Happy Birthday, Bailey!

Bailey is 4 years old today. 

FOUR. YEARS. OLD.  How did this happen??  I won't get all sappy and share her birth story {although, I'm not going to lie...I'm holding myself back right now} but suffice it to say that I can't believe my baby -- my baby -- is four years old.  I still vividly remember my pregnancy, the day she was born, and all those crazy days after.  I remember the soft weight of her teeny baby body snuggled up against me while I fed her or rocked her to sleep.  I can remember her first food {peas}, her first word {dada}, the first time she was sick, her first steps, and all those incredible "firsts" that we parents marvel over.

 There's this saying that goes something like :  'The days are long but the years are short', and it's so true.  There were days...many, many days...when Bailey was younger where it just felt like the hours were dragging and the day was forever long and would never end. 

I blinked and she's a big girl.  A beautiful, smart, sassy, sweet, loving big girl.  And I'm so, so proud of the little girl that she's growing up to be. 

Okay...sentimental mom moment aside.

We've got a packed weekend, full of fun and celebrations.  Today {her actual birthday}, we're taking Bailey and her cousin to Hershey Park.  I closed the daycare, asked my mom and dad to keep Gerry for the day, and off we'll go.  We took Bailey for the first time last year and she loved it.  Getting to go on pretty much any rides she wanted {that she was tall enough to ride, obviously}?  Little to no lines for any of the rides?  A whole water park at her disposal?  Chocolate in every single store we pass?  What's not to love, right?  This year will be even more fun for her since she'll be bringing a buddy to hang out with. 

Tomorrow is her party with her friends at Build-a-Bear, and she is p-u-m-p-e-d!  All the kids will get to make their own bear and choose an outfit, and then we'll head over to Chick-Fil-A for lunch and cake.  Both places are right across the hall from each other in the mall and they partner up for parties.  Bailey gets to have fun with her friends, eat her favorite lunch, and gorge on cake.  And Scott and I don't have to do any set up or clean up.  Win-win!  That night we'll have cake with the family.

And then Sunday is my grandfather's surprise 80th birthday party.  The whole family has pitched in to get food and decorations, and I'm hoping he's surprised and happy when he sees everyone ready to celebrate.  80 is a BIG DEAL.  

So, a very busy weekend.  Starting now.  Hershey Park, here we come!

How Not To Be a Jerk To Your Daycare Provider

You all know I'm a home daycare provider.  And, most days, I love what I do.  But there are times where I sit back and think, why the hell am I doing this to myself?  The kids are a handful.  A wonderful and fun and funny and sweet and unpredictable handful.  The kids can be awesome.  But the parents?  The parents, unfortunately, can make or break a provider's day/week/month/year.  Right now, I have a fantastic group of parents.  Truly.  But I've had a few doozies over the years, too.  The kind of parents who make me want to pull my hair out, who cause rage-filled smoke to come out of my ears, who make me want to quit my job and go out in a blaze of profanity-laced glory.  Those are the parents that this post is about.  And if you find yourself acting like these parents in any way, shape, or form...STOP.  Right now.  Before your kid gets booted out of daycare, because if you don't respect your provider this will happen.  Luckily, I can help you.  Not if your kid gets kicked out of daycare because you treated your provider like "the help", but I can help you before that happens.  Here are some Do's and Don'ts {and other completely unwarranted advice}when it comes to sending your kids to daycare.


DON'T refer to your childcare provider as "the sitter", "the babysitter", or any variation thereof.  This incites a rage inside all of us like you wouldn't believe.  A babysitter is a teenaged kid who comes to your house so you and your partner can enjoy a date night.  The babysitter hangs out for a few hours while your kids are in bed {or maybe they're still awake and watching tv} and watches your tv.  Eats your snacks.  Fiddles around on her cell phone.  Your daycare provider is nothing like your babysitter.  Most of us have degrees and certifications and have completed hours and hours of professional development courses in order to be better providers for your children.  This is a business for us, not a hobby.  We spend anywhere from 20 to 60 hours per week with your kids and we definitely don't spend it hanging out on the couch and watching tv.  When your kids aren't with us, we're thinking of lessons for the next day, wondering how we can make the next day even better and more fun than yesterday, thinking up ways to bring that shy little kid out of her shell.  Our "job" doesn't end when all the kids have gone home.
   

DON'T breeze in late for pick-up and act like it's no big deal.  Because it is.  Even 5 minutes at the end of the day is big deal to a provider who is finishing up an exhausting 12 hour day.  It's time she loses out on with her own kids before she has to start their nighttime routine.  It's time she loses out on with her spouse.  It's time she loses out on to unwind and decompress after her day.  And it's time she loses out on to plan fun and developmentally-appropriate activities for your child for the next day.  Don't be that asshole.  If you're running late, let your provider know AHEAD OF TIME, and come armed with a very sincere apology and maybe a cup of coffee for the provider you've inconvenienced.  And be prepared to pay a late fee.  Do not, under any circumstances, complain about the late fee or offer to drop off "a little later tomorrow" instead of paying it.  That's just a dick move.

