Celebrate!

After a couple rounds of some not so good news earlier in the week, we had some great news yesterday, Rick has just accepted a new job within his company. :) It's more technical then what he's been doing the past few years, which was technical, but the more technically challenged he is, the happier he is. I'm so happy for him - he loves to be challenged and solve complicated problems, and it sounds like he'll be getting to do a lot of both. CONGRATS!!!

A little more new baby sweetness...

We had a visit from baby Ryann tonight before she headed home to northern Arizona. Rick was thrilled of course - if anyone knows my husband, they know that he's a sucker for babies, especially sweet baby girls. He will sit and hold them for hours on end, which is good, because it's the only way his own sweet baby girl would sleep for the first four months of her life. :) She woke up long enough to drink a few drinks from her bottle, then was immediately back asleep. Ah those first few quiet sleepy days... Anyways, just had to share a few more pics of her... she's so darling!

Itty Bitty Baby Girl!

My best friend from high school just gave birth to her first child. Little baby Ryann arrived last night around 10:30 pm. While the pregnancy had a lot of complications, the delivery went about as easy as one can go. Ryann is BEAUTIFUL - just perfect. Her Mom and Dad are so happy to have her join their lives. My friend has gone through a lot of ups and downs in life to get to this day, and I'm so happy she's finally made it here.

Bella was very excited to visit her - my friend was at our house on Saturday (in early labor - she didn't think she was, but she clearly was LOL) and we kept telling Bella how in a few days the baby would be here, and not in Aunt Bobbie's belly. Not sure she was buying it. Bella was also excited to get to go to the hospital where she herself was born. It's her first time visiting anyone in a hospital, and she did great - I just had to keep reminding her that it's kind of like a library - keep it quiet. Here are a few pics of not even one day old Ryann...

Wrap up the week...

Week two of school is almost done and it's gone great. I'm beyond thrilled with how well things have been going for Bella at school. She started speech therapy yesterday and she even liked that, so it's just all around positives. Well, she is a bit tired (and grumpy) but morning doses of Zyrtec are probably somewhat at fault for that this week. My poor allergy ridden child.

Okay, something light and fun for Friday. There are those same "get to know you" survey's that go around that recycle the same questions, but my pal Lisa had one that was a bit more unique, so I played along...

Where is the person you gave your heart to for the first time?
In the cardiac lab? AZ Heart Institute? Oh, you don’t mean literally?

Are you waiting for something?
Another Marc Jacobs bag. Mind you I have not ordered it, just hoping the UPS guy randomly shows up with one. I'm crazy like that.

What were you doing at ten last nite?
SLEEPING!!! Called it a night early. Exciting life I lead…

Can you handle the truth?
Not from Tom Cruise.

Have you ever thought about converting your religion?
Well I’ve heard they have some openings up in Colorado City…

What was the last thing you drank?
Truthfully – Diet Coke. In my dreams – super salty margarita…

Who was the last person you hugged?
Rick. Or Bella. Or the UPS man for bringing me new handbags.

Did you have a dream last night?
While I know that I did, I have no recall of any.

How many piercings do you have?.
Two or four, not sure if the second set in my ears have closed up.

If you could have something right now, what would it be?
Would it be wrong to once again use Marc Jacobs in my answer?

Have you ever had a panic attack?
LOL, others probably think so. Per medical criteria – no. I’ve probably caused a few…

What can't you wait for?
Maybe this survey has a hidden handbag agenda. A sap green or berry Sophia bag. :) Oh wait, I have another non-handbag related answer. FALL!

Have your parents ever smoked pot?
I say no way, but Rick decided to ruin my idealistic views and tell me otherwise.

Want someone back in your life?
Well you'd have to tell me who they are before I'll answer that one.

Are you good at giving directions?
Yes, but I live on a grid system, so does it REALLY count?

Last time you cried really really hard?
I’m not a crier. The last time I remember crying hard was at my grandma’s funeral.

Ever licked someone's cheek?
No. Why? Is there a point to cheek licking? Is there salt and tequila?

What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter?
A bagel. Oh screw that, chocolate.

What body part(s) do you wash first in the shower?
Hair.

Do you prefer hot or cold weather?
COLD. COLD. COLD. Did I mention COLD? Why do I live in Arizona???

Could you go out in public looking like you do now?
I did (if going for a walk counts as “public”)

If you could go any place in the world where would you go?
England/Ireland/Scotland.

Have you ever made someone so mad that they broke something?
Has anyone met my husband? LOL.

What is your favorite color?
Pink. Pink. And more Pink.

If you could go back in time, how far back would you go?
Age 17. To relive the good times, and deal with some things with more wisdom.

