Summer Theater Fun

For the past few summers I have gotten CDA Summer Theater tickets with some of my sister-friends. We always have such a great time going to dinner and watching the shows together. It's something that I look forward to throughout the summer. I missed the first one this summer because Miss Julianna was only 12 days old and I wasn't quite ready to get "All Shook Up" with Elvis. The second show, "La Cage Au Folles" was funny, but a little over the top for me. But on Saturday, the girls and I were in for a treat. We went to Fort Ground Grill for dinner, a new place for us all. It was great. The food was really good and after tasting a bit off all the plates around the table, we decided that we will definitely go there again.

The show for the night was "Once Upon A Mattress" and none of us really had any idea about it except that it was based on the princess and the pea story. It turned out to be a whole lot of good, clean fun. From the obnoxious queen to the meek prince to the mute king to the lovable princess, every minute was completely entertaining. I knew from the second that we met the mote swimming Princess Winnifred that I would love her. And I did. At intermission I told the girls that we had to take her with us to dessert afterwards. She would fit right in with our little group. She was funny and fun and kind and sweet. And most of all, she was who she was and didn't care who knew it. My second favorite character was King Sextimus played by the always wonderful Jack Bannon. Poor King Sextimus is mute and must communicate with hand signs which makes for several moments of hilarity, especially when he's trying to explain to Prince Dauntless about the birds and the bees. Let's just say his stork impression is priceless! And as usual the actors were amazing, the music was perfect, and the story was entertaining.

So once again, I was not disappointed. It was a wonderful evening filled with great food, a terrific show, and my favorite friends.

We Need To Get Out More

One afternoon last week, the boys asked if we could make chocolate chip cookies. Why not? It is summer vacation after all. So here's how we make cookies at my house. Get the bag of cookie mix out of the pantry. Add a stick of butter and an egg. Mix. Bake. And eat. (The boys do know that there are other ways to bake and have seen baking from scratch on occasion for those of you cringing at my cookie mix.) Since I know that they like to help, I asked Adam to get the eggs out of the fridge and told him to take one out of the carton. He sat the carton on the counter and opened it. But as the top went up, the bottom slipped off the counter and dumped 11 of the dozen eggs on the floor. I looked at him and he looked at me and we both looked at the scrambled mess on the floor and I started to laugh. And then he started to laugh (relieved that I was laughing, I think). We got paper towels and a plastic bag to put the mess in and both got on our knees to start cleaning up. Josh then joined in and began picking up shells and yolks. It didn't take long for the boys to discover the squishy fun of squeezing the yolks through their fingers. They laughed and played and made the mess bigger than it was to start with. Then Josh said, "This is the most fun I've had all day!" And that's when I realized that we really should get out more often.

Word Of The Day

Yell heard down the hall from the boy's room:

"Josh! Stop telling me what to do! I am not your minion!!"

Minion?!?! Really?

Mush

As I looked back at my posts since Julianna was born, I noticed that they have all been very mushy and sweet. And while there have definitely been those mushy, sweet times, that's certainly not all that comes along with a new baby. So I thought that with this post I would share a bit of the reality that happens between those moments that I gaze into the face of my baby daughter.

One thing is that she cries. Loud. She only cries if she's hungry. Or tired. Or really needs a diaper change. And pretty much every time we put her in the car seat. But, she's not colicky, thank goodness, and cries less than most babies, I think. And we've learned how to soothe her pretty quickly, but last week in Costco when her screams were echoing throughout the warehouse, I realized just how anxious her crying can make me. Her crying doesn't usually bother me, but I don't want it to bother anyone else.

And then there's the diapers. Oh, the diapers. First of all, who knew that such a little person could make such a big mess. And so very often. It's a good thing I received so many diapers as gifts. It's going to cost a bundle when those run out. Secondly, I thought that with a little girl I wouldn't have to be so quick on the draw with the changing. But, guess what? Instead of wetting up like a fountain, she wets down all over the pretty pink outfit that I just put on her 10 seconds before.

Then there's the lack of sleep. I know that I need lots of sleep to function without getting grouchy, so I started praying for a baby who was a good sleeper a long time before she was born. But like all babies, her sleeping is inconsistent to say the least. For the first few weeks she and I spent most nights on the couch or in the rocking chair with me holding her. Then she slept in the bed with me for a while, but I didn't sleep well at all. Now she sleeps in the bassinet next to our bed most of the time and usually sleeps 3 or 4 hours at a time. Last night was great, though. She slept 6 hours straight! Woo hoo! (I hope I didn't just jinx it.)

This next one is something that I have to mention even at the risk of my "World's Best Mom" mug being taken away by the LaLeche League. Breastfeeding. It is one of my least favorite parts of the baby thing. I know that I'm supposed to love it. But I don't. I do it because it's best for the baby and for me. I nursed the boys until they were about 6 months old and plan to do the same with Julianna. But for the most part I find it uncomfortable, inconvenient (outside the house), and well...drippy. It does, however get bonus points for being free.

But besides the crying and the diapers and the sleep deprivation and the breastfeeding, everything in my life really is all mushy and sweet.

One Month

Yesterday Julianna turned one month old. And just as I suspected, time with her is flying by. I realized very early on with her that I better relish every moment because, just like with the boys, I'm going to blink and she'll be 8 years old. Those early days with her weren't easy. It seemed like all I did was feed her and hold her and change her and try to figure out which one she wanted me to do. On very little sleep. But here we are, a month into her little life. I know her a little better. She knows me a little better. We are both sleeping a little more. And I love her more and more every time I look at her.

And now, finally, she seems real. For so long it was like a dream. A long morning sickness, tired body, c-section, hospital room, weird nurse filled dream. I'd look at her and wonder when and why and how she became a part of me. And then a few mornings ago as she lay beside me looking so amazingly lovely in the dawn light, I realized why God sent her to us. It's for me. I need her. I don't know why yet. And I don't even know when I'll know why. But it hit me like a ton of bricks that God sent me this beautiful little daughter, not because she needs me, but because I need her. She is going to help me become a better person. She is going to teach me things that no one else can. She is going to play some part in my life that can't be filled by any one else. So now as I watch her grow and change, I will also be growing and changing.

But right now, she is calling me and it looks like the change of the moment is a diaper change.