Happy Birthday Sweet Girl

Paisley is three today! Oh my goodness it cannot be. How has this time flown so fast. Everyday she is more and more fun to be around. I love that girlie. Today we had a party for her with my parents, my aunt, and lots of friends. She was so cute in her hula skirt and flower shirt and leis all around. She graciously LOVED the attention, cake, and presents. She even eerily pinned the bow on luau hello kitty exactly in the right spot with a blindfold :) haha.

Love you baby girl. You are such a blessing to us.

Looking back and looking forward

I had a physical today. It was awesome. I love my dr. so much. It is refreshing to work with someone in the medical field who is helpful and aware of nutrition. Seriously great.

He said something that really struck with me. He told me that his thoughts are depression are founded in looking back too much and anxiety is in looking forward too much. More living in the now will serve a person well when faced with mild forms of these. This is sooo me. He really is not suggesting all people can be served with this method but many. He suggested I continue with my therapy and not look to medications at this time. He really feels that with what I am facing and my family history it could be counterproductive. He gave me some tools, support, and encouragement from his personal experiences. I seriously think he is just a great doctor!

off to make oatmeal!

have to let it go

I totally understand the frustration when your child is sick, even worse when the entire family gets some illness. But I don't understand making someone feel awful because your kid might have passed some illness to their kid. I mean, how do you prove that? ugh. I don't want to make kids ill. I do the best I can balancing illness, work, and expectations in the world. I just have to let it go, the anxiety from someone else. It makes me sooo sad though to feel sooo judged all the time.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Last night we had our first meeting with Griffin's teacher. He is doing very well which we already presumed since we had not heard from her much :)

They do not do grades yet so they have Exceeds (E), Meets grade level (M), Progressing towards grade level (P), and Insufficient.

He got M's in Reading, Writing, Science, Social Studies, and Music. He got P's in Math and P.E.

In addition he got 1's across the board for effort which is outstanding sans Music which he got 2's which are good.

Apparently Griffin is very great at participation. His teacher said he has his hand up to answer pretty much every time she asks a question. This made us chuckle because it is cute and because it is so Griffin-always something to say or contribute. He has a hard time staying quiet at home when questions are asked so we were happy he at least waits at school to be called upon. She kept talking about how interesting he was and how funny he can be.some of the stuff he comes up cracks her up. Now my personal impression of his teacher is that she is a bit stuffy, stiff if you will in her demeanor and by her own admission she is quite strict so it was soooo funny how she was commenting on his being funny...because she said it with a straight face. lol. Someone doesn't know how to laugh...haha. Cause he is funny, quite and I was happy to hear he shows that at school. Of course it coudl get him in trouble but it seems for now he knows when to be quiet and when to let loose.

I also laughed that his two favorite subjects, being music and P.E. were his "worst" marks. I mean, really they ask him, HIM, aka tone deaf child of tone deaf parents, to sing alone and he does and he loves it. Of course he is not that great at it. haha. whatever. I hope he keeps enjoying it. and P.E. I mean, the kid is agile and loves to move but is just not good at sports. It is totally fine but also cracks me up. It reminds me of being graded on art in 7th grade. I stunk but loved it, the release of my creativity but it crushed me to get lower marks...made no sense that itwas graded so much on quality vs. effort but it was. So far Griffin seems oblivious to being "marked". He just likes learning.

All and all a great experience. Hope he continues to do well in school and loving it. His teacher is great and so is his class...we feel very lucky.

On a side note yesterday he wrote himself "Not Geu Pet" and drew a spider. It was supposed to say "not good pets" I was so proud of him!

short lived

feeling much better already this afternoon. weird, short bug. glad I am bouncing back and can clean this house. It is gorgeous here today so I opened the windows as well to air out our funk.

and the Mom..

goes down too. Hope it is short lived. I feel awful.

Another one down....

I effing hate this season and all it entails. Paisley went down tonight :( I HATE it. and I hate not knowing what to do with telling people we were in contact with, who to tell, who to avoid in the first place becuase they will freak out on me when I do tell them, avoiding telling those peopel because they will freak out on me. How to navigate work schedules, patients don't want to wait but they also don't want me to get them sick with our germs. Blech. I am in misery right now and I am not even sick. I want to scream. I can think of certain things that would resolve this in many ways for us but I hate inviting that into our life as well.....can't win for anything.

weekend of fun

All those things I was supposed to get done this weekend. Ha. I have been having fun instead. But really this has been a great weekend with more to come soon.

