Three Word Phrase

Yesterday Janna was sitting on our kitchen floor deciding what sippy cup she wanted to drink out of, the one with milk or the one with juice. Molly (the dog)comes up and starts sniffing the cups. Janna says "this is mine" while pointing to the cups. It was so cute. We have been trying to teach her not to let Molly(the dog) take her food but at the same time teaching her to share toys with her friends. I am so proud of her. She loves to talk.

Well Rested

I am well rested now. I have had two good nights of rest where the most housework I have done is load the dishwasher after dinner. I guess I could have spreadout all the housework I did on Monday night. Oh well. Janna has been fun and active. It has been tough getting her to bed but we are going to try and start a new bed time routine tonight. I will keep you posted on how it goes. I have had two of my favorite dinners cooked by Isaac. He was sweet enough to make me dinner and eat with me last night even though he had bible study. I have even had my special treat of a french vanilla cappacino and hash browns brought to work as a have a good day treat.
I am looking forward to the weekend in Fort Thomas. I just need to pack. :)

What I did yesterday

I am very tired and this morning and after thinking about the non-stop weekend I had and then everything that I did yesterday I know understand why. Here is a break down of what I did yesterday. Tonight I hope to rest, but we will see.

6:15am Wake Up
6:15 to 7:00 Get ready, shower, eat, etc
7:00 Janna wakes up
7:15 Change diaper, Dress Janna, read books, cuddle
7:20 Take Trash down to curb (both cans)
7:25 Take Janna to school-Meet her new teacher in her classroom
7:30 - 12:10pm Work
12: 15 Home for lunch
Run dishwasher
Do dishes in sink
Put Isaac’s folded clean clothes away
Pick up toys left in Janna’s room from morning
Eat lunch
1:00 – 4:30 Work
4:30 Go to IGA to get soup needed for dinner
4:35 Pick up Janna
4:40 Bring trash cans up the driveway (two trips holding Janna)
Go back for mail (trip three)
4:40 – 5:10 Play with Janna –walking around house-looking at mail-playing with
Elmo doll
5:10 Isaac comes home from Dave’s
5:20 Isaac sits in Janna’s room with us and vents about a conversation he has
Had with a person and plays with Janna
5:30 Isaac starts to the dinner…still upset from conversation earlier makes a phone call for 20 minutes
5:30 I start feeding Janna dinner
5:50 Isaac comes back from conversation and realizes that we are missing a key
Ingredient for dinner and runs to IGA to get it (not happy-realizes he hasn’t eaten since 11am and sugar level is low)
*As a side note-Isaac didn't look at the grocery list(too busy) so I missed a few key ingredients when I went to the store
6:00 Put Janna in bath tub….Isaac comes home and finishes dinner
6:20 Bath, diaper, lotion, PJ
6:30 Put in Elmo video while we eat dinner
Clean up Janna’s dinner
6:45 Janna crawls in and stands at my chair saying more after each bit I give. She loves dumplings
7:00 Put Janna to bed
7:30 Janna asleep. Isaac goes to get prescriptions from Kroger
7:30-8:30 Clean up bath time stuff
Put Janna back to sleep two more times
Unload dishwasher and strainer
Wash the pots and pans for dinner
Load dishwasher
Sink finally empty and clean
Wipes down counters and table
Sweep kitchen floor
Took out recycling
Put My clean clothes away
Take whites out of the dryer
Fold whites except for socks
8:30 Isaac comes home
8:40 We get ready and go to bed
Me under the covers no glasses very tired
Isaac on top of covers watching TV(tired but has a headache)
9:00 Janna wakes up screeching at top volume
9:00 – 9:45 Do anything at all to make Janna stop screaming
Watch Elmo video (all of us including Molly)
Give her Motrin for teeth. Her nose is bright red and she can’t breathe well
Isaac puts grapes away that he bought at the store
9:45 -10:00 Put Janna back to sleep again
10:00-10:05 Realize the socks in a pile are bothering me and fold them but don’t put them away
Find a dish in the sink ….oh well
10:10 Sleep Finally

Baby Elmo is Thirty

Janna has tons of stuffed animals but no doll babies yet. A couple days ago she picked up her Elmo (the one that has the open mouth) and put her sippy cup in his mouth. She proceeded to rub his belly and cover him with her burp cloth at the same time. She shows Elmo such patience and care. She is very gentle with Elmo. She can play this game for about 20 minutes and is completely focused.

