Another weekend gone

It's Sunday again and we have been busy busy this weekend.  We decorated the Christmas tree and mostly finished shopping for gifts for us and the kids.

We adopted a dog on Friday.  His name is Light and he is a Catahoula Hound Mix.  He and Shadow are getting along great and he is settling in nicely.

We've also gotten a lot of unpacking and setting up done.  The living room is nearly functional now.

I worked today and let Adam come with me.  He needs the break from home just as much as I do!  We've both enjoyed reading and watching shows with Bianca.

This evening is our Santa visit at my Dad's house.  The Westminster FD will bring him on the fire truck.  We look forward to it every year!  I really hope Lily isn't scared so I can get some cute pictures.

I am Thankful...Day 13: I really AM thankful...

I PROMISE!  I seriously had every intention of getting a post up every day this month.  Unfortunately though I had no Internet access at home for a week and a half after we moved in to our new house.  I can write posts on my phone, but they really still need edited and pictures added through the actual computer.  I do plan to catch up since I think it is important to take the time to remember all you have to be thankful for.  I will work on getting them up the rest of this week, but they will be post dated for the right day.

Today I am thankful to live in a state that allows us to enjoy the great outdoors in the middle of November without freezing our tushes off.  I took the girls to play at the park this morning for nearly 2 hours.  I was such a beautiful fall morning!  I enjoyed my first Peppermint Mocha of the season while they played.

I finally remembered to bring some toys with us!  She sat in this exact same spot and played for 90 minutes!

For the Love of Children

Ever since I was a small child I have loved children.  Growing up I wanted to be a teacher and would set up a classroom and "teach" my dolls in my bedroom.  I remember continuing to play with my babies long after my friends had left theirs behind for more grown up activities.  

I started babysitting in middle school and never looked back!  I took my first "real" childcare job in a daycare while still in high school.  I LOVED spending my afternoons caring for those 1 and 2 year old kids.  As I grew older I decided working in the medical field, but still with children, was my calling.  I decided to attend college for a nursing degree.  College was not for me and after my first term I went to work FT at the daycare.  

After a couple job switches I decided to try out being a Nanny.  I fell in LOVE with it right away.  It has been about 13 years and I still love it.  I enjoy being there for all the "firsts" and watching as children learn and grow and discover the world around them.  My favorite days at work are when I can sit on the floor building with blocks or driving cars.  Who wouldn't love to play all day and get paid for it?

I am very fortunate to have worked for some amazing families over the years and still be in contact with several of them.  My children have been welcomed in to numerous homes by these great families.  So not only do I get to do a job I enjoy, but I've been able to have my own children with me while I do it.

I'm not sure I want to Nanny for my entire working career though.  Lily has 4 more years at home before starting Kindergarten.  I hope to go back to school and earn that Nursing degree I started so long ago so that when the time comes that I no longer need to be her full time caregiver I can enter into a new and equally fulfilling career as a pediatric nurse.  

Until that time I will continue to crunch in the leaves and build colorful towers.

This post was inspired by The Cartographer of No Man’s Land by P.S. Duffy. Angus enlists in the Nova Scotia WWI regiment and travels Europe to search for his missing in action best friend and brother-in-law. Along the way Angus discovers more than he ever wanted to know.  Join From Left to Write on November 14 as we discuss The Cartographer of No Man’s Land.  As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

I Am Thankful...Day 2

*I am committing to writing every day this month about something I am thankful for.*

Day 2 - Today I am thankful for the Brandon family.

I have worked as a Nanny for the Brandon family since early 2007, when Noelle was just a few months old.  Bianca was getting ready to turn 9 years old and is now 15.  Bianca has taught me so much over these 6 1/2 years and I am eternally thankful to her.  The Brandons really are my second family and home.  It's where I relax, destress, and rejuvenate, all while earning a second income to help support my family.  They have welcomed my entire family into their lives and, at times, home.

Thank you Jill, Lorin, Zach, Logan, and Bianca for being you!  

You all have taught me so much about life and love.

Beautiful Bianca!

I Am Thankful...Day 1

*I am committing to writing every day this month about something I am thankful for.*

Day 1 - Today I am thankful for amazing friends who stepped up to help move my family on Halloween evening!  Especially since it allowed me to spend the holiday with my children and take them Trick-or-Treating.

Alex - Thank you for your help getting the ball rolling and taking Justin to pick up the truck!

