14 Months

Dear Tree Faerie,

I apologize for not writing you a letter last month. Since you started walking, I’ve had to spend a lot more time keeping you out of things. Now you’re practically a pro!

In January, you got to go to Grams and Papaw’s house for the first time, and you had a great time! You slept the whole way down there in your new car seat. You played with all the dog toys, and Grams got to feed you in the make-shift high chair. We were there for Grams’ 50th birthday, so we took her out to eat crab legs per her request. You didn’t want to eat much of anything, but you enjoyed making a mess with crackers and Jell-O. Grams and Papaw also finished your Rocking Harley, which you now request to ride.

Before going to Grams and Papaw’s, you caught RSV again, although this time we didn’t have to rush off to the hospital. Instead you spent several nights sleeping upright in your old infant car seat. The congestion continued to hang around for a while, and just as it was clearing up you developed an ear infection that would not go away. We went through two rounds of antibiotics, and not only did the antibiotics not work, but your other ear got infected in the mean time! Your doctor referred us to an ENT doctor who was really nice and gave you tubes for your 14 month birthday. I was so nervous, partially because it would be your first time under general anesthesia and partially because I couldn’t nurse you after midnight the night before. Just like clockwork, you woke up at 2AM to nurse and could not understand why I wasn’t giving it to you. Your daddy got up and took us for a ride to get you to go to sleep, which worked like a charm. The morning of the surgery, I had to keep you distracted from the idea of nursing until after the surgery.

The surgery went fine. You were only away from me for 15 minutes total. When they brought me back to you in recovery, you were very, very, very unhappy. Once you realized you could nurse, you were a little happier but not much. As soon as we got you home, I put you down for a nap, and once you slept off the effects of the anesthesia, you were actually happy! Since the surgery, your balance has improved greatly so you don’t fall down nearly so much. You’ve also started mimicking words more often. The ENT doctor told us that your speech would improve after the tubes were in because you’d be able to hear better, but I really wasn’t expecting much. After all, you’re only 14 months old!

Speaking of talking, I’m going to have to teach you more signs, which means I have to learn more signs. You know “done,” “more,” “bye-bye,” and “nurse.” When you get frustrated trying to convey something, you go through all the signs you know over and over again. I can definitely understand that you want and need an effective way to communicate.

Of course, just because you can communicate your wants does not necessarily mean you’re going to get whatever it is you’re asking for. Another thing you’re working on mastering is the art of fit-throwing. When you throw a tantrum, I make sure you’re not going to hurt yourself, and then I walk away and let you scream. I’m sorry that one of the life-lessons you must learn is that you can’t have everything you want, but the sooner you learn it, the happier we will all be.

Sometimes it is a very good thing you are so darn cute, because otherwise we might actually consider returning you. You and I have had a few battles, sometimes involving hair-pulling, but I know that this is simply your way of learning how the world works. You constantly test your boundaries and our limits.

You finally cut your third tooth, although it was not either of the upper front teeth. You cut the tooth just to the right of the upper front teeth. You are working on teeth #4, 5, and 6, and you are not happy about it. I keep hoping they will go ahead and break through, but alas, they are being stubborn. People have offered all kinds of suggestions to help you out, from giving you chicken bones to gnaw on to hanging an egg in a sock over the bedroom door. I haven’t tried either of these. I have given you metal spoons, teething rings, and pieces of ice in either a washcloth or a mesh chew-thing to chew on.

Thank you for making me a better person. I am very proud to be your mother. Everyone loves you, and you know it. You even amp up the cuteness when you think it may help you get your way. You’ve given us so many hugs, kisses, and snuggles. I wouldn’t miss any of them for the world. I love you, Tree Faerie. As always, I look forward to what the coming weeks will bring.

Hugs and Kisses,

=|= Mama

Tubes Are In

Well, the tubes are in and Tree Faerie is doing fine. She was only away from us for 15 minutes, and while it was the longest 15 minutes of my life, we made it. She was an unhappy camper until she got to come home and take a nap. We were home by 10AM, and I had her down for a nap by 10:30. She slept for two solid hours, after which she was happy and fun.

We also handled not being able to nurse after midnight okay. Not great, but okay. At 2AM she woke up and couldn't understand why I wasn't letting her nurse. Since Tree Faerie chose to express her displeasure by screaming at the top of her lungs, DTTF got up and suggested we take her for a drive. He drove us around for about an hour and showed me one of the places he used to live. When she finally fell asleep after 40 minutes, all of which were peaceful, I was a little afraid I wouldn't be able to get her in the house and in bed without her waking up. Thankfully there were no complications, and she slept until DTTF's alarm went off at 6:20. I managed to keep her distracted from nursing most of the morning. All in all, it wasn't too terrible.

I've already noticed an improvement in Tree Faerie's balance. She hasn't fallen nearly so often since the tubes were put in. We'll see if there are any rapid changes in her speech...

Thanks for the support and encouragement.

Hopefully I'll actually get around to writing Tree Faerie's 14 month letter tomorrow. She didn't get one last month.

Saturday's Story

I just wrote this long, beautiful post about Saturday's adventures, and Blogger ATE IT! That SUCKS!

So, you only get the short version while I try to resist kicking, screaming, and throwing things. I wanted to go see Cloverfield, but then I remembered DTTF telling me that people were being warned about motion sickness, which meant that we had to wait for the movie to come out on DVD. I get motion sickness from playing or watching others play video games sometimes, so that option was out.

On to Plan B - Barnes & Noble. I knew I had to eat first, but the prospect of eating alone was kind of depressing. I first called my friend I'd had to cancel with earlier in the week due to being sick, but I only got her voicemail. I started scrolling through the phone to find someone else and was surprised by how many people I either was not in the mood to talk to, knew they had plans, or they lived too far away. One name kept popping out at me, so I dialed the number.

Turns out she was free, so we met at a great steak place after I dropped Tree Faerie off. We had melt-in-you-mouth-it-was-so-delicious steak and wonderful conversations. After dinner, we headed over to Barnes & Noble for over-priced-but-nice-for-a-treat coffee and an abundance of books. The great conversations continued. Before B&N closed, I purchased Stephen King's new book, Duma Key. The evening was wonderful and couldn't have been planned better.

