Should there be any confusion...

as to who Evie looks like,







I think we have our winner...Evie =Stephanie

New Year's Resolutions

Many have asked me, "what is your New Year's Resolution?" And I usually balk, saying I don't "need" one, or that they are stupid. If you haven't figured it out yet, I am a brat with an attitude problem.

However this year, I am making a resolution; not the usual one about weight loss or exercise, because, well, please. I don't need to set myself for more disappointment. I prefer to be pleasantly surprised if I lose a pound or two, than to try to do so and fail miserably.

No for me, my resolution has everything to do with photography.

I was flipping through the photos of 2008, as well as looking at the online photo albums of friends and "blog friends," and well, I discovered one thing: we have a wonderful shrine of Evie, but really no evidence of our existence as her parents. Furthermore, there is NO evidence that Bryan and I are in fact, a married couple.

Evie will one day look back through the file cabinets full of photo albums and wonder if her parents were separated in 2008, or if perhaps we left her in the care of the dogs while we went away on holiday.

There is a perfectly good reason for this, I don't like being photographed, Bryan is intimidated by my camera. Plus, I'm anal and a perfectionist and a control freak, so sadly, I always take the pictures.

The result is that we have 12-billion pictures of Evie that all look the same, and very few if any pictures of us as a family and absolutely no pictures of us as a couple.

And thus, my New Year's Resolution is three-fold:

1) teach Bryan how to operate the camera
2) take more pictures of the family
3) take more pictures of us as a couple

So I am asking you, dear internet, friends and family, to hold me accountable. If you start to see the Evie shrine growing again, please point it out.

We can't have another year where Evie thinks she was raised by Portia and Puck.

Christmas

Christmas was so wonderful...
I played with my new Little People

I opened new wellies (boots) from Mr. Khris and Miss Marti

I loved them so much, I insisted on wearing them all day, even while eating Mommy's homemade cinnamon rolls

I worked in my new kitchen

I took care of my baby

I played games


I watched Daddy and Mr. Khris play Mario Kart (I helped Daddy steer)

I ate yummy snacks like meatballs with lots of sauce

I watched Christmas movies

Even my Uncle Travis liked playing with my toys

Christmas Eve-

After going to church in our pretty clothes, and listening to Mommy sing,


We were invited to my friend, Sage's Grandparent's house:

I had lots of fun!


Then I went to bed, but Mommy and Daddy stayed up all night for some reason...

Oblivious

Just enjoying a lazy day; enjoying "Winnie the Pooh," completely oblivious to the fact that "Santa" is about to rock her world.
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Christmas shopping is exhausting!

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What to wear when waiting for the doctor

After being stripped down in order to be violated with the thermometer etc., Evie had to stay undressed while we waited for the doctor. She was not interested in staying unclothed however, and immediately put her boots on herself...I had to fasten the straps for her.

Turns out what the doctors thought was a bad bladder infection was in fact, Roseola. The urine tests all came back negative, apparently, and Evie woke up this morning with the tell-tale red splotches all over her chest and legs.

Since the rash means the viral infection is over, and since it also means she doesn't have a UTI (thank goodness) we get to stop the antibiotics. Hopefully she'll be feeling better soon.

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How to have fun in the snow

Take a quick drink, before we go


Take the obligatory picture with mom, sporting her turtle hat


Get my mittens, begrudgingly


Express dissatisfaction with the mittens


Continue to protest over the mittens


Finally, the protest is over, and we are ready to roll

Baby, it's cold outside

It is STILL snowing.
For Bryan and I being from snowy places, it's no big deal, but for Seattle, it's a BIG deal. Record snowfalls in over a decade. Most of the region is completely crippled and shut down.
We find it the perfect opportunity to play.

Although you can't tell in this picture, Evie LOVED the snow


My neighbor and I supervised the children sledding, while looking fashionable ourselves. I'm perfecting my turtle look.


Our street has over a foot of snow on it.


