Thursday, March 25, 2010
Orphan child
Gracyn had two baths yesterday (thanks to a diaper explosion. . . worst ever!) and today she still looks like an orphan. I have no idea how she gets soooo dirty. . . well yes I do, she crawls all over and has to get into everything!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Weekend Update
We had a great weekend! Friday night we went to Copelands for our anniversary dinner. Justin insisted we take Gracy (he’s still figuring out all of the parenting stuff like taking a little one on a date night dinner means you have to entertain the little one the whole time). We decided next time Gracy can visit Gigi or Pap during Momma and Dada’s dates. Saturday we ran errands and then ate dinner with Justin’s dad, step-mom, step-brothers, grandparents, uncle, aunt, and cousins. Sunday we went to church and then ate lunch with Justin’s mom and step-dad. I was supposed to go run on Sunday, but it was rainy and cold so I chickened out:-). It was ok though, because they ended up not running the timed mile we were supposed to do because there were so few people that showed up to run. We relaxed during the afternoon and then I finished my cover letter and put 5 resumes in the mail for different Substance Abuse Treatment Providers. Wish me luck! We ate Sheryl’s gumbo for supper. It was amazing!
The beginning part of this week has been rough thus far. Gracy is teething and between crying, diarrhea, biting, and low fevers she has been VERY cranky. She’s doesn’t want to eat much and she’s decided she won’t take an afternoon nap unless Mommy’s holding her. Poor little baby:-( I went running/walking yesterday for about 45 minutes. Gracy loved that. It was nice out and Gracy lay back in the stroller and watched the other people outside enjoying the weather. Today we went to Barnes and Noble and I bought a Gre study book and Gracy picked out a puppy dog, textured, board book. I read it to her three times today. I know previously I mentioned her saying hi all of the time now, but her improvement deems notability. She even put the e sound on it once today; so instead of just ha it was ha-e. Getting better! And she waves when she says it! Although it was a rough day (Gracy’s nasty diarrhea, worrying about Kayli and baby banana-cake, and this weird elf-like dude trying to con me this evening – Don’t ask. . .) it ended on a positive note: Justin got the results of his final CPA exam. He passed with an 83. He passed all 4 parts on his first try. I couldn’t be prouder! After we got the news, we watched some American Idol (Siobhan is my favorite, I’ve decided) and hit the hay.
Hit the hay
Meaning: Go to bed.
Origin
The term hay was used in the USA to mean bed since the early 20th century. For example, from People You Know, by the American author George Ade, 1902:
"After Dinner he smoked one Perfecto and then, when he had put in a frolicsome Hour or so with the North American Review, he crawled into the Hay at 9.30 P.M."
In 1902, mattresses were often sacks stuffed with straw or hay (hence the similar phrase 'hit the sack').
The phrase 'hit the hay' seems to have originated in the US sports scene. The Oakland Tribune, July 1903, reported this:
"'Sam' Berger, the Olympic heavyweight ... was sleepy and he announced that 'he was going to hit the hay.'"
In 1905, Paxton Sport USA included this:
[the baseball player] "has a language of his own. Going to bed for him is to 'hit the hay.'"
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/182700.html
The beginning part of this week has been rough thus far. Gracy is teething and between crying, diarrhea, biting, and low fevers she has been VERY cranky. She’s doesn’t want to eat much and she’s decided she won’t take an afternoon nap unless Mommy’s holding her. Poor little baby:-( I went running/walking yesterday for about 45 minutes. Gracy loved that. It was nice out and Gracy lay back in the stroller and watched the other people outside enjoying the weather. Today we went to Barnes and Noble and I bought a Gre study book and Gracy picked out a puppy dog, textured, board book. I read it to her three times today. I know previously I mentioned her saying hi all of the time now, but her improvement deems notability. She even put the e sound on it once today; so instead of just ha it was ha-e. Getting better! And she waves when she says it! Although it was a rough day (Gracy’s nasty diarrhea, worrying about Kayli and baby banana-cake, and this weird elf-like dude trying to con me this evening – Don’t ask. . .) it ended on a positive note: Justin got the results of his final CPA exam. He passed with an 83. He passed all 4 parts on his first try. I couldn’t be prouder! After we got the news, we watched some American Idol (Siobhan is my favorite, I’ve decided) and hit the hay.
Hit the hay
Meaning: Go to bed.
Origin
The term hay was used in the USA to mean bed since the early 20th century. For example, from People You Know, by the American author George Ade, 1902:
"After Dinner he smoked one Perfecto and then, when he had put in a frolicsome Hour or so with the North American Review, he crawled into the Hay at 9.30 P.M."
In 1902, mattresses were often sacks stuffed with straw or hay (hence the similar phrase 'hit the sack').
