N.O. Story Part 3

Lots of friends and a tigar.

Well, the graduation well really well, but Dory was not real sure about sitting still for all of that time, so we decided to wander around like most of the other 2 year olds were doing. We found a great spot in one of the walk ways where we met Ethen, Caleb, and another few children who have remained nameless. We had a regular play goup going as they hugged, kissed, chased, marched, held hands and walked in circles, climbed and watched the trapped bird fly around the stage. It was good!

Until she got tired. Then the screaming started and we went into the hall way outside. Where, low and behold, was a tiger. So we petted the tiger, climed the tiger, and even rode and kissed the tiger. Oh how we loved that tiger. (It must have reminded her of Auntie.) She wsa not thrilled to leave him behind, but it was only a few minutes before we went back in with Daddy this time to watch them all walk out. What a trooper, as Grandpa would say.

N.O. Story Part 2

The pigeons fly off with a dirty diaper.

Well, right before Dory and Daddy had the great drink mix-up, Dory had loaded her 2nd diaper of the day. The first one was upon arrival after getting out of her car seat and Grandma nearly gagged so we set it outside on the balcony wrapped up in a laundry service bag. We sent daddy up to take care of this great mess because, well, it was his turn. We let him know where the bag was sitting so he could add to it since the trashcans were not lined with a plastic bag. (There must be a plastic shortage in N.O.)

When he came back several minutes later, he announced there was no bag on the balcony. Anywhere. Well, since it was not housekeeping... As we had just arrived, it must have been a nosy pigeon thinking it had found the jackpot flying up to the 7th floor. It surely was not a balcony thief looking for jewelry. What other thief would do such a thing?

Two days later when Dory was out for a walk to the Riverwalk with Grandma and Grandpa, they ran across a dead pigeon in a gutter. We apparently then knew who would do such a thing.

Now, John will never allow truth to get in the way of a good story, but I will. So, truth be told, he made it up. It was still there, even as the walking threesome found the unfortunate dead.

However.... When we went to leave on Monday the bag was indeed gone. And housekeeping still had not been by. Go figure.

Sweet dreams

Later, she even had her legs crossed....

New Orleans Driving Photos!

 
Grandma and Dory at the Civil rights Memorial by Maya Lin in Montgomery Alabama on our way down.
 
Dory and I at the water wall.
 
Dory at the water wall.
 
Dory at the water table.

Click on Maya Lin for more pictures of the memorial (not including us). Her name sounds familiar? She is the designer of the Vietnam Memorial!
One more thing.... that water was some yucky stale!! Dory and I smelled rank until we were able to wash up. Much like the rag at the diner that has not been cleaned in awhile and has washed too many tables. And with my knocked up nose... you can imagine.  

N.O. Story Part 1

Well... the trip... it was interesting, fun, good, exhausting, and not something I hope to do soon again.

Since I posted a teaser, I will just tell the stories as I listed them; some of which are a little bit out of order.

1. Dory's first Gin & Tonic... Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, Dory and I were all down in the lobby for the manager's reception/happy hour. I with my club soda, Dory had water, Daddy and Grandma both had G&T.... all in extremely similar looking plastic cups since the glasses were all in use. Everyone had a lime and a straw. Why a lime in water, I do not know... but I digress. Anyway, Daddy and Dory had been upstairs chaning a 2 day pay load and when they returned, both sat down. Dory went to drinking again and Daddy was talking. A moment later, after my sweet daughter makes an interesting face, not a bad one, but different, I ask my sweet attentive husband... "Was that water or your G&T?" He takes a sip of one, takes a sip of the other shuffles them around a bit and hands the water to Dory hoping that the shell game would get me. It didn't. My booze it up take it easy 2 year old.....
   

Slings for sale

My new blog site for the slings and jewlrey is now up, although nowhere near complete... I'll be working on it over the next few days. Visit: jonquilmom.blogspot.com :)

We survived the trip of '06

We made it home, in one piece. Actually, it wasn't all that bad. I'll tell all later... as a teaser though...

