Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
From The Ether
Hello my friends. Are you still there? Are you checking in religiously and cursing my name for having posted NOTHING in two months? (Ahem, Anna...)
I know.
I suck.
Or maybe you aren't even bothering to read anymore in which case you are missing my self-deprecating confession of sins.
Does that make sense? Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. Be glad that I'm writing at all, mmmkay? Linguistic feasibility aside.
So...
Where in the world are The Ducks??
As of this week, that question, though still loaded, got a teeny, tiny bit easier to answer. The Ducks are officially back in their home in Vienna, VA. That's right. We have a home, complete with our possessions. To some, this is every day...for us, this is a special special thing. For the last month or so, we've been living in the utter chaos. Here's a little description of how things have gone...
May 16 - Erin packs up as many of her worldly possessions as possible and moves into a lovely hotel room near Dulles International Airport in Virginia. There she stays for one week while waiting to make the transition to living with some very giving friends in "A Land Far Far Away" (or, as it is more commonly known, Gainesville, VA).
May 19 - Kayla, who has been spending some quality alone time with Daddy in Hoboken, gets picked up and transported down to Williamsburg, VA, courtesy of the Grandma/Grandpa Spatz shuttle. There she will stay for the next 3 1/2 weeks while her parents try to figure out how the heck all this is going to work.
May 20-22 - Erin rushes down to Williamsburg to see her much missed daughter. The trip is sweet, but far too short and Erin bawls her eyes out on the drive back to DC.
May 23 - Erin starts her new position in DC (STRRRRESSSSS) and moves in with the Gainesville Friends. She now has a FANTASTIC 1+ hour commute.
May 27-30 - Erin and Chris (who is still up in The Hoboken working) both rush back to Williamsburg to see the Snuzz. They get to spend a long weekend there, which is a Godsend. Erin bawls like a baby on the way back to DC (are you seeing a pattern?)
June 3-5 - Erin rushes back down to Williamsburg for another visit. It's decided that Kayla should stay in Williamsburg through June 12th. Erin bawls the whole way back to DC, but knows it's the right decision - time to pack, time to arrange, time to get ready for the move-in on the 13th, less chance of traumatizing the baby by moving her between three different places in the span of one week...The last week is incredibly lonely and painful all the same.
June 12 - Kayla finally arrives in DC and she, Mommy and a visiting Aunt K spend one more night in Gainesville.
June 13 - Kayla has her first day of "school", although she only goes for a trial two hours. Aunt K and Mommy then get all our stuff packed out of the Gainesville house and unpacked into our new Vienna home. Kayla gets to sleep in her new room. Daddy arrives late that night, after having spent the day with the packers in Hoboken. He and Mommy spend a super uncomfortable night on a blow-up mattress while Aunt K sleeps on a futon in the basement.
June 14 - Mommy has to go to work, so Daddy and Aunt K handle meeting the movers when they arrive in VA. The house gets filled top to bottom with boxes and furniture...it is a mess. Kayla spends four hours at daycare. When she gets to daycare, she gets down, starts to play...but when Mommy says goodbye, Kayla starts to sob runs for Mommy's legs. Mommy sobs her way to work.
June 15 - Kayla goes to daycare for a full day! She gets quiet as soon as we walk into the building. As soon as I try to set her down, she starts to sob and clings to me as though I were a cliff edge and she was about to fall. I sob my way to work yet again. Aunt K and Chris head back up to NYC and Mommy and Kayla spend their first night alone in the mostly unpacked, totally disastrous house.
June 16 and 17 - Mommy and Kayla repeat the pattern of Kayla sobbing when Mommy drops her off and Mommy sobbing her way to work. Mommy thinks her heart might break.
And so on and so forth...Daddy came back down for the weekend through Tuesday night, which was AWESOME. Kayla and Mommy miss him so much and having the family separated for this long is really really really getting old.
The daycare thing...the mornings last week were horrible. Kayla sobbed, I sobbed...It was truly the worst feeling in the world to "abandon" her there every day. That said, when I would come to pick her up, she was always CLEARLY having fun. She would be playing, laughing and they would swear that within 5 minutes of me leaving in the morning, she was fine. It didn't make it easier. But the nights...oh the nights were so wonderful. I would go to pick Kayla up and she would spot me from across the room, burst into a beaming smile that made the sun seem dim, would run at me, throw herself into my arms and hug and hug and hug. She was in the BEST mood every night. No matter how little she'd slept at daycare, she was an angel at night. We would lie in the rocking chair together, singing, reading and cuddling...those moments took my breath away and I have never been more glad to have free minutes with that little person.
