I need Salt Water!

I know that looks like an ocean behind Libby and it is, but it's how my sinuses feel! It never fails. I get common colds that last forever, don't respond to medicine and last forever---did I already mention that? Oh, plus, I get them when Steven's work is revolving around him and he can't help me. I think I may get my sinuses amputated. Is there such a thing? Here's one thing to be VERY thankful for---Libby doesn't have it...........yet. I'm keeping her at a distance and just surviving. I had to leave school at 8:30 because I couldn't stand up. Okay, here's another teacher perk for anyone (namely my sister) who thinks teachers have it so easy. When you are sick, you have to know enough ahead of time (12 hours) to find your replacement, you have to leave purposeful, doable work on your desk for your replacement to do with the kids, you still have to either show up at 7:15 for your outside "valet"/car duty or beg someone to switch with you, and you have to personally call to let the school know---------DID I MENTION I WAS TOO SICK TO WORK? It sounds easier to just show up, which is what I tried today, but the cold was just too much. I drove home (can't really remember it), fell in the bed and slept. At 3:30, the phone rang and it was Mr. Hamilton Medical himself saying he'd been trying to call me and was worried. I WAS SLEEPING, did I mention---I'm sick. Anyway, I'd love to update you on Libby, but as you can tell---she's at a distance and we are just making it. I need salt water. More later.

1, 2, Swat the Bottom

Well....time out officially doesn't work for Libby. As a matter of fact, she opts for time out so she can whine from the corner which she has discovered has more echo. We are trying a "1, 2 Swat the Bottom" routine a friend recommended. She hasn't actually made it to the "swat" due to the fact she complies by 2---she swats herself which is aggrevating, but as long as she stops the incessant whining---all is well on the homefront. School is back in session, so some sense of schedule has returned, and we are counting it down until Christmas. Libby found a placemat map and has been memorizing the names of the states. So far she knows Georgia, Tennessee, California "where the camera lives", Hawaii, Alaska, Ohio, and Washington State --which she calls "Washin' My State". Isn't it amazing how great children's memories are?

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Libby has given us two choices over this Thanksgiving Break: 1) Watch "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" over and over. or 2) Hear her wail about wanting to watch it. You can guess which choice we opted for.

We got the Christmas card picture taken. She didn't want to wear the beautiful needlepoint Christmas dress I had in mind, she wanted the cheap $3 penguin outfit from Target. You can see who won that one.

School is back in session tomorrow. My sister gets so mad about the time off I get. She acts like I "won" my job and schedule. I tell her the true injustice is that she gets perfect attendance awards when she calls in at least twice a month.

We now know where Libby gets her fuzzy logic from. More later.

The Day After Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was a big day for Libby. We went to three family gatherings. She spent the night with her grandparents so that we could put all the Christmas decorations up. When her grandparents returned her today, they told us that she ate so many Cheetos that she threw up (which explains the orange gunk in her hair b/c she wouldn't take a bath). Poor grandparents. I'd like to say that that was an unusual event, but it's a rather common event in the life of Libby. The tree is up.

Libby: Ohhhh my! A tree is in the house.

Mommy: Yes, it's the Christmas tree.

Libby: Noooo. It's my tree. MMMMmmmIIIIIIIIIIIIne. ***pitched a crying fit***

Mommy: Okay. Merry Libby, Libby.

A NO SCHOOL DAY IS A GOOD DAY

I don't know who's happier about today being a "NO SCHOOL" day---Libby or me. It is so nice to get a break from the regular routine of things and just be at home. Today's recent meltdown for Libby was a common one in that I couldn't find her pink cat crocs. (She had a look similar to the one in the Halloween picture above.) Luckily, the world will continue revolving because she ended up finding them in her dinosaur bucket. Funny how she melts down BEFORE she problem solves. The second crisis was when a page from her Chicken Little book came out and she couldn't understand why I couldn't immediately re-bind the book to its original condition. I didn't even try to reason with her...........I just found the spare copy and changed them out. Suppose that's why she isn't reasoning through things....probably, but I need my sanity. This is all before noon!

Life With Libby

Life with Libby is a great way to begin our blog. The number one question Steven and I are asked is: "Well, have you adjusted to parenthood?" We never know what to say! Is it obvious that we aren't there yet? I don't think you ever get "there" with parenthood. Anyway, our parenthood has been a blessing. We have discovered that we were very self-centered and unfocused on the real important things in life. More l8r!