Belated 4 months

Here is our tree pre decorations:



Here is how I found our tree on Monday morning:

Amazingly enough there were NO cats involved.

This was a very crooked Christmas tree and in order to make is look a little straight, I had to put it in the stand crooked. which made it a bit to heavy. No problem, put some water in it and tie it to the window sash. Apparently I let the water get a little too low.

Chipotle Nutirition

Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
Calories 895	Cal from Fat 259
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 30g	46%
Saturated Fat 10g 48% Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 140mg	47%
Sodium 1928mg	80%
Total Carbs 98g	33%
Dietary Fiber 14g 56% Sugars 5g
Protein 59g
Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% • Iron 0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
INGREDIENTS: 13" Tortilla,Rice,Black Beans,Chicken (4oz),Cheese,Lettuce

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Busy day

She made it through the night just fine without the swaddle blanket! yaaaay

We drove down to Austin this morning to see the DeFors and give Grandma her Christmas present:

Of course we ate at Hy-Vee deli.





Funny story about a gift for Relia from Aunt Donna. When they got to Hy-Vee they put it in Grandpa Steve's car...or at least they thought it was Steve's car...someone will be finding a baby einstein video and a ducky ferris wheel when they get home from the grocery store.

Relia had fun with Grandpa Steve




Then when we got back home I went to get a present with Grandpa Steve's Christmas gift:



I got a great deal on a jumperoo! She looks like a drunken sailor, but she LOVES it.

Shhhhhhhh

Relia is sleeping. ---without her swaddle. I decided now was the time to try to kill the swaddle, while I don't have to get up crazy early to go to a new job.

So as of 9:37, she has been fed, bathed, massaged, read to, and put to bed. I turned on the ocean waves, and lay next to her in the dark for about 20 minutes until she figured out how to keep her arms from flailing wildly.

9:52 Crying. Her rasser came out. Another 10 minutes of lying near her and holding one of her hands and she is out again.

10:30 Rasser is out again, this time she went right back to sleep with her hands pushed up against the rasser in her mouth. I plugged in her monitor just in case.

Haircut

She straightened it, and it will never again look like this, but I think it's kinda cute.

Merry Christmas

We had a great one. We went to my parents for Christmas morning waffles & egg bake. Relia seems tuckered out from the moment she woke up today, so she missed opening a lot of her presents.

Christmas night at Gramma D's With Heidi & Chad



Paper flower from Nana


Award for coolest gift, Carrie gave Ryan a concertina


Maple leaf hat à la amazing Race Season 5 (made by yours truly)


Aurelia's Stocking (also made by yours truly)


Her latest trick -the tripod


Wrapping paper is 100 times better than toys

If you listen closely you can hear Peder opening his awesome gift...I'll let him blog about that.

Why am I smiling?

Because I am the richest girl in town. No particular reason other than as of last Thursday, everyone was getting photos of our family for Christmas. Everyone. Now you are saying Sarah?! Why would you ruin the surprise like that? Because I am happy to say those plans have been scrapped.

I got an early Christmas gift with this new job. I am not one to go counting chickens before they make their way out of the shell, but I feel like this means I can afford to go out and get some actual gifts. What a great feeling.

So I did something I have never done before. I did all of my shopping, and even some gift making, on Christmas eve. Mom and Dad watched Relia while I drove from store to store with a rolling deadline anywhere from 3:00-6:00. I had to plan my stops around which stores were closing earliest. I have to say I can see why some people do it this way. There is a kind of ease in knowing This is it. There is no way I am going to find something more perfect.

