Fun, pet peeve and humidity...

I bought the new Harry Potter book on Saturday. I can't wait to read it. I am forcing myself to wait to read it until I leave for vacation on Friday. It is pure torture to wait. Knowing my luck, I will end up leaving it at home, when I leave for vacation.

Bob and I went to a party at Otter and KH's house on Saturday night. It was just great to kick back, listen to music and talk. It was a very welcomed break. We did not get home until after 4:00am and I was beat, but it was totally worth it. Thanks guys!!!

I had some running around to do today and during my travels, I came across one of my major pet peeves with other parents. Just for some background, I am very peticular about the way Sophia looks when we go out. I try to make sure that she and her clothes are clean and that her hair is somewhat in order. This has become much harder since she has gotten older, but I still try to do the best I can. Even if I look like crap, she usually looks very good (not hard for me to look crappy on most days). Now to the thing that bothers me...Sophia and I were getting ready to leave the store when a woman walks in with her child. This child has nothing on, but a diaper. Since this child was similar in age to Sophia, I know that it can't be that hard to get him ready (although, it might be a bit trying). I also saw two women pushing their babies down the street, these children were also in just a diaper. Now maybe, I am being judgmental with these moms, but I feel that if I can get myself dressed, then I can get my child dressed. It usually only takes a few minutes. To me it just seems lazy. Sophia would prefer to run around naked all the time, but she doesn't, because I make sure that she is dressed. Maybe I am just crazy.

I don't know about you guys, but I hate humidity and living here in the great state of Maryland, you are almost always dealing with it. Every time I have been outside for the last several days, my clothes and hair stick to my back. YUCK! I think that I could shower five times a day and still feel gross. I am not a hot weather person, so I dread this time of year. Other than going on vacations and swimming, I can't wait for fall to get here.

Well, I have complained enough for one day. I hope you are all well and happy and having a wonderful day!!!

Keep cool!

Carnival...

Well Sophia's eye was at least half swollen shut today. According to the pediatrician, this is very normal. She looked pretty horrible today. Bob kept referring to her as Clubber Lang (Mr. T's character in Rocky III, never saw the movie). She definitely looks like she has been in a fight.

We decided to take Sophia to the local carnival this evening. We had taken her earlier in the week, but it had rained, so we were hoping to take her again. She had a ball. We actually let her get on a few rides by herself. This made me a bit nervous, but we had to let her do it some time. A few times cried when we took her off of a ride. One lady asked me how old she was and after my answer she said that Sophia was very brave for somebody so young. That made me feel great. There is nothing better than getting a compliment on your child. She ate like I have not seen her eat in a long time. She started out with a few french fries, then had some cotton candy (very, very sticky, but she loved it) and ended with an entire piece of pizza. By the time she was on her final ride (thankfully Bob was with her), she was in tears, because she was completely exhausted. Right now she is in her bedroom fighting sleep, hopefully, she will drift off soon.

It is interesting to watch Sophia grow up. Sometimes, you sit back and are amazed by how she is changing and how much different she is than when she was born. While, I do love to watch her try new things, it makes me a bit sad, because after she does something she can never do that particular thing for the first time again. It is sort of like she has a checklist for life and she is busy putting checks in the boxes and never looking back. At times, I miss that little baby who for the first six months of her life, fell asleep on my shoulder every night. I know that it is important for her to do all of these firsts in life, but I guess I never thought about how they would affect me. All the same, I am glad that she enjoys life and thrives. I can not describe how her beautiful little smile brings me some of the greatest joy in my entire life. It is hard for me to think this, but there are parents out there who never really appreciate the simple things about their kids. They don't know what they are missing.

Have a great night!

Emergency...

Today was a day that every parent regrets! It was Sophia's first trip to the emergency room. She fell and cut her left eyelid. It all happened so quick we were not even quite sure what happened. She also has cuts above her left eye and below her right eye, so for a few days she will look like she had been in a boxing match.

I will hate the looks that we will get over the next week or so until she heals. People are thinking one of two things; abusive parents or parents who were not paying attention. Even though, neither is the case you still feel guilty and are extremely annoyed that anybody would dare to think you a horrible parent. Oh well, what can you do? People will think what they will.

Thankfully, it was a superficial wound and will heal rather quickly. They would have put some kind of glue on it to hold the cut together, but the skin on the wound had already started to die. We are just hoping that she will not scar.

As I said, every parent regrets this, so I guess I should be relieved that my first trip to the emergency room is over. I can breath a sigh of relief that it was not more serious and say a small prayer that it will never happen again.

It seems that since Sophia is more active this year we spend more time outside than we ever have. We go out and play in the pool and her playhouse during the day and at night we go out under the stars and look at lightning bugs (sometimes bats) and walk around. Having Sophia around has made me remember what it was like when I was a kid. I remember being out just when it got dark collecting lightning bugs and placing them in mason jars with holes in the top so that the bugs could breath.

This weekend was a great weekend. We had to go to a family party yesterday and there is always a certain amount of stress with that, but Sophia made me forget all about the trivial family stuff that I normally deal with. She had a ball watching other kids and dancing. She walked right up to these ladies and started dancing with them. It was so funny and she was a big hit.

Today we had to go visit a friend who had lost his mother on Friday. It was sad to think about his mother being gone as we had been to her house for a couple of 4th of July parties. When I think of her I smile. She never judged us for the things we did and I think that in some ways she may have wanted to join in.

After leaving our friends we went to Bob's parents the rest of the day and hung out with them and Sophia's godparents. We ate some awesome food, swam and then when it was dark, lit off some fireworks. Of course the mosquitoes were in full swing, but a little "Off" spray took care of that. To quote Sophia's Godfather, "Ah the smell of summer; deet and sulfur." I couldn't have said it any better.

When we were done with the fireworks, we stood for a few seconds and watched the lightning bugs. I don't think that they will ever stop fascinating me and when they do, it may be time for me to check out. I think that they will always make me think of childhood. I hope that one day Sophia will be standing in the same place that I was tonight thinking the same thing. I hope that she will always remember her childhood with happy thoughts.

Happy 4th of July!!! Peace to you Miss Jeanne!!!!!