I picked up Tree Faerie and had her home and back in bed by midnight. I still hadn't received a call from DTTF, so I called and left him a message telling him goodnight. I then picked up our new book and started devouring it. I went to bed around 1AM.

As soon as DTTF had a signal on his phone on his way home Sunday, he called ant talked to me until he pulled into the driveway. Tree Faerie was napping, so we ate lunch and he made a few phone calls. He was still on the phone when Tree Faerie finally awoke. As soon as she heard his voice, she sat up and said, "Dada?" I took her into the bedroom where DTTF was sitting with his back to the door. The moment she saw him she wanted down, so I set her on her feet. She toddled over to him and made it very clear that she had missed him and was very happy to see him. He quickly got off the phone so he could snuggle with his child.

We survived our first weekend with DTTF gone. Hopefully there won't be too many of those, though, because I really enjoy having my partner right next to me!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Solitary Saturday

While Tree Faerie and I are both feeling much better, we really miss DTTF. Or at least I do. All Tree Faerie has wanted to do all day is nurse and sleep. What really sucks is that I can't just call him up.

Well, I could, but I'd probably just get his voicemail, or on the off-chance that he actually does have a signal out there, I don't want to interrupt anything. When he has to work on Saturdays, I miss him, but I know I'll see him in just a few hours. I won't see DTTF until tomorrow! It seems like forever away.

I haven't heard back from my friend I was trying to make plans with, so I guess I'm flying solo tonight for Parents Night Out. I'm actually pondering going to a movie all by myself, something I've NEVER done. Then again, I may just go ahead and go to Barnes and Noble. Another option is to wait until another friend of mine should be awake and call her to see what she's doing before work. She works 3rd shift, so I know she'll be up and probably be free beforehand. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.

DTTF asked me why they scheduled two PNOs so close together. I pointed out that the daycare probably thought they'd be nice and offer one close to Valentine's Day to give parents a chance for a romantic dinner. While I don't really NEED a romantic dinner, this thought definitely makes me miss DTTF more.

And before you point it out, yes, I'm fully aware that I'm a co-dependent person. I've come a long way, but I will freely admit that I depend on DTTF for a lot of things.

Like tackling the playpen when I can't get it to work right... I woke up this morning to a very, very dirty child who had a very, very dirty bed. After I cleaned up the child, rinsed all the bedding, and started the washer, I dismantled her bed, took it outside, washed it off, and sprayed it with Lysol. I left it sitting in the sun to freshen up and dry. What sucks is that when I set the bed back up outside, I apparently did it wrong, because only one side clicks into place but I can't get it to release now that it has clicked. I figured I'll go ahead and let it soak up some sun, and later this afternoon, Tree Faerie and I can go outside and wrestle with it. If all else fails, I can always have her sleep in my bed tonight. I just don't get much sleep that way. Surely I'll be able to fix it, though.

Okay, enough rambling. I think I hear the kiddo stirring.

Feeling Better...

...but not by much. I am back at work today and seem to be mostly fever-free. As long as I remember to keep taking the ibuprofen, I should make it okay.

Tree Faerie is still not sleeping at night. She's finally keeping the antibiotics down after the nurse suggested I give her a small dose of Mylanta with the antibiotics. She's still running a fever off and on, though. At first I just thought it was because of the ear infection. Now I'm wondering if she has the same thing I have. Maybe I gave it to her. She doesn't seem to have a bad cough, or at least not any worse than the one she's had off and on since Christmas. She keeps rubbing her forehead as if she has a headache, though, and she still wants to sleep a lot, at least as long as she's on me. Sadly, that is not conducive to my need for sleep. Thankfully I was able to take her to daycare yesterday so I could go home and sleep. I think that's the only reason I made it to work today.

Hopefully we'll both be better soon. DTTF has a minister's retreat this weekend, and this will be the first time he's gone to a retreat without me since we moved in together 6.5 years ago. I've been to a couple without him, though I missed the one I usually go to because I wasn't willing to take Tree Faerie with me OR leave her at home with him. She was only 3 months old at the time. This will definitely be a new experience. Daycare is offering another Parents Night Out tomorrow night, which I will be taking advantage of. Even if I just drop her off and go hang out at Barnes and Noble to drink coffee and extend my book wish-list, at least I will be out of the house doing something fun and kid-free. I used to feel guilty for doing anything kid-free, but I don't feel that way so much anymore. Now I see the need to take breaks so I don't get burned out, because I can't quit this job if I'm suffering from burn-out.

Tree Faerie's 13 month letter will have to wait until next week because I have to try to get caught up at work.

Mental Health Monday

Today I decided to stay home for a mental health day. I took Tree Faerie to daycare and came home, intending to cry a bit and clean. Instead I exercised, which was absolutely wonderful. I still haven't cleaned anything yet, but I feel much better.

This weekend we bought a couch and love seat. DTTF and I have always had futons for furniture. In fact, our bed is still technically a futon. We have been looking for an affordable yet nice couch and love seat set. The other day, DTTF found a used set on Craigslist, so we went to take a look.

I LOVE this set! It is dark red, a color I wouldn't have automatically gone for, but it's gorgeous! And soft! And snuggly! And it has already made it through the life of one toddler without permanent damage, so that gives me hope!

While we were trying to decide whether or not to buy the set, we went to Ashley Furniture to talk things out and see if buying a brand new set would be affordable. We found a couple of sets we really liked, but in the end we decided to go ahead and purchase the used one. Part of the reason for this decision is that if we bought it new and something happened to it before it was paid off, we'd be really upset. Buying the used one allows us to relax a bit, especially since we have a toddler and furniture-abusing friends (a story for another day).

The other thing that happened this weekend is DTTF finally put a piece of drywall over the hole in my closet. Yay! Hopefully soon I'll have my own closet back! I know DTTF is tired of Tree Faerie and me taking up space in his closet. While he was preparing the wall, I heard the quote of the weekend:

"No, baby, don't! You're rusting my tools!"

