Going Through Old CDs

I usually hate romantic songs but for some reason here lately, I'm drawn to them. Hrmm, wonder why, lol! Anyway, this is my latest...

Love this picture

This picture was taken a few weeks ago at JR and Jessica's wedding. Jessica was sweet enough to give me a copy. I love it!

Fay Sucks!

I was supposed to be picking Julie up right about now and we were supposed to be headed east to J'ville to pick Sara up from the airport. From there, we were going to meet up with the other 3 Nole girls near St. Augustine for a little reunion, but instead I am sitting in front of my computer in my boxers and sports bra typing on the computer. Why, you ask? Because of a stupid tropical storm called Fay. Ok, so I sound like a brat right about now. I am thankful to be safe in my cozy little house. I have electricity, a/c, and internet as of now. My belly is full and I am dry so I should be thankful. I do pray that the people from other parts of Florida are safe too. Its just sad because we planned this trip a while ago. We haven't all been together in 3 years! We used to all get together every summer but due to busy schedules and family engagements that's all slowed down. Oh well, we will eventually get together. Hopefully, before we are eligible for an AARP discount!
Here is a picture of all us from the last visit:

Aunty and Me Class/Booty Ballet

So Molly signed Thomas and I up for a dance class. Its really a 'Mommy and Me' class but my sister is so exhausted from the antibiotics for the Lyme Disease and Thomas in general, that she asked me if I'd take it with him. I was honored! I've always wanted to dance so here's my chance. Plus its a time for me and Thomas to bond. Have I mentioned lately how much I love that kid?

Tonight was our first class. I can't wait for Molly to post the pictures so I can post them here. Thomas was a bit anxious so he only participated for half the time. Molly was watching so he kept running to her. The dance instructor would ask him if he wanted to help her and he'd reply, "no!" He did however show her his right foot when asked, "Thomas where is your right foot?" He is a smart cookie!

My poor sister looked a bit frazzled after the class and asked me if I was up to the challenge. I'm actually enjoying it. I also think that once he goes a few times, he'll get into it.

After the class, my dear friend Jes and I took a Booty Ballet class together. Talk about funny! I have issues with being barefoot in a place where lots of other people go barefoot so I kept my socks on. Not a good idea! I kept sliding around. I ordered some toe undies for next week's class. They don't completely cover your feet but at least part of them will be covered and that's what counts, lol!

I Survived...

the first day of school! I have to say it was probably the best first day of school EVER! I am in love with my class. Its hard to believe that I could fall in love with them after just being with them for 3 days but I am. I am thankful to work with one of my best friends, Amber. Our Volunteer Grandma came back. She's a saint and she loves to rock "the babies." (as she calls them all, lol!) We have a new person in our room and she has jumped right in.

So far we have 8 kiddos. Which is plenty! We have to spoon feed 3 of them because of choking and/or fine motor issues. One of our guys is trying to be potty trained but as for the other friends... they are in diapers. I pray our changing table comes soon. Four of them are unable to walk.

Its pretty exciting this year, we have music therapy! The children love it. The district finally hung a swing in our room and they love it. The OT is going to order us another one so we can switch out. I personally like the one we have now b/c its strong enough to hold me while I swing holding a child. They're all pretty much non-verbal but its amazing the bond we all already have with them. As I said earlier, my goal this year is to make this a fun and exciting year for these kiddos!

Josh Told Me...

he loves me! Lord, do I sound like I'm 12 or what? I'm just so happy and overwhelmed all at the same time. We were at a wedding after-party and he leans over and whispers that he needs to tell me something. He says he's needed to tell me for quite some time but didn't know how or when to say it. Of course, I'm thinking, "Well, this has been fun. I knew it was too good to last." So, I braced myself and was totally speechless when he whispered that he loves me. He also said he could see himself marrying me.

He said it again this morning so it must be true. Trust me, the boy doesn't say anything unless he means it. He does everything in his own timing.

A Letter to Me...

I think Brad Paisley also has a song called 'Letter to Me,' but the other day my sister wrote a blog entitled 'Letter to Me at 16.' Her letter inspired me to write one to myself. I know, I need to start writing my own stuff, lol!

They say hindsight is 20/20. Besides that, if we could all go back and change things how would we learn? How could we be the strong, vivacious people we are today? Here's my letter to me at 16...

Dear Janie,
You are 16 years old. I wish I could tell you that your life will be all roses and bunnies but unfortunately I can't. What I can tell you is this: you are a strong woman that will be able to overcome those curve balls life throws at you.

