Since re-birthing my blogging, I had every intention of keeping up to date with it. However, shortly after the initial posts, a deeply sad event happened in our lives. It pained me too much to write about it, and so I held back for the time it would take. I do know that if I want to really work on this blog that I can't ignore it, and I do not want to avoid writing about the happenings in life.
On Monday, August 12, my husband Ryan was informed that his ailing mother was back in the hospital, fighting an infection. Her immune system had been drastically weakened by her cancer and chemotherapy. The prognosis wasn't looking good. Ryan's was picked up by his sister Melanie and his sister Stefanie, who had flown in from California. They drove up to Logan together to be with their parents and other sister Amanda. Discussions with the doctor revealed that the cancer had unfortunately spread throughout her body. His mother, Patty, asked to be able to go home.
She was brought home Tuesday, and her son Rodney had arrived from Arizona. All of her children, as well as her husband, were there with her. She was able to be in their loving company through the moment of her passing on Thursday, August 15.
It is hard for me to write this. Thinking of it all brings me to tears. I am so very saddened of her passing, of her suffering, but at the same time immensely struck by the beauty of love. She was blessed by such a wonderful, loving family. To have them at her side for this moment is a blessing few get to have.
Her family had a viewing for her on Sunday, as well as another on Monday that was held just shortly before her funeral. It was amazing to witness all of the people come to show their support, love, and grief. Her services were lovely. Her daughters had some wonderful readings of memories and character, her sons sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" which was a request she had, and Ryan shared a poem he wrote for her. It was all very touching.
Honestly, I'm not sure what else to say. I have so many feelings about the circumstances, but my words fail me. In the near future, I will compile and post some of my favorite memories of Patty Egan. Be at peace.
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Goodby Norma Jean
(Transferred from the old blog The Egan Initiative)
My Grandmother Norma Jean Barnes was laid to rest yesterday. I would like to share some of my fondest memories of her.
We didn't get to visit with Grandma too often while growing up. My family lives all over the US. Grandma Jean and Grandpa Larry lived in the Texas side of Texarkana. My earliest memory of her involves being in Wendover at the age of 3 before my sister was born. The memory is vague, though I sure remember the sounds and lights of the casino.
Years later when I was 12 we had a small family reunion of sorts at our house. The funnest part of the trip was when Grandma took us to the Sports Park for go cart racing. She kicked all of our butts! It is still funny in my mind to see her whipping around the corners. She had mentioned wanting to go bungee jumping but that never quite happened. ;)
For Thanksgiving in 2001 we all got together in Texarkana. She worked so hard at putting together a TON of food...so much we had a large buffet that could have easily fed the whole block. She made 28 pies! That made it almost 2 for each of us. Recently my sister was telling me how during Thanksgiving dinner she flashed everybody. I happened to miss this, though a few days after Thanksgiving she flashed me telling me that is what I have to look forward to when I get older, ha ha. She loved calling me & herself Dallas Cheerleaders because of our 'shape'. She told me her favorite photo of me was an image I got for my 21st birthday in which my face was imposed on a pro cheerleaders body.
She enjoyed music and dancing. While the whole family went bowling on that 2001 trip, she and I would dance on the walkway. I loved how she encouraged a fun and unique spirit.
Ryan and I stopped by to visit Grandma & Grandpa on our move from Utah to Florida in 2004. She loved cats and had the opportunity to meet my dear cat Morrissey. When Morrissey passed away just a few weeks later, she greatly helped me through it. Her last few years were plagued by pain & surgery after surgery. I am glad she no longer has to go through all of that and can be happy and at peace. I'm sure she is up there enjoying the company of Morrissey and my other recently passed cat Sneekers, whom she adored.
I enjoyed our conversations and her quirkiness. I will miss that.
Peace and love to you, Grandma Jean. We had some great times.
My Grandmother Norma Jean Barnes was laid to rest yesterday. I would like to share some of my fondest memories of her.
We didn't get to visit with Grandma too often while growing up. My family lives all over the US. Grandma Jean and Grandpa Larry lived in the Texas side of Texarkana. My earliest memory of her involves being in Wendover at the age of 3 before my sister was born. The memory is vague, though I sure remember the sounds and lights of the casino.
Years later when I was 12 we had a small family reunion of sorts at our house. The funnest part of the trip was when Grandma took us to the Sports Park for go cart racing. She kicked all of our butts! It is still funny in my mind to see her whipping around the corners. She had mentioned wanting to go bungee jumping but that never quite happened. ;)
For Thanksgiving in 2001 we all got together in Texarkana. She worked so hard at putting together a TON of food...so much we had a large buffet that could have easily fed the whole block. She made 28 pies! That made it almost 2 for each of us. Recently my sister was telling me how during Thanksgiving dinner she flashed everybody. I happened to miss this, though a few days after Thanksgiving she flashed me telling me that is what I have to look forward to when I get older, ha ha. She loved calling me & herself Dallas Cheerleaders because of our 'shape'. She told me her favorite photo of me was an image I got for my 21st birthday in which my face was imposed on a pro cheerleaders body.
She enjoyed music and dancing. While the whole family went bowling on that 2001 trip, she and I would dance on the walkway. I loved how she encouraged a fun and unique spirit.
Ryan and I stopped by to visit Grandma & Grandpa on our move from Utah to Florida in 2004. She loved cats and had the opportunity to meet my dear cat Morrissey. When Morrissey passed away just a few weeks later, she greatly helped me through it. Her last few years were plagued by pain & surgery after surgery. I am glad she no longer has to go through all of that and can be happy and at peace. I'm sure she is up there enjoying the company of Morrissey and my other recently passed cat Sneekers, whom she adored.
I enjoyed our conversations and her quirkiness. I will miss that.
Peace and love to you, Grandma Jean. We had some great times.
Monday, October 5, 2009
The birth of our first little one
(Transferred from the old blog The Egan Initiative)
While waiting for our unborn son's never ending story to unfold I figure now would be a great time to tell the birth story of our daughter, especially since I have never actually written it down.
Her official due date was October 20, 2006. On the 19th of October I went in for the regular weekly exam with my OB. It was about 3 pm when I got out and almost immediately I started to feel some cramping. My sister happened to call to say hi while I was in the parking lot, and I remember telling here how I feel like it is entirely possible I could be starting the labor process. We were both pretty excited though I still wasn't quite sure since the cramps were not terribly strong. I told her that the next time I talked to her there should be another human in the world, then we said our goodbyes and I drove home.
