2 sisters, 2 strollers, 2 diaper bags, & 3 kids...

I had the whole crew yesterday: JA, my niece (5 going on 22), and my nephew (10 mos). It was going to be an interestingly fun day no matter what we decided to do. I needed to go to the teacher store in Cookeville, but knew I couldn't do it alone with three little ones, sooooooo I called for reinforcements - my sister (aka Aunt Manda). Asking Aunt Manda can be hit-or-miss. She's a teacher, cheerleadin coach, is single, and has a rather busy schedule. Luckily, she was able to join the fun :)
Three little ones means three carseats: a forward facing carseat (JA), a booster (the niece, KB), and a rear facing infant seat (the nephew, BA). I was unsure as to whether or not all of these contraptions would fit, but after ten minutes and some awkward poses I got all three properly installed in the Trailblazer. I decided if we have more than two children, we would definitely have to invest in a van! Okay, carseats installed, now time to load the strollers and diaper bags - of course, after ensuring that we had enough diapers, wipes, bottles/formula/food for baby, snacks and drinks for the big kids, and extra changes of clothes for all. Then, the fun part: loading up all the kids! My sister and I decided a man-on-man tactic for the little ones would be best with us taking turns assisting KB, who had to ride in the middle between the big carseats. The seatbelt buckle was difficult to get to, so we would have to help her buckle. After getting them loaded in, I decided that we would try to not get out too much because it was a quite a job! Finally, we're ready to go. Five minutes into the trip, KB wants to know if we even know where we're going. We assure her that we do. Twenty minutes later she wants to know 'How much loooonnngerrrr?' I'm automatically transported back to my childhood when Mom would load the three of us up to go somewhere or when the entire family would take vacations and there were three little voices from the backseat asking that question every few minutes. *Note to self: Apologize to Mom!* Anyway, on the way to Cookeville, I told Amanda that I wanted to take JA to the family fall funfest this year. I thought it was at the end of the month, and Amanda said she had been to one - it should be fun. Okay, fast forward to us getting to the square in Cookeville. We notice it's blocked off and realize the family fall funfest is today!!! Oh dear, what to do? Many of the small businesses are closed during the funfest in order to have a booth on the square. We're thinking there's a really good chance that the teacher store and cupcake place (the promise of cupcakes after teacher store cut out whining before it even happened) would be closed! Then there was also the fact that the fun thing I wanted to take JA to was happening right now - ugh!
We get to the teacher store and were very happy to see they were opened. We get the kiddos, strollers, and diaper bags unloaded and ready to go inside. Now, being a teacher at heart, I love going to teacher stores! I could spend HOURS in a teacher store, even a small one. Of course, having three sets of little hands that would grab what could be reached meant I would have to be quicker than I like. I went for a large chart tablet and left with that and $30 worth of other fun teacher toys. We decided it would be easier to 'stroll' over to the cupcake place rather than reload and unload. I packed my purchases in the car, and we were off. There was one problem: I wasn't 100% sure how to get from point a to point b. I had a pretty good idea and headed in the right direction (I hoped). I saw the back of the building and decided to cut through an alley and some empty parking lots, which wouldn't have been a bad idea except those areas ended up being not-so-stroller friendly. Strollers + lots of loose, small gravel = great workout before devouring hundreds of calories of cupcakes ;) We finally make it inside. It was busier than I had ever seen. There were many college kids working on their laptops, a professor grading papers, and a couple of older couples drinking coffee and reading newspapers: enter the circus! I'm sure everyone in there hoped we were getting our cupcakes to go, unfortunately for them we were not. We picked out drinks and half a dozen cupcakes, found a high chair, and settled down for our snack. I have to say, the kids did wonderful! For a small child, toddler, and infant, they weren't very noisy or too terribly messy. I was a proud mommy/aunt.
We found a sidewalk to use for strolling back to the car, and I asked little sis what she thought of going to the funfest. She was okay with it so we loaded up and went.
I'll admit, I was a little unsure if we had made a wise decision, but the kids were wonderful and seemed to have a good time. KB and JA played on some inflatables, went through a corn maze, and checked out some of the sights. Little BA slept through most of it. We didn't find the fun (free) activities geared for KB and JA until it was time to go. KB was a little disappointed and JA was too tired to notice. We had a good time, but it would have been better if we had planned this outing.

