Footprints

A few weeks ago during a sunny, snowy afternoon, Mary and I ventured out into the pristine snow. I thought it would be cute to get a picture of our footprints walking side-by-side, but Miss Mary had other plans. 

 That's the thing about having kids, they are born with minds of their own, opinions, likes, dislikes and as they get older, more mobile they have fun exercising these little minds to show their Independence.

Mary kept weaving back and forth, shuffling through the snow. At one point she fell, picked herself up, dusted off and continued on her way. I turned and looked at our footprints.

I suppose that is much more realistic representation of parenting than two sets of footprints side by side. I’ll try to keep the tiller as straight as can be – Little Mary, you go out and explore, discover, weave back and forth and find your own way. But always know that I am here, you can always come back and walk beside me…I hope you do.

Seahorse

Mary's new goggles

Mary started “Baby Swim” class when she was 8mos old. Brian would get in the pool with her and they would sing, bob around the water and catch duckies and put them in the bucket. When she graduated from “Baby Swim” to “Starfish” level, I was so proud. I called my dad and he said, “Starfish? When does she go to a level of something that actually swims.” (For anyone that knows my Dad understands that this is humor, I cracked up).

In the “Starfish” level, she went in the pool without Brian *gasp* I was a little taken aback by this, but he is right there on the other side of the glass, so I know nothing will bad will happen, but still.

This week she graduated to “Seahorse” level! Once again, I am proud as can be, but still am amazed at what she can do in the pool. I had to go online and see what she will be learning now. The Swim Club’s description of “Seahorse” level is:

LEVEL B - Seahorse
For little swimmers who are comfortable in the water, do not mind water on their face, and are ready to learn the basic skills of swimming. Students learn:
Self-submersion
Straight body position
Forward glide with assistance
Forward glides without assistance
Flutter kicks
Back float
Assisted rollovers with assistance
Coached and uncoached safety jumps
General pool rules and safety
Confidence

A year ago, this little one could barely walk. Now look at her go. My little Aquarius is living up to her birthright.

February in a Flash!

Holy moley where did February go? Work has been so busy, which is great, but I have just been exhausted every night and updating kept getting pushed to tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow.

The house is completely quiet right now, Mary is napping and Brian is on the couch with two terriers holding him down. I found some time and a sunny spot in our breakfast nook *sigh* so nice.

So to give a quick re-cap to the second half of our February:

Sick, Sick, Sick:
Sorry to start on this note, but it was a doozie. All three of us were sick with the flu at the same time. Let's just say I have never done so much laundry to wash out DNA in my life.

Brynn's health and well being:
I started a new diet and I couldn't be happier! I lost 5lbs so far and am feeling more like myself! I hurt my foot a few weeks ago, but am heading back to the gym this week and can't wait to see even more pounds disappear!

Broken Tooth:
I'm often so proud when Mary can just play by herself in the family room. Brian was in the basement, I was in the kitchen and I peeked in at Mary coloring in the family room. Moments later I hear a fall (nothing uncommon) and then Mary's serious cry. I went down and rocked her, there was a little blood on her lip, which again, is pretty common (sheesh, does she fall on her face a lot?), I lifted her lip and half a chunk was missing from her front right tooth. UGH. My perfect little baby. It sounds funny, but it was so upsetting to me and Brian. It's hard to see when she smiles because she really doesn't show her top teeth a lot, but it's easy to see when she talks. Poor little muffin.

Snowstorms!
Most of our winter happen in February. All through December and January, our buddy Tom Skilling on WGN would warn of 6" storms and it would turn into maybe an inch....a disappointment to a man who wants to use his monster snowblower (or has he says "snow plow", I have to keep correcting him or people are going to start thinking there is a plow on the front of the Jeep)

However this week, we got a doozie. At about 1pm Tuesday at work, the storm was coming down hard, so packed up to head home. I made it out to my car and had snow plastered on the side of  my head. I scraped the windshield and by the time i got back in my car, it was covered with snow again. I tried to leave the parking lot and I couldn't see out the windshield! I headed back to the office. I thought I would wait it out, but everyone kept warning that it was going to get worse, so a co-worker invited me to her house. I probably could have just stayed at work, logged more hours, left at 9 and gotten home fine, but oh well, I had some nice wine, nice company and was safe.

Model Mary:
Mary was asked to be a model for a photo shoot at the Crystal Lake Dolphin Swim club! Oh, how I wish i could have been there to see her in action. Brian said, she did great - pictures to come on this one!

Things Mary Says:
This is a new type of regular entry I'll be doing. As Mary's vocabulary expands (daily!) she is starting to say some really funny things - here is a recent sampling:

• "No S'ank You Pictures!" - While she usually hams it up pretty good for the camera, one sunny, snowy day she was NOT in the mood. She sounded like a little celebrity warding off the paparazzi
• "God Bless Hobby Lobby" - each night before bed, Mary and I say our "God Blesses" we usually go through the whole family, pets, friends, neighbors. Mary also usually adds in "God bless pillow. God bless, milk", one day she had been to Monkey Joe's (our local bouncy house establishment) which is right next to Hobby Lobby, so when I asked if she wanted to bless Monkey Joe's, she got all excited and said "Oh! God Bless Hobby Lobby!" I laughed out loud.
• "TOOT!" - one of the side effects of hanging out with her dad so much is that she thinks it's hilarious when she passes gas. She happily takes credit for all of her toots with a proud "TOOT! I tooted!"
• "Baseball!" "Football!" - My little athlete. She loves throwing a ball (and actually has a remarkably good arm) and when she does she usually yells out "Baseball!" or "Football!" We got her a t-Ball for her birthday and have already played it in the driveway. She loves it. On the flip-side, she also spins around and kicks her leg into an arabesque and says "Ballerina!"
• "Milk" - While it may not seem like there is anything special about this, when referring to "milk", Mary used to say "Wook". Now she clearly enunciates "M-I-L-K" and that makes me a little sad because she is growing up so quickly...I love you Mary. 



