Can't Shake this Cold

Shara's sleeping now after a really good and busy morning, but we're sure it's because she's sick and not because she's just tired. Her nose has been running on and off for days, as all the other kids at her school. We've all had this cough for days, though she hasn't coughed the past few. No fever, but her nose hurts and she's obviously not very happy. Hopefully a good morning rest will get her back in shape.

Olives

Last week we were having supper and shara tried olives, again. This time she really liked them and ate all the ones we had given her. She asked for more and Alan went and got the cutting board and cut her up some more olives. I said to him that Shara had a lot of other really good food on her plate too. After she finished her olives, she turned to alan and barely whispered to him, "daddy, more olives". She didn't want me to hear her asking for them!

Harvest Festival at School

Last night we went to the Harvest Festival at Shara's school. It was a fun night. Something different for Shara and us as well. Oma & Jidor joined us and got to meet Shara's teachers and see her school. Shara visited with her friends and got to look at the different classrooms. I said to Alan as we were leaving, "this is the first of many more".

Apple Picking, Visiting Liz, Freaky Night

We did go apple picking in Wrentham and had a nice time. We took a horse-drawn hayride around the orchard, had some ice cream, watched apples being polished and brought down a conveyor to be bagged, and got some apples to have at home. It was a beautiful day and Shara really liked watching the apples go down the belt.

Sunday we went to Uma & Jidor's for daddy's birthday supper. On the way Shara fell asleep and woke up coughing and coughed so hard that she threw up in the blanket that was covering baby, who was on her lap. We were actually in the CVS parking lot getting medicine for her and Alan. She didn't get anything on her, which was great. We gave her a couple of decongestant/cough strips, safe for infants, and it worked rather quickly. She continued to cough for the next week but it's finally clearing up and we haven't given her anything for it in the past few days. Dinner was nice. Shara had fun passing around plates to all and fixing her own plate of vegetables & crackers. We mostly just relaxed inside - Shara did a puzzle with Jidor and she really liked the brownies that Jidor made and was very tired by the time we left, but didn't fall asleep in the car.

The next day was a mommy & Shara day. We got dressed, had breakfast and went to the outlets for shoes. Shara seemed very excited about getting new shoes and getting her foot measured but when we got there and got a salesperson to measure her foot she changed her mind so mommy finally got her foot measured - 6 1/2 medium, but when we tried on the one shoe she liked, in her size, it didn't fit and she didn't want to try on any others. She needed to push her stroller - wouldn't walk or sit in the stroller, as we went to the bathrooms, because I really had to go and wasn't in a very good mood because of it. When we got there we went into the handicap stall and I told her several times not to touch, but when she still didn't listen after going for the little trash can in the stall, I hit her hand away. I'm not one to slap, but on further reflection (trying to calm my guilt) I realized that it was the correct thing to do. It did shock her a little, but she hardly cared and still had the devilish look in her eyes, but didn't really touch anything else - this time she stopped when I told her to and didn't push farther.

More coming later...
It's later - we went to Whole Foods to do some shopping and have lunch. Let me tell you, it's hard to go around a salad bar holding a tray and a Shara, but I did it. We got in line and as soon as I put Shara and the tray down, Shara was off like a shot - down the aisle, with me running after her. I got her, paid and we went to the cafe to eat and she was much better. We actually had a nice lunch together and finished with a little shopping - Shara in the front seat of the cart. She crashed on the way home and slept for about 2 hours while I got the apple pie filling made.

This past weekend we went to visit Jill & Liz at the school. We met them, Graham & his parents for lunch at Judie's in Amherst. The restaurant didn't open until 11:30 and we had the great fortune to be across from the fire station during their open house. Smoky the Bear was walking around, as were firemen in their uniforms, climbing high in the air and other fun things. We got seated at the restaurant and had lunch, but not much visiting time. Great food, though Shara was really hungry and I didn't think that it would take so long to get food, so we left everything in the car. Alan took a sprint there and got it all and Shara ended up having a feast. Actually we all did. After lunch we met Liz, Jill & Graham at the Eric Carle Museum. That was really cool and there we had a better chance to visit. The way home was filled with fun things like Shara playing with her "friends" - the mommies - ducky & giraffe left to go to work and the babies - bella & pooh cried while Shara & I comforted them by saying stuff like, "that's ok baby, your mommy will be back". She also had a fun time pretending to order pizza on the phone and called liz. She was mimicking me and my conversation (pretend) with Liz, but just said a few words for my many. It was really cute.

The other night she woke up so upset that I thought she was having a seizure or something. She couldn't talk she was so scared - just babbled like she was speaking in tongues. I ended up reading a book, at her request and she settled down.

She's so independent now. Just today got out of bed and opened her door and came down the hall, into the kitchen to say good morning. This was a first. She wanted to do everything herself - put her jacket on, walk down the stairs holding her "suitcase" full of friends to bring to school, climb up into the car, hang up her jacket, etc. Most of these things she does anyway, but all of them today. She also has started eating with her fork more and generally acting more grown up. It's really nice. Especially when she doesn't get frustrated too quickly and gives us time to figure out what she's asking or trying to say!

Really getting grown up

Everyone said, "they grow up so fast", and so far she's been growing up and nothing I hadn't expected, but what recently surprised me is how much she's grown up in the past few weeks. She's a little girl now, and certainly with a mind of her own. She's also so funny. The other night we were getting ready for bed and I had to change her sheets so her blanket was on the floor. She puts it into a big pile and starts saying, "ready... ready... one two three five go!" and jumps into the blanket. She did that several times before spending 10 minutes adjusting her smaller blankie on the bed. She wasn't even done with what she had planned for the blankie because she pitched a fit when we told her it was time to hear a story.

Bye bye's at school have been very good again. She uses Jake as her bye bye buddy and yesterday Tenley came along too. The three held hands while walking me to the door. Then they shut the door and blow me kisses through the window. At dinner the other night I was telling Alan that Shara's teacher mentioned that Shara & Jake were great friends. She can do stuff to him and he's so gentle with her whereas other kids he's not so gentle with. Shara then says, "Jake's my sister!". Very cute.

Yesterday after school Shara & I went to White's Pastry to get some cake for daddy's birthday. We're going to Uma & Jidor's tonight for supper & cake, but I wanted to have a family happy birthday song & candles. We picked out a slice of chocolate strawberry cake, an Elmo cupcake and a sprinkle cookie. She ate almost the whole cupcake. The cookie has been put off for probably tomorrow because it's one thing to buy it another to eat it and we'll be having cake again tonight. This time the cake will come after dinner. We had to start with dessert yesterday because Alan & I were going out to dinner and we didn't have time. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do! Way too many sweets for her yesterday - ice cream, a munchkin & french toast sticks w/ syrup at school... Today we're going apple picking before heading to Uma & Jidors. Monday mommy & Shara have a whole day alone. First time in a long time and I plan on going shoe shopping with her. She needs to pick out her own shoes because she doesn't like anything I get her and those sandals aren't going to be too warm in the winter.