I am amazed at the fact that I had enough will power to do this diet for two weeks and not want to jump off the roof. I can't even wrap my brain around the fact that it is going so well. It's not that I have super human strength to resist all things unhealthy. It's because I was finally at a place that allowed me to follow through with what I wanted to do. I realized that I am not doing anything different, I just started this diet when my brain was stronger than my stomach. If I hadn't reached a place of utter determination, I would have failed at this one, too. It got to a point where the junk food was not worth looking in my closet and not seeing one item of clothing that I felt comfortable wearing.
I am now up to 12 pounds of weight loss in 13 days. I hesitate saying that for fear that I might get accused of having some sort of eating disorder. I promise, I love food too much to stop eating. This is just what happens when you replace the bad stuff for the good stuff. I replaced soda with water. I replaced snacks with fruits and vegetables. I replaced "I can't" with "Try and stop me".
Two weeks down and I have no desire to go back to the way I was in the past. Can't wait to see what happens next...
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
One Week Down...
Tomorrow I will have completed the first week of my new eating habits. I would have thought that by now all I would want to do is complain. It really hasn't been that bad. Do I miss junk food? Yup. Do I miss sugar? Ummm...yes. Am I going to shrivel up into a ball of despair? I really hope not.
So far I have lost six pounds and feel great. People are actually starting to notice a difference. I must say the comments have been a great internal motivator. If people can see a difference now and it has only been a week, how much better and I going to feel in 2 weeks?
Hardest thing so far: Finding variety in my food. I am a self proclaimed picky eater. Vegetables and me are not friends. I have had to work hard to find flavor that fits in the scope of this plan. I think the flavor would come naturally if I liked flavorful things like onions and peppers. My menu would open tremendously if veggies were on there.
Tip of the week: Take it one day at a time. Things look really hard if you think about how long it will take to complete the life change. Instead, wake up and decide to do the plan perfectly for that day. Tackling one day is much less intimidating and a whole lot more manageable.
So far I have lost six pounds and feel great. People are actually starting to notice a difference. I must say the comments have been a great internal motivator. If people can see a difference now and it has only been a week, how much better and I going to feel in 2 weeks?
Hardest thing so far: Finding variety in my food. I am a self proclaimed picky eater. Vegetables and me are not friends. I have had to work hard to find flavor that fits in the scope of this plan. I think the flavor would come naturally if I liked flavorful things like onions and peppers. My menu would open tremendously if veggies were on there.
Tip of the week: Take it one day at a time. Things look really hard if you think about how long it will take to complete the life change. Instead, wake up and decide to do the plan perfectly for that day. Tackling one day is much less intimidating and a whole lot more manageable.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Hi-jacking...
Well, I have decided to hijack this blog for a few weeks and start a journal of my newest adventure...my weight loss "challenge".
I have the unbelievable opportunity to do a weight loss challenge that is covered by my local news station here in Charlotte. For the next 8 weeks, I am going to completely turn my life upside down in hopes of creating new habits, new routines, and a new life style. My goal is not to be a size 2, (ok, maybe so maybe I would REALLY love that) my goal is to change the way I look at food.
Today is day one of my challenge. Last night, my friend and news anchor, Tonia Bendickson, came to my house to interview myself and my husband about our eating habits, our struggles, and our plan. It should air on WBTV news by next Friday. We will be checking in periodically to monitor our progress. I feel like this opportunity has given me the accountability that I need to make the changes. Who wants to gain weight or fail a diet when lots of people are watching? Not me!
This blog will give me the ability to share my struggles, pass on tips that I learn, and make me more accountable so that there is not a chance of me giving up easily.
Alright, here we go...
I have the unbelievable opportunity to do a weight loss challenge that is covered by my local news station here in Charlotte. For the next 8 weeks, I am going to completely turn my life upside down in hopes of creating new habits, new routines, and a new life style. My goal is not to be a size 2, (ok, maybe so maybe I would REALLY love that) my goal is to change the way I look at food.
