1st Sleep Over

Sunshine had her first sleep over at a friend's house on Saturday! I was prepared to head over during the night when/if I got the call to pick her up, but she did great.

My bebe girl is growing up!

Mom arrives today from VT, so I'll update more later!

Ch-ch-ch-changes

So many changes going on here!

Sunshine lost another tooth today---#2. Swallowed during dinner. From what I understand, this is a common occupational hazard for the Tooth Fairy & she will shell out $$ for the tooth.

Hunter starts Terminal Leave from the Army next week. SO surreal! We spent a couple hours in a Retirement Services briefing yesterday to learn about various benefits & the like.

And we adopted a dog on Sunday! I know I shouldn't be allowed in Petsmart on the weekends b/c I feel SO bad for the dogs who look at you, BEGGING to be taken home with you. We had started talking about getting a 2nd dog & looking online at Schnauzer rescues, puppies, etc. Well, it started so innocently. I went to Michael's to get some ribbon for Sunshine's hair (it's finally long enough to pull back & put a ribbon). Next thing I knew, I was walking around Petsmart, looking & petting. When I got to the back of the store, this rescue was starting to unload dogs. One was a black Schnauzer mix. He looked so sweet. When I went to pet him he started wagging his tail & looking at me with those big brown eyes. I texted Hunter to see what he thought & was told "just say NO!" Did I? NO! I called him & asked if he & Sunshine would come down to check out this adorable boy. Next thing I knew, we were picking up a new crate for him, a toy for his crate, a new leash & food/water bowls.

Libby is beside herself. She is very stand-offish to begin with & isn't interested in other dogs. I've been told that she loves me, likes Hunter & tolerates Sunshine. She's warmed up a little bit, but there isn't any playing or grooming going on yet.

I'm still working on my Mara shawl (*coughcough Ravelympics project *coughcough) but yet again, Facebook & Farmville seem to be eating into my knitting time.

The end of little kid-dom

Sunshine lost her first tooth. I knew it was coming (see my post in Oct where the Tooth Fairy sent her a little box in which to place her tooth), had ample time to prepare, but it was such a bittersweet moment when it actually happened.

After sorting through Hunter's Army stuff (5 trunks & various bags in the attic) for 2 1/2 hours yesterday, we decided to go out to dinner at our friend's restaurant. By this time, Sunshine's tooth was horizontal. Obviously today would be the day. So there we were, sitting in our booth when she gave it a twist & a little tug & it came out. I fought back tears. Both sets of grandparents were called & notified. I fought back tears. Our dinner came & our friend (the owner's wife), came over to bring Sunshine into the kitchen to make her ice cream sundae (it's a tradition w/ the two of them). When we got home Sunshine put her tooth into her little Cinderella box & vowed she would surprise the Tooth Fairy when she showed up.

Of course, she didn't. The Tooth Fairy left $5 (c'mon---1st tooth!) & a Tinker Bell doll. This morning she was pleasantly surprised to discover both of them. Now she's busy wiggling her other 2 loose teeth.

I'm still fighting back tears.

A truly wonderful day

It snowed in Dixie! Last year we got about 4" on 1 March. Yesterday we got about 3". Sunshine & I spent about 90 minutes playing outside in the morning, came in to let our clothes dry & to have lunch. We went out in the afternoon for 2 more hours & made more snow angels, a snowman family (complete with Daddy, Mommy, Sunshine & Libby). A fire in the fireplace added to the mood.

We also attempted some sugar on snow, but no one would eat it but me. I'm sure I'll be kicked out of the Native Vermonter club for this, but sugar on snow isn't my favorite treat.

We went out early for Valentine's Day to our friend's restaurant. Super yummy (as always) & the roads weren't bad at all.

When we got home I wound my Cascade 220 Heathers for my Ravelolympics project (Mara) & CO as the Andorran athletes walked into the stadium. I found a WIP event so I may use my felted bag project as an entry for that. The Mara is a great pattern---easy to memorize & I'm enjoying the Cascade 220.


Today is laundry & more snow play!!

**I have to edit to say that on Saturday 2/13, our neighbor from up around the corner called to let us know how much she & her husband liked Sunshine's snowmen! How sweet was that?!

Now caffeine free!

Seriously. I gave up caffeine. I was never one of those 6 cups of coffee a day people, nor was I one of those "don't talk to me until I've had caffeine" people, but I was one of those people who needed caffeine in some form to stave off the headaches.

I used to start off my day with breakfast & a nice cold Diet Coke. If I went out to lunch or dinner, I'd have a soda. If it was a nice restaurant, I'd have coffee after my meal. Years ago ('92? '91?) I tried to give up caffeine with no success. By 2pm the headaches would kick in & I would be miserable.