This week daycare has gone MUCH better. Monday she got down willingly and ran off to play - I think she'd honestly forgotten the previous week's trauma. She did bawl when I left, but I heard it end before I'd reached the front door. Tuesday - she didn't want to get down, but she cried for an even shorter amount of time and today...today she barely cried at all and I could have cheered. I have now driven to work three days in a row without crying. I mean not one tear. There is hope!
Anyway, life is still chaos, but we're starting to sort of settle in. Chris is still back and forth to NYC...Kayla is still figuring out daycare...I'm still figuring out how to work full-time and get dinner on the table...but we're getting there!!
Hang in with me...I may not be great about updating in the coming weeks, but I'll try!! Wait for me!
I know.
I suck.
Or maybe you aren't even bothering to read anymore in which case you are missing my self-deprecating confession of sins.
Does that make sense? Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. Be glad that I'm writing at all, mmmkay? Linguistic feasibility aside.
So...
Where in the world are The Ducks??
As of this week, that question, though still loaded, got a teeny, tiny bit easier to answer. The Ducks are officially back in their home in Vienna, VA. That's right. We have a home, complete with our possessions. To some, this is every day...for us, this is a special special thing. For the last month or so, we've been living in the utter chaos. Here's a little description of how things have gone...
May 16 - Erin packs up as many of her worldly possessions as possible and moves into a lovely hotel room near Dulles International Airport in Virginia. There she stays for one week while waiting to make the transition to living with some very giving friends in "A Land Far Far Away" (or, as it is more commonly known, Gainesville, VA).
May 19 - Kayla, who has been spending some quality alone time with Daddy in Hoboken, gets picked up and transported down to Williamsburg, VA, courtesy of the Grandma/Grandpa Spatz shuttle. There she will stay for the next 3 1/2 weeks while her parents try to figure out how the heck all this is going to work.
May 20-22 - Erin rushes down to Williamsburg to see her much missed daughter. The trip is sweet, but far too short and Erin bawls her eyes out on the drive back to DC.
May 23 - Erin starts her new position in DC (STRRRRESSSSS) and moves in with the Gainesville Friends. She now has a FANTASTIC 1+ hour commute.
May 27-30 - Erin and Chris (who is still up in The Hoboken working) both rush back to Williamsburg to see the Snuzz. They get to spend a long weekend there, which is a Godsend. Erin bawls like a baby on the way back to DC (are you seeing a pattern?)
June 3-5 - Erin rushes back down to Williamsburg for another visit. It's decided that Kayla should stay in Williamsburg through June 12th. Erin bawls the whole way back to DC, but knows it's the right decision - time to pack, time to arrange, time to get ready for the move-in on the 13th, less chance of traumatizing the baby by moving her between three different places in the span of one week...The last week is incredibly lonely and painful all the same.
June 12 - Kayla finally arrives in DC and she, Mommy and a visiting Aunt K spend one more night in Gainesville.
June 13 - Kayla has her first day of "school", although she only goes for a trial two hours. Aunt K and Mommy then get all our stuff packed out of the Gainesville house and unpacked into our new Vienna home. Kayla gets to sleep in her new room. Daddy arrives late that night, after having spent the day with the packers in Hoboken. He and Mommy spend a super uncomfortable night on a blow-up mattress while Aunt K sleeps on a futon in the basement.
June 14 - Mommy has to go to work, so Daddy and Aunt K handle meeting the movers when they arrive in VA. The house gets filled top to bottom with boxes and furniture...it is a mess. Kayla spends four hours at daycare. When she gets to daycare, she gets down, starts to play...but when Mommy says goodbye, Kayla starts to sob runs for Mommy's legs. Mommy sobs her way to work.
June 15 - Kayla goes to daycare for a full day! She gets quiet as soon as we walk into the building. As soon as I try to set her down, she starts to sob and clings to me as though I were a cliff edge and she was about to fall. I sob my way to work yet again. Aunt K and Chris head back up to NYC and Mommy and Kayla spend their first night alone in the mostly unpacked, totally disastrous house.
June 16 and 17 - Mommy and Kayla repeat the pattern of Kayla sobbing when Mommy drops her off and Mommy sobbing her way to work. Mommy thinks her heart might break.
And so on and so forth...Daddy came back down for the weekend through Tuesday night, which was AWESOME. Kayla and Mommy miss him so much and having the family separated for this long is really really really getting old.
The daycare thing...the mornings last week were horrible. Kayla sobbed, I sobbed...It was truly the worst feeling in the world to "abandon" her there every day. That said, when I would come to pick her up, she was always CLEARLY having fun. She would be playing, laughing and they would swear that within 5 minutes of me leaving in the morning, she was fine. It didn't make it easier. But the nights...oh the nights were so wonderful. I would go to pick Kayla up and she would spot me from across the room, burst into a beaming smile that made the sun seem dim, would run at me, throw herself into my arms and hug and hug and hug. She was in the BEST mood every night. No matter how little she'd slept at daycare, she was an angel at night. We would lie in the rocking chair together, singing, reading and cuddling...those moments took my breath away and I have never been more glad to have free minutes with that little person.
