Natalie Quote

N: Mommie, you really need to clean the potty. It is really dirty.
Me: You're right, I do.

Called out by a 3 year old. Ouch!

Happy Thanksgiving

I love this holiday. As I sat this morning and watched the Macy's Parade I was nearly in tears. The simple joys. Being snuggled with my girls in jammies sharing something with them that I have loved for so many years. Watching Natalie dance like one of the Rockettes. A day to enjoy yummy food with friends and family.
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I need to get in touch with basketball season. I think that I am in denial that it is here. I can't believe that football season is this close to being over (after last weekend, it looks like it is time for it to be over). I haven't watched a full game yet. Are you kidding me. I need to get serious about some Tarheel basketball. Watching games brings me great joy. I need to get with the program.
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Natalie has been challenging lately. Last week she told me that she missed the carpet from our house in Virginia. I don't think that Kim and I have thought about how tough this move has been on her. It has been easy for us. We moved home. Virginia was home for Natalie. She doesn't remember living here. I am trying to be more reasonable and loving. She is getting better. Parenting is hard.
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Paige sleeps terribly in her pack-n-play. TERRIBLY!!! We have been out of town for the past to weekends and her sleep has been awful!! Quite a challenge. She sleeps great at home so I should count my blessings. Anyone have any tips?
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I am going to Kohl's at 4:00 tomorrow morning with Lindsay. Am I crazy? Yes, I am. I have never had the crazy after-Thanksgiving shopping experience. Lindsay has. She is a vet. I have to be home by 6:00 when the girls will wake-up (Kim works till 2:00 in the morning). I will let you know how it goes.

Natalie Quote

Natalie: Mommie, I'm sorry your disappointed in my behavior.

Yup, that sums up our day.

Girl Time

This afternoon Natalie, Paige and I hung out with some of our favorite girlfriends, Andrea, Olivia, Ashlyn and Elli.

By the end of our time playing together, Olivia and Ashlyn were running around in the basement with just their panties on (Olivia had on a few other dress-up accessories but nothing that would count as clothing). Natalie was wearing a dress-up tube-top that was not covering everything that it should. Elli had on a onesie and dress-up heels. It was madness. Girls gone wild, I tell you.

Good news abounds

First of all and what this post is all about....we got the results of Paige's MRI and it was normal!!! "Normal appearing brain for age" to be exact. We are so thankful! We see the eye doctor again in 4 weeks and will see what he says. Overall, I am very encouraged. Paige is doing things all the time that make me believe that she can see well right now. She has a GREAT social smile. She watches you walk around the room, she reaches for toys, she reaches for my hand when I am feeding her. All of these have to be good signs. When she tries to focus on objects that are far away her eyes jerk a lot more than if she tries to look at something close. She doesn't seem to have much of a "head tilt", she doesn't hold her head a certain way to make her vision clearer (this would be one of the big things that would make her need surgery). So, we will just keep watching, waiting and praying. Thanks for all the encouragement!

Now some silly things that I am thankful for....

Today is the first official weekend of college football! Love it!! Perhaps the Heels will have a better year, we will see. I just love the football time of year.

Natalie has gone 4 days without pooping in her pants! Now that I have posted, I am sure we will have an accident today. She even went at her "open house" for school on Thursday night. I thought this child would NEVER be potty trained, we will see.

Because Natalie's school is peanut/treenut free there can be no homemade baked goods brought in! Woohoo!! I know you think I am silly but think of the pressure this relieves...no pressure for the perfect, homemade brownies on her birthday or for the million parties throughout the year. Can you hear the sigh of relief? If you bring in fruit/veggies they cut it up for you in the peanut-free kitchen. This is awesome!!

Kim and I went on a date last night. A yummy, yummy dinner. Time shopping for stuff for the house. Time for just us. It was great!

People say

the %*&)&% things.

The other day in Target I was carrying Paige in the sling when I complete stranger thought she needed to make some comments...

Strange Lady: Look at the FAT baby.Do you see that fat baby.How old is he?
Me: SHE is almost five months.
SL: Five months, she ready to walk out of here. What do you feed that baby? You feed that baby from the table don't you?
Me: No mama, I don't.
SL: What do you feed her?
Me: Only my milk.
SL: YOUR milk? Your BREAST milk?
Me: Yes mama.
SL: That baby ready for a hot dog! When you gonna start feeding her from the table?
Me: I am buying cereal today....

Paige is enjoying her solid food.

Laughing

Kim and I were giving Natalie and Paige a bath tonight and had one of those moments that I want to remember forever.

Natalie poured a cup of water on Paige and laughed at herself, the next thing I knew Paige was belly laughing at Natalie. It was the cutest thing ever. For the next five minutes they just looked at each other and laughed. Some magical sister magic was happening and I was so thrilled to be there to witness it. I was laughing too, wanting to cry and wanting time to stop.

