House of Estrogen

Simple Woman's Daybook, December 21, 2009

2009-12-21T23:38:51-05:00

For Today...

Outside my window... it is cold and dark. I'm late writing my daybook today.

I am thinking... I really shouldn't be shocked how close Christmas is every morning when the girls open their advent calendars and tell me how many days are left until Christmas. Somehow though, it manages to surprise me every day. I am done with my shopping but haven't even touched wrapping paper. I'm beginning to stress about that.

I am thankful for... my family.

From the kitchen... leftover birthday cake from Addie's party. Is it terrible that I let my kids eat leftover birthday cake for breakfast?

I am wearing... jeans and a Sanitary Fish Market t-shirt, but I will be wearing pajamas as soon as I finish this post.

I am creating... hopefully some wrapped gifts sometime in the next day or two!

I am going... to bed soon.

I am reading... I finished The Help, by Kathryn Stockett on my flight back from Dallas earlier this week. I LOVED this book! I highly recommend it. I think it ranks up there as one of my favorite books ever. Right now, I'm just reading People magazine!

I am hoping... that we have a wonderful Christmas this year.

I am hearing... my quiet house. Everyone is sleeping.

Around the house... Christmas decorations making the house look cheery.

One of my favorite things... my new car that I bought TODAY!!!! Woo hoo!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... holiday camp for the girls, making dinners with a friend, working through Christmas Eve, then enjoying Christmas as a family.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... my new GMC Acadia!

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

Beep, Beep!

2009-12-20T23:43:26-05:00

By the time the older girls were two, they were already completely enamored with a cartoon character. Elise was a Sesame Street junkie, so it was a no-brainer that her second birthday party would have an Elmo theme. Nina was all about Dora the Explorer when she was two, so her planned and then postponed and then planned again and then canceled second birthday party would have been a Dora party. The nurses in the hospital where she was being treated were the beneficiaries of a lovely Dora cake.

As Addison's birthday rolled around, I was at a loss for a party theme. The child refuses to watch TV, and her favorite book is about a dratted caterpillar. I was not in the mood for a caterpillar party. She loves school buses though, so the school bus themed birthday party idea was born.

We had a school bus cake.

Entertainment was provided by a school bus pop-up tent.

She was sporting a tres chic personalized school bus t-shirt.

And Elise gave her a school bus toy.

This gift had nothing to do with school buses, but it is an awesome ride-on. The little caster wheels move in any direction, so you can do 360's on this bad boy.

Addie's favorite gift of the night came from Nina. Nina selected this jack-in-the-box about a month ago, adamant that Addie would love it. She was right. I had to pry it out of Addie's chubby little paws tonight, so she didn't take it to bed with her.

This party may have been lacking the usual Elmo, Pooh, Barney, or Dora paraphernalia, but I believe the school bus party was a huge success. Beep, Beep!

Teach A Child, Eat Goodies

2009-12-19T13:50:02-05:00

I have such a great respect for teachers. I don't think I possess the brain, patience, or creativity to be a teacher, so I admire those who do. My kids have been blessed with great teachers so far in life - from infant age on up. Teaching is a tough job, an important job, and sadly, a job that doesn't pay what it is worth. Like many people, when the holidays roll around, I like to give teacher gifts. Some years the gifts are bigger than other years, but no matter what, I want to make sure the teachers know they are appreciated.

With all the craziness of the last month, the last day of school was suddenly looming one day away, and I had not even given a thought to teacher gifts yet. During a quick trip to Target on my lunch hour, I was able to pick up Target gift cards and the ingredients for reindeer mix. I neglected to buy any packaging while at Target though, so I would have to make do with whatever I had at home. It was entirely possible I would be sending teacher goodies in random mismatched Tupperware or plastic grocery bags.

I had a vague recollection of buying cellophane bags through the girls' Sally Foster school fundraiser. Sure enough, in the still-unopened Sally Foster box, I had a nice set of holiday bags with matching twist-ties. Score! Also, I'm slightly addicted to the website Sarah and Abraham. When that site ran a promotion earlier in the season, I had ordered personalized gift labels which worked just perfectly for these goodie bags.