Janie, stop taking things so seriously. It will not matter 10 years from now what your GPA is. Enjoy your time in high school. When your friends call you to spontaneously go out, do it!

That boy you are so in love with... he's not for you. Trust me, there's someone much better for you. Its just going to be a while before you meet him. He is so worth the wait.

Listen to your Grandma Tucker. She may repeat her stories over and over again, but listen to her. Visit her as often as you can. There's going to come a time when she is really sick and she's not going to be herself. Its going to hurt you like crazy but be there for her and Aunt Barbara. YOu'll regret it later if you don't.

Spend as much time with your mom and sister as you can. I know you guys don't share the same housekeeping views and that can often piss you off but there's going to come a time when you will all move out on your own and the house will be empty. You will miss them.

As for mom. She loves you more than you'll ever know. Humor her when she worries excessively and respect her wishes. Just don't take her so seriously that you can't make your own decisions.

Finally, STAY OUT OF THE DAMN TANNING BEDS!!!! Stop worrying about your legs being so white. You think you're white now, just wait until you're 32 and you have your dermatologist on speed-dial!

There's so much more I'd like to tell you but you've got to learn on your own. Perhaps I'll write you again in 16 more year!

Love,
J

Thomasisms

My sister posted this on her myspace website. I told her I was stealing it and posting it here. Can you believe this kid is only 17 months old?

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Thomasisms
Category: Life


Thomas makes me laugh everyday. Here are a few conversations we've had lately. I hope I don't ever get to busy or too old to remember how cute he is now.

We're riding in the car to Rachel's house and we pass by a couple of horses.

Mommy: Thomas, what do horses say?

Thomas: Moo?

Mommy: No, you know what horses say. What do they say Thomas?

Thomas: Moo, moo? (At which point he started laughing)

Steve, the bug man from Paul's Pest Control shows up at our house the other day and knocks on the door. Most people just come in. Thomas' Grandpa (Eric's Dad) is the only one who knocks. So, Thomas runs to the door.

Thomas: Bampaw?

Mommy: (Opening the door) Hi Steve. No, Thomas, it's Mr. Steve, the bug man.

Thomas: Bye Bye Deve. (He closed the door on Steve.) I go to Bampa. (At which point he started screaming until I got Grandpa on the phone.)

We're riding in the car heading to Riverside Grill for lunch with Eric's Mom (Thomas' Grandma).

Thomas: Mamaw (He has a hard time with the G sound.), Tea, Tea, Tea.

Grandma: Thomas, when we get to the restaurant I'm going to get you some tea. Just as soon as we get there.

Thomas: And fwench fwies?

Grandma: And french fries Thomas. They have french fries at the restaurant.

Thomas: And bewds?

Grandma: And birds Thomas. We're going to feed the birds when we get to the restaurant.

Thomas: But, no Bampaw. (It was so sweet. His little face was so sad.)

Grandma: No, no Grandpa. Grandpa's at work.

He looked like he was going to cry.

Everynight before we go to bed, we remind Thomas that there are so many people who love him. Last night went something like this.

Mommy: Thomas, who loves you?

Thomas: Mismee (Janie's dog ALWAYS gets top billing)

Mommy: Yes, Thomas. Missy loves you. And who else loves you.

Thomas: Ahmilee (next, our cat Emily), Mommy, Daddy, (the next names usually change according to who we've been around that day) Nana, Papa Gene, the chicks (Papa Gene recently purchased 4 chicks for Thomas which he loves), Naynie, Bampaw, Mamaw, titty tats (He always follows their names whith kitty cats).

Mommy: Does anyone else love you?

Thomas: Ayee. Achel's Ayee. (Alli, Rachel's Alli)

Mommy: Thomas, do you love Rachel's Alli?

Thomas: Yep.

It was sooo cute!

.... to be continued.

Swim Lesson Pics

(So at first, I called the instructor a not-so-nice name but changed the word to yucky. If you read my sister's comment, you'll know what the first word was.)

Here are pics from swim lessons. The first pic is of the yucky instructor who told my sister that Thomas needed to calm down before going to swim lessons. Can you tell I'm still pissed about that? The other two are of Thomas and his daddy swimming. What a great daddy! Enjoy!

Sweet Kisses

This is a picture of Thomas with his girlfriend, Alli. Of course, he pronouces her name, "Aayee."

He is also over generalizing the word, "ball." We were at a party last weekend and he wanted some grapes. I didn't have a knife to cut the grapes so I bit them in half (I know, Heather, that's highly unsanitary, not to mention grapes are a major choking hazard!) Anyway, Thomas doesn't like me sharing his grapes with him so he yells, "Nanie, no eat my balls!" You can imagine my horror when people turned to look at me. Talk about a choking hazard!