DON'T question your provider's contract and/or policies.  Especially if you've already signed the contract.  This is the provider's contract..her rules, her policies, and what she expects of and for her business.  If you don't agree with it, don't sign it and find someplace else that has a contract you agree with 100%.

DON'T send your kid to daycare with a baggie full of treats or breakfast that he or she didn't finish before leaving the house that morning.  Have you ever seen a group of sea gulls swoop in and attack a french fry that someone on the boardwalk accidentally dropped?  It's like that only much, much worse.  Then you get to go off and enjoy a nice quiet commute to work while your provider is left trying to wrangle and calm a bunch of pissed off and sad kids.  And I can promise you that 100% of the time the provider will take that baggie of treats from your kid and put it away.  Feed your child before you bring him or her to daycare.  Never ever ever send them into the provider's home with food in their hands.

  ^^^See above and replace the "baggie full of treats" with "toys".

DON'T haggle with your provider.  Her rate is her rate, and if you don't want to pay it then take your kid somewhere else.  But keep in mind that you get what you pay for.  Most of us aren't in this business for the money, although it's important to us to be able to provide for our families, so we can't {and won't} do it for free.  The tuition you pay isn't going in the provider's pocket.  It's going toward food and supplies for the kids.  Toward the electric and water bills to keep her home running so that your child has a place to go during the day.  Toward new toys and cleaning supplies to keep things sanitized so that the kids don't get sick.  Your provider isn't running off and spending your money on clothes and shoes and fun stuff for herself.  Trust me on this one.

DON'T question every little thing.  Your provider has your child's best interest at heart at all times.  Most of us have been doing this for years and are prepared for almost any situation that may arise.  Please don't waste time and energy questioning why your provider puts the kids down for nap at 12:30 instead of at 1pm or why she starts making lunch at 11:30am.  Also, don't throw random scenarios at her and ask how she'd handle each one.  It's pretty much a given that your provider will never have to fight off evil leprechauns while your child is in her care.  Let her worry about more important things like researching organic diaper creams {because you don't want her to use anything but organic on your little one} or figuring out the best way to go about potty training your stubborn almost-4-year-old without scarring him or her permanently.

DON'T make a comment even loosely resembling something along the lines of, "Gee, I wish I could stay home and dance and play all day like you do!" Sure, there are times that we providers do get to dance and play.  But we also spend the day busting our asses to take care of your kid.  In between those few moments of dancing and playing, your provider is teaching and molding your child into a happy and productive member of society.  It may look like your daycare provider's day is all fun and games, but really?  It's not.  A lot of us teach.  I have a preschool program that's run in the morning and takes lots of time and planning to execute around daycare.  The majority of a provider's day is spent cleaning things up, breaking up fights, teaching right from wrong, kissing and fixing boo-boos, explaining why it's not okay to kick a friend in the shins when she won't share a toy, teaching the kids how to share their toys {and books and crayons and paint brushes and smocks, etc., etc., etc.} changing diapers, helping kids to use the potty, washing hands, tying shoes, zippering jackets, cooking and serving meals, preparing snacks, planning and executing art projects, answering a minimum of 84,632 questions from the kids, ranging in importance from "How come I have a belly button?" to "What happens after we die?" and a million other little things you don't see in the three minutes it takes to pick up and drop off each day. 

DON'T assume that, just because the kids nap for 1-2 hours each day, your provider is getting a break.  Maybe your kid is napping, but there's a 97% chance that at least one other kid is refusing to nap on any given day.  This means that your provider is sitting with that child and trying to lull them to sleep, whether it be by rubbing the child's back, singing a soft lullaby, or just being a comforting presence there next to him until he {hopefully} falls asleep.  When your provider isn't trying to get the kids to sleep she's cleaning up after lunch -- washing dishes, wiping down the table, sweeping and mopping the floor -- and getting things ready for the kids' afternoon snack.  After that, she might get 40 seconds to use the bathroom herself before having to change a diaper {because it's pretty much a given that at least one child in diapers will take a crap right smack in the middle of nap time and will, therefore, need to be changed immediately}cajole that kid back to sleep, give one of the babies a bottle and then subsequently burp and change that baby, set up all of her afternoon supplies so that she doesn't have to scramble to do it when all of the kids wake up, go over her lesson plans for the next day and write plans for the following week or month, answer a few texts and/or emails from a few of the more "involved" parents who want a daily rundown of every second of their child's day and who will assume that, if they haven't heard from the provider by naptime, that something awful MUST have happened and so the only logical course of action is to send more texts/emails with increasing frequency and concern/irritation.  After that, the provider may get 10 full minutes {on a good day} to wolf down her own lunch before the kids start waking up and demanding juice and a snack and to go play outside.  We may get a few minutes here and there, but it's definitely not the relaxing 90-120 minutes most parents assume. 