Uproar at Daycare

After I picked Tree Faerie up from daycare last Thursday, I noticed she had a huge knot and bruise on her forehead. I didn't notice this until we got to the grocery store, which is only about 5 minutes away from the daycare. While I know kids get bumps and bruises, the daycare has always been very good about providing an incident report. Based on the size and color of the bump, I figured I had just missed the incident report or that it was still in the main office and hadn't been returned to the teacher for me to sign.

Friday morning I inquired about it when I dropped Tree Faerie off. The head teacher, Ms. J, did not know what happened but mentioned that yesterday was a rough day. The normal assistant teacher was not in the classroom at the time, so I couldn't ask her. There was a "floater" teacher assisting Ms. J, however I didn't think anything of it because sometimes teachers need to take off. Since they were trying to get the kids seated for snack time (yes, at 9 AM), I didn't stick around to find out more information.

When I went to pick Tree Faerie up on Friday afternoon, Ms. J was still there, which is unusual. Usually the assistant teacher (or floater when the assistant is out) is the one there in the afternoon. Since there weren't many kids left and no other parents present, I asked if everything was okay in that magical way of mine that says, "Please, pour your heart out to me! I'm here to listen!"

Turns out the assistant teacher left for lunch on Thursday and decided not to return. According to Ms. J, the assistant teacher was unhappy there, but not with the kids or Ms. J. What is odd is when I dropped Tree Faerie off on Thursday morning, I asked the assistant teacher if she was okay because she looked upset. She said she didn't feel good, so I left it at that.

So, now they are looking for another assistant teacher for Tree Faerie's toddler room. Meanwhile, floaters and teachers from other classes are covering the toddler room. What makes MY life a bit more difficult is that the time I normally drop Tree Faerie off in the morning is the same time the head teacher is driving one of the buses. She's only gone for about 30 minutes, but I usually drop off in that 30 minute window. Every day this week, I've had to hand Tree Faerie off to someone she's not as familiar with, resulting in an upset child. It breaks my heart! This morning I almost went back in to get her!

Because she did the same thing when I left her with DTTF last week when she was sick, I know she is not upset for long after I leave. This knowledge does not make walking away any easier, though. I'm very thankful that I can also call and check on her during the day, which I just did, of course. She's fine, and since I actually got to talk to Ms. J, I feel much better. My heart still aches for her, but now it's a dull throb instead of a wrenching feeling.

*sigh* On with my day...

The Weekend My Mom Turned 50

Friday evening we were in no hurry to head out because I planned to leave around Tree Faerie's bedtime in hopes that she would sleep the whole way. I have to pat myself on the back for that one because it worked! She slept the whole way! I drove straight through without stopping because I didn't want to chance waking her up. Since my bladder wasn't yelling at me to pull over, we just decided to keep driving.

We got to my parents' house around 12:45 AM, and as expected, Tree Faerie woke as soon as we turned off the car. She was in a good mood, though, and wanted to play for a while. We visited for a little while and finally headed to bed around 3 AM. I know this only because while I was trying to nurse Tree Faerie to sleep, the clock chimed and did its little song. Thankfully it didn't wake her back up, but I was holding my breath just in case.

The next morning she decided 7 AM was a good time to get up. Mom made scrambled eggs with cheese and toast, which was Tree Faerie's first time trying scrambled eggs. She seemed to like them okay, and she really enjoyed throwing them in the floor. My parents have a little dog that did not mind her sharing breakfast.

After breakfast, Pop brought Tree Faerie's late birthday present in. They crafted a Rocking Harley for her! It's absolutely adorable! And PURPLE! I promise to post pictures soon.

We left DTTF there sleeping while Mom, Tree Faerie, and I went to the store. Since Tree Faerie fell asleep on the way, I sat in the parking lot and waited for Mom to pick up a few things. As I sat there watching people come and go, I realized that I could have a 10 year old child right now if I hadn't been so careful. I started adding it up and figured out that one of the girls from my graduating class now has a 15 year old. I'm really glad I waited as long as I did because I'm ready to enjoy being a mother without feeling like she's holding me back or like she's a burden.

After we got back, we had lunch and made cheese dip, and I swept and mopped Mom's kitchen floor for her. My Upward Bound friends showed up just as I finished, and they brought home-made strawberry cheesecake. We all visited for a while, and I must say I'm really glad kids start small and work their way up, because if I was just handed a 3- and a 5-year-old, I'd probably pull my hair out. But the kids were cute, and we had fun talking.

That night after Pop went to work, we took Mom to dinner at her favorite Chinese restaurant where they serve crab legs and shrimp. I quickly discovered my kid can really make a mess. Between the crackers, the fortune cookies, the chicken and then the jello, I practically had to bathe her with baby wipes.

Sunday morning, Tree Faerie got up with Mom and let Mom change her diaper and play with her for a while before waking me up, which was a perfect birthday present for "Grams". We had biscuits and gravy for breakfast, then we finished making the crescent rolls Mom started when she got up that morning. The crescent rolls were delicious!

When I asked Mom how it feels to be 50, she said, "Oh, about like 49." We discussed that it wasn't as bad as she thought it would be when she was my age, and that 30 was the hard birthday for her. My mom is a pretty amazing woman and has been through a lot. I really admire her in a lot of ways.

We headed back a couple of hours later than I had intended, but Tree Faerie decided to take a nap before we left, and Mom fell asleep, too. We got back to Memphis around 8 on Sunday night, and I only had to ride in the back seat for the last hour of the trip. Before Tree Faerie was born, I never even considered the possibility that I would be breastfeeding in the backseat of a car doing 80 mph down the interstate. And before you ask, yes, Tree Faerie was still buckled into her car seat. I was practicing my contortionist skills.

It was a wonderful weekend. While I'm sure we'll head down there several times over the next few years, I look forward to taking her down there sometime when she's older and telling her the stories from when I was growing up. I just hope she's interested in hearing the stories.

