Ho, Ho, Ho! Happy Holidays everyone. I can't believe I haven't blogged since August. I feel like I've been bored more in the past few months than I have been my whole life, yet I didn't use any of that bored time to blog. Anywho, we're getting ready to embark on Ella's 3rd Christmas. I can't believe she's 2 1/2 already and it's amazing the difference between this Christmas and last and even between now and 6 months ago at her 2nd birthday. She is soooo into presents. We have a few under the tree already and every morning she asks if she can open them. So, we're counting down the days until our early Christmas arrives. We are leaving for a short trip to FL on the evening of the 23rd, so that morning we're going to have our own Christmas here. So, Ella will be visited by Santa twice and hopefully that won't be too confusing for her. She will be getting some of the gifts that she asked Santa for here and in FL. :)
As for other things, I've been trying to get on the ball with studying for the GRE so I can go get a Masters degree by next Fall. But, it's slow going, especially after taking the diagnostic test and feeling like an idiot for all the things I didn't remember (or didn't know in the first place). I've also been thinking about starting Ella in preschool in Jan. instead of waiting until next Fall. I really think she's ready besides the fact that she's not potty trained yet. But, the place that I have in mind doesn't require that, so maybe they can actually help with it! Anyway, I really think Ella thrives on being around other kids and getting attention from other adults. Since the cold weather has set in Ella and I have been getting on each other's nerves day in and day out and even though we loves each other to death, I think both of us need a change of scenery and I don't think it's going to get better once it gets warmer because she'll be older! :)
As for Stephen, he's on his worst rotation yet, which we weren't thinking would happen. He's on his pediatric cardiology and genetics rotation. And like I said before, it sucks. He's on-call again every 4th night and when he's not on-call, he doesn't get home until 6:30pm or so. So, here's hoping that the 23rd gets here fast and that his Hem/Onc rotation won't be THIS bad when we get back from Christmas break!
Well...more complaining from me. I'm going to try and blog more and hopefully things will brighten up in 2008!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Long Time No Blog
Hey Y'all! Sorry it's been so long since I last blogged. Things this month have been pretty nonstop. We've had visitors for the past few weeks starting on August 2nd. So, Ella has had a blast with her family and friends starting with her great-grandma and her Aunt Angela. They flew up here and stayed for 5 days and we all enjoyed seeing each other. Aunt Angela had a gift for Ella for every day she was here and Ella still talks about all the stuff that Anglea brought her. G'ma brought Ella a Curious George Goes to the Hospital book and a Wee Sing book. Ella is really enoying learning all these new songs. Her favortie right now is "Deep and Wide". She is awesome at doing the motions!
G'ma and Angela flew back to FL on the 7th and Josh and Trish arrived that evening. We were all excited to see them. We've definitely missed our Kantor time! Unfortunately they were only able to stay a few days and the time flew by!! But, we were able to get some babysitting for the last evening they were here and the four of us had an adult dinner just like the old days.
Then, for Stephen's birthday on the 17th, his dad flew up from Daytona and Ella was super-excited to see him, too. They sang songs together and Ella picked up a few more sayings from Papa like "Let's get in the bus!" when we're getting ready to leave. Dad was also busy painting our whole basement! The basement was formerly red and yellow and every time I went down there I craved McDonald's! :) We now have it painted a taupe color and have grey-blue accent walls. It looks very beachy.
So, we are now back to our little family and Stephen is starting a new rotation..unfortunately his next two rotations require him being on-call every 4 nights. I'm not looking forward to the next two months. The first month we were here was like that and it was very hard on call three of us. Maybe we'll be better at managing this time around - I hope so anyway.
For more of an Ella update as I said before, she is REALLY into singing lately. Her favorite songs are "Hey There Delilah" by The Plain White T's, "Irreplaceable" by Beyonce, and "Gold Digger" by Kanye West (the clean version of course). But, like I said, she's also learning new bible songs and I'm enjoying them, too. I haven't heard these or sung these since I was in Sunday School so it's cool to teach them to my daughter. We're still looking for a church in AA. Unfortunately, the task is really up to me since Stephen is rarely able to go to church. Ella has enjoyed all the nurseries/sunday schools that she's attended, so I don't have to worry about that at all.
We're still working on the potty training. She knows what to do, but I think she's having a hard time stopping what she's doing in enough time to tell me she has to go. So, when she tells me she wants to go on the potty, she's already done it in her diaper. I guess it's a start, but after having actually gone a few times in the potty and gotten her reward (M&Ms) I just thought it would be easier for her to know what to do and/or remember when to do it. But, again, I'm not pushing her.
As for other news: We have decided to rent our house in Southwood due to the fact that the market just sucks right now no matter where you're trying to sell. Thankfully we found renters almost instantly and they seem like responsible and professional people. Anyway, hopefully this time next year we'll be in a better position to sell, maybe even to the renters.
Well, until next time, I hope every one is well and hopefully it won't be as long between blogs next time.
G'ma and Angela flew back to FL on the 7th and Josh and Trish arrived that evening. We were all excited to see them. We've definitely missed our Kantor time! Unfortunately they were only able to stay a few days and the time flew by!! But, we were able to get some babysitting for the last evening they were here and the four of us had an adult dinner just like the old days.
