The Accident

A couple of weeks ago I was in class teaching when I saw daycare pop up on my caller ID. It was about 10:30 on a Monday and immediately all kinds of things started running through my head, including that I didn't have time for this (terrible, I know). We had just started potty training, so I was wondering how she had used all the clothes I sent this early.

Since I was in class, I missed the call, but immediately stepped out and called them back. It was then I was told that E had fallen on the playground and scrapped her face. They told me it looked bad, but she was okay. I was relieved she didn't need additional medical care, but still worried about her the rest of the day.

When my husband got home with her that night, I got to see just how bad it was. They weren't kidding when they said it looked bad. She got lots of extra love and snuggles that night for sure.

Ouch

One of the hardest things about being a working parent is all of the things that can happen without you around. Not being there to kiss a boo boo or give hugs when she falls is one thing, but there are so many things out of your control that can happen too. (It wasn't that long ago that a car when through a daycare here in Orlando.)

I know that even if I was with her 24-7, I can't protect her from everything. It is one of the hardest things that I have to manage as a parent. The desire to protect her from everything is so hard and I know it will only get harder.

Someone once told me that having a child is like having your heart outside of your body. I couldn't have put it any better myself. At the end of the day, I am thankful for everyday we make it through safe and sound.

And for E's face, it is way better than my nerves. Less than a week later, you almost couldn't tell it happened.  

Less than a week later,
it is amazing how fast she healed.

 

Sick vs. Sick with a Toddler

I normally don't get sick very often, but have been sick twice in the past month. Not completely knocked out for the count sick, but nasty cold with a fever kind of sick. You know, just sick enough to really impact your life. It has given me time to think about the differences between being sick pre-kid and being sick with a toddler in the house.

Realizing I am actually sick

Sick - Feeling terrible on the way home from work, I would come home and take my temperature. Upon finding out I had a fever, I would change into comfy clothes and curl up in a blanket on the couch.

Sick with toddler - Feeling terrible on the way home from work, get caught up in doing stuff around the house, then remember to take my temp. I search the house to find the thermometer and ear covers, take my temp and find out I do really have a fever. I then text my husband to let him know and continue to make dinner and put away the mountain of laundry that was waiting for me.

Dinner

Sick - Scrounge through the house and find a couple things that sound edible. Make the husband fend for himself and eat dinner curled up on the couch under the blanket mentioned earlier.

Sick with a toddler - Make whatever was planned on the menu for the week. Eat sitting at the table, because there is no way we are eating pasta with sauce on the carpet. Get up and down approximately 1,000 times for forgotten items and things the toddler wants.

After Dinner

Sick -Curl up on the couch and watch a little television or chat with the husband before going to bed. There was also the possibility of going straight to bed.

Sick with a toddler - Lay down on the couch with a blanket while E plays and watches part of a movie pushes me out of the out of the corner, takes my blanket, and tells me I am not sick. Move to a different part of the couch and chat with my husband for bit with E climbing all over both of us. Watch her play for a few minutes then clean up when she pees on the floor. Then there is bath time and getting E ready for bed.

Bedtime

Sick - Brush teeth, wash face and climb into bed at an obscenely early time. Maybe wake when my husband comes to bed and say good night.

Sick with toddler - Brush teeth, wash face and climb into bed after E is put to bed. Listen to her fight my husband going to bed for 30 min, then start calling for mommy. Go into her room and relieve my husband. Get E to settle down a bit, cover her with her blanket about 500 times then sit on the floor of her bedroom covered in a swaddle blanket trying to keep warm. Then drag my butt to bed.

Morning

Sick - Briefly acknowledge my husband as he leaves for work. Roll over and go back to sleep.

Sick with toddler - Awaken at some point overnight because E woke up. Then up at 5:45 a.m. because E was up and ready for the day. Get her dressed, feed her breakfast and watch her while my husband gets dressed and ready for work. Help him get her into the car and on her way to daycare. Thank the lord for daycare and crawl back into bed.
  
Luckily my fever broke and a day of sleep made me feel a thousand times better. 

Adventures in Parenting - The MayMay(Pacifier) Fairy

After putting it off for longer than we probably should, we recently decided it was time for E to give up her beloved MayMay (her pacifier...she named it). We discussed multiple options for the process, everything from going cold turkey to cutting the pacifier until there is nothing left, and finally settled on a visit from the MayMay Fairy.

E loved her MayMay

The premise is that you leave your pacifier out when you go to bed. Overnight the fairy comes and takes the pacifier and leaves you a present. Additionally, the fairy gives the pacifiers to babies who need them.