Gifts couldn't get much more last minute and unplanned than these, but I was so pleased with the end result.

Letter to Addison, Two Years

2009-12-18T23:06:23-05:00

Dear Addison,

You turned two yesterday. TWO! How can you possibly be TWO? You will be my baby forever, but two just sounds so much more grown-up than the pre-two ages that are referenced by months. Now I'll be forced to count your age in years. That's tough on a mama. The difference between 22 months and 23 months seems trivial. The difference between 23 months and TWO seems monumental.

You are a spunky, independent, strong-willed little turkey. Of course, part of that just goes with the territory of being two. You are very good at being two. The stomping feet and full blown tantrums are all a part of your basic communication skills right now.

You've learned how to make yourself heard over the roar of your older sisters though. At the dinner table, you have discovered that saying "All Done." or pushing your plate away is often met with "Just a minute" or "I'll help you in a second" or absolutely no response at all. To solve that problem, you now stand up on your chair when you are done. As much as it drives me crazy, I have to admit, it is pretty clever. You instantly have someone rushing to your side to help you down from the table with that little trick.

Your verbal skills are coming along slowly but surely. Your sentences are rarely longer than two words - "More, please.", "Sissy hug.", "Daddy, sit.", or "Poops, potty.", but your language development is inching along. On the subject of potty training, we had absolutely no intention of potty training this early. I've always been of the belief that the earlier potty training is started, the longer it takes. I think you are going to force it on us though. You are asking to sit on it regularly now, and making a deposit at least half the time. You get furious if we try to put a diaper on you without letting you sit on the potty first. I suppose we'll tackle potty training after the holidays since you seem to be training yourself with or without us!

You had your first haircut last weekend. Your father had been threatening for months to take you to get it cut if I didn't, so I finally gave in. I know your curls won't last, so I didn't want anyone to touch them. You won't wear hair clips though, and I couldn't in good conscience let you go around with your hair in your eyes much longer.

Before picture:

During:

After:

You are still a daddy's girl. His injured knee has troubled you, so you point at it several times per day, declaring "Boo boo!" I'm sure he appreciates the reminder. In an attempt to fight the boredom that comes along with a knee injury, your dad has grown a goatee. You tell him "ouch!" when he kisses you. Good girl... mama has coached you well!

You are definitely a creature of habit. Maybe you get that from your grandfather who went to Starbuck's every day so consistently at 10 a.m. that you could set your watch by him. You go to bed every night at 6:30 and wake up promptly at 7:00. On the rare occassion when we keep you up past 6:30, it throws your entire schedule out of whack.

When you walk down the hall at daycare, you feel compelled to shut every open door, every time, every day... no matter how much of a hurry I might be in. It is like the world might cease to exist right that very moment if a door is left open. MUST SHUT DOORS... MUST SAVE THE WORLD. Your reading selections in the evening consist of two different books and one puzzle. Every. Night. If that caterpillar book that you love so dearly were ever to accidentally land in the fire place, I can't say that I would miss it.

Most of all, you are a sweet, fun, cute, funny little person learning to navigate your way in this big crazy world. Your hugs, kisses, and giggles make me smile even on my most challenging days.

I love you. Happy second birthday!

Love,

Mama

A Little Levity

2009-12-15T08:50:08-05:00

This blog has been a bit heavy lately... too much crappola in life weighing it down. I figured there is nothing like a good Nina story to lighten the mood though, so here is one from last week.

3 a.m. one night, Nina came into our room complaining her belly was hurting. We asked the usual questions: "Do you need to use the bathroom?", "Do you feel like you're going to throw up?" She answered no to both, so J.C. suggested she go downstairs and eat a couple of crackers to settle her stomach. That would never fly with Elise, but Nina is a kid who is perfectly willing to go downstairs alone in a dark quiet house in the middle of the night. A few minutes later, I heard her yelling from downstairs, "MOM! I need help!!" In my groggy 3 a.m. state, I yelled back, "What's wrong?" She yelled, "I didn't know it was dye, but it was dye. I need help!" Huh? I lumbered downstairs to find her sitting on the toilet examining her now red and green hands. "Why are your hands red and green?", I asked. She said, "I didn't know it was dye. It was dye, and I can't get it off. I tried washing my hands, and it won't come off." to which I responded, "But you were down here TO GET CRACKERS!!!!" I have no idea what possessed her to start playing with food coloring at 3 a.m., but there she was with red and green hands. Classic Nina. I told her that I needed my sleep, and that if she couldn't get it off with soap and water that I would help her in the morning. I was not about to waste my valuable sleep time figuring out how to clean food coloring off skin in the middle of the night. She started to cry saying, "But if I go to school with red and green hands, then the kids will laugh at me." My 3 a.m. self had no sympathy because I responded, "THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH FOOD COLORING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!"