Our front yard and driveway, half-shoveled (Bryan was working on it
when I handed him the camera)


Bryan parked his Jeep on the snow bank, because he could

Pictures from Christmas in Spokane 2008

Cousins, bonding


This little boy looks like his daddy


And this little girl looks like her mommy


And her eyes will slay you

The trip to the Urgent Care. Again.

We just LOOOOVE going to the urgent care.
We tried to go to the regular pediatrician, but they had apparently gone for the day (at 2:30pm.)

Evie's fever had spiked to 104.5 last night, but we got it back down this morning and thought she was on the mend.

But around 1:30 this afternoon, after I put her down for a nap, she awoke 30 minutes later, screaming. I went up to find her soaked in her own sweat, boiling hot. I took her temperature to find her fever back up over 103 degrees.

I spent the next 20 minutes trying to get through to the Pediatrician's office, and once I determined they had already left, I called the "Child Express" at the Urgent Care, (an extension of the Children's hospital for Gig Harbor;) they advised me to bring her in.

We were sure it was simply another ear infection, but that was quickly dis-proven, and so began a long evening of tests.

The evening was long because of the many hours, but also long because of our daughter's transformation from an adorable, charming toddler to a howler monkey.

The moment the nurse came into the room, Evie arched her back and started screaming a piercing, make you want to rip out your own ear drums, scream. It was both sad and ridiculous. She then proceeded to try to kick, punch, tighten, spit etc., anything she could do to try to avoid the dreaded thermometer, and blood pressure wrap that went around her finger. I had to physically restrain her in a bear hug, while trying, (in a "sing-song" voice,) to assure her that in fact, she was okay, nothing painful was happening. Yet.

If her vocabulary was advanced enough, I am convinced she would have told both the nurse and myself to go screw ourselves. However, because she can only say a few words, she simply screamed "NOOOOO!!! GOOOOOO!!!" Over and over again.

Getting a urine sample was no easy task, and because she was born with a labial adhesion which has yet to go away, the catheter was a no-go. We ended up having to stick a little baggie to her, with the diaper over the top. And then we had to wait. And wait. And wait.

All the while, Miss Precious decided to bear down and clench, refusing to pee and for that matter, refusing all liquids that would help the process move along.

In the meantime they took blood, which required two nurses, myself and Bryan, (who had joined us by that time,) to hold her down. It was similar to the calf-roping event in the rodeo, what with all the thrashing and kicking.

Finally, around 7:30pm, they determined our poor little girl has a UTI, AKA a bladder infection. Again.

We're back home now and she's on yet another mega dose of antibiotics. We already have prescription anti-fungal cream to try to prevent another yeast infection and hopefully she'll be feeling better in the next 48 hours.

The end.

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Winter "Storm" Watch-2008

The state of Washington is under siege from a winter snow storm. My hometown received 19" of snow yesterday alone, whereas we on this side received between 6-10" depending on the locale.

At our house, we have 10" on our deck (I stuck a ruler in the snow to confirm.)

Streets have been closed, school canceled, government offices shut down. When the snow falls, this side of the state is all but crippled by the weather. We are not prepared for such weather, we have steep hills and no snow tires. The humidity from the Sound only compounds the problem and turns the region into a giant ice rink. City streets turn into a huge game of bumper cars and people take to the streets on foot as it is often times far safer than driving.

At least it looks pretty.

A Christmas Survey

1. Fresh Tree/Fake Tree? Fake--Bryan is allergic. I was against at first, but I LOOOVE it now.

2. Favorite Ornament- We have REI ornaments that we love.

3. Favorite Christmas Song- The little drummer Boy. I don't know why, but I have always loved it.

4. Favorite Tradition- Watching "It's a Wonderful Life," on Christmas.

5. Favorite Gift Ever Received- It's a toss up between the Little People village when I was 5, which I played with until I was 13, or the real, name-brand legos I finally got when I was ten, and had wanted forever.

6. Favorite Christmas Meal- I make baked Ziti every Christmas Eve, and then of course the traditional Turkey meal.

7. Favorite Christmas Cookie- Grandma's sugar cookies made with shortening and green frostening

8. Favorite Place to be- Just hanging out @ house with my husband.

9. Favorite Memory- I'm having a tough time with this one. I guess anytime we'd go to the cabin @ Lake Wenatchee after Christmas and sled as kids. Once time, I sled so far, I actually went into the lake.

