Photo Shoot

Here's a peak at Sara's 18-month pictures (the ones we had taken at JC Penney's last weekend).  I have not been good about documenting Sara's life with professional pictures, but am so glad to have her captured in photos at this beautifully tender age.  We had a very pleasant experience at Penney's; the staff was great with Sara, they got lots of good shots (it was impossible to choose a favorite), and they were happy to apply my Sunday-paper coupon to the purchase. 

I think we'll be repeat customers!

Caught rolling around ...

Singing "no more monkeys jumping on the bed"...

Sweet face ...

Relaxing ...

Capturing quintessential Sara ...

Fathers

"Fathers, be good to your daughters,

Daughters will love like you do."

-John Mayer

Today is the 100th anniversary of Father's Day.  Tomorrow will mark sixteen years since my own dad passed away.  It seems like a lifetime ago and a day ago all at the same time.  While my memory in some areas sometimes fails me, I don't believe I'll ever forget every raw detail of June 21, 1994.  Death -- my dad's, especially -- seemed to so define my early teenage years that I have a hard time recalling more than a handful of childhood events.  Still, my impressions of the kind of dad I had haven't faded.  I'll always remember my dad as being my biggest fan.  Anything that was important to me was important to him.  He was a practical joker, an intelligent businessman, a friend and role-model to many, and one who, even in death, has never left my side.  I like to think he'd be proud of me today.

Todd is the father that came into my life when we were all least expecting it.  He never hesitated to be the father-figure we needed, all while being sensitive to the fact that we'd already be given a dad.  Todd has loved me as deeply as any father could, and he's been a constant voice of reason in my life.  I will always believe that having two dads in my lifetime was part of a greater plan, and that Todd's presence in my life is proof that silver lining exists.

As a mom, one of my greatest blessings is the fact that I have a front row seat everyday to watch Steve as a father.  I have to be honest: when we met as 19-year-olds, I wasn't sure he had it in him.  But as is probably the case with most first-time dads, I think his "Parenting Lightbulb" went off the moment Sara was born.  He was a changed man as of 8:07 a.m. on December 11, 2008, and he hasn't veered from dad-mode ever since.  I'd never known him to love as fiercely and as passionately as he did in those moments surrounding Sara's arrival, and as he has every moment since.  Steve is an attentive, sensitive, hands-on dad, and Sara absolutely adores him.  I know that he will always make Sara feel safe and loved, and I couldn't ask for more.    

Let's give all the dads out there an extra hug, high-five, or fist pump today, even if they missed the laundry basket again or had yet another memory lapse regarding what to do with dirty dishes.  We never said we loved them because they followed household rules ... we love them because we know that nobody will ever love us or our babies the way they do.

Week in Review

I can't believe another week has flown by already.  My principal and I moved into our new building on Monday, and it's been a whirlwind since.  We spent all day Tuesday in off-campus meetings, by Wednesday morning we had computers and phones, and as of today we were trying to tie up loose ends because we'll be downtown in AVID training everyday next week.  Our school is absolutely beautiful ... we've enjoyed showing it off to a few colleagues who've stopped by to see it.  I'm so thrilled to be part of opening it.  Before that can officially happen, though, there is so much to do.  Yesterday afternoon we were in a meeting over bussing routes, and the letters that need to be sent to each neighborhood stating whether or not they qualify for bussing based on their distance from school, whether adequate sidewalks and crosswalks are available, etc.  This is just one of many issues that has to be addressed when starting from scratch.  And like most issues in public education, it's one that will probably come with its fair share of parent phone calls, so we spent a lot of time analyzing the letters going out to various neighborhoods.  I know this probably isn't interesting to most of you, and I'm actually not even sure why I'm still writing about it ...