How do you feel when someone kisses you on the forehead?
Well depends, I mean if it’s some random person in the park then the answer would be assaulted…

Do you think your last ex deserves to die?
LOL, no, not anymore. And I got rid of the voodoo doll as well.

Are you dating the last person you kissed on the lips?
Rick really gets pissy about me dating these days...

Have you ever broken someone's heart?
I guess so. But he broke mine first. (That's Lisa’s answer, I like to live green and recycle, so I'm going to leave it as it is)

Has anyone ever told you they want to spend the rest of their life with you?
Yes, but I think it might be as punishment…

Will your next kiss be a mistake?
HUH?

When was the last time you saw your grandpa?
Probably two months ago. Should see him tomorrow night at a family get together.

Do you know anyone with cancer?
Yes

Who was the last person you talked to in person?
Bella.

Do you think you can last in a relationship for 3 months?
I’m really hoping. Wait, this has been a REALLY long 2. 5 months then…

Have you lost friends in the past 3 years?
Yes, I keep misplacing them and those lost and found booths are just worthless.

Have you ever talked to someone when they were high?
Yep. They are fun to laugh at.

Do you talk about your feelings or hide them?
I didn’t get a degree in counseling to talk about MY feelings, now did I?

Have you ever been out past curfew?
Somehow no, I ALWAYS was home in time for curfew. Now I'm in bed by 10pm, so the curfew's not much of an issue...

Are you happy?
Yes, now do I have to clap my hands?

Has anyone got on your nerves lately?
My nerves are very easily gotten upon.

Do you bite your fingernails?
No, pick at them yes, but bite, no.

What are you seriously wearing?
T-shirt and capris. Though I don't know how seriously I take the outfit.

Last night, did you go to sleep smiling?
I’m sure I did not. I’m told I sleep with a scowl. I think some botox will fix that right up though.

Where did you sleep last night?
In a nest in a tree at the park. Who the heck wrote this question?

Did you have a good day yesterday?
It was tolerable.

Do you currently have a hickey?
No. And for reference you cannot beat on a hickey with a frozen spoon to make it go away. You just get a big bruise. That was the last time I took advice from a blond cheerleader (we didn't have the internet back then to research such pressing issues).

Have you ever collapsed on the bathroom floor?
No, but probably only because I really don’t have a very spacious bathroom.

Are you afraid of falling in love?
No, I have pretty good balance.

Are you in a relationship?
Does stalking Marc Jacobs constitute a relationship?

What are you doing today?
Working on the railroad. All the live long day.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

School Lunches

A big topic of conversation this week (at least with other kindergarten moms) has been school lunches. Buy or bring? I never really considered buying for Bella. First, she's so picky that there's probably no lunch that would go over well with her, and second, I would worry that having to go stand in line and get a lunch would be a little intimidating for her, and take up what little lunch time she has.

So, since she is such a picky eater, and she's not a big breakfast eater, I worry about lunches for her. Heck I've been worrying about lunches for months before school started. I came across the concept of "Bento" - and thought what the heck, I'll give it a try, kind of like a homemade lunchable. I took one look at these photos and suspected that it would be something that would work well with Bella. She appreciates things that are cutesy, and I like the idea of her just having to open up one box and having all her food right there ready to go - no extra time spent opening things (some of which I've learned she can't open on her own, that at preschool the teachers would open things for her). Plus it makes it cheaper to not be buying snack size versions of things or going through a box of ziplocs a month.

Well it was a HUGE hit with her. I didn't do anything elaborate - simply pulled out a few cookie cutters to cut things like her cheese and turkey into flowers or hearts, added a little decorative picks from my baking stash, and used things like little silicone baking cups to hold stuff in. I put in a few "dessert" items, like mini-marshmallows, or mini-oreos, which is pretty exciting as she's never had anything like that packed in her lunch. She loved it. Every morning she's peeking in the kitchen to see what's being put in her lunchbox, because I keep it a secret, which she also seems to like. It's nice that she just puts the lid back on when she's done eating, and what didn't get eaten returns home, so I get to see what she did and did not eat, and adjust accordingly.