The cramping continued throughout the afternoon, but not frequent enough where I would consider them actual contractions. That pattern didn't really start until later in the evening. Ryan and I were watching 'a file' - we had been watching every X-Files episode on DVD during that year and were winding down to the end. The episode we were watching at the time just happened to be about Dana Scully (the red head for those who don't watch the show) having a child, which was a rare storyline for the show. We had to pause the show for me to call my doctor, since the cramping had become much stronger and more frequent. She said that it was pretty much up to me on if I go at this point (kind of a weird answer, I felt). I told her I would wait it out for it to get stronger. About 20 minutes after that they did get stronger, and I won't go into details too much (but some do know what happens when it gets stronger) and at around 10 pm we decided to drive up to the hospital.
The hospital of our choice was almost 30 minutes from home. There really were none closer but this one seemed quite nice. It was Parrish Medical Center in north Titusville, situated on the Indian River. We got in and I registered, then they escorted me up to the 5th floor maternity ward. The pain was definitely getting stronger at this point and all I wanted to do was lay down. They put me in a hospital bed and continued to ask me a bunch more routine questions. The nurse did an exam and found me dilated to a 3. I guess they felt this wasn't far along enough and called the doctor to see if I should stay. Again her answer was the same...its up to me. I was thinking that at this point I knew the baby was coming and I was not going to drive an hour round trip again anytime soon, so I told them I really wanted to stay.
The night progressed rather slowly. A lot of walking up and down the halls, during which I loved to stop and look at the newborns in the nursery since they were a great inspiration. My back was starting to hurt quite a bit and so Ryan became my massage therapist. I was making it through the contraction pain ok, but by 6 am the back pain was getting so severe I decided to ask for an epidural. I had originally only planned on doing that if I felt it was necessary, which with the painful back labor I was experiencing it became a necessity. While waiting for the anesthesiologist to arrive the pain was getting quite intense in my lower back and making me cry a little. Contractions are nothing compared to back labor, it seemed. Finally at around quarter to 7 he arrived with the long needle that many woman who have had labor are familiar with; I'd normally find it intimidating but at this point I knew its purpose and I strongly welcomed it. His first try wasn't successful, but after the second try he got the catheter in my back and soon there was relief.
It was so nice to be out of pain so I was able to rest for a little while, as was a very tired Ryan. We had not had any sleep that whole night. Later that morning my aunt Karen arrived to help with the birth. She is a nurse at another hospital here in Brevard county. She brought some food for Ryan; which brings me to mind that it isn't easy laboring for hours and not being allowed to eat. Being that I had only progressed to about a dilation of 8 (you are supposed to be a 10) we waited and waited. Around noon my doctor showed up and said she wanted to do a pitocin drip. I was a bit hesitant about this since I felt there was no need to induce a labor already in progress, especially since the baby was doing fantastic - her heartbeat had remained steady the whole time. However, since she was the doc, I trusted her opinion and let her do the drip. They administered the Pitocin and reduced the epidural, and soon the contractions got even stronger. It didn't take long for me to tear in two places, and this ended up requiring almost 4 months of healing.
Around 1:30 I was finally ready to begin the pushing stage. Now this is where the term labor just isn't generous enough. I got extremely hot and went on for hours trying to push her out. Not an easy feat! She just didn't want to come out. Later I found out that her head was facing up rather than down and this is what made it difficult to push her out, as well as the reason why I experienced the painful back labor. The epidural drip was weak enough for me to feel my contractions but I still couldn't feel my legs. Karen and Ryan helped to lift them during pushing. They were a great support team to get through this part of the process. After 2 hours of repeated pushing and trying to cool down in between, our sweet little girl made her grand entrance into the world at 3:21 pm. (I think it is awesome...321 right across the river from NASA).
That moment of a new life beginning is amazing and unforgettable. I was overwhelmed with happiness and love, and moments after her first breath she was in my arms. I couldn't help but cry and tell her I love her, and try to soothe her little baby cries...telling her it was ok. She was so beautiful I almost couldn't handle it. The nurses soon had to take her over to the scales and clean her up. I was completely exhausted at this point but just couldn't take my eyes off of her. My first impression was that she looked like a mini Ryan. She was just adorable.
Anytime I was in her presence I was was completely in awe. Here was this new little human that I had known since the moment she came into this world, and she was amazing. I just loved observing her discover everything in her surroundings. During her first day she was fascinated with her hands and fingers. We had a memorable 2 days in the hospital, which was very helpful for me to get rest, then we made our way home to really get our new life together underway. My adoration of her has grown and grown over the past 3 years and I have always enjoyed watching her discover new things. Being a parent has been amazing and I am so excited to do this again very soon.
While waiting for our unborn son's never ending story to unfold I figure now would be a great time to tell the birth story of our daughter, especially since I have never actually written it down.
Her official due date was October 20, 2006. On the 19th of October I went in for the regular weekly exam with my OB. It was about 3 pm when I got out and almost immediately I started to feel some cramping. My sister happened to call to say hi while I was in the parking lot, and I remember telling here how I feel like it is entirely possible I could be starting the labor process. We were both pretty excited though I still wasn't quite sure since the cramps were not terribly strong. I told her that the next time I talked to her there should be another human in the world, then we said our goodbyes and I drove home.
The cramping continued throughout the afternoon, but not frequent enough where I would consider them actual contractions. That pattern didn't really start until later in the evening. Ryan and I were watching 'a file' - we had been watching every X-Files episode on DVD during that year and were winding down to the end. The episode we were watching at the time just happened to be about Dana Scully (the red head for those who don't watch the show) having a child, which was a rare storyline for the show. We had to pause the show for me to call my doctor, since the cramping had become much stronger and more frequent. She said that it was pretty much up to me on if I go at this point (kind of a weird answer, I felt). I told her I would wait it out for it to get stronger. About 20 minutes after that they did get stronger, and I won't go into details too much (but some do know what happens when it gets stronger) and at around 10 pm we decided to drive up to the hospital.
The hospital of our choice was almost 30 minutes from home. There really were none closer but this one seemed quite nice. It was Parrish Medical Center in north Titusville, situated on the Indian River. We got in and I registered, then they escorted me up to the 5th floor maternity ward. The pain was definitely getting stronger at this point and all I wanted to do was lay down. They put me in a hospital bed and continued to ask me a bunch more routine questions. The nurse did an exam and found me dilated to a 3. I guess they felt this wasn't far along enough and called the doctor to see if I should stay. Again her answer was the same...its up to me. I was thinking that at this point I knew the baby was coming and I was not going to drive an hour round trip again anytime soon, so I told them I really wanted to stay.
