Girly Girl?

It's been a long time since I've seen Mac looking so girly and I love it. The headband lasted about 3 minutes, but I'll take what I can get. Nathan's parents are in town for a visit and my daughter has turned into the little entertainer. Anytime Grandpa is in the room she falls to the floor and waits for him to "check" on her to see if she is okay. She has also been eating like a grown man and mornings wouldn't be the same if she didn't ask for a hot dog before 9:00am. Her favorite person in the world right now would be her dad; they truly have a special bond. Nathan had to work this morning and you could see the disappointment on her face when she walked around the entire house looking for him. Sorry kid, you're stuck with mom.

Kind of boring, kind of cute

The video is kind of long, but I knew the grandparents would appreciate it. This is Mac playing the Wii. Nathan usually kicks my butt on about every game we play, which is why I've been secretly practicing at night when he is at work. Am I pathetic or what?

Bad Blogger

I've been such a bad blogger lately. Sorry and it's probably going to happen again....just being honest. Going back to work has been a huge adjustment for everyone. Mackenzie had a difficult time going into daycare and is still insisting on carrying around her damn blanket all day. I might let it go until this summer and work on that for next year. We told the daycare that we were thinking about not letting her bring it and they looked at us with fear in their eye.

Mackenzie and Grandma LaVine back in March

So cute, so stubborn.

We seem to have entered into a phase I like to call "toddler hell" and let's just say it isn't pretty. Sometimes we get this.....

....other times we get this....

...and every now and then this.

How long does this phase last? Can someone please tell me? Did I mention that she has also starting waking up throughout the night? This morning I walked into the kitchen to find her dumping the dog's water and food bowl onto the floor. She looked at me and said, "Uh-oh!" Last time I checked, uh-oh doesn't apply when you do something on purpose. I will admit that she quickly ran to the nearest laundry basket, found a towel and began to clean up the mess.

Work has been.....um, interesting?!? Some days are great, other days are like a never ending nightmare. I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but the school systems down here are about 10 years behind where I came from. Oh, and I was hit in the face this week. My jaw is still recovering and there was no bruising, so that's a good thing. Here are a few of my favorite quotes that I've heard since starting.....

"Mrs. Miller, I have sand in my butt."

"It's okay for boys to play with girl toys if it's just for a little bit. Like sometimes I wear girl dresses.....but just for a little bit." (Said to me by a 6 year old boy)

"Hey sweetie!"

"I WANT CHICKEN, FRIED!" (Said to the cafeteria worker by a 5 year old girl)

Yogurt Face

Yes, we are still here. Mackenzie has been sick with a double ear infection and sinus infection. Nathan came home yesterday and things are looking up. I hope to post more later.

Mama got a job and Dad came home for a visit!

So, I realized that I never posted an update on the job situation. After meeting with the Occupational Therapist (OT) and Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) I was offered the job! I start March 2nd and can only describe this as bittersweet. It's great that I am going back to work, but not so great that I'm leaving my babe. Today was tear filled, for both of us, as I dropped her off at daycare for a couple of hours. I almost didn't know what to do with myself as I walked around Target all alone. Mackenzie and I have been together all day, everyday, for the past 9 months. I don't think I can talk about this anymore....still too emotional.

Nathan was able to come home for the long weekend and it was FABULOUS. I love these two people more than anything. Thanks for making the trip.

Story Time Dropout

My girl, Mac, is a mover and a shaker. Not much will keep her down, other than a DVD by the name of Happy Feet (which I have seen 4519 times). I am aware of this, so why did I think something as simple as story time at the library would be a good idea? We arrived a little early so she could run around and get that out of her system. She was doing the usual, climbing stairs, dancing, laughing, looking cute and devilish all at the same time. The mother sitting next to me smiled and asked, "Is she always like this?"

Why yes, my daughter is a ball of energy that keeps me going at all times. I looked at her daughter that was a little older than Mac and she was sitting next to her mom. I could have been jealous of that mom and her docile little girl, but as I looked over to see Mackenzie scaling the steps and then celebrating with a little jig, I couldn't help but laugh and feel my heart fill with love.

Story time started with a little song and Mac enjoyed this part as she continued to sing out "yea, yea, YEA!" for a good 30 seconds after the song was over. This made me a little nervous, as I wanted to be respectful of the other parents and children. I guess Mackenzie didn't realize that she was only part of the pre-game show. The woman started reading a story, that was completely inappropriate for this age group, and Mackenzie wanted nothing to do with it. Fortunately, I had my mother-in-law with me so she helped with a swift exit. Good times with the Miller family!

As for the job situation, I received a call on Friday from the school and was asked to come in Monday morning for a second interview with the OT and SLP that I would be working with. Not sure what to think of this......

The Interview

The interview went well.

However, I do not think I will be offered the job. I have not actually spoken with the school, but the job posting was taken down and I can't imagine they would do that if they had not already offered and had someone accept the position. At first I felt annoyed and slightly disappointed, but I'm okay with not working right now...or am I just telling myself that since I didn't get the job? It felt pretty darn good putting a suit on and walking out of the house with a purpose. I felt like my old self, before the military, before moving 4 times in one year, before spending 6 out of 12 months away from my husband. It's not that I like my old self better, it's just that I'm still getting acquainted with my new self. Did I lose anyone?

I spoke with Nathan on the phone tonight about not getting the job and his response was-

"Who cares....you already have a job, you're the mother of our daughter."

And THAT is why I love my husband.