Reminiscing

My baby only one year ago...just learning to sit

Spa Day

Whenever Ryan has to go on a trip, I miss him instantly. Even before enough time passes that he could feasibly have just gone to work or the store. It's just that feeling... that my best friend won't be here later to talk about stupid stuff with or to change a diaper, feed someone, or give baths when I just don't feel like it. It has been a month since I've seen him and I can barely stand it.

His sweet, thoughtful, loving heart got me a "spa day" for Valentine's...a MUCH needed massage, facial, manicure, and pedicure. I've been SOOOO looking forward to it for weeks considering I haven't had a day (or even more than 3 hours) to myself since he left. So, I dropped Delaney off at school and Madelyn off at drop-in child care...and I'm off to the lap of luxury. First was the massage. It was great - but I figured out that 30 minutes is NOT enough. Then, about 2 minutes into my facial and my phone rings. I didn't answer it. I felt it was rude enough for it to be blaring "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" loud enough to disturb everyone. Then, it rings again....and again. Finally, I answer it and it's the child care worker. She said, "Maddy's upset. You may want to come get her." HUH? My first thought was to tell her she must have the wrong number. My second thought was "Is she bleeding? Is she puking? Has she stopped breathing? NO? Well then, do whatever it freakin' takes to make her happy, so I can just have this totally selfish MOMENT! That's what I'm paying you for. She's only crying...so DEAL WITH IT!" Ya know, I'm really sorry she was upset, but, really, do these people have any childcare experience? Do they understand separation anxiety? I've worked in many a childcare settings and know how a worker feels when they just don't want to deal with it. It's different when it's not your child. Guess what, I deal with it ALL the time and don't even get paid so BUCK UP, chick, and earn your damn paycheck! Can you tell I was a tad bit irked? In reality, all I really said was, "I'm on my way." With just enough of a facial to no longer have any make-up on, I sadly left the day spa. And, of course, just like the past 2 times, when I go to pick her up she's smiling, there's no indication on her face that she ever even shed a tear, and she doesn't even want to come to me. She wants to go play some more. UGGGGG!!! So much for relaxation. AND that whole scenario completely negated the massage. I'm more stressed than EVER! Ya know, I don't ask for much. I rarely even WANT to be away from my kids. I just needed today. Oh well, the joys of having children... Anyone for a glass (or 3) of wine?

So, how can I manage 3 more weeks without Ryan? I just don't know. I'm sure I will...I always do. But it absolutely, positively sucks beyond belief!

Weekend update...The Ringling Bros. and Barnham and Bailey Circus was GREAT! The kids loved it. Delaney's favorite part was the girl acrobats that hung and flipped from scarves tied to the ceiling. She now wants to be one of those whatever they're called ...AND a girl on the trapeze at Cirque de la Mer at Sea World. Maddy's least favorite part was the little dog dressed as an elephant - completely FREAKED her out! Hunter's birthday party was fun, too. I really had a good time seeing Melissa's family. They are like my own, considering they took care of me a lot when Mom was sick and after she died. They are such wonderful people.

Thanks for letting me rant...and for listening to my pity party. It's just been one of those days...

Ang

Teletubbies

Tinky Winky & Dipsy say "Hello"

At the parade

Uncle Chad has a monkey on his back!

Firefighter Delaney

Nana and D-Daddy took her to the Fire Station

Yummy

The Olive Garden poster child. She LOVES OLIVES!!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

In their new Valentine P.J.'s with D-Daddy and Nana

Our weekend, etc.

We had a pretty cool weekend. The kids went to Parents Night Out at the club Fri. night. The other parents were going on dates with eachother. Out of pity, Kerri came over and we went to a movie together. Meet the Fockers was cute, but, definitely a renter. She and I caught up afterward at Taco Bell and then went for Fudgesicle Daiquiris - YUMMY! After picking up the girls, we went home and watched The Notebook - OMG! BEST movie I've seen in a really, really long time. Overall, a fabulous "date". Ryan's parents came over Saturday and took us all out to dinner at Olive Garden. It was fun, except we waited for 1.5 hours for a table and then 1 hour for our food. The kids were OVER IT, especially Maddy who is totally anti-highchair right now, so we got our food "to go" and ate it at home. It was a wonderful visit with them, though. The girls absolutely love the attention (and gifts) they get everytime Nana and D-daddy are around (okay, I do, too). Thanks, D-Daddy, for fixing my disposal and putting Ryan's weight bench together. You're awesome! I'm sure he's grateful, too.

Speaking of that baby, Madelyn has fallen in love with board books. She has several she adores. She'll bring them to you and hit you with them until you read them. When you're done reading one, she'll scream until you read it again. I end up tossing the book back into her room where she'll toddle off and bring back another. It happens over and over and over. It's gotten so bad that I had to put her books in her closet and open the closet only at designated book reading times. It's good that she loves them, but, come on! How nice it is that Delaney can read them to her now. But she gets tired of it faster than I do. She's into "chapter books" now and is just too old for baby books...sure.