I kept looking at Kim thinking, can you believe we have been given these two precious gifts? I am so thankful!

I should be...

• Taking a shower
• Going through closets
• Calling the utility companies
• Working
• Cleaning out the fridge
• Reading a parenting book (Natalie's behavior has been terrible the past few day, TERRIBLE!!)

But I am here blogging. Why? Because it is relaxing me and bringing a little bit of peace to my day.

I am really sad today, really sad. The tears have fallen, lots of them. I know that we will make it through this transition. I am really excited about being back home. But today I am stuck thinking about how much I am going to miss my friend, Sarah.

We have lived life together since I have been here. We see each other nearly everyday. We talk everyday. She is my friend I can talk about anything with, the minor things in life and the major. I know that I have dear friends waiting for me in Winston and that is the only thing getting me through. I can't put into words how much I am going to miss her. She has blessed my life so much.

I am sad for Natalie. I have a feeling her sadness is the root of her TERRIBLE behavior. She and Madeline are best buddies and I know that she will miss her.

Change is hard, not to mention stressful. Stress makes me overly emotional which is not a good combo. Wow, it could be a long week.

Peewee Paddlers

Natalie finished up swim lessons today. I am bummed for her. The way that she improved in just 6 weeks was amazing. The girl is by no means swimming on her own yet but she made great strides and learned to trust herself in the water so much more.

I loved watching her each week and listening to the pride in her voice as she said, "Look at me, Bruce, I did it! I did it!" Or, "you put my belt on and I didn't sink!" I love watching her confidence grow!!

It was good for me too. By the end of the six weeks, I wasn't pacing the pool. Here's to more swimming lessons!!

Clarification and sweet picture

So, I am realizing after reading the comments from my supportive and loving friends that my last post made me sound a little too pitiful! I am actually doing well, I think, with the Mommie of two thing. I had several other obligations last week that were keeping me busy but they are done now! I had my last MOPS meeting as the Hospitality coordinator and helped to hostess a baby shower for my dear friend, Sarah. Done!! Now, I can concentrate more on my girls, Natalie's behavior could use some concentrating these past couple of days, getting ready to move and my job.

I am doing well, really, but am also starting to understand that lots of changes in our life is meaning lots of added stress. They are all good changes, the addition of a baby, buying our house, getting out of this townhouse which is feeling smaller by the day, Kim finishing training, Kim starting a new job. We are super-excited about all of these things but they are wearing on us. Deep breath. We will make it.

Here's to more blog entries in the next few weeks, getting some pictures organized and ordered, and throwing some crap out so that is doesn't get moved to the new house. I am giving up on Paige's cross-stitch for the next few months, my new goal will be to complete it by, what should we say, Christmas.

Here is a picture of Paige that I should have taken a week and a half ago when she was 4 weeks old, not 51/2 weeks old. Dang, time FLIES with the second child!! (I am beginning to understand some of the second-child complexes that my brother has...)

If I want rest...

I gotta let go.

This was the lesson that I learned yesterday. I slept really bad the night before, I was exhausted before the day even started. I had breakfast with mom, dad, and Natalie and started thinking about plans for the day. Mom and Dad wanted to go into the city and look around, of course, they were willing to take Natalie with them. I kept thinking, sure, I will go. I want to be hospitable. I want to spend time with mom and dad. But, honestly, walking around Washington did not sound like fun to me.

What was the root of me wanting to go with them, my pride. I wanted to be there to be sure that Natalie behaved and that they made her behave. So that if she was good, I looked good and that if she was bad, I would be there to correct her. I wanted to be there to be sure that she was safe. Because, I am the only one who can keep her safe. I wanted to be the great daughter, capable of getting everything done to prepare for the baby, hanging out with them, all the while "resting".

In the shower I had a breakdown. Who am I kidding? What I needed was rest and the way that I was going to get that rest was to let go. My mom and dad are more than capable of caring for Natalie. They already raised 3 kids!! If she wasn't well behaved, well then, they could deal with it and we could work on it. If she had an accident in her panties, then they could clean it up!

It felt good to see them drive away. They had a great time. I got some stuff done and did, indeed, rest!

I hope that I will remember this lesson. Something tells me that I might need to hear it again. I have dreams of Natalie spending lots of time with her grandparents when we move back to NC but for that to happen, I can't be controlling her.

I am sure that she will live if she gets juice with her Happy Meal instead of milk.

Voting

Today was Virginia's primary. Natalie and I headed to the polls. There is something very emotional, for me, about voting with her with me. This is the second time that I have done it and have been moved to tears both times. I can't really explain it. I don't know if it is the thought for voting for the future of our country or the thought of how lucky we are to live where we do but it gets to me.

While I was voting she asked me, "Mommie, can I vote too?" Sure sweetie in about 15 years (that is frightening). Actually I said, "Someday sweetie. Voting is a priviledge of being an adult."

