Saturday, June 27, 2009

no really, she eats . . .

So, this little rascal of mine has been very predictable pretty much since birth.  That's why when I dropped her off with my sister the other day, I told her basically, "I know two things.  She will sleep about 2 hours pretty soon.  And you can try to feed her, but she will NOT eat anything but a bottle."  Imagine my surprise when three hours later I get a text message saying, "Good news and bad news.  No sleep.  She LOVES carrots and bananas."  What?!  

Davie decided she doesn't need as much sleep in the day for awhile.  This makes me sad.  I liked knowing exactly when and how long she was going to be out.  Maybe it's a phase (fingers crossed).  

I give all the glory to my sister for getting her to eat though!  I think it was a combination of her carefree attitude, a new place, and freedom.  She had Davie sitting in the floor by the big window.  She let Davie play with the food.  Just play and play.  Then she slipped some in her mouth . . . after many denials from Davie.  Then she decided she liked it, and lapped it up!  Weird.  So I tried it myself the other day . . . and it didn't work so well.  She was like, "I know you!  You always get mad-faced and try to shove gross things in my mouth.  Well, NOT TODAY!!!"  So I busted out the little kiddie Yogurt cups.  Davie thought it was a cup to drink out of - which she ADORES.  So I let her try to drink out of it.  Then I scooped some yogurt up to the top of the cup and in to her mouth.  Then slowly got rid of the cup and just fed her with a spoon.  And get this, for the past 4 meals she has eaten with no qualms!

It's so nice to figure out little tricks that work for you and your kid.  Thank you sister!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

never in my life

I have never been able to describe how I write songs before.  They just kind of occur, is what I always chalked it up to.  But recently, my long time friend Leanne (teen service librarian at the Moore Public Library) asked me to come and do a songwriting workshop for the teen summer reading program.  I accepted readily, before really thinking what this entailed.  This is not just a coffeeshop or a performance.  I have to tell them how to do it . . . or at least how I do it.  

So finally last night I sat down and really thought through the process.  I know it is different for everyone, so I decided to tell them my usual routine, a few varieties I have heard of, some helpful hints, tools, and some basics.  It was really fun to plan it all out!  I hope it is understandable for them.  We will see.  It is happening in less than an hour.  Anyways, I think if nothing else comes of it - it was good for me to step back and look at this process.  Hopefully, I can manipulate it to my will and write a trillion great songs!!!  

Monday, June 22, 2009

decisions, schmesicions.

I hate the pressure of making decisions.  If you've ever been shopping with me, you can back me on this.  I would love to wear a uniform everyday - one more thing I don't have to decide.  Anyways, I potentially have yet another difficult decision to make.  

I have been all squared away to teach Geometry and Algebra at PC West High School this fall.  I have been excited and anxious to get back into teaching high school and start what I hoped would be a long term career there.  I have dreams beyond that also that I wrote into this story.  After teaching there a year or two, I would start taking classes for my Master's and be a part of revolutionizes what needs to be revolutionized in public education.  

However, today Lisa (my fellow-teaching BFFI) calls me and tells me they have a position she wants me to fill at her school.  She works at KIPP Reach College Prep in OKC.  They teach inner city 5th-8th graders.  The position is attractive for many reasons - experience with the demographic, knowledge gained under AMAZING professional development, big pay increase, and working with my best friend of course!  Also, Lisa mentioned a big potential to split a teaching position in the future (for babies and school).  The position is to manage the computer lab, guide students through their personalized online tutorials, and tutor one on one or in small groups when needed.  That means no papers to grade, and no lessons to plan, and still getting to foster relationships with students.  The cons are long hours (7:15am - 5:00pm), it's not high school, and it's not math.  

So, what do I do (assuming I had my choice to take the KIPP position)?  They are such different options!  Oy.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

We're Back.

We got back yesterday evening.  We broke the trip home into two days . . . but I still feel as tired as if we had drove all night.  I fear for Davie's well being.  I am scatterbrained and irritable.  She is too.  So far we don't like each other much this morning . . . I'm hoping for better after we both take a good nap.  We'll see.

In other news, Davie can clap - a soundless clap, but a clap no less.

So much to do today and this week.  One of the reasons I don't like vacations.  

Man, I sound negative today.  Sorry.

Friday, June 12, 2009

She Eats! She Dances! She Stands?

So, after a couple weeks of trying to shove a spoonful of baby food in Davie's mouth when she wasn't looking, I gave up.  I just kept giving her those starchy baby crunchies that she could put in her own mouth . . . and then waking up with a starving baby multiple times a night.  After a few nights of that I started putting some rice cereal in her last bottle, and that helped her sleep at night.  But I worried about the nutrition she was getting.  Anyways, while on this Colorado trip of ours, I decided to play it cool but keep offering some sort of food in a spoon just in case it was a phase.  Yesterday for the first time in weeks, the child opened her mouth for the spoon!  BREAKTHROUGH!  I just had her in my lap.  I gave her a Nilla Wafer first (she loves em!  who doesn't?) and then offered the spoon of oatmeal.  She ate the whole bowl.  WEEEEE!  So for dinner we tried some prunes.  I remembered she liked them from back in the day.  Also, ate the whole bowl.  So I don't know if it was a phase, or if I just did things differently, like offer her something to munch on first, and feed her while she was sitting in my lap.  Who knows.  But I'm happy.  She slept pretty good last night.

