Here are 2 videos of Ari giving hugs. This first one I took last night. We couldn't get her to say "aww," but she still gave Tony a couple hugs.
Tony took this video tonight. You can hear her say "aww" a couple times, but just quickly. She's also being her usual goofy self.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Should have named her "Grace" *EDIT x 2*
I got to work this morning, and had literally just sat down in my chair when my cell phone started vibrating. I saw that it was the babysitter calling, and I had a momentary freak-out moment. She never calls me--once in a while, she'll text message me or send me a picture of Ari (today she sent me 2 of Ari playing dress-up), but she never calls.
I picked up the phone, and learned that my genius child had done a face-plant on the hardwood floor, resulting in a bloody, fat lip. Mary wasn't even sure how she'd done it, and I wasn't surprised--we still don't know how she fell that time she had to get a stitch in her forehead. Mary told me the bleeding had stopped, but Ari wouldn't let them get a good look at it (again, not surprising). They were trying to feed her a popsicle, but she wanted her milk instead. Mary said she just wanted to let me know, and I thanked her and told her to call me if it started bleeding again or anything worse.
I didn't see Ari until I got home from work (late) tonight, and she definitely has a fat upper lip. It looks a little black and blue, too. I got a good peek at it when I brushed her teeth tonight (I lay her down on my lap to do it) and it definitely looks worse on the inside of the lip--all puffy and discolored.
Tony and I have a running joke that every good quality Ari has is from him, and every negative thing is from me. She has his beautiful blue eyes. She has my temper. She has his outgoing, friendly personality. She has my picky eating habits.
So we can just add her clumsiness to the growing list of things she's inherited from me. I wonder what her next injury will be.
********** EDIT #1 ***********
In other Ari news, she now says "aww" when she gives hugs. Probably because that's what we always say when we give her hugs or get hugs from her--you know, to encourage her to keep giving them. I thought the fact that she gives hugs was cute, but adding this baby-voiced "aww" to it makes it insufferably cute. It makes me want to ask her for hugs constantly.
I tried to get a video of her doing it last night, but of course, she wouldn't say it. She did give Tony 2 hugs, though, which was very sweet. Remind me to upload that video when I get home tonight.
That is all. As you were.
********** EDIT #2 **********
OK, last edit. Well, maybe 2nd to last, if I decide to add that video to this entry. Anyway...
I forgot to mention another one of Ari's newest tricks. She does this thing where she'll squeeze her eyes shut and then swivel her head and upper body back and forth and all around. We call it her "Ray Charles impression" because I promise you, she looks just like him (aside from the fact that she's a tiny white girl and she's not playing a piano while doing it). That's another one I want to capture on video, but unfortunately, she doesn't (yet) do it on cue.
The end.
********** END EDIT **********
I picked up the phone, and learned that my genius child had done a face-plant on the hardwood floor, resulting in a bloody, fat lip. Mary wasn't even sure how she'd done it, and I wasn't surprised--we still don't know how she fell that time she had to get a stitch in her forehead. Mary told me the bleeding had stopped, but Ari wouldn't let them get a good look at it (again, not surprising). They were trying to feed her a popsicle, but she wanted her milk instead. Mary said she just wanted to let me know, and I thanked her and told her to call me if it started bleeding again or anything worse.
I didn't see Ari until I got home from work (late) tonight, and she definitely has a fat upper lip. It looks a little black and blue, too. I got a good peek at it when I brushed her teeth tonight (I lay her down on my lap to do it) and it definitely looks worse on the inside of the lip--all puffy and discolored.
Tony and I have a running joke that every good quality Ari has is from him, and every negative thing is from me. She has his beautiful blue eyes. She has my temper. She has his outgoing, friendly personality. She has my picky eating habits.
So we can just add her clumsiness to the growing list of things she's inherited from me. I wonder what her next injury will be.
********** EDIT #1 ***********
In other Ari news, she now says "aww" when she gives hugs. Probably because that's what we always say when we give her hugs or get hugs from her--you know, to encourage her to keep giving them. I thought the fact that she gives hugs was cute, but adding this baby-voiced "aww" to it makes it insufferably cute. It makes me want to ask her for hugs constantly.
I tried to get a video of her doing it last night, but of course, she wouldn't say it. She did give Tony 2 hugs, though, which was very sweet. Remind me to upload that video when I get home tonight.
That is all. As you were.
********** EDIT #2 **********
OK, last edit. Well, maybe 2nd to last, if I decide to add that video to this entry. Anyway...
I forgot to mention another one of Ari's newest tricks. She does this thing where she'll squeeze her eyes shut and then swivel her head and upper body back and forth and all around. We call it her "Ray Charles impression" because I promise you, she looks just like him (aside from the fact that she's a tiny white girl and she's not playing a piano while doing it). That's another one I want to capture on video, but unfortunately, she doesn't (yet) do it on cue.
The end.
********** END EDIT **********
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Etymology
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.
--William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
I have developed, over the years, a slight obsession (is there any such thing as an "obsession" that is "slight"?) with names. It's easy to see where and how it started. My father is from Iran--born and raised there, and came to the US when he was in his 20s. When my parents began having kids, they used the following naming strategy: they gave us all short, easy first names, all Biblical, so that they would be as easily recognizable to my father's Iranian relatives as they were to my mother's family. But for our middle names, they chose Persian names. So though my first name may seem ordinary--even boring--the 3-name combination (first, middle, and now-maiden name) was a great conversation-starter. My last name (now my maiden name) was long and interesting--I was constantly correcting people on its pronunciation and spelling throughout my childhood (not that I minded, though--I loved my name).
Unfortunately, the name Ariana itself (unlike some of my other siblings' middle names, which are more obviously Middle Eastern) doesn't necessarily spark a question of origin, since most people have heard it in some form or another. Internet searches have frustrated me, because all I could ever find was websites that list it as being of Greek origin (meaning "holy one") or Welsh (meaning "silver"). Yet my parents have always told me it's an Iranian name, meaning "from the tribe of Aria." At last, I found my Internet proof...
From Wikipedia...
The name Ariana has its root in the Persian language, where it means "light of the Aryans" or "of Aryan stock." Typically, it was given to females born in Aryan territories of the Persian Empire (Iran), including Afghanistan. The name also can be found in the Italian simplification of the Greek name Ariadne ("most holy," "Holy one"); Cretan Greek αρι (ari) "most" and αδνος (adnos) "holy")[3], and a Welsh name meaning "silver" (derived from Welsh arian, "silver"). [4]. Ariana can also come from the root "aria" meaning melody or song, in which case, the name would mean "singer," "like a beautiful melody."
I also love its relation to the word "aria"--I've never drawn that parallel before, but I love it. "A singer, like a beautiful melody." Fabulous.
Anyway, back to my name obsession. I have always, unashamedly, loved my middle name, and consequently, as a child, I was always asking friends for their middle names. I was surprised and a bit saddened to find that most people seem to dislike their middle names--or are at least indifferent. Whereas I was always fascinated with names, asking "Why did your parents choose that name? What does it mean?" And again, I was baffled when friends would tell me they didn't know the meaning of their names or why their parents chose them. How could you not know something like that?
My name obsession was renewed a few years ago when I happened upon some baby naming message boards on AOL. I had no intention of having kids at that point in my life, but I enjoyed the discussions. I loved learning new names, their origins, their meanings. It's one thing to hear a name and think "Oh, that's pretty." But it's absolutely thrilling to find out that that pretty name has an equally gorgeous meaning and/or history.
It was while I was a member of those message boards that I chose a new e-mail address for myself. I didn't want to choose something boring, so I combined 2 names that I adored. One is another name that, like Sara, means "princess." The other is a Persian name that I just loved. People often ask me what my e-mail address means, and I love to tell them what the names mean and why I chose them.
I also love meeting people with unusual and uncommon names--usually among my first questions is some kind of question about their name's meaning/origin. I can't help myself--I just love names. Learning a new name is like opening a Christmas gift--that same little flutter of excitement, that same "Ohhhh, it's so lovely!" Even when I'm watching a reality show on TV and I see a contestant with a name I've never heard, I'm compelled to go research it.
And so when I became pregnant and was faced with choosing a name, I did not take it lightly. I won't get all up on my soapbox here, but let's just say that Tony loves to tease me about what a "name snob" I am. I don't think I'm a snob, per se, but I do think that choosing the perfect name is an important task. I don't understand when people pick names out of thin air, let someone else name their baby for them, and things like that. I'm not saying there's neccessarily anything wrong with that, but to me, a name carries so much weight and meaning, even aside from whatever the name itself actually means.
I knew, obviously, that our child would bear Tony's last name, not mine (just to clarify--I took Tony's last name when we got married, so we share the same last name now, but you know what I mean). I grew up with my father's last name--it was a name that made it obvious to anyone that my heritage extended beyond the boundaries of the USA. And while Tony's last name is not as plain as Smith or Jones, it is quite obviously not at all Middle Eastern. I wanted my child to bear some mark of his/her Iranian heritage in his/her name, so choosing a name became a very big deal. We toyed with the idea of doing what my parents did--picking a common first name and then picking an Iranian middle name--but somewhere in the process we settled on Ariana. We chose Juliet not only because it was pretty (hey, nothing wrong with just liking how the name sounds), but also because it reflected my love of literature (I have a Bachelor's and Master's in English/English Education).
I'm not sure what we'll do with any future kids. I don't feel the need to stick to the same formula--it doesn't have to be an Iranian first name and a Shakespearean middle name, for example. But I am pretty committed to the idea of throwing an Iranian name in there somewhere--after all, if my kids' last name can't be Iranian, then some other name has to be--it's only fair, right? And I love the idea of using family names, as well. If Ari had been a boy, she most likely would have had the middle name Charles, after Tony's father and my grandfather (I love that it's a family name on both sides). I am also deeply in love with my mom's middle name, which she loathes (I don't know why--it's a beautiful little name).
I could go on and on about names I love, but I need to stop rambling. The point is, I love Ariana's name--not only for how lovely it sounds as it rolls off the tongue, but also for the family history behind it. I can't wait until the day she asks me (or the day I get too impatient waiting for her to ask, and just tell her) what her name means and why we chose it. I will be more than happy to share that information with her, and teach her to love her name and its history as much as I love mine.
What's in a name? It's more than just an arrangement of letters. A name can tell a story all by itself--a story of the history of the world as well as the history of a family. A name can be passed on like a family heirloom, to honor ancestors and carry on family traditions. A name becomes a part of who you are, the way you identify yourself throughout your entire life.
So... what does your name mean? And why did your parents choose it? And don't tell me you don't know...
By any other name would smell as sweet.
--William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
I have developed, over the years, a slight obsession (is there any such thing as an "obsession" that is "slight"?) with names. It's easy to see where and how it started. My father is from Iran--born and raised there, and came to the US when he was in his 20s. When my parents began having kids, they used the following naming strategy: they gave us all short, easy first names, all Biblical, so that they would be as easily recognizable to my father's Iranian relatives as they were to my mother's family. But for our middle names, they chose Persian names. So though my first name may seem ordinary--even boring--the 3-name combination (first, middle, and now-maiden name) was a great conversation-starter. My last name (now my maiden name) was long and interesting--I was constantly correcting people on its pronunciation and spelling throughout my childhood (not that I minded, though--I loved my name).
Unfortunately, the name Ariana itself (unlike some of my other siblings' middle names, which are more obviously Middle Eastern) doesn't necessarily spark a question of origin, since most people have heard it in some form or another. Internet searches have frustrated me, because all I could ever find was websites that list it as being of Greek origin (meaning "holy one") or Welsh (meaning "silver"). Yet my parents have always told me it's an Iranian name, meaning "from the tribe of Aria." At last, I found my Internet proof...
From Wikipedia...
The name Ariana has its root in the Persian language, where it means "light of the Aryans" or "of Aryan stock." Typically, it was given to females born in Aryan territories of the Persian Empire (Iran), including Afghanistan. The name also can be found in the Italian simplification of the Greek name Ariadne ("most holy," "Holy one"); Cretan Greek αρι (ari) "most" and αδνος (adnos) "holy")[3], and a Welsh name meaning "silver" (derived from Welsh arian, "silver"). [4]. Ariana can also come from the root "aria" meaning melody or song, in which case, the name would mean "singer," "like a beautiful melody."
I also love its relation to the word "aria"--I've never drawn that parallel before, but I love it. "A singer, like a beautiful melody." Fabulous.
Anyway, back to my name obsession. I have always, unashamedly, loved my middle name, and consequently, as a child, I was always asking friends for their middle names. I was surprised and a bit saddened to find that most people seem to dislike their middle names--or are at least indifferent. Whereas I was always fascinated with names, asking "Why did your parents choose that name? What does it mean?" And again, I was baffled when friends would tell me they didn't know the meaning of their names or why their parents chose them. How could you not know something like that?
My name obsession was renewed a few years ago when I happened upon some baby naming message boards on AOL. I had no intention of having kids at that point in my life, but I enjoyed the discussions. I loved learning new names, their origins, their meanings. It's one thing to hear a name and think "Oh, that's pretty." But it's absolutely thrilling to find out that that pretty name has an equally gorgeous meaning and/or history.
It was while I was a member of those message boards that I chose a new e-mail address for myself. I didn't want to choose something boring, so I combined 2 names that I adored. One is another name that, like Sara, means "princess." The other is a Persian name that I just loved. People often ask me what my e-mail address means, and I love to tell them what the names mean and why I chose them.
I also love meeting people with unusual and uncommon names--usually among my first questions is some kind of question about their name's meaning/origin. I can't help myself--I just love names. Learning a new name is like opening a Christmas gift--that same little flutter of excitement, that same "Ohhhh, it's so lovely!" Even when I'm watching a reality show on TV and I see a contestant with a name I've never heard, I'm compelled to go research it.
And so when I became pregnant and was faced with choosing a name, I did not take it lightly. I won't get all up on my soapbox here, but let's just say that Tony loves to tease me about what a "name snob" I am. I don't think I'm a snob, per se, but I do think that choosing the perfect name is an important task. I don't understand when people pick names out of thin air, let someone else name their baby for them, and things like that. I'm not saying there's neccessarily anything wrong with that, but to me, a name carries so much weight and meaning, even aside from whatever the name itself actually means.
I knew, obviously, that our child would bear Tony's last name, not mine (just to clarify--I took Tony's last name when we got married, so we share the same last name now, but you know what I mean). I grew up with my father's last name--it was a name that made it obvious to anyone that my heritage extended beyond the boundaries of the USA. And while Tony's last name is not as plain as Smith or Jones, it is quite obviously not at all Middle Eastern. I wanted my child to bear some mark of his/her Iranian heritage in his/her name, so choosing a name became a very big deal. We toyed with the idea of doing what my parents did--picking a common first name and then picking an Iranian middle name--but somewhere in the process we settled on Ariana. We chose Juliet not only because it was pretty (hey, nothing wrong with just liking how the name sounds), but also because it reflected my love of literature (I have a Bachelor's and Master's in English/English Education).
I'm not sure what we'll do with any future kids. I don't feel the need to stick to the same formula--it doesn't have to be an Iranian first name and a Shakespearean middle name, for example. But I am pretty committed to the idea of throwing an Iranian name in there somewhere--after all, if my kids' last name can't be Iranian, then some other name has to be--it's only fair, right? And I love the idea of using family names, as well. If Ari had been a boy, she most likely would have had the middle name Charles, after Tony's father and my grandfather (I love that it's a family name on both sides). I am also deeply in love with my mom's middle name, which she loathes (I don't know why--it's a beautiful little name).
I could go on and on about names I love, but I need to stop rambling. The point is, I love Ariana's name--not only for how lovely it sounds as it rolls off the tongue, but also for the family history behind it. I can't wait until the day she asks me (or the day I get too impatient waiting for her to ask, and just tell her) what her name means and why we chose it. I will be more than happy to share that information with her, and teach her to love her name and its history as much as I love mine.
What's in a name? It's more than just an arrangement of letters. A name can tell a story all by itself--a story of the history of the world as well as the history of a family. A name can be passed on like a family heirloom, to honor ancestors and carry on family traditions. A name becomes a part of who you are, the way you identify yourself throughout your entire life.
So... what does your name mean? And why did your parents choose it? And don't tell me you don't know...