As parents, we try hard to put rules in place... "Look both ways before crossing the street", "Ask to be excused and clear your place after dinner", Pens are only for writing on paper, not walls or furniture", but I never imagined I would need the rule, "Don't PLAY WITH THE FREAKING FOOD COLORING at 3 a.m. when you are supposed to be eating crackers"! I guess I'll add that one to the list. Who knew?

Simple Woman's Daybook, December 14, 2009

2009-12-14T09:54:43-05:00

For Today...

Outside my window... a beautiful, sunny, 70-degree Texas December day.

I am thinking... about my dad, hoping today isn't too hard on him. He will be burying his brother today.

I am thankful for... being able to be here with my family...having the means to get here, and having J.C. mobile enough to take care of the kids while I'm gone.

From the kitchen... shrieks from my mother this morning after my dad spilled a huge glass of water all over the table she had already set for the lunch she is hosting today for a bunch of family. Thankfully, it was just water and not coffee!

I am wearing... pajamas.

I am creating... not much besides this blog post.

I am going... to my uncle's funeral today.

I am reading... The Help, by Kathryn Stockett. My book club isn't reading this until March, but when I found myself without anything to read right before getting on a flight and knowing I'm number 600+ on the wait list for this at the library, I figured I might as well buy it. There's no telling when my name will bubble up to the top of the library wait list. Anyway, I am LOVING this book. Seriously... it has just sucked me in. I was not expecting to like it this much. I had heard that some of the dialects were difficult to read, but I haven't found that to be true at all. The three narrators are all very engaging and wonderful characters, and I have not had trouble switching between them. I can understand why the wait list for this book is so long. I'm already over halfway through it and eagerly turning the pages.

I am hoping... that my uncle's family, especially his wife, can work through their grief and find peace. They were married for 52 years.

I am hearing... the printer printing off tracking information for not one but TWO Christmas gifts I sent my parents that USPS claims to have delivered, but my parents don't have them yet. We'll need to go by the post office to check on them.

Around the house... I've been told that J.C. and the girls did some cleaning, so I'm anxious to see what they accomplished while I've been gone!

One of my favorite things... Dallas holiday decorations. I really need to bring my kids down here for the holidays. Nothing rivals the light displays in Highland Park and eating nachos under the watchful eye of a longhorn steer head wearing a santa hat!

A few plans for the rest of the week.... fly back home in time for Nina's ballet recital.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing... Remembering Uncle John. This was taken at a wedding a few years ago, but I've always thought it was a great picture of the three of them - my dad, his twin sister Dorothy, and their older brother John.

  To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

The High Highs and the Low Lows

2009-12-10T22:57:33-05:00

J.C. had his first physical therapy appointment yesterday. It went well, and the P.T. unlocked his brace about 50 degrees which allowed J.C. to fit in his car! Today was the first time in nearly a month that he has been able to drive, and it felt like a Christmas miracle. We both felt so liberated. He was able to leave work to meet the school bus without my having to drive him there! Maybe our luck was turning.

Then my mom called. My uncle passed away this morning. He fought a fierce but short battle against lung cancer. I miss him already. I know not everyone has a close relationship with their aunts and uncles, but I do with several of mine. Uncle John lived near my parents and would pick me up from the airport if they were busy, help out my parents with anything they needed, and always fit me in his schedule for a good Mexican dinner any time I was in town. Now he's gone, and besides all of us losing a really wonderful family member, the Dallas Zoo is losing a truly outstanding volunteer and Zoo advocate.