Valentine's Day Approaches

Everywhere I turn lately I see another reminder that Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly. I am even wearing Valentine’s socks with lipstick kisses all over them for my Funky Sock Friday. When I saw the socks for only $1, I just couldn’t pass them up.

While DTTF usually has no problem finding a gift for me regardless of the holiday, I have a hard time finding a valentines gift for him . Since he really doesn’t care much for candy and doesn’t wear boxers, which seem to be the most common V-Day gifts out there, I’ve had to be rather creative in the past, from t-shirts or coffee mugs to coupons for “special” treats.

Since everyone needs a bit of pampering every now and then, I think this year I’m going to go with a spa set like this. I love the chest, and amber spice-type scents smell really good on DTTF.

Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? If so, what are you getting for your special someone?

Over the Hump

(What an appropriate title for Hump Day, right?)

Tree Faerie's RSV seems to be clearing up. She still has some rattling and wheezing, but she slept better last night, which means I slept better last night. Of course, DTTF fell asleep on the couch, so I put Tree Faerie in bed with me at midnight, put her back in her old car seat at 2AM, then back in bed with me at 4AM. She slept pretty well next to me. DTTF said he tried to come to bed but there was no room for him. Since I'd turned off the lights at 2AM while he was still crashed out on the couch, I know it had to be after 4AM when he tried to come to bed. Thankfully he enjoys sleeping on the couch, so I don't feel too bad about us taking up the entire bed.

Tree Faerie has been sleeping in her old infant car seat for the last few nights to help keep her more upright. She could breathe a lot easier when she wasn't laying down flat. When I tried putting her in her bed a couple of nights ago, she kept waking up coughing and choking. At least when she's in the car seat she can catch her breath during her coughing fits.

I took her back to the doctor this morning as scheduled to get clearance to return to daycare. She'll be going back tomorrow since she was still running a fever last night. I really appreciate DTTF taking the time off to stay with her. He's handled it beautifully, and this has given them plenty of bonding time. He really is a great daddy.

While we were at the doctor's office, Tree Faerie was practicing toddling in her shoes. She does most of her walking barefoot, and up until this morning she had not built up the confidence to try it in shoes. When we go to the doctor, I sit in the floor of the examination room while we're waiting so I can more easily field what Tree Faerie plays with. Toys and books are okay, but I don't want her tearing up the books or playing with the trashcan or its contents. This morning I was sitting in the middle of the floor while Tree Faerie checked out the room and rearranged the books. After a few minutes, she crawled over to me and used me to help her stand. When she let go, she stood there and gave me a look that seemed to say, "Do you think I can do this? I'm not so sure about these shoes..." I encouraged her and told her she could do it. She took a couple of shaky steps, then plopped down giggling. For the next 5 minutes or so, she would hold my finger while she walked to the end of my reach, then she would let go and toddle back to me, collapsing into a giggly hug.

This is just one more thing that convinces me I really do have a wonderful daughter. I've decided I'm really not in a hurry to have another. I do still want another, but I'm really enjoying this time with Tree Faerie.

I think our next adventure will be to break out the crayons Grams got her for Christmas. I just have to find my big drawing pad. I also have a plan for broken crayons now, because I know we're going to have broken crayons. I came across this post over at Peapod Squad Stuff about melting down the broken crayons in a muffin tin and love the idea! The woman has triplet toddlers she calls the Peapod Squad - Sweet, Snap, and Split. Their antics and dialog are absolutely adorable! And they have plenty of broken crayons, of course. I'm wondering if I could melt down crayons and pour them into chocolate candy molds to make cute shapes. I'll let you know if I try.

Relaxed and Prepared for New Stress...

...or not.

Saturday morning I indulged in a bit of pampering by getting a massage when I went to pick up the gift certificate for my mom's massage. Oh, my! I love this woman! A friend sent me to her for Mother's Day, and I decided then that I really needed to indulge about every six months. I'm running a little late, but I think it will be easier to get a massage in January and July instead of May and November. DTTF watched Tree Faerie while I was indulging, and she even took a nap for him! She snuggled on the couch with him and dozed off. He took pictures because he knew I'd be hesitant to believe that she was actually asleep.

The daycare provided us with a Parents Night Out on Saturday night. The last 3 times we had a PNO, we went to the movies and saw something action-packed and stressful. This time I decided I needed a social night, so we called up some friends and headed to the Flying Saucer. I feel just a little guilty for going to a beer emporium that houses over 200 different types of beer and only getting one type, Woodchuck Amber, but I don't really like beer. I tasted several different things, but every time I ordered, it was a Woodchuck Amber.

The drink was great, the food was good, and the conversations were great! I really needed to hang out with adults. We also played a game of darts, which I love and can usually win. DTTF won, though, because I let him win kept wracking up too many points.

When midnight finally approached, we headed to pick up Tree Faerie. The daycare was only about 3 minutes away from the Flying Saucer, and as we pulled up, I could see that I was one of the last parents to pick up. Turns out I was the LAST parent to pick up! Apparently I was the only one milking every minute I could.

The teacher told me Tree Faerie was running a fever of 100 degrees, not enough to warrant a call to me but enough to take note of and keep an eye on. I gave her Motrin before putting her to bed to make sure the fever didn't decide to skyrocket during the night. She had developed a cough on Thursday after getting a clean bill of health on Tuesday.

Yesterday her fever came back and stayed around 101. I didn't give her Motrin immediately because I believe that a fever is beneficial to a certain extend. I just tried to keep her as comfortable as possible. She kept coughing and her nose was running. She was pretty lethargic, and I knew she didn't feel well. After a rough night, I went ahead and called the doctor first thing this morning and got an appointment for 9AM.

Turns out she has RSV again. Last year she contracted RSV just after I returned to work from maternity leave. We spent the weekend in the hospital because she was under 3 months old, and then I had to keep her home for a week. This time I just have to keep her home for a few days. We will go back to the doctor Wednesday morning to check it, but if everything is better and she is fever-free, she should be able to go back to daycare on Thursday. DTTF is home with her today since I have no sick/vacation time left.

