We survived week one!

Well, everyone survived Mommy's first week back at work!

Tuesday morning, I drove Amelia with me to school so that Grammie could pick her up in the parking lot and take her home with her. As soon as I pulled into the parking lot, she started screaming; when she saw Grammie, she started screaming. We made it a relatively quick transfer and then I was alone as they pulled away. I was weepy so I decided to walk by myself to our district "opening meeting" and by the time I got there (after calling Grammie once, to which she said, "For God's sake, Heidi, she's fine; it's been five minutes" - I calmed down after that :) ) I was fine and ready to socialize. At the end of the school day, I picked her up and went swimming at the pool where she practiced jumping from the edge into the water. I caught her every time! (phew).

Aunt Becky came home on Wednesday and from then on it was the Amelia-Aunt Becky show. By the last day of the week, Amelia didn't want to leave when we would pick her up after school. She did a somersault with Aunt Becky (who used to be a college level gymnast and is very excited about this ...), she took good naps, and, while she was definitely fussier and more clingy with me, she did well and better than I'd hoped . Let's hope the next 2 weeks go as well - then she will be off to school and a routine...

As for me, I LOVED being back at school. I feel like I am such a better teacher now that I have a child of my own. I am more patient and understanding (this could all change as the kids get more annoying - haha) and whenever my roomful of 14 year olds started to get on my nerves, I imagined them as little infants in their carseats coming home from the hospital with their giddy parents, and I smile and re-gain my composure and patience :) But check back with me in a few months to see if I feel the same.

That said, I do not have any idea what we're doing in class this week ... so I should probably stop blogging and start lesson planning...

Aidan teaches Amelia to drive

Back to work! Yay / Eeek!

Well, tomorrow, I (Heidi) head back to work after having been lucky enough to stay home with Amelia for the first 17 months of her life. I have many emotions (and stomach pains) about this but I do think it will be the best for both of us. Even though I am very sad that this year that felt like it would never end (both good and bad :)) has actually come to an end, I am also excited. I am said that it won't just be the two of us every day, that we won't get to nap on the couch together (actually that was a rare occurrence, but in my memories it can be an every day occurrence), we won't get to go out to lunch together, or to the park, or on long walks with Yoda... but of course we can still do those things together. Truth is, I was restless home alone all day and felt like both Amelia and I were bored. She craves social interaction and new things and practically went crazy with excitement the day we visited her preschool. I really just wish I could go with her when she does those things - but not have to be the one in charge organizing all of it! I think that is just want being a parent is, though - you want to be with them all of the time but part of your job is letting them go and do life on their own. Strange to talk about letting a 17 month old go... But she's ready. (according to state law, however, she won't be ready until Sept. 16 when she is officially 18 months old... so until then grammie and her best friend michael's daddy will be watching her...)

Also, I am really excited to be going back to school - I missed my friends, the kids (most of them...haha), the routines, the energy, the intellectual stimulation. I am sure by tomorrow night I"ll be exited for summer vacation 2010, but right now I really am excited to be back in the classroom. I'm also super nervous and have had a sensitive tummy all day - and I've had a tough time planning lessons because I am having a mental block about the whole thing. But I think once I get going again it will happen again...

So this is long enough - wish us luck as we encounter this new transition as a family! We're all definitely ready, but the transition is always the hardest part...

Amelia and her dog

Or...Yoda and his baby.

Amelia came to use in March of 2008. And because she was not much of a challenge we got Yoda in Summer 2008. Thus they have grown up together. Because of differing growth rates between humans and canines, Yoda has reached his adult mass in 1 year while Amelia remains quite small proportionally. Given the mass difference one might think that they would have trouble getting along. To the contrary they get along smilingly (as the pictures will show) and if anyone is giving the other a hard time it is Amelia on Yoda--not the other way around.

And just a random video of Amelia in the yard.

Caps Ridge Hike

I went up to see my friend Jim Gooch yesterday. We hiked the Caps Ridge Trail up Mr. Jefferson. The Caps Ridge is unique because the parking lot is at 3000 feet. This still leaves 2.5 miles of hard uphilll but almost all of it is above tree-line. It makes for a day of really good views.

All of the pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/crumlives/CapsRidgeWithGooch?authkey=Gv1sRgCJuXtdylp4itlAE#

Some cute word stories

Amelia is talking up a storm and has added some new words to her repertoire. Since I already list the new words on the sidebar on the right, I thought cute stories about those words would be more fun:

1. Amelia asks for DA-EEE all day long (Daddy). She plays on her phone and talks to "Da-ee;" when we went to the pool today she stood by the spot where he had met us before and asked for "Da-ee;" when I put her to bed tonight she asked for "Da-ee" because he is off hiking with his friend Gooch.