The night progressed rather slowly. A lot of walking up and down the halls, during which I loved to stop and look at the newborns in the nursery since they were a great inspiration. My back was starting to hurt quite a bit and so Ryan became my massage therapist. I was making it through the contraction pain ok, but by 6 am the back pain was getting so severe I decided to ask for an epidural. I had originally only planned on doing that if I felt it was necessary, which with the painful back labor I was experiencing it became a necessity. While waiting for the anesthesiologist to arrive the pain was getting quite intense in my lower back and making me cry a little. Contractions are nothing compared to back labor, it seemed. Finally at around quarter to 7 he arrived with the long needle that many woman who have had labor are familiar with; I'd normally find it intimidating but at this point I knew its purpose and I strongly welcomed it. His first try wasn't successful, but after the second try he got the catheter in my back and soon there was relief.
It was so nice to be out of pain so I was able to rest for a little while, as was a very tired Ryan. We had not had any sleep that whole night. Later that morning my aunt Karen arrived to help with the birth. She is a nurse at another hospital here in Brevard county. She brought some food for Ryan; which brings me to mind that it isn't easy laboring for hours and not being allowed to eat. Being that I had only progressed to about a dilation of 8 (you are supposed to be a 10) we waited and waited. Around noon my doctor showed up and said she wanted to do a pitocin drip. I was a bit hesitant about this since I felt there was no need to induce a labor already in progress, especially since the baby was doing fantastic - her heartbeat had remained steady the whole time. However, since she was the doc, I trusted her opinion and let her do the drip. They administered the Pitocin and reduced the epidural, and soon the contractions got even stronger. It didn't take long for me to tear in two places, and this ended up requiring almost 4 months of healing.
Around 1:30 I was finally ready to begin the pushing stage. Now this is where the term labor just isn't generous enough. I got extremely hot and went on for hours trying to push her out. Not an easy feat! She just didn't want to come out. Later I found out that her head was facing up rather than down and this is what made it difficult to push her out, as well as the reason why I experienced the painful back labor. The epidural drip was weak enough for me to feel my contractions but I still couldn't feel my legs. Karen and Ryan helped to lift them during pushing. They were a great support team to get through this part of the process. After 2 hours of repeated pushing and trying to cool down in between, our sweet little girl made her grand entrance into the world at 3:21 pm. (I think it is awesome...321 right across the river from NASA).
That moment of a new life beginning is amazing and unforgettable. I was overwhelmed with happiness and love, and moments after her first breath she was in my arms. I couldn't help but cry and tell her I love her, and try to soothe her little baby cries...telling her it was ok. She was so beautiful I almost couldn't handle it. The nurses soon had to take her over to the scales and clean her up. I was completely exhausted at this point but just couldn't take my eyes off of her. My first impression was that she looked like a mini Ryan. She was just adorable.
Anytime I was in her presence I was was completely in awe. Here was this new little human that I had known since the moment she came into this world, and she was amazing. I just loved observing her discover everything in her surroundings. During her first day she was fascinated with her hands and fingers. We had a memorable 2 days in the hospital, which was very helpful for me to get rest, then we made our way home to really get our new life together underway. My adoration of her has grown and grown over the past 3 years and I have always enjoyed watching her discover new things. Being a parent has been amazing and I am so excited to do this again very soon.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Updates, updates
We are all getting excited for the new person arriving in 2 months. Zelda loves giving the baby kisses (on the belly). Yesterday I told her that the baby wanted a kiss since she gave me one, and she took that as meaning the baby wanted to giver her a kiss, since she promptly laid her cheek where she assumes his head to be and waited a moment before she gave him a kiss in return.
She has been so full of creativity and imagination lately. It has been a lot of fun to watch. Weeks ago she was shuffling around on the carpet. When I asked her what she was doing, she replied
"walking like a penguin." She loves to impersonate animals, be it by sounds or movements. "A turtle goes like this," and she swings her arm, "and an owl goes like this: hoo hoo!". She was bringing me her stuffed animals recently. I tossed one to the other side of the room, and she ran over to it and picked it up in her mouth, then crawled over to me, dropped it in my lap and barked. I don't quite know where her idea to do that came from but it was hilarious, and she still does it occasionally.
Last week we received a generous gift from my parents. They gave us their Ford Focus, just so long as we could get it from Utah to Florida. Our friends Dustin & Jeff drove it out in a record 3 days! It was awesome to visit with them, though the visit was extremely short; they arrived around 10pm and had to leave for a very early flight back home the next morning. We hung out a bit then I suggested we go to the beach. It was lovely out...overcast and a little bit of rain, but easy enough to see since there was a full moon behind the clouds. Boogas fell asleep in the car on the way there, and we laid her down on a towel on the beach. She soon woke up, looked around her, and said "Sand!". She loves to play in the sand, and is still intimidated by the waves, so Ryan & I took turns hanging out with her while the other went to the warm waves. Dustin & Ryan were the only two with swimsuits, so they got all the way in the water. Hopefully it was awesome enough to entice them back for another more extended stay.
The car we got works great, and it is so reassuring to know we now have a second car just in case. Plus I am a lot happier when Ryan takes it to work as I don't have to worry as much as when he is on his scooter. I trust him enough on that but I don't trust other drivers to see him. I almost got hit in my Echo on the way to the office of my midwife 2 weeks ago. Thank goodness no one was in the lane on the right of me so I could swerve away from the car merging right into where I was. People are just so oblivious sometimes it freaks me out.
Speaking of my midwife, she is awesome, and I am so excited to have her this time around. My last doctor was more of the type of person that treated pregnancy & birth like a disease to be worked on rather than its own special process. I wish I would have found the lady I'm going to be using this time. Her name is Lila, and she works in partnership with an OB doctor who is just as cool; just in case there are complications the doctor takes over. Otherwise Lila will be there through it all. Zelda loves her, so that is a good sign. 8 1/2 more weeks until the due date. The baby is getting a whole lot more active, in an entirely different way than Zelda was. She seemed to be dancing all the time in the womb...lots of arm and leg movements. Link, on the other hand, does a lot of stretching and strong single movements. Can't wait to meet him. :D
She has been so full of creativity and imagination lately. It has been a lot of fun to watch. Weeks ago she was shuffling around on the carpet. When I asked her what she was doing, she replied
"walking like a penguin." She loves to impersonate animals, be it by sounds or movements. "A turtle goes like this," and she swings her arm, "and an owl goes like this: hoo hoo!". She was bringing me her stuffed animals recently. I tossed one to the other side of the room, and she ran over to it and picked it up in her mouth, then crawled over to me, dropped it in my lap and barked. I don't quite know where her idea to do that came from but it was hilarious, and she still does it occasionally.Last week we received a generous gift from my parents. They gave us their Ford Focus, just so long as we could get it from Utah to Florida. Our friends Dustin & Jeff drove it out in a record 3 days! It was awesome to visit with them, though the visit was extremely short; they arrived around 10pm and had to leave for a very early flight back home the next morning. We hung out a bit then I suggested we go to the beach. It was lovely out...overcast and a little bit of rain, but easy enough to see since there was a full moon behind the clouds. Boogas fell asleep in the car on the way there, and we laid her down on a towel on the beach. She soon woke up, looked around her, and said "Sand!". She loves to play in the sand, and is still intimidated by the waves, so Ryan & I took turns hanging out with her while the other went to the warm waves. Dustin & Ryan were the only two with swimsuits, so they got all the way in the water. Hopefully it was awesome enough to entice them back for another more extended stay.