The good news is that the daycare director offered a 50% discount for the week since she'll be out for three days.

The other good news is that DTTF has called me twice already, and both times Tree Faerie was doing fine. I hope my baby feels better soon. Thankfully I was fairly well-rested and relaxed, so the sleep deprivation from only sleeping four hours last night isn't so bad.

Not a Normal Woman

After a conversation DTTF and I had on Wednesday night that was later hit home by this post by Heather at Three Boys and Me, I have no choice but to admit that I am not a Normal woman. Here's why:

• I do not wear make-up. In fact, the only make-up I own is mascara and eyeliner. I have these items around JUST IN CASE the need to feel a little extra made-up arises. I honestly can't remember the last time I wore actual make-up all over my face. I recently read an article that stated that the average woman absorbs 4 lbs of chemicals from make-up a year. I absorb my 4 lbs from chocolate instead.



• I do not regularly use hair products besides shampoo and conditioner or spend much time on my hair at all. I don't even own hair spray. I know I have mouse under the bathroom sink, but I've only used it a few times in the past 6 years or so.



• I do NOT wear perfume. I'm allergic/sensitive to most of the perfumes on the market. I even sniff the shampoo and conditioner before I purchase them just to be sure they aren't overly scented.



• I rarely shave my legs. Granted, I am not a very hairy person. The hair on my legs grows in very fine and blonde. I do shave my pits once a week or so, and I keep certain other areas trimmed and neat, but I definitely count myself lucky.



• I don't get manicures or pedicures. In fact, I've never received a pedicure. On rare occasion I paint my fingernails or toenails, and when I do, it's always either a light color or a shocking color. If it's a shocking color, I usually take it off after a day or two. If it's a light color and it's on my toenails, it may wear off before I get around to taking it off.



• I don't sacrifice comfort for fashion. I own one pair of heels, and I can't remember the last time I wore them. I won't wear an outfit that is uncomfortable in any way. Before I purchase clothing, I always check the tag. If it is not machine washable, I put it back, no matter how cute I looked in it.



• The only "hose" I own are fishnets. I don't wear hose. On the off-chance that I must dress up and wear heels and hose, I'll go out and purchase a cheap pair. Because they're cheap, they usually have holes in them before the end of the night. I'll buy thigh-highs or knee-highs if I can get away with it.



• I don't buy cute bras. First-off, they usually don't have any in my size, either because everyone is that size or no one is. Second, see the comfort comment above. Once I find a bra that is comfortable, I usually buy at least 2 - one beige and one black. I wear them until they're practically falling apart.

That's just the list of appearance items we could come up with! We didn't even discuss my affinity for fart jokes and innuendos. I play video games, know the rules of football, and can skin dead animals properly. I don't watch chick-flicks because I really don't need a reason to cry.

My husband concurred that while I may not be a "normal" woman, I'm a real woman, and this is part of the reason he loves me so much. (insert the "awww" here)

So I took a test:

Your Brain is 60% Female, 40% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female. You are both sensitive and savvy. Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed. But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve.

What Gender Is Your Brain?

Rainy Day Snuggles

As you all know, I love my daughter dearly. I love her kisses, her hugs, her snuggles, and even her abuse, even though I don't necessarily enjoy the abuse.

When Tree Faerie wakes up in the morning, I put her in bed with me for a few minutes for snuggles before we start our day. I change the TV channel to Disney, and we watch Playhouse Disney. This snuggle time usually doesn't last very long, maybe 10 minutes at the most, because Tree Faerie usually wants to climb off the bed to go chase the cat or DTTF or something.

This morning was different. She called to me from her bed just a few minutes after 7, so I grabbed her and put her in bed with me. DTTF made his coffee then headed to the bathroom. I flipped the channel to Disney and started watching My Friends Tiger & Pooh. Tree Faerie snuggled against me, and while we snuggled there watching TV, I heard thunder. I couldn't think of a more perfect place to be at that moment, except to have DTTF join us.

My wish was soon granted, even though I knew he didn't really have time to snuggle. Tree Faerie was just being so cute and lovable that she was impossible to resist. We could have stayed that way all day if given the opportunity.

Of course, after about 20 minutes, Storm came in, so Tree Faerie wanted down to go chase the cat. We got up and about after that, but my entire day has been absolutely wonderful because I had extra snuggle time this morning.

12 Months - Happy Birthday, Tree Faerie!

Dear Tree Faerie,

It is so hard to believe that an entire year has gone by since the day of your birth. We made it! One of your daddy’s favorite stories to tell is of being discharged from the hospital with you. I don’t think he believed the nurse when she first told him he could take you home. We were nervous and scared yet excited and overjoyed. I cried all the way home because all the cars were entirely too close to us. Your disapproval of your first car ride was not helping matters any. When we finally got you home, I unbuckled you from the seat as quickly as possible so I could hold you close, comforting us both. I am sometimes still surprised by how much love I have for you. It doesn’t seem possible for one person to contain this much love (which may be why I feel on the verge of exploding sometimes)!

You finally got to meet your Aunt T, Uncle M, and your two cousins, CRK (2.5 years old) and CSK (2.5 months old). You and CRK had a great time playing together, though you are exhibiting signs of being a bully. You kept forcefully taking CRK’s pacifier away. The first time I saw you do it, I had a plate of food in my hands and was sitting next to your Nana. Your Nana just sat there and laughed while watching you try to take CRK’s pacifier while he tried to gently prevent you from doing so. I must admit that it was kind of cute, but I really don’t want you to grow up and be a bully. You can’t always have things just because you want them.

We do a great job of spoiling you, though. You came away like a bandit for Yule and Christmas. Tearing paper is now one of your favorite pastimes. There are more toys than I know what to do with. I’m still feeling a little overwhelmed about that right now, but I’ll have it figured out soon. You love having your choice of which toy to play with, so you certainly don’t mind the abundance.