10. Favorite Christmas Movie- Hands down, "It's a Wonderful Life."

Happy Holidays!

Lessons I learned when feeding my toddler

Rule #1: Do not put away groceries while the toddler sits in their booster seat and tries to eat. Specifically, do not leave the container of ice cream in their view, because they will see it, and ask for it, and when you say no, and tell them to eat their dinner instead, this will cause a riot. Not only will the dinner not be eaten, but a fit of unseen proportions will occur. Meanwhile, you are still trying to put away groceries, while you're kid is now in timeout, screaming their fool head off about the injustice of it all.

Rule #2: Do not serve a toddler ketchup. Why? The toddler WILL dip their tater tot or chicken strip in the ketchup, as you intended. They will also, however, dip their peaches and green beans in their ketchup, and will ultimately eat nothing but the ketchup--giant handfuls of ketchup. They will eat it, and get it on their hands, and then try to wipe it off their hands by smearing it on their shirt, or pants, or in their hair. You will then have a table and a once cute outfit now ruined by the stains of tomato and high fructose corn syrup. Furthermore, every time after, they will expect their "sauce" when it is time to eat.

Rule #3: Do not give the toddler the option to say no, because they will always say no regardless of whether or not they mean it. Either give them a choice to choose from, or just put something in front of them and walk away. Otherwise you will find yourself standing in front of an open refrigerator or pantry playing 20 questions with a 3' high tyrant who takes pleasure in making you squirm.

Home again

Evie and I made it home Monday night, after being delayed by severe winter storms and pass closures. I experienced some of the most terrifying winter driving of my life over the weekend, driving in blizzards and on solid ice. At one point, there was an accident on the side or in the middle of the highway, every 100 yards. I simply aimed my car down the middle and prayed for guidance.

We ended up stopping in Wenatchee on Saturday night after being on I-90 for nearly 5 hours and only making it to Moses Lake, I decided to throw in the towel and cry uncle. We ended up staying there for two days while waiting for the passes to clear enough to get over.

Thankfully, we made it home in one piece. I have a tweaked back and shoulders from keeping the car on the road (and from stress, I imagine.)

I had to have a sub on Monday, who proved to be a rather cranky and inept individual, but it only made my kids more thankful for me.

Going to Spokane

Evie and I are driving to Spokane tomorrow to attend my nephew, Skylend's third birthday party.

The forecast is heavy snow all weekend, so I'm feeling a little cranky about the trip, but it's nothing I haven't done a thousand times before, and I have a nice big all-wheel drive Jeep, so we will just go slow and steady and should be fine.

I also have a DVD player, on which I will play a steady stream of poison-filled animated Disney filth with which to rot Evie's brain and hopefully keep her from screaming in the back seat while sitting alone on the long haul across the state. I'm going to try "The Lady and the Tramp" tomorrow, I don't remember any curse words in that movie, so hopefully it will be less traumatic for me than the last Disney film we showed her.

Think of us as we make the trek.

Also, keep Bryan in your prayers. He is still on the hunt for a job. Although he was given a temporary position as a salesman at one of the local dealerships, he is commission only, and well, you need customers to make commission; with this economy, customers he has not. Needless to say, he's frustrated and doing his best to find something a little more stable but jobs are in short supply right now as most companies are laying people off or freezing all HR hires.

Anecdotes from toddlerland

Last night, Evie was having a tough time; it was nearly bed time, she had a fever, and she was as a result, a touch cranky.
She was trying to tell me something, but I could not understand her and so she began pulling on me and grunting in frustration: "ugghh, uggghh, ugghhh.." to which I responded,
"I'm sorry honey, I don't know what you need..."

So, she responded by smacking me on the leg.

I grabbed her little hand, looked at her sternly in the eye and with a very serious voice, told her, "noooo, you don't hit mommy."

She looked me right back in my eye with just as serious a look as mine and, never breaking her stare, cocked back her hand and hit me on the leg. Again.