We get back to the car, and I realize that it smells like, for lack of a better word, fart. Euwww! It was then that I realized I forgot to throw away the diapers after I changed the boys, and they were just baking in the car - yuck! I put the nastiness in a plastic bag and set it on the bumper so I can load the strollers and diaper bags. My plan was to put the bag on top of the strollers so I would remember to throw it away at our next stop (McDonald's), which was across town. JA sacked out before I had even backed out. We're driving down Jefferson, when I hear someone honking like crazy. I ask Amanda if they're honking at me - did I do something wrong? She says I'm driving fine, there's no reason for them to be honking at us. The vehicle gets beside us, continues honking, and the passenger is waving like a crazy person. Amanda says, I think they think they know you. I look, don't recognize anyone, but throw up a hand hoping to end this. Nope, as soon as they get beside us again, the beeping and waving continue. Amanda finally realizes they were trying to tell us there was something on the bumper. That's when I realize: Because of all the chaos of unloading kids from strollers, buckling them up, and packing the diaper bags and strollers, I had left the stinky bag of diapers on the bumper!!!! Ooopsie :)
The bag was still there when we got to McDonald's. Wow! I won't go in to the long sstory of our adventures in McDonald's. Let's just say, it was an interesting event filled with lots of laughter :)
Favorite quote of the day:
KB: "I know someone that has a real monkey."
Me and Manda: "Who?"
KB: "Pa, but it's really chickens."

time keeps slipping, slipping away...

Wow - I can't believe that I haven't blogged since April! Seriously pathetic :( I've thought about it several times, but just haven't had the opportunity. So much has happened: JA is walking/running EVERYWHERE, and he jabbers all the time. He's so much fun and so full of energy. He's definitely all boy and keeps Mommy on her toes! JA still loves books, but he has also started playing with more of a variety of his toys. He LOVES trains! We visited Cheekwood in May to check out their model train exhibit (which included Thomas)- JA loved it so much, despite the horribly hot weather. Our vacation this summer also centered around JA's train interest. We went to Chattanooga, stayed at the Choo-Choo, and rode a real steam engine train (among other things). JA seemed to have a good time with all of our vacation adventures :)
We also discovered that JA LOVES being in the water! He doesn't think he needs a float or anyone to hold him - he's such a brave little guy!
JA talks about his Pa (my Daddy) constantly. Most of his 'jabberings' either begin or end with 'Pa.' He can say other words, but Pa is his favorite, by far! My Mom will say, "Say Mimi," and JA always replies, "Pa." He's so funny and seems to have a wonderful sense of humor.
I begin my student teaching on August 22nd, and I am not looking forward to it AT ALL :( Yes, it will be great to finally be finished with my teacher certification, BUT I don't want to be away from JA for that many hours on five days of the week. However, it must be done. This summer just went by too quickly - I'm seriously dreading being away from my sweet little guy...

where to begin?

