Saturday, December 11, 1999
We had a great day today! It started out with some of our portrait customers picking up their orders which was terrific because we needed to get them out of the way and it saved me from having to ship them. One of the customers was traveling to the other out of town customer's today and took theirs to them. Their order included a large portrait and would have been a pain to ship so this worked out great. One of the customer's sent her son to pick up the pictures from his older brother's wedding. He is a friend of Thomas's and works at the local grocery store. He took our groceries out to the car one time about a week ago. Julia really liked him. She even let him put her in her car seat. Today when he came to get the pictures, after only meeting him that one other time, she said, "that's Thomas's friend". Her memory is unbelievable.The installation of the central heat and air continued today, so the girls and I decided to go over to the Harris's for a while to get out of the way. On the way to their house we saw the floats lining up for the Pelham Christmas Parade. I had forgotten it was going to be today. It was about 10:15 and the parade was to start at 11:00, so we went on to the Harris's to see if they would like to go to it with us. They didn't want to, and I almost decided not to go, but we did and I am so glad. It was wonderful. We got a great parking spot and sat on the back of my car to watch. We had a spot that was not crowded and so Julia and Rebecca had a wonderful view and they also got a lot of attention from all the participants riding on the floats many of which were people we knew. She smiled and waved to most of them. Many of them passed out candy and small toys to the children along the parade route. Julia ended up with a bag full and she was very proud of it. I was very impressed with the floats and the parade in general. It was much better than the Valdosta parade, really something for such a small town. There were several bands which Julia loved too. It was especially meaningful to me because the parade has been plagued with many problems in the past few years. Rain a couple of times and a tragic teen shooting right before the parade another. So it was so good to see the excellent participation. And to see that the people of Pelham had not given up! Made me feel proud. I had not been feeling very positive about Pelham lately myself. But there really are a lot of very nice things about it and a lot of wonderful people! I feel lucky to live here.
We went back to the Harris's after the parade and then I went back to town and picked up some lunch for Julia since Mrs. Harris was busy. She ate all her chicken nuggets from the Chicken Trax. After lunch and a short visit, we went back home for Julia to take her nap. Both girls were asleep in the car before we even got home. They both continued their nap and I did some much needed cleaning up around the house. Later we went to the grocery store and ran into several friends there too and had nice chats with them. Everone is telling me I've lost weight. I don't have a scale, but think I have lost quite a bit. I would love to get back in to T.O.P.S. I might start back after the holidays if I can get a babysitter worked out. On the way home Julia and I sang songs and Rebecca fell asleep without any fussing at all for the second time today.
We received our first Christmas card in the mail today from The Sealy's, Heather, Timothy & Kayla. It is very pretty with Christmas Cats on it. I am determined to get out some Christmas Cards this year. That was one of the special things about our friend, Warren LaRoche, who passed away recently. He always remembered us at Christmas. So I am calling it my Warren LaRoche Memorial Christmas Card Mailing. I have the cards just need to get them addressed and mailed. I want to add some pictures and a Christmas letter too. I can't believe Christmas is 2 weeks from today. I have to get busy!
Mark's Mother said she doesn't think there will be any Smith Family Christmas Gathering this year. I am disappointed. Uncle Jack and Aunt Irma Jean had been hosting it the last few years and it was very nice. Also, Amy and Jason are planning to spend Christmas with their boyfriend and girlfriend's families this year. Mrs. Harris said that we might all meet at Starr's house next weekend and have Christmas with them early. I am hoping Mom and Dad will come down and have Christmas with us at our house. I am really excited about our first Christmas in this house. The tree is so pretty and I love the decorated fireplaces too. It really feels like home now! I have some more decorating I'd like to do if I ever get time.