This week daycare has gone MUCH better. Monday she got down willingly and ran off to play - I think she'd honestly forgotten the previous week's trauma. She did bawl when I left, but I heard it end before I'd reached the front door. Tuesday - she didn't want to get down, but she cried for an even shorter amount of time and today...today she barely cried at all and I could have cheered. I have now driven to work three days in a row without crying. I mean not one tear. There is hope!
Anyway, life is still chaos, but we're starting to sort of settle in. Chris is still back and forth to NYC...Kayla is still figuring out daycare...I'm still figuring out how to work full-time and get dinner on the table...but we're getting there!!
Hang in with me...I may not be great about updating in the coming weeks, but I'll try!! Wait for me!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sunshine on a Cloudy Day
*Sigh*
Best. Party. Ever.
With perfection in every form, Kayla's first birthday party was a great success. She was the happiest, most affectionate, most entertaining birthday girl I have ever seen. She smiled and laughed and played with not one moment of fussiness, despite being surrounded by 30 people and no time for a nap. She put up with the monster tutu that her mommy put her in, she wore her birthday hat without a complaint and when it came time for her cupcake, she dove right in and made a beautiful photo perfect mess, just as every first birthday parent hopes their child will. She was wonderful. She was perfect. She is my baby and I couldn't help but get choked up a few times yesterday watching her turn into a delightful little kid. She is maturing every day, becoming more and more of a toddler and less and less of a baby. She figures things out at lightening speed and is becoming shockingly self-sufficient in some ways. She is also becoming quite the show-boater and to prove that point, Kayla chose to wait until yesterday afternoon, when she was surrounded by family and friends, to take her very first steps. The room erupted and she beamed around at everyone, clapped her hands and went "Yay!!!!" My daughter...I can't express how grateful I am to have her in my life. She creates sunshine where I might otherwise have had a cloudy day and she is constantly reminding me that "Hey, it's not that bad. It's never that bad." After all the hoopla was finished yesterday, she and I lay in bed reading books before it was time for night-night and I marveled at this cuddly little body who means more to me than anything else in the world. You can't know until you have a child how much your parents love you. There is nothing like it in the world. It's magic.
And so, Kayla Potata, Happy Birthday and Happy First Year of Life. You are a magical, wonderful, special little girl and your Mommy and Daddy love you with all their hearts. Continue to be brave, continue to be curious, continue to be loving and continue to be kind. You become more and more amazing every day and I can't wait to see what this next year brings.
And for those of you who have been asking for pictures of all my arts and crafts, I've tried to include pics below. Hard to capture the full effect, but trust me...it was wow worthy. :)
Front Door - the theme for the party - "Baby in Bloom" (Flower says "Kayla is 1", while the stem spells out the theme)
Month Banner - A number and picture from each of the first 11 months!
The Birthday Girl takes her first steps!
The Spread...
The Dessert Table:
Themed Yumminess:
Custom Labels and Toothpicks with Spring Leaves:
Kayla-ified Cupcakes!!!
The Best Part of All:
And finally, why babies and sugar don't mix:
Best. Party. Ever.
With perfection in every form, Kayla's first birthday party was a great success. She was the happiest, most affectionate, most entertaining birthday girl I have ever seen. She smiled and laughed and played with not one moment of fussiness, despite being surrounded by 30 people and no time for a nap. She put up with the monster tutu that her mommy put her in, she wore her birthday hat without a complaint and when it came time for her cupcake, she dove right in and made a beautiful photo perfect mess, just as every first birthday parent hopes their child will. She was wonderful. She was perfect. She is my baby and I couldn't help but get choked up a few times yesterday watching her turn into a delightful little kid. She is maturing every day, becoming more and more of a toddler and less and less of a baby. She figures things out at lightening speed and is becoming shockingly self-sufficient in some ways. She is also becoming quite the show-boater and to prove that point, Kayla chose to wait until yesterday afternoon, when she was surrounded by family and friends, to take her very first steps. The room erupted and she beamed around at everyone, clapped her hands and went "Yay!!!!" My daughter...I can't express how grateful I am to have her in my life. She creates sunshine where I might otherwise have had a cloudy day and she is constantly reminding me that "Hey, it's not that bad. It's never that bad." After all the hoopla was finished yesterday, she and I lay in bed reading books before it was time for night-night and I marveled at this cuddly little body who means more to me than anything else in the world. You can't know until you have a child how much your parents love you. There is nothing like it in the world. It's magic.
