Updated Pics! Finally, I know!

Wow, almost 6 months...

It's been almost 6 months since I last posted anything. So much has happened it is insane.

Me: I got a new job. I am at Linden McKinley now and I LOVE it!
Dave: Still at East and loves it.
Nate: going into 7th grade, still short.
Gracie: walking and talking machine!

Key things:
- both of my grandfathers passed away this summer. It has been a really sad summer. I've been to three funerals (my grandfathers and then one of my students mothers passed away last week).
- we got a dog. A puppy for Gracie's 2nd birthday present. She named him Max (pic to follow). He is a puggle is is almost four months old.
- we are getting our house ready to go on the market Feb 1 of 2011.
- we decided about Gracie's schooling. We are moving so that she will attend Centennial HS in CCS (likely Gables ES and then Ridgeview MS before going to Centennial. It was a long decision, but overall we are happy because she will get all of the things that we want her to have. And, I am a product of CCS and I must say it's not all that it's portrayed to be negatively speaking.

Goodness, six months off of blogging makes my mind swirl trying to update.

Pics of the bean

Here are some pics of the Gracie bear. She is pretty fabulous and getting bigger (and badder) every day!

Snowmageddon, X-rays, and a bunch'o'misc crap

I am writing from my sofa as I move into day four of my three day weekend. We are having a snow day tomorrow. Third one this school year. I am kind of relieved because that means that Dave (aka the 4-wheel drive Dodge) can take me to the dentist and to my OBGYN for the Essure prelim meeting (more an this in another paragraph). I hate, I mean FLUCKING HATE, driving in snow. It isn't that I can't, it is that no one else can and they are tards and cause accidents and shit like that. I digress. At anyrate, they are coining the term "snowmageddon" for us here in the midwest. It is without a doubt the stupidist term I have ever heard. This means that we have a shit ass ton o' snow and people are flocking out in bad weather on their phones telling relatives in CA, TX, AZ, etc. all about the snow and driving like idiots to tromp in the aisles of Giant Eagle and Walmart to stock up on spam, toilet paper, and milk like it is Y2K again. For fucks sake people. And, that was the longest run on I have ever written...Dr. E from ODU would be mortified and I would be happy to torture her, but I will save that for therapy :)

On a totally, bitching, positive note, Gracyn's left arm is perfect. Well, as perfect as can be. We saw Dr. Popp Friday and I mentioned the cracking to him so he x-rayed her arm and, essentially, it ends at her wrist bone. He did make note that there no bones in her palm yet, which is weird and atypical, but he didn't seem worried about it. So that begged the question of what the hell is in there? Cartilage. So now we know why it hurts like hell when she gets you with it. I am stoked about the news. No underdevelopment or anything is effing awesome and such a relief.

As stated in paragraph one, I have my Essure post op meeting tomorrow at 4 pm. The procedure is scheduled for Monday at 8 am (unless snowmageddon throws a wrench in my plans). It is bittersweet. While we are beyond sure that this is what we want, just knowing that it will be final is a strange feeling. The truth is that I only ever wanted one kid, even when I was married to Mike. It is also true that I, with all of my paranoia, worry about something happening to Gracyn and wanting another kid. Morbid shit, I know, but nonetheless I do.

Fast forward to rewind and talk about something semi-related, but kick ass great. I have been following Mrs. D's blog since 2007. Here is the address: http://babywait.blogspot.com/ And, they have a due date. I cried when I saw that post. Please pray for them. I know that she is extra worried about it falling through because of all that they have been through.

I am ending on a high note.

Hello there

It's been a while. I know, I know. Things here are the same as usual. No real new developments, but some slight status updates.

#1: Gracie FINALLY weighs over 20 lbs. We were stoked!
#2: I got an award at work for my dedication to our kids.
#3: We got a shiot load of snow here this weekend. I am holding out for a snow day Monday.

