Updates - finally!!!

Yes, I know - my last two posts have been about being a slacker at keeping this blog updated, so I won't say it, even though that is what has happened. I can't believe we are already into November - a mere three weeks from Thanksgiving and SEVEN weeks from Christmas! Where has the year gone? They say time gets away from you the older you get, and "they" (whoever "they" are anyway!) weren't lying!

Where to start? RP is doing fantastic, despite a few rough patches over these last several weeks. She has completed her second session of gymnastics and already started her third, and still loves the rough-and-tumble time it allows her, although she now runs and jumps through the house repeatedly, which is fine for now but keeps me up at night thinking about when she actually learns how to do flips and watching her do them through the house - ugh. I will be an utter basketcase! She also has started ballet class, and absolutely loves it! It's just through the park district, but it's a perfect intro for her and she has a friend in the class as the daughter of one of my high school classmates is in her class, so she loves playing with Sami after class every week. She has a couple of weeks off between sessions, but will be in her first dance recital in January and I already can't wait - although, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I was disappointed to find out that the kids don't get actual costumes for the recital but rather wear their normal class attire. Good thing we purchased the "Ballerina in a Box" costume set from Danskin - she is set with her own tutu already! RP has also expressed an interest in taking figure skating classes, but that is going to have to wait a bit - she is already at pre-school two days a week, ballet one day a week, and gymnastics one day a week. Maybe it's me, but that seems like plenty for a three-year old!

As if our schedule wasn't packed enough, RP is going to compete in her first pageant on Saturday. It isn't a "Toddlers and Tiaras" pageant, which is the only reason I'm letting her do it, but she gets to wear a pretty dress and all the kids get crowns at the end. My little competative soul, however, has already told me that she is "going to winnit Mama," while "de other girls are gonna lose..." I swear I didn't teach her this, but her competative spirit fits right in with the family - we've all always been competative! I'm excited for her and think she'll do great, but I'm afraid I'm going to get more stressed out than she is, and it will be a nightmare. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Work is going well. Being a remote employee definitely has its ups and downs, and the commute for the most part just sucks. I figured out that I put over 100 miles a day on my vehicle, and when you drive a mini-van that gets 19 mpg because your previous job had you driving less than 30 miles per day, it really adds up. I've been looking at getting a new car but just can't find one I like, or that I can truly afford right now that will give me maximum mpg. I used to love car shopping, but my last employer wiped all the fun from that experience so this has just been a chore and a half... and then some. The work is definitely more challenging on many levels than I originally gave it credit for, and mind-numbing in other areas, but it is steady income and I am enjoying it so far.

Finally, this wouldn't be a full and complete update without noting that I am an aunt again - for the FIFTH time! Baby Anna arrived Friday afternoon, four weeks early, and is headed home tonight. I can't wait to see her and hold her, but Mom and baby are doing great and that's great news for right now! She is the youngest of five, and I still can't get over the fact that I now have FIVE nieces and nephews. Five. Wow. I don't know how they do it - RP keeps me hoppin' to the point that I can't fathom taking care of one more, let alone four more of her. Guess that's why THEY have five, and I have RP - God gives us the family we were meant to have!

Whew! This was LONG, and long overdue! Hopefully it won't be as long for my next post, and I'll have exciting news to share, along with some new pictures!

Slacking...

I know... I know... I've been slacking BIG time on updating this blog. It's not for the lack of trying - it's just been insane around here these last few weeks and I've had a hard time finding time to sit at the computer and just type!

RP is doing well, although she has decided that her new bed time is whenever she gets around to falling asleep, and these last several weeks that often means that she isn't falling asleep until around 9-9:30 p.m., even though she is actually going to bed at 7:30 p.m. I do have to say, however, that potty training is going swimmingly and for the most part she is dry 24/7. Once we run out of the current stash of nighttime pull-ups I am done with them, and I can't wait (one less expense... one less mess!). She is back in school full-time two days a week and I am amazed at all the things she is learning! Counting, letters, and basic reading skills are all being tackled at an alarming speed, and her vocabulary is constantly increasing as well. My one concern is that as her vocabulary has increased, she has developed a stammer, which everyone tells me is normal for her age and will go away with time. I hope they're right...

