A new house.
We are loving our new living arrangements. It was a whirlwind of a move because our property manager contacted us saying that they had new tenants contingent upon our ability to move out by April 15th. The month and a half we saved on rent was great motivation, and we really wanted to help out our landlords since they are such good people. Since it was spring break and Andrew had three of those days off, we decided to pack and move it all...in three days! We are forever indebted (again) to my mom and sister for the late hours, for packing my bookshelves AGAIN, and not complaining about it one bit. And we are thankful to Jon for his painting expertise, to Josh for coming home early to help, and to our dear friends who helped us (Thanks Mel and Mike!). We might have a little less space, but everything has worked out great so far. Jackson loves his new room, and I love how close he is to us. Payton is happier living at Grandma Barbara’s…she was always asking to “go over there” anyways. We have some yard selling to do Saturday and some organizing to do, but it’s coming along very well.
A new business.
I signed up to sell Discovery Toys back in December hoping to make some extra money. While I have more than recovered my investment cost (and gotten a lot of toys myself), I’m not exactly making any supplemental income. And so, I’ve been praying and looking for other options. I reluctantly agreed to attend a Mary Kay event a couple of weeks ago, and now I’m a beauty consultant! I actually love these products (used them before and compared prices and quality recently). I love the company’s values – they get that my family comes first. AND, I get TONS of support and help from women who have been super successful in their business ventures. I’m excited about this opportunity and feel that it can give me the flexibility I’m looking for. So, if you use Mary Kay, you better call me. If you’ve never used Mary Kay, let me show you their good stuff one on one, or host a party and get up to $100 in free product! :) I’ll keep my Discovery Toys status for now…I can still get you toys…and will for my discount!!
New words.
Jackson is a chatter box lately. It’s hard to get a word in with him it seems. Here are words he can say:
• Daddy
• Mommy
• No – yeah, that’s fun
• Bobby – my Dad hates this.
• Baby
• Bye – Bye – sometimes you even get the wave!
• Hey or Hi – depending on his mood
• Catch – sounds like “atch”
• Ball
• Ty and Emre (“emme”) – two of Melanie’s kids
• What? – love how he enunciates his t’s!
• Duck – sometimes it sounds bad
• Uh – oh and Oh Wow!
• Owwwwww (especially when hitting Dad in the face)
He also loves to sing, so we’ll try to get some of that on video soon for our Missouri family to hear. Can’t wait for you guys to see him in June!
By the way, we were overwhelmed by all of you at his first birthday party last weekend. We are blessed to have such wonderful friends and family! Thanks for sharing this special time with us!
Jackson’s still an eating machine and is army crawling all over the place. He still loves to walk though. He has shoes now and is pushing his scooter some. It won’t be long I’m sure! We’re still house-proofing, so hopefully we have some time…
I’ll post 1 year pictures and birthday party pictures soon! Forgive my delay…we have a lot going on!!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Road Trip Diaries...Honeymoon Edition
Stumbled upon this as we are getting ready to move...thought it was appropriate since we celebrate our 3rd anniversary tomorrow!
Road Trip Diaries – Honeymoon Edition!!
So, I used to write these all the time when I danced at Georgia and got to go on fabulous road trips with the UGA football team. The return of these musings will be short-lived, but I figured you’d want the details of our honeymoon, and this might just be the easiest way for us to get those stories and pictures to you…
We need to start by saying that we so appreciate you. When we left the reception Saturday night, we were a bit overwhelmed. We know how blessed we truly are to have had the love and support of so many family and friends. We do not take for granted your presence both on Saturday and in our lives, as we felt incredible love that helped to make our special day absolutely perfect. We have also been proud to call you family and friends. Over the last week and a half, we have had numerous compliments on the rich hospitality, warm generosity, and all around goodness that all of our guests were welcomed with. People want to be a part of our family. You will never know how much that really does mean to us.
Without further delay, here goes…
Day 1: Sunday, 4/6
In our newly wedded bliss, we totally forgot to fill up the gas tank of our rental car before returning it. Car renters know how big of a mistake that is…yeah, it’s expensive!! We should have known we were in for a great adventure after that…
The airport was really crowded Sunday morning (spring break travelers?), and we barely made it to our terminal before our plane was scheduled to depart. Notice I said “scheduled.” That’s right, a delay. For those of you keeping up with the news, we flew American Airlines. Needless to say, that was the first of a series of delays. At first, our 8:15am flight was delayed until 10am, then 12pm, then 1pm. During this time, Andrew and I became Tetris-champs…every time the two of us have had to fly somewhere, one of our flights is delayed, etc. We know how to kill time in an airport. AA offered only a vague excuse for the delay and insincere apologies. The rumors flew, however, that it had to do with the security compliance issue. As you can imagine, about 80% of the people on this plane were flying to Miami to catch cruise ships in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, so people were not happy…and hungry! We did, however, meet a delightful couple (Brett and Lisa). They were celebrating their 10 year anniversary on our same ship. Celebrity initially said we had to be on the ship by 3:30pm, but extended that to 4 for us (there were 6 of us in all on that flight and ship). Anyway, we finally boarded the plane at 1pm. Then we sat there…for 45 minutes. Apparently, our pilot forgot to file the flight plan, so we weren’t allowed to take off until he fixed that. I’ve never actually been fearful of an angry (and hungry) mob…until then! We assumed the worst and began accepting the reality that we may miss at least some of our honeymoon cruise.
We finally took off around 2pm, landing in Miami at 4pm. As soon as we landed, everyone got on the phone checking to see if they could still get on their ship. Some of the cruise lines were less accommodating than Celebrity…we were told we had until 4:30 to get on the boat. A Celebrity representative met the six of us at the terminal, and she told us to start running. We literally RAN through the Miami airport out to the taxis. The third couple with us was an elderly couple, so while I kept up with the rep, Andrew tried to help make sure the elderly couple was still behind us…I think we were afraid they’d have a heart attack right there with all the heavy breathing. The Celebrity rep had pulled a taxi-van over to cart us all to the pier. She asked our driver if he could make a 45 minute drive in 30 minutes…these were stressful times. Anyway, our driver went fast…and we finally got to Fort Lauderdale a little after 4:30. We saw our ship’s smoke, heard it’s horn blowing…yet still, there was hope. There was a man waiting for us on a walkie-talkie. We fell out of the packed van, and he stopped us. He asked a question to an unknown official, and had enough of an answer. His direction: “Run!” So, you’re supposed to go through customs procedures and security to get on ships. We did none of that; we just kept running (Forest Gump, anyone?) At one point, a security lady stopped me. She was talking to someone on the ship via phone. She said to me, “Don’t wait for those people behind you. If the Captain sees at least two of you running, maybe he’ll hold the ship for all of you.” That was all Andrew and I needed. This is the stuff for movies, people!! As the most agile of the six, Andrew tosses up our two carry-on bags and carries them like footballs. He’s running as fast as he can, my flip-flop feet pattering quickly after him.
We ran all the way down the pier, across the gangway nearly collapsing on the other side of the door. Apparently, our Captain was generous. All six of us made it onto the boat. Before we’d given the ship security people our passports, the boat was sailing away… How else would it work out for us, right?
