Thanksgiving 2006

I'm having such a hard time blogging these days. Not only because we've been so busy, but there just isn't anything remarkable. We've been having a lot of fun lately - going to the playground (Shara went on the really big, twisty slide all by herself), going out to eat (she's great in a restaurant), going to the market (shopped all morning to get food for Thanksgiving and Shara kept herself busy playing with peppers and helping put the produce in bags, all while driving her "car"). We haven't had too many meltdowns - or maybe we have them and we're getting really good at stopping them quickly. She's getting a lot taller - finally got rid of a couple pair of leggings that were 12-18 month. While cooking these days, Shara would rather cook in her own kitchen or sit in her highchair and just watch, rather than help (was going to have her help make pizza last week), but she did crush up cracker crumbs with me at the counter for a casserole and had fun. When we go down the stairs in the morning to leave, a couple of times she's said, "it's midnight" and I finally put it together - going down the stairs, Cinderella leaving the ball... She still loves Cinderella, but isn't obsessed with watching the movie all the time. She also knows that the holidays are here and understands about presents & wish lists. She remembered a toy that she wanted a month ago, that I told her to put on her list and when people ask what you want, we'll tell them.

So, thanksgiving. Shara & mommy went to the turkey farm to get our turkey. It was so good I don't know if it was the turkey or the recipe (cooked perfectly). Nothing really remarkable happened. I had the most fun getting Shara dressed while watching the parade. She was enthralled! Loved the dancing and music and we recorded it so we were able to watch it later as well. We learned about kick lines and musicals and I really think that Shara is going to end up with dance lessons, rather than music.

The Albany contingent was very late due to the crummy weather but they got her and we all had fun eating and visiting. Liz is going to have her external ? taken out this week and then 6 more weeks in the chair. She's not taking any pain killers, but that doesn't mean that she isn't in pain ever. Unfortunately a crutch fell on her leg as they were getting ready to leave and the goodbyes were tearful. Hopefully the pain didn't last too long, but these are the kind of things that will hopefully go away after that thing comes out. Shara had fun getting rides with Liz on the wheelchair and visiting with her cousins. She ate dinner in between Liz & Samantha, just like a big girl. Mommy & Daddy weren't even in arms range! Samantha helped stuff sweet potato into the orange cups and made pretty flower designs with the pecans & marshmallow topping. Chris happily stayed until after dinner, though she was threatening to leave before to go to New Hampshire for a weekend getaway.

Bubbe & Papa stayed until Saturday afternoon and we all had a good time together. We visited the Mansfield Library and looked at knitting books and got shara a few more new reads. Then we had lunch at Fresh Catch - Shara really liked the clam chowder. Then we were going to go to a playground but Shara fell asleep on-route and we headed south to Michaels craft store and Bubbe & Mommy did a little shopping while Shara, daddy & papa slept in the car. We went home, dropped off papa & daddy and Bubbe & Shara went to the playground. Then we had supper, played a little and mommy layed down with Shara for about 45 minutes before daddy came in to relieve, causing much crying and shara finally went to sleep around 8:45, as usual for days when she has a nap. But this night she woke up crying several times until mommy took her into mommy & daddy's bed because brutus was meowing & pawing at the door and no one could get back to sleep. Daddy wanted to try the relief effort again last night, but it wasn't needed because we skipped the nap, wore her out and she went to sleep by 7:30 and is still asleep now.

Yesterday morning we went to Good Days for brunch and all was well (Shara refused the highchair & opted for a booster seat, which actually worked out perfectly), but when we got in the car pitched such a fit after I strapped her into the carseat that I thought she was in pain. Turned out she just wanted to sit next to mommy. I told her later that she needed to use words to let us know what she wants and not to scream and cry (and almost throw up). Then we went to the Village Toy Store so bubbe could get the baby outfit they had there (big selection) and on the way out Shara tells me, "I want mommy to sit next to me". Big girl! Bubbe & Papa left & Shara & mommy watched more of the parade, had light edamame & pot sticker lunch & played a lot and had a lot of fun. Something we don't get to do ofter - always running around or mommy doing productive things. Then we all went to the playground and had more fun. Shara lightly fell off the swing as she decided to get off before mommy had a chance to get her off. She was almost stopped and this was just a scare, but then we showed her how to get off herself and that was a really good thing. After we went home, read a little, heated up supper, ate, read some more, watched a little Cailou, read more and went to bed in 15 minutes!

My sensitive little girl

Last week at school when I was getting ready to leave, Shara stood up from the table and knocked into a little girl and the little girl fell over. It was a complete accident, but I asked Shara if she should say she was sorry to Emily. shara very quietly said sorry, but to me. I said to shara I think you need to tell Emily. Shara turned to Emily and said a very quiet, "sorry". Then I looked down and Shara was still looking down. I picked her up and asked if she was ok because her lip was quivering. She started to cry and I realized she was really feeling bad about the situation. We got duck and Shara felt better, but we still had a bad drop-off. When I picked her up she was fine.

This past weekend was Hannah's 3rd birthday party. We all had a good time - Shara's still talking about it. They had it in a hall at their church. It was good because the kids could run around, and they did. At the end of the organized part of the party, they had races back and forth across the hall. On one of the later races, Hannah accidentally knocked Shara down. Everyone was fine, but again, Shara's lip started quivering. She was ok after a few minutes.

Then last night, she was jumping on her bed - her new fun thing to scare mommy & daddy with. I then sat her down and reminded her about Katie's cast and her broken arm and what that was all about. She got a really scared look in her eye and I should I just stopped talking and left her scared about jumping on the bed, but no, mommy had to say, "it's ok, but that's why I want you to be careful." because she immediately got up and started jumping again!

Pictures! - 2 months worth

This is only from my camera, which I'm not too happy about. Many were blurry and I don't know why. We have a few others that need to be uploaded from our other camera and we'll get to them eventually.
Come & Get them Here!

Second Halloween

Shara's second Halloween was nothing at all like her first. This time it was so much fun for all of us, except Alan who was sick. I picked Shara up from school and we had dinner. While eating the doorbell rang and the fun began. I gave out the candy to our first trick-or-treaters and the questions began as well. Who was that? What they doin'? Where they goin'? We finished dinner and got on our wings and off we went. I took Shara around and the first leg of our trip was all uppie, uppie. We visited Anne Marie and a couple other neighbors, and then we saw Nemo & a princess, all walking, so Shara felt it was safe to get down and walk herself. She was great - held my hand, acted excited about seeing the kids and all the activity and being a part of it. I couldn't believe the candy our neighbors gave out - big candy bars, not the little miniatures we gave. Shara got a good stash and we went home after she heard some music she thought was scary. It was the Adams' Family theme, but to her it was scary. It was also dark and the packs of kids were in pockets, so the street seemed deserted at times. We went home and Shara picked her candy to eat - M & M's. She then wanted to go back out! And we did. This time we followed the other scary music down the street and this was really scary stuff. They had a green head projected on the front of their garage and it was talking some weird stuff and occasionally it would burn up. Looked really familiar but I have no idea what it was from. We decided to go home and call it a night. I thought it would give her nightmares, but she was fine. It really brought back memories of when I was a kid and it should be even more fun when she gets into picking her costume and helping put it together.