Today is day one of my challenge. Last night, my friend and news anchor, Tonia Bendickson, came to my house to interview myself and my husband about our eating habits, our struggles, and our plan. It should air on WBTV news by next Friday. We will be checking in periodically to monitor our progress. I feel like this opportunity has given me the accountability that I need to make the changes. Who wants to gain weight or fail a diet when lots of people are watching? Not me!
This blog will give me the ability to share my struggles, pass on tips that I learn, and make me more accountable so that there is not a chance of me giving up easily.
Alright, here we go...
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Doctor Time
I took Lauren to the orthopedic office that did her surgery two years ago. The doctor looked her over and asked a lot of questions. I am glad we went since he didn't feel that there was anything to worry about. Even though he has no solid reason why it happened, the consensus is that she fell and pulled a muscle in her back. Since she is not completely verbal enough to communicate the real cause, we are going with that one.
I have to be on the look out for a fever or rash in the next few days. That could be a sign of infection in her hip joints. Unfortunately, she gave a big hug and a kiss to her best friend yesterday who went to the doctor for the flu today. Now I won't know if the fever is from her or an infection. Oh well, such is the life of a parent.
I have to be on the look out for a fever or rash in the next few days. That could be a sign of infection in her hip joints. Unfortunately, she gave a big hug and a kiss to her best friend yesterday who went to the doctor for the flu today. Now I won't know if the fever is from her or an infection. Oh well, such is the life of a parent.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Weird Weekend
Lauren woke up Friday morning with a terrible pain in her back. She wouldn't put any weight on her feet and was hunched over like an old woman for most of the morning. She was able to get dressed, but her daddy had to carry her to my room and lay her on the bed. Usually, she is up and off like a racehorse from the moment her feet hit the ground.
After about an hour or so, I was able to hold her hands and she started shuffling around my room. She was still hunched over, but she was not crying anymore. I gave her some Tylenol hoping that I would see some improvement.
Eventually, Lauren was walking fine for the most part. Every once in a while, she would turn funny and she would wince in pain and her leg would sort of give out for a split second. It was very weird to watch.
By Saturday, she was running around, but would not have the strength to pull herself up onto the bed or couch. Everything else seemed back to normal. We are going to the Orthopedic doctor that performed her surgery two years ago today at 3:45. I will keep you posted. I am sure that it will be nothing, but better safe than sorry.
After about an hour or so, I was able to hold her hands and she started shuffling around my room. She was still hunched over, but she was not crying anymore. I gave her some Tylenol hoping that I would see some improvement.
Eventually, Lauren was walking fine for the most part. Every once in a while, she would turn funny and she would wince in pain and her leg would sort of give out for a split second. It was very weird to watch.
By Saturday, she was running around, but would not have the strength to pull herself up onto the bed or couch. Everything else seemed back to normal. We are going to the Orthopedic doctor that performed her surgery two years ago today at 3:45. I will keep you posted. I am sure that it will be nothing, but better safe than sorry.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Happy Birthday, Lauren
Five years ago I made the comment, "Maybe I will go into labor and not have to go to Open House". Well, I did.
I am still in awe of how far this little girl has come in five short years. She started her life on a ventilator. Her first 12 days were filled with two seizures, kidney/liver problems, a stroke, feeding tubes, apnea monitors, and wires sticking out everywhere. To think that five years later, it would all be a distant memory is nothing short of a miracle.
Lauren, I am inspired everyday by your determination, your sweet spirit, and that infectious smile. I am so proud of how far you've come and how you never let anything stand in your way. I know God has great things in store for you. It is no accident that you are here with us. Things might be hard sometimes, but you have so much strength and can handle anything that comes your way. You are my joy and I am so glad God chose me to be your Mommy. Happy Birthday, sweet angel!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Greatest Neighbors
We have an older couple that lives at the end of our street. They are pretty much the nicest neighbors I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. They took an instant interest in Lauren and our family. She buys Lauren Christmas gifts and has special treats every time we go over for a visit. Today they proved once again why I love them so much.