The car we got works great, and it is so reassuring to know we now have a second car just in case. Plus I am a lot happier when Ryan takes it to work as I don't have to worry as much as when he is on his scooter. I trust him enough on that but I don't trust other drivers to see him. I almost got hit in my Echo on the way to the office of my midwife 2 weeks ago. Thank goodness no one was in the lane on the right of me so I could swerve away from the car merging right into where I was. People are just so oblivious sometimes it freaks me out.
Speaking of my midwife, she is awesome, and I am so excited to have her this time around. My last doctor was more of the type of person that treated pregnancy & birth like a disease to be worked on rather than its own special process. I wish I would have found the lady I'm going to be using this time. Her name is Lila, and she works in partnership with an OB doctor who is just as cool; just in case there are complications the doctor takes over. Otherwise Lila will be there through it all. Zelda loves her, so that is a good sign. 8 1/2 more weeks until the due date. The baby is getting a whole lot more active, in an entirely different way than Zelda was. She seemed to be dancing all the time in the womb...lots of arm and leg movements. Link, on the other hand, does a lot of stretching and strong single movements. Can't wait to meet him. :D
Friday, June 26, 2009
Having a Boy
Here is an entry that is long overdue.
My birthday was quite the fun filled day. It started out with our first ultrasound in which we were going to find out if our little one is going to be a boy or a girl. Jen joined along since the ultrasound doc didn't allow other kids in the room. So while Jen & Zelda played outside the hospital, Ryan and I got to see a peek at our little one. They did a lot more with this ultrasound than with Zelda's. They spent a lot more time on it, and even had an option of getting a video recording. Very soon into the ultrasound we knew what it was...obviously a boy. They didn't even technically tell us what it was for several minutes, and really didn't need to; during a view of him from the front I noticed there was quite the difference between his and our daughter's ultrasound. So there you have it, we'll be having one of each. We are very excited. A great thing, too, as I've had his name picked out for years.
They showed us many things during the ultrasound, such as his leg bones, brain, heart, stomach, even a colored view of the blood flow in the umbilical chord. He was not very active, as opposed to Zelda, who just didn't sit still. I recall that she even made a silly, scrunched up face as soon as she was viewed on the ultrasound, and it made the nurse & I laugh quite a bit. I have noticed that as a consistent difference between the two of them. His movements are not as frequent, but when they happen they are very strong. Zelda on the other hand I had nicknamed 'the skanking baby' since it felt like she was dancing in my belly, arms and legs moving very often and quickly. I am so excited to meet my son in person in a few months and get to know him.
Here is the video, and a few photos:
As we were going downstairs to find Zelda & Jen we ran into them when the elevator opened. Such good timing. Naturally they were the first we told of the news that we are having a boy. Zelda didn't quite get it, and was more interested in the little umbrella she had which she said was like Mary Poppins. It had been a raining morning and was slated to be a rainy day...which would later affect our other plans.
We went home to get a few things so we could go to Disney. They have a special this year where let you in for free on your birthday. Ryan had a discounted pass so adding another day for him only cost around $30. We got there around 1, planning on getting some pictures taken since I needed a portrait for Zelda's 2nd year, then playing around the park. We managed to get just a few at the entrance to the park when rain started. And boy did it rain! We trudged through it to Toon Town since we could meet the characters inside, and out of the rain. After meeting most of them it was soon apparent that everyone else had the same idea. We stuck around for a bit then ventured back outside with hopes we could at least go on one indoor ride. The rain was coming down harder than I have ever seen it other than a tropical storm. We were soaked, even with h
aving ponchos and umbrellas. Most outdoor rides were closed and the indoor rides were packed. We decided to leave the Magic Kingdom around 4, only 3 hours after we got there. It seemed as though everyone was leaving at the same time. We then went to Wolfgang Pucks for my birthday dinner & celebration of our new little one. The food was amazing. By this time the rain had let up a bit, but storm clouds were all around us so we new the break was temporary. Instead of going back to the parks we decided to call it a day.
I had waited weeks to post this since I was trying to get a registry online for a site I used last time that specializes in cloth diapers, but after a month they still haven't gotten it together. We are pretty much set with what we need for his arrival; just need to get some boyish clothes and more cloth diapers. I know some people want to get us a few gifts; we are looking at getting Sopoeasy diapers, size small (can be found at http://www.bluepenguin.biz/ ) , and as for clothes anything from Threadless is awesome. Other than that we are good to go.
I am very excited about our little boy. Zelda talks about him often and is slowly getting the idea, even coming up and kissing my belly every now and then. 3 1/2 months and counting......
My birthday was quite the fun filled day. It started out with our first ultrasound in which we were going to find out if our little one is going to be a boy or a girl. Jen joined along since the ultrasound doc didn't allow other kids in the room. So while Jen & Zelda played outside the hospital, Ryan and I got to see a peek at our little one. They did a lot more with this ultrasound than with Zelda's. They spent a lot more time on it, and even had an option of getting a video recording. Very soon into the ultrasound we knew what it was...obviously a boy. They didn't even technically tell us what it was for several minutes, and really didn't need to; during a view of him from the front I noticed there was quite the difference between his and our daughter's ultrasound. So there you have it, we'll be having one of each. We are very excited. A great thing, too, as I've had his name picked out for years.
They showed us many things during the ultrasound, such as his leg bones, brain, heart, stomach, even a colored view of the blood flow in the umbilical chord. He was not very active, as opposed to Zelda, who just didn't sit still. I recall that she even made a silly, scrunched up face as soon as she was viewed on the ultrasound, and it made the nurse & I laugh quite a bit. I have noticed that as a consistent difference between the two of them. His movements are not as frequent, but when they happen they are very strong. Zelda on the other hand I had nicknamed 'the skanking baby' since it felt like she was dancing in my belly, arms and legs moving very often and quickly. I am so excited to meet my son in person in a few months and get to know him.
Here is the video, and a few photos:
As we were going downstairs to find Zelda & Jen we ran into them when the elevator opened. Such good timing. Naturally they were the first we told of the news that we are having a boy. Zelda didn't quite get it, and was more interested in the little umbrella she had which she said was like Mary Poppins. It had been a raining morning and was slated to be a rainy day...which would later affect our other plans.
