Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Just a quick pic...
Boy, have I been neglectful of my blog. So many things going on around here. Mostly illness. And in that spirit, I present to you pictures of Lacy getting her flu shot! Oh, the drama!!!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Is It Christmas Yet?
Lacy has fully embraced Christmas, and wakes up every morning to ask, "Is it Christmas yet, mom?"
Her Grams asked Lacy what she would like her Grams to get her for Christmas...
Lacy's response?
"Don't worry, Grams, Santa Clause is gonna bring it."
Not much later she was watching TV and announced, "Hey, I circled that toy in the book!"
$135.00 toy dinosaur?!? Not this Christmas!
Her Grams asked Lacy what she would like her Grams to get her for Christmas...
Lacy's response?
"Don't worry, Grams, Santa Clause is gonna bring it."
Not much later she was watching TV and announced, "Hey, I circled that toy in the book!"
$135.00 toy dinosaur?!? Not this Christmas!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Christmas Shopping, Lacy Style
I found Lacy in the corner with the toy catalog this evening. She had a marker and was conveniently circling all of the items she expects to get. uh oh... not exactly the same institutionalized little girl we had last Christmas, huh?
Once she is done, I will see what exactly made the list and put it on the blog!Thursday, November 06, 2008
Victory Muffin
Last night I naively thought I had won.
I even called my mom to tell her that I won.
I did a little "I won" dance in my kitchen while nobody in particular watched.
I didn't win. Not one little bit.
It all started over a bowl of soup.
Once again it was just me and Lacy for dinner, we had sent daddy off to work shortly before. The cool weather had me inspired and I whipped up a batch of yummy corn chowder.
With exceeding pride I set the table for the two of us. Lacy even got to drink out of her "fancy sippy cup" (fancy = a clean sippy cup that came out of the cupboard vs. one recently dug out from under the couch and briefly rinsed off). Clearly, I was feeling generous.
As we began to eat, Lacy scooped her spoon into the soup, brought it to her mouth, and miraculously managed to make the largest slurping sound all the while avoiding actual consumption of said soup. At that, she placed her spoon back into the soup and stated, "wooooaaahhh, look at my belly... it's soooo full! I just can't eat another bite!"
Always looking to improve my tactics, I simply agreed with her and informed her that there would be nothing else until breakfast in the morning. Lacy happily agreed and carried on about her business. After questioning her twice more, "Lace, are you SURE you don't want anymore soup?" I tossed her bowl of soup into the trash.
And then I started baking. Grangirl's Apple Muffins. It's a little Paula Deen recipe that makes me very very happy.
As the aroma of freshly baked muffins began to fill the air, Lacy somehow managed to overcome that previously stuffed feeling from dinner and sauntered into the kitchen. Eyes closed, nose in the air, she sniffed for a few minutes and then announced, "I just can't wait till those muffins come out of the oven they are going to be so tasty, mom".
I just ignored her. But I smiled. I was winning. Lacy quietly returned to her evening activities of Legos and coloring with a hint of Wow Wow Wubbzy in the background, for good measure.
Thirty-five minutes later, Lacy magically reappeared at my side as I pulled the muffins from the oven and placed them onto the counter.
"Ohhh mom, those are real beauties" she complimented. "Can I have one?"
"Sure" I told her as she grew increasingly excited. "In the morning... for breakfast".
BAM! I dealt the blow I had been waiting for. It was a nasty little lesson learned. No dinner, no after-dinner muffin, kiddo! The disappointment coming from Lacy was nearly palpable. Only outdone by my glee. Lacy gave a giant "haaruuumpff... okay, give me the soup, I'll eat it".
"Sorry, baby, I tossed the soup in the trash. Maybe next time you will eat your dinner when it is served".
...and then came the line I have embraced wholeheartedly: "You are now suffering the consequences of your poor decision".
I walked away from her humming "We Are The Champions" by Queen "...nooo time for looooosers, cause we are the champions...."
You can see how I would've assumed I was, indeed, a WINNER.
Well, around 5am the first assault was lodged my way. "MOM... I am ready to get up, it's morning time!"
"No, Lacy, not till the sun is up!"
Lacy persisted.
By 5:45 my will had been broken. Lacy had been muttering in her room for forty five minutes and decided to take it to the next level... song.
At the top of her lungs she sang, "Gooooood morning, good morning, goooooood morning... it's time to rise and shine!!! And EAT MUFFINS!!!"
My spirit broken, I let her out of bed (remember, she is attached to a ventilator at night so she can't get out of bed without me). We both went down stairs so Lacy could enjoy her victory muffin.
I think I heard her humming a little Queen while she ate.
I even called my mom to tell her that I won.
I did a little "I won" dance in my kitchen while nobody in particular watched.
I didn't win. Not one little bit.
It all started over a bowl of soup.
Once again it was just me and Lacy for dinner, we had sent daddy off to work shortly before. The cool weather had me inspired and I whipped up a batch of yummy corn chowder.
With exceeding pride I set the table for the two of us. Lacy even got to drink out of her "fancy sippy cup" (fancy = a clean sippy cup that came out of the cupboard vs. one recently dug out from under the couch and briefly rinsed off). Clearly, I was feeling generous.
As we began to eat, Lacy scooped her spoon into the soup, brought it to her mouth, and miraculously managed to make the largest slurping sound all the while avoiding actual consumption of said soup. At that, she placed her spoon back into the soup and stated, "wooooaaahhh, look at my belly... it's soooo full! I just can't eat another bite!"
Always looking to improve my tactics, I simply agreed with her and informed her that there would be nothing else until breakfast in the morning. Lacy happily agreed and carried on about her business. After questioning her twice more, "Lace, are you SURE you don't want anymore soup?" I tossed her bowl of soup into the trash.
