tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48443078007906268072024-03-21T14:09:43.122-04:00The Green World FamilyAdriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.comBlogger364125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-43646326548346337422016-06-05T22:36:00.000-04:002016-06-05T22:36:04.724-04:00More New Pages<div style="text-align: center;">
Steadily chipping away at 2013!</div>
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<br />Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-77757157566449421182016-05-24T16:39:00.003-04:002016-05-24T16:39:39.220-04:002012 Digital Scrapbook--Finished!!Oh, hello blog. You're still here. Perhaps I will start sharing my creations again, and posting updates on the kids. For now, I thought I'd share that my <a href="http://thegreenworldfamily.blogspot.com/p/2012.html" target="_blank">2012 book</a> is finally done, and I've even gotten a good start on the <a href="http://thegreenworldfamily.blogspot.com/p/2013.html" target="_blank">2013 book</a>. <br />
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Before I dive into Christmas, I have a wee confession to make. I let myself get waaaaaaaaaay behind in my blogging (like I do) and so to catch up, I got a little tricksy. Rather than cram a bunch of posts in back-toback-to-back (which makes my OCD twitch, for some reason) I slipped a few back-logged entries in between the others, around the times that they would have been posted had I been more on my game. So, in case you missed them, <a href="http://thegreenworldfamily.blogspot.com/2013/11/lightening-review-october-2013.html">the Halloween post is here</a>, and <a href="http://thegreenworldfamily.blogspot.com/2013/11/back-to-dentist.html">the visit-to-the-dentist post is here</a>. Now, on to Christmas!<br />
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Brandon's command Christmas party was a two-for-one this year: they had a party for the adults in one of the smaller hotel ballrooms, and at the same time, had <strike>childcare</strike> a party for the kids in one of the nearby hotel conference rooms. And, before they officially kicked things off, the kids got a surprise visit from Santa. He spoke to each of the children, and "brought" a special toy for each one (supplied by the parents earlier in the week). Elora had no problem saying hi to Santa, but miss Kaylie wanted nothing whatsoever to do with him. When it was her turn, she wouldn't even look at him--until we told her that he had a present for her. Even then, she held on to me even as she reached with the other hand to take the gift from Santa.</div>
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Once Santa was gone, the DJ played about 20 minutes' worth of kid-friendly music and let the kids dance on the dance floor before sending them all back to their room for their own banquet: fruit punch, chicken nuggets and french fries. :) I'd been a bit worried that they wouldn't handle it well when Brandon and I left, because it was a strange place and strange people, but they were fine. In fact, Elora burst into tears when we came to pick them up at the end of the night. </div>
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The adult party was pretty standard: catered dinner, raffle prizes (Brandon won a fancy-schmancy knife), and <strike>loud</strike> fun music. I enjoyed myself, but spent most of the evening sitting still, chatting just with the people who happened to be near me. Brandon was much more social, and had a great time. We stayed until about 11, when I'd had as much as I could handle. I hated to drag him away, but well, I wilt pretty early these days.<br />
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We went one afternoon the following week to pick out our Christmas tree. They had candy canes for the kids, which the girls loved. Both girls wandered around, though Elora was the only one really looking at the trees. She kept going from one tree to another, saying things like "Ooh, what about this one?!" I ended up choosing a small, but well-shaped tree, and Elora gave her full approval. :)<br />
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We got it set up that evening, but waited until the next day to decorate it. Brandon helped me get the lights on the tree, then set about capturing the evening's events on camera. The girls, for their part, were excited to help decorate and anxious for their turn to participate. And the poor things had to wait for me to do the lights twice, because I wasn't happy with the placement the first time around.<br />
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Elora did help me with the garland, and she "helped" me with keeping Kaylie out of trouble. Any cautionary comment that I made to either of them, Elora repeated. It was adorable, and a little exasperating. The imp.<br />
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When we finally got the the ornaments, the girls were almost rabid to get started. We did some of the generic glass ornaments first, and then moved on to their ornaments. (You'd be surprised how many they've managed to acquire in only a few years!) They loved everything about it. Except, perhaps, for the waiting as I unwrapped the ornaments. Elora seemed to be taking some care with where she put hers, but Kaylie had just 2 branches that she'd deemed acceptable and all of her ornaments went on one of those 2 branches. And though they could reach higher up the tree, neither one put any higher than about the second row of branches.<br />
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We got about a third of the way through when I called it a night--for them. I went back to it after they'd been tucked in for the night, and not only finished the tree, but put out the rest of our Christmas decorations as well.<br />
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Ta-da! Perfect. :)<br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-61848252654949237952013-12-14T11:23:00.003-05:002013-12-14T11:23:45.255-05:00A Peek into Kaylie's Therapy<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_CUXrtbss3TCLseU8tlBPtJM627zkhuwjPZTZU90SsMxmPoSmX03zVB6V62YB8iY7vJ_1ZlsNXm_GvhDUcJK7ym3E44B3eTjhu9D-0gMSqFMTVJ5Y4TWiNiH3qmdqaC3zy3cDsz4VsNv/s1600/December+13+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_CUXrtbss3TCLseU8tlBPtJM627zkhuwjPZTZU90SsMxmPoSmX03zVB6V62YB8iY7vJ_1ZlsNXm_GvhDUcJK7ym3E44B3eTjhu9D-0gMSqFMTVJ5Y4TWiNiH3qmdqaC3zy3cDsz4VsNv/s400/December+13+(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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On days when Brandon is home early enough that Elora can stay home with him rather than coming to therapy with us, Elora usually chooses to stay home. And I have learned that on those days, if I play like a mouse in the corner, I can go back and observe Kaylie's therapy without distracting her. And yesterday, it finally occurred to me to try getting a video of their session. The audio isn't the best, unfortunately, but you will definitely get a good idea of what they're doing for half an hour, three times a week. I couldn't get them to upload directly to Blogger, so I uploaded them to Photobucket instead. Here are the links:</div>
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<a href="http://s58.photobucket.com/user/callmecirce/media/2013/December/VIDEO0022_zpsa87fe1d3.mp4.html">Playing a Super Why game and playing with a princess castle set.</a><br />
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<a href="http://s58.photobucket.com/user/callmecirce/media/2013/December/VIDEO0023_zpsdf3d603f.mp4.html">Reading <u>Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear?</u></a><br />
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Jennifer really is amazing with her! We hit the jackpot, when we were assigned to Jennifer. I could not have chosen a better therapist, or a better match for Kaylie, if I had personally interviewed and hand-picked someone for the job.</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-53552035069596644992013-11-26T13:55:00.000-05:002013-11-27T09:48:22.668-05:00Childhood Apraxia of Speech<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyr6ez8EafLa5Q5QsUhTDwXwyfXby8dSjlFzuPhNGAiIOALuzKsQRJVhrV8tBQqf3cFuNGzrkBPqUnObu9G7g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<i style="font-size: small;">(The video has nothing to do with the post, it's just cute.)</i><br />
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Kaylie has been attending speech therapy for about 6 months now, so I thought it was about time for an update. We had her hearing tested back in August (about 3 months after starting the therapy) in an effort to determine whether a hearing deficiency, however mild, might be contributing to her slow speech development. Not only did she pass the hearing test, but she cooperated so well that the lady doing the test commented that she is rarely able to administer the whole test to children so young, and that Kaylie responded normally to <i>all </i>of it. So, that pretty well ruled out a hearing deficiency as a cause for Kaylie's speech delay. With that possibility eliminated, Jennifer became fairly sure that it is probably <a href="http://www.apraxia-kids.org/guides/family-start-guide/">childhood apraxia of speech</a>, a cognitive disorder in which there is a disconnect in the planning process of speaking. According to the site I linked above, "children with apraxia of speech have great difficulty planning and
producing the precise, highly refined and specific series of movements
of the tongue, lips, jaw and palate that are necessary for intelligible
speech." In other words, her brain has a hard time telling her mouth how to form the necessary sounds for speech. It sounds really scary, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit freaked out when Jennifer first shared her suspicions with me. Kaylie is really too young for an official diagnosis, but from what I've read about apraxia and what I've observed about my child, it fits. Even if we later find that we're wrong about the core problem, then this at least gives us a plan for how to move forward with her therapy now.</div>
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In the three months since then, Elora and I have stopped going into therapy with Kaylie. In the beginning, I think it was good for all of us to participate, because it helped Kaylie to become comfortable with Jennifer, but it had become obvious that Elora and I were just distractions. We've also added a third therapy session each week, and the additional day seems to have flipped a switch somewhere. She has improved so much just in the last month or two! She's gaining consistency where she was once erratic, and is adding completely new sounds to her repertoire. She is not only talking more and more, but she has become so much more willing to try new words! This may seem like a small thing, but for me, this is the biggest indicator of just how far she's come. </div>
