A father's day post.

There are little moments that happen that you know you'll remember for a good long while and that bring joy to your heart.  They're the little every day occurrences that make you laugh and remember this is what life is about.  Saturday I had such a moment.  We were at Target and V made a paper "airplane" out of an old grocery list I had in my bag.  As we were walking out of Target and I was pushing EM in her carrier and holding V's hand, the wind caught V's "airplane" and it took its first flight.  V was obviously distraught by this occurrence and as we were in the middle of the parking lot lane of traffic and I had V in one hand and EM's carrier in my other hand, all I could do without risking all three of our lives was to make a desperate plea to Daddy, who was in front pushing our groceries, to "Save V's airplane now!" 

What follows is such a moment.  Fully understanding the urgency and the gravity of the situation (screaming toddler in the middle of the parking lot) E let's go of the grocery car, runs towards the "airplane" which continues to fly in the wind gusts, and not without effort chases it down.  I can hear passerbyer's gasping  and pointing like they just saw superman and as I turn to see what all the commotion is about I see the runaway grocery cart now swiftly making its way towards a couple of parked cars.  E  runs over to V, hands her "airplane" and all is once again right in her world. (A father's priorities).  Then he sprints over to the cart and catches it just time before the collision. 

The best part about this was both E and I were cracking up and the simplicity and the comedy of this incident.  Really so small, but to me, one of the moments that keeps me laughing and appreciating my awesome husband, who is not only a fantastic partner in life, but an amazing dad!  Our girls are so lucky to have you!  We love you!!!

2 Week Update - 10 months pics, Birthday Party, Memorial Day weekend, and more!

This is going to be a long one... 

The last two weeks have been crazy busy at work.  I worked till 11:00 last Sunday night and then till 10:30 and 11:00 all last week.  I didn't even get to pick up V from school all week b/c I was so busy.  I love picking her up from school, so this made me very sad.  This week is shaping up to be pretty busy too, but I'm hoping I'll at least get to pick my girl up and hang out with her in the evenings.  I really could be/need to be finishing up some work stuff right now, but I did work earlier, and I so want to document my little girl's last two weeks, b/c man does it go by fast.  I already don't remember so many things and need the pics to refresh my memory.  When I started this blog, I wanted it to be more about me and less about V.  I was so afraid of motherhood "robbing" me of me.  But it has proven to be so the contrary.  My little girl is the best thing invented since sliced bread and I feel like I've not only not lost myself in becoming her mother, but discovered the real me.  It is the best job privilege I have ever had. I have experienced love that is not comparable to anything else.  For the first time in my life, it's unconditional.  I really do LOVE my husband.  He's my world and I can't imagine being without him, but this is so different.  This is mother bear type love. I will kill anyone who messes with her and I will sacrifice whatever I need to for her well being.  So, enough mushiness..

So, lots of things happen in a little girl's life in a two week time period.  We'll go in chronological order.

* V turned 10 months old

It is getting nearly impossible to get this child to sit still for pictures.  What happened to my little photogenic girl?? V celebrated her 10 month birthday mid month May and here are the pics to prove it.

Happy 10 month Birthday to Me!

Good stretch

I'm done Mommy.

*I'm NOT a boy! V's first pig-tails (sort of).

* V's friend's Z's 3rd B-day Party

V's friend Z turned 3 in May and we went to her super fun birthday party.  Z's party had real life trains and V had a grand ole time riding around the neighborhood.  Happy 3rd Birthday Z!

V and Daddy in one of the trains.

V, Daddy in a train + random dude in background.

My sweet face.

Classic V look.

One of V's favorite things to do with Daddy.  Hi Daddy!!! I love you! Let me poke your eye out.

Working the "Russian"

V and Mommy on the train.  Not the best, but the only pic of us two from the party on my camera. 

* Memorial Day Weekend

This weekend was big in lots of ways.  First and most monumental thing was V started walking holding on with just one hand.  She has been walking and practically running around the house with her push walker and over the weekend she just took off.  She's loving her new found skills and is doing the Frankenstein hobbling around holding our hand.  So proud of her.

Memorial Day weekend was a nice break to an otherwise really bad week.  On Saturday morning we packed up V and Mattie, and took off to Oklahoma to visit a good friend from college and her family.  It was about a two hour drive and we timed it with V's naps.  She did pretty well for the first leg of the trip, but then Daddy had a hankering for a Dr. Pepper, and when we stopped, Mattie caused all sorts of comotion and woke V up, so the second leg of the trip wasn't ideal.  V did keep herself entertained with her book. The book didn't fare so well by the end of the trip, but I'll sacrifice a book for a non-crying baby any day.  I unfortunately didn't take ANY pictures from our trip, but my friend A did, so I'm hoping to get them from her.  A lives out in the country and V got to swim in a creek, play in a chicken coup, ride in a buggy, and see real life horses.  Mattie sort of tore into one of the chickens, but we're hoping the chicken didn't suffer any irreparable damage.  We may owe my friend A a chicken.. Thanks A and family.  We had a wonderful time!! 

Here's the only picture I have from the trip.  It's hard to decipher, but it's Mattie resting her head on V's car seat in the car while V napped.  Such a sweet girl.