So Peder and I had a nice dinner while watching It's a Wonderful Life on TV. Silly, since we have it on DVD, but the commercials gave us some nice breaks as it is a loooooong movie. I am always surprised that Clarance doesn't even show up until 3/4 of the way through. We wrapped all of those lovely presents, gave Relia a bath and settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

Taking advantage

of winter break. This is my second night staying up until 1:30 am. I just hit this rush of productivity about 10 pm and don't want to stop when I am on a roll. Last night it was playing with Quicken. Tonight I was a cleaning maniac. I tackled the foyer and living room. Every developmental milestone Relia meets reminds me how I soon need to put (or throw) away all of the excess stuff we have lying around. Before we know it she'll be into everything.

I really need to go to bed.

Aunt Heidi & Uncle Chad

Hooray, we braved the blizzard and headed to Hudson to see Aunt Heidi & Uncle Chad. Relia was all smiles practically the whole night.

Saturday morning

Awoke with a small hangover. We all went out to celebrate our lack of work for the next two weeks and while I didn't overdo it, I failed to take in any water before going to bed. I just came home plopped the babe on my chest and went to sleep during the movie we were watching. Peder woke me up to nurse and go to bed around midnight.

I also woke up to no internet or cable. the horror! Actually, I was pondering how long Peder would let me keep it that way. Probably all of five seconds. I guess I didn't pay the bill for 3 months and apparently Comcast doesn't like that. Babies. Since yesterday was pay day, and we are starting to get caught up financially, I got that fixed all before my hubby awoke.

On the plus side, I have another video done and it is quite nice. It is snowing, which isn't good news for our trip to Rochester, but is also darn purdy.

It's official again!

I was officially offered the job, and I officially accepted. Now I have to go in and sign the paperwork after the 1st. I start as soon as we go back on the 7th.

The Principal interviewed me in the lunchroom as I was supervising 150 first & second graders, all hopped up on sugar from the holiday festivities. (hopefully my last lunchroom supervision experience ever) I have no idea what I said, but it was really a formality anyway, since everyone there has seen me in action and I am the first choice of the guy I'm replacing.

I'm excited. I have kinda been looking forward to teaching computer skills again.

Santa Baby

Two more days until winter break

Yay! things are getting progressively more chaotic and yet in some way nicer. I think because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we have more energy to handle some of the worst behaviors.

Relia just keeps doin' stuff.

I got my secret santa gift mailed off. As is my usual, the presentation was way better than the actual gifts. But it was fun to put together some santa PEZ, reindeer antlers, fancy scrapbooking papers, a little album, and some mistletoe that grows to 600 times its size when you put it in water!

Rollin, Rollin', Rollin'...

Move 'em on, head 'em up,
Head 'em up, move 'em out

While she was at Gramma's Relia rolled from her back to her front for the first time today.

I got my ticket for my missing car registration waived. I went down to the Government Center after work. Angel was my hearing officer (how's that for the name of the guy who could make my life a little bit better?) He tried to play with me, but in the end he let the ticket go "But don't let it happen again." :o)

I can't help but feeling like I was just given $100, when really, I just didn't lose it. I did have to pay $12 for parking.

Losing hope.

So Dr. J told me that someone else has applied for the job too. The person I'm replacing is pretty sure he knows who it is, and he is licensed. Oh well, I was really looking forward to the $$$.

Today went incredibly fast. I'm not sure what is going on, but in a surprising twist, the little ones were crazy and the middle schoolers were relatively mellow. Still no official word on the job. Everyone seems to think it'll be mine. We'll see.

After work I spent 37 minutes on hold to talk to someone with the city about my "no registration tabs" ticket. The back of the ticket says to call for an appointment. But when I finally got a hold of a human they said it is come on down to the court and it's first come first served. Ugh! Why don't you just say that on the freaking ticket?!

After I picked up Relia I went to get her new diapers. They are nice, I wouldn't mind wearing them ;o) except the covers I got are huge. They fit, but I had to choose between too big and grow into them, or just right but only for a few weeks.

We then spent a good 45 minutes in line at the post office. It wasn't even for anything fun, just business stuff.

