Today you will experience your first hurricane! Hopefully it is not as bad as they say it's going to be but with the waather, you never know. Your father and I are preparing for the worst since we have you to take care of. We moved everything off the deck (including the heavy grill) and pulled out the flashlights, candles, and matches. We tried to buy gallons of water but everything was sold out. The American people are so funny when it comes to things like hurricanes, snowstorms, and the possibility of losing power. I guess I am taking it a bit too lightly. If we do lose power for an extended period of time, it could be very difficult to get through our daily routines. I think losing it tonight could be fun though. I am just like your nana in that sense. I just hope the weather doesn't scare you. I hope we are all safe. I hope this storm blows out to sea!
While I worry about the looming hurricane, I am just pleased to think that we can replace hurricane Katrina in the minds of everyone and all the Irenes out there will become "The Hurricane"!
I love you sweetie!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
So much has changed....
Dear Peighton,
So much has changed since I last wrote in February. I vow to be better about writing to you since everyday brings something new...a new word, a new "trick", new excitement! First of all you turned one last week and it was a wonderful day. It was a quiet day since you father and I just bought a new house for you to grow up in. We moved the day before your big day so we had balloons and cupcakes and singing but did not host a party. Maybe for your second birthday we will have a big shindig since I have been feeling bad about it lately. I really wanted your first year to be celebrated with a lot of your friends from mom's group around but they are all back in Massachusetts. I think you had a ton of fun eating cake and playing with the balloons that I blew up for you. You also opened your gift of Megablocks and have been having a lot of fun with them since.
Last Wednesday, May 18th you started walking...really walking. You have been experimenting with taking a few steps in between your father and I for a few weeks but that day you had the confidence to walk - unprompted and steadily. It was fantastic! I have been so excited for you to walk because you are very mobile anyway due to the speedy crawling you do. Now, you don't have to have your hands all over the floor. Walking does mean a whole new world for you and you really seem to love doing it. You are so adorable, you put both arms up in the air and wear a smile so big and proud. I really enjoy watching you toddle around the house.
Then, ah, the house. One of the reasons your father and I loved it so much when we looked at it is because you seemed so comfortable in it. You crawled around and pounded on the doors and windows. We both really loved it too so we went ahead and put in an offer. After a lot of back and forth the sellers finally went for what we were offering and, boom, the house was ours....just like that. It was a relatively smooth process and seemed to be very quick. Today we are settled into the home but we still have some empty rooms that we need to fill so I am taking you furniture shopping almost every day. I am not so sure how much you enjoy the furniture shopping but you are making the best of it. If I can find a safe couch to put you down next to, you have a blast banging on the couch cushions.
Your recent trip to the pediatrician brought a little concern. You have never been a big eater but I have been trying since your 9 month visit to get you to consume more calories because you had dropped from the 40th percentile to the 20th. Well, apparently, I was not doing a good enough job making sure you were chowing because you had dropped to the 10th percentile at your 1 year visit. You are 29 inches long and 18 pounds, 4 ounces. You had two shots - Hep A and Prevnar13s. You also had to have blood drawn for the first time to check for lead exposure and to test the iron levels in your blood. Everything looked good other than the weight so we now have to be a little more strategic about the way we feed you and when. It's pretty hard to get you to eat when you don't want to though so here's to hoping you start noshing on the yummy foods we give you because if you have not gained enough weight at your 15 month visit, the doctors might want to start looking for a problem and that doesn't sound like fun for me or you. Start chowing honey!
Right now you are protesting your nap. You have been upstairs playing in your crib for 35 minutes but will not go to sleep. Your playing has turned to crying so I guess I should sign off and go try to get you to go to sleep. To tell you the truth, it doesn't seem promising. You are certainly a girl who knows what she wants and when. I can't blame you though, it seems you simply take after your mother as far as that goes. Sleep has never been a big thing for you but I must remind you that you are a growing baby and you need your sleep my dear. I love you!