So, fast forward to January when all of us were sick with a tummy bug. I didn't drink any Diet Coke for a couple days when I was sick. When I finally did, it didn't taste "right" to me. One morning, I overslept & had to rush to get Sunshine to school. It was around 130 when I realized I hadn't had any caffeine. I'd been drinking my usual ice water w/ a splash of lemon all day. Hmmmm. No caffeine + lots of water=no headaches? I was onto something! The rest of the week I drank my ice water with a splash & guess what? I survived! I told myself that if I made it until Feb. 1st, I could have a "treat" of a diet coke. On Feb 2nd we had a play date at McDonald's for early release day from school. I also hadn't had any fast food all month. My cheeseburger was good, fries were eh, & the Diet Coke was eh as well. I think my next treat will be Starbucks. I wonder if they can do a caffeine free iced caramel macchiato?

On the knitting front, I'm still plugging along on my Small Shawl. I'm amazed by people's reactions to it. It's a very simple pattern but everyone loves it. Maybe it's the yarn? Fiesta Rayon Boucle in "Alaska" Lots of blue, purple & greens. Pretty.

Sunshine has Winter Break next week (11th-15th) & will have her Valentine's Party on the 10th. I need to get my needles flying on some washcloths for her teacher & aide. I'm going to pair them up with a shower gel & body lotion.

Hope those of you getting snow are staying warm & enjoying it! We're getting nothing but rain, rain, rain. Feel free to box up a foot or two & ship it down here!

Your opinion, please.

A friend was recently told that, as a SAHM, she doesn't work. This was said to her by a mother whose children spent roughly 10 hrs a day in daycare from the time they were 6 weeks until they started school.

SAHM asked Non-SAHM if she thought the caregivers at the daycare worked. The reply? "Of course they work! They cared for MY children."

Soooo, caring for someone else's child is working, but caring for your own isn't because it's what? Expected? Required? Help me with this one. As a SAHM aren't you caring for your child while doing what needs to be done around your house at the same time? Cleaning, laundry, dishes, yard work, taxi service, etc?

I'm not looking to get into the big debate of who has it harder, SAHMs or Non-SAHMs. I'm not judging Non-SAHMs. Some of them look at those of us who are fortunate enough to be SAHMs with envy and jealousy in their eyes. Of course, some of us are looked at with contempt for "selling out" or "not being able to cut it". Then there are the SAHMs who judge Non-SAHMs for choosing to work rather than care for their own children. Whatever your situation is, I hope you're in the one you chose.

I've learned that time with those we love is precious, be it our children, our parents, our family & friends. This moment will never happen again. You're only young once (don't I know it!) & your children are little for only such a short period of time. There are days I regret that I let my Post-Partum Depression eat up the first 6 months of Sunshine's life. I'm grateful that I'm able to stay home with Sunshine. And while they were some of the hardest, most trying days of my life, that I was able to shoulder the responsibility of being both Mommy AND Daddy while Hunter was deployed.


So, tell me---is caring for someone else's child work but caring for your own isnt??

What a crazy week!

If the past week was any indication of what 2010 will be like then stop the train, I want to get off!

It started with Sunshine getting sick at our friends house on New Year's Eve. Standard tummy bug stuff that lasted into Friday afternoon. By Saturday she had recovered & was back to her normal giggly self. Sunday afternoon was a different story. She got an ice cream while we were out running errands (Dutch chocolate w/ m & m's mixed in and a waffle cone with rainbow sprinkles). She didn't want to finish it & gave half to Hunter. Sunshine not finishing her ice cream is like me not buying Koigu KPPPM. By Sunday evening we were convinced something was up---she didn't want any supper & went to bed complaining of back & tummy pain. Off to the ER we went. 3 1/2 hours later we discovered that a UTI was to blame. We're on day 6 out of 10 on Bactrim.

On Tuesday, Hunter woke up with a tummy bug. He managed to go into work for about an hour and a half before coming home to get in bed, where he spent the rest of the day. He got up around dinnertime & seriously was greenish gray looking. Not good. Luckily, one of our friends (the same one whose house Sunshine was sick at) was able to come over to sit w/ her (she was sleeping) while I took Hunter to the ER. In 6 hours he had 2 liters of IV fluids, zofran, phenergan, morphine (for stomach pain) & an abdominal series of Xrays. The diagnosis was gastroenteritis. They were about to start a 3rd bag of fluids when Hunter told them he'd be fine going home w/ anti-nausea meds & promised to continue to push fluids. He was confined to quarters (day home from work) for 24 hrs & is on the mend.

On Thursday I dropped Sunshine off at school, Hunter went back to work & after a little Farmville on FB, I started cleaning the bathroom from top to bottom. I had lunch later than normal & felt a little wobbly when I went to pick up Sunshine at school. I figured it was my blood sugar b/c of the late lunch. A half hour after we got home I realized I was sick. An hour after that I was in bed & was miserable for the next 12 hours. Stomach bugs are no fun but when you're diabetic, it can be dangerous. Pedialyte pops are my new best friends.

I spent Friday in bed, watching movies, napping & trying to feel better. Today I'm still not 100% but I feel a lot better than I did on Thursday!

So, 2010, in your first week you've had all of us sick. Let's try for a kinder, gentler 2nd week, shall we???