An afternoon in the sand box

Last Thursday, our Little Bit fell in LOVE with playing in the sand box. She was so precious and kept going up to the "big" kids and saying, "Hi!" She is our friendly little girl!

 

 

 

I love these two!

Blair (17 1/2 months) and Travis

A difficult decision

“The time has come,” the Walrus said.

A couple of months ago, I mentioned that a “family issue” was occupying much of time / thoughts. In two weeks, my Dad will be hopping on a flight to head to the Middle East. He has accepted a job working another oil company (different from the one he works for now). My mother will be allowed to join him shortly after Christmas. I don't know exactly how long they will be living overseas - but suffice it to say, the better part of a decade (which is 'years' too long!).

 As you may (or may not) know, I am very close to my family and this has come somewhat out of the blue. Even after having some time to really process and think about it all, it is still shocking. It is weird to think that my parents won’t be 5 mins away – and won’t be around for holidays and special occasions. I will see them only once, maybe twice a year, instead of on a regular / weekly basis.

I know that this was a really difficult decision for my parents – and I know that they didn’t make this decision lightly… but it has been made and it is happening.

I am sad that they will miss getting to watch Blair grow-up in person. I am sad that I won’t get to do my lunch dates with my Dad – or be able to call my Mom on my way home from work (like I still do every day!). I am terribly close to both of them and will miss them more than I could ever write on this blog.

This does mean that I will have to be more diligent on blogging, so they can check- in and know what is going on with Miss B. It’s funny, when I originally started this blog; it was for family and friends that lived out of town. I never imagined that it would be a tool used to keep my parents and I in touch.

I am so grateful for this opportunity for them and the new adventure they will soon embark on. Once again… life as Expats. After being back “State-side” for the last 17 – 18 years, I think they will fall right into place. Plus, they’ll always be close for when we want to do some serious traveling. Hmmm, I don’t know – maybe a trip back to Muscat? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

Lately... (August Recap!)

Worst blogger ever? I will take that title for the month of August…

We spent the holiday weekend relaxing and playing. On Saturday, we went to Gymboree, had lunch with Uncle Chris, came home & napped, then headed to Gammy and GranDad’s house to grill out. Bug is so funny, every time she gets to their house, she takes off and finds all of her toys and gets into everything! She loves to play with the huge exercise ball in their gym and go up and down the stairs. Then back up – and down. And Blair loves to swing (what child doesn’t?). She is a spoiled little thing, but no one can help it. I probably spoil her worst – but I can’t help it. She’s my love bug!

On Sunday, we headed to Mimi and Pop’s house to swim. Travis had another bad headache, so I left him home to rest. We had lots of fun swimming and enjoying the last official weekend of the summer. Of course, Blair was busy in the pool, then out of the pool, in the pool, then out. Repeat. Ah, to have the energy of a toddler.

On Monday, we got up and made a big family breakfast together (and Miss Pea Pot didn’t touch a lick of it!) and did some “Fall” cleaning. It was time to box up the adorable 24 months and 2T clothes. Tear. And all of her itty bitty bows and headbands.

We broke down and gave Blair the pretend kitchen that sweet Reagan and Peyton gave to B. We were intending to save it for Christmas, but after we saw how much fun she had with the one that Gammy and GranDad got for her – we couldn’t resist. Besides, it was time to do a major overhaul in the playroom. I cleaned out about 3 garbage bags full of baby toys (cleaned out as in “saved”) which gave Little Miss more room to play. She woke up from her nap with a newly arranged play room and the awesome new kitchen. Lucky girl!

Lately…

Blair’s eating has been sub-par. Oh the frustrations of feeding a picky toddler! We have been introducing dipping sauces (ketchup or ranch) with some of her dinner with the hopes that it would entice her to eat better / more. No such luck. We are also offering all meals on a plate (either those super cute zoo ones from HEB or one of her washable plates) and either a spoon or fork to hold / eat with / rub in her hair. The last one was a joke, but we are trying everything to increase her interest in food. Luckily she still drinks milk and yogurt like a champ, so I haven’t seen a decrease in her weight. You can count on her to eat cheese, mini club crackers and Craisins. Everything else depends on the day / her mood.