And so, Kayla Potata, Happy Birthday and Happy First Year of Life. You are a magical, wonderful, special little girl and your Mommy and Daddy love you with all their hearts. Continue to be brave, continue to be curious, continue to be loving and continue to be kind. You become more and more amazing every day and I can't wait to see what this next year brings.
And for those of you who have been asking for pictures of all my arts and crafts, I've tried to include pics below. Hard to capture the full effect, but trust me...it was wow worthy. :)
Front Door - the theme for the party - "Baby in Bloom" (Flower says "Kayla is 1", while the stem spells out the theme)
Month Banner - A number and picture from each of the first 11 months!
The Birthday Girl takes her first steps!
The Spread...
The Dessert Table:
Themed Yumminess:
Custom Labels and Toothpicks with Spring Leaves:
Kayla-ified Cupcakes!!!
The Best Part of All:
And finally, why babies and sugar don't mix:
Monday, April 11, 2011
Spring Things (The Good, The Bad and The Bizarre)
Oh God, Oh God, Oh God...
So, Kayla has had the never-ending cold from Hades for about six weeks now. I think it was a train of two, maybe three colds, really, but it has basically left her sniffling and coughing for the last month and a half. And though she seemed like she was starting to feel better yesterday - great appetite, in great spirits, conquering all kinds of new feats (more on that), today she seems to have taken a few steps backward and she's having a tough go of it. The poor thing is just dripping snot and her cough is horrendous. To top it all off, she is pulling constantly at her ear. To this, I say, "NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!" You can not do this to me Virus Gods! You can not give my baby her first ear infection on the week of her birthday. I will not allow it. You back on off of my baby and you leave her healthy and happy, preferably forever, but I'll take until next Monday. Honestly...timing is a b****.
In other news though, yesterday was a major Big Girl Day for Kayla. We are supposed to be transitioning her from the bottle to a sippy cup. She has been drinking water from her sippy cup for a long time now and does great, but we are now supposed to be giving up bottles and only drinking from cups. Sigh...my baby is a toddler. Anyway, the first couple of times I gave this a go, she pretty much refused to take her milk from a cup. She would eagerly grab the cup, take a big sip and then go "Waaaaait a minute! This is not water!" and she would set the cup down, give me a look of disdain and then patiently refuse to drink any more milk until it was transferred to a bottle where it belongs, silly woman. So, realizing that her birthday is now almost here and that most of the daycare centers we're looking at have kids transitioned to sippy cups by 12 months, I decided yesterday that I better give it another go. This time, I tried it with her first bottle of the day, thinking maybe she'd be too hungry to refuse. Sure enough, without hesitation, she sucked it all down. Victory! Then, her second bottle of the day...I was 100% anticipating she would now be less hungry and would return to giving me the "Are you a moron" look...Sluuuuuurp. Sucked it right down again! Victory x 2! I have absolutely no idea what made the difference yesterday, but she didn't even blink while drinking every last ounce of milk from those cups. I wasn't brave enough to try it before bedtime but, despite a little hesitation this morning, her first milk of the day once again came in cup format. Looks like the transition may happen after all!
So, that was the first big girl thing. The second thing was that we went out to dinner last night and Kayla used a straw! She has tried numerous times before, but usually just winds up chewing frustratedly on the straw, looking at me like "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?" This time, she chewed, stopped, chewed, stopped, chewed, stopped then sucked! And then sucked some more! And then got all excited and drank the rest of my very yummy carrot juice. Can kids have carrot juice? Let's hope so! But yep, two Big Girl mountains conquered in one day. This kid is growing up way too fast.
In non-Kayla related news, it is spring time. It is spring time and this means that the Easter Bunny has returned to a mall near you. Can I just say, right here, right now, that the Easter Bunny is a scary bizarre freak of nature? I mean, really...A gigantic, walking, talking rodent that steals some poor chickens eggs, paints them funny colors and then hides them in strange and unlikely places? Who came up with this? The Catholic Encyclopedia, of course, says: "The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been an emblem of fertility." So, the fertility god rabbit brings pretty painted EGGS to small children? Creepier and creepier. Laugh all you want, but the Easter Bunny seriously freaks me out. I mean, really...
Do I really have to introduce my child to this? Can't we do egg and basket hunts (because those are just way too fun) without having to get into the whole "The Easter Bunny brought it," thing? Can't we just celebrate spring and talk about flowers blooming, chicks being hatched, etc., without discussing some humongous rabbit who somehow managed to get past our security system? I keep seeing Easter bunnies around town and, let's be honest, this is the weirdest tradition in the history of holidays. Well, no, that's not fair. There are some pretty bizarre holiday traditions in every corner of the world...ever been to India? But that is a story for another time. But this bunny...why? I can't help it, I am a little bit glad that Kayla is still too young for Easter and we have time left to figure out how to handle it. Easter Bunny...ugh.
