Fun With Pops And Lela

So far most of our time has been spent like this:

Well okay, so we haven't been spending ALL of our time lounging around. We did go to church this morning. :) Tomorrow is NYC so I should have some good pics after that!

Pops And Lela ...

... are here. Everyone is very happy and we are having a marvelous time. :)

No Cavities

Praise the Lord for good news from the dentist! Also they gave me a rough estimate of our cost to have My Man's fillings done and it's less than I thought.

Pops and Lela are coming tomorrow!!!! YAYAYAYAY!!!!!

I still have so much to do before they come! Aaaaah! More coffee!

Two Days!

Some of you are already praying for Travis, but if not please click here for the story and updates. We have a powerful and almighty God Who can heal Travis from his injury -- please continue to pray for him.

A few minutes ago I asked the Boogie, "Who's coming to see you?"
"Lela!" she exclaimed. Smart girl. :) Yesterday morning she pointed to a backhoe across the street and said "hado" which is her best attempt at "anaranjado" which is Spanish for "orange" ... the backhoe was sort of yellow but I was impressed! At dinner My Man gave her some baby carrots cut up. "Carrots," she said, "round and round and round and round." Aww, my baby is learning colors and shapes AND she can almost count to five in Spanish.

On Monday I spent the entire day cleaning, rearranging, doing laundry, and sorting through baby/toddler clothes. My Man helped with the rearranging and went to pick up the mattresses we borrowed from his brother. He also brought me an iced mocha and took the Boogie to pick up Taco Bell for dinner. What a great guy. Our living room is full of the Boogie's toys and her room is clean and just about ready for new, albeit temporary, inhabitants. The only major thing left to do is move her crib into our room.

Someone gave us four bags full of little girl clothes that their daughter had outgrown, so I went through them all as well as the bins of outgrown Boogie clothes that I've saved in case we have another girl someday. I have four bins of too-small Boogie clothes, a dresser and closet FULL of summer clothes for her, and another full bin of clothes for next winter, as well as some things that won't fit her for a couple more years. This child has a lot of clothes. Praise the Lord for hand-me-downs! I also have several bags of things to return/give away/donate. It took me hours to go through it all and was probably the most tiring thing I did on Monday though it wasn't difficult work. It was mentally exhausting! :)

There's a visit to the dentist in store for me this morning. I'm praying for no cavities ... especially since My Man went last week and he is going to need some fillings.

Gotta go, lots to do today!

Two more days!

Something I Need To Say

Men and women who have served our country ... thank you.Men and women who have died for our country ... thank you.

Men and women who have said good-bye forever on this earth to loved ones who served our country ... thank you.

My gratefulness is insignificant in comparison to your sacrifices ... nevertheless it is heartfelt.

I Miss You

Yes, I mean you, you cool people who read this blog. I miss writing. Every time I think about it there is something else I should be doing ...

I can't even remember what we've done this past week. Not a whole lot, I'm sure. Work and church and stuff like that.

Yesterday morning I worked. Around noon My Man's Uncle T and Aunt M and cousins D and K came over from Delaware. All the siblings and LCs joined them at 52 for some grilled lunch. I got there just in time for the food! After eating the men finished putting together a big play set with swings and monkey bars and climbing walls and a slide. It originally belonged to D and K but they have outgrown it. Now all the LCs have great fun with it. After a while My Man and the Boogie and I came home because Mr. B was coming. He brought the Boogie a new baby doll which she carried around and cooed over and fed a bottle for the rest of the evening.

Today after the morning service we had lunch on the grounds at church which was fun. There was more grilled yumminess and lots of great side dishes. FIL preached briefly after lunch, then we had dessert, and then we all headed home. The Boogie and I napped; she slept for three hours (oops!) and I slept for two while My Man changed the oil in my car and did some tuning up. When the Boogie and I woke up we joined him outside. The R family was out there too, so we chatted with them for a while and the Boogie and H-man got thoroughly dirty. They had a wonderful time though I wasn't sure if it was really worth it when I tried to get all of the dirt out of the Boogie's hair!

(Don't let her expression fool you, she was laughing delightedly just a moment before.)