DON'T judge your daycare provider by the clothing she wears.  I've been doing home daycare for 4 years now and you know what I wear every day?  Sweat pants and a tee-shirt.  A hoodie or sweatshirt in the winter.  Fitted yoga pants if I'm feeling sassy.  I'm barefoot 90% of the time.  Remember those first few weeks after your baby was born when you lived in sweats or, if you felt so inclined, your robe and pajamas, because you knew that by the end of the day you'd have spit-up and drool and snot and any other number of bodily secretions all over your clothes?  It's like that.  Only it's not just those gross secretions from our own sweet children, but from other people's kids, too.  Also, dirt from playing outside.  And probably a little bit of paint, marker, glue and anything else we used for our art project that day.  And don't forget the little bits of food that flew out of your child's mouth when he sneezed in the middle of lunch or snack and we just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  It makes absolutely no sense to "dress up" when you're a daycare provider and if your provider answers the door in makeup and heels you should think twice before leaving your kid with her because she is most definitely not planning on providing any kind of good and appropriate childcare that day.       


 DON'T assume that every negative behavior your child picks up or every "bad" word he utters came from daycare.  Remember a few nights ago when you got a call from a friend after your kid {supposedly} went to bed for the night and you responded "No fucking way!" after the friend shared a juicy piece of gossip?  How about that after-hours call you had to take, where you muttered "Shit" when you saw your bosses number on the screen of your ringing phone?  That time you burned your finger while cooking dinner and accidentally dropped an f-bomb?  Or how about the million other times you might have uttered a not-so-nice word when your kid was within earshot but you thought he probably wasn't paying attention?  Or the definitely-not-G-rated language coming from your favorite crime drama when your kid sneaks downstairs for "one more story" after you've put him to bed for the night?  Or the group of teenagers trying to sound bad-ass and cursing up a storm when you happen to pass by them at the mall food court?  Yeah, forget all those instances.  Your kid must have heard those bad words from daycare.  {insert extreme eye roll here}  As far as negative behaviors...there's a 50/50 chance your kid picked those up at daycare.  But, trust me when I say that this is not the fault of the provider.  Any provider worth her salt is not going to knock down a small child and take their toy.  We're not going to go around biting kids or pulling their hair.  If your child starts doing these things, assume that it's somewhat normal behavior for a young kid who is still learning how to behave in this giant world, and do your best to work with your own kid at home on nipping those behaviors in the bud.  Also assume that your provider is doing her damndest to nip behaviors like this in bud during daycare, too.
  
 DON'T think that, just because you pay her, your daycare provider "works for you".   This is a business.  Specifically, it's your daycare provider's business.  You pay her for a service; this does not mean that she's your employee.  She doesn't work for you, and you don't get to make the rules just because you pay her. 

 DON'T minimize the impact your provider has in your child's life.  We don't just change diapers and wipe noses all day.  We teach your kids, both the big stuff and the little stuff.  You know that song your son keeps singing every day?  He didn't learn it all by himself.  How about his new-found ability to tie his shoes?  Or the fact that your kid is now fully potty trained, despite the fact that she spends more awake hours at daycare than at home?  I bet you're also noticing how well your toddler is talking these days, or how nicely your preschooler is sharing and/or cleaning.  How 'bout the fact that your little one is really mastering the art of eating with utensils?  Or putting her shoes on all by herself.  Or buttoning up his own jacket.  You can attribute a big chunk of that to your provider, because she's probably been working tirelessly with your kid on these life skills.




DO show {and tell} your provider that your appreciate her.  Often.  Any daycare provider will tell you: this is often a thankless job.  The kids can be demanding, there's always a million and one things that need to get done at the same time, and the provider is {more often than not} the last person on anyone's mind.  Trust me when I say that a simple "Thank You" goes a long way.  A really long way.  We give our all to your children every day and a lot of the time our own wants and needs are forced to take a backseat...thank your provider.  Tell her she's doing a good job and that you really appreciate it.  Buy her a little gift at Christmastime.  Acknowledge her and all the hard work she does each and every day.  You have no idea how much we like and NEED to hear these things. 

DO make your kids respect their provider and her home/rules.  Especially when you're there with them.  I've seen this happen too often.  Mom or Dad drops off in the morning or picks up in the evening and their previously well-behaved little darling suddenly morphs into Asshole Of the Year, jumping on the furniture, pulling on the curtains, forgetting their manners, and generally acting like a little jerk.  Yes, the provider will step in and nip that bad behavior in the bud, but it's also up to you as the parent, to set an example to your child about how we act in other people's homes.  Don't allow your kid to act like a derelict.  Be firm and tell them to knock it off.  The respect you show your provider and her home will speak volumes to your own child.