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Let the countdown begin
Just a few blurbs about Ari...
She is now officially done with bottles! I actually forgot (no, seriously, it was an honest mistake, not a forgot-on-purpose deal) to pack any bottles for our trip to see Tony's family. She didn't seem to notice or care, and drank well from her sippy cup the whole time we were there. Last night, Tony helped me (since he's tall enough to reach the to shelf in the kitchen cupboard) pack away all her bottles. Let's hope that breaking her binky habit is as easy.
Ari loved her cousin Michael. She is totally at that age where she is fascinated by babies younger than her. She kept wanting to touch him and even though I kept trying to shoo her away, she managed to poke at him now and then. But she was surprisingly gentle--it was actually really sweet to watch. Then at one point, she was calling him "doggie." Don't know where she got that from.
She is speaking so many more words now, and trying to imitate words we say, but aside from that, she understands so much more than she can say. I am constantly amazed by how much she comprehends. I try to make a point of talking to her like I would talk to anyone else--in complete, rambling sentences, being my usual, talkative self. So I often find myself saying things to her that I'm sure she won't understand--yet a lot of the time, she surprises me.
Her new favorite word is "Oh!" Yes, said just like that--with a capital letter and an exclamation point. She says it very loudly and pointedly--usually when she's playing with a toy or someting like that. And every so often, she'll say it softly, almost thoughtfully. The funny thing is, she uses it in the proper way a lot of the time--for example, I'll tell her something or explain something to her, and she'll ponder it for a second, and then say, "Oh."
She's also learning how to say the word "sit"--she repeats it after us when we tell her to sit somewhere, and Tony's been teaching her to say it to the dogs (he's been letting her give them treats--trying to show the dogs her place in "the pack"). The problem is, she says the "s" sound as an "sh" sound, so you can imagine how that sounds. Luckily, she doesn't really pronounce the "t" at the end very well, but it's still pretty amusing--especially when she says it over and over.
She is now officially done with bottles! I actually forgot (no, seriously, it was an honest mistake, not a forgot-on-purpose deal) to pack any bottles for our trip to see Tony's family. She didn't seem to notice or care, and drank well from her sippy cup the whole time we were there. Last night, Tony helped me (since he's tall enough to reach the to shelf in the kitchen cupboard) pack away all her bottles. Let's hope that breaking her binky habit is as easy.
Ari loved her cousin Michael. She is totally at that age where she is fascinated by babies younger than her. She kept wanting to touch him and even though I kept trying to shoo her away, she managed to poke at him now and then. But she was surprisingly gentle--it was actually really sweet to watch. Then at one point, she was calling him "doggie." Don't know where she got that from.
She is speaking so many more words now, and trying to imitate words we say, but aside from that, she understands so much more than she can say. I am constantly amazed by how much she comprehends. I try to make a point of talking to her like I would talk to anyone else--in complete, rambling sentences, being my usual, talkative self. So I often find myself saying things to her that I'm sure she won't understand--yet a lot of the time, she surprises me.
Her new favorite word is "Oh!" Yes, said just like that--with a capital letter and an exclamation point. She says it very loudly and pointedly--usually when she's playing with a toy or someting like that. And every so often, she'll say it softly, almost thoughtfully. The funny thing is, she uses it in the proper way a lot of the time--for example, I'll tell her something or explain something to her, and she'll ponder it for a second, and then say, "Oh."
She's also learning how to say the word "sit"--she repeats it after us when we tell her to sit somewhere, and Tony's been teaching her to say it to the dogs (he's been letting her give them treats--trying to show the dogs her place in "the pack"). The problem is, she says the "s" sound as an "sh" sound, so you can imagine how that sounds. Luckily, she doesn't really pronounce the "t" at the end very well, but it's still pretty amusing--especially when she says it over and over.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Promised pictures
OK, I know you all are here for the pics, so I'll try not to blabber too much. All in all, we had a great trip. Ari was fantastic. I said to Tony that I hoped she would be herself while we were there, and that the new environment and unfamiliar people wouldn't freak her out. I wanted Mom and everyone else to be able to see Ari the way we always see her--her fun-loving, babbling, goofy self. And Ari exceeded my expectations. Sure, she was a little hesitant at first, but by the end of our visit, she had warmed up to everyone and was freely giving out hugs and kisses. (Well, she doesn't actually give kisses yet, but she gives you her cheek and allows you to kiss her.)
The sleeping issue wasn't that bad either--as long as one of us stayed with her until she fell asleep. There were only a couple nights where she woke up during the night, but she was easily soothed. I'm sure the fact that we were all sleeping in the same room helped, too. Last night at home was a little rough too, so we obviously still have a ways to go in "fixing" this sleeping issue.
Ari did well traveling, too--much better on the way down than on the way home. But again, who can blame her--being strapped in a carseat for that many hours would drive anyone nuts. We ended up making quite a few stops on the way home--one at a rest area for the sole purpose of letting her run around and burn some energy. (And it worked--she took a nice long nap in the car right afterwards.)
Ari wasn't too impressed with Thanksgiving dinner--all we could get her to eat was corn. Crazy kid.
Personally, I loved having 5 full days to spend with Ari. I can't remember the last time I had that many full days in a row with her--maybe right after she was born? It was great getting to spend so much time with her. I am really amazed at how much she is learning and changing every day. She is adding a lot of new words to her vocabulary, and trying to imitate us as well. I asked her to say "sock" the other day, and she replied with "soh." Last night, at Wendy's, she was signing and saying "more" at the same time.
On another note, Tony's mom looks fantastic. She is officially done her chemo and radiation, so her hair is starting to grow back and she's regaining some energy. She really looks so good, and it was great to spend some time with her. I know she loved getting to see Ari too.
We also got to meet our new nephew, Michael. He's already about 4 months old, and I swear, he has more hair than Ari does--little curls and everything. He's such a sweetie--he gave me several big, gummy smiles while we were there. (And don't go leaving me notes asking me if I have "baby fever" now or if this makes me want another one, because I'll tell you right now, the answer is no and no.)
All right, enough from me--I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story...
Here's Ari with her cousin Taryn. We brought along a couple of Ari's toys, and this ball popper was a big hit with the other kids (Taryn, as well as Tony's cousin's kids).
Ari wasn't used to the concept of sharing... (There was no real drama--she just kept looking a little surprised and slightly annoyed that someone else was comandeering her toy.)
Ari and Taryn got along really well. Ari loved giving her hugs--probably because Taryn is the closest one to her size. It was really sweet too, because Ari would actually wrap her arms around Taryn and give her a real hug--when she gives hugs to adults, it's usually just her resting her head on your shoulder and maybe putting her hands on your shoulders too. (I don't know why Taryn looks so serious in this picture.)
I don't know what Ari was saying in this picture, but I love Taryn's smile.
We celebrated Christmas with Tony's family on Saturday, and Ari made out like a bandit. She needed a little help opening gifts--not because she couldn't tear off the paper, but because she's so easily distracted.
I know she's not doing much in this picture, but look--hair! And I love the way her eyelashes look.
She really dug this toy--it's a Leapfrog "Fridge DJ" and it lights up and plays music.
She seemed to like this outfit...
... but then decided that the box was much more fascinating. (She had it on her head at one point, but I wasn't fast enough to snap a picture.)
Here she is figuring out her new toy from Grammy--it's one of those riding car-type things. She was a little cautious getting on and off, but I'm sure she'll have the hang of it in no time.
Here she is modeling her new hat. Every time I look at this picture, I think she's about to burst out rapping.
Chilling in her new rocking chair--with ottoman! Can you believe it? I don't even have an ottoman...
Checking out her princess stool (which I'm sure she will use to get into everything she can't yet reach)...
Notice the chair she's sitting in now? Yes, it's a different chair than before. So she now has 2 chairs. Which I'm sure she will soon learn to use, along with the stool, to get into everything.
We went out to dinner at Cici's Pizza. I haven't been to that place since college, and man, have I missed it. You can't beat all-you-can-eat pizza, salad, pasta, desserts and a drink for less than $7. Anyway, when we were mostly done eating, I took a few pictures of Ari.
Looking less-than-thrilled to be having her picture taken. (I'm sure this is the exact face I will see when she's a teenager.) Also, I swear she's working on her 2-year molars already--that finger is constantly in her mouth.
Ignoring me, and drinking her sippy cup.
I thought she was laying her head down because she was tired, but after a moment, I realized she was licking the table. Yes, licking. That's her new thing now--licking things. The collars on her clothing, toys, tables, food--whatever. What a fruitcake.
Look at those rosy cheeks...
Finally paying attention to me--and trying to grab the camera, of course. (Or maybe she's about to start chanting, "We're number one! We're number one!")
I love this picture--Ari, Tony, Tony's mom, and Nan. Four generations.
Mom wanted a picture with all her grandkids, but Ari was trying to escape (and was, apparently, quite excited about it). But when you're done laughing at my goofy kid, check out my cute little nephew.
Free at last! (Or maybe she was tackling Taryn. I'm not sure.)
I hope you all had a happy Thankgiving, too. Do you realize that one month from today, Christmas will have come and gone? I have so much shopping left to do, including for my impossible-to-buy-for husband. And he already got my gift (on Black Friday) and is, of course, gloating about it. I need some brilliant ideas--pronto.
The sleeping issue wasn't that bad either--as long as one of us stayed with her until she fell asleep. There were only a couple nights where she woke up during the night, but she was easily soothed. I'm sure the fact that we were all sleeping in the same room helped, too. Last night at home was a little rough too, so we obviously still have a ways to go in "fixing" this sleeping issue.
Ari did well traveling, too--much better on the way down than on the way home. But again, who can blame her--being strapped in a carseat for that many hours would drive anyone nuts. We ended up making quite a few stops on the way home--one at a rest area for the sole purpose of letting her run around and burn some energy. (And it worked--she took a nice long nap in the car right afterwards.)
Ari wasn't too impressed with Thanksgiving dinner--all we could get her to eat was corn. Crazy kid.
Personally, I loved having 5 full days to spend with Ari. I can't remember the last time I had that many full days in a row with her--maybe right after she was born? It was great getting to spend so much time with her. I am really amazed at how much she is learning and changing every day. She is adding a lot of new words to her vocabulary, and trying to imitate us as well. I asked her to say "sock" the other day, and she replied with "soh." Last night, at Wendy's, she was signing and saying "more" at the same time.
On another note, Tony's mom looks fantastic. She is officially done her chemo and radiation, so her hair is starting to grow back and she's regaining some energy. She really looks so good, and it was great to spend some time with her. I know she loved getting to see Ari too.
We also got to meet our new nephew, Michael. He's already about 4 months old, and I swear, he has more hair than Ari does--little curls and everything. He's such a sweetie--he gave me several big, gummy smiles while we were there. (And don't go leaving me notes asking me if I have "baby fever" now or if this makes me want another one, because I'll tell you right now, the answer is no and no.)
All right, enough from me--I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story...
Here's Ari with her cousin Taryn. We brought along a couple of Ari's toys, and this ball popper was a big hit with the other kids (Taryn, as well as Tony's cousin's kids).
Ari wasn't used to the concept of sharing... (There was no real drama--she just kept looking a little surprised and slightly annoyed that someone else was comandeering her toy.)
Ari and Taryn got along really well. Ari loved giving her hugs--probably because Taryn is the closest one to her size. It was really sweet too, because Ari would actually wrap her arms around Taryn and give her a real hug--when she gives hugs to adults, it's usually just her resting her head on your shoulder and maybe putting her hands on your shoulders too. (I don't know why Taryn looks so serious in this picture.)
I don't know what Ari was saying in this picture, but I love Taryn's smile.
We celebrated Christmas with Tony's family on Saturday, and Ari made out like a bandit. She needed a little help opening gifts--not because she couldn't tear off the paper, but because she's so easily distracted.
I know she's not doing much in this picture, but look--hair! And I love the way her eyelashes look.
She really dug this toy--it's a Leapfrog "Fridge DJ" and it lights up and plays music.
She seemed to like this outfit...
... but then decided that the box was much more fascinating. (She had it on her head at one point, but I wasn't fast enough to snap a picture.)
Here she is figuring out her new toy from Grammy--it's one of those riding car-type things. She was a little cautious getting on and off, but I'm sure she'll have the hang of it in no time.
Here she is modeling her new hat. Every time I look at this picture, I think she's about to burst out rapping.
Chilling in her new rocking chair--with ottoman! Can you believe it? I don't even have an ottoman...
Checking out her princess stool (which I'm sure she will use to get into everything she can't yet reach)...
Notice the chair she's sitting in now? Yes, it's a different chair than before. So she now has 2 chairs. Which I'm sure she will soon learn to use, along with the stool, to get into everything.
We went out to dinner at Cici's Pizza. I haven't been to that place since college, and man, have I missed it. You can't beat all-you-can-eat pizza, salad, pasta, desserts and a drink for less than $7. Anyway, when we were mostly done eating, I took a few pictures of Ari.
Looking less-than-thrilled to be having her picture taken. (I'm sure this is the exact face I will see when she's a teenager.) Also, I swear she's working on her 2-year molars already--that finger is constantly in her mouth.
Ignoring me, and drinking her sippy cup.
I thought she was laying her head down because she was tired, but after a moment, I realized she was licking the table. Yes, licking. That's her new thing now--licking things. The collars on her clothing, toys, tables, food--whatever. What a fruitcake.
Look at those rosy cheeks...
Finally paying attention to me--and trying to grab the camera, of course. (Or maybe she's about to start chanting, "We're number one! We're number one!")
I love this picture--Ari, Tony, Tony's mom, and Nan. Four generations.
Mom wanted a picture with all her grandkids, but Ari was trying to escape (and was, apparently, quite excited about it). But when you're done laughing at my goofy kid, check out my cute little nephew.
Free at last! (Or maybe she was tackling Taryn. I'm not sure.)
I hope you all had a happy Thankgiving, too. Do you realize that one month from today, Christmas will have come and gone? I have so much shopping left to do, including for my impossible-to-buy-for husband. And he already got my gift (on Black Friday) and is, of course, gloating about it. I need some brilliant ideas--pronto.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Priorities
It's 9:30 PM, and after an 8 1/2 hour trip (that should have only taken 6 hours, but it's all Ari's fault), we are home from our Thanksgiving trip.
I have a living room full of Christmas gifts (since we celebrated Christmas early with Tony's family--Ari made out like a bandit), suitcases and bags begging to be unpacked, and a kitchen table literally overflowing with nonperishable food items and other supplies to be mailed out to an Air Force troop in Iraq in a package that has to go out tomorrow...
...and yet here I am, on the computer, updating my blog.
Yup, I have my priorities straight.
(More to come--including pictures! And lots of 'em!)
. . .
What--you think I'm leaving to actually do any of the things mentioned above? Don't be silly... I'm off to upload pictures...
I have a living room full of Christmas gifts (since we celebrated Christmas early with Tony's family--Ari made out like a bandit), suitcases and bags begging to be unpacked, and a kitchen table literally overflowing with nonperishable food items and other supplies to be mailed out to an Air Force troop in Iraq in a package that has to go out tomorrow...
...and yet here I am, on the computer, updating my blog.
Yup, I have my priorities straight.
(More to come--including pictures! And lots of 'em!)
. . .
What--you think I'm leaving to actually do any of the things mentioned above? Don't be silly... I'm off to upload pictures...
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
The season premiere of snow
I was driving Ari to the babysitter's house this morning, listening to a local radio station as they did the traffic report. I started listening in the middle of the report, but it didn't take me long to figure out they were talking about it snowing. The town that station is in is a few towns away from where I was, but I still found myself thinking it was weird that it was snowing so close by (and, apparently, snowing hard enough to warrant them warning drivers to be careful), and yet there was not a single flake in front of me. No sooner had I finished forming that thought when I started to see random flakes lazily drifting down from the sky.
I dropped Ari off, and as I drove my 45-minute drive to work, the snow got heavier and heavier. I saw no less than 5 accidents on my way to work--3 of which were directly before my exit and all within 20 feet of each other. I'm usually paranoid about driving in the snow, but this particular storm didn't freak me out--the road didn't seem that slippery, and I was doing fine driving at a moderate speed and allowing plenty of room to slow down. It still boggles my mind that people don't seem to know how to drive in the snow--it's not like this is an area of the country that doesn't see a lot of snow. You would think people would understand that they need to slow down and take it easy.