1. Dory's 1st gin & tonic
2. Pigeons fly off with dirty diaper
3. Dory makes lots of new friends and rides a tiger
4. The saint child is up past midnight with no fussing
5. 2 rooms became one and split again
6. The hotel
7. Educating the Dr.
8. Katrina aftermath
9. IBS from HELL
10. The hole in Grandpa's pocket

It's so good to be home again....

New catch phrase

"I did it!!!"
- complete with fists raised over the head and a huge grin.

Hair cut adventure

Silly lady at the salon. I went to get Dory's hair cut for our trip yesterday, and well, I did ask for a short girlie haircut, but in order to sell me on her vision.... She curled Dory's hair. Don't get me wrong, it was very cute... But really. I walk in, no make up, day old unbrushed hair, unshaved 2 day old legs in shorts, seriously, do I look to you like I am going to curl my daughter's hair everyday? Ever?!?! *eye roll*

Well, we wash out the curl this morning, to find the one side I told her I really wanted trimmed was over an inch longer than the hair right beside it. *eye roll* So, she curled it to cover up a crappy job.

At least I am pretty good with the shears... It's fixed now.

Off we go....

Into the wild blue yonder....

Okay, nah, just to New Orleans to see Ted.
He's graduating from medical school so... Dory, John, John J (FIL), Patty (MIL) and I will be crammed into a minivan for a two day one way drive. Wanna come with? LOL, I didn't think so.

I have done all the planning that I can to ensure an easy trip, so hopefully I can just sit back and enjoy it. I'll have lots of pics next week! Including one of me in the only dress I have that fits right now. Man, does it make me look pregnant! No hiding the bump in it!

Poor Abby has to stay here, luckily she has lots of friends coming to visit her while we are gone! At least the house will not be empty!

The iPod

Went screwey on me 2 days ago. I could not get it to be acknowledged by the computer. I tried everything.

And something finally worked.

Dave needs to be on the Apple payroll because he has his stuff together and can actually help people. He is now one of my newest heroes.

I had downloaded some audio books and uploaded kids tunes to sync to the iPod for our trip to New Orleans... so it didn't turn out the be the bus to Abilene... and was starting to panic.

But, Dave was the Blogger in shining armor.

Thank you. From the bottom of my pregnant-and-could-hurl-any-moment stomach, oh, I mean heart.

"I did it!!!!"

-Dory, everyday.... About most anything she manages to accomplish.

Now, if she would only cry that out in 3 years when I am wondering 'ok, who did it???'

Mutts — The Official Site for Mutts Comics — Earl, Mooch and pals — Patrick McDonnell

Mutts — The Official Site for Mutts Comics — Earl, Mooch and pals — Patrick McDonnell -- Get a Sneak Peek of the New Mutts PJ's

Coming this fall... Organic Mutts pj's. I can't wait! I want the cream one that says 'Go Organic' with Earl on it!!!! very cool... very very cool.... :D I love the Mutts.

"Empty"

This is what Dory has proclaimed the 'milkies' lately, tonight included. I could just about cry. I was really hoping that we would be in the one third that makes it through the second trimester still lactating, but at 15 weeks, it might just not be. I know that she is getting some, but not much, and and like she would really like. I wanted to be able to continue to help her overcome the American obesity challenge, her Father's asthma, and Mother's severe seasonal allergies. The longer she was able to go, the better off she is on all three. I just want what is best for her. Once one stops suckling, it only takes a few months to forget how it works, the instinct is lost.... So she won't be able to go back to it after the new baby is here and the milk is in, I don't think. I'll eat some oatmeal tomorrow, maybe that will help... A little. One of the craziest things? At times, I can feel that there is milk there, they are tender almost like being engorged.....