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For my part, I cannot even begin to say how proud I am of her. It is a little heart breaking to watch her struggle to wrap her mouth around some new sound, or combination of sounds, and sometimes I catch myself wondering why my beautiful, intelligent child must work so hard to do what comes so naturally to most other children. But there is no "why", it just is. So we're working with her, and encouraging her, and celebrating every victory with her. To see her sweet little face just light up with joy and <i>pride</i> when she's able to say something new is just...well, there <i>are </i>no words. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-72528898163477794992013-11-19T22:13:00.000-05:002013-12-20T22:42:46.308-05:00Back to the Dentist!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtuvdfmhuC8ElLAWJeIN-WRDZHUbKaF-_grtu79Mqln0ugN-n2qMmhyphenhyphen409_NP5F46rjQx43epPTEydUsP2ZyoIyEqWQuPiXaQa98b-cePlkneZkD8bUTvfesndxSTYQUYsLxsRWLi6MP_/s1600/blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFtuvdfmhuC8ElLAWJeIN-WRDZHUbKaF-_grtu79Mqln0ugN-n2qMmhyphenhyphen409_NP5F46rjQx43epPTEydUsP2ZyoIyEqWQuPiXaQa98b-cePlkneZkD8bUTvfesndxSTYQUYsLxsRWLi6MP_/s640/blog.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The girls had their second check up with the dentist a few weeks ago, and this visit went just as well as <a href="http://thegreenworldfamily.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-girls-first-visit-to-dentist.html">the first!</a> Well, mostly. They sat together in the seat again, and they were just as well behaved, and just as cooperative as they were before. (In Kaylie's case, she was even more cooperative!) The only shadow over the visit is that Elora has developed a few teensy, tiny cavities. The dentist and hygienist both assured me that cavities are very common in young children, because the enamel on the baby teeth is much thinner than that on adult teeth, and especially when the teeth are touching, as they do in Elora's mouth. And I know that I have terrible teeth ( a mouth <i>full </i>of fillings, ew!) and I don't think that Brandon's are much better than mine. But, I still feel like I've failed my daughter. We could have been a lot more diligent about tooth-brushing than we were, and what if that had been enough to prevent those cavities? Am I doing enough to help her develop the necessary habits to keep her mouth healthy in the long-term? I'm doing my best to squash the doubts and self-recrimination, and channel that energy into stepping up our game at home. Kicking myself won't help Elora; being diligent about her oral care will.</div>
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The dentist advised us to have the cavities filled, and I went ahead and made the appointments to do so. She said that if left unfilled, those cavities can spread quickly and lead to more serious issues. Between what she told me, and what I later read online, I feel that our safest bet is to have the teeth filled, even if there is some debate about whether it's really necessary. And even if I <i>do </i>hate that I'll have to make her go through that awful process. But, better a few fillings now, than extractions a year or two down the road, right?</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-45950938540947472832013-11-07T22:08:00.000-05:002013-12-20T22:15:19.042-05:00Lightening Review, October* 2013<div style="text-align: center;">
*Disclaimer: When I say "October 2013", what I really mean is Halloween 2013. Here are all of our activites for the second half of October crammed into one lightening-quick post:</div>
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We went to the <a href="http://hickoryridgefarm.wordpress.com/photo-gallery/">Hickory Ridge Farm</a> Pumpkin Patch to get a pumpkin or two. I had the girls each choose a smaller pie pumpkin, because I knew I would be cooking them down for baking.</div>
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We also rode the pony, walked the corn maze, ate kettle corn, played in the bounce houses, went for a hay ride, and played on a hay bale mountain. It was great for the girls, and I found myself wondering...why did we not do this until our last year in this area?</div>
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We had a Halloween dry run the weekend before the big night, and used it as an opportunity to get some stress-free photos and play in the leaves.<br />
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<strike>We</strike> <strike>Brandon and the girls</strike> Brandon carved the larger of our two pumpkins while I took pictures and the girls supervised. Elora at least tried pulling out some of the pumpkin guts, but Kaylie wouldn't touch it!!!</div>
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And finally, we went trick-or-treating with Lydia and Little James.</div>
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Brandon had to take a 3 day trip for the class he was taking, so he couldn't go with us. Rebekah and Big James were in Florida visiting family. We missed them, but holy cow, we had a great time anyway!!</div>
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See, super fast! Yes, I might have glossed over a few things, but you got the highlights. :)<br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-18466124369959531732013-10-29T21:51:00.000-04:002013-10-29T21:51:02.802-04:00Baby # 3: 30 Weeks<div style="text-align: center;">
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This past Saturday marked 30 weeks into the pregnancy. Everything at the 28 week check up came back a-ok, so far as we can tell, everything is progressing normally and both of us are healthy. I have put on more weight this time around, but I'm still within the "healthy weight gain" zone. Since this is my third baby, I've been getting bigger, faster right from the beginning. Brandon took these pictures on Saturday, at exactly 30 weeks, and I'm bigger here than I was at 39 weeks with Elora.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASoVFpJ30WXxfgq2PrAzsNEyHPeubqUQYUcK4yHYxnWFmNMgrOW84CWTFJM7rVdI3TjPuW5VgvbJ87omhE403cKeAN051Sl4D49MzRL4foeETw-a-eFO7nuJRTzqKGLBJ9PaLS4ycGDMY/s1600/blog-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgASoVFpJ30WXxfgq2PrAzsNEyHPeubqUQYUcK4yHYxnWFmNMgrOW84CWTFJM7rVdI3TjPuW5VgvbJ87omhE403cKeAN051Sl4D49MzRL4foeETw-a-eFO7nuJRTzqKGLBJ9PaLS4ycGDMY/s640/blog-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I'm not yet as big as I was at the end with Kaylie, but it won't be long, I'm thinking. I am into the third trimester, but not I'm not really getting tired so much as I'm easily fatigued. Toting around this big ol' belly is naturally rough on my back, but it's also pulling painfully on the muscles across the top of my belly. I'm fine in the mornings, but by late afternoon (or sooner, if I've been active) it hurts badly enough that I have to lay down for a while to rest those upper abdominal muscles. <br />
I've also been swelling quite a bit already. As with most everything else, it's not quite as bad earlier in the day, but my hands and feet are puffy 24/7 these days. The swelling and the extra weight together have landed me with <a href="http://www.webmd.com/baby/tc/pregnancy-carpal-tunnel-syndrome-topic-overview">prenatal carpal tunnel</a> this time around. Apparently, it occurs in about 50% of pregnancies, but this is my first encounter with it. It's not too bad, and as of now, is really only an issue in my right hand. I've been sleeping with a wrist brace at night, and it's helping.<br />
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We still haven't chosen a name for our little boy, and I'm thinking we probably won't make up our minds until he actually gets here. Since we'll probably be moving late in the spring or early in the summer, we decided not to convert the guest room into a nursery, but to make room in the girls room for a third occupant. I've been haunting Craigslist, and managed to find another toddler bed <i>exactly </i>like the one we already had at a steal. Once we had the second toddler bed, I was able to go ahead and convert the day bed back into a crib and, with Rebekah's help, get the room rearranged to accommodate all 3 beds. Since there isn't room in the girls' dresser for more clothing, and there isn't room in their room for another dresser, my goal now is to replace the regular changing table with a cherry-colored changer-dresser to match the crib, so that I'll have a place to store his clothes and such. I have put together <a href="http://www.myregistry.com/public/Adrienne-Brandon-Gager">a registry</a>, for the things we expect to need (or hope to have).<br />
Otherwise, I've just been working on finding new homes for all of the baby girl stuff that I've been <strike>hoarding</strike> saving in case we had another girl, so that we have a place for all of the boy things we're acquiring. I've already received one box of clothes from a friend of mine here, and I've been told to expect more from other parties. Seriously, I love baby hand-me-downs. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-11235807402260965802013-10-08T14:28:00.001-04:002013-10-09T10:08:30.762-04:0015 Years of Photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So, as I mentioned in my last post, Brandon and I have been taking pictures together for 15 years now. And, since neither of us is yet 30, that's...pretty impressive, right? And since today marks 9 years since we up and decided to just head to the courthouse without telling anyone, I'm going to celebrate by sharing a bunch of those photos. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fM9N4tBduOT-XMcyfL2lOcgWDMFqRqWllkuZNT202rqkNV-VhJAEW6T_IbCf6vEcOf_BtSeAw5gFO_1Mlvkok-mkOw9GK7bpoguelSEGtiYAc1L1xOvYzsuP3B2Pkw5oB2_2YVR6h-cR/s1600/8th+grade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3fM9N4tBduOT-XMcyfL2lOcgWDMFqRqWllkuZNT202rqkNV-VhJAEW6T_IbCf6vEcOf_BtSeAw5gFO_1Mlvkok-mkOw9GK7bpoguelSEGtiYAc1L1xOvYzsuP3B2Pkw5oB2_2YVR6h-cR/s400/8th+grade.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">8th Grade Valentine's Dance, February 1998</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLt_8VF13UAtdd4fKza3yWXesXtT-MI7oJe6bL86DI-_WUyhE3K_FuukXphJQEe0LEjowunFmriI6MXKKIq_SEn23UrEnxO7b8IuXLFmo8XJt6V4-WIJEEs0DWvXbtJx7KRu0IkToItubL/s1600/sr+prom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLt_8VF13UAtdd4fKza3yWXesXtT-MI7oJe6bL86DI-_WUyhE3K_FuukXphJQEe0LEjowunFmriI6MXKKIq_SEn23UrEnxO7b8IuXLFmo8XJt6V4-WIJEEs0DWvXbtJx7KRu0IkToItubL/s400/sr+prom.