Christmas 2009 slideshow

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Christmas with Addison

This year's Christmas season has been quite fun to see in Addison's eyes. The day after Thanksgiving we went downtown to the Grande Illumination. They had carnival rides, a scavenger hunt, the lighting of the tree and the Children's Parade. We started off with hot dogs, french fries and fried pretzels, of course. Then we went on the scavenger hunt. This starts out with a map of all the participating businesses and a bag to carry your goods you get along the way. It was a clever way to get us to visit places we probably wouldn't know about. Also, it's about the only way anyone would EVER get me to go to the RTA bus depot downtown. After we collected (most of) our loot - we went to ride the carousel which is one of Addison's favorite rides. Because of that, she ended up briefly on the news! It was quite exciting to see her face on tv. After the carousel she wanted to ride Dizzy Dragons which is essentially a Tea Cup type ride that you control the spinning with a wheel in the middle. She wanted to do this over seeing the tree lighting up. The downside to this was a group of little kids who kind of weaseled their way in front of us even after I told them at some point that they actually came after us. The little punks still ended up in front and we had to catch the next round of rides which actually worked out better because I think I might have caused a scene if I were stuck in the same dragon as them. So, here I am...the mom who has to ride with her kid (she was way to little to ride alone and the ride was very spinny). I'm in a dragon's belly with a crew of sisters ranging from 6 to 9, I think. And they spun. They spun FAST. I don't normally get queasy on a ride, but I glanced out the door for a second and lost my bearings for a moment and for the seconds after that, I had to convince myself that I wouldn't get sick on a bunch of little girls. How embarrassing would that have been? Even after the ride stopped, I thought Addison was looking a little green as well, but she held it like a trooper and quickly got over it. I was glad the camera wasn't around for that. She had a blast and laughed the entire time, so it made it all worthwhile. After the ride, we were a little late for the parade, so Greg had to hold her up on his shoulders. She's not good at this. She lets her arms fly wildly around and throws off the balance by dipping her butt down too far. Always an inch away from peril - this little daredevil. Overall, kind of a dull parade, but it lasted forever. We learned that Addison likes loud, big black men and the drum corps. Not sure what that will bring for us in the future, but she enjoyed it immensely.








The next day we decided to take a chance with our pictures with Santa. We stood in line at The Greene and finally it was her turn. We missed out on Mrs. Clause which may have helped, but she tried to be brave anyway. She got choked up as soon as it was her turn to see the big guy. I did a drop-and-run which was probably the first mistake. Her lip was trembling before I even let go and then we were both standing about 5 feet away from her just staring at her and talking to her while she tried very hard to keep a straight face. She fell apart for a few moments, regained her composure and wiped her eyes and tried to keep her lip from trembling again. I'm convinced once you get the trembly lip it's nearly impossible to stop tears from flowing, so she didn't have much chance. Finally, a pseudo- non-weeping picture was captured...but we were done and I officially became the worst mom ever for that minute. We're over it now, until the next time.










Next was our trek to cut down our Christmas tree at the tree farm. She wanted to help like no one's business, so she pulled the sled and helped pick out the tree. Once we got it home she even helped decorate it (until she saw the Barbie ornaments, then she was off to create scenarios with them while I was left to decorate the rest).















Later that evening, we decided to chance a Santa again. This time we went to the Mall at Fairfield Commons. It was a much better set-up and not many people. I had hopes that it would be much better this time. Addison even brought a card for Santa. I thought that was a great idea (her own) and it would give her a reason to approach him. Her card was actually the cardboard part of a pack of stickers you get, but it was a prize to her anyway. So, finally our turn arose. Immediately she buried her head into my leg. This was not a good start. I picked her up and we slowly approached the man in red. I've never experienced a child so glued to me ever. I knelt down and Santa and I gave each other high-fives and he held my hand. No go. She flat out refused to cave and look at him. She was the ostrich. We stepped aside so she could see a few more kids go through. I think I remember the first kid crying, which just feeds into her doubt. Not a good method. A few more went through unscathed, so we tried again. This time she still wouldn't look, but was half-way willing to stand in front of him. The photographer grabbed a rocking horse and after peeling her off of Greg we got her to sit through a few quick pictures before she had enough and got up. I'm surprised she didn't flip us off and storm out. Anyway, that ended up being our Christmas picture. Not horrible and no tears were shed that time. As a reward we let her ride a quarter ride (more like 3 quarter ride) and then she played in the play area upstairs until Greg and I got fed up with the dropped-off-too-big-and-too-old-to-be-running-around-in-a-little-kids-playarea kids. I think it's really just a test to see how long parents can withstand the bad kids knocking over all the small ones while they chase each other around. Can't say anything though, cause I could be arrested for harrassing a child. I'd rather just get up and leave.