Sigh

Miss Relia has decided to be fussy at random intervals. No predicting how she is going to react to sleeping, eating, playing, etc. It is a bit frustrating. I've heard this referred to as the "4-month wakeful period" where baby is now aware of and interested in the world and can't quite concentrate as well on eating. She therefore doesn't eat as much during the day, and after sleeping through the night for months, now needs to eat at 3 am.

I'm also taking the plunge and getting some cloth diapers. Just a few Bumgenius bamboo ones from Craig's list. I'm picking them up tomorrow. We'll see how it goes. Daycare requires disposables so she'll just use them at home.

Congratultions Dahlia Marie!

Welcome to this wonderful world. How lucky you are to have such cool parents!

Princesses

Relia and I slept until 10 this morning. We went to bed around ten last night. When I woke up to her smiling face (I had pulled her into our bed around 5:00 to feed her) I said "Daddy let us sleep in like princesses. But not real princesses, just the kind that usually have to get up at 5:30 to go to work."

I HATE the Disney Princess thing. I'm sure despite our best efforts she will have friends, or watch TV and want everything they can possibly push her way. That is just the kids usually are. I have dreams of her being that weird kid with enough confidence to always do her own thing, no mater what, who wins a wonderful life in the end. But c'mon, she is my daughter, and I'm not even there yet.

I've already got Relia's copy of The Paper Bag Princess, where Elizabeth, a beautiful princess, lives in a castle and wears fancy clothes. Just when she is about to marry Prince Ronald, a dragon smashes her castle, burns her clothes, and prince-naps her dear Ronald. Undaunted, she dons a large paper bag and sets off to find the dragon and her cherished prince. Once she's tracked down the rascally reptile. But what does Prince Not-So-Charming say when he sees her? "You smell like ashes, your hair is all tangled and you are wearing a dirty old paper bag. Come back when you are dressed like a real princess." Let's just say that Princess Elizabeth and Prince Ronald do not live together happily ever after.

I decided to take the job. Now there is a little confusion about whether I can actually have it or not, so I put in an official application just in case. We'll just have to wait and see what HR has up their sleevies. Someone was concerned that I'd be better off long term (or seniority wise) if I just stayed in the Associate Educator position. I know better than to look that far ahead in this district. I'll do this through June, and if they have something for me, great. If not, it'll be what I expected and I won't shed a tear over it.

I find myself really looking forward to it. I like the idea of planning and executing lessons again. I kind of hope we can get it all taken care of before break so I can jump right in come January. I cleaned up my desk today in anticipation of a move. I may be counting some of my chickens before they have broken out of their shells, but either way, it can't hurt to have a clean desk!

decisions, decisions

Okay, So I have been approached about a teaching position at my school. It would essentially be what I was doing at Powderhorn, teaching computer skills. Right now, I just manage a lab that classes filter through. This would be actual teaching with all of the responsibilities and PAY. (We're talking double what I make now)

I guess there is no question. I already do way more than I'm officially hired to do anyway. I just really like that it is a job I can care as much as I want, but not feel tied to the Minneapolis Schools system. I also very much like the idea of really teaching again.

arrrrrgh.

Just hangin'

As I was typing the previous post with Relia on my lap in her wrap, I gave her a little rattle to play with. (please pardon the drool)

Took matters into my own hands

Today I went and found a new place to pump at work. I feel so much better. It's a storage room off of the science lab which is hardly ever used for classes and is connected to my computer lab. It is cramped, but so much cooler & quieter, has a window, AND only two other people have reason to ever go in there. Even they don't really go in there but twice a year or so. Once I found the room, and talked to the science teachers, I just asked and engineer for a key and that was that. I made a little "mom at work" sign to hang on the knob so those that do have keys will know not to walk in.

ahhh, small victories.

Where did the weekend go?

another day, my kingdom for another day!
Not really , I'd rather keep my kingdom.