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senior Prom, Spring 2002<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfU7XvzMxYBJqTdURPbLogKMKoC1lud0eD756nl2-1A4PlmealK4r3HG3752z8eRlUPn4m_g4z9JR2LakLt2rziBz-zazFd-mguND3Ak9XJjfF2yU4H-ypnNOR16kFniD6DUOU0ONzwaeM/s1600/together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfU7XvzMxYBJqTdURPbLogKMKoC1lud0eD756nl2-1A4PlmealK4r3HG3752z8eRlUPn4m_g4z9JR2LakLt2rziBz-zazFd-mguND3Ak9XJjfF2yU4H-ypnNOR16kFniD6DUOU0ONzwaeM/s400/together.jpg" width="287" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Old-Time Portrait, July 2003</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDor-zN5pUuJo4KrPDmGZgDjVvPSRFM5NEMhuA8tj2iZfIRoKHHA1MHI1CcbgzKKbnRbaGP8tdD5V37QOwlefgd1nIBmeaxK2Fh4yGFf0IY2r1DWWkbS1jjLL4C7nJ__IAvfLlMCEL40vm/s1600/wedding-071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDor-zN5pUuJo4KrPDmGZgDjVvPSRFM5NEMhuA8tj2iZfIRoKHHA1MHI1CcbgzKKbnRbaGP8tdD5V37QOwlefgd1nIBmeaxK2Fh4yGFf0IY2r1DWWkbS1jjLL4C7nJ__IAvfLlMCEL40vm/s400/wedding-071.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Wedding Day, July 16, 2005</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlSuJeWCoHl2GqFUoTVaaMeeihs6NNyHdgbRoMZ16NpOH2GHiNikOJYK5aI7zn65sxYQoTOYdcUdJ8VBuXMdlDjm6tIr73vpZfa5a9py8P1XueYavvN1Nj7Ac72bCDTDF-E9wIRG79UL1/s1600/4x6_8924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlSuJeWCoHl2GqFUoTVaaMeeihs6NNyHdgbRoMZ16NpOH2GHiNikOJYK5aI7zn65sxYQoTOYdcUdJ8VBuXMdlDjm6tIr73vpZfa5a9py8P1XueYavvN1Nj7Ac72bCDTDF-E9wIRG79UL1/s400/4x6_8924.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maternity Photos, January 2009</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMWdKbPK96pYRU8dITnBO-tDKMMp3EvZJKpz2V7UWfh0znfTHr-zON3N_q9eXhMP17xjdOVdGD2n0F9mJdoPnEYKQY3z27V0lfYk37qSp2018mVGZ8VsXWHXyDjP1q4FHcq7Svdtjv_De/s1600/4x6+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMWdKbPK96pYRU8dITnBO-tDKMMp3EvZJKpz2V7UWfh0znfTHr-zON3N_q9eXhMP17xjdOVdGD2n0F9mJdoPnEYKQY3z27V0lfYk37qSp2018mVGZ8VsXWHXyDjP1q4FHcq7Svdtjv_De/s400/4x6+3.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Family Portrait, October 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOF4xZ2IKbOamoQ1COzqeZHztauVAqiUgdkKSB2hRSfgCT0vJ4tLg-AgAPJZtKSu-_xe_-fIJiP6QoC4iPxeaZMp89jmMUMO-D02mIaJZR3FRe-un5itwySUiGC65Oi0zDlc-YMZvU1Ujv/s1600/blog-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOF4xZ2IKbOamoQ1COzqeZHztauVAqiUgdkKSB2hRSfgCT0vJ4tLg-AgAPJZtKSu-_xe_-fIJiP6QoC4iPxeaZMp89jmMUMO-D02mIaJZR3FRe-un5itwySUiGC65Oi0zDlc-YMZvU1Ujv/s400/blog-4.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old-Time Family Portrait, July 2013</td></tr>
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And finally, the photo that sparked this post:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnC_ssWHiojFl-14YZWi_8QbeoELNnZnXu_NnCts3QQyuG6OjUMGNn_Oq_WRxGjBw4y9X31hgdu8DhmeTMUo69vA9HoqouC8wChfEfiuNHSBF5QtvKdBHTF6CguoeJ2EyytXUqmAisegHe/s1600/September+21+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnC_ssWHiojFl-14YZWi_8QbeoELNnZnXu_NnCts3QQyuG6OjUMGNn_Oq_WRxGjBw4y9X31hgdu8DhmeTMUo69vA9HoqouC8wChfEfiuNHSBF5QtvKdBHTF6CguoeJ2EyytXUqmAisegHe/s400/September+21+1.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khaki Ball, September 2013</td></tr>
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We're a little ridiculous, aren't we? ;)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-70301721924131030722013-09-25T13:48:00.000-04:002013-10-08T14:10:22.555-04:00The Khaki Ball<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhh_y8syxJq5ByRFOsrQ3i2CerDcC9UVd436qFf94f55EGClIHR64Vkfbrlqujp_GK9Q9voow4Nghm-wZwvYl7_DFswpDTNZ-ZutSqGZ7tCn0oqRUtWoTaOaCkBMdwvxnnFmuwpkCT6fS/s1600/IMAG0437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimhh_y8syxJq5ByRFOsrQ3i2CerDcC9UVd436qFf94f55EGClIHR64Vkfbrlqujp_GK9Q9voow4Nghm-wZwvYl7_DFswpDTNZ-ZutSqGZ7tCn0oqRUtWoTaOaCkBMdwvxnnFmuwpkCT6fS/s400/IMAG0437.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry for the poor quality, but I forgot the camera and took all of these with my cell phone.</td></tr>
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The Khaki Ball is a dinner party for the Chiefs, held annually at the close of each Selectee Season to celebrate the new additions in particular and all the Chiefs in general. Ours was a week after the pinning ceremony, though some commands hold theirs the very same weekend. I was glad for the week's delay, it gave us all a chance to catch our breath. In addition to dinner, there were several speakers, and all of the new Chiefs were presented again, and awarded with plaques to commemorate the occasion.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rO0pQ187-rrOWItidp0dYDpuBmRsoSOQMaBgVz43Li348TeWM_-a0l_gKiqM_Cr_P_uS1uueszoFGpEKyBQw2lR0Nrt-LFE5wKk_2Oq-hxQ1XN3lNmhDX-o2hv4TyAuGGjQFcxBPDk14/s1600/IMAG0433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rO0pQ187-rrOWItidp0dYDpuBmRsoSOQMaBgVz43Li348TeWM_-a0l_gKiqM_Cr_P_uS1uueszoFGpEKyBQw2lR0Nrt-LFE5wKk_2Oq-hxQ1XN3lNmhDX-o2hv4TyAuGGjQFcxBPDk14/s400/IMAG0433.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not sure how he was chosen to help cut the cake, but I'm glad he was. :)</td></tr>
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They had a photographer on hand doing prom-night style portraits, which I think was amazing. Especially for us, since we've been doing photos like this one together for 15 years now. (zomg, I'm going to have to come back to that one....) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnC_ssWHiojFl-14YZWi_8QbeoELNnZnXu_NnCts3QQyuG6OjUMGNn_Oq_WRxGjBw4y9X31hgdu8DhmeTMUo69vA9HoqouC8wChfEfiuNHSBF5QtvKdBHTF6CguoeJ2EyytXUqmAisegHe/s1600/September+21+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnC_ssWHiojFl-14YZWi_8QbeoELNnZnXu_NnCts3QQyuG6OjUMGNn_Oq_WRxGjBw4y9X31hgdu8DhmeTMUo69vA9HoqouC8wChfEfiuNHSBF5QtvKdBHTF6CguoeJ2EyytXUqmAisegHe/s400/September+21+1.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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I am absolutely in love with this photo. I scanned in our printed copy, but I've contacted the photographer to try to get the full digital image. She doesn't seem to be too great at communication, though, so we'll see.</div>
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We both had a good time, but Brandon in particular was on cloud nine all night. It was <i>his </i>night, and he spent it reveling in his accomplishment. The hard part was over, the stress was off, and he had the opportunity to mingle with his new peers in a relaxed, social setting. The food was good, the drinks were flowing, the company was great...I'm sure he'd have been happy to stay all night long, but there are risks associated with bringing a pregnant lady as your date. I made it to about 11, and then had to call it.</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-22650254390040173072013-09-19T11:53:00.001-04:002013-09-19T11:53:27.930-04:00Hail to the CHIEF!!<div style="text-align: center;">
We survived the Selectee Season! It was a rough 6 weeks, but we survived and now...he's a CHIEF!! His pinning ceremony was this past Friday. It was all a little crazy. He'd had to stay on base the night before for the Final Night, so it was just us girls. We got up and out of the house with plenty of time to make it to the ceremony on time. Early, even. I went right there without making any wrong turns (it's quite a ways away, and I've been there only a few times), and pulled in to the parking lot with 15 minutes to spare. I was feeling rather pleased with myself, until I realized that the parking lot was packed. After asking one of the base security personnel, I further realized that I would have to park <strike>across the street</strike> fully a block away from the chapel. Suddenly, I had no extra time. At all. By the time we walked into the chapel, they were ready to start. Thank goodness his sponsor had had the foresight to save seats for us; otherwise we would have been standing along the back wall of the chapel. As it was, the line of Selectees was filing into the chapel singing "Anchors Aweigh" as I was getting us settled into our seats. Ugh. I really, really hate feeling rushed and flustered. But we made it, and that's the important thing.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Selectees, lined up across the front of the chapel, singing the last bit of "Anchors Aweigh".</td></tr>
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The girls had been excited to go see Daddy in theory, but the reality was not at all to their tastes. Kaylie spent the first bit of the ceremony playing with her mini magnadoodle and wasn't too fidgety, but Elora had left hers in the car and was quite, quite bored. As she reminded me approximately every 2 minutes, throughout all the speakers, and the pinning of the few people who were ahead of Brandon.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elora kept saying "Mama, this is<i> too boring</i>."</td></tr>
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Brandon was, I think, the fourth of fifth person (of twelve) to be pinned. I'd assumed that his sponsor, or perhaps his commanding officer would be the one to actually pin the anchors to his collar, but I saw from those first few that it was actually the families of the new Chiefs who did the pinning. I passed my camera off to the lady sitting in front of me, with the request that she take pictures for us, right before it was his turn. But we were to the side and slightly behind where he was standing, and she was unfamiliar with the camera, so we didn't get much in the way of pictures. </div>
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There was a Navy photographer there, though, and we were told that all the families would receive a photo disk with all the pictures from the ceremony. Let me just tell you, I cannot wait to get my hands on that CD!!</div>
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They took pictures not only of the pinning process, but snapped a few family shots immediately after that I am just dying to have. After the pictures, Brandon's sponsor placed his new cover--the last piece of his new uniform--on his head.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No more white hats for this guy. :)</td></tr>
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After that, both girls had officially lost patience with sitting still and being quiet. Kaylie had gotten bored with the magnadoodle, and naturally, as soon as she set it down, Elora picked it up. And just as naturally, as soon as Elora picked it up, Kaylie wanted it back. I had a little bit of white model magic (it's kind of like a light weight play-dough) in the diaper bag, so I got it out for Kaylie. But when Elora saw what Kaylie had, she was no longer interested in the magnadoodle either. I ended up splitting it between the two girls, and it successfully kept them occupied for the rest of the ceremony. All I had to do was to keep Elora from trying to appropriate bits from Kaylie's half, and to remind them that they still needed to be quiet. Oy. </div>