She's been able to open a few gifts already and is on her way to mastering the art of unwrapping. At mom and dad's house she meticulously ripped 1X1 inch squares of paper and handed them to my dad. Eventually she realized that she could rip bigger sheets of paper, but she still has to get every single little piece off before she can open the box to see what's inside. I hope no one uses a lot of tape in the future. I almost can't bear the anticipation myself of seeing what's inside. It seems that she's nearly forgotten that there is a gift inside underneath all the paper and wants to go off and do something else. Her joy is simply unwrapping and the gift is just a bonus I guess. She's in her stage of apathy right now too, and she, being who she is lays it out sometimes that she doesn't care about her gifts. We know differently though. She has announced already that she "doesn't want" something that she's gotten and an hour later it's her "favorite thing". Once in awhile you might see the truly amazed gasp of delight escape from her, but it's not often.



Christmas carols have been fun to hear her sing as well. One day we heard her singing along to a song in the backseat "Fleece Nobbynob". She'll ask to sing "Frosty the Snowman was a Jolly Happy Soul" and occasionally she won't know all the words to a carol, but you can hear the last word of the sentence quite loudly as she belts out the parts she knows. "Watch out" "not pout" "Telling you why".



Yes, this Christmas has been a joy so far in the eyes of my child and how she's starting to recognize the magic of the season.

Here's the second part of the video

This is a video of Addison seeing for the first time a dollhouse a friend had given us.

Merry Christmas!!

Such a face

This was a no-you-can't-have-a-Funyon moment.

This is a video of Addison and Greg playing in the leaves

Addison playing in the leaves

Past Blast

I’ve recently been listening to a podcast of “Our Miss Brooks”. Some of you may remember her from the late 40’s through the 50’s as a radio show turned television comedy show. It’s a delightful half-hour show about an English teacher (Miss Brooks) who is in love with an awkward science teacher named Mr. Boynton. Most episodes feature a student character named Walter Denton and his off and on girlfriend Harriet who was the daughter of principal Conklin. I’d love to see the television version of this show, but haven’t been able to locate any. Listening to this while glancing at my growing collection of 50’s memorabilia surrounding my desk on folders, sticky notes and notepads, I feel like I’ve been transported into the years in which I should have been growing up. I love everything 50’s. I love the fashion, or rather looking at the fashion. I can’t imagine me wearing any of the clothes.  I love the art and the emergence of pop art from that time. I love the tiny little girl power revolution that was quietly happening. I love the gadgets that were being invented to make lives easier. Sock hops and drive-ins.  Black and white tv and the great television shows that were being shown.  Dagwood and Blondie, Ma & Pa Kettle, Shirley Temple, Howdy Doody, Roy Rogers, Mr. Ed, and Lassie.  Bubble gum pop music.  It was a great time. I’m sure it had a lot of strife as well, but it seemed to be a “cute” time. I thoroughly enjoyed reading "The Life and Times of The Thunderbolt Kid" by Bill Bryson and it would probably be one of those books I would read it again (but I think I passed the book on). Perhaps I’ve been reincarnated from someone who grew up during that time and that’s why I’m so attracted to it. Who knows? So, I’m continuing to immerse myself in all things 50’s for the present time and enjoy the time travel happening in my brain. I can close my eyes and pretend.