It has been a hard day riding this roller coaster of life. The news about my uncle was certainly a reality check that J.C.'s injury really isn't all that bad in the big picture of life, but it was also another hard pill to swallow in what has been a tough month emotionally.

J.C.'s new found driving privilege couldn't have come at a better time. Now I can hop on a plane this weekend for a quick trip to Dallas and feel reasonably confident that he can muddle through a few days alone with the kids. As long as he doesn't have to chase Addie anywhere, I think he'll do OK. I'm pretty sure she would beat him in any race.

Is it 2010 yet? I'm just about ready for 2009 to be over.

Life is Just One Big Smackdown Sometimes

2009-12-08T23:30:42-05:00

Tonight was supposed to be my mini-escape. I was going to take two hours off from my job as mother, wife, caretaker, diaper-changer, cook, nose-wiper, dish-washer, taxi-driver, ice-pack-fetcher, referee, housekeeper, and lunch-packer to get my hair done. My poor neglected hair and psyche were in need of a boost - both in highlights and spirit. My appointment was great. I got my fill of quiet and US Weekly while the stylist made my hideous roots magically disappear. I looked in the mirror, admired my new do, felt rejuvenated, and got up to leave. Then, suddenly, I was down - flat. on. the. floor. I don't think I've ever gone from standing to floor that fast. My right shoulder, right hand, and left knee all throbbing, I picked myself up off the floor, dusted all the hair clippings off my clothes, and looked around to figure out what jerk had shoved me down. I realized I had somehow hooked my foot behind the foot rest of the chair when I got up. Ouch. So much for feeling energized and refreshed... I just feel bruised and broken. Clearly, we haven't shaken that hex yet. Sigh.

Simple Woman's Daybook, December 7, 2009

2009-12-07T07:32:09-05:00

For Today...

Outside my window... I finally tracked down an extension cord for the outdoor Christmas lights, so we have lights now!

I am thinking... that I am so close to being done with Christmas shopping that I need to just knock out these last few gifts this week, so I can mark that job as completely finished.

I am thankful for... J.C.'s friend who dragged enough stuff out of my garage and up to the attic so that I can park in the garage again now that it is cold. Thank you S! We've had so many good friends help us in so many thoughtful ways the past couple of weeks.

From the kitchen... apricot glazed chicken, no clue about sides yet.

I am wearing... jeans with my new top and sweater that I treated myself to over the weekend.

I am creating... stamped, addressed Christmas cards ready to go out in the mail today!

I am going... to make an appointment for a hair cut/color today. Elise told me this weekend, "Mom, you REALLY need to get your hair dyed soon. It looks terrible." How's that for honesty?

I am reading... Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's, by John Elder Robison although I'm not sure I read more than a page or two this week, so I don't think that really counts as reading!

I am hoping... that J.C. gets out of his locked knee brace soon. I'm not holding my breath though. Our physical therapist neighbor was estimating he may need it locked for 6-8 weeks. Unfortunately, she's been right about everything else so far. I was really hoping maybe he could start driving soon. Sigh.

I am hearing... the dryer. I'm pretty sure my washer and dryer spend more hours of each day running than not.

Around the house... hidden Christmas presents that I'll hopefully find again once it is time to start wrapping!

One of my favorite things... a nap under a down comforter on a cold winter day.

A few plans for the rest of the week.... another busy week... ballet, gymnastics, and Daisies for the kids, mammogram for me, orthopedist appointment for J.C., Cookie Mom training, holiday lunch at work, Disney on Ice, and a holiday dinner with friends at a nice steak place (whew... something relaxing to end the week!)

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

To read more Daybook posts or learn how to participate, visit The Simple Woman's Daybook.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

2009-12-06T21:07:10-05:00

I love trimming the tree... playing Christmas music, pulling out memory after memory in the ornament box, and even the heartache of the occassional broken ornament. I love the kids' homemade ornaments, the souvenir ornaments from vacations, the sentimental ones from my childhood, the fancy, gorgeous glass ornaments from my father, even just the plain ol' red glass balls. Despite all the stress of the holidays around me, I find a little peace in pulling all these treasures out of the ornament box and decorating the tree.