Part Deux

I'm enjoying answering these great questions. My mom told me she wanted to submit the question, "what about your mother totally drives you crazy?" What a silly woman. Answering these tonight took longer than I thought it would. I started this like two hours ago. It's quiet in my house. Andrew is hanging out with the guys with our friend Allan's annual poker game. Just got a call that he and Kenny, Larissa's husband, were the big winners of the night. They're so proud of themselves that they're now on their way to the sports bar across the street from our neighborhood. Maggie was grumpy tonight, so we snuggled up and watched the "Pig Moonie," Charlotte's Web.

From my friend Candice...

I'd like to know what you would be doing if you didn't have to work as a teacher or do HFC, AND you had an unlimited amount of money.I would travel the world and donate tiome and money to various causes.what would you do?

I know one thing--I would be working in some capacity. I am a workaholic, and the idea of not doing something, whether paid or volunteer, is a bit foreign to me. If I had unlimited resources? Travel would be top on my list. Andrew and I love to travel and enjoy seeing new places. Always more fun when you have more funds!

From MyDogTeaser...

Describe a typical day in your house.

Andrew is the first up and moving in the morning. Usually its his allergies that wake him early--either they are bothering him and he can't sleep, or he is getting up early to get to the doctor's office to get his shots before work. He's Mister Low Maintenance when it comes to getting ready. It's a shower, get dressed, and run some mousse in his hair. He's good about tiptoeing in our bedroom, often leaving before I get out of the bed. He has to make his side of the bed before leaving. He hates when the dog crawls up in his spot when the bed isn't made because he doesnt want dog hair on his sheets. And trust me, if Brandy has the ability to curl up in Andrew's spot, she takes it. She loves to sleep with me in the bed, but only when she can have his pillow.

I set my alarm to 7:15. Whether I actually wake up to that or Maggie depends on the morning. We have our mornings together. It's milk, applesauce and Wiggles. In that order. She wants me to feed her the applesauce as we snuggle together on the couch.

It depends on Maggie what we do about showering. Most days, she opts to stay out in the living room watching dancing Australians. Couple times a week, she chooses to either take a "regular bath" (no bubbles) or get in the shower with me. This is actually the easiest thing because then I don't have to chase her to get her dressed. If she showers with me, I get her out, wrap her in a towel, and take her straight to getting dressed. It also helps because with her curly hair is easiest to tame when soaking wet!

Maggie and I do the struggle to get out the door by 8:30 or 8:45. Whether or not we do this well all depends on whether we fight over the shoes she is wearing. She likes to have a "nack" in the car, usually a baggie of Club crackers. She helps me feed the dog before we out the door. If I walk directly to the car, she doesn't like it. I have to first "jump" off the small ledge from the back door and garage floor (think--one inch lip of cement or so). She jumps first, exclaiming, "I Jump!!" and then turns and waits for me to do the same.

She usually cries and hugs my leg during drop off at school. And when I close the door and look in the window? She's happily playing with her friends. Drop off is typically at 9:15am. I'm at the office between 9:30--9:45am. Unless it is a work lunch, I don't take a lunch hour. If I am coming in later to be with Maggie in the morning, I don't feel comfortable taking a lunch. But when I do, like this Wednesday with all the girls, it was quite the treat.

My day is never the same. I'm in the office, out of the office, in meetings, making presentations, and in front of the computer. You just never know! At least once a week, I have an evening meeting. If the meeting begins at 6:30 or 7, Andrew and Maggie try to bring me dinner and hang out until it begins. If it starts earlier, I dine alone or have dinner during the meeting.

When I don't have an evening meeting, I pick up Maggie from her preschool. Andrew and I have an agreement that she isn't there past 5:30 (though the school is open until 6:30). So, at 5:10pm every.single.day, he calls me to make sure I'm on my way to get her. Most days, I answer the phone without a hello and say, "I'm on my way to get the Munch!" If I am running behind or caught up at work, he gets her. He actually works closer to her school than I do, so it works out well for us. Maggie gives the BEST greetings every evening. I like to sneak into the classroom when she isn't looking. It's so interesting to see her interacting with her friends and playing in the classroom. When she finally notices me, she will drop everything and run to my arms. Heaven. Nothing better.