JA has been developing in leaps and bounds here lately - still refuses to walk though :( I have got to get better about blogging all of the cute things he does!
He has recently learned how to blow his nose - seriously, I kid you not! Fifteen months old and blows his nose. I find this particularly unbelievable, not because I'm his mommy, but because I taught in a pre-K classroom (ages 3-5) for seven years and the majority of those children could not figure out how to blow their nose! It was a big accomplishment when one of my students figured out the mystery of nose blowing, so you can imagine my surprise when JA blew into the tissue one day as I was wiping his nose. I thought it was a fluke. The next day, he blew (without a tissue). Dale went to get a tissue (as I was blocked into the corner by JA), but before Dale got one, JA wiped his nose on my pants leg. Ah, the joys of motherhood :) Yesterday, JA blew again (without a tissue), crawled to the tissue box, pulled out a handful, tore one into small pieces, and then tried to wipe his nose with the smallest piece. I stood watching him and smiling. I let him finish before I helped - he's learning :)
JA has also started desperately searching for something in every cabinet and shelf that he can reach. I'm not sure what he's looking for (and I don't think he is either), but he is really tearing this house apart in his search. We have locks on the cabinets with cleaning supplies and other 'keep out of reach of children' items, but the rest aren't locked because, well, let's face it, it isn't easy getting into locked cabinets for adults either. He doesn't want to play with his toys while I'm cooking. He would much rather play with plastic containers, food boxes, or anything else he can get his little hands on. I finally had to move the box of baggies because he kept taking out all of the baggies and spreading them on the floor. One day last week, he found a small box of raisins. I didn't think he could open it so I let him play with it. He got quiet in the dining room, and when I went to check on him there were raisins EVERYWHERE! He was just sitting in the middle of the mess shaking the box and giggling as the raisins rained down on the dining room floor. I love my little mess :) There's a shelf in his room that has a basket of pacifiers. We received many, but he never used them. Of course, I had sanitized all of them before he was born so we couldn't return them. I had forgotten about them until yesterday when my little pilferer found them. He dumped all of them out of the basket, and then worked on releasing them from their cases, and crawled into the living room. I was still putting sheets on his bed when I heard this strange sucking sound from the living room. Imagine my surprise when I see JA sitting in the middle of the floor with a newborn pacifier hanging out of his mouth like a cigar! I laughed and said, "What are you doing?" He just grinned and crawled away, chewing on the pacifier.
I try to let him do fun things. He didn't feel well earlier in the week so I thought we could fingerpaint. He decided it would be more fun to get a glob of paint in each hand and start clapping. After I cleaned up that mess (and him), I got out the water table, which he loves! I put down towels, and he did everything he could to not be on the towels. Then, he decided to fill a cup with water and dump it on the floor. It appeared to be even more fun when Mommy said we need to keep the water in the table. I finally gave up that notion and decided it would be best to drain the table. Oh, goodness, you would have thought I had taken away his best friend! Have you ever tried to empty a water table with a fifteen month old clutching onto one of the legs? It's not easy; I definitely would not recommend that :)
We're having a fun time, and he's learning so many things so quickly. It's hard to believe that he's already this big and communicating and exploring - wow, God is awesome! Only He could create such a miracle :)

desperate times call for desperate measures...

When we found out that we were becoming parents, my husband and I discussed several issues and came up with these lofty goals: Our child would not watch TV before the age of 2, and even then, it would only be educational programming. Our child would not sleep in the bed with us. Our child would not have bottles of formula. Our child would not use a pacifier. Our child would not be allowed to have candy, soft drinks, or fast food... You can see where I'm going with this. I think most people come up with a list like this when they are contemplating parenthood. It makes you feel like you're a great parent - maybe the best ever. No one could ever live up to your standards, and you're okay with that. Bless their hearts, they just don't know better. And then, the baby arrives. You do your best - everything the books say you should do - and NOTHING works. Your confidence begins to fade. You start (begrudgingly) taking advice from your parents, family, friends, you even start listening to the random advice thrown at you from complete strangers in the line at the grocery store. And still, nothing works. You're exhausted, your baby hasn't stopped crying in days, and you only briefly remember what it feels like to brush your hair or change out of your pajamas while it's still light outside. Every bit of your confidence has completely been flushed down the toilet. You begin to wonder, would it really be that bad if the baby took a pacifier, or slept in our bed, or... You mention this to your well rested husband who begins to suggest that you stick to your original idea, but then he starts to come around to your thinking when he sees the look on your face. Desperate times, my friend, desperate times. JA ended up sleeping in the bed with us until he was five months old. He (and I) finally got more than thirty minutes of sleep at a time, and it was wonderful!!! It doesn't appear to have caused any permanent damage - he made the transition to his crib very easily. We caved in on the pacifier as well, but he never took it - he's a thumb sucker, and I think that's adorable! He has watched TV. All three of us watch Jeopardy every night. I have recently let him watch a few things on Sprout (he loves Thomas!), and we have started collecting VeggieTales DVDs. He doesn't get to see alot of TV, but he has been exposed, and that's okay. I backed down on another of our 'lofty goals' today. JA had a couple of McNuggets. I know, I know - shame, shame! He hasn't been eating well the last couple of weeks. He only wants bread and fruit. I've tried everything I could think of, and he still makes a face and spits it out. So, I thought, he needs to eat something, let's try the drive-thru. He ate one and a half nuggets along with some whole wheat bread, strawberries, and a teeny, tiny bit of carrots. I was so excited that he finally ate some meat that I didn't feel too horrible about giving him (gasp!) fast food.
It really goes back to being able to do things in moderation. A little TV isn't terribly bad, but allowing a child to watch TV for eight hours a day can't be helping their physical or mental development. Occasionally eating something from the drive-thru isn't the healthiest choice, but it's much better than having fast food two or three times a day. I guess it's just important to remember that we aren't perfect and neither is he, but we are doing the best we can, and that's really all you can do.