We read Christmas books at bedtime tonight. Julia was really cute counting things such as how many of each kind of ornament, candy canes, etc. were on the christmas trees in the pictures and such. She is really proud of the Christmas ornament she made that is hanging on our tree. I love it too. I told her is was the prettiest ornament on the whole tree and I believe it with all my heart! After Julia went to bed, I continued with my cleaning. They did a pretty good job installing the vents in the ceiling, but still I keep finding a lot of dust and debris in places and on things. Also, had to move everything out of the laundry room (except the washer and dryer) because something has to be installed in there too. We had a lot in there. So it took a while to get it all cleaned out. Rebecca sat and played in the exersaucer very happily while Mark and I worked on the laundry room. One time I looked up at her and she was doing a big raspberry (blowing with her lips puckered and making a funny noise) and then she broke into a huge smile just for me. It was so adorable. She was so good today the entire day. Also this week Rebecca and I played a new game called "Cuckoo Clock". We love it. I sway her back and forth and say, "Tick tock, tick tock, I'm a little cuckoo cuckoo clock. Tick, tock, tick tock, now it's almost 1 o'clock." Then lift her in the air and say "Cuckoo" Then 2 o'clock with 2 cuckoos, etc. Lots of fun. We also like "Hickory Dickory Dock". Julia keeps asking me, "What's a Dickory?" Wish I knew. Julia was great today too. Her personality is just blossoming more and more.
My "To Do" list is miles long. Just no way to do everything. I did accomplish a lot today though and thoroughly enjoyed the day. It's 2:45 AM and I am wide awake. Rebecca just finished her 2 AM snack, she still doesn't sleep all night. And she still sleeps in our bed. We're still debating about getting Julia a toddler bed or another crib. Think the days of the cradle, bassinet, and swing are numbered. I have enjoyed them all so much and think I have gotten a lot more mileage out of them than most people. Awwww the end of an era is coming I think. On to bigger, and I guess, better things. Rebecca is not a tiny baby any more. She's almost half a year old. I just can't believe it.
Friday, December 10, 1999
I can't believe it is Friday already. This week has flown by. We had a good day yesterday. Kayla came in the morning from about 8:30 until 11:00. She and Julia are so cute playing together. We especially enjoyed playing Ring Around the Rosie on the Trampoline with Rebecca watching along side in her stroller and laughing along with us.We got our Christmas Pictures back on Tuesday. I love them!! Also got the Pollock's pictures and they are very good too. I think I hit the jackpot with the Pollock pictures yesterday. Nicole called and offered to be in charge of delivery and collections for me! A huge help. She came by and picked up all the pictures. Later we needed to go to town and I had forgotten to give her some order forms, so we stopped by her office (she is our State Farm Insurance Rep). She had them all separated and placed into heavy see through poly bags and had calculated how much everybody's was and called everyone too! Involves 5 families. How wonderful! She really liked her pictures. I thought all the pictures were good. Mark has been really busy at work so he hasn't had a chance to do much scanning for me yet. Maybe he will get to it today.
Our first stop in town had been the post office to get some other picture orders off. It was such a beautiful day, I decided to get the stoller out and walk to our other destinations in town instead of getting in and out of the car. It worked out great. We went in the dollar store to pick up some laundry detergent and a couple of things. Then went to the State Farm Office which is almost next door to the Board of Education Office where I used to work. so we popped in there to say Hello and see all their Christmas decorations. It was fun to see everyone and Julia was in a particularly talkative and friendly mood and everyone was entertained and amazed. Rebecca was good too. Everyone really liked my double stroller. I have enjoyed it so much.
The girls and I were enjoying the ride and being outside so much I decided to walk them down the main street and look at all the decorations in the store windows. Julia loved it. One place had a Pooh tree decorated with all kinds of Pooh ornaments and Christmas Pooh and friends stuffed animals. Another had a really cute all snowmen tree. We went back to the Christmas store too and they had gotten in some new things. I have been looking for something for Aunt Starr, they didn't have it, but did have something else I thought was cute, so Julia purchased it for Aunt Starr's Christmas gift. She was very proud and held the bag until we got back home.
The installation of our central heat and air has begun. It has been somewhat messy, but not as bad as I thought it would be. Should be all finished by the middle of next week, we hope. A million things I want to do today! I'll be lucky to get a handful done. Such is life. Just trying to enjoy what we do get to do as much as possible!
