MY HEAVENLY DAYS!!!!! How many times do I have to tell my 11 month old "No, you CAN NOT play with the plunger", or "No, you CAN NOT suck on batteries!", or "No, you CAN NOT suck on the end of the Clorox spray cleaner!" Just kidding, I of course keep ALL harmful chemicals out of the reach of children :)
I am realizing that she has the divine right to think and act and do what she feels like doing. I am also realizing that I have the divine responsibility to tell her "NO!" I am not liking it very much. Neither is she for that matter.
I have had a break-down in the last few days. It's bound to happen now and again since I am not nearly as saint-ish as many other women in my life. You see, Rusty and I have a roof over our heads, are finally together as a family, and have had the opportunity to go and see some of the most amazing places, some of which I will post later. I should be filled with gratitude. Hmmm....yes I should be.
I had a break-down a few mornings ago. Brylee has been teething, I have been slaving over the computer for two and half months to find us a place to live, Rusty is stressed at work, and I have a load of other responsibilities going on. Rusty and I were discussing "excitedly" a topic that is in the front of my mind lately, and I got angry. I started to cry. But, see, I didn't WANT to cry. What I wanted to do was talk intelligently and make my point, but what ended up happening was me crying. This has happened a few times when I get angry enough that I cry. When it does, I am usually thinking to myself, "Stop crying you idiot! What's your problem? Use your words and show them you are right!!!"
Yet, every time, I am sitting there crying, sounding like a total blubbering woman. I am not entirely sure why this happens. My feelings aren't hurt, I don't use it as a tactic to turn the conversation in my favor, or to stop it at all. If anyone would like to psycho-analyze me I am sure they would find out. All I know is that it really frustrates my purpose of talking when I can't stop crying. Usually, the person I am talking to ends up feeling bad because I am crying and the conversation turns another way and by the end, I didn't get to say what I really wanted to.
When I started crying, it only took a few minutes and I noticed that Brylee had started to as well. As soon as I stopped my blubbering self and took a few breaths, she started to calm down too. I think I have been pawning off her fussiness, or her constantly being into everything she shouldn't, or her being so needy lately, on teething or her age. I think it's part of it, but I think she is reacting to what Rusty and I have been going through. Yesterday, I made a point of not doing anything for 2 hours but sitting and playing with her. We read books, sang songs, learned new ones, and drank her sippy while I just held her and hummed in her ear. That night, while I fixed dinner, she sat on her push toy and watched Einstein's so I could get it on the table fast. Usually she is at my feet crying and tugging on my leg or going to the one cabinet she knows she is not allowed in.
I don't anticipate a day anytime soon that life will slow down or become less stressful. In fact, I am sure I am in for a rude awakening when I add more little ones to this mess, but I need to find ways to make sure that it isn't unnecessarily affecting my children. Any ideas from you awesome moms out there? (Or Dad's if you would like to comment!) If you have any, send them my way...I am pretty sure my sweet Brylee needs them!
4/27/10
Are you interested?
I thought I might post this in case anyone in the Queen Creek, Mesa, Chandler, Tempe area is interested.
My sister and brother-in-law are looking for some new employees to hire. It's a great opportunity to make some money cleaning apartments, office buildings, and gyms. Day and night positions available. They also need a receptionist that has knowledge of Word, Excel, and Quicken. If anyone is interested, please let me know and I will get you the contact information.
Thanks!
My sister and brother-in-law are looking for some new employees to hire. It's a great opportunity to make some money cleaning apartments, office buildings, and gyms. Day and night positions available. They also need a receptionist that has knowledge of Word, Excel, and Quicken. If anyone is interested, please let me know and I will get you the contact information.
Thanks!
4/21/10
Do knots
I get a wide array of comments about Brylee's hair. Most people comment on how much she has and that it makes her look older than she is. Some tell me how much fun it must be that my little one has a ton of hair. Little do they know about what it takes to do it everyday. (I know I am running the risk of hate mail from mom's who's girls have little or no hair.) She has two huge cowlicks and it makes leaving her hair down almost impossible. Now that I have had her hair up so much, it naturally crimps. I think I have ruined this head of hair!! This is what the morning brings us. We call it crazy head.
(Oh, and thanks Grandma Wilkins for the cute jammies!)
(Oh, and thanks Grandma Wilkins for the cute jammies!)
Daddy makes everything ok
Around these parts, the most eventful thing people do in their week is go out to eat. Most families have moms and dads who work and sometimes two jobs to make ends meet. It's no wonder that is what the highlight is.
Friends in the ward had been telling us how much we needed to go to a little shopping center called the Rio. After going, I can see why people love it. It is really family oriented with a huge lake in the middle that they have built a boardwalk around with a huge play area. All of the restaurants open to the water which creates a really cool atmosphere. Ducks and geese and swans are everywhere. It is now our new favorite place. Plus it has a TWO DECKER TARGET!! Who wouldn't love that?