Broken Tooth!



ALL the jewelry on at once

Cute hat Daddy bought

Baseball!

The sweetest face

A nice sunny day

My car after being stranded at the office

Happy Merry Mary Day



Happy Birthday Mary!

Happy Birthday Mary – You are named after your Great-Grandmothers, but your name has brought new meaning as you get older. You are such a happy little girl, you are my Merry Mary. And you coming into our lives has made me quite Merry, too! You have given your dad and I new eyes to look at the the world, and I feel we are happier, better people now.

So I think each year on Feb 12th it’s not only a day to celebrate you, sweet Mary – but to encourage everyone to be Merry in their lives.

Everyone’s assignment today is to spread the Mary-Merriness reach out to someone you have been thinking about, and let them know they have been in your thoughts. I have done this a few times in the last few months and it’s amazing the response I received. If you just have a funny memory to share with a friend from long ago, reach out to them. If someone you know has been through some trying times in their life, and you’ve been thinking about them, reach out to them. Let them know there are people in the world thinking about them and wishing them well…You’ll be amazed how it can make their day a little brighter, merrier.

We had Mary's Birthday party on Sunday 2/10 - and I have to admit, I think it was a hit! We had Miss. Robin the music lady come. 7 little ones, 10 adults, 5 pizzas, hundreds of hearts - and love all around.

Merry Birthday to You, Mary.

Live Aloha

My work place tends to get a bit stressful. It's not uncommon to work over 50 hours in a week, plus I have an hour drive to/from the office. Put on top of that trying to make time to work out, be a mom, be a wife, plan meals, plus all of the things I want to do like make curtains for our home, paint Mary's room and plan her birthday party...Often I feel that I am so busy trying to keep up with the have-to-do list, I never get to the wish-list.

I have a sign outside my office that says "Live Aloha" - In the midst of my mid-west, corporate life, I feel so far away from my favorite beach in Ventura, CA, at the end of Spinnaker Dr. where the canoes are kept. Where Brian and I met, we got married across the street and I even walked around there when I was in labor with Mary. I close my eyes and I can see myself walking to the canoes, friends getting the gear ready and always (no, really, always) welcoming with a smile. We paddle out and are six-as-one, a team, while it is a workout, it is a rhythmic mediation. This is my 'Ohana, this is Living Aloha.

I open my eyes and I am back in my grey and blue walls - BUT I have a picture of Brian and me next to the canoes, our wedding in the harbor, sitting by the jetty with Izzy and Eddie, and sweet picture of baby Mary by the pier right before we moved.


*Smile*

All of these things are reminders, even though I truly feel we are better off in Chicago, I miss our other home. As I write this, I have notifications popping up at the bottom of my screen of clients emails adding to my to-do list and trying to pull me back from my fantasy. When it all starts to get a little crazy, if clients get tense and I start hearing my heartbeat in my eardrums, I take it as a cue…Breathe deep. Live Aloha. Living there, experiencing this has made me better in my days today.

Aloha.

Resolutions

I haven't been taking very good care of myself for...oh... the last few years and it's starting to show.

My long hair doesn't look as beachy and fresh in the mid-west as it did in Ventura - up every day in a ponytail, it looks like a mop on my head. My skin doesn't have that shine and I sometimes I look in the mirror and think, "that's not me - this must be bad light." I hear my mom in my head saying "put on some lipstick"

There is more going on in my life now and, like all moms, it's easy to put ourselves on a back burner. And that means now my fat jeans are tight. If I were in my 20's it wouldn't be such a big deal, I could bounce back easier. But I'm going to be 40 this year... I need to try to make me a priority. Step one: we joined a gym and I'm actually enjoying going to the gym. Step two: Face - I got new lotions and potions for Christmas and I already see a difference. Step three: Make-up, clothes. A lot of my clothes are over 10 years old...we need to come into this decade. Step four: The Hair. I have got to do something with this hair...Okay, that's the next step to work on.

I hurt my knee this week and haven't been to the gym, but by my Birthday, I want to run a 5k in an organized race...not to win mind you, but to run. 

2013 is the year of me...

A Mother's Hands

A mother's hands really do mean so much. They are the first things that clasp that little baby as she is laid on your belly.  A mother's hands feed, nurture, heal, point to pictures on pages, color and that index finger can be held up in warning when enough is enough. Mother's even have magic hands - when stopping suddenly in a car, a mother will throw her hand out across the passenger to stop any danger.

When she was born, Mary's tiny head could be easily cradled in one hand. My hands held and patted her for hours each night when she had colic. For all the things that I have been pleased to watch my hands do with Mary, last week my hands had a "first". Mary had been in bed for about 30 min when she started crying and screaming for me. I ran upstairs in time to hear her sputter, I held out both of my hands and Mary immediately filled them with throw-up. Ugh. Wash hands, change sheets, clean blankys, clean PJ's, a fresh sippy of water...Ah.

I rocked my scared little girl; my hands rubbing her back to relax her until she fell asleep.