After I got to work, I let myself enjoy the snow, safe in the warm building. It continued snowing for a couple more hours, leaving a picture-perfect cover of snow on the landscape. The tree branches are sagging slightly under their coat of snow, and the ground is mostly covered in a thin layer, with only little bits of grass peeking out. It looks like a postcard out there, and it is gorgeous. I love the first snow of the season--no matter how old I get, there is just something so magical about watching the world get clothed in white. This storm was a bit of a surprise, too--for me, anyway. Last I heard, the temperatures were supposed to be in the upper 30s/low 40s, so they were calling for rain, and then only for scattered showers. And instead, we got a few hours of steady snow, everything from thin slivers of flakes to big chunks.
This first snow makes it finally feel like the holidays are upon us. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea that Thanksgiving is only 2 days away. And everyone knows that once Thanksgiving has come and gone, Christmas takes over the world (though it starts its world domination tour shortly after Halloween).
Another reason I know the holidays are here? McDonald's has eggnog shakes back. I am seriously going to have to hold myself back, because I would have one every day if I could--that's how deliciously awesome they are.
Tomorrow morning, we leave to visit Tony's family. We haven't been down there since... well, last Christmas, I suppose. Several of his family members came up for Ari's birthday party in June/July, which was the last we saw them, but we haven't made a visit in almost a year. And it will be a nice long visit, too--from Wednesday through Sunday. I'm a little nervous about how Ari will be. She's always been a great traveler, but now that she's older and more active, I'm not sure how she'll like being strapped in a car for 6+ hours. Last time we traveled with her, she was still on just bottles and baby food, so it was fairly easy to feed her on the road (and she was still a really good eater then). I told Tony I can imagine us stopping for lunch, and her refusing to eat, then crying an hour later because she's hungry. I also told him we should try to find a fast food place with a playground, so she can run around and burn some energy.
I'm also not sure how she'll be with sleeping down there, seeing as bedtime has been such an ordeal the past few days. She'll also be sharing a room with us, which I'm hoping will be a good thing--I'm hoping that our presence in her room will soothe her, rather than disturb her sleep or make her more whiny. We'll see, I suppose.
But no matter what, I know we're going to have a good visit, and Tony's family will love getting to spend time with her. She is so much more interactive now, and she's such a goofball--she's sure to provide some good entertainment, if nothing else.
I'm not sure if we're bringing the laptop with us, but even if we do, I won't be online much. So try not to miss me too much, and don't do anything too exciting while I'm gone. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
I dropped Ari off, and as I drove my 45-minute drive to work, the snow got heavier and heavier. I saw no less than 5 accidents on my way to work--3 of which were directly before my exit and all within 20 feet of each other. I'm usually paranoid about driving in the snow, but this particular storm didn't freak me out--the road didn't seem that slippery, and I was doing fine driving at a moderate speed and allowing plenty of room to slow down. It still boggles my mind that people don't seem to know how to drive in the snow--it's not like this is an area of the country that doesn't see a lot of snow. You would think people would understand that they need to slow down and take it easy.
After I got to work, I let myself enjoy the snow, safe in the warm building. It continued snowing for a couple more hours, leaving a picture-perfect cover of snow on the landscape. The tree branches are sagging slightly under their coat of snow, and the ground is mostly covered in a thin layer, with only little bits of grass peeking out. It looks like a postcard out there, and it is gorgeous. I love the first snow of the season--no matter how old I get, there is just something so magical about watching the world get clothed in white. This storm was a bit of a surprise, too--for me, anyway. Last I heard, the temperatures were supposed to be in the upper 30s/low 40s, so they were calling for rain, and then only for scattered showers. And instead, we got a few hours of steady snow, everything from thin slivers of flakes to big chunks.
This first snow makes it finally feel like the holidays are upon us. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea that Thanksgiving is only 2 days away. And everyone knows that once Thanksgiving has come and gone, Christmas takes over the world (though it starts its world domination tour shortly after Halloween).
Another reason I know the holidays are here? McDonald's has eggnog shakes back. I am seriously going to have to hold myself back, because I would have one every day if I could--that's how deliciously awesome they are.
Tomorrow morning, we leave to visit Tony's family. We haven't been down there since... well, last Christmas, I suppose. Several of his family members came up for Ari's birthday party in June/July, which was the last we saw them, but we haven't made a visit in almost a year. And it will be a nice long visit, too--from Wednesday through Sunday. I'm a little nervous about how Ari will be. She's always been a great traveler, but now that she's older and more active, I'm not sure how she'll like being strapped in a car for 6+ hours. Last time we traveled with her, she was still on just bottles and baby food, so it was fairly easy to feed her on the road (and she was still a really good eater then). I told Tony I can imagine us stopping for lunch, and her refusing to eat, then crying an hour later because she's hungry. I also told him we should try to find a fast food place with a playground, so she can run around and burn some energy.
I'm also not sure how she'll be with sleeping down there, seeing as bedtime has been such an ordeal the past few days. She'll also be sharing a room with us, which I'm hoping will be a good thing--I'm hoping that our presence in her room will soothe her, rather than disturb her sleep or make her more whiny. We'll see, I suppose.
But no matter what, I know we're going to have a good visit, and Tony's family will love getting to spend time with her. She is so much more interactive now, and she's such a goofball--she's sure to provide some good entertainment, if nothing else.
I'm not sure if we're bringing the laptop with us, but even if we do, I won't be online much. So try not to miss me too much, and don't do anything too exciting while I'm gone. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
Monday, November 19, 2007
The anxiety of being Ari
Last night was another dramatic-bedtime night for Ari, and I think I've figured out the root of all this. I think (in my professional, expert Mom opinion) that she's entered the dreaded Separation Anxiety stage.
I was the one to put her to bed last night, and as I sang her our bedtime song, she was restless in my arms, instead of laying her head on my shoulder like she usually does. It was as though she knew what was coming and was beginning her resistance. When I laid her down, she protested softly, and the second I stepped out of the room, she screamed.
Tony went back in first, and then I took the next turn. I began to sing to her, and she reached for my hand just like the night before. But I left before she was asleep, and the screaming resumed. Tony was finally the one that was able to settle her down by taking a sterner approach--he firmly told her it was bedtime, laid her down, and then stood in the doorway where she could see him, but not reach him. I'm not sure if he stood there until she fell asleep, but whatever he did, it worked.
As we talked later, I was a bit surprised to find out how differently we were handling it. I was taking the much more sentimental approach--deciding to view this as an opportunity to spend a little extra bonding time with her, and wanting to comfort her and settle her completely. Whereas Tony was looking at this more like she was being a brat, and was being much more firm with her and less touchy-feely. I'm not saying either one of us was right or wrong--I just think it's interesting how we differed. My approach worked the previous night--I held her hands and sang to her until she was asleep. But his routine worked last night.
When we compared notes on her behavior, we both came to the same conclusion... it really seems to be a separation issue. We know she's plenty tired enough, so it's not that she's not sleepy. Maybe her teeth are bothering her, but that's one of those "you never can tell" situations. She's had a bit of a runny nose the past couple days, but she doesn't seem truly sick. She has nightlights in her room, so I know it's not the darkness that's freaking her out. When she napped yesterday, Tony made a point of leaving her door open, wondering if maybe that would help her relax (worked then, but not at bedtime). But the clincher is the way she screams the second we leave the room--and calms down the second we reappear, even before we speak or do anything. She just doesn't want us to leave.
And if we had any doubts about the separation anxiety, Ari confirmed it all for me this morning. I dropped her off with Mom--we met in the Ruby Tuesday's parking lot like normal. There have been a few times when I've dropped Ari off with Mom where she's cried once I shut her door and leave. But today, as soon as I started strapping her in the carseat, she began squirming and whining--and then started grabbing onto my clothes, as though she was trying to climb out of the seat. I strapped her in quickly, gave her several quick, noisy kisses on the forehead, and then closed the door and walked away. I didn't want to drag things out with a long goodbye, but I didn't want to be heartless either. I got back in my car, and glanced over to Mom's car. Ari is tall enough now that I can see the top half of her head through the window, and I could see her tear-filled eyes gazing desperately at me, willing me to come back.
I don't think leaving her has ever been as hard as it was in that moment. It's so much easier to leave a kid who could care less that you're leaving (well, maybe harder in the sense that it hurts a little to think that your kid won't even notice you're gone, but you know what I mean). And it's definitely easy to leave a kid who's just being bratty or cranky. But to turn away from those trusting little eyes, that panicky cry, that look of "Don't leave me! Please! Are you ever coming back? Don't leave me!"... well, that just breaks my heart.
My new mantra is going to be, "It's just a phase... It's just a phase." Because it is. But it's hard to know what to do--you don't want to make the problem worse, but how do you know what will make it worse? Do you coddle her and soothe her irrational fears, or do you stand firm on your bedtime routine and let her work it out on her own? I tend to lean more toward the "cry it out" philosophy, but I try to find a balance. I'm not going to be completely heartless and let her scream for hours--I don't mind singing an extra song or 2, or holding her hand. But you have to draw the line somewhere, right? She's been such an excellent sleeper until now--I don't want to "ruin" that.
I can't help but wonder if my status as a "working mom" colors my view on all this. My quality time with her is rare--so when she cries out in the night, just wanting someone beside her, everything in me wants to go to her and let her know that even though I've been gone all day, I'll be there for her at night. Somehow, it feels doubly mean to abandon her all day, and then ignore her at night, too. Ahh, good old Mommy Guilt...
As Tony and I talked last night, we couldn't help but laugh a little at how clueless we felt. Ari has literally been sleeping through the night since she was 2 months old, so when it comes to dealing with a child who refuses to go to bed and wakes up during the night--we are just stumped. And it's a little comical.
At least we can find the humor in all this...
I was the one to put her to bed last night, and as I sang her our bedtime song, she was restless in my arms, instead of laying her head on my shoulder like she usually does. It was as though she knew what was coming and was beginning her resistance. When I laid her down, she protested softly, and the second I stepped out of the room, she screamed.
Tony went back in first, and then I took the next turn. I began to sing to her, and she reached for my hand just like the night before. But I left before she was asleep, and the screaming resumed. Tony was finally the one that was able to settle her down by taking a sterner approach--he firmly told her it was bedtime, laid her down, and then stood in the doorway where she could see him, but not reach him. I'm not sure if he stood there until she fell asleep, but whatever he did, it worked.
As we talked later, I was a bit surprised to find out how differently we were handling it. I was taking the much more sentimental approach--deciding to view this as an opportunity to spend a little extra bonding time with her, and wanting to comfort her and settle her completely. Whereas Tony was looking at this more like she was being a brat, and was being much more firm with her and less touchy-feely. I'm not saying either one of us was right or wrong--I just think it's interesting how we differed. My approach worked the previous night--I held her hands and sang to her until she was asleep. But his routine worked last night.
When we compared notes on her behavior, we both came to the same conclusion... it really seems to be a separation issue. We know she's plenty tired enough, so it's not that she's not sleepy. Maybe her teeth are bothering her, but that's one of those "you never can tell" situations. She's had a bit of a runny nose the past couple days, but she doesn't seem truly sick. She has nightlights in her room, so I know it's not the darkness that's freaking her out. When she napped yesterday, Tony made a point of leaving her door open, wondering if maybe that would help her relax (worked then, but not at bedtime). But the clincher is the way she screams the second we leave the room--and calms down the second we reappear, even before we speak or do anything. She just doesn't want us to leave.
And if we had any doubts about the separation anxiety, Ari confirmed it all for me this morning. I dropped her off with Mom--we met in the Ruby Tuesday's parking lot like normal. There have been a few times when I've dropped Ari off with Mom where she's cried once I shut her door and leave. But today, as soon as I started strapping her in the carseat, she began squirming and whining--and then started grabbing onto my clothes, as though she was trying to climb out of the seat. I strapped her in quickly, gave her several quick, noisy kisses on the forehead, and then closed the door and walked away. I didn't want to drag things out with a long goodbye, but I didn't want to be heartless either. I got back in my car, and glanced over to Mom's car. Ari is tall enough now that I can see the top half of her head through the window, and I could see her tear-filled eyes gazing desperately at me, willing me to come back.
I don't think leaving her has ever been as hard as it was in that moment. It's so much easier to leave a kid who could care less that you're leaving (well, maybe harder in the sense that it hurts a little to think that your kid won't even notice you're gone, but you know what I mean). And it's definitely easy to leave a kid who's just being bratty or cranky. But to turn away from those trusting little eyes, that panicky cry, that look of "Don't leave me! Please! Are you ever coming back? Don't leave me!"... well, that just breaks my heart.
My new mantra is going to be, "It's just a phase... It's just a phase." Because it is. But it's hard to know what to do--you don't want to make the problem worse, but how do you know what will make it worse? Do you coddle her and soothe her irrational fears, or do you stand firm on your bedtime routine and let her work it out on her own? I tend to lean more toward the "cry it out" philosophy, but I try to find a balance. I'm not going to be completely heartless and let her scream for hours--I don't mind singing an extra song or 2, or holding her hand. But you have to draw the line somewhere, right? She's been such an excellent sleeper until now--I don't want to "ruin" that.
I can't help but wonder if my status as a "working mom" colors my view on all this. My quality time with her is rare--so when she cries out in the night, just wanting someone beside her, everything in me wants to go to her and let her know that even though I've been gone all day, I'll be there for her at night. Somehow, it feels doubly mean to abandon her all day, and then ignore her at night, too. Ahh, good old Mommy Guilt...
As Tony and I talked last night, we couldn't help but laugh a little at how clueless we felt. Ari has literally been sleeping through the night since she was 2 months old, so when it comes to dealing with a child who refuses to go to bed and wakes up during the night--we are just stumped. And it's a little comical.
At least we can find the humor in all this...
Saturday, November 17, 2007
I am home, you're my home, stay with me
Much less sappy entry (with Ari videos and a picture of what I swear I always look like at 5 AM) below.
Ari stayed with my parents last night while we were at the all-nighter. I called my mom a little after 8 to see how she was doing, and Mom said she was refusing to go to bed. When I woke up at my parents' house today, I asked Mom what time Ari finally settled down last night, and with a wry laugh, Mom replied, "4:30 in the morning."
Needless to say, I felt awful. Her sleeping patterns have been a little off lately--like she'll wake up briefly once or twice in the night, or have a little trouble settling down--but nothing like that.
So I braced myself for a fight with Ari tonight, and she did not disappoint. No sooner had Tony laid her down than she started screaming--I mean literally screaming like someone was killing her.
We tag-teamed going up to soothe her, waiting certain intervals to see if she would calm herself. On my second turn up there with her, I went through the normal routine--reach down and hug her (without picking her up), speak softly to soothe her, and then lay her down. I decided to sing her a song or 2 to settle her down.
I was partway through the second song, leaning on the side of her crib like I always do, when I noticed her move out of the corner of my eye. I glanced down and saw that she had pulled her hand out from under the blanket and was reaching up towards my hands, which were resting on the crib rail.
I leaned down and gave her my hand. She carefully adjusted both of our hands until she was holding my hand just the way she wanted. And then after a few moments, she moved my hand to her other hand, and reached up again with that first hand. I kept singing, but couldn't hold back the tears as I gave her my other hand. Again, she adjusted the positions of our hands, and then once she was content with that, she visibly relaxed, and let her eyes begin to droop shut.
Sweet as this was, it soon became uncomfortable for me, hunched over like that. I pulled my hands away for a moment as I sat myself down on the floor. Her eyes flew open in alarm, and I reached through the crib slats to grab her one hand with my one hand. But one was still not enough--she reached through the slats for my other hand. We finally "compromised" with me holding her hand with one hand and rubbing her belly with the other hand.
I went through several songs like this, sitting on the floor, singing everything from Disney songs to Broadway showtunes, and choking back tears. It didn't help that most of the songs I was singing were sentimental ones anyway.
I kept thinking of all the things I still had to do before I could go to bed--finish listening to music for church, do the dishes, take a shower, maybe spend some quality time with Tony--but none of that seemed important at the moment. As I looked at her sleepy face in the dim light of the nightlights in her room, I tried to imagine her as a teenager. I could picture myself sneaking into her room at night, smiling tearfully at her sleeping face, and longing for moments like the one I was currently in.