Now we're winding down for the evening. The Boogie is bathed and fresh-smelling; My Man drove to Dunkin' Donuts for my iced coffee (decaf so as to not keep me awake tonight); a thunderstorm is blowing through; and we are looking forward to another day off tomorrow. We will be working but it will be at home and I'm sure we can squeeze in a Rita's break at some point. :)

I'll leave you with these videos I took tonight of My Man pushing the Boogie in the swing (do not watch the second one if you are prone to motion sickness.)

Oh and one more thing ... five days till Pops and Lela come!

Ten Days!

Last night at 10:00 our phone rang. Usually we screen our calls through the answering machine because they are often recordings or telemarketers or groups soliciting for money. Because it was so late I answered and it was my mom.
"Are you in bed?" she asked.
"No," I replied, puzzled.
"Well, we're at the airport waiting for you!" she said. For a split second I was very confused, and then I realized she was trying to get me. I will admit, Mom, you had me for a moment or two. But I'm wise to you and your tricks!

This morning when the Boogie woke up she called from her crib, "Honey! Whey ah you?" I love when she wakes up. I go in to get her and her face lights up. She wraps her arms around my neck and murmurs around the binkie, "Goo' mo'ning, honey! Goo' mo'ning!" We snuggle on the couch and chat.

Lately as we go through our day I think about how nice it will be to share our routine with my parents. I think about how excited the Boogie will be to see them every morning, and how my dad will rock her in the recliner and Mom will read her stories. I imagine us all going for a walk around the block, or sitting in the living room and drinking coffee and talking, or watching an old movie or tv show. I know I keep saying this ... but I CAN NOT WAIT!!!

No Bloggy Lately

I think this is the longest I've gone without blogging in quite a while. I just haven't had the interest in it. To be honest, this Mama is having a difficult time with going back to work. It's not the work part -- I still love everyone at the office and being there is fun. When I'm there I'm fine. It's the leaving-the-Boogie part. I was okay Monday and Wednesday but when I got home Wednesday night the Boogie was overtired and sobbing and calling for me. My Man said that it had been going on for a while and he could do nothing to console her. Now, my head knows that the exact same thing could have happened when I was home. We have rough days when we are together. No nap + a cousin to play with = an overtired Boogie. Even if I'd been home she probably would have acted the same way. But my heart hurts to think that my baby wanted me so badly and I wasn't here. I had Thursday off, and worked again Friday afternoon. I cried all day Friday. It was so hard. I didn't think it would be this hard to go back to work. I know the Boogie is fine. She is with her Mom Mom and Pop Pop, both of whom she adores, for a couple of hours. Then her Daddy is home with her. It's me. I'm the one struggling. I talked with my Mom about it, and chatted with my Pops online about it, and I felt better once I got through Friday. I know that we're still in the transition stage and that this will soon be the new normal. Anyway that's why I haven't felt like blogging lately.

But it's the beginning of a new week which I can be optimistic about. And I am VERY EXCITED about something ...

... 12 more days until my parents come! I just get all giddy inside when I think about it. We are going to have such a wonderful time!

Yesterday was a bridal shower for someone in our church, and I was asked to do the devotional. It was a good challenge for me! The shower was lovely and the bride-to-be was surprised and the food was GOOOOOD.

I got some squirt guns for the Boogie and gave them to her last night while she was in the tub. She thought they were great fun and she and I squirted each other. She goes right for the face and has pretty good aim! After a while we called for her Daddy and when he came in we soaked him. :)

Have I mentioned that my parents are coming in 12 days?

Sleep Talking

As soon as My Man and I hit the hay last night, the Boogie called from her room. The Daddy went to check on her and when he came back he said, "She's talking in her sleep." I didn't really believe him because I've heard her mumbling in her sleep but this time she was saying words. The next time she called I went in myself ... to find her curled up on her pillow, eyes closed, clutching her burpie as she said around the bink in her mouth, "Yummy! Bite, honey? Bite?" She was fast asleep! It was cute then but it lasted all night and this Mama is programmed to wake up when the little person calls. I woke up a lot last night. Then she was up for the day at 5:30. At least she's happy! No fever this morning and her cough isn't any worse; in fact it might be a little bit better. A little while ago she turned to me and said out of the blue, "Happy dirday, honey! Happy dirday!"
"Oh, thank you," I told her, "but it's not my birthday today."
"Yes, it is," she insisted.