Addison's Halloween 2009

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Addison's ISR refresher part deux

Here's the latest, greatest Addison video of her ISR refresher lesson.  She's swimming to the edge (kicking and everything) and she thought it was great fun to launch herself backwards.  She always goes to her float though.  Her instructor says she's a fish and a natural swimmer.  *beaming*  :)  She also says she'll have a huge advantage when she starts with traditional swim lessons which will probably be next year.  She'll be our little guppy.

The Yard Sale Diaries

So, you meet interesting people when you have a yard sale. Since having 2 yard sales in the span of about a month, we made over $500. The remarkable thing (not just that we made pretty good money) was that we had everything priced for $1. Some things were 2 for $1 and if you were nice, I might make you a deal even more than that. This means I have a lot of stuff. I have so much stuff that we could easily have another yard sale and perhaps make a few hundred more dollars. It’s absurd really. Granted, we had a few things in the side yard that were a little more, but not much. But that’s not the most interesting part of all. The most interesting are the people. You meet stupid people (lots of those, in fact), lonely people, people who will talk about anything – which could also fall in the previous category, people who will haggle over $1, people who want to be your friend (these are the scariest of all), and your neighbors. I think the latter makes me most uncomfortable. Not sure why. Perhaps it’s because we’re not very close with any of our neighbors. We don’t stand around and chitty chat at the fence or anything. I don’t think much of that goes on anymore. I think I feel like they are just scoping out my stuff and I feel a little guilty about them buying my things. It’s weird to know that my neighbor is touching things were mine. Voyeuristic in a way. I dunno.

The lonely people and the people who talk too much are the most painful. We had one guy who came over a few times with his wife and while his wife perused my vast selection of junk, he felt the need to engage me in conversation. This usually resulted in a circular conversation about how cold it was getting and then a loud discussion about “the black running the city of Dayton”. Since I have several neighbors who are black I wanted to shush him, but it wouldn’t have done any good because 10 seconds later he was repeating the same thing he had just said 10 seconds earlier. It was a very uninteresting exchange. FINALLY, they would leave but only after he had to pretend to be put out that he was spending sooo much money on my stuff.

The stupid people aren’t so bad and can be funny but also infuriating. I was approached by one woman who stated she ONLY reads true stories and did I have any? “I don’t want to waste any time reading anything that ain’t true”. Well, who am I to judge. I might be a little more concerned if it were the other way around. I was glad to help and followed her over to the book section to point out which stories were true. I had to convince her that Force Recon is NOT a true story, but “Tuesdays with Morrie” is a true story. She proceeded to have a 5 minute argument with me about why she didn’t think that was a true story. She couldn’t find anything on the jacket that indicated that it was and she’d never heard of it. Well, it’s hard to reason with a person like this. I mean, for $1, can’t you just take a chance? I finally talked her into it (without whipping my iPhone out to Wiki it and prove it once and for all), and a true crime novel as well. ChaCHING!

The people who haggle over $1 are generally not nice all the way around. I did have one guy haggle over a $5 air pump though too. I did not make a sale with him. He asked what the lowest price I would take on it. $3, I said. How about a dollar? I say, “I can’t go that low”. Dummy. I might have if he were nice about it, or maybe buying some other things, but if I wanted to sell the pump for $1, I woulda put it on the other side of the lawn where all the $1 things were! Then there was the guy who wanted to know how he could be assured that the computer processor we had out really worked. Um, it’s a GARAGE SALE, not frickin’ Big Lots, dude. You take your chances. One woman offered me $1.50 for $2.00 worth of clothes and then bought a $10 Pack-N-Play too. Really? You HAD to keep that .50? I think sometimes people haggle just to haggle.