So, Kayla has had the never-ending cold from Hades for about six weeks now. I think it was a train of two, maybe three colds, really, but it has basically left her sniffling and coughing for the last month and a half. And though she seemed like she was starting to feel better yesterday - great appetite, in great spirits, conquering all kinds of new feats (more on that), today she seems to have taken a few steps backward and she's having a tough go of it. The poor thing is just dripping snot and her cough is horrendous. To top it all off, she is pulling constantly at her ear. To this, I say, "NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!" You can not do this to me Virus Gods! You can not give my baby her first ear infection on the week of her birthday. I will not allow it. You back on off of my baby and you leave her healthy and happy, preferably forever, but I'll take until next Monday. Honestly...timing is a b****.
In other news though, yesterday was a major Big Girl Day for Kayla. We are supposed to be transitioning her from the bottle to a sippy cup. She has been drinking water from her sippy cup for a long time now and does great, but we are now supposed to be giving up bottles and only drinking from cups. Sigh...my baby is a toddler. Anyway, the first couple of times I gave this a go, she pretty much refused to take her milk from a cup. She would eagerly grab the cup, take a big sip and then go "Waaaaait a minute! This is not water!" and she would set the cup down, give me a look of disdain and then patiently refuse to drink any more milk until it was transferred to a bottle where it belongs, silly woman. So, realizing that her birthday is now almost here and that most of the daycare centers we're looking at have kids transitioned to sippy cups by 12 months, I decided yesterday that I better give it another go. This time, I tried it with her first bottle of the day, thinking maybe she'd be too hungry to refuse. Sure enough, without hesitation, she sucked it all down. Victory! Then, her second bottle of the day...I was 100% anticipating she would now be less hungry and would return to giving me the "Are you a moron" look...Sluuuuuurp. Sucked it right down again! Victory x 2! I have absolutely no idea what made the difference yesterday, but she didn't even blink while drinking every last ounce of milk from those cups. I wasn't brave enough to try it before bedtime but, despite a little hesitation this morning, her first milk of the day once again came in cup format. Looks like the transition may happen after all!
So, that was the first big girl thing. The second thing was that we went out to dinner last night and Kayla used a straw! She has tried numerous times before, but usually just winds up chewing frustratedly on the straw, looking at me like "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?" This time, she chewed, stopped, chewed, stopped, chewed, stopped then sucked! And then sucked some more! And then got all excited and drank the rest of my very yummy carrot juice. Can kids have carrot juice? Let's hope so! But yep, two Big Girl mountains conquered in one day. This kid is growing up way too fast.
In non-Kayla related news, it is spring time. It is spring time and this means that the Easter Bunny has returned to a mall near you. Can I just say, right here, right now, that the Easter Bunny is a scary bizarre freak of nature? I mean, really...A gigantic, walking, talking rodent that steals some poor chickens eggs, paints them funny colors and then hides them in strange and unlikely places? Who came up with this? The Catholic Encyclopedia, of course, says: "The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been an emblem of fertility." So, the fertility god rabbit brings pretty painted EGGS to small children? Creepier and creepier. Laugh all you want, but the Easter Bunny seriously freaks me out. I mean, really...
Do I really have to introduce my child to this? Can't we do egg and basket hunts (because those are just way too fun) without having to get into the whole "The Easter Bunny brought it," thing? Can't we just celebrate spring and talk about flowers blooming, chicks being hatched, etc., without discussing some humongous rabbit who somehow managed to get past our security system? I keep seeing Easter bunnies around town and, let's be honest, this is the weirdest tradition in the history of holidays. Well, no, that's not fair. There are some pretty bizarre holiday traditions in every corner of the world...ever been to India? But that is a story for another time. But this bunny...why? I can't help it, I am a little bit glad that Kayla is still too young for Easter and we have time left to figure out how to handle it. Easter Bunny...ugh.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Forgive Me Father
I have a confession...
I have gone into total geeked out Martha Stewart mode for Kayla's first birthday. I can't stop. I have been to Michael's three times, Target four...I had to cut myself off when I almost bought a craft punch because, seriously...who owns a craft punch? Actually, I'm willing to bet money that a few of you do...am I wrong? Craft dorks. But anyhow...so the decorations and supplies are piling up and poor Kayla is being tormented by all the colorful things that she's not allowed to touch. She is eager to help me when I am cutting, gluing or otherwise crafting, but unfortunately, babies and Super Glue just don't mix.
