Monday

How is it only Monday? It feels like Wednesday. I had a bit of a freak out last night. It wasn't one of my finer moments. My child WOULD NOT FALL ASLEEP. She wasn't being naughty or anything, she just wouldn't or couldn't fall asleep. I was stressed out, thinking how horrible the next day would be. It took Lucy three hours from bedtime until she was sleeping. Today went surprisingly well. She was really sweet to the boys when they were here, especially Jacob. Lucy led Jacob around getting him to play with her, he totally ate it up and engaged all night. Jacob was Lucy's little doll boy. I am pretty sure she's asleep now, will not go check, but she's been quiet since I left her room at 7:45.

The past couple days

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FYI: regarding the whining post. Apparently the only one affected by the new summer schedule is me. Lucy has seemed happy, balanced and good all week. You were right I was wrong. There I said it.

Soon ...

back to your regular scheduled Lucy programming but until then read this article.


Stacy

Book Review Time

I haven't done any reviews on this blog. Other then to talk about Edward now and then, and maybe give some shout outs to tylenol and motrin. So I thought I'd take a minute and talk about a new (to me) series I have been reading. I have yet to buy the last two books. I am not normally what one would describe as a science fictiony type of girl. Seriously I like my fluffy romance novels, I love historical fiction and I like non-fiction. A lot of days I barely have time to read an article in a magazine. This series by Scott Westerfeld is really great. Like the Twilight series I imagine it's written for the teen crowd but I was captivated. I liked the character development and while there was no Edward to fawn over, I imagine David to be the old politically active hippy type that I kinda dig on in real (non vampire) life.

The first book set the stage (duh). Basic premise is that the books are set in the future after humans "rusties" nearly destroyed the world and all nearly perished due to some oil related virus. In the futuristic model world, people live in Uglytown (I really can't remember the actual name) until they turn a certain age when they have an operation that renders them pretty much perfect in every way and they can move into New Pretty Town. The main character does all sorts of rebellious teenage things and discovers that there is another world outside the well kept boundaries of her city. In Pretties the main character's role and personality becomes more defined. I read this in one night. I still haven't had time to go to the book store for the next book. Maybe I'll start re-reading the first two and THEN I will buy the others.

Here is the website: http://www.scottwesterfeld.com/books/uglies.htm

Lucy by the way has made it through her first two full days of summer camp. Tonight she was pretty good. No really good. Tonight she was fun to be with. I decided to focus on her, stay of fthe phone as much as possible and just have fun. We were in our pool within 5 minutes of getting home, both of us in the pool (brrrrr). I let Lucy mix up one of her concoctions: 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, this mornings coffee grounds, sesame seeds, about 1 cup of coffee from this morning, two emptied tea bags (good earth original) some broken spagetti noodles and a couple pieces of pepperoni.... yummm. She was very content to do this while I made dinner. I love nights like tonight.

It's my blog and I'll whine if I want to ...

Lucy being Lucy during photo shoot with Julie

Skip this post if you don't want to indulge me. It's my semi-annual "I don't wanna be a working mom" post. This morning I just felt stressed for Lucy and did my fair share of "it's not fair". I feel bad for the kid. She's at this amazing preschool program and we love it, it's nearly perfect for Lucy. Lots of art and sensory exploration, not too rigid, young and energetic staff. This program would be absolutely ideal as a HALF-DAY program for my 4 year old. Full days are hard for a few reasons: 1. the program is designed as two half-day classes which can be combined to become a full-day experience. At "half-time" the class shifts and mostly new kids come in fresh from the streets to start their educational experience, meanwhile the full-day kids are just starting to get testy and tired. During the summer, even the teaching staff shifts mid-day. Not only that but there are kids that just go a few days a week during the school year, and during the summer it's week long half-day camps. Lucy goes to both halves of every day every week, while the other campers are shifting each week and each half day (follow me?). 2. Lucy will be Lucy and it's hard for her to stay at the top of her game on a good day, for a few hours ... it's inevitable that she'll slip as the day progresses.



If I had all the money in the world I think I would choose to have her in this program half days every day and hire a nanny for the other half of the day. Seeing as I have barely enough to cover our daily expenses, that won't be happening.