Along with RP's updates, I've been busy as well. September 12 I started my new job, and although it's slow going in terms of actual job training, I have already spent three days in Los Angeles, and am heading to Oklahoma City and Rock Island soon as well. I hate being away from RP, especially since I have been with her pretty much 24/7 for the last eight months, but the company and people are great, and after this whirlwind tour, I won't have to travel again until the beginning of December, and probably only a handful of times next year as well. I love being back in training and am excited to get going and show them what I can do!

The only other update from here is that on Saturday I took RP to her first NASCAR race. She begged and begged and BEGGED to go in July when Papa and I went to the first round of races here, so I actually got her a ticket for the Nationwide race this past Saturday. I expected her to behave and have fun, and I was not let down. She was a trooper doing all the walking to the track and the climbing of the stairs to get to our seats, and she was grinning from ear to ear when the cars came out and started to race. In fact, she was SO excited by the whole process that she fell asleep sitting up next to me, and didn't flutter an eyelash when I laid her down on the bench and covered her up with our sweatshirts. Poor thing passed out around lap 35 and I woke her up with 50 laps to go. She loved the experience and is already asking to go NEXT year, but she has expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that she can't actually be the one racing!!!

A LOT of new updates!

I have been woefully remiss in updating my blog lately, and I really have no excuse. This summer has flown by, and I'm happy to report that of mid-September I will be gainfully employed again. Okay, so I somewhat lie about being "happy" to report that. I am THRILLED that I will be going back to work, and in a role I am truly passionate about. That being said, I'd be lying if I didn't say that I have enjoyed spending inordinate amounts of time with RP over these past nine months, and I am going to miss those moments as we settle back into a routine of daycare drop-offs, late night dinners and baths, and making the most of our 48-hour weekends. She has blossomed so much over these last several months, and while it hasn't been easy to juggle finances while being unemployed, I am grateful for the time I was able to spend with her and am looking forward to launching head-first into my new career with a renewed passion and energy. Let's just hope I feel that way come the first day of work when I'm blearily trying to get myself and RP out of bed and into the car as the sun is rising!

August has been a very busy month for RP and I. She finished up her first session of gymnastics and is already heading into week two of her second session. We went on an overnight trip to Key Lime Cove (an indoor water park/hotel outside of Chicago) with Nana and Papa and had a BLAST! We've had play dates with old and new friends alike, played at the park, and make friends with Nana's new baby kitten "Mick." While the weather didn't always cooperate, we had a fantastic summer, and one I won't soon forget.

RP has now officially been home for over 18 months. Other than a slight cold, and what appears to be a minor allergy to strawberries, she is completely healthy and over-the-top giddy/silly/happy. Her laugh fills the room, and her smile is infectious. When she gets mad, she gets REALLY mad, as was evidenced by a recent trip to Target which ended in her screaming bloody murder all through the store because she didn't end up getting a toy that she wanted (apparently one that she REALLY REALLY wanted). She is everything I could have dreamed in a daughter... and more.

I'm sure I missed a bunch of stuff, and I KNOW there were a lot of funny stories that I meant to write, but never got around to. I'll try to go back and fill those in over the next week or so, and promise to work on keeping this more up-to-date moving forward!

Almost 18 months home!

Today was Open House at RP's pre-school, which brought me back to LAST year's Open House, which happened to fall on the 6-month anniversary of our arrival home. It's hard to believe that it has only been 18 months, and I was thrilled with the report of RP's pre-school teacher that she is doing very well in school, and even ahead of some of the other kids in her class in some areas.

I haven't posted pictures in a while, so I thought this would be a great time to do so (and yes, it's another one of those "then and now" moments - please bear with me here!).

This was taken on August 27, 2010 - RP had been home exactly six months and while we had found a comfortable routine, in hindsight I can say that we were still in a transitional state. RP was still getting comfortable, developing language skills, and learning to trust and love. You can see in the picture how serious she still looks, how apprehensive she still is. After 22 months in an orphanage she learned to be guarded and expect that the people around you wouldn't stick around forever, and I'm sure she expected nothing less here. The last 18 months certainly haven't been easy, but they have been worth every sacrifice, tear, and frustration, and I can say with absolute honesty that the joys have definitely outweighed any rough patches we hit.