2. Amelia tells me when she is happy and it is SO CUTE. Today on the way home from the pool she chanted from the back seat "HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY" for about 10 minutes straight.

3. Our friend gave us one of those little tikes "cars" and Amelia spent about 4 hours playing in it today (no exagerration). When Aunt Becky came out of the house right after getting here, Amelia stood up, looked at her, and then pointed at the car and said CAR - as though she was saying THIS IS MY NEW CAR!

Pictures to come....

Amelia on the stairs

The silly sleeper continues

Well she was diapered this time, but sleeping with her cute bum HIGH up in the air. The picture doesn't really do it justice...

And we have a little artist on our hands... I found a delightful series of hot pink scribbles on the floor. After taking a picture and thinking it was cute (it's always cute the first time, right?) I had Amelia come over and "help" me clean the floor because we draw "on paper, not the floor." She was a good sport and "helped" scrub the floor.

The floor is still pink. I thought the markers were washable????

Just funny pictures & videos!

Amelia and I have been going to the pool every day - and I plan on going every day next week, too. She LOVES it. When we get there she starts shrieking when we turn the corner and see the pool. She then runs in and continues running in the water. When I grab her she swats my hands away and says, "No!" She will run into water that goes up to her nose and gets mad when I pick her up and point her towards more shallow water...

Our little pudding face...

Amelia really likes putting her bloomers on - even if they are for another outift... she did this before bed the other night and would NOT let us take them off...

Amelia looks like she might drive away in this video...only 14 years to go (unless NH changes its teen driving laws - one can hope, right?:))




In this video, Amelia illustrates several things:
1. Her new spinning trick.
2. Her love of wearing her bloomers regardless of outfit (as mentioned above)
3. Her repeated use of the word "no" to nothing in particular...



Amelia tries to run away from Grammie while swimming at the pool this afternoon.

A picture.

It's fuzzy and dark, but you get the idea.

And for the record, we did not put her to bed naked... several people asked me that.. Um, no, we might let her run around naked during the day, but we are not that dumb to put her to bed naked...

I wish we had a picture...

...But I just went to check on a sleeping Amelia and I found her in her crib sound asleep.

Buck naked.

Ever try to diaper a sleeping baby? Tom and I can now check this off our list of "parenting accomplishments."

We got a picture on the phone but can't get it to upload... so we'll keep trying.

Of course she walked up here all by herself :)

Queen of the mountain! (in her shoes that light up)

Look who found some mud...

We couldn't have staged it better...he just walked right in front of us!

I look very zen here... but really I"m just huffin' and puffin' and needing to rest :)

sumo wrestler swimming

She looks like a little sumo wrestler here!

Working

Here is Amelia being a little more demure than the other day.

I went on my daily, OK its not daily buty I'm trying--why do you all keep interogating me--I'm trying to exercise but I don't always have time for it, bike ride and Amelia fell asleep.

She always does a good job of falling asleep in any uncomfortable position.

This is a very boring video of Amelia in the tub. You may fall asleep while watching it so make sure to pad your head and remove sharp objects that are within 3 feet.

Amelia comes home!

I was worried that Amelia would be scared when she got home but she settled right in. Heidi told me that Amelia was very excited to pull out all of her old toys.

This picture just makes me love her so much. She is snacking on a peanut butter and honey sandwich and some blueberries that we just picked.

She wasn't up for the team photo. Just after this the battery died. This day we hiked Buck Mountain. It is about 3000 feet and gives great view of Lake George. It was hazy, buggy, but a ton of fun.

We're Back

Computer problems are solved and we march on towards post 400. Here's a big bonus post to make up for missed time.
There was rain every other day at Lake George. This day we had already planned to cook steak and the rain kept pouring down. It washed away most of the stones in the driveway. I learned about this trash bag parka when I did safety training with the National Science Foundation.

Here is Amelia in her swim suit/life jacket. She also is holding one of her favorite toys--mud.

Yoda and our little dog Toonces. She even follows us on walks.

I guess I am making sure they are listening to me?

Heidi's cousin Sasha is so good with Amelia. One day he even got up with her and talked to her until I came in to get her up.

This is our spread for our anniversary cocktail party. Veggies, prosciutto wrapped around melons, cheeses, bacon wrapped scallops and bread and olive oil.

This was Amelia's go to face on this day. You can see her holding her hand on the tooth that hurts.

Our friend Caroline loves cats. Even though she has been scratched several times she always tries to catch them and pet them. Here she finally caught up to the newest little cat--Stella.I guess I really like this one.

Amelia also loves these little water guns. It really frustrates her when they don't work though.

A nice sunset at the Horton's dock.

A white lasagna we made for the return of the adults.

V. works with Grandmother's hair.

Now this should be in an Apple commercial. These guys LOVE their computers.

Amelia checks out the new car.