And then I started baking. Grangirl's Apple Muffins. It's a little Paula Deen recipe that makes me very very happy.
As the aroma of freshly baked muffins began to fill the air, Lacy somehow managed to overcome that previously stuffed feeling from dinner and sauntered into the kitchen. Eyes closed, nose in the air, she sniffed for a few minutes and then announced, "I just can't wait till those muffins come out of the oven they are going to be so tasty, mom".
I just ignored her. But I smiled. I was winning. Lacy quietly returned to her evening activities of Legos and coloring with a hint of Wow Wow Wubbzy in the background, for good measure.
Thirty-five minutes later, Lacy magically reappeared at my side as I pulled the muffins from the oven and placed them onto the counter.
"Ohhh mom, those are real beauties" she complimented. "Can I have one?"
"Sure" I told her as she grew increasingly excited. "In the morning... for breakfast".
BAM! I dealt the blow I had been waiting for. It was a nasty little lesson learned. No dinner, no after-dinner muffin, kiddo! The disappointment coming from Lacy was nearly palpable. Only outdone by my glee. Lacy gave a giant "haaruuumpff... okay, give me the soup, I'll eat it".
"Sorry, baby, I tossed the soup in the trash. Maybe next time you will eat your dinner when it is served".
...and then came the line I have embraced wholeheartedly: "You are now suffering the consequences of your poor decision".
I walked away from her humming "We Are The Champions" by Queen "...nooo time for looooosers, cause we are the champions...."
You can see how I would've assumed I was, indeed, a WINNER.
Well, around 5am the first assault was lodged my way. "MOM... I am ready to get up, it's morning time!"
"No, Lacy, not till the sun is up!"
Lacy persisted.
By 5:45 my will had been broken. Lacy had been muttering in her room for forty five minutes and decided to take it to the next level... song.
At the top of her lungs she sang, "Gooooood morning, good morning, goooooood morning... it's time to rise and shine!!! And EAT MUFFINS!!!"
My spirit broken, I let her out of bed (remember, she is attached to a ventilator at night so she can't get out of bed without me). We both went down stairs so Lacy could enjoy her victory muffin.
I think I heard her humming a little Queen while she ate.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Crazy
Lacy walked up behind me with her little play broom and said, "here mom, let me brush the crazy off of you"
The Landlord...
I am sure we all recall the landlord from hell right? Well, Cruella DeVille dropped by our house this morning. She needed to inspect some work done in the kitchen.
The guy hired was unable to paint over the repair job and apparently told our landlord that we'd do it. (...or at least that is what SHE said).
Her parting comments were, "well, just make sure that you take care of the paint"
WHAT? YOU WANT US TO TAKE CARE OF THE PAINT???
So what did I say to Ms DeVille? "um, yeah, okay". I just wanted her to leave.
Now I've been sitting here stewing in anger.
I hate being stuck in this position. I hate having a landlord. We just need to wait for our lease to end and buy... sigh.
The guy hired was unable to paint over the repair job and apparently told our landlord that we'd do it. (...or at least that is what SHE said).
Her parting comments were, "well, just make sure that you take care of the paint"
WHAT? YOU WANT US TO TAKE CARE OF THE PAINT???
So what did I say to Ms DeVille? "um, yeah, okay". I just wanted her to leave.
Now I've been sitting here stewing in anger.
I hate being stuck in this position. I hate having a landlord. We just need to wait for our lease to end and buy... sigh.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
November is National Adoption Month
On any given day in North America, nearly 600,000 children are in the foster care system, and more than 150,000 of them are available for adoption, just waiting for the right family to find them.
There are 510,000 children in the U.S. foster care system; 129,000 of these children are available for adoption.
More children become available for adoption each year than are adopted. In 2006, 79,000 children had parental rights terminated by the courts, yet only 51,000 were adopted.
A child in foster care can wait up to five years to be adopted.
The average age of the child waiting to be adopted from foster care is eight years old.
The average number of months a child waiting to be adopted has been in foster care is 39 months.
Each year, 20% of children (26,517 in 2006) exit foster care at age 18 without an adoptive family.
According to a National Adoption Attitudes Survey commissioned, 63 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of adoption and 78 percent think more should be done to encourage adoption.
Nearly 40 percent of American adults, or 81.5 million people, have considered adopting a child, according to the National Adoption Attitudes Survey.
If just one in 500 of these adults adopted, every waiting child in foster care would have a permanent family.
There are 510,000 children in the U.S. foster care system; 129,000 of these children are available for adoption.
More children become available for adoption each year than are adopted. In 2006, 79,000 children had parental rights terminated by the courts, yet only 51,000 were adopted.
A child in foster care can wait up to five years to be adopted.
The average age of the child waiting to be adopted from foster care is eight years old.
The average number of months a child waiting to be adopted has been in foster care is 39 months.
Each year, 20% of children (26,517 in 2006) exit foster care at age 18 without an adoptive family.
According to a National Adoption Attitudes Survey commissioned, 63 percent of Americans hold a favorable view of adoption and 78 percent think more should be done to encourage adoption.
Nearly 40 percent of American adults, or 81.5 million people, have considered adopting a child, according to the National Adoption Attitudes Survey.
If just one in 500 of these adults adopted, every waiting child in foster care would have a permanent family.
Monday, November 03, 2008
A Work in Progress
Decided to change my blog up a bit... unfortunately I lost the old copy and can't seem to bring it back. After wallowing in self pity over it, I decided to figure out HTML code so I can change my blog. We will see how it goes! I managed to put a GIANT "Jo" signature line on it. Not exactly what I had planned, but it will work for now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
