Kaiti Lewitt

Abigail Shea Ballerina

2009-07-15T18:07:00.004-04:00

We are so fortunate to have a dance studio that was willing to barter for Lexi's dance lessons last year. It helped tremendously and (in the midst of all the lay off drama)took one item off of our worry list. Apparently the deal worked out so well that the owner asked if Lexi would like to take more classes. That would have been great except for the fact that Abby has been begging to go to ballet for awhile now. The owner was completely open to working a similar deal for Abby and so Abby began taking dance classes this summer.

She was so excited for the first day of class when she could dress up in the tights, leotard, skirt, and slippers. She also loved the bun and once she was all dressed she was all smiles.

When we got to the studio, she had a bit of an issue when she realized that she would not be in Lexi's class. Considering she has not necessarily been in a class environment up to this point I think she did very well. She came out to the lobby quite a few times but I think that was because the door was left open.

Anyway, here are some pics from her first class. She's the only one in black.

Introducing Lou's New Playmate - Smidgen o'Bailey Lewitt AKA Smidge

2009-07-08T08:32:00.006-04:00

This past week has been hard--especially on me and Lou. After Cassi's passing, I was so busy that I really didn't have a time to stop and think about her loss for a couple of days. Stefan tried to help, but I don't know if he knew how. I don't know if there was any particular way to help without seemingly to make things a little worse.

I've been mopey and snappy. Things I would normally tolerate bothered me all of a sudden and at the strangest times something would trigger a memory of Cassi and I'd feel the lump raise in my throat and tears fill my eyes. I felt empty and really there was only one thing that would somewhat take away the void--a new puppy. I tried to convince myself that it was too soon but then I remembered a line from a show that I was watching recently that said, "How long you grieve is not an indicator of how much you loved. It's time to let go and begin to move on."

Lou was also in a funk. His appetite was a bit off and he was a bit mopey too. Stefan said that he thought that Lou may be worried he's next after giving Brandi away in December and the loss of Cassi last week. He also muttered something about Lou possibly being lonely and needing a playmate/companion. This got me thinking about a new pup and once that thought was in my mind, there was no getting rid of it.

I began searching the internet doing research. I was looking for a female, miniature dachshund or Shih Tzu mix pup that I could afford (preferably adopt or rescue). The pup must be something that would stay small because I like my dogs looking like pups forever and something that required no grooming or grooming I felt I could do on my own. Finally, I preferred that it be a light color. Well, we found Smidge online and she fit 3 out of 5 of the criteria.

I introduce to you the little pup that stole my heart, Smidgeon O'Bailey Lewitt AKA Smidge. She is a Chihuahua and Lhasa Apso mix breed born on May 17, 2009. She will never replace Cassi, but she will help to fill the empty that Cassi left behind.

Abby took to her right away on the way home and calls her "My Puppy Puppy".

And this is what happens when you take the puppy away.

We asked Lexi if she wanted to hold the puppy but she didn't. She was worried that she'd get scratched or something. She's definitely not the animal lover of my two children. She wouldn't hurt them in a million years, but she'll ignore them as though they do not exist. I don't understand it.

We made a quick pitstop at the house to drop Lou off before meeting Jen and Katelynn Taylor at McDonald's for dinner.

I couldn't just drop Smidge off when she's not familiar with what "home" is so we smuggled her into McDonald's in my purse.

After Mickey D's we had to make an emergency run to Pet Smart for the essentials. My sister knew we would be there because Mikayla was in contact by text messaging. When we got there, she gave me a Pet Smart gift card as an early birthday present. This definitely helped and Smidge got a lot of treats.

Welcome home, Smidgen o' Bailey. We love you already.

RIP Cassandra Shaianne (AKA Cassi Shai, Little Cassi, Baby Girl) 9-4-97 to 6-30-09

2009-06-30T12:47:00.007-04:00

My Dear, Sweet Cassi Baby,

For the past 9 years you have been my best friend and confidant. You have seen me grow up from a crazy teenager to the person I am today. I can say that I wouldn't be the same if you were not a part of my life. You helped to fill the void of the loss of Max (my dog from age 4 to 19) and ease the pain of his passing.

I remember the first time I laid eyes on you. I found an ad in the AJC for your breeder in Athens, AL. I called inquiring specifically about a little black princess and was told that you were there...seemingly waiting for me to take you home to your castle. I called Melanie and she went along for the 2.5 hour drive just to see you. You were so tiny and looked like a little ball of black fluff with only a white streak on your chest and chin. I knew from the moment I saw you that we were meant to be a team.

I remember when you came home. You would bound through the grass hopping as though you were a rabbit because the grass would tickle your tummy if you walked and you would be constantly stopping to thump your leg from the tingle of it all.

I remember your Little Houdini escape antics. They started in the crate when you would scale the wire wall trying to find a void that you could slip through. You'd get all the way up in the corner and have to be helped down.

I remember taking you everywhere I went in a towel-lined, shoe box-sized basket. Everyone that knew me knew that when I was coming over so were you.

I remember your plethora of cat toys because dog toys were too big and heavy for you. Specifically, I remember the fuzz ball on the spring that you would attack with all your might. That toy was only 18" tall, but you would still have to leap to tackle that fuzz ball to the ground.

I remember how you would incessantly beg to play fetch. When someone would throw the toy one time for you, they were in for a minimum one hour stint of repeating the action because you would not give in to their fatigue. You would let them stop only when you had your fill.

I remember when we first moved into an apartment. My roommate's dog was 10 times your size and I was so worried, that I decided a joint custody agreement with my parents in which you would stay with them during the week and me on the weekends was in your best interest safety-wise.

I remember when you ran away from that apartment and went missing for 6+ hours. My heart wrenched for you and I was terrified. I called anybody I knew that I was confident you would come to to assist in the search for you. You had found your way to the adjacent neighborhood and had stole the hearts of a preacher's family who bathed you and gave you warm dog food until Melissa came knocking on their door. I was so glad you were okay.

I remember how you climbed over the dog gate that was intended to keep you in the kitchen of the apartment we had with Stefan while I was at work. I was amazed when I figured out how you were getting out but not surprised given your early climbing tendencies as a puppy.

I remember when we brought Brandi home and how not-so-thrilled you were with her or us but how quickly you adopted Brandi as your sister.

I remember you protecting Lexi when she came home from the hospital so tiny and frail. You didn't want to get too close, but you were always close by to make sure that nothing happened to her and that we knew when she needed something by circling and yelping. You were her protector.

I remember the onset of your vestibular disease 3.5 years ago. The vet didn't think you'd make it through the night, but you were a fighter and proved her wrong. I remember thinking that was the end of the dog I knew and loved. In a sense I was right. You never were the same. The fetching ceased and the enjoyment of your golden years began.

Cassi, you have been there for me through thick and thin. Always at my side. Always there to soak up my tears with her velvety fur or to prance with glee when you knew I was happy. I love you more than you would have ever known. As good as a friend you were for me, I couldn't let you live in pain and discomfort any longer. It was time for me to be a good friend to you like you had been for me. Trust me. It was the most difficult thing I have ever had to do. It should have been done a year ago, but I selfishly held on. As much as I tried to prepare for this day to come, no preparation would have been enough. I hope that you are at ease now and that you are prancing at God's feet begging him to throw that ball just one more time.

I love you Cassi. You will forever be loved and missed.

Mommy

Rest in Peace my canine angel.

Cassi Baby

9/4/97 - 6/30/09

Abby AKA The Potty Training Prodigy

2009-05-31T17:16:00.002-04:00

A week ago this past Thursday, Abby and I awoke as we normally do in the mornings. It seemed that the day would be the typical day with Lexi at school. I got up, brushed my teeth, and began to get dressed while Abby watched her kiddie shows in my bedroom. When I said it was time to go downstairs she asked, "I wear panties like yours?" Not believing my ears since she has not shown a remote interest in succumbing the potty training pressure in the past, I asked her if she wanted to not wear a diaper and wear panties instead. Now, with this question I was expecting a sudden change of mind. But not that day. Abby decided it was time to potty train and this time it would be on her terms. I followed along.

We went to her room and I took her panties out of her dresser and got her dressed for the day. I grabbed a handful of "spares" to take downstairs and followed Abby down for breakfast. It wasn't long until she waddled to me with a tell-tale stream marking her leg. I thought to myself that this was going to be equally as disastrous as our previous attempts but resigned myself to the fact that I should stick with it as long as my supply that I brought downstairs held out. So, we cleaned her up and she donned a new pair of clean, dry panties.

Another accident did occur, but it was markedly less than the previous oops. I could tell that she had started to go, felt the wetness, and stopped herself. This meant she had muscle control and I was thrilled because it was the second sign of the day that this would possibly be our last attempt at this venture (the first sign being that she initiated the process herself). As the day progressed, this same type of "oops" happened over and over but wasn't deterring us from the goal.

Three days later, the accidents were minimal, she told us every time she had to go, and we were going through less panties. She even began to wake up dry at this point too! The only real oopses she had were the dreaded #2s. Now why is it that many kids will agree to the potty being the place for #1s long before they fathom the idea that #2 should go there too? Anyway, this continued as the week grew long and I was so confident in her ability to tell me when she had to go and hold it until he could get to a restroom that I stopped having her wear pull-ups or rubber pants as insurance when we were out running errands.

Well, as of today, she has officially figured out where #2s belong. I am so excited I could scream! I swear she is a potty training prodigy and I am so happy. We still have her wear a pull up at night as an insurance policy, but she continues to stun us by waking up dry. I think that I could have quite possibly bought her last pull up. Could it be?

Lexi's 1st Grade Award Day

2009-05-12T21:45:00.002-04:00

Today was Lexi's Award Day at school. The day began very early this morning when I woke Lexi up to get ready for her big day. She chose to wear an adorable sundress and wanted her hair done in two french braids so that she could be fancy for her moment in the spotlight.

Thankfully Stefan took some time out of his workday to attend the ceremony which thrilled Lexi to pieces and I was able to get my mom to sit for Abby so I could go and not be distracted. The ceremony began with a slide show of some goofy pictures from their field day followed by a slide show that displayed slides for each student with a written story of what they will do in the Spring and a picture of them next to their story. Each student was given the opportunity to read their story, talk about it, or have Ms. Glenn read it for them. When it was Lexi's turn, she chose to have Ms. Glenn read it. That wasn't too surprising.

After the slide show, Ms. Glenn gave 1st Grade Participation Awards to each student for completing the school year. Then she gave out Certificates of Excellence to students in specific content areas. The recipients were chosen based on their performance whether it was high scores or improvement over the course of the year. Lexi received a Certificate of Excellence in Language Arts. Upon giving Lexi her award, Ms. Glenn bragged about Lexi's story writing abilities and how Lexi's stories always made her laugh.

More awards were then doled out for highest AR scores and Citizenship Awards.

Finally, Ms. Glenn gave out what she called Candy Bar Awards. These awards, she explained, were an attempt to match each student with a well-known candy bar. For example, the three inseparable boys in the class were given 3 Musketeers. Lexi received a package of Skittles. Ms. Glenn explained that this is because Lexi has such a colorful personality that comes out in her writing.

You know, it's funny. In kindergarten Lexi got the award for Best Author...

...Is there a pattern forming here?

Abby is 3!

2009-05-11T21:59:00.009-04:00

Yesterday, Abby turned 3. It's so hard to believe that already three years have passed since I wobbled into Northside Hospital to have her. Three years have passed since I was fighting nurses for a taste of jello post-op. And three years have passed since she stole a piece of my heart.

Since her birthday fell on Mother's Day this year, we decided to have her party at the house on Saturday so her party wouldn't interrupt anybody's Mother's Day plans. The whole family was here as well as her best friend, Katelynn, and her buddy, Mikey. We conversed and the kids played while people chowed on the food. On the menu was White Trash dip (don't knock it until you try it), PB & J sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadilla wedges, a veggie tray, and fruit salad. The food quantity was perfect because only crumbs were left. She opened her presents next and made off with a bunch of cool new gadgets and gizmos. After presents, we served cake. She was thrilled to have all eyes on her as everyone sang Happy Birthday accompanied by Mikayla playing the flute.

Later on, Katelynn rejoined us for a sleepover---Abby's first ever attempt at a slumber party. I know these girls are a bit young for this, but there is a very good reason we did this. Katelynn's parents, Jen and Taylor, don't have any local family that can relieve them for a night so that they can go out on the town without worrying about being home by a certain time or paying a sitter. Let's say that they did stay out late and pay a sitter, then they would have to be worried about what time Katelynn would decide to awake in the morning. Given Sunday was Abby's actual birthday AND Mother's Day AND Jen's birthday to boot, we decided to do this for Abby and Katelynn and the Taylors.

Unfortunately, the sleepover did not go as planned. Everything was fine...until bedtime. Stefan and I went to lay Katelynn and Abby down because they were both very sleepy. We realized shortly into this venture that Katelynn was missing Pink--her Tags blankey. Stefan went to her house to retrieve the trusted companion, but returned with an imposter. He returned with Blue--Pink's cousin, but not Pink. Besides the realization that Pink was nowhere to be found, we also realized that there was no way that Abby would ever go to sleep knowing that Katelynn was in the room with her so I took Katelynn to our room while Stefan remained with Abby. The plan was to get them to fall asleep separately and then move Katelynn back to Abby's room for the night. It did not work out that way.

Katelynn, who had been properly prepped by her mommy to know that she was going to be staying the night away, did not realize what this entailed until it was time for lights out. She refused to go to sleep. She did not fuss or cause a big ruckus...she just refused to fall asleep and she wanted to be comforted...not by just anyone...but by me (since mommy wasn't there). By comforted, I mean that she required constant contact which meant that (in all reality) I would not be able to move. It wasn't so bad until I realized that this would continue all night. This is a claustrophobic's nightmare!

Since Lexi was still awake, I figured I'd ask Katelynn if she wanted to sleep with Lexi. She said yes so I gathered all of her comfort items (except for Pink, of course) and made her a bed in Lexi's room. All looked good. She seemed happy and Lexi was being quite the source of comfort...until the moment I turned the lights out and attempted my exit. I guess Katelynn again realized that she would be staying with us and freaked. So, I returned to our room with Katelynn and her armload of comfort items (except Pink) to once again attempt to get her to go to sleep.

Finally, there came a point when she was visibly tired beyond belief. I'd ask her, "Katelynn, aren't you sleepy?" She'd quietly (and pathetically) nod.

"So why don't you let yourself fall asleep?" I'd ask. Fear would flood her eyes as though the world would cease to exist if she allowed her eyes to close as she would shake her head emphatically 'no'.

At this point, we realized that we were fighting a losing battle. Her parents called to check in on their way home from their date to the ballet and, when we told them what was going on, they agreed that Katelynn needed to go home to her own bed.

Oh well, it was worth a try. We'll definitely try again soon...only next time we'll make sure we have Pink who, by the way, was on the floor of her mommy's car the entire time.

Monday Night Fever

2009-04-28T21:30:00.004-04:00

For six years we have relied on family to assist with childcare while I've been on the quest for a higher education. Recently, an opportunity presented itself for me and Stefan to pay it forward and do a similar favor for some friends of ours.

The Taylors have been our neighbors for 8 (although that is so hard to believe) years. We love them to death and they have an adorable daughter Abby's age named Katelynn. The Taylors have decided to simplify their financial lives by taking part in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University at a local church. This meant that they needed a sitter and we gladly offered to assist. Since we couldn't pay back our parents this was the best way we could think of to give back.

Katelynn and Abby have so much fun and are Best Friends Forever. They are adorable to watch together and we have as much fun watching them play together as they do playing. A few weeks ago I realized these cuties love to watch people dance. It just so happens that "Dancing With the Stars" is on Monday nights. The girls twirl and hop and spin and bounce to the beat while trying to emulate the dancers on TV. This week I caught it on tape.

The next pair danced to the song, "We Got the Beat". After dancing through the song Katelynn was singing, "I got beeps!" Too cute.

After all the dancing, Abby decided it was time to practice her back handsprings off of the couch. Katelynn attempted to copy but was only able to lay back, watch, and cheer Abby on.

Needless to say it is soooooo easy to get Abby to go to bed on Mondays. Yay for that!

Wrapping Up School Business

2009-04-28T21:07:00.002-04:00

Is it an ending or a new beginning?

Although I won't be graduating until December, this semester seems somewhat like the end for me. It's not too far off the mark to say so. Tomorrow marks my last day as a class-attending student at Kennesaw.

After tomorrow, my on-campus parking privileges will be no more and with that go the parking fees that I must pay (and many other junk fees that have been a thorn in my backside for the last six years). Good riddance!