Lately, bedtime is definitely more of a chore. Travis has been putting my sweet girl to bed because she does better with him. I guess that makes me the softy. Bed “time” is a bit of an open door in that the time depends on Blair. If we can tell she is tired (like on Mondays after a long day back at school), then she goes down after bath time. Sometimes she does better and stays up a little later (7 or 7:30pm). It is so nice when she actually stays up “late.” It allows me more time with the Bug – and that is always a good thing.

Although putting Blair down is difficult, she has been sleeping really well! She even slept to 8:30am on Sunday and Monday mornings! Yay!!!!

Blair has been continuing to pick-up more and more words and increasing her vocabulary. Long syllable words are still a bit of a challenge – but she is doing so well. She loves to sing (A,B,Cs, Row, Row, Row your Boat, and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star) songs and I have recently introduced her to “Ring around the Rosies.” I forget how much more fun it is as a child. She absolutely loves it and is still working on the concept that more than two people can play.

Some of B’s favorite things are : playing with her basketball hoop, being carried by Mommy, helping with chores (she loves having a sense of purpose), reading, playing with her babies, being very silly, going bye-bye, running at full speed, her new sparkly shoes, and bows. She may not keep them in for more than 20 mins, but she likes to pick them out. Sometimes, she also picks out her clothes. Looks like I have a little diva in the making.

Tantrums. Hmmm…. I will say we haven’t had any tantrums in recent memory – though I can hardly remember what I had for dinner last night. Miss Priss definitely likes to do things her way – and watch out! Only if she comes to you and says “hep” are you allowed to help her. Something I have really noticed in the past couple of weeks – is her unwillingness to share her Momma. If Zoey even talks to me, she gets upset and frustrated and starts to fuss at me like, “why is she talking to you? Make her stop talking to you!” Poor child is in for a rude awakening when Baby #2 comes along (not anytime in the next 9 months ;))! I better start working on this now. On the upside, I have been obsessively “pinning” on Pinterest, and found some great articles and tips for raising a willful child, an article for raising a stubborn child, and another one for effective disciplines. LOL. I am obsessed with the site and now think I need to quit my job in order to make, do and become all of the things that I love. Ha.

 Looking forward to fall…

I am so excited about Fall! I never really cared about this forgotten season – despite my love for football. About 2 years ago, I just became obsessed with it. The colors, the weather, the impending celebrations and traditions. It has become my favorite season, edging out Summer and Spring. Our Fall season starts around mid-September with our first cool spell usually in early October, then continues through the end of November or early December. I am so excited for the cooler weather and actually getting to play outside and go on walks! I have our Fall bucket list all prepared and plan to start scratching some items off soon. J

Here are some pictures from the past few weeks!

 

 

Jumping in rain puddles (now crossed off our summer bucket list).

And of course, she has a book in hand.

 

Daddy scooping up Blair in the rain.

 

 



 

Summer Sensory - Cornmeal

 

 

Talking on her phone.

Looking like her Momma in this sweet picture ♥

More sideways pictures...

 

Love this face!

 

 



Blair's hair is getting curly!

 

 



 

Playing at one of those inflatable places. Bug was in hog heaven! :)

 



Zoey liked it too!!

 

 

 

This is the face I got when I asked her to smile.

 

 

Feeding her baby... so sweet!

 

 



Pushing Chica in her new stroller

 

 



Wearing one of my bracelets.....

 

"No more monkeys jumping on the bed!"

 

Wearing her GranDaddy's hat. Love this serious face!



 

My Love - 17 months

Today.

Precious Moments

Those that know me best, know that I have always wanted to be a mother. It is in my blood. I have three younger brothers that I grew up very protective over. I still am. :)

Being a mother is hard. Harder than I ever imagined, but despite that, it is filled with such sweet, precious moments that make the memories of the hard times completely disappear.

