Our Newest Family Member, Part Deux

Fooled ya for a minute!  I can't claim her as my own.  Believe me I totally would if given the chance.  Isn't she precious, sweet and entirely kissable?  She's also the biggest baby our family has seen in over 3 years. 

Meet Hannah-Joy.  She became my very first niece last night.  She weighs 8 lbs, 1 oz and is 21 inches long.  I now know why my sister-in-law Amanda was in so much discomfort.  This kid weighs about the same as Zoe did when she was 5 months old.  Amanda basically gave birth to a 5 month old.  That's totally impressive when you think about it.

Congratulations Brian and Amanda.  I can't think of two more deserving parents.  You both struggled to have H-J (is it alright that I call her that?).  I love seeing how God has blessed your life.  Having a daughter is one of the best blessings that has ever happened to N and me.  We treasured it so much we had three!

Enjoy the diaper changes, the feedings, the spit up, all the laundry and each moment you can count her fingers and toes again.  In a very short time she'll wipe off your kisses, learn the word "no" and make you laugh with her ideas.  Congrats mommy and daddy.  She's absolutely perfect.  Love you all.

Meet Our Newest Family Member

I have no idea how we survived before without in-stereo bluetooth, heated seats and iPod connection in the glove-box that comes through the stereo. 

Not sure of a name yet other than Sah-Wheet!

Death Becomes Her

It's official.  My car is D-E-A-D dead.  The mechanic mentioned something about a broken water pump, a seized engine, a snapped timing belt and bent pistons.  That all sounds very bad to me, but don't ask me what any of those things really do. 

I just know when I went to clean the old girl out yesterday there was a large piece of metal, covered in oil, in a box lined with a garbage sack in my trunk.  I can only assume it was part of my engine.  It was the saddest thing.  I just had her washed and waxed.  On the outside she looks perfect.  Only a small dent on the side where Neil's motorcycle fell on her. 

I can't confirm this, but I think she was crying too.  When I took one last look at her, green fluid was leaking from under her hood.  It was a good farewell.  She helped get me through college and through my single days.  She earned the nickname the Black Phantom.  We had some fun together.

Now it's time to be an adult.  Time for the family car, more room and heated seats. 

I think Zoe's having the hardest time of all.  She saw them tow away Black Car (it's what she's named it) on Monday.  She cried and cried and cried.  She is attached to so many things.  Every night she asks where Black Car is.  I've started prepping her for the transition.  I just hope it goes well.  It will be a long life if she can't like the new ride.

I Blame Dodge

We still don't know anything about my car.  On one hand it's a great lesson in patience.  If you haven't noticed, I lack patience more than I lack back hair.  Well, that's not to say that I have back hair, because I don't.  It's just the first analogy that came to mind.  It wasn't a good one.  I'll just say I have no patience.

Alrighty, forgetting the back hair thing and moving right along.

I'm not being entirely truthful.  When it comes to potty training and moving to a big girl bed, I have all the patience in the world.  When it comes to cars and the unknown, I freak out.  It was so bad last night that I'm pretty sure I could feel specific hairs on my head turning gray.

I know that's not going to do my any good.  Then again I may get a senior discount on labor at the mechanic.

I'm Having a Nancy Kerrigan Moment...Please Excuse Me

Do you remember Nancy Kerrigan?  Do you remember when she got whacked on the knee by Tanya Harding's husband, ex-husband, boyfriend, whatever he was?

She sat on the bench at the ice skating rink, holding her knee going, "why me?  Why me?"  She had that ugly cry face on and just kept rocking.

That's how I am this Monday morning.  I'm rocking and calling out "why me?"

I had another post this morning that was ready to go, but I stopped it when I walked back home this morning.  In heels.  All up hill.  In the snow.

Totally kidding about the actual snow, but it's definitely cold enough to snow.

Why would I do that?  My car died.  Like it won't go another step.  Last week we spent Zoe's first year of college tuition to get the clutch changed on it.  Now it's dead.  Something made a loud clank and then it just stopped.  Fortunately at the clank I turned onto a side street.  My biggest fear is having my car die in an intersection.

Now I get to wait for a tow truck.  Honestly, I'm having a Nancy Kerrigan moment.  Except I'm not in pain or crying.  Just slowly watching my hair turn gray.

Charlie Daniels Started The Same Way

This week we had the awesome opportunity to enjoy a concert.  They played the songs that Zoe knows by heart, so it was a little like they were playing just for her. 

D started violin this school year.  In 5th grade the students can take either a string instrument or a band instrument.  After months of practice and learning, they held their first concert in the gym.

It was a little weird being there since it's actually my alma mater too.  Some of the records on the track wall are kids from my class.  Mr. Triplett used to have his office in the northeast corner.  The mascot that's painted above the lunch room window was done during my time at the school.  It had a little deja vu action and thought that maybe I should go back home and get my flute.

As the kids were getting situated I told Zoe that they'd probably play some Hot Cross Buns.  Or is it Hot Crossed Buns?  Either way it's not how I take my buns.  There may also be some Twinkle Twinkle Little Star action too, but I couldn't promise Zoe anything.

As teh 5th grade strings began to play, Zoe yells out, "is this Twinkle Twinkle Little Star yet?"  Because they hadn't really started, I'm sure everyone heard her disappointment when she realized it was just that hot buns song that she doesn't really know.

She made it through a couple more songs before they played Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

I honestly thought Zoe was going to have a heart attack right there from excitement.  She danced and clapped and yelled "MORE" when they were done.  She's got plans for D to bring over her violin and play her a personal concert. 

After a few "shhsh's" from me, she quieted down just in time for D's solo.  This is the same girl who got totally nervous and turned red at the thought of singing in the Christmas program at church.  Now she's introducing herself to the audience, telling the name of her solo piece and knocking that Hopscotch song right out of the park.

D, we couldn't be more proud of you.  Watching you play your violin and perform for a packed house was the absolute highlight of our month.  Thank you for inviting us.  Zoe thanks you for playing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  She's fully prepared to sing along with you if you bring your violin here.

I know your daddy and me would be a captive audience.

Maybe you can explain the Hot Cross (Crossed?) Buns song to me. 

She's Got Almost As Many Medals As Shaun White...If We Gave Medals

Last Friday we moved Zoe into a big girl bed.  With that came some major changes to her routine.  I may be a mom that babies my daughter.  I know N thinks that of me.  I like to think I'm a creature of routine.  I don't particularily like changes to my routine.

However, I also know Zoe can't stay in diapers and cuddle in my arms when she goes off to college.  Changes are inevitable.

Zoe is my daughter in many ways.  She's also a child of routine.  Changes aren't her favorite thing.  Part of moving to a big girl bed included giving up a bottle. 

After 5 nights of her asking for a bottle and crying when I told her that big girls don't drink bottles, she's stopped asking and stopped crying.  Tonight may be a different story, but I'm considering that a milestone.

The second milestone is that she stays in her big girl bed and sleeps through the night.  That part of the transition was seamless.  Can I get an amen?  Thank you so much for the first pump along with that amen!

As if these two things weren't big enough, Zoe is also totally potty trained.  We did some big business this weekend in a public restroom during our swim time at the YMCA.

I've got to say, I was the most thrilled about that one.  Gone are the diapers, bottles and crib. 

Here's to the days of finding all the public restrooms during our travels.