hollerisms

I grew up in the middle of nowhere. Seriously. Just when you thought you had gone past all signs of civilization, you turned onto a gravel road and continued for another two miles. We were coun-try! My Nanny and Pa were our closest neighbors. While I have fond memories of being so close with both of them, the focus of this particular blog is my Pa, or, more specifically, things my Pa said. I've coined the word 'hollerisms' for his sayings. Pa had an interesting way of putting things. Whenever an animal found itself somewhere it wasn't supposed to be, Pa would vocalize a harsh sounding grunt/grumble that could be translated as 'Get on out of here.' It's impossible to spell, but I think 'Hitonouttahere!' would be pretty darn close. I can't make up a spelling for the other sound he made, but I have used both sounds quite often (in the classroom and at home).
Recently, another of Pa's most frequently used sayings has crossed my mind quite a bit: 'Just like a pet coon.' Pa was an avid coon hunter, so he knew all about raccoons. He also had tons of tools and cool looking stuff that intrigued and delighted us kids. Even though we knew we weren't supposed to get in Pa's stuff, we would - especially the boys. It seems like one of the boys was always pilfering through Pa's stuff. He would catch them, and say, "You're just like a pet coon!" Now, if any of you are still wondering what that means, let me set you straight. Raccoons are notorious for getting into stuff, pilfering, and just making a mess. Therefore, if you're told you're just like a pet coon, you must be getting into stuff and making a mess. JA never had the privilege of meeting my Pa, but he makes me think of him often. There have been several times in the last couple of weeks that I have laughed and told JA he was like a little pet coon. Like when he pilfered through the shelves in the kitchen and scattered baggies, a box of tea, some juice, and a couple of plastic containers all over the floor. I also compared JA to a pet coon when he decided to take the tissues out of the box and scatter them on the living room floor. I wonder if Pa found the humor in the situation like I do. Even though it's just one more mess I have to clean up, I love the fact that JA is curious and likes to explore. Well, that, and I love that it reminds me of a fond memory I have of my Pa.

the mystery of the missing spoons

Our silverware has eight place settings. That said, you would think we would have eight big spoons. I'm pretty sure we started out with eight big spoons. However, their numbers are dwindling. I noticed a lack of big spoons in the drawer earlier this evening. I went to get one out and was surprised that there were only two in their little cubby in the silverware drawer. I checked to ensure that none were mistakenly placed with the smaller spoons (cause that's happened). Nope. I had just loaded the dishwasher, and I'm fairly certain that I hadn't put six big spoons in there. Hmmmm, where, oh where, can my big spoons be???
The somewhat humorous part of this story is that my mom always accused us of throwing away and/or giving away her big spoons when we were growing up because her big spoons also seemed to disappear. Maybe there's some kind of big spoon conspiracy. Aliens from a far away planet need big spoons to fuel their spaceships. Little people 'borrow' the big spoons just to watch mothers think they are losing their minds. Or, of course, there's always my mother's favorite reason: The big spoons just grew legs and walked away. Whatever the reason, I miss my big spoons. I tend to have OCD tendencies, and I really, really need to have eight pieces of each type of silverware. Hopefully, my big spoons will get homesick and come back soon!

it's getting better... really...

As you all probably know, JA started going to daycare twice a week at the end of January/beginning of February. At first, he didn't even seem to notice when I left (which made me a little sad). Then, he realized, 'Hey, this is the place where Mommy brings me and then disappears for a couple of hours... not cool!' - which is when he became very clingy and started crying when I would leave (which made me feel like the worst mother in the world.) Well, it's getting better :) He still cries a little when I leave, but only for a moment. (I stand in the hall until he calms down - looking through a window.) The last two times I have picked him up, they have commented on how happy he had been and what an awesome day he had :) That makes me feel good! I picked him up before nap today, and I could hear him having the best time before I even got in the room :) I was so excited to hear sweet little happy noises coming from my son! He didn't even notice me when I walked in. When the teacher showed him I was there, he continued to make happy noises and crawled over to me - just a grinning and talking! He was telling me one more story :) (just wish I knew what it was, lol!)
So, I'm starting to feel a little better about the daycare thing. I'm a little apprehensive about May, though. I'm taking a Maymester class, which means he'll have to be there 5 days a week for 4 weeks :( but, we'll just cross that bridge when we get to it...