After tomorrow, I will have my first summer off in a long time which is preparing me for what it will be like in my professional role.

After tomorrow, I will begin the final phase of my transformation from student-to-teacher and I am so STOKED!!!!!

To celebrate, I may just go ahead and pick up a Kennesaw State Alumni window sticker so I can slap that puppy on my window my last day of student teaching in December and not have to make a special trek to campus to purchase one.

Decline This!

Almost a week ago, I got my petition to graduate back from the Registrar. What did it say? That I needed 4 classes other than what I am taking and student teaching in order to graduate in December. One of the classes Mr. Registrar said I needed was one I took in the Summer of 2005 and I received an A. The other classes are classes that ended up replacing ones that I already took. Can you say substitution?

I got that mess all straightened out but the whole ordeal was a blessing in disguise. In dealing with the mess, I realized that Mr. Registrar had overlooked where I had written in my minor on the form. Apparently, there is a formal minor form that I did not know about. Thankfully, I realized the error before it was too late. Whew!

I Passed!
A month ago I took the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE) test for Middle School Math. This was the first of 3 exams that I will be taking as I'm scheduled for the Language Arts and Reading exams on August 22nd. I've been patiently awaiting my scores and finally got the unofficial results via email on Monday that I PASSED!!! Did you read that correctly? Oh yes you did! I am certified to teach Math to adolescents in the state of Georgia. Woohooo!!!!

What's next?

At this point, I am anxiously awaiting word as to where I will be student teaching. I'm on pins and needles. I strategically selected my preferred schools as ones that have high turnover and instability with the hopes that I will be there to hear when a job opportunity opens up and I can be one of the first to apply. We'll see how that goes.

Dear Mr. Registrar,

2009-04-01T21:49:00.003-04:00

Dear Mr. Registrar,

Today, April Fools Day, I submitted my petition to graduate Fall semester of 2009. This was not a joke and I do hope that you take my petition seriously. I've worked extremely hard toward this over the last 6 years and hope that you will see that effort reflected in my transcripts.

Sincerely,

Kaiti Lewitt

April Fools

2009-04-01T21:43:00.002-04:00

Lexi was looking forward to April Fools Day justifying her excitement with the explanation that it is the funniest day of the year. I came home from school today to the usual frantic tellings of the day's events from both Lexi and Abby. Before I got too settled in Stefan told Lexi that he thought I might want some cereal. Lexi came over with a smile on her face like the cat who ate the mouse and asked if I wanted some cereal. Confused, I looked at Stefan for the answer I was expected to give. He nodded yes so I told Lexi that yes indeed I would like some cereal. She asked me which cereal I would like and I told her Frosted Flakes. I was instructed to take down the box and look inside by Lexi whose voice was swelling with excitement only to find that the twirp had switched the bags inside the boxes so Fruity Pebbles were in the Frosted Flakes box and vice versa. "April Fools!!!!" she screamed. She was obviously pleased with herself.

Transition Time

2009-03-22T17:56:00.002-04:00

It is a time of transitions here in the Lewitt household. Much to Lexi's disdain she has had to remain in a high back booster seat with a five point harness even at the age of 7 due to her weight being so low. She would moan and groan and say that such seats are for babies and I would tell her that she had to weigh 45 pounds before she could sit in anything else. Yes, I am aware that booster base seats are made for children from 30+ pounds depending on the manufacturer, but I wanted her to be consistently above 40 pounds (since her weight fluctuates by 4 pounds depending on eating and potty matters) before I would consider upgrading her. Finally, her weight has been consistently above 40 pounds, so she and I went and got her a new seat today. She is thrilled and says that it feels funny to only use the seat belt like Mommy and Daddy use.

Abby, on the other hand, is transitioning in different ways. For the last week and a half she has been open to the idea of doing her potty business on the potty in lieu of her pull ups. To date, she still will only go if it is upon someone else's suggestion or if her pull up is so over-saturated that she feels it is time for a change. We've had minimal success with #2s because she prefers to sneak off to a corner or hide under a table to do her business in her pull up. Today, she started to sneak off and Stefan rushed her to the potty where she did do her business where it belongs...in the potty. We were excited and so was she.

So hopefully this is the beginning of the end of the diaper phase for Abby and no more of this...

Keeping our fingers crossed.

Abby is a Diva

2009-03-11T10:18:00.002-04:00

State's Evidence: Exhibit 1

Saturday was my nephew's birthday party. Stefan was already at my sister and bro-in-law's house helping to lay hardwood floor, so my duty was to get myself and the girls ready and meet them all at the Stevi B's in Cartersville by 3. All was going as planned until Abby decided to be a diva. With the weather being incredibly nice, I had picked out an outfit with pink capris and a short-sleeved shirt with a butterfly on it. She did not want to wear the outfit and insisted on heavy jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. I told her it was too warm for such clothing, but she did not want to hear it. At this point a simple debate became a battle of wills.

I tried to put the shirt on and, as soon as I could get one arm in the sleeve and move on to the next, she'd have the first arm pulled back out! I was frustrated with her. She was frustrated with me and this whole routine continued until 2:20 when I finally won. Now we were going to be pressed for time to get to the party. I got the girls loaded in the car and pulled out of the driveway with a now pacified Abby quietly watching Harold and the Purple Crayon in the backseat when I looked down at the dashboard and saw the gas light was on.

We eventually got to the party...a little late, Abby in her outfit that I picked out, and me with barely a voice to mention because I was having to yell over her screams throughout the tantrum. Fun times!

State's Evidence: Exhibit 2

Since being sick with the flu, Abby is obsessed with wearing pajamas. Every day she will get dressed and change into her pajamas a minimum of 3 times. The majority of the time at home is now spent in her "jammas" only wearing clothes if she knows we're going outside or somewhere. It's gotten to the point that I just keep her pajamas in a heap in the corner of the living room for the better part of a week before I consider them dirty because each time she changes into her "jammas" she puts on a different pair.

Anyway, last night Stefan gave the girls a bath while I folded laundry. I retrieved a pair of warm weather pajamas for Abby since a) her repertoire of "jammas" were all being washed in the same load (lesson learned here, and b) all of said "jammas" were heavy, winter flannel pajamas and the thermostat in our house is set at 77 balmy degrees during the warmer weather so I thought she'd be more comfortable. She did not like these "jammas" and wanted one of her favorites. Problem was that all her favorites were in the same load of laundry tumbling in the Whirlpool. She did not accept this as an answer and her tantrum began.

Stefan put her in time out and the screaming continued for quite sometime. She'd been there for awhile and would have been able to liberate herself if she'd just put on the perfectly fine pajamas that Mama had picked out. But instead, she screamed and cried wearing nothing but her diaper and her tears. Finally, after listening to the screaming long enough I told her she could wear the pajamas I picked out or go to bed naked in her diaper.

She chose naked in her diaper.

Abbyism

2009-03-09T10:47:00.000-04:00

I had to go finish the application process to become a substitute teacher with the county this morning. When I returned, I was checking email and facebook while sitting on the couch. The dogs were outside and Abby was sitting next to me on the couch. Lou started barking and I asked Abby to let him in. She looked at me with a deadpan expression on her face and said, "No, it's your turn." I chuckled, set the laptop on the other side of me and began to get up when Abby decided it was her turn after all. Figures.

Everybody Wants Their Fifteen Minutes

2009-03-06T13:10:00.003-05:00

As stated in my last post, there was a situation on campus at KSU on Tuesday. Whenever I see a situation like this that has gained so much media attention, I wonder when the copycats will come out of the woodwork. And by copycats, I mean the teenagers that just want their fifteen minutes in the spotlight regardless of the consequences. This time around it only took two days.

I was on my way to drop Abby off at my in-law's house before going to school on Thursday morning, when I was passed by an unmarked black Chevy Tahoe with sirens and police lights. When the vehicle seemingly disappeared, I thought it was just some detective trying to get through traffic. Later I found out that two students at a local high school had been arrested for having a gun with the intent to do harm (probably where the officer was headed). Further searches of the students' homes revealed rifles and ammunition but no tangible plan that the students planned to carry out. Perhaps with the escape of the inmate at KSU, these students just wanted to step out into the media spotlight before they had anything finalized. Who knows?

What I do know is that Thursday morning was a terrifying day for students at the high school in question, the neighboring middle school, and the high school down the street. They were all put on lockdown and, as with typical adolescents, the rumors began to swirl. To be clear, no one was harmed, the guns were not used, and the students in question were apprehended off of their bus before school started thanks to a tip to a local law enforcement agency. Thank God!

I could sit here and talk about all the hypothetical scenarios that could have happened that day were it not that the students were intercepted. Instead, I am thankful for the quick actions of law enforcement, the responsible citizen that called in the tip, and the teachers and faculty of the schools for their patience in managing the school populations during the lockdown while they were probably inwardly just as terrified as the students they were trying to manage. This incident happened about 10 miles from home in the district I plan to teach. Two of my friends from school are student teaching at one of the schools that was locked down. I am just so thankful that no one was hurt.

As for the students allegedly involved in this incident, I hope that they will be dealt with accordingly and offered the help and counsel they need. As for their parents, I hope that they also receive some form of help. I cannot imagine how I would feel if I found out that one of my girls was involved in something like this. It's got to be a terrible time for them.

A Bit Too Close to Home

2009-03-04T06:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, my home phone and my cell phone were ringing off the hook due to calls, voice mails, and text messages from Kennesaw State's automated alert system that there was an escaped prisoner that was tracked to our campus. Fortunately, I was already home from my morning classes; however, I am a bit concerned. News reporters on campus were doing there stories with students milling about in the background as the campus was on supposed lock down. I've read many comments on news stories online of some students not being notified at all to the point that they were allowed to go to the parking deck that the inmate had been tracked through because they were not aware of any "situation" going on at the time. Seriously?

Anyway, three hours after the initial warning was sent out, the University lifted the lock down but had canceled classes for the rest of the evening saying that they had conducted a "thorough search". Thorough my behind! A thorough search of the University would have taken all night and probably most of today. Do you know how many classrooms and offices there are at KSU? A lot!

How can they be sure that this guy isn't lurking somewhere until we're lulled into a false sense of security to assume that he has left the campus? I mean really, a college campus is an easy place for a thirtysomething male to "blend in". It is my understanding that, since he was a prisoner that was being transported across state lines, that he would not have a weapon, but that is not to say that he hasn't obtained one since! I pray for the safety of all at KSU. I pray that no one became a victim of his selfish urge to escape. And I pray that they catch this bastard so we can get the thoughts out of our minds that he could still be somewhere on campus.

A Week of Quarantine

2009-03-01T12:25:00.002-05:00

For the past week, at least one person in the house has been stricken by the flu. Not the kind that has you sick to your stomach racing to the bathroom for one reason or another, just the cold-type flu that gets a grip on you and doesn't let go. It started with Abby on Wednesday night with a very low-grade fever. I took her to the pediatrician and they said it's the flu after which he gave me a lecture about not getting her a flu shot this year. Now, before you admonish me in the same way...every single time I've tried to get the girls flu shots there, they've been of the age that you have to have a two-shot series. The pediatrician would always have the shot available for the first round but never had it in stock for the second which rendered the first one completely useless. Anyway, the lecture ensued and finally, after making me feel like I'd just one the blue ribbon for Worst Mom of the Year, he said that this year it wouldn't have made much of a difference because he has seen a lot of cases of the flu in kids that had the shot. Mission complete, sir, you made me feel like a pile of dog doo for nothing. Thanks!

Anyway, Abby's illness progressed to high fevers, clingy attitude (which, if you know Abby, is pretty atypical), a cough, and something going on with her throat that made her sound like a goose when she spoke. She went an entire week without wearing clothes, she would just change from her pajamas into new ones. But, and I know this may sound bad, but given her independent nature, it was kind of nice to see her vulnerable.

I came down with it the day after Abby, but had pretty much recovered after 3-4 days. Maybe my quick recovery had something to do with the fact that I never spiked a fever. I'm not complaining, though. Just as I was getting better, Stefan started spiking fevers and her is just now starting to feel better after a week-long stint like Abby.

What about Lexi, you ask? She remains unaffected to this day. She's probably the carrier monkey that brought it home from school. Figures!

The Creeping Crud

2009-02-20T17:55:00.002-05:00

Two nights ago, I detected Abby had a fever. It was only 99.6, but we gave her Tylenol and sent her to bed a little bit early. That night she woke up in the middle of the night and joined Stefan and me in bed seemingly not feeling well. In the morning the fever was still there, but I had a midterm so I had to go to school. When I returned home, she was down for a nap. An hour or so later, she woke up with a 103.6 fever. I called the doc and they were able to get her in immediately.

Well, it turns out that she has a case of the flu. The doctor (who was not her normal doctor) then gave me a lecture because she had not had her flu shot. I explained that every time she has gotten a flu shot there, the nurses tell me that it's a two-shot series. She gets the first shot, but when I try to get the second they are out. The doctor continued to make me feel like this year's recipient of The Worst Mom of the Year award and then goes on to say that this year it probably would've done no good because he's seen a lot of cases of the flu even if the kids had shots! What was the point of the lecture, then?

So, apparently we need to just wait it out and make sure that she's well-hydrated.
She's such a cute little patient. She's so helpless, yet so sweet. She wants to mostly cuddle and feel taken care of. Last night, she coughed herself awake at 9 and came down stairs. She asked for juice but fell asleep in Daddy's arms before she ever took a sip.

Later, she insisted that she slept in our bed again. Every time she'd cough, she'd tell us her mouth hurt...all night long. It was not a very restful night of sleep for me, but Stefan slept through it all.

In the meantime, I've come done with what I hope is only a cold. Runny nose, dry cough, and aches...oh MY!!!

Valentines Day

2009-02-14T21:25:00.003-05:00

Every year for Valentines Day, the girls and I bake Daddy a special treat. This year was no exception but for the fact that it happened a couple of days early. Why? Well, the girls were going to stay the night with Stefan's parents on the 13th which meant that if we were to bake the concoction prior to the big day, we'd have to bump up the bake fest to the 12th.

This years creation was a yellow cake with chocolate frosting topped with a red sugar heart and yellow star sprinkles. Don't ask about the sprinkles, it was upon Lexi's insistence that they be on the cake.

This is such a special thing that we do for the girls to show their appreciation for all that Daddy does and something Lexi looks forward to each year. This year Abby got into it big time. I caught her scooping frosting off of the cake a couple of times, but what kid doesn't do that? It's like there is a voice in every child's head that says, "Must...have...frosting...NOW!"

Friday, after school, Stefan's parents picked up the girls for a sleepover and we were able to celebrate V Day 1 day early. We went for dinner using a gift card they gave us (thank you so much), hung out at the house for a little bit, then went bowling with a couple of friends. We had a blast!

The best part about when the girls have sleepovers is the fact that we get to sleep in. I slept until 11:30 and Stefan hibernated until 2 in the afternoon. It was much needed sleep that we were glad to catch up on. We picked the girls up in the late afternoon and went to the local mall to get Lexi's glasses adjusted. As a special treat, we went to Build-A-Bear and the girls each got a special treat. It was so much fun! Lexi got a pick bear with hearts that sings a Hannah Montana song whom she named Hannah (of course!). She also picked out a Hannah Montana outfit and shoes (which she paid for with her own money). Abby got a pink monkey that chatters. Stefan affectionately named it Abu (the monkey from Aladdin).

So that wraps up our Valentines Day 2009!!!

Cold Winter Days

2009-02-14T20:44:00.003-05:00

This winter we were hit with some of the coldest days we've seen in a long time. There were days with wind chill factors in the single digits which meant we were pretty much home bound. One such day I was at school and Stefan was watching Abby at home. She asked for a snack and he gave her some miniature marshmallows in a cup. Then she asked for a straw. Once armed with all of her heart's desires, she sat in front of our direct vent fireplace (which is fully enclosed in glass), took a marshmallow, stuck it on a straw, extended the speared treat toward the fireplace as though she was roasting it, and then popped it in her mouth. I have no idea where she got this idea from, but the whole process was recreated for me when I got home and it was so cute. The look of triumph on her face was priceless!

No one was immune to the effects of the bone-chilling cold. Even Lou tried to find ways to stay warm. When he realized the heat being put off by the fireplace, he decided that the warmed marble hearth was the place to be.

Thankfully, we are now experiencing a rise in temperatures which I hope is a sign that Spring is near. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Christmas 2008 pictures

2009-02-14T20:17:00.004-05:00

Christmas Eve pictures

Christmas Day

I Need to Get Back in the Swing of Things

2009-02-11T19:08:00.002-05:00

Okay, okay. I haven't blogged in forever and, looking back at my most "recent" posts, they're definitely lacking the same flavor as before. In my defense, school has blown up in my face. It's not so bad this semester, but last semester really took its toll on me...and the blog.