When we came back, we were very low key and just hung out at the house.  We bought a wading elephant pool for V.  It's  a pretty fun little pool and you hook up a hose to the trunk and it spits out water in a fountain like fashion.  We decided to invite our friends D&D&D over for some pool time.  D is V's friend from a previous post. D & V had a great time in the pool.  I'm so excited about our purchase and V loves to be in the water and has been pointing at it every time we walk by the courtyard.  Here's V getting ready for the pool in her new little swim suit.

I'm ready Mama!

And here are the pics of V & D enjoying the water.

Get in my belly!

It's not a party until someone sticks their head in the fountain.

* And finally... V making a mess of her food.

I love you V!

Happy Mother's Day and a Girl on the Move

This Sunday was my first official mother's day.  It was a busy busy day however, as my father in law was getting married the next day and we were throwing a "rehearsal dinner" of sorts on Sunday night, I did not get to revel in the glory of being pampered on Mother's day.  I got a rain check for next weekend though.   My husband's mother sadly passed away in 2008.  My father in law moved in with us after her passing and has lived with us since.   He got to know one of my really great girlfriend's mother around the time V was born, and they got married this past Monday.  Hence why I'm late posting - quite an eventful weekend. 

So - mother's day, I did wake up early to nurse, but then went right back to sleep while E was on V duty.  When I woke up, I found the bottom card from V.

The top part is from school - it's what V came home with on Friday.  Not the greatest shot of her, but hey - a mother isn't partial.   The scribble on the bottom is V's signature.  She dictated the rest to Daddy.

As I noted earlier, V's been really walking with her walker.  It's her favorite thing to do and she bee-lines for the walker anytime she sees it.  Here's V making her walking debut for all the world Mommy to see.

I have to gush a bit. I just love this little girl of mine!  I don't care how bad of a day I'm having, seeing her and hanging out with her brightens my day and brings perspective every time.  She is truly the best thing to ever happen to me and I cannot - absolutely cannot imagine my life without her.  I love that I'm still nursing and even though it's been exhausting - both physically and mentally, and I am starting to wean, nursing is our special time together and it's irreplaceable.  She's so fun these days and shows her personality and has quite the rep at school.  She's known as an occasionally frequently strong willed, diva-like, but at all times loving little girl.  She's a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to let it be known.   I LOVE YOU V!

Us and my father in law and now mother in law.  Welcome to the family K! 

Does it get easier? I would guess no, but more rewarding? Definitely.

Just as I'm used to having an infant, V is on the cusp of crawling.  And my life is once again about to change.  I try not to compare her development to other kids b/c when I did, I found it exhausting.  I was constantly worried about what she was or wasn't accomplishing, whether or not she was reaching for her toys, smiling when she was supposed to, turning her head at various sounds, and the list goes on and on.  So, I made a decision to just let her be a baby and enjoy her.  Now I'm finding myself struggling with the same issues I had when I first had her.  She's so much more alert.  She takes in the world around her and now I constantly question myself if I'm doing enough for her.  Am I hindering her development b/c I don't read enough to her, don't have enough toys for her, don't spend enough time with her, she doesn't get enough tummy time, or she doesn't practice her sitting enough?  In a weird sad way, day care has been my saving grace b/c I feel that there she gets the social interaction and other developmental help that I may not provide for her b/c of my lack of knowledge of what to provide.  Motherhood really doesn't come with instructions, and it's the most complicated, non stop job I've ever had.   But I don't want to sound that I don't absolutely love it.   I do.  My life is forever changed by this little girl, but I wouldn't trade it for anything else.  Her smell, her sounds, her laugh, and even her cries are more precious to me than anything else I've ever encountered.

Wisdom from Patti - Millionaire Matchmaker

I have a confession.  My guilty pleasure is reality TV/any and all Hollywood gossip.  Yes - I hang my head in shame admitting this and am looking into an addiction recovery group to curb this.  But, in the mean time, I picked up a little bit of wisdom from Miss Pattie - the Millionaire Matchmaker. 

So, in watching said reality show, Pattie is coaching one of her millionaires on chivalry.  She has an ettiquette coach and says to him that men have their roles and women have theirs and that if you cross the boundaries, you'll end up with a son rather than a husband!  HOW TRUE!  I'm all for strong independent women and am VERY strong willed and opinionated, etc etc etc.  But, I totally agree that chivalry should not be dead and a man should be a man! Step up and take care of your woman, whether that means opening her doors, ordering her meals at a restaurant, or being a strong shoulder to stand behind.  We don't have enough men around anymore.  I mean real men! From my dating days the bulk of the male population are needy boys who want a replacement for their mom rather than a partner.  And in a way, maybe this has forced women over the years to take over.  Because we've gotten tired of waiting to get things done so we just do it ourselves and end up either alone or with boys.

So, if I ever have a son, my goal in raising him will be to raise a man.  A man whose future wife will someday thank me for raising her a man and not a boy.  And all in all, we're made man and woman for a reason and there's something still so wonderful in being taken care of as a woman.  I think this would ring true for most woman out there, be it CEO's, attorney's, professionals, teachers, mothers, etc. 

And in conclustion - I can hear the "men" on the show referring to themselves in 3rd person and overall treating their dates like they should be falling all over themselves b/c they're priveleged to be on a date with these "millionaires."  Pattie says, "Women want gentlemen, not trash talking a**holes."  Wise words sista! (I know, I know, this isn't classical english literature type stuff, but still solid.")  I look at these "men" and shake my head, but yet continue to watch.. Addiction - it aint pretty.