Monday, December 6, 1999
Can't seem to find time to do the things I want to do lately. Very frustrating. Today was another roller coaster ride of a day. Julia was a grouch this morning and I was so afraid she was coming down with something, but then tonight she was fine. Rebecca was very good all day. She's really been a bear today, actually just a typical 2 year old I think, but unusual for her. She was answering everything with "no" and "no I won't" and throwing little fits when she didn't get her way or get it fast enough. She was not being very nice to Rebecca which is very unusual for her. We went out to get some scrapbook supplies earlier and she was uncustomarily difficult in the store and whiney in the car. Rebecca was great though, thank goodness. Had to change Julia's dirty diaper in the back seat of the car and she was being uncooperative and it was the biggest mess. Ughhhhhh! So we high tailed it home. She fell asleep in the car and continued with a good nap after we got home. After that she was a lot better. And tonight they both were great and in rare form. I was so sad that my video recorder was not handy. Julia was playing with Rebecca very gently and very nicely and Rebecca was just cooing and laughing up a storm. It was so cute. First Rebecca was in her swing and Julia was singing to her and patting her very gently and swinging her. Then they had their bath together and Rebecca just loved it. She sits up pretty well in the ring seat now, but I usually still use the baby bath tub because it is easier to wash her. She had a great time tonight in the seat. She just laughed and laughed at Julia who was playing kitchen in the bath, preparing tea and coffee mainly and singing the ABC song. And she liked the rubber duckies floating around. She can reach out and catch them too. And she likes to chew on them. After bathtime, we sat in Julia's room on the floor and read books. It was a very enjoyable end to a hectic and sometimes harried day.Annie had gotten sick and threw up all over the carpet over the weekend. Very rare for her. Mark had tried to clean it, but it didn't come up too well and it was really bothering me. So I went out and rented a carpet cleaning machine. Also, ants decided to take over our the living room around the Christmas tree. So I had to move everything out from around the bottom clean and spray and hope they don't come back. We have had terrible trouble with ants all year. Ughhhh! I took off all the candy canes although the ants weren't on any of them. I don't know what they were after. Mark said it might be the water in the stand. We got the neatest stand this year. It was built in from the Christmas tree farm. It's wood with a water basin built in too. Very easy to set up the tree. Just stood it right up. Also some of more of the lights on the tree went out and I guess will have to be replaced. Already had to replace one string. Frustrating. Also had to get Annie a new collar. Somehow her's disappeared last time Mark bathed her. Julia enjoyed picking out a new one for her. Ended up with green again after considerable deliberations.
I was feeling pretty stressed out today, so this afternoon I strapped both girls in the big stroller and took off running! It felt sooooo good. It was cool today. I guess we went maybe a mile is all but it helped a lot. They both loved it. And the stroller is the best! I put down the plastic shield in front to keep the wind off them. They both had on their pink hats with ear flaps. So cute. Rebecca is wearing the sweater that was Leslie's that Julia used to wear a lot. And Julia just has a wind breaker which I feel is enough over warm clothing, but Mrs. Harris keeps telling me I need to get her a winter coat. Guess perception of cold is a little different down here. Although I probably do need to get her one aventually, especially if we get to go up to Indiana in January. I had forgotten Julia's mittens so I taught her how to put her hands in her jacket pockets to keep them warm which she took great delight in doing.
We got a package in the mail from Mom and Dad - always especially exciting for Julia. She was jumping up and down and saying, "Get the clips, Mommy!" She calls scissors, clips. They sent her some adorable pajama's. One pair with dancing bunnies and one with bears and cats playing soccer. Built in feet too! Julia loved them. She was excited about her Arthur jumper also enclosed and wanted to wear it right then, but I convinced her to wait until tomorrow. Also a beautiful cat sweater for me too! And the cutest baby bootie ornament with 1999 on it for Rebecca. I am so thankful that it was intact. Annie didn't like the mail man coming to the door and charged him barking fiercely. He was trying to defend himself with my package! I felt so bad for him and promised him I'd shut her up next time. She has never bitten, but with dogs you never know. She is very protective of Julia in particular. Mark and I discussed the fence again tonight for the umpteenth time. Hope we actually get one up soon.