We found out one night walking around that Brylee has no use for Ducks. This duck was not even 2 feet away, and Brylee started bawling. People all around us were wondering what in the world she was crying at. Probably made it worse that Rusty and I couldn't really help her we were laughing so hard. As much as this little one can slap, pinch, grab, tug and play on a 75 pound dog, she just can't feel safe around a duck. Oh, my funny little girl!
(I'll share your coat with you anytime DADDY!)
We have had a couple really cold days but that didn't stop Brylee and Dad from watching the water. As much as this little one loves her dad, I'm pretty sure she didn't mind being wrapped up all cozy with him!
Friends in the ward had been telling us how much we needed to go to a little shopping center called the Rio. After going, I can see why people love it. It is really family oriented with a huge lake in the middle that they have built a boardwalk around with a huge play area. All of the restaurants open to the water which creates a really cool atmosphere. Ducks and geese and swans are everywhere. It is now our new favorite place. Plus it has a TWO DECKER TARGET!! Who wouldn't love that?
We found out one night walking around that Brylee has no use for Ducks. This duck was not even 2 feet away, and Brylee started bawling. People all around us were wondering what in the world she was crying at. Probably made it worse that Rusty and I couldn't really help her we were laughing so hard. As much as this little one can slap, pinch, grab, tug and play on a 75 pound dog, she just can't feel safe around a duck. Oh, my funny little girl!
(I'll share your coat with you anytime DADDY!)
We have had a couple really cold days but that didn't stop Brylee and Dad from watching the water. As much as this little one loves her dad, I'm pretty sure she didn't mind being wrapped up all cozy with him!
Little hands make heavy work (for mom)!
This is her new favorite obsession. Well, it's either this or sneaking in the bathroom and playing with the plunger....needless to say we keep the bathroom door closed at all times now.
Colors of the city
Thought I would post some pics for the Grandma's. This time it isn't of the little terd but of the beautiful colors we have been enjoying in D.C latley. Since both my mom and Janet have green thumbs, I though they would enjoy this!
Timing just didn't work out this year for us to go see the Cherry Blossom festival, so we will wait to do that when family comes next year (hint, hint)!
Timing just didn't work out this year for us to go see the Cherry Blossom festival, so we will wait to do that when family comes next year (hint, hint)!
4/20/10
Chesapeake Bay April 2010
We didn't have crab cakes or crab at all for that matter, but we had a blast playing around in the bay a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful day and we were there with some good friends. It was great to get out of the city and drive only 45 min to the beach. As your driving, you are surrounded by heavy foliage on both sides. Then all of a sudden, the ocean appears! We rolled down the windows and let the smell of the ocean real us in (get the pun there? Ya, I'm not that funny.) The homes were colonial and yet beachfront all at the same time. We strolled by old couples sitting on their porches sipping what I can only imagine as sweet tea, or coffee, or anything you sip instead if gulp or swallow. The boardwalk was really cool to drive by....unfortunately we didn't stop to do that. Hopefully next time we can stroll down the boardwalk and stop in the cute shops, or play at the water park. Instead we geared up for hunting. Hunting teeth. These teeth. 
I'll give... a compliment... to anyone who can tell me that they honestly knew sharks teeth are black. I didn't know they were black. Oh, and they are microscopically small compared to what I thought. Well, in all fairness, "they" tell me that there are some that are 4-5 inches long and are worth hundreds of dollars but I never saw one. Apparently you have to go in caves and cliffs to find them. We resolved ourselves to the small, but equally awesome, teeth that Rusty slaved for an hour to find. It's amazing how many people bring their kitchen sifters and sit and go through the sand all day to find them. I watched as one lady was brought in a wheel chair (most painstakingly by her young grandson might I add) just so she could sit and sift sand. I was impressed with the grandson's devotion.
It is interesting how our interests change as we have children. That day was not about me sitting on the beach or getting a tan (which is needed...badly) or even about Rusty and I taking a romantic stroll (although that would have been sweet), but it was about watching Brylee. I don't think I ever took my eyes off of her because I wanted to see her experience everything for the first time. She just sat in my arms as still as could be for the first few minutes and starred out at the biggest thing she has ever seen. Like me, I think she was captivated by the sound.
Then, we put her in the sand and the confusion on her face was hysterical as she tried to figure out what in the world it was. She would pick her hands up and stare and then rub them on the blanket to try to get it off. After only a few minutes she learned the sand wasn't going anywhere, so she dug in and squished it between her fingers and smiled. 
Then, daddy put her in the cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, freezing cold water. She gasped instantly. It was funny.
We tried crabbing, but lo and behold, it is not crab season.
A fact not known by any of the 4 people from Arizona who were there. Really, how do I know when crab are ready to eat raw chicken legs? Apparently not until September. I don't blame them, sometimes I'm just not hungry either. It was really fun trying though and the kids didn't care that we didn't catch a single crab. Kids are easily entertained though. Especially these ones. Well, especially this one. Isn't she cute by the ocean? 