On Sunday night, Blair woke up around 11:30pm, crying and upset. I went into her room, scooped her up and rocked with her trying to calm her down and get her back into a restful sleep. At one point, she popped her head up from my chest and leaned in to kiss me on the lips. She then looked at me with her big, sweet eyes and grabbed my face with both of her hands, sweetly kissing me again. It was so sweet and it completely melted my heart. How wonderful it is to be loved by her!! I am thankful for every second I can spend with my daughter, even if it's in the late hours of the night.

16 months - and cuter than ever!

I cannot believe it.. my baby is 16 months old and is growing up. I will tell you that this sweet baby girl is growing up to be slightly stubborn, incredibly smart and undeniably sweet. I like to think she is a great mix between Trav and I, even if she looks more like Daddy right now.

Our Love Bug is just that – she loves on everything and everyone. She loves to show her affection by giving kisses (MAH!). Even her chicken nuggets get a kiss. It is so, so touching to see her gentle spirit love on the things / people she loves.

Blair has been enjoying (matching) puzzles and reading. I can honestly say that she spends the majority of her play time playing with puzzles and reading books. Trav has found these really great board / flap books that are Bug's favorite. She has quickly learned many of the animals (and their sounds), and can identify a few colors and shapes. It is so much to watch her learn new things.

As far as eating goes - well, let's just say, that she is a toddler. Lots of snacking and picking at food. She still drives a finger through anything new that she has decided not to try or like. She is on a chicken nugget kick. That is her "go to" food and our safety net. She still likes bananas and eats various fruit like strawberries, blueberries, mandarins, apples, and grapes. On occasion I can get her to eat peas, but she refuses to eat carrots. We have moved on from the spoon fed yogurt, and Blair now drinks yogurt (I will take it). This was especially helpful when she was sick since the cold yogurt seemed to soothe her irritated throat. We have had a huge success with frozen mini pancakes! They are super easy to take to school for breakfast and they are her favorite. I am very thankful that she continues to drink milk like a champ. I strongly credit her milk and yogurt intake to keeping her weight on (whilst being sick).

Blair is doing well at school. Even after being out of school for 2+ weeks, she fell right back into her schedule like she had not missed a beat. They have recently begun providing lunches at school (which saves me quite a bit of time and money) and I think she is doing alright with the change. I am not 100% convinced that she eats as much as they say she does, but hope that the exposure and peer pressure will help her to try (and like!) new things.

My little girly-girl... ahhh, I have to say, I am so proud. She is getting much better about wearing bows and barrettes in her hear, loves herself some necklaces and bracelets, and will occasionally decide what she wants to wear. SO fabulous! She loves to watch me put on make-up and today (for the first time), wanted to brush my hair. LOVE.

Our little dancing machine likes to bounce and spin  to music. And she loves to help us sing! For a little person that is working hard to say and pronounce words, she does a great job. I bought her a fingerplay CD and booklet so we can practice songs. I think her enjoyment of fingerplays might stem from her sign language usage / knowledge.

We are still doing Gymboree - though it feels like we hardly go! We can't take her when she is sick (obviously) and sometimes our other plans get in the way, but we still really enjoy the class! Bug usually marches to the beat of her own drum and is happiest when she has a ball in at least one hand. She reminds me of her Uncle Conner. That kid always had a ball in his hand - and was / is the most athletic in our family.

We had a busy day visiting and catching up with some of our friends. Even though we don't see our friends every day - or even if it is once a year, it is nice that when we do meet up, we pick up right where we left off. No judging and keeping score - just genuine friendships.

Here are some pictures of Blair (and me) that we took today. Thrilled about that date stamp. Except the opposite. Oh well.

In the "words" of my love bug, "MAH!"

What a week!

Whew… after a week like last week – I am happy that one is over! On the list of less than desirable incidents: a new alternator in my car, a “friend” blow-out, a sick baby girl, and a personal family issue (to be discussed at a later time) that has taken front and center in my mind.

