Journaling Day 2

I drove all morning in the rain yesterday. To see the snow and to see the two year old, of course. It was a nice time. Being alone with your thoughts (as shallow or as deep as they may be) is a fierce thing.
I was talking to Jay a couple of days before I left...we were discussing the amount of people I knew that have died versus how many he knew. It seemed to be a staggering number. What's that about? Dying?

When I arrived, I took her to my childhood bedroom to put her down for nap. She asked me to stay. 

Journaling Day 1

Hello Journal.
Here's an experiment, just to get my mind working again. Open-ended, free-flowing, stream of consciousness journaling. Day 1. I will type for two minutes today. Starting now, 2:11 pm. Scout is asleep. We are cuddling. I am so elated to be near her, that I don't want to be apart. I hold her while she naps, I cuddle her close. I smell her hair, and it smells differently. She looks changed and sounds strange. Her voice is much clearer and her wants are known. Ten days is too long to be apart. I can't even believe that we did it! She only cried a copule of times, but I cried every day. "You're too far away for a minute" was too hard to bear some days. But what a blessing for her grandparents and great-grandparents.

Kids say the funniest things!

Someone's been not just asking for a baby sister...but saying "I HAVE a baby sister."

Me: Oh really? What's your sister's name?

Her: Brother! My sister's name is Brother!

Me: Where is your sister named Brother?

Her: Him's soooo tiny. Him's the smallest!

Oh dear!

Princess for a day...or two....

Imagination knows no bounds.

a change of pace.

Some days, I'm working just to make a living. Some days I wish with all my heart that I could just stay home and snuggle with Scout and take care of things around the house and all the stuff that takes so much time that I don't have. Some times, it breaks my heart that I'm not the one teaching things to Scout and watching every new step and change under a magnifying glass. Today was one of those days. We spent most of the day together. We cuddled from 4 a.m. to 8. She went to school from nine to eleven. I made it back in time to sit with her during lunch for a little while. We finished up and headed home for an afternoon nap. We snuggled for a couple of hours and then headed out again to have a nice dinner and take care of some more errands. Just the two of us. I definitely watched her under the microscope today.

random bloggings

Just cuddled my babe to sleep. Now, time for some Pilot House Town Lake Blend and some coursework. Did I mention I'm back in school? CDA...that's Child Development Associate's certification. Yay! It's pretty interesting stuff and at this point, fairly easy. It's nice to be able to have the experience of working with children under my belt before jumping into the "why's, who's, what's and when's." It's back-asswards, but it works for me.

Tomorrow is Jay/Ashley Celebration 2010. We are going out on the town to hang with all the hipsters and see some nice Canadian music. Which reminds me, I need to go shopping. AND on that note, here's a little preview of our night....



Followed by some booty shakin' to:

All my love to you.

Four years ago, today, I married my best friend. He was the man of my dreams and the love of my life. Today he's the father of my child and the apple of my eye. I love him more than peanut butter and you KNOW that means a lot.

Happy FOURTH anniversary, JBarton. True love like yours only comes once in a lifetime. I consider myself lucky to even know you. It's earth-shattering craziness that you fell in love with me, and don't think I take that for granted for a second.

Thanks for providing for our family, working hard at home and at the office. Thank you for being the light in my darkness. Thank you for your sweet, kind heart. I'll always keep it in a safe place. All my love to you.

You got me,
A

2 bloggy blog posts in one week....you know what that means....

I've got too much time on my hands....or something.

But seriously. Have you seen how stinkin' adorable my baby girl is?

things i've loved lately...

haircuts
nice smells (http://www.lightsoutcandles.com/sc_sant.html)
the sound of the wind chimes outside my bedroom window
the creaks of the floor
cooking dinner with the family
summer winding down

Scoutings (pt. II)

"Wunner pants, wunner pants, we're on our way. To help the baby armadiwo and save da day. We're not too big and we're not too big, but we got da right stuff. GOOOO WUNNERPANTS, YAY!"

"Mommy, I wub you."

Me: Scout, do you want peas for dinner?
Scout: Ummmmmmmm, no thanks.
Me: What do you want?
Scout: Chic'n nuggets, cheese, ketchup and applesauce. Cool DUDE!

"One-a day, there was a wittle gurl. And She wub her mommy-daddy. The end! Yay!"