I said, "oh, oopsie, you need a time out."

But before I could take her there, she stood up herself and marched over to the bottom step firmly sitting down, crossing her arms across her chest.

I watched, stunned.

I turned my eyes away for a moment, and then looked back, and as I made eye contact, she lifted her finger at me (as if to wagg it,) and said:

"no, momma!"

I can't wait until she's three.

Later, after all was right again, her jammies were on and we were snuggling with the evening bottle (doctor's orders as she has now lost two lbs due to all the sickness) she cozied there in my arms, singing to her bottle:

"Oh, boddle, boddle, boddle, boddle, Boddddddddddddle!!!!"

There was a melody to her "ode-to-bottle", but not one I had heard before, and the final note was quite jubilant, complete with her holding the bottle out in love and admiration.


This evening, we went to a band/orchestra concert @ the school where I teach. I was a little nervous about going since it started at 7:00pm and that is right at the witching hour, but I thought we'd give it a try.
Evie was enamored by the music, and after three songs, asked to get down (I was holding her in my arms, standing against the wall) I told to wait, and once the song finished, I let her get down, telling her she had to stay right with me.

She climbed down, and then proceeded to sit on the floor, cross-legged with folded hands on her lap, listening attentively. Other tots were running around, clapping and yelling like sillies, and there was Evie, sitting like a princess, enraptured, as if she was at performance at Carnegie Hall. It was both adorable and astonishing.

NOOOOOO!!!

Every night when we put Evie to bed, we are the recipients of a short vocal performance as she sings herself to sleep.

It's quite cute, really, listening to the small toddler voice wafting through the baby monitor.

Usually the song list includes the regular preschool tracks; the "Isty bitsy spider, "Baa baa black sheep," and of course, the ABC song. However, to our horror, a new tune came rolling down the stairs tonight.

While I was on the couch, checking my email, listening to the evening serenade, a cold shudder ran up my spine. My daughter was singing a new song, and suddenly the angelic sound of toddler music was ruptured by the hideous melody of a purple beast, whose existence I swore would never be known in my home.

"I lub yu, yu lub me..."


"I lub you, yu lub me,"

Over and over again, the opening phrase from that cursed theme song was repeated, while I glared at my husband and cursed our daycare for introducing Satan to our child.

A strict detox program will commence tomorrow.

Took the words right out of my mouth...

The following is a letter to the editor, written by Jim Jackson, owner of Elkins Fordland in West Virginia. My Grandfather shared it with me, and I thought it so well written, I would share it with you:

Editor:
As I watch the coverage of the fate of the U.S. auto industry, one alarming and frustrating fact hits me right between the eyes. The fate of our nation's economic survival is in the hands of some congressmen who are completely out of touch and act without knowledge of an industry that affects almost every person in our nation. The same lack of knowledge is shared with many journalists whom are irresponsible when influencing the opinion of millions of viewers.

Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama has doomed the industry, calling it a dinosaur. No Mr. Shelby, you are the dinosaur, with ideas stuck in the '70s, '80s and '90s. You and the uninformed journalist and senators that hold onto myths that are not relevant in today's world.

When you say that the Big Three build vehicles nobody wants to buy, you must have overlooked that GM outsold Toyota by about 1.2 million vehicles in the U.S. and Ford outsold Honda by 850,000 and Nissan by 1.2 million in the U.S. GM was the world's No. 1 automaker beating Toyota by 3,000 units.

When you claim inferior quality comes from the Big Three, did you realize that Chevy makes the Malibu and Ford makes the Fusion that were both rated over the Camry and Accord by J.D. Power independent survey on initial quality? Did you bother to read the Consumer Report that rated Ford on par with good Japanese automakers.

Did you realize Big Three's gas guzzlers include the 33 mpg Malibu that beats the Accord. And for '09 Ford introduces the Hybrid Fusion whose 39 mpg is the best midsize, beating the Camry Hybrid. Ford's Focus beats the Corolla and Chevy's Cobalt beats the Civic.