I can listen to church music later. The dishes can wait. And though I would like to get to bed early tonight to make up for my lack of sleep last night, even that doesn't seem like that big of a deal. All that mattered in those moments was the sleepy angel in her crib who apparently wanted and needed nothing more than a hand to hold and a voice to sing her into dreamland.
What an honor that she chose me.
Ari stayed with my parents last night while we were at the all-nighter. I called my mom a little after 8 to see how she was doing, and Mom said she was refusing to go to bed. When I woke up at my parents' house today, I asked Mom what time Ari finally settled down last night, and with a wry laugh, Mom replied, "4:30 in the morning."
Needless to say, I felt awful. Her sleeping patterns have been a little off lately--like she'll wake up briefly once or twice in the night, or have a little trouble settling down--but nothing like that.
So I braced myself for a fight with Ari tonight, and she did not disappoint. No sooner had Tony laid her down than she started screaming--I mean literally screaming like someone was killing her.
We tag-teamed going up to soothe her, waiting certain intervals to see if she would calm herself. On my second turn up there with her, I went through the normal routine--reach down and hug her (without picking her up), speak softly to soothe her, and then lay her down. I decided to sing her a song or 2 to settle her down.
I was partway through the second song, leaning on the side of her crib like I always do, when I noticed her move out of the corner of my eye. I glanced down and saw that she had pulled her hand out from under the blanket and was reaching up towards my hands, which were resting on the crib rail.
I leaned down and gave her my hand. She carefully adjusted both of our hands until she was holding my hand just the way she wanted. And then after a few moments, she moved my hand to her other hand, and reached up again with that first hand. I kept singing, but couldn't hold back the tears as I gave her my other hand. Again, she adjusted the positions of our hands, and then once she was content with that, she visibly relaxed, and let her eyes begin to droop shut.
Sweet as this was, it soon became uncomfortable for me, hunched over like that. I pulled my hands away for a moment as I sat myself down on the floor. Her eyes flew open in alarm, and I reached through the crib slats to grab her one hand with my one hand. But one was still not enough--she reached through the slats for my other hand. We finally "compromised" with me holding her hand with one hand and rubbing her belly with the other hand.
I went through several songs like this, sitting on the floor, singing everything from Disney songs to Broadway showtunes, and choking back tears. It didn't help that most of the songs I was singing were sentimental ones anyway.
I kept thinking of all the things I still had to do before I could go to bed--finish listening to music for church, do the dishes, take a shower, maybe spend some quality time with Tony--but none of that seemed important at the moment. As I looked at her sleepy face in the dim light of the nightlights in her room, I tried to imagine her as a teenager. I could picture myself sneaking into her room at night, smiling tearfully at her sleeping face, and longing for moments like the one I was currently in.
I can listen to church music later. The dishes can wait. And though I would like to get to bed early tonight to make up for my lack of sleep last night, even that doesn't seem like that big of a deal. All that mattered in those moments was the sleepy angel in her crib who apparently wanted and needed nothing more than a hand to hold and a voice to sing her into dreamland.
What an honor that she chose me.
Survival of the awake-iest *EDIT*
I survived the all-nighter.
See?
That's me (and a teen who did not want her picture taken) at 5 AM, with only one hour to go.
Hooray for all-nighters. Yay.
Now excuse me while I go pass out somewhere...
********** EDIT **********
OK, I'm back. Not much to say, so I'm going to post a few Ari videos. Hope you don't mind.
Here she is, saying "Ow," "Hi," "Go" (and yes, she always says it in that commanding tone of voice) and "Move" (kind of). And then she starts saying, "Me me me me" because she wants to play with the light switch.
Here she is throwing her stuffed pumpkin. This is how she throws things--it's almost as if they leave her hand accidentally, and she can't quite figure out how it happens. And then she does what I've dubbed her "demon-child scream"--it's this unearthly-sounding scream that she does when she's in a silly mood, and it always makes her end up coughing. (Also, don't mind her messy hair, her missing sock, and her scrunched-up pant leg--she had just woken up from a nap and I didn't think to make her look presentable before filming. Someday, she will hate me for this.)
And last of all... Here she is spinning in circles. Goofy kid.
********** END EDIT **********
See?
That's me (and a teen who did not want her picture taken) at 5 AM, with only one hour to go.
Hooray for all-nighters. Yay.
Now excuse me while I go pass out somewhere...
********** EDIT **********
OK, I'm back. Not much to say, so I'm going to post a few Ari videos. Hope you don't mind.
Here she is, saying "Ow," "Hi," "Go" (and yes, she always says it in that commanding tone of voice) and "Move" (kind of). And then she starts saying, "Me me me me" because she wants to play with the light switch.
Here she is throwing her stuffed pumpkin. This is how she throws things--it's almost as if they leave her hand accidentally, and she can't quite figure out how it happens. And then she does what I've dubbed her "demon-child scream"--it's this unearthly-sounding scream that she does when she's in a silly mood, and it always makes her end up coughing. (Also, don't mind her messy hair, her missing sock, and her scrunched-up pant leg--she had just woken up from a nap and I didn't think to make her look presentable before filming. Someday, she will hate me for this.)
And last of all... Here she is spinning in circles. Goofy kid.
********** END EDIT **********
Thursday, November 15, 2007
My mouth hurts (and other nonsense)
I bit the inside of my cheek really hard yesterday when I was eating lunch. And it really hurts right now. Just thought you would like to know.
* * * * * * * * * *
Yesterday, someone brought in chocolate chip cookies, and today, someone brought in a blueberry streusel coffeecake. With the holidays around the corner, this is probably just the beginning of the constant parade of various goodies.
I need some willpower. I needed it 5-cookies-and-a-large-slice-of-coffeecake ago.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tomorrow night is our annual huge all-nighter teen activity. Starts at 6 PM (roughly) and ends at 6 AM the following morning. It's not just our church who does it--another organization puts it all together, and there are thousands of teens there. It all starts with a hockey game, then a rally with a bunch of goofy games and prize and a short message from a speaker, then off to do 2 of the following: open gym, roller skating, or bowling.
Usually I look forward to this event, but this year, for some reason, I just can't get excited about it. I'm sure I'll be fine once I get there, but I must be getting old, because the thought of staying up all night is so unappealing. We've done this event for the past 6 or 7 years, and I've always had a good time--hey, just about anything seems hilarious at 3 AM when you're all hopped up on caffeine and sugar. And if you can make it past that low point around 2 AM or so when you feel too sleepy to go on, staying up all night really isn't that bad.
One of the "rules" we always have is that no one is allowed to sleep--Tony and I always give the teens a hard time when they get sleepy, because we say, "Hey, we're older than you--if we can stay up all night, then so can you!" It's all in good fun, but I know I will never, ever hear the end of it (from Tony AND the teens) if I try to sneak off somewhere to sleep.
The good news is that my mom said she can watch Ari during the day on Saturday, so that we can sleep. But since I'm giving my brother a ride home, I'll probably end up sleeping at my parents' house. I'm sure at that point, I won't care where I am, just as long as I'm sleeping.
* * * * * * * * * *
I have more Ari videos waiting to be uploaded, but they are at home and I am not. I was wanting to get them online tonight, but I think I have too much to do for that to happen. Which makes this whole paragraph pretty pointless and a lame way to end this entry.
Oh well.
* * * * * * * * * *
Yesterday, someone brought in chocolate chip cookies, and today, someone brought in a blueberry streusel coffeecake. With the holidays around the corner, this is probably just the beginning of the constant parade of various goodies.
I need some willpower. I needed it 5-cookies-and-a-large-slice-of-coffeecake ago.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tomorrow night is our annual huge all-nighter teen activity. Starts at 6 PM (roughly) and ends at 6 AM the following morning. It's not just our church who does it--another organization puts it all together, and there are thousands of teens there. It all starts with a hockey game, then a rally with a bunch of goofy games and prize and a short message from a speaker, then off to do 2 of the following: open gym, roller skating, or bowling.
Usually I look forward to this event, but this year, for some reason, I just can't get excited about it. I'm sure I'll be fine once I get there, but I must be getting old, because the thought of staying up all night is so unappealing. We've done this event for the past 6 or 7 years, and I've always had a good time--hey, just about anything seems hilarious at 3 AM when you're all hopped up on caffeine and sugar. And if you can make it past that low point around 2 AM or so when you feel too sleepy to go on, staying up all night really isn't that bad.
One of the "rules" we always have is that no one is allowed to sleep--Tony and I always give the teens a hard time when they get sleepy, because we say, "Hey, we're older than you--if we can stay up all night, then so can you!" It's all in good fun, but I know I will never, ever hear the end of it (from Tony AND the teens) if I try to sneak off somewhere to sleep.
The good news is that my mom said she can watch Ari during the day on Saturday, so that we can sleep. But since I'm giving my brother a ride home, I'll probably end up sleeping at my parents' house. I'm sure at that point, I won't care where I am, just as long as I'm sleeping.
* * * * * * * * * *
I have more Ari videos waiting to be uploaded, but they are at home and I am not. I was wanting to get them online tonight, but I think I have too much to do for that to happen. Which makes this whole paragraph pretty pointless and a lame way to end this entry.
Oh well.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Ball Popper Binky *EDIT*
***** EDIT *****
OK, here are the videos I promised...
In this first one, you'll hear her say "doggie." Then she sees the light switch and wants it, so she comes to beg me to pick her up, but then gets distracted by the drawstrings on my sweats. Then she walks away because she hears the dogs come downstairs.
In this one, you'll hear her say "kitty" and "doggie." Then she goes to "pet" Ivan (which, for some reason, involves her sticking her hand in his mouth). Then when he walks away, she chucks my cell phone at him to get his attention.
And this is just a video of her climbing the stairs. I'm not sure why she's doing it so slowly (stage fright, maybe?)--usually, she's very quick. Also, the weird sounds you hear in the background are our very creaky stairs (makes it impossible to sneak up on anyone).
And that's all, folks!
***** END EDIT *****
Ari and I had a fun day yesterday. She really is such a joy to be around now--except for the moments of whining, which are to be expected at this age. She is turning into such a little character. I remember the days when I had to entertain her--making an idiot out of myself to get her to crack one little gummy smile. Now, she smiles and laughs all on her own--and sometimes I have no idea what is so amusing to her.
She learned a new "trick" yesterday which very nearly drove me nuts for a while. She has this ball popper toy that she loves...
Yesterday, she decided it would be great fun to drop her pacifier down the vertical yellow chute. Of course, as soon as she did this, she realized the problem she had caused for herself, and then she whined quite desperately until I fished it out for her.
You see where this is going, don't you?
She kept repeating the trick over and over and over--sometimes tossing the pacifier back in only moments after I'd retrieved it for her. Finally, I got tired of getting it for her, and told her, "Well, get it out yourself then."
She paused the whining, looking at me intently as though she was translating what I was saying, and then she reached her skinny little arm into the chute. In a matter of seconds--victory! She had her pacifier back, and I had my sanity back.
I'm sure you still see where this is going.
Again, the binky went down the chute. And again she whined. And again I told her, "Get it yourself." And again, she contemplated, and then completed the task.
But the problem was, the knowledge that she could get it back herself was not enough to keep her from whining every single time the pacifier went down the chute. And she wouldn't stop whining until I specifically told her, "Get it yourself." And except for the couple times it was too far down for her to reach (or the couple times she decided to throw other balls in on top of it), she got it each and every time. What a goofball.
She also used a few new words yesterday. One was "Go," said quite forcefully and usually when the dogs were around. I think she hears us always telling the dogs to "Go upstairs" or "Go potty" and things like that, and has taken it upon herself to start ordering them around. She certainly has no qualms about giving them a gentle shove when they are in her way--and sometimes she even adds "Move" for good measure.
She also used the word "Ow!"--yelling it every single time. I was feeding her in her highchair, and I think I might have said "Ow" once when she kicked me. So naturally, she had to repeat it 15,372 times, each time at full volume, and sometimes even slurring the words together so that it came out, "Ow-wow-wow-wow."
I was watching some recent videos I'd taken of her last night, and had her on my lap while we watched. She just grinned and grinned at herself, pointing happily at the screen. At one point on a video, I was saying, "Can you say 'doggie'?" Right before she heard herself say it on the video, she piped up, "Doggie!" She did it again for "kitty" too, and I was cracking up. I had a harder time getting her to say those words on video than I did getting her to say them while watching and hardly even trying.
Another thing I need to remember to get a video of is the way she spins in circles. She'll just stand in one spot and go around and around--not very fast, but apparently fast enough to make herself a bit dizzy. After she's made several rounds, she'll stop, and I swear you can see her eyes rolling around in her head. Sometimes she'll even stumble a bit and have to catch her balance. Tony says it's a sign that she'll be a daredevil thrillseeker someday--always looking for the next "rush." She also walks backwards every once in a while too--again, who knows why.
I'll probably be back later (once I'm home) to post a few more videos. So until then...
OK, here are the videos I promised...
In this first one, you'll hear her say "doggie." Then she sees the light switch and wants it, so she comes to beg me to pick her up, but then gets distracted by the drawstrings on my sweats. Then she walks away because she hears the dogs come downstairs.
In this one, you'll hear her say "kitty" and "doggie." Then she goes to "pet" Ivan (which, for some reason, involves her sticking her hand in his mouth). Then when he walks away, she chucks my cell phone at him to get his attention.
And this is just a video of her climbing the stairs. I'm not sure why she's doing it so slowly (stage fright, maybe?)--usually, she's very quick. Also, the weird sounds you hear in the background are our very creaky stairs (makes it impossible to sneak up on anyone).
And that's all, folks!
***** END EDIT *****
Ari and I had a fun day yesterday. She really is such a joy to be around now--except for the moments of whining, which are to be expected at this age. She is turning into such a little character. I remember the days when I had to entertain her--making an idiot out of myself to get her to crack one little gummy smile. Now, she smiles and laughs all on her own--and sometimes I have no idea what is so amusing to her.
She learned a new "trick" yesterday which very nearly drove me nuts for a while. She has this ball popper toy that she loves...
Yesterday, she decided it would be great fun to drop her pacifier down the vertical yellow chute. Of course, as soon as she did this, she realized the problem she had caused for herself, and then she whined quite desperately until I fished it out for her.
You see where this is going, don't you?
She kept repeating the trick over and over and over--sometimes tossing the pacifier back in only moments after I'd retrieved it for her. Finally, I got tired of getting it for her, and told her, "Well, get it out yourself then."
She paused the whining, looking at me intently as though she was translating what I was saying, and then she reached her skinny little arm into the chute. In a matter of seconds--victory! She had her pacifier back, and I had my sanity back.
I'm sure you still see where this is going.
Again, the binky went down the chute. And again she whined. And again I told her, "Get it yourself." And again, she contemplated, and then completed the task.
But the problem was, the knowledge that she could get it back herself was not enough to keep her from whining every single time the pacifier went down the chute. And she wouldn't stop whining until I specifically told her, "Get it yourself." And except for the couple times it was too far down for her to reach (or the couple times she decided to throw other balls in on top of it), she got it each and every time. What a goofball.
She also used a few new words yesterday. One was "Go," said quite forcefully and usually when the dogs were around. I think she hears us always telling the dogs to "Go upstairs" or "Go potty" and things like that, and has taken it upon herself to start ordering them around. She certainly has no qualms about giving them a gentle shove when they are in her way--and sometimes she even adds "Move" for good measure.
She also used the word "Ow!"--yelling it every single time. I was feeding her in her highchair, and I think I might have said "Ow" once when she kicked me. So naturally, she had to repeat it 15,372 times, each time at full volume, and sometimes even slurring the words together so that it came out, "Ow-wow-wow-wow."
I was watching some recent videos I'd taken of her last night, and had her on my lap while we watched. She just grinned and grinned at herself, pointing happily at the screen. At one point on a video, I was saying, "Can you say 'doggie'?" Right before she heard herself say it on the video, she piped up, "Doggie!" She did it again for "kitty" too, and I was cracking up. I had a harder time getting her to say those words on video than I did getting her to say them while watching and hardly even trying.