Now, obviously, I can't allow you to see any of the projects-in-the-making because I don't want to spoil the surprise for those of you coming to the party, but let's just say that it is going to be darned cute (if I do say so myself) and you are going to be wowed by my creativity once pictures are finally posted. And, if you're not, well, keep it to yourself because ain't no one gonna rain on this paper butterfly parade. *GASP* I have said too much...
But okay, now I just feel bad for you because I know you are DYING to see the decor. Being the giver that I am, I will give you one SMALL preview, but that is IT. And don't come asking for more. Take this little teaser and then get excited for the photo barrage you will undoubtedly receive in just a couple (ACK!) weeks.
Ready?
How will it be used? Where did it come from? Never you mind for now. But, seriously...is it gonna be a cute party or what?
I have gone into total geeked out Martha Stewart mode for Kayla's first birthday. I can't stop. I have been to Michael's three times, Target four...I had to cut myself off when I almost bought a craft punch because, seriously...who owns a craft punch? Actually, I'm willing to bet money that a few of you do...am I wrong? Craft dorks. But anyhow...so the decorations and supplies are piling up and poor Kayla is being tormented by all the colorful things that she's not allowed to touch. She is eager to help me when I am cutting, gluing or otherwise crafting, but unfortunately, babies and Super Glue just don't mix.
Now, obviously, I can't allow you to see any of the projects-in-the-making because I don't want to spoil the surprise for those of you coming to the party, but let's just say that it is going to be darned cute (if I do say so myself) and you are going to be wowed by my creativity once pictures are finally posted. And, if you're not, well, keep it to yourself because ain't no one gonna rain on this paper butterfly parade. *GASP* I have said too much...
But okay, now I just feel bad for you because I know you are DYING to see the decor. Being the giver that I am, I will give you one SMALL preview, but that is IT. And don't come asking for more. Take this little teaser and then get excited for the photo barrage you will undoubtedly receive in just a couple (ACK!) weeks.
Ready?
How will it be used? Where did it come from? Never you mind for now. But, seriously...is it gonna be a cute party or what?
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Big News
So I know that I am way overdue for a blog post and, therefore, I should be going back about a month and giving you all the details of all that has happened (sleep regression, trips to Utah, new tricks learned and, of course, lots of new adorable anecdotes), but I can't because we have big news. BIG news. And before you get any ideas in your heads, NO, I am NOT pregnant. Sheesh, people (if indeed anyone is still reading this after my 20 day hiatus). The kid isn't even ONE yet! No, the big news is THE DUCKS ARE MOVING BACK TO DC! That's right! After two years here in NYC(ish), I got a call the other day telling me that I had been chosen for a position I applied for/interviewed for last month and so, we now have roughly eight weeks to pack up, ship out, and regroup back in the homeland. It all feels very surreal right now. There are so many logistics to figure out, the biggest, of course, being Chris' job, but we decided before I ever applied to this position that the best thing for us as a family would be to move back to VA and so...here we go. There are definitely things we're going to miss about Hoboken...too many. But, we are also getting excited about being back near so many friends, being back in our house, being back someplace where we can buy a bigger car (YAAAAAAAHHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!). It's going to be a huge transition. HUGE. But, in the end, we really do think it'll be for the best. That said, it is going to be a CRAZY few months and my head is already spinning with everything we have to do.
Kayla, meanwhile, is totally oblivious. Unaware of the turmoil that's starting to build around her, Kayla's sole focus is on practicing her newest and greatest tricks. Starting a couple of weeks ago, Kayla started practicing standing without holding onto anything. It was so funny to watch her go from "Oops, I forgot to hold on and OH MY GOD, I'd better sit down NOW!" to "Okay...letting go...I can do this...one hand...two hands...HAHA Look at me!!!" She's definitely still a little hesitant and only stands unaided for 5-10 seconds at a time, but she is definitely practicing this new skill. She is also figuring out all the benefits of this position. She is learning she can reach most of the breakable objects Mommy thought were out of her reach on the higher shelves. She is learning that she can demand Daddy's attention by popping up and trying to rip that laptop right off his lap. She is learning that she can bend over and pick things up from a standing position - ooh, fancy. She can also now squat. There was a special squat that older men in Singapore used to adopt when they were just hanging out somewhere. Kayla has that squat down.
And yesterday, another new trick. Yesterday Kayla suddenly put two and two together and realized that she can put small objects inside big objects. Ta Da! She spent literally the entire day experimenting with this new trick. The small Tupperware fits in the big Tupperware. The small block fits in the larger cup. The plastic animals fit in the big plastic pitcher. It was a day of revelations. I love watching her learn new things like this. I can't express enough how amazing it has been to be home with her this first year. Yes, there have been challenges. Yes, there have been frustrations. Every time I see her discover something new though, my heart lights up and I could burst with the excitement of knowing that this little baby is rapidly (far too rapidly) developing into a little person. Every new trick makes me beam.