DO ask how your child's day was.  Be prepared to get a ridiculous answer from your kid {We ate bugs and slept outside!}, but ask your provider.  Generally, things get hectic at the end of the day when it's time for the kids to go home and your provider might be dividing her time between changing a last-minute diaper, making sure that everyone's bags are packed and ready to go, and keeping the rest of the kids from getting to wild and crazy when they see their friends going home.  She may honestly forget to tell you a little tid bit about your child's day, but don't be afraid to ask her.  We LIKE when parents show an interest in their children.

DO "donate" to your home daycare.  I don't mean money.  Send a snack for everyone one day.  Pass along any extra stickers, paper, or craft supplies you have lying around the house.  Donate old newspapers and plastic bags.  Toilet paper rolls.  Paper towels.  Old toys and books that you're just going to throw away.  We providers LOVE when parents donate things because we can use it all.  And, damn if that stuff doesn't get expensive when we have to keep buying it ourselves every month.  Every little bit helps, and we appreciate it more than you know.

DO thank your provider in front of your kids.  Not only because it's simple and basic manners, but because your kids are watching.  Show your provider that you respect her and appreciate her and that you're thankful for her, and your kids will pick up on it.  Also, I've said this before but it bears repeating.  A simple thank you goes a long way. 

DO ask before dropping off early in the morning.  And especially before picking up late in the evening.  As a provider {and a human being} there is nothing -- NOTHING -- worse than sitting down with a fresh cup of coffee, ready to enjoy the next 10 minutes before the daycare kids are expected to arrive and hearing knocking on your door.  Those 5 or 10 minutes might not seem important to you but they are everything to your daycare provider.  We use those few minutes in the morning to prepare for our day.  To mentally map out our schedule and our lessons and, yes, to gear ourselves up for those few "more challenging" kids we'll have in our care that day.  To spend a little one-on-one time with our spouse and own kids before they're forced to share their mommy, their time, and their toys with everyone else all day.  Those extra 5 or 10 minutes in the morning can make or break our day, and it's important to respect them.  In the evening, the same rule applies.  By the end of the day, we're all {kids and adults alike} done.  We're ready to get dinner going, start the kids' bedtime routines, get a few minutes in with them before it's time for bed and we have to go through the whole routine again tomorrow.  You being late is not only rude, but it can throw off your provider's {and your own kid's} entire evening.  Just don't do it. 

DO make drop-off and pick-up short and sweet.  There's no reason for drop-off and pick-up to take more than 3-5 minutes max.  Even if your kid is a sobbing, screaming mess.  Especially if your kid is a sobbing, screaming mess.  In the morning, drop them off inside the door, give them a quick kiss and an "I love you" and be on your way.  Same thing in the evening.  Meet your child at the door, tell her how much you missed her during the day, gather her bags, thank your provider, and walk out the door.  Trust me when I say that quick pick-ups and drop-offs are much easier for everyone involved.  Plus, it gives your provider more time to control her group before the next kid gets dropped off or picked up. 

DO email or text your provider if you have a daycare-related question or concern.  Do not expect a response from your provider immediately; she's busy.  Don't spend your day wondering or worrying about your kid or about something having to do with daycare.  Email your provider.  Call or text her, but expect to leave a message because she's got a lot going on with a house full of kids.  I guarantee you that she will get back to you as soon as things calm down a bit.  You'll be glad to have any concerns addressed and your provider will be glad that you contacted her right away instead of letting it stew. 

DO follow your daycare provider's sick policy.  This is for your own child's health and well-being as much as it is for that of the other kids in the group.  Kids are going to get sick, especially kids who are in daycare.  And sending them sick is only going to perpetuate whatever illness is going around and cause a vicious cycle of sickness which is going to piss off the provider.  Her sick policy isn't a "gentle reminder".  It's a MUST FOLLOW, and I can tell you with certainty that many a provider I know {myself included} has terminated care because of a parent who continually sent their kid sick.  It's rude, it's unhealthy, and it's not fair to the other kids or to the provider who are stuck surrounded by your kids germs all day.  Keep your kid home for the duration stated in your provider's illness policy {most policies state that a child must stay home for 24-hours after being symptom-free without the aid of medication}.  For God's sake, don't send your kid if you know he's contagious.  That's negligent and the height of assholery.  And don't be that jerk who medicates the hell out of her kid and sends her off to daycare assuming that the provider will be none-the-wiser.  We know.  And we're holding it against you. 

DO read your contract before signing it.  The whole thing.  And, for God's sake, ask questions if you have them.  Don't wait until an issue arises and then make a big deal out of it because you didn't have the foresight to bring it up sooner.  Remember that your provider's contract, just like that of any other business, is binding and once you sign it you're expected to uphold the rules and follow the policies within it {or risk your provider terminating care}.