Don't get me wrong, there has been plenty to blog about. The girls have been up to their normal crazy antics and give me good material. I just am having a hard time figuring out what I need to catch up on. I think I've come to the conclusion that this past month and a half will have to be a mystery and to just start from today forward. But then I think that Christmas has passed and I don't like that plan much. Maybe I'll just post the pictures and let that be that...when I can locate the card with Christmas on it. Darn digital cameras!!!

Something worth mentioning is that we are one family member less. Brandi, my yorkie, started behaving badly and attacking Cassi. We tried to keep them separated, but that was driving us all crazy. Apparently, she decided to fight for dominance after 8 years of being inferior to Cassi. I don't know what brought this on but it was bad. We found a local family that wanted a dog to love and she is now their princess. We still get email updates about her which is a blessing and I curse. I still miss her. In fact, her Christmas stocking remained on the mantel throughout Christmas because I couldn't bring myself to take it down. It still seems so surreal.

Stefan is still running his business as our main support since being laid off in May. Since we didn't see this coming, we didn't plan for the winter like we should have. But our families have stepped up and helped us. They've really helped in every sense and we are so grateful for them.

Anyway, I hope this is the beginning of more regular posts. I will definitely try to get back in the habit.

1st Day of Chanukah

2008-12-21T22:26:00.002-05:00

To celebrate the beginning of Chanukah, we went to my in-laws' house in Acworth. Faron was there and my mother-in-law served the traditional fixins. Then, the girls were able to open their presents,

and light their menorahs. Abby had some help from Uncle Faron while Nana led the prayer.

Then Lexi had some help from Nana as she recited the prayer and lit her own menorah.

Abby thought the menorahs were birthday cake. She said, "Birday Cake!!!!" and drew in a deep breath like she was ready to blow out the candles.

She was quite upset when we told her that she could not blow out the candles.

Santa Visit 2008

2008-12-21T22:20:00.002-05:00

We took the girls to see Santa today at the local Belk store. They were both excited to go until we actually got there and they saw the jolly, fat man. They both acted shy and wanted nothing to do with him. After an attempt to convince them to sit with him on their own, Stefan suggested we get in the picture. So, we ended up with a family pic with Santa this year. Lexi refused to talk citing her shyness as an excuse and wanted me to tell him what she wanted. I did not. I insisted that he does not believe parents when they say what the kids want, it has to come from the kids themselves. Lexi still refused. So while I was processing the paperwork to get my overpriced piece of memorabilia, she built up some nerve and while we were leaving she told him what she wanted, gave him a high five and off we went. Abby then decided that she wanted "Seeenta Clows" which she reiterated over and over until we got home.

Hangin' Out with Uncle Faron

2008-12-21T22:15:00.001-05:00

Faron came and hung out Friday night. Lexi, Abby, Faron, and I played Guitar Hero for a bit. Abby served as a wonderful vocalist attempting to swallow the microphone as she Aaaaaahed into it.

At one point, Abby gave the mic to Lexi (who was playing guitar) and Lexi attempted to do both at the same time.

Afterward, it was time to cuddle with Uncle Faron on the couch (the girls, not me).

Puttin' up the tree

2008-12-21T22:11:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving Recap

2008-12-21T22:04:00.003-05:00

This year, we spent Thanksgiving with my family at my parents' house. My sister, Sandi, and her family were also there. We had a wonderful dinner prepared by none other than my mom and while we allowed the meal to digest, we migrated downstairs to the game room for ping pong and pool. Here are some pictures.

Abbyism

2008-12-18T14:41:00.002-05:00

For a long time Abby has always enjoyed playing in the bathroom while Stefan or I take a shower. Until recently, she'd keep herself preoccupied with the toys in the tub or brush her teeth or wash her hands so she was quite distracted from the nudity in the shower stall. Now she will sit on the potty and watch. I don't worry about it mostly because the glass of the shower door gets so steamed that I'm sure she cannot see anything she shouldn't.

Last night Stefan was taking a shower and Abby creeped in. I remained downstairs watching TV when all of a sudden Abby came downstairs traumatized and screaming with real tears streaming down her face. I asked what was the matter and she said that she saw Daddy's butt. After I calmed her down, we went upstairs and Stefan was already dressed with a look of embarrassment on his face. I began to tell him about Abby's problem and he said he knew. He then asked Abby where his butt was and she said "In your pants!" and pointed to the front of his pajama pants. Oops! I guess it's time for the toddler to not play in the bathroom while we take showers.

FYI - she also points to her chest and calls that a butt too.

Oh my!

2008-12-16T22:46:00.002-05:00

I can't believe it has been over a month since my last blog. I've been super busy finishing up TOSS which is an intense field internship necessary to my degree program. I thought that the end of TOSS would be a moment to celebrate. I was surprised to find myself quite sad. I got attached to the students that I had been working with and I will miss being in front of the classroom. Most of my peers are going on to student teaching next semester, but I still have 3 courses to complete before I can do so. So now I must remove my teacher hat and go back to being the student this semester.

I have recently applied to Huntington Learning Center as a tutor. Normally they only consider certified teachers for this role, but they were willing to speak with me based on my progress in the teacher ed program as well as my transcripts (which are quite impressive, if I must say so myself). I had an interview last Monday and am still waiting to hear a response. If I get the job, it would be a huge growth opportunity for me professionally. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Lexi is doing great in first grade. She is earning awesome grades and has been named Student of the Month for the month of December. She loves reading and math yet excels in all subjects. She cracks us up all the time with the little things she says. Speaking of cracking...recently she came to me and asked if popping your back was the same as crapping your back. I had to quickly explain that she had misunderstood the word and hoped that the explanation would stick.

Abby is calming down a bit. She no longer has to be entertained every waking minute of the day. She enjoys building tall towers with blocks and follows Lexi around at every possible chance. She hates when Lexi gets on the bus in the morning. She wants to go too. She'll throw her mini-backpack that doubles as a diaper bag over her back and put on her shoes and say she's going to the "buth". When the bus leaves, she is very heartbroken and can only be calmed by Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or candy. She's got quite the sweet tooth and can be coerced to do just about anything for candy. Anything, except going on the potty. She's in a weird phase where she doesn't want her diaper changed even when she needs it. In fact, she typically only agrees to a change if she can do it herself. This is usually a sign that a child is ready to potty train, but she will not sit on the potty. Quite frustrating!

Stefan's working as a seasonal driver's helper with UPS to assist us through the winter. He's been working so hard and his body is paying for it. I assume that, by the time he's done with his seasonal role, he will start becoming accustomed to the rigors of the job. That doesn't help him now, though. He's looking into getting a part-time with UPS as a sorter so that me and the girls can get better insurance. Hopefully that will work out and not interfere with SGL Lawn Services in the spring.

We had to say good-bye to a member of the family. Our yorkie, Brandi, was attacking our poodle, Cassi, to the point of drawing blood. The behavior progressed to a point where it was not just dog fighting, but it was an attempt to kill. The vet suggested Prozac, but we could not afford it nor did I think it was necessary since her focus was purely on Cassi. I suspect that Cassi probably has cancer or some other disease that Brandi could sense and so Brandi was trying to kill her off-the whole wolf pack mentality/survival of the fittest mindset. We searched Craig's List and found a woman who was looking for a yorkie for Christmas. I was upfront and honest about all of Brandi's faults with this lady but nothing would break her. She wanted Brandi. Before I took Brandi over to meet her, she had purchased pink dog dishes, a puppy dress, and a jingle bell collar for her. I was very comfortable with the home and the people and so...Brandi has a new home. Hopefully, Brandi's life will be happier there where she can be the center of attention and not have any other dogs to compete with. Regardless, I still have Brandi's stocking hanging from the mantle. I decorated before Brandi left us and I can't bring myself to take it down yet.

Anyway, I think that about sums up the last month. Looking forward, I will be attending a class to become a substitute teacher for the county just north of us at the end of February and will being taking the first of my certification exams in March. Still busy times.

My Little Jill-o-Lantern

2008-11-10T22:56:00.005-05:00

Friday night, Stefan and I went to a movie leaving the girls in Faron's ever-capable hands. Lexi apparently lost a tooth while we were gone. She didn't realize it when it happened...nor did he. I'm guessing she swallowed it. Lexi informed me of the loss on Saturday. Could it be that she was testing the theory of the Tooth Fairy, or did she really not notice? Who knows. Anyway, once I was enlightened I told her to write a note to the Tooth Fairy. She typed it out on the computer and it went something like this:

Dear Tooth Fairy,

I swallowed my tooth. Can you still give me money? If so, can you make it $10?

Your Friend,
Lexi

Nah, she doesn't ask for much...really! So Saturday passed and the tooth fairy never came. Why? Stefan and I blamed it on the fact that Lexi didn't put out her special tooth pillow with a pocket for the treasure. So, last night was the night. The tooth fairy came, but Lexi did not receive her $10. She got $1. That'll teach her to be demanding!

Flash forward to this afternoon.

I returned home from school, got the report from my mom that Abby had been good (thank God!) and after she left, Lexi informed me that she had discovered another loose tooth and that she hadn't been wiggling it at all(I do think thou dost protest too much, dear Lexi). So she showed me and this tooth was ready to come out too. Lexi persisted to "not wiggle" the tooth and after a few short moments it fell out.

Now Lexi has a very toothless grin. She is missing 3 out of 4 of her front teeth on the top. The one she does have is only halfway grown in in the year that has passed since the baby tooth vacated the spot. Another is just barely breaking the gums, so it'll be at least another year before that gap is filled.

I told Lexi tonight at dinner that I would not be able to look at her without giggling for quite a while. It's such a sight to see. She seemed to think that would be funny...my giggling, that is.

So, my dear Tooth Fairy, I do apologize that we couldn't have saved you a trip. It looks like you'll be returning again tonight--the second night in a row. You might as well add us to your frequent flyer list.

Abby's too tired for monsters

2008-11-06T18:24:00.005-05:00

With the time change and the fact that it's getting dark at 6 p.m., Abby has developed a fear of the dark. Not only is she afraid of the dark, but she thinks that monsters are looming everywhere. Here's a video.

Abbyism

2008-11-02T16:00:00.002-05:00

Last night, I took the time to go through the girls' closets and remove the outgrown items (some of which could go directly from Lexi's closet to Abby's) and rearrange the closets for the new seasons. We were in Abby's room and I was giving outgrown items to Stefan to box up, the girls were dancing and everyone was getting along...until, Stefan realized the door was locked. In most cases, this is no big deal since the doors NORMALLY lock from the inside, but we turned Abby's doorknob around to lock from the outside because she would never go to sleep by constantly trying to escape. We were locked in. We didn't have a "key" and we were in trouble. Stefan tried to no avail to unlock it with whatever we could find, but that was not working. I started feeling light-headed. The claustrophobia was kicking in. Finally, I spotted a plastic hanger with a thick, unbendable metal hook that I hoped had a long enough part that screwed into the plastic to reach the mechanism to release the lock. I ripped it apart hoping that it would work because otherwise, we'd have to call for someone to come rescue us. It took some finagling, but he finally got the door open. Thank you, Abby, for just about giving Mommy a heart attack.

Halloween 2008

2008-11-01T21:20:00.004-04:00

Halloween was loads of fun this year although at first glance I didn't think it would be. Let me start at the beginning...err the middle because the beginning is actually quite boring.

Barbara and Dennis were here when I got home from school. They had been watching the ghouls until Stefan and I could get home. We had dinner together and all seemed well. Abby was a hoot putting on a show (aka spinning in circles and demanding we clap when she stopped). This went on for quite awhile until it was time to start getting ready for Trick-or-Treating.

I began by putting Abby's Jo Jo hat on which she seemed to enjoy. Then I put the costume on. Again she seemed to enjoy it, that is until moments later she wanted it "hoff". When I wouldn't remove it, she pitched an ever-living fit. She was screaming hysterically and hating us all. Stefan handled her by taking her outside (where the screams were still heard) while I got Lexi dressed as a hula girl.

Finally, we set out for the door to door panhandling...err trick-or-treating, but Abby didn't want anything to do with it. She insisted on being held by Stefan and continued to pout through the first block.

Even meeting up with Katelynn (Abby's friend from around the bend) didn't warm Abby's spirits.

We continued to a few more houses while Stefan had to "help" Abby trick-or-treat.

Finally, Abby spotted a neighbor with a dog and she wanted down. Once she was down, that was the end of it. She decided she was a big girl and would do the task on her own. She'd go to the door, say, "Ticky twee," receive her loot and say "Take ooo" as she examined her new prize on the way back to us. This amused Stefan, Barbara, and me and we got a good laugh for many more houses to come.

At the houses that just left out their candy to avoid the incessant doorbell ringing, Abby would take one piece and watch it fall into her bag, take another, then another, then... you get the point. About halfway through the night, she was so into the fun that she would say, "I want moe times!" At that point, enduring the tantrum earlier in the evening was pushed to the backs of all of our minds.

Here are the girls at the end of the night.

The end.

Silliness at the Playground

2008-11-01T13:01:00.008-04:00

We stole the opportunity to take the girls to the playground on a day with phenomenal weather. Here are some pics.

Lexi's 7th Birthday

2008-11-01T11:48:00.003-04:00

Lexi's Birthday fell on a Thursday this year. We woke her in the morning and she was quite insistent on wearing her favorite dress so she could be fancy. Nana, who was volunteering at her school that day anyway, brought cupcakes for the class to celebrate since Stefan was at work and I was at school all day. Nana to the rescue!!!!

Later Nana, Papaw, Uncle Faron, Stefan, Abby and I took her to her favorite restaurant, Viva Mexico. She scarfed down on her usual dinner of a cheese quesadilla and mexican queso with chips. Afterward, we all caravaned back to the house for a Carvel ice cream cake.

Friday was spent making the tower of cupcakes Lexi wanted for her party that weekend. This took all night, because I actually ended up burning a cake with my silicon bakeware because I didn't know how to adjust the cooking times for the dishes. Oh well, we had enough mix and were still able to produce the tower that Lexi wanted.

Saturday we had her party for her friends at Lexi's favorite playground. Madison, Carolyn, Savannah, Mikey, Ian and Riley all came. Lexi had a blast. We served hot dogs and of course cake/cupcakes.

When the kids were tuckered out, we returned home with a tagalong, Lexi's best friend Savannah who was going to stay the night. This was Lexi's first sleep over with a non-relative and the girls played like crazy. They were very well-behaved and I'm happy that Lexi was able to host her first sleepover. She had a blast!

Lexi's First Camping Trip

2008-10-31T22:07:00.004-04:00

Stefan and Faron seized the last possible opportunity of the year to take Lexi on her first camping trip before the chill made its presence permanent for the Fall and Winter. Lexi's been yearning for such a trip for quite some time and it was all she expected and more. They only spent one night, but crammed as much as was humanly possible to make this experience a memorable one for her. She came home raving about how much fun it was and I get the feeling this will be a more common occurrence for many years to come.

Abby and I stayed home because there is never a good time of the year for my allergies to be fully exposed to the elements. Not to mention, I prefer the warmth and softness of my bed over the damp, hard ground any day. Plus, Abby is still a bit young for this but I sense that it won't be long before she too joins in the fun.

Success in Baby Steps

2008-09-30T22:06:00.003-04:00

I'm doing my field experience/internship in a school in an area such that half of the student population is considered "economically disadvantaged." This school is in its 4th year of "needs improvement" status which means that it did not meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) as determined by the state board of education for 4-6 years in a row. To say that this is a tough school would be an understatement.

As such, my little slice of sixth grade is no exception. There are students that I didn't think I would be able to reach-students that were just trying to get through school as something to check off their To Do list instead of seeing it as an avenue for a brighter future. This is heartbreaking to an educator that wants to make a difference.

For the first few weeks I felt like I was up against a brick wall. I was sure that there were some students that, no matter how hard I tried, I would not be able to reach. Today I found out differently. While helping a group of 4 students review for a test I mixed up two students' names. They laughed at me and I apologized explaining that I'm doing my best at trying to learn names while only in their classroom 4 hours a week. I told them that soon I would be in the class five days a week and that would last for five weeks. One of the "tough" students acted excited that I would be in the class more and then their face fell. They asked what would happen after those 5 weeks. Would I leave? Realizing that this type of reaction could stem from sources beyond my understanding, I was careful with my response. I told the student that I would have to go back to KSU to finish my studies. This seemed to upset the student at first, but then the whole group was curious. They wanted to know about my school and when I told them that it was pretty big and that I was getting a great education they all said they wanted to go there someday.