Lauren has a pretty dangerous bus stop, if I do say so myself. The bus stop is at the end of our road. It is a pretty busy street and there is a blind corner that cars come barreling around every day. I have put a request into the transportation department to change the stop. No surprise that it has been two weeks and I haven't heard a word from them.
My neighbor stops me this afternoon and offers to help speed things up. He knew that if other people called to complain about the dangerous stop that they might speed up the process. He said that he would love to call tomorrow if I would give him permission to help. Ummm, yes, please! I really love them....
Lauren has a pretty dangerous bus stop, if I do say so myself. The bus stop is at the end of our road. It is a pretty busy street and there is a blind corner that cars come barreling around every day. I have put a request into the transportation department to change the stop. No surprise that it has been two weeks and I haven't heard a word from them.
My neighbor stops me this afternoon and offers to help speed things up. He knew that if other people called to complain about the dangerous stop that they might speed up the process. He said that he would love to call tomorrow if I would give him permission to help. Ummm, yes, please! I really love them....
Monday, August 31, 2009
Back Story
A few of you wanted to hear the back story about why I had to wear scissors around my neck in elementary school. Here is the whole account of that fateful accident.
It was 1987 when I was in second grade. We had a great playground at our school with one major flaw. The playground was on cement. Just cement. No wood chips, bark, or rubber pieces under any of the equipment. It was also the era when I rode on the arm rest next to my dad while he was driving. Booster seats weren't even a blip on any one's radar and neither was a soft landing spot under a jungle gym.
We were playing a game of tag when I decided to run as fast as I could away form the person who was 'it'. What I didn't count on was a broken shoe and a sharp turn. Most people would put their hands down when they fall. I guess my arms were pumping to hard and I fell squarely on my chin. I fell so hard that I shattered the round part of my jaw into a zillion pieces. The last thing I remember is holding my jaw and screaming as I ran to the nurses office.
My mouth was wired shut for six weeks. I was not able to open my mouth. Luckily, I had four teeth missing, which I used to shove food through in order to eat. My mom would cut up bite size pieces of PB&J for lunch. I would shove it through my teeth and squish it on the roof of my mouth until it was easy to swallow. It was really fun to sit with me at lunch. No one lost their appetite at all.
To make this social nightmare even worse, some genius administrator at school decided that it would be a good idea to wear scissor around my neck in case I started choking. That way a responsible adult could cut the wires and give me any life saving procedure I might need.
The best part? They decided to use bright, yellow yarn to tie the scissors around my neck. Not white or tan or even pale yellow. No, highlighter yellow, as if it was a nerd beacon screaming, "Make fun of me!" as I walked through the halls. I wore the scissors in class, going to the bathroom, PE class, even to lunch. I guess no one told them that it could be dangerous for a 7 year old to be running and playing with scissors two inches from her heart.
Needless to say, the playground had wood chips all around the equipment a week after my accident, I survived the social torture of the scissor incident and I made it through second grade without any puncture wounds. Now, if I could just look at yellow yarn without twitching.
It was 1987 when I was in second grade. We had a great playground at our school with one major flaw. The playground was on cement. Just cement. No wood chips, bark, or rubber pieces under any of the equipment. It was also the era when I rode on the arm rest next to my dad while he was driving. Booster seats weren't even a blip on any one's radar and neither was a soft landing spot under a jungle gym.
We were playing a game of tag when I decided to run as fast as I could away form the person who was 'it'. What I didn't count on was a broken shoe and a sharp turn. Most people would put their hands down when they fall. I guess my arms were pumping to hard and I fell squarely on my chin. I fell so hard that I shattered the round part of my jaw into a zillion pieces. The last thing I remember is holding my jaw and screaming as I ran to the nurses office.
My mouth was wired shut for six weeks. I was not able to open my mouth. Luckily, I had four teeth missing, which I used to shove food through in order to eat. My mom would cut up bite size pieces of PB&J for lunch. I would shove it through my teeth and squish it on the roof of my mouth until it was easy to swallow. It was really fun to sit with me at lunch. No one lost their appetite at all.