Mom
So much has changed since I last wrote in February. I vow to be better about writing to you since everyday brings something new...a new word, a new "trick", new excitement! First of all you turned one last week and it was a wonderful day. It was a quiet day since you father and I just bought a new house for you to grow up in. We moved the day before your big day so we had balloons and cupcakes and singing but did not host a party. Maybe for your second birthday we will have a big shindig since I have been feeling bad about it lately. I really wanted your first year to be celebrated with a lot of your friends from mom's group around but they are all back in Massachusetts. I think you had a ton of fun eating cake and playing with the balloons that I blew up for you. You also opened your gift of Megablocks and have been having a lot of fun with them since.
Last Wednesday, May 18th you started walking...really walking. You have been experimenting with taking a few steps in between your father and I for a few weeks but that day you had the confidence to walk - unprompted and steadily. It was fantastic! I have been so excited for you to walk because you are very mobile anyway due to the speedy crawling you do. Now, you don't have to have your hands all over the floor. Walking does mean a whole new world for you and you really seem to love doing it. You are so adorable, you put both arms up in the air and wear a smile so big and proud. I really enjoy watching you toddle around the house.
Then, ah, the house. One of the reasons your father and I loved it so much when we looked at it is because you seemed so comfortable in it. You crawled around and pounded on the doors and windows. We both really loved it too so we went ahead and put in an offer. After a lot of back and forth the sellers finally went for what we were offering and, boom, the house was ours....just like that. It was a relatively smooth process and seemed to be very quick. Today we are settled into the home but we still have some empty rooms that we need to fill so I am taking you furniture shopping almost every day. I am not so sure how much you enjoy the furniture shopping but you are making the best of it. If I can find a safe couch to put you down next to, you have a blast banging on the couch cushions.
Your recent trip to the pediatrician brought a little concern. You have never been a big eater but I have been trying since your 9 month visit to get you to consume more calories because you had dropped from the 40th percentile to the 20th. Well, apparently, I was not doing a good enough job making sure you were chowing because you had dropped to the 10th percentile at your 1 year visit. You are 29 inches long and 18 pounds, 4 ounces. You had two shots - Hep A and Prevnar13s. You also had to have blood drawn for the first time to check for lead exposure and to test the iron levels in your blood. Everything looked good other than the weight so we now have to be a little more strategic about the way we feed you and when. It's pretty hard to get you to eat when you don't want to though so here's to hoping you start noshing on the yummy foods we give you because if you have not gained enough weight at your 15 month visit, the doctors might want to start looking for a problem and that doesn't sound like fun for me or you. Start chowing honey!
Right now you are protesting your nap. You have been upstairs playing in your crib for 35 minutes but will not go to sleep. Your playing has turned to crying so I guess I should sign off and go try to get you to go to sleep. To tell you the truth, it doesn't seem promising. You are certainly a girl who knows what she wants and when. I can't blame you though, it seems you simply take after your mother as far as that goes. Sleep has never been a big thing for you but I must remind you that you are a growing baby and you need your sleep my dear. I love you!
Mom
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Sick
Dear Peighton,
On Saturday night I came down with the flu - vomiting, etc. Basically felt miserable for 24 hours. The worst part of being sick with that kind of flu (versus a cold or something) was that I was so worried the whole time that you were going to get it. Unfortunately, you did. I felt so awful. You had a fever of 100.4 at its highest but you have not had a fever before so even that type of fever made your father and I nervous. You had diarrhea very bad. Your version of this flu lasted much longer than mine did and it was so sad to see you acting like a different baby for a few days. Luckily, today you were back to your usual goofy self and I realized just how much I love all your quirky little habits - like you "ah, ah, ah" way of talking, your picking up everything and dropping it, you desire to stand at all hours of the day, you inability to nap - at all, your picky eating, etc., etc. I love everything about you! It was so funny today because I was folding laundry while you played on the floor in your room. You crawled over to the drawer that was open, where I was putting the folded clothes, and started pulling out all of your sweaters and pants and throwing them over each shoulder. I thought it was so adorable, I managed to catch some of it on film. Picture a tiny little person throwing clothing up in the air as if searching for the perfect sweater or pair of pants. Priceless!
