Just Ani and I. Big heavy boxes. Lots of distractors. Hmmmmm...wonder how this is going to work out!
Also, I want two bookcases and the special price is for "one per household." I may have to impersonate someone else (and pay in cash!) for a second. I am so sneaky, yes?
I ordered a "sew it yourself" kit from an etsy seller. The fabric came pre-cut and everything, with directions, but my mum had to show me the basics on her machine (Turn it on. Put thread here. Etc. etc. etc.) Mum is a super accomplished seamstress, knitter, artist...basically all of the areas I'm not. I think she enjoyed helping me do something that is so outside my usual domain.
Ani loves it, is so tickled that I made it *just for her*, and says it is a great dancing skirt. :)
- Mood:
accomplished
(Another photo for class)
| You Are Strong and Independent |
 You are a powerful, competitive person. While you want to succeed, you are also able to find balance in your life. People see you as self-sufficient. They are impressed by how much you are able to do on your own. When You Are At Your Best: You are a shy, quiet person. Underneath your shell, you are compassionate and giving. People find you to be friendly and welcoming. Your home is a place of comfort to them. When You Are in a Social Setting: You are unique and interesting. You are fascinated by the world, and you're always experimenting with new ideas. People see you as mysterious and enchanting. You don't realize how much people are drawn to you. |
THANKS!!
Edited to add this recipe google just gave me:
| APPLESAUCE BROWNIES | |
1 egg (or 2 egg whites) 1/2 c. applesauce 1/2 c. water 1 pkg. brownie mix
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of 13x9 inch pan. Mix brownie mix, water, applesauce and egg in large bowl. Beat 50 strokes by hand; don't under-mix. Spread in greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Don't over-bake. Cool completely. Store covered. | |
Last night was Ani's first gymnastics class here. That place is located a 2 minute drive down the street from me- could not be more convenient. When I brought her in 2 weeks ago to sign up, she started freaking out and didn't like it and begged me to leave, but I held out hope that she'd change her mind. (She usually doesn't- she is very much love/hate, just like her mama) but luckily this time she did!! The class was really good. She went on a climbing wall, on a couple of slides, on a trampoline, uneven bars, hanging rings, balance beam, and played on a bunch of mats. The fact that she went on the rings is HUGE, because at one of the other gymnastics classes we tried the instructor put her on the hanging rings and then flipped her over upside down with no warning. (As you may guess, this caused an utter meltdown and it seemed like she'd be scarred for life. When she saw the rings at the new gym, she ran the other way and refused to try them, but came around later on when I hung onto them myself. Still won't tumble though...baby steps!!) The class is on Tuesday evenings from 6:15-7 and so far has only 3 kids enrolled. Unless 2 more kids sign up, they will probably cancel that day/time slot and merge it with a class on Saturday mornings. That isn't ideal for me, because I want the freedom to go upstate and not have E trail down here every weekend, and one of the reasons I picked that class time was because I want activities for Ani and I to do during the week while it's just us. So if it comes down to it, I may just get a refund instead of putting her in the Saturday class (which is already huge- and I don't like that either.) Since Ani is just getting accustomed to a semi-structured class setting, I think it's better for her to do it in a smaller environment at first. If there are 20 other kids running around, it'll be even harder for her to focus and listen to what the instructor wants her to do.
Oh well, I am so psyched that she went on the rings!
(Btw, I am up at 3am because we went to bed at 8:15- she was "tired" after the class!)
Yesterday there was a family festival at a nearby beach. They had a petting zoo, sandcastle contest, pony rides, all that good stuff. Ani had her first (and second!) ride on a pony. She was so brave- I originally planned to walk around the ring with her and the guide, but then decided to see if she could handle it on her own. And she totally did! I still haven't replaced my busted lens for my D40x, so this picture was taken with my mum's camera and it isn't the best. But you get the idea!
- Mood:
pleased
But right now I want to send this out to cyberspace to get opinions.
I've been searching for the perfect gymnastics program for Ani- a once a week for an hour type deal. I've been looking all over and have narrowed it down to 3 places. Ani is the veto, because there are some places that she just will not enter, and I guess on an instinctive level I just have to respect that.
Last night we went to a class that was really for 2.5-3.5 year olds, but they let Ani try it out although she is 2 months younger than that. It was good- she enjoyed most of it, though she freaked out about the tumbling they did and didn't want to wait for turns very often (go figure.) The class also had a significant segment spent on the circle, where the toddlers were expected to sit with their parent and do activities there. Ani wanted no part of the circle time, and wandered/ran off to explore the funner parts of the gym (ball pit, ladders, hanging rings, slide, trampolines!) and apparently this was noticed by the teachers.
At the end of the class, the teacher recommended that I enroll Ani into the younger class, which she technically fits into (2-2.5 years old) because it isn't as structured (not as much circle time, more time for open exploration.) Her points were totally valid, but when she said "Your daughter doesn't go to daycare/preschool, does she?" it felt like criticism. She explained that children who go to a daycare setting learn the structure from an early age and manage the circle times, waiting for turns, etc.
