Sweet Changes

Last night something happened that hasn't happened since Anna left the baby stage and started walking...she sat on the couch between Bryan and me and hung out - for like 15 minutes!!!!!!!

This is a big moment for us. Remember I have the one kid on the planet that won't watch TV (except The Wiggles - and that's a dancing show, not a sitting show). I think she's much too busy for TV (It's really ok because I don't want her addicted to TV, but maybe a half hour here or there would be helpful from time to time?). So, no cuddling on the couch to watch Beauty and the Beast for us. Anna likes to be doing: cooking, helping, dancing, reading, coloring, playing, swinging, the list goes on, all except sitting and relaxing. So imagine how calm and comforting it made me feel when my sweet girl wanted to hang out with Mommy and Daddy to watch a little TV and relax before bed. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but could this be a new side to a growing-up Anna? I love her spunk, but I also love to cuddle. Will I get a little more cuddle time in the future? I hope so.

Today I am thankful for:

1. a successful trip to the mall with Anna

2. great weather - perfect temp and sunny skies can't be beat

3. a super sweet class - I don't want them to leave me

4. validation as a teacher and mother

I do like...

In order to maintain or strive for the all important BALANCE, I will now list the the things I do like... (in no particular order)

1. my family


2. teaching


3. Anna's laugh
4. When Anna says "love you too, mommy." Seriously one of the best things I've ever heard.


5. sweets


6. meeting up with old friends


7. reading


8. the beach


9. naps


10. relaxing


11. art


12. museums


13. eating out


14. coloring


15. baking


16. Target


17. shoe shopping


18. buying stuff


19. Christmas


20. my birthday (even though I'm getting old)


21. warm weather


22. OSU football


23. fall weather before I have to wear a winter coat


24. pictures


25. Pazzo's Pizza and pretzels


26. Glee


27. NYC


28. comfy beds


29. soft blankets
    
30. fruit
31. wedding dresses. I loved my dress, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to go try on dresses just for fun. I don't but I want to.
32. thinking of baby names and changing my mind
33. taking walks with Bryan, Anna, and Shelby (the dog)
34. sleeping in
35. blogs - reading and writing
36. learning new things
37. spending time outside
38. movies
39. the 80s
40. listening to Anna talk
41. laughing
42. compliments
43. Twilight books and movies
44. board games
45. being a wife
46. being a mommy

That's all I can think of on this Monday night. I'm sure there are more. The important thing is that there are a lot more "I likes" than "I don't likes." Life is good.

I'm thankful for all of the above.

I do not like...

A few things I don't like:

1. waking up early - sleeping in is always better
2. mushrooms - what can I say, they are gross
3. mac and cheese - I don't like the noodles and I don't like the cheese...never have, never will.
4. fighting - I'm not so good at it and my blood pressure rises
5. looking old - I got my school picture back on Friday, and I look old or tired or maybe old and tired. I don't know when this happened to me. I used to feel pretty, and still do on some days, but I can't say I love what I look like at 30. Maybe it's not 30, maybe it's being a mother. I like to look at my wedding pictures - I look pretty at 26. What's going to happen to me if I have another baby - older and uglier???? Please, no.
6. winter - loving these sunny warm days
7. dizzy spells - scary, horrible, wish they would go away forever
8. whining - my baby's, not my own :)
9. cleaning - enough said
10. my bad posture - bad bad habit of slouching. I'm trying to be present in that and correct myself when I notice.

I am thankful for:

• a beautiful weekend
• giggling with Anna
• sleeping in this morning

I have a problem.

My problem is: when ever something goes a little wrong or almost wrong, my brain goes to negative-ville and thinks of The Worst Possible Scenario - even though it's over and The Worst didn't happen. I can't help it. Bryan even points it out to me, "you're thinking of the absolute worst possible outcome, and it probably won't be that bad." I think I do this because I'm an overly cautious person, I don't like to get in trouble, and I don't want bad-preventable things to happen.

Well, do you ever have those moments when you realize your life could have changed in an instant? But Thank God, it didn't. I had one of those the other day... It was a nice day, so we had the windows open. I was making lunches in the kitchen. Anna was hanging out - just walking around holding onto some kind of toy or something; I wasn't paying very close attention to her. Until I see her climbing out of the window sill!!!!!! Our kitchen windows are on the second floor in the back of the house because of the walk-out basement, and she had climbed up to sit on the window sill with only a screen to hold her in. OMG even typing this makes me a nervous wreck - heart palpitations, crazy thoughts, negative-ville. I Thank God that window screen held her, and she didn't fall to the ground below. As an old co-worker once said, "you don't know scary until you are a parent."