Loren - Thank you for spending so many hours on your day off moving boxes and furniture!

Mike - Thank you for not only helping on Halloween, but for coming to help finish the following day AND for giving up your own Halloween with your boys.

Chris - Thank you for the countless boxes and pieces of furniture you helped move and for also giving up your Halloween with your precious little girl.  I *think* you also made the dinner run.

Lorien - Thank you for allowing us to have your husband for the night!

Martha - THANK YOU!  You not only gave up your husband for the night, but after celebrating the holiday with your boys you came to help out as well!  You are awesome!

We love you all and have something very special planned as a thank you.

Our new home!

Who are you?

The typical fill in the blank Family Tree does NOT work for my family.  For a Cordova family tree I'd have to start from scratch and build my own.  Here's why:

I was raised by my Father from the time I was 9 months old.  My Mom was a part of my life, but my Dad had custody of my brother and I.  We visited our Mom on some weekends and spent some holidays with her. As we grew older we went to her house less and less due both to the 1 1/2 hour drive from our home and preferring to spend time with friends/doing our own activities.

When I was about 8 years old my Dad met the woman who would become my step-mom.  She has a daughter that I consider my sister.  My Dad and step-mom were together for a very long time but have now been separated for a couple years.

My older kids are at the age where they are trying to fit everyone in the mold.  We have had many discussions  regarding who people are and how they fit in the family.  My 6 year old daughter is especially interested in whose "belly I grew in".  She has come to understand that I grew in Gradma Sandi's belly and that Grandma Sheri came into my life when I was older and helped raise me.  She knows that Uncle Merle also grew in Grandma Sandi's belly, but that Auntie Stef grew in Grandma Sheri's.

I think they now have a pretty clear idea of how we all fit together.  I am always sure to remind them that I know our family is big, and sometimes it can be confusing to keep straight, but all they really need to remember is that everyone loves them.

So long as they never call a Grandma by the wrong name I think we'll be okay.

A controlling mother, a missing daughter, and a family who is 

desperate for love. This post was inspired by the the psychological thriller Mother, Mother by Koren Zailckas. Join From Left to Write on September 19 as we discuss Mother, Mother.  As a member, I received a free copy of the book for review purposes.

Barbie Who?

  

I'll start off by saying that Barbie is NOT allowed in my house.

When I was young I loved playing with Barbie and her friends.  Not as much as babies and reading, but she was definitely next in line.  I could easily spend hours dressing her up, making her hair pretty, and acting out scenarios.  I didn't even need, much less have, the dream house or a car for her.  Just gobs of clothes and shoes.

So why don't I allow my girls/children this same enjoyment?  I honestly don't know.  Whereas I do think Barbie style dolls give a false sense of what a girl should strive to look like, it's not enough to make me hate her altogether.  I believe real life shapes how a child grows up, not make believe.  

Maybe it's just the idea of another toy with tiny parts everywhere that I am so against.  We already have an incredible amount of tiny LEGO blocks filling the house, plus Polly Pockets and Littlest Pet Shop pieces.  The last thing I want to add is miniature high heels for the baby to choke on.

Fortunately, I haven't yet had to tell my kids no to Barbie.  Even though my 6 year old daughter knows of her from reading books and play dates she has yet to ask for one.  Thank goodness!  She, like me, loves her baby dolls and reading, plus LEGOs.  The 18 month old clearly has no clue such a toy exists, she too is a baby doll lover.  And I'm happy to report, given I dislike Barbie, that my 9 year old son has never shown interest in her.  Whew!

Disclaimer:  If you read this and think it would be funny to buy my child a Barbie please know it will either go directly in the donate/re-gift pile or trash.

This post was inspired by the memoir Raising My Rainbow by Lori Duron describing her journey raising a gender creative son.  Join From Left to Write on September 5th as we discuss Raising My Rainbow.  As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

I found the book very interesting and would recommend it to all parents.  I don't agree with all the steps/conclusions she has made with regards to her son, but I do highly respect her for being willing to stand up for her son and love him for who he is.  Lori gave an interview on the Today show that can be found here.

Early bird...

...gets to read?  NO!!  So, Adam was up at/by 5:45am Thursday and 5:30 today.  Why?  I think it is so he can read.  I even made him go to bed 15 minutes early last night since he got out of bed 15 minutes early.  Oh man, that was interesting!  Imagine a 9 year old whining and crying, "But I'm not tired!"  Whatever!  He was really pissed since it was bath night and so he didn't end up reading at home at all. 