Then, for Stephen's birthday on the 17th, his dad flew up from Daytona and Ella was super-excited to see him, too. They sang songs together and Ella picked up a few more sayings from Papa like "Let's get in the bus!" when we're getting ready to leave. Dad was also busy painting our whole basement! The basement was formerly red and yellow and every time I went down there I craved McDonald's! :) We now have it painted a taupe color and have grey-blue accent walls. It looks very beachy.
So, we are now back to our little family and Stephen is starting a new rotation..unfortunately his next two rotations require him being on-call every 4 nights. I'm not looking forward to the next two months. The first month we were here was like that and it was very hard on call three of us. Maybe we'll be better at managing this time around - I hope so anyway.
For more of an Ella update as I said before, she is REALLY into singing lately. Her favorite songs are "Hey There Delilah" by The Plain White T's, "Irreplaceable" by Beyonce, and "Gold Digger" by Kanye West (the clean version of course). But, like I said, she's also learning new bible songs and I'm enjoying them, too. I haven't heard these or sung these since I was in Sunday School so it's cool to teach them to my daughter. We're still looking for a church in AA. Unfortunately, the task is really up to me since Stephen is rarely able to go to church. Ella has enjoyed all the nurseries/sunday schools that she's attended, so I don't have to worry about that at all.
We're still working on the potty training. She knows what to do, but I think she's having a hard time stopping what she's doing in enough time to tell me she has to go. So, when she tells me she wants to go on the potty, she's already done it in her diaper. I guess it's a start, but after having actually gone a few times in the potty and gotten her reward (M&Ms) I just thought it would be easier for her to know what to do and/or remember when to do it. But, again, I'm not pushing her.
As for other news: We have decided to rent our house in Southwood due to the fact that the market just sucks right now no matter where you're trying to sell. Thankfully we found renters almost instantly and they seem like responsible and professional people. Anyway, hopefully this time next year we'll be in a better position to sell, maybe even to the renters.
Well, until next time, I hope every one is well and hopefully it won't be as long between blogs next time.
Monday, June 18, 2007
I'm a doctor's wife...
OK...I know the title of my blog has been "Experiences of a doc's wife...." for a while, but I'm officially the wife of a doctor and I'm in the process of adjusting to that lifestyle - in a new state no less. I have to say I can't complain about MI so far. The neighbors are all wonderful and Ella and I have already made friends with a family a few doors down and look forward to our friendship growing. The weather has also been pleasant. We've had a few 90+ degree days, but not back-to-back like they are in FL, so it's easier to bare.
But, I will say that I'm having a hard time adjusting to Stephen's new life. I can't really say that it's been bad so far. It's just that we've had him around constantly for a while now and all-of-a-sudden he's busy with orientation and coming home tired (feels like the beginning of medical school again). His first month which officially starts this coming Sunday, he will be on call every fourth day. So, a week from today is his first night on call which means he'll go in Monday morning at 6:30am and not getting off until Tuesday at 12:30pm...and assuming that he doesn't get much sleep at the hospital, I'm sure he'll sleep when he gets home that afternoon and then gets to go right back to work at 6:30am the next morning. Again, this isn't horrible - it could've been a lot worse if he would have stuck with surgery. I could easily be worrying about nothing and I'm sure I am. It's just a matter of getting used to a new schedule. But, I'm starting to lose sleep and I'm having bad dreams. Without getting too detailed they all play on my abandonment issues. They're pretty much the same dreams every night with a little differences, but they are so real and I wake in a panic and then can't get back to sleep. If I do get back to sleep, the dream continues and it just gets worse. I will then think about this dream as if it were real for the rest of the day. I know it's not real of course, but what really bothers me is not the dream, but how it makes me feel...scared, lonely, worried about the future, etc.
I truly feel like I have no one to talk to about this. I have had dreams like this before although never this frequent. I've mentioned them to Stephen and he's getting sick of it because he thinks they're so absured. Yet, what I really need from his is reassurance, not just hearing that I have "nothing to worry about." I can't imagine this going on for much longer. I really feel like I could easily slip into depression or need to seek counseling if this continues. I'm trying to snap myself out of it and realize that I'm just stressing over new situations and circumstances and it takes everyone time to adjust. So....
...I will continue to blog about my new doctor's wife experiences and maybe even share some stories (even though I'm probably not allowed to). All I ask is that whoever is reading this will keep me in their thoughts and prayers or offer any advice you may have. I know it might be hard to understand what I'm talking about or where I'm coming from if you don't know my past and that's OK. I just needed to share my feelings.
But, I will say that I'm having a hard time adjusting to Stephen's new life. I can't really say that it's been bad so far. It's just that we've had him around constantly for a while now and all-of-a-sudden he's busy with orientation and coming home tired (feels like the beginning of medical school again). His first month which officially starts this coming Sunday, he will be on call every fourth day. So, a week from today is his first night on call which means he'll go in Monday morning at 6:30am and not getting off until Tuesday at 12:30pm...and assuming that he doesn't get much sleep at the hospital, I'm sure he'll sleep when he gets home that afternoon and then gets to go right back to work at 6:30am the next morning. Again, this isn't horrible - it could've been a lot worse if he would have stuck with surgery. I could easily be worrying about nothing and I'm sure I am. It's just a matter of getting used to a new schedule. But, I'm starting to lose sleep and I'm having bad dreams. Without getting too detailed they all play on my abandonment issues. They're pretty much the same dreams every night with a little differences, but they are so real and I wake in a panic and then can't get back to sleep. If I do get back to sleep, the dream continues and it just gets worse. I will then think about this dream as if it were real for the rest of the day. I know it's not real of course, but what really bothers me is not the dream, but how it makes me feel...scared, lonely, worried about the future, etc.