When you ask how many times are we going to bail them out you must be referring to 1980. The only Big Three bailout was Chrysler, who paid back $1 billion, plus interest. GM and Ford have never received government aid.

When you criticize the Big Three for building so many pickups, surely you've noticed the attempts Toyota and Nissan have made spending billions to try to get a piece of that pie. Perhaps it bothers you that for 31 straight years Ford's F-Series has been the best selling vehicle. Ford and GM have dominated this market and when you see the new '09 F-150 you'll agree this won't change soon.

Did you realize that both GM and Ford offer more hybrid models than Nissan or Honda. Between 2005 and 2007, Ford alone has invested more than $22 billion in research and development of technologies such as Eco Boost, flex fuel, clean diesel, hybrids, plug in hybrids and hydrogen cars.

It's 2008 and the quality of the vehicles coming out of Detroit are once again the best in the world.
Perhaps Sen. Shelby isn't really that blind. Maybe he realizes the quality shift to American. Maybe it's the fact that his state of Alabama has given so much to land factories from Honda, Hyundai and Mercedes Benz that he is more concerned about their continued growth than he is about the people of our country. Sen. Shelby's disdain for "government subsidies" is very hypocritical. In the early '90s he was the driving force behind a $253 million incentive package to Mercedes. Plus, Alabama agreed to purchase 2,500 vehicles from Mercedes. While the bridge loan the Big Three is requesting will be paid back, Alabama's $180,000-plus per job was pure incentive. Sen. Shelby, not only are you out of touch, you are a self-serving hypocrite, who is prepared to ruin our nation because of lack of knowledge and lack of due diligence in making your opinions and decisions.

After 9/11, the Detroit Three and Harley Davidson gave $40 million-plus emergency vehicles to the recovery efforts. What was given to the 9/11 relief effort by the Asian and European Auto Manufactures? $0 Nada. Zip!

We live in a world of free trade, world economy and we have not been able to produce products as cost efficiently. While the governments of other auto producing nations subsidize their automakers, our government may be ready to force its demise. While our automakers have paid union wages, benefits and legacy debt, our Asian competitors employ cheap labor. We are at an extreme disadvantage in production cost. Although many UAW concessions begin in 2010, many lawmakers think it's not enough.

Some point the blame to corporate management. I would like to speak of Ford Motor Co. The company has streamlined by reducing our workforce by 51,000 since 2005, closing 17 plants and cutting expenses. Product and future product is excellent and the company is focused on one Ford. This is a company poised for success. Ford product quality and corporate management have improved light years since the nightmare of Jacques Nasser. Thank you Alan Mulally and the best auto company management team in the business.

The financial collapse caused by the secondary mortgage fiasco and the greed of Wall Street has led to a $700 billion bailout of the industry that created the problem. AIG spent nearly $1 million on three company excursions to lavish resorts and hunting destinations. Paulson is saying no to $250 billion foreclosure relief and the whole thing is a mess. So when the Big Three ask for 4 percent of that of the $700 billion, $25 billion to save the country's largest industry, there is obviously oppositions. But does it make sense to reward the culprits of the problem with $700 billion unconditionally, and ignore the victims?

As a Ford dealer, I feel our portion of the $25 billion will never be touched and is not necessary. Ford currently has $29 billion of liquidity. However, the effect of a bankruptcy by GM will hurt the suppliers we all do business with. A Chapter 11 bankruptcy by any manufacture would cost retirees their health care and retirements. Chances are GM would recover from Chapter 11 with a better business plan with much less expense. So who foots the bill if GM or all three go Chapter 11? All that extra health care, unemployment, loss of tax base and some forgiven debt goes back to the taxpayer, us. With no chance of repayment, this would be much worse than a loan with the intent of repayment.

So while it is debatable whether a loan or Chapter 11 is better for the Big Three, a $25 billion loan is definitely better for the taxpayers and the economy of our country.