To make this social nightmare even worse, some genius administrator at school decided that it would be a good idea to wear scissor around my neck in case I started choking. That way a responsible adult could cut the wires and give me any life saving procedure I might need.
The best part? They decided to use bright, yellow yarn to tie the scissors around my neck. Not white or tan or even pale yellow. No, highlighter yellow, as if it was a nerd beacon screaming, "Make fun of me!" as I walked through the halls. I wore the scissors in class, going to the bathroom, PE class, even to lunch. I guess no one told them that it could be dangerous for a 7 year old to be running and playing with scissors two inches from her heart.
Needless to say, the playground had wood chips all around the equipment a week after my accident, I survived the social torture of the scissor incident and I made it through second grade without any puncture wounds. Now, if I could just look at yellow yarn without twitching.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Hearing Loss and Genetics
I learned an interesting fact when I took Lauren to her appointment in Chapel Hill a week or so ago. For those of you who don't know, Chapel Hill is the number one place to take your child if he or she has a hearing loss. They are the top teaching hospital for hearing disorders in the entire state of North Carolina. If you ever go, even just once, you will see what I mean.
While Lauren was getting her hearing aids fixed, I was talking with her audiologist. I asked her if there was any chance that Lauren's hearing loss could be an predictor to hearing loss of other family members. Could this be genetic?
Her answer was simple. Hearing loss can be familiar, meaning 'family'. If you have grandparents that can still hear great at 90 years old, you will probably hear fine for a long time, too. If you have grandparents that are losing their hearing, you might find that your mom, dad, or even you might lose you hearing later in life as well.
I guess it makes sense. Although, I have to lend some credit to how loud the world is now a days. Surely, listening to iPods, cranking the radio in the car, and the constant roar of traffic all can contribute to hearing loss. Since my grandpa can't hear a thing, I should get my hearing tested just to see where I stand. You never know...
While Lauren was getting her hearing aids fixed, I was talking with her audiologist. I asked her if there was any chance that Lauren's hearing loss could be an predictor to hearing loss of other family members. Could this be genetic?
Her answer was simple. Hearing loss can be familiar, meaning 'family'. If you have grandparents that can still hear great at 90 years old, you will probably hear fine for a long time, too. If you have grandparents that are losing their hearing, you might find that your mom, dad, or even you might lose you hearing later in life as well.
I guess it makes sense. Although, I have to lend some credit to how loud the world is now a days. Surely, listening to iPods, cranking the radio in the car, and the constant roar of traffic all can contribute to hearing loss. Since my grandpa can't hear a thing, I should get my hearing tested just to see where I stand. You never know...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Oldies, But Goodies...
I found some old pictures of Lauren taken when she was about three months old. They were a surprise for my husband for Christmas. A fellow teacher in Shelby, NC took them for me in my third grade classroom. I can't believe how different she looked. I could still bite her cheeks off.
What's weird about these pictures is the fact that we had no idea that she had a hearing impairment or Cerebral Palsy at the time they were taken. It would be six months after these pictures were taken that we got the diagnosis of CP. It would be a year and a half before the diagnosis of her hearing impairment.
The journey we took still amazes me sometimes...
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Did I Really Do That?
Lauren's first day went great! She had a wonderful time and worked really hard. The first day for me ended up with a small, yet embarrassing, episode.
Lauren used to get picked up and dropped off in front of my house. I guess CMS decided that it was too much work to turn a giant bus around in a cul de sac, so our stop was moved to the end of the street.
I was waiting for the bus this afternoon with the husband and dog in tow. I wasn't sure which direction the bus was coming since it was the first day. There are a ton of buses that use this road so I was looking for a specific number.
After a few minutes I saw the bus heading towards our stop. It didn't slow down like I had expected. In fact, it blew right by us and started to turn on to our street. At one point I even started waving at the driver, but she never even saw me. Fearing that the bus driver would go to the house and not see anyone waiting, I started running after the bus. I didn't want the driver to think she was at the wrong stop and keep on going.