I truly feel like I have no one to talk to about this. I have had dreams like this before although never this frequent. I've mentioned them to Stephen and he's getting sick of it because he thinks they're so absured. Yet, what I really need from his is reassurance, not just hearing that I have "nothing to worry about." I can't imagine this going on for much longer. I really feel like I could easily slip into depression or need to seek counseling if this continues. I'm trying to snap myself out of it and realize that I'm just stressing over new situations and circumstances and it takes everyone time to adjust. So....
...I will continue to blog about my new doctor's wife experiences and maybe even share some stories (even though I'm probably not allowed to). All I ask is that whoever is reading this will keep me in their thoughts and prayers or offer any advice you may have. I know it might be hard to understand what I'm talking about or where I'm coming from if you don't know my past and that's OK. I just needed to share my feelings.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Happy 2nd Birthday Ella!
Today my little girl turned 2! Unfortunately, Ella had to spend her birthday in a new town where we didn't have anyone to invite for her party. So, it was the three of us opening presents that our family and friends sent a long with us and a few that we bought her and then we ate cake!! Ella's birthday theme was the Disney Princesses and she new every one! She got a lot of Play Dough stuff, a new kitchen, wooden beads that you string, and some puzzles. She's also going to get a playground in the backyard from Papa, but we haven't had time to get it just yet. Ella also got big girl furniture for her room and and new decorations that I'm sure she'll enjoy.
As for an update...she had her 2 year checkup this past Monday before we left FL and she weighed 24.14oz and is 33" tall. I have yet to look up the percentiles since our ghetto-pediatrician and her office doesn't tell us that! Anywho, we're enjoying talking to her more and more and as loves to have conversations and point out things al the time. She's also starting ask, "why" a little bit and I'm really dreading when she asks it constantly! One thing that's really adorable is when Stephen or I seem to be having a problem or is getting frustrated, she'll say, "What's the matter" (while putting her hand on our chin) and then says, Come here, I'll help you." It's the cutest thing in the world and her enunciation and emotion that she puts into it makes it even better!
As for a Michigan update, we're enjoying a lot so far. Besides the first two days when we were here and the weather was just like FL, it's been in the 70's for highs ever since. I'm loving that! All of our neighbors came by and introduced themselves the first day we were here and they're all very nice! And there are TONS and I mean TONS of kids around and Ella has already made a few friends. We are sure we are going to love this place more and more. I'm just sick of unpacking! When will it end?!?! No seriously, I've already got the kitchen done and our room will be done by tomorrow and hopefully we'll work on Ella's room soon after.
I hope everyone is well and we have a place for you in MI if you ever want to visit!
As for an update...she had her 2 year checkup this past Monday before we left FL and she weighed 24.14oz and is 33" tall. I have yet to look up the percentiles since our ghetto-pediatrician and her office doesn't tell us that! Anywho, we're enjoying talking to her more and more and as loves to have conversations and point out things al the time. She's also starting ask, "why" a little bit and I'm really dreading when she asks it constantly! One thing that's really adorable is when Stephen or I seem to be having a problem or is getting frustrated, she'll say, "What's the matter" (while putting her hand on our chin) and then says, Come here, I'll help you." It's the cutest thing in the world and her enunciation and emotion that she puts into it makes it even better!
As for a Michigan update, we're enjoying a lot so far. Besides the first two days when we were here and the weather was just like FL, it's been in the 70's for highs ever since. I'm loving that! All of our neighbors came by and introduced themselves the first day we were here and they're all very nice! And there are TONS and I mean TONS of kids around and Ella has already made a few friends. We are sure we are going to love this place more and more. I'm just sick of unpacking! When will it end?!?! No seriously, I've already got the kitchen done and our room will be done by tomorrow and hopefully we'll work on Ella's room soon after.
I hope everyone is well and we have a place for you in MI if you ever want to visit!
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Stephen is a doctor!
Just had to let everyone know that my wonderful husband of almost 6 years has officially become a doctor. Stephen graduated from Florida State's College of Medicine yesterday with 47 other graduates and will be starting his pediatric residency on June 15th. I am so very proud of him and looking forward to the new journey we're about to embark on. Thank you for all your well wishes and your support over the past years!
Ella's 23 Month Update
It's May already?!?! We only have a few more weeks left in FL and I'm starting to get really sad, yet excited about our new journey. Ella doesn't know that anything big is getting ready to happen and I'm starting to worry about her adjusting. She was barely one when we moved back to FL last year and I didn't even give it a second thought, but now I'm concerned. We'll definitely make sure her room is put together first and will go ahead and put her crib up just so she's comfortable the first few weeks and then we'll get her new bed and furniture delivered.
As for a real update - Ella amazes me more and more EVERY day. She LOVES counting and can do so up to 20 and she'll even throw a few spanish numbers in there thanks to Dora, but we aren't necessarily teaching her that. She's also got the whole alphabet down, now we're trying to teach her the song to go with it, but that's not catching on very well. One thing new that she does that I absolutely love, is when she wakes up in the morning and comes downstairs, she says, "Morning mom"...and then proceeds to say that to whoever is there whether its the dogs or Stephen. I still have no idea where she picked that up.