What else is Snuzzles doing...She is learning to point! She now points to things occasionally, just to show them to me and OCCASIONALLY, I can even get her to point out a specified object.
The funniest instance of this though, and, hilariously, the first, was when Kayla and I were walking through Target the other day. We're standing in an aisle and I'm looking at dishes on a shelf when all of a sudden, Kayla starts going "dog, dog, dog, dogdogdogdog." (Note that it doesn't sound EXACTLY that pronounced, but darned if the kid doesn't have a word for those animals.) So, I turn, getting ready to be like "Honey, there aren't dogs here," when all of a sudden I see that her little finger is aimed at a wall and darned if there isn't a big old painting of a panting dog face. DOG! I almost died. She saw it, recognized it, POINTED TO IT, CALLED IT BY NAME...AH!!!!!!! My daughter is a GENIUS! She had both me and the store attendant standing nearby in hysterics (he might have been laughing at my gushing enthusiasm...not sure...). So then, after discussing the dog for 10 minutes, we walk away, down a few more aisles and, all of a sudden, she's doing it again! "Dog, dog, dog, dogdogdogdogdog!" I turn, thinking "Aw, honey, the dog isn't here anymore" and there on the wall is another dog painting! Have I mentioned that my baby is awesome? Best day at Target ever.
Hmm...what else...Kayla now loves to dance. Anytime you turn on music she likes she'll sit there and bop enthusiastically to the beat. She loves exploring and will literally crawl under or through anything. The kid has no fear. Her exersaucer? Won't sit in it anymore, but loves crawling through the shallow space beneath it. Chairs? Bar stools? She performs the most HILARIOUS acrobatics to try to get up and over their bars. Tables? Much better from beneath. I took her to a playgroup the other day and she had herself in hysterics because she managed to crawl into this little tiny play tunnel, turn herself to the side, get herself stuck...and no, I don't mean crying hysterics, I mean LAUGHING hysterics. Right in the middle of quiet story time. Sheesh.
Of course, learning all these new tricks seems to be interfering with her sleep pattern somewhat. She wants to stay up later and later and has been pretty restless at night. We're trying to give her longer wind-down periods before bed, but I honestly think she is just afraid to go to sleep least she miss out on something. Can't imagine where she gets that from.
But, with only three weeks left until Kayla's first birthday, it is hard to get too upset with her about the sleeping. I keep looking at her and thinking how fast time is flying. Every day she is a little more grown up and I realize that, before I know it, she will be less of a Smush and more of a Big Girl. Sigh. It is true that it just keeps getting better and better, but at the same time, it is true that there is nothing like holding this soft little person in your arms, having them look up at you and you see that there has never been a truer love. When I go in to get her in the morning now, she leaps into my arms, locks her little legs onto my side, throws her arms around my neck and just hugs and hugs me. It is The Best Thing in The World, hands down. She also comes over to me when she is sleepy or relaxed and will lay her little head on my leg and wait for me to softly stroke her head. The other night, when she was having a tough time sleeping, I finally gave in and put her in bed with me. A few hours later, she stirred and started to cry, then she felt me beside her, put her hand up on my cheek, heaved a big sigh and passed back out for the rest of the night. How can you be mad about having to sleep with your infant when they do that? This little girl is the most amazing person I have ever met and I am so amazingly thankful for every moment we get to spend with her. It is hard work, it is exhausting, and it is the most marvelous thing on Earth. Happy almost birthday, Kayla. Thank you for making this the best year of our lives. The wonder in your eyes reminds me to keep wonder in my heart.
Kayla, meanwhile, is totally oblivious. Unaware of the turmoil that's starting to build around her, Kayla's sole focus is on practicing her newest and greatest tricks. Starting a couple of weeks ago, Kayla started practicing standing without holding onto anything. It was so funny to watch her go from "Oops, I forgot to hold on and OH MY GOD, I'd better sit down NOW!" to "Okay...letting go...I can do this...one hand...two hands...HAHA Look at me!!!" She's definitely still a little hesitant and only stands unaided for 5-10 seconds at a time, but she is definitely practicing this new skill. She is also figuring out all the benefits of this position. She is learning she can reach most of the breakable objects Mommy thought were out of her reach on the higher shelves. She is learning that she can demand Daddy's attention by popping up and trying to rip that laptop right off his lap. She is learning that she can bend over and pick things up from a standing position - ooh, fancy. She can also now squat. There was a special squat that older men in Singapore used to adopt when they were just hanging out somewhere. Kayla has that squat down.