DO pay on time. Imagine you went to work one day expecting to receive your paycheck.  You're mortgage is due, your cell phone and your electric bills need to be paid, the car insurance company is breathing down your neck to make sure they get paid on time, and this paycheck is going to cover all those bills and groceries for your family for the week.  Imagine, then, that someone from payroll came over and said, "Hey, we're not going to pay you today, mm-kay?  We totally forgot to write out your check."  Totally cool, right?  Wrong.  When you don't pay your provider on time, you cause a series of teeny tiny chain reactions that, when all is said and done, will effect the care your child receives.  Your payment is going toward the electric bill needed to power the provider's home for your child {have you ever tried to nap in a freezing cold house?}, the insurance needed to run her daycare, the monthly supplies needed for the children in her care, the water bill {sorry, kids, no water today...that means no going potty or water play outside!}, groceries {snacks for all of the kids don't just magically appear...your provider buys them}, and a million other little things that you don't even think about because you're not a childcare provider.  Pay your provider on time.  If you forget your payment when you drop your kid off, you'd better have it at pick-up that evening or expect to hit the ATM right away.  Common sense and kindness, folks.

DO show your provider the respect that she deserves.  She does so much more for your child than you'll ever know and she deserves all the respect in the world for it.

Friday Five

It's a busy Friday over here.  In about 10 minutes I'll have a packed house so I'm hoping to get this post in before I'm inundated with small children!


1.  My sister and brother-in-law took Bailey on a tour of Sprout studios on Monday and she had a blast.  They got to meet Chica and Tim from the Sunnyside Up Show, and were able to see the "inside" of the studio where the show is filmed.  Bailey had so much fun and was full of stories when she came home!

My nieces faces are covered because I haven't gotten permission to show them here

That face -- pure joy

2.  Gerry has been waking up in some goofy positions this week.  Feet in the air, anyone?

3.  Bailey has a slew of t-ball games this week.  Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and then Saturday, with closing ceremonies immediately following.  She's going to be one busy kid, but she's excited about it!  She hasn't had a game in about a week and I think she's missing her t-ball buddies.


4.  Gerry is a jumper.  We got a trampoline for Bailey two Christmases ago, and it's been in the basement with her doll house and other toys.  She uses it sometimes, but lately she's been on a Barbie kick so it's been awhile since it's gotten any use.  The other day I heard the music going off and peeked downstairs to see who was jumping, and I found this:

5.  I "Paid It Forward" today and it seriously brightened my day.  I go to Suzy Jo for donuts for the kids and coffee for Scott and myself.  I was chatting with one of the women who works there {I see her every Friday and she's so nice} and she mentioned that on Fridays a group of five old men come by with their own tables and chairs {there's no seating at Suzy Jo...strictly carry out} and set them up out front and have breakfast together.  I've got a soft spot for the elderly and I thought it was so sweet that these men get together each week, so I told the woman I'd like to pay for their coffee.  It didn't cost much and I was happy to do it...I think it might be a regular Friday thing when I go for my own coffee!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Friday Five

Say it with me, guys...TGIF!  I'm sitting here sipping my first coffee of the day and I've plied my kids with enough donuts to put them into a sugar coma for days, so hopefully I can actually get this written in one sitting. 


1.  Bailey and Gerry had their first visit to the dentist this week.  This is our biggest news of the week.  I'm a little embarrassed to admit that, at almost 4 years old, Bailey is only just now seeing the dentist for the first time.  I've got a lot of fear when it comes to going and I think I've been projecting that onto her. But better late than never, right?  In any case, she did great.  We talked about it A LOT in the days leading up to her appointment, and the whole car ride over she kept telling me that she was nervous and scared.  When we walked in, though, there was a big play room for the kids, and that seemed to help ease her into things.  It also helped that, literally, every single person we met and/or dealt with in the office, from the receptionist to the dental hygienist, to the dentist himself, was completely awesome.  They were friendly and they smiled a lot and they totally allayed Bailey's fears and anxiety about seeing the dentist.  She had some x-rays done and got a good cleaning, and she was a total rock star about it all. 

 Gerry, on the other hand?  Not so much.  As soon as he realized what was going on he started fighting and screaming like he was being tortured.  The dentist, Dr. Hunt, was fantastic, though, and had him checked and cleaned in under 3 minutes.  He never lost patience, never let on that this screaming, thrashing kid was being a total pain in the ass...he just stayed calm, thanked me for holding Gerry's hands still so he couldn't grab all the tools from the dentist's hands like he kept trying to do, and talked to Gerry and me about what he was doing.  It was an awesome visit and, for the record, I highly -- HIGHLY-- recommend this dental practice.  For those of you in the Philly area who don't mind a trip to Blue Bell, I can't say enough about Dr. Hunt and the staff at Charm Pediatric Dentistry.