It's lucky you make me laugh so much because after three days in the house feeling sick and then tending to a sick baby, I felt a little nuts. We had to get out for a bit so we went to the grocery store, where we spent $100 without even thinking about it. I finally have my appetite back and had a sugar craving like none other so we ended up with Chewy Chip's Ahoy cookies, a one pound bag of M&M's, and a pint of Ben & Jerry's frozen yogurt with brownies and cookie dough in it. I, of course, have eaten way to much of each of these items since returning from the store. Good think I did my Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred video this morning.
Hopefully tomorrow will be a fun adventure of some sort, we haven't had a lot of adventures lately what with all the snow and illnesses. I love you my little darling!
On Saturday night I came down with the flu - vomiting, etc. Basically felt miserable for 24 hours. The worst part of being sick with that kind of flu (versus a cold or something) was that I was so worried the whole time that you were going to get it. Unfortunately, you did. I felt so awful. You had a fever of 100.4 at its highest but you have not had a fever before so even that type of fever made your father and I nervous. You had diarrhea very bad. Your version of this flu lasted much longer than mine did and it was so sad to see you acting like a different baby for a few days. Luckily, today you were back to your usual goofy self and I realized just how much I love all your quirky little habits - like you "ah, ah, ah" way of talking, your picking up everything and dropping it, you desire to stand at all hours of the day, you inability to nap - at all, your picky eating, etc., etc. I love everything about you! It was so funny today because I was folding laundry while you played on the floor in your room. You crawled over to the drawer that was open, where I was putting the folded clothes, and started pulling out all of your sweaters and pants and throwing them over each shoulder. I thought it was so adorable, I managed to catch some of it on film. Picture a tiny little person throwing clothing up in the air as if searching for the perfect sweater or pair of pants. Priceless!
It's lucky you make me laugh so much because after three days in the house feeling sick and then tending to a sick baby, I felt a little nuts. We had to get out for a bit so we went to the grocery store, where we spent $100 without even thinking about it. I finally have my appetite back and had a sugar craving like none other so we ended up with Chewy Chip's Ahoy cookies, a one pound bag of M&M's, and a pint of Ben & Jerry's frozen yogurt with brownies and cookie dough in it. I, of course, have eaten way to much of each of these items since returning from the store. Good think I did my Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred video this morning.
Hopefully tomorrow will be a fun adventure of some sort, we haven't had a lot of adventures lately what with all the snow and illnesses. I love you my little darling!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Swim, Swim, Swim
Dear Peighton,
Today was a wonderful day! You went swimming for the very first time and I have to tell you all about it!
Earlier this week, we were experiencing a bit of cabin fever and I decided it was time we join the YMCA. We spent a few hours there getting a tour and everyone stopped to say hello to you and tell me how beautiful you are. Ultimately, we left there spending $15/month on a membership for you only (which is kind of a strange idea that only you would be a member). Obviously, I am allowed to accompany you on any of your adventures. It really just allows us to use the pool for family swim everyday and go to Sweet Pea Playgroup on Fridays. When you are a little older, there are a lot of activities that a pre-school membership would get you but for now, that's it. I really wanted to join so we could get you in the water as I was certain you would love it as much as your mother does (and I bought you the cutest bathing suit last week so I wanted to show you off in it). I also signed you up for swim lessons on Saturday mornings at 8:30am for the next six weeks for $89.