bye-bye diaper champ

Okay, I know, I know - I just finished posting a blog, but something happened in the last couple of minutes that I had to share. Our diaper champ stinks, I mean really, really smells just awful! Don't misunderstand, it did really well for the first 11 or 12 months, but it just got to where we couldn't clean the smell out. Maybe it's because we stopped using the diaper champ brand of bags...
We loved the diaper champ because it was cheaper than the diaper genie AND you can use regular bags in it instead of buying the expensive refills. We had enough bags to get us through the first several months, and then we started using the scented garbage bags - vanilla to be exact. That helped for a couple of weeks, and then it started to smell like vanilla scented poop every time we inserted a diaper. Let me explain something, we emptied it out every week AND wiped the inside and outside with Lysol wipes, as well. I tried filling it with bleach water and letting it soak, but it wasn't watertight. I couldn't take it apart to do a thorough clean and soak, so... masking the smell seemed like the way to go. Once the scented bags stopped working, I poured an entire box of baking soda in it (which was NO help). I cleaned out the baking soda and tried to think of something else. I remembered those stick-up air fresheners - aha! That would be the thing that worked, I just knew it. I looked for those things for a month - finally found some at the dollar store. They had a flowery scent and worked... for about a month. Even after cleaning the diaper champ and replacing the air freshener, it still smelled like flowery, vanilla scented poop when we opened it. It quickly got to the point where it smelled even when it wasn't open. So, we decided to put it outside. That was a couple of weeks ago. I just opened it to empty it out, and the smell almost knocked me over!!! It was awful - the worst smell I've ever encountered (and I grew up on a farm - that had an outhouse on the property). There's no saving this diaper champ :(
RIP diaper champ: January 2010 - February 2011 'You fought a good fight against the foul odor of JA's dirty diapers.'

JA's complaints to the chef

I made JA a very yummy, nutritious lunch today which consisted of meatless chicken nuggets, green beans, and pears. However, JA didn't agree with the yummy part. He ate the meatless chicken nuggets with no problems - he actually picked through his food to find the bites of chicken nuggets to eat first. He started on the pears when I noticed he hadn't touched his green beans. I put a bite of green beans in his mouth - he made a face. It was one of those 'yuck-what-did-you-just-put-in-my-mouth-and-how-do-I-get-it-out faces. At this point, I'm wondering if he's going to be like his daddy, who doesn't eat vegetables unless they are a carb (potatoes, corn, peas). I tried feeding him the green beans, and it went something like this:
I place a small piece of green beans in his mouth.
JA makes a face, puts his hand in his mouth to extract the green bean, and throws it over his shoulder.
Mommy says, "Green beans are yummy. Mommy likes them." I take a bite of green bean. JA smiles.
I try to give him another bite. He takes the green bean out of his mouth, but instead of tossing it over his shoulder, he tries to feed it to me.
I decline the offer, and he throws it in the floor.
I place another bite in his mouth. He makes a face, but doesn't take it out.
JA picks up a piece of green bean and puts it in my mouth. I notice he smells sweet - like pears :)
I chew up my bite and encourage him to do the same. He starts to fuss, and I decide to give it up for now. I fish out the bite that had been just sitting in his mouth for the last few minutes and start to clean him up. The whole time, I'm thinking, "Why doesn't JA like green beans anymore? Is it because Dale doesn't eat them? What if he never eats a green vegetable again? Maybe I should start adding cheese or sauces to the vegetables - or will that make them so unhealthy that there's no point in even eating them?" I finally finish cleaning him up and decide to give my thoughts a rest. I have to keep reminding myself that he's fine. He probably just didn't like the taste of reheated, left-over green beans...

tired

I'm so very tired of being left out. I'm so very tired of being lied to. I'm so very tired of not being a priority. I'm so very tired of only getting called when you need something. I'm so very tired of being your scapegoat. I'm so very tired of being replaced by someone who isn't even your child. But, do you want to know what makes me the most tired? The fact that I still think you'll change - that you'll actually be there for me and include me. Heck, that you'll actually consider my feelings, for once. I'm tired of saying, "I'm over it," to only be dragged right back in by your half-hearted and feeble attempts at acknowledging the presence of my sweet baby boy. I'm tired of being tired, and you are completely oblivious.