Ella still loves the outdoors. She loves to 'mow' with her bubble-blowing mower, she loves her slide and her sandbox and she loves watching the cows in the pasture across our street. Yes, I know it's weird to think we have cows in our neighborhood, but we do. We live in the back of Southwood and there is pasture across the street where cows roam and eat grass twice a day, so we usually catch them early evening before dinner. All of us will miss the cows a lot!
Ella has also remembered her love for water. I was worried early on because she was very timid the first time we took her to the pool, but we've been a few more times and she's back to her normal self. She even started jumping off the wall into the water!!! I was shocked when she started doing that. :) She also learned how much fun the beach is. I can't wait to take her back. She had a blast in the ocean after she realized that the waves weren't out to get her. So, after a few minutes of running away from the waves, she got right in and let them knock her down, but for the most part, she kept her balance really well while the waves went by. She also loves collecting shells. We were trying to get her to build sand castles with us, but she just destroyed everything daddy and I built!
We also took Ella to Disney a couple weekends ago. The last two times she's been she went with her Aunt and cousins, so we were excited to go with her this time. We split the day up between Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Epcot wasn't really for her and the only reason we wanted to go was because we hadn't been in forever and were curious about the new rides, but we only went on a couple ofthe new rides...we'll have to do the Test Track next time. By the time we got to Animal Kingdom Ella was getting tired, but we still had fun. But, I'm looking forward to using up our special passes that we got and take her back to the Magic Kingdom and MGM before we leave FL for good. We'll be getting on that soon after graduation.
Speaking of graduation...I can't believe it's almost here. That weekend will be whirlwind with all the people who will be in town and everything we have going on, but I'm looking forward to it. I'll probably be giving you the next update a few days early due to our moving around the 5th and Ella will be getting her two year check up earlier that week. So, until then, hope all is well and keep us in your thought and prayers as our lives in the next few weeks will be very hectic and changing very quickly!
As for a real update - Ella amazes me more and more EVERY day. She LOVES counting and can do so up to 20 and she'll even throw a few spanish numbers in there thanks to Dora, but we aren't necessarily teaching her that. She's also got the whole alphabet down, now we're trying to teach her the song to go with it, but that's not catching on very well. One thing new that she does that I absolutely love, is when she wakes up in the morning and comes downstairs, she says, "Morning mom"...and then proceeds to say that to whoever is there whether its the dogs or Stephen. I still have no idea where she picked that up.
Ella still loves the outdoors. She loves to 'mow' with her bubble-blowing mower, she loves her slide and her sandbox and she loves watching the cows in the pasture across our street. Yes, I know it's weird to think we have cows in our neighborhood, but we do. We live in the back of Southwood and there is pasture across the street where cows roam and eat grass twice a day, so we usually catch them early evening before dinner. All of us will miss the cows a lot!
Ella has also remembered her love for water. I was worried early on because she was very timid the first time we took her to the pool, but we've been a few more times and she's back to her normal self. She even started jumping off the wall into the water!!! I was shocked when she started doing that. :) She also learned how much fun the beach is. I can't wait to take her back. She had a blast in the ocean after she realized that the waves weren't out to get her. So, after a few minutes of running away from the waves, she got right in and let them knock her down, but for the most part, she kept her balance really well while the waves went by. She also loves collecting shells. We were trying to get her to build sand castles with us, but she just destroyed everything daddy and I built!
We also took Ella to Disney a couple weekends ago. The last two times she's been she went with her Aunt and cousins, so we were excited to go with her this time. We split the day up between Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Epcot wasn't really for her and the only reason we wanted to go was because we hadn't been in forever and were curious about the new rides, but we only went on a couple ofthe new rides...we'll have to do the Test Track next time. By the time we got to Animal Kingdom Ella was getting tired, but we still had fun. But, I'm looking forward to using up our special passes that we got and take her back to the Magic Kingdom and MGM before we leave FL for good. We'll be getting on that soon after graduation.
Speaking of graduation...I can't believe it's almost here. That weekend will be whirlwind with all the people who will be in town and everything we have going on, but I'm looking forward to it. I'll probably be giving you the next update a few days early due to our moving around the 5th and Ella will be getting her two year check up earlier that week. So, until then, hope all is well and keep us in your thought and prayers as our lives in the next few weeks will be very hectic and changing very quickly!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Ella's 22 Month Update
I can't believe my little girl is almost 2 years old! I know I say this all the time, but it's really scary how fast time flies. Since our last update, Ella has continues to broaden her vocabulary and can pretty much say anything. It's so nice to have her tell us what she wants or needs and it's also nice to be able to tell her anything and she understands it (whether she pays attention to you or not)! One thing I've really enjoyed is how much Ella is singing now. She sings herself to sleep or will just start singing in the car. I will say that her favorite songs are the theme song to Dora, Elmo, and The Backyardigans, so those songs are getting old, but we're trying to branch out and learn new songs.
Ella has also gone to Disney for the fourth time in her short life. The past two times have been without us and it's kinda sad that we're missing those times with her. But, she stayed with her cousins again last week while Stephen and I were in MI looking for a house. So, Ella went to MGM Studios and loved the Indiana Jones show the best! That's my favorite, too. I wish I could've seen her face when all the pyrotechnics went off!