Another thing I need to remember to get a video of is the way she spins in circles. She'll just stand in one spot and go around and around--not very fast, but apparently fast enough to make herself a bit dizzy. After she's made several rounds, she'll stop, and I swear you can see her eyes rolling around in her head. Sometimes she'll even stumble a bit and have to catch her balance. Tony says it's a sign that she'll be a daredevil thrillseeker someday--always looking for the next "rush." She also walks backwards every once in a while too--again, who knows why.
I'll probably be back later (once I'm home) to post a few more videos. So until then...
Monday, November 12, 2007
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
I'm home from work today (Veterans Day holiday), and though I had intentions of going to the mall and working on a little Christmas shopping, it was much easier to just stay home with Ari and lounge around the house. And you'll be happy to know I'm doing a very good job at being lazy.
Saturday morning I joined my mom for a ladies' seminar at her church. It included both a continental breakfast and lunch, which were delicious. I had a good time hanging out with my mom, and getting to see some people I rarely see anymore. It's the church I grew up in, so even though many people have come and gone over the years, there are still several that I have known since childhood.
Saturday afternoon, Tony and Wayne headed to New York City for a semi-impromptu trip to see a Christian concert. We were at a concert a week or so ago with a group from our church, and naturally, they were heavily promoting the next concert on their schedule. Wayne mentioned that he'd love to go, and Tony chimed in with, "Hey, I'll go with you!" So they were off. Of course they got home really late, but Tony said they had a great time.
Sunday was church as always, and then we rushed out right after church for yet another concert--this time, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Brandon and Kerry went last year, and loved it, so this year, they got a little group together--it was them, us, and Pastor and Dawn that all went together. The concert was held in the arena of a casino that was nearly an hour away, which is why we had to bolt right after church to make it to the 2:30 show on time. We were cutting it a little close, but fortunately, the show started a little late, and when we got to our seats, we actually had a couple minutes to spare before the show started.
Let me just say--the show was incredible. Everything, from the special effects (lights, lasers, and even some pyrotechnics) to the energy of all the musicians to the music itself was just stunning. I've only ever heard a couple of their songs, but now I definitely want to get a CD or 2 of theirs.
If you're familiar at all with the TSO, it's probably because of this video. I saw it last year when it was circulating the Internet, and I think it was even featured in a TV commercial...
There was also another song that was a medley of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "The Carol of the Bells" that was familiar to me (I think its actual title is "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo"). They did a version of Pachelbel's Canon in D that was fantastic too--I've always loved that song (even used it in my wedding). The entire concert was nearly 3 hours long, with no intermission. There was one part where they introduced all the band members, so I guess maybe that counted as a type of intermission (I saw a lot of people leaving), but I didn't want to leave and miss any of the show. The show was 90% Christmas music, but during the last part, they did their own version of some familiar tunes, so it was fun to hear some music that I knew. All in all, it was a fabulous show--I highly recommend it.
I'll end with a couple Ari videos--nothing too spectacular. I've been trying to get more little clips of her lately--for my own sake, more than anything. Anyway, in this first one, Tony was making her laugh. Ignore my horrible voice in the beginning--this was when I had that horrendous cold.
And in this one, I got her to do "So big!"
I have more videos to upload, so I'll save them for another day.
Saturday morning I joined my mom for a ladies' seminar at her church. It included both a continental breakfast and lunch, which were delicious. I had a good time hanging out with my mom, and getting to see some people I rarely see anymore. It's the church I grew up in, so even though many people have come and gone over the years, there are still several that I have known since childhood.
Saturday afternoon, Tony and Wayne headed to New York City for a semi-impromptu trip to see a Christian concert. We were at a concert a week or so ago with a group from our church, and naturally, they were heavily promoting the next concert on their schedule. Wayne mentioned that he'd love to go, and Tony chimed in with, "Hey, I'll go with you!" So they were off. Of course they got home really late, but Tony said they had a great time.
Sunday was church as always, and then we rushed out right after church for yet another concert--this time, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Brandon and Kerry went last year, and loved it, so this year, they got a little group together--it was them, us, and Pastor and Dawn that all went together. The concert was held in the arena of a casino that was nearly an hour away, which is why we had to bolt right after church to make it to the 2:30 show on time. We were cutting it a little close, but fortunately, the show started a little late, and when we got to our seats, we actually had a couple minutes to spare before the show started.
Let me just say--the show was incredible. Everything, from the special effects (lights, lasers, and even some pyrotechnics) to the energy of all the musicians to the music itself was just stunning. I've only ever heard a couple of their songs, but now I definitely want to get a CD or 2 of theirs.
If you're familiar at all with the TSO, it's probably because of this video. I saw it last year when it was circulating the Internet, and I think it was even featured in a TV commercial...
There was also another song that was a medley of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "The Carol of the Bells" that was familiar to me (I think its actual title is "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo"). They did a version of Pachelbel's Canon in D that was fantastic too--I've always loved that song (even used it in my wedding). The entire concert was nearly 3 hours long, with no intermission. There was one part where they introduced all the band members, so I guess maybe that counted as a type of intermission (I saw a lot of people leaving), but I didn't want to leave and miss any of the show. The show was 90% Christmas music, but during the last part, they did their own version of some familiar tunes, so it was fun to hear some music that I knew. All in all, it was a fabulous show--I highly recommend it.
I'll end with a couple Ari videos--nothing too spectacular. I've been trying to get more little clips of her lately--for my own sake, more than anything. Anyway, in this first one, Tony was making her laugh. Ignore my horrible voice in the beginning--this was when I had that horrendous cold.
And in this one, I got her to do "So big!"
I have more videos to upload, so I'll save them for another day.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Just an Ari report *EDIT*
***** EDIT *****
Guess who, just today, learned how to climb out of her crib?
Life as I know it is OVER.
***** END EDIT *****
I feel like it's been a while since I've done an Ari update, so here goes.
First of all, she is recovering from that nasty cold quite nicely. She still sounds a bit hoarse, but she is definitely back to her usual, mischievous self. And I swear, because she went a few days without eating much, I think she has lost weight--when I put diapers on her, I can overlap the sticky tabs a lot more than I used to be able to. Like this kid can really afford to lose weight.
She's officially learned a couple new words--one of them being "kitty." Mary, the babysitter, has a cat, so that's obviously where she picked it up from. She enunciates it so carefully when she says it, too--with 2 very distinct syllables. Every time we're at home and I try to get her to say it, she'll look at one of the dogs, and then look back at me with this slightly puzzled face, as if to say, "Uh, Mom? That's not a kitty."
Her other new word is "me," which she uses to tell us that she wants something. It's always said with great urgency and drama, as if she will die in a matter of moments if she does not get that thing right now. And she never says it just once--it's always a string of "me me me me me," increasing in volume and intensity until she gets whatever it is she wants. I suppose this is the precursor to "mine." It's incredibly cute and annoying all at the same time.
She's been practicing a lot of new sounds, one being the "s" sound. She says "iss" and "ish" a lot. Sometimes it seems like she's trying to say "this" because she is sometimes pointing at something as she says it. And sometimes it sounds a lot like a certain 4-letter "s" word. I suppose we are nearing that stage where we have to start being careful what we say in front of her.
Even though she doesn't know a whole lot of words yet, she definitely understands a lot. If you tell her to go get something or ask her where something is, 90% of the time, she will look around and then bring you the object. She does this for her bottle, binky, cup, Belle, our cell phones, the remotes, etc. I'm sure some of it may have to do with us helping her out by pointing at the object, but a lot of the time, it will be something out of sight (around a corner or something) and she will go find it. And because she's so good at it, it's become a game--we keep throwing in new objects, to see if she can figure out what we mean. She usually takes the task quite seriously (putting on her Very Serious face), which makes it even more entertaining for us. We tried to teach the dogs to fetch, but neither one of them ever really got it. I knew there was a reason we had a kid.
We've been working on body parts with her, and she can find her belly and her mouth so far. If you ask her to find her nose, she usually points at her mouth again. Close, kid, but no.
She's also learned how to play "So big"--you ask her, "How big is Ari?" and she'll raise her hands high over her head as you exclaim, "So big!" And then she grins this cheesy grin like she's all proud of herself. Listen, kiddo, when you can actually say the "So big!" part by yourself, then I'll be impressed.
She gives hugs more regularly now, and even kisses sometimes, but the kissing thing seems to still be causing some confusion. The other night, I asked her to give me a kiss goodnight, and pointed at my cheek to show her where. Her response was to take her tiny little finger and poke me in the cheek. I can see how she would draw that conclusion based on what I was doing, so apparently, we will have to think of some other way to get her to give kisses.
Tony called me today, and said, "Your daughter--" (any sentence that starts with "your daughter" instead of "our daughter" spells trouble) "--has learned how to unbuckle the straps on her highchair." He said he took the tray off the highchair and took it in the kitchen to clean it off, and when he turned around, she was standing up in the highchair, peeking over the back. I just told him as long as she doesn't figure out how to get out of her carseat, we'll be fine. (I hope I didn't just jinx us.)
Guess who, just today, learned how to climb out of her crib?
Life as I know it is OVER.
***** END EDIT *****
I feel like it's been a while since I've done an Ari update, so here goes.
First of all, she is recovering from that nasty cold quite nicely. She still sounds a bit hoarse, but she is definitely back to her usual, mischievous self. And I swear, because she went a few days without eating much, I think she has lost weight--when I put diapers on her, I can overlap the sticky tabs a lot more than I used to be able to. Like this kid can really afford to lose weight.
She's officially learned a couple new words--one of them being "kitty." Mary, the babysitter, has a cat, so that's obviously where she picked it up from. She enunciates it so carefully when she says it, too--with 2 very distinct syllables. Every time we're at home and I try to get her to say it, she'll look at one of the dogs, and then look back at me with this slightly puzzled face, as if to say, "Uh, Mom? That's not a kitty."
Her other new word is "me," which she uses to tell us that she wants something. It's always said with great urgency and drama, as if she will die in a matter of moments if she does not get that thing right now. And she never says it just once--it's always a string of "me me me me me," increasing in volume and intensity until she gets whatever it is she wants. I suppose this is the precursor to "mine." It's incredibly cute and annoying all at the same time.
She's been practicing a lot of new sounds, one being the "s" sound. She says "iss" and "ish" a lot. Sometimes it seems like she's trying to say "this" because she is sometimes pointing at something as she says it. And sometimes it sounds a lot like a certain 4-letter "s" word. I suppose we are nearing that stage where we have to start being careful what we say in front of her.
Even though she doesn't know a whole lot of words yet, she definitely understands a lot. If you tell her to go get something or ask her where something is, 90% of the time, she will look around and then bring you the object. She does this for her bottle, binky, cup, Belle, our cell phones, the remotes, etc. I'm sure some of it may have to do with us helping her out by pointing at the object, but a lot of the time, it will be something out of sight (around a corner or something) and she will go find it. And because she's so good at it, it's become a game--we keep throwing in new objects, to see if she can figure out what we mean. She usually takes the task quite seriously (putting on her Very Serious face), which makes it even more entertaining for us. We tried to teach the dogs to fetch, but neither one of them ever really got it. I knew there was a reason we had a kid.
We've been working on body parts with her, and she can find her belly and her mouth so far. If you ask her to find her nose, she usually points at her mouth again. Close, kid, but no.
She's also learned how to play "So big"--you ask her, "How big is Ari?" and she'll raise her hands high over her head as you exclaim, "So big!" And then she grins this cheesy grin like she's all proud of herself. Listen, kiddo, when you can actually say the "So big!" part by yourself, then I'll be impressed.
She gives hugs more regularly now, and even kisses sometimes, but the kissing thing seems to still be causing some confusion. The other night, I asked her to give me a kiss goodnight, and pointed at my cheek to show her where. Her response was to take her tiny little finger and poke me in the cheek. I can see how she would draw that conclusion based on what I was doing, so apparently, we will have to think of some other way to get her to give kisses.
Tony called me today, and said, "Your daughter--" (any sentence that starts with "your daughter" instead of "our daughter" spells trouble) "--has learned how to unbuckle the straps on her highchair." He said he took the tray off the highchair and took it in the kitchen to clean it off, and when he turned around, she was standing up in the highchair, peeking over the back. I just told him as long as she doesn't figure out how to get out of her carseat, we'll be fine. (I hope I didn't just jinx us.)
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Pay it forward
I was in Target the other day, buying a few necessary items--diapers, body wash, things like that. As I waited for the cashier to ring up my purchases, I noticed a man get in line behind me. The reason he caught my eye was because he was in uniform. I wish I could tell you what branch of the military it was, but I'm not that familiar with all the uniforms--I'm going to guess Army, since it was an all-camouflage uniform with a baseball-style cap (not really a baseball cap, but you know what I mean). He looked to be about my age, perhaps a bit older. I stole a glance at his items, and saw that he had only a few--a rubber ducky (aww, he's a daddy), wrapping paper, and a bottle of water. There may have been 1 or 2 other items, but I was trying to be discreet.
An idea entered my head, and instantly, my heart began to pound and I could feel my face redden (why? I don't know). I swiped my debit card, paid, and then plunged headfirst with my spur-of-the-moment idea.
"If it's OK with you," I said, directing my words at the cashier but glancing at the man behind me as I spoke, "I'd like to pay for his items." I thought I would pass out from the heart-pounding nervousness in my chest.
The man instantly spoke up, with the polished, polite voice of a military man: "Oh, no really, I can't let you do that."
"Well, I'm doing it, so tough luck," I replied with a smile, hoping to sound lighthearted and teasing, rather than rude. I added, "I really appreciate your service to our country, and I want you to know that."
The cashier began scanning his items, while he quietly protested again, and then, recognizing defeat, said, "I really appreciate this."
"Well, I really appreciate your service to our country, so this is my way of saying thank you."
The total was $15 and some change--I swiped my debit card again, and in a moment, we were both on our way. Naturally, we ended up walking out the door together. He continued to express his gratitude, and I continued to reply by expressing mine, wanting him to know that a measly $15 purchase was nothing to me, compared to what he sacrifices by being in our nation's military.
As we parted ways, I couldn't help but think of the people I know personally who are in the military--my brother is in the Air Force, an old college friend is in the Army (and in Iraq right now), an old high school friend is an Air Force Chaplain (and also in Iraq right now). Maybe I felt that this small act was a way of honoring them.
I tell this story not to toot my own horn, but to hopefully encourage some of you to do what you can to support our troops. Whether or not you agree with the war or our president is not the point--the point is, there are thousands of men and women who put their life on the line every day. They need our support and encouragement. They need to know that someone out there, even a total stranger, appreciates that this life they have chosen is not easy.
The holidays are coming--that time of year when we all feel a little more generous, a little more willing to give of ourselves. All I ask is that as you shop for friends and family and plan your parties and festivities, take a moment to think of those who will not be with their families. And if you can, do more than think--act. Send a card, make a package--something.
I guarantee that you won't regret it.
An idea entered my head, and instantly, my heart began to pound and I could feel my face redden (why? I don't know). I swiped my debit card, paid, and then plunged headfirst with my spur-of-the-moment idea.
"If it's OK with you," I said, directing my words at the cashier but glancing at the man behind me as I spoke, "I'd like to pay for his items." I thought I would pass out from the heart-pounding nervousness in my chest.
The man instantly spoke up, with the polished, polite voice of a military man: "Oh, no really, I can't let you do that."
"Well, I'm doing it, so tough luck," I replied with a smile, hoping to sound lighthearted and teasing, rather than rude. I added, "I really appreciate your service to our country, and I want you to know that."
The cashier began scanning his items, while he quietly protested again, and then, recognizing defeat, said, "I really appreciate this."
"Well, I really appreciate your service to our country, so this is my way of saying thank you."
The total was $15 and some change--I swiped my debit card again, and in a moment, we were both on our way. Naturally, we ended up walking out the door together. He continued to express his gratitude, and I continued to reply by expressing mine, wanting him to know that a measly $15 purchase was nothing to me, compared to what he sacrifices by being in our nation's military.
As we parted ways, I couldn't help but think of the people I know personally who are in the military--my brother is in the Air Force, an old college friend is in the Army (and in Iraq right now), an old high school friend is an Air Force Chaplain (and also in Iraq right now). Maybe I felt that this small act was a way of honoring them.