Now, I realize that these are just sixth graders and what they may say one minute, is long forgotten the next. But, I felt like a)I've already gotten through somewhat if the students like for me to be there and b) I may have influenced one of them to think that college is not only possible, but something worth pursuing.

Too cool! It's days like this, that make all the work and all the money spent on gas totally worth it.

A little education from Abby

2008-09-23T21:23:00.006-04:00

Here I thought Stefan drove a truck. Not according to Abby...

Updates

2008-09-21T00:55:00.001-04:00

I have added some blogs and edited others throughout the month of September to include photos of what we've been up to as I promised in one of my later posts. Enjoy!

Neighborhood Block Party (not in our neighborhood)

2008-09-21T00:37:00.003-04:00

Labor Day weekend, my friend organized a block party amongst her neighbors that I've come to know well and was kind enough to invite us. It was a great time. All the kids played on their bikes and scooters, blew bubbles, and (in general) just ran amok being kids while the adults cooked, ate, socialized, and partook in adult beverages and good conversation. After dark, another neighbor shot off huge fireworks which were eventually squelched by the Canton PD, but not before the kids oooed and aahed (and Abby got terrified). Good times had by all.

BBQ at Nana and Papaw's

2008-09-21T00:24:00.005-04:00

A while back, Stefan's parents' neighborhood had a neighborhood cook out. We were invited because they had a face painter and a moonwalk which Stefan's parents thought the girls would enjoy. The food was awesome. The company was better. And the girls had a great time. What more could you ask for?

Abby's New Discovery

2008-09-18T19:10:00.009-04:00

You know those cereal bowls that have the straw built in so you can drink the milk? There are also cups made the same way. The perk is that you don't have to buy straws or worry about your kids turning them into imaginary swords and dueling it out at the kitchen table. Anyway, Lexi's been using these cups for awhile. Only recently did she request that I purchase some plastic cups without straws built in. I guess she thought they were for babies or something.

Anyway, Abby has now decided to proclaim her graduation from sippy cups to these wonderful straw cups. With this new step up, she made her latest discovery. Last night at dinner she blew through the straw into a full cup of apple juice. "Bubbles!" she shrieked as the sticky wetness erupted like a volcano all over her face and the table. Stefan and I couldn't help but to laugh at first which only encouraged encore after encore after encore. Each time the giggles (and the mess) increasing exponentially.

I tried to tell her no but that only brought more and more. Finally, after half of the cup's contents were all over the table, our child, and the floor I decided to try reverse psychology. "Keep blowing bubbles, Abby. Do it more!" I prodded. It didn't work. She continued on and on until she finally tired of it. Gotta love a child that listens!

A video of this act is located in the sidebar to the left under "Kiddie Viddies"

Lexi doesn't have hearts in her eyes

2008-09-18T19:10:00.008-04:00

I took Lexi today to drop off some invitations to some of the people that live just down the street. One invitation was for a little boy, Ian, that was in her class for the past two years. His mom and I are pretty close friends, so even though the pair are not in the same class this year, they still have a lot of contact. I've teased Lexi about Ian being her boyfriend and she has always protested to the contrary.

When we stopped to get out at the last stop before Ian's house (totally unsolicited) Lexi said, "Okay, mom. I have a boyfriend. But it's not like I have hearts in my eyes!" I asked who her boyfriend is and she replied, "Ian".

Sometimes moms just know these things.

Lexism

2008-09-18T19:10:00.002-04:00

When I was pregnant with Abby, Lexi couldn't wait for her baby sister to arrive. After the nursery was ready and awaiting Abby's arrival, Lexi would go in each night and pretend to say good night to the baby doll she insisted was in the crib. It was so cute and heart warming (especially to me with my raging pregnancy hormones!).

When Abby was born, Lexi thought she had an immediate playmate. She was quite surprised to find out that newborns were not play ready. So, she distanced herself and waited for the time when she considered Abby to be old enough to play with. That day has yet to come. It doesn't seem like it ever will.

Abby adores Lexi. She starves for Lexi's attention and wants desperately for Lexi to play with her. Lexi, on the other hand, could do without her lurking shadow of a baby sister. She will not share her toys, yet expects Abby to share hers. She constantly pushes Abby away when Abby tries to show her affection with hugs or kisses. She just simply cannot be bothered by her.

Yesterday, I sat Lexi down and our conversation went like this,

"Do you know how much Abby loves and adores you. She wants to do things the way you do. She wants to play with you and you always push her away. Do you think that might hurt Abby's feelings?" I asked.

No answer.

Quite frustrated, I continued, "When Abby was still in Mommy's tummy you couldn't wait for her to be born. What has changed?"

Lexi's head dropped and she slumped her shoulders a bit. "I just didn't know it would be this difficult!" she grumbled.

I stifled my laughs.

Lexism

2008-09-16T18:49:00.002-04:00

After dinner tonight, Lexi was playing on the computer while I was relaxing after a long day and Stefan played on the floor with Abby. She asked me how to spell Katrina which I did. Then she asked for our email. I looked up and saw that she was filling out an online form for a My Little Pony sweepstakes thingy. When she saw that we saw what she was doing, she tried to close her laptop to hide it while still asking for our email. Sneaky kid.

Wow!

2008-09-08T22:35:00.003-04:00

I knew that this semester was going to be a pain in the neck, but I didn't think it would be this bad. Every waking moment of free time I have is spent on schoolwork or I fall seriously behind. I supposedly have Wednesdays off, but the majority of that is spent on laundry, or catching up on schoolwork, or doing other things to keep life going. It's quite exhausting!
If I'm being completely honest here, I would say that I have my doubts that I will be very successful this semester at all. I'm very intimidated by the assignment load and the fact that a lot of my success lies in the hands of two people - my supervisor at KSU and the teacher I am working with in the field. If there's a glitch in the relationship I have with either of them, I could be done for as far as my career as a teacher. No pressure, really.
In other news, Stefan and I celebrated our 8th anniversary. Holy cow! I cannot believe it has been that long! It's been good though. I couldn't have asked for a better partner in life than what I found in him.
Lexi and Abby are doing phenomenally well. Lexi's school year is going great. She's still excited about homework every week which I'm sure will fade with time, but it's enjoyable for now to see her thirst for knowledge. She has scored 100% on all but 1 spelling test so far (the one she didn't, she got a 98%) which is funny because she seems to be following in my foot steps. When I was in first grade, I scored 100% on all of my spelling tests and all but one of my pretests (I forgot the apostrophe in don't). Her birthday is around the bend which means that the requests for gifts are beginning to roll in. Ugh!
Abby is in a funny phase. Over Labor Day weekend, we tried the big girl panties in hopes that she'd potty train. She loves the panties, but refuses to actually go on the potty. So, I guess we're back at square one with this one.

Tonight, she "helped" Stefan cook dinner. She really enjoys being in the kitchen. What really shocked us was when she set the table for dinner tonight without being asked. We were pretty shocked!
I have tons of pictures from things we've been up to lately. I'll upload them the next time I get some time.

What's in a Name?

2008-08-23T17:33:00.004-04:00

I had to write an assignment for one of my classes about my name--how I got it, what it means, etc. I decided to share it here.

Many years before I made my screaming debut into this world, my parents thought of my name, Katrina Ann, yet it wasn’t with me in mind. They had decided that they would name my older sister Katrina Ann. After some thought my mom decided that name would be a mouthful for a child to utter so they decided Sandra Dee would be the better fit.
Two years later when my mom was pregnant with me, my dad was fixated on naming me Brian James if I were a boy and Brenda Jean if I were a girl so he could call his second born “BJ” regardless of gender. Thankfully, when my mom laid eyes on me for the first time, she did not think that I looked like a Brenda Jean. Whatever that means. I mean, who actually looks or doesn’t look like a certain name. Doesn’t the name suit its recipient over time anyway? But I digress. Some discussions were had and the original name for my older sister reentered their thoughts and I became Katrina Ann Hutchinson. In some ways I am thankful. What girl would survive middle school with the name “BJ” without some derogatory comments or teasing?
So, Katrina I was. It wasn’t a bad name; however, my dad wanted to nickname me Trina. Even at three and four years old I didn’t like the name, nor did I think it fit. It reminded me of a choo choo train. I think I can. I think I can. Chugga, chugga, choo choo!! What could I do, though? It was my name. It’s not like I could change it…or could I?
The first day of first grade, my sister, Sandi (it turns out that Sandra was a mouthful too), took me to my classroom and I met Ms. Reese, my teacher, for the first time. Shyly I clung to my sister as the introduction was made until Ms. Reese crouched down and said, “Katrina, huh? Do you go by Katrina or would you like to go by something else?” Something else? I thought. I did have a choice. She began rattling off other nicknames. Trina. Yuck! Kate. Maybe, but it still didn’t seem right. Katie. That’s it!!! It was the perfect fit. I went through the day being called Katie and enjoying every minute. Why hadn’t I thought of that before? That afternoon, I returned home and informed my parents with an illustrative stomp of my tiny foot that my name was Katie and I would no longer answer to any other name. And Katie I was.
Then, in seventh grade, something happened. In Mrs. Bernstein’s science class I was one of five Katies in the class. Not only were there so many Katies, but three of us spelled it K-A-T-I-E while the other two spelled it K-A-T-Y. Our papers were constantly being confused and I heard Mrs. Bernstein grumble something about it would be nice if each of us had our own unique way of spelling the name so it would be easier to accurately keep track of our grades. So, as I was typing a report one day, I made a typo when typing my name. K-A-I-T-I. With Mrs. Bernstein’s words echoing in my mind, I decided that would be the new spelling for my name. I mean, it was a nickname anyway so nothing was really binding me to the spelling I had used in early childhood.
Eventually, I met and married the man of my dreams and my last name was changed to Lewitt. That was the day that brought me to the name I answer to today, Kaiti Lewitt—a name that was 100% my choosing. I chose the nickname when I was six, the spelling of it when I was twelve and my new last name when I was twenty-one. This name represents me, who I am, what I’ve been through, and my independence. It’s not just a name bestowed upon me by someone with no indication of my personality. It is a name that I chose piece-by-piece over the course of my life that reflects where I am from, who I am, and who I was meant to be. Kaiti Lewitt. That’s me.

Better Late Than Never: Lexi's First Day of 1st Grade

2008-08-11T22:32:00.002-04:00

I'm behind on posting pictures. Lexi's first day, as I'm sure many of you want to know, was a success. She woke up with a smile on her face excited to put on her dress that she picked out weeks before for the occasion. Of course, Abby didn't want to miss the action so she got up too. I helped Lexi get dressed and did her hair the way she wanted (pigtails). Not to be left out, Abby too wanted to get dressed and get HER hair done. All the while Stefan was cooking the (what has become annual tradition) first day breakfast of pancakes.

Per her request, Lexi wanted us to take her on the first day which we were happy to oblige.

Once at school, she was fine until she entered her classroom. That is when she became pretty shy and was resistant to let us leave - I mean the chin trembling looking like she was ready to come unglued-type shy She had not done this in kindergarten or Pre-K, so this was kind of weird for us. Eventually, the teacher helped us with our exit by distracting Lexi's attention and we were off!

On the way out of the school Abby looked at me and asked, "Where's Sissy?" I explained that Sissy was at school. "Oh," she not-so-convincingly replied. All day long Abby continued with the same question, getting the same answer, and giving the same not-so-convincing reply.

And the same routing continued the next day.

When will this stop? Knowing Abby's persistent nature, it will go on until next Summer. I hope my nerves can take it!

Lexi Lewitt, First Grader

2008-08-01T11:26:00.003-04:00

It's official. As of this morning, Lexi is a true, honest-to-goodness first grader. We fought the madness for her sneak-a-peak this morning. This is a zoo-like event in which the school attempts to make an organized effort of getting the school year started. They herd the hoards of parents and children through the cafeteria like cattle. The purpose? This is the time that you find out your child's teacher for the next school year and get bombarded by the PTA soccer moms to join their cult.

Once through the cafeteria and armed with the knowledge of who will be feeding Lexi's brain for the next 10 months, we proceeded to Mrs. Glenn's first grade classroom. Walking through the halls, Lexi was fine. Entering her new classroom, however, she clammed up into a fit of shyness. I swear my rear must smell nice because that is where she hides when she's nervous. Mrs. Glenn introduced herself although Lexi was still in her safe zone. We had to fill out the required mountain of paperwork that asks for the same info (child's name, parent's name, address, phone number, blah, blah) on each page as though the form's creator actually believes you may move residences in between filling out the forms.

Lexi was given a goody bag which was a thorn in Abby's backside. Abby wanted one too! While I was filling out the forms in a desk well-suited for someone Tinkerbell's size, I was eavesdropping on conversations throughout the room. I was quite amused to hear the uppity parents bragging about this and that. I cannot tell you how many times I heard the same guy explain to his first grader that they need to go so they could meet the teacher at the student's younger sibling's preschool which happens to be one of the nicest, most expensive schools in the area. Ironically, said school is located directly across the street from our neighborhood, but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, this father was not saying it just for his own kids' benefits but for everyone else's, too. "We need to go (Insert child's name here) we have to go meet brother's teacher at THE GODDARD SCHOOL," he'd say. "We're going to be late at THE GODDARD SCHOOL," he'd reiterate. I heard those words part his lips a minimum of 5 times. Enough already! I get it! Your other child is going to the GODDARD SCHOOL! Point taken. Now shut up. Elitist parents, sheesh!

Anyway, that's done. Lexi has already told me that she wants us to drive her on Monday and she'll ride the bus from then on. That's fine. I can't believe it. Lexi Lewitt, First Grader (at last). Where has the time gone? Next thing you know we'll be doing this with Abby. Oy!

Who is "they"? And why are "they" the leading authority on all things unknown?

2008-07-30T10:06:00.003-04:00

"They say..." How many times have I heard this? It seems to explain the unexplainable in such a convincing way that no on can question "they". "They" say that things have to get better before they get worse. "They" say that every cloud has a silver lining. "They" say that everything that happens, happens for a reason. Who is "they" and how do I find them so I can kick they's ass?

How can "they" say that what Stefan and I have been up against is justifiable? How can "they" justify that Lexi breaks her arm and is recommended for a referral to an ENT to check on her adenoids and tonsils for possible removal within a week of our awesome insurance going away?

How can "they" say that the mower that keeps the business running at a decent level conking out when we're in dire straits "happened for a reason"? When there is no money to fix or replace this mower, how is there a silver lining, they? I ask you because it appears very black to me!

How is Stefan losing his job and basically cutting our income in half right when I'm at the intense field experience portion of my program when I need day care the most a teachable lesson? It appears that the only way to sustain us reasonably would be for me to get a job at the risk of my grades or my education all together. How is this a good thing? How is this a teachable moment?

How is telling Lexi she can't do dance or any extra curricular that costs money because we can't afford it something that "they" can shrug off? It seems pretty obvious to me that "they" is heartless as well as childless because seeing the disappointment in your child's eyes when you have to tell them something like that, breaks your heart.

"They" might say that right now, the cards are stacked against us. "They" might say that we are in over our heads. "They" might say that things can't get much worse. Someone needs to tell "they" to shut they's flippin' mouth. I'm sick of "they" and their faceless, nameless, over-simplified opinions. For crying out loud, "they", can't someone just be down on their luck without your words being thrown out at them? Butt out already and let us enjoy our pity party for two!

I vote to stone "they" in a public square like in the old times? Anyone want in?

Disclaimer: "They" is not an actual person in my life. "They" is a completely unknown and fictitious character. Any commonalities between "they" and real persons is absolutely unintentional.

Abbyisms of the week

2008-07-26T17:22:00.005-04:00

Sweet Dreams

Every time Abby gets up from her nap I ask her four questions.

1) Did you have a good nap?
2) Did you have dreams?
3) Who was in your dream?
4) What were they doing?

To which she responds yes, yes, Papaw, and sleeping respectively. Every day. Same answers. Too cute!

Ruff! Ruff!

Abby does a great dog impersonation. She has a very convincing ankle-biter bark. Today, while I was cleaning the kitchen floor she climbed into the dog crate which had been relocated to the living room and began to bark. If I didn't know better, I would've thought there was a new puppy in our house!

They're here!

Every time our dogs bark toward the front of the house Abby thinks someone is here to visit with her. "They're he-ear! They're he-ear!" (spelled the way she says it) she'll scream with a level of excitement that breaks your heart to squelch her enthusiasm by informing her that no one is here. Poor Abby. She needs more visitors.

If God Had Intended Her to Cook and Clean, She Would've Been Born With Stainless Steel Hands

While I was finishing cleaning the kitchen, Abby seized the opportunity to play mommy. She dragged a chair over to the sink and began rinsing her play dishes in the sink. Stefan captured this Abbyism on camera. Hey, you're never too young to learn!