Keep in mind; I did not mention that we went to baggage claim at the Miami airport. That’s because we didn’t. The Celebrity rep told us we didn’t have time if we wanted to be on the ship. She gave us the AA’s number and instructed us to call them and have our bags shipped to our first port of call: San Juan, Puerto Rico (on Tuesday). AA was not helpful at all! BUT, once we were able to stop dealing with them and start dealing with Celebrity, we felt like we were truly on our honeymoon. The ship’s concierge, Lindsay (our new best friend) took over from there. She took our bag numbers and used her more influential sway with AA to get our bags to us Tuesday when we stopped at San Juan. In fact, she had them shipped, picked them up, and delivered them to our room. She even arranged for Andrew and Brett to have tux rentals for free so we wouldn’t miss our first formal dinner Monday night. Brett and Lisa (obviously more prepared than we) had one change of clothes. Andrew had a pair of tennis shoes, all our paperwork, and cash. I had an entire suitcase full of shoes and my formal dresses. Really, it was quite random – we’ll pack better next time. We had nothing…But, Lindsay arranged for us to have free laundry service so that we would at least have clean underwear in the mornings before breakfast.
By the time we finally got to our room with what little luggage we had, we were oh so happy to see our champagne (special thanks to the Humphries family for that!). We enjoyed it, for sure…and it couldn’t have come at a more frazzled time for us. :) We spent the rest of the evening orienting ourselves to the ship. Andrew and I had a fabulous dinner on the back deck of the boat – very tasty and an incredible view. We skipped the formal dining that evening considering our state of mind and attire…We did, however, visit the gift shop buying t-shirts and shorts to get us through the next few days…Lindsay promised to have AA comp our purchases. I also had my first of 10 spa treatments – a milk and honey bath. The tub was gigantic, and wonderfully relaxing.
Day 2: Monday, 4/7
After breakfast, we donned our Celebrity cruises paraphernalia (really, they should have paid us b/c we were walking merchandise models) and attended the banquet for all honeymooners and anniversary celebrators. They had cake and champagne and were searching for the most recently wedded couple and the longest wedded couple. Clearly, we are not yet a part of the 65+ years club, but we did however win the prize (another bottle of champagne) for newest newly-wed by 30 minutes. We sort of became celebrities after those two episodes. Everyone kept asking us about our luggage and our champagne. :) Without bathing suits, we sort of wandered around some more enjoying the warm sun and fabulous views. I had my 2 hours in the spa that afternoon: a fabulous aromatherapy massage. We had our first formal dinner that night. I had to help make Drew’s rented tux fit because the waist adjusters were broken and the best tux they had was for a man much fatter than my hubby. All I had to work with? Bobby pins. But I made it work…Lisa was able to wear one of my formal dresses, so it all worked out well (luggage-less and all). We ate in the late seating each night (8:30) with Brett and Lisa. These things are events: FIVE COURSES (appetizer, soup, salad, entrée, and dessert). And fabulous food!! After dinner, we went to the theatre and saw a musical medley: some Phantom of the Opera, some West Side Story, etc. The production itself was mediocre, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Day 3: Tuesday, 4/8
We arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico in the early afternoon (yes, more morning spa treatments for me!). Wearing freshly laundered clothes (still Celebrity Cruises models), we headed out for our Bacardi Rum Distillery tour. After a bus ride and city tour, we got to visit the museum-like portion of the original Bacardi distillery. It was actually very cool to learn about the original inventors of the rum, the original processes, statistics, and the development of all the variations. Yes, we did get “free” samples at the end of the tour. Andrew LOVED the mojito and I enjoyed my Bacardi Razz and sprite cocktail. After the tour (and a much needed umbrella purchase), we visited an old fort on the coast. You’ll see pictures of those – very cool place!
We also had to visit this place called Senor Frogs. Apparently, it’s a well-known party club. It was a cool place – very “happenin” for 4pm on a Tuesday afternoon. We had a drink in “the yard,” which is their signature class. Andrew’s got a thing for those signature, souvenir glasses. Their tagline? Save water; drink tequila.
And most excitingly, our bags were waiting for us when we got back to the ship!
Andrew went to the Casino to try out his luck on the slot machines and won $50 off $10, but I lost $40 of it later on, so we called it quits with the blasted place.
Day 4 – Wednesday, 4/9
When we woke up Wednesday morning, we were already in the lovely St. Thomas. After more morning treatments, we set out for our St. Thomas adventure. We had scheduled a submarine dive, and headed there first. We rode in a boat out to a smaller island where the sub actually dove. I had to pee, and was told that the boat potty was my only option for the next 2 hours. Amidst the choppy waters, ridiculous speed of the boat, and a military flushing system (it involves suction and a pump), I braved the miniature bathroom. No, I did NOT pee on myself or my clothing. I was one of the lucky ones. We enjoyed the submarine dive. It was a bit crowded, but we got to see a shark, colorful fish, and the coral reefs on the bottom of the Caribbean. I believe that our final depth was somewhere around 95 feet…I sort of lost my stomach on the way up though (the only time I got seasick at all), and did not enjoy the boat ride back to land. I was also hungry and put Andrew on the “Feed Katy Project.” He’s gotten good at it…knows how to spot a restaurant even in faraway place. We ate lunch at a local place…the food was good, but Andrew had the BEST nachos of his life. I’m serious. Ask him about them. After visiting some shops, we had to head back to our ship. Our stay in St. Thomas was much too short, but the island certainly lived up to the expectations we had from those who’ve gone before us. We’re already making plans to go back there one day so we can visit the beaches and enjoy it more.
After dinner (remember, this is an event, so we’re talking 10:30), we went to the line dancing party. Mostly, I danced, though Brett tried a few with me. My darling husband can hear rhythm really well, but can’t connect his brain to his feet quickly enough. We’ll work on it. It was great fun while it lasted.
Day 5 – Thursday, 4/10
We woke up in Casa de Campo (Dominican Republic) Thursday morning. In San Juan and St. Thomas, we were given a lot of freedom as to what we did and where we went. That was NOT the case here. We were escorted to a tour bus in a gated area. With locked doors, our driver and tour guide took us through he slums. This was seriously a third world country experience, poverty I haven’t seen since I went to Mexico. Meat, vegetables, and fruit are sold in open markets. No one wears gloves. Andrew said it sort of reminded him of Bagdad, though not quite as bad. That truly made us thankful for what we do have…In DR, we toured an ancient cave. It’s been renovated for tourists, but was still a very cool site. We only have postcards of this place because pictures are not allowed. The structures were beautiful though, and our guide had lots of info about the Taino Indians who first inhabited it (and the rest of the islands). After the caves, we were taken to a shopping center well separated from the rest of the natives (noticing a trend?). They had lots of touristy type souvenirs you could buy, which we did.
Thursday night was our second formal dinner. Since Drew had his dress blues back, we were able to really impress everyone with our good looks. Really, Andrew shook a lot of hands and we talked politics with lots of people. Andrew and Brett had two full lobster dinners…that’s right, TWO! I don’t know how they can eat that much…
Again, we went to show. This one was really not that good. I think I may be a bit critical because lots of people raved about a signer or dancer. I was unimpressed, though entertained. On the second formal night of each cruise, the chef staff goes nuts and creates a visual spectacle with all the food they serve. It’s really quite something. There was something odd about standing in line to take pictures of a buffet. You could only eat from the buffet after 30 minutes of picture taking time. I didn’t make that up, I promise.
We tried to party at the “nightclub” after that, but the crowd of dancers consisted of those who were too inebriated to care that they looked like idiots or their preference in companions was questionable (was that PC enough?). We did a lot of people watching (and making fun)…
Day 6 – Friday, 4/11
Andrew got to spend the morning with me in the spa – we both had massages, and we were both told that our stress levels were strangely high for our youth. I’m sorry…we work with criminals and teenagers all day long – would you expect less?