One of your favorites is Lavender, the purple hippo you and Nana built at Build-A-Bear. It’s so cute to watch you hug and kiss Lavender. You even hug her close and pat her back, just like I do to you. Another favorite is your push-buggy shaped like a VW Bug. When you’re not being pushed in it, you like to push it yourself. Grams got you a gift that clearly shows what we have to look forward to in the future. She got you a cell phone toy that talks and plays music. It’s absolutely adorable to watch you walk around with the phone up to your ear and hear you just jabbering away – or at least it’s adorable at the moment. When you’re 14 it may not be so adorable…

You’ve completed your transition period into the toddler room and have now been in the toddler room a whole week! The teachers just love you, of course. I’m amazed by how well you follow directions and behave! I must be too lenient on you, because you don’t mind what I say as well as you do for your teachers. Even so, you’re a great kid at home, too. I have no real complaints.

Your First Birthday was this past Sunday, and Grams and Papaw drove up to spend it with you. I’m glad they decided to drive up the night before so they could be here when you woke up, because you had a surprise for us all after you woke up on your First Birthday. You took your First Steps! Not just one, but 4 or 5! You were standing up in front of Grams and you just toddled right to me! Daddy missed the first time, so of course I had to go get him up. When I told him, I could tell that he thought I was exaggerating, so after he got up I stood you in front of him. He held out his hands and you toddled to him. The look on his face was priceless! You’ve practiced off and on ever since then, but only if you’re not wearing shoes. If you’re wearing shoes, you still prefer to hold on to a finger.

Grams and I installed your new car seat while you were napping. The weather was perfect for it – 70 degrees and breezy. For January, that is unusual weather! We couldn’t get the seat installed rear-facing, which is how I would have preferred to install it for just a little while longer. Instead, we installed it forward-facing. The only thing that kept us from testing it out right then was you being asleep.

Later that afternoon, Nana came for our little party. We had fish sticks with macaroni and cheese because you LOVE macaroni and cheese. Then we opened presents, which of course means more toys, including a piano, a Mickey Mouse, and a pull-along puppy. Finally, we were ready for your first cupcake experience. I stuck a “1” candle on top of your cupcake and lit it. We turned out the lights and sang Happy Birthday to you, then I helped you blow out the candle. When I set the cupcake in front of you, you had a confused look on your face. I finally convinced you that it was okay to play with it, so you proceeded to remove all the icing and squish it. You finally put your fingers in your mouth and immediately decided you did not like icing and tried to wipe it off your tongue with the other hand, which also happened to be covered in icing. Thankfully you didn’t throw a fit, but the look on your face clearly said, “I am not thrilled with this!” You continued to play with the frosting and tried tasting it a time or two more, but you still weren’t crazy about the taste and refused to try the actual cake part.

After you put the icing in your hair, I gave you a bath, and then we saw Grams and Papaw off. You’ll get to see them again in a couple of weeks when we go visit Grams for her 50th birthday. I’m really glad they came up to see you for yours.

This past year has gone by so quickly, and you weren’t the only one growing. You have brought about a lot of good changes in me. Thank you for being so wonderful, Tree Faerie. I look forward to what the next year will bring.

Hugs, Kisses, and Lots of Love,

Mama

Too Busy

January is ripening up to be an extremely busy month. We're only on Day 4, and I've put something on the calendar for EVERY weekend!

This weekend is Tree Faerie's birthday. We're just going to have a small party with us and the grandparents. Saturday I'm going to get the oil changed in the car, and to make things easy, I'm going to Wal-Mart so I can shop to my heart's content pick up a few essentials, maybe a small present or two for Tree Faerie, and hopefully her big Christmas/Birthday present - her car-seat. Every time I've been to Wal-Mart and tried to get the seat we want, there were not any on the floor and I was either in a hurry or couldn't find anyone to help me and gave up. I guess I should probably call and find out if they have any before I go again, right?

Next weekend does not hold any permanent plans, however the daycare has offered up another Parents Night Out. How can I pass up free child care from people my child already knows in a safe environment while I don't feel like I'm putting anyone out by asking them to watch my child? Granted, we usually go to the movies, so we end up spending between $20 and $40 while we get free child care.

The weekend of the 18th I would like to go to my mom's. Her 50th birthday is January 20th, and while the gift she's getting from us has to be taken care of in Memphis, I figured taking her granddaughter to see her would be a great additional present. We have yet to make the trek to her house because I'm a little afraid of the 4 hour drive with Tree Faerie. Maybe with her new car seat, she'll be happier. My two best friends from high school are talking about coming down to her house on Saturday. I haven't seen one in like 7 years, and the other in 8 or 9.

The weekend of the 25th, one of my best friends from high school (yes, one of the ones from the previous weekend) will be in town. She and her new beau will be in town Friday afternoon and will leave Saturday afternoon. We are making plans to meet up a couple of times while they're here.

At some point before the weekend of the 18th, I need to get my mom's present. I'm giving her a gift certificate for a massage from the wonderful massage therapist that I got a massage from in May. When I pick up the gift certificate, I am also going to get a massage for myself. I'm way past due for one, and when I got the $100 Christmas Cash from work, I knew I was going to use most of it for mom's gift. When I told DTTF about it, he told me to go ahead and get one for myself, too. Now I just have to make time for it.

Hopefully February will be a slower month to give me time to rest and possibly get some things off of my To Do list. I'm not holding my breath, though.

Not My Place

When I entered Tree Faerie's classroom this morning to drop her off, the little girl that transitioned to the toddler room with Tree Faerie (let's call her L)was sitting in the floor screaming. I asked the head toddler room teacher, we'll call her Ms. J, if she was okay. Ms. J said she didn't know what was wrong with her and that she'd tried several things to comfort her, but nothing was working. Ms. J said when she tried to hold her to comfort her, L pushed her away and didn't want anything to do with Ms. J.

I felt bad for both of them, but I know that all babies have days like that. While I was snuggling Tree Faerie before leaving, I saw the head infant room teacher, Ms. D, looking in through the window.

