Happy Mother's Day

 Happy Mother's day to our dear, sweet mothers.

 We love you!

Some Pictures from Forever Ago...

...or just some pictures from a month ago. Afton and I were down in California for a couple of weeks (Jeff came for the last couple of days). As you can see, we had quite a bit of fun!

First item of business: Going to see Lady Antebellum with Kara--an unintended stop on our itinerary. Jeff's parents had tickets, and couldn't go at the last minute, so Kara and I took them. They were at the very top, but Kara was not doing well with the height (seriously. she lasted about 30 seconds, and then had to leave because it was making her sick). So we went to see if we could pay for an upgrade. Because we didn't have the card that bought them, they offered to trade ours with ones in the pit. What? Trade in our free nosebleed tickets for some free super close ones? I'll take it!

 Thompson Square opened for them.

  And so did Darius Rucker (Hootie from Hootie & the Blowfish for those who are not current with country)...my camera had no battery, so that's all I got.

And then the rest was trip stuff. Afton climbing in the car, Easter, going to Papa Castleton's work, the zoo, time with Mark's family...I think that covers it pretty well.

 

Oh, and while we were there, Afton's cousins on my side wanted to do a little carnival at my parents' house. One of the stations was a giant hopscotch with a prize at the end. Afton and her little cousin were too cute trying to do it. They make me laugh.

Tender Mommy/Afton Moment

Yesterday while we were waiting for Jeff to get home, Afton and I played with pillows on the bed (her new favorite game). We were having a good time, but then I got a little tired, and so sat on the bed with my back against the wall. Afton ended up doing the same, and she spent like twenty minutes telling me all kinds of stories. Most of it was jibber-jabbering with a whole lot of hand motions, but eventually one of the few words she knew found its way in there (i.e. ball, car, juice, show, chalk, oh no). It was the happiest little twenty minutes of my day. How nice to be home, so I can share these moments with her whenever they randomly come up! What a sweetheart!

P.S. I think they were some pretty happy moments for her, too, because she cuddled me just that much more before I put her to bed

Judged

So, it's been a while since I've felt like I was being judged, and it kind of took me by surprise the other day.

Afton and I went to our weekly mid-week activity of going to the library, where we attend story time. Afterwards we played a bit on the kids' computer and looked at some board books. That lasted a good while, but then Afton, as she usually does as some point, decided that it was time to move...and let me tell you, she might not run that great, but she is FAST! I mean really fast. 

As difficult as it is sometimes, I manage to stay on her heels, and I can usually count on things such as the movies, books on display, and computers to distract her a little bit.

We found some books for Afton, but before we left, I randomly decided to see if a book was in that I'd been wanting to check out. It was in the grown-up section (seedy connotations have led me to avoid using the word "adult"), so that's where we headed before checking out.

 Hooray for me, the book was in! But then I got interested in the one next to it on the shelf. I was seriously looking at it for about 1 minute, in which time Afton leaves. "It's okay," I thought to myself, "There's computers close by that she was trying to get to 2 seconds earlier, and if not, the movies are right outside this section. I'm sure she'll be in one of those two places." (Keep in mind, I was looking at it for just 1 minute.)

I was wrong.

When I left the book aisle, Afton was no where in sight. I walked around the room a few times, and still didn't find her. In an effort to narrow the search down a bit, I asked the librarian sitting at the desk in the middle of the room, which was also facing the exit, if she happened to see my toddler run by, to which she smugly replied "Well, I don't know what your toddler looks like."

OK, really, lady? I'm sorry I said, "my toddler" instead of "a toddler," but the last I checked there were exactly 0 other kids in this room, and so it would be safe to assume that any toddler you saw would indeed be mine.

Also, I am aware of the library's lack of liability in the matter, and that I am solely responsible for my child, but the reason I'm asking you, as opposed to someone else, is because from where your desk is situated, there's a pretty dang good view of the premises, whereas anywhere else inhabited by people in this section is tucked away in the corner or inbetween bookshelves.