We went home to get a few things so we could go to Disney. They have a special this year where let you in for free on your birthday. Ryan had a discounted pass so adding another day for him only cost around $30. We got there around 1, planning on getting some pictures taken since I needed a portrait for Zelda's 2nd year, then playing around the park. We managed to get just a few at the entrance to the park when rain started. And boy did it rain! We trudged through it to Toon Town since we could meet the characters inside, and out of the rain. After meeting most of them it was soon apparent that everyone else had the same idea. We stuck around for a bit then ventured back outside with hopes we could at least go on one indoor ride. The rain was coming down harder than I have ever seen it other than a tropical storm. We were soaked, even with h
aving ponchos and umbrellas. Most outdoor rides were closed and the indoor rides were packed. We decided to leave the Magic Kingdom around 4, only 3 hours after we got there. It seemed as though everyone was leaving at the same time. We then went to Wolfgang Pucks for my birthday dinner & celebration of our new little one. The food was amazing. By this time the rain had let up a bit, but storm clouds were all around us so we new the break was temporary. Instead of going back to the parks we decided to call it a day.I had waited weeks to post this since I was trying to get a registry online for a site I used last time that specializes in cloth diapers, but after a month they still haven't gotten it together. We are pretty much set with what we need for his arrival; just need to get some boyish clothes and more cloth diapers. I know some people want to get us a few gifts; we are looking at getting Sopoeasy diapers, size small (can be found at http://www.bluepenguin.biz/ ) , and as for clothes anything from Threadless is awesome. Other than that we are good to go.
I am very excited about our little boy. Zelda talks about him often and is slowly getting the idea, even coming up and kissing my belly every now and then. 3 1/2 months and counting......
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Tiger Lily
Recently we dealt with a hard decision regarding our cat, Tiger Lily. Since before we got her she has had an occasional issue of missing the litter box. This had been manageable until we moved into our new home in April of last year. As soon as we moved in she started using the entryway carpet. Getting her to always use her litter box was a bit of a struggle but after about a month it seemed as though we succeeded. Unfortunately throughout the next year she would still use the entryway about once every two weeks. She even started using the carpet in the office. 3 months ago Zelda accidentally locked Tiger Lily out from the garage and consequently Tiger Lily used the carpet in the playroom as her bathroom. This seemed to open up a floodgate and she never stopped using it no matter what we did. We cleaned it using several methods, we tried putting her food over there, but she never stopped. This got very stressful, and became a point where it was a health hazard, since for one I’m not supposed to be near cat poop since I’m preggo, and being in the playroom it was always by Zelda’s things. I don’t know if perhaps the carpet had been marked by a previous owners pet, or if Tiger Lily was stressed out, but since we couldn’t get her to stop and it was such a big issue we felt we had to let her go. It was difficult to find a new home for her since most people can’t take a cat for various reasons, let alone with this issue…and some people are unfortunately deterred by her having one eye. So it was looking like the only last step was the shelter. At this point she was living in the garage, of which I felt terrible because of the heat, but if I let her in for even 30 minutes to cool off she would poo or pee on the carpet. Over the weekend I searched for a no kill shelter that had room since the one I got her from was no longer around. I wasn’t having much luck, but I got an offer from a friend who said she knew someone who was a foster parent of kitties that might be able to train her back into just using the litter box. I was contemplating this when I received a call from Jen that one of her co-workers would like to take Tiger Lily. I was happy and relieved that Jen was able to find her a home, yet I was so heartbroken over the prospects of letting her go. However, I knew this was a rare opportunity, so I took it…being that it has been so hard to find her a new home, and this lady was actually looking for a new cat. I cried a bit before Jen came to pick her up, and tried to explain to Zelda that kitty had to go bye bye. Zelda spent the last hour with her filling up her food & water bowl and bringing it to the cat. It was very cute. When she actually left, Zelda cried for some time saying “Kitty go bye bye. Wanna give hug.”
That was probably the hardest part for me, separating the two. Zelda just adores Tiger Lily. Days before she left, and when I knew she had to be going, I let the cat in to cool off for a bit. I heard Zelda go up to her, give her a kiss and say “I love you.” This made me tear up. Tiger Lily is a great cat, extremely sweet and tolerated Zelda’s toddlerness very well. They were such good buddies.
Tiger Lily is a wonderful and sweet cat who has been in our family since New Years Day 2005. You may first notice her unique feature...she only has one eye. We adopted Tiger Lily several months after losing our cat Morrissey to feline leukemia. Tiger Lily had originally belonged to a retired artist, sharing a home with another cat and a peacock. When he passed away, Tiger Lily was rescued by a local no-kill shelter. They had her for almost 7 months, unfortunately no one showing interest for her, when I found her on petfinder.org. She was perfect for what I was looking for. I am glad we were able to give her a good home for the years that we had her. She has been an enjoyable companion.
I’ve last heard that she is doing very well with her new family. They have a bunny rabbit, and apparently they play together. I really hope things go well for then and that Tiger Lily enjoys the rest of her years.
That was probably the hardest part for me, separating the two. Zelda just adores Tiger Lily. Days before she left, and when I knew she had to be going, I let the cat in to cool off for a bit. I heard Zelda go up to her, give her a kiss and say “I love you.” This made me tear up. Tiger Lily is a great cat, extremely sweet and tolerated Zelda’s toddlerness very well. They were such good buddies.
Tiger Lily is a wonderful and sweet cat who has been in our family since New Years Day 2005. You may first notice her unique feature...she only has one eye. We adopted Tiger Lily several months after losing our cat Morrissey to feline leukemia. Tiger Lily had originally belonged to a retired artist, sharing a home with another cat and a peacock. When he passed away, Tiger Lily was rescued by a local no-kill shelter. They had her for almost 7 months, unfortunately no one showing interest for her, when I found her on petfinder.org. She was perfect for what I was looking for. I am glad we were able to give her a good home for the years that we had her. She has been an enjoyable companion.
I’ve last heard that she is doing very well with her new family. They have a bunny rabbit, and apparently they play together. I really hope things go well for then and that Tiger Lily enjoys the rest of her years.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Baby clothes
Zelda has been quite the conversationalist lately. It is so fun to get a peek into her little brain. Yesterday morning when she woke up she had her shirt of the day picked out by the time I opened her door. As I got her dressed she was talking about her belly, then she pointed at my belly, saying "Your belly growing."
"Yes, it is growing because of the baby" I said.
"Does the baby wear a shirt?" She asked
"No, actually the baby is naked"
She smiled. "Silly baby!"
"Yes, it is growing because of the baby" I said.
"Does the baby wear a shirt?" She asked
"No, actually the baby is naked"
She smiled. "Silly baby!"