Technically I only had one day, since I spent all of Saturday editing. Peder went to play with dolls, er, I mean, miniatures. Relia got to go hang out with grandpa Ken for the day. She was all prepared to build something in her bib overalls complete with hammer loop, but they just folded clothes and took a few naps.

(what on earth do baby clothing designers think babies do all day?)

Ozzie learned a new trick:


Relia looks cute in her hat

Auntie Ellen visited (Happy birthday Ellen!)

And today I woke up early so we could finally get our Christmas tree. I probably say this every year, but it's amazing how what looks like a dinky tree in the field, is huge in your living room. I was freezing my poor fingers off looking for the perfect tree. I wound up hastily picking a terribly crooked one. When I got it all set up in the stand, I was faced with two choices, either let it lean waaaay back, or tie it to the wall to keep it from tipping over. I chose the latter. I'll put up pictures later.

Before I could set up the tree, I wanted to put plastic film on the windows in the porch . They are awfully drafty. Being the self-proclaimed queen of plastic window film, I was kinda excited. (Seriously, I am REALLY good at putting it up so if you ever need help, call me.) It went up well and really does make a difference in the draft.

Depression hurts

Blah blah blah

It isn't full on, because it hasn't lasted that long, but it is slowly settling in. I can tell because I haven't been interested in anything. I just want to sleep. Even food & television haven't been a big lure for me lately. I know the key for me is to keep from isolating myself. So I'm putting my crap out there for the world to see in hopes it will help.

I forget.

Lately, I feel like I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached

The snow over the weekend forced us to dig out my Honda on Monday. After we had shoveled all the snow on and around it, I discovered a ticket. I didn't have current registration displayed. Not because I forgot to get them, just because I forgot to actually put them ON the car. (it was September, I had a new baby. 'nuff said) I've heard of others that have gotten out of such a ticket, by putting the stickers on in a timely fashion. I'll have to check that out.

In the process of looking for the tabs I found two significant checks I'd missplaced. Yay!

Yesterday I forgot to bring my pump parts to work. So I left work (this is one of those times when it is helpful to have a boss who has known you since you were a kid) and went to moms to feed Relia. I figured it would take just as much time to do that as it would to go get the stuff and then pump.

Reach out, reach out and touch someone...

Last night while playing on the floor with Relia, I noticed that she was reaching for her rasser as I dangled it in front of her!

I'm a big fat liar

So I have been insisting to everyone that I was a little toe head when I was Relia's age. I have no idea where I got that. Today my mom presented me with pictures that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that I had hair just like hers.

That kinda makes a mom feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

It may have been this one that made me think I was blonde:


While I'm on the subject of old pictures and looking like your mother, when I found this one, I actually had to ask if the girl in black was me or my mom:

one down, 3 to go

I only have three videos left to complete. The realistic plan is to have two of them done by December 30th. If I can really get things done, I can have them all done by the end of the year. Then I am done with the video business. I just am not cut out to be self employed. I need outside influences to be an effective time manger, and all around sane person. I think that is one thing I like about teaching. I am always performing for a demanding crowd. There is no time to get distracted.

Ah snow

It seems like forever since we had a good stick to your ribs snowfall this early in the season. The plan was to go cut down a tree this morning, but after Ry, Carrie and I all arrived at Mom's, we agreed that due to the snow falling it wasn't the safest choice. I'm bummed. I worked my butt off last night (finally went to sleep around 5:30) so I could decorate a tree guilt free. Now it'll have to wait until next week.

Instead we opted for breakfast at Pannekoeken (or however it's spelled). I was very disappointed with my waffle it was covered in warm strawberry goo. I didn't really expect the fresh strawberries I got last time, but who preheats strawberry goo? We ran a few errands (I finally got a birthday gift for my husband. Bad wife!), and mom declared that it was time to get her children "off the streets".