It's still bugging me. Ani is cared for by my mom, and E's dad, on alternate days of the week. She has wonderful, loving relationships with both of them- and our extended families as well. Next year, we'll be moving upstate and she will likely enter a preschool setting while I am at work for 40 hours a week. I think it will be good for her next year, as a headstart on academics, though I am a teacher for crying out loud and I've made sure she's been getting academics, art, music and physical activity at home since birth. But am I doing a disservice to her now, because she isn't developing the behavioral skills other kids that go to school younger are?
Thoughts welcome....
- Mood:
confused
- Mood:In love
I've been tempted to post over the last week but have held back because I skipped over so much, and that bugs me. So in short form, here is what happened over the last 2 weeks...
-left Kennebunkport and headed up to Portland. Loved. Great weather, great seafood, great shopping, pretty good Children's Museum (where Ani hid under one of the climbing gyms and was kissing a 3 year old boy!!)
-broke camera lens, so I don't have photos from the last couple of days of the trip. Urgh. Am going to use it as an excuse to upgrade to a 200 (from a 55). So strange to be camera-less!
-Ani sort of regressed with the potty training while we were away- working hard to get her back into it- before we left she was basically trained, now it is hit and miss.
-started and completed a 5 day grad course in "Balanced Reading and Writing Classrooms". Now 3 credits richer, $645 poorer, that much closer to employability upstate.
-school starts in a week and a half.
-have been looking at cars I can trade mine in for. Crossing fingers.
-Mets game tomorrow with my law school friends. Much tailgating before hand. Will probably only stay for 3 innings of actual game.
The first couple of days were beautiful, weatherwise- a little sunny, a little overcast, but in the low 70's/high 60's. Since having Ani, I don't get to do the laying-out-in-the-sun-get-super-tan thing, so I have absolutely no use for hot weather. This suits me nicely.
We have swam in the hotel pool, gone to the beach to dig with shovels and collect beach pebbles, watched Ani devour her first ice cream cone, ate outside on a deck overlooking the bay, had clam chowder and lobster rolls, drank a margarita and a mai tai, bought hoodie sweatshirts that proclaim our love for the state, saw the Bush family compound, read Jodi Picoult's book "Nineteen Minutes" which was great, and ate at O'Naturals, an all organic version of Panera or Cosi (looooooooved) and drove up to Portland to take Ani to the children's museum because it rained today.
Oh, you say you want pictures?
- Location:Kennebunkport
- Mood:on vacation!
Sometime last summer, I was shopping for back to school classroom supplies at the neighborhood $ Tree store and had several bulging bags in one arm, Ani in the other. As I often do, I put everything on the hood of my truck to free up my hands to get her buckled into her carseat. Then I threw the bags in the back, and drove off- not noticing that my black leather bag was left on the hood, the truck also being black. AARGH!
By the time I noticed, I was at home in the parking lot of my complex. Where is my bag? OH NO!
In the bag was my wallet, passport, and keys. I went back to the scene of stupidity and my mum helped me walk up and down the road, trying to locate my stuff. We found my heath insurance card and a book of matches I had tucked in my wallet, and that was it.
Fast-foward to July 29, 2008. A postal worker drove over to my mum's house and asked if Heather Marinara (an approximation of my maiden name, and the name on my passport) lived there. They explained that I used to. My passport was turned into the post office! (A year later??!) BUT whatever, YAY! I had been putting off and putting off getting a new passport, because this wasn't the first time I had lost one, and it is a hassle to get a replacement, plus expensive. So happy. I can go pick it up whenever I want.
And, now I have my truck back, so I can go get it. My truck has many, many problems, typical of the make and model (rhymes with Shmandrover Shmiscovery.) I actually really want to get rid of it, but we have to correct all of the problems before we can beg someone to accept it as a trade in for another vehicle. (Though I am drooling over new-to-me cars already...) But at least now my a/c is functional. Do you know how hot it has been in downstate NY the last two weeks??? Happy.
Third happy is that the sneakers I ordered off of ebay over a month ago have been located by the seller- for some reason they were shipped to MA and eventually returned to the seller- so within the week I should have them and can resume gym workouts. Yay!
I also love, love, love my daughter and that makes me incredibly happy every day. So that is 4 big happies!
I also just saw the Boden fall clothing line and am seriously just oozing covet covet covet over here.
#1. Ani flailing her arms like wings on a swing at the playground. I keep pushing her til she soars over my head, and say "You are SO high!" She says "Oh Mommy! I flying like a BOURD!"
#2. Ani dancing with chubby checker like movements at the "Under 5s" music class at the children's museum. Other parents tell their kids to look at her and do what she's doing.
#3. Ani eating penne with pesto with her eyes closed in enjoyment, sitting on the front steps.
#4. Ani painting masterpieces with an assortment of mediums out of the ever-growing "art box" and giving them all to me. "For my mommy."
#5. Going for a quick supermarket trip for "bannas" (bananas) at her request, and she wore underwear instead of a diaper for the trip. No accidents!
#6. Being complimented by another parent for my child's good manners.
- Mood: happy
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anyas_mama- The Dalai Lama's Mama
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