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Mother's Day
I had a wonderful time this past Mother's Day. Ryan took Zelda out to buy some potted flowers, which has been the tradition over the past few years. I just adore it. I remember last year Zelda was just learning what flowers were, and she was excited to show me them. This year she was just as excited. Coming in from the garage, she handed me a little flower pot, saying "Here mommy! Look! Flowers!" As I took the pot from her she worked at picking a little flower off the plant, and when she got it off she handed it to me and said "Here you go!". She is so cute! She picks flowers off of our plants in the front yard and hands them to me or Ryan all the time. Good thing the plants she picks from flower a lot, and all year.
For a morning activity we went out for breakfast at Port Canaveral. Driving on the bridges over the water way, Zelda would point out all the boats, and commented on a smaller one being a "baby boat". I have noticed lately that when we drive over the causeways she gets quite excited. This makes me smile as I remember it was one of my favorite things when we used to come visit my Grandparents here when I was little.
We ate at a restaurant on the water, right by the casino boats. One was docking off as we were waiting for breakfast, and without warning blew its extremely loud horn. This startled about everyone, and made Zelda cry. To console her I thought it would be good to show her what it was all about, so we walked over to the balcony to watch the boat be tugged out. I thought she would love seeing the big boat, but she actually loved the 'baby boat' (the tug boat). When it got out of view she said "Bye baby boat!". She waved at some people on the casino boat as it sailed off. Our food was then served so we sat down, enjoying some yummy breakfast and the lovely sea breeze.
The rest of the day we took it easy. I decided to take a day off from all housework. :) Ryan was an awesome help. He & Zelda also bought me the Sims 2, so I dinked around on that for a while. Zelda loved seeing Mommy, Daddy, and herself as a Sim character.
Well, I just heard the garage door open...Zelda & Ry just got home from church. I stayed home because I was exhausted. Gotta keep my rest up until Wednesday. I'm so excited...we'll be having our ultrasound in the morning, going to a free Disney day (they let you go for free on your birthday) then to Wolfgang Pucks. Yay, yay, yay!
For a morning activity we went out for breakfast at Port Canaveral. Driving on the bridges over the water way, Zelda would point out all the boats, and commented on a smaller one being a "baby boat". I have noticed lately that when we drive over the causeways she gets quite excited. This makes me smile as I remember it was one of my favorite things when we used to come visit my Grandparents here when I was little.
We ate at a restaurant on the water, right by the casino boats. One was docking off as we were waiting for breakfast, and without warning blew its extremely loud horn. This startled about everyone, and made Zelda cry. To console her I thought it would be good to show her what it was all about, so we walked over to the balcony to watch the boat be tugged out. I thought she would love seeing the big boat, but she actually loved the 'baby boat' (the tug boat). When it got out of view she said "Bye baby boat!". She waved at some people on the casino boat as it sailed off. Our food was then served so we sat down, enjoying some yummy breakfast and the lovely sea breeze.
The rest of the day we took it easy. I decided to take a day off from all housework. :) Ryan was an awesome help. He & Zelda also bought me the Sims 2, so I dinked around on that for a while. Zelda loved seeing Mommy, Daddy, and herself as a Sim character.
Well, I just heard the garage door open...Zelda & Ry just got home from church. I stayed home because I was exhausted. Gotta keep my rest up until Wednesday. I'm so excited...we'll be having our ultrasound in the morning, going to a free Disney day (they let you go for free on your birthday) then to Wolfgang Pucks. Yay, yay, yay!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Once Upon a Dream, part 2
Here is the video of Zelda singing in the little microphone as I wrote about in a previous post. The second part is a few days later; she is watching her reflection in the sliding glass door. Enjoy!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Once Upon a Dream, part 1
I just saw Zelda do the cutest thing while playing.
She is in her playroom going through her toy chest and she came across a tiny Barbie microphone. She started passionately singing "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty, which caused me to look over at her, and she was holding it between her finger and thumb, close to her mouth. It was adorable!
I went and got the video camera just in case if she would do it again, and as I was typing this I lucked out. I got a little video of her doing it until she caught me filming...I'll post it as soon as I can.
She is in her playroom going through her toy chest and she came across a tiny Barbie microphone. She started passionately singing "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty, which caused me to look over at her, and she was holding it between her finger and thumb, close to her mouth. It was adorable!
I went and got the video camera just in case if she would do it again, and as I was typing this I lucked out. I got a little video of her doing it until she caught me filming...I'll post it as soon as I can.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Microphone
Zelda is growing up fast and learning lots of new things including riding a bike. She has a little big wheel that she loves to ride. Funny thing is that she calls it a "microphone." I am not sure how she started that, but I think it might be because it has a little speaker on it.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
In the most delightful way
Zelda was helping me put up some laundry today and she started singing "Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, medicine go down!"
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Zelda is talking so much more these days. It also amazes me just how much she actually knows. She was playing with a toy snake, the ones that move around to look real, and she curled it up, then started saying "U". I was so proud of her. Then I showed her how the snake could also make a "C".
She is absolutely adorable. My favorite is to hear her say "I lub you, Mommy." Yesterday she kept on calling me a silly butt.
She is absolutely adorable. My favorite is to hear her say "I lub you, Mommy." Yesterday she kept on calling me a silly butt.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Sugar 'n' Spice Cookies
(Transferred from the old blog, Numeenum)
These cookies are a lot like ginger snaps, but soft & chewy...and of course very yummy! This recipe was given to us by Ryan's Grandma.
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp ginger
Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses together thoroghly. Sift remaingin ingredients together and stir in. Form dough into balls the size of walnuts and then roll the balls in sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes (Max!!)
These cookies are a lot like ginger snaps, but soft & chewy...and of course very yummy! This recipe was given to us by Ryan's Grandma.
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp ginger
Mix shortening, sugar, egg, and molasses together thoroghly. Sift remaingin ingredients together and stir in. Form dough into balls the size of walnuts and then roll the balls in sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes (Max!!)
Holiday cookies - Spritzers
(Transferred from the old blog, Numeenum)
This past Sunday was spent making lots and lots of holiday cookies. It is one of my favorite traditions from this time of year. I remember fondly the times when I would scoot up to the table to watch my mom put together the cookie batter, and begging her for a spoonful. I am sure there would have always been more cookies to give to the neighbors if my sister Andrea and I would have kept our little hands from sneaking a piece of dough here and there.
One of our favorite cookies to make are what we call Spritzers. We enjoyed picking out which type of cookie pattern to put in the press, if we could agree on who's turn it was to do so. They are a shortbread type cookie, with a bit of a more smooth texture. There is a good variety of ways to decorate them, with sprinkles, food colored dough, candied fruits...anything you can think of. These cookies are pictured above in the bottom left.