I might be sensitive and over reacting today as it's her first day of the new summer camp preschool programming. Maybe Lucy will get in the groove faster then I am. Of course it's also Minnesota which means it'll be snowing in a week and we'll be back to fall style programming.



I just want her to succeed and feel good about herself and her ability to hold it together. I want the other kids, staff and parents to see her as a good girl and not an explosive kid.

Sunday

Once upon a time I didn't have a kid (don't like to think about those times). I am wonder what in the he** I did back then. Seriously. Lucy has been gone with her auntie for 2 hours (to watch a movie). I have moved the fridge and vacuumed behind it. Organized the mudroom, cleaned out the junk drawer, cleaned the kitchen, boiled down a frozen turkey carcass transferred the stock to a crock pot added extra turkey, carrots, onions, garlic, corn and seasoning to slow cook during the day. Took a shower (shaved). Cleaned and oiled the dining room table and done this here blog. I haven't felt this relaxed for a long while. So once again I am left to wonder what I did when my weekends were totally about ME and once again I shake my head preferring not to think about those times.

Happy Birthday Bennett

Today we celebrated Bennett's 4th birthday!!! Lucy and Bennett were roommates in Ethiopia. Way back when the care center the guest house and the offices were all in one building together and when our kids were called Eskedar and Nigatu. The kids are in preschool together! Lucy and Bennett have both turned a corner and are able to be pretty sweet friends, no biting, no pinching.

Too bad ...

Too bad our glorious weekend ended in me getting sick. It was a sudden onset cold/sinue issue that had me going going gone. I am slowly climbing my way back to the land o the living. Lucy has not given up on the spirit of the weekend. Her school/child-care is closed this week so she had me on Monday, grandma and grandpa on Tuesday and Wednesday, Mel and Morgan on Thursday and tomorrow the boy's mom will have a go at child-care.

Looking for ...

Hey, I am too stuffed up and fuzzy brained to really blog so I thought I'd use this opportunity to ask my readers where the Fully Operational Battle Station crew disappeared to? Anyone know? I click once a week just to obsess and now it goes to a new webpage (not their blog for sure)! I miss that funny blogger and her family.

Does anyone have any inside info?

Sunday ... and we still have one whole day left!

Sunday morning we loaded up Mel's mom's mini-van and headed to my favorite state park, Mille Lac's Kathio
we stopped in the trail center to use the facilities and let the Eaglets rest a bit

and we hit the open trail running, we were running away from the mosquitoes.

a short in distance hike can take up a lot of time when you are short and notice everything

hiking sticks were a highly sought after fashion accessory

after our hiking, playing, picnicking and driving to the cities, we got back into our car and headed to the zoo. Lucy FINALLY stopped talking long enough to fall asleep ... she needed to get her beauty rest because...

we were about to come face to face, in person, same place same time as the beautiful Gracie from Texas. Yeah, a cuteness explosion did in fact occur at Como Zoo on Sunday afternoon. It almost hurt to look at these two together. It was so much fun to meet this little cutie and her awesome parents. Now if we could only move Texas closer or at least convince (lie???) Gracie's parents that MN winters really aren't that bad.

with great beauty also comes great speed and activity and capturing these two together in the same shot was nearly impossible.

Lucy loved the merry-go-round she laughed the whole time.

We are home now and Lucy is in bed. Let's relive today once again in list form:

1. left home at 8:30am

2. arrived at state park at 11am

3. Hiked and played until 1:30pm

4. drove to zoo and walked about 1/2 mile due to the fact that most of MN was at Como Zoo

5. played at zoo until nearly 6pm

6. drove home

7. ate

8. swam in backyard pool

9. went to bed

don't you think that I deserve sleep until at least 7:30am tomorrow?????

Saturday

Saturday after swimming lessons, lunch and some play time we got ready to head to a BBQ. First we had to quick stop at the global market for some much needed hair moisterizer. Check out her dress! I have had this fabric for probably 10 years, my grandma probably had it for 30 years before that, put it all together and add in a crafty friend (thanks Melissa) and you've got yourself some spanking new (yet vintage) duds for the pretty poppy princess.
HELLO, guy with banjo??? Must stop for very unplanned dance break!