Ella also enjoyed her first Easter egg hunt(s). She went with her cousins to their church this past Sat. and then we had one out her great-grandmother's house after church on Sunday. She definitely knew what she was doing and enjoyed opening all the eggs to get her prizes and candy! I'm not sure how many eggs she got with her cousins, but Stephen hid 48 eggs in my G'ma's backyard and Ella found every one of them!
So, back to our MI trip. Stephen and I were up there for 3 1/2 days and on Good Friday we found our house. Thankfully, the couple selling the house took our first offer! We aren't used to not getting a counter-offer, so we knew this was the place we were supposed to live in next. We're really excited about having a basement, too! The house in good condition for it being 7 years old and the paint that's on the walls are to our liking so we won't have to paint. WooHoo! I'm also very excited that we have an IKEA about 25 mi away. You know where I'll be the first few weeks in MI!! Anyway, it looks like we'll be moving up there around June 6th and closing the next day. Hopefully it will be warmer in June. It didn't get past 35 degrees the whole time we were in MI and it snowed the whole time, too!
Back to Ella, I really hope that she adjusts well to MI and can understand what's going on a little bit. I want to make her comfortable first and foremost and let her realize that this is her new home. Her room is smaller than the one she has now, but the finished basement will make up for that and she can have a play area down there. Well, I feel like there should be more to Ella's update, but she's really just building on things that I've talked about previously. I'm sure there will be a lot more to talk about in the next couple months!
Ella has also gone to Disney for the fourth time in her short life. The past two times have been without us and it's kinda sad that we're missing those times with her. But, she stayed with her cousins again last week while Stephen and I were in MI looking for a house. So, Ella went to MGM Studios and loved the Indiana Jones show the best! That's my favorite, too. I wish I could've seen her face when all the pyrotechnics went off!
Ella also enjoyed her first Easter egg hunt(s). She went with her cousins to their church this past Sat. and then we had one out her great-grandmother's house after church on Sunday. She definitely knew what she was doing and enjoyed opening all the eggs to get her prizes and candy! I'm not sure how many eggs she got with her cousins, but Stephen hid 48 eggs in my G'ma's backyard and Ella found every one of them!
So, back to our MI trip. Stephen and I were up there for 3 1/2 days and on Good Friday we found our house. Thankfully, the couple selling the house took our first offer! We aren't used to not getting a counter-offer, so we knew this was the place we were supposed to live in next. We're really excited about having a basement, too! The house in good condition for it being 7 years old and the paint that's on the walls are to our liking so we won't have to paint. WooHoo! I'm also very excited that we have an IKEA about 25 mi away. You know where I'll be the first few weeks in MI!! Anyway, it looks like we'll be moving up there around June 6th and closing the next day. Hopefully it will be warmer in June. It didn't get past 35 degrees the whole time we were in MI and it snowed the whole time, too!
Back to Ella, I really hope that she adjusts well to MI and can understand what's going on a little bit. I want to make her comfortable first and foremost and let her realize that this is her new home. Her room is smaller than the one she has now, but the finished basement will make up for that and she can have a play area down there. Well, I feel like there should be more to Ella's update, but she's really just building on things that I've talked about previously. I'm sure there will be a lot more to talk about in the next couple months!
Monday, March 19, 2007
Match Day!
So...should I say right way where we're heading in June or should I make you wait? I guess I'll start off by saying that for the past week I have not been nervous or anything. I was at complete peace even though Stephen's #1 choice was CHOP. Stephen, on the other hand, was having a hard time sleeping, he was making himself sick, and was constantly stressed out! We had a few talks to see what the REAL issue was, because I couldn't imagine that anxiety/excitement would make him feel this way. So, I truly felt like he was having second thoughts about CHOP...he was talking a lot about Michigan and I truly felt like he was afraid to tell me that he was having second thoughts about CHOP since I was really nervous about it.
Well, noon yesterday finally came around and there was a poker theme for the day. Every student got a playing card and the card would randomly be picked by a previous student who just matched....so Stephen was a wreck waiting to get his Ace of Spades picked. He was picked about halfway through the 50 students and Ella and I went up with him (we were the only fmaily members that went up - kinda odd, I thought). Anyway, he opened the letter and showed me first before he announced it and....we're going to Michigan!!! WooHoo! So, technically it was Stephen's second choice, but after everything, it really turned out to be his #1. We are very excited and will be moving the first week in June since Stephen's orientation starts June 15th. It will be very rushed, but I'll just keep depending on God as I did with Match Day. I hear Ann Arbor is a great town and we've already started looking at houses on Realtor.com and we're excited about the prospects. We hope to have many visitors during our 6 year stay there! :)
Well, noon yesterday finally came around and there was a poker theme for the day. Every student got a playing card and the card would randomly be picked by a previous student who just matched....so Stephen was a wreck waiting to get his Ace of Spades picked. He was picked about halfway through the 50 students and Ella and I went up with him (we were the only fmaily members that went up - kinda odd, I thought). Anyway, he opened the letter and showed me first before he announced it and....we're going to Michigan!!! WooHoo! So, technically it was Stephen's second choice, but after everything, it really turned out to be his #1. We are very excited and will be moving the first week in June since Stephen's orientation starts June 15th. It will be very rushed, but I'll just keep depending on God as I did with Match Day. I hear Ann Arbor is a great town and we've already started looking at houses on Realtor.com and we're excited about the prospects. We hope to have many visitors during our 6 year stay there! :)
Ella's 21 Month Update
It's March already! I can't believe it. Two and a half more months and we'll be leaving FL for at least 6 years...tims is really flying by and I'm realizing it more and more as Ella is changing and growing up so quickly. This past month has been unreal for me in the motherhood department mainly because I've been amazed at Ella's progress. I know I've said about the same thing every month for the past couple months, but Ella truly learns a ton of news things every DAY...forget every week! She literally copies everything we say and do (which keeps us in check) and we can't go out in public without her starting a coversation or someone coming up to her to talk to her.