Scoutings

Scout has recently begun to express herself in new adorable ways. Like this one:

"Mommy and Daddy are so PROUD. My mommy and daddy are SOOOOoooo happy!"
-Best used when she has just done something adorable like used the potty or eaten all her dinner. Also adorable when used at school to tell her teachers that we are going to be so happy and proud of her for being a big girl at school.

Something that's not so cute: "Don't use your WORDS, mommy!"

Oy! You can't win them all!

I'm a gardener, baby.

Life always seems to get in the way....

of my blog postings.

of my need for sleep.

of the snooze button.

of plans made.

of plans made to avoid birthdays.


And that's just to name a few things I'm thinking at nine twenty two on a Thursday night.

Playground

I love my husband because he makes beautiful children. And beautiful videos of these beautiful children.

Playground - Canon T2i test from Full90 Productions on Vimeo.

Playground

Playground - Canon T2i test from Full90 Productions on Vimeo.

Birthday recap

It has taken me two weeks to post this because for the last two weeks, you've been waking up at 4 a.m. and wanting us to lay down in your room with you at night. You've also decided that you will no longer sleep in a crib, but prefer your floor. Anywho...

Your second birthday was perfect.



We started with breakfast at your favorite place. We had strawberry crepes and blueberry muffins and milk and hashbrowns. You dipped your muffin in ketchup and loved it.

We then ran around looking for cupcakes and balloons and the last of the party decorations (including a four foot inflatable Elmo with present and party hat). Then, we returned home in time to take a shower, get dressed (you took a nap, finally) and get ready for the party.

We woke you up from your nap when people arrived and you were shy at first. Then you saw the cupcakes and Elmo and balloons and presents and M&Ms and family and you decided to perk up.



We had cake and ice cream and sang happy birthday to you. You blew out your own candle even though mommy and daddy tried to help. You opened your own presents, even if you sat in my lap for most of it. (Your favorite thing to say during present opening was "it scare me." or "it's not scary.")



You are the cutest babe to walk the face of this planet....and we get to see you grow and change for yet another fun-filled year!

Happy Birthday Baby (v2.0)

Two years. Two. TWO! WHOLE! YEARS!!

To say that I am having trouble finding the words is a complete and total understatement. I cannot believe that it has been two years since I saw your tiny face for the first time. I can't believe that this time two years ago, we were welcoming you to the world and our biggest challenges at the time were operating on little sleep and breast feeding! Last year, you were just gaining your independence. But now, oh I think you've totally got the hang of it.

In the last year, you've grown at least a foot. You've gained a belly. You've started potty training yourself. You've learned so many new words, it's hard to keep track of what you know now. You've started a new preschool. Your very first preschool. You spent an entire summer swimming in the pool and the lake by our house. You've made new friends. You've read all the books from your first birthday party at least a hundred times. You've celebrated your first Christmas at our house. You've celebrated your first New Year's Eve with Marmi and Papa. You've seen your first snow. You've ridden your first bike. You've thrown your first fit while visiting Santa Claus. You've become insane about animals, shapes, colors, numbers and letters, Yo Gabba Gabba's Party in your City,airplanes, Christmas trees, water, shopping, riding in daddy's green car, bath time friends, Ducky, Baby Stella, Princess Zooey, your cousins, and babies (real ones).

You are weening from the binky, but still prefer it at night. You've started asking us to stay in your room until you fall asleep (which your daddy does without question, and with great delight). Your favorite time is the morning, because you get to ask your favorite question: "GOOD MORNING MOMMY!!!! How are you today??!? Good!"

With your laughter, you can pick me up when I've had a hard day. With your sweet kisses and hugs, you can melt my heart. Oh, the funny, funny faces you make; you can make my sides split with laughter. When you sing your songs, you make me want to clap and dance. Your enthusiasm for mess reminds me to be a kid sometimes. And your imagination shows me a side of myself I left behind a long time ago.

I love seeing you play with other kids or by yourself or with your daddy. You guys "play kitchen" almost every day since Christmas when Santa Claus brought you your very first wooden kitchen (complete with all the wooden accessories ever needed for a wooden kitchen, thanks Santa).

I can't wait to celebrate this beautiful day with you and I look forward to what you will bring us in the next year.

You are the best thing we've ever done.

All our love,
Mommy and Daddy

Happy Valentine's Day!

I LOVE YOU!

Love

Merry Christmas....

and why not eat snickerdoodles and fudge and hot cocoa for breakfast?!