After visiting the glorious St. Thomas, we didn’t think we’d find a more beautiful place on this planet. We were wrong. Labadee, Haiti was a slice of Heaven. I know what you’re thinking…Haiti?? Yes, Haiti. Though the main part of the island may be experiencing some political unrest, there is a small coved section that Celebrity Cruises owns. They have made it a paradise. It’s nothing but soft white sandy beaches, blue/green water, and gorgeous landscapes. They even had pavilions made for serving and eating food.
In Haiti, Andrew signed us up for the Dragon Flight Line…it’s the highest flight line in the Caribbean. You even have to go through a safety course and sign your life away before riding this thing. Supposedly, you reach speeds of 40 miles per hour. Drew and I were ready to go, so we weaseled our way to the front. The line (of the five) you actually go down is based on your weight/size. So, I’m on line one and Drew’s on four. I must have been on the kids’ line because even though I left the platform first and Andrew probably left a good 15 or 20 seconds after me, he beat me to the bottom. Lesson learned? Gain more weight to achieve a higher speed…
After the flight line, we had lunch and did what you’re supposed to do on an island paradise in Haiti – we slept under the hot sun, visited all the different beaches in search of the best one, and played in the water. It was glorious…exactly what we needed here towards the end of an exciting week!
We skipped the formal dining that night (we were all five-course meal-ed out). Instead we opted for the sushi/stir fry alternative dining. I was also beginning to feel an allergy attack coming on, so we called it a night early…
Day 7: Saturday, 4/12
I was definitely sick Saturday morning…I think it was all the aromatherapy from the spa (seriously!). Just to say we’d been everywhere on the ship, we trek down to the medical ward onboard to over-pay for allergy medicine. I didn’t feel a ton better, but the lady at the spa (who called me by name, of course) offered to give both of us free passes to the Persian Gardens for the day. This place was ridiculous…lots of saunas, heated benches, and steam rooms. I felt a little better after that, and we spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool. Then, we had to pack – boo! As soon as dinner was over, we had to set our packed bags (minus carry-ons) outside our rooms for dis-embarkation the next morning. That was a sad moment. To commemorate our fabulous week, Brett and Lisa came to our room and we finished our champagne (yes, it took us all week to drink 2 bottles)…
Day 8 – Sunday, 4/13
Sunday was a long day because after a long process of getting off the ship, we spent the entire day in the Miami airport, me doped up on medicine. Apparently, I was fairly useless because Andrew had to carry all of our bags through customs and the airport…I don’t remember much of that day, though I do know I slept on the floor for quite some time. And I remember thinking how I could liver forever without stepping foot inside the Miami airport again. We finally arrived in Atlanta before 9pm.
Life Lessons We Learned on our Honeymoon…
1. Don’t go on a cruise unless you can handle some serious eating. Everywhere you turn, you will find tasty appetizers, meals, and desserts ready for you to stuff your face. The proportions are huge too…It’s actually overwhelming!
2. You can have too many spa treatments in one week – 10 is too many. I told Andrew that if they exfoliated my skin one more time, it was going to fall off. I’m not joking.
3. Some people really are miserable human beings! Andrew and I are simple people. It took a lot of hard work for us to enjoy so luxurious a honeymoon…and we were grateful to all those people who worked for us on the ship. However, there were quite a few people who were rude, argumentative, disrespectful, unappreciative, and hateful whenever they could be. It’s ridiculous, really. It also explains why both of us have jobs…
4. There is a difference between a trip and a vacation. We truly had a vacation – relaxation, visiting new places, exploring, sight-seeing, and enjoying down time. A lot of people we came into contact with were on a trip – there was more of an agenda, they worked harder (like the ones who brought kids), and they seemed to enjoy themselves and each other very little. We’re going to hold that lesson close because we enjoyed our vacation!
We had a perfect wedding day and a glorious honeymoon, but we were ready to come home by the end to start our real lives together. Don’t get me wrong – work was hard to go back to, and we’re already planning our next vacation…We’re just excited to be living as a married couple, and we look forward to the journey that awaits us.
Andrew and Katy
Road Trip Diaries – Honeymoon Edition!!
So, I used to write these all the time when I danced at Georgia and got to go on fabulous road trips with the UGA football team. The return of these musings will be short-lived, but I figured you’d want the details of our honeymoon, and this might just be the easiest way for us to get those stories and pictures to you…
We need to start by saying that we so appreciate you. When we left the reception Saturday night, we were a bit overwhelmed. We know how blessed we truly are to have had the love and support of so many family and friends. We do not take for granted your presence both on Saturday and in our lives, as we felt incredible love that helped to make our special day absolutely perfect. We have also been proud to call you family and friends. Over the last week and a half, we have had numerous compliments on the rich hospitality, warm generosity, and all around goodness that all of our guests were welcomed with. People want to be a part of our family. You will never know how much that really does mean to us.
Without further delay, here goes…
Day 1: Sunday, 4/6
In our newly wedded bliss, we totally forgot to fill up the gas tank of our rental car before returning it. Car renters know how big of a mistake that is…yeah, it’s expensive!! We should have known we were in for a great adventure after that…
The airport was really crowded Sunday morning (spring break travelers?), and we barely made it to our terminal before our plane was scheduled to depart. Notice I said “scheduled.” That’s right, a delay. For those of you keeping up with the news, we flew American Airlines. Needless to say, that was the first of a series of delays. At first, our 8:15am flight was delayed until 10am, then 12pm, then 1pm. During this time, Andrew and I became Tetris-champs…every time the two of us have had to fly somewhere, one of our flights is delayed, etc. We know how to kill time in an airport. AA offered only a vague excuse for the delay and insincere apologies. The rumors flew, however, that it had to do with the security compliance issue. As you can imagine, about 80% of the people on this plane were flying to Miami to catch cruise ships in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, so people were not happy…and hungry! We did, however, meet a delightful couple (Brett and Lisa). They were celebrating their 10 year anniversary on our same ship. Celebrity initially said we had to be on the ship by 3:30pm, but extended that to 4 for us (there were 6 of us in all on that flight and ship). Anyway, we finally boarded the plane at 1pm. Then we sat there…for 45 minutes. Apparently, our pilot forgot to file the flight plan, so we weren’t allowed to take off until he fixed that. I’ve never actually been fearful of an angry (and hungry) mob…until then! We assumed the worst and began accepting the reality that we may miss at least some of our honeymoon cruise.
We finally took off around 2pm, landing in Miami at 4pm. As soon as we landed, everyone got on the phone checking to see if they could still get on their ship. Some of the cruise lines were less accommodating than Celebrity…we were told we had until 4:30 to get on the boat. A Celebrity representative met the six of us at the terminal, and she told us to start running. We literally RAN through the Miami airport out to the taxis. The third couple with us was an elderly couple, so while I kept up with the rep, Andrew tried to help make sure the elderly couple was still behind us…I think we were afraid they’d have a heart attack right there with all the heavy breathing. The Celebrity rep had pulled a taxi-van over to cart us all to the pier. She asked our driver if he could make a 45 minute drive in 30 minutes…these were stressful times. Anyway, our driver went fast…and we finally got to Fort Lauderdale a little after 4:30. We saw our ship’s smoke, heard it’s horn blowing…yet still, there was hope. There was a man waiting for us on a walkie-talkie. We fell out of the packed van, and he stopped us. He asked a question to an unknown official, and had enough of an answer. His direction: “Run!” So, you’re supposed to go through customs procedures and security to get on ships. We did none of that; we just kept running (Forest Gump, anyone?) At one point, a security lady stopped me. She was talking to someone on the ship via phone. She said to me, “Don’t wait for those people behind you. If the Captain sees at least two of you running, maybe he’ll hold the ship for all of you.” That was all Andrew and I needed. This is the stuff for movies, people!! As the most agile of the six, Andrew tosses up our two carry-on bags and carries them like footballs. He’s running as fast as he can, my flip-flop feet pattering quickly after him.