It started to get embarrassing when I decided to take off running after the bus like someone was chasing me with a chainsaw. I dodged a car and bullied my way through low lying tree branches in order to try to catch up to the bus. Buses are surprisingly fast, just so you know. My arms are pumping, I'm starting to sweat, and I am running as fast as my little feet will take me praying that I beat the bus.
What makes this even more embarrassing is that I realized after a moment or two that I was chasing the wrong bus. I was wondering why Tyler did not have the same sense of urgency and was just standing there watching me run after a bus like a deranged lunatic. It was a long walk of shame back to the stop, wondering who else saw me running like a crazy woman after a random bus. I almost didn't want to make eye contact with Tyler who was standing there with a look of utter confusion on his face. Even the dog looked at me funny.
After I picked the leaves out of my hair and caught my breath, Lauren's bus pulled up. Thankfully this time it did stop and I did not have another impromptu sprint down the street. At least I got some exercise...
Lauren used to get picked up and dropped off in front of my house. I guess CMS decided that it was too much work to turn a giant bus around in a cul de sac, so our stop was moved to the end of the street.
I was waiting for the bus this afternoon with the husband and dog in tow. I wasn't sure which direction the bus was coming since it was the first day. There are a ton of buses that use this road so I was looking for a specific number.
After a few minutes I saw the bus heading towards our stop. It didn't slow down like I had expected. In fact, it blew right by us and started to turn on to our street. At one point I even started waving at the driver, but she never even saw me. Fearing that the bus driver would go to the house and not see anyone waiting, I started running after the bus. I didn't want the driver to think she was at the wrong stop and keep on going.
It started to get embarrassing when I decided to take off running after the bus like someone was chasing me with a chainsaw. I dodged a car and bullied my way through low lying tree branches in order to try to catch up to the bus. Buses are surprisingly fast, just so you know. My arms are pumping, I'm starting to sweat, and I am running as fast as my little feet will take me praying that I beat the bus.
What makes this even more embarrassing is that I realized after a moment or two that I was chasing the wrong bus. I was wondering why Tyler did not have the same sense of urgency and was just standing there watching me run after a bus like a deranged lunatic. It was a long walk of shame back to the stop, wondering who else saw me running like a crazy woman after a random bus. I almost didn't want to make eye contact with Tyler who was standing there with a look of utter confusion on his face. Even the dog looked at me funny.
After I picked the leaves out of my hair and caught my breath, Lauren's bus pulled up. Thankfully this time it did stop and I did not have another impromptu sprint down the street. At least I got some exercise...
Monday, August 24, 2009
New Game
Lauren has found a new game to play this summer. It keeps her entertained, but makes me wonder a bit.
We kept Lauren's toddler mattress and slid it under her big girl bed in case her cousins came to stay over night. We figured there would always be an extra bed to use. Lauren decided one day that it would be fun to drag it out to the living room and use it as a make-shift trampoline.
Most of the time she just jumps up and down with the occasional somersault off the end. I guess that didn't get the adrenaline pumping enough. She now climbs on the couch and jumps as far as she can to the middle of the mattress. Sometime she hits the mattress, sometimes she doesn't. That doesn't discourage her, though. She loves every minute of it.
My major concern is not that she will get hurt. I just want to know how in the world she can get that mattress out to the living room by herself...
We kept Lauren's toddler mattress and slid it under her big girl bed in case her cousins came to stay over night. We figured there would always be an extra bed to use. Lauren decided one day that it would be fun to drag it out to the living room and use it as a make-shift trampoline.
Most of the time she just jumps up and down with the occasional somersault off the end. I guess that didn't get the adrenaline pumping enough. She now climbs on the couch and jumps as far as she can to the middle of the mattress. Sometime she hits the mattress, sometimes she doesn't. That doesn't discourage her, though. She loves every minute of it.
My major concern is not that she will get hurt. I just want to know how in the world she can get that mattress out to the living room by herself...
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
My Bad
Ok, so I know that I have not posted in a decade and I probably am writing to no one, but here I go again. Back in the blog world to stay.