I wonder what he will think when I send his butt to bed at 7:30/8 tonight and Noelle gets to stay up 30 minutes longer.  (Granted, Noelle will most likely misbehave and get sent to bed as well.  LOL!)

I really don't want to do it, but that boy is about to get reading time taken away as punishment.  Stinker.

Those We Love Most

When my first child was born in 2004 I was on the verge of turning 23.  Even though I had worked as a Nanny and in childcare since I was 17 I had never cared for a child younger than 7 weeks.  Looking back now I see how naive I was.  It never occurred to me that he wouldn't wake from a nap or cry in the morning for me to come pick him up.

Adam 4/2004

Two years later when I became pregnant with my second child I was too busy working heavy full time hours and taking care of my son to even think something could go wrong with the baby.  Despite a lack of weight gain on my part, I took for granted that she would be born perfectly healthy and full term.

Noelle 2007

Skip ahead more than 4 years, and 16 months of TTC, and I'm pregnant with my third child.  That pregnancy was one big worry after another!  Just finding out I was pregnant was a fiasco.  It was the Saturday before Memorial day. I had woken with a pain in my right side and it had only gotten worse.  A pregnancy test came back positive, but had taken a really long time to give a result. Given the pain in my side  I was concerned I was having an ectopic pregnancy.  I went to the ER and they confirmed I was pregnant and ran some tests.  Definitely NOT ectopic though.  I had to go back in on Memorial Day for repeat tests and they said everything was going well.  (To this day I still have NO clue what caused the pain, but it went away.)

I was a nervous wreck throughout the entire pregnancy.  October, though, was the worst of it.  October just happens to be Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Month.  There were posts in remembrance of babies who were miscarried or stillborn all over Facebook.  It was too much for me and I *almost* had to block a few friends.  I tried to stay off FB instead.  But before that it got to me.  I was working one day when I couldn't get the baby to wake up and move.  I had tried every trick in the book and she wasn't responding.  She hadn't moved all day.  I was terribly scared and went to the doctor for a heartbeat check and ultrasound.  Thank goodness she was fine, just stubborn.  I handled the rest of the pregnancy a little better but was so happy when she was finally in my arms and I didn't need to worry anymore if she was okay.

Lillian 2012

HA!  So I thought.  I was constantly worried about if she was still breathing in those first weeks.  The only way she would sleep those first 2 weeks was in our arms so we took turns resting on the couch with her all night.  I was worried sick she would suffocate as we slept.  Every time I twitched I had to nudge her until she moved or breathed.  Even once we got her to sleep in the co-sleeper I had to put my hand on her every time I woke.  It didn't help that she had apnea while sleeping.  I don't recall when I finally stopped worrying that her pretty blue eyes wouldn't open in the morning.  It was so gradual and now, at 16 months, I don't even need to check on her before I fall asleep at night.

The thought of losing one of my children still creeps up and scares me at times.  Especially with the constant reports of pedestrians/bicyclists being hit by cars, school shootings, and kidnappings in the news.  I can't help but worry to a degree, but nothing so bad as it was with my Lily Bug.

Adam, Lily, & Noelle 2013

This post was inspired by the novel Those We Love Most by Lee Woodruff. Every family has its secrets and deceptions, but they come to surface after a tragic accident changes the family dynamic forever. Join From Left to Write on June 6 as we discuss Those We Love Most. You can also enter to win a live video chat with Lee Woodruff! As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

Sunday Family Time

A couple weekends ago we were able to take advantage of some unscheduled time to have some fun as a family.  It was very windy out so we took down the big Dragon kite and headed up to the field.

Dragon Boy

Up, up, and...well, that's as good as it got.

The wind was actually TOO strong and unpredictable.  We just couldn't get the kite high enough to get in a good steady wind.  We had a ton of fun trying though!

Later in the day we headed over to Southlands to walk around.  We went into Barnes and Noble for a Starbucks and looked a little at the books.  Since it was a Sunday night there weren't many businesses open or people out and about.  It was nice out, but not very warm.

Just try keeping this one out of the water!

Getting chased by Sissy.

 

She wasn't interested in getting in on the action...smart girl.

She was soaked!