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All in all, they were quite good. The ceremony last for about an hour, and by the time it was done, neither one wanted anything to do with being still or quiet, or in Elora's case, even remotely cooperative. We tried to do our own family photo, but well, like I said. "Still" and "cooperative" were out. This was the best we got. Honestly, I kind of like it. Every time I look at it, I will always remember that Elora wanted to hide and Kaylie wanted to run and I was just so proud that I didn't care. This picture will <i>always </i>make me smile. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-26863570528165326632013-08-18T20:59:00.001-04:002013-08-18T20:59:17.982-04:00An Overdue Announcement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We're expecting baby number 3 in January! This pregnancy has been very different from the first two, which were pretty mellow. This time around, I spent the first trimester feeling perpetually car sick, I've been craving salty snacks as well as the sweet stuff, and I've been <strike>a psychopath</strike> noticeably hormonal. Since the first two were both girls, I was convinced from early on that I had to be having a boy this time. We went in on the 9th for the anatomy scan, and found out that I'd been right! </div>
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He seems to be doing perfectly well. He's developing normally, and I haven't had any complications. After <a href="http://thegreenworldfamily.blogspot.com/2010/10/the-reason-for-delay.html">the scare we had with Kaylie</a>, this has been an incredible relief. As a matter of fact, we didn't even tell the immediate family about the pregnancy until we were out of the first trimester, just in case. And, obviously, we held off on a "public" announcement until now--partly so that we could share the gender at the same time, and partly just to be <i>extra </i>safe. I'm at about 19 weeks now, so we're almost to the halfway point. I can already feel him moving around. :)</div>
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As you can imagine, being pregnant has made Brandon's Selectee training a bit more difficult for us than it would have been otherwise. Brandon, bless him, took the time out today to take these pictures, even though today was his only day off and he had a lot of other things he needed to be doing.</div>
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I snapped this one while I was trying to get the camera and tripod set up. I think it's such a sweet picture. :)</div>
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We're all excited about the new addition, especially Elora. She is completely over the moon that she'll be getting a baby brother. When we first told her that there'd be a new baby, before we knew the gender, she told us that she "picked a boy", because she already has a little sister. I'm not sure whether Kaylie understands what's going on, or not. She still can't articulate much, so it's hard to tell what she thinks. I keep telling her that there's a baby in my tummy, but she always just looks at me like I'm crazy. I think Brandon was hoping for a boy this time around, and I'm happy to be able to give him a son. For my part, I'm a bit intimidated to be having a boy because it will be new and different. Not to mention the fact that our children will soon out number us!! So exciting/scary/wonderful. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-54425012542254100202013-08-12T18:22:00.000-04:002013-08-12T18:22:01.860-04:00Chief!<div style="text-align: center;">
The list of those promoted to Chief came out on August 1--and Brandon's name was on it!!! If I was proud of him <a href="http://thegreenworldfamily.blogspot.com/2013/07/reenlistment-fourth-of-july-and-time.html">before</a>, I'm about to explode with it now. It's such an accomplishment, and "proud" just doesn't seem to cover it.</div>
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In the Navy, Chief is not anything like the preceding ranks, where you simply assume the title (and all that goes with it) upon being chosen for promotion. Instead, you become a Chief Select, and there is a six week Selectee Season of training, character building, and so forth, before the pinning ceremony and official ascension to Chief-hood.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Navy Chief's anchor pin.<br />
<a href="http://www.medalsofamerica.com/Item--i-B267ListHeader">photo found here</a></td></tr>
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So far, we are about a week into the Season, and it's rough. His status as a Selectee does not excuse him from his normal responsibilities, so everything has to be done either before or after his normal work day. And, the training itself is pretty intense. Brandon keeps saying that they're being "Miyagi-ed", and it seems an apt description. I don't think I can really share much more than that, because this whole process is kept pretty hush-hush to ensure that future Chief Selects have the same learning opportunity as the current and previous ones.</div>
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For my part, I've been helping him as much as I can. They held a briefing for the wives at the beginning, to try to give us an idea of what we'd be in for, so I knew that he would be working a lot of long hours and need a lot of support at home. I normally work two evenings during the week, but since he can't be home to stay with the girls without missing training, I had them take me off of the week-day schedule. Not only does this free him up to focus on his stuff, it allows me more freedom to help with whatever projects he brings home. <br />
I hadn't initially given much thought to how all of this would effect things at home. They kept telling me that we wouldn't see much of him, and while I knew that I would miss him, I didn't really give it much thought beyond that. After all, I knew that I <i>would </i>get to see him everyday, if only briefly, and that all of this is for a very, very good reason. I didn't realize how much he really would be relying on me, and I definitely did not think about how it would affect the girls. It took only until the end of Week 1, Day 1, for me to recognize the oversight. He didn't get home until just before the girls' bed time, and waited only long enough to eat some dinner before going to bed. When she realized that he was going to crash without playing with them, or even without putting them to bed first, Elora just burst into tears. It was a wake-up call for me: Brandon and I aren't the only people in the equation anymore. The lesson has only been reinforced over the past week. Not only are they really missing their Daddy, but I know they have to be picking up on the stress that he and I are under. They're fighting a bit more, and are a little quicker to tears. Elora has been having accidents again. Kaylie's speech seems to have back-slid a bit.<br />
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I'm trying not to let the huge positive of his achievement get lost in the difficulties we're facing now. I keep reminding myself that all of this is really a very good thing, and that the current situation isn't going to last forever. Brandon will be officially pinned as a Chief in mid-September, and then things will slow down and pretty much go back to the way that they were--except that he will be a <i>Chief</i>.</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-35255628639087770792013-08-10T09:17:00.000-04:002013-08-10T09:17:00.104-04:00Summer Visit with Oma, Part 2<div style="text-align: center;">
We went to the Virginia Aquarium on Monday, the day before Momma had to go back.</div>
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Their changing exhibit is a butterfly garden, showing all the various stages of a butterfly's life cycle. They had caterpillars crawling around in little terrariums, and a case full of cocoons in addition to all the butterflies fluttering around the garden. The case is checked twice daily, and any butterflies that have emerged from their cocoons are released. (I'm not sure when the exhibit ends, it just says "through August" on the website. It's worth checking out, for the locals!)</div>
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We saw only 3 different kinds, though I'm sure there were more. I almost stepped on this little brown one as I was taking pictures of the others, he was so well camouflaged with the leaves. Momma warned me that it was there, but I still didn't see it until she physically pointed it out to me.</div>
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We didn't spend any time looking at the informational exhibits, focusing instead on all of the animals. The girls enjoyed watching the harbor seals making laps around their pool right outside the entrance to the aquarium itself.</div>
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Personally, I had more fun watching my mom and the girls than I did the animals.</div>
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So many of the areas are so dark that it's really hard to get good pictures...</div>
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The turtle tank. This one in particular was very friendly. He (she?) swam right by us several times in a row, as if to say 'hi'.</div>
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The sting ray tank. Both girls had their hands in all the way up past their elbows, and Kaylie's hair was falling in the water. I'm sure she would have been happy to just get in there and play with the rays!!</div>
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When we left the aquarium, we detoured by the Cheesecake Factory in downtown Virginia Beach for some cheesecake. I left mom in the car with the girls and ran in for a few slices to take home and share. Man oh, man. So good.</div>
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Of course, we did more than the zoo and the aquarium. Mom and I went out for lunch, pedicures and shopping on Saturday. Saturday night, Mom stayed with the girls so that Brandon and I could have a date night for our anniversary. Sunday, we took the girls to see Monsters University. Not to mention the down time, just hanging out at home. It was all so much fun! I'm so glad that Momma got to come up and hang out with us for a week! One day, we'll live closer and get to see each other more often, but in the mean time, these visits are a treasure. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-60613081323082539912013-08-07T11:00:00.000-04:002013-08-07T11:29:20.553-04:00Summer Visit with Oma, Part 1<div style="text-align: center;">
My mom came up for a week in the middle of July. I didn't take as many pictures as I should have--Of the 7 days that she was here, I have pictures from only three--but I do have some to share. She flew up on the 9th, and we were very, very glad to see her. Elora barely left her side.</div>