Lexism of the week

2008-07-26T17:14:00.002-04:00

Lexi claims that she doesn't like steak or pork chops. In reality, I believe this is solely due to the fact that these meats are tougher to chew. The other night Stefan grilled a London Broil steak and announced that he wasn't fixing anything else. Lexi came over to the kitchen, took one look at the steak, and asked what it was. Quickly I replied, "Hamburger" hoping that she wouldn't request a bun. She didn't and we cut the steak into bite-sized pieces and gave it to her with ::gulp:: ketchup just to drive the point home that it was, in fact, hamburger. She ate it willingly and we'd ask her how it was. She would declare that it was the best hamburger she EVER had.

Finally, after the last bit was ingested, I asked her once again how her hamburger was. Before she could answer Stefan asked, "That was hamburger?" Lexi looked at me rather perplexed as if looking for validation in her assumption. I broke the news to her that it was steak and she sank back into the couch embarrassed. I explained that hamburger and steak were both considered beef and that she should try more things.

So now we know, Lexi DOES like steak after all!

Gimme a Break!

2008-07-25T16:15:00.002-04:00

Last night, Stefan and me were outside with the girls while they rode their bikes. Correction: Lexi rode her bike. Abby alternated between her trike, her bike, and her scooter. At about 7:15, Abby became very fussy. It was, after all, 15 minutes until her bedtime. We had had enough, so I decided it was time for everyone to go inside to get ready for bed. Stefan took Abby and I walked Abby's bike back across the street. Meanwhile, Lexi had taken her helmet off so I instructed her to walk her bike home as well. Suddenly, Lexi started crying and I looked behind me to see her running toward me point to her wrist. She was hysterical and couldn't tell me at all what had happened. I told her to go inside with Daddy while I retrieved her bike and helmet. When I lifted the bike, I noticed that one of the training wheels had come loose. I suspect she was walking the bike when this happened and her (being the epitome of grace) lost her balance and got tangled in the bike as they both tumbled to the ground.

Once inside, I looked at Lexi's wrist. It was swollen and somewhat discolored. Stefan and I worked together to administer Motrin and ice. Then I asked her if she could wiggle her fingers. She continued to cry. She was sobbing so violently that she almost threw up! Stefan tried to lighten the mood by asking if the sidewalk was okay. She didn't crack a smile. We knew if must be super serious. Finally she tried to move her fingers and said that it hurt too bad. Stefan and I decided at that point it was time to take her in.

After going to an urgent care that said that, with my specific insurance I would have to pay out of pocket and submit the claim myself, I took her down to Children's Healthcare's Urgent Care who I KNEW takes our insurance. While in the waiting room I noticed she was not babying her wrist at all. I told her that if her hand was not hurting, she needed to tell me so we could go home. She vehemently insisted that it hurt something awful! When we finally saw the doctor, she asked Lexi if she was in pain and Lexi said, "Nope" very matter-of-factly. I was appalled. My jaw was on the floor. After that, every question the doctor asked was answered in direction contradiction than what she had told me. The doctor said that we'd do x-rays as a precaution since the wrist was so swollen. She left the room and I turned to Lexi. "It doesn't hurt?" I asked.
"No," she sheepishly replied.
"Why did you tell me it did?"
"I thought you'd be mad."

WHAT?!?!? She thought I'd be mad if she saved me money on an urgent care copay? That doesn't make any sense.

So, the x-ray tech came to take the pictures and asked what happened. I repeated the story and he repeated the sentiments of the doctor...this is just a precaution. While he was uploading the images, he looked up and said, "Good job, Mom." I was confused. Was this sarcasm? Was this an accusation? He explained that she had two small breaks. I was in shock! I felt terrible for the fact that I had considered suggesting to her to tough it out. Anyway, they put her in a splint and a sling and directed me to take her to an orthopaedic doctor in the morning. So, that's what I did.

Here are pictures from today's appointment.

The Tuesday of All Tuesdays

2008-07-25T16:01:00.003-04:00

Tuesday marked the last day of summer school I will have to take as a student. I'm pretty confident that I will earn As in both of my classes; however, that didn't stop the end-of-the-semester exhaustion from setting in. As soon as I got home, I was ready for a nap and that's exactly what I did. Around 4:30 Stefan woke me with a phone in my face. It was my sister. Ashlie, my niece who was traveling home from visiting with her dad, missed her connection and was stranded in the Atlanta airport with no money and a huge appetite. Her loss quickly became my gain as I offered for Stefan and me to pick her up for dinner. We had a good time joking around and reminiscing about old times, etc. I love this girl like crazy. I only wish I could see her more often.

Lexism of the week

2008-07-18T13:39:00.002-04:00

While I was moving furniture on Wednesday, the girls were all over the place. At one point Abby went downstairs to retrieve her blankie and was on her way up when I spotted her (me at the the top of the stairs) lose her balance and start somersaulting backwards down the stairs. There was nothing I could do but scream and I did. She tumbled a total of 1.5 - 2 times and landed on the hardwoods downstairs. I had already ran down and was there within a fraction of a second for when the screams began. The whole experience was so gut wrenching. Lexi came down to see what was going on. I explained it to her and she immediately jumped into action trying to make things better. She put one hand on each of Abby's shoulders, looked her straight in the eye and asked, "Abby, is the floor okay?"

I had to laugh. Whenever Lexi gets hurt from any of her clutzy ordeals Stefan always tries to make a joke of it. If she runs into something, he'll ask if the "something" is okay. That's where she got her coping strategy from, but it was funny to see her be so quick-witted and apply it to Abby's situation. I think the 3 of us needed a laugh...and that certainly helped.

Updated Pigeon Forge blog below

2008-07-18T13:38:00.001-04:00

In case you didn't know, I posted pics of our trip to Pigeon Forge in the blog "Lexism of the week". Check 'em out.

Real Southern Women Grow Vegetables

2008-07-18T13:13:00.003-04:00

I guess we're Southern. Months ago, before the weather became so balmy we planted some seeds for squash, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini. I was worried about these when we planted them, because we don't do well with plants and Lexi always gets her hopes up for the final product when planting seeds. We've already let her down with some flowers in the past, so I was sure that the vegetable experiment would have a similar outcome. Well, I was wrong. We were able to pick and use our first vegetable, a squash. Lexi was thrilled. We have many cucumbers that are growing, one lonely tomato we named "Mater", and no zucchini. Overall, I'd say we've done fairly well though. I mean hey, we picked a squash!

P.S. Lexi decided she doesn't like squash.

Movin' on up!!!

2008-07-18T12:44:00.003-04:00

Abby's been able to climb out of her crib since before she turned two. This mad bedtimes a chore as she would climb out over and over. It seemed that the only thing that would work to keep her in her crib was if Stefan or I sat on the floor in her room until she drifted off to dreamland. Most of the time this would take an hour and was a thorn in our back sides for quite awhile. I didn't want to convert her crib to a toddler bed until she understood that when we lay her down, it is bedtime and that bedtime is not optional. Well, it didn't quite get to that point, but we decided to convert it anyway. Of course she would still climb right out of bed so we had to turn her door knob around so that we could lock it from the hallway. This was a God send. She would run to the door and scream for about 2 minutes, then quietly climb into bed and drift off to sleep at which point we would unlock the door again.

Lately, she's bed sleeping in all sorts of contorted positions and I was becoming concerned that she'd fall off her toddler bed. She needed a bigger mattress to move on. So we began thinking about big girl furniture. I couldn't find anything that I thought was as cute as the adorable set that Lexi got for her big girl room. I then started thinking that Lexi would soon need a desk for her room, but there was nowhere to put it. My solution? A loft bed for Lexi and handing down Lexi's flower furniture to Abby. Stefan tended to agree. We went shopping to research what was out there and prices and whatnot thinking that the actual purchase would be further down the road. We found a pricey system at Haverty's that we liked, but weren't willing to pay the price, delivery, and junk charges. So I was talking to a friend about it and she found a gently used system that was exactly what we wanted for a fraction of the cost. I went and checked it out on Monday and we bought it. There was no time to set it up, though, so we kept it in the garage.

So, Wednesday while Stefan was out working, I began the task of clearing Abby's room. Breaking down the crib/toddler bed and moving what I could on my own. Abby was hysterical during this time. She was trying to put a baby doll to bed on the crib frame as I was taking it apart. I thought she would become worried with the fact that her room was being gutted, but it was like she knew exactly what was going on. When Stefan came home later that day, we fed the girls dinner and began on the larger task at hand...moving Lexi's furniture to Abby's room, setting it up, putting Abby to bed, moving Lexi's furniture from the garage to her room, setting IT up, and putting HER to bed. We did not finish until 10:30 and that was way past Lexi's bedtime but here are the end results.

And So Begins Another Decade...

2008-07-12T11:07:00.003-04:00

It's official. On Thursday I entered into my third decade. I didn't have any earth-shattering realizations that typically accompany such a milestone which was nice. I don't feel 30, many tell me that I don't LOOK 30, so I'm fine with it. Age is, after all, just a number. So how did I celebrate? Here's the break down.

- Thursday - I woke up 30 minutes late for school, stumbled into the bathroom to get
myself ready before my eyes were focusing and stepped into a puddle of
dog poo. Nice. Apparently, the illness that Lou contracted from the
kennel while we went to Pigeon Forge was passed on to Cassi and the
evidence was all over our bathroom floor.
- I went to school where it was the same crap, different day.
- Had dinner with my parents at Long Horn. It was nice until Abby pitched a fit
and Stefan had to leave the table with her.
- Came home and gave the girls a bath while Stefan ran out to the store for
diapers. Went downstairs after laying Abby down to find Stefan and Lexi
hovering over a cake with 3 candles on it. Apparently Stefan felt bad that I
cut dinner short and didn't order my favorite fried cheesecake dessert at the
restaurant, so he got me this to make up for it. Lexi knew the entire time he
was gone and didn't breath a word about it. She's very good with secrets
in spite of her 6 years.
- Andrea, Molli, and Jamie picked me up at 8:45 to go out. They made me wear a
tiara and carry a wand wherever we went. We went to a mom & pop joint on the
lake, but it was pretty lame (no music, no air conditioning, etc.) so we went
to a place to play pool in Towne Lake; however, it was poker night and they
wouldn't let anyone in the pool/game room. Went from there, to The Place where
we heard there was karaoke on Thursdays. Only planned on staying for a bit,
but stayed awhile because Molli spilled a drink all over a guy who in turn to
thank her for his nontraditional shower bought all 4 of us quite a few drinks.
Was dared to sing a song that was probably not well-suited for the more mature
audience, but they all got a good laugh. They dropped me off at 1:30 and I
couldn't go to sleep until almost 4.

Friday - I relaxed and spent the day with the girls while Stefan was out doing his lawn stuff.
- Played a few games of "Pretty, pretty, princess" and watched 2 movies on Lifetime. - Dropped the girls off at my in-law's for a sleepover which they were both very
excited about.
- I went and got a pedicure with a friend from school. I haven't had one of those in
a loooooooong time, so that was just what the doctor ordered!
- Met some friends at their house to play some "Guitar Hero Aerosmith" and eat pizza
before we moved on to the final destination of the night...
- Went to the Roswell bowling alley for more karaoke. Usually this place is slow
with just a few singers, so I figured it would be a good place to have a get
together; however, last night is the busiest I have seen it in 9 years and there
were a ton of singers, so we each got to sing only 2 or 3 songs in the course of 5
hours. It was a bit disappointing, but it was cool to just hang out. Before life
and kids happened, many of us used to hang out quite frequently so it had a bit of
a nostalgic air to the night because we never get to hang out like that on a
regular basis anymore.
- Went to Waffle House and came home.

Saturday - slept in until 10:30. I never get to do that anymore. This was a gift in and of itself.

Tattoos I Didn't Know I Had

2008-07-09T10:35:00.000-04:00

There have been many times in my life that I swore I must have invisible tattoos on my forehead that I'm not aware of. Some examples in the style of David Letterman,

10. "I love drama. Can I have yours?"

9. "Stick with me, I'll do your college coursework for you...FOR FREE!"

8. "I'll be a good friend to you, but I won't expect the same from you. I'm okay with mediocrity"

7. "Tell me your entire life story" (This one applies to anybody in a clerk-type position.) Whenever, I check out at Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Publix, etc., these people go on and on with their entire story to the point that I listen politely (because everyone needs SOMEONE to talk to), but after awhile I begin to inch my way out the door (Hey, I've got things to do!) while they still continue talking to me! Sheesh!

6. "I get awesome grades and work hard to do so, but don't worry...I'd love to pay for my college education" (This is a recent source of frustration to me. Apparently, the HOPE scholarship that has been paying my way through these 5 years of college has a cap. They will only pay for 127 credit hours (the normal degree at KSU is 124). I did not realize this when I started my Spanish minor. So now I'm stuck trying to figure out how to pay for my last two semesters. I don't want to take out a student loan, because I feel that after using the HOPE scholarship to its fullest without ever once being in danger of losing it, there should be something out there...some grant or scholarship,etc....that I'd qualify for. But there isn't anything. Not at the moment anyway. This stinks.)

5. "When you're having a bad day and want to argue with someone, call me. I have nothing better to do than to listen to your one-sided argument and I NEVER have bad days myself."

4. "Ask me for money. I'm swimming in it, didn't you know?"

3. "I brake for people NOT in the crosswalk"

2. "I'm stupid...talk s-l-o-w-l-y."

and finally, the one I wish I had.

1. "I'm not as young as I look so don't look at my all sympathetic-like when I say I have two kids and have been married for almost 8 years"

Poor, poor blog

2008-07-09T09:46:00.003-04:00

Dear blog,

Oh how I've neglected you! I've been so busy with normal daily activities that I've pushed you out of the loop. There's a lot of drama at school. I have two very poor teachers -- one who's teaching at the university level for the first time (and, quite frankly it shows) and the other who refuses to see the flaw in having people turn in homework as groups. In my class with group homework, there are only two of us out of a group of four that are actually doing the work, yet the others get full credit for the work we've done. The teacher won't let the group split, because she doesn't want other groups to follow suit. I suspect that she doesn't want the extra grading. How lazy! Overall, this semester has been a huge let down. I was hoping to relax before my crazy Fall schedule takes effect, but it's been more stress than it's worth. Thankfully, there is only a week left plus finals.

Since my last post, we celebrated the 4th of July in traditional fashion. We took the girls up to the fireworks at Riverstone. When the fireworks actually began, Abby was terrified of them, though. So, she and Stefan returned to the car where she promptly fell asleep in her car seat. 9:30 is just too late for her. Meanwhile, I sat with Lexi and watched the show, but she wanted to go home after only 5-10 minutes explaining that she was homesick. We'd only been away from the house for a couple hours! We toughed it out for most of it and we would've stayed for the whole thing, but we were fooled by the show in that they shot off what looked like the finale about 2/3 of the way through the actual show. Knowing the traffic problems we've faced in the past, we hightailed it out of there during the "finale" only to continue to see bombs bursting in air.

Anyway, that's about it in a nutshell...oh yeah, I turn 30 on Thursday. No big plans. Probably just some dinner and karaoke or pool on Friday.

Kaiti

Lexism of the week

2008-06-30T09:59:00.003-04:00

We went to Pigeon Forge this weekend with Stefan's parents, his brother, and the girls. It was a fun weekend (with the exceptions of Abby at mealtimes). We went to Dollywood which was okay, but I think that place was really designed for children 10 and up. The kiddie area was like any pop up carnival and most of the other rides (with a few exceptions) were really geared toward the older kids. We did a lot of outlet mall shopping and I found some great deals for back-to-school clothes for
Lexi. Here are some pics from the trip.

On the way home, we followed the GPS which took us on the scenic route through Tellico Plains and Blue Ridge instead of going through Knoxville and Chattanooga on 75. It was a nice close to the trip until we were about 3 miles from home on 575. We were merely driving down the road when a teenager in a Ford pickup weaved his way in front of us in the left hand lane in such a way that ran the guy next to us off the road. I'm a nervous passenger anyway, but this would make anyone panic. The guy that was run off the road was able to recover without incident, but the way the crazy driver continued to weave and cut people off really upset Stefan. It turns out that the kid was getting off on our exit so Stefan followed him to the gas station, pulled in behind his truck, and proceeded to scold the kid for his erratic driving. The kid claims he is 18, but I'm not so sure about that. Stefan told the kid, "I'm 30 and I've been there. It's not cool." The kid had the typical dumb look that teenagers get when they know they've been caught doing something they shouldn't. He claimed that he didn't cut us off saying that if he made it in front of us, he couldn't possibly have cut us off, etc. Stefan realized we were getting nowhere with this kid despite pointing out that he could've killed our kids in the backseat, so he decided it was time to finally go home. As we were pulling away, Lexi said, "Um...Dad? Actually, you're 31 not 30." Nice.