The most amazing progress to me is her vocabulary. I was happy with her progress a month ago, but now I'm just flat out in awe. She is talking and singing constantly. She tells us what she wants/needs and can tell us more how she's feeling and it makes things so much easier and less stressful. One of my favorite things that she's says now is 'sorry'. We've been trying really hard to get her to grasp the meaning of 'sorry' and why we say it. Sometimes she gets rough with the dogs and we tel lher to say 'sorry'...well, I think she's about got the concept, because she has started to say 'sorry' to me and Stephen when she does things that she thinks 'hurts' us. It's really cute. Another cute thing is when we do hurt ourselves (i.e., stub our toes pr bump into things) and we say 'ouch' or however we show our pain, she'll make sure we're OK and she won't be satisfied until we tell her that we're OK.
Another big accomplishment is that Ella finally went to the bathroom in her potty. It wasn't anything specific that I did, she was just sitting on her potty after she had asked to go potty and she was reading a book while I was in the kitchen and she came running in saying, "uh oh". I followed her in the bathroom wondering what she had gotten into when she led me to her toilet and pointed in it and said, "uh oh" again. I smiled and said, "Yeah! That's what you're supposed to do! I praised her for what seemed like forever because I wanted her to know that she had done a good thing. She seemed a little confused, but she's always up for praise.
Ella has also been enjoying her new slide that her Papa bought her when he was down last weekend. So, now she has her own sandbox and slide in her backyard. She loves and we go out every afternoon after her nap and play for about an hour. I love the slide, too, because I don't have to help her up it or down it. The steps are sturdy and wide enough for her to climb up and the slide reaches all the way to the ground, so she lands on her feet...or her butt...whichever she prefers at the moment. :)
This time next month our house will officially be on the market and we'll slowly but surly be preparing to move again. Where you ask? Well, we'll find that out this Thurs. around noon. You know I'll post another blog to update you...I will say that we'll most likely match in Philly or Michigan (keep your fingers crossed for Michigan). Until then, hope all is well and I would love to hear from you!
The most amazing progress to me is her vocabulary. I was happy with her progress a month ago, but now I'm just flat out in awe. She is talking and singing constantly. She tells us what she wants/needs and can tell us more how she's feeling and it makes things so much easier and less stressful. One of my favorite things that she's says now is 'sorry'. We've been trying really hard to get her to grasp the meaning of 'sorry' and why we say it. Sometimes she gets rough with the dogs and we tel lher to say 'sorry'...well, I think she's about got the concept, because she has started to say 'sorry' to me and Stephen when she does things that she thinks 'hurts' us. It's really cute. Another cute thing is when we do hurt ourselves (i.e., stub our toes pr bump into things) and we say 'ouch' or however we show our pain, she'll make sure we're OK and she won't be satisfied until we tell her that we're OK.
Another big accomplishment is that Ella finally went to the bathroom in her potty. It wasn't anything specific that I did, she was just sitting on her potty after she had asked to go potty and she was reading a book while I was in the kitchen and she came running in saying, "uh oh". I followed her in the bathroom wondering what she had gotten into when she led me to her toilet and pointed in it and said, "uh oh" again. I smiled and said, "Yeah! That's what you're supposed to do! I praised her for what seemed like forever because I wanted her to know that she had done a good thing. She seemed a little confused, but she's always up for praise.
Ella has also been enjoying her new slide that her Papa bought her when he was down last weekend. So, now she has her own sandbox and slide in her backyard. She loves and we go out every afternoon after her nap and play for about an hour. I love the slide, too, because I don't have to help her up it or down it. The steps are sturdy and wide enough for her to climb up and the slide reaches all the way to the ground, so she lands on her feet...or her butt...whichever she prefers at the moment. :)
This time next month our house will officially be on the market and we'll slowly but surly be preparing to move again. Where you ask? Well, we'll find that out this Thurs. around noon. You know I'll post another blog to update you...I will say that we'll most likely match in Philly or Michigan (keep your fingers crossed for Michigan). Until then, hope all is well and I would love to hear from you!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Ella's 20 Month Update
The past month has again flown by and brought along a lot growth for Ella. She's a little taller and has officially reached the 24lb mark. She has also had a lot of growth in her vocabulary. It's hard for me to tell you every thing that she's saying now, but I will say that she has clearly said her first two sentences which were: "What did you do?" and "Where did daddy go?". She has finally started saying 'yes' appropriately, so now I don't have to guess when her no means no and when her no means yes. It cool to be able to understand her more and more every day. Before I know it, we'll be having mini-coversations!
Potty training is still going slow, probably because of me, but she has yet to actually go in the potty. She just sits on it and laughs. She likes to sit ducky on it, too! If only I could get ducky to use the bathroom to show her what to do. For some reason she doesn't get what I'm doing when I'm using the bathroom, but that may be TMI for most of you. Anyway, I'm not pushing anything either, so it'll be a slow process.