The following recipe came from my mom:
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg yolk
1 1/3 cup flour, sifted
Food coloring - optional
Mix butter & sugar until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Put dough in cookie press, decorate cook for approx 8 minutes at 350 until barely golden at edges. Cool & enjoy!
This past Sunday was spent making lots and lots of holiday cookies. It is one of my favorite traditions from this time of year. I remember fondly the times when I would scoot up to the table to watch my mom put together the cookie batter, and begging her for a spoonful. I am sure there would have always been more cookies to give to the neighbors if my sister Andrea and I would have kept our little hands from sneaking a piece of dough here and there.
One of our favorite cookies to make are what we call Spritzers. We enjoyed picking out which type of cookie pattern to put in the press, if we could agree on who's turn it was to do so. They are a shortbread type cookie, with a bit of a more smooth texture. There is a good variety of ways to decorate them, with sprinkles, food colored dough, candied fruits...anything you can think of. These cookies are pictured above in the bottom left.
The following recipe came from my mom:
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg yolk
1 1/3 cup flour, sifted
Food coloring - optional
Mix butter & sugar until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and blend. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Put dough in cookie press, decorate cook for approx 8 minutes at 350 until barely golden at edges. Cool & enjoy!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Grandma Jean's Beans
(Transferred from the old blog, Numeenum)
So now I have another family recipe, this one coming from my Dad's mom. It is a delicious, sweeter alternative to traditional chili. For a healthier, lower fat version use Turkey sausage and put in 1-2 teaspoons of rubbed sage. The recipe also calls for using dry beans. For the meal I made recently I used a 3 cup can of kidney beans and 1 cup dried pinto beans. This recipe is versatile and you can use whatever beans suit you. The standard recipe uses only the pinto beans, but I like a mix.
1 lb dry pinto beans 6 cups water and additional water
2 tbs oil
1 package Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage
1 cup chopped onions
2 medium or 3 small tart apples (Granny Smith work best)
2 tsp garlic
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cans (8oz) tomato sauce
8 oz water
Soak 1 pound of dry pinto beans over night in 6 cups of water (don't forget to rinse), or do a quick soak by rinsing the beans, bringing the water and beans to a boil, covering and setting aside for an hour.
After soaking drain the water, replenish the water and add 2 tbsp of oil. Cook on medium/high and simmer until beans soften a little, about 30 minutes to an hour.
Brown sausage and break into bite size pieces. Core apples and chop, leaving the skin. Transfer beans to a crock pot or large pan. Drain sausage and add to beans. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer 2-4 hours, or all day in a crock pot.
This is something that actually tastes even better after a day or two. So leftovers are always good.
For a vegetarian option, I think that using spices in sausage along with tvp or other soy 'meat' should cover it. I haven't tried it, but I will eventually. The spices include basil, parsley, garlic, salt, thyme, ginger, red pepper flakes, black pepper, nutmeg, sage, and paprika.
So now I have another family recipe, this one coming from my Dad's mom. It is a delicious, sweeter alternative to traditional chili. For a healthier, lower fat version use Turkey sausage and put in 1-2 teaspoons of rubbed sage. The recipe also calls for using dry beans. For the meal I made recently I used a 3 cup can of kidney beans and 1 cup dried pinto beans. This recipe is versatile and you can use whatever beans suit you. The standard recipe uses only the pinto beans, but I like a mix.
1 lb dry pinto beans 6 cups water and additional water
2 tbs oil
1 package Jimmy Dean Sage Sausage
1 cup chopped onions
2 medium or 3 small tart apples (Granny Smith work best)
2 tsp garlic
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 cans (8oz) tomato sauce
8 oz water
Soak 1 pound of dry pinto beans over night in 6 cups of water (don't forget to rinse), or do a quick soak by rinsing the beans, bringing the water and beans to a boil, covering and setting aside for an hour.
After soaking drain the water, replenish the water and add 2 tbsp of oil. Cook on medium/high and simmer until beans soften a little, about 30 minutes to an hour.
Brown sausage and break into bite size pieces. Core apples and chop, leaving the skin. Transfer beans to a crock pot or large pan. Drain sausage and add to beans. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer 2-4 hours, or all day in a crock pot.
This is something that actually tastes even better after a day or two. So leftovers are always good.
For a vegetarian option, I think that using spices in sausage along with tvp or other soy 'meat' should cover it. I haven't tried it, but I will eventually. The spices include basil, parsley, garlic, salt, thyme, ginger, red pepper flakes, black pepper, nutmeg, sage, and paprika.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Zucchini Pie
Ok, so this is a 'family recipe' from my mom's side...I could be in trouble for sharing our secret, but since mostly family and friends read this I'm going to take my chances ;) . This is definitely one of our favorites. It is pretty much a quiche, but my Grandpa Brochard didn't want to seem to "femme" so he would say it was a pie.
Ingredients:
3 to 4 cups of sliced zucchini, 1/4" thick or less
1 cup chopped onions
6 tblsp of margarine (or butter or olive oil)
1/2 cup fresh parsley or 2 tbs of parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 eggs
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package of Pillsbury crescent dough (8 pk)
In a large saucepan melt margarine. Saute zucchini, onions, parsley, salt, peper, basil, oregano, and garlic in margarine until zucchini is soft and opaque (not clear). Drain off most of liquid leaving just a little. Ina seperate bowl slightly beat 2 eggs, add mozzarella and mix. Pour into saucepan with zucchini mixture. Line 8' x8' square Pyrex dish or metal pan with crescent dough by placing 2 rectangeles in the bottom, and slicing 2 rectangles in half the long way to line th esides. Pour in zucchini mixture and bake for 20 minutes covered in a 375 degree oven. Remove foil, if crescent dough is golden brown it is done, if not place in oven another few minutes.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
3 to 4 cups of sliced zucchini, 1/4" thick or less
1 cup chopped onions
6 tblsp of margarine (or butter or olive oil)
1/2 cup fresh parsley or 2 tbs of parsley flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp basil
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 eggs
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package of Pillsbury crescent dough (8 pk)
In a large saucepan melt margarine. Saute zucchini, onions, parsley, salt, peper, basil, oregano, and garlic in margarine until zucchini is soft and opaque (not clear). Drain off most of liquid leaving just a little. Ina seperate bowl slightly beat 2 eggs, add mozzarella and mix. Pour into saucepan with zucchini mixture. Line 8' x8' square Pyrex dish or metal pan with crescent dough by placing 2 rectangeles in the bottom, and slicing 2 rectangles in half the long way to line th esides. Pour in zucchini mixture and bake for 20 minutes covered in a 375 degree oven. Remove foil, if crescent dough is golden brown it is done, if not place in oven another few minutes.