The only positive I can take from that situation is, if the kid is 18 like he claims, if (God forbid) he ever does cause a bad wreck, he will be charged as an adult if anyone does die because of his idiocy.

Lexi's Camping Trip with Grandma and Grandpa

2008-06-20T09:52:00.003-04:00

Lexi and her cousins, Corey and Mikayla, are with my parents on a camping trip in Hiawasee at a campground complete with a pool, playground, fishing pond, and even a putt putt course. While cell phone contact is quite costly with my parents, the campground offers free Wi-Fi so my dad has been able to send me some photos of what they've been up to.

Abby's Mommy Boycott

2008-06-20T09:05:00.002-04:00

It's a phase...I know that's what most of you will be thinking. I mean, hey, I thought it too. I've also thought that I could make it through with my emotions unscathed as long as I kept telling myself that. Let me backtrack.

Since Stefan has been laid off from his job, Abby's go-go behavior has slowed down and her head-banging-kicking-and screaming-out-of-control tantrums have subsided drastically. I was enjoying the change of pace until she started boycotting me. She's always been a Daddy's girl and prefers him over me if given the choice; but whenever he wasn't around, she'd be satisfied with little ol' me. Now it appears she wants anybody BUT me.

Yesterday it took Barbara 20 minutes to leave the house after watching Abby while I was in school because every time she'd try, Abby would reach for her and Barbara can't resist that. Who could? A classmate of mine was here to work on homework together and Abby preferred her. I keep repeating to myself, "It's just a phase. It's just a phase. It's just a phase." As much as I tell myself that, I still can't help but feel alienated (especially with Lexi gone on a camping trip and no one else to turn to).

After Stefan got home from work yesterday, he decided that Abby needed a nap at 5:45 p.m. Normally, I'd say that it's too late in the evening for a nap, but he was the one dealing with her since she's on a mommy boycott. So who am I to say when he needs to tough it out until bedtime? She took a nap and while Stefan took a shower later in the evening, I gently woke her up so I could change her diaper and her clothes. She wanted to lay with us in bed and watch TV and that was fine until she snuggled in so close to Stefan and shoved me away whenever I came too close to them. This became too much. My feelings were hurt and the little tike actually brought a few tears to my eyes.

It's just a phase. It's just a phase. It's just a phase!!!

Abby's Father's Day Present to Stefan

2008-06-15T12:41:00.002-04:00

This morning Stefan got to sleep in until 11:30 while I wrangled the kids and did my best to keep the noise to a minimum to better facilitate his snooze. When he got downstairs, he was bombarded with the excited "Happy Father's Day"s from the girls. After he had his chance to fully wake up, he decided it was time for a shower. Per usual routine Abby shadowed him up the stairs because she likes to mess around toys and such in the bathroom while he gets his clean on. She had brought her potty seat in the bathroom and put it on the potty. No big deal. She's been doing that for awhile. However, Stefan heard the distinct 'plop, plop, plop'. He turned the shower off and began to towel dry, but not fast enough because Abby flushed her accomplishment right down the toilet leaving only the telltale smear on her toosh for Daddy to clean up.

Yay Abby!!!!!!

Oh...and Happy Father's Day Stefan!

Abbyism

2008-06-13T13:06:00.002-04:00

Abby's a riot! When she has soiled her diaper in any way she will go to the nearest person able to help and yell, "POOP!" even if it is just wet. Next follows the usual and obvious question, "Abby, do you need a diaper?" to which she will respond, "yeth!" When you get down to the dirty business and actually start undoing the diaper she grimaces and says, "Ewwww! Yucky!" Without fail, she will always want to sit on the potty after she is clean. One day...one day she will bypass the diaper and skip to the potty. One day...

In the meantime, this routine is hysterical!

You belong in the zoo

2008-06-13T11:31:00.002-04:00

As mentioned previously, we went to the North Side Baby Alumni Club reunion at Zoo Atlanta. Since it was free, I thought it would be nice to bring along a friend for Lexi, so I invited her friend, Ian, from school. It was a great time. At first, Lexi and Ian were more into figuring out the map and what we would see next, but it didn't seem like they were so much as glancing at the animals before they were locating the next exhibit on the map. Eventually I had to take the map away from them telling them that they could look at the map anytime, but that they were only there for a couple of hours to be able to see the animals. They are such a cute little pair. For a while Abby was trying to keep up with them on foot, but eventually resigned herself to being chauffeured in the stroller. Right before we left, we located the tent that was set up with arts and crafts for the kids as well as a DJ. Lexi made a bracelet and Ian made a few masks. Abby observed. We saw just about everything except the kiddie zoo because we ran out of time, but all in all it was a great time. The kids behaved famously for the most part and you just can't beat the price...FREE!!!

A-peel-ing!

2008-06-13T11:21:00.004-04:00

Abby grows more and more independent everyday. She sees Lexi do things and insists that she do them the same way. She now refuses cut up bananas and will only eat them from the peel. She's so proud of herself when she can do things like a big kid!

Speaking of wanting to be a big kid... We converted Abby's crib to a toddler bed this week. We made a big deal about the fact that she was in a big kid bed. While Stefan was actually doing the converting, I think Abby thought that it was becoming a bed for her toys. She kept piling toy after toy on the bed tucking them in like they were going "night night". Lexi was also very curious about the goings on in Abby's room. It was during this time that a bell went off in Lexi's head and she realized that Abby is a kid and not so much a baby anymore. For the first two years of Abby's life, Lexi didn't want to be bothered much with her little sister's presence to the point that it broke my heart. With the conversion of Abby's crib that all changed instantly. Lexi plays with her, tries to explain things to her, will read to her, and, in general, just WANT to be around her. She even asked if, on the first night of Abby being in the bed, she could have a sleepover with Abby in Abby's room. We did not allow this to happen the first night; but, on the fourth, we did and it went very well. Now the two are great pals except for the occasional squabble. Good times.

Busy, busy

2008-06-07T16:46:00.002-04:00

Last night the girls had a sleepover at Nana and Papaw's. They had a picnic dinner and played at a playground which I gather was pretty darn fun. Meanwhile, Stefan rode his bike about 200 miles with my dad. They went to Suches, GA and back. While he was gone, I read a book (something he teases me about because I can knock out a 250 page book in one day). When he came home, we primped for an adult night of adult drinks and karaoke. We met up with some friends of ours that we don't get to hang out with much anymore and it was a ton of fun!

Being without kids, we were able to sleep in this morning. What a welcomed relief! Stefan slept until 9 and proceeded to do yard work. I insisted on seizing the opportunity and forced myself to stay asleep until 11 (which was a challenge with all the humming of lawn equipment outside). Once fully awake, we went up to the pool to help out with the neighborhood pool party. Lexi and Abby were dropped off at 12:30 and Stefan splashed with them in the pool while I continued to help with the food aspect of the party. I met a lot of new people and enjoyed the company. The pool party lasted 3 hours and I served the entire time. Once home, I realized that I neglected a very crucial point...sunblock! I am burnt! My face is red, my shoulders are red, and I have two thick white stripes across the top of my feet from my sandals.

Tonight, we are going to Zoo Atlanta for a Northside Atlanta NICU Baby Alumni Club reunion. This will be the first one we've gone to since our little miracle graduated. We're kind of hoping to see some of her doctors and nurses there. There will be face painting and all sorts of things for the kids. I'm sure they'll have fun. I'll post some pics later, but for now...I have to put myself together since I'm nasty from being in the heat.

Abbyism of the week

2008-06-04T12:51:00.002-04:00

This morning Abby decided to fully disrobe. She spotted a suitcase with clothing from the girls' last sleepover at my parents. She then decided to take off her diaper and try to put on a pair of Lexi's panties. She was unsuccessful in getting them on correctly and they ended up around her waist like a belt. Then she tried to put on a pair of Lexi's skorts which were, of course, way too big. Once she got them pulled on, she bent over to pick up Lexi's shirt and the skorts slipped down exposing her bare rear. This process repeated many times until she finally enlisted Lexi's help to pull the shirt on. Needless to say, she was very proud of herself when she finally "accomplished" what she had set out to do, but she looked silly with the panties around her waist, the shirt on backwards, and holding her skorts up Erkel-style. I wish I could post pics but they would not have been...decent.

Lexism of the week

2008-06-01T23:46:00.003-04:00

My mother-in-law, Barbara, has paid her dues and is officially retired from teaching. We are all very happy for her and are curious to see what she will do with her newfound freedom. Saturday night, she and Dennis had a retirement party at their house. At first we were going to try to find a sitter for the kids, but that proved more difficult than expected. Then we considered taking the kids although that option was not very appealing. At the last minute we were able to get a sitter and went to the celebration kidless. Lexi, fully aware of the party, asked me when we were getting ready to take her to the sitter what type of party Nana was having. I told her that it was a retirement party. She asked what 'retirement' means and I explained that it meant that Nana would not have to go to work again. She pondered this for a minute and then said, "I'm retiremented from Kindergarten!!" Cute.

Pool time!!!

2008-05-30T11:03:00.002-04:00

Taking advantage of the lovely Memorial Day weather, we took the girls to the pool last weekend. I was curious to see Abby's reaction to the munchkin pool because we didn't really go much last year due to my school schedule and her nap schedule which never seemed to line up. Lexi, I knew, would be a crazy girl.

Abby approached the experience very apprehensive at first. She stayed close to Stefan and refused to venture out into the pool despite our urgings.

We tried to have Lexi show her the ropes, but after a few minutes Lexi started bellyflopping into the pool splashing and scaring the little kids. I told her to go to the big pool where that was more appropriate.

When Lexi left, Abby began to gather some bravery. She crouched down and, maintaining a slight squat to keep her center of gravity low, waddled around the pool. She smiled and giggled thinking this was pretty neat until...she fell and got her hair wet. Girl does not appreciate wet locks at all even in the bath. She wanted out immediately. We convinced her to stay in and eventually, she was having an absolute blast wet hair or not.

Meanwhile, Lexi was splashing with Uncle Faron in the big pool.

All-in-all it was a great day. It's always fun spending a family day together and with Stefan deciding to go full-time with his lawn business, we have more of those days which is completely divine!

Lexi's Dance Recital

2008-05-30T10:51:00.002-04:00

Lexi's dance recital was last weekend. We secured a babysitter for Abby so this day could be about Lexi without worrying about Abby in a supposedly quiet theater. That turned out to be a great idea. When we arrived at the theater, I took her to the dressing room to put the finishing touches on her costume. Amazingly her nerves were not going crazy. She was actually excited to go on stage (not mortified like last year). I kept telling her how proud she has already made me and Stefan and how beautiful she looked. Finally, I left her in the dressing room with her teacher and took my seat in the auditorium where Stefan's parents, my parents, and Uncle Faron all joined us. The lights went down and the owner of the studio stumbled through her welcome speech. Then the show began. Lexi's first dance (her ballet number)was slated for the sixth slot. We sat through the first 5 dances and finally she came out. She did great! The second number (her tap) was to be the 9th dance. Again, she did superbly! I couldn't have been prouder. I went and got her from the dressing room and rejoined the group in the audience. Nana and Papaw, Grandma and Grandpa, and Mommy and Daddy all got her flowers which she thought was the greatest thing ever.

Afterward, we took these pictures.

Poor thing!

2008-05-22T08:51:00.002-04:00

The night before last Lexi woke up twice crying her eyes out. The first time happened around 12:30 a.m. Stefan got up and went to her room trying to curb her sobs. From the comfort of our bed down the hall, I assumed that she had had a nightmare. Stefan returned to bed shortly thereafter and didn't mention anything for certain that he found to be wrong. We went back to sleep. Suddenly, at 4:20 a.m., the gut-wrenching sobs floated down the hallway and woke me from my slumber. I went in her room assuming that it was another "nightmare". I pulled her close to comfort her when I realized she was warm. I asked her if anything felt bad to which she did not answer. I retrieved the medicine box and took her temperature-100.1 degrees. Not too bad, but I gave her some Motrin anyway.

When it was time to get her up for school she didn't feel warm on her face, but her neck and stomach were still a concern. I considered sending her to school since she didn't have a fever anymore because it was the end-of-the-year Kindergarten Luau and she was looking forward to wearing her grass skirt and coconut bra (over a tank top of course!) for the event. I asked how she was feeling and she said that the medicine helped so much that her throat didn't hurt anymore. Her throat? This was the first time she gave us an actual symptom. Not liking the whole "sore throat and fever" thing I told her that she would be staying home from school and we'd take her to the doctor. It turns out the poor thing has strep. In fact, her tonsils are so swollen that they are almost touching!

After the doctor visit, we went to Publix to fill her antibiotic prescription. While waiting, we walked the aisles of the store trying to get "sore throat friendly" foods that she could consume without gagging from the pain. We returned home but she was acting fine. After laying around and watching TV for a bit, she asked to go play outside. I told her 'no' and explained that she needed to rest. "I've already rested once and I'm tired of it!" she responded. It's pretty sad when a child needs to be told exactly how sick they are!

Kindergarten Awards Day

2008-05-12T21:52:00.002-04:00

Although Lexi is officially graduating Kindergarten in two and a half weeks, her class held their end-of-the-year awards ceremony today. The teacher arranged the room with rows of chairs for the parents facing each other with an aisle in between. The class filed into the room and sat on a carpet at the back of the aisle. They performed a few of their favorite songs, the teacher read a poem entitled "Garden" (about hos, and seeds being planted and kids being eaten...or something like that, I don't know), and then the teacher called them one-by-one to receive their Kindergarten diplomas.

Then the teachers gave awards to each student. Let me tell you, some of them were a stretch (i.e. Most Energetic) and were nice ways of saying things that were a source of frustration throughout the year. Then there were awards that any parent would've been proud for their child to receive (i.e. Best Friend, Most Polite, Class Peacemaker, etc.). Lexi's award fell into the second category. She received the award for Best Author...and yes, we are very proud of her for that.

Afterwards, there were some refreshments and picture opportunities with the teachers and then it was over. There were a couple of times I felt a tear well up in my eye or a lump form in my throat. I can't help it. Words cannot describe how proud of her and her accomplishments I am. I guess it's just nice to see others recognize her for them too.

Abby's 2!!!!

2008-05-11T11:33:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was a busy day. I woke up with Abby around 6:15. We went downstairs where she discovered her Rose Petal Cottage and her very first scooter. She played with these for a bit, before the day's activities swept us away.

We got ready and left for Lexi's soccer game (see previous postin the morning. When we returned, we only had time to give Abby a very short nap before we had to go set up for her party at the playground. Thankfully, Uncle Faron helped a lot to pull this off. He helped assemble toys, wrap gifts, set up for the party, cook the food, etc. What a helper! Here are some pics of the guests enjoying Uncle Faron's cuisine...

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After lunch, we did the pinata. Uncle Faron had made a Jojo pinata that was really cute. He even bought a Jojo costume and attached it (and its hat) to the paper mache head so it looked really cool. When it came time to attack the creation, the hat/hair and costume were removed and the kids were taking shots at nothing but a head. When you think about it, that's kind of gruesome, but it didn't seem to bother anyone except little Katelynn.

Then we did cake-a yummy circus-themed pull apart cupcake cake. No luck on her blowing out her own candles, but YUM!!

Here are some other random shots taken at the party.

Happy Birthday, Abby!

Lexi's Last Soccer Game

2008-05-11T11:20:00.002-04:00

Lexi's last soccer game of the Spring 2008 season was yesterday. She was really pumped up but when we got there and the coach put her on defense she shuffled around as though she wasn't having any fun. Finally, the coach put her on offense and she came to life. She was hustling this way and that until her energy bottomed out.

Anyway, the game ended typically. Lexi's team did not score any goals and the other team obliterated us. I blame the coach. Parent volunteer coaches do the best they can in most situations and that is understandable. But THIS one had triplets on the team that he spent most of his time focusing on. Not exactly a recipe for fairness when the other kids are involved. But I digress.

After they game, the kids had cake and were given their trophies.

This season was a rollercoaster ride. Lexi really looked forward to it because she had so much fun toward the end of last season. Since she moved up in divisions, the rules had increased and the pace of the game was very quick compared to what Lexi was used to. The field was larger, there were more kids on the field, the goals were much bigger, and there were goalies protecting the goals--all changes that seemed wonky to Lexi. Some games she'd slough around like she was bored and others she'd really come alive. I think we'll give her some time off to think about whether she wants to continue with the sport or not since this really doesn't seem to be her cup of tea.