I was disturbed by the small number of people who were there taking part in this priviledge. I can get on my high horse pretty quickly about this, so I won't. The only thing I will say is that I don't get people who don't go vote....

On a lighter note, as we were leaving there was a car running and you could see the exhaust coming from the tailpipe (it was very cold and rainy). Natalie said to me, "Mommie, is that car going potty?"

Oh, if you notice a lot of glaring spelling errors it is because I can't get the spell check to work and I am a terrible speller, sorry,

What community means...

to a 3 year-old.

Natalie and I went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner tonight. Of course the question came, "When I am done can I play on the park (the indoor germ infested park)?"

Me: You can try if you want to but I cannot help you climb up. My belly is getting too big. (Gross-motor skills have never been her strong point and she struggles getting herself up to the top).
Her: OK, I can do it
Me: If you get up to the top, you have to come down by yourself. Mommie cannot climb up to get you (I have done this on more than one occasion)
Her: OK, I can do it
Me: You have to be brave and come down all by yourself.
Her: I will find a friend who can help me!!

Sure enough, she did. She found a sweet little girl to help get her up to the top, who helped her when she got scared, and made sure she made it down the slide.

I love that my girl trusted that there would be "a friend" there to help her.

(I am also really thankful because me climbing in that thing would not have been pretty!!!)

Spring??

Natalie and I have spent hours outside the past couple if days. It has been great! Lots of running and jumping and playing. Too bad it will be gone tomorrow....

Weird weather like this always freaks me out...

Me and my gal

After a long week of travel and celebration (which I promise to write more about later, we had a great time!) Natalie and I had a pajama day today. We stayed in our jammies all day!! It was wonderful. There was a lot that had to be done around the house to get "normal" life going again and I spent a lot of the day doing that stuff. Natalie had a great time playing with her new toys and games. We also got to spend a lot of time together playing which was very fun and something that often gets lost on days when we are running from here to there.

Pajama days are good for my soul! Not so much the being in jammies all day but the not going anywhere. The spending good time with my girl, caring for my house and family. I really love taking the time to do those things. the question I am asking myself now is, should I have a weekly or biweekly pajama day scheduled for us? That would probably lose the whole point.

Snow Day

We had a snow day today. We got a couple of inches, enough to make it an inside afternoon, my girl is not a big fan of the cold.

Anyway, we made sugar cookies (actually sugar bricks but anything with icing and sprinkles is great!). This was our first baking adventure together. Much fun!!

Now, if the cookies only tasted as good as they look. We will have to work on that...

23 Weeks

I can't believe that I am 23 weeks pregnant already! That is craziness! I am going to be chasing this child around before I know it. I love this part of pregnancy. I am definitely looking pregnant, the baby is moving all the time and I still feel good. These are the weeks to enjoy.

So, here is a picture of one of the only times in my life when I will be showing off how big my belly is and trying to make it look bigger!!

Little Red???

Yesterday I innocently bought Natalie the book "Little Red Riding Hood." I hadn't read the book in a long time but remembered it from my childhood. I certainly did not remember that the wolf ATE grandma and poor Little Red. I also did not remember that the woodsman KILLED the wolf and took grandma and Little Red out of his stomach. Oh my goodness!! Wow!! Of course Natalie loved the book and wanted to read it again and again.

So, if you haven't read Little Red to your children yet, DON'T!!

Natalie Quote

Mommie, are you getting bigger?

Where have I been?

I have been meaning to sit down and blog since we got home on Friday, but it hasn't happened...I have thought several times, that random thought should be on the blog but I haven't gotten around to it.

We had a great trip. Johnson City was wonderful. Better than we imagined that it would be. We thought that we would go there and find reasons not to live there. Well, that didn't happen. We loved it. It was so peaceful and beautiful there. All of the people that we met were so warm and welcoming. The men that Kim would be working with seemed like great men. We left feeling confused and overwhelmed and like we could see ourselves living there.

Our next stop was Winston, home in so many ways. The only place we lived as a married couple. Where many of our dearest friends are. Where much of my heart still is. We were welcomed back with open arms. Had a great time trick-or-treating with friends. We had some great conversations about what our future would hold with people who genuinely care about us. Kim was reunited with his old co-workers and had a great time with them.

We hope to make a decision in the next week or so as to what we will do. It is a very exciting time. We are blessed to be given these opportunities. Kim has worked really hard to be able to have choices and we are thankful.

So, here are my random thoughts:

• To travel with a child, you have to be flexible, or everyone will be miserable.
• Do you remember when daylight savings time meant an extra hour of sleep, not worry about adjusting sleep schedules?
• My girl is growing up way to fast!
• A friend in Winston called me "a vision on loveliness" and meant it, she sees a me I don't see all the time. I miss her.
• Our family is blessed to have dear, dear friends.
• In reality, Natalie went trick-or-treating for me. I have eaten way more of her candy than she has.
• I am glad that I have finally caught up on my work and have the time to blog.