We aren't opening the windows anymore until we have some window braces up that will actually keep a person from falling out of an open window (Amazon sells them). It's funny, several weeks ago I saw a house in the neighborhood with those window braces in all their upstairs windows, and I thought to myself, "we don't have to have those." Silly Laura, of course you do. We just didn't need them at that moment.

Today I'm thankful for:

• a new Pink Baby - yay Target
• a Girls' Night Out with Anna - Chik fil A, Graeters, and the park - all fun
• a warning before it was too late

Pink Baby

This is Pink Baby.

At some point Anna got 2 of these babies; one is pink and the other is white with little baby things on it. They are sold at any store that sells toys (at least that I've seen). It has a plastic head, arms, and legs with a soft stuffing filled body. Anna has developed an attachment to these babies, but Pink Baby more so than White Baby - I have no idea why. It could be the road rash Pink Baby has from being dropped then ran over with the stroller on our nightly walks. It could be the little pills all over her body. It could be the smelly dirty pink outfit she USED to have. I guess it's the same as when kids have a blankie or a pacie - it's her comfort. She bends the baby's body over her hand, holds her head down with the other hand, and sucks on the baby's body. We assume it's a self soothing thing that went from bed time to anytime. She wants baby, Pink Baby, when she's tired, sad, had a tantrum, or just needs a little comfort.

Well, I just couldn't stand the look of Pink Baby's dirty clothes anymore; she was so dirty and gross. Her tag says - spot clean only. Well...I decided to go for it and wash her in the washing machine anyway. We had White Baby to take the place of Pink Baby while she was "getting a bath." I was really impressed with how OK Anna was with us washing Pink Baby. We did have to keep going to the washer to show her Pink Baby and let her hug and kiss Pink Baby, but no tantrums or fits!

I know why it is not suggested to put Pink Baby in the washing machine - she holds the water and sloshes quite a bit. We wrung her out and let her dry in the sun, but there is still water hanging out inside Pink Baby. I'm going to have to look for a new Pink Baby because I'm scared of her becoming moldy. I think it will be OK since she didn't get mad about Pink Baby losing her smell or whatever was making her so desirable. She's sleeping with White Baby tonight with only a little convincing that Pink Baby is wet and cannot sleep in bed tonight.

Today I'm thankful for:

• a calm weekend
• windows are open again
• Anna will be ok if I have to replace Pink Baby
• I got a nap this morning after Anna decided to wake up at 6:30 for the 2nd day in a row.
• Pink Baby being sold at 4 stores within a 5 minute drive
  

A Trip to the Apple Orchard

We didn't have much going on this weekend and the weather is much cooler, so we decided to take a trip to Evans Orchard for some apples (we'll go to Boyds for a pumpkin in October). The other reason we thought it would be a good idea is because Bryan likes to eat an apple for lunch everyday, and the apples at the grocery store are getting gross.

We figured our way through the apple orchard for the apples that were both ripe and the type we like. Anna didn't want to ride in the wagon, so that answered my question as to if I should buy a wagon for her - NO! Then we went to the play on the playground. She loved the slide though she was a little scared the first time by herself. We also enjoyed a donut and then headed home.

It was a great day at the orchard because it wasn't crowded at all. I know when we go in October for pumpkins it won't be that nice, so I'm glad we did it today. A new tradition for us!

Today I'm thankful for:

• fresh picked apples
• windows are open!
• a fun family day
  
  
  

Checking up on a few blogs...

I was checking on NieNie's blog - which I do now and again. I found her pictures beautiful and fascinating. Her oldest daughter looks so much like her. That's just one of the amazing things about having children - seeing yourself in them. Sometimes I think Anna looks like Bryan, and sometimes I think she looks like me. Most of the time she acts like Bryan. Some of the time she acts like me. Either way, she's a part of us. Kids are pretty amazing.

I was also loving NieNie's back to school dinner with crowns they made. I love their family theme, " To Learn with Joy." It's like my school theme, "Learn, have fun, and make friends." Anna's still a little young and we've already been in school for 4 weeks, but maybe next year she'll be ready to make a crown with the things she loves. NieNie always does cute and crafty things even though none of it can be easy for her. I try to remember her when I get boring or crabby or not-fun. It's much more fun to play with Anna since I'm back to work. Maybe that makes no sense to you, maybe it makes all the sense in the world. I'm more than only mommy. But when I'm mommy, I want to be a good one and a fun one and an engaged one.

Today I'm thankful for:

1. OSU football has started again
2. Rice Krispy Treats
3. funny kids at school
4. a good group of kids at school
5. Anna's laugh and sense of humor
6. Anna's singing - twinkle twinkle, row row your boat, I caught a baby bumble bee, wheels on the bus, and itsy bitsy spider
7. Anna's counting - just one and two, I guess she'll go on when she's ready
8. Anna's ABCs - out of order and barley understandable, but still super cute