2.  I snapped this picture of the kids together.  And I can't get enough of it.  Seriously.  Can't get enough. They had both just finished a popsicle and Gerry had, as usual, a ridiculous mess and Scott made him sit down on the steps while he ran in the house to get a washcloth to wipe him up with.  Bailey sat with him in solidarity until we got him cleaned up.

3.  Yesterday was my sister's 29th birthday.   For the next six weeks, she and I will be the same age.  So strange to think about...

4.  My parents took Bailey and my nieces to the Phillies game last night, and they brought back a hat for each of the kids.  Gerry was asleep when they came home, so I gave his to him this morning and he won't take it off!  Philly pride, am I right?

5.  We've finalized everything for Bailey's birthday party next month and, even though it's really not a big deal, I feel like I can let out a huge breath of relief.  She asked for a party at Build-A-Bear, so we're doing it there.  B-A-B partners with Chick-Fil-A {Bailey's favorite "restaurant"...bonus!} so they'll do lunch for all of the kids after the party.  They take care of the set-up and clean-up and all we have to do is show up and enjoy ourselves.  Win-win!


As usual, we have a crazy busy weekend ahead of us.  Tee ball games and birthday parties, etc.  BUT, at least we won't be bored!

Friday Five

It's Friday!!!  I've never been happier to see the weekend arrive, and it's even better because Monday is Memorial Day...four day weekend!  {Can you tell I'm hopped up on coffee over here?}

Anyway, here's my 5 today:

1.  We celebrated Mimi's 80th birthday last weekend.  Technically, her birthday is this Sunday, but everyone got together for a big celebration last weekend, and we had a blast.  Bailey and Gerry were in heaven, running around with their aunt's dogs, eating lots of food, blowing bubbles, and being surrounded by a small horde of people who thought they were adorable and awesome.  We spent the night and Bailey didn't want to leave the next day.  Here's the birthday girl:

Photo cred goes to my father-in-law

 

 2.  We had some pretty crazy weather here yesterday.  Our area came through pretty much unscathed {just lots of rain and some thunder}but surrounding towns got hit with crazy hail, 60mph winds, and tons of rain.  Playing in the backyard was out after all that and these two needed to burn some energy, so I took them to one of Bailey's favorite places:  Chick Fil A!  It was Kids' Night, so Bailey got to play a matching game and won a free ice cream cone and, after dinner, both kids got to play in the Play Area {and I got 5 minutes of peace from the constant whining and "mooo-oom"s I've been hearing all week}.

And Bailey saw this beautiful rainbow while we were pulling in to the parking lot.  Can't beat that after a storm!

3.  Gerry had a rough beginning of the week.  He burned his hand on Sunday and climbed  fell  out of his crib on Tuesday.  He survived, though, and was back to his destructive but adorable self by Wednesday. 

He's INSIDE B's doll house right now...just climbed on in like it was no big deal

4.  This picture was taken exactly four years ago.  Four...YEARS.  At my baby shower for Bailey.  Look at that belly!  She took her sweet time and didn't make an appearance for more than a month after this picture was taken but -- my goodness -- has she made this world a better place.  Bailey Reece: keeping us on our toes for almost 4 years and counting.

5.  I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow.   This doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is.  It is. 

 

Paging Doctor X

It's only Wednesday, and Gerry has had a hell of a week so far!

He burned his hand on Sunday.  2nd degree.  My parents have recessed lighting (bulbs) in their walls leading down the stairs to their finished basement.  Normally, when we all go over for Sunday dinner the basement door stays closed.  This week, though, one of the big kids opened the door and G snuck down there when we weren't paying attention.  Next thing I know, he's screaming bloody murder and we find him at the bottom of the stairs.  At first, I thought he fell and just picked himself up, so I scooped him up and just kept saying, "It's okay, you're okay."  But then he held up his hand {the poor thing was shaking} and just kept looking at me and crying,  Sure enough, his little palm was bright red.  We iced it and ran it under cool water, and my mom put silvadene on to help the burn.  We gave him some infants' Advil and, by the time we put him to bed a few hours later, he was totally fine. 

Fast forward to yesterday.  The day was going fairly smoothly until Gerry woke up from his nap and decided that it was a good time to climb out of his crib.  I was in the bathroom when I heard a loud crash and then him immediately screaming.  I ran to his room and he was already opening the door, his face just covered in blood.  He was screaming, I was {internally} freaking the eff out, and we were both shaking by the time I got him to the kitchen to clean him up and try to find where all the blood was coming from {short answer: everywhere}. 

I looked him over and he seemed okay but the blood.  I couldn't find one particular spot where it was coming from so I just kept wiping his entire face.  Eventually, it all slowed down and I could see that some of it was coming from his nose and some from his mouth.  After a quick call to our family doctor, I took him over to CHOP Urgent Care to get looked at {our doctor was concerned about a broken nose}.  This was our first time there and, I have to say, it was a really good experience.