I have to mention I’ve made some frequent shopper friends as well. One woman came 3 times in one weekend. Poor thing had recovered from a brain tumor and had to ride her bike to my house because her abusive boyfriend refused to drive her anymore. The second day she came she had band-aids on her knees, so I asked her about it. She says because of the brain tumor her depth perception is impaired so she sometimes runs her bike into poles…then falls off her bike. Seriously? I wanted to give her my car. I tried to give her extra things like clothes and bags and things that she wanted but didn’t have enough dollars for, but she refused to take them saying “you’ll never make any money if I take all your things.” Another frequent shopper just came every day to see if I had anything new. She seemed truly delighted and snatched up a few things excitedly. I like that. I like when I hear people call their friends and say “I found this really great yard sale, you have to come!” I don’t like the people who just drive slowly by and don’t take the time to get out of their car to see my nifties up close and personal. You can’t win them all I guess.

All in all it was a success and I tried not to be offended when someone didn’t want to pay a full dollar for my treasures. I think I succeeded. Can’t wait to see who comes to the next sale!

Tots and tiaras

Yesterday afternoon I sat mesmerized by this show 'tots and tiaras' or whatever it's called. I was absolutely entranced and appalled at the same time. I had a friend who did this once with her daughter (though not quite to this extreme) so I can guess what the cost is. Not cheap! Anyway, if you ever have the chance to see this show, you might get sucked in like I did. I think it was all the shine and glitter that got to me first. That was the drug that started it all.

The first episode I watched I was introduced to "flips" and "falls". Not what one might think, especially when associated with small children. Let me explain the "flip". This is a set of pearly white perfect teeth that cover the child's own teeth. We all know and love the gappy toothed smile that kids have when they start losing their baby teeth and make room for their adult teeth. That is, unless you are a pageant judge or a pageant parent. Then it becomes the bain of a child's ever-changing growth into adulthood. It is ugly and will lose trophies if your child seems like a kid rather than a little adult. They have to practice their new smiles so that they don't accidentally drop their fake teeth out of their mouths with their fake smiles. Gah! Reallly?!

Now comes the "falls". Some may already be aware of these - mostly from an earlier generation or those that may be familiar with returning hairstyles of today. At one time I was familiar with the term, but wasn't expecting it to be used in association with a 2 year-old. These are hair pieces. Fine haired children are not award worthy. As if a 2 year-old with a head of perfectly coiffed billowing head of shiny curly hair down to their waist and poufed out wider than their tiny bodies looks natural.

What's even more appalling are the parents. Standing on the sidelines moms (and sometimes dads) are swinging their hips precociously and pursing their lips sudectively (cause kids do that, right?) and screwing pretend dimples into their cheeks as their prancing little kids in sparkly lacy dresses or belly outfits follow along. I think they should have to stand in front of the judges so they can see which kids have the real talent.

They wear more makeup and hairspray than I have in my lifetime - and I wear makeup.

The last episode I saw had a little girl which reminded me a little of "Little Miss Sunshine". She seemed to be doing it merely as a fun thing. Her mom was not doting on her or dancing aroung ridiculously, but coached her along and let her run around like little girls do. She won a few awards, but was just happy to be bringing home a sparkly trophy... Even though she didn't win little miss whatever.

They will make shows out of anything anymore.


-- Post From My iPhone

The Trauma of Daycare

It’s been a trial, but I think she’s finally getting into the swing of it. She started the first week a little confused and out of sorts because her daily routine was changing for the first time. By the end of the week we were in full blown freak-out mode because she couldn’t figure out what was going on. Week 2 – well, it’s a blur for me. I’d say weeks 2 and 3 were the worst ever. Every morning as soon as daddy left for work, she’d start whining and wimpering saying she didn’t want to go to daycare. She didn’t want me to go to work. We should just stay home. As much as I’d like that, it’s not an option right now. She began to equate Greg leaving for work with her miserable day at daycare about to begin. She’d cry from the time we left the house until we got to daycare when she’d switch to clinging and panicking. She would moan for me not to leave…but I had to. It was heartbreaking and a little concerning. I couldn’t figure out why she hated daycare so much. Then I realized it wasn’t so much the daycare as it was the huge change in routine. Her first time being left with people she didn’t know. Her first time hanging out with the same kids every day. Her first time following their rules. Life wasn’t altered for her convenience and comfort anymore. She was on someone else’s time schedule and had to obey the rules…suffer someone else’s consequences. Her first really hard lessons.