The phrase 'hit the hay' seems to have originated in the US sports scene. The Oakland Tribune, July 1903, reported this:
"'Sam' Berger, the Olympic heavyweight ... was sleepy and he announced that 'he was going to hit the hay.'"
In 1905, Paxton Sport USA included this:
[the baseball player] "has a language of his own. Going to bed for him is to 'hit the hay.'"
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/182700.html
Monday, March 22, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Developments
Gracy has decided that when something's not going her way (like when momma wants to put lotion on her when she is wanting to play) that the best thing to do is bite momma with her new teeth. This is a problem. Today, she actually "got in trouble". I told her that it's not nice to bite and that she wanted to be a nice baby. I have no idea if she knows what this means or if she realizes that it's "bad" to bite, but it's pretty evident her biting is a retaliation tactic. Oh no! What am I going to do? This behavior is completely unacceptable. I really want to nip it in the bud (pun intended:-) Haha). But seriously, any advice welcome.
On another (much sweeter) note, Gracy is utilizing her first word very frequently. It began Monday evening when Justin picked her up to cuddle her before bedtime. It was very quiet and out of nowhere she said “Dada”. That was all she said as she snuggled into her dada’s chest. Now every time Justin comes home from work, she says “dadadadadadada” over and over again. Another word she’s using a lot is hi, but it sounds more like “ha”. So she tells puppy dogs, people on t.v., and basically anyone “ha!” “hahaha!”. I then explain to everyone that she’s saying hi (I’m not sure if they believe me or think I’m a crazy, naïve mom, and that ha to hi is a bit of a stretch). I’m sure though, because she’s using it in the proper context over and over again. Justin goes along with it, although I’m pretty sure he’s just placating me and not all that sure she has attached meaning to these words yet. She has said momma, but only twice: Once to my mom when she was crying right before I got there to pick her up after work and once the other day in the car when she was trying to get my attention. I’m not sure if she’s attached meaning to this word or not, but I think (or wanna think she has). Here’s my rationalization: she’s only said it twice because she’s not able to say it very well yet. But she really wants to say it and that’s why the two times that she has said it, she had just mustered up the ability because she wanted me so badly she was able to overcome her language barriers.
Another sweet note: This one is about my Justin. Yesterday was our anniversary, and we had decided to just eat at home (to save money and because Justin’s mom was cooking a roast and she’s an amazing cook:-) and go out to dinner Friday to celebrate. He had already gotten me a TomTom to get around Little Rock and told me my other gift was that I get to choose any restaurant I want for our Anniversary dinner. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when a beautiful vase of Roses showed up yesterday. So I guess I get three gifts! What a sweet fiancé.
Also, I went for a stroll yesterday with Gracyn. We walked up to the playground and Gracy loved the swings! I also did a little running. . . Running uphill with a stroller and a 20 pound baby is not easy when you’re out of shape! Yikes! When we got home, Sheryl gave me the web address for a running clinic she’s been doing and I signed up! So tonight we’re going running. . . hopefully I won’t die Wish me luck!
On another (much sweeter) note, Gracy is utilizing her first word very frequently. It began Monday evening when Justin picked her up to cuddle her before bedtime. It was very quiet and out of nowhere she said “Dada”. That was all she said as she snuggled into her dada’s chest. Now every time Justin comes home from work, she says “dadadadadadada” over and over again. Another word she’s using a lot is hi, but it sounds more like “ha”. So she tells puppy dogs, people on t.v., and basically anyone “ha!” “hahaha!”. I then explain to everyone that she’s saying hi (I’m not sure if they believe me or think I’m a crazy, naïve mom, and that ha to hi is a bit of a stretch). I’m sure though, because she’s using it in the proper context over and over again. Justin goes along with it, although I’m pretty sure he’s just placating me and not all that sure she has attached meaning to these words yet. She has said momma, but only twice: Once to my mom when she was crying right before I got there to pick her up after work and once the other day in the car when she was trying to get my attention. I’m not sure if she’s attached meaning to this word or not, but I think (or wanna think she has). Here’s my rationalization: she’s only said it twice because she’s not able to say it very well yet. But she really wants to say it and that’s why the two times that she has said it, she had just mustered up the ability because she wanted me so badly she was able to overcome her language barriers.
Another sweet note: This one is about my Justin. Yesterday was our anniversary, and we had decided to just eat at home (to save money and because Justin’s mom was cooking a roast and she’s an amazing cook:-) and go out to dinner Friday to celebrate. He had already gotten me a TomTom to get around Little Rock and told me my other gift was that I get to choose any restaurant I want for our Anniversary dinner. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when a beautiful vase of Roses showed up yesterday. So I guess I get three gifts! What a sweet fiancé.
