Swimming in the tub

Since I have been sick we didn't go swimming today. Faith has started to get another I tooth in on the bottom and has been cranky also along with having a cold. So we decided to go swimming in the bathtub today. She got her swimming suit on and loaded her boat into the tub. Next came the beach ball and her dinosaur and ducks. She tells them, "No pooping in the bathtub. Go potty" She knows she has to get out if this happens. She had fun and it was nice because we didn't have to have the coldness of the YMCA locker rooms.

Prayerful habits

As I try to do my part to teach Faith the beginning of the love that Jesus has for us she does her best to remember to pray. What started as a generic grace in Motown has turned into a full individual prayer at all times before meals and snacks. As we fold our hands or arms she bows her head and says, "Dear Lord, thank you.... and looks at all the things that she sees and names each one as she looks around the room. Let us not forget our family near and far. So she names them off the best she can. Next is the kitties.... all 5 of them by names. Oops she almost forgot to give thanks for the eating utensils. Have to be thankful for them.
What I remember a few months back is a conversation with a coworker about a child not being able to grasp what being thankful is all about. I try to teach her how much she is loved and how much we are given each day from the Lord. As she ran around the house last night she stopped in mid stride to fold her arms. Her conversation went like this. "Dear Lord, mumble mumble mumble.... Amen" Then she found her old booster seat. She said her same prayer over and over again while sitting in it. It was like she was practicing what she was being taught. A little seed was planted in her heart there in Motown. If nothing else good came of being in that awful daycare, prayer came to all of us. Now as we finish reading at night she runs over to her red drawer and pulls out her nighttime prayer book. She goes to the middle of her room where she sits on her knees, bows her head and folds her arms. "Dear Lord..... Amen" A sense of peace comes over me and a little voice tells me that we'll be alright.

A day with a friend

When work told me that I was going to be spending two days in class training and two days at the house with residents I had to quickly find someone to watch Faith on Thursdays. I looked to my friend from church who has two kids of her own; one being close to Faith's age. After a day filled with crying and terror of leaving Andma's house to playing babies with the 4 year old girl to being chased by a "big bad giant wolf", I would say that Faith had a good first day away from her mommy. I couldn't figure out what the whole big bad wolf thing was about. That was all she could talk about as I put her into her seat belt. She was not only telling me about it her little arms lifted up to the sky to represent the big wolf. She swung her arms back and forth as she simulated the running from him. I asked her if she read a story; she said, "no". I tried to name the stories of a wolf. "NO" she said. I decided to ask my friend. She laughed as she went on to tell me that the little boy, Calvin, chased Faith and Leah through the house pretending to be the big bad wolf. I thought I was going die from laughing. Faith doesn't get that type of excitement around here. I guess we can try. Today is Saturday and she is still talking about it.

New everything

I love to here Faith talk of how everything is new to her. Despite the fact that a bathroom is a bathroom she is totally excited about the new items in the bathroom. Sometimes I think that she just likes to go into them just to see. "POTTY" she says. I take her and she sits just to see all the new stuff. She starts naming them all. "New sink, new potty, new wall, new flower, new mirror, new paper, new trash can, new towels.... and on and on until everything is accounted for. It is wonderful to see her recognizing the world and her surroundings.

Her great uncle brought her a new kitchen and picnic table last night. I am so grateful for this. She is finally learning to play on her own. Maybe she had a hard time before with her other toys because that is all she's ever known; that she plays those toys with me. Even though this workbench, kitchen and picnic table are big, I think that they are three good investments. Not only will she benefit from them; she will continue to play with them when a sibling comes along and they play together. I'm not sure where they will all reside in the new living space but we will sort it out when the times comes.

Here a bug, there a bug, everywhere a bug bug

Good Ol' Faith had an exciting afternoon. After a big morning filled with church with Pa Pa and Andma followed by food and fellowship, she was ready for something fun. I decided to rummage through the garage to see what I could find. You never know. I found a bug collecting kit that was once Grace's when she visited. Now Faith doesn't like bugs. Last night she saw a spider in the bathtub and she screamed and ran to tell Pa Pa. So the idea of bug hunting came as a bit of a surprise. We got out our handy dandy magnifying glass, our flashlight and tweezers and collecting case. Off we went. We headed to all the rooms. Despite the fact we didn't find any real bugs, we found pieces of paper and rocks that we pretended were bugs. She tried to do what she seen me do with the magnifying glass and then tried her best to use the tweezers. She plucked them in the case and we then had to tell Andma what type of bugs we caught. A beetle and grasshopper. Another bug caught and a zillion more to go. Good thing there is always tomorrow.