I tell this story not to toot my own horn, but to hopefully encourage some of you to do what you can to support our troops. Whether or not you agree with the war or our president is not the point--the point is, there are thousands of men and women who put their life on the line every day. They need our support and encouragement. They need to know that someone out there, even a total stranger, appreciates that this life they have chosen is not easy.
The holidays are coming--that time of year when we all feel a little more generous, a little more willing to give of ourselves. All I ask is that as you shop for friends and family and plan your parties and festivities, take a moment to think of those who will not be with their families. And if you can, do more than think--act. Send a card, make a package--something.
I guarantee that you won't regret it.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
On the mend
Ari and I both seem to be on the mend. I'm back at work today, feeling like my head is going to explode, but that's probably mostly from sitting down and not moving much all day. Mostly I just feel tired--that dragging, exhausted-type of tired you feel when you're sick. Ari was in a good mood this morning when I woke her up, and she didn't sound as congested as I thought she would be after a whole night of laying down. Tony just picked her up from the babysitter's and called to give me the report--she had a great day, and even ate well for Mary (no surprise, since she always eats well for Mary). I'm sure she'll be good as new by tomorrow or so, while it will take my old body a few more days to shake this off.
Tony was complaining of a scratchy throat last night. I hope he's not getting this too.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tomorrow night we have our first interview with the people from the co-op place. I suppose I should be nervous, but I'm actually looking forward to taking another step in this process. It just seems like it's been dragging out for so long. We will be meeting in the empty unit, so that's part of the reason I'm looking forward to it--we'll get to see the place we'll (hopefully) be moving into. We had friends who had a 3-bedroom unit (that's how we found out about this development in the first place), so I've seen their place, but haven't seen a 2-bedroom unit. But again, even if it's the same size as what we have now, or a smidge smaller, it has a full, finished basment and a garage, so the extra storage will be awesome. Not to mention the way-cheaper rent.
So wish us luck with our interview. I figure if nothing else, Ari will surely charm the pants off them. How can they say no to us once they see her gorgeous face?
* * * * * * * * * *
As of today, it is officially just ONE MONTH until I get to go see Wicked. And as of tomorrow, it will be LESS THAN one month.
I'm only a little excited. Can you tell?
* * * * * * * * * *
I cleaned my rings last night, and I have to say, every time I clean them, I am just blown away by my diamond solitaire. I mean, this sucker is already over 10 years old, and it still takes my breath away when it gets all shined up. I've been sneaking glances at it all day, and even tilting my hand to make it catch the light.
Tony did a fantastic job. I love this ring as much today as I did on the day he gave it to me.
(Funny story about that day--I was so swept away by the emotion of the moment when he proposed, that it was a full 5 minutes or so before I even looked at the ring. He asked, I said yes, he slipped the ring on my finger, we kissed, then hugged and stood in the spot... until finally I gasped, "Oh, I didn't even look at the ring yet!"
At least he knows I didn't just say yes because of the rock.)
Tony was complaining of a scratchy throat last night. I hope he's not getting this too.
* * * * * * * * * *
Tomorrow night we have our first interview with the people from the co-op place. I suppose I should be nervous, but I'm actually looking forward to taking another step in this process. It just seems like it's been dragging out for so long. We will be meeting in the empty unit, so that's part of the reason I'm looking forward to it--we'll get to see the place we'll (hopefully) be moving into. We had friends who had a 3-bedroom unit (that's how we found out about this development in the first place), so I've seen their place, but haven't seen a 2-bedroom unit. But again, even if it's the same size as what we have now, or a smidge smaller, it has a full, finished basment and a garage, so the extra storage will be awesome. Not to mention the way-cheaper rent.
So wish us luck with our interview. I figure if nothing else, Ari will surely charm the pants off them. How can they say no to us once they see her gorgeous face?
* * * * * * * * * *
As of today, it is officially just ONE MONTH until I get to go see Wicked. And as of tomorrow, it will be LESS THAN one month.
I'm only a little excited. Can you tell?
* * * * * * * * * *
I cleaned my rings last night, and I have to say, every time I clean them, I am just blown away by my diamond solitaire. I mean, this sucker is already over 10 years old, and it still takes my breath away when it gets all shined up. I've been sneaking glances at it all day, and even tilting my hand to make it catch the light.
Tony did a fantastic job. I love this ring as much today as I did on the day he gave it to me.
(Funny story about that day--I was so swept away by the emotion of the moment when he proposed, that it was a full 5 minutes or so before I even looked at the ring. He asked, I said yes, he slipped the ring on my finger, we kissed, then hugged and stood in the spot... until finally I gasped, "Oh, I didn't even look at the ring yet!"
At least he knows I didn't just say yes because of the rock.)
Sunday, November 4, 2007
The saddest sound I've ever heard
It's been a busy weekend. We had a church dinner on Friday night, and the food was amazing. Plus they sent us home with leftovers, which was great. Anything that means I don't have to cook is great.
I woke up Saturday morning and could feel a cold coming on--fantastic. What a way to start the weekend. I took Ari to my parents' house in the afternoon, since Tony and I were going to concert in the evening. Mom called about halfway through the concert to tell us that Ari was sick--she said Ari had a hacking cough and was waking up every hour after they put her to bed. The way things worked out, because we got out of the concert so late, we ended up leaving Ari at my parents' house for the night, which I felt so bad about.
This morning, Tony went to get her, and Mom said that Ari had been up every hour all night--and Dad was the one who got up with her. Mom even said that sometimes when she woke up, she called, "Guh-guh" (her word for "Grampa") in this pitiful little voice. I think my parents deserve a spot in the Sainthood Hall of Fame for dealing with a sick toddler all night last night.
I went to church ahead of Tony, and he arrived just before church started, and kept Ari with him, rather than putting her in the nursery and infecting all the other kids. As soon as the music portion of the service was done (I lead the Praise Team, and we were doing a new song today, so I couldn't bail on them), I took Ari home.
Aside from a few head colds, Ari has never been this sick. And this is the first time she's gotten a chest cold. Dad says she has bronchitis. You can hear the hoarseness in her voice when she talks, and every so often, she'll cough really hard and then cry. And even her cry is all raspy and broken up. It is truly the saddest sound I've ever heard.
She's been really sweet in spite of not feeling well--in other words, extra cuddly. And of course, her eating has been worse than usual (meaning she's barely eaten anything today).
So it looks like I'll be staying home from work with her tomorrow, and possibly taking her to the doctor.
As for me, I feel like crap, too, but mine is all in my head. I don't know if we have different versions of the same thing, but I hope so, because the poor little thing doesn't need head congestion on top of bronchitis.
She's napping right now, but I think I'm going to go break a Cardinal Rule of Parenthood and wake her up, to see if I can get her to eat or drink something.
I woke up Saturday morning and could feel a cold coming on--fantastic. What a way to start the weekend. I took Ari to my parents' house in the afternoon, since Tony and I were going to concert in the evening. Mom called about halfway through the concert to tell us that Ari was sick--she said Ari had a hacking cough and was waking up every hour after they put her to bed. The way things worked out, because we got out of the concert so late, we ended up leaving Ari at my parents' house for the night, which I felt so bad about.
This morning, Tony went to get her, and Mom said that Ari had been up every hour all night--and Dad was the one who got up with her. Mom even said that sometimes when she woke up, she called, "Guh-guh" (her word for "Grampa") in this pitiful little voice. I think my parents deserve a spot in the Sainthood Hall of Fame for dealing with a sick toddler all night last night.
I went to church ahead of Tony, and he arrived just before church started, and kept Ari with him, rather than putting her in the nursery and infecting all the other kids. As soon as the music portion of the service was done (I lead the Praise Team, and we were doing a new song today, so I couldn't bail on them), I took Ari home.
Aside from a few head colds, Ari has never been this sick. And this is the first time she's gotten a chest cold. Dad says she has bronchitis. You can hear the hoarseness in her voice when she talks, and every so often, she'll cough really hard and then cry. And even her cry is all raspy and broken up. It is truly the saddest sound I've ever heard.
She's been really sweet in spite of not feeling well--in other words, extra cuddly. And of course, her eating has been worse than usual (meaning she's barely eaten anything today).
So it looks like I'll be staying home from work with her tomorrow, and possibly taking her to the doctor.
As for me, I feel like crap, too, but mine is all in my head. I don't know if we have different versions of the same thing, but I hope so, because the poor little thing doesn't need head congestion on top of bronchitis.
She's napping right now, but I think I'm going to go break a Cardinal Rule of Parenthood and wake her up, to see if I can get her to eat or drink something.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Trick or treat, smell my monkey feet
Trick-or-treating last night was a success--and by "success" I mean that we (I mean, Ari) got lots of candy. We went out with some friends who also had kids, so there was a huge group of us strolling the streets. I think we had more adults than kids, actually. Two of the other kids were 3-year-olds, so they could say "trick or treat" and "thank you," while Ari just stared at the people. But we did get Ari to say "bye" a few times. And she wasn't scared of anything... except for the giant dancing skeleton pirate that someone had on their porch. It was actually really funny--it sang these goofy songs, instead of making any scary noises. I thought Ari would love it, and maybe even dance long (since she loves to dance), but she stood frozen in place, regarding it warily. When I gently tried to get her to take a step toward the house, she would not budge.
She felt really warm when we got home last night, but I figured maybe she was just overheated from her costume (it wasn't that cold a night). But when I woke her up at 6:30 this morning, she was still burning up, and it turned out she had a temperature of 101. I gave her some Tylenol, put her back to bed, called the babysitter to let her know that I was keeping Ari home with me, and then crawled back into bed myself. Later, I called my boss to let her know I wouldn't be in. Ari slept until a little after 9, and right now, she doesn't seem to have any other symptoms. Maybe it wasn't fully necessary for me to keep her home, but I figured just in case it was something contagious, I should keep her away from Mary and her kids.
Anyway, enough babbling. Here are the anxiously-awaited pics...
As I said the other day, we went to my parents' house on Sunday, where Ari modeled her costume and got her goody bag from them. So here she is, in all her monkey glory.
Dad tried to get a nice family picture of all of us, but guess who didn't want to participate?
Here she is, opening her goody bag. We were trying to get everything in the picture, so I'm holding up a Hershey's T-shirt, while she's holding 2 DVDs. She also got a book about Halloween and a little stuffed pumpkin (which she loved carrying, and then throwing, around).
And once everything was out of the bag, she had to put it all back in.
And then she pulled it all out again. Here she is, "reading" her book.
And these are the pictures from last night.
A couple shots with Daddy. Again, she wasn't too thrilled with posing.
I think she was trying to eat her costume here.
Her newest thing is that she likes to grab my purse and carry it around. She even slings it over one arm or on her shoulder, just like you're supposed to. I don't know where she picked that up from, except maybe from watching me. I didn't figure that girly phase of wanting to have a purse at all times would start this young.
She was pretty worn out by the time we finished trick-or-treating--not that she was in a bad mood, but you could just tell she was tired. We tried getting a few more pictures, since tiredness equals holding still, but she still didn't want to pose.
Look at her eyes--you can see how tired she was. And it wasn't even that far past her normal bedtime--I guess all the walking and the fresh air wore her out.
One last shot of the monkey suit...
Monkey butt! (Check out that curly tail...)
This is one of my favorite shots of the night--I love the expression on her face.
And that's all, folks. Now, I have an entire day to spend alone with my daughter, which hasn't happened in... well, I can't remember the last time. So I'm out of here...
She felt really warm when we got home last night, but I figured maybe she was just overheated from her costume (it wasn't that cold a night). But when I woke her up at 6:30 this morning, she was still burning up, and it turned out she had a temperature of 101. I gave her some Tylenol, put her back to bed, called the babysitter to let her know that I was keeping Ari home with me, and then crawled back into bed myself. Later, I called my boss to let her know I wouldn't be in. Ari slept until a little after 9, and right now, she doesn't seem to have any other symptoms. Maybe it wasn't fully necessary for me to keep her home, but I figured just in case it was something contagious, I should keep her away from Mary and her kids.
Anyway, enough babbling. Here are the anxiously-awaited pics...
As I said the other day, we went to my parents' house on Sunday, where Ari modeled her costume and got her goody bag from them. So here she is, in all her monkey glory.
Dad tried to get a nice family picture of all of us, but guess who didn't want to participate?
Here she is, opening her goody bag. We were trying to get everything in the picture, so I'm holding up a Hershey's T-shirt, while she's holding 2 DVDs. She also got a book about Halloween and a little stuffed pumpkin (which she loved carrying, and then throwing, around).
And once everything was out of the bag, she had to put it all back in.
And then she pulled it all out again. Here she is, "reading" her book.
And these are the pictures from last night.
A couple shots with Daddy. Again, she wasn't too thrilled with posing.
I think she was trying to eat her costume here.
Her newest thing is that she likes to grab my purse and carry it around. She even slings it over one arm or on her shoulder, just like you're supposed to. I don't know where she picked that up from, except maybe from watching me. I didn't figure that girly phase of wanting to have a purse at all times would start this young.
She was pretty worn out by the time we finished trick-or-treating--not that she was in a bad mood, but you could just tell she was tired. We tried getting a few more pictures, since tiredness equals holding still, but she still didn't want to pose.
Look at her eyes--you can see how tired she was. And it wasn't even that far past her normal bedtime--I guess all the walking and the fresh air wore her out.
One last shot of the monkey suit...
Monkey butt! (Check out that curly tail...)
This is one of my favorite shots of the night--I love the expression on her face.
And that's all, folks. Now, I have an entire day to spend alone with my daughter, which hasn't happened in... well, I can't remember the last time. So I'm out of here...
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Darth Vader, mystery scars, and Halloween Past
There is this one guy I work with who always gets really into Halloween. I don't know him all that well, since he works in another department, but it's a well-known fact around here that he will show up to work on Halloween in a fantastic costume. He is also a really tall guy, so no matter what he dresses up as, it always looks impressive.
I was walking into work this morning, walking down the hallway, when the elevator at the other end of the hallway opened, and out stepped Darth Vader, complete with the spooky breathing sounds.
It was such a realistic costume, that for a split second, I actually felt a smidge nervous. I forced what I hoped was a casual smile as he approached me, and in reply, he uttered a chipper (but muffled), "Good morning."
Seriously, if you could see him, you would fully understand my momentary intimidation.
. . . . .
I am missing a smallish but noticeable chunk of skin from my right forearm. It looks like I scraped it against something, though it's not quite a scab yet. The bad thing is, I have no earthly idea how or when I did it. You would think that something that hurts this much would spark a memory, but you would be wrong. This is merely the latest in a long line of various bodily injuries that I have no recollection of. (Or, as I like to say, further proof that full senility is not as far away as I may have hoped.)
Speaking of these types of injuries, I had one on this same forearm (other side) several months ago. Except this one resembled a rug burn. Again, I had no idea how it happened, but it scabbed up and went away, leaving in its place a scar. Yes, a scar. It wasn't even a cut--it barely scratched the surface of the skin, and didn't bleed at all. And yet, I have a scar. It's the kind of scar that probably no one but me would notice, but I know it's there, and it bugs me. I bears an eeries resemblance to a scar on my other forearm that resulted from my arm making contact with a hot, greasy fry basket when I worked at McDonald's lo, these many years ago. You expect a scar from an injury like that. You don't expect a scar from a rug burn.
Actually, I just checked, and Ye Olde McDonald's scar seems to have faded into oblivion. Which makes Ye New Rug Burn Scar that much more insulting.
Getting old sucks.
. . . . .
Let's take a walk down Memory Lane, shall we?
This was Ari on Halloween last year...
The reason she's sitting all crazy is because she was only just learning to sit up alone--she actually toppled onto her side right after this picture was taken. She just rode in the stroller last year while we accompanied some friends, and if I remember right, she even fell asleep.
But this year, she'll be walking all by herself (well, she'll be holding someone's hand--reluctantly, I'm sure), going up to doors, collecting candy, and probably doing her I'm-shy-but-wait-I'm-really-not act with all the strangers she meets.
Tomorrow, there will be pictures. You have been warned.
I was walking into work this morning, walking down the hallway, when the elevator at the other end of the hallway opened, and out stepped Darth Vader, complete with the spooky breathing sounds.
It was such a realistic costume, that for a split second, I actually felt a smidge nervous. I forced what I hoped was a casual smile as he approached me, and in reply, he uttered a chipper (but muffled), "Good morning."