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Momma's been doing the superman thing with the little ones since I was a little one. She also puts them up on her feet, and flips them from her knees over her head. She said that Elora is the first one to ever try flipping backwards.</div>
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Unfortunately, I was not able to get the whole week off from work. The annual inventory was scheduled for the morning of the 12th, and since mom was there to stay with the girls, I went in both that morning and the one before it, to help. So, knowing that those 2 days would be out for going and doing, we took advantage of the days we did have free. We went to <a href="http://www.virginiazoo.org/">the zoo:</a></div>
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The kids got to play in the water again, which was great. It was really hot that day! I should have worn a swim suit as well, so I could cool off too.</div>
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Our friends met us there: Rebekah and "Big" James, and Lydia and "Little" James.</div>
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The girls were in rare form that day, especially Kaylie. I could get Elora to stay put by one of the fountains, but Kaylie was all over the place. I was going a little crazy trying to keep an eye on them both. At least until Kaylie threw a tantrum over returning a toy to another family, and I put her in time out, over by Momma and Aunt Bekah, who had given up on the fountains in favor of the shade.<br />
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She ended up being distracted first by the birds fluttering around in the areas behind them, and then by all the fun games on her Oma's phone. We went to get lunch not long after that, and then walked around to visit the animals.<br />
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Oma's phone was in high demand. It got put away during lunch, and then it was Elora's turn. Why the phone was more exciting than the zoo, I have no idea. Miss Kaylie continued to be in her funk for the rest of the day. Maybe she was working on molars? Maybe it was the heat? Or maybe it was just that she's two.<br />
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The baby giraffe was out and about with its parents. It's so stinking cute! Just like a tiny version of the adults, but brighter and fuzzier.<br />
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The last thing we did was to visit the tigers. Momma absolutely adores tigers! We only got to see one of them, being lazy in the shade, and I didn't get any pictures. She had to settle for pictures of the statue. :)<br />
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We went to <a href="http://www.virginiaaquarium.com/Pages/default.aspx">the aquarium</a>, too, but I'm thinking that maybe I ought to make that another post. Stay tuned. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-81395685200355685972013-07-24T10:37:00.000-04:002013-08-12T19:14:29.873-04:00Reenlistment, the Fourth of July, and a Time-Warp<div style="text-align: center;">
Back at the beginning of July, Brandon signed on for another 6 years with the US Navy, which is a pretty big deal. Since they're drawing down the military, they're being really choosy about the people that they allow to reenlist. The fact that they not only re-upped his contract, but that they signed him for another 6 years (the maximum, by the way), really speaks to how awesome he is. I, for one, really just could not be any more proud of him for doing what he does, and for doing it so incredibly well.</div>
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The girls and I drove out to the command for the little reenlistment ceremony. It was very quick--the drive down there took longer than the ceremony did. But not only was it a major thing for his career, but it's a big deal for our family. On the one hand, the Navy kind of owns us for another 6 years. We'll be moving soon, because he's up for new orders, and he'll be going back to a boat for the first time in 6 years, for the first time since we had children. It's inevitable that he's going to have to go out to sea, and I'd be lying if I tried to tell you that I'm not terrified of being left alone. But, to balance that, the Navy has been very, very good to us and it's reassuring to know that we are going to have a steady income and health care for the next 6 years. So yes, it was good to be there, to witness this commitment being made, and to show our support.<br />
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They also gave me an award, which I was definitely not expecting. It 's an achievement award, recognizing and thanking me for my support as the one standing behind Brandon and his work in the Navy. I was pleasantly surprised, though I also felt a little put on the spot...there were actually a lot of people there, and I'd met only a handful of them a handful of times. Still, I thought it was pretty cool. :)<br />
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So, that was July third. I thought it was an appropriate way to celebrate the Fourth, especially since we didn't actually do any celebrating on the Fourth. Saturday we went out to Virginia Beach for some Fourth of July family fun. We tried out one of the local seafood places for dinner, then headed on over to the strip to have some <a href="http://www.oldtimephotos.com/">old time photos</a> done. This was not done on a whim. I've actually been planning that very photo session, at that very location, for a year or two. You see, Brandon was stationed here back in 2003 for his C-school training, and he flew me up to see him a couple of times. One of those times was over the July 4th holiday weekend, and while wandering around in Virginia Beach, we had some old time photos done then. So how could we not go back and do it again, exactly 10 years later? I couldn't resist, and even Brandon said that it pretty much had to be done.<br />
I didn't want to take the original photos with us, since we have only the one copy, so we snapped a picture of it with Brandon's phone, to show it to the people at the studio. Of course they were all over it, and perfectly happy to help us try to recreate the original:<br />
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How awesome is that? 10 years, 3 duty stations, and 2 kids later, and neither of has changed much at all. How's that for a time warp? Here's the rest of the shoot (because of course I had to have the CD with all the digital images on it...) :<br />
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The girls LOVED getting all dressed up, and playing with the props. Heck, so did I, for that matter.<br />
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Elora looks unhappy in the first one, because the photographer had handed her a gun, and told her to hold it up for the picture. "But, guns are dangerous!" And she continued to look worried until he took away the gun, and handed her the fan. She was much more comfortable with the fan. Kaylie, on the other hand, was in 100% dress-up-loving-toddler <i>heaven</i>.<br />
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We got done with the photos just before 10, when the fireworks were supposed to start, so we just headed across the street to the beach walk. We waited patiently there by the beach, but I couldn't help noticing that there wasn't anyone else standing around, looking expectantly at the sky out over the water. Sure enough, there were no fireworks that night. As it turns out, I'd misread the schedule. They weren't Saturday night at 10, but Sunday night at 10. Oops. Thank goodness for smartphones! Since Brandon was able to double check the schedule, we didn't wait around too long, but got the girls loaded up and headed home. Poor Elora was heartbroken. She'd been so excited to see the fire works! We kept telling her that we'd go back the next night, that she would still get to see them, but she was so tired and so disappointed that she whimpered the whole way home.<br />
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We did go back, and she did get to see them. Elora loved them. This is the only picture I was able to get of her once they started, because she was so excited that she kept jumping up and down. Apparently, holding still also meant that she had to stop grinning, but at least I got a picture!<br />
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Kaylie was not so impressed. She didn't like the noise, but kept peeking through her fingers to watch them anyway. She spent part of the show in the stroller, and part of it with Brandon.<br />
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I hope everyone had a happy Fourth of July! <br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-13538686261990205102013-07-16T14:45:00.000-04:002013-07-16T14:46:50.310-04:00June.<div style="text-align: center;">
A photographic sampler of the month of June.</div>
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<b>June 1: Water Play</b></div>
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<b>June 2: Chuck'E'Cheese</b></div>
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<b>or, More On Potty <strike>Training </strike> Reinforcement</b></div>
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Elora, while fully capable of using the potty, has consistently shown a lack of enthusiasm for doing so. Why gt up and go to the bathroom, when it doesn't seem to bother her in the least to have wet pants? So, we've been trying to inspire the proper enthusiasm in her, both punishing her bad choices and rewarding her good ones. This reward chart is actually something that I made for her back in January, but that I never blogged.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note: I made this exclusively for our own personal use. I do not own the rights to any of these images.</td></tr>
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These are the counters. </div>
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I made 3 for Chuck E Cheese, 5 for the ice cream, and 7 for the movie. I printed it all out at home, then took them to Office Depot to have them laminated. I cut out all of the counters, and used Velcro in the squares on the chart and on the backs of the counters so that they could easily (and repeatedly) be moved around. Then I hung it all on the wall right next to the potty, right at her eye level, with the card board sleeve from the movie hanging over it all so that she would be able to see that, too.</div>
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Based on advice I'd received and articles I'd read, I thought it might help to give her something to work toward, and for her to be able to see it and be reminded of it every time she went to the potty. Initially, she was really, really excited about it, but she would never go more than a day or two without an accident. Fast forward to June, and she FINALLY got her 3 days in a row!</div>