Queen for a Day

There was a second part to my Valentine gift, as well: a spa day! Yep, I couldn't believe it either - it was a very nice surprise! Dale set up a day of pampering for me at The Villa in Lebanon. It was so nice. I was a little apprehensive about leaving the baby for such a long time (Dale told me it was about 4 hours of treatments), but I was very excited at the thought of relaxing and being pampered. I haven't polished my nails since before JA was born and most days I'm lucky to get a shower and brush my hair!
My day of pampering started with some hydrotherapy. Ahhh, relaxing in a jacuzzi with steam mists and nothing but my thoughts... that kept wandering to what JA was doing. The soak finished, and I went to a room to wait for the massage. Now, for this 'day of pampering,' you are dressed in a robe and slippers. The robe was a bit too small, and the slippers were a tad bit too large; which was an interesting combination. The robe covered everything it needed to while I was standing, but when I sat, well, that was a different story altogether. I had to hold onto the robe and sit in what was probably a very awkward looking position to ensure that I wasn't scarring anyone for life. You can imagine how I felt when I walked into the room and saw two other women sitting there: eek! I gaether my robe around my hips as best as I could and was able to 'keep it all together' until my name was called.
This would be my first professional massage... ever! I was a little nervous because I didn't know what to expect. I knew it was a Swedish massage, but had no idea what that meant. It was wonderful :) She told me I was stressed. I wanted to laugh. Of course I'm stressed - isn't that a prerequisite for mommyhood? Anyway, the massage was very nice, but it did a number on my sinuses. I was very stuffy, but my nose was running. Not to worry, the facial cleared that right up. I think the facial was my favorite part of the day. All the smells and just having someone rub my face was sooo relaxing...
Next up: pedicure and manicure! Again, it was very nice. The nail technician and I talked quite a bit: about our children, husbands, the crazy weather. We were having quite a time when I went to walk down the stairs to go get dressed. Now remember, the slippers were too big and I'd just had a pedicure. She offered me her arm for support while walking down the stairs, but I didn't take it because I didn't need it. Hahaha - wrong! I busted my butt on those stairs :) Luckily, the only thing I hurt was my pride.
My phone had died after the massage so I was unable to check the time (or check on JA). During the manicure, she told me what time it was - I had been there for almost 5 hours!!! I didn't freak out, but it definitely brought me back down to earth. I felt so guilty because I had been having a good time without JA, and I had been away from him for such a long time. I was definitely ready to go and see how my sweet little guy was doing. I couldn't get out to the vehicle quick enough so I could charge my phone and see what he was doing. Of course, he was fine - having fun with his Daddy :) I'm sure he hadn't even noticed that Mommy wasn't there...

only in Nash-vegas

My sweet husband got us tickets to the Schermerhorn to hear the Nashville Symphony and Gladys Knight last weekend (for Valentine's Day). We had such a good time - even though JA didn't get to go with us! Thankfully, we were able to leave him in the very capable hands of one of my very best friends :) JA just loves her and had a good time! Anyway, Dale and I got dressed up and headed downtown for a night of music. It was our first time out without JA since he was born... 13 months ago! Dale had originally made dinner reservations for us, but I asked him to cancel them because I just couldn't be away from the baby that long. We left the house unsure of where we were going to eat or if we would even have time to eat. We ended up picking up a couple of slices at Sbarro's and scarfing them in the vehicle before the concert. It was kinda fun - definitely different! That's one thing I love about us - we may seem a little high maintenance at time, but we really aren't. We're pretty down-to-earth, really!
So, we make it to the Schermerhorn with about ten minutes to spare. Instead of searching for a space, we opted for the valet - it was just $5-10 more and totally worth it. We didn't have to walk through the snow (yep, Nashville still had lots of snow on the ground!). This was the first time that I had been to the Schermerhorn - it's a pretty impressive place. And the people! I love to people watch (who doesn't?). Most of our fellow concert goers were dressed like us - suit and nice (but not formal) dress. I saw a few women wearing floor length gowns (made me feel underdressed) and a few people wearing jeans. I thought only in Nashville will you such diversity at a symphony concert.
The music was just beautiful :) I love picking out the instruments as they play. I don't do well with the strings - probably because we didn't have any in band in high school. The crazies came out after intermission - I guess Gladys Knight just does that to people. I couldn't believe that people were dancing and singing and yelling out to her on stage. It was so funny, and she was just so good natured about. Yelling back, I hear ya, honey, and stuff like that. I was really surprised at the amount of energy that she had. She was doing some fancy moving in some pretty high heels - very impressive!
We left before the concert was over. It was getting late, and I wanted to get back home to the baby. We had such a wonderful time, and I only called/texted to check on the baby a few times. We had a good time, JA had a good time, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to go out without him again (well, anytime soon, that it).