It happened

2008-05-11T11:11:00.003-04:00

In my last post, it seemed as though a layoff was imminent and it was. Stefan went in that day as I had speculated would happen and was given his walking papers. It sucks. Apparently they didn't close Bowne of Atlanta altogether, they just shut down the manufacturing aspect. This leaves sales and customer service untouched. They will be relocating to a highrise downtown. According to Stefan, they will be hiring 8 people for various jobs in the NEW Bowne one of which he is considering applying for. It may be a long shot because so many others will also be applying, but it would be silly not to give it a try for the sake of maintaining all of his time and benefits.

Anyway, he's kicked SGL Lawn Services into high gear while I spend muchas horas searching job websites and submitting his resume. When he is home, I'm trying to stay on top of housework which includes cooking more. The other day, he worked on lawns while me and Abby played outside for most of the day. When he came home I started dinner while he and Abby watched one of Abby's favorite shows. After I got dinner in the oven, I realized how quiet and still the had been for the last few minutes. This is what I found.

A Guilty Conscience

2008-05-08T07:20:00.003-04:00

A few years ago, Stefan planted some flowering plants on top of the retaining wall in our backyard. As the plants have come back year after year they have doubled in size and are quite big now. We have clematis plants, fire witches, and some yellow, flowering plant that I'm not sure what it is. Lexi, like most girls, loves to pick the flowers but this has gotten out of hand. Stefan tried to limit her to picking one flower a day, but I told him that was unrealistic because girls don't just pick flowers...they pick bouquets.

One day last week, she picked hundreds of fire witch flowers just to throw them in the air. She did this while I was trying to fix dinner so I was unaware of what exactly she was doing. By the time I figured it out, she had pulled handful-after-handful and our backyard was a carpet of pink fire witches. Lexi knew she was completely wrong and her punishment was to rake up all the flowers and bag them. I told her that she was off limits from picking flowers until further notice.

Well, yesterday I was fixing dinner while Stefan was on his death march home after getting the ax at work so, to say that I was distracted is an understatement. The girls were playing in the backyard. Lexi came in with a cup full of clematis blooms. I was almost angry at her until she presented me with a note that said, "Happy Mother's Day. I love you, Mommy." Who could be mad at that? I let it slide.

Taking the Good with the Bad

2008-05-07T09:51:00.004-04:00

Things have been a bit tense around here the last few weeks. Stefan has been speculating that Bowne (the company he has worked for for 10 years) will either do major layoffs or close the doors to the Atlanta plant completely. I've tried to stay optimistic. Yes, this has been the slowest proxy (three months out of the year the require massive overtime) season since we met, but I was thinking it would pick up.

Rumors have been swirling and it's hard not to listen to them. The gossipmongers are saying either

1) the plant will be relocating to save on rent costs,
2) massive layoffs will occur in departments other than Stefan's,
3) the plant will close all together.

The third option sucks. It's the one I wanted to believe the least, but it seems as though this will become reality today. Worried by the stark inventory of necessary means in a print shop (i.e. paper)Stefan believed that something would happen this week. It appears he was right. He called the shop this morning and was informed that just about every non-management employee was herded into a conference room this morning. The inside source stated that the employees were being pulled out one-by-one to sign their release papers. I suppose the unemployment office will be pretty busy in the not-so-distant future.

In a situation like this you have to try to find positives. I've been trying. Maybe Stefan will find a first or third shift job that will enable him to spend more time with us as a family. Maybe he'll find something closer to home. Maybe he'll be able to increase the family business to a level that can support a family of four until I finish school in about a year and a half. Maybe he'll land a job that is less stressful. Maybe he'll find something right away and we can collect his severance as well as a new paycheck at the same time (that would be sweet!). Thank God we didn't plan an expensive family vacation this summer. And Thank God for the government tax rebate check that will hit our account later this week!

Then again, it's hard to ignore the negatives. He's worked for this company for 10 years and will lose all the benefits he has accumulated over that time. He will most likely have to take a massive pay cut. I could go on... but I won't. Maybe it's denial. Maybe it's optimism. Maybe it's just plain naivety, but I prefer to look at the positives.

I just hate (knowing what we know) that he has to drive downtown only to be given his walking papers and have to turn around and drive home in rush hour traffic. That sucks.

Needless to say, times are changing around here.

Oh, and the cherry on the sundae? Our Altima is in need of a new engine because of a badly designed exhaust system in which the catalytic converter is actually two units - a pre-cat that is closer to the engine and the standard catalytic converter. The pre-cat apparently is situated too close to the engine and, because of the heat, disintegrates from the inside while all the pieces get sucked back into the engine wreaking all sorts of havoc. This is apparently a problem for 2002 and 2003 models (so if you know anyone with one of these in their garage, be a friend and inform them of the problem) yet the repair is so costly that Nissan chooses to deal with it on a one-by-one basis rather than doing a mass recall. Anyway, we dropped the car off the day before yesterday. They told us that we'd get a call by 5 p.m. yesterday to let us know if Nissan will cover the new engine and all the costs involved (including the rental car in our driveway). We have yet to hear from them. Keep your fingers crossed that they'll do the right thing as we can't afford the repairs or the cost of replacing the car now of all times (as you can imagine). Hopefully, Nissan will do the right thing and replace the engine. If so, that buys us more time with this car which, given the current job situation, would be nice to not have to worry about for awhile.

Keeping my fingers crossed.

It's Ovuh!!!!

2008-05-01T14:30:00.002-04:00

Another semester and six credit hours under my belt. I passed both my classes with A's which will boost my GPA back over the hump from a 3.69. Don't be fooled. This "college thing" is the hardest thing I've done in my life given the fact that I decided to get serious about it after marriage and kids. But it'll be worth it when I can be an example to my girls that when you put your mind to something, you can do it no AND that a college education is valuable. I just hope they're smarter than me when it comes to the timing of their own educations.

Anyway, I now have 107 credit hours behind me. My degree program is 124 but since I added my Spanish minor that adds another 25 hours. I will be taking 6 in the summer, 15 in the fall, 9 in the spring, take next summer off, and student teach/graduate in the fall of '09. It's so close, I can taste it and boy is it delicious!

Now, for the next 3 weeks, I get to relax, do some things around the house, and focus on the girls. Oh, did I mention relax?

Our Trip to NC

2008-04-21T09:51:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, the girls and I took a trip to NC to see good friends/former neighbors The Todds. Thinking Stefan would be working massive overtime (which he hasn't really) I planned this trip as a break for me and the girls. I'd be able to "get away" for a bit and Lexi would be distracted from Daddy's absence by seeing her friend, Mary, whom she has not seen in over a year but misses terribly. Stefan did not work, but it did afford him the opportunity to ride his bike a few times.

Our trip began on Thursday morning. The girls and I left the house around 10:30 a.m. to pick up Jennifer, who would be riding with us. Daddy returned from servicing lawns to bid us farewell and Abby even said "bye-bye" happily to him as we left (surprising because she is such a Daddy's girl). We picked up Jennifer and headed out of town. Thankfully, Stefan had bought a GPS for the business the day before and I was able to test it on the trip. Pretty cool! It definitely proved it's value, but you'll read more about that later. Anyway, we made it through ATL and down I-20 a bit before Abby had her first twinges of a meltdown approximately 120 miles into the trip. We used the GPS (who I named Garmindy because it has a female voice) to locate the nearest McDonalds and were directed right to it. We grabbed some lunch, let the kids play on the playland for about 45 minutes then we were off again. Abby, of course did not want to get back in the car, but we needed to put more distance behind us.

Finally, after much effort, we got the girls buckled safely back in their seats. We made it about another 150 miles before Lexi asked for a drink. Once Abby heard this, she too wanted a drink. We used the GPS to locate another McDonald's, but there wasn't one for about 20 miles. So we chose to search for a public park for the girls to run around and found one in Camden, SC (ironically, there was a McDonald's as part of a gas station just off of the exit, but there was no playland. GPSes can't always be counted on!). This is the "Oldest Inland City in SC" as was stated by multiple signs throughout the community. There were reenactment sites and a lot of history in this quaint town. We finally found the park. It is a square shaped park with beautiful shade trees, a gazebo with a fountain, canon replicas, the perfect little play gym for the girls, and it was all surrounded by colonial-style homes with to-die-for foliage. It's so charming. The girls had a quick snack and played for about 45 minutes, then we were off again.

When we left there, we were on our final long stretch of the trip. Abby did start fussing after awhile, but we pushed her the final 50 miles before we stopped. We met Jennifer's friend at a McDonald's in Dunn, NC that had the most awesome playland I've ever seen. Diane was meeting me there because she didn't want me getting lost in the dark with two girls (she's so sweet) but she was understandably running a little behind because she was wrangling her two kids on her own. I grabbed some dinner for the girls while we waited and Jennifer and her friend were nice enough to stay and keep me company while I waited for Diane. Diane finally showed, and Lexi and Mary were reunited. I thought they would be more dramatic with big "I missed yous" and such, but the gave each other a quick hug like they saw each other yesterday and proceeded to play for about an hour. We left the McDonalds at about 9:30 or 10 and drove the 35 miles to Diane's. I was so glad we were there. I was pooped.

She has a beautiful house yet she felt the need to apologize for the "mess" and the accommodations and anything else she could think of. I don't know why. Compared to my house, her house was in "show condition" as if she were selling it. The accommodations were absolutely perfect--nothing to complain about. We had a great time. We went out to eat a lot to get the kids out of the house. We went to places that we don't have in Georgia like Rock-ola Cafe and The Mash House. During the days (and nights) Lexi and Mary played. They only had a couple of arguments, but that's to be expected when kids their age are overexposed to each other for an extended period of time. Nothing tragic. Lexi loved all of Mary's dress-up clothes and they played that a lot.

I have purposely left out Wilson, the baby, up to this point because he has a special little story of his own. First of all, he is one of the cutest little babies I have ever seen...and he's a flirt. But he is a Mama's boy which is completely understandable because Daddy is currently deployed for 15 months. Anyway, this little kid had some sort of beef with me. Whenever I would shake my head, tell him 'no' or 'yucky', or anything that could be perceived as slightly negative he would scowl at me, stick his lower lip out, and then start a faint whine that would progress into a full on cry and want his mommy to cuddle him. Diane said she thought he had a crush on me because he didn't do that with anyone else...EVER! One day we were sitting on the front porch watching the girls pick flowers and Diane asked what I wanted for dinner and I said, "I don't know". Wilson perceived this as 'no' and repeated his routine. "K-N-O-W! K-N-O-W!" I argued but the routine continued through the whole process to the Mommy cuddle. He totally broke my heart, but it was cute and you had to laugh.

We left to return home the morning of Stefan's birthday. I met up with Jennifer at the same McDonald's. We let the girls have breakfast and play for a bit and then we took off. Abby did considerably better on the return trip. She watched a movie, took a nap, and allowed us to put 250 miles behind us before we had to stop which was perfectly fine because I need to fill the gas tank anyway. That was the only stop we made. She was an absolute angel. We returned home just in time to go with Stefan, his parents, and his brother to Provinos for dinner. I was exhausted but the kids were wound up, but I'm glad we were able to celebrate his birthday with him.

Well, that's our girls-only trip to North Carolina in a nutshell. Hopefully we'll be able to do it again sometime. I'd hate to think that was the last time I'd see Diane or the last time Lexi sees Mary.

Lexism of the week

2008-04-21T06:55:00.003-04:00

After dance, I usually run through the drive thru at the McDonald's by our house. I had placed our normal order and proceeded in line and began to dig in my purse for a means with which to pay when I realized that no such means existed. I had no cash, no check card, not even a credit card. We had to drive away. "They're still working on our order!" Lexi proclaimed. I then had to introduce her to basic Economics 101 explaining that you have to pay for stuff that you expect to receive from a business and that food is not free unless you have a coupon which we didn't. "I wish McDonald's was giving away food today," Lexi pouted.

About a week later we were all at Zaxby's and Lexi said out of nowhere, "We need to come back here tomorrow!"

I was confused. Stefan was confused. "Why?" we asked.
"Because that sign says 'Free Lunch Tomorrow'!"

Again another Economics 101 lesson was taught. We explained that the sign was there everyday--that it was a joke. Realizing she had been fooled, Lexi laughed. Now, whenever she sees a similar sign she points it out and the fact that it's a "trick sign".

More Dance

2008-04-21T06:47:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, Lexi's dance class had another parent observation day. I love these days as it gives me a chance to see Lexi's progress. Lexi loves these days because SHE gets to show ME her progress. Normally, I'd invite along Nana or Grandma to come and help wrangle Abby so I can have my hands free to take plenty of pictures, but I forgot about this coming up and called upon a friend that owed me an hour of babysitting. That was a nice break--not having to worry about Abby during this time--and Lexi was able to have my full, undivided attention. I had to laugh when they showed us the work they've done on their tap dance so far. They start the dance with their noses in Dr. Seuss books and after only a few counts of music, they snap the books shut and proceed with the dance. All the girls executed this fine, but Lexi was too busy reading the book. Go figure.

SUCCESS!!!

2008-04-15T22:22:00.002-04:00

Today I was getting ready to walk out the door with the girls for Lexi's dance class when Abby came trotting into the kitchen with her pants around her ankles and her diaper halfway torn off. I tried to remedy the situation by fixing the diaper but she ran toward the bathroom. Seizing the opportunity, I asked if she wanted to sit on the potty. "Potty, potty!" she replied emphatically with a huge smile. I took off the diaper which was only somewhat damp and sat her on the potty. Unlike previous attempts when she'd hop right off she actually sat there. So, Lexi and I sat in the bathroom with Abby at the center of attention. The clock was ticking and we were going to be late...but I didn't care. After about a minute, I asked Abby if she wanted to get off and she shook her head no. So we sat...and waited...and waited some more. I turned the faucet on to a mere trickle to assist the attempt. Finally, she tinkled! Just a little bit but she did it. Lexi and I cheered for her and she basked in the glory.

I didn't want to get my hopes up. This was probably just a fluke after all. That's what I thought until we returned home and she repeated pulling down her pants and heading to the bathroom. This time there was no tinkling action, but she was dry and she sat there for a good while before giving up.

I will continue to allow her to call the shots on this process. I will not force her to sit on the potty unless she decides to because she isn't even 2 yet and I decided that I would start pushing the issue in about 4-6 months. If she can do this on her own before then, that will just be a bonus for me!

Spring Break!!!!

2008-04-06T09:52:00.002-04:00

Lexi is officially on Spring Break. She has quite the eventful break from her studies. She'll have a sleepover with her Nana and Papaw Monday night. On Tuesday, she and her nana will go to a puppet show. She'll then have a couple of days at home which I'm sure will feel like eternity to her as she will be looking forward to what is coming next.

Since this is in the midst of Stefan's supposed busy season (I say supposed because he has only worked a week and a half of overtime) he's not allowed to take any time off. I seized the opportunity to plan a Girls Only! trip to visit our ex-neighbors and good friends, the Todds, in North Carolina. Normally I wouldn't brave a roadtrip alone with the girls but it just so happens that my local friend, Jen, takes frequent trips to North Carolina to visit a friend of hers. I called Jen to see if she'd be up for a trip over Spring Break and it just so happened that her North Carolinian friend had just called the night before asking if she'd go there for a weekend in March or April. This works out perfectly. I have adult company in the car who can also hand stuff back to the girls while I drive. She'll ride with us up there and we'll meet her friend at some halfway point between the places where we are staying (which are only 45 minutes apart).

Now a little about the Todds....
They used to live directly behind us. Diane is one of the sweetest, most sincere people you will ever meet. Her husband, Will, is in the Army and currently serving a tour of duty. They have a daughter, Mary, who is a bit younger than Lexi but they get along famously. They also have a son, Wilson, who just turned one a couple of months ago and I haven't seen him since he was a newborn. We're excited. I miss Diane. Lexi misses Mary. And I'm curious to see how Abby and Wilson will get along.

Ok, ok. I admit it. I'm excited too.

What's Stefan going to do while we're gone? He's already told me not to check the mileage on his bike. Hopefully, he will be able to get some riding time in considering the weather is supposed to be rainy on Saturday.

Abby's Ever-increasing Vocabulary

2008-04-05T08:26:00.002-04:00

Every day Abby comes out with at least one new word. Her latest additions are

Sassy (for Cassi)
trash (which she says very clearly)
teeth (she says as she points to her teeth...she's a toothbrushing fiend)
out
shew (a very southern, drawn-out way of saying shoe)
NO (I hate this one. Especially when she screams it over and over as she is climbing
out of her crib)
Bayuh (bear)
Sissy (in reference to Lexi)

There are many more, I just can't recall them right now.