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<b>June 6: At the Zoo (with Aunt Bekah)</b></div>
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We've been zoo-ing about once a month or so, since it got warm. By this point, it had gotten <i>hot</i>, and knowing that they have these awesome water fountains just inside the zoo, we dressed the kids in their bathing suits. We ended up getting there shortly before story time, though, so we did that first.</div>
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The kids could not wait to go play in the water, but when they got there, they were super shy about getting in it. Elora, in particular, does not like to get water in her face, so she just kept backing into the fountains. And of course, whatever Elora does, Kaylie must also do.</div>
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And <i>then </i>we learned that a baby giraffe had just been born <i>that morning</i>. Have I ever mentioned that giraffes are Elora's favorite animals? These pictures aren't great, because they were taken through the glass and my camera kept wanting to focus on the fence rather than the giraffes (I forgot about manual focus), but isn't he sweet? Only about 7 hours old here, and already standing and walking around. So, so cool.</div>
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<b>June 14: Hopscotch</b></div>
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It was late in the day, either just before dinner or just after. The girls and I had been inside all day--we hadn't even changed out of our PJ's. It was a beautiful afternoon. not too hot, and Brandon decided it would be criminal if we didn't get at least a little fresh air. We opened the garage door, set out the blue lawn chairs, and watched the girls play.</div>
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I didn't really take any pictures of their faces. I was fascinated by the light, the nightgowns & boots, and the chalk lines. Is it weird that I'm kind of in love with this picture?</div>
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<b>June 28: Farmer's Market & A Speech Therapy Update</b></div>
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There's a farmer's market at the local park every Wednesday and Saturday during the summer, and Rebekah and I finally got around to taking the kids to check it out. </div>
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We ended up eating half of our strawberries right there, they were so good! We haven't made it back yet, but I'm thinking we really ought to. </div>
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That afternoon, Kaylie had therapy. We're still going twice a week, and Kaylie is making great progress! She's added lots of new words to her vocabulary, and is signing for a lot of things as well. Jennifer has moved from just trying to get Kaylie to repeat simple words to focusing on specific letter sounds and final consonants. For example, Kaylie says "eee" for "eat", dropping the T and speaking only the beginning of the word. We're trying to teach her to say the whole word. At the end of each session, Jennifer always makes suggestions for what we can do with Kaylie at home, so that she continues to learn in between visits.</div>
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Elora always goes with us, and is always very good while we're there. Jennifer either brings something special for Elora to play with, incorporates her into the lesson, or allows her to play one of the kid's games on her tablet. Frankly, I think that might be Elora's favorite.</div>
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And that brings us to the end of June. Next time, I'll try to bring us up to date in July. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-91253316592157608712013-06-06T18:27:00.000-04:002013-06-06T18:27:00.427-04:00Speech Therapy for Kaylie<div style="text-align: center;">
When we took the girls for their annual check-ups back in March, their doctor put in a referral for Kaylie to see a speech therapist. The office we'd initially been referred to had a giant waiting list, so we had to jump through a few insurance hoops to get the referral changed and everything settled. We finally got her in for an evaluation last Wednesday. When she was done, Jennifer (the therapist) reaffirmed what I've been thinking right on along: Kaylie is on par as far as social development and comprehension levels, but that she just isn't verbalizing the way she should be. By this point, she should have a pretty impressive vocabulary, and she should be using a lot of simple, 2- and 3-word sentences.</div>
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Her first therapy session was Monday, her second was yesterday. Each session is only 30 minutes, and the therapy itself is all guided play. So far, Jennifer's had a hard time getting Kaylie to cooperate. She has an array of books, toys, games, and flash cards that she uses to try to engage Kaylie and get her to articulate certain words or sounds. She'll hold a toy that she knows that Kaylie wants, to try to get her to name the toy. When Kaylie does it, she gets the toy. Unfortunately for Jennifer, Kaylie has mostly just shrugged and gone after something else, so both sessions have just been Jennifer following Kaylie from one task to another, trying to engage her, and get her to play along.</div>
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One thing that does seem to be going well is that Jennifer is using sign language alongside the verbal language, and Kaylie is picking up on that very quickly. More often than not, she responds not with words or sounds, but with hand gestures. As we were leaving on Wednesday, Jennifer told us to really focus on learning and using the sign language in conjunction with the words. Apparently, children tend to learn words much faster when there is kinetic activity involved, maybe because it is stimulating more of the brain? I am not sure of the science behind it, but it does seem to be working. I've downloaded an American Sign Language app for my phone (the first one I've ever actually bought!) and she's picking them up just as fast as I can learn them! I'm excited to see where this is going, I just cannot wait to be able to really communicate with my Kaylie girl!</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-8443351078588024502013-06-05T20:20:00.003-04:002013-06-05T20:21:14.992-04:00The Rest of May!<div style="text-align: center;">
Aaaaaaand, I'm behind again. Consider this my official catch-up post.</div>
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We went to Applebee's for Mother's Day. Their food isn't anything to get excited about, but their Blue Ribbon Brownie? It's the whole reason we go there. So good.</div>
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I took the girls out for a stroll and a picnic lunch one day later that week. That's right, we were rocking Lunchables that afternoon. They make for a fun picnic food.</div>
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The following weekend, we went to Sydney's birthday party. No petting zoo this year, but they did have another bouncy house. (Seriously, you just can't go wrong with a bouncy house.) This year's theme? Hello Kitty.</div>
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And, that's it for May. </div>
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Hang on. We're into JUNE? Oh man...</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-85386359921522587662013-05-13T14:35:00.002-04:002013-05-13T14:38:36.799-04:00Fun at the Park!<div style="text-align: center;">
Back toward the beginning of May, the girls and I met Rebekah and James at the park for a bit of fun.</div>
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For the most part, the kids each did their own thing. </div>
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Kaylie tried a couple of times to keep up with her sister, but kept getting side tracked.</div>
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It didn't stop her from wanting to do whatever her sister was doing. After seeing Elora walking around on the wood curb, she had to do it too. She was a lot slower, but she kept at it, long after Elora had gotten bored with it and moved on.</div>
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At some point, Elora started playing with this little boy named Ethan. He spent the most of the afternoon following her around. I found myself wondering if I was getting a glimpse into the future...</div>
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James did all of his playing with his mama. Even though he's only a year younger than Kaylie, that one year makes a heck of a difference. Elora was too busy playing with the bigger kids, and Kaylie started spurning him around the time that he started walking. And though he is walking, he's still not super steady on his feet, and didn't need to be far from his mama anyway.</div>
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Poor guy. He and Kaylie used to be best friends. Now she wants nothing to do with him. Here she is, sitting in <i>his </i>stroller, munching on a piece of cheese from <i>his </i>snack stash, she even stole some of <i>his </i>juice, and she wouldn't even look at him.</div>
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Granted, in this instance, he was more interested in the cheese than he was in her, but this is pretty typical of their interactions these days. Thankfully, his mama was far more prepared for the day than Kaylie's, and she had plenty of snacks in the stash. (Thanks again, Rebekah, for feeding my bottomless pit! I should have known better than to bring only a single snack's worth.)</div>
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We stayed for a few hours, and scooted out of there with just enough time to pick up Brandon from the house, and get me to the optometrist in time for my appointment. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-50321154546753950252013-04-30T14:34:00.000-04:002013-05-01T12:18:33.342-04:00The Girls' First Visit to the Dentist<div style="text-align: center;">
I was a bit worried about taking the girls to the dentist for the first time. Especially Kaylie. Elora and I had talked about it before hand, and while she admitted to being a bit nervous, she was also excited. I couldn't really talk it over with Kaylie, she's only two. I didn't really expect her to let them do much, but I'd forgotten that Kaylie loves to do whatever her sister does and they both blew my expectations out of the water.</div>