Moving on, Sara had a better week at daycare - at least in the mornings.  No tears at all this week, which has been a huge relief to me.  Still, Steve and I are struggling to decide whether she's in the right place.  Just when I think she's not, something happens to convince me that she is ... and vice-versa.  We left one place that we just loved, and I sort of feel like we've "settled" for this new place.  It covers all of the appropriate bases as far as childcare goes, but I'm just not sure yet whether it meets my expectations (and I'm not totally sure I even know what those are).  People have told me, "You'll know if it's not the right place."  Problem is, I don't know.  My mind changes everyday.  Maybe the fact that my mind changes at all is the answer.  I never had doubts at our last place.  We can't make a decision. UGH.

Sara had her 18-month check-up today. She weighs 27.4 pounds, and is 32 1/2 inches.  She had one shot, and received a fairly clean bill of health.  Doctor McD said he can still hear wheezing through the stethoscope (remember, we started her on Singular around the end of April for her wheezing (Side note on the Singular: I mentioned on here that the prescription was super pricey at our go-to Walgreen's.  My mom told me that one of her friends said that Walgreen's can be notorius for having the most expensive drugs, so we transferred to Target pharmacy on a whim - why not? we're always there anyway - and Sara's Singular was 1/2 the price!  So worth it.)), so he put her on a different nebulizer med that she'll have daily in the evenings.  He put her on the highest dose, and when we recheck in three months, hopefully he'll be able to lower it.  For the first time, he referred to Sara's wheezing as - not just bronchialitis - but as the A word: asthma.  UGH again.  Still, I can't complain ... Sara is otherwise totally healthy and growing like she should.  I told Doctor McD that Sara has recently started announcing her poo-poos, and he said it's time for her to try sitting on the potty!  This just gets more and more exciting ...

                                         

This evening we went outside to slide and blow bubbles.  I ran inside for just a couple of minutes, and when I came back out, Sara had been stripped to her diaper, the hose was going, and she and Daddy were playing Water Slide.  You should've seen her fly down that slide onto the grass!  We got some good laughs.  Of course by the time I went back in for my camera, she was about ready to call it quits, so I only got a couple of shots.  Though it was short-lived tonight, I think that Steve's invented Water Slide game will have a repeat performance or two in the very near future.

Tomorrow we're having 18-month pics taken at good ol' JC Penney's.  We don't have a lot of money to spend on pictures right now, so we're going the coupon route because I so desperately want to capture Sara in this moment.  She'll barely sit still long enough for me to get a picture of the top of her head, let alone her smiling face, so I need the help of a better camera and a little entertainment.  Hopefully we'll get a few good ones tomorrow.  Of course you'll see them, too.

Have a great weekend!

Book Review

I met with my book club over breakfast at Cafe Brazil - yum - this morning to discuss last month's pick (made by me, recommended by my mom), The Art of Racing in the Rain.  Most of us read the book in just a matter of days or, in a couple of cases, a matter of hours, which makes it perfect summer reading material, if you ask me.  The story of Denny, his wife, Eve, and their daughter, Zoe, is told by Enzo, their beloved pup.  Emotions run the gamut throughout the story, and at one point or another, all readers can connect on some level with the characters, the circumstances, the relationships, or all of the above.  This morning as we were discussing the book, one girl made a comment about the fact that the book didn't end after the event we all thought would bring "the end" occurred ... the story - and life - kept going even after the very worst, which made the story real, raw, and engaging all at once.  If you haven't yet read about Enzo, put it on your to-do list this summer.  This book will make you give your own pup an extra scratch or two behind the ear, and it'll give you pause as you consider how much animals, especially family pets, really do understand about human traits, quirks, and capabilities.

Next up for my book club is Like Water for Chocolate.  I picked up my copy at Half Price Books on the way home this morning, and plan to start at least a few pages tonight.

In other book review news, Sara has been requesting these best-selling page-turners constantly:

It's looking like it will probably be another afternoon at the pool for us.  We went just briefly after work yesterday, and Sara was getting so brave ... we'll see what today brings.  Our HOA is handing out popsicles at the pool today.  I knew all those dues were going toward something important.  Ha-ha-ha.