Upcoming events:
Friday the 12th we see Dr. Popp again for our annual visit. I wonder if he plans on finally x-raying her. I know that he will be pleased to know that she exceeded expectations in her 18 month developmental check up at the pediatrician.

The 22nd I am having Essure put in. For those of you that don't know what that is, it is permanent birth control. Before I get an ass load of comments and questions I will tell you this: a. I am SURE and we are SURE b. I only ever wanted one kid (even when I was married to Mike) and I got a boy ipso facto so I am set on that front and c. if we decide that we simply have to have another child we will adopt a kid that needs a good life

The OGT is next month and I am about 85% sure that I can get us to safe harbor (go to ODE for explanation...too hard to explain)

Nate will be 12 next month. He is damn near a teenager...fuck I feel old.

That is all for now cyberpals. I will write more after her appointment next week.

It's the littlest things...

"Gracie, did you fart?"
"Me no farkd."

Makes me happy :)

Gracyn's Vocabulary

Gracie says:
No
Yes
Kitty
Puppy
Doggie
Book
Pee Pee
Vag (yes, that is what we call it)
Cinder (Cinderella)
Stinky
Tinky (Tinkerbell)
Mules (Miles)
Color
Remote
Fries
Chicken
Water
Panties
Bed
Blankie
Car
Drums
Phone
Talk
Bubba
Bubble
Keys
Sleepy
Bite
Done
Cup
Milk
Self
Walking
Nap
Please
Thank you
Singing
Okay
Go
Okie doke
Mom
Daddy
Papaw
Thirsty
Bye bye
Nose
Mouth
Play
Blow
Hot
Yum
Poop
Diaper
Nice
Toes
Scary
Roll
Jump
Yeah
Gracie
More
Bowl
Cookie
Cracker
Read
Hand
Henry
Good
Girl
Dinner
Hi
Stand
Cart
Balloon
Wipe
Clean
Ball
Drink
Purple
Yellow
Pink
Binky
Pretty
Yucky
Gross
Crazy
Jump
Buster
Pooh
I
Me
It's
Baby
Careful
Wiggle
Wags
Getting
It
There
You
She
Shew
Twinkle
Princess
Being
Present
Light
Tree
Elf
Open
One
Three
Away
Kiss
Put
Monkey
Cheese
Sit

Count them folks. 119. And, many of them are used in 2-4 word sentences. For example, the other night Nate did something she thought was good and she said, "Good girl Bubba!"

Not that I am bragging or anything, but the average 18 month old (she turns on the 14th says between 22 and 50). You might say that she got my mouth.

This pisses me off to no end.

Today, at work, a woman and her young daughter came to my register. The girl was hugging her mother's leg and being very well behaved. She kept saying, “I love you mommy.” Suddenly, her mom jerked her leg and said, "Get off!" The young girl walked 15 feet behind her mother the whole way to their car.

Okay. Why you ask? The answer is both an abvious one and a complex one. Obviously, it's shitty. Simple. As a mom, I cannot imagine doing that to Gracyn. I was heartbroken for the little girl when I read this.

The complex: I know people who would kill to have that child, let alone have that child hang on them like that. It's bullshit that every day people are blessed with kids who they do not deserve. Then, more often than not, said kids grow up neglected and deficient in numerous ways. I should know, I teach at-risk high school kids.

I guess what burns my ass the most is that I don't understand it. As a spiritual person, I understand that G-d has a larger plan in mind for each person (which, by the way, I am so glad that I am Jewish and that we are encouraged to question in order to fully understand our own relationship with G-d). But still. It is so not fair. If I could pluck that little girl up and give her to my friend Cindy or the lady from Losing The Baby Wait I so freaking would.

Spirited...

My mother-in-law gets me Willow Tree figurines. She has since Xmas of 2007 when I was pregnant with Gracyn. This year, she got me this one. It's called "Spirited". She said that it's my Gracyn fingurine (I also got a Nate one, a man and child one, and one with three women in it).