Here are a few updates to get us all up to speed:
1) Lauren is starting her last year of preschool in her hearing impaired classroom. There are some milestones to look for in order to get her in a mainstreamed classroom for kindergarten.
2) Tyler has not been hired back at Tommy Hilfiger, and is still technically unemployed. He has jumped full force into his creative company and hasn't looked back yet.
3) Lauren has a unique ability to not say a word until we get into the car and not stop talking until we reach our destination. Seriously, I am not kidding. She will not stop until the car is in park and we are out of the car. Then she barely makes a peep.
4) I have loved my summer with my family. I wasn't sure if I was going to be as entertaining as Lauren's friends at school. We had a blast together despite all the changes this year.
5) I have to put my baby on the bus this Tuesday. I really get nervous and hate to let her out of my sight. God bless her wonderful teacher who calls when she gets to school for the first few days.
I promise to be a better blogger. Thanks for being so patient. I think my brain needed a summer vacation as well. Now that Lauren is such a little person, I should have lots of fun stories to tell. Hopefully there will be some goods ones to bring back out on her wedding day....
Here are a few updates to get us all up to speed:
1) Lauren is starting her last year of preschool in her hearing impaired classroom. There are some milestones to look for in order to get her in a mainstreamed classroom for kindergarten.
2) Tyler has not been hired back at Tommy Hilfiger, and is still technically unemployed. He has jumped full force into his creative company and hasn't looked back yet.
3) Lauren has a unique ability to not say a word until we get into the car and not stop talking until we reach our destination. Seriously, I am not kidding. She will not stop until the car is in park and we are out of the car. Then she barely makes a peep.
4) I have loved my summer with my family. I wasn't sure if I was going to be as entertaining as Lauren's friends at school. We had a blast together despite all the changes this year.
5) I have to put my baby on the bus this Tuesday. I really get nervous and hate to let her out of my sight. God bless her wonderful teacher who calls when she gets to school for the first few days.
I promise to be a better blogger. Thanks for being so patient. I think my brain needed a summer vacation as well. Now that Lauren is such a little person, I should have lots of fun stories to tell. Hopefully there will be some goods ones to bring back out on her wedding day....
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Accident Prone
Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am very accident prone. I trip and fall all the time. I used to blame it on being left handed in a right handed world. Too bad it's just because I am clumsy. Unfortunately, my clumsiness has caught up to me in a big way.
When I was in second grade I was running with my friends on the playground. I wasn't very careful and I fell down. Instead of putting my hands out to catch myself, I fell right on my jaw and crushed it into a zillion pieces. I had my mouth wired shut for six weeks and had to wear scissors around my neck in case I started choking. (That's another post)
It has been about 26 years since that happened, but it is causing me some unexpected problems now. I have been suffering from headaches the past few months that last for three or more days. I was finishing entire bottles of Motrin in a matter of weeks. I decided it was time to go to the Chiropractor to see if I could get some relief. I got some shocking news. He took some x-rays to see what was going on and discovered that the curve of my spine was reversed! The impact from the fall in second grade flipped the curve of my neck and I had no idea. To make matters worse, he thinks he saw a chip of bone on my spine! I was blown away at the news.
Now I am heading to a spine specialist before the Chiropractor will do any work on me. It should be an interesting few weeks. I hope that they don't find any more surprises.
When I was in second grade I was running with my friends on the playground. I wasn't very careful and I fell down. Instead of putting my hands out to catch myself, I fell right on my jaw and crushed it into a zillion pieces. I had my mouth wired shut for six weeks and had to wear scissors around my neck in case I started choking. (That's another post)
It has been about 26 years since that happened, but it is causing me some unexpected problems now. I have been suffering from headaches the past few months that last for three or more days. I was finishing entire bottles of Motrin in a matter of weeks. I decided it was time to go to the Chiropractor to see if I could get some relief. I got some shocking news. He took some x-rays to see what was going on and discovered that the curve of my spine was reversed! The impact from the fall in second grade flipped the curve of my neck and I had no idea. To make matters worse, he thinks he saw a chip of bone on my spine! I was blown away at the news.