We ran all the way down the pier, across the gangway nearly collapsing on the other side of the door. Apparently, our Captain was generous. All six of us made it onto the boat. Before we’d given the ship security people our passports, the boat was sailing away… How else would it work out for us, right?
Keep in mind; I did not mention that we went to baggage claim at the Miami airport. That’s because we didn’t. The Celebrity rep told us we didn’t have time if we wanted to be on the ship. She gave us the AA’s number and instructed us to call them and have our bags shipped to our first port of call: San Juan, Puerto Rico (on Tuesday). AA was not helpful at all! BUT, once we were able to stop dealing with them and start dealing with Celebrity, we felt like we were truly on our honeymoon. The ship’s concierge, Lindsay (our new best friend) took over from there. She took our bag numbers and used her more influential sway with AA to get our bags to us Tuesday when we stopped at San Juan. In fact, she had them shipped, picked them up, and delivered them to our room. She even arranged for Andrew and Brett to have tux rentals for free so we wouldn’t miss our first formal dinner Monday night. Brett and Lisa (obviously more prepared than we) had one change of clothes. Andrew had a pair of tennis shoes, all our paperwork, and cash. I had an entire suitcase full of shoes and my formal dresses. Really, it was quite random – we’ll pack better next time. We had nothing…But, Lindsay arranged for us to have free laundry service so that we would at least have clean underwear in the mornings before breakfast.
By the time we finally got to our room with what little luggage we had, we were oh so happy to see our champagne (special thanks to the Humphries family for that!). We enjoyed it, for sure…and it couldn’t have come at a more frazzled time for us. :) We spent the rest of the evening orienting ourselves to the ship. Andrew and I had a fabulous dinner on the back deck of the boat – very tasty and an incredible view. We skipped the formal dining that evening considering our state of mind and attire…We did, however, visit the gift shop buying t-shirts and shorts to get us through the next few days…Lindsay promised to have AA comp our purchases. I also had my first of 10 spa treatments – a milk and honey bath. The tub was gigantic, and wonderfully relaxing.
Day 2: Monday, 4/7
After breakfast, we donned our Celebrity cruises paraphernalia (really, they should have paid us b/c we were walking merchandise models) and attended the banquet for all honeymooners and anniversary celebrators. They had cake and champagne and were searching for the most recently wedded couple and the longest wedded couple. Clearly, we are not yet a part of the 65+ years club, but we did however win the prize (another bottle of champagne) for newest newly-wed by 30 minutes. We sort of became celebrities after those two episodes. Everyone kept asking us about our luggage and our champagne. :) Without bathing suits, we sort of wandered around some more enjoying the warm sun and fabulous views. I had my 2 hours in the spa that afternoon: a fabulous aromatherapy massage. We had our first formal dinner that night. I had to help make Drew’s rented tux fit because the waist adjusters were broken and the best tux they had was for a man much fatter than my hubby. All I had to work with? Bobby pins. But I made it work…Lisa was able to wear one of my formal dresses, so it all worked out well (luggage-less and all). We ate in the late seating each night (8:30) with Brett and Lisa. These things are events: FIVE COURSES (appetizer, soup, salad, entrée, and dessert). And fabulous food!! After dinner, we went to the theatre and saw a musical medley: some Phantom of the Opera, some West Side Story, etc. The production itself was mediocre, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
Day 3: Tuesday, 4/8
We arrived in San Juan, Puerto Rico in the early afternoon (yes, more morning spa treatments for me!). Wearing freshly laundered clothes (still Celebrity Cruises models), we headed out for our Bacardi Rum Distillery tour. After a bus ride and city tour, we got to visit the museum-like portion of the original Bacardi distillery. It was actually very cool to learn about the original inventors of the rum, the original processes, statistics, and the development of all the variations. Yes, we did get “free” samples at the end of the tour. Andrew LOVED the mojito and I enjoyed my Bacardi Razz and sprite cocktail. After the tour (and a much needed umbrella purchase), we visited an old fort on the coast. You’ll see pictures of those – very cool place!
We also had to visit this place called Senor Frogs. Apparently, it’s a well-known party club. It was a cool place – very “happenin” for 4pm on a Tuesday afternoon. We had a drink in “the yard,” which is their signature class. Andrew’s got a thing for those signature, souvenir glasses. Their tagline? Save water; drink tequila.
And most excitingly, our bags were waiting for us when we got back to the ship!
Andrew went to the Casino to try out his luck on the slot machines and won $50 off $10, but I lost $40 of it later on, so we called it quits with the blasted place.
Day 4 – Wednesday, 4/9
When we woke up Wednesday morning, we were already in the lovely St. Thomas. After more morning treatments, we set out for our St. Thomas adventure. We had scheduled a submarine dive, and headed there first. We rode in a boat out to a smaller island where the sub actually dove. I had to pee, and was told that the boat potty was my only option for the next 2 hours. Amidst the choppy waters, ridiculous speed of the boat, and a military flushing system (it involves suction and a pump), I braved the miniature bathroom. No, I did NOT pee on myself or my clothing. I was one of the lucky ones. We enjoyed the submarine dive. It was a bit crowded, but we got to see a shark, colorful fish, and the coral reefs on the bottom of the Caribbean. I believe that our final depth was somewhere around 95 feet…I sort of lost my stomach on the way up though (the only time I got seasick at all), and did not enjoy the boat ride back to land. I was also hungry and put Andrew on the “Feed Katy Project.” He’s gotten good at it…knows how to spot a restaurant even in faraway place. We ate lunch at a local place…the food was good, but Andrew had the BEST nachos of his life. I’m serious. Ask him about them. After visiting some shops, we had to head back to our ship. Our stay in St. Thomas was much too short, but the island certainly lived up to the expectations we had from those who’ve gone before us. We’re already making plans to go back there one day so we can visit the beaches and enjoy it more.
After dinner (remember, this is an event, so we’re talking 10:30), we went to the line dancing party. Mostly, I danced, though Brett tried a few with me. My darling husband can hear rhythm really well, but can’t connect his brain to his feet quickly enough. We’ll work on it. It was great fun while it lasted.
Day 5 – Thursday, 4/10
We woke up in Casa de Campo (Dominican Republic) Thursday morning. In San Juan and St. Thomas, we were given a lot of freedom as to what we did and where we went. That was NOT the case here. We were escorted to a tour bus in a gated area. With locked doors, our driver and tour guide took us through he slums. This was seriously a third world country experience, poverty I haven’t seen since I went to Mexico. Meat, vegetables, and fruit are sold in open markets. No one wears gloves. Andrew said it sort of reminded him of Bagdad, though not quite as bad. That truly made us thankful for what we do have…In DR, we toured an ancient cave. It’s been renovated for tourists, but was still a very cool site. We only have postcards of this place because pictures are not allowed. The structures were beautiful though, and our guide had lots of info about the Taino Indians who first inhabited it (and the rest of the islands). After the caves, we were taken to a shopping center well separated from the rest of the natives (noticing a trend?). They had lots of touristy type souvenirs you could buy, which we did.