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When we got to the office, they checked out the aquarium (they have an eel!) and sat down to wait. I can't say that they waited patiently, And I did have to move Elora over so that I could sit between, them, but over all they were good. When the hygienist came to call us back, I pleased to note that it was Tara, the same one who had cleaned my teeth the week before.</div>
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When we got into the exam room, Kaylie saw Elora up in the chair and climbed right up after her. At first, I didn't think there would be room for them both, but she wedged her bottom in next to her sister', and looked perfectly happy to be there. Even better, Tara was totally cool with them sitting together.</div>
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They were so cute sitting in the chair together that people kept coming over to look at them and exclaim over how sweet they were. By the time we left, I bet that every doctor and hygienist on the place had come to take a peek. And of course, I was about to burst with motherly pride. :)</div>
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Tara was great with the girls. She started out by showing everything to them, and explaining what she would be doing before she did it. She continued to do that along each step of the way, and I know they liked it. She was so thorough that Elora later complained that she didn't get to ask any questions, which I thought was adorable.</div>
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Elora let Tara count her teeth, do a thorough cleaning and flossing, apply a fluoride varnish, and let the doctor do a complete exam. HOLY COW. Did I mention that I nearly exploded, I was so proud?</div>
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Kaylie did just as well. When it was Elora's turn, she kept leaning over to see what they were doing, and then laying back to point into her own mouth. She was clearly impatient for her turn! And when it was her turn, she hardly paid any attention to Tara as she showed things to her. She would just glace at whatever Tara was holding, and then open her mouth so Tara could get started. She made it all the way though the counting and cleaning and flossing, and halfway through the exam, before the missed nap caught up to her and she lost patience. I was so impressed! YAY!</div>
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They'd both liked brushing their teeth before, but now they're almost obsessive about it. And honestly, I couldn't be happier! I don't have great teeth, and neither does Brandon. Probably because we're both horrible about flossing. I know, I know. I need to do it. And I do. Sometimes. But I have a mouth full of fillings (an an appointment for a crown) to prove that I don't do it often enough. I want better for my girls. Not that I'm criticizing my own mother. She got me to the dentist for regular cleanings, taught me to brush and floss, and impressed upon me the importance of keeping my teeth clean and healthy. It isn't her fault that I didn't listen, it's mine. If the girls end up with a ton of fillings, I want know that I did all that I could to encourage them to develop healthy oral hygiene ( like my mom did) and I want them to feel comfortable going to the dentist. So far, I'd say we're doing great!</div>
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Now, if you live anywhere other than Norfolk or Chesapeake, Virginia, you can stop reading. If you do live here, but you already have a dentist that you're completely happy with, you can stop reading. But for anyone in my area who happens to be in the market for a dentist, this next bit is for you!!</div>
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I would HIGHLY recommend <a href="http://www.dkonikoff.com/">Konikoff Dentristry</a>. I've been to the Volvo office twice for myself, and once with the girls, and I can't offer even a single complaint about the care we've received. Everyone we've encountered has been friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. When Dr. Konikoff told me that I would need a crown, a bite guard, and several fillings, he took the time to really show me <i>why</i>. I couldn't argue with the x-rays, and I definitely couldn't argue with the detailed photographs that were clearly of my mouth. And when I called on Thursday, April 25 to beg for an appointment for those fillings before my insurance rolled over on May first, their office staff bent over backwards to get me in---the very next day. And when I peppered Dr Fields with questions about that crown, he and his assistant happily provided me with clear answers about differences between the different materials and costs. And I've already said how great Tara was with the kids. Seriously, they are amazing, and if you happen to be looking for a dentist, this is the place to go!</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-70464288035112742182013-04-26T11:35:00.001-04:002013-04-26T11:35:55.128-04:00Weekend With Aunt Peguy<div style="text-align: center;">
Peguy and her boys (T-man and J-bird, as she calls them on <a href="http://pvtfamily.blogspot.com/">her blog</a>) came down from DC for a visit a few weekends ago. It had been almost a year since <a href="http://thegreenworldfamily.blogspot.com/2012/05/weekend-in-dc.html">we last saw them</a>. (Wait, what? Where the heck did all that time go?) Her little one is already 8 months old, and we just got to meet him. Crazy. They came down on Saturday, and we spent the afternoon just relaxing around the house. </div>
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We ordered take-out for dinner, then Peguy and I took the three older kids out to play for a bit while J-bird took a nap. We didn't take anything but the camera out there with us initially, but I kind of face-palmed and then ran back to the house for the bubbles. </div>
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Sunday morning was just as relaxed. We took our time getting moving, letting the kids enjoy one another's company.</div>
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We didn't do much of anything until after lunch, when we walked the kids to the little playground behind our neighborhood.</div>
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We decided--unanimously--the we aren't going to wait so long between visits this time. Maybe next time, I'll pack up the girls and head on up to DC for a nice relaxing weekend at Peguy's. :)</div>
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-72683596738687358642013-04-24T14:29:00.002-04:002013-04-24T14:29:41.072-04:00The Greenbrier Mall Carnival<br />
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I got a new <strike>tablet</strike> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Canon-50mm-1-8-Camera-Lens/dp/B00007E7JU">50mm lens</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Canon-Speedlite-II-Digital-Cameras/dp/B001CCAISE/?qid=1363912687&s=electronics&ref=sr_1_1&ie=UTF8&sr=1-1">external flash</a> for my birthday, so I spent some time playing with those.</div>
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I love the clarity, and the brightness of the photos taken with the new lens. I can now get perfect indoor photos without using the flash at all, which is amazing! The downside? Because it's a prime lens (fixed focal length) I have to physically move myself to change the framing, and the 50mm lens in particular takes really close-up photos. The zoom lens that I've had right on along is a lot more versatile. I cannot tell you how much I'd undervalued being able to zoom in and out so easily! But, the pictures aren't always as crisp, and, for whatever reason, it won't always let me choose the shutter and aperture combinations that I want. (More info on prime and zoom lenses <a href="http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Zoom-Vs-Prime-Lens.aspx">here</a> and <a href="http://digital-photography-school.com/prime-vs-zoom-lenses-which-are-best">here</a>.)</div>
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The external flash is great because it is more powerful, it can be redirected, and I have a handy little <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eynpire-Camera-Flash-Diffuser-Speedlite/dp/B007NMMUZQ/ref=pd_cp_p_1">diffuser</a> that can further soften the light of the flash. It illuminates the whole area, rather than just what's immediately in front of the camera. So wonderful! The drawback to this is that it's huge, and kind of heavy. I will definitely be using it, but probably not for everyday photo-taking.</div>
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I got my first chance to really get a feel for the new lens at the little fair that came to town a few weeks ago. It was great for taking pictures of the girls while on the rides, but not so great for taking pictures of someone right in front of the camera. This is where we really came to appreciate the versatility of the zoom lens. In hind sight, I ought to have put the other lens back on for this particular outing. Oh well. You live, you learn.</div>
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The carnival was tiny. It seemed to me to be a lot smaller than even the St Teresa's fair back home, but maybe that's because it's been so long since I've gone. It was perfect for us, though. We got drinks, cotton candy, and tickets (in that order) then, and we drank our sodas, walked around the fair to get an idea of what was there and what we wanted to do. </div>
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We ended up letting Elora make most of those decisions. She chose to do the Ferris wheel first. It was one of the smaller ones, and the seats could only two each. Brandon took Elora up with him, and I took Kaylie with me. Now, I've always liked the Ferris wheel, and while I always feel a little shaky when I'm at the top, I don't think that I'd ever been afraid of the Ferris wheel until that day--when my tiny little girls were getting on it. I kept at least one hand on Kaylie the entire time and tried not to think of the things that could go wrong. Obviously, nothing did, and the girls loved it. </div>
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After that, we did the two big slides. And when I say "we", I mean, everyone but Kaylie. Brandon took Elora up on the big twisting slide, and I took her on the wavy yellow one, but poor slide-loving Kaylie was too small to do them. I was especially sad that she had to sit out the yellow slide, because that was what I'd been most looking forward to taking her on. :( Next time, right?</div>
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She wasn't able to go on the race track ride either, but after that, we found the grouping of rides intended for the little ones, and thank goodness. She kept trying to climb onto the racetrack ride after her sister, and was not please at being excluded yet again. When we got to the train ride, she tried to haul me in there without so much as a by-your-leave to the attendant. When it was over, she was so upset about leaving that we ended up just letting her ride it again while Brandon took Elora to the dragon ride right next to it.</div>