coloring with JA

Mommy sets up with a large piece of paper (grocery bag), the crayons (all 12), and the camera. "Look JA - crayons!! We're going to have so much fun coloring with the crayons!!!"
JA crawls over, assesses the scene and grabs a crayon.
Mommy: "Oh, look, you have a green crayon," as she grabs the camera.
JA looks at crayon and Mommy, with camera poised, and begins chewing on crayon.
Mommy: "No, shew, yuck. We don't eat the crayons, we color with them. Watch, Mommy" Mommy pulls crayon out of his mouth while demonstrating how to color.
JA watches intently as he grabs another crayon and begins chewing on it.
Mommy takes away second crayon, demonstrates coloring and explains again that we don't eat crayons. Mommy is now laying on two crayons.
JA grabs two more crayons - looks at one while chewing on the other.
Mommy now puts all of the crayons under her while explaining we don't eat crayons.
JA thinks it's a game and tries to get the crayons under Mommy so he can eat them.
Mommy gathers all of the crayons and decides that maybe it's too early for coloring. Maybe we should wait another month... or so...

Feb. 9th or why we LOVE Cookeville!

When I woke up Thursday morning and saw ALL of that snow, I really dreaded going to class - even though Dale was going with us to play with JA in the CDL. Usually Cookeville has more snow than us, and our road was covered. Well, we loaded up and prepared to face the treacherous, icy journey to Tech. We start going up the big hill at Buffalo Valley, and I noticed something - there's almost NO snow on the ground. Really? Seriously - Cookeville had almost no snow :) So... we get JA to the CDL, and I hang out and let Dale play with JA. Now, when it's just me, and I get ready to leave, JA doesn't even acknowledge my presence when I tell him bye-bye. Dale and I get ready to leave, and JA starts crying - he wants dada. (break a mommy's heart!) Anyway, we get him calmed down and go on our way. This is not the reason we love cookeville, btw :)
Dale and I had a very quick lunch at clear creek bistro - so super-yummy! It's such a tiny little sandwich place, located in a medical park, but totally worth the search! After my class, and we picked up JA, we went to 32 degrees. JA (and we) loved it!! Self-service frozen yogurt - yumm-o! Apparently, I wasn't feeding JA quickly enough because he kept putting his hand in the cup, trying to grab more! After we left there, we went to Cato's to find something for mommy to wear Friday night (more on that later), and had the nicest, most helpful salesgirl :) Our final stop: Discovery Depot :) I love that toy store - now, it is pricey, but they only carry the high quality, educational stuff. Well, that and CANDY! We have found a puzzle for JA there and crayons - I haven't been able to find either of those for his age anywhere else (outside of catalogs). The good thing is those items were $10 and less. On this day, we were getting crayons for JA. I was so excited and had these visions of me and the baby creatively scribbling and exploring color. Hahahaha - that is sooo not how it went. Coloring with JA was definitely an adventure and will be the subject of the next blog - fun stuff, people, I promise :)
Anyway, we love Cookeville because there is just so much to do! Places that we haven't been to a million times. More choices than just Wal-Mart :) All of these choices, but still located in one of the safest cities in the country! Small town feel without the lack of choices. I really, really want to move to the Cookeville/Sparta area...