We chose New Year's Eve to be night that the MayMay Fairy came. It was late in the week and we were going to be around for the long weekend. The start of the new year also seemed fitting. At the beginning of the week we started telling E that the MayMay fairy would be coming that week.

During the day on New Year's Eve we decorated a special bag for E to leave for the MayMay fairy. She had a good time coloring and adding special stickers to the bag.

Just before going to bed, we gathered all of the MayMays and put them in the bag. Then we set the bag by the front door. She was so brave when she put the bag out. Her lip was quivering as she walked back to her bedroom. That night she cried for about 15 minutes going to bed. She slept well that night and we felt a little like rock stars. (This was probably a little premature.)

She was so sad when she left her bag.

The MayMay Fairy brought an Elsa doll, a tool set
and a suitcase with light up wheels.

She enjoyed her gifts and asked about the MayMay a couple of times. Each time, we reminded her where it went. Her nap that day came in the form of a car ride because she "won" the battle during nap time.

On New Year's Day we went to visit family for dinner and E played with her cousins. Normally, she is really tired and would crash in the car after spending all afternoon playing. This time...not so much. There were tears and lots of asking for her MayMay. It took us about 45 minutes to get her to bed and there were lots of tears. She was also up overnight...not fun.

The next night was when the sh@*! hit the fan. It took us well over an hour to get her to go to sleep. Most of that was spent screaming, crying, trying to climb out of her crib and asking for her MayMay. (That night involved lots of Mommy tears too. I felt so bad for her.) I would have given in, but luckily my husband is much stronger than I am and talked me down off the ledge.

After much discussion, we decided that maybe a big girl bed would help with the transition. The next morning we asked her if she would like the rail off her crib and showed her a picture of what her crib would look like when converted to a toddler bed. She said that she would want that and we were desperate for just about anything that might help. 

Unfortunately, the photo I showed her also had a purple blanket and pillow, so she thought that this transition also meant a purple bed. So, that day we went looking for a purple blanket. Target, as always, came to the rescue.

Testing out the "new" bed

I wish that this was the perfect fix, but it still took an hour for her to go to bed that night. At least she was happy and talkative instead of crying. Sadly, bedtime hasn't been the same since the MayMay went away. Some nights she goes down with no problem, other nights it is a fight. Similarly, her consistency of sleep has not been great either. (There are nights when I really miss the MayMay.)

I just keep telling myself that there will be a point when I get sleep again...someday.

Race Recap - Lady Track Shack 5k

Last weekend I ran one of my favorite races...the Lady Track Shack 5k. This is my 4th year running it and it is always an inspiring race. This year I got to run it with my mom and that made it even more special.

Saturday morning my alarm child went off at about 5 a.m. Since there was no getting her back to sleep and my alarm was going to go off anyway, we all got up. By 6:20 a.m., after a snack and debate with E about eating yogurt before we left the house, we were out the door and on our way. The race started at 7:30 a.m. so I figured we had plenty of time. It only takes about 20 minutes to get from the house to the race location and in past years parking and traffic hadn't been an issue.

We didn't have an issue this year, until approaching the Princeton exit on I-4 where traffic was backed up for a bit. Slowly but surely, we made our way to the parking garage. Time was ticking away, but we still had a good buffer, that was until we go to the top of the deck and there weren't any spots left. Luckily my husband was driving, so he dropped us off. Mom and I headed to the race and he went to look for parking.

After sitting for 20 min

We got to the start line and made our way toward the back of the pack. I am slow and Mom was walking, so I didn't want to be too far front. There was enough time for  a quick selfie and a little complaining about the cold and we were off.

So many people

The first mile was good, but really really crowded. In hindsight, I may have started a little too far back because I had to weave through a number of people. While the course was busy, the scenery was really pretty.

There were a number of views like this in the first mile

I felt good most of the first mile and held a decent pace. Mile 2 wove us thought some fun neighborhoods and included some fun views of downtown Orlando.

Still crowded

The course was still pretty packed at this point. This was surprising, because normally the crowds thin out as you get further into the race. At about 2.5 miles, the course took us onto a running path and across a bridge. Then we headed into the finish in Lock Haven Park. My husband and E were waiting for me because E wanted to finish with me. It turned out that she really wanted me to pick her up and run...that didn't last very long, so we ran to the finish together.

Can I run here everyday?

E grabbed some strawberries and a banana and we waited to see mom finish. She was no too far behind me. We hung out and grabbed some juice until it was time for the kids races. E was really excited to run and did a great job.

She was ready to run!

My time for this race was 40:04 (12:53/mile). Not great, but I haven't been training to gain speed, so I can't really expect much. It was, as always, a fun race to run.

The best thing was seeing E at the finish line and showing her that being active is fun.