2 excursions - enjoy the pictures!

Saturday we went to the zoo. This was Char's first trip to ANY zoo and mom and dad's first trip to the Nashville Zoo. (As a aside, i wasn't that impressed. The habitats were very nice but were spaced really far apart, so too much walking really, and the paths were too narrow. It was also hard to see most of the animals).

The giraffes were a huge hit, though, because they were pretty close, very large of course, and quite active, so we took a lot of pics there.

Yes, i do still wear my 22+ pounder on my back. We both love it! The Beco is great for trips like this because it's pretty easy up and down with a husband/helper, and she can ALMOST see over my shoulders.

Giraffes run in slow mo.

Taking a water break :). Such a big girl!

Alan caught a BIG FISH!

The petting zoo was another huge hit! Here's Char playing with a baby goat.

i call this "really good picture of really bad parenting". LOL But seriously, sweetest baby camel ever :).

On Sunday we went to the redneck family reunion on the Cumberland Plateau. My cousin Scott has hosted it for he last few years, and he has a really fabulous garden. It's worth the trip just for the photo ops.

Help!

(Not really)

Char's afternoon teacher told me that Char learned a new word: "Help". Char is (frowny face) usually the last child to go home in the afternoon, and she helps the teacher clean the classroom. The teacher usually gives her a tissue or baby wipe and she wipes down the shelve with it, or sweeps with a little broom, or dusts with a little duster. Montessori education is all about making housework fun.

Today the teacher mopped, and Char mopped with her own little mop, and ran around saying, "Hep! Hep!" At home she spilled my drink, so i tossed her a rag and told her to help me clean it up, which she happily did. (As long as she doesn't start thinking it's all a game, no problems lol). i wasn't thrilled about the drink spilling, but i was so impressed by her cleaning it up!

And yesterday she sang "H-I-J-K-alalalala-Q-R-S---double-la-Y" That's practically half the alphabet lol. Such a litte smartypants.

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Sometimes life just isn't fair

i'm crying (again) for a friend of mine. She's been TTC about as long as i have, and had just had her (sort of) third IVF attempt, which failed. (The first something went wrong with medication and the embryos were frozen but didn't thaw well; the second there weren't enough follicles and the cycle was canceled. This was the first "fresh" cycle that went all the way through from start to finish, but the third time she had to go through the physical and hormonal torture of shots, not to mention the money!

And i really feel for her because i know she's a deeply religious person, and she struggled before IVF with the religious implications, etc. And now... heartbreak. i really, really, REALLY wanted this for her, not quite but almost as much as she did. i know she'll be a mom because i know God has a plan and i trust in it but i just KNOW. But i can't speed it up or release the pain for her and i really wish i could, even just a little bit.

So, yesterday was fun!

i met a friend online. Her name is MadameFancyPants, but i have seen her twice and neither time was in pants. What's up with that? But otherwise, she's awesome! lol. Anyway, her son is a few months younger than Charlotte and just started part-time at the same school. And she's going to be watching Char on the evening after month-end close at work, which this month will be Wednesday. So we played at her house and had a good time. Char seems to really like her, and likes her son also.

i also had a playground committee meeting yesterday, and it went well. They are really pushing the timeframe on this thing, wanting to get Phase 1 done this Fall/Winter, and wanting to get Phase 2 done next Spring. Phase 1 are things like willow tunnels, boulders, climbing/balancing stumps, a bridge, a rain garden, and some fencing changes. Phase 2 is a lot of work on the hillside including 2 slides, a climbing wall, a music wall, and things like this that are more costly and time consuming. i'm skeptical, but from what i've seen of the director so far, she'll plow through a mountan if she has to!

Another mixed day

Well, i've been sick. Again. Damned weak immune system. i did get the stomach bug and have been pretty incapacitated. Charlotte has been fine aside from the one vomit on Wednesday night, so she went to school today and came home with mixed reports.

First, she was bitey today. She's been biting at school a lot lately, more than she ever has at home. And she did it a lot today, and also pulled a child's chair out from under them :(. They even called her "aggressive" today. i wish i knew how to handle it, but if i'm not there, what can i do?

But the good news! The "oh my gosh i'm so proud" news! She went potty today at school! She said, "Potty" and then followed through. Bless the teacher who took her, too. i know it may not seem like that much, but for some reason i'm soaring. i had a feeling she was turning an EC corner and headed or PL (potty learning; hate the word "training" in reference to kids), and now i really think so. And it seems like her teachers may think so, too.

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time she's said "potty" or gone potty at school. So, so proud of that. And a little ashamed of the biting.

Nosedive of a day

Started off geat. i lingered a little to play with Char, and we cuddled in bed for a minute. When i said, "i love you," she said "lalu". Alan was there and agrees that she was saying "love you". Yay!

Then it kind of leveled off for a while. Work was fine, still like my new job, but for a couple of days i've been feeling a little "off". Not really sick, but kind of like i was fighting something off.

Then i picked up Char to discover that she had bitten 2 kids, one breaking skin :(, and "there was some hitting involved." i hate this because obviously i hate that she misbehaved, but also i don't know what i'm supposed to do about it, you know? It's not like she's 7 years old and we can really have discussion after school. Sigh. The teacher even made excuses, saying it was a hectic day (the 2 teachers there are new and the Montessori-trained teacher called in sick, plus several kids have stomach bugs), there was a new kid in the nursery next door who cried all day, etc. She said, "Charlotte's a very bright child, always has that twinkle in her eyes, and i bet she picked up on the mood of the day." And she may be partially correct; we have definitely noticed that when the day starts out positively and happy, Char has a better day, and when it starts out grumpy, hectic, etc, she's fussier all day. Still sucks to hear, though.

And then we got home, and she wouldn't eat too well. She's getting a new tooth that's being problematic, and once again she doesn't like chewing. Anything (even her favorite fruit) that requires chewing, she would spit right out. i was saying, "Charlotte, we don't spit our food out" for the eleventy-thousandth time, when she puked up her whole dinner. Poor girl.

And then i was talking to Alan and rinsing the cloth i used to clean the mess in the sink, and the smell overcame me and i puked also. And then puked and puked some more. i think it's fair to say that we BOTH have the stomach virus that's been going around the school.

i hope i don't have to call in to work tomorrow. i've only been there 8 days so far for goodness sake. i did mention to my coworker that i didn't feel well, and brought my computer home, but i hope it doesn't come to that.

Still, i keep thinking about that "Lalu" this morning. It makes my heart sing even when my stomach doesn't.