Bark in the Park

My Saturday Buddies

Just Sayin'

I love that I have ALL of my laundry done.

I hate that this will last for approximately 12 hours.

Eliza Accessorized!

I got a gift certificate from Katy a while back for this cute little jewelry store we have here.
Eliza and I took a visit to see what we could find on Monday since we were already in the same shopping center.

I directed Eliza to the basket of kids' toys that they keep in the corner of the store while I tried to scope out the selection. I turned around at one point to find that Eliza had COVERED herself with necklaces and bracelets! (I had only looked away for about 43 seconds, I swear!) I was really worried she'd break something or the store workers would get mad at us (they were really nice, though).

However, I managed to get all the jewelry off of Eliza and convince her to help me put stuff back since it was time to go. By the time I put the jewelry away, though, I found Eliza like this:

Two bracelets, a ring, a purse, and a stylin' hat! Adorable.

I shared my gift certificate, and Eliza and I found a pretty little girls' bracelet just for her. She loves it and has worn it every day this week.

Thanks, Kate!

Just Can't Let Go...

I took this picture because I thought it was really cute how Eliza wouldn't let go of this balloon and gripped it even after she had drifted off to sleep. I went in to check on her and found her this way. Funny Girl!

My parents and a good friend from our church ward who's an interior decorator, designed a whole new gorgeous room for Eliza! It's AMAZING and perfect for a little girl! And it was done very low-budget too. I am more than pleased with the results!

The main reason we made the new room, though, was so Eliza's room could be right next to mine, instead of upstairs. This has resulted in Eliza's new habit of climbing into bed with me almost every morning. I have to admit that I love having her cuddle up to me and drift off to sleep... even though we don't necessarily get the most restful sleep that way!!!

P.S. Yes, you might have noticed that we still haven't quit the pacifiers aka "Baba's." It might be more Steve and My issue than Eliza's, but since she's gone through so much lately, especially in learning to sleep in two different households, we've not completely weened her off of the paci yet.

She has two very specific pacifiers, and her favorite she refers to as, Big Blue. The other day, I was laying her down for a nap after she'd fallen asleep in the car. She was not quite awake but still managed to mumble, "Big Blue," as I handed it to her and she snuggled into her pillow and drifted back to sleep.

I've heard a lot of different tips on weaning from the pacifier. Some are pretty wacky and others seem down-right cruel! Steve and I talk about it a lot. We're thinking that maybe after Eliza turns 3, we'll make a big deal out of it, and have her help us ship off her pacifiers to Katy's "new baby girl" that's due in July. Eliza's been REALLY excited about having a new baby girl cousin (Katy, no need to feel obligated to actually use the ones we may send to you- haha)! We just have been trying to be very in-tune with Eliza's emotional state before taking away her main comforting source altogether.

I personally sucked my fingers wayyyy longer than most kids do, and I remember quitting that as being the hardest thing I had done up to that point in my life!!! My parents tried everything to convince me to stop too!

I know some people have really strong feelings about this, and I remember seeing older kids with pacifiers and thinking, "Man, my kid will never be like that!" Now I'm having nightmares of a 12 yr old Eliza still harboring Big Blue! hehe.

For now Eliza's only allowed to have her pacifiers in the car, stroller, or bed. For now... Wish us luck!

Cuisine for a 3 yr old!

If it looks like this below....

... then Eliza won't eat it!

However, if I present the same meal like this...

... it's delicious!

Yay for autonomy, right?

Sunday at the Park!

Mom, Abby, Eliza, the poodles, and I took a nice long stroll this evening to the elementary school's playground!
We had a blast!

Here's Eliza checkin' out her crazy fun Oma and Aunt Abby! Super Grandma! Eliza thinks Mom is the best thing since sliced bread or whatever the cliche is...

Here are some ACTION Shots!
Are these girls having a blast or what???

And here's a dinky little video showing Eliza's mad dance skills. It'll also give you a glimpse of just how much fun Aunt Abby is, how much Eliza likes to have everyone do as she says and how much she hates for me to use the camera! Oops :^(

After I put down the camera, Eliza had Mom, Abby, and I follow her in a big loop around the playground doing a "dance-run" as she LED THE WAY with her maracca-drum!
Fun times!

My 'Lil Fish!

Eliza had been begging me to go to the pool for a while, so we finally went last week!

Here's Eliza lounging pool-side! We were drying off after swimming, and I could tell Eliza was getting tired. I kept offering ideas for what we could do next- library, lunch, pet store.

Instead she climbed into my lap and said, "I want to stay here with mommy all day, FOREVER!" Sweet girl!

She fell asleep within minutes of getting in the car-- moments after the picture below was taken.

We're looking forward to swim season!!

Easter Special

Our Easter was pretty special....

(Primary activity- this sweet little boy offered to share his blanket with Eliza who was cold.)

(Getting ready for the hunt- the dogs were more than willing to help Eliza out!!)

(Notice the chocolate already on Eliza's face. She only likes chocolate candy, but she loves to fill and empty the PEZ dispensers- hehe. She held this up to me and had me take a picture of her "new bunny toy!" )

Eliza sure makes holidays fun!

Grateful List ***Beware of Corniness***

I've wanted to put a post up about the things I'm grateful for, for a while now... and right NOW I am grateful to have a minute to sit down and write this post!!

Most of the time when I am sitting down at my computer it is because I have 5 assignments to complete. I do have more than 5 assignments to work on right now, BUT they're not due TOMORROW- hahaha. (There's a glimpse into my unfortunate procrastination).

Yeah, that's my life.

(This is the face I make when I'm stressed and say, "Eek!")

However, although I feel overwhelmed with my various commitments and responsibilities, I have MUCH to cherish and appreciate in my life...