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By this point, our supply of tickets (50!!) were nearly depleted. We had enough for them to ride one more together, and then for Kaylie to ride the dragons and Elora to go on the merry-go-round with her Daddy.</div>
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It was nearly dinner time when we finished, so we drover around Red Robin, on the other side of the mall. Elora loves the place, because they have a TV in the floor near the entrance, and a 4' statue of a red bird in the dining area. It isn't my favorite restaurant (poor desert menu) but they do have good burgers and it was nice and cool. I took the opportunity to play a bit more with the camera, and was really excited about the pictures I got.</div>
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I haven't touched these, except to arrange them for posting. Had I taken those with my old lens, they would have been super dark. Maybe I'm doing something wrong with the other one. Maybe I need to do a bit more research into how to use it to get the best results. But in the mean time, I am loving that lens!</div>
Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-85452292610052557172013-04-24T14:26:00.000-04:002013-04-24T15:47:00.240-04:00I Ran Out of (Blogging) Steam<div style="text-align: center;">
Can't you tell? Five posts in rapid succession, and then....nothing. For nearly a month. Oops. We haven't been idle for the past month. If anything, the opposite is true. The girls and I met Rebekah and (big) James, and Lydia and (little) James, at the zoo.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">watching the giraffes--apparently one of them is pregnant!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">African Elephant, giraffe, red panda.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo op at the rhino statue!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">look at the baby!!</td></tr>
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We had a mini-party with Rebekah, Josh, James, and Rebekah's mom, Sharon, on Elora's birthday.<br />
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And then we went to to James's birthday party the very next day. Rebekah and I decorated the cake in the evening after the girls' get-together, <a href="http://www.brasstacksandbasics.com/2011/08/super-fancy-cake-decorating-tutorial.html">using this tutorial</a>. I wouldn't say that we nailed it, exactly, but I think we did a pretty good job.<br />
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Not too bad, huh? I'll definitely be using that technique again. <br />
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The party was a success. :) We stayed until Kaylie got cranky, and then took her home before she could go into a full tantrum over something silly.<br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4844307800790626807.post-14437594782102415982013-03-28T17:09:00.003-04:002013-03-28T17:09:56.853-04:002013 St. Augustine Celtic Music and Heritage Festival<div style="text-align: center;">
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For my birthday (it was in February) Momma took my sister and me to the <a href="http://www.romanzastaugustine.org/celtic/">Celtic Music and Heritage Festival in St. Augustine.</a> We drove up on Friday afternoon, and checked into our hotel right near historic downtown. The location was great, because <i>everything </i>was within easy walking distance.<br />
Friday evening was a little hectic. I'd made arrangements to meet up with some old friends for dinner, and Mom had made arrangements to meet up with my aunts for dinner, but it all worked out. We first met <a href="http://createdblissfully.blogspot.com/">Corinnea and Jess</a> and their family at the <a href="http://tini-martini-bar.com/">Tini Martini</a> just across from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_of_Lions">Bridge of Lions</a>. We sat and visited there for a little while, then all of us together went to meet Aunt Tine and her family at Borillo's (when we first drove by it, Momma thought that is said "Bordello's") for dinner. It was <i>wonderful. </i>Not because the food was all that great (it was good, but nothing to write home about), but because of the company.<br />
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I got to sit and chat with Corinnea (my Germany mom) and Jess (her actual daughter) all through dinner. This was the first time I'd seen Corinnea since she left Germany (a few months before we did), and only the second time that I'd seen Jess in person. It was just so nice to be able to catch up! I did feel a little guilty for ignoring my family (Alanna was the only one at the table with us) but Christine, Cathleen and Andrew went with us back to the hotel to sit and visit for a little while, so I feel like I kind of made up for it.<br />
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The next morning, we headed over to the fair grounds in time for the official kick-off parade. I didn't really know what to expect from this parade. Most of it made sense, because it was all about St. Patrick's Day, Celtic culture, local history, local attractions, or some combination of the three.<br />
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The best part about the horses? The pot o'gold that came behind them.<br />
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The local marching band made me feel a bit nostalgic, both for the dance team and the drum line. (Those were always the 2 best parts, anyway.)<br />
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And this one was just plain hilarious, even if the muskets were absurdly loud.<br />
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Even the pirates with their giant balloon squid seemed appropriate.<br />
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But this took me completely by surprise:<br />
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Darth Vader. Storm Troopers. Imperial gunners. Sand people. Jawas. A Celtic Leia Organa. Wait, what? It was the <a href="http://www.501st.com/">501st</a> and apparently, they do a lot of appearances at events ranging from movie premieres to local Celtic parades. It was totally unexpected--and totally awesome. Vader was even pretending to force-choke people as he walked by, but no one played along and pretended to be choked. Too bad he didn't try to force-choke <i>me</i>.<br />
There was a lot more to the parade, but there's only room for so much silliness in a single post. If you really want to see more, and you happen to be friends with me on facebook, you can browse through the pictures I posted there.<br />
After the parade, the actual festival grounds opened up. The first thing we did was to make the rounds of all of the vendors. I'd hoped to find a pair of malachite earrings to go with my necklace:<br />
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but no dice. (I later found some simple malachite studs on Etsy; I think I'll just order those.) We did find lots of other neat stuff, including dresses for me and the girls, a t-shirt for Brandon, and some yummy mango Italian ice.<br />
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Some of the stuff we saw in the main row of vendors was hand-made, but most of it was not. There was, however, an area set aside for the artisans. One of these artisans not only offered fused glass plates and baubles, but had a station set up where people could make their own fused glass pendants!<br />
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I didn't take any other pictures of all of the lovely hand made treasures. I think I had gotten tired of the camera for a little while. Now I wish that I had. There were lovely hand-carved wooden boxes and hand-thrown and -painted urns and vases and blown glass and I don't even remember what else. That's what I get for being lazy.<br />
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Over the course of the day, there were a number of different bands on the stage, but this is the only one we paid any attention to.Their music was all pipes and drums, and they were obviously having a lot of fun making it. The guy with the big drum on the far left was especially into it, and anytime he wasn't playing, he was rousing the audience. The Storm Troopers didn't hurt. :)<br />
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We skipped the haggis and pasties in favor of fish & chips (me), coconut shrimp (Alanna), and fried chicken (mom). I think all three of regretted our choices, but what can you do? It's fair food. I think it's probably universally mediocre. Then again, what was I thinking, getting <i>fish </i>at a <i>fair</i>? Not my best decision making ever.<br />
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Christine and Cathleen met us there right after lunch, and shortly before we were ready to leave the festival and mosey on over to <a href="http://www.floridashistoriccoast.com/things-to-do/arts-and-culture/attractions/dining/history/shopping/sightseeing-and-tours/articles/discover-whats-off-st-george-street">St. George Street</a>. We ended up walking back up toward the hotel first, to drop stuff off at the car and to check out a few shops that we'd seen the night before. Alanna was particularly interested in a nautical shop, so we stopped there first. <br />
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It had a little bit of everything. Outdated equipment, spyglasses, driftwood, buoys, art, model ships, historical curiosities, you name it. Alanna loved it. We also visited a bead shop, where I found a few things that I just had to have, and what we'd thought was a second hand shop, but turned out to be an over-priced boutique. <i>Then </i>we headed to St George St to browse through the shops and such there. <br />
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I'd say the only notable stops were the Irish store, which was notable only in its absence; and a novel little fudge shop called <a href="http://fudgebuckets.com/">Fudge Buckets</a> who sold all of their fudge in individual little containers with snap-on lids. By the time we were done, we were all exhausted. We headed back to the cars, purchases in tow, and took ourselves off to Outback for dinner with Christine and Cathleen before heading back down to Titusville.<br />
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It was a great birthday present, Momma...thank you!<br />
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Adriennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910903204495281371noreply@blogger.com1