Too Cute

After coming across a cartoon picture of a beaver, Anna showed it me and said, "Mommy, is this Justin Beaver?"

Christmas is almost here!

I've been very anxious lately about several things. The new baby coming, Ron's busy wrestling schedule, if we'll be attacked again by head lice and I've also been spotting lightly. I'm having a hard time dealing with it all and I think going from working full-time to not at all has also been a big change for me to handle. So, I'm going to list here things I am thankful for and try to focus on those rather than my fears, concerns and worries.

Here goes:

My husband who is so patient, understanding and hard working for me. He always listens to my concerns and tries his best to help me deal with them.

My beautiful, healthy daughter. Anna you make me so proud. Reading already in kindergarten, a perfect teacher-parent conference and report card. And how caring you truly are. Noone else would cry that we flushed baby lice eggs down the toilet and didn't give them a chance to live.

My family and Ron's family. They patiently answer the phone when I call obsessively worrying about things or if I need a hand watching Anna.

The signs my mom gives me that although she's in heaven, she's very much aware of my struggles down here and isn't leaving me all alone. In my times of great fear and anxiety she is amazing at sending me a sign I'm not alone. I love you Mom and know its not by coincidence that these things happen.

For God, who is always willing to give me another chance to rely on Him more. For all of his mercies he gives me every day. For all the blessings he has bestowed upon me. I need to focus on these more. Lord, please help me to do so.

When It Rains It Pours....

Yesterday I began spotting very lightly. I immediately called the dr and they said to rest, drink water and keep an eye on it. It continued today although a little lighter so the dr said to come on in for an ultra-sound. Wouldn't you know that as soon as I go to make the appointment, Anna throws up all over the floor :( My poor girl must have eaten something that did not agree with her. Fortuntately she only got sick four more times and is doing better now. No diarrhea so I'm hoping this is not the bug??? She's tired of watching tv and wants to play so I'm hoping that she's turning the corner.

My dad came over to watch her (please pray he doesn't get it) so I could run out to my ultra-sound. Well, everything is fine. The baby looks great and there is no reason for concern. The technician said this happens all the time, especially to smaller framed women. I'm not even dialated which is good because I'm only 35 weeks and I had convinced myself this was the beginning of labor. Praise God for the good news. Please Lord, just keep the rest of us healthy now. Please keep us germ free.

Wonderful Parent-Teacher Conference

I had the pleasure this morning of attending Anna's first parent-teacher conference. We had gotten her report card last week which was fabulous so I really wasn't worried. Her teacher is very pleased. She said the work Anna is doing is above and beyond what would typically be expected of a kindergartner in December. She said it was quite obvious the amount of time and effort we had put into teaching Anna about the letter names, sounds and how to read. She is kind and a good friend as well as a good listener. We are just so happy to hear that! Some of the testing we are seeing at home hasn't cropped up at school (Thank you God!) so Ron and I will keep working on that -Me a little harder because I can easily get myself into a power struggle with her. Many times I feel like another five year old arguing with her rather than being the Mommy! To celebrate, I took her out to McDonalds and then for a manicure. I had told her in August that if she got a good report card from her teacher, that would be her treat. It was a nice morning out. Now we're home with the stove loaded -it was only 10 degrees this morning! I'm seeing homeade peanut butter cookies with hot chocolate in my future :)

Jesus' Birthday Party and Organizing

Anna and I have begun attending MOPS at our church again -Mothers of Preschoolers. Today was a birthday party for Jesus in honor of Christmas. We both had fun getting out with children and Mommies. Anna won a prize and had fun decorating cookies with gobs of frosting and sprinkles.

After that, she went to kindergarten and I spent some more time in the basement cleaning and organizing the dozen rubbermaid boxes that house every ounce of clothing she ever wore. I only have two boxes mind you and Ron -well, he has none! I don't want to know what this baby is however if it is a boy, I'm really wasting my time organizing a million outfits into 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-12 months etc. I guess I've begun nesting too because every cabinet in the house is getting cleaned out and the garbagemen will have a full load to pick up tomorrow! I can't stand clutter and now that seems to be in overdrive.

I find it hard though going through Anna's clothes because not only do they remind me of how much she has grown, but so many of them my mom bought for her and I can remember the day she gave each one to us. How do you dispose of those??? Fortunately, we don't have to do that yet. I plan on keeping several of them for Anna when she becomes a Mommy.

Our Trip to NYC

Well, we have been lice free for three days now- Please pray we stay that way. It is terrible! Anna will get her daily mayonaisse head wrap when she gets home from school again today.

On a happier note, we took her to NYC for the first time. We saw the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, St Patrick's and all of the beautiful shop windows decorated for the holidays. Here was her favorite part:

More

I HATE LICE! I have decided to put my child in a bubble for the rest of her life.

A Real Mother...

I am not sure one becomes a "real" mother until they have rid their child of head lice. I will spare you the terrible, horrible, gross, disgusting details but I will say I would not wish it on my worst enemy and that I think I'd rather have the stomachbug then deal with head lice on my offspring while being 8 months pregnant.