And yesterday, another new trick. Yesterday Kayla suddenly put two and two together and realized that she can put small objects inside big objects. Ta Da! She spent literally the entire day experimenting with this new trick. The small Tupperware fits in the big Tupperware. The small block fits in the larger cup. The plastic animals fit in the big plastic pitcher. It was a day of revelations. I love watching her learn new things like this. I can't express enough how amazing it has been to be home with her this first year. Yes, there have been challenges. Yes, there have been frustrations. Every time I see her discover something new though, my heart lights up and I could burst with the excitement of knowing that this little baby is rapidly (far too rapidly) developing into a little person. Every new trick makes me beam.
What else is Snuzzles doing...She is learning to point! She now points to things occasionally, just to show them to me and OCCASIONALLY, I can even get her to point out a specified object.
The funniest instance of this though, and, hilariously, the first, was when Kayla and I were walking through Target the other day. We're standing in an aisle and I'm looking at dishes on a shelf when all of a sudden, Kayla starts going "dog, dog, dog, dogdogdogdog." (Note that it doesn't sound EXACTLY that pronounced, but darned if the kid doesn't have a word for those animals.) So, I turn, getting ready to be like "Honey, there aren't dogs here," when all of a sudden I see that her little finger is aimed at a wall and darned if there isn't a big old painting of a panting dog face. DOG! I almost died. She saw it, recognized it, POINTED TO IT, CALLED IT BY NAME...AH!!!!!!! My daughter is a GENIUS! She had both me and the store attendant standing nearby in hysterics (he might have been laughing at my gushing enthusiasm...not sure...). So then, after discussing the dog for 10 minutes, we walk away, down a few more aisles and, all of a sudden, she's doing it again! "Dog, dog, dog, dogdogdogdogdog!" I turn, thinking "Aw, honey, the dog isn't here anymore" and there on the wall is another dog painting! Have I mentioned that my baby is awesome? Best day at Target ever.
Hmm...what else...Kayla now loves to dance. Anytime you turn on music she likes she'll sit there and bop enthusiastically to the beat. She loves exploring and will literally crawl under or through anything. The kid has no fear. Her exersaucer? Won't sit in it anymore, but loves crawling through the shallow space beneath it. Chairs? Bar stools? She performs the most HILARIOUS acrobatics to try to get up and over their bars. Tables? Much better from beneath. I took her to a playgroup the other day and she had herself in hysterics because she managed to crawl into this little tiny play tunnel, turn herself to the side, get herself stuck...and no, I don't mean crying hysterics, I mean LAUGHING hysterics. Right in the middle of quiet story time. Sheesh.
Of course, learning all these new tricks seems to be interfering with her sleep pattern somewhat. She wants to stay up later and later and has been pretty restless at night. We're trying to give her longer wind-down periods before bed, but I honestly think she is just afraid to go to sleep least she miss out on something. Can't imagine where she gets that from.
But, with only three weeks left until Kayla's first birthday, it is hard to get too upset with her about the sleeping. I keep looking at her and thinking how fast time is flying. Every day she is a little more grown up and I realize that, before I know it, she will be less of a Smush and more of a Big Girl. Sigh. It is true that it just keeps getting better and better, but at the same time, it is true that there is nothing like holding this soft little person in your arms, having them look up at you and you see that there has never been a truer love. When I go in to get her in the morning now, she leaps into my arms, locks her little legs onto my side, throws her arms around my neck and just hugs and hugs me. It is The Best Thing in The World, hands down. She also comes over to me when she is sleepy or relaxed and will lay her little head on my leg and wait for me to softly stroke her head. The other night, when she was having a tough time sleeping, I finally gave in and put her in bed with me. A few hours later, she stirred and started to cry, then she felt me beside her, put her hand up on my cheek, heaved a big sigh and passed back out for the rest of the night. How can you be mad about having to sleep with your infant when they do that? This little girl is the most amazing person I have ever met and I am so amazingly thankful for every moment we get to spend with her. It is hard work, it is exhausting, and it is the most marvelous thing on Earth. Happy almost birthday, Kayla. Thank you for making this the best year of our lives. The wonder in your eyes reminds me to keep wonder in my heart.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Five Hours of Molar Cutting, I Mean Flying
Bad colds and job interviews and molars and sleep regression and big life decisions and guests and travel and...
The past few weeks have made my head hurt.
But we are off to Utah today for a week of skiing and though I keep thinking of potential complications (Daycare, Cooking, Kayla in a new place hasn't been real good for Kayla sleeping lately...), we're definitely looking forward to a little time away.
Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but we'll be back in the swing of things when we return!
The past few weeks have made my head hurt.
But we are off to Utah today for a week of skiing and though I keep thinking of potential complications (Daycare, Cooking, Kayla in a new place hasn't been real good for Kayla sleeping lately...), we're definitely looking forward to a little time away.
Sorry for the lack of posts recently, but we'll be back in the swing of things when we return!
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