It makes me happy. Happy in that warm fuzzy kind of way. I like that it's called spirited. We've been known to call her willful (which has it's own connotations) and, on occasion, a brat. Spirited means something different from those. It means that she is marching to the beat of her own drum, an individual, someone other young ladies should look up to. That is what I want for her.

I think about some of the young ladies I have come in to contact with throughout my teaching career. A number come to mind, but when I think of who I want my daughter to be like I have to choose several and throw them in a blender. I want her to have Katie's heart, Helen's confidence, Ciara's fearlessness, Jahan's soul, Megan's spunk, and Taylor's intelligence.

Holiday Gifting Preview

This is a preview. These are two of her 8 Hanukkah gifts. She loves her cape! It is hilarious to watch her run around in it. The other, is her with her dolly sling being just like a big girl Mommy.

PS - I threw in the Xmas tree pic because she is so stinking cute.

Elf on the shelf, with a Chamberlain twist

We like the idea of elf on the shelf, but I refuse, with all of my cheapness, to pay $30. So, we improvised. We got Magee, from Disney's Prep & Landing, from the Disney Store for $8. Way more our speed. Plus, think of all of the fun things we can say using Magee!

My little girl's "big girl" room

These are pictures of her new "big girl" room. She likes it a lot. She runs in circles in the middle. She is growing so fast!

25 Questions of Xmas

I ganked this from my fellow blogger, Danica (Happy Girl).

(1) What is your favorite Christmas movie?

Tie: Christmas Vacation and Polar Express

(2) What is your LEAST favorite Christmas movie?

A Christmas Story

(3) What is your favorite Christmas song?

Baby It's Cold Outside from the movie Elf

(4) What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy?

Hippotamus for Christmas

(5) What is your favorite Christmas drink? (i.e. egg nog, hot chocolate)

Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks

(6) What is your favorite Christmas memory?

One Christmas, when I was in HS, we got gifts for a less fortunate family. I still cry about the little girl only asking for hair ties. I got her every damn hair tie I could find!

(7) What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas?

Probably my CD player in MS.

(8) What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas?

Black Jordache jeans with yellow stitching (in the late 1990's) from my paternal grandmother.

(9) What do you LOVE about the holidays?

Spirit of them and Xmas tree light

(10) What annoys you about the holidays?

People who lose their minds and are rude. Tis the season yo!

(11) Do you prefer star or angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else?

Star or something fun!

(12) What is your family favorite recipe at Christmas?

Gramma's potato salad (we have it at all holidays)

(13) Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime?

I am usually a Who, this year I am really Grinchy

(14) Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them?

Depends on how much and when they go up!

(15) Santas at the mall - Fun times or Creepy?

Depends on if they look like pedaphiles or not. I was an elf at Easton for two years!

(16) Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no?

Yes, photo ones. Gotta go get them this weekend.

(17) What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion?

Xmas Eve at my parents house. It is a tradition.

(18) What is the worst thing about Christmas?

Idiot shoppers and drivers

(19) When do you put the tree up and take it down?

Weekend after Turkey Day and the weekend after Xmas is over.

(20) Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your truelove to give to you?

Golden rings and I'd sell them on Craigslist!

(21) Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer?

She was too damn slow!

(22) Who is your favorite reindeer?

Donner. He was a hard nose parent to Rudy

(23) Do you believe in Santa Claus?

In his spirit, yes. That is why, despite the fact that Gracie is Jewish, we celebrate Xmas secularly

(24) What is your favorite smell at Christmastime?

Sugar cookies and Peppermint

(25) What would make you happy at Christmas this year?

For everything that I am worried about to go away and their be a peace in my house and my family.

From the light of the holiday tree

I am sitting here in the light of my holiday tree (xmas tree). Dave and Nate are playing Halo in his room and Gracyn is sleeping in her newly toddlerized crib. Maryann holds watch in front of the front door, while Miles lies worthlessly under the tree. It is silent in my house for the first time all day.