In other even more exciting news, Davie can bust a move!  It started last week.  You sing her a song or do any kind of beat with your mouth, and she gets down and funky.  She bobs up and down, and then she swings her shoulders back and forth and shimmies her little baby body.  It is officially my favorite thing.  

She is also trying to stand on her own.  She'll pull up and then slowly let go, wait a few seconds and then gracefully sit down.  She'll be walking in no time.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

a hard day's night

Last night around 8:30pm, we pulled out of OKC on the road to Golden, Colorado.  Steven took the first and last shifts.  I only took a 2 hour one in the middle.  Not that I slept much when I wasn't driving . . . but anyways.  Davie slept the whole way - as planned.  We pulled into Golden this morning between 6 and 7am (who can remember after all that).  It wasn't until 10 or so that Davie took a nap - AND SO DID WE!  

It doesn't really feel like a super special day because of all this exhaustion, but on this day exactly 4 years ago, Steven and I wed in holy matrimony.  It is funny to think back to that exact day and remember how I felt about him, and thinking I know him so well and love him so much, I can't imagine that increasing.  Laughable.  I feel exponentially more intense about this man today than I did 4 years ago.  We have changed together, grown together - been through life changing things, good and bad.  It makes my heart break for marriages that end after years and years together - AND CHILDREN!  Goodness gracious, how hard that must be.  I love Steven as so many more things than a spouse . . . or maybe it's that "spouse" encompass all of those things.  

For now, we are having a laidback evening staying with some guy friends in Golden.  Maybe sometime this week, we can carve out some time to be together and think about this day 4 years ago.  

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

finger foods

Thank you for the input everyone!  I went to the store today and picked up a few different things for Davie - Cheerios, diced fruit and veggies, grated cheese, noodles, Nilla wafers, etc.  So far the girl seems to dig crunchy, starchy things.  I let her have at it this afternoon, and she didn't end up drinking as much milk as usual . . . I hope this is a sign that she is getting the calories she needs to sleep through the night!  She definitely enjoyed eating more today, but when I look at how much baby jar food she could eat, compared to a few cheerio sized things, I wonder how it will compare in filling her belly.  

It seems like kids go through phases where all they will eat is bread, or all they will eat is Vienna sausages, or what have you.  They survive.  I'm going to try to stop stressing about it, and just enjoy her . . . it's so hard to release the worrying though!

Speaking of worrying - we are off to Golden, Colorado tomorrow evening.  Our first big road trip with Davie.  We are driving through the night on the way there so she will sleep.  Wish us luck!

Monday, June 8, 2009

baby food frustrations

When Davie was 5 months we started giving her rice cereal, etc.  She loved it.  Lately she is getting more and more disinterested with baby food.  I have to distract her with a toy and then put it in her already open mouth.  It is wildly frustrating to me.  I know she is hungry because she takes a big bottle after I try to feed her . . . I've also tried feeding her in the middle of a bottle and after a bottle . . . no real difference.  

The past few nights she has been waking up every 2-3 hours and been really hungry.  Last night she ate 3 times between 11am and 5 am.  I'm tired.  

I've read in a few forums that around 9 months some kids decide that baby food is not fun anymore.  They want to feed themselves.  Davie does enjoy feeding herself those little crunchies and crackers they make for this stage.  So we may try some more of that.  I also just bought some of those mesh bag self-feeders.  Did your kids go through a phase like this?  

I would love it if she would sleep through the night again.  That would make my week.  

Saturday, June 6, 2009

soooo not a housewife

well.  i know now.  i always wondered if i would want to be a stay-at-home mom or a working mom, and knew i would have to experience both to really know.  the verdict is working mom all the way.  

i love my child with everything in me.  i want to spend time with her and play with her and care for her.  but not having anything else to occupy my time, makes my priorities a tad lax.  when i was teaching during the school year, even after an immensely taxing day, i would still come home and gladly feed and bathe and read and put my baby to bed and wake up with her if she needed me to.  it was work, but it was different and refreshing work.  now that it is all day everyday, i get exhausted of doing the same thing and caring for her 24/7.  steven has been working his patooty off lately and has rarely been able to be home.  

thankfully, my precious mother-in-law is watching davie all day today.  i hardly know what to do with myself.  

all this to say that for me, i am the best version of myself when i am working.  i know how to divide my time and balance everything - because i have to.  right now i am an unproductive sloth.