My Shahbah

Some children have an imaginary friend, ours has an imaginary item. This item is a Shahbah. Don't ask us what a Shahbah is because we simply do not know. We know that it likes to hide in hands, on shelves, in pockets, and can be placed just about anywhere. It likes to travel to school or the store and often goes with me to work in my scrub pocket. It likes to appear at bedtime and needs to be tucked in snug as a bug just like Olivia. She coined the name Shahbah from what we have no clue. So, if you are around our child and she asks you to get the Shahbah off of the shelf you must capture it in your hands and gently hand it to her. She is very protective of the Shahbah.

In other Olivia news she prefers Robert with a goatee and told him when he shaved it, "I do not like your face. I like your beard, but not your face." The goatee was back in action a few days later. She wants a new bathing Soup for swimming. And one day she wants big teeth like mommy. Robert thinks this is hysterical because he thinks my teeth are gigantic in proportion to the rest of my body.

The bathroom reno is going at a snails pace. Of course I have no patience and wanted it done the week after it was ripped out.

We are gearing up for Olivia's third birthday complete with a princess party. It's hard to believe she will be three. She is super excited, and we are excited to have a visit from her Gigi and Papaw.

Milestones

As Olivia approaches three we are amazed at how much she understands and is able to express. She has the best personality. She understands emotions good or bad, offers sympathy, and has her own sense of humor. She loves to laugh, and most of the time is in a great mood. She gets grouchy when she is sleepy, hungry, or sick. Thankfully her last two molars are in, and she is finely feeling better from all of the pollen coming early this year. She is a girly girl. She likes to have her nails painted, and is into wearing a skirt or dress. She loves her jelly sandals and her "pretty shoes with the flowers and the butterflies." Pretty shoes are simply her pair of brown mary janes. Right now she has a preference for her momma or mom as she calls me, but she will soon change and be in a daddy phase. She loves to help us cook, clean, garden, or take a walk. She will tell you that she has been working very hard at _ (cleaning, yard work, etc...). She helps with feeding the dogs and giving them their daily treats. She is potty trained and I mean big girl panties except for nap time and bedtime. She has been trained for about 3 weeks and is doing great. No accidents! She is actually staying dry during nap, and has woken us up on two different occasions in the middle of the night to use the restroom. I forgot to put a pull-up on her one day this weekend for her nap and she stayed completely dry for the entire 3 1/2 hour nap. BIG GIRL! She likes doing "projects" at her desk which include coloring, decorating with stickers, and stamping. She is learning to use scissors at school, and is a lefty like her Papaw. She can carry on a conversation with us about her day or what she wants to do later in the day or on the weekend and uses complete sentences. She still doesn't quite understand talking on the phone to relatives. She is able to state her full name and tell you that it starts with an "O." She also knows that my name starts with a "J" and Roberts with an "R." She recognizes some letters and wants to know what sound they make. She is able to draw a circle, name colors, and name shapes. She is learning to dress herself with a little assistance of telling her where the tag is and that it goes in the back. She know right vs. left when it pertains to her.
She is growing and changing so much. We are always amazed and surprised by things she will say or things that she knows that we didn't realize she knew and we may not have taught her. She constantly has us moving and on our toes, but we love every minute of it-even when she is grumpy.

What I have learned with home improvement projects.

I'm not sure if it is Spring fever, the weather, or a combination of the two but we have been busy bees around here. It started off with me wanting to get a little painting done. I have been itching to paint every inch of this house and get rid of the builders grade flat paint which shows every scratch, speck of dirt, and little finger prints. I painted the dining room and half bath this past fall, but never managed to motivate to tackle any of the other rooms. I finally picked out colors for Olivia's bedroom and bathroom. Two weekends ago I did her bathroom-including the ceiling and skylight. This past weekend I painted her bedroom. Both turned out great, and we are very pleased.While I was working on the bathroom Robert was doing a little caulking in our master bath. About 6 months after we moved into this house we started noticing water on the sheet rock outside of the shower door. Remember our house was empty for ~1 1/2 years before we moved in. At that time RJ recaulked the shower door thinking it was the root of the water issue. I then primed and painted the water stained area and all was great with the world until a few months ago when we started noticing water again. On said weekend of painting and caulking we were talking about the water staining. He thought it was a leaky shower door...I thought it was something much bigger. We both agreed that the only way to find out was to rip the shower out. And that's how the demo started. I have never seen my husband so happy. He missed his calling as a demo man. So here are things we have learned and or said to each other over the past two weeks of home improving.