So school week two begins tomorrow. I'm hoping things continue to go smoothly. Bella should meet the speech therapist this week to begin therapy for her velopharyngeal inadequacy. It's something that may require surgery, but we want to give speech therapy at least a good six months to see if we can improve her articulation. I hate the idea of having her undergo surgery, and I hate the idea of doing it to change her voice even more, so I'm hoping that we can make some good progress via speech therapy. It's hard when people don't understand her, and I see how frustrated she get repeating things for people. We are starting to notice other kids picking up on it, and we don't want it to become something that she's made fun of for or feels insecure about. So fingers crossed that therapy can at least improve the situation. :)

Kindergarten Update

Well I'm happy to say that kindergarten is going VERY well. Honestly I could not think of anything that could improve how Bella's first week has been going. Being able to attend the first day with her was great - I think it made it easier for her to go into a new situation with mom at her side, and it makes it easier for me to know what her room is like, where she goes, how shes gets there and who's teaching her. We spent some time in her classroom, then went and visited all of her "specials" which are PE, Library, Music and Art. (Can I just say how shocking it is that my child has the same music teacher that my brother and I had growing up - seriously, what are the chances???).

Bella made two friends before we started school - "G" we met at a tour of the school, and then saw again the day of kindergarten assessments. "L" she met and played with at open house, but her mother and I had actually chatted online and had planned to get the girls together prior to school starting, but with both of us going on vacation it didn't work out. So anyway, before that first day she had two girls who she already felt comfortable with - and I think this made a HUGE difference. She was so excited to see them the first day (as they were to see her).

The first day of her flying solo was a nervous one for both of us. We arrived early so that I could walk her to the gate (vs the drop off lane) and she went in without much hesitation. However when I was pulling out, I could see her on the playground looking very lost and confused and sort of circling around like she didn't know what to do. Then I saw "G" walk up, and they grabbed hands, and even from my car I could see and feel that Bella was at ease once she found her friend.

Yesterday went well, we did our first drop off lane drop off, and it went smoothly, and after school we went on a playdate with "G". She's such a doll, and while certainly a quieter and more cautious personality then Bella is, Bella really likes her and they both were sad to leave each other when playtime was over. I was a bit worried how she'd do with school (though a half day) a playdate and then three (gulp) hours of dance practice - but she did awesome. She came home after, protested going to bed, but passed out as soon as she hit the pillow.

Today was her first full day, and she did great. She's been learning about the school rules and what happens if you break those rules, as well as getting used to the new schedule and routine. She's eaten lunch in between "G" and "L" each day, and I'm just so happy that she's found some friends. I am however encouraging her to make more friends, and not leave other children out. I constantly try to point out to her how lucky she is to have friends, but how some kid may not have found friends yet, and that she needs to make new friends.

I will say I was a bit surprised when we attended orientation to find out how low the state standards are for kindergarten. Granted, Arizona is not know for great schools, but it was still disappointing. The teacher says that they can and will advance, accelerate or deepen the work as needed. I know the first few weeks are filled with paperwork and assessments for the teachers, so I'm not going to worry too much about it. Right now Bella needs to learn the ropes and rules of this big new world, and the academic challenges will come.

For some reason today was the hardest for me. Not sure if it was because it was the first full day or what. After I dropped her off (and drove past her on the playground) I sort of burst into tears - it just sort of hit me out of nowhere. She's just growing up so fast. But I'm thankful that we are off to such a good start and that she's happy each morning to head to school.

So now it's time for me to catch up on work (while I expected the first week of school to be emotional, I didn't expect it to be as consuming as it has been) and create my new daily routine. Aside from holiday seasons, I'm hoping to soon stop working on weekends and evenings, which will be quite nice. Speaking of quite nice, I have to give props to my hubby... knowing what a hard week this has been (and it's hard for him to see her grow up as well, but he doesn't have to drive off and watch her on that playground!) he treated me to a new purse -one that I've wanted for years. I think we'll keep him. :)

The Big Day

Tomorrow's the big day. I can not believe my little baby is starting kindergarten. I asked her this morning if she'd just stay home with me for one more year and she said "no mom, but I'll be home in the afternoon silly!". She's ready and she's excited. Our open house went well, she met a few new friends, enjoyed playing in her classroom, and is good to go. Me not so much, but I don't think anything is going to change that. It's a big step in life, a rite of passage and a new independence for her, and it's just so hard to believe that the day is upon us. I know she'll do fine. I don't think there will ever be a day where she goes to school and I won't worry, but I think that's part of the world we live in, and just being a mom.

But the day is here. I can't delay it, move it or put it off. I can't stop her from growing up. She's picked out her outfit, her school supplies are ready, her favorite muffins are baked and ready for her to have for breakfast, and I will do my best not to make a last minute u-turn one street before we get to the school. I know she's going to have a blast, make new friends and have great experiences. I just wish 5 1/2 years ago (to the day) that I would have known how soon this day would have come. Then again, I never would have believed it. Tomorrow I stay with her all day (which is a half day) and Tuesday she's on her own in that big new world.

So here we go, a new door opens, a deep breath, a new journey begins...