Thursday night was our second formal dinner. Since Drew had his dress blues back, we were able to really impress everyone with our good looks. Really, Andrew shook a lot of hands and we talked politics with lots of people. Andrew and Brett had two full lobster dinners…that’s right, TWO! I don’t know how they can eat that much…
Again, we went to show. This one was really not that good. I think I may be a bit critical because lots of people raved about a signer or dancer. I was unimpressed, though entertained. On the second formal night of each cruise, the chef staff goes nuts and creates a visual spectacle with all the food they serve. It’s really quite something. There was something odd about standing in line to take pictures of a buffet. You could only eat from the buffet after 30 minutes of picture taking time. I didn’t make that up, I promise.
We tried to party at the “nightclub” after that, but the crowd of dancers consisted of those who were too inebriated to care that they looked like idiots or their preference in companions was questionable (was that PC enough?). We did a lot of people watching (and making fun)…
Day 6 – Friday, 4/11
Andrew got to spend the morning with me in the spa – we both had massages, and we were both told that our stress levels were strangely high for our youth. I’m sorry…we work with criminals and teenagers all day long – would you expect less?
After visiting the glorious St. Thomas, we didn’t think we’d find a more beautiful place on this planet. We were wrong. Labadee, Haiti was a slice of Heaven. I know what you’re thinking…Haiti?? Yes, Haiti. Though the main part of the island may be experiencing some political unrest, there is a small coved section that Celebrity Cruises owns. They have made it a paradise. It’s nothing but soft white sandy beaches, blue/green water, and gorgeous landscapes. They even had pavilions made for serving and eating food.
In Haiti, Andrew signed us up for the Dragon Flight Line…it’s the highest flight line in the Caribbean. You even have to go through a safety course and sign your life away before riding this thing. Supposedly, you reach speeds of 40 miles per hour. Drew and I were ready to go, so we weaseled our way to the front. The line (of the five) you actually go down is based on your weight/size. So, I’m on line one and Drew’s on four. I must have been on the kids’ line because even though I left the platform first and Andrew probably left a good 15 or 20 seconds after me, he beat me to the bottom. Lesson learned? Gain more weight to achieve a higher speed…
After the flight line, we had lunch and did what you’re supposed to do on an island paradise in Haiti – we slept under the hot sun, visited all the different beaches in search of the best one, and played in the water. It was glorious…exactly what we needed here towards the end of an exciting week!
We skipped the formal dining that night (we were all five-course meal-ed out). Instead we opted for the sushi/stir fry alternative dining. I was also beginning to feel an allergy attack coming on, so we called it a night early…
Day 7: Saturday, 4/12
I was definitely sick Saturday morning…I think it was all the aromatherapy from the spa (seriously!). Just to say we’d been everywhere on the ship, we trek down to the medical ward onboard to over-pay for allergy medicine. I didn’t feel a ton better, but the lady at the spa (who called me by name, of course) offered to give both of us free passes to the Persian Gardens for the day. This place was ridiculous…lots of saunas, heated benches, and steam rooms. I felt a little better after that, and we spent the rest of the afternoon by the pool. Then, we had to pack – boo! As soon as dinner was over, we had to set our packed bags (minus carry-ons) outside our rooms for dis-embarkation the next morning. That was a sad moment. To commemorate our fabulous week, Brett and Lisa came to our room and we finished our champagne (yes, it took us all week to drink 2 bottles)…
Day 8 – Sunday, 4/13
Sunday was a long day because after a long process of getting off the ship, we spent the entire day in the Miami airport, me doped up on medicine. Apparently, I was fairly useless because Andrew had to carry all of our bags through customs and the airport…I don’t remember much of that day, though I do know I slept on the floor for quite some time. And I remember thinking how I could liver forever without stepping foot inside the Miami airport again. We finally arrived in Atlanta before 9pm.
Life Lessons We Learned on our Honeymoon…
1. Don’t go on a cruise unless you can handle some serious eating. Everywhere you turn, you will find tasty appetizers, meals, and desserts ready for you to stuff your face. The proportions are huge too…It’s actually overwhelming!
2. You can have too many spa treatments in one week – 10 is too many. I told Andrew that if they exfoliated my skin one more time, it was going to fall off. I’m not joking.
3. Some people really are miserable human beings! Andrew and I are simple people. It took a lot of hard work for us to enjoy so luxurious a honeymoon…and we were grateful to all those people who worked for us on the ship. However, there were quite a few people who were rude, argumentative, disrespectful, unappreciative, and hateful whenever they could be. It’s ridiculous, really. It also explains why both of us have jobs…
4. There is a difference between a trip and a vacation. We truly had a vacation – relaxation, visiting new places, exploring, sight-seeing, and enjoying down time. A lot of people we came into contact with were on a trip – there was more of an agenda, they worked harder (like the ones who brought kids), and they seemed to enjoy themselves and each other very little. We’re going to hold that lesson close because we enjoyed our vacation!
We had a perfect wedding day and a glorious honeymoon, but we were ready to come home by the end to start our real lives together. Don’t get me wrong – work was hard to go back to, and we’re already planning our next vacation…We’re just excited to be living as a married couple, and we look forward to the journey that awaits us.
Andrew and Katy
Thursday, March 24, 2011
a little lighter...
Yes, I’m a little lighter (still have pounds to lose to be at my pre-pregnancy weight…but at least I can wear most of my clothes again!)…but that’s not what I’m talking about.
My last post was deep…this one, much lighter. :)
I’m sort of freaking out that Jackson is almost one. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t ready to even talk about it until very recently. He’s become such a big boy, and yet, is still my sweet baby.
He’s talking…
Look out, people…it’s begun! Added to his repertoire of “Daddy,” “Mommeeee,” and “Haaaayyy,” Jackson now likes to say, “what?!” My favorite is that he over enunciates the “t.” We’re working on words that end in the letter “t.” But when I say “hat” 100 times, he looks at me like I’m crazy. I’m pretty sure he’s close to saying, “Uh oh,” especially when he drops food off his highchair or dumps toys out of the bath tub (yes, we’re playing those games). He sure babbles about everything and waits patiently for you to respond to him…generally, that’s followed by a sweet cackle likes he’s said something quite hilarious.
He’s NOT walking…yet.
Jackson’s loving his walker. Andrew swears he’s trying to tear up his ankles because he runs straight for them and squeals with delight when Andrew does the “not my ankles again” dance. I just think Drew hasn’t quite mastered my strategies of avoidance. J-man still loves to walk while you hold his hands, and pretty much hates for you to let go of him (and boy, does he let you know he hates it). His balance is a little shaky, but he’s starting to “walk” holding on to the side of the bed or sofa.
He’s crawling…sort of.
He still doesn’t like it, but will do it to get what he wants. Only in the last couple of days will he crawl on anything but carpet…crazy kid. He doesn’t use his hands. I think Andrew secretly taught him the army crawl because that’s more what it looks like. At least he’s getting around, which makes him happier. Between that and the walker, it also means Andrew and I have to do some serious child-proofing to do…and fast!
Jackson still loves his bath time, adores being outside (even chased a bee the other day in his walker), and is still a good eater (vegetables are back on the menu…yess!…but we don’t ever even try baby food anymore). His favorite thing to eat is still any kind of protein…especially if it’s on my plate. He also likes to eat apples and pears off the core, which is highly entertaining. He is about to cut tooth #5 and we’re all ready for that (1:30 wakeup calls are NOT fun).