1. Really? I can take a sledge hammer to the bathroom?
2. If this goes on for months you have to promise to hire someone.
3. I'm so tired my eyelids hurt.
4. I can barely lift my coffee cup.
5. Die tile! Die!
6. I'm pretty sure I just had a heat stroke painting the skylight.
7. I don't need no stinkin' painters tape. I have OCD
8. Mom, how your shower so strange?
9. Mom, I working hard too.
10. I yike my pink room.
11. Holy crap dude. I'm glad you weren't in here for the demo. The mold would have totally grossed you out.
12. Happy early anniversary baby. Looks like we bought ourselves a new washing machine.
13. What's our third thing? You know things come in threes.
14. How can you paint and not get anything on you?
15. Let's go back to work so we can rest.

The painted big girls room. 

 The gutted shower.

 The remaining baby blue tile around the garden tub. Awaiting demo.

 Where else do you sleep when your room is being turned into a princess room? Mommy and Daddy's bed of course.

We are so glad the shower met the sledge hammer. We had multiple areas of compromised tile and the shower pan resulting in water in areas where it shouldn't have been. Now all the yuck and mold is out. Waiting on quotes before we put everything back together.

A little catching up to do.

Life has been busy, and "thing" have gotten in the way of keeping an updated blog. Olivia says or does something cute, and I try to make a mental note so I can add it on here. Of course, as soon as I sit to type I can't remember a thing. February flew by. We have enjoyed some beautiful weather, wonder time with friends, and have started a few home improvement projects. Our life over the past month is probably easier to sum up in list form.

1. I went to a conference the first weekend of February. I am now trained to place and change prosthesis for laryngectomee patients.
2. The conference was followed by me having the flu and missing work. Followed by Robert having the flu and missing work.
3. Olivia celebrated her friend, Evan's, 2nd birthday.
4. I painted Olivia's bathroom and bedroom.
5. Robert ripped out our master bathroom.
6. Olivia is finally potty trained and wearing big girl panties.
7. Olivia's two year molars (the last set of baby teeth) are finally coming in on the top. BOTH sides=FUN!

A few pictures over the last few weeks:

Since riding this powerwheel at the birthday party Olivia has been asking for a Dora cart. On the way to school the other day this was the conversation:
O: Mom I have a question for you.
JJ: What is it?
O: How come Papaw hasn't brought me a Dora cart?
JJ: I don't know baby, but we can call him later and ask.
O: I call him now.
JJ: Sweetie Papaw is at work.
O: He at work making money for my Dora cart?

Papaw has been informed that he'd better come up with a Dora cart in some shape, form, or fashion.

The language of Owie

A glimpse into a few conversations over the past week.

O: What that smell like?
JJ: I don't know baby.
O: I think it's a truck. It stinky.

O: See that cart over there.
JJ: I do. That's like the cart you road at GiGi and Papaw's house.
O: I want one.
JJ: We'll call Papaw later and tell him to get you one.
O: No, let's call him right now before the polar bear gets here. I want a dora cart from Papaw.

O: I want to go to the green store (Publix).
JJ: We don't need anything at the green store.
O: I need a cookie in my hand, and we need groceries.
JJ: We have groceries.
O: No we don't we need to go shopping at the green store. I want a green driving cart at the green store.


Between Robert and Olivia on the way to school Tuesday when it was raining.
O: How that truck smell like? It raining. How?
RJ: Because sometimes water falls from the sky.
O: How?
RJ: Because God and Baby Jesus are sad.
O: How they sad?
O: How it dark outside? How it smell like somebody got a fire at their house? Probably dat truck.
Daddy, You going too fast.!

Olivia has her own language. Ninety-five percent of the time you can understand what she is saying, but for the other five percent the following list might be useful.

Tumote=Remote control
Bacon Suit=Bathing Suit
Prifikasee=Privacy
Sprinkles=Stubble on Robert's face
Mommy/Daddy carry you=Pick me up
This is too heavy for me=I want you to hold _
Mommy/Daddy help me=I need your help.
Packpack=Backpack
Cough cough=washcloth
Amony=Harmony

How, Firetrucks, Polar Bears, and Trucks.

Olivia has developed a fear of firetrucks, polar bears, and trucks. A glimpse into a few conversations over the last couple of weeks.

O: Move mommy. I do not yike (like) that truck.
Me: I can't move Olivia we are in traffic.
O: But I do not yike that truck. That _(insert any color) truck.
Me: Why do you not like that truck?
O: It is bad and stinky.
Me: Oh, well Papaw has a truck.
O: Papaw's truck is blue.
Me: Yes it is.
O: His truck is ok, but I do not yike trucks. I just like cars.