School Stuff

Bella's new lunchbox and tote bag for school arrived yesterday and they are ADORABLE. They are from Kids Travel Zone, and are great quality. Three years ago we ordered her a lunchbox from them, and I've been thrilled with how it's held up. We could still use it, but I thought a new lunchbox for kindergarten would be nice. Bella picked out the images that are on them, as well as the colors. So cute! It's pretty obvious that she picked these out right after vacationing at the beach - mermaids and hibiscus flowers. :)

Today we visit her classroom for an open house. Hoping she meets some new friends, which would certainly make the first day of school much easier.

So the repair to our AC only bought us about 10 hours of cold and then the AC was no longer blowing cool air. :( We called the repair company back out, and luckily they quickly found where the leak was, and repaired it, and credited us for the first visit. I think we are good to go now, but ouch - the AC and washing machine all in one week is just painful. My iphone is also out for repair, but luckily it's under warranty so I'm just annoyed, not out of money. I have such a love hate relationship with that phone. I love all that it can do, but the crashing, freezing, and s-l-o-w response times have just gotten to be too much. Anxious to see if what gets sent back to me is any better. Fingers crossed. I need my appliance/electronic luck to change, pronto!

When it rains, it pour$

Goodness, as if we didn't have enough excitement having the washing machine break the other day, today it was the AIR CONDITIONER! Bella and I came home from running errands, and when we walked in the door, instead of the cool feeling of relief, it was more of a "um, what's wrong here???" feeling. Air was blowing. Room temperature air. Not good.

We had a tech come out, and we were low on freon, so it's been refilled. The problem is, we don't know what was leaking. To find out what was/is leaking is $350. Just to FIND the leak. Not fix the leak, just find. The tech suggested we just wait and see, that it may be a super slow leak and this could hold us over for 1-2 years, or in a few days we'll be paying that $350 to find what's leaking and goodness knows how much to fix it. B-U-M-M-E-R. But when it's 103 degrees at 9pm, there's no going without AC. :(

We picked up all of the items on Bella's classroom supply list. I was surprised at how much stuff we needed to donate to the classroom. 25 glue sticks. That one just cracks me up. Every kid bring in 25 glue sticks - will they be using glue hourly?

I have to say I'm feeling really sad about kindergarten. More so then I expected (and I anticipated emotional upheaval). To me it just marks such a big change in her life. Yesterday when we got up, I thought wow, this is the last Monday (aside from vacations) that she'll get up and not be committed to being somewhere. For the next sixty some years. It's like the start of having a "job" in life.

While it's been a huge challenge to balance being an at home mom, and running a business, it's what I'm used to. It's what I know. It's chaotic and crazy and a lot of times I'm stressed, but as I discovered when she was at her summer program, 9-3 is a long day of quiet. Granted it'll be great to get all my work done during the day, reduce the production times on my orders, and have nights and weekends free, I'm going to miss her like crazy. CRAZY. I know she's ready though. She's excited, and she needs more challenges and stimulation each day then I can provide. So now I just have to try not to cry the first day. Well, at least not until I'm off the property... hey, I'm a realist.

How we $pent the weekend...

Hearing a huge screeching nails on the chalkboard sound from my washing machine was not in my plans for the weekend. After about nine years I think it decided it was time for retirement. Rick fixed some parts on it last year, but after checking the belts and other possible problems, it was decided it was the motor that was screaming at us, and that it needed to be replaced. Bummer. I would have much rather purchased a nice new handbag, but I guess we probably need clean clothes more than a new Marc Jacobs bag. Not nearly as much fun though. I couldn't quite bring myself to dropping the extra money for a front loading machine - so old school top loader it is. :)

On a positive note Rick was very pleased with the service at Sears. They price matched the better price Home Depot (who didn't actually have any to take home) had on the same model (plus 10% of the difference) and had the whole purchase start to finish done in about 15 minutes max, out the door, new washer in tow. We are typically pretty easy customers, we come in to a store with the item we want already selected, just make the deal, don't give us a bunch of BS or mess with the price, and you can be on to the next customer in no time.

Yesterday Bella audtioned for and was accepted into the company program at her dance studio. She's really excited. Her "dancing sister" as she calls her was also accepted, which is great, they will have a blast. There are five girls in her group, and I think they are going to make a great bunch and be great friends. It's a big commitment time wise, but Bella has shown time and time again that she thrives on structure and being kept busy in an organized fashion. With no other kiddos in this house, she very quickly gets bored. One of the things I love about dance for her, is that it requires the use of her body and mind at the same time. And she just LOVES dancing - so she's really excited for this new adventure.