We went to family swim this afternoon for the first time. As we walked out into the pool area, I felt a little nervous as to how you would react to such a large amount of water (I guess some babies are scared the first time they swim) but you, as always, were a perfect baby. You seemed to love it right away! We were doing great until a very pleasant man in the next lane over, stared at you in amazement and finally said, "that is so beautiful, I wish I had a camera, that is so beautiful". I explained to him that it was your first time in the water and you were doing an amazing job but just as I got the words out, something scared you a bit and you began to wimper ever so slightly. Then, my favorite part of the experience, as sad as it was, occurred. You latched on to my arm as tight as you possibly could and put your head in the nape of my neck and stayed that way for about five minutes. You weren't crying but you seemed a little nervous. I actually loved every second of it though because I knew you were aware of the fact that I was going to protect you. After you warmed back up to the water, you became a fish! It was almost as if you knew how to swim - you were kicking your legs and moving your arms in a doggie-paddle fashion. We splashed and played for about and hour and then I was getting cold so I figured you must have been chilly. As we were walking away from the pool though, you were doing your, "ah, ah, ah" type of talking as if you were saying, "no, mom, I want to stay in the pool, we are having so much fun". I promised you we would go again tomorrow, and the next day. I can tell we are going to have a lot of fun in the years to come in pools, rivers, lakes, and oceans!
I love you.
Mom
Today was a wonderful day! You went swimming for the very first time and I have to tell you all about it!
Earlier this week, we were experiencing a bit of cabin fever and I decided it was time we join the YMCA. We spent a few hours there getting a tour and everyone stopped to say hello to you and tell me how beautiful you are. Ultimately, we left there spending $15/month on a membership for you only (which is kind of a strange idea that only you would be a member). Obviously, I am allowed to accompany you on any of your adventures. It really just allows us to use the pool for family swim everyday and go to Sweet Pea Playgroup on Fridays. When you are a little older, there are a lot of activities that a pre-school membership would get you but for now, that's it. I really wanted to join so we could get you in the water as I was certain you would love it as much as your mother does (and I bought you the cutest bathing suit last week so I wanted to show you off in it). I also signed you up for swim lessons on Saturday mornings at 8:30am for the next six weeks for $89.
We went to family swim this afternoon for the first time. As we walked out into the pool area, I felt a little nervous as to how you would react to such a large amount of water (I guess some babies are scared the first time they swim) but you, as always, were a perfect baby. You seemed to love it right away! We were doing great until a very pleasant man in the next lane over, stared at you in amazement and finally said, "that is so beautiful, I wish I had a camera, that is so beautiful". I explained to him that it was your first time in the water and you were doing an amazing job but just as I got the words out, something scared you a bit and you began to wimper ever so slightly. Then, my favorite part of the experience, as sad as it was, occurred. You latched on to my arm as tight as you possibly could and put your head in the nape of my neck and stayed that way for about five minutes. You weren't crying but you seemed a little nervous. I actually loved every second of it though because I knew you were aware of the fact that I was going to protect you. After you warmed back up to the water, you became a fish! It was almost as if you knew how to swim - you were kicking your legs and moving your arms in a doggie-paddle fashion. We splashed and played for about and hour and then I was getting cold so I figured you must have been chilly. As we were walking away from the pool though, you were doing your, "ah, ah, ah" type of talking as if you were saying, "no, mom, I want to stay in the pool, we are having so much fun". I promised you we would go again tomorrow, and the next day. I can tell we are going to have a lot of fun in the years to come in pools, rivers, lakes, and oceans!
I love you.
Mom
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Identity
Dear Peighton,
It is snowing here again! I think we got a total of 5 inches today but that is way more than I can handle considering we got almost 2 feet last week. When it snows, I have to admit, we do not leave the house. We have been inside all day long. I think you might get a little bored as you seem as restless as I do. We had fun doing some exercises, playing, and making beef stew though. I think you spent a little too much time in your exercauser but you were having a blast with it so I let you hang out there.
I took a little time today to make sure your identity has not been stolen but it turns out that the credit reporting agencies make it really hard to ensure you are safe. I was unable to request a report for you because you are under the age of thirteen. I should explain why I am having to do that I suppose....