A new job

I have worked with developmentally and physically handicapped people in the past. I have never experienced anything like the Special Olympics and being a friend for a day. I love it. They love you so much. You are their life. So when the opportunity arose to help in a group home here I quickly jumped on it. I hate the fact that I won't be there long but how rewarding is every Saturday going to be. I'll be there on Fridays and Saturdays but the residents work on Friday. Clean, clean, clean. Saturday is going to be activity day. I am so stoked for this. Plus, Andma gets to watch Faith for a while. Not sure if she is up for the challenge, and I do say challenge. I am ready to do something on my own for a little bit. Sometimes one has to just be away from everyday life. I feel myself come home happier and ready to be a mom again.

A valentine's wish

Happy Valentines Day. Sorry it's a day late but with all the excitement yesterday I am just getting a chance to write. So it was Faith's first chance to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and she did. She awoke and delivered her cards to her Andma and Pa Pa and kissed the kitties and gave them all hugs who would allow her to. It was a sweet day and her daddy even sent her a present. Let's see... a stuffed dog, M&M's, a M&M train for her train tracks, and a great card that had stickers. As she walked through the house she took it upon herself to introduce the dog, Spencer, to her other dogs and cats and her M&M train to her IKEA train. It was cute. As the day wore on she got mail. Her friend Hannah had sent her a valentine that she had colored. Oh my goodness she was excited. Here is her valentine wish to everyone. Enjoy. XOXOXXOXOX

CALL 911

As the days go by and Faith decides to continue on her way with not following directions, she got a real scare at lunch. As she was sitting at the table in her chair, I continued to tell her to turn around and face the table. Not only can the chair flip she has been putting her legs in between the spindles. Now being the mom that I am, I think that she should learn the hard way on some things. Like gymnastics, you learn tricks by falling. However you learn the correct way to fall to avoid getting seriously hurt. Well as I headed upstairs to get her room ready for nap she started crying. Yep, she had her leg stuck in the spindles. I headed down to help her and I couldn't get it out. I tried the butter. "Let's butter it up" I say. I have always seen it work in the movies. You know the ones where the little kid has his head stuck on the stairway. "Cooooold" she says. Yep that's right. So it didn't work. I'll go get Pa Pa's saw. Talk to your kitty, I tell her. All that crying is upsetting her. I couldn't find it in the garage. Probably a good thing. I am not too good with one anyways. I wanted to just cut the spindle and her leg would probably go with it knowing me. Let's call 911. So I picked up the phone and dialed and tried to pick her up. As I picked her up her ankle slid out. "WaaaaWaaaa" She was scared. 911 called me back. "Everything ok?" I think so I tell them. So let the toddler years begin with a bang. Plus, get this. My little gymnast did her first somersault ALL by herself. We inclined her mattress with a bean bag and down she rolled. Yeah!!

Mommy hold her....

How does a mom explain to a child that she can't hold her? For the last two years, every night Faith has been rocked to sleep. Ok, maybe not to a sleep but to a relaxed state of mind. Then I tuck her into bed and say night night. What worked well in the crib has since backfired on the big bed. She can now get out of bed. She will often wake me up at night. She comes to myroom and takes my hand and walks me back to her bed. Back to bed, I say. We don't get out of bed at night. So she lays there a minute and then asks me to hold her. I am not that strong to hold a 25 pound sack of potatoes in the middle of the night. I want to hold her and she loves being held too. She loves to rock and sleeps ten times better at night too. However there has to be a medium where we can still have this connection yet aim towards self soothing. I thought that was what Lamby was for. So until I can find a happy medium, I guess I'll continue to hold her when she asks but only for a little bit. She is a smart little girl so I think she can figure it out that she can't be held for a long time. Sincerely, Sleepless in the Midwest.

Mommy's helper

I knew it would come one day. One day Faith would start helping out around the house. Her favorite thing to do to help out this week is by far cooking in the kitchen. If the stove is on she is not allowed in however I will often find her something to cook at the kitchen table. Last week it was flour and water, another day it was stirring jell-o and today it is pea salad. What out Rachel Ray, here comes a master chef. Bud says that we have to learn to cook while we are here. Faith especially. She's helping feed the cats in the morning, sometimes more than recommended. They don't mind though, especially Abby. She likes to eat. Cleanup, cleanup she sings as we pick up our toys from the floor. The dishwasher is always emptied and loaded with help. Groceries are put up and my life has become a little easier. Although activities may take a little longer to complete, it is worth it to have her learning to help. I do tell her that the cats will pee on her toys if she lays them on the floor and doesn't pick them up. I know, I'm terrible. Hey, whatever works, Right?

Just like Pa Pa and daddy

So my dad and I went to the Etc. Shoppe yesterday and lo and behold what did we find? A work bench. I saw it and loved it. I knew Faith would take a liking to it so we decided to get it. It came with power tools, screwdrivers, wrenches, screws and lots of other stuff. She hammered away and drilled everything in sight including the gate to go upstairs. She even tried to take her saw saw apart with her screwdriver. She loved it and I'm sure that Bud will have fun playing with her when we move it to our new place. Sure beats naked barbies on horses and scooters.