Seriously, if you could see him, you would fully understand my momentary intimidation.
. . . . .
I am missing a smallish but noticeable chunk of skin from my right forearm. It looks like I scraped it against something, though it's not quite a scab yet. The bad thing is, I have no earthly idea how or when I did it. You would think that something that hurts this much would spark a memory, but you would be wrong. This is merely the latest in a long line of various bodily injuries that I have no recollection of. (Or, as I like to say, further proof that full senility is not as far away as I may have hoped.)
Speaking of these types of injuries, I had one on this same forearm (other side) several months ago. Except this one resembled a rug burn. Again, I had no idea how it happened, but it scabbed up and went away, leaving in its place a scar. Yes, a scar. It wasn't even a cut--it barely scratched the surface of the skin, and didn't bleed at all. And yet, I have a scar. It's the kind of scar that probably no one but me would notice, but I know it's there, and it bugs me. I bears an eeries resemblance to a scar on my other forearm that resulted from my arm making contact with a hot, greasy fry basket when I worked at McDonald's lo, these many years ago. You expect a scar from an injury like that. You don't expect a scar from a rug burn.
Actually, I just checked, and Ye Olde McDonald's scar seems to have faded into oblivion. Which makes Ye New Rug Burn Scar that much more insulting.
Getting old sucks.
. . . . .
Let's take a walk down Memory Lane, shall we?
This was Ari on Halloween last year...
The reason she's sitting all crazy is because she was only just learning to sit up alone--she actually toppled onto her side right after this picture was taken. She just rode in the stroller last year while we accompanied some friends, and if I remember right, she even fell asleep.
But this year, she'll be walking all by herself (well, she'll be holding someone's hand--reluctantly, I'm sure), going up to doors, collecting candy, and probably doing her I'm-shy-but-wait-I'm-really-not act with all the strangers she meets.
Tomorrow, there will be pictures. You have been warned.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
They might be windmills
Between trips to carry things in from my car yesterday, I grabbed the mail from the mailbox. The first piece of mail that caught my eye was the bill from children's hospital we took Ari to when we got her stitch. Holding my breath, I opened it and of course, my eyes immediately found the grand total--over $600. Wincing, I scrolled down, trying to find out how much we had to pay. When I saw $50, I released the breath I'd been holding, and then shared the news with Tony. (Well, of course, I scared him with the $600+ number before letting him know we only had to pay $50.) I looked at the itemized list, and called out to Tony, "Here's how it breaks down--it says 'med-surg supply' was $91.67. I guess that's... uh... the stitch."
"And the giant wad of gauze. Don't forget the giant wad of gauze."
"Of course. And the numbing cream."
I can't even imagine what the bill might have been like if she had had a really serious injury.
Also included in yesterday's mail was a summons for jury duty for me. Holding on to the hope that I might be able to opt out, I rummaged through our filing cabinet to find out the last time I served. (Which involved me sitting around all day, being in the very last group of people called before the judge, and then getting dismissed. And accidentally leaving behind my copy of The Princess Bride in the process.) If you've served within the past 3 years, you can get out of jury duty, but alas, I found out that I last served on July 24, 2004--just over 3 years ago. Which I'm sure they knew. But I'm going to opt to postpone my appearance, since the date they want me to show up is December 20. First of all, I'm taking the entire next week off of work, what with the Christmas holidays and my siblings' visits, so it would seem unfair to miss another whole day of work so close to that. And second, there's no way I'm letting myself get picked for the jury and then missing out on all my sibling-bonding time because I have to be in court. No way.
Speaking of my siblings, it's less than 2 months until I get to see them all again! Dave and Jess will be here for Thanksgiving, but since we'll be with Tony's family, I'm pretty sure we're going to miss seeing them then. So that's just one more reason to look forward to Christmas.
And speaking of Christmas, I'm proud of how much shopping we've already completed. We're all set for all the kids in our lives--nieces, nephews, and friends' kids. Plus we've gotten a few other people out of the way. and I just ordered some other people's gifts online (don't you love how vague I'm being?). The problem is, we need to finish up shopping for Tony's family soon, since we're bringing all their gifts down with us at Thanksgiving. I keep thinking I have plenty of time, but then I remember that it will be November in 2 days. TWO days, people. Where did October go?
And lastly, for your entertainment (well, really for mine), here's a video. Yeah, don't ask me what the video is supposed to mean--I just love the song. Guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days. (Big shout-out to "Pushing Daisies" and the TWoP message boards for introducing me to this little gem.) Ladies and gentlemen... "Birdhouse in Your Soul" by They Might Be Giants.
"And the giant wad of gauze. Don't forget the giant wad of gauze."
"Of course. And the numbing cream."
I can't even imagine what the bill might have been like if she had had a really serious injury.
Also included in yesterday's mail was a summons for jury duty for me. Holding on to the hope that I might be able to opt out, I rummaged through our filing cabinet to find out the last time I served. (Which involved me sitting around all day, being in the very last group of people called before the judge, and then getting dismissed. And accidentally leaving behind my copy of The Princess Bride in the process.) If you've served within the past 3 years, you can get out of jury duty, but alas, I found out that I last served on July 24, 2004--just over 3 years ago. Which I'm sure they knew. But I'm going to opt to postpone my appearance, since the date they want me to show up is December 20. First of all, I'm taking the entire next week off of work, what with the Christmas holidays and my siblings' visits, so it would seem unfair to miss another whole day of work so close to that. And second, there's no way I'm letting myself get picked for the jury and then missing out on all my sibling-bonding time because I have to be in court. No way.
Speaking of my siblings, it's less than 2 months until I get to see them all again! Dave and Jess will be here for Thanksgiving, but since we'll be with Tony's family, I'm pretty sure we're going to miss seeing them then. So that's just one more reason to look forward to Christmas.
And speaking of Christmas, I'm proud of how much shopping we've already completed. We're all set for all the kids in our lives--nieces, nephews, and friends' kids. Plus we've gotten a few other people out of the way. and I just ordered some other people's gifts online (don't you love how vague I'm being?). The problem is, we need to finish up shopping for Tony's family soon, since we're bringing all their gifts down with us at Thanksgiving. I keep thinking I have plenty of time, but then I remember that it will be November in 2 days. TWO days, people. Where did October go?
And lastly, for your entertainment (well, really for mine), here's a video. Yeah, don't ask me what the video is supposed to mean--I just love the song. Guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days. (Big shout-out to "Pushing Daisies" and the TWoP message boards for introducing me to this little gem.) Ladies and gentlemen... "Birdhouse in Your Soul" by They Might Be Giants.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Preview
We went to my parents' house on Sunday night, where Ari got her Halloween gift bag and posed in her costume for them.
What... you want to see her in her costume?
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
OK, here you go...
Sorry, that will just have to hold you over until after Halloween.
What... you want to see her in her costume?
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
OK, here you go...
Sorry, that will just have to hold you over until after Halloween.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
A tale of 2 hugs
When I came home from work the other day, Tony met me in the living room and greeted me with a hug. We stood there hugging for a moment, until we both felt tiny hands grasping our legs. We looked down, and there stood Ari, one hand on my leg and one on Tony's, looking up at us and making this slightly irritated "eh eh eh" sound. Laughing, I scooped her up. "What--you feel left out?" I teased. I held her close, and Tony wrapped his arms around both of us. She laid her head on my shoulder first, then on Tony's... and then sat up and just smiled coyly at us, as though she knew how cute she was being.
. . . . .
Tonight, Ari and I made a quick trip to Target to pick up some necessities, and when we returned home, I went to her door to get her out of the car. She grinned at me and kicked her legs energetically--obviously, the 3-hour nap she had this afternoon had left her in a fantastic mood. I smiled back at her, talking goofy-Mommy-talk to her while I unbuckled her.
As I lifted her out of the car and onto my hip, she hugged me. And I'm not saying, "Oh, she laid her head on my shoulder"--I'm saying that she laid her head on my shoulder, grabbed my arms with her tiny hands, and squeezed (yes, squeezed) me, clinging to me for a few moments as though I was the dearest thing in the world to her. I just stood there, hugging her back, speechless.
When she lifted her head, I found my voice and started babbling about what a sweet girl she was. She responded with another hug--a bit shorter, but just as genuine.
Though she's hugged me before, it's usually with prompting, and for a reason, such as right before she goes to bed for the night. And not that's there anything wrong with those kinds of hugs. But this was the first time she's hugged me--truly hugged me--just because.
It was one of those precious mother-daughter moments that I will tuck away inside my heart, and try to remember forever. (And of course, blogging about it doesn't hurt either.)
. . . . .
Tonight, Ari and I made a quick trip to Target to pick up some necessities, and when we returned home, I went to her door to get her out of the car. She grinned at me and kicked her legs energetically--obviously, the 3-hour nap she had this afternoon had left her in a fantastic mood. I smiled back at her, talking goofy-Mommy-talk to her while I unbuckled her.
As I lifted her out of the car and onto my hip, she hugged me. And I'm not saying, "Oh, she laid her head on my shoulder"--I'm saying that she laid her head on my shoulder, grabbed my arms with her tiny hands, and squeezed (yes, squeezed) me, clinging to me for a few moments as though I was the dearest thing in the world to her. I just stood there, hugging her back, speechless.
When she lifted her head, I found my voice and started babbling about what a sweet girl she was. She responded with another hug--a bit shorter, but just as genuine.
Though she's hugged me before, it's usually with prompting, and for a reason, such as right before she goes to bed for the night. And not that's there anything wrong with those kinds of hugs. But this was the first time she's hugged me--truly hugged me--just because.
It was one of those precious mother-daughter moments that I will tuck away inside my heart, and try to remember forever. (And of course, blogging about it doesn't hurt either.)
Friday, October 26, 2007
A productive day
A few of my co-workers are devoted Red Sox fans. While I, in all honesty, could really care less about baseball. But because of their undying affection for the Boston team, I like to mess with their heads, telling them how much I love the Yankees, etc. It's all in good fun, of course, under the guise of a bitter rivalry.
Lest you think I am exagerrating their fandom, let me just tell you that they spend a lot of time making posters and other various signs to decorate our office space with, declaring their love for all things Red Sox. The way our department is, we have 2 big interior windows that are visible in the hallway--and that's where the decorations go, where they can be viewed by anyone who passes.
This morning, I arrived before everyone else, and made a contribution of my own. On a small piece of paper, I wrote "GO ROCKIES!" in purple marker, dotting the "I" with a little baseball. I taped it into the window, underneath the giant Red Sox poster, and waited. Waited in particular for N, the maker of all the signs and decorations, to come and see how I had desecrated her window.
A couple people arrived before her, and people from other departments wandered in, wondering out loud what N would think of the new sign. And when she arrived, she quietly got her revenge. She added the word "AWAY" so that now the sign reads, "GO AWAY ROCKIES!"
We then had the following e-mail exchange...
Me: so how did you like the new addition to the formerly-red-sox-only window?
N: was that YOU?!
Me: i never said that...
N: it was YOU!
Me: i never said that either...
N: YOU YOU YOU
Me: you have no proof...
N: hm. we'll see about that.
Me: ha--is that supposed to SCARE me?
N: i am a cool, calm and collected investigator in search of Truth. if that doesn't scare you, that's fine.
Several hours later, she declined to join the rest of us for our afternoon walk (as usual), and when I returned, my purple pen had been redecorated--it was adorned with a festive ribbon which held a Post-It note (with a cleverly-cut diamond-shaped hole in it), with the words "Exhibit A" written in bold, black marker.
I waved the pen in her face. "You know where I got this pen? HERE. Which means anyone could have this pen."
She merely smiled a semi-evil smile at me, and walked away.
(As you can see, it's been a productive day.)
Lest you think I am exagerrating their fandom, let me just tell you that they spend a lot of time making posters and other various signs to decorate our office space with, declaring their love for all things Red Sox. The way our department is, we have 2 big interior windows that are visible in the hallway--and that's where the decorations go, where they can be viewed by anyone who passes.
This morning, I arrived before everyone else, and made a contribution of my own. On a small piece of paper, I wrote "GO ROCKIES!" in purple marker, dotting the "I" with a little baseball. I taped it into the window, underneath the giant Red Sox poster, and waited. Waited in particular for N, the maker of all the signs and decorations, to come and see how I had desecrated her window.
A couple people arrived before her, and people from other departments wandered in, wondering out loud what N would think of the new sign. And when she arrived, she quietly got her revenge. She added the word "AWAY" so that now the sign reads, "GO AWAY ROCKIES!"
We then had the following e-mail exchange...
Me: so how did you like the new addition to the formerly-red-sox-only window?
N: was that YOU?!
Me: i never said that...
N: it was YOU!
Me: i never said that either...
N: YOU YOU YOU
Me: you have no proof...
N: hm. we'll see about that.
Me: ha--is that supposed to SCARE me?
N: i am a cool, calm and collected investigator in search of Truth. if that doesn't scare you, that's fine.
Several hours later, she declined to join the rest of us for our afternoon walk (as usual), and when I returned, my purple pen had been redecorated--it was adorned with a festive ribbon which held a Post-It note (with a cleverly-cut diamond-shaped hole in it), with the words "Exhibit A" written in bold, black marker.
I waved the pen in her face. "You know where I got this pen? HERE. Which means anyone could have this pen."
She merely smiled a semi-evil smile at me, and walked away.
(As you can see, it's been a productive day.)
Thursday, October 25, 2007
A little birdhouse in your soul
Last night was another new episode of Pushing Daisies, and I seriously don't think I could love this show more. (And next week, I'll be saying the same thing.) If you're not watching it, you need to be. Go online and check out the pilot (I think ABC has full episodes on their site).
I mean, seriously, look at this picture of the cast. Look how bright and fun and happy and colorful.... Who couldn't use a little more whimsy in their lives?
OK, moving on...
I was getting ready to put Ari to bed last night, and did the same thing I always do right before I put her in her crib--I held her close and sang to her. Usually when we do this, as soon as I say to her, "Are you ready?" she'll lay her head on my shoulder and wait for me to start singing. She did that last night, but then about halfway through the song, she suddenly sat up and pointed at her crib. (I'm sure if the pacifier hadn't been in her mouth, she would have been talking/whining.) I followed her gaze and saw that she was staring at her Belle doll, which was waiting for her inside the crib. I picked Belle up, gave her to Ari, and Ari laid her head back on my shoulder, cuddling Belle. She is really getting attached to that doll. And I know I've been joking about "brainwashing" her to like Belle, but honestly, I haven't really tried to force the doll on her--she's taken a liking to it all on her own. It's not to the point where she has to have it all the time, but if she sees Belle, she wants her.
I finally got around to getting some videos of some of the cute things Ari's been doing lately. So without further ado...
OK, first we have her brushing her hair (with Tony's brush). For some reason, she held really still and stared at the camera for a moment, so I actually got a nice close-up shot of her. But that only lasted a few seconds--for some reason, she turned her back to me, and then walked away. And despite my attempts to get her to come back to me, she was far more interested in what the dogs were doing on the other side of the gate.
She is able to pick things up off the floor now without having to sit down to do it--she can just bend over and pick them up. Here you'll also see her hugging Belle.
In this one, you can hear her say "bye" and see the little wave she does along with it. I swear, she says "bye" with a Southern accent or something. You'll also see her brush her hair (again) and point to her belly (kind of).
New episode of "The Office" tonight!
And I'm done.
I mean, seriously, look at this picture of the cast. Look how bright and fun and happy and colorful.... Who couldn't use a little more whimsy in their lives?
OK, moving on...
I was getting ready to put Ari to bed last night, and did the same thing I always do right before I put her in her crib--I held her close and sang to her. Usually when we do this, as soon as I say to her, "Are you ready?" she'll lay her head on my shoulder and wait for me to start singing. She did that last night, but then about halfway through the song, she suddenly sat up and pointed at her crib. (I'm sure if the pacifier hadn't been in her mouth, she would have been talking/whining.) I followed her gaze and saw that she was staring at her Belle doll, which was waiting for her inside the crib. I picked Belle up, gave her to Ari, and Ari laid her head back on my shoulder, cuddling Belle. She is really getting attached to that doll. And I know I've been joking about "brainwashing" her to like Belle, but honestly, I haven't really tried to force the doll on her--she's taken a liking to it all on her own. It's not to the point where she has to have it all the time, but if she sees Belle, she wants her.