RJ: Olivia do you like polar bears?
O: No.
RJ: Why not?
O: They bite you.

RJ: Do you like firetrucks?
O: No
Me: Why not?
O: They are bad and have a sharp ladder.

O: (while sitting on the potty and starting to cry) Mommy hold you, mommy hold you. (Arms up trying to get off of the potty.)
Me: What's wrong?
O: The firetruck gonna get me.
Me: No its not baby. Firetrucks are good trucks.
O: No they not they get me.
Me: O firetrucks help us.
O: No they not they not nice. I ok now I don't hear a firetruck no more.

HOW- is the new question in our house. It has replaced "What mommy/daddy doin?"
A few examples...
How you take your jacket off?
How you go on vacation?
How you do laundry?
How you tired?
How you hungry?
How Layla harassing Jake?
How you not eat your dinner?

O: How the doggies not go outside.?
RJ: Because it's raining.
O: How?
RJ: Water falls from the sky.
O: How?
RJ: Gravity.

O: How you put my lovey in the washing machine?
RJ: Because it's dirty.
O: How-what's on it?
RJ: You've been slobbering all over it for the past week during naps.
O: How?
RJ: With your mouth.
O: How?



This goes on all day. Endlessly all day. We think this is her "why" and are trying to teach her to use "why" instead, but we are not having much success.

Christmas and a big girl bed.

Christmas was a whirlwind but wonderful. It was a blur but it was wonderful. The days before and after were full of errands, lists, and little projects but it was wonderful.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house White Chicken Chili simmered on the stove, Gigi and Papaw had arrived in the Big Blue Sleigh, and we were busy finding hidden Christmas presents, last minute wrapping, and putting batteries in everything imaginable. Olivia also said goodbye to Jack be Quick. She was a little saddened, and kept waiting for him to fly away while she was watching. She knows that Jack is busy helping Santa make toys for next Christmas, but she does miss her friendly elf.

Seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child is something that cannot be described, but is something everyone should experience. She was amazed that Santa had stopped by her house, and her eyes became wide and her mouth dropped when she saw her Dora Guitar. We opened presents for hours, and we thought that we had done a small-scaled back Christmas this year. WE did but grandparents, cousins, and friends did not.



LOOK-A Dora Guitar!



Helping Papaw with his presents.

Gigi's turn.

A two year old dream. Princess furry heels and a wand.

It's tough being a princess. You must eat a sweet roll while wearing fairy wings, holding a wand, wearing a purple tutu, and wearing furry high heels.

Daddy a little speechless with the Capital One bowl tickets.

Featuring Papaw on the piano and Olivia on the guitar.

Not only did Santa out do himself with the Dora Guitar, piano, doctor kit, and enough princess to start a princess school he also brought Olivia a big girl bed. We have never seen her so excited about going to bed. She raced up the stairs and jumped into bed. She slept in her new bed the entire night with no rails, no fussing, and no getting up. The first week she was in the bed we had a few occasions of rolling off or loosing her bear, but we think for her first time out of a crib she did great. As we tucked her into the bed the first night Robert and I just looked at each other and smiled. We both knew what the other was thinking. How is she already 2 1/2? How is she ready for a bed and no longer in her crib? How has our sweet hunka chunka peanutty gotten so big so fast? Olivia noticed that I was sad. She asked what was wrong and I told her that I was a little sad that she was no longer in her crib. That sweet baby put her hands on my cheeks and said, "It's okay moma I gonna be ok. You not need to be sad." And with that a smile returned to my face, we snugged in under the covers, and read our first bed time story in her new bed.

Every year, I have all of these visions of what our holidays will be in my head -- usually there’s a soft glow around everyone, birds are singing (somewhere) and I look 20 pounds thinner…it’s a great vision. And those visions pretty much never happen. It’s never perfect. I never accomplish all that I want to. Every year I say, I’ll make a list of those things I want to get done and make sure to do them. And every year life gets in the way.

A whole lot of “didn’t” happens/happened.
We didn't get one single family picture together this holiday season much less on Christmas morning.
I didn't get enough pictures of Olivia with her grandparents.
I didn't take enough time to sit back and "play" with all of her new toys.
I didn't get the projects, baking, so on and so forth done that in my mind needed to get done.

But I DID  get to spend Christmas with my family. And this year my family included a few new additions including friends and neighbors. With a wonderful brunch next door with our neighbors, and then them joining us for Christmas dinner.

And every year I realize how very OK with that I am. Our holidays don’t end up like my visions -- they always turn out so much better.