Andrew and I are busy getting ready to move…again. AND, we’re getting ready to celebrate Jackson’s first birthday. We so excited to celebrate the joy he brings to us all with our friends and family. :)
Pray for Payton though…
It looks like she may not be promoted to 1st grade if she doesn’t improve her reading and math skills pretty drastically (and fast considering it’s March). My personal opinion is that she can learn anything if she is given consistent opportunities to practice what she’s learned at home. Part of it may have something to do with her mid-year move, but she’s pretty behind right now – and I can’t work miracles every other weekend. Although she’s young (won’t be 6 until June), repeating Kindergarten would not be a good idea for her – she’d be that kid who’s bored and therefore a behavior problem. Just pray…
My last post was deep…this one, much lighter. :)
I’m sort of freaking out that Jackson is almost one. I’m pretty sure I wasn’t ready to even talk about it until very recently. He’s become such a big boy, and yet, is still my sweet baby.
He’s talking…
Look out, people…it’s begun! Added to his repertoire of “Daddy,” “Mommeeee,” and “Haaaayyy,” Jackson now likes to say, “what?!” My favorite is that he over enunciates the “t.” We’re working on words that end in the letter “t.” But when I say “hat” 100 times, he looks at me like I’m crazy. I’m pretty sure he’s close to saying, “Uh oh,” especially when he drops food off his highchair or dumps toys out of the bath tub (yes, we’re playing those games). He sure babbles about everything and waits patiently for you to respond to him…generally, that’s followed by a sweet cackle likes he’s said something quite hilarious.
He’s NOT walking…yet.
Jackson’s loving his walker. Andrew swears he’s trying to tear up his ankles because he runs straight for them and squeals with delight when Andrew does the “not my ankles again” dance. I just think Drew hasn’t quite mastered my strategies of avoidance. J-man still loves to walk while you hold his hands, and pretty much hates for you to let go of him (and boy, does he let you know he hates it). His balance is a little shaky, but he’s starting to “walk” holding on to the side of the bed or sofa.
He’s crawling…sort of.
He still doesn’t like it, but will do it to get what he wants. Only in the last couple of days will he crawl on anything but carpet…crazy kid. He doesn’t use his hands. I think Andrew secretly taught him the army crawl because that’s more what it looks like. At least he’s getting around, which makes him happier. Between that and the walker, it also means Andrew and I have to do some serious child-proofing to do…and fast!
Jackson still loves his bath time, adores being outside (even chased a bee the other day in his walker), and is still a good eater (vegetables are back on the menu…yess!…but we don’t ever even try baby food anymore). His favorite thing to eat is still any kind of protein…especially if it’s on my plate. He also likes to eat apples and pears off the core, which is highly entertaining. He is about to cut tooth #5 and we’re all ready for that (1:30 wakeup calls are NOT fun).
Andrew and I are busy getting ready to move…again. AND, we’re getting ready to celebrate Jackson’s first birthday. We so excited to celebrate the joy he brings to us all with our friends and family. :)
Pray for Payton though…
It looks like she may not be promoted to 1st grade if she doesn’t improve her reading and math skills pretty drastically (and fast considering it’s March). My personal opinion is that she can learn anything if she is given consistent opportunities to practice what she’s learned at home. Part of it may have something to do with her mid-year move, but she’s pretty behind right now – and I can’t work miracles every other weekend. Although she’s young (won’t be 6 until June), repeating Kindergarten would not be a good idea for her – she’d be that kid who’s bored and therefore a behavior problem. Just pray…
Sunday, March 20, 2011
So, it's been a while since I blogged. :) Normally, I provide obligatory updates about my family, but today, I'm going to share a little piece of my heart.
After almost a full year with my sweet Jackson, I think I can authentically and honestly talk about the differences in being a "real" mom an not just a step-mom.
Before I had Jackson, only some people saw me as a real mom to my husband's daughter, Payton. I knew other people who are or have a stepmother who had strong feelings about the subject one way or the other. Here's what I think. Payton has a mom. Her name is Ashlee. But I am a mothering figure in her life, and I knew before I got married and feel even more strongly now that while I am not her mother, I do have an important role in her life. A lot of stepmom's get a bad rap, and some of them probably deserve it. And while I'm not "wicked" stepmother, like the ones you see in ALL Disney movies, I'm sure I've had my wicked moments.
Just like I've come to believe that God designed marriage to make us more Christ-like (and not just happy), I believe that motherhood (both my biological and "step" experiences) has in the same way taught me more about God's heart and my own shortcomings and needs than I could have thought possible.
As a biological mom, I've learned more about unconditional love - I believe that a child's love for a parent is not earned, but is freely given, and that's the closest things we'll know to God's perfect love until we're capable of understanding it fully in Heaven. I know the joys and trials of the day to day laughs, milestones, illnesses, and cries at 4am. I share all the big moments with Jackson and love every second of it. I loved Jackson before I knew him, and I feel a bond with him that I don't with anyone else. Every mother knows what I'm talking about...
But I've learned a lot as a stepmom, too. The bond isn't instant and requires a lot more effort. I don't get to decide where Payton goes to school. I don't get to decide which music she's allowed to listen to or the kinds of TV shows she watches. That's very hard, especially when Andrew and I set standards for our own kids that she has to follow when she's with us. I know this is a shock to you (laugh)...but I'm a bit of a control freak. God can't use that, so I will be forever grateful for Payton's presence in my life because her very existence requires that I let go of controlling whatever I possibly can (money, schedules, etc.). I often feel very anxious about this, but I'm growing. AND, I've learned to let go of the need I have to feel loved. I have a very fortunate step-family situation...Payton doesn't remember life before me, and she didn't have to go through a painful divorce where she felt all those feelings of anger, resentment, guilt, etc. My whole family treats her as a "niece" and "granddaughter" and "cousin." Because of all that, we have an easier time than most. But it doesn't mean that I don't hurt when she tells the lady at the cookie counter that I'm not her "real" mom.
It's just different, and I'd be lying if I said that Payton and Jackson were "the same." I adore Payton. I believe she was placed in my life to make me a better person. And I adore Jackson, and know his presence also makes me a better person. Many of the struggles I will endure with Payton are much different than the struggles I will endure with Jackson though. If I'm being totally honest, I'd have to say that loving Jackson is easier, but it doesn't mean I don't love Payton and don't want what's best for her. It doesn't mean that I don't want to protect her from the bad decisions the people in her life make...but I can't always sweep in and save the day like I can with Jackson.
Being a mom isn't easy, but being a stepmom isn't easy either. In fact, I think it's harder. It's an even more thankless job if you can believe that possible. But it has value for all parties involved, and I trust that God has, is, and will use it to for the good of all of us. :)
After almost a full year with my sweet Jackson, I think I can authentically and honestly talk about the differences in being a "real" mom an not just a step-mom.
Before I had Jackson, only some people saw me as a real mom to my husband's daughter, Payton. I knew other people who are or have a stepmother who had strong feelings about the subject one way or the other. Here's what I think. Payton has a mom. Her name is Ashlee. But I am a mothering figure in her life, and I knew before I got married and feel even more strongly now that while I am not her mother, I do have an important role in her life. A lot of stepmom's get a bad rap, and some of them probably deserve it. And while I'm not "wicked" stepmother, like the ones you see in ALL Disney movies, I'm sure I've had my wicked moments.
Just like I've come to believe that God designed marriage to make us more Christ-like (and not just happy), I believe that motherhood (both my biological and "step" experiences) has in the same way taught me more about God's heart and my own shortcomings and needs than I could have thought possible.