 The nurses were fantastic, the doctor was great and friendly, and we were in and out {without an appointment} in under two hours.  You can't tell from this picture, but he's got a red spot under his nose {rug burn?} and a swollen upper lip.  The doc checked him out...no broken bones, but he did tear his frenulum and would probably be sore for a couple days.  He also checked his burn from Sunday and advised us to keep using silvadene or neosporin and wrap it up so it can heal. 

This morning, Gerry seems just fine, bouncing off the walls and giggling as usual.  His nose is still just a teeny bit swollen and his upper lip is cut and swollen, as well.  The gauze bandage is pretty much just a huge pain in the ass to him at this point, but if I can distract him enough he'll stop picking at it and trying to pull it off every two seconds. 

I wasn't expecting him to attempt a crib escape at just 16 months old {Bailey waited until she was 19 months old and she had bumpers to climb on-- G doesn't} but I'm glad that he didn't hurt himself worse than a bloody nose and a scraped up face.  He's giving us quite the run for our money these days as far as getting into things and being a little daredevil.  Maybe he'll get it all out of his system early and be a calm kid by the time he's ready for Kindergarten?  ;-)

Doggy!

A few years ago, I wrote this post about Bailey's first "real" word association, and I've been meaning to do the same for Gerry's and just keep forgetting.  Let me brag about my kid for a minute {what else is new, right?}.  Gerry, at 16 months old, has a plethora of words that he says frequently, and he uses them correctly {mommy, daddy, Bailey, uh-oh, sorry, thank you, please, yee haw, hi, bye-bye, baby, ball, doggy, fruit snacks, eat, banana, juice, socks, shoes, sit, rock, night-night, no, belly}.  But the first word that he correctly used and understood?

Doggy.

Every time he says it, I can't help but laugh at his pronunciation.  He drawls like a southerner:  "Dooww-GEE!" {emphasis on the last syllable} and repeats it over and over and over until we acknowledge him.

We were taking a walk the other day and saw a dog a few blocks ahead of us.  G pointed and yelled "Doggy!  Woof woof!"  Same thing when a puppy showed up in one of his cartoons this morning:  "Woof!  Doggy!"  And whenever he passes by Ryder, either outside or when she's hanging out in her crate.  And again when one happened to pass by our house the other day when he was looking out the window.

 He gets it!  And it's awesome.

Five On Friday

This week was a solemn one for me.  A friend of mine lost her husband this past Sunday, and I've been feeling so sad for her and her kids since I heard the news....if nothing else, I need this post to remind me of some of the positives of the week.

1.  Bailey drew a picture of me.  And she proudly stated that "This is you, Mommy.  And you look like a princess!"  I love when she does stuff like this all on her own.  Not only because she's drawing people {albeit, armless and body-less people}, but because she's so proud of it and of herself.  And what more can I ask for?

2.  Gerry has the BEST giggle.  Seriously.  It's the best little giggle and I can't get enough of it.  And pretty much everything amuses him. I can't even tell you what he was laughing at in this picture {my nose, maybe?} but I CAN tell you that it made my day and took my mind off of some of the heavier things weighing on me that day.

3.  Bailey loves wearing glasses.  She doesn't need them {these are mine}, but she gets the biggest kick out of wearing them and then doing something "studious" like sitting down at the computer.  Yesterday, I caught her making smiling faces and winking at herself in the mirror while sporting the specs. 

 4.  Gerry is obsessed with dogs.  And banging on windows.  So imagine his utter joy when he just happened to see a dog passing by with its owner while he was banging on the window yesterday.  He started smacking the window even harder and yelling, "Doggy!  Woof!  Woof, doggy!"  Every time he says the word "doggy" I can't help but smile.  He pronounces it dow-GEE...with a southern twang and lots emphasis on the last syllable and he gets ridiculously excited whenever he sees one.

5.  This quote.   I've been feeling a bit down the last couple of weeks and I found this quote by pure accident this morning.  Something I {we all} need to remember daily.  I spend so much time worrying about my weight and the way I look and whether or not I've been a good mom on any given day that I don't take the time to remind myself that I am enough.  Just the way I am.  Words of wisdom, people.  Words of wisdom. 

My Heart Hurts

My heart is so heavy right now.  This is going to be one of those posts that probably doesn't make much sense because I'm writing to get it all out and running on pure emotion here.  I want to start by saying that sometimes completely shitty things happen to the best people and it's times like these that make me question everything I know about faith and karma and goodness. 

Bailey's "boyfriend" Max lost his father on Sunday.  I don't know the circumstances or the details surrounding his death, but I do know that he left behind a wonderful family.  A wife who is one of the sweetest women and most patient mothers I know.  A son who is also sweet and energetic, and who my daughter gets all giggly and blushing when she talks about.  And who is also old enough to understand that his daddy gone but not yet old enough to understand the how's and why's of it all.  A daughter who, at 8 months old, doesn't know what's going on. 