Since I also know L from Ms. D's infant room, I know she has always taken a little longer to be comfortable with changes. She is 3 days older than Tree Faerie, however she's consistently hit all her milestones 2 months later than Tree Faerie. I thought that maybe L may need a bit more help transitioning.

I stopped by Ms. D's room before leaving, and Ms. D was really upset that Ms. J wasn't trying to comfort L. I came to Ms. J's defense by repeating what Ms. J had said to me when I asked, but Ms. D was still unsatisfied. She said that Ms. J doesn't like for them to peek in the windows or get involved with the care of the toddlers. From the way she was talking, it sounded like Ms. D was continually dissatisfied with the way Ms. J comforts the toddlers. Ms. D suggested that I say something to the director.

I refused for several reasons. 1) I'd much rather discuss things with the teacher first before taking it to the director. 2) I didn't actually see anything WRONG today. All babies have bad days, and Ms. J's assistant was running late this morning. Ms. J still had to take care of the other babies. 3) Since my first suggestion would be to possibly extend the transition period for L, I can't really make that suggestion since I'm not the parent.

On my way out the door, I stopped and peeked in the window. Ms. J saw me and gave me a look that I read to mean, "Is something wrong?" I gave her the biggest smile I could and waved.

I told DTTF about the encounter this morning, and he had pretty much the same perspective I had. While we were talking, it also occurred to me that part of the problem MAY BE the infant room teachers peeking in, especially in the first few weeks after transitioning. Maybe L is having a bit of separation anxiety from the infant room teachers, so when she sees them peeking in, she immediately wants to go to them. When that doesn't happen - meltdown. Part of the reason I think this may be a factor is because when Tree Faerie saw Ms. D this morning through the window, she wanted to go to Ms. D.

I will not be discussing this with the director at this point, though if I continue to see this happening with L, I may mention my thoughts to Ms. J, specifically the part about the infant room teachers peeking in. If Ms. D brings it up to me, I will definitely tell her my thoughts on it. I know the infant teachers love those babies, but when it's time for them to move on, sometimes distance is best after the child has transitioned to the new room, at least until the baby has adjusted to the new room.

2007 in Retrospect

This year has been a year full of changes. The birth of my daughter brought on many changes in my schedule, my environment, and my mental and emotional strengths and states. The most profound change, however, has been a change in perspectives.

This past year zoomed by. The progression of time overflowed with milestones and firsts. We made it through birth, breastfeeding, a RSV-related hospital stay, shots, injuries, illnesses and sleep deprivation. The first breath, the first smile, the first giggle, the first kiss, the first crawling step - all were celebrated briefly before the next milestone overtook the last. Never before have I felt so much like I've been in constant motion.

When the year started, time seemed to move at a much slower pace. A week strolled lazily by, a month trickled away, and a year crept at a snail's pace. As the year progressed, the week went from strolling to a trot to an all-out run. A month's trickle became a full-force flood. A year's snail-pace revved up into a cheetah-sprint. The year passed by so quickly I feel I forgot to blink!

I've learned to appreciate the quiet, somewhat still moments when they happen. I take them as they come, allowing myself to just stop and enjoy the moment. No matter how many things are on my To Do list, I always stop for a hug, a snuggle, or a kiss. I tell my daughter and my husband how much I love them as often as I can. The dishes can wait a bit while I play with Tree Faerie. The laundry won't go anywhere while I take a moment to stop and hug DTTF.

The most important thing to me at the closing of the year is my family. My family comes before everything else. I have made it my goal in life to ensure my family knows how precious they are to me and how much I love them. They make me want to be a better person. These perspective changes have been wonderful for me. I feel stronger and more flexible. I have found peace and excitement, sometimes in the same moment. 2007 has been a wonderful year.

Have a Happy New Year! I hope this next year is more wonderful than the last!

Gifts Galore

Yule and Christmas were both fabulous! There are tons of stories to tell, but I figured the gifts would be a great starter post, especially since some of you are chomping at the bit to know why I was so excited about the gifts I got for DTTF. Because there is a back story behind each one, let me break the gifts down in the order of their unveiling.

The Book

My dear husband is a huge fan of James Bond. He often boasts about his knowledge of the Bond movies and insider trivia. A couple of years ago we invited Deborah Lipp, the author of several Pagan books, to speak at Festival of Souls. While she was here we discovered she was publishing a book on the James Bond movies. The book was titled The Ultimate James Bond Fan Book. Of course DTTF was very interested in the book. Well, the book was released about the same time as the movie Casino Royale starring Daniel Craig, which was last November. We saw the movie in the theater, and though I had to get up several times to visit the bathroom due to a very active Tree Faerie kicking my bladder (I was almost 8 months pregnant), I LOVED the movie. Nothing more was said about the book until we were discussing ideas for birthday presents for DTTF.

When he mentioned the book, I loved the idea for a Yule present. I really wanted to have the book signed by the author, however contacting Deborah Lipp would be a big step for me because I was harboring a little bit of animosity over a comment she made to me. I have since come to better terms with the comment and know why I took offense to it, so I'll save the story behind that for another day (though I should also add that I don't BLAME her for my reaction to her statement - she's a brilliant woman). So I contacted her.

When he opened the box on Yule and saw that not only did he get the book but that it was personalized and signed by Deborah Lipp, he was ecstatic. He immediately started reading through it, occasionally laughing and reading passages aloud to me. The gift was perfect.

The Movie

In case you don't know by now, DTTF is a movie buff. One of his favorite movies is Bell, Book and Candle starring James Stewart and Kim Novak. It's one of the few movies he owns on VHS, and the copy he has was recorded off TV years ago. We've watched it a couple of times, though the tape is getting old and a little worn. I thought it might be time to replace it with a DVD copy.

When I placed the order on Amazon, I was given the offer to buy a print copy of the original play for only a few dollars more, so I did. His reaction, once again, was perfect when he opened the box Christmas morning to reveal not only the movie, but the play as well.

The Surprise

I received a sudden jolt of inspiration Thursday when flipping through a recent issue of Readers Digest. I saw this cartoon, which gave me the brilliant idea to give DTTF an air guitar for Christmas. Together we own six guitars, so I knew he didn't need another one. This was just for fun.