Well, a few weeks ago I noticed that a social security card was in my wallet and assumed it was mine (and in a stupid place like my wallet from when I had needed it for a W-9). I went to take it out and it was gone. I thought, "hmm, maybe I took it out and don't remember" (yes, I can be a bit of a spaceshot lately) but I also noticed that the cash was missing from my wallet. Again, I though, "maybe I spent it" but I knew full well that I did not. A few days later, I went to take my GPS out as we were traveling somewhere I did not know how to get to and it was GONE. That was when I realized we had been robbed! I also had some thank you notes ready to be sent out on my dashboard that were now in the back seat of the car opened (in hopes that they contained cash). There we no signs of break in so I must have accidentally left the car unlocked. I seldom leave it unlocked and I hardly ever leave my wallet in the car but I must have done both on the night someone was lifting car handles to see what good they could steal. I can't help but think this was a smart thief (if there is such a thing) because none of my credit cards were missing from my wallet - just cash and your SS card. I am still kicking myself for this. We have had to go to the Social Security office (which we promptly left as I feared for my life there), call the Federal Trade Commission, request a credit report, speak numerous times with the folks at the Federal Trade Commission....all because I stupidly left your SS card in my wallet, ignorantly left my door unlocked, and was numb enough to leave my wallet in the car. I like to tell myself that I simply trust people and that is why I did all of that but the truth is, I probably had my hands full when I walked in the house and didn't grab my purse. What a drag!
I think it will have a happy ending but I feel terrible that we will always have to worry about whether or not some schmuck is out there pretending they are you. I pray that everything is okay. Lord knows we have taken all the precautions that we can to ensure your ID is safe since the incident and will continue to do so from here on out.
I love you.
Mom
It is snowing here again! I think we got a total of 5 inches today but that is way more than I can handle considering we got almost 2 feet last week. When it snows, I have to admit, we do not leave the house. We have been inside all day long. I think you might get a little bored as you seem as restless as I do. We had fun doing some exercises, playing, and making beef stew though. I think you spent a little too much time in your exercauser but you were having a blast with it so I let you hang out there.
I took a little time today to make sure your identity has not been stolen but it turns out that the credit reporting agencies make it really hard to ensure you are safe. I was unable to request a report for you because you are under the age of thirteen. I should explain why I am having to do that I suppose....
Well, a few weeks ago I noticed that a social security card was in my wallet and assumed it was mine (and in a stupid place like my wallet from when I had needed it for a W-9). I went to take it out and it was gone. I thought, "hmm, maybe I took it out and don't remember" (yes, I can be a bit of a spaceshot lately) but I also noticed that the cash was missing from my wallet. Again, I though, "maybe I spent it" but I knew full well that I did not. A few days later, I went to take my GPS out as we were traveling somewhere I did not know how to get to and it was GONE. That was when I realized we had been robbed! I also had some thank you notes ready to be sent out on my dashboard that were now in the back seat of the car opened (in hopes that they contained cash). There we no signs of break in so I must have accidentally left the car unlocked. I seldom leave it unlocked and I hardly ever leave my wallet in the car but I must have done both on the night someone was lifting car handles to see what good they could steal. I can't help but think this was a smart thief (if there is such a thing) because none of my credit cards were missing from my wallet - just cash and your SS card. I am still kicking myself for this. We have had to go to the Social Security office (which we promptly left as I feared for my life there), call the Federal Trade Commission, request a credit report, speak numerous times with the folks at the Federal Trade Commission....all because I stupidly left your SS card in my wallet, ignorantly left my door unlocked, and was numb enough to leave my wallet in the car. I like to tell myself that I simply trust people and that is why I did all of that but the truth is, I probably had my hands full when I walked in the house and didn't grab my purse. What a drag!
I think it will have a happy ending but I feel terrible that we will always have to worry about whether or not some schmuck is out there pretending they are you. I pray that everything is okay. Lord knows we have taken all the precautions that we can to ensure your ID is safe since the incident and will continue to do so from here on out.
I love you.
Mom
Friday, January 14, 2011
All's well that ends well....