This past week I left Ella for the first time. Needless to say, I was a mess! Ella was great and had a blast with her three cousins, especially Rebekah who is 4. They played outside for hours at a time and they also went to Disney this past Wed. Ella finally got to meet the characters since it wasn't very crowded and she hugged and kissed every one of them. Hopefully I'll be getting some copies of the pictures soon and I'll post them ASAP. Anyway, Stephen and I went to Philly to check out the city since that's Stephen's #1 choice for residency. So, Angela (Stephen's sister) watched Ella for three days. I knew she would be fine, but it was hard for me and I missed her terribly. It might have been a little easier if I was in a warm location sun bathing or swimming my worries away, but instead I was freezing my butt off and wanting to be with her!
Ella has also started going to KidCare for about and hour or so in the morning at our YMCA while I work out. She had a rough time letting me leave her the first time, but I soon found out that she was enjoying herself and loved the adults watching her. I'm looking forward to that being a daily routine if not at least 3 days a week.
And unfortunately Ella came down with a bad cold yesterday and is running a fever. I don't know exactly how bad it is because we're in Daytona for the weekend and I don't have her thermometer with me, but we're just giving her Tylenol Sinus and Cold for Infants and suctioning her nose all the time...fun, fun! I hope she gets over this quickly! As for the rest of the month, we'll be laying low and trying to enjoy our final months in Florida.
Potty training is still going slow, probably because of me, but she has yet to actually go in the potty. She just sits on it and laughs. She likes to sit ducky on it, too! If only I could get ducky to use the bathroom to show her what to do. For some reason she doesn't get what I'm doing when I'm using the bathroom, but that may be TMI for most of you. Anyway, I'm not pushing anything either, so it'll be a slow process.
This past week I left Ella for the first time. Needless to say, I was a mess! Ella was great and had a blast with her three cousins, especially Rebekah who is 4. They played outside for hours at a time and they also went to Disney this past Wed. Ella finally got to meet the characters since it wasn't very crowded and she hugged and kissed every one of them. Hopefully I'll be getting some copies of the pictures soon and I'll post them ASAP. Anyway, Stephen and I went to Philly to check out the city since that's Stephen's #1 choice for residency. So, Angela (Stephen's sister) watched Ella for three days. I knew she would be fine, but it was hard for me and I missed her terribly. It might have been a little easier if I was in a warm location sun bathing or swimming my worries away, but instead I was freezing my butt off and wanting to be with her!
Ella has also started going to KidCare for about and hour or so in the morning at our YMCA while I work out. She had a rough time letting me leave her the first time, but I soon found out that she was enjoying herself and loved the adults watching her. I'm looking forward to that being a daily routine if not at least 3 days a week.
And unfortunately Ella came down with a bad cold yesterday and is running a fever. I don't know exactly how bad it is because we're in Daytona for the weekend and I don't have her thermometer with me, but we're just giving her Tylenol Sinus and Cold for Infants and suctioning her nose all the time...fun, fun! I hope she gets over this quickly! As for the rest of the month, we'll be laying low and trying to enjoy our final months in Florida.
January 16, 2007 - a day that will live in enfamy...just kidding!
So, today is my 26th birthday. Not a big deal really...26 doesn't really get you anywhere. You're not old yet and you don't get any new responsiblities or priviledges. But, it is more fun because of Ella...this time last year we were in Boston. Ella was 7 months old and it was cold and dreary. The day pretty much sucked. As for today, it's cool and dreary again, but Ella is lighting up my day already.
As I look back on the update that I wrote a week ago, it's amazing the stuff that I forgot to put in and stuff that she's picked up since then! The big thing (that is also a scary thing) is that Ella can open doors now!! Uh-oh, is right!!! I have not been looking forward to the day that we had to put on those stupid door knobs that no one can work...they're not just kid-proof, I think they're human-proof! So, that was her big "accomplishment" in the past week. But, as I read my good friend's blog, I forgot to mention a lot about what Ella has started saying and doing. I was so wrapped up in her ability to turn her dependence on and off...
...One thing that we are so happy about is that Ella has started to say 'love you'. It just melts our hearts and then getting a big kiss makes it even better. Ella can also say her ABC's up to 'G'. She can't really get 'H' yet and then she can say I-L. She got a Blue's Clues doll that sings Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and sings the alphabet and it's so cute to hear her try and sing with it. She hasn't really mastered her numbers yet though. She can 1-3, but that's about it. When I try and count things with her she could really care less.
Anyway, I'm amazed more and more at how big she's getting and how fast she picks up things. She's constantly repeating everything we say which has kept us in check! :)
And I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't posted a picture yet, well I'll try and get on that ASAP. I've yet to download pics from the past few weeks because I haven't been on my home computer in a while. But, hopefully I'll get to that this week!
As I look back on the update that I wrote a week ago, it's amazing the stuff that I forgot to put in and stuff that she's picked up since then! The big thing (that is also a scary thing) is that Ella can open doors now!! Uh-oh, is right!!! I have not been looking forward to the day that we had to put on those stupid door knobs that no one can work...they're not just kid-proof, I think they're human-proof! So, that was her big "accomplishment" in the past week. But, as I read my good friend's blog, I forgot to mention a lot about what Ella has started saying and doing. I was so wrapped up in her ability to turn her dependence on and off...