I called and found out that Yarbrough's Music store here in Memphis just happened to have a couple of guitar boxes for guitars they no longer had in the store, so I went to pick one up. While I was waiting on the kid to come back with the boxes, I perused the guitar straps. I knew DTTF wanted a guitar strap as well, but I wanted one that would fit his personality and was preferably leather. When the kid brought me the boxes, he helped me find the perfect strap - an Eddie Ball black and white with skulls and demons, which was perfect for DTTF.
When I got back to the office, I packed the box with packing material and the strap. I wrote the following poem, printed it, and taped it in place on the packing material:

Throughout the year
You tried to be nice
So I bought you an air guitar
For a really great price!

It never needs tuning
And you won't break the strings.
The volume is perfect
For all kinds of things.

You can play all your favorites
And learn new ones with ease.
Your fingers won't tire -
Playing is a breeze!

So strap on this beauty
And play us a song
Because with this guitar
You can never play wrong!
© Andrea Sumers, 2007

I wrapped it up before leaving the office and put it in the back of the car with the boxes I'd been collecting for wrapping presents. When I got home, I asked him to take the boxes out of the back of the car. He came in with the wrapped box and immediately started trying to figure out what the box contained. He determined it was too light to be a guitar, but it looked like a guitar box. He even tried prying the information from his sister, whom I had let in on the gift. It was a lot of fun listening to him try to work out what was in the box. On the way down to his mom's on Sunday night, he really got on a roll. He told me not to hype it up too much because he didn't want to be disappointed, but I don't think I was doing the hyping. He was doing it all for me. I did tell him that by this point it didn't really matter if he liked the present, though, because by this point it had been so much fun that it was well worth it.

The mystery box was the last gift opened on Christmas morning. We all stood around while he ripped off the paper. He saw the acoustic guitar box, and his brow furrowed.'

He cut the tape.

He lifted the lid.

He picked up the piece of paper. His sister made him read it out loud.

He was disappointed. I could see it on his face. He loved the guitar strap, but he was still disappointed. Then his sister pointed out that I wrote the poem. Somehow that made it more special to him, even though it didn't erase the disappointment. His mom wants the poem printed on parchment paper and framed, which I think is a great idea.

I did not realize until typing this post that his enjoyment or disappointment really does matter, though I still had a lot of fun putting the gift together. I still think it was a wonderful idea, and several other people agreed. A co-worker of mine is borrowing the idea (which is why I picked up a couple of boxes).

Despite the slight disappointment with him being disappointed and not finding it as funny as we did, Christmas and Yule were still fabulous. We all got great gifts and had loads of fun. I'll tell you all about it later.

The Day Before Yule

1 DTY/ 4 DTC

I just picked up one last gift for DTTF, and I'm so excited! I can hardly wait to tell you all what it is, but because he might decide to read my blog, I have to wait until after Christmas to tell you. You're going to love it! YIPPEE!

I finally got the holiday cards in the mail today. Tonight I have to go to Wal-Mart and Kroger, then go home and wrap gifts. This includes DTTF's gifts (except the newest one, which I had to wrap here at work). I'm trying to decide which one to give him tomorrow. I think I'm going to go ahead and give him the one he was trying to guess on.

I also finally found a couple of great gifts for Tree Faerie. I got her a package of "block books." They are books that when closed are soft blocks. I also got her a book called Goodnight Elmo. I was looking specifically for cloth books, so this met my needs, and all for about $20.

I'm so excited about this holiday. I love the gifts I got for other people - so much, in fact, that I don't really care what I get personally! I have had so much fun shopping this season! The only big-ticket-item I still need to purchase is Tree Faerie's new car seat, which after last night is a must. The handle on her infant carrier slipped again. Because I've always made sure to support the seat in more than one way when carrying her in it, nothing bad has happened due to the faulty handle.

The seat was "recalled" earlier this year because the locks on the handle kept slipping. When I contacted the manufacturer, they sent me a kit with instructions to change the handles. After I changed the handles, everything was perfect until I got Tree Faerie out of the car last night - in the seat, of course. She's only about 19.5 pounds, so I still bring her into and out of the house in her carrier. I won't be doing that anymore! It slipped again last night on one side.

I probably won't post anything from now until Christmas, so have a happy holiday week, everyone!

Lucky with the In-Laws

4 DTY/ 7 DTC

I must admit I got really lucky when DTTF and I got together - my in-laws are absolutely fabulous! DTTF's sister and her family got into town very early on Saturday, so after DTTF got off work, we packed up and headed down to his mom's for a visit. We had a wonderful visit. I have missed my sister-in-law terribly. I'm in awe of how we've "grown up" together. Six years ago we would have stayed up until the wee hours of the morning playing cards and drinking. Now the times have definitely changed. By the time we get the kids in bed, we're pretty much useless. Oddly, she and I were the two that stayed up the latest, but that was only because she had to feed her youngest around midnight so I stayed up with her.

This was the first time Tree Faerie has met her aunt, uncle, and cousins. DTTF's sister's two boys are absolutely adorable. The 2.5 year old was great at entertaining Tree Faerie. It was so cute to watch them crawl around on the floor together and play with the blocks.

Yesterday after Tree Faerie got her flu shot booster, she and I met the in-laws at Barnes & Noble, then headed over to Build-A-Bear to make stuffed animals for all three kids. We picked out a purple hippopotamus for Tree Faerie and named her Lavender. The holiday song that's been stuck in my head this year is the "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" song, so Nana and I both thought it was perfect. Tree Faerie was giving it kisses and hugs while we were in the store. Lavender has a heartbeat and plays Brahm's Lullaby, which is a song I sometimes hum to her when I'm trying to get her to go to sleep. I'm now totally in love with Lavender, and I love watching Tree Faerie snuggle her and kiss her.

It's amazing how much just a little time with my sister-in-law has really boosted my mood. I'm really looking forward to spending Christmas with her and the rest of the family!