Now I am heading to a spine specialist before the Chiropractor will do any work on me. It should be an interesting few weeks. I hope that they don't find any more surprises.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sweet
I love when I can tell that Lauren is making progress with her language. What I love more is when I see progress and it makes my heart melt.
For a long time, Lauren was repetitive with her communication. I would say something to her and she would say something back. I am slowly seeing her initiate conversations without any prompting. Last night was the most precious conversation we had. It was only one phrase, but it was really sweet.
Lauren loves to crawl into my bed and cuddle with me before she goes to her room for the night. We were cuddling when she took my arm and squeezed it as hard as she could. She turned and looked at me and said, "I love you, mommy".
I have waited a long time to here her say it without me saying it first. It is a memory that I will hold dear for a long time.
For a long time, Lauren was repetitive with her communication. I would say something to her and she would say something back. I am slowly seeing her initiate conversations without any prompting. Last night was the most precious conversation we had. It was only one phrase, but it was really sweet.
Lauren loves to crawl into my bed and cuddle with me before she goes to her room for the night. We were cuddling when she took my arm and squeezed it as hard as she could. She turned and looked at me and said, "I love you, mommy".
I have waited a long time to here her say it without me saying it first. It is a memory that I will hold dear for a long time.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Mystery of the Missing Spoons
There has been a slow and perplexing phenomenon occurring in the Ford household. Every time I went to get a spoon out of the drawer, I would notice that there were never enough. I would think to myself that we were going through spoons at a very high rate. I was constantly fishing a spoon out of the dishwasher or washing one that was already in the sink. I had no idea why all the spoons had disappeared.
Until recently...
Lauren loves pudding. I mean LOVES pudding. I can get Lauren to do anything I ask if I promise pudding at the end of the task. She is such a big girl that she likes to clean up when she is finished. Her job is to put the empty pudding container in the garbage and the spoon in the sink.
Do you see where I am going with this?
Yep, she was following my directions, just in the wrong order. She was putting the container and the spoon in the garbage. I know what you are thinking. Why didn't I notice that there were never any spoons in the sink? Truthfully? My house is not one where the sink is always empty and the dishes are always in the dishwasher. If you come to my house at any given time, there are a handful of dishes in the sink. Shocking, but unfortunately true. I guess I just never noticed that there was an absence of spoons.
I am a little disappointed that the silver set we got from Ty's family is partially resting in a landfill somewhere. I hope some rats are making good use of the silverware Lauren provided for them. Don't worry, we have about six spoons left. We just can't have a dinner party where more than three people show up.
Yes. She uses plastic spoons for pudding now.
Until recently...
Lauren loves pudding. I mean LOVES pudding. I can get Lauren to do anything I ask if I promise pudding at the end of the task. She is such a big girl that she likes to clean up when she is finished. Her job is to put the empty pudding container in the garbage and the spoon in the sink.
Do you see where I am going with this?
Yep, she was following my directions, just in the wrong order. She was putting the container and the spoon in the garbage. I know what you are thinking. Why didn't I notice that there were never any spoons in the sink? Truthfully? My house is not one where the sink is always empty and the dishes are always in the dishwasher. If you come to my house at any given time, there are a handful of dishes in the sink. Shocking, but unfortunately true. I guess I just never noticed that there was an absence of spoons.
I am a little disappointed that the silver set we got from Ty's family is partially resting in a landfill somewhere. I hope some rats are making good use of the silverware Lauren provided for them. Don't worry, we have about six spoons left. We just can't have a dinner party where more than three people show up.
Yes. She uses plastic spoons for pudding now.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Blogger Block and Participation
Ok, I know that I am a bad blogger for not posting in a while. But, I have an excuse. Now that Lauren is finally catching up developmentally and physically, I am out of material. I figured that you don't want to hear about my jam packed day of cleaning, making toast, or something else just as boring so I haven't been posting. I know, lame excuse and I am sorry. It's really Lauren's fault if you think about it. She hasn't been providing me with any humorous content. I am nothing without her inspiration.
