So much fun - a letter to Princess Crybaby

You just turned 11months old and every day you astound us with some new discovery. You are walking like a pro, you love your sippy cup, you and the dog are regular buddies now, you love to "talk," point and, in general, charm everybody you meet.

Yesterday, you tried out your first real temper tantrum; complete with tears! Your little face was so red! You didn't know it but I wasn't really ignoring you. I watched you the whole time, out of the corner of my eye.

I can't wait for your sister to come home and see how much you've grown. You and she will be like peas and carrots, I bet.

Some people say that the toddler years are the hardest. Some people say it's those rocky preschool years, or elementary, or middle or *gulp* high school... You get my drift.

You know what I think? I think every stage will have hard parts. I think there will times in every age that will scare us, hurt us and make us mad. There wil be phases where it will seem we are forever at odds and, I'm sure you'll inform us, we must hate you (that will NEVER be the case, my baby).

But. Do you know what else I think? Most of the time will be a lot of fun. Watching you make new discoveries, learn new things, meet new people, learn new skills and, in general, set the world on its ear.

I am so glad I'm your mommy and I have a front row seat at the greatest show on earth. Barnum & Bailey doesn't have anything on our Family Circus. I love you.

Happy Days

Home after spending the day in fort worth with my sweet husband and littlest girl, princess crybaby. It was a sweet day. Like so many days, I am overwhelmed at those little moments. We laugh so much, it's hard to imagine we've ever known sadness or anger.

The anniversary of our wedding is a sweet reminder of a very special day but it is, after all, just Another Day. A beautiful day, no doubt. But the days that I live for are days we go shopping or, as Coach says, "looking." Days when we go to Pepper Creek Trail and I complain about the heat. Days when we sit on the couch and watch soccer. Friday nights when I'm in the stands and he's on the sidelines. And, yes, even those days when it seems he intent on losing his hands because he won't stop tickling me.

Of the myriad of gifts God has given me, the greatest is Coach. The only thing that is more precious to me is my salvation.

Today is a happy day.

L-O-V-E

Listen
Overlook
Value
Encourage

• Listen means turning off the iPad and phone, disconnecting my brain from the temptation to work and really engaging in conversation - investing in friendship.
• Overlook means keeping the good stuff in focus and it worrying so much about the other stuff.
• Value means caring enough to be sensitive to needs.  I must communicate and model behavior I hope to see.
• Encourage is just that. I think I do can do a pretty good job at this but there is always room to improve.

 

Lord, thank you for renewed vision and a willing heart. 

I spoke too soon

We are still trying to figure out the magic combination of rocking, singing, stories and other bedtime routines that will help her get to sleep at a decent hour.

CONCLUSION #1: She is some kind of night-owl/morning person mutant.

She won't go to sleep before about 10 but she wants to get up with me at 6. Um, that would be ok if she was five or six but she still needs more sleep than that. So, by 10, she's ready to nap.

I know the right answer is the one that works so I'm trying diligently not to stress about this (as Coach likes to say).

Everything else is going super well. She screams like a velociraptor from jurassic park, eats anything you put in her mouth and is starting to walk!!! She's hilarious and affectionate and funny and exasperating. (does this remind anyone of descriptions of Munchkin?)

CONCLUSION #2: I see a trend in the personalities of my children: brilliant little whirlwinds that can make you want to laugh, cry, pull your hair out - all at the same time...

Yesterday, I started putting the spoon in her hand and letting her feed herself. Yes, it went right in her hair. It was great fun. Getting the spoon away from her to actually get some food into her mouth wasn't so fun [insert velociraptor screams here].

CONCLUSION #3: Bananas might not be the next big thing in hair gel but maybe they should be. They are quite...effective at freezing hair.

I intend to fill up her little pool this morning so we can put her in it later today. She loves the water.

Life is good.

That's just stupid

"Yes, someone is making fun of me over this, publicly, and inciting others to make fun of it. What? No, I can't say anything. Because I have to take the high road. It's an unwritten code of conduct that I and many of my colleagues cannot stand up for ourselves. We have to remain silent and take it because they have the "right" to publish lies and twisted assumptions about us because we are semi-public figures. If we do say anything, if we ask those people to stop lying, to stop spreading their parasitic negativity, then we are the ones who are wrong." - dooce.com.

When did it become ok and even expected that people should be allowed to spew slander and attack personal creditability and integrity when something doesn't go their way?

That's just stupid. I'm just sayin'.

Update on sleeping

Ahhh...the sweet sight of a peacefully sleeping baby. There is nothing quite like it. Especially when it wasn't achieved the hard way; with 30 minutes of wailing and gnashing of teeth. And that's not counting what princess crybaby was doing. Haha

Tonight, i tried something different...

I gave pc her bottle, read her a bedtime story and said prayers with her (like always), and then sat there, rocking, until she was calm enough to put in her crib. Then, instead if leaving the room, I sat back down in the rocking chair while she played quietly another 20 minutes, or so. When she was ready for sleep, she began to fuss in that whiny, "mommy I'm so sleepy but I need a little more cuddling" cry. I picked her up and rocked her in the rocking chair about 10 minutes. She was out.

I'm about to go to bed - it'll be the first night in a week without a headache.