I am pretty sure she has picked this up from Daycare and the babies in her room at times. She is very facinated with babies currently. It amazes me how she imiates us in what we do and say. It is a reminder that we are her role models.

Janna takes care of Elmo just as the Lord takes care of us, with gentle hands and patience norishing us.

More Water + More Fun

While Janna finished eating her dinner (on my lap) I asked Isaac to fill up the bath tub. As soon at Janna heard the water running she wanted down. She ran holding my fingers straight to the bathroom ready to take a bath. Janna loves to take baths. Isaac filled it about three inches higher than usual this time. Janna laid on her belly and kicked and kicked. It was a wet experience. She was laughing so hard and so high that it sounded like she was screaming. As she was kicking she would open her mouth wide open with her toungue out and stick it underwater. It was quite a site, but of course as soon as we got the camera she sits up and just smiles at the camera. She didn't care about the toys surrounding her or that all the bubbles were gone but she loves to kick. She also got a kick out me as I was showing her how to blow out when you put your face underwater. I think we may have a little swimmer on our hands, now if only she like the pool as much as a bath tub.

Love Pats

I know I am loved by my daughter, 16 months, by the way she holds on tight when I pick her up and she pats my back. At night she also pats and pets my arms when rocking to sleep. She may blow my husband kisses or smile when she sees him come up to the door, but I get my love pats. They are the best gift a mom could ask for.

Everyone deserves a pat on a back for a “good job” or encouragement on a project. Let’s make an effort to give someone a “love pat”. I know that they make my day, let’s pass that love on.

Mom's Super Power

August 8th, 2007

Have you ever noticed how Moms have the ability to carry one or more babies, toddlers, children no matter how big or small the child. It always amazed me to see these cute little moms carrying a squirming child while doing something else at the same time and making the child look as light a feather. I think when you become a mom you develop the super power of strong arms no matter how weak they may look. I have never had good arm muscles or been in good shape, but somehow I managed to cart Janna, my 16 month old baby girl, around Dollywood and Gatlinburg for most of the day. Janna is currently in a “mommy phase” so it is Mommy’s arm or a crying baby. I had plenty of help available and plenty of offers but it came easily. It surprises me that my husband, who is incredible strong, can carry Janna for maybe 15 minutes before he is tired or his arms hurt. You would think that he of all people would have the arm strength to carry a tot. But I, who am “muscle impaired”, am able to carry a tot around for hours on end. I wonder if this is the case for other families.

In conclusion: I am thankful for my superpower ability to have Mommy Arms.

The Bunny

We recently got back from our family vacation to TN. I am Veggie Tales fan and my daughter, who loves Elmo more, also loves Larry and Bob. I was super excited to see the Veggie Tales Show Live at Dollywood and couldn’t wait to see Janna’s expression at a huge Bob and Larry on stage. To my surprise, Janna loved the two little girls sitting behind us with sparkling princess shirts and the snacks she was eating more, and only periodically looked at the stage like “what are we doing here”. Then the Bunny song came one and a whole bunch of shadow bunnies appeared on all four walls of the theater. She started clapping and her face lit up with a huge smile. I don’t know if it was the lights moving or the bunnies, but I got the reaction I was looking for in response to something completely different than I expected.

Sometimes we have to open our eyes to God’s gifts to us; it may not be a giant cucumber right in front of our eyes. It might be just a small bunny shadow.