I didn't know him, but I do know his kids and his wife Meghan and I are friends.  They're good people.  And good people are hard to find these days, and they don't deserve this.  I spoke with Meghan briefly last night via text, and she's so much stronger right now than I would be.  Too strong.  Admirably, and worryingly, strong...and she really doesn't have the choice to be anything else because there are two little people looking to her for comfort, to find out how to act right now, for answers.  I hope she is able to grieve on her own and in her own way. 

A few years ago, another friend and the mother of one of my preschoolers, lost her husband to cancer.  He was diagnosed on a Sunday and died the following Tuesday and, just like Max's dad,  I took it so much harder than I had any right to.  I didn't know him well either, but I knew his wife.  I knew his kids, and I loved them like my own, and I ached for all of them daily.  I couldn't stop thinking about how young all of them were and how unfair it was that they'd gotten so robbed of all the years of happiness that they were supposed to share together.  I remember wanting to help in any way that I could, and also not wanting to be an intrusive pain in the ass about it.  I wanted so badly to eloquently tell my friend how sorry I was for her and how amazed I was by her strength and how in awe I was of her ability to continue to be such a fantastic mother while grieving the loss of her husband.  But every time I saw her this wave of sadness hit me and I just kept thinking, I can't imagine. 

I'm not eloquent.  I don't have the words to tell people how sorry I am when things like this happen without coming across as an unfeeling moron.  I feel the emotions more than I will ever let on, but I'm not graceful enough with language to convey the message.  But, oh, does my heart break.

I'm sorry for your loss doesn't seem to cover it, but I am.  I'm sorry.  And I hurt for you.  And I'm here for you in whatever way you need me to be.  I'm sending up so many prayers and so much love for all of you, and I hope that on some level you can feel it. 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day! (2 days later...)

I'm lucky to be surrounded by some pretty amazing women who've set an awesome example for what it means to be a mom.  I like to think I'm a good mother, and I owe a lot of that to all of them...so, thank you, ladies!

We had a busy, busy, busy Mother's Day weekend over here, but a good one.  Scott left for his Guys' Weekend Friday night after we took the kids out for dinner.  After he left, Bailey and Gerry and I met up with Bailey's "boyfriend" Max for a play date at the farm.  Crazy kids aside, it was SO NICE to hang out with another adult, and I really like Max's mom, which bodes well for their future.  ;-)  We spent a solid two hours there while the kids ate ice cream, played on the playground, fed the animals, and played on the playground some more.  As soon as we got in the car to go home, Bailey started asking when we were going to see Max again.  She's gone, guys.

We got home after Gerry's bed time, so he conked out pretty much immediately.  Which left the rest of the night for Bailey to snuggle up in my bed.  She watched "her shows" on repeat and I may or may not have fallen asleep before she did {but I'm not admitting to anything}. 

Saturday morning, we woke up and headed over to a friend's house for brunch.  It was, in a word, glorious.  Good food, good friends, cute kids, and the whole day ahead of us.  On the drive over, my brother sent me a text inviting me to bring the kids to stay with him and his fiance in her family's place at the beach for the night and I tossed the idea around for awhile before thinking that Bailey and Gerry would have a BLAST down there.  So when we were done with brunch and all of the kids were nap-ready, I packed up our car and took off for Jersey. 

I was alone with both kids so, of course, it made total sense that we'd hit horrific traffic {thank you, downed tree on 76 that had us backed up for HOURS}. We were sitting -- sitting -- on the highway for about 10 minutes when Gerry started fussing.  Which turned into whining.  Which turned into a screaming and crying fit that lasted almost two hours and caused me to pull over more than once to check that he wasn't hurt and was really, in fact, just pissed about being stuck in a car seat for almost three hours.  We made it to the beach a little after 7pm and went straight to the boardwalk and Bailey's all-time favorite thing --  the RIDES!

Gerry wasn't a fan of most of them, but he did enjoy the cars.  So much so, that we had to put him on a second time. 

 We stopped for ice cream on the way back to the trailer and made it back around 10pm.  Gerry, of course, passed out almost immediately and Bailey followed soon after.  We woke up the next morning, and my brother and Molly {his fiance} treated us to breakfast before we got back in the car to head home.

Because I'm ridiculously directionally-challenged, even with a GPS, I took a few wrong turns and we ended up getting back home after Scott.  That whole "absence makes the heart grow fonder" thing is so true.  We were ALL excited to see him after a few days away!

We had Mother's Day dinner at my aunt's house and then came home and spent the night relaxing.  And, obviously, I can't forget the beautiful flowers that Scott and the kids gave me.  In addition to a Starbucks gift card {he knows the way to my heart, right?}.

The message in the center says: "MOM, thanks for always being there to help us BLOOM!"