Also, I went for a stroll yesterday with Gracyn. We walked up to the playground and Gracy loved the swings! I also did a little running. . . Running uphill with a stroller and a 20 pound baby is not easy when you’re out of shape! Yikes! When we got home, Sheryl gave me the web address for a running clinic she’s been doing and I signed up! So tonight we’re going running. . . hopefully I won’t die Wish me luck!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
For my Momma
I'm creating this blog for my momma. . . That said I have no idea what I'm doing. My daughter, Gracyn, and I have recently moved to Little Rock, AR (Benton actually, or Bryant? I'm not really sure, I still haven't figured out where Bryant ends and Benton begins) to be together as a family with Gracy's Dadda and my fiancé, Justin. We moved down here from Gallatin, a small town in Northwest Missouri. Gracy has left her Grammy, Grandpa Randy, and Aunt; Grandpa Mike; Aunt Kayli, Uncle Roy, Crazy Cousin Kennedy, and soon to be baby boy cousin; Grandma and Pa Burrell; Nana and Great Great; Uncle Nic and Megan; and many other friends. It helps that Justin’s family lives in the Little Rock area, so Gracy will still have grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins nearby. Dad (known to Gracy as Grandpa Mike) was almost willing to join facebook to stay in touch and view pictures. Momma (known to Gracy as Grammy) thought a blog would be the best way to communicate about daily/weekly happenings. Dad was very relieved with the blog idea and that he didn't have to succumb to facebook. Although we are leaving behind many loved ones by moving to Little Rock, we are excited about the life change and are looking forward to this new adventure:-)
So, this past weekend was pretty hectic. My last day of work as a Substance Abuse Counselor was Thursday. I packed Friday and Justin drove up (8 hours) after getting off of work at 5. Saturday morning Gracy and I went to Aunt's (my little sister) 6th grade basketball game while Justin wrapped all of our boxes and furniture in plastic. By 3:15 we were all loaded up and ready to go. After a tearful good-bye with Dad and promises of future visits, we headed over to Mom's to say good-bye to Grammy, Grandpa Randy, and Aunt. We hit the road by 4 and made it all the way to Joplin, MO before we stopped for the night. We ate dinner at Cheddar's right by the hotel and I ordered the vegetable plate. Gracy shared with me and we had baby carrots, green beans, mashed potatoes, and broccoli and cheese casserole. She's getting sooo big! I'm astonished every time she does something new (like eating table food at a restaurant). Sunday, we set the clocks forward an hour and left Joplin around 10:30. We stopped for lunch at McDonald's and Justin decided Gracy was ready for her first french fry. . . she wasn't. After 5 minutes of fishing the soggy french fry out of her mouth we settled on a bottle. Gracy and I sang the whole way down to Little Rock. I wouldn't have survived the trip without George Strait's 50 number 1's and Miranda Lambert's new album. It also helped to have the 8 hour trip divided into 2 segments. It was definitely best for Gracy. The last 30 minutes of both drives, she was pretty fussy. We arrived in LR around 3:00 and unpacked and moved some furniture to storage until we move into our apt (hopefully before April 1st). Until then we are staying with Justin's mom and step-dad (Thanks Sheryl and Craig!)
So, this past weekend was pretty hectic. My last day of work as a Substance Abuse Counselor was Thursday. I packed Friday and Justin drove up (8 hours) after getting off of work at 5. Saturday morning Gracy and I went to Aunt's (my little sister) 6th grade basketball game while Justin wrapped all of our boxes and furniture in plastic. By 3:15 we were all loaded up and ready to go. After a tearful good-bye with Dad and promises of future visits, we headed over to Mom's to say good-bye to Grammy, Grandpa Randy, and Aunt. We hit the road by 4 and made it all the way to Joplin, MO before we stopped for the night. We ate dinner at Cheddar's right by the hotel and I ordered the vegetable plate. Gracy shared with me and we had baby carrots, green beans, mashed potatoes, and broccoli and cheese casserole. She's getting sooo big! I'm astonished every time she does something new (like eating table food at a restaurant). Sunday, we set the clocks forward an hour and left Joplin around 10:30. We stopped for lunch at McDonald's and Justin decided Gracy was ready for her first french fry. . . she wasn't. After 5 minutes of fishing the soggy french fry out of her mouth we settled on a bottle. Gracy and I sang the whole way down to Little Rock. I wouldn't have survived the trip without George Strait's 50 number 1's and Miranda Lambert's new album. It also helped to have the 8 hour trip divided into 2 segments. It was definitely best for Gracy. The last 30 minutes of both drives, she was pretty fussy. We arrived in LR around 3:00 and unpacked and moved some furniture to storage until we move into our apt (hopefully before April 1st). Until then we are staying with Justin's mom and step-dad (Thanks Sheryl and Craig!)
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