Speaking of Laney, that kid NEVER. STOPS. TALKING. Someone please remind me of this when she is a non-communicative, too cool teenager. Right now, I would actually appreciate NOT knowing every thought that crosses her mind. What did dinosaurs really eat? How do you make lotion? Who thought eating a chicken would be a good idea? Who is the sun shining on when we're sleeping? I can count to 100, wanna hear? 1, 2, 3... Just babbling and endless questions that I really don't know how to answer. I think she just talks out of reflex.

Back to Madelyn...she pooped in the potty. Did you get that? She's somehow made it to Stage 3 of potty training without my knowledge. She just started showing interest 2 weeks ago (Stage 1), telling me AFTER she went. Then a couple of days ago, she started telling me WHILE she was going (Stage 2). The past 2 days have been filled with her telling me BEFORE she actually goes (Stage 3) by removing her diaper, grabbing herself and saying "Poo-Poo" repeatedly. I'm NOT ready for this potty-training thing again. She's only 18 months old!!! Delaney PT'd at 22mo. Couldn't she at least wait the 4 more months or wait until she's 3? It just takes too much work. For example, I know when I take her to the potty, she'll sit there for 3 seconds, get up, look in the potty, say "oh", sit back down for a while, grunt really loud, get up, look in again...you get the idea. Finally, I say "let's just get a diaper on, okay?" and she'll nod her head. Every time. She has only actually grunted poop out once - two turdlets landed in the potty and 5-6 somehow found their way to the bathroom floor. Nice. I'm glad she's showing interest, but, like I said, I'm not ready for this yet.

Okay, I've gone way over my limit of time spent typing. My back hurts! Gotta go watch the Grammy's anyway.

I miss my husband. Tomorrow's really gonna suck. I'm glad I get to spend it with 16 4-year-olds;-)

Goodnight! And Happy Valentine's Day to all.

Copycat

Some of Maddy's words at 18mo. Turn the volume WAY up!

Giggles

Turn your volume WAY up and get ready to smile!

Stroller napping

I just love chubby baby feet! The little birthmark on the inner ankle is a Maddy give-away.

Matching sweaters

Playing on Delaney's bed. They can always stop for a moment to say "Cheese"! My dad picked these sweaters out;-) Aren't they cute?

Freakin' tree

Not a great way to be woken up in the morning.

Helmet heads

Going for a bike ride. They scream and giggle the WHOLE time!

Introducing Hannah Elyse Price...

I'm SO thrilled to be getting another niece! Here's her adorable little face. What an absolute miracle. I just can't wait to squeeze her! Maddy can't wait to teach her all sort of *fun* things. I tried to get her to say "Hannah" and she said "Hammer". LOL

Today...

I just dropped Delaney off at school. Madelyn is sitting here with me eating fruit snacks. What shall we do with the day? Laundry? Vacuum? Organize? Pay bills? Clean toilets? Nah...we'll probably just read some books and play in her room until naptime. I'd love to go for a walk or to the park. Dude, I feel like I haven't seen the sun in a year. It has been cloudy/raining since Friday. That's almost a week! Welcome to Louisiana - no, I'm not used to it yet:(

I have an interview tomorrow. No, I don't really want to work until Delaney's in school and Maddy's in pre-school, but I almost can't pass it up. It just seems "perfect" as far as what I want right now - keeping a hand in my field and a little extra money. The position is as a Parenting Educator at Slidell Memorial Hospital. Basically, I'll be developing programs and instructing classes to parents and/or kids on a variety of topics: Parent/Infant classes, Parenting Support Playgroups, Acing the Ones, The Terrific Twos, Parenting Preschoolers , Tiny Tot Fun and Fitness (like a Gymboree class), Toilet Teaching Workshops, Infant Massage, Sibling Classes, Discipline Workshops, Parent/Adolescent Classes, Communication Workshops, Babysitting Classes - you get the idea. The best part is that it's very, very, very part-time...only 20 hours A MONTH (yea!) and very flexible. So, it'd be more like hobby really;) I can schedule my classes whenever, even in the evenings or on Saturdays, so I don't have to worry about child care. As I want to add more classes to my load, I can. The director took this position when she had very small children, added classes when she could, and is now just needs help so she can spend more time in the office. She's also very understanding, being a Mom herself. I know I have the confidence and ability to do the Parent/tot classes, but I just feel pretty "green" as a parent to be telling other parents the right things to do. BUT, I really like the fact that mostly low-income and "at risk" parents/kids take these classes, either because they are free or required by a judge/social worker, so I feel I'd still be making a difference in the lives of children that really NEED the extra help. I don't know, though...one minute I'm excited about it and the next, I'm just not. I also don't know what the pay is...I guess I'll find out tomorrow. That may be the deciding factor as to whether it will really be worth it. Anyway, I'll keep ya posted.

Well, I better run. Madelyn's demanding my attention. She's really starting to talk a lot. She'll try to repeat anything, but only about 20% of it is understandable. Delaney and I get a good laugh out of trying to get her to say difficult words. She thinks it's funny, too. I just love this age!