...One thing that we are so happy about is that Ella has started to say 'love you'. It just melts our hearts and then getting a big kiss makes it even better. Ella can also say her ABC's up to 'G'. She can't really get 'H' yet and then she can say I-L. She got a Blue's Clues doll that sings Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and sings the alphabet and it's so cute to hear her try and sing with it. She hasn't really mastered her numbers yet though. She can 1-3, but that's about it. When I try and count things with her she could really care less.
Anyway, I'm amazed more and more at how big she's getting and how fast she picks up things. She's constantly repeating everything we say which has kept us in check! :)
And I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't posted a picture yet, well I'll try and get on that ASAP. I've yet to download pics from the past few weeks because I haven't been on my home computer in a while. But, hopefully I'll get to that this week!
Ella's 19 Month Update
What whirlwind this past month has been! It's been very chaotic and we've barely been home at all. Christmas has come and gone and it was bittersweet this year as we spent our last Christmas with Stephen's mom. Sadly, she lost her battle with breast cancer on January 1st. We've all been going through and array of emotions as we are glad that mom isn't suffering anymore and is home with her Lord, but of course we're also sad because of the obvious reasons. Stephen has lost his mom, Ella has lost her Nana, and I've lost my second mom...again, to cancer. We returned home from WV where mom was buried and Stephen has since then been busy with interviews. It seems like life will never be 'normal'.
Thankfully through all of this Ella faired pretty well. She traveled pretty good and slept better than she usually does when we're not at home. She enjoyed her Christmas' with Nana and Papa and with her Great-Grandma in Gainesville. She got some really great gifts from cute outfits to books to a Dora the Explorer Power Wheels Jeep!!! She really enjoys riding around and surprisingly caught on very quickly when it came to pushing the pedal to go.
So, with 2007 already upon us Ella is continuing her race to independence. It is so amazing at how INDEPENDENT she is when I don't want her to be and how DEPENDENT she is when I don't want her to be. She loves to feed herself and unfortunately I probably don't let her do it as much as I should because I never feel like cleaning up messes! :) She also loves to UNDRESS herself. She's getting a little better at brushing her teeth but more often than not I have to intervene and she HATES that! She's still a great eater and will not eat Gerber Graduates anymore. I don't know if she finally realized that they taste bad or what, but she only wants what we eat.
On the annoying side, I'm trying to grow her bangs out so they're the same length as the rest of her hair and she does not like keeping barrettes in her hair, so they're ALWAYS in her eyes and it drives me nuts! She also like to come ito the kitchen while I'm cooking and open all the drawers and just leave...so I'm banging my hips against the corners (and quietly cursing) while I cook.
We're also getting ready to venture into potty training. My only problem is that Ella still doesn't know 'yes'. She can say it when I tell her to say it, but she still just say 'no' to everything. I hear that's not good when it comes to potty training because she won't tell me that she has to go or what not. So, I guess we'll be starting slowly. :)
The next month, Lord willing, will be a little more normal and a little more fun. Ella will be starting gymnastics at our YMCA and hopefully Stephen and I will be able to play racquetball a little more since they offer free child-care!! The weather is nice and I'm hoping to be outside a lot more and be more active. That's my New Year's Resolution(s). I'm hoping since I have a kid now that those will be easier to stick to since Ella always wants to be active!
Wishing y'all a great 2007!
Thankfully through all of this Ella faired pretty well. She traveled pretty good and slept better than she usually does when we're not at home. She enjoyed her Christmas' with Nana and Papa and with her Great-Grandma in Gainesville. She got some really great gifts from cute outfits to books to a Dora the Explorer Power Wheels Jeep!!! She really enjoys riding around and surprisingly caught on very quickly when it came to pushing the pedal to go.
So, with 2007 already upon us Ella is continuing her race to independence. It is so amazing at how INDEPENDENT she is when I don't want her to be and how DEPENDENT she is when I don't want her to be. She loves to feed herself and unfortunately I probably don't let her do it as much as I should because I never feel like cleaning up messes! :) She also loves to UNDRESS herself. She's getting a little better at brushing her teeth but more often than not I have to intervene and she HATES that! She's still a great eater and will not eat Gerber Graduates anymore. I don't know if she finally realized that they taste bad or what, but she only wants what we eat.
On the annoying side, I'm trying to grow her bangs out so they're the same length as the rest of her hair and she does not like keeping barrettes in her hair, so they're ALWAYS in her eyes and it drives me nuts! She also like to come ito the kitchen while I'm cooking and open all the drawers and just leave...so I'm banging my hips against the corners (and quietly cursing) while I cook.
We're also getting ready to venture into potty training. My only problem is that Ella still doesn't know 'yes'. She can say it when I tell her to say it, but she still just say 'no' to everything. I hear that's not good when it comes to potty training because she won't tell me that she has to go or what not. So, I guess we'll be starting slowly. :)
The next month, Lord willing, will be a little more normal and a little more fun. Ella will be starting gymnastics at our YMCA and hopefully Stephen and I will be able to play racquetball a little more since they offer free child-care!! The weather is nice and I'm hoping to be outside a lot more and be more active. That's my New Year's Resolution(s). I'm hoping since I have a kid now that those will be easier to stick to since Ella always wants to be active!
Wishing y'all a great 2007!
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