Category Archives: Cate

Saturday night's alright for whining

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Yesterday was a day of suckage the likes of which we haven’t seen for a while. FYI, this post is going to contain a lot of whining and it’s all very stream-of-consciousness blurted out by a crazy person in the midst of major sleep deprivation. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

1. We found out that we will not, in fact, have our money from the UK in time for our closing date on Friday, the 11th. The sellers have the right to completely back out of the deal and keep our earnest money that we put down, which we’re praying they don’t do. Hopefully they’ll just allow the closing date to get bumped further out. Again.

Meanwhile, this house that we’re currently living in has been re-rented, and the new tenants are moving in on Saturday, the 12th. So, we’re still moving out on the 11th, with nowhere to go. We’ll be putting our stuff in storage and then moving into a hotel, or with Cat & Tony, or who knows what. And then we also have to figure out what to do with the cats – our awesome neighbors have offered to help us out with them, so that’s a huge plus. Still, there are about 10,000 other details that we’re going to have to figure out in the next week. I’m not so much looking forward to that.

2. My dad’s cousin that I mentioned earlier is really not doing well. She has pneumonia, she can’t speak, they’re keeping her sedated, and the doctors expect that she’ll die sometimes in the next three days or so. I don’t know if I’ll be able to take off and fly to Mississippi for a funeral if Catie is sick and we’re in the middle of moving, but I’m going to try and do what I can.

3. Catie is sick. I’m praying that it’s just a bad cold and not H1N1, but the poor kid is really miserable. The cold triggers her asthma, so we’ve been having to give her medication through the nebulizer every couple of hours. As a result, none of us are getting very much sleep, so our house is not a very fun place right now. She started barfing tonight, but my Mommy Ninja Skills (acquired through countless other episodes of puking from this kid) meant that only one barf ended up on my socks, and none of them fully hit me. The rest I caught in a mixing bowl, and even managed to grab her hair with my other hand to keep her from puking in it. I’m telling y’all, that is talent. If only I could figure out a way to make money off of that type of skill… well, we wouldn’t be having issues with our house financing, that’s for sure.

* However, there was one good thing that happened yesterday: I got a job! Kind of a surprise because I went into the interview with zero expectations, but I’m going to be doing some freelance technical writing for a new, local software company. It should be a lot of fun, and the extra money will be really nice, so I’m excited about that.

But yeah, even in spite of the job news, it’s not so much a fun holiday weekend here with the sick toddler, terminally ill family member, and house troubles. I’m praying Catie sleeps a little better tonight, since I think that one solid night’s sleep alone would probably help improve my outlook drastically. Here’s hoping!

a day at the (kids') salon

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Catie came home from daycare on Monday talking about how her little friend Kiersten got a haircut – which she pronounced like “ahh-cut,” making Dave & I giggle. She kept saying, “Catie needs a ahh-cut, too!” I was a little thrown off that she wanted a haircut, since normally I trim her bangs myself, and she’s never really been a fan of that. But ok, I guess this is part of her “I a big-girl now!” thing, so that’s fine.

I absolutely love her long hair, so I didn’t want to cut it short, but I have to admit, she was right about needing a haircut. I’ve noticed the tangles when I try to comb her hair out after washing it, so yes, she was definitely due for a trim.

Since she was so excited about the idea, I decided to make a big deal about it and go to the special kids’ hair salon, rather than just trimming it myself at home.

playing at the kids' hair salon

(And seriously, Snip-Its was fantastic. Yes, it’s a little pricey for a kids’ haircut, but the stores are set up really well with toys and cartoons and other distractions, and the people who work there have the patience of Job, I’m not kidding.)

playing at the kids' hair salon

It was all very exciting and fun while we were hanging out in the lobby. But when it was her turn for a haircut, Catie changed her mind. Suddenly it didn’t seem like such a good idea anymore.

not really enjoying her first salon experience

not really enjoying her first salon experience

Is it horrible that I had a hard time not laughing during all of this? Probably.