Yesterday, she said her first 3-word sentence. She said, "I see Woo" (Woo is Lou-Stefan's dog).

Lexism of the week: She's your child!

2008-04-05T08:20:00.002-04:00

Stefan went and had lunch at Lexi's school yesterday. They both look forward to these events. After lunch was over, Stefan asked the parapro (teacher's assistant) what the plan was for the remaining two hours of the school day. She told Stefan that the class would be attending the book fair (which Lexi was not purchasing anything this time around) and not much else as it was the last day before Spring Break. Stefan asked Lexi if she wanted to go home with him. Her answer? NO!

Stefan came home scratching and shaking his head in disbelief saying that only MY child would choose to stay at school instead of cutting out two hours early. That may be true.

Okay...enough is enough!

2008-04-05T08:16:00.002-04:00

At this point in Lexi's soccer season we should have 5 games behind us but apparently that was not in Mother Nature's plan. The first two games got rained out and rescheduled. We have since had two regularly scheduled games and one make up game. I thought we were making progress until today's game got canceled and it too will have to be rescheduled. It's like the old saying, "one step forward and two steps back" (or were those Paula Abdul lyrics). At this rate, we'll be playing through the end of the school year when we were supposed to finish up the first week of May. Quite frustrating!

Brain Droppings

2008-03-31T09:46:00.002-04:00

- I have come to the conclusion that Lexi is a warm weather only soccer player. Yesterday in 40 degree temperatures she just couldn't get her feet moving and was in the way more than anything.

- Abby's coming out with new words everyday and that is very entertaining.

- I registered for Summer and Fall semesters. Come Fall I should be kept on watch as I will be attempting 15 credit hours (the most I've done since having Abby is 9) and will be slowly losing my mind over the course of those 16 weeks. I will probably be eligible for commitment to the Insane Asylum at the halfway point.

- I am ready for my trip to NC in 2 weeks. I'll be going to visit my cool ex-neighbor. The girls are going too but Stefan will be hanging behind because of his supposed busy season (that has only required 1 week of overtime thus far). He'll probably use the time to ride the bike. I'm not stupid AND he told me not to check the mileage when I come home. That's rocket science to figure out!

- I'm not believing that Abby will be two in 5.5 weeks.

- Speaking of Abby, she fought a nap so bad yesterday that Stefan had to put her back in the crib about 15-20 times. Finally she passed out on the floor just inside her door.

- Lexi did very well this reporting period at school. She got "AC-accomplished" in everything but two areas which she received "IP-In progress" on. We are very proud.

- Since Lexi sees me preparing for Abby's party in May, she is already putting in present and location requests for her birthday...in October.

- We planted some vegetables in some pots and they were really doing well as long as the weather was nice or we kept them inside, but all of a sudden they got attacked by fruit flies and are not fairing well at all. I always feel badly when we plant things with Lexi and they don't work out. It makes me feel like we let her down.

- Abby is a Daddy's girl through and through. If he's in the room and then leaves for a second, she screams and cries until he comes back. Nothing I can do will console her. This is a frustrating phase.

- Lexi told me she wanted to move again the other day. The last time she said this was because she wanted all of us except Abby to move because Abby was getting on her nerves that day. This time the rationale is that she wants her room to be pink (instead of the deep lilac it is now) and she wants posters on her walls. So we're supposed to relocate for that? I guess we'll be painting this summer.

- Found out that our old neighbors are moving back into the house they've been renting to a really nice family. I couldn't be more underwhelmed. This neighbor has been known in the past to cause a lot of drama and I've been enjoying the peace and quiet while she's been gone.

- I can't wait for this semester to be over. I'm taking classes I really don't enjoy which has just been making the semester seem drawn out.

Fugitive!!!!

2008-03-27T21:49:00.002-04:00

Tuesday I put Abby down for a nap in the afternoon. She was screaming and carrying on, but I insisted on allowing her to "scream it out" because if she didn't take a nap, she would have been cranky for the sitter who would be watching her while I attended Lexi's dance class. After about 20 minutes, she got quiet so I thought she had gone to sleep. I proceeded to play a little Guitar Hero when all of a sudden Abby was standing at the baby gate. She had climbed out of her crib and came downstairs and had taken a spot as an audience member with her binky in her mouth and a blanket slung over her shoulder. I knew that things had just drastically changed.

Well tonight, I went to put her to bed and she immediately climbed out of the crib. This was not going to go well. I then recalled some sound advice from Super Nanny about getting difficult children to bed. Her "Going to Bed" technique goes like this,
* The first time he gets up, remind him that it’s bedtime, lead him back to
bed, give him a kiss and a cuddle, and leave the bedroom.

* The second time, do the same but use a firmer voice and make the kiss and
cuddle brief.

* The third and any subsequent times, say nothing at all as you lead him
back to bed, tuck him in, and leave the room. This is the hard part, and
it’s very tempting to give a cuddle. Remember that a gentle, consistent
approach will convince your child that you’re there for him, but that you
insist he sleep in his own bed.

I used this technique. I stood guard outside her door and for twenty minutes I felt like I belonged on the Super Nanny show. I followed the technique to the letter and after 20 minutes and over 20 times returning her to her bed, she finally gave up and went to bed. I felt quite accomplished because I have watched some episodes that it took the parents over two hours to get their unruly children in bed.

The funny part was that she seriously tried to outsmart me through all of this. I would be standing outside the door and hear her climb out of the crib. She'd tiptoe to the door and open it. When she saw me she'd try to make a run for it, but I'd scoop her up and return her to bed. I gotta tell ya...it was very hard to stick my ground when she looked so cute with her binky in her mouth and a blankie tossed over her shoulder. There were times when she'd open the door and (as I reached down to scoop her up) she'd make a run for it to a corner of her room as if she was going to find some escape within the confines of her room. Perhaps the funniest instance was the very last one. I stood outside of her door rather exasperated and wondering how long this was going to last when I heard her lower herself out of the crib for what seemed like the hundredth time. She tiptoed over to the door and when it opened she had the blankie over her head. I guess she thought that I wouldn't be smart enough to figure out that she was under the blankie. I returned her (with the blankie still over her head) to her bed and the was the last I heard from her.

Times are changin' as we move onto another phase of the unknown with this munchkin.

Our Little Chicks

2008-03-27T21:36:00.003-04:00

Easter was a good day. The girls woke up about 8ish which was a nice break. They opened their baskets from the Easter Bunny. He left one with princess dress up stuff for Abby and one with Strawberry Shortcake sports equipment for Lexi. They were both excited. It was then time to hunt eggs. Poor Abby didn't have a chance in the world. Last year she got the first egg but this year Lexi was a mad woman. I didn't even get any pictures of Lexi hunting because she was just going way too fast. Anyway, here are some shots of Abby.

Later that afternoon, the girls played in the backyard. They were having a blast, but I had to research class options for Summer Registration. All of a sudden, Stefan opened the back door and told me I had to come out and see something. A bit frustrated because he broke my concentration I got up to look and found Lexi's Jeep up on the slide of the backyard climber. Apparently, the wild woman drove it right up the slide with Abby in the passenger seat. By the time Stefan knew what happened, he saw Abby tumbling off the back. Here are some pics of the scene of the accident. Good thing Uncle Chris wasn't here to write Lexi a ticket!

Lexi's First Soccer Game, Dying Easter Eggs, and Sami's Birthday Party

2008-03-27T21:14:00.003-04:00

Lexi's first soccer game finally took place last Saturday. I say 'finally' because this was supposed to be the third game of the season but the first two were postponed because of weather. Anyway, the game was memorable but not for the obvious reasons. First of all, it was at 8 a.m. Who the heck schedules a 6 year old soccer game at 8 a.m.? Whoever it is, they obviously don't have a 6 year old. Secondly, it was COLD and that was magnified by the fact that the field she was playing on was in the shade (which made it only colder) and I thought that it would be warmer, so I totally underdressed her. Finally, Lexi started the game and when she caught a glimpse of a whole other team on the field, she flipped out and pulled herself out of the game never to return. She claimed the main reason was that she was cold but later admitted that she was nervous because she didn't know the other team. Go figure.

After the game, Abby took a nap while we dyed some Easter eggs. Lexi had a great time, and we made an egg with Abby's name on it so she didn't feel too left out.

Once Abby awoke from her beauty rest, we hightailed out to Cumming to Sami's birthday party. Man, does Angie know how to lay out a spread of food! Unfortunately, half the people that said they'd be there did not show up, but that left more for the rest of us. Anyway, we sang some karaoke which Abby decided she was into.

She finally decided to share the mic with the birthday girl, Sami.

Move over Hannah Montana, here comes Abby!

After karaoke, Angie had the kids hunt some Easter eggs in the backyard. Unfortunately, she didn't chose the hider very carefully as she left it up to her mischievous older boys and they were entirely too creative for the likes of 4 year olds (which was the average of the ages of the kids hunting). I think the kids found half of the eggs before the older boys had to show them where the rest were. At any rate, they had fun and that's what counts.

After the egg hunt, Abby started fussing. Her schedule was way off and it was showing. She didn't want anything to do with me. She didn't want anything to do with Daddy. She did, however, decide that Sam was pretty cool and befriended him.

Finally it was cake and presents time. If you ask Abby it couldn't have come quicker. She perked right up at the thought of sweet, homemade cake. However, once the cake was gone so were her smiles so we had to dodge on out of there before the meltdown.

When we got home, we gave the girls a bath and sent them off to bed. Once they were down, Stefan's energy collapsed and he went to bed too. I gave up about an hour and a half later. I think we were all in bed by 9:30 that night...and boy did we need it!

Lexism of the week

2008-03-16T21:13:00.004-04:00

Lexi has the idea that you are as tall in feet as you are old in years. So, she thinks that since she is 6 years old, she is 6 feet tall.

So, with that in mind...

Lexi and Abby stayed at my parents' house last night. After they picked the girls up, they decided to go to Lexi's favorite pizza buffet, Stevie B's. While there, Lexi blurted out that Nana (Stefan's mom) is the biggest in the family. Taken a bit off guard, my mom asked why Lexi would say that. Lexi then told her that she is so big that not all 60 candles (Nana just turned 60 in January) would not fit on her cake (the one on the card that Lexi handmade).

The irony?

My dad is 63 and my mom is 62. Go figure. Selective memory I suppose.

CORRECTION: My dad sent this to me via email last night.
"Your blog would not let me comment.

I [am] 64 and mom is 63!!

DAD"

Most wouldn't mind some shaving off of their years, but apparently this ruffled Dad's feathers.

No Freaking Way!

2008-03-05T23:32:00.002-05:00

I am using my Spring Break wisely and taking the time to get ahead on schoolwork and...::gulp:: planning Abby's 2nd birthday party. I decided to go with a JoJo's Circus theme. This is so fitting since she loves the show. In fact, today she said "JoJo" for the first time. It wasn't a fluke either because she continued to say it whenever she saw JoJo. It's too cute. It also makes me excited because this Halloween she'll be able to repeat the JoJo costume Lexi wore a few years ago. I thought it would be a fight to get Abby to agree, but now I think she'll be excited.

All this talk, yet I am still in denial that my baby girl is turning 2. It seems so cliche when people say that they grow up so fast and I used to roll my eyes when I'd hear it...BUT it is so true!

I Do NOT Like Them. Sam I Am.

2008-03-05T20:48:00.003-05:00

This week in Lexi's kindergarten class, they celebrated Dr. Suess' birthday. Since they've been studying sequencing events, the teachers thought a lesson in making green eggs and ham was in order. They gave the kids squares with recipe instructions on them and, as the teacher prepared the dish, the kids had to put the recipe in sequence. Very cool!

Anyway, Lexi came home with her recipe and asked if I could make green eggs and ham. I said sure although the thought of it made me sense vomit in the back of my throat. Well, tonight was the night and that's what she and Abby had for dinner.

Of course I had some help making them... (the recipe is on the red paper and Lexi checked off ever step as I did it to make sure I did it correctly)

Lexi mixes the eggs.

Sizzle, sizzle.

Ready to eat

The girls really loved it!

My thoughts on it? Gross!

Mom of the Year...Well, at least to a six year old.

2008-03-03T21:17:00.003-05:00

I said in this post that Lexi wanted to be #5 in soccer because she was 5 at the time. Well her new season began last week with practices on Monday. Shirts were handed out tonight during practice and I was able to snatch #6 for her keeping the previous rationale in mind. When practice was over I told Lexi I got her jersey and she asked if I got #6. I became the best mom in the world when I was able to answer that yes, I did in fact get #6. At least that's something I can do right.

On the unfortunate side, I got her game schedule and her games are all at 8 or 9:10 in the morning. With this being Stefan's busy season at work and him not getting home until 4:45 am, I doubt he'll make it to any games. This is sad.

Abbyism of the Week

2008-03-03T20:47:00.002-05:00

I always suspected that one day Abby would have a run in with the law, but I didn't think it would happen this soon.

Today, I was killing a few minutes before I had to get Lexi ready for soccer. Lexi was in her room watching TV and Abby and I laid on the bed relaxing to a little Oprah. She was fiddling with the remote...or so I thought. Apparently it was the phone because I started to hear "Hello? Hello?" I reached over and took the phone from her. Confused, I responded to the voice on the other line. "Hello?" I asked. "This is 911, can I help you?" I was mortified! I explained that the baby had dialed the phone and apologized profusely. The dispatcher asked if everything was okay and I assured her it was. Nonetheless, a few minutes later a very serious, very inquisitive officer showed up asking if everything was okay. Again, I assured him everything was fine. He looked over my shoulder into the house and then stared into my eyes and asked, "Are you sure?" A light bulb went off and I realized that he thought I might have been in a hostage-type situation. Again, I assured him everything was fine and apologized about nine more times.

Kids!!!!

Lexism of the Week

2008-03-03T20:42:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I was driving with Lexi in the car and we had a conversation that went like this,

Lexi: D-I-C-K

Me: Excuse me?

Lexi: Is that how you spell Dick, Mommy?

Me: Yes, but why are you spelling that? Use it in a sentence.

Lexi: I like Dick...

Me: silence.

Lexi: ...and I like Jane.

Me: Oh!!! Yes, Lexi, that's how you spell Dick.

She was talking about her Dick and Jane primer books, but since she hasn't been reading those lately, the initial part of this conversation frightened me a bit.

Am I Seeing Double?

2008-03-03T20:32:00.002-05:00

Abby's a little pretender. Actually, let me restate that. Abby loves to mimic others. I have my keys on a lanyard that I wear around my neck when running errands. It definitely makes it easier when you're wrestling two kids in car seats and whatever bags of goodies you're trying to manage. At least with them around my neck, I don't have to dig for them in the bottom of my purse or worry about dropping them somewhere. Whenever she gets the opportunity to hijack my keys she tosses them around her neck and struts around the house pointing her finger at the dogs and telling them to "go, go, go" which they respond to by going in their crates. Then she'll wave and act like she's walking out the door.

Since Lexi started kindergarten, Abby was been keenly aware of the routine in the morning. We get up, have breakfast, watch some TV while I do Lexi's hair, then Lexi puts on her coat and backpack, and we go to the bus stop. The other day after school, Abby stole the opportunity to dress herself in Lexi's coat and boots. She then brought me Lexi's backpack which I put on her back but she fell over under the weight. She was satisfied with the coat and boots and was thrilled when I started calling her Lexi.

Here are some pictures.

Lexi's First Publication

2008-02-27T18:53:00.003-05:00

Lexi's teacher sent home a packet for The Reading Rainbow Young Writers and Illustrators Contest. Her teacher thought that this was something that Lexi would enjoy and she was right! When I sat Lexi down to write her story, I opened up her writing tablet and noticed she had already written a 3 page story so we decided to use that. Invented spelling is admissible, so I did very little correcting. The following is her submission. Sorry for the poor quality. I took pictures of the pages.

"The Two Princesses
Written and illustrated by Lexi Ann Lewitt"

"Once apon a time, there was a dragon. He lived outside of a tawer and he blowed fire."

"The tawer belonged to a king and a queen and princesse's."

"But there was a wicked witch nearby. The witch was trying to catch the princesses." The princesses in the picture are screaming, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"

"The witch put the princesses in the dungeon. The princesses stuck now."

"The wich is gone catch the king and the queen too. The princesses tryed to get out...but the witch came bak." The witch in the illustration is saying, "Oh queen Oh king Where are you?"

"The witch put the king and the queen in with the princesses. They are trapped naw."

"Then the princesses' fairy godmother came to the rescue."

"But then princes came to marry the princesses and they lived happly ever after."

Here's a shot of her working diligently on the piece.