Friday night i worked late and brought home late dinner and beer to Lee. We watched bad t.v. and then crashed. We slept in yesterday while the kids did crazy stuff to the playroom and beyond but it was worth it. They usually eat every piece of fruit if we sleep in and that is what happened yesterday. haha.

The rest of the day we attempted to get a few things checked off our list but mostly that did not happen. Lee laid down with Paisley for their nap and I paid some bills while Griffin quietly played play-doh. When Lee got up we just talked and talked at the dining room table while Griffin kept playing. Then dinner out early with mark and kelly for a small anniversary celebration. it was short but great. Then off to a birthday party for a friend alone-Lee wrangled kids to bed-dancing, drinking, laughing, and popcorn. It was so much fun.

Today the time changed and kids were up butt early but they are playing well together at least. Lee and I are tailgating and watching the browns game today on a friend's boat. Oh fun!

TGIF

woke up to a pukey kid. He has only thrown up once thankfully but tis the season. That boy pukes if you look at him weird. Ugh. I am hoping it is an isolated incident.

We have sooo much to get done this weekend and next before our trip to st. louis. Mostly unrelated to travel but it is stuff that MUST get done. I am not excited about it but will be to get it done and then go on our trip!

I am planning the trip in my head in regards to the kid. I think they will do great until just before Dayton. Hoping to avoid movies until then and then going to get How to Train your dragon as a suprise! Griffin will be psyched. Then dinner and bed. woo hoo. This will work, right?

Family Man

I have been going to these parenting classes. They are great. I participated in the series last winter as well and was pretty excited it was back this year because it really hit home for me. This year has been just as good so far.

Tonight was about communication. So, I ask, what is the definition of communication? The one used tonight was: the transmission of information. Hmmmm. Yeah, I get that. But communication is not about talking, just transmitting. One Transmitter, one receiver. That's it. Talking, sharing, back and forth is actually conversation and you must be invited in some way to partake in this. Hmmmm. Very interesting. I mean, I totally know all of this but in application...yup, totally lost most of the time. I am going to really noodle on this in many aspects of my life, especially parenting.

Lastly, definition of argument? His given was: the forcing of your opinions or thoughts to be received. So if I am not invited to a conversation but instead am just being transmitted information and I put my $.02 in what happens? defensive behavior from the transmitter and low and behold many arguments. It has happened this way a LOT recently for me and tonights conversation just really opened my eyes. Listen, stop judging, and wait to be invited for conversation.

I love the family man.

Early Onset Anxiety?

Today was Tuesday. I don't typically get anxiety on Tuesday. Today I did. What was up? why? no clue but maybe that means tomorrow I won't?

maybe it was all the sugar over the weekend? I tried to get back on track today with food. We shall see how that helps.

Stuffs

Been awhile again, life just has been beating us down in the time department. ha. We have been having fun too so don't feel too bad for us :)

Recap: colds, part 1 and 2; work; parenting classes; birthday parties; 5Ks; parties in general; football; dexter; travel to Louisville; pumpkin patching; harvest festivaling; baking; cooking; jumping in leaves; playing with friends; fall hikes; oh and a visit from Papa!

Did you know honey can be used for a cough? Griffin was left with a persistent night cough and two nights ago he was bothered by it straight for an hour. I got him up and tried to help him stop the cycle so he would not throw up (lord knows the path we go down if that starts with this kid). Water helped for like 30 seconds. Percussion on his back helped for another 30 seconds. I went looking for some cough syrup but did not have any. I debated a trip to the drug store but it was late and he was dozing through the coughing on the couch. So I thought about it. Hmmmm...honey? that might do. I googled and got mixed reviews but the claims all had the same theme, it can't hurt and might help. So we tried it and it helped a LOT. So tonight he happily took his tsp. of honey before bed and is not coughing at all.

Our 7th anniversary is next week. Crazy! We are planning a few small evenings out...just to spend some time together. It will be nice.

Kids were Skeleton and Princess Ballerina for halloween. Lee was Bob Ross the painter and I was his happy little cloud. I had fun! Great weekend of wearing costumes and being silly and hopped up on sugar.

We also ran our first 5K and the kids each ran a mile for charity. It was a great experience...my muscles still aren't letting me forget.