Ingenue Mom

Dear Isis, You are changing and growing so much lately! In the last few months, you have grown 3+ inches and you've grown even more than that if I measured attitude and personality in inches and pounds! You are so like me and your daddy. Independent, feisty, opinionated, but also sweet, sensitive and caring. You are apprehensive at first around new people, choosing to sit back and wait before joining in on the fun. This is more me than your dad. You're developing such a little attitude about things. You have opinions now on what thing you wear and what things you want to do. You are becoming more and more independent as each day goes on. We recently had to let you cry again at night because we had let you get into a routine over the holidays (due to all our life changes) of crying at night and us coming in to comfort you. When it got up to about 4-6 times a night, we decided we needed to do something. We let you cry without coming in one night. It only took one night thi...

(Pic from Adriel's post) I read the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky when I was in high school and at the time it really resonated with me because of just where I was and who I was and what was going on in my life at the time. I haven't read it in years, but I doubt it would have the same effect anymore because I'm not the same person anymore. Interesting how perspective changes... That being said, there was a quote in it that I have always remembered and it reminds me of why I read blogs...especially this week. I'll explain. "And all the books you’ve read have been read by other people. And all the songs you’ve loved have been heard by other people. And that girl that’s pretty to you is pretty to other people. And you know that if you looked at these facts when you were happy, you would feel great because you are describing “unity”." I feel like blogging has always been this to me. A place where I read someone else...

I cannot believe she is 2 years old already!! General Stats: Weight - 27 lbs, Height - 34.25 inches Movement: This girl is obviously on the move. She runs, jumps, climbs the stairs, walks down the stairs when she's holding our hand and obviously walks everywhere. We're having some issues keeping her in the stroller or shopping cart sometimes. She just wants to walk, but she can't quite keep up, so on a quick shopping trip it can be difficult. Food: She still eats pretty much everything. She's started trying to resist vegetables lately, but we can usually get her to eat some at dinner. She loves peanut butter & jelly sandwiches or pretty much anything with peanut butter. She loves to dip things. She dips chicken in A1 or honey mustard or ketchup. Most things if she's not wanting to eat it, we can offer something to dip it in & she'll start eating it. She's eaten some really weird stuff dipped in A1. She also likes spicy foods! It's...

2011 has been quite a year for my family. I slacked a little in the blogging, but mainly because there was so much going on! I love the New Year because it always makes me want to take time to look back & reflect on a year passed & then to look forward to possibility for the next year. January Isis turned 1 and we celebrated with a birthday party ! I reflected on what it meant to me to be a mother and what I was learning from the experience . We also put our townhouse up for sale in January!   February I found out in February that a bunch of my friends were pregnant ! Isis took her first steps ! I got a little frustrated that things had not yet regulated after having Isis. And I shared 10 of my Favorite Things ! March Isis dropped to 1 nap a day ! I shared some of her favorite books and some of her technology milestones at 14 months. I also shared why I think my choice to be a teacher was great for me as a mom and also great to my future stu...

We bought a house!! Well, we're under contract for a house. We close on December 16, just in time for Christmas! I feel like things are moving fast in my life and I'm excited! School is going great! I absolutely love my job, my school, the teachers I'm working with, all the people working with me on my KTIP intern year, everything! I just feel like things are finally getting into a good flow. So, we decided it was time to buy another house! Since it'll be time for baby #2 in the near future, we knew we needed more room and with the market being what it is and mortgage rates being what they are, we just decided to go for it!  We found a beautiful house that is perfect for us and for our ultimately complete family! 4 bedrooms, a 5th bonus room with a big closet! 2.5 bathrooms, beautiful kitchen, dining room so we can entertain or host holidays at our house, LOTS of closet space! It has a backyard that even comes with a wooden play set with a slide!! Imagine the...

(In a non-tantrum moment) We've reached that stage. Tantrum stage. What a hot mess. She's wonderful at the babysitter. The babysitter always comments on how laid-back and calm Isis is. She's wonderful around other people. If she's entertained or playing, she's just a perfect angel. But get her at home, with mom & dad, when something happens that she doesn't like or doesn't want, this crazy little monster erupts from my child. She'll scream & cry & throw herself back on the floor! She hits things or one of us. She pitches an absolute fit!  I've been talking to people & reading about ways to handle this. We have chosen the "no" and ignore route. I say "no fussing" really firm and ask her to "use her words." Sometimes she just needs help and she knows how to say "help." Sometimes she wants something, so I tell her the word and try to get her to do the sign language for "pl...

I was 17 on September 11, 2001. I was a Senior in high school and we were in this multi-purpose kind of room getting our pictures taken so that they could have visual class seating charts. The woman taking our picture got a phone call from her husband and she said they thought there was an explosion at the World Trade Center in New York. When I got back to my World Civics class right after that, they already had the news on the TV. I watched with lots of questions. I didn't fully understand what this meant and none of us were sure yet what had happened.  As I walked between my World Civ class and my English class for the next period, the second plane struck the second tower. I missed it because I was in the hallway. I heard a lot of commotion and ran in to see the second tower billowing smoke. I still had lots of questions, a tiny bit more understanding and suddenly lots of fear. This was intentional. Was America under attack? When we heard the Pentagon had been hit as well,...