Annoyed, yet undeterred, I went on to search for my little girl. I walked into the main area to see another librarian walking in my direction, holding Afton's hand. "Are you Afton?" she asked. "We caught her escaping outside behind someone else who was leaving." WHAT!? That's how far she managed to go in 60 seconds?! Outside! And seriously, how did that librarian know that one of us was named Afton?

Needless to say, I was embarrassed, and felt judged by at least two people that day. 

I guess all there is left to say is, "welcome to parenthood." It's gonna be a rocky road.

Something to Make You Smile

So, for music purposes I recently purchased a linear PCM recorder (aka audio recorder). I've been having fun trying it out, and in the process, out came this cute little tid-bit. Jeff and I can't get enough of it.



Thank you, Afton, for being so cute!

A Pleasant Surprise

So a week or so ago, I got the most amazing call. It was my mom asking if she could come stay with us the next week...starting the next day. Um, what? Mom come visit us in the middle of winter? Starting tomorrow? For almost a whole week?

Yes! Yes! Yes!

It was like an unrealistic dream coming true. No one ever visits us in the winter! And it was my Mom! For 6 whole days! Yay!

It was especially welcome in that Afton had a pretty big cardiologist appointment coming up. It was in the middle of the work week, so I would be going alone...a whole trip down by myself, most likely with a bored, unhappy child in the back, a possibly sleepless night in a strange place (Christmas vacation taught me to expect that one), a child who had to be fasting for 12 hours before the appointment, the appointment itself, and then a drive back home with me worrying that she might cut off her air supply if she feel asleep. It had been giving me stress since the day that I made the appointment.

But now Mom would be there. Mom! I could do anything if someone was with me, especially Mom.

Luckily we didn't have to worry about it for the first couple of days, and it got to be some nice Mom/Grandma time. We talked...a lot (Funny how I didn't have much to say to my mom as a teenager, but ten years later, can't seem to stop talking), discussed important issues, went to the store, ate food, and watched some Downton Abbey.

Oh, and we went to my great uncle's funeral (did I forget to mention that's why my mom came in the first place?) It was nice to see this whole gigantic family that was related to me, but that I never knew, and it was nice to have my mom show me reminiscent places from her childhood summers.

We also bought a Bosch. And then made cookies. Mmm! (Afton helped)

Oh, and about that appointment? Let's just say I was soooo glad that Mom was with me. It turned out to be just as horrific as I imagined. Just picture a child being given medication that could knock out an elephant (the doctor's words, not mine), NOT falling asleep, a lot of screaming, a lot of squirming, a lot of floppiness, and a few fed-up medical workers. It was quite the ordeal, but, luckily ended up not being a waste. They were able to find out important info. in the 20 minutes she finally fell asleep. (Good info., by the way)

I think I would have been bawling halfway through it if Mom wasn't there.

Thanks for being there, Mom! We love you!

Come back soon!

Our Little Dancing Vegetarian

So, in the last few months I have noticed that Afton has developed quite the affinity for healthy foods i.e. fruits and vegetables. She looooves them. I don't know, did I emphasize that word "love" enough?

I've actually thought of a new strategy for feeding her, so that she actually gets something nice, starchy and filling in her; which is to give that stuff to her first, and when she's eaten enough of it, then give her the vegetables.

I seem to always forget that, though, when lunch time rolls around, and soon find myself cutting up cucumbers and washing grape tomatoes just fast enough for her to gobble them up. Grape tomatoes, by the way, seriously? I don't even eat those. I usually let Jeff eat mine when they come in my salad.

Anyway, I guess it's not such a bad thing that she not only eats, but enjoys, such fresh foods. It's just that sometimes I wish she would sit down and eat some good ol' PB&J.





Also, Afton lately has become quite the dancer. My parents got us a roku for Christmas (which we love, by the way!). On it is a channel called the bazillions. It has some fun kid music videos that are very parent-friendly, so we put it on a lot. Afton loves dancing to it. Actually, most of the time she loves to sit in Mommy's arms while she dances to it, but every once in a while, she's willing to go solo. Here she is:



Quite the talent, right?