Of all of these things we suffered through last week, here is what I have learned (or some lessons that were reinforced):

Always buy the extended warranty for your car.

Sometimes you grow out of friendships.

Your family will always be there for you.

Sounds like a week, huh? I would love nothing more than to blog about the hardships we go through (on what seems to be a week to week basis), but that is not why (most) of you read this blog. You read it to know what is going on in Little Miss Blair’s life and what we are up to. I spare you the details of some of our most grueling challenges not because our life is PERFECT – but because I try not to be Debbie Downer. J

In all that transpired last week, I was comforted by two signs from God – on the very day that I needed them. The first, a poignant passage:

“Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’ ” 

 (1 Corinthians 15:33, NKJV)

The second, an email from an old friend that I had not corresponded with in over 6  months. She provided me with the reassurance that I needed in the decision I had been forced to make.

Relief!

In FUN news, we celebrated my Dad's birthday this week! Bug was with Gammy and GranDad so T and I could celebrate with a few margaritas! Happy, happy birthday to my wonderful Daddy!

Due to recent events, I have decided to lock my blog so that it is no longer public. If you would like to be added to the readers list, you can contact me at Awright@cronsutec.com and I will add your email to the group.

Hoping for a better week!

Update : HFM

On Friday, I took Blair back to Dr. Kavin's office. This appointment was her 15 month well baby check-up - plus I wanted Dr. Kavin to see how Blair recovering from the HFM. Here are Miss Blair's 15 month stats:

Weight - 26.6 pounds (91%)

Height - 32 inches (88%)

Head Circumference - I cannot remember the measurement, but it was in the 78% percentile.

So she is doing great and is developing just as she should be! She bounced around the whole exam room, playing, chatting, pointing, and reading. My little ball of energy showed Dr. Kavin just how well she was feeling. Her rash is mostly gone, with the exception of the patch around her wrist. Dr. Kavin prescribed some cortisone cream to see if that might help. xXFingersCrossedXx

Gammy and GranDad spent Friday night with Buggie so T and I could get some rest from a LONG week. It is always strange not to hear the monitor on with the lullabies playing! :)  We managed, and slept like babies!

This morning, Trav picked up Blair while I was in a photography workshop. After a 2 hour nap (for B), we headed to Reliant Stadium to see the circus! The rain somehow managed to stop (it has rained all week!) long enough to be very, very hot and humid. Ugh. Too bad they don't valet (& they could charge a steep price) at these kinds of things.

We had great seats, but our section was packed. We had the last two seats on the aisle and we had to get up constantly. We scoped out a higher section in a different area of the stadium where no one was sitting so Blair could walk through the rows between T and I bridging it off. She was happy with the freedom and we were glad to be able to actually spread out. Bug loved bopping and dancing to the music and watching the elephants and horses. She was making the cutest faces and having a blast. When she had had enough, we purchased a bag of cotton candy and headed out. Today was Blair's first experience with cotton candy. I worried about the car ride home - but she did great. And she loved the cotton candy, just like her Momma.

So big day for my little B. I had her decked out in a super cute Gymboree outfit with a matching necklace. She thought she was hot stuff! It was adorable.

These are the pictures I took when we got to the empty rows. I should've taken more but Blair was keeping us busy... we decided to not bring the stroller (because we didn't see a single other one there in hundreds and hundreds of people), plus having to get up so people could get food or use the bathroom - I am beat. Don't forget the walk back to the very hot car in 94 degree heat with 90%+ humidity. Hoooooot.

How many clowns does it take to fix a lightbulb? That's the skit and lost Blair's attention fast!





So big with her big girl necklace. Excuse me while I dry my tears with a tissue.

Just when things were settling down...

***This post is from Monday, July 9th***
Last Tuesday, the daycare called me to tell me that they found some blisters on Blair's left wrist. They were tiny and from the picture, you could hardly see them! Travis and I watched them over the rest of the week. When Blair got home from Gammy and GranDad's on Saturday, the blisters - or bumps looked worse. The little blisters were now like a patch on her wrist and on Sunday night, I decided that we'd be making a little trip to Dr. Kavin's. By the time we got to the doctor's office, her legs were completely broken out in these welts / red bumps. They almost looked like bites - which is really weird that they literally came out of nowhere.

 Well, my gut was right... she has another viral infection that he thinks is hand, foot and mouth. Ugh. She has the blisters in her throat which are symptomatic with the HFM. Poor little Bug. This time, the virus started in a different way - so we didn't know what the blisters were. So, Little Miss is out of school this week. Thank goodness for sister-in-laws and Moms.

Despite this virus, we had a blast this weekend. Roslyn picked Blair up from school on Friday after nap and had a fun sleepover with her grandparents. T and I decided to do a sushi date night, and then relax at home. On Saturday, we had our new fridge delivered! The fridge we had was from Travis' Mom and it was 15+ years old! It was definitely time for a new one and oh, how exciting! A working ice maker and water dispenser…. Oh how I have missed you so! It is huge and I am in love. Ha!

Once Love Bug got home on Saturday, we played and played and played here at home. Blair is so funny and I just love her personality! She is big into the “uh-oh” stage and stays it about everything. Sometimes she will say it, then throw something on the ground. Uh-oh indeed. But we are working on it. Sunday we all caught up on some sleep and since it was a rainy day – we spent the day playing inside (which means playing in the playroom for a few mins, then running into the living room and playing there for a few mins).

Travis and I crack up when Blair runs. It is this uncoordinated sequence of steps and squeals as she tears down the hall. I feel like she is always milliseconds from falling – but somehow manages not to trip or crash (whew!). And my baby loves shoes. So far she has not gotten into the habit of taking them off – but she sure likes them on. It is probably because they are silver and sparkly. J

Last night, while rocking Blair to bed, I told her we would read Goodnight Moon one more time, then we would put the book down and rock in the chair with Mommy to go night-night. She looked at the book, dropped it over the side of the chair (like we always do – and SHE has to be the one to drop it) onto the floor, turned around in my lap and laid her head on my shoulder. First of all, it was all incredibly sweet – especially when I knew that she wasn’t feeling good. But secondly, it was this huge light bulb that turned on. She understood everything, including the order in which it was said, and did exactly as I had asked. That was my “Ah-ha!” moment in testing boundaries.

That is all she does these days, test boundaries. Amazing how little ones can know this and exercise it so well. It also amazes me how she knows when to bat those little eye lashes and turn on the big puppy dog eyes when she wants to stay awake and not go to bed. She just knows how to turn me into mush.

Reading – can we just talk about this for a minute? Home girl LOVES to read. They are not always story books. Lately she has been obsessed with these flap books of animals and common words – she could look at it all day. My favorite thing is to look up and she is “backing into” your lap to sit down with a giant book in her hands. My baby loves to read. And point. And count. We do a lot of that.

 “MAH!” That is the newest sound that B makes and it is when is giving kisses. It is sooooo cute. She loves to kiss T and I, Raleigh and Kingsley and her babies. I love the sound and cannot get enough. Speaking of babies, my daughter has quite the motherly instinct. She carries around this life-like baby that drinks from a bottle. She loves to feed her bottle and pats her back when she is putting her to sleep. Makes my heart melt!

So Baby Girl is obsessed with this "Dream Lites" commercial that shows non-stop on the Sprout channel. The second she hears the little jingle come on, she is running to the t.v. and excitedly watches. The whole thing.



Getting pumped about the Dream Lites.

Love this sweet face!

New art for the playroom (made by Trav and I)

Sharing tea with Daddy

Little Bug is always recovering from little bumps and bruises from tumbles! She is a tough chick!

Love this precious Elmo Airplane ride-on. The seat lifts up so she can put her "stuff" inside and the propeller actually spins. Fun!

Feeding her baby

Our new fridge! Yay!