Dear Peighton,
You woke up this morning with a bright smile and happy to be alive, as usual. I will confess that it was another rough night but instead of letting you cry and witholding feedings, I decided that I would nurse and put you back to sleep easily since you were injured (a bad idea to most parents I am sure but I couldn't resist, I felt so bad seeing you bleed and didn't want you to have to cry any more last night). Your finger seems to be just fine however and even managed to manhandle cherrios and toys all morning without bleeding or opening again. Thank goodness! Now we will just have to figure a way to get you to sleep through the night instead of waking up at 11:30pm, 4:30am, and awake for the day at 6:00am. This type of sleeping pattern is simply not going to work. So, my dear, when you heal, I am going to have to be mean mommy again and let you cry it out and never give you a breast in the middle of the night for this has lead to no sleep in the Mulligan household (resulting in a slightly crazed mother and father). This too shall pass! I love you.
Mom
You woke up this morning with a bright smile and happy to be alive, as usual. I will confess that it was another rough night but instead of letting you cry and witholding feedings, I decided that I would nurse and put you back to sleep easily since you were injured (a bad idea to most parents I am sure but I couldn't resist, I felt so bad seeing you bleed and didn't want you to have to cry any more last night). Your finger seems to be just fine however and even managed to manhandle cherrios and toys all morning without bleeding or opening again. Thank goodness! Now we will just have to figure a way to get you to sleep through the night instead of waking up at 11:30pm, 4:30am, and awake for the day at 6:00am. This type of sleeping pattern is simply not going to work. So, my dear, when you heal, I am going to have to be mean mommy again and let you cry it out and never give you a breast in the middle of the night for this has lead to no sleep in the Mulligan household (resulting in a slightly crazed mother and father). This too shall pass! I love you.
Mom
Thursday, January 13, 2011
A little more than a boo-boo....
Dear Peighton,
Lucky 13, that's what they say. Well, my dear, apparently not for you. Tonight was your first real injury...but I think your father is scarred worse than you are.
Lucky 13, that's what they say. Well, my dear, apparently not for you. Tonight was your first real injury...but I think your father is scarred worse than you are.
Your father and I realized that boo-boo's are part of life but it's difficult for us to see you in any sort of pain at all. That's why tonight was a real drag. Your father had suprised me with a trip to the day spa for an hour long massage. I think he realized I was on the verge of my breaking point due to cabin fever setting in after mother nature decided to dump over eighteen inches of snow on us yesterday. We had not been out in two days (must make sure we don't make a habit of that!) and I was feeling very, shall we say, restless. The massage was fantastic and it was nice to get out of the house for an hour. I returned home to see that you were pretty upset but, sadly, your father was even more upset. He announced that you cut your finger as he was holding your hand up in the air with a piece of tissue paper wrapped around it. The look on his face made me think that it was much worse than it actually was. I took a look and was immediately so proud of you because if I had cut my finger the way you had, I surely would have been crying much harder than you were. I tried not to panic, grabbed ahold of you, and tried to calm you down a bit. We put a band-aid on your finger in the hopes that the flap of skin that was hanging down would stay attached. I began nursing you in an effort to get you to relax and forget you had just sliced your finger. It seemed to be working like a charm until you decided the band-aid was something fun to chew on. In less than an instant, I pulled your finger out of your mouth only to see that the band-aid was gone. You began choking on it as I fished my finger around in your mouth. At this point, I really hit the panic button and decided we needed to call the pediatrician. They told us to keep an eye on it tonight and if it bleeds at all throughout the course of the night, then we will need to go in tomorrow and possibly get a stitch or some glue. Yikes! I am hoping that will not be necessary.
You are such a little trooper. After a while you acted unphased by any of it and wanted to nurse and go to bed as usual. It was your parents who were the ones that were all freaked out. I called Auntie Jess and Uncle Pete for some added reassurance that you were going to be okay and they made me feel much better, as usual (experienced parents are your best asset in times like these).
I have been so cautious since you were born, maybe to a fault, so it's a bit ironic that within the span of a weeks time, you have fallen off a riding toy, bruised your eye (you fell down when I let go of you and you let go of the table that you were holding on to while standing), and cut your finger. Any time you hurt yourself, I realize how difficult it is to see you in any kind of pain. Hopefully, we can do a good job limiting the pain you have to suffer but it's all part of growing up. Here's to hoping your finger doesn't bleed tonight and heals miraculously overnight.
I love you.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)