• I am so grateful for my dinky little 2000 Honda Civic that keeps chuggin' along! And I say chug because that's what it sounds like anytime it's turned on... it makes terrible noises, but just keeps getting me where I need to go! We spend way more time together than I would like with our commute, but I am grateful to have my own car. It's kind of my life my travelling office and locker too. Sometimes I wish I had a nicer car, but really I'm just lucky to have a car at all! (as we all are, but I was close to being car-less when Steve and I got seperated and found my little car just in time.)

• I am so lucky to be living with my family right now. As you can imagine, being an adult can cause some tension when you are living with your parents. However, my parents have been very supportive and so generous to me and Eliza. And they are better than a husband when it comes to: DOING DISHES, GROCERY SHOPPING, ELIZA CLOTHES SHOPPPING, MAKING DINNERS, HAVING FAMILY HOME EVENING, BABYSITTING, and many, many other things. They're also great at encouraging me and helping me to believe in myself and my Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for the help they give me in the different parts of my life.


• I am really grateful to have a job! I see and empathize with how stressful it is for many of my classmates, clients, and friends who are searching for employment. It's so scary. I have totally lucked out by getting hired, EVEN THOUGH my job is SOOOO Busy and pretty stressful at times. I don't get lunch breaks, and I'm always behind on my documentation trying to fit in a full-time work load in part-time hours, along with working another job, being a parent, and finishing up 15 credits of classes. Ahhhhh!

• I'm grateful I passed my licensure exam. My classmates are asking me lots of questions about it, and I see the stress and sometimes panic in their eyes as they ask me about it! They and my professors have been very kind about congratulating me for passing, though! In one of my classes, everybody clapped for me when the professor announced that I had passed, which was REALLY sweet. I don't often get a round of applause in any of the jobs I do in my life! hehe. We all probably deserve more applause than we get!

• I'm soooo grateful for the invention of books on CD. SERIOUSLY. I would probably have died from falling asleep at the wheel otherwise.



• I am soo grateful that Eliza is the master of potty training. She has not had an accident since before I can remember, which is such a huge relief!!

• Not that I wasn't grateful before, but since Katy has moved, I've been newly grateful for her and Reuben's company. Eliza and I miss them a lot. It's been sad to try to figure out what to do on our Monday's lately :( :( :( besides cry from loneliness... I'm kinda kidding?

• I'm grateful that on the nights that I get home around 9 at night after a long, long day of work and school, I can go up to my mom's room, lie down at the foot of it, and just TALK. We tell each other stories about our days. Sometimes (often) I whine, sometimes we joke and laugh, sometimes I vent and cry, and sometimes I listen and sympathize/empathize with Mom's busy life and responsibilities. I always leave with a lighter load. I'm grateful for a mom who is kind, patient, and my friend.

• I'm grateful for a cuddly, sweet kitty, even though he's been grumpy since his kitty friend, Battle, moved away with Katy. He is currently a light yellow kitty because he rolled in the pollen today that is outside covering everything.

• I'm really grateful for my IPOD touch that Kate & Aaron gave me. One of the best presents EVA! I love having the Ensign podcast on it AND
  


• I'm grateful for This American Life Podcast.
  

• I am grateful for a couple TV shows that help add comic relief to my life. Especially Community and Modern Family. Hilarious stuff.

• I am grateful for TUMS and Zantac. Last summer, TUMS worked well enough, but now I have to do the full on pills twice a day to keep myself from ridiculous heartburn and pain. I think I probably have an ulcer (so I should definitely follow-up with my gastroentorologist sometime because they keep calling me... but I don't have time.) Yes, I attribute this to stress.... but also to my pregnancy like permanently screwing up my digestive system.

• I am grateful for hugs from the pre-schoolers in my life!! Obviously Eliza is number one in my mind. However, the little kids that I do play therapy with give me such amazing hugs too! Whenever I walk into the pre-school classroom, a little crowd of them run over to me hugging me and begging me to take them to the play therapy room or to hold them or play with them. This is what makes me LOVE MY JOB! These kids crave affection sooo much, and I'm glad to give them a little bit of love.
  

• I am sooo grateful for SPRING!!! but it's already time to buy sunscreen for Eliza and my fair Swedish/Irish/German skin!

• I am grateful for the HILARIOUS stuff that Eliza says. I was making my bed the other day, so I had my down comforter on the ground while I put on the sheets. I heard Eliza make this sound, and I thought she might have hurt herself and started sobbing. Nope, she was laughing- giddy with joy as she buried herself in the comforter. "Mommy this is my car! Come get in my car with me!" I finished the sheets and sat in the "car" with her. She had taken her socks off and placed them on the blanket. "Mom these are my sock cupholders." Oh, of course. Who wouldn't have sock cupholders in their car? "We're driving to Merry-land to see Katy and Reuben and Reuben's baby sith-ter!" Good times!

• I am grateful for mornings when Eliza crawls into bed with me to cuddle me awake and asks me to tell her stories!!!!

• I am newly grateful for healing that has come to me. I realized last week or so that I no longer feel the piercing ache of loneliness that I had previously felt for a very, very long time. I honestly LIKE and WANT to be single. I honestly never thought I would feel this way! Not that I don't crave interpersonal connections like everyone else-- I definitely do. BUT I don't feel the irrational yearning and dependence on having another person in my life to make it through my days. I cry myself to sleep MUCH less often than every before in my adult life! and that is WONDERFUL.

• I am grateful for any of you who have read this and helped me through this last year! Gracias.

Lastly,

• I am grateful that I am here on earth to grow. To learn about sacrifice, pain, peace, and joy... because of my Savior. I am grateful for reminders that help me realize that my life is not all of the drama that is happening, but that those are distractions from what is my real life that I am living...