13 months

really? it's been thirteen months since my sweet little boy graced us with his presence? wow! the time has just flown by! it seems like only a couple of weeks ago that we were coming home from the hospital. that first night home was awful - all three of us crying on the floor of the nursery after a disastrous attempt at changing his little diaper. watch out for the umbilical cord, be careful of the circumcision, don't forget the Vaseline and alcohol pad... is this diaper even on right? we couldn't stop apologizing to that poor little guy and kept questioning our decision to circumcise, but look at us now - we've made it to 13 months, and JA still thinks we're pretty cool :) the last thirteen months have been filled with so much joy, many laughs, kisses, and hugs, well, and some tears and sleepless nights which were well worth it. I'm not sure if I slept for more than 2 hours at a time for the first 3 or 4 months. it always reminds me of a bit that jim gaffigan does about new moms who breastfeed. he says you should never say you're tired in front of a new mom who breastfeeds because she'll reply that she only slept for 1 minute the night before AND she was breastfeeding during that minute :) how true!! if only my husband had remembered that the night he told me that HE (the one who got to sleep for hours at a time) was tired when I asked him to go change the baby. the look on my face convinced him that he really wasn't too tired to change the baby. but I'm not writing this to complain about my husband - he's a good guy who works very hard to provide for us, and I am so thankful for that.
we are still trying to figure out what we're doing, and praying that we don't do anything that will send him to therapy, but parenting is one of those learn-on-the-job occupations where you just try your best and then see what happens. maybe it will work, maybe it will blow up in your face - it's really just a toss-up. I read every book, magazine article, and website that I could find that had to do with parenting and infant care/milestones during my pregnancy and the first several months of JA's life. what did I learn? many things can go wrong, babies develop at their own rate, and baby poop is a mystery. I tried doing everything by the book, and all it did was make me very tired and anxious. now, at 13 months, I'm not consulting the books like a crazy information junkie looking for their next hit. and you know what? JA is okay. he's doing his own thing and is very happy about it. maybe, FINALLY, after 13 months mommy can stop worrying so much!
hahaha, right... at least I've stopped calling my mom about his poop :)

"Is he spoiled?"

is there an easy way to answer that? is there even a good answer for that question? "Is he spoiled?" hmmm, maybe, a little, not as much as i would like... isn't that what babies are for? why, wouldn't you spoil him? look at that face!
JA and I were at wal-mart today, and they have balloons for valentine's day EVERYWHERE in the store. and not just your ordinary valentine balloons, but super-cute balloons, like huge, green frog balloons. so... we got one. a $5 frog balloon. we walked through the store with this large frog floating above us, the string getting stuck in my ponytail more than once. mommy and JA, who was wearing his frog hat, went all over the walmart with this super-cute balloon. we ran into more than one person who commented on the cuteness of JA, his frog hat, and his frog balloon. we walked past a small child who immediately began throwing a fit because he wanted a frog balloon, too. (I'm pretty sure his dad shot me the meanest, thanks-so-much look ever as we strolled by.)nevertheless, we left walmart with one very happy baby, one very large floating frog, and one content mommy, until... I was unloading the cart and realized someone was talking to JA. I turned to say something and recognized a girl I had been friends with back in elementary school. she, her mother, and I exchanged pleasantries, and then she asked the question, "is he spoiled?" it was obvious from the huge smile on her face that it was really more of a rhetorical quesiton. well, that and the fact that I had just stuffed a huge, floating frog into the car. I grinned and said, "maybe a little," before i even realized I was talking out loud. We talked a little longer before returning to our respective vehicles and leaving. On the way home, I couldn't stop thinking; am I spoiling him? Am I setting a precedence that I will regret? True, it's just a $5 frog shaped piece of mylar filled with helium... now. but what if this leads to the 'I-wants' or the 'gimmies' or even worse: the middle-of-the-store, throw-yourself-on-the-floor fits? *shudder* What have I done? I ruined our child!!!
okay, seriously, I know I haven't ruined him, but it did help me realize that what I do now could easily become a habit which could then lead to trouble on down the road. so, I bought my one year old a valentine's day balloon. I don't do things like that every time we go into a store (we couldn't afford that!). I really don't think that randomly buying one balloon is going to make him think that he has to have something everytime we go into a store... hopefully :) shew, parenting is not easy, but at least it's fun!

one of these days...

one of these days, I'm going to finish this degree I've been working on for about a decade. one of these days, I'm going to go through everything in this house, and get rid of all the stuff we don't use by having a massive yard sale. one of these days, I'm going to lose this weight that I've put back on after all of the hard work it took to lose it the first time! one of these days, I'm going to polish my fingernails AND my toenails - just like I did before I became a mommy. one of these days, I'm going to clean out the apartment in the garage and make it into the coolest playroom ever! one of these days, I'm going to organize all the photos of JA that i have and possibly do a scrapbook with them. one of these days, I am going to finally forgive and forget ALL of the hurts and wrongs inflicted upon me by others. one of these days, I'm going to start blogging again... guess today's the day :)
I've had this account for over a year, but I never took the time to sit down and start this. I enjoyed blogging on myspace, but I have outgrown myspace in the past couple of years. One of my very best friends just started blogging on here, and I thought, hmmm... what a good idea :) blogging can be so therapeutic, so here I go.
maybe I'll get to some of the other things on this list, too...