As a biological mom, I've learned more about unconditional love - I believe that a child's love for a parent is not earned, but is freely given, and that's the closest things we'll know to God's perfect love until we're capable of understanding it fully in Heaven. I know the joys and trials of the day to day laughs, milestones, illnesses, and cries at 4am. I share all the big moments with Jackson and love every second of it. I loved Jackson before I knew him, and I feel a bond with him that I don't with anyone else. Every mother knows what I'm talking about...
But I've learned a lot as a stepmom, too. The bond isn't instant and requires a lot more effort. I don't get to decide where Payton goes to school. I don't get to decide which music she's allowed to listen to or the kinds of TV shows she watches. That's very hard, especially when Andrew and I set standards for our own kids that she has to follow when she's with us. I know this is a shock to you (laugh)...but I'm a bit of a control freak. God can't use that, so I will be forever grateful for Payton's presence in my life because her very existence requires that I let go of controlling whatever I possibly can (money, schedules, etc.). I often feel very anxious about this, but I'm growing. AND, I've learned to let go of the need I have to feel loved. I have a very fortunate step-family situation...Payton doesn't remember life before me, and she didn't have to go through a painful divorce where she felt all those feelings of anger, resentment, guilt, etc. My whole family treats her as a "niece" and "granddaughter" and "cousin." Because of all that, we have an easier time than most. But it doesn't mean that I don't hurt when she tells the lady at the cookie counter that I'm not her "real" mom.
It's just different, and I'd be lying if I said that Payton and Jackson were "the same." I adore Payton. I believe she was placed in my life to make me a better person. And I adore Jackson, and know his presence also makes me a better person. Many of the struggles I will endure with Payton are much different than the struggles I will endure with Jackson though. If I'm being totally honest, I'd have to say that loving Jackson is easier, but it doesn't mean I don't love Payton and don't want what's best for her. It doesn't mean that I don't want to protect her from the bad decisions the people in her life make...but I can't always sweep in and save the day like I can with Jackson.
Being a mom isn't easy, but being a stepmom isn't easy either. In fact, I think it's harder. It's an even more thankless job if you can believe that possible. But it has value for all parties involved, and I trust that God has, is, and will use it to for the good of all of us. :)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
9 months...and growing!
This cannot be possible...can it?
Jackson is 9 MONTHS OLD!! And, oh so cute, I might add. :)
Here are a few updates on little man...
At almost 29in and 20lbs (and depending on the doctor, 3 or 6 oz), Jackson is still around the 50th percentile for both height and weight.
On Tuesday, we spent the morning following up with Jackson's GI doctor (Dr. Gold from our hospital stay). Dr. Gold put him on prilosec as we left the hospital back around Thanksgiving to help his stomach as he returned to a normal diet. Based on the fact that he has had coughs he struggles to shake, but none since November, he believes that his persistent coughs are actually a symptom (his only one) of reflux. We'll continue the prilosec for now and work with Dr. Gold when Jackson is a year old to wean him off his breathing treatments and the prilosec by 18 months. My favorite part of the visit was his nurse. Apparently, GI doctors aren't used to seeing...ahem...chunking babies very often. She must have parading Jackson around there to "oos" and "ahhs" of other nurses for 10 minutes. Jackson loved every minute of it and performed very well, of course.
After paying $6 in banking fees for a ATM withdrawal so I could pay my $2 for parking, we went to J's 9 month check up. His doctor said everything looked good! They did take a small amount of blood to test for anemia (routine)... I was told that Jackson had to keep his bandaid on for 10-15 minutes. And during that time, he was not allowed to suck his fingers. Uh...have you met my son? Not suck his fingers...ugh. I had to drop his prilosec Rx off at the pharmacy...spent the whole time pulling his bandaided finger out of his mouth and telling him no, to which he yelled at me. Lovely. So, we've been in the car like 10 minutes or less and I hear this awful sucking sound. He sucked that bandaid right off. Gross.
Highlights:
-He's talking - can say "Dada" and "Mama", but spending most of his time saying "Haaaaayyyyyy" with a smile on his face.
-His new favorite toy? The basketball. Andrew taught him to roll it back and forth, which he loves doing. He also likes to imitate Dad's dribbling by beating the crap out of that ball. Love it!
-He's eating EVERYTHING...still won't touch veggies or meats in a baby food jar, but will eat anything I make and anything on your plate. He's gumming things to death with the help of his 2 bottom teeth and working on feeding himself cheerios. His favorites? black eyed pees, pears, and french fries (don't judge me!).
-He is NOT crawling. I think he's going to skip it because he screams every time he's in that crawling position and shows no interest in moving while he's sitting. He loves to pull himself to a standing position with your help, stand, bounce, etc., and so I'm thinking he's going to be that kid who never crawls and goes straight to walking. Crazy!
The rest of us? We're just getting back into the groove of things after the snow madness (please, no more!). :)
Jackson is 9 MONTHS OLD!! And, oh so cute, I might add. :)
Here are a few updates on little man...
At almost 29in and 20lbs (and depending on the doctor, 3 or 6 oz), Jackson is still around the 50th percentile for both height and weight.
On Tuesday, we spent the morning following up with Jackson's GI doctor (Dr. Gold from our hospital stay). Dr. Gold put him on prilosec as we left the hospital back around Thanksgiving to help his stomach as he returned to a normal diet. Based on the fact that he has had coughs he struggles to shake, but none since November, he believes that his persistent coughs are actually a symptom (his only one) of reflux. We'll continue the prilosec for now and work with Dr. Gold when Jackson is a year old to wean him off his breathing treatments and the prilosec by 18 months. My favorite part of the visit was his nurse. Apparently, GI doctors aren't used to seeing...ahem...chunking babies very often. She must have parading Jackson around there to "oos" and "ahhs" of other nurses for 10 minutes. Jackson loved every minute of it and performed very well, of course.
After paying $6 in banking fees for a ATM withdrawal so I could pay my $2 for parking, we went to J's 9 month check up. His doctor said everything looked good! They did take a small amount of blood to test for anemia (routine)... I was told that Jackson had to keep his bandaid on for 10-15 minutes. And during that time, he was not allowed to suck his fingers. Uh...have you met my son? Not suck his fingers...ugh. I had to drop his prilosec Rx off at the pharmacy...spent the whole time pulling his bandaided finger out of his mouth and telling him no, to which he yelled at me. Lovely. So, we've been in the car like 10 minutes or less and I hear this awful sucking sound. He sucked that bandaid right off. Gross.
Highlights:
-He's talking - can say "Dada" and "Mama", but spending most of his time saying "Haaaaayyyyyy" with a smile on his face.
-His new favorite toy? The basketball. Andrew taught him to roll it back and forth, which he loves doing. He also likes to imitate Dad's dribbling by beating the crap out of that ball. Love it!
-He's eating EVERYTHING...still won't touch veggies or meats in a baby food jar, but will eat anything I make and anything on your plate. He's gumming things to death with the help of his 2 bottom teeth and working on feeding himself cheerios. His favorites? black eyed pees, pears, and french fries (don't judge me!).
-He is NOT crawling. I think he's going to skip it because he screams every time he's in that crawling position and shows no interest in moving while he's sitting. He loves to pull himself to a standing position with your help, stand, bounce, etc., and so I'm thinking he's going to be that kid who never crawls and goes straight to walking. Crazy!
The rest of us? We're just getting back into the groove of things after the snow madness (please, no more!). :)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
New Year's Resolutions...
