching her smile, listening to her most amazing little sounds. I love this little girl SO much.
And I love my Emily and Audrey, too, of course. Last night, we all went for a walk together, with Emily pushing Audrey in the umbrella stroller, and Travis carrying Clara in the baby carrier. Emily took off running, and pushed Audrey right into a bump into the sidewalk, which stopped the stroller but not the girls!! The stroller flipped, and Audrey ended up with a HUGE goose egg on her forehead and a bloody lip. Emily felt so bad about it, but it really wasn't her fault. And Audrey was pretty tough. She stopped crying right away and her bonks haven't seemed to bother her much since then. I feel like she's going to end up like Muhammed Ali, after sustaining so many blows to her forehead she'll get all demented on me! Maybe that's why she keeps having so many accidents.... :)
I checked my blog this weekend to see when it was that we started potty training Audrey, and it was September 1. In that infamous post, I believe I said that I would not spend a year on it, like I did with Audrey. I wouldn't say that it has really taken less than that. So I'm going to just look out into the future and pick a good 12-month span with nothing major goign on in our lives, and reserve that for Clara's potty training. Anything less than that will be awesome.
I'm going to go enjoy the rest of this beautiful summer day!!
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