This picture is from earlier today when we were getting ready to head to RP's Open House. It was hard to get her to stand still and STOP being silly for a few seconds so I could snap some pictures (okay, like 30 of them!). I am completely and totally biased, but when I look at the picture from today I see a child who is relaxed and confident not only in herself, but also in the fact that she is loved. It may sound cliche' that love can cure all, but I truly believe that it can work miracles. Today my daughter is almost a complete polar opposite of the child she was a year and a half ago. Would I love her any less if she wasn't? No. I loved her the minute I laid eyes on her, and I love her for who she is, whatever that may be. Today that happens to be a silly, energetic, inquisitive three-year old. What tomorrow holds is anyone's guess, but I'm looking forward to finding out!!!

So much for sympathy!

Today I took RP with me when I ran to the doctor's office to get some blood drawn. Before we left I explained to her that Mommy had to go to the doctor and get a shot, and she would have to be patient in the room with me while it was happening. She was fine with this, and when we got to the doctor's office she was more than curious about everything going on in there - so much so that the phlebotomist was practically a pretzel moving around her! After three sticks - one in the hand and two in the arm, they were finally able to get the blood they needed, and RP was fascinated with the blood going in the tube, and the fact that Mommy had a "boo-boo" that was bleeding and required a non-Mickey Mouse band-aid.

When we got outside, I asked RP why Mommy didn't get a sucker after getting her shot. I was kidding of course, but RP looked at me very seriously and replied, "Because you weren't a good girl Mommy." I laughed out loud and asked WHY I wasn't a good girl in there, to which she replied, "You need to use your listening ears Mommy. Lissss-tennnn..."

While at least I now know that she HEARS everything I say to her, it would be nice if she would implement some of her own "advice" every once in a while! That being said, I'm off to find a little Dum-Dum sucker downstairs - I think I've earned it today!!!

RP-ism's (Part 2)

Of course after I write the RP-ism's post she has a few more doozies to add last night:

• I put RP to bed at her normal time last night, and not an hour later I head upstairs to discover that she had a "messy" diaper (and let me tell you, "messy" is an understatement here!). While I was changing her I remarked that she had quite a stinky diaper, to which RP responded, "Mommy, it okay to say diaper 'tinky, but we don't say people are 'tinky. It will hurt their feelings. It will (dramatic pause here...)... hurt their heart." Guess I'm doing something right!


• To follow up on what we do and don't say, RP reminded me once again, "... AND we don't say f***." Sigh - yeah, I've still got some work to do!

RP-ism's...

Lately many people have referred to my child as a "character," and I have to say that I tend to agree. She is so silly and quite the sponge when it comes to everything, so I thought I would share her latest words of wisdom:

• A few nights ago I had the news on, and they flashed a picture of Casey Anthony on the screen. RP looks at me and said, "Mommy, she a mean yady." My response, "Yes RP, she is a mean lady who did some very bad things." RP then looked at me and replied, "She need go to jail Mommy. She BAD." Now, I'm not sure how RP knew ANY of this, but if a three-year old can see this, why couldn't the jury???


• Getting into the car the other day for gymnastics RP knocked over her Minnie Mouse doll that she had been playing with earlier and left in the car. Without batting an eye she cries, "OH CRAPPPPP!!!" and looks at me with utter disgust that she has to retrieve the doll from under the seat. Yeah, I'll take the blame for that one.


• Yesterday I laid RP down for her nap and headed downstairs to read my new book from the library while she napped. I heard faint moaning from her room a few minutes later, which got louder and louder over the next 90 seconds. The moans then turned into faint little cries of, "Mommy... Mommy..." Before I could respond RP jumps off her bed (I could hear the "thump"), runs into the loft, and peers down at me in the family room. When I ask her why she isn't taking her nap she responds with, "Because I broke me leg Mommy. Can you fix it?" I laughed to myself, put my book down, and met her at the top of the stairs. When I asked her WHICH leg was broken, she had to think for a minute before pointing down at one leg and smiling at me. I ended up having to kiss BOTH shins and knees before they were "fixed" and she could return to bed. Can we say "drama queen?"


• Today while waiting for Papa to pick her up for a day with Nana and Papa RP was driving her pink car around the living room and kitchen. She became agitated with "traffic" and started slamming on the horn of the car, screaming, "OUTTA MY WAY PEOPLE. OUTTA. MY. WAYYYYY!!!" Guess Mommy needs to work on her road-rage coping skills.

I'm sure there are other "gems" that I have forgotten to share, but you get the idea. I hope she never loses her zest for life, her ability to laugh and have a good time, and her uncanny ability to remember everything and learn new things very quickly. That being said, I really hope she decides NOT to share any of these gems with the kids at school... or her teachers!!