Well, it’s week 4 now and she’s not crying when I leave her now (much). Although I’d really like to be able to send her to a really, really good daycare with field trips and sunny rooms, I think she’s safe and learning things. That’s what’s really important. She’s already claimed the play castle in the backyard as her own and has taken a role as teacher to the younger, less experienced youth there. She tells me of a boy named De’Shay(?) who apparently talks a lot when they are supposed to be sleeping. I’m sure my child appropriately shushes him. That’s my girl. Hopefully soon her potty-training will be back on schedule as well. We had a little setback with the change, but I’m confident that she’ll do better soon.

So we forge ahead to the next obstacle or challenge – which I think will be pre-school or kindergarten. Until then, we’ll try to enjoy each tantrum-filled, giggle-filled, tears-filled day.

Addison update with video

Addison has started daycare fulltime now and it's been a struggle, but I think she's on her way to accepting it. A few weeks ago I got a report that she had taught the class to sing "B-I-N-G-O". Today, Greg said the teachers think she's the smartest in her class! She's been learning so much and catches on quickly. Imagine our surprise when she started singing a song we hadn't heard her sing all by herself. She knows all the words and can sing it all by herself, though she prefers some group participation. She likes if you sing her a word and she'll finish the phrase. Here's a video to illustrate. I subtitled it, but I think she says the words relatively clearly, though some might not be familiar with the song.



Needless to say, I'm a proud mama. Addison is a genius! She's also been learning to jump and hop, and catch and throw a ball. She can kick the ball like a pro. She could be a great soccer player, though Greg and I aren't so sure we're ready to be soccer parents. We will be, I'm sure and cheering her along from the sidelines. Can't wait to see what the next day will bring. She's just full of surprises.

Learn to SWIM!!

Here are two of Addison's last ISR lessons of the season. Remarkable how well she's done. She kicks off the wall now and can swim about 5 feet or so before she needs to come up for a breath when we're in our pool at home. It's quite humbling and sad to know that there are so many kids out there who drown in family pools or wander off to other bodies of water. They don't have a chance without some kind of lesson. So, to all you moms and dads out there or caring adults of young people - GET THEM LESSONS! I rarely get on my soapbox, but I feel very strongly that everyone needs to know how to swim. Even adults. If you don't know how to swim, get over yourself, go to the YMCA or where ever and get some adult swim lessons. It's a skill you don't "unlearn" and you never know when you might need it...even if it's to save someone else.

So, as inspiration, check out my brilliant 2 1/2 year old daughter and what she's learned. She's AMAZING as ever.



Here's the monkey crawl to a safe place...

Underwater!!

I don't have a video editing program which will allow me to splice these 4 videos together, so you'll have to watch them concurrently...but I'm sure you'll get the idea. These are 4 different times (and there were many more) where Addison was showing her bravery by dunking her own head under water. She holds her breath for such a long time sometimes that I have to pull her up for fear that she'll turn into a mermaid or something. She's getting more and more brave by dipping her head back when I'm holding her and she even floats on her back and will occasionally let go if you prompt her enough. It's quite amazing to see. Last night in the pool she was actually asking to swim back and forth between mommy and daddy and a couple times she got tossed in when she was ready. Her ISR instructor is trying to teach her to say "Here I come!" whenever she's ready to get in the pool or wants to swim to someone. I think she's also teaching her a few float/swim combos where she goes into a short burst of swimming after rolling over from a float and then rolling back over to a float again. The goal is that eventually she could make it to the ladder. Big improvements from the first time she went 2 years ago. Well worth the money!

Father's Day

I took this video with my new iPhone 3Gs. First of all, how cool that I can have a camera AND video camera all in one. Second, how cool that I can edit it and post it right to YouTube within seconds! And third, how cool that this video is even better quality than the videos that I've been taking with my little flip-style video camera? Anyway, enjoy this video of Addison reading her book to her daddy on Father's Day.

ABC's

I also couldn't resist posting a video of Addison singing her ABC's.