Ok, she is cute by a trash dumpster, but really, she loved the beach and so did we. Definitely another trip soon in the future. Anyone from AZ want to come?
I'll give... a compliment... to anyone who can tell me that they honestly knew sharks teeth are black. I didn't know they were black. Oh, and they are microscopically small compared to what I thought. Well, in all fairness, "they" tell me that there are some that are 4-5 inches long and are worth hundreds of dollars but I never saw one. Apparently you have to go in caves and cliffs to find them. We resolved ourselves to the small, but equally awesome, teeth that Rusty slaved for an hour to find. It's amazing how many people bring their kitchen sifters and sit and go through the sand all day to find them. I watched as one lady was brought in a wheel chair (most painstakingly by her young grandson might I add) just so she could sit and sift sand. I was impressed with the grandson's devotion. It is interesting how our interests change as we have children. That day was not about me sitting on the beach or getting a tan (which is needed...badly) or even about Rusty and I taking a romantic stroll (although that would have been sweet), but it was about watching Brylee. I don't think I ever took my eyes off of her because I wanted to see her experience everything for the first time. She just sat in my arms as still as could be for the first few minutes and starred out at the biggest thing she has ever seen. Like me, I think she was captivated by the sound.
Then, we put her in the sand and the confusion on her face was hysterical as she tried to figure out what in the world it was. She would pick her hands up and stare and then rub them on the blanket to try to get it off. After only a few minutes she learned the sand wasn't going anywhere, so she dug in and squished it between her fingers and smiled. 
Then, daddy put her in the cold, cold, cold, cold, cold, freezing cold water. She gasped instantly. It was funny. We tried crabbing, but lo and behold, it is not crab season.
A fact not known by any of the 4 people from Arizona who were there. Really, how do I know when crab are ready to eat raw chicken legs? Apparently not until September. I don't blame them, sometimes I'm just not hungry either. It was really fun trying though and the kids didn't care that we didn't catch a single crab. Kids are easily entertained though. Especially these ones. Well, especially this one. Isn't she cute by the ocean? 
Ok, she is cute by a trash dumpster, but really, she loved the beach and so did we. Definitely another trip soon in the future. Anyone from AZ want to come?
4/15/10
Walking
I have been searching craiglist like crazy for a toy that would help Brylee learn to walk, you know the ones that she holds onto and pushes? Well, apparently Brylee was a little impatient and devised one for herself!
4/14/10
RVHS Class Reunion
Hey, just for anyone out there who is from the RVHS Class of 2000 and you are not on facebook, please leave me your e-mail so I can add you to the email list for updates regarding our reunion. If you are not comfortable leaving your e-mail, then you can find me on facebook or classmates.com or ask fellow classmates you may be in contact with to send me your email. Thanks!
4/8/10
Heart beats
(Brylee 10 months old on trip to Chesapeake Bay April 5th, 2010)Tonight I sat and cuddled with Brylee. The air had finally turned cool from the coming storm, and we could finally touch each other without sweating and sticking together (it has been 90-94 degrees in our apartment the last three days without AC). She has become increasingly eager to cuddle these days and I have to admit, I don't mind it at all.
We were laying cheek to cheek. Her belly was full of corn, pears, and Hawaiian haystacks (which managed to get in her hair and ears), and I could see her belly was so full it was protruding out of her tiny t-shirt. I placed my hand on her heart and layed there cheek to cheek feeling her heart beat. It's amazing how fast it is. I imagined it the rhythm of her energy. The girl never stops moving. And while I know the medical reasons that her heart beat is much faster than mine, I still think its because she is physically unable to sit still.
While at the doctor for her 9 month shots yesterday, she grabbed the doctors stethoscope and slammed it back into her ear. For anyone who doesn't know what that is like, it's like someone hitting a drum inside your ear. I felt bad and went to discipline and prevent her from doing it again, and the doctor told me not to. She thought she was cute. Seriously!
Her 10 month stats
Weight: 20 lbs- 50Th percentile
Height: 28 inches- 50Th percentile
Head: 75Th percentile
Things she is/has accomplished:
Loves Peek-a-boo
Playing Patty-Cake
Cruising around the furniture
Shaking her head no-no
Waving Hi and Bye
Blowing kisses
Drinking from a sippy
Eating everything she can get her hands on
including MILK!!
That's right, you heard me right...she eats anything milk based just fine! She finally outgrew the milk allergy and trust me, I don't think I could be any happier. It was getting really old giving her the same few foods to eat. Don't get me wrong, the girl loves her peaches, but it's nice to give her whatever we are eating. It makes dinner time just a little easier.
She still takes the Prevacid every morning for the reflux and after attempting a few times to take her off, I'm afraid this may be a more long term thing than originally thought.
Now that I think about it, her heart may be beating so fast because it has to keep up with how fast she is growing up. I think I would rather trap her in this age where I can sit with her cheek to cheek forever.
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