As soon as her haircut was over, she was rewarded with her very first-ever lollipop (she chose the butterscotch flavor, which, eww, who likes that kind?), as well as a random prize that they give out to all of their customers. Catie’s prize happened to be a rubber purple dinosaur. They couldn’t have picked out a better prize for my child with her love of all things reptilian.

after the haircut, all is well again

Suddenly, all was well with the world again.

As for the lollipop, I told her to “lick, but don’t bite” it. So she just rubbed it on her tongue.

lollipop time

She did that the entire drive home. And she absolutely loved it.

So, yeah. We survived. And her hair looks pretty darn cute, I must admit.

after the haircut
Although I may trim it myself next time. I’m not sure that I’ll be up for the drama again for quite a while.

I just happy too

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Today I worked out, keeping up with my couch-to-5K thing, and I took Catie with me to the gym. The daycare at the YMCA is pretty cool; Catie goes to the room for the 18 month-olds to 3 year-olds, and they have different activities for the kids every 30 minutes or so. Music time, puzzle time, etc. There’s a half-hour that they’re scheduled to go outside to the playground, but if the weather is bad, they section off half of the gymnasium, get out a bunch of balls and toddler toys, and let the little ones go nuts.

Today the weather wasn’t so bad, but the playground was swarming with bees (WTF? I don’t know why either), so they kept the kids inside to play in the gymnasium. On the second floor, there’s a track that goes around the perimeter of the gymnasium, and there’s also a little alcove where they have treadmills, stationary bikes and elliptical machines. I worked out on the treadmill (nothing against doing laps, but it’s easier to keep track of my time and pace on the treadmill), so I could look down and see part of the gymnasium below.

It was interesting, contrasting how Catie reacted today compared to the same situation a year ago. I worry a lot about Catie’s tendency toward being overly cautious, and the way that she freaks out in crowds or new situations. Last year, when the kids were in the gymnasium, I jogged laps on the track above, and I kept looking down at her and trying to will her with my mind to get up and play with the other kids. She didn’t. She found a place to sit, hunkered down and stared at the floor. I kept getting angrier that none of the daycare teachers came over to check on her, as she was obviously miserable. She finally broke down in tears, and then one of the teachers finally came over and picked her up. It was awful, I kept fighting my instinct to run down the stairs and go scoop her up, thinking that at some point she’d get used to it and start playing with the other kids. She never did. We both hated it. I didn’t go to the gym for about 6 months after that.

Today, when we first got to the gym, Catie started to throw a tantrum, which I misinterpreted as more of her social anxiety flaring up again. My heart sank at the idea of going through that again. Turned out, it was actually because she really needed to use the potty; as soon as I took her to the bathroom and brought her back to the gym, she was like a different kid. She gave me a kiss and said, “Bye, Mommy!” and took off to play.

From my little vantage point on the 2nd-floor treadmill, I could only see part of the gymnasium below. But every now and then, I’d see a blur of blonde hair go running by, jumping on mats, kicking balls, and actually interacting with the other kids. It was awesome.

On our way out of the gym, I asked her if she had fun. She said, “Yeah, Mommy! No screaming, no crying! I just happy!” No lie, y’all, I almost cried happy tears.

Wordless Wednesday

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Because really, when she sings this? It’s pretty much impossible to stay in a bad mood.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Vpmz4BVU8

* I know most of y’all will probably not watch the video because it’s over 3 minutes long, but you should really listen to the last 10 seconds or so, just to hear the way she pronounces “Thumbkin.” Her “Th” sounds like an “F,” and she doesn’t enunciate the M. So it sounds… well, it sounds like something that should be bleeped, let’s put it that way.

Random Sunday bits

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* Diet/exercise update: I’ve been doing pretty well so far. Trying not to eat at night has been about as difficult as I expected, which is to say, VERY. I’m drinking a lot more water, although I’m probably still drinking too much Diet Coke. One step at a time, people. For me, Diet Coke is more addiction than habit, so that one’s a little tougher.

My sister talked me into trying out The Daily Plate to track my calories, and I guess I should’ve expected to be appalled by the amount of junk I was eating, but it still caught me by surprise. The website has its pros & cons: it doesn’t strike me as the most user-friendly, but on the plus side, it does have pretty much every food item imaginable in the database (even menus at chain restaurants). My main gripe with it, or any type of food journal, is that it’s just tedious to keep a log of every single food item you put in your mouth. (Of course, I also see the benefit, that it makes you think twice about it when you know you’re going to have to see the calories on the screen right in your face later.) I’m still debating on whether or not I’ll use it long-term.

I’ve worked out the last three days in a row. On Friday, I did pilates. Saturday, I did the first couch-to-5K workout (which was hard, but I survived), and then today I did the Biggest Loser Weight-Loss Yoga. Tomorrow it’s back to the couch-to-5K, and so on & so forth.

* We went to Target today and it was insane. We shop there all the time, so I didn’t account for the traffic increase on Sunday afternoon. That’s a mistake I won’t be repeating. But listen, I get that it’s August in North Carolina and it’s insanely hot outside, but y’all: wearing a teeny-tiny swimsuit cover-up and a pair of flip-flops (and nothing else) is not appropriate shopping attire. What happens if you have to bend over to pick up that 12-pack of soda? Lord help us all. And I’m not talking about one person, there were many women that I thought, “oh wow, she really should’ve put on a bra before leaving the house.” I saw lots of kids running around the store barefoot too, which, eww. Yuck. Seriously? Really, really not ok. I think we needed the fashion police up at Target today, is what I’m saying.

* Catie continues to be almost 100% successful at peeing in the potty (she had an accident in her Pull-Up at Target today, but it was her first mistake in 5 days, & she was distracted by the toy aisle, so I’m overlooking it). Still no poops in the potty, but I think she’ll get to it soon. I’ve been shaking her Pull-Ups into the potty so she’ll have the visual “this is where it’s supposed to go” clue. And she’s been acting out scenes in which one of her toys poops its diaper and she tells it, “no no, poop goes in da potty!” (my favorite was when Molly, one of her Thomas the Tank Engine trains, pooped her diaper; I can’t even begin to wrap my head around how that’d work).

* Random kid funny: Last night Beaumont climbed across Catie, trying to get within head-scratching distance of me. Somehow part of his giant cat self ended up on Catie’s foot, which made her irate. She screamed at him, “No, Bun-bun! It’s MY foot! It’s Catie’s!” I can’t explain why that made me laugh for the next 10 minutes, but god, it really did.

we're gonna dooo the monkey

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I apologize in advance if you can’t get this damn Wiggles song out of your head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpYBANpkHew

Note that she’s wearing Thomas the Tank Engine underpants (which are actually boys’ underpants, but they don’t make Thomas for girls, and really, who cares at this age? It’s not like 2 year-old boys use the flap in front either).

But, yes. Underpants. Not diapers, not Pull-Ups. The real deal. She is still wearing Pull-Ups sometimes; always at nap and bedtime, but if she wants to wear them other times, I don’t really care as long as she keeps it dry. The other day she wore the same Pull-Up for about 24 hours, because she kept it dry the whole time – even when she was asleep.

She’s not 100% there yet, as we have yet to see a single poop in the potty, but still. MAJOR progress. She’s even used the potty at our neighbor’s house and at Dave’s office. I’m sort of stunned at how much easier it was this time compared to three months ago. I guess giving her some time to get used to the idea was all she needed.

So, that jumping & arm-flailing dance of pure joy you see at the beginning of this video? That about sums up my reaction to this whole potty-training business. Jump to the front & back, indeed, Wiggles.