Seriously could have stayed all day. Fun music, just a few kids. A comfy chair...


The sun streaming in.

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we managed to move on, bought our hair products and headed north to the BBQ


We were able to capture great-great grandma Pearl with her great-great granddaughter Lauren. We also ate some great food and enjoyed a nice Saturday afternoon with family. Must charge camera for tomorrow's adventure. I so love the weekends, especially when there are three whole days!

9 hours until 3 days of fun

we REALLY REALLY need this time off!

awww shucks

Lucy will be sad when she wakes up and discovers that Adam didn't win.

blog to the dog

This post is dedicated to Zep, Zepado, Zeppers ... he is almost 7 months old! He is probably the world's best puppy. He has that puppy spirit but is suprisingly mellow. Zep has only had maybe three potty accidents in the house. He sleeps good at night. He is surprsingly patient with the hyper-in-your-face-on-your-body Lucy. Up until a couple days ago, Lucy could put him in his kennel for the day and he would willingly obey (now he thinks my bed should be his resting place, no boy down). He knows sit, lay down, leave-it, and can spin around with some initiative. Zep once escaped the back yard, only to scratch at the front door to be let back in. He has been good with all the kids who spend time here. All of this and he's cute to boot.

The Uncles and the Aunts

Lucy had her family birthday party on Sunday afternoon. At first I was disappointed that the two other kids in our family were unable to attend. Once the party got rolling it became obvious that no other kids were needed, Lucy was still required to share her toys:

Photopia

Couldn't resist posting lots of photos of Lucy in her beautiful dress.
Lilacs

She had her baby on her back, so sweet.

Weekend

OH I love the weekends. Even when Lucy is less than fun, I still cherish the time we have together.

Friday

It's been a long day. By the time I dropped Lucy off at preschool this morning I had: started a load of laundry, fed her breakfast, had 2 going on 3 cups of coffee, mowed the back yard, watered the back garden, hung the laundry on the line, dead headed the flower basket and stripped our beds. I was called from preschool at 12ish because the teachers were concerned that Lucy might be getting sick. She (Lucy) was acting lethargic and cranky. I didn't have a lot of my work plate so I was able to go pick her up. I brought her to work with me. I saw no signs of the lethargy. We hung out at work for awhile and headed home to fix her hair. Lucy had a nap on the way to Kok Sool Kids (pre-martial arts class). It was her first class. I think we are going to love it! The class prepares kids for regular martial arts but the preschool class focuses on 8 developmental characteristics: 1. respect 2. flexibility 3. strength 4. concentration 5. right attitude 6. perseverance 7 self-control and 8. patience. Today they focused on concentration (concentrating and listening to people). The instructor (who has a BA in child-psychology) had a very short "lecture" on how to show someone you are listening to them. It was great. Then they did a bunch of activities. They kept the kids (Lucy) in line and were kind but consistent in expecting that she follow the rules. I think this will be perfect for her as she enters the stage where she has greater ability to listen and follow direction but still lacks desire. They also have homework for the kids, in order to move up the kids have to be able to demonstrate some behaviors at home like: no whining for a day, over coming a fear, listening, non violent, yelling problem solving, helping etc.

She was freakn' adorable in this class. Cute cute cute. No photos, I was intimidated. Yes Sir!

Bon Jovi

Here he is:

Announcement

Wednesday morning Lucy gave birth to a miniature purple teddy bear named Bon Jovi. I am a grandmother. He came out of her tummy. He got yelled at a lot during the birth process "just get out" "come on baby get out". Now he's here. I was present for the birth, it was beautiful. I can't believe I forgot about it until just now. Will try to post photos soon. Mother and baby are resting comfortably along with a huge stuffed dog, a smaller stuffed dog and two baby dolls (little lucy and eric)

Also reporting that Lucy continues to demonstrate the sweetness of being 4, or the better balanced behavior of one that is getting better sleep. Either way ... I no longer feel that either one of us needs any type of evaluation. We are good.