Enjoy!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
A Trip to St. Augustine
Last weekend we took a trip to St. Augustine, the oldest city in the US. It is only an hour and a half drive from us. We took our friend Dave who was visiting from Utah. Zelda had a blast running around the old Spanish fort and we had a fun day which included a visit to the local winery, a walk down St. George's Street(a walking street with lots of shops and curiosities), a craft fair, an old drug store with medicines from the 1800's (Anyone heard of sugar of lead?), an old cemetery and a drink at an old 18th century style tavern. Zelda tried peanuts for the first time and loved them.
A sweet note
Right now, Zelda is sitting with me while I check a few emails. She is sitting up on the computer desk, which is rather large. She has been giving me a lot of hugs, and being silly and putting her face up to mine. She just said "Mommy!" and gave me a hug. A few minutes before she was behind me on the chair, her arms around my neck and bouncing, then she said "aww" and patted me. It is so sweet! :D
Better post this before she pushes a button that does something weird to the computer... ;)
Better post this before she pushes a button that does something weird to the computer... ;)
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Toddler tales
Zelda has been forming a lot of little sentences lately. Ryan told me that the other day she was sitting on our office chair, and he was going to sit down in it, when she told him "Don't sit". She likes to talk a lot about Poo Bear, Piglet, and Tigger (poobeah, pigget, tiggah), oh, and "eeoh". She has been introduced to the disney princesses the daughter of our friend Ashley. She calles them "Pinness". She likes SpongeBob Squarepants, who she calls 'bobbob'.
Yesterday while playing she put Pooh in the play crib, telling him "Nigh nigh, poobeah".
Last Saturday she went to Ashley's daughter's 4th birthday party. It was at a local park by the Indian River. She took me to the swings which she loved, chased a squirrel, and when it went up the tree she tried climbing the tree to follow it, an impossible feat as there were no nearby branches (thank goodness), and that got her a little frustrated. She spent a lot of time playing on the playground, which although it said it was for ages 2+, there were several spots that were just too unsafe for her, so she definitely had me running around to be there when she attempted one of those parts. She loved the big slide, which she went on all by herself, a first, since she asks for help on the big slide at home. At one point there were two little twin girls, a few months younger than her, and she sat on the slide and looked at one of the girls who was standing nearby, talked baby talk and was all smiles as she showed her how to slide. It was so cute.
She also showed me what trouble she will be when she gets older. She kept on hugging a little boy who was between 2 and 3, and at one point they kept on falling over when she was hugging him. I walked up to them to make sure they were ok, and she got up, hugged him, then tried to kiss him...he was trying to politely pull away and this is why they were falling over! She is already boy crazy at 1.
Last night she stayed up late with us since we had friends over and were playing video games. Zelda had a blast watching and pretending to play. She eventually got very tired, grabbed her mickey mouse, then grabbed my hand to lead her to bed. Normally she insists that Daddy put her to bed, but she was on a mission and couldn't wait for him. I told her to tell Daddy goodnight, and rather than go find him, she just said while in her room "Nigh Nigh Daddy", then held her arms up to go into bed. I asked for a kiss, she took out her passy and gave me one, then said "hug", leaning in for a hug (this is a normal night routine). I laid her down, then she said "Poohbeah, tigga?" And I told her that I would go get them. They were still in the play crib, but she had moved the crib from her playroom to outside her room. As I was getting them she said, as if she just remembered, "Eeoh!", and I got him too. I then hid them behind my back, came to her and said, "Ok, here's Tigger!" and tossed him in. She smiled then said "Poohbeah?", then I said "Here is Eeyore!", tossed him in, and again she smiled then asked "Poohbeah?", to which I replied " And Pooh bear!" and gave him to her. She laughed, which is what she always does when she is happy that we understand what she is asking for. Then she looked up at me and said "pioh" a few times, taking me a minute to realize she was asking for a pillow. I told her I would go get her one, since she normally doesn't use one I went to the playroom and grabbed her the Piglet pillow. She was happy when I brought it back. She then asked for something I didn't understand, and was a little upset I didn't understand, then she pointed up and I realized it was the light. I turned the light off and told her goodnight, she responded "nigh nigh", and then went to sleep.
Yesterday while playing she put Pooh in the play crib, telling him "Nigh nigh, poobeah".
Last Saturday she went to Ashley's daughter's 4th birthday party. It was at a local park by the Indian River. She took me to the swings which she loved, chased a squirrel, and when it went up the tree she tried climbing the tree to follow it, an impossible feat as there were no nearby branches (thank goodness), and that got her a little frustrated. She spent a lot of time playing on the playground, which although it said it was for ages 2+, there were several spots that were just too unsafe for her, so she definitely had me running around to be there when she attempted one of those parts. She loved the big slide, which she went on all by herself, a first, since she asks for help on the big slide at home. At one point there were two little twin girls, a few months younger than her, and she sat on the slide and looked at one of the girls who was standing nearby, talked baby talk and was all smiles as she showed her how to slide. It was so cute.
She also showed me what trouble she will be when she gets older. She kept on hugging a little boy who was between 2 and 3, and at one point they kept on falling over when she was hugging him. I walked up to them to make sure they were ok, and she got up, hugged him, then tried to kiss him...he was trying to politely pull away and this is why they were falling over! She is already boy crazy at 1.
Last night she stayed up late with us since we had friends over and were playing video games. Zelda had a blast watching and pretending to play. She eventually got very tired, grabbed her mickey mouse, then grabbed my hand to lead her to bed. Normally she insists that Daddy put her to bed, but she was on a mission and couldn't wait for him. I told her to tell Daddy goodnight, and rather than go find him, she just said while in her room "Nigh Nigh Daddy", then held her arms up to go into bed. I asked for a kiss, she took out her passy and gave me one, then said "hug", leaning in for a hug (this is a normal night routine). I laid her down, then she said "Poohbeah, tigga?" And I told her that I would go get them. They were still in the play crib, but she had moved the crib from her playroom to outside her room. As I was getting them she said, as if she just remembered, "Eeoh!", and I got him too. I then hid them behind my back, came to her and said, "Ok, here's Tigger!" and tossed him in. She smiled then said "Poohbeah?", then I said "Here is Eeyore!", tossed him in, and again she smiled then asked "Poohbeah?", to which I replied " And Pooh bear!" and gave him to her. She laughed, which is what she always does when she is happy that we understand what she is asking for. Then she looked up at me and said "pioh" a few times, taking me a minute to realize she was asking for a pillow. I told her I would go get her one, since she normally doesn't use one I went to the playroom and grabbed her the Piglet pillow. She was happy when I brought it back. She then asked for something I didn't understand, and was a little upset I didn't understand, then she pointed up and I realized it was the light. I turned the light off and told her goodnight, she responded "nigh nigh", and then went to sleep.