Our evenings are pretty easy. Maggie used to go to bed at nine. That was before this week. You know, when she still took naps. But given the fact that my two year old has not taken a nap since last Friday (even with dedicated nap time for TWO HOURS at school with the room all dark and all the friends sleeping). This week, bedtime has been at eight. I'm bummed about it, to be honest. Two reasons--1) she has been a complete SNOT in the evening, melting at the littliest thing. 2) I'm losing an hour of time with her every night. We miss that time with her.

Once Maggie is asleep, it's back to work for me most days. Because I go in late in the mornings, I work again in the evenings. I take the time to work on emails and catch up on other things I need to get done. There are distractions, though, so I often work until close to midnight. Andrew and I like to have time together every evening catching up together. Thursday night is big TV night, so we make sure to watch together. The time we gained from skipping commericals with the DVR, we make up in pausing for conversations and our own commentary of what we are watching. I can't completely focus when the Posse starts firing emails off back and forth. In one evening, we can have fifty emails back and forth on just one topic! That's what happens when six outspoken, opionated, and extremely close friends get started on email!

I'm in bed after midnight most nights. And then we're back up to do it all over again the next day.

From Susie...

What's your all-time favorite Allie and/or Maggie story to tell?

I love to tell funny Maggie stories! Right now, it's about what she does after we put her to bed. She makes me laugh. Every night, we read her stories, kiss her, and close her door for her to go to bed. Seriously don't know how the child fits on her bed given that she has so much stuff all over it! Once alone, Maggie gets up and gets herself dressed properly for bed. You know because jammies are just not enough. Yesterday, I went in to get her in the morning to find her in her jammies with her Ariel costume over her pjs and her white flower sandals. She was so proud of herself. I also love to tell the funny things she says, like Wednesday morning when she told me that Baby Nash (Megan's new son and her current fav baby doll--sorry Deb!) is a boy, Baby Ella is a girl, and Baby Beck is a MAN!!

My favorite Allie story has to do with her eyes. Specifically, how through most of the things she endured, those eyes sparkled. How you could look at her and have peace. She had a way of comforting ME when she looked at me. She was an old soul. And I could get lost in those beautiful baby blues. That was how I knew she was really dying. Her eyes no longer sparkled. I miss them every day.

My favorite story to tell about my girls when they were first born--

When Allie was a newborn, the nurse from the nursery returned her with a sad sigh. "Oh, she's so sweet, we don't want to give her up!!" she exclaimed. "If you want some rest, you just call, we want her back in the nursery!" Allie was the calmest baby. She was content to lay in your arms for hours. She was my snuggle bug.

When Maggie was born, they brought her back from her newborn bath and assessments saying, "Well, she just woke every baby in the nursery up from the screaming. Enjoy!!" and they hightailed it out of the room. Maggie came out with attitude!! And while she is so sweet and funny, the child has an attitude for sure. And she never sits still! My mom calls her "Baby on the Go." Unless Maggie is passed out, she is moving. Going. Doing something. That's my Munchie Moo.

From Kcoe...

Who is your all-time favorite Big Brother contestant?

Love this question! Janelle. She should have won. Both times.

From Amanda...

What's your favorite guilty pleasure?

Chocolate. Too much of it!

What trait do you value most in your friends?

Honesty. You know, the kind of friend that will shop with you and tell you if the outfit really doesnt look right. The one you can call and ask, "Am I justified in being upset with this?" The one that won't tell you what you want to hear but what you need to hear, but do it in a way that is still loving.

You say you can't cook. Any good stories to share when you actually did try?

I don't have any disastrous stories to share. When I try to cook, Andrew starts making his way in the kitchen. He sees the look of confusion on my face and tends to take over before it gets out of hand.