Last Friday there were some surprise layoffs at My Man's place of employment. Praise the Lord my hubby still has a job but his sister was one of the casualties. :( She'd been there almost a year; I know they really liked her there so I guess it was a matter of lowest seniority. The Boogie and I were just there on Thursday to have lunch with My Man. SIL3 usually eats with us but she didn't that time. It's weird to think that it was our last opportunity to have lunch at work with her. We're very thankful that My Man was able to go to work this morning. I know that the Lord will take care of us no matter what, but it was still kind of worrying on Friday after My Man texted me on his break that people were being let go.

I discovered another plus to going back to work at the chiropractor's office -- I felt really awful on Friday and called out. Yep, I called out sick on my second day back. I ached all over with chills, etc. I knew they wouldn't want me to "share"! Anyway it's a major plus to already be established there. I knew that they knew I wouldn't call out unless I truly was sick. Today is another day, however, and back I go this afternoon. I'm looking forward to when it is routine again to go to work. I'm a person of habit and sometimes have a difficult time adjusting to change. Hopefully in a week or so things will have settled down and a new routine will be established for me.

Sunny and cool this morning! Good walk weather ... Happy Monday, everybody!

Happy Mother's Day

I hope each and every mom of you has (had, is having) a lovely day today, and that your week to come is lovely as well. :)

The Boogie has had a cough all week and today developed a fever so she and I stayed home this afternoon while My Man went to the surprise potluck lunch schemed up for MIL. This evening he went to church and the Boogie and I went for a short stroll. Despite being feverish she has been pretty happy. On our walk we were cheerfully greeted by a lady and three young girls who were sitting on their porch -- they oohed and ahhed over the Boogie and said she was so cute and wished me a happy Mother's Day. As we walked away they were waving and shouting "Hi! Happy Mother's Day!" to every car that drove by!

And not that I'm counting or anything, but as HJ would say, "only nineteen more sleeps" until my mom and dad come!

Back To Work I Go

It's been a wonderful five months or so of being a stay-at-home mom but with things slowing down at My Man's job, we needed something to supplement his income so today was my first afternoon back at the office. I got to work at the front desk for a while then do some of the billing stuff I used to do. I was kind of nervous and a little apprehensive about going back; however, everything went smoothly and I don't seem to have forgotten as much as I thought. The Boogie stayed at 52 for a couple of hours until My Man picked her up after work. I'm so thankful for family close by who are willing to pitch in and take care of our little girl for us. I'm never concerned about what she might see or hear or be permitted to do while she is with her grandparents which is a great blessing. God is good and never ceases to care for us!

Last night the D family brought over pizza and a belated birthday gift for the Boogie:

Isn't that the neatest thing? It's a little market complete with a cash register, coins, cash, produce stand, and little soft veggies! She has been playing in it all day. She held up one of the "bills" and I told her, "It's five dollars. You have five dollars!" "Five money!" she shouted. What an awesome gift. I am so tickled with it. :)

The First Saturday In May

Anyone know what happens today? Anyone? Anyone?

On the first Saturday in May the Kentucky Derby is run. This year was the 135th Derby! Wow. My mom's family is from the Louisville area and the Derby is a BIG DEAL down there. It is tradition in my family to pick a favorite before the race. We talk to my parents on the phone, who talk to my grandparents in Kentucky, and Mom makes a list of everyone's favorites. This year I liked Dunkirk and My Man chose Hold Me Back. Dunkirk came in 11th and Hold Me Back was 12th ... good thing we didn't place any bets. :) The winner was Mine That Bird despite odds of 50-1. He came up out of nowhere -- it was amazing!

So there you are: a little piece of Jersey Mama family traditions.

Mayday! Mayday!

Oh, excuse me. I mean May Day. I beg your pardon.

I love May in New Jersey. The weather is pretty nice all month, though we do experience quite a bit of pollen which plays havoc with many sinuses. Thankfully none of us suffer too badly from allergies so we can leave our windows wide open and let the breezes blow through! Today is warm and overcast and breezy -- after running a couple of errands the Boogie and I went for a nice walk. It was lovely.

Oh boy, crushed crackers on my couch. Guess I'd better go take care of that. What did people do before vacuum cleaners were invented? I ask you!