So I'll end where I began on the quality of the products of Detroit. Before you, Mr. or Ms. Journalist continue to misinform the American public and turn them against one of the great industries that helped build this nation, I must ask you one question. Before you, Mr. or Madam Congressman vote to end health care and retirement benefits for 1 million retirees, eliminate 2.5 million of our nation's jobs, lose the technology that will lead us in the future and create an economic disaster including hundreds of billions of tax dollars lost, I ask this question not in the rhetorical sense. I ask it in the sincere, literal way. Can you tell me, have you driven a Ford lately?

Jim Jackson
Elkins Fordland, West Virgina

Why parenting from the shower is tough...

When I stepped out of the shower, this is what I found...

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

“A Date Which Will Live in Infamy”

In case you slept through history class in high school, here is a reminder from your friendly neighborhood history teacher, today is Pearl Harbor Day.
On December 7th, 1941, Japanese planes bombed the American Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor, killing 2,402 service men and women, while wounding another 1,282. Many are still entombed underwater in the USS Arizona, now a National memorial in Hawaii.
A horrific and National tragedy, President Roosevelt marked this day as a "day which will live in infamy," and this attack is what spurned isolationist Americans and Congress to grant Roosevelt the authority to go to war, specifically against Hitler and his Nazis wreaking havoc across Europe. How?
After the attacks, the US declared war on Japan; Germany, declaring itself an ally of Japan, declared war on the US= America entered WWII on two fronts and changes the outcome of the war. The end.

About the auto bailout....

As my husband has worked in the auto industry for all of his adult life; he grew up in Detroit, and has, as he puts it, “motor oil in his veins,” thanks to a family lineage of auto industry employees, we have a kept a very close eye on the situation with the big three and the proposed “bailout.”

When you read the papers and watch the news, here are some things to think about:

1) Contrary to popular belief, American cars not only compete with, they out-perform Honda and Toyota: GM was the world's #1 auto-maker last year and the Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle for 31 years in a row. Chrysler invented the mini-van in 1984 and has yet to be outsold.


2) American manufacturers actually manufacture AND assemble the cars here, in the US, which means the profits are then poured back into the US economy through taxes and income paid to American workers who then spend money on goods and services.

3) Honda, Toyota and friends manufacture the parts overseas using cheap labor and then ship the parts here to be assembled by American workers. Why is this important?
a. Foreign companies save millions in labor costs by paying workers less overseas to do the heavy manufacturing work.
b. Foreign companies also save millions on corporate taxes and import taxes because their cars are not "American made," but American- assembled.

4) The profits made by Honda, Toyota etc. goes right back to their native countries—not the US economy.

5) Honda, Toyota etc. do not have legacy costs like pensions and retirements that have to be paid to retired union workers regardless of economic conditions.

5) The American auto industry is responsible for approximately 20 million American jobs:

a. Manufacturing (Cars, Parts, Accessories)
b. Parts Supply & Distribution
c. Paint
d. Tires (Goodyear, Firestone etc.)
e. Auto Loan Companies
f. Sales People
g. Technicians
h. Office Personnel
i. Managers, district reps, etc…

7) If we shut down American manufacturing plants, we also shut down our ability to manufacture other things, like military equipment and machinery that may be needed in the future.

8) While people in the banking industry have lost jobs, many live in cities like New York and Chicago, where there are other places to find work. In cities like Detroit and small towns in Ohio and Wisconsin, if a plant shuts down, there is no other work to be found.

9) If the big three go under, not only do 1/10 Americans lose their jobs, but retirements and pensions also go away, including all those unemployment benefits the companies pay. Those folks become just another creditor owed...

10) France, Germany, China, Japan and Korea all subsidize their auto manufacturers with billions, while offering incentives to their citizens to buy cars from their native companies; America does not.

11) Only one American car company has asked for a "bailout" before, it was Chrysler in 1980; they paid it back, with interest.

12) The cost of this loan is 34 billion; the current estimate for unemployment costs if the companies file chapter 11 is around $200 billion.

Where everybody knows your name....

Some people go to coffee shops, some restaurants, some go to bars on a regular basis. They have their routines, they become regulars, people get to know them by name.

Us? We go to Urgent Care.

Evie has a double-ear infection. Again.

Poor little lamb.