So, I guess all that's left is your participation. Do you have a story about Lauren that you would like to share? I would love to hear how she has made you laugh, cry or pull your hair out. I think she would have a blast reading them when she gets older.
You can either leave a comment on the blog or email a story at tyleramyford@aol.com and I will post them in the next few days.
Can't wait to hear from you!
So, I guess all that's left is your participation. Do you have a story about Lauren that you would like to share? I would love to hear how she has made you laugh, cry or pull your hair out. I think she would have a blast reading them when she gets older.
You can either leave a comment on the blog or email a story at tyleramyford@aol.com and I will post them in the next few days.
Can't wait to hear from you!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Good News
Lauren went to get a check up at the Orthopedic surgeon's office last week. It had been 6 months since her last visit. This August will be one year since she had the surgery to lengthen her Achilles tendon. He was checking to see if the tendon was healed and made sure that there wasn't any further tightening of her foot or ankle.
The good news is that the surgeon said everything looked great and no further action needs to be taken at this time. He even took an x-ray of her hips to make sure that everything was in line. Since she is now walking correctly, we had to check the hips to see if they are working correctly, too. It is a relief to scratch another doctor off the list for a while. We don't need to go back to him for a year. Pretty soon, all we will need to go visit is the actual pediatrician. It's a good feeling.
The good news is that the surgeon said everything looked great and no further action needs to be taken at this time. He even took an x-ray of her hips to make sure that everything was in line. Since she is now walking correctly, we had to check the hips to see if they are working correctly, too. It is a relief to scratch another doctor off the list for a while. We don't need to go back to him for a year. Pretty soon, all we will need to go visit is the actual pediatrician. It's a good feeling.
Monday, April 20, 2009
A Little Culture
Lauren's grandma came into town for a visit this weekend. We all decided to go to the Mint Museum to get a little culture. We thought Lauren might get a kick looking at all the cool stuff a museum has to offer. She got a little too much of a kick out of it.
We walked into the museum and started slowly wandering around. Lauren was walking with us, but I had the stroller just in case. Not 10 minutes into our experience, Lauren walks over to a display. She decided that she would start rolling a carved piece of volcanic rock from 300 A.D. back and forth across it's display stand.
My heart actually stopped for a minute and it was like I was in slow motion trying to get the word "STOP" out of my mouth. At that very instant I started wondering how much a piece of volcanic rock from 300 A.D. might cost someone if it were to break. It would have been really funny if we broke the world record for getting kicked out of a museum faster than anyone in history.
I think I will need some time to let my heart recover before we go back again.
We walked into the museum and started slowly wandering around. Lauren was walking with us, but I had the stroller just in case. Not 10 minutes into our experience, Lauren walks over to a display. She decided that she would start rolling a carved piece of volcanic rock from 300 A.D. back and forth across it's display stand.
My heart actually stopped for a minute and it was like I was in slow motion trying to get the word "STOP" out of my mouth. At that very instant I started wondering how much a piece of volcanic rock from 300 A.D. might cost someone if it were to break. It would have been really funny if we broke the world record for getting kicked out of a museum faster than anyone in history.
I think I will need some time to let my heart recover before we go back again.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Jammie Bottoms
Lauren had been going through another little phase of getting up in the middle of the night appearing as if she was wide awake. She comes trotting out to the living room asking Tyler if it was time to get up. We usually put her back in her bed and she is out in a matter of seconds. Last night was a little different.
It started out the same as she popped into our room asking to get up. I got up to put her back to bed when I realized that she had no jammie bottoms on. She was halfway down the hall before I saw the flash of her bear bottom in the glow of her night light.
I asked why she didn't have any jammie bottoms on. Her response? "I no like pants, Mommy."
I hope that is just a phase...
It started out the same as she popped into our room asking to get up. I got up to put her back to bed when I realized that she had no jammie bottoms on. She was halfway down the hall before I saw the flash of her bear bottom in the glow of her night light.
I asked why she didn't have any jammie bottoms on. Her response? "I no like pants, Mommy."
I hope that is just a phase...
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