It's 3:20 in the morning

and I am up. I haven't even tried to go to bed yet. I am trying to finish a video I kinda sorta promised would be done on Thursday, which turned into Saturday and I seem to be thwarted at every turn. So now I am just waiting for video to export, burn, etc. I'm looking for things to do. I am so wound up, there is no way I can take a nap while the computer does its magic.

• It is sixty degrees in our house right now (don't worry, the little one is well bundled)
• I am boiling a dozen and a half eggs because they will "expire" soon.
• The timer buttons on our stove make a beep that sounds just like the wheel on The Price Is Right.

Photo shoot

Sunday morning Relia woke up at her usual 5:30 am and it was a long while before grandma Jerene would be up, so I decided to do an impromptu photo shoot. Relia was happy to coo at her new best friend the ceiling fan while I stripped her down an clicked away. (more than 200 shots, yikes!)

Knock please

So I have been pumping twice a day at work. I thought a had a pretty good set up, but now that the heat is on, the office I am using is an oven, it opens right into the cafeteria where 100+ kids are noisily eating almost all of the time, and in the last few weeks I have been walked in on three times. It doesn't make for a very relaxing atmosphere.

The walking in thing is so not cool. The door is locked, but of course several people have keys (today it was the male janitor coming in to get the trash). It isn't that big a deal, the intruders were probably way more embarrassed than I was, but if this is going to work, I need to either find a less public space (not easy in a school) or find a way to really keep people out. I feel strange hanging a sign on the door. What would it say? "occupied" seems a little strange. "Do not disturb" seems weird too. Anything I put up feels like it could invite questions. From adults, fine. Kids, are another story.

My mom suggested putting a chair up against the door, but it opens out, so that won't work. Maybe I can tie a rope to the knob and attach the other end to the big heavy desk...

I know another woman used that room when she was nursing, tomorrow I'll ask how she handled it.

I feel like crying

I am so upset about the way things are. It could be lack of sleep, but I just feel so frustrated. I feel like there are some people who don't expect much from kids behavior wise. It feels wrong and like we are doing them a disservice. Basically I was told I should be using the microphone during lunch. I think that just raises the noise level.

I was talking with a colleague about the MPS "big" school board meeting last night. Apparently teachers are the problem. We are all racist and don't know anything about teaching students of color. That is the reason for our achievement gap between white and black or latino students. But lo and behold it turns out our so called gap is because our white students are scoring so much higher than the national average while our students of color are scoring at average levels. Not where we'd like to be ideally, (where ALL the children are above average), and realistically, there should be a bell curve regardless of race/culture, but certainly not the doom and gloom we've been lead to believe.

It's just maddening.

When Ev'rybody Screams & yells...

Who calms 'em down who rings their bells? When ev'rybody screams & yells...
The enchanted one, that's me. ~Carole King in "Really Rosie"

We had our first inconsolable crying jag tonight. Peder went to change her and she just started screaming. We'd try stuff, she'd calm for a second, as though giving it a chance to work, but nope. Still not what she needed. We tried checking for hairs wrapped around fingers and toes, we checked the diaper, we tried feeding, we tried a bath. Finally we swaddled her up, turned the ocean sounds up loud and rocked her in the dark. She fell asleep in a few minutes. I'm sure she was just over tired. It was a busy weekend and she didn't get any really good sleep during the car ride home.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

To (great) grandmother's house we go:

Great Grandma Jerene
Four generations of Clark ladies
Gas was ex-pen-sive! ;o)

Three months!

And a cute blossom that has just been watered:

Happy thanksgiving!

Working on turkeyChillin' on the floor

Down to Austin

The morning after

Now Relia and I are off to Iowa to see Great Gramma Jerene. Hopefully I can convince my parents to stop in a very special place on the way for a few pictures. Daddy gets to have a bachelor weekend

On a happier note

Pictures from our birthday dinner last night:

Grandpa & Relia


I may have the cutest niece on the face of the planet


I stole these pics from Gramma D's blog but they are so great:


Gramma D, Relia & her cuz's


Three generations