Yeah, I normally hate New Year's resolutions. To me, they are like Valentine's Day, though less gift oriented. Just like I think you should say "I love you" to people you love when you love them (like all the time), I think you should make changes in your life when they need to be made...not just because it's a new year. However, I should also mention that New Year's Resolutioners are often the people filling up my classes at he gym in January (and hopefully beyond), so I shouldn't be too much of a hater. I digress. Okay, soapbox...done.
Here are my 2011 resolutions.
1. Fit into my normal clothes soon. I hate having a closet full of clothes I can't wear, so now that my sweet baby boy is 8 and 1/2 months (and I have no money to buy fatter clothes), it's time. I don't have opportunities to go the gym like I did before (imagine that), and I've never in my life stuck to a "diet" for more than like a week, but I've got to do it. I'm not so much obsessed with my weight...just tired of dreading getting dressed in the morning. Believe me, I'm not looking forward to giving up Dr. Pepper and dessert...this will be awful, but worth it in the end.
2. Be nicer. Okay, so I didn't win friendliest in high school. Diedre did...there's a reason for that. Mostly, I feel like this means I need to stop getting worked up and angry about things that don't really matter to me. I waste a lot of energy like that, and I have better things I can do with that energy. I also speak first and think later. It means I'm not always nice to the people I love most, so I'm working on that.
3. Stress less, trust more. I need to stop stressing about things I can't control (that's harder than it sounds for a control freak) and start trusting in God's perfect plan and timing - and in the people He has put in my life. This encompasses A LOT...our future plans as a family, finances, etc.
So, that's not too bad for a non-New Year's Resolutioner, eh?
Here are my 2011 resolutions.
1. Fit into my normal clothes soon. I hate having a closet full of clothes I can't wear, so now that my sweet baby boy is 8 and 1/2 months (and I have no money to buy fatter clothes), it's time. I don't have opportunities to go the gym like I did before (imagine that), and I've never in my life stuck to a "diet" for more than like a week, but I've got to do it. I'm not so much obsessed with my weight...just tired of dreading getting dressed in the morning. Believe me, I'm not looking forward to giving up Dr. Pepper and dessert...this will be awful, but worth it in the end.
2. Be nicer. Okay, so I didn't win friendliest in high school. Diedre did...there's a reason for that. Mostly, I feel like this means I need to stop getting worked up and angry about things that don't really matter to me. I waste a lot of energy like that, and I have better things I can do with that energy. I also speak first and think later. It means I'm not always nice to the people I love most, so I'm working on that.
3. Stress less, trust more. I need to stop stressing about things I can't control (that's harder than it sounds for a control freak) and start trusting in God's perfect plan and timing - and in the people He has put in my life. This encompasses A LOT...our future plans as a family, finances, etc.
So, that's not too bad for a non-New Year's Resolutioner, eh?
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
We have a lot to be thankful for.
This post is timely because of Thanksgiving, but would be appropriate regardless...
Now that we are home after 5 and 1/2 days and 5 nights at Scottish Rite, Andrew and I realize that we have so much to be thankful for.
We have a healthy baby.
Yes, we just spent a while in a hospital where Jackson was confined to his room b/c he had a contagious virus, but I saw so many other sick kids at SR. We actually ran into my old dance teacher, Mr. Peter and his wife, Camille. Their daughter (his by marriage) lost her leg in a tragic accident. It was heartbreaking to learn that they'd spent 6 weeks at a hospital between GMC and SR...her leg could not be saved below the knee and was amputated yesterday. I can only imagine the devastation for all. We also saw so many children with cancer and other chronic illnesses that we had a stop and be thankful we were only in there temporarily with a particularly nasty virus.
We have great jobs.
Both Andrew and I were supposed to work Friday, and he was supposed to work through the weekend. I took J to the doctor Friday morning and had to call in b/c I couldn't find a sub right away and needed to get going...my teammates, my principal, and my friends were quick to cover for me and made sure things went smoothly in my absence. All of them checked in on us. Andrew met us at SR when they sent us there...his boss was fabulous - told him to go and took care of his leave paperwork. Neither of us were stressed about missing work so we could concentrate on taking care of our little man. We are thankful that in a time where jobs are often hard to come by, we work with great people who truly care about us.
We have a great support system.
I cannot tell you how many facebook messages, texts, etc. that we received from our family and friends this week. We had dinner brought over and constant prayers going up for the wisdom of the doctors, J's complete healing and recovery, and our well-being. We felt that love and support, knowing it was genuine. My parents and sister were contstantly around bringing food, holding little man so I could go to the bathroom or take a 5 minute nap(even when that meant he threw up on them), running home to get me new clothes b/c I refused to leave the hospital... We always value our family and friends, but truly appreciate them after this experience. To all of you who sent messages, posts, and texts of encouragement and love, to all of you who prayed and thought of us throughout this time, and to all of you who brought food, visted, and called - thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
We worship a powerful God.
God often humbles us...and he did that for us this weekend. We feel so blessed to simply be able to bring our son who is on the mend home with us...we have everything we need. Our bank account might not be where we want it to be and we may not have accompished everything in our life that we want to yet, but God has given us so much to be thankful for. It would be remiss to not mention his power to heal, power to give, power to love, and power to give grace-given strength in our times of need. We saw God move in all of those ways this week and believe in His goodness.
Now that we are home after 5 and 1/2 days and 5 nights at Scottish Rite, Andrew and I realize that we have so much to be thankful for.
We have a healthy baby.
Yes, we just spent a while in a hospital where Jackson was confined to his room b/c he had a contagious virus, but I saw so many other sick kids at SR. We actually ran into my old dance teacher, Mr. Peter and his wife, Camille. Their daughter (his by marriage) lost her leg in a tragic accident. It was heartbreaking to learn that they'd spent 6 weeks at a hospital between GMC and SR...her leg could not be saved below the knee and was amputated yesterday. I can only imagine the devastation for all. We also saw so many children with cancer and other chronic illnesses that we had a stop and be thankful we were only in there temporarily with a particularly nasty virus.
We have great jobs.
Both Andrew and I were supposed to work Friday, and he was supposed to work through the weekend. I took J to the doctor Friday morning and had to call in b/c I couldn't find a sub right away and needed to get going...my teammates, my principal, and my friends were quick to cover for me and made sure things went smoothly in my absence. All of them checked in on us. Andrew met us at SR when they sent us there...his boss was fabulous - told him to go and took care of his leave paperwork. Neither of us were stressed about missing work so we could concentrate on taking care of our little man. We are thankful that in a time where jobs are often hard to come by, we work with great people who truly care about us.
We have a great support system.
I cannot tell you how many facebook messages, texts, etc. that we received from our family and friends this week. We had dinner brought over and constant prayers going up for the wisdom of the doctors, J's complete healing and recovery, and our well-being. We felt that love and support, knowing it was genuine. My parents and sister were contstantly around bringing food, holding little man so I could go to the bathroom or take a 5 minute nap(even when that meant he threw up on them), running home to get me new clothes b/c I refused to leave the hospital... We always value our family and friends, but truly appreciate them after this experience. To all of you who sent messages, posts, and texts of encouragement and love, to all of you who prayed and thought of us throughout this time, and to all of you who brought food, visted, and called - thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
We worship a powerful God.
God often humbles us...and he did that for us this weekend. We feel so blessed to simply be able to bring our son who is on the mend home with us...we have everything we need. Our bank account might not be where we want it to be and we may not have accompished everything in our life that we want to yet, but God has given us so much to be thankful for. It would be remiss to not mention his power to heal, power to give, power to love, and power to give grace-given strength in our times of need. We saw God move in all of those ways this week and believe in His goodness.
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