I was reading some of the blogs that I follow and they got me thinking about some things. The first thing is that I have a great kid. Not in the since that I am biased or anything like that, but that she is genuinely a neat ass kid. Watching her do things, especially things that require her to problem solve using her left hand, fascinates me. Her little gibberish that she says that only she understands does too. Today, we got her saying the word "gross", and let me tell you it is hilarious to hear her say it. She is so willful and determined. I am grateful for that. I wouldn't want her to be timid and shy along with her disability. I am so glad that she is boisterous, forthright, and spunky. That makes me worry less about someone being mean to her and her not defending herself.

In addition to thinking about Gracyn, I also thought about how much I really love my life. Not in the trite, post-Thanksgiving way either. I mean it year round. I have a husband who works hard, is a fantastic father, and who loves me despite my obvious flaws. He trusts me, looks out for me, and convinces me to buy two purses while on sale. Now that is love! But, on a serious note, he is a good man and I am lucky to have him. I also need to pay homage to my career. I love those damn kids like they were my own. I get all excited when they do well and hurt when they don't. I cry when they cry and I laugh at their stupid jokes. I am a cheerleader for the poverty, circumstance stricken and, although it is a hard job, I love it. I miss my Canal kids, but I am the happiest I have ever been at a job and that is important. Lastly, I need to mention that I have a great family. My parents have been amazing grandparents to Gracyn and without them I don't know what I would do. And, as a piggy back to that note, I am so glad that she gets to spend time with my grandfather. Not only for her sake, but also for his. She lifts his spirits up and makes his day in ways that I cannot even imagine. Whodathunk that a 16 month old eating chicken nuggets would make an old man so happy, but she does and, for that, she is a blessing to him.

I digress. I never want to be that person that always post sappy, melancholy, reflectionary b.s. to her blog, so I leave you with this: You might be a red neck if your sno-globe inflatable is larger than your house :)

Some things don't change...

and that is a good thing. There is nothing sweeter than when she sleeps.

My Baby Can Read...

Let me start by adding three new words are Gracyn has been saying this weekend:
"wurn" as in learn
"wurd" as in word
"Ausdum" as in awesome (when she says this it cracks me up!)

Now back to the main topic, My Baby Can Read...does it work? Yes, she has successfully read "Keys", "Bubble" and "Blanket".

Does it work well? It is too early to tell. She is now getting really verbal on purpose, not repetition of words from others.

So, I bought it on Ebay for $52. At this rate I am at $17.33 a word and we are on video #3. My hopes are that we will hear more as she grows increasingly more purposefully verbal. We shall see.

Can fetishs and addictions be genetic?

She shares my love of purses (and yes that is a Vera in Cupcake Pink). This, and the fact that when we were at the Coach outlet she pointed at a hot pink one and said, "URSE!", makes me certain that a purse fetish can be genetic.

"Uster!"

Newest word:
"Uster" as in Buster from My Friends Tigger and Pooh

Thanks.

As I am home sick, for day two of this week, I have a lot of free time on my hands. I have been doing some thinking and have decided that I have a good life. I really do. My husband is fabulous and supportive. My daughter is awesome. My step-son is one cool kid. My extended family is amazing. I love my job and my kids there; it is so rewarding. I have super friends who would do anything for me and often do.

I am blessed. I am happy.

Gracyn Happenings

Words of the week:
Blankie
Boggies (as in doggies)
No, No (as she points and shakes a tiny little pointer finger)
Dinner (all meals are dinner)
Shh...(including finger at mouth)
She's gettin' it

She figured out how to open the leather toy chest. She still eats as she desires, but is (knock on wood) drinking her milk with the Carnation in it.

She weighed 18 and half pounds and was 31" long at her last appointment on October 16th. She is totally mobile now, holding your hand and taking you places around the house. If I say take me to your room, she does, and etc.

Today, she followed Miles around yelling at him all day and shaking her finger at him in anger. I still have no clue what it is that he did, but she was not happy with him at all.