A Contradiction

Just ask her: she'll tell you she's not a baby.

Tonight as Sara walked from the bathroom to her bedroom after her bath, I was overcome with thoughts of the baby girl that once required such delicate handling (especially when wet) in order to get from one place to the next.  The one who took delight in being bundled in a towel and snuggled tightly after bath.  The girl walking in front of me tonight was talking the whole way, giving opinions about which books to read, and acknowledging her daddy's sneezes with her own little "achoo". And delicate handling?  What's that?  She brushes off a slip here or there without hesitation.

My brain tells me that she's growing and developing just as she should, and there certainly is relief in knowing that she's normal, healthy, happy.  It's just that tonight my heart is already aching for the baby she was not so long ago.  It thrills me to watch her become a little girl.  I love listening to all she has to say, I'm amazed at the things she knows, and I'm delighted that she brings laughter to each day.  And though she'll always be my baby, she's growing up too quickly, and she already knows that she's not a baby.  It brings happiness and heartache all at once.  A contradiction, indeed.

Sara Loves Sega

Remember a couple of posts ago when I said that Steve had been teaching Sara to play "Aladdin" on Sega?  Well, now she's hooked.  In fact, when she woke up from her nap today, she walked straight to the office where the Sega is stored away, and demanded a round or two.  Not good, I know.  You know the feeling of power that comes with holding a gaming controller?  Yep, she's feeling it.  She's also not wearing bottoms.  Power and freedom.

Did anyone else have a very long short week?  Even after all of our rest last weekend, we found ourselves just dragging through this week.  It was the last week of school for students, and my last week at my current school.  All ended well, with only a few tears ... while I appreciate all I've learned at my current school, and I'm so humbled by the support and words of thanks I received this week from teachers, I'm very ready for my next step.  We can't actually move into the new school until June 14th, so I'll work at my old school this coming week because ... well, I need a working spot.  It will be very quiet, so I should be able to really get moving on the new school projects I've been saving.  I'm totally aware of the fact that I can't even begin to anticipate the work that comes with opening a new school, but together with my new principal, we have until early August to figure it all out and to tackle it.  It's very exciting!

As for an update on everything else, Higgins visited a new vet today for his annual exam and shots.  I liked our old vet a lot, but this new one is much closer to home and offered to keep Higgins and call when he was finished so there was no hour+ wait like we frequently had at the last place.  Since I dropped him around 8:00 and picked him up around noon and he missed all of his morning napping opportunities, Higgins has spent the rest of the day sleeping.  It's hard work being a dog.  Truth be told, though, Higgins probably would've slept through the entire day with or without the vet visit.

We were back at the pool for a while this afternoon.  Sara is getting more and more brave in the water, and managed to drink quite a bit of it today.  Chances are that we'll visit again tomorrow.  This year I've discovered spray-on sunscreen.  If you don't already use it for your kids, you must.  It's SO simple.  Instead of the lathering routine we had to go through last summer, now I simply bring Sara out to the garage, stand her up, and walk around her while spraying.  Can't get much easier, and ease is what my life needs.  Yours, too?  Spray-on is the answer.

Anyway, Sara was so tired after our swimming escapades today that she went down for a surprise second nap sometime during the 5 o'clock hour.  We figured she'd be out for 45 minutes or so, and then that she'd wake back up for evening play.  Well ... she's still out.  Really out.  O-U-T.  Thing is, she'd already taken an almost three-hour nap earlier today.  Maybe she's going through a growth spurt (which we'd recently suspected based on her increased appetite), maybe she's just super tired, or *hopefully not* maybe she's just looking for her opportunity to start our Sunday around 3:00 in the morning.  Only time will tell ........

Captain Underpants

Over the weekend we did some laundry, naturally.  After completing a dryer-to-basket, washer-to-dryer exchange, I was doing a few things in the kitchen.  When I turned back to see what Sara was so quietly up to in the laundry room, I found her like this: draped in my undies.  Don't worry, they came from the clean basket.