Another over generalization... Molly bought Eric some donut holes from Krispy Kreme. She told Thomas at the grocery store that they were buying them for daddy. He says to me today, "Nanie, eat daddy's donut balls." I swear to you, the kid said this! I am not lying. He is the most amazing 17 month old!

I took him to Wal-mart today to do some shopping. What a trooper! He sat in the buggy for like 40 minutes! Afterwards I went to turn into Goodwill. He yells from the backseat, "NO! NO! NO!" I think he had too much shopping.

Godspeed, Sweet Dreams

I've heard this song before. My friend Deborah talks about it on her blog when referring to her son. My sister used it for part of a slideshow she made about Thomas, but it didn't hit me until today. I guess it was because of the comment the swimming instructor made about Thomas. The youtube video isn't the greatest but its the lyrics that I want readers to hear not necessarily look at the video. Why are always in such a freakin' hurry to rush our kids? I even do it myself. I was bragging to my friend Maggie about how smart her little boy is. (He really is!) And she laughed and said all she wanted was for Luc to be an average little boy who was happy about life. Shouldn't that be what we all want for our kiddos? Why do they have to be the best in every aspect of life? Let's face it, we're not all meant to be doctors or lawyers. Which on a side note is probably a good thing. LOL! Not everybody is meant for college. What really matters is being happy. As for Thomas, until his behavior causes harm to himself or others, we need to appreciate the kid that he is (I do!!!) and when people make unsolicited comments about his behavior, from now on, I'm going to give them a piece of my mind! My goal this year as a teacher is to point out EVERYTHING positive that my students do to their parents. They already know about their kiddos' limitations. So, why dwell on that. Hell, doctors and society in general do that enough for them. So, this song is dedicated to all the kiddos I come into contact with!

People Should Keep Their Mouths Shut!

I don't understand people these days. My sister is taking Thomas to swimming lessons this week. Apparently, he's too advanced for what the instructor is asking of him (i.e. sitting on the steps and trying to grab toys.) So the instructor tries to get him to use a kickboard. Thomas isn't really interested in the kickboard. Instead, he likes to stand on the edge of the pool and yell (in his words), "one, two, free, spash!" and then with a big grin on his face he jumps in the pool. The instructor suggested to my sister that she "unleash" him before tomorrow's class because he is just too hyper. The kid is only 17 months old. Give him a freakin' break. He's advanced in alot of areas but in other areas he's a typical kiddo. Since Thomas is so big for his age alot of people think emotionally/socially he should be advanced. I get a little defensive when people crack on my nephews or niece. Maybe I need to drive down to swim class and have a little chat with that instructor!

My Bubba Trying To Fill Daddy's Shoes... Take Your Time Little Man!

The True Meaning of the Word...

ROMANTIC. I'm not sure if my brain is wharped from watching too many soap operas or from reading romance novels but I used to think being romantic meant whispering sweet nothings in a person's ear, flowers, and sexy lingerie. All that stuff is over-rated these days.

Now don't get me wrong, a bouquet of yellow roses will float my boat anyday but I think my views on the real meaning of being romantic have changed a bit. (Any ideas on how to let him know I really like flowers???) I always thought I had to have all those other things to feel loved or important. I now know that isn't so. I'm learning that Josh shows me he cares about me by opening my door, finding me a chair to sit in when all the other guys' girlfriends are standing. He makes me feel important when he offers me his only beer coozie which means he goes without. (stop laughing, I thought it was sweet!)

This whole dating thing is wonderful and anxiety-provoking all at the same time. I'm learning more and more about myself everyday. I'm opening up little by little. He saw me cry for the first time a week or so ago. I expected him to dump me then and there. You know what he said, "Crying is normal. There's no reason to feel weak or embarassed about it." Of course that just made me cry some more because besides my therapist and of course a few of my close friends, nobody has ever told me it was ok to cry. I think I'm sold,ya'll! (I know to be careful and take it slow.)

Random Thoughts

School starts in two weeks. I'm kind of excited/nervous at the same time. This years kiddos will be more involved physically, not so much behavior, so at least I won't be running as much, lol! I'm nervous because I'm not exactly sure about the route I should take in teaching these guys (i.e. curriculum) and I want to make the most of every minute. I ordered a couple of curriculum guides to sample but I still feel like I need some training.

I was in Wal-mart this morning and saw all sorts of new fabric to