Now, before you go off on me about it being gross and unnatural and yada yada yada.....
Yes, I know she is two. No, I have no plans to nurse her through college... But in our culture there is no better beginning to prevent allergies, asthma, and obesity. The world wide weaning age is actually much closer to 4 years, ranging between 2 and as high as 7. It is our crazy culture that has hyper sexualized breasts and the formula companies that have stopped several generations ago. We have unlearned all of the benefits and been sold a crap load of bull. As the LLLI says, "The World Health Organization and UNICEF recommend that babies be breastfed for at least two years," and continues "Your milk continues to provide immunities and vitamins, and can help protect your toddler from illness and allergies." It actually becomes more concentrated with those immunities as the nurseling matures. And NO, it certainly is not for some 'desire' of the Mom... Nursing while pregnant is PAINFUL!
For some really good FAQ on tandem nursing and nursing while pregnant, see KellyMom's site. For more on this also see Got-Breastmilk.org. The LLLI also has some good info on Extended Nursing and the Law.

Aw, Thanks!

I do feel a bit more love now....

Now if family would just chime in!

I'm glad to hear from you!

Okay, so I know you are out there reading....

So, family and friends, why won't you leave me a comment to tell me who you are and that you were here? That you are enjoying the updates on our adventures as Dory grows?
In the entire front page right now there is one comment from someone I do NOT know... (very sweet BTW, I hope you are still reading!) and all of you wonderful family and friends keep telling me that you will post back something, but then won't do it. Am I that boring? Do I need to write about something else? Have you found it that hard to register? I posted directions at the lower right hand side! It's not hard!

Wonders never cease.

My little gymnast was making really weird sounds as she was playing in her room this morning. It almost sounded like nuts and bolts clinking, almost as if she were going through an erector set. But at 2, there are no such things in her room. I finally decided that I had to figure out what it was, since I had never heard such odd sounds coming from her room. She has wood, plastic, paper, velcro, wicker, but not much in the way of metal that would make a clink type sound.

It took me a minute to find her after discreetly I poked my head around the corner and scanned the floor. When I found her, I was so amazed I called John over to look...

She was...........

Are you ready???

....Standing on top of the changing table, leaning over about 2 feet over thin air, and playing with a china tea set her Grandma Raymond had given her that was on the top shelf of the 5 foot tall book case.

Wonders never cease.

When she finally saw me, she called out to me, "Mommy, Down?"

I think the book case now needs to be bolted into the wall and the changing table needs to be removed from her room.

As a complete aside, later in the day she used a new phrase. She said to her Ba, "Bye Bye Ba, See you later" as we left Becky's house this evening. She's getting so big!

(I posted late, this was on Monday...)

Catch Phrase

Dory's new phrases are:

wait, wait
hurry, hurry
RIGHT THERE!
no thanks.
What... happened?
Dory (a)wake!

No thanks is new as of yesterday, the others are a few weeks old at this point. Right there is among her faves if we are in the car. Dory wake is shouted every time she wakes up and runs to the nursery door.

My Mei Tai! It's done!

All in all, it was not hard to make! It went really quickly, maybe 2 hours. Dory liked being able to model it for you... I put a clip on the bottom right so I could hang keys, toys, my phone or what not. I hope that I put it in a good place, only time will tell.

I did make one big mistake when sewing.... I trimmed off the inside length of the straps that were supposed to remain for adding strength. I figured that out when I went back to sew my 'x's in. However, all was not lost, I made a French seam like in the pouch of the pocket sling by folding them over, sewing there, and running them back out and sewing again. Each one now has 3 seams in it for strength. But be rest assured, I won't make that mistake again!

Now on to make one for my friend Sara... I can't wait to show her this one!

Bat Girl

 

So, last week we went to our first ball game of Daddy's... (He's coaching!) Well, it was exciting, we saw our friend Amy and baby "Al-li". And Dory decided she was ready to play with the big kids! 

No news is good news?

So, I haven't had much to say the past few days. I don't know why. It's been normal, long and boring days. I've been tired again and Dory has been hard to keep up with some. We've found ways to get out of the house some and are heading soon to my sister's place for a night. Oh, well. I guess no news is good news. Nothing bad is going on, just no energy or get up and go in me.