When we got back from going to get the carpet cleaner I was delighted to find that Mark had supper all ready! It was great and Julia settled in and ate well. We had ham, green beans, cheese grits, and tomatoes. Starr gave us the tomatoes. She gets them from a market near her and they are very good. The one's in the store here are terrible. Julia loves tomatoes. In the store, Julia spotted a balloon way up in the ceiling and said, "There's a purple balloon up there Mommy". She notices things that I never would. We saw Aunt Irma Jean in the store and Julia talked to her and also told the cashiers "Bye, Bye" and "Merry Christmas!" She seems to be a much less shy today than she has been. She also had a full conversation with her Mema on the phone today - her first! Usually she wants the phone but then won't say anything.
We had a wonderful weekend in Valdosta with Aunt Starr. Saturday was a fun-filled day! We went downtown and they had all kinds of activities going on, and most of them were FREE! Very nice. First we rode the horse drawn carriage through the city. Julia loved it, Rebecca slept. Our horse's name was Benjamin which is Mr. Harris's middle name. Beautiful horse and personable driver. He told us that he had purchased the carriage that we were riding in from Disney World. They used to use it in their parade and Mickey and Minnie Mouse actually rode in it. I was very surprised and delighted that the carriage ride was FREE! And we got there at a good time and didn't have to wait in line very long. They had 4 of them going. After that we went to see Santa. We got there at a great time too, only a couple of people in front of us in line and no one in back of us. I was surprised and delighted that Rebecca liked Santa!!! She sat on his lap and smiled. Julia liked him, but didn't want to sit with him, so I held her for a picture with him. Then we went over to the christmas craft making tables and Julia made a beautiful christmas tree ornament. It was a gorgeous day. Just perfect weather. Next we went to see a children's christmas play called "Toys Take Over Christmas". It was very well done. We all enjoyed it and Rebecca slept. We got to meet the cast afterward. Very nice people. Next was a trolley ride that took us around the city and through a section of some of the oldest homes in Valdosta that had been restored, very lovely, especially being decorated for the holidays. Next Julia got a candy cane painted on her face. Cute, and I couldn't believe she sat very still for it. The crafts, trolley ride and face painting were all FREE too! The Play was $3.00 each for Starr and I and the girls free. Have to give the City of Valdosta credit. They put on a great day, very well organized. Then we sat down on the bleachers and awaited the Christmas Parade, tree lighting and choir performance. It was great spending time with Starr too. Julia looked so cute in her red and candy cane striped shirt with a Christmas train on it and Santa with "HO HO HO" in the trains smoke clouds and her favorite red pants. I just found the shirt in one of the boxes of christmas decorations. It was one of Leslie's that I had put back and was of course way too big until now, size 24 months and fits Julia just right. I also had a Christmas hair bow from last year that matched the shirt perfectly. Both girls were excellent ALL day - really amazing!
We spent the night at Starr's and had a great breakfast Sunday morning then did a little shopping. It was so nice having her to help me pick out christmas gifts for Amy and Jason especially. Julia rode the beautiful Carosel in the mall too and loved it. It was only $1.00 for the both of us to ride. I had the girls dressed in their matching christmas outfits and they were so cute. We had a lot of admirers. I took some pictures of them in them in front of Starr's Christmas tree. She has her house decorated so nice, inside and out. And Julia was great. With only a few reminders from me, she didn't bother anything! On the was back to Starr's from shopping we were all pretty tired. I told Starr I thought I could take a nap. Julia piped in "Mommy, you can't take a nap, you have to drive!" We laughed at that. After a lovely lunch at Starr's we headed back home. When we arrived home I was delighted to find the workers were finishing up the painting of the front of the house! It looks so much better. What a nice weekend!
So now I am trying to catch up on laundry, etc, etc, etc, etc... Also need to do some photo orders and other clean up projects. They are supposed to start installing the central heat and air tomorrow. Holes will have to be cut in every room and I am hoping it will not be too big of a mess! Also trying to catch up on my scrapbook. Never enough time. Better hop to it.
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