Elly is almost 16 months old. Most days I feel like she's about to be 16 years old with the amount of attitude she can dish out.
With each passing day I struggle. I struggle with the reality that she isn't going to be my baby forever. She is eventually going to grow up and be a big girl. That thought makes me cry and smile at the same time.
A part of me is so thrilled to watch her grow and develop. A part of me can't wait for her to be able to do things on her own.
On the other hand, the sooner she can do things on her own, the faster she's on her own and I'm in her dust. And I don't want that.
My latest internal tug-of-war is whether or not to get her ears pierced.
On the plus side, once it's done and over, she won't remember the temporary pain.
On the other hand, I'll have to endure her sobbing and that's worse than getting her shots.
Getting her ears pierced is a rite of passage for a girl. But when do you do it? I don't want my baby to grow too fast, yet I'm so excited for these steps into the world.
And if I have this much anxiety for a simple ear piercing, what the hell am I going to do when she wants to wear a bra or shave her legs. Or dear god! When she wants to go to the mall with her friends. (She won't be dating until she's 30, so at least that's an easy fix.)
Ugh! I'm so conflicted. What do you think? At what age should a girl get her ears pierced? By the time I finally decide, she'll probably be married with her own kids.
Until then, let the tug-of-war continue.
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Friday, June 22, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Go-Gos
Every time I hear or say the word Vacation I break out in song (mostly in my head, but every so often it's for the public's enjoyment) of the Go-Gos song. Mainly because vacation is all I ever really wanted.
Had to get away!
Except, I can't.
But Ms. B can! She and her husband are on vacation this week. They're back home visiting family they haven't seen since Christmas. While they're at the beach, I'm in school. This doesn't seem like a fun trade-off. How did I grow up and end up in school during the summer? It's not even a school for the under-achievers! It's actually a school for the advanced kids. Or at least that's what they tell us to make us feel good about ourselves.
(It is the new military, after all. We need to know how awesome we all are.... like we don't already know.)
What I've realized in just the few days she's been gone is how much I really miss her. And how much I really depend on her, especially because I'm in school. Since the middle of May I've been gone to a residential school for my job. I'm not too far away from my house, just the other side of the beltway, but in D.C. traffic I might as well be in California. So I stay at school during the week and come home on weekends.
All the while, Ms. B watches Elly. Ms. B and her husband Mr. T (yes, that's his actual name. I pity the fool!) take such great care of Elly.
They are lifesavers when it comes to watching her. I couldn't be more grateful for them and how perfect they are. Not just anyone would drop everything to take your sick kid an extra day and a half and nurse her back to health because you couldn't be there full-time for her.
I think back to when I was about to start back up to work and how absolutely freaked out I was to leave her with someone who wasn't me. I was panicked. (Do you need a reminder?) Six months later and I realize just how useless that worrying was, because instead I found the perfect people who care for my daughter as if she were their child.
Elly loves them! She says their names (as well as a toddler learning to talk can actually say names). She gives them hugs and kisses. She gets excited to see them when they walk through the door.
I can't wait for them to get back from vacation. Not just because I miss them, but because Elly misses them too! I'm sure as soon as they get back, she'll slobber them with kisses. And I'll give them grateful hugs that they didn't run away and leave me without someone I trust to watch my daughter. Now if only I could figure out a way to convince the Department of Defense to allow them to permanently stay here so they can always be a part of Elsie's life.
Ok, so that's not really reality. Maybe I need a vacation.
Had to get away!
Except, I can't.
But Ms. B can! She and her husband are on vacation this week. They're back home visiting family they haven't seen since Christmas. While they're at the beach, I'm in school. This doesn't seem like a fun trade-off. How did I grow up and end up in school during the summer? It's not even a school for the under-achievers! It's actually a school for the advanced kids. Or at least that's what they tell us to make us feel good about ourselves.
(It is the new military, after all. We need to know how awesome we all are.... like we don't already know.)
What I've realized in just the few days she's been gone is how much I really miss her. And how much I really depend on her, especially because I'm in school. Since the middle of May I've been gone to a residential school for my job. I'm not too far away from my house, just the other side of the beltway, but in D.C. traffic I might as well be in California. So I stay at school during the week and come home on weekends.
All the while, Ms. B watches Elly. Ms. B and her husband Mr. T (yes, that's his actual name. I pity the fool!) take such great care of Elly.
They are lifesavers when it comes to watching her. I couldn't be more grateful for them and how perfect they are. Not just anyone would drop everything to take your sick kid an extra day and a half and nurse her back to health because you couldn't be there full-time for her.
I think back to when I was about to start back up to work and how absolutely freaked out I was to leave her with someone who wasn't me. I was panicked. (Do you need a reminder?) Six months later and I realize just how useless that worrying was, because instead I found the perfect people who care for my daughter as if she were their child.
Elly loves them! She says their names (as well as a toddler learning to talk can actually say names). She gives them hugs and kisses. She gets excited to see them when they walk through the door.
I can't wait for them to get back from vacation. Not just because I miss them, but because Elly misses them too! I'm sure as soon as they get back, she'll slobber them with kisses. And I'll give them grateful hugs that they didn't run away and leave me without someone I trust to watch my daughter. Now if only I could figure out a way to convince the Department of Defense to allow them to permanently stay here so they can always be a part of Elsie's life.
Ok, so that's not really reality. Maybe I need a vacation.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
V is for Victory
My New Year's resolution this year is to buy more American-made products. Turns out, that's pretty hard to do sometimes.
However, I have been pretty successful when I'm looking to buy something special. I can usually do some research and find the perfect item.
My quest for the red, white and blue lead me down the path toward homemade and homegrown items. I feel like I time-warped into the 1940s.
Enter my desire for my very own victory garden!
I began planting seeds in my recyclable containers a couple months ago. I refused to pay more for the kits at Walmart when I could do the same thing with stuff I already had laying around the house (aka free).
About a month ago I got most everything transplanted outside. Not everything out there is from my own seedlings. But, everything IS American-grown. And the plants I did buy we're from a local, small business. So, I'm still assisting the American dream.
Here is my patio garden so far:
Summer squash and zucchini, lettuce, peppers, lots of basil, various other herbs
Tons of bell pepper and tomato varieties.
I hope I can keep everything growing! So far, so good! One day, I want to have a much larger garden and I'd love to help others build and create their own gardens. V is for Victory!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
However, I have been pretty successful when I'm looking to buy something special. I can usually do some research and find the perfect item.
My quest for the red, white and blue lead me down the path toward homemade and homegrown items. I feel like I time-warped into the 1940s.
Enter my desire for my very own victory garden!
I began planting seeds in my recyclable containers a couple months ago. I refused to pay more for the kits at Walmart when I could do the same thing with stuff I already had laying around the house (aka free).
About a month ago I got most everything transplanted outside. Not everything out there is from my own seedlings. But, everything IS American-grown. And the plants I did buy we're from a local, small business. So, I'm still assisting the American dream.
Here is my patio garden so far:
Summer squash and zucchini, lettuce, peppers, lots of basil, various other herbs
Tons of bell pepper and tomato varieties.
I hope I can keep everything growing! So far, so good! One day, I want to have a much larger garden and I'd love to help others build and create their own gardens. V is for Victory!
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone