tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22517056696059757742023-11-16T12:17:27.100-05:00The Bailey FamilyStacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.comBlogger407125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-6155956773559172362012-10-07T15:21:00.001-04:002012-10-07T15:21:34.467-04:00Can You Say Cheeeeese?<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The blog design is the way it is because I am tired of fighting with it. I thought to change it again for winter but it may just have to be Autumn for awhile :p</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was a quick shot on the way out the door on Max and Abby's first day of school.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Max 4th grade, Abby 2nd grade, Lucy 4K, Ruby 2 year old class...aptly called "Monkeys"!</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Max and Abby started school at the schools they were at last year and then on Labor Day John had an epiphany and suggested that we think about maybe moving them to my school next year. Paying a couple of thousand dollars a month in childcare (between Lucy and Ruby's preschool/daycare and Max and Abby's after school care) was getting to be too much and not only would it save us $ but it would make more sense logistics wise. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We brought the kids and suggested it to them. Abby was gung ho from the get go! Especially when she realized that my school does not have a uniform policy and she could actually where what she wants to wear to school (within reason of course...we DO have a dress code!). Max actually thought about it more and then decided he would go for it. Okay...done deal...next year they would be going with me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then John went to play golf and the kids scattered and I got to thinkin'...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hmmmmmm....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If it is going to save money... If it is going to be more convenient... If it would put us all on the same school calendar... If they have only been in school for 8 days so far...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Following my train of thought here?????</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yep, I started thinking that if we are planning to do it anyway, why not now? I mentioned it to John then I spoke to the kids about it and they figured... WHY NOT?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The day after Labor Day I went to school and started filling out the paperwork and emailed their schools to let them know that Friday would be their last day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, as of September 10th they have been coming to school with me and they LOVE IT! So does John since we are saving $600 a month in after school care!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, I know I have skipped several months between my last post in February and the beginning of the school year but I have to go...Ruby is VERY TIRED...VERY CRANKY...and driving me nuts!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'll post again soon with updates on all the kiddos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whew! It's good to be back :)</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="border: 0px currentColor !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-24403049600562788822012-10-07T08:38:00.000-04:002012-10-07T08:38:02.362-04:00Under Construction<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Please bear with me as I try to freshen up the blog a little. I keep getting interrupted and can't focus!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="border: 0px currentColor !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-85132714328044575532012-10-06T15:04:00.001-04:002012-10-06T15:04:07.182-04:00I'm Baaaaaaaack!<span style="font-size: large;">Uploading pics to the computer and hoping to do a blog post soon! Stay tuned :)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="border: 0px currentColor !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-39176030306580545742012-02-27T23:14:00.002-05:002012-02-27T23:16:56.816-05:00No Words...Catching up...Brain Dump<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">There are no words to explain my absence except that I have probably been busier than I have ever been in my life!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">To put the past couple of months in a nutshell...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Christmas was great! John and Abby got new bikes, Lucy got her "big girl car seat" (booster seat) from Santa, Max got more Legos, Ruby got a sit and spin and I got an iPhone :) Spent the morning at home then headed to my mom and dad's house to await the Charlotte contingent of the family and celebrated a loud messy Christmas together. A couple of days after Christmas John headed up to Charlotte to go to the Bowl game (NC State) and the kids and I headed to Beaufort to hang out with my family some more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">New Years was uneventful. The neighbors got together to shoot off fireworks and hang out but John and I had to tag team it because Lucy refused to step foot outside! Ruby, on the other hand, was oooohhhhing and aaaaahhhhhhing during the whole thing...go figure!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We had basketball games on Fridays/Saturdays (Max) and swimming lessons on Saturday mornings (Abby). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">The first weekend in February was a memorable one. I got to go on a Girls Weekend with my mama and my sisters! We went to Asheville for the weekend and spent Saturday at The Biltmore. It was wonderful to hang out and shop and eat and talk and laugh and SLEEP! Another reason it was a memorable weekend was because it was the first time that John has EVER had all 4 kids to himself overnight! Better yet, it was 2 nights :) He did great and the house was still standing when I got home on Sunday!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">On the way home from Asheville that Sunday I talked my mom into swinging by Charlotte so my sister's hairdresser could cut and highlight my hair. She cut off 13 inches of hair and boy can I say was that ever a load off! I mailed it off to Locks of Love the next day. Speaking of the next day...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Monday the 6th...my 40th BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!! I was showered with love and flowers that day. John sent me flowers to my school, my mom stopped by with cupcakes for my class (see, you're never too old for your mom to bring cupcakes for your birthday) AND I received flowers at school from my mom and dad a few minutes after she left. My two room moms also brought me a bouquet of flowers and MORE cupcakes for my class (thank goodness they have special area at the end of the day so I didn't have to deal with the sugar high!). I also got a Starbucks gift card from one of my students and a Carrabbas gift card from another student. John and I got Italian takeout for my birthday dinner that night :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Tuesday the 7th was my baby sister Mallory's 27th birthday...dang she's gettin old! I didn't get to see her but we exchanged texts and voicemails (played phone tag)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">That Saturday John and I were able to go out for a combined birthday /Valentine's dinner (thanks Mama for babysitting). We used the PF Changs gift card I had gotten from my class for Christmas. It was delicious food, handsome company, and a great time. We even stopped at Target on my way home to use another present from a student in my class (Target gift card) to buy me a new pair of jeans! Haven't had a new pair in over a year so I was due (only had the one pair!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">We've had a break from sports and are now gearing up for another round...Abby in soccer and Max in baseball.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">I am taking a class for recertification that is on Saturdays (8 in a row) from about 12 - 6pm. We are taking field trips around the area (some about 100 miles roundtrip) to look at historical places. I am learning and hearing some cool stories about Revolutionary War and Civil War times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Ruby got her first haircut this past Saturday. John took the 3 older kids to Charlotte and Ruby and I stayed at my mom and dad's so they could watch her while I went to my class. She's had a cold for the past couple of weeks and I was so tired of trying to keep her stringy hair from getting stuck to her face by her runny nose so we took her on impulse and had her "mullet" cut and gave her some bangs and some shape. John was excited and keeps trying to talk Abby and Lucy into getting their hair cut. They aren't having it :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Let's see, oh yes, Abby has recently joined Daisy Scouts and attended her first meeting a couple of weeks ago and LOVED it! Max is still enjoying Cub Scouts. Lucy's preschool class participated in a Hop-a-thon for Muscular Dystrophy and she won her class competition. She jumped 410 times! Her teachers said they were hoping the kids would be worn out...NO SUCH LUCK with Lucy :) Our little Energizer Bunny!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Well, that is about it for now. I do have some pictures to share but I have to find my camera buried down deep in one of my school bags so those will have to wait until this weekend. I did update my picture at the top of the blog to our more recent Christmas card picture...that will just have to tide you over...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Be back soon...I hope!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="border: 0px currentColor !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-11595813523640109862011-12-09T22:45:00.000-05:002011-12-09T22:45:54.028-05:00Well Look Who the Cat Dragged In....<span style="font-size: large;">Is "Blog Abandonment" a punishable offense? I have no clue what has happened to the last month and a half or so since I last posted! Things here have been hectic and non-stop to say the least. I don't remember being this frazzled when I was teaching before my 4 year "sabbatical" but then again I have doubled the number of kids I had back then and now two of them are in elementary school. Mama is WIPED OUT!!!!! I absolutely love my job though and I have a great class. First grade is so awesome :) It's strange though to be teaching the same grade that one of my own kids happens to be in too. Even though we are in different school districts we have the same reading series and Abby's class is one week ahead of my class in the book so we talk about the stories alot.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We have had a break from sports for the last month or so but Max has started practice for basketball and Abby will start swimming lessons next month (at the indoor pool...obviously). Lucy is LOVING her preschool and Ruby has adjusted very well and knows the names of all the kids in her class and her teachers call her the "Little Principal" because she likes to make sure the kids are following directions and if one of the kids takes a cup or pacifier that doesn't belong to them she will take it back and give it to the right child :) Yeah, her teachers call her their "helper"...I think that's a nice way of calling her "bossy". Oh well, she's the oldest in the class and won't ever have that status at home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Speaking of Miss Ruby...guess who turns 2 on Tuesday?!?!?!?! I can't believe it. My parents got her a big girl bed for her birthday/Christmas gift and we'll be making the transition from crib to bed over the Christmas break. Part of me is fine with it but another part of me gets teary eyed thinking about getting rid of the crib and the "baby" stuff. To think that part of my life is over is tough even as I am excited about the future. It may have something to do with the fact that I am staring the big 4-0 right in the face and that my 30's was a decade of getting pregnant and having babies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well, it's late, and I'm wiped out due to the stomach bug that took up residence in our house this past week ;p I will try to do better about posting. We have one more week of school then it's 2 weeks off! Maybe I can catch up then. Don't give up on me yet...PLEASE :)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="border: 0px currentColor !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-70094359998355081992011-10-16T22:30:00.000-04:002011-10-16T22:30:20.800-04:00Catching Up with Max...<span style="font-size: large;">Okay, I can't get caught up all in one post so I'll take it kid by kid :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hey there Max...what's up with you?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So far Max has been loving being at his new school (he moved up to the Elementary school...3-5th grade) from the primary school...K-2nd). He loves his teacher Mrs. M and currently his favorite subject is South Carolina history. He recently had to do a project where he had to make a model of SC and show the 6 different regions. He also had to pick one of the regions and do a brochure/pamphlet/poster on that region telling about it's characteristics, major cities, and places to see/things to do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We decided to make the model out of rice krispie treats. I made a double batch and then poured it out onto a board and molded it into the shape of SC. I think I got it pretty good. Then we colored icing into 6 different colors and I outlined each region and Max spread the icing into them. It turned out really cool and wouldn't you know it...I FORGOT TO TAKE A PICTURE!!!!! I emailed Max's teacher to ask her if she could do it for me before the class ate it and she said she would but I haven't seen it yet. If I get it I will certainly post it :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Max has also been playing flag football this fall. He was REALLY into it this year and John has been so excited at seeing Max out on the field. He called me from one game to tell me that Max looked like a real quarterback out on the field and that he was taking a leadership role out on the field trying to direct his teammates on where to block :) This was the year that he could choose between flag or tackle and John and I made the decision to have him play flag because we weren't sure that he was ready for tackle...now we're sure! Max would put his arms up to block another player and the kid would run into him and fall down! Also, Max would run the ball and was so fast he wouldn't have anyone around him sometimes. I watched him run for a touchdown from one end of the field to the other during one game! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">He had his last game yesterday and at the awards ceremony afterwards his coach gave each of the players an award based on their skills. Max got the "Lightning" award because of his speed. The coach told everyone that Max had a bright future ahead of him and that he never liked to let Max have the ball on the first or second down because he knew they'd be playing defense again right away :) We have a bit of a break now and then we are on to basketball season ;p</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Max has also joined Cub Scouts this year and is loving it! We got him his uniform and he and John went on their first Cub Scout campout a couple of weekends ago. They had a great time :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">One thing Max has had a tough time with though is going to the afterschool daycare. He gets picked up from school by their bus and does his homework there and has a snack and plays outside. It is a great place and the people are very friendly but Max has started having anxiety issues. He started worrying that something was going to happen to me and he couldn't stop thinking about it. We had a rough few weeks where he would sob uncontrollably in the mornings before getting on the bus and then would cry at school because he was worried about me. He told John and I that he was afraid if something happened to me he'd be alone. I emailed the guidance counselor at his school and she has spoken with him one on one and he is now going to her once a week for about 40 minutes for a small anxiety/stress group. It seems to be helping...we keep praying that it does. Also, at the afterschool program they have been wonderful in letting Max stay in the smae room with Abby (they split them up K-2 and 3-5). Since they have let him do that he has been doing much better as well. He still asks if I can pick them up early though.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another thing I have done is to talk to the school psychologist and his teacher (and the other people on the "team") about possibly having Max tested for dyslexia. He has had some of the more classic signs for a long time and I had been told many times that he would outgrow them by the end of 2nd grade. He hasn't and is showing some other signs as well. I looked up what the characteristics of dyslexia were and found a list of 37 of them on the Dyslexia website. It said that most children with dyslexia would exhibit about 10 of them from time to time. As I went through the list I highlighted the ones that pertained to Max. He hit about 25-27 of them or parts of them. I was told by the school that it is a medical diagnosis so we'd have to go through his pediatrician for that but they reassured me that he is NOT showing signs of a Learning Disability (I didn't suspect that anyway since he is on grade level for reading and above grade level for math). I'm glad I met with them though because they did say they would keep an eye on his progress to make sure he isn't stalling or falling back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, since I have started back to work we have really gotten serious about having the kids take on some responsibility around the house. We are adding them in increments until they can do them without being reminded then we'll add another. Right now Max is supposed to take care of getting everyone's drinks for dinner, rinsing the dinner dishes, and packing his lunchbox (supervised and helped by me).</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, that is Max...all caught up :)</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></span></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-20605475687475232552011-10-12T17:39:00.000-04:002011-10-12T17:39:07.099-04:00Happy 40th!<span style="font-size: large;">Dear John,</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Happy 40th Birthday Sweetie! Wow! The BIG 4-0. I guess I am married to an old man now huh? :) Seriously though, I met you when you were 28, I can't believe how fast those years have flown by. We have definitely been busy during that time too. Getting married and having 4 kids has certainly been a journey. I'm glad I have been on this journey with you. It's had it's ups and downs but we've stuck together through it all. We've learned so much about each other and there is so much more to learn.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> I love you John. More and more with each passing year and each new gray hair (yours...I haven't found any yet :)...) I look forward to spending MANY more birthdays together!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">All My Love,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Staci</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-16710627024332116552011-10-08T22:25:00.000-04:002011-10-08T22:25:50.572-04:00I'm Here...Hi! I'm still here...barely. I feel buried under a mountain of laundry, dishes, lunch boxes, homework, school work, sports, kids (my own and my 18 first graders), Cub Scouts, daycares, and my van (since I am in it quite a bit). I have so much catching up to do here but I have so much sleep to catch up on as well.<br />
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I'll post more later...hopefully on Wednesday. We've had a birthday (Lucy's 4th), an Anniversary (mine and John's 10th!) and a VERY IMPORTANT birthday coming this Wednesday...someone in this house (not me) is turning 40!!!!!<br />
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One thing hasn't changed around here. Lucy STILL wakes up multiple times a night so I am STILL not getting enough sleep. I am looking into resolving this sleep issue soon...as well as her behavior issues...more on that as the story develops...<br />
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Good night everyone!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-33421376699777279512011-08-11T22:11:00.000-04:002011-08-11T22:11:14.161-04:00Been Kinda Busy...and an Allergy Update!<span style="font-size: large;">Just when I had the good intentions to start making time to blog more I went a got a job! Last Wednesday I got a message from the principal of a local elementary school saying she really wanted to interview me for a 1st grade position at their school. I interviewed Thursday morning and got the call 6 hours later that I got the job!!!!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I have been at home for the past 4 years so needless to say the past week has been absolutely NUTS between finding the best possible childcare/preschool for Lucy and Ruby and an after school program for Max and Abby (I am not at either one of their schools and even though we could transfer them to my school we decided to let them stay at their schools with their friends). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Ruby and Lucy were going to be able to start at their school this past Tuesday so that left me with figuring out what to do with Max and Abby. Thanks and a big SHOUT OUT to my awesome sister Shea and my awesome in-laws Jack and Charlotte for agreeing to keep our two older monkeys up in Charlotte. I drove them up Monday evening and drove back the same night since I had to go to work in my classroom on Tuesday. Looooong night ;p</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Lucy has taken to her new school wonderfully but Ruby is having a very hard time and has consequently screamed and cried herself hoarse. She does calm down some during the day but will start crying periodically and doesn't really eat much while she is there. Thankfully she does take about an hour long nap otherwise she'd be done for! I know it will take time and her teachers are great so they are letting her do what she needs to do to adjust. It breaks my heart and I wish we'd had time to get her adjusted more slowly but I had to report officially yesterday and we had Meet the Teacher tonight!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Okay, gotta go clean up the kitchen then head to bed. I have to drop Ruby and Lucy off at school between 6:30 and 6:45 tomorrow to go to professional development meetings by 8am ;p</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>*****ALLERGY UPDATE*****</strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Got a call Tuesday afternoon from Ruby's allergist's office. She is definitely allergic to peanuts but thankfully it is a mild allergy but we have to keep the epi-pen handy. She is also definitely allergic to dogs (showed up on the skin test). The blood work also showed positive for allergy to egg whites...she can have fully cooked eggs in cakes and cookies but no scrambled/fried/etc. eggs or anything where the egg may not be fully cooked. He wants to do an "egg challenge" in the office in about 6 months to see how she does. Also, what I had feared with all of my kids actually came true...Ruby is allergic to CATS!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We have 2 cats so I was sad when I was talking to the nurse about it. She said that they have never told anyone they had to get rid of their pets. She suggested just keeping Tai and Chi out of Ruby's room for now and see how she does. The cats are 15 and 14 years old so it would be heartbreaking to have to find them a new home (if we didn't have a choice then we'd certainly pick Ruby's health over anything else) so I am glad we don't have to resort to that.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-67838794245079072522011-08-04T11:50:00.000-04:002011-08-04T11:50:06.906-04:00Reserved Parking...<span style="font-size: large;">You know how when you spend a lot of time at a certain place it can begin to feel like a home away from home? Well, for the past couple of weeks that has been our pediatrician's office ;p Last week I had Ruby there twice due to her high fever and sore throat, which got worse after I took her in on Monday so I took her back on Wednesday. She thankfully started feeling SO MUCH BETTER Wednesday evening...just in time for John and the kids to get back from Charlotte :) So much for all the projects I had hoped to complete while they were gone!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Then Sunday night Max started complaining of ear pain and drainage. Abby had a case of swimmer's ear so we used some of her drops on him. This was NOT fun and from past experience (using the drops after his numerous ear tube surgeries) I expected I'd have a fight on my hands trying to get them in his ear...Max met my expectations and beyond! I got him into the pediatrician's office on Tuesday because his ENT didn't have an appointment available until next Thursday. He was diagnosed with a "bad case" of swimmer's ear. The Dr. prescribed drops which would require 4 drops TWICE A DAY. I was tempted to ask if I could just drive Max downtown twice a day for the next 7 days to let the Dr. do it. I didn't want him to think I was a coward though so I didn't ask ;p</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The funny thing was, when I called to make the appointment for Max, the receptionist took his name then she got quite for a second and said, "You are here ALL THE TIME!" She mentioned the two appointments the week before and then the appointment I made for Max. I said, "Yeah, and I'll be back Monday for Abby's 6 year check-up". She laughed and told me I might as well bring a pillow and just stay...I did ask if I could get a reserved parking space right out front though :)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The drops have been a nightmare and he has been on round the clock Motrin for the pain and swelling in his ear. I had to call the after hours nurse Tuesday night because Max just couldn't sleep at all through the pain and the Motrin was wearing off about an hour before I could give him another dose. He also started running a fever. The wonderful nurse (they are the nicest ladies when a frantic parent calls in the middle of the night...I've never felt like I was bothering them at 3 in the morning when they would have to call me back) said it would probably take 2-3 days before he really started feeling better. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I was driving Max around last night from 1-1:30am because he woke up in a lot of pain (and he tends to yell and scream through his pain) and he wasn't due for another dose of Motrin until 1:30. He was able to get back to sleep right afterwards though and only fussed a couple more times before sleeping until 7:30 this morning :) Ironically, my child that had the worst case of swimmer's ear is the same child that won't even put his head underwater at the pool ;)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course in the meantime Lucy had woken up and I found her in our bed with john when Max and I got back from our "road trip". I went to sleep on the living room couch and caught some Z's for about 30 minutes before she woke up yelling and crying for me...yes...daddy was RIGHT THERE NEXT TO HER!...so when I got my tired body up the stairs I found that she had wet the bed ;p It was one of "those" nights! Good thing for me I had a job interview at 9 this morning!</span><br />
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<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-81734148931548919092011-07-29T17:48:00.001-04:002011-07-29T17:48:48.229-04:00FRUSTRATED!!!!!<span style="font-size: large;">I am so frustrated. John took Max, Abby, and Lucy up to my mom and dad's house this morning on his way to work so I could take Ruby to her 8:30 app't at the allergist. After about 10 minutes of frantically searching for my keys (Max had put them in his duffel bag when he unloaded the car for me Wednesday night) I got Ruby up and we headed out the door.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Once we got in the exam room the nurse came in and I mentioned we were there to go over the results of the blood work. She left and came back a few minutes later and said Bad News. The lab that we went to had cancelled the order because they told her (just this morning) that there was something wrong with the sample. Don't you think someone at the lab would have thought to pick up the phone and call the Dr. who ordered the labs or me (they had my number) to let us know this????? NOPE!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The nurse had to call the lab this morning when she didn't see the results in the chart. She was trying to get a hold of someone at the main lab to find out what happened to the sample and no one called her back while we were there. So, I had to take my baby girl BACK to the lab and have her go through the stick all over again. Obviously, since the "sample was bad" we were going to have to do it anyway. I am not upset that we had to do it again because things happen, mistakes are made...I get that. What I AM upset about though is that the lab dropped the ball and didn't pick up the phone to let us know so I went through all the motions and had to sit in the Dr.'s office for nothing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The nurse said this time she will call us when the results come back rather than us having to go down there again. This was the 3rd Dr. app't that Ruby had this week between 2 visits to the pediatrician for her fever and sore throat and then the allergist. If she sees another stethoscope anytime soon she might lose it ;p</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So for now we don't have any more answers...<em>sigh</em>... I just want to know what we need to know so we can move on to whatever we have to do for her. Patience Staci, patience.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-46609565182754600432011-07-28T22:21:00.000-04:002011-07-28T22:21:16.520-04:00Back to the AllergistI know it's been awhile since I've been here...no excuses except I've just been trying to keep my head above water during this crazy summer. <br />
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I am taking Ruby back to the allergist tomorrow to get the results of the bloodwork...I'll post the details tomorrow.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-52300379653608525082011-07-19T08:23:00.000-04:002011-07-19T08:23:00.373-04:00Happy Birthday Sis!<span style="font-size: large;">Just want to wish my little sis a Happy 36th Birthday! Wow Shea...before you know it you'll be as old as me :) Hope you have a wonderful birthday today and I am sorry we can't be there to help you celebrate :(</span>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-60017791404182017682011-07-14T15:53:00.001-04:002011-07-14T15:54:28.091-04:00Just One of THOSE Days...<span style="font-size: large;">You'd think it was a Monday the way this day is going so far...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So, I can't remember if I mentioned it here or not but over the past couple of months Ruby has had two instant reactions to peanuts/peanut butter. I had been purposely keeping her from anything with peanuts due to her eczema and knowing that food allergies sometimes go hand in hand with eczema. I just didn't want to chance it. Her reactions weren't bad but she broke out in hives both times and both times Benadryl did the trick. She also had an episode where a strange dog licked her on the face and within minutes she had hives/red welts covering her face and her eye was beginning to swell shut. Benadryl did the trick then too (I had also called the pediatrician's office so I knew what else to look for in case the Benadryl wasn't going to work).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">My "Mommy's Intuition" has been working overtime lately and although the pediatrician recommended waiting until she was 2 to do any allergy testing I figured I'd just do it anyway...normally I don't mind surprises but being surprised by another food reaction is not something I want to deal with again.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I took Ruby to a great pediatric allergist this morning. Dr. B is the ONLY name that I kept hearing while talking to various parents about it. The skin testing was performed and she came back positive for peanuts AND dogs! Eggs are also a possibility because she HAS had a reaction to eating scrambled eggs in the past. She can eat things with eggs in them (i.e. cake) and doesn't break out in hives but the Dr. pointed out that if her eczema were to flair up within 24 hours then that could also indicate a food allergy. We have been working overtime the past week or so in getting her eczema under control because she had some bad areas so I don't know if it was related to something she ate or not.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We have to go in for blood work tomorrow and we'll go back to the Dr. on the 29th to get the results and get more education on peanut allergies. The Dr. also said that since she has eczema AND food allergies that her chance of developing asthma at some point is about 50%. I'm trying very hard right now to process all this. For the time being the Dr. feels it would be best to have an epi-pen handy so I have the prescription for that I have to get filled. He also suggested using Zyrtec instead of Benadryl only because it lasts longer. He said it would be a good idea to give her a dose about 30 minutes before we go to visit someone with a dog (i.e. my parents and both of my sisters!) We are also avoiding eggs whenever possible (cake or waffles would be okay). The Dr. said we would do an egg challenge down the road to see if she outgrows her reaction to that.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So, THAT was my morning. My incredibly TOTALLY awesome mom kept Max, Abby, and Lucy at work with her this morning because I had heard it might get rough during the testing. So after I picked them up and we stopped off to say hi to daddy at work we came home to a HOT HOUSE! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Our downstairs a/c unit is apparently on strike! While the heat index outside is sitting at about 100 our downstairs is currently a toasty 83 ;p I tried what I knew to do and now I am waiting on the a/c guy to come. I called at 2:20 and the lady said he could be here between 1 and 5...then she laughed and said, "Well, he obviously won't be there at 1"...glad she had a sense of humor...she's probably sitting in a nice air conditioned office :)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">On top of that my husband is doing battle with the company that "fixed" our foundation last summer. We noticed the cracks in our garage wall were getting bigger so we put in a call. The guy "E" who originally came out and "sold" the product came out and took pictures and said the crew would call to come out and fix it. Call never came and so after I had called for 2 months the crew came out and apparently one of the piers was installed in the wrong place and they would have to call "E" and he would call me to tell me what would have to be done. 2 weeks went by without a call from "E" (are you noticing a pattern here?) John finally got ticked off enough to step in and raise some cane :) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">After several phone calls from John and more from an employee at the company calling on "E"'s behalf, "E" finally showed up on our doorstep yesterday. He said the crew had put the pier in the wrong place, not where he told them to put it. I guess he forgot he had given me a copy of his drawing which indicated where the piers were to be placed...they put it exactly where he marked it to go...the WRONG spot! "E" told me the crew was in the area at another site and that he would have them come over as soon as they were done and take care of it. Huh...they didn't show up. Either he "forgot" to tell them or he has no right to alter their schedule...no one called or anything. I would have thought after all of this that "E" would have called me (as good customer service) to make sure the crew had shown up...nope.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">John has had enough and when we stopped by his office today to say hi he was on the phone with the president of the company (who had no idea any of this was going on) and demanded some answers. We had no problems getting them out here last summer when they were getting $1600.00 out of us...now that they have to correct a mistake THEY made we are getting the run around.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Okay, sorry...had to vent and get that out. WOW, okay, I was going to take some pics to go with this post and my camera battery died...I'm just gonna crawl in my bed and pull the covers over my head! I'll do a picture post soon!</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-25859273463758319402011-07-07T15:37:00.001-04:002011-07-07T15:44:36.877-04:00Our 4th and a Face Update...<span style="font-size: large;">We had a busy but great holiday weekend! The kids had their final swim lesson on Friday afternoon and although all 3 of them need to stay at the same level next go round they all have come so far! Before this Lucy never would have even walked to the deep end of the pool much less JUMP IN! Max never would have jumped in either but he did too. Abby is more of a daredevil and even jumped in off the platform. She is the one who is more serious about taking more lessons and becoming a swimmer.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I wish I had some pictures of the lessons but I had Ruby to watch while we were there so I couldn't take my eyes off her long enough to get a picture. She would have been the one to walk right into the pool!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Max was supposed to have a tournament this weekend for the travel baseball team but it got cancelled because they didn't have enough teams to participate. His coaches cancelled practice for the weekend too...it was a much needed break from baseball ;p</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Saturday morning was spent cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. since my kitchen was as spotless as it was going to get John went and picked up Chick-fil-a for lunch :) John's parents arrived at about 1:00 for a visit. They took us to Outback for dinner Saturday night and it was SO YUMMY! Even better than the food was the fact that all 4 kids behaved SO WELL! Max has long since stopped ordering off the kids menu so he had some bread, a big chunk of bloomin' onion, a house salad with thousand island dressing, a 1/2 order of baby back ribs, french fries, and a few pieces of my steak. He ate every bite and there wasn't a bit of meat left on the rib bones. What are we going to do when that kid becomes a teenager? YIKES!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday morning we just hung out around the house and after John's parents left he headed to the pool with Abby and Lucy. We had planned for all of us to go but Max was having some pretty serious behavior issues (talking back, pitching fits, lack of respect for his sister's stuff) so after telling him he wouldn't be able to go to the pool if he kept up the attitude, he kept it up so he stayed home with me and Ruby. He wasn't happy about it and it was hard on the rest of us but the boy has got to learn that his actions have consequences and if we don't follow through then he'll just get worse.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-10095837964474106942011-06-30T15:44:00.000-04:002011-06-30T15:44:49.683-04:00Never Saw it Coming...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OC1Y5yib2upaybFF_EwAljaO9OQUNvgzIAcOtyEg-Ck2NJF0rx7hcwS9pNMuTKmAmwX4WeNkRkyotFpsFKk0ESO_hVrN_0kyV7mXRqjGZ_losh2UAF4nxapMB6iJGPD71dfij2qYE-M/s1600/John.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5OC1Y5yib2upaybFF_EwAljaO9OQUNvgzIAcOtyEg-Ck2NJF0rx7hcwS9pNMuTKmAmwX4WeNkRkyotFpsFKk0ESO_hVrN_0kyV7mXRqjGZ_losh2UAF4nxapMB6iJGPD71dfij2qYE-M/s320/John.bmp" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of my favorite pictures of John...I just love this handsome guy :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">This past Saturday John decided to do his workout in the afternoon since we were all going to a friend's house for a party that night. Since the kids were up he figured he'd workout in our room so there would be fewer interruptions...and questions..."Daddy, what are you doing?" "Daddy, why are you doing that?", etc. He was using resistance bands with a P90X workout. The bands go through a loop with a ball attached to it that you put over the door and then close the door. Normally we had done this workout in the living room and used the garage door for the bands.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">To make a long story short, John was using the bands when the door came open (on it's own...nobody opened it) and the bands came flying at him. The hard plastic ball and the loop (made from the same material as a dog leash) hit him on the face. I rushed him to an urgent care center where he ended up with 14 stitches to close up 3 lacerations from his upper lip to his nose. He also sheared a large part of the skin off the right part of his nose. They did a CT scan of his face to make sure his nose and any other facial bones were not broken. They also did a chest x-ray because he had some large red welts on his upper chest from where it looked like the bands smacked him.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Scans/x-rays were all good and we left with a prescription for an anti-biotic (he got a tetanus shot) and percocet for pain. Towards the end of the visit he started complaining about one of his bottom teeth hurting. The CT scan didn't show any fractures but he thought it felt loose. We called our dentist on Sunday and he told John to come in on Tuesday morning so he could do individual x-rays of the teeth.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Monday morning he woke up with some swelling in his face that was new and under his right eye looked like a bruise. I took him to our regular dr. and she put him on a steroid to help the swelling in his face and his upper lip which had swelled pretty badly right after he got hit and didn't seem to be going down.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday morning he went to the dentist on his own and called to say that the tooth was indeed fractured and he was going to have to go in for a root canal at 1:00 that afternoon. During the root canal it was determined that the tooth itself was broken and could not be fixed so it had to come out. He'll have a post inserted and a new tooth constructed by our amazingly awesome dentist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another appointment he had Tuesday afternoon did not go as well as he had hoped either. The dr. at the urgent care recommended he consult a plastic surgeon to make sure his nose was healing properly. The urgent care made the appointment with a dr. they frequently recommend. The guy was a complete jerk and made John feel worse than he already did. For a plastic surgeon he had a horrible bedside manner and acted like he had never seen anything like it. He even told John it was good that he mainly talks to clients on the phone and doesn't meet with them face to face! JERK!!!!! Obviously this guy just makes his money off elective nose jobs and butt lifts, etc. Every other dr. John had seen about it had said that it looked like it would heal just fine and there was no infection. This guy tried to tell him that the skin looked dead and infected...sorry but that's a bunch of bull****! He also told John he would ONLY recommend this particular cream and how convenient was it that he sold it in the office...for $100 bucks!!!! Of course after he practically scared John out of his wits John bought the cream. I told John he would NOT go back to that idiot and I would find him another plastic surgeon to consult with and to remove his stitches next week. He's got an appointment next Tuesday morning with a wonderful dr. I called "bad dr.'s" office and cancelled the appointment he had made for next Tuesday. The lady asked if I wanted to reschedule and I said no, he was going to see a different dr. So ;p on you meanie dr.!!!!! I would have loved to give the woman an earful of what I thought of that dr. but it's not her fault her boss is a jerk so it wouldn't have been fair to her. </span><span style="font-size: small;">(Can you tell I am just a tiny bit ticked off???)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">John stayed home Monday and Tuesday and went back to work yesterday. As expected he has been upset by the whole thing but I keep reminding him about what he said when he was waiting to get his stitches...It could have been much worse because if it had hit him about an inch higher he WOULD have broken his nose or a little to the left or right and it would have gotten him in an eye. Having the swelling all but gone now has improved his outlook considerably and now if I could get the nagging doubt out his head about his nose (that the stupid idiot moron numskull dr. put in his head) then he'll be good to go. He can't wait to start back up with the P90X workouts (minus the resistance bands that we threw in the trash!) but wants to wait until his nose has healed up more and he gets his stitches out. I told him I still think he's a hottie :) </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-83293373826933388162011-06-19T11:52:00.000-04:002011-06-19T11:52:27.237-04:00Happy Father's Day!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there! I hope today (and everyday) you know how much you are loved and appreciated :)</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To my Father-in-Law, Jack ~ Thank you so much for being such a positive role model in John's life. Thank you for raising him to be a good and loving husband and father. I see a lot of you in John...his love for being in the yard and growing things and his love of maps are just a couple of those things. Thanks for being such a great Grandpa too :) I hope you have a wonderful day and know that you are loved.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To my husband John ~ Thank you for being the best daddy to our <strike>zoo</strike> precious babies. You have been a hands on dad from the beginning and I truly appreciate all your hard work. Thank you for being their protector, provider, coach, co-disciplinarian, role model, jungle gym, teacher, and friend. I could not have picked out a better father for my children, I am so glad that God chose you for me to share this <strike>crazy roller coaster ride</strike> wonderful journey with :) Thanks for taking our kids on bike rides, to the beach, to the pool, to the playground. Thanks for teaching them to ride their bikes and being excited about doing it. Thanks for teaching them about God and what it means to love Him. Thanks for being excited about showing them the alligators in the pond, the hawks flying over head, beautiful sunsets, deer playing in the backyard, fire trucks, flowers/plants starting to grow, and every golf course that we happen to pass by :) Thanks for wanting our kids to be the best they can be and for helping them get there. Here's to your 9th Father's Day...</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To my Dad, Joe ~ Words can't begin to express how much I love you and appreciate everything you have done for me. You taught me so many things and continue to do so. You taught me to work hard and not to give up or be afraid of it...or to be afraid of the ball hitting me :) You taught me to do it right the first time and to make it count (and to completely erase my mistakes on my paper or to get a new piece of paper and start over!). You have taught me to think for myself and do for myself. You pushed me to do better because you knew I could. I probably didn't appreciate it back then but I do now :) You made so many sacrifices for us and never complained (well, maybe to mom but we never knew!) and even when you were out to sea when Shea and I were young, we always knew you loved us and we couldn't wait for the day you came home. Although you would never let us "help" in the kitchen we learned so much from you (my family appreciates the love of cooking I got from you). Our "Super Dad" could mow the lawn, cook dinner, and balance the checkbook all at the same time :) I am so proud to call you my dad and I only hope I can pass on all that I have learned from you to my kids (if Max wants to eat when he moves out I better teach him how to cook!) Thanks for being my coach, thanks for painstakingly decorating my birthday cakes, thanks for providing us with wonderful opportunities, thanks for providing for us, thanks for listening, thanks for loving us! I hope you have a wonderful 40th Father's Day!!!!!!!!!</span>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-30985573824422920272011-06-17T15:38:00.000-04:002011-06-17T15:38:07.645-04:00Ruby's Housekeeping Service<span style="font-size: large;">Ruby had a small bowl of Cheerios as a snack this morning. She spilled it all over the floor (typical). She came to me saying "mess". I asked her if she would clean it up and she picked up the empty bowl and "ran" into the living room saying "Otay"!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Now, you'd think since she took the bowl with her that she was planning to pick up the food and put it back into the bowl. Ha! She had a better idea :)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyPXI55APxkYJIOZe4ICWCgoDffeaPl0EOaFOy0JeLgA2IJZzD68dpV83Uquto5MBgUtPlB7TSqtKXRac00Rg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;">Yep, bent right over and picked the cheerios up with her mouth! Also, did you like the little dance right there at the end? Crazy kid.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I tried to get her to pick more cheerios up and she decided to mix in her own brand of yoga with her cleaning.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwJTpn70f_FGxxQL3VCXR48VDxQvN4DJtlikAubPSfQXEawOScLZM6gho_5SJugjVDkYH0k-nTyISKhU8sR3A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Good thing I don't pay her any money for housekeeping. She does get to keep what she picks up though :) I think it will be a while before she can officially open her own housekeeping business...maybe she can learn to use a vaccuum first?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">P.S. Sorry for the poor quality on the video...I was using my cell phone :P</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-51738212296271129862011-06-15T13:09:00.000-04:002011-06-15T13:09:20.199-04:00SHE DID IT!!!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Guess who <b>FINALLY</b> made it to the 20 lb mark? </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2J4Y_nCdWr_93UcHau4qNbFiE6DJ8LjZIXU0k_irkVXvAY-P_BY1SbV5gzZ9xpvfX3-bB5OfN1i89QqiMI-Geu5YObOB_KKWqFCu7TRnWPndFctY5AEny-UxC6iCVOCCS1gFf874Lsk/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP2J4Y_nCdWr_93UcHau4qNbFiE6DJ8LjZIXU0k_irkVXvAY-P_BY1SbV5gzZ9xpvfX3-bB5OfN1i89QqiMI-Geu5YObOB_KKWqFCu7TRnWPndFctY5AEny-UxC6iCVOCCS1gFf874Lsk/s320/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+012.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Yep, our little Ruby not only hit the 20 lb mark (just in the past 3 months) but passed it by 1 lb 12 oz!!!!! At her 15 month checkup she weighed in at 19lbs 13 oz. I was SURE this time would be something like 19lbs 15ozs :p Just because she has started walking/running since then and doesn't have a huge appetite...also because she's a stinker and would just do something like that :)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">She had her 18 month checkup this morning...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">weight 21lbs 12oz - 20th percentile</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">height 31 in. - 20th percentile</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">head circumference 19 in. - 85th percentile</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Yeah, still our "Tiny Genius". The dr. was very pleased with her growth over the past 3 months. He mentioned that it had seemed like she had slowed down/stopped for a little while but she has picked back up and he has no concerns. I did mention an incident that occurred at one of Max's ball games where a dog licked her on the face and she broke out in welts in that area within about 5 min. His first words to that were that she could have a possible dog allergy. She's been around dogs though and never had a problem so I'm not sure. I am more convinced than ever though that we need to get some allergy testing done on her as soon as they will do it. I don't like scary surprises!!!!!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Now I have to get her in for a checkup with the dermatologist...she is still having some flareups of the eczema and the ointment helps it as well as the Cetaphil cream I use on her but the tops of her feet don't want to clear up. I know it's the shoes so I only put them on her when we are going somewhere and I know she'll be walking...otherwise she is barefoot. I can't put socks on her though or her feet would melt in this heat!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sweet girl and we LOVE her to pieces!!!!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-84650742987958113112011-06-08T13:18:00.000-04:002011-06-08T13:18:10.462-04:00Adventures in Teeth Cleaning!<span style="font-size: large;">All I can say is...I am glad THAT is over!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday Max, Lucy and Ruby had an appointment to get their teeth cleaned. It was Lucy's 3rd or 4th time (they all kind of blur together) and Ruby's first appointment EVER!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Max did great and got a SUPER report from the dentist. I was not able to be near Max during his cleaning though because I was busy on the other side of the room <strike>wrestling a screaming banshee</strike> consoling a terrified 3 year old on my lap. She refused to lay on the table AGAIN...so I had to hold her in my lap and lay her backwards so her head was in the hygienist's lap. I told the lady she must have drawn the short straw that morning because she ended up having to do Ruby's cleaning as well :P</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Lucy also had to get her first set of x-rays done. For this she was fine! While we waited for the Dr. to come and check for himself the hygienist decided to go ahead and do Ruby. It was everything I expected it to be. B.A.D.! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There were quite a few comments about how strong she is...this is while I was holding her hands down and trying to keep her from vaulting herself off the the head off the table. She was moving so bad that the hygienist nicked her top gum with the scraper (I was wondering why they would use such a sharp instrument on a thrashing toddler but that's just me I guess). While she was holding a piece of wet gauze on Ruby's top gum to stop the bleeding, the hygienist went ahead and brushed Ruby's teeth. Let's just say that I am glad that this experience did not make her hate having her teeth brushed :) She held on to her new toothbrush for the rest of the visit and only screamed one more time...when she had to lay back down for the dentist to look at her teeth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The good news of Max's visit was met with the bad news that Lucy and Ruby BOTH have very crowded teeth just like their big sister Abby. Lucy's x-ray showed that the two top teeth on either side of the front teeth are coming down rotated. The dentist said that she still has time to grow but there isn't a lot of room in her mouth right now. He said Ruby's look more crowded than Abby's...great. With the amount of $ we have already spent on Abby's mouth this was not what I wanted to hear. I see lots of braces in our future...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I had grand plans to take a picture of Ruby at her very first dentist visit but it's hard to hold a camera...much less take a picture...when you are wrestling a very angry toddler...<em>oh well</em>.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-71611588581996298972011-06-04T22:17:00.001-04:002011-06-04T22:19:02.169-04:00"Take Me Out to the Ball Game"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Well folks, if anyone needs to reach me this summer I will be at one of various baseball fields. Abby has started t-ball practice and will have games on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the middle of July. Max is playing machine pitch here in our town's rec league (same as Abby) and will more than likely have games on Mondays and Wednesdays...to be ADDED to the Travel league he is playing on in the city's rec league. He will have practice for that team EVERY. SINGLE. FRIDAY. and SUNDAY through the middle of August. The only time he won't have a Sunday practice is when they have a tournament that weekend.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tournaments will require travel and consist of 2 games on Saturday and 2 games on Sunday.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">And of course, every parent wants their child(ren) to be <strike>out of the house as much as possible during the summer</strike> <b>well rounded</b> so we will top it off with swimming lessons and a week of VBS (which will coincide with swimming lessons for 2 days so I'll have to pick them up early from VBS to get to the pool in time). Try to get some schoolwork in with all that so they don't forget too much during their "break" and I'd say we're going to be pretty busy!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Poor Lucy and Ruby have to just tag along to everything. Lucy will be doing swimming lessons with Abby but she's too young for any of the other sports yet and she can't do VBS until next year :(</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Just because I don't think I'll be getting enough exercise (or sweating enough during the middle of the day games) I have started doing P90X again. John is doing it too. We have to stagger our workouts though because we do them at night and past experience has shown that as soon as I start a workout, <strike>Lucy</strike> <b>one of the kids</b> will wake up fussing. It's nice though to have a workout buddy in the sense that we are both in a lot of pain right now ;p John turns 40 in October and I will be 40 in February so I think we both want to be "Fit and 40" and not "Fat and 40" :) I figured since I spent a great deal of my 30's either pregnant and gaining weight or giving birth and trying to lose the baby weight that I should enjoy a fit body in my 40's...right? I'll probably never see my 20's body again but at least I have 4 beautiful kids to show for all the stretch marks!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wow...off track...anyway...I'll be going out to the ball games but I won't be buying any peanuts and Crackerjack!!!!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-92202563819703810122011-06-03T18:48:00.001-04:002011-06-03T18:49:31.858-04:00Kid Night<span style="font-size: large;">Ha! It's not as if every night isn't kid night already anyway. Since yesterday was the last day of school and today was a pretty good first day of summer vacation (thanks to awesome neighbors who took 2 of my kids off my hands today :) )...I thought we could have a little celebration for all the hard work the kids did in school this year.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I picked up pizza for dinner and as a treat bought a 2 liter bottle of Sierra Mist Natural (the kids ONLY get sodas as a treat). I also picked up a movie and some popcorn and movie candy. Dinner has been devoured, showers/baths done, now it's MOVIE TIME :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We might have to make movie night a once a week summer tradition :) Have a great weekend everyone!!!!!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-72794243941992630012011-06-01T15:28:00.000-04:002011-06-01T15:28:24.032-04:00A Barrel Full of Monkey...Cupcakes?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Some call me a glutton for punishment because I will jump at the chance to make a cake or cupcakes for a school party. I LOVE it :) I started out making my kids' birthday cakes and I am now getting into the cupcake craze (thanks to my mom).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anyway, I posted last week about the ocean/sailboat cupcakes I made for Lucy's class. I made these cupcakes for Max's class party today.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXSSUkyJ5sKkHJiTJAav1cog1UCPnerNPEoXv8dnZU1wUrcHtKicF4pvp5HDU8BvOUnmvOxnByYvqG_kapqdPuj7aCtFEQ3fxRwo5uDKMB2NYG2nrtrzCfzhmlGY2BjWKta4NjnWXCxQ/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXSSUkyJ5sKkHJiTJAav1cog1UCPnerNPEoXv8dnZU1wUrcHtKicF4pvp5HDU8BvOUnmvOxnByYvqG_kapqdPuj7aCtFEQ3fxRwo5uDKMB2NYG2nrtrzCfzhmlGY2BjWKta4NjnWXCxQ/s320/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+016.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I searched for "Monkey cupcakes" on the internet and found the idea and ran with it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAXSSUkyJ5sKkHJiTJAav1cog1UCPnerNPEoXv8dnZU1wUrcHtKicF4pvp5HDU8BvOUnmvOxnByYvqG_kapqdPuj7aCtFEQ3fxRwo5uDKMB2NYG2nrtrzCfzhmlGY2BjWKta4NjnWXCxQ/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7f1ohA6n5iM7lT9CIgFhNjIk1kDuiU3xHi8itHyYwwq_L2I-YFxgbc1Oujc213NrlQnxFKVbKZAxvRkHxFUTTH440HwpVySiOmaRFg8krm4zSP4b8qKLK3bT5JjQq8KYy_m8jHmqzoA/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS7f1ohA6n5iM7lT9CIgFhNjIk1kDuiU3xHi8itHyYwwq_L2I-YFxgbc1Oujc213NrlQnxFKVbKZAxvRkHxFUTTH440HwpVySiOmaRFg8krm4zSP4b8qKLK3bT5JjQq8KYy_m8jHmqzoA/s320/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It was perfect because Max's teacher has had a monkey theme in her classroom all year.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1T0Z0kza14JW7t2C-2uSTc_D3hBHTLRtYsjZk62valZYA447Hb3ohdUxss82Vx-Af0gLqq02ZhPpyLxsrRHbPAVQiiXTovY-i5-sU3NkVTYg4gLHw16q4bPiP5fz-ZVZrs0jUk9_NlA/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1T0Z0kza14JW7t2C-2uSTc_D3hBHTLRtYsjZk62valZYA447Hb3ohdUxss82Vx-Af0gLqq02ZhPpyLxsrRHbPAVQiiXTovY-i5-sU3NkVTYg4gLHw16q4bPiP5fz-ZVZrs0jUk9_NlA/s320/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1T0Z0kza14JW7t2C-2uSTc_D3hBHTLRtYsjZk62valZYA447Hb3ohdUxss82Vx-Af0gLqq02ZhPpyLxsrRHbPAVQiiXTovY-i5-sU3NkVTYg4gLHw16q4bPiP5fz-ZVZrs0jUk9_NlA/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpjjmz_bpoBts7xLEwow5xExHa-gc-4rQLh90v04rhnNu_S07o0T8ht8XD26JIHk3ex9ATS5BIYNtY5Ud5ZhLfW-Mo8gWKcEwUrHbyMrETjjUIG-yDNoqx1vjkOwSE64h3BEHzDLqIlE/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpjjmz_bpoBts7xLEwow5xExHa-gc-4rQLh90v04rhnNu_S07o0T8ht8XD26JIHk3ex9ATS5BIYNtY5Ud5ZhLfW-Mo8gWKcEwUrHbyMrETjjUIG-yDNoqx1vjkOwSE64h3BEHzDLqIlE/s320/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+017.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Looks like a Barrel Full of Monkeys...heehee!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Since the majority of the class made or exceeded their goals on their end of the year testing she allowed them to have a "You Can't Do That At School" party. From the time the first bell rang until 9am they ate nothing but junk food, watched movies and played video games. At 9am they headed outside for a water balloon fight (I filled about 100 of those little buggers last night after making the cupcakes!).</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The teacher played a couple of games with them using the balloons then allowed them each 2 balloons, lined them up shoulder to shoulder and told them as another part of their reward they could throw the balloons AT HER! That's a brave woman :)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After they did that (most of them bounced off her and splatted on the ground) they were able to throw them at each other. I was somewhat nervous when she lined them up to throw at her because she had them with their backs to their parents. I kept thinking she was going to tell them to turn around and throw them at us :)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Max decided he wanted to stay at school and ride the bus home (it was a half day today so they dismissed at 10:30). Lucy, Ruby, and I headed down to Abby's class because they were having a water day too. By the time we got down there though the class had just come back inside and having their snack. We hung out for a few minutes and Abby decided to leave with us because she has "done centers all year" and didn't care to do them today.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow is another half day and the LAST day. I'll go back in the morning to take Max's teacher her gift from the class and take pictures of Max and Abby with their teachers...another tradition I have carried on from my childhood...pics with the teachers on the last day of school.</span></div><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-20138544949756717532011-05-25T14:55:00.000-04:002011-05-25T14:55:11.298-04:00Lucy's Last Day in 2K<span style="font-size: large;">Our little Lucy finished her first year of preschool today :( </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Two more years then she'll be heading off to Kindergarten...the time is going to fly and I am trying to hold on to every second I can!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">They had a little party and I wanted to make a "summery" themed cupcake to celebrate the beginning of their summer vacation.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGBUwWiVYC6BIhSlWABXV79KyMJmVUquG-pEZS09MxDTUQ04BDi2lg4GmE4bD1hFFOWamLF5kFBjv5_Kp1xDkeMMkXguTomCNW5LGcO5L7vs7B1AtygET53d3519wh3XlUsYO7528fBM/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGBUwWiVYC6BIhSlWABXV79KyMJmVUquG-pEZS09MxDTUQ04BDi2lg4GmE4bD1hFFOWamLF5kFBjv5_Kp1xDkeMMkXguTomCNW5LGcO5L7vs7B1AtygET53d3519wh3XlUsYO7528fBM/s320/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+012.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I put them on a tray with "sand" (crushed graham crackers) and although they aren't in the picture I put a couple of little umbrellas around the cupcakes. I was remembering my dad's words..."Presentation is 90% of cooking".</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt5TDuNoMgvBg-HQU1C9PF727alyahl7v1V-rzXtVMxGVjySB2TZPGZbkZmLn5dUwS3RWd40UuDD4Q7Ldbpo-F3uqkMYOOW-DjDmY-x_HCMhKhm6fu-z3vYbFV_AVeCt9P8qidrjfL2g/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIt5TDuNoMgvBg-HQU1C9PF727alyahl7v1V-rzXtVMxGVjySB2TZPGZbkZmLn5dUwS3RWd40UuDD4Q7Ldbpo-F3uqkMYOOW-DjDmY-x_HCMhKhm6fu-z3vYbFV_AVeCt9P8qidrjfL2g/s320/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+014.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Close-up</em></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Since the first day of school Lucy has taken "shy" to a whole new extreme! She barely spoke to her teachers or "her kids" as she calls her classmates. She wouldn't even say goodbye to her teachers when I would coome to pick her up. Abby was the same way when she was in 2K but she grew out of it a lot earlier than Lucy. Lucy was also the oldest in the class (she turned 3 about 2 weeks after school started) so I kept trying to tell her that this was her chance to show her stuff and be the oldest. Didn't work.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Everyday I took her to school I would ask her if she was going to talk to her teachers that day. Her response was either "I don't know" or "Probably" ;p Have I mentioned I think she is our most stubborn hard headed kid? :)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">The past couple of weeks Lucy FINALLY did it! She started talking to her teachers AND playing with a couple of "her kids". Thanks Ms. Jennifer for all your patience and love for our little Lucy. You helped bring her out of her shell (it probably seemed more like a tooth extraction!) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">I will always be grateful for your TLC with her. I wish you could have another month with her now that she's opening up...then again, I don't want to shatter any illusions you have of her...HA! You'll have to check on her next year in her 3K class and see what she's doing with her hair :) She's gone from about 15-20 hairclips to 6 braids...no telling what her sense of style will come up with next (oh yeah...and the boots)!</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzTMv9Zi4TXqr8HpF2dPIw_jyyg2pDDWnfe2_8Pc_QOcOJTSmjpfgSBMaxge6xNVRGe3Tv_iIIY0sdiWpY-FSDXE57lBNQP10rFbhDo1cIJqdLIwf87mN53tVPHYw13PJ6Y0bCplNIcw/s1600/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzTMv9Zi4TXqr8HpF2dPIw_jyyg2pDDWnfe2_8Pc_QOcOJTSmjpfgSBMaxge6xNVRGe3Tv_iIIY0sdiWpY-FSDXE57lBNQP10rFbhDo1cIJqdLIwf87mN53tVPHYw13PJ6Y0bCplNIcw/s320/Lucy%2527s+last+day+of+school+2011+017.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center"><em>Lucy and Ms. Jennifer</em></div><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2251705669605975774.post-44282550446402137912011-05-23T17:18:00.001-04:002011-05-23T17:19:08.650-04:008 year stats...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Really quick because I have to get dinner started...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Took Max for his 8 year checkup today...YIKES!</span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Weight... 76.4 pounds...94th percentile</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Height... 55in (4ft 7 in)...97th percentile</span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Had to take him yesterday to get some new clothes! Dr. said his height and weight are proportional but that he's a big boy for his age...NO KIDDING :)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Dr. also mentioned that it's important for him to get lots of fruits and veggies and water at this age. I told him it wasn't a problem for Max, he usually goes for that stuff first :) Dr. said he could definitely tell max was getting plenty of nutrition :)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Just for kicks I looked up a "Height Predictor" online and the two results I got from two different websites say about 6'2" or 6'3" by age 18. I predict he'll be wearing his dad's clothes by the time he hits middle school ;p</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/85746/stachimama/0eced599db580db1d349144d89dbceb1.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Stacihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11867438427819234063noreply@blogger.com2