I finally got around to getting some videos of some of the cute things Ari's been doing lately. So without further ado...
OK, first we have her brushing her hair (with Tony's brush). For some reason, she held really still and stared at the camera for a moment, so I actually got a nice close-up shot of her. But that only lasted a few seconds--for some reason, she turned her back to me, and then walked away. And despite my attempts to get her to come back to me, she was far more interested in what the dogs were doing on the other side of the gate.
She is able to pick things up off the floor now without having to sit down to do it--she can just bend over and pick them up. Here you'll also see her hugging Belle.
In this one, you can hear her say "bye" and see the little wave she does along with it. I swear, she says "bye" with a Southern accent or something. You'll also see her brush her hair (again) and point to her belly (kind of).
New episode of "The Office" tonight!
And I'm done.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Dream home
You probably don't remember, but a while ago, I wrote about how we were trying to get into a co-op housing development nearby. Well, we're one step closer to living there. We've passed the pre-approval step--which is the financial approval from the bank. Apparently, that can be the toughest step, and according to what they told us, we passed with "flying colors." The next step is the interview process. First, they interview us up there--we'll get to see the unit, they can meet all of us and we can meet whatever residents feel like showing up. Then the second interview will be at our place. I guess they just want to make sure we're not total slobs or freaks or something. Then after that, the committee votes, and as long as that goes well, we're in. So please please pretty-please-with-sugar-on-top pray that this works out for us.
Here are the main reasons this move would be so awesome...
1. Though it's only a 2-bedroom apartment (same as our current one), it has a one-car garage and a finished basement. In a word... STORAGE. Which means Ari could have a room all to herself, instead of sharing her room with extra bookcases, a computer desk, and various boxes and piles of junk.
2. It has washer/dryer hookups, which means we can finally get our own washer and dryer. Sure, we'll have to put up with the laundromat for a little while so we can save up money, but the thought of being able to do laundry in my own home is pretty exciting.
3. It would be a little bit closer to work. I'd still have a long commute, but I might be able to shave about 10 minutes off of it.
4. Most of the people in our church live in this town. And since Tony is the youth pastor at the church and we are both heavily involved with the church, it will be nice to be closer to everyone. Plus, we can have teen meetings at our place, instead of always having to have them at someone else's home.
5. It's in a nice neighborhood, on a cul-de-sac, which means it will be a great place for Ari to play, to learn to ride a bike... all that great childhood stuff.
6. The monthly rent would be less than half of what we're paying now. Yes, I said less than half. Which is obviously the biggest and best reason to move there.
I'm not thrilled at the thought of the actual moving process--all the packing and unpacking and cleaning--but then again, who ever is? I was telling Tony the other day that it feels like we've been in this apartment forever. Really, it's only been 5 years, but considering that in our first 4 years of marriage we lived in 4 different places, staying put for 5 years seems like a lot.
So while you're at it with the praying, here's another thing you can pray about. In order to get in, we have to make a $3500 deposit. Well, I'm not sure if "deposit" is the right word, but you know what I mean. Basically, it's like equity--it goes into a community fund and collects interest. Then, someday in the future, when we move out, we get it all back, plus interest. Right now, we have about $1000 saved up. So I have no idea where that other $2500 is going to come from, but I have faith that it will come. (But if you wouldn't mind keeping that in your prayers also, that would be much appreciated.)
I'm off to bed, to dream of my soon-to-be dream home.
Here are the main reasons this move would be so awesome...
1. Though it's only a 2-bedroom apartment (same as our current one), it has a one-car garage and a finished basement. In a word... STORAGE. Which means Ari could have a room all to herself, instead of sharing her room with extra bookcases, a computer desk, and various boxes and piles of junk.
2. It has washer/dryer hookups, which means we can finally get our own washer and dryer. Sure, we'll have to put up with the laundromat for a little while so we can save up money, but the thought of being able to do laundry in my own home is pretty exciting.
3. It would be a little bit closer to work. I'd still have a long commute, but I might be able to shave about 10 minutes off of it.
4. Most of the people in our church live in this town. And since Tony is the youth pastor at the church and we are both heavily involved with the church, it will be nice to be closer to everyone. Plus, we can have teen meetings at our place, instead of always having to have them at someone else's home.
5. It's in a nice neighborhood, on a cul-de-sac, which means it will be a great place for Ari to play, to learn to ride a bike... all that great childhood stuff.
6. The monthly rent would be less than half of what we're paying now. Yes, I said less than half. Which is obviously the biggest and best reason to move there.
I'm not thrilled at the thought of the actual moving process--all the packing and unpacking and cleaning--but then again, who ever is? I was telling Tony the other day that it feels like we've been in this apartment forever. Really, it's only been 5 years, but considering that in our first 4 years of marriage we lived in 4 different places, staying put for 5 years seems like a lot.
So while you're at it with the praying, here's another thing you can pray about. In order to get in, we have to make a $3500 deposit. Well, I'm not sure if "deposit" is the right word, but you know what I mean. Basically, it's like equity--it goes into a community fund and collects interest. Then, someday in the future, when we move out, we get it all back, plus interest. Right now, we have about $1000 saved up. So I have no idea where that other $2500 is going to come from, but I have faith that it will come. (But if you wouldn't mind keeping that in your prayers also, that would be much appreciated.)
I'm off to bed, to dream of my soon-to-be dream home.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Procrastination and baby talk
Sometimes, procrastination pays off...
So it's been at least 3 weeks now that my car stereo has not been working. I've been meaning to get around to replacing it, but other things have taken priority. But today, about halfway through my commute, it magically came on. I immediately called Tony to tell him the good news. He had had someone look at it for me about a week ago, and that guy declared that it was dead--but now Tony is thinking that all he did was check the fuses. Obviously, the radio does indeed work, so there's something fishy with the wiring or something. As soon as I got off the phone with Tony, I popped in my Wicked CD and got my Wicked fix.
A babyless night
My brother Pete stayed overnight with us on Saturday night, so when I took him home on Sunday night, I brought Ari with me and left her there. Mom watches Ari on Mondays anyway, and it made more sense to drop Ari off on Sunday night, since I was going there anyway, than for both of us to get up early on Monday morning. It was weird going home and being able to make as much noise as I wanted to upstairs--I worked out with the TV volume up as loud as I wanted (Tony and Wayne were downstairs watching the Red Sox/Indians game) and the door open, and when Tony and I were getting ready for bed, I was able to holler to him from the bathroom when he was in the bedroom and vice versa. I know I just spent an entire paragraph talking about how thrilling it was to make noise in my own house... and I realize how sad that is.
Speaking of the baby...
Ari has always been comfortable with strangers, people in church, etc. But lately, she's been getting even more relaxed around people she doesn't know all that well. At church yesterday, she kept picking different people to follow around while we were all cleaning up afterward--and when the person turned and noticed her, she would reach up, asking to be held. It really was the cutest thing--she was just making all sorts of new friends. We spent the afternoon hanging out at Pastor and Dawn's house, with Brandon and Kerry and their kids, too, and Ari spent as much time cuddling and playing with Dawn and Kerry as she did with me or Tony.
Also, I think--I THINK--I saw her stand up on her own yesterday, without clinging to anything. I saw it out of the corner of my eye, and did a double-take, saying, "Wait, did she just stand up on her own?" And of course, she never did it again the rest of the day. I think she really can do it--it's just a matter of having the confidence. She does this goofy thing where she'll plant her palms on the floor, burrow her head into the carpet, and lift her butt up in the air, so that she's just on her tiptoes--it looks as though she's trying to stand alone, but can't quite get that final step of the process figured out. Any day now, she'll have it down.
So it's been at least 3 weeks now that my car stereo has not been working. I've been meaning to get around to replacing it, but other things have taken priority. But today, about halfway through my commute, it magically came on. I immediately called Tony to tell him the good news. He had had someone look at it for me about a week ago, and that guy declared that it was dead--but now Tony is thinking that all he did was check the fuses. Obviously, the radio does indeed work, so there's something fishy with the wiring or something. As soon as I got off the phone with Tony, I popped in my Wicked CD and got my Wicked fix.
A babyless night
My brother Pete stayed overnight with us on Saturday night, so when I took him home on Sunday night, I brought Ari with me and left her there. Mom watches Ari on Mondays anyway, and it made more sense to drop Ari off on Sunday night, since I was going there anyway, than for both of us to get up early on Monday morning. It was weird going home and being able to make as much noise as I wanted to upstairs--I worked out with the TV volume up as loud as I wanted (Tony and Wayne were downstairs watching the Red Sox/Indians game) and the door open, and when Tony and I were getting ready for bed, I was able to holler to him from the bathroom when he was in the bedroom and vice versa. I know I just spent an entire paragraph talking about how thrilling it was to make noise in my own house... and I realize how sad that is.
Speaking of the baby...
Ari has always been comfortable with strangers, people in church, etc. But lately, she's been getting even more relaxed around people she doesn't know all that well. At church yesterday, she kept picking different people to follow around while we were all cleaning up afterward--and when the person turned and noticed her, she would reach up, asking to be held. It really was the cutest thing--she was just making all sorts of new friends. We spent the afternoon hanging out at Pastor and Dawn's house, with Brandon and Kerry and their kids, too, and Ari spent as much time cuddling and playing with Dawn and Kerry as she did with me or Tony.
Also, I think--I THINK--I saw her stand up on her own yesterday, without clinging to anything. I saw it out of the corner of my eye, and did a double-take, saying, "Wait, did she just stand up on her own?" And of course, she never did it again the rest of the day. I think she really can do it--it's just a matter of having the confidence. She does this goofy thing where she'll plant her palms on the floor, burrow her head into the carpet, and lift her butt up in the air, so that she's just on her tiptoes--it looks as though she's trying to stand alone, but can't quite get that final step of the process figured out. Any day now, she'll have it down.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Pretty much a perfect day *EDIT*
********* EDIT: **********
We went to the mall last night, and got dinner in the food court. There's a huge carousel in the food court, so I thought it would be fun to take Ari on it, thinking that my little daredevil would love it. When I went to put her on the horse, she tried to clamp her legs together to keep me from doing it, clinging to me with a whimper. I helped her put her hands on the pole, and that seemed to relax her a little. I strapped the belt around her waist and kept my arm around her. I thought she would relax once the ride started and the horse started going up and down, but it only seemed to make it worse. Tony was on the sidelines calling out her name every time we went by, and it always took her a little too long to find him--by the time she turned her head, he'd be out of sight. That seemed to add to her discomfort too--as though it was unnerving her to be able to hear her Daddy, but not see him. She wasn't fully freaking out--just whimpering and looking a little distressed. Finally, I ended up unstrapping her and holding her for the last part of the ride, which seemed to settle her down. It was just the funniest thing--we took her to Six Flags and she loved all the rides, yet decided to be scared of one little carousel. Funny kid...
********* END EDIT **********
Today was a gorgeously unseasonable day--the weather made it feel more like an early summer day than an autumn day. Not that I'm complaining. We slept in a little this morning, and when Ari woke up, I brought her to our bed to drink her bottle. When she was done, she handed it to me, sat up, and then immediately began bouncing up and down. Tony has a little routine he has with her on the days he has her at home--he brings her to bed to drink her bottle and then turns the TV to a music channel for her to dance to. So, apparently, she was more than ready to get her groove on. When Tony turned on the TV, she pulled out all her best moves--bouncing on her bottom, standing up and high-stepping, and clapping her hands. She even added a new move--sitting down and then flopping dramatically onto her back.
Later in the day, we headed out to do a few errands. We were on the hunt for a winter coat for her, and finally settled on one at Wal-Mart.
It's pink and navy blue (even though I think the one in this pic has black in it). It's a 4-in-1 jacket.... meaning that there's an inner reversible part, so you can wear the outer part alone, the inner part alone (2 ways), or both pieces together. So I think it will definitely suit every occasion this winter. It's a bit big on her--Tony was joking that we won't need to buy her mittens because her hands barely poke out of the sleeves.
We picked up my brother Pete while we were out, and brought him home with us--Tony, Pete, Wayne, and Greg are doing a guys' night tonight, playing (what else?) video games.
Before we left today, I had to grab the camera and get a few pictures of Ari, simply because I loved her outfit. The problem was, she didn't want to hold still for a picture. Tony tried holding her...
... but as you can see, she wasn't a big fan of that. I made a few other attempts, but they all came out blurry. Finally, the TV captivated her for a moment. (I know it looks like she's posing, but I promise this is a candid shot.)
I mean, seriously, is there anything cuter than a kid in overalls? And not only are they overalls, they're Precious Moments overalls.
Another reason she wouldn't hold still was because she was practicing her latest trick. She's learned that her toys can function as steps.
(Tony sent a picture to my cell phone yesterday that showed her fully standing up on that table. She also showed us today that she can climb off our bed by herself. We are in so much trouble.)
Finally, I decided I would try holding her myself, which of course didn't work. (I look retarded, but I love her expression--it's like righteous indignation.)
But Tony did manage to get this picture--my favorite.
Today was pretty much a perfect day.
We went to the mall last night, and got dinner in the food court. There's a huge carousel in the food court, so I thought it would be fun to take Ari on it, thinking that my little daredevil would love it. When I went to put her on the horse, she tried to clamp her legs together to keep me from doing it, clinging to me with a whimper. I helped her put her hands on the pole, and that seemed to relax her a little. I strapped the belt around her waist and kept my arm around her. I thought she would relax once the ride started and the horse started going up and down, but it only seemed to make it worse. Tony was on the sidelines calling out her name every time we went by, and it always took her a little too long to find him--by the time she turned her head, he'd be out of sight. That seemed to add to her discomfort too--as though it was unnerving her to be able to hear her Daddy, but not see him. She wasn't fully freaking out--just whimpering and looking a little distressed. Finally, I ended up unstrapping her and holding her for the last part of the ride, which seemed to settle her down. It was just the funniest thing--we took her to Six Flags and she loved all the rides, yet decided to be scared of one little carousel. Funny kid...
********* END EDIT **********
Today was a gorgeously unseasonable day--the weather made it feel more like an early summer day than an autumn day. Not that I'm complaining. We slept in a little this morning, and when Ari woke up, I brought her to our bed to drink her bottle. When she was done, she handed it to me, sat up, and then immediately began bouncing up and down. Tony has a little routine he has with her on the days he has her at home--he brings her to bed to drink her bottle and then turns the TV to a music channel for her to dance to. So, apparently, she was more than ready to get her groove on. When Tony turned on the TV, she pulled out all her best moves--bouncing on her bottom, standing up and high-stepping, and clapping her hands. She even added a new move--sitting down and then flopping dramatically onto her back.
Later in the day, we headed out to do a few errands. We were on the hunt for a winter coat for her, and finally settled on one at Wal-Mart.
It's pink and navy blue (even though I think the one in this pic has black in it). It's a 4-in-1 jacket.... meaning that there's an inner reversible part, so you can wear the outer part alone, the inner part alone (2 ways), or both pieces together. So I think it will definitely suit every occasion this winter. It's a bit big on her--Tony was joking that we won't need to buy her mittens because her hands barely poke out of the sleeves.
We picked up my brother Pete while we were out, and brought him home with us--Tony, Pete, Wayne, and Greg are doing a guys' night tonight, playing (what else?) video games.
Before we left today, I had to grab the camera and get a few pictures of Ari, simply because I loved her outfit. The problem was, she didn't want to hold still for a picture. Tony tried holding her...
... but as you can see, she wasn't a big fan of that. I made a few other attempts, but they all came out blurry. Finally, the TV captivated her for a moment. (I know it looks like she's posing, but I promise this is a candid shot.)
I mean, seriously, is there anything cuter than a kid in overalls? And not only are they overalls, they're Precious Moments overalls.
Another reason she wouldn't hold still was because she was practicing her latest trick. She's learned that her toys can function as steps.
(Tony sent a picture to my cell phone yesterday that showed her fully standing up on that table. She also showed us today that she can climb off our bed by herself. We are in so much trouble.)
Finally, I decided I would try holding her myself, which of course didn't work. (I look retarded, but I love her expression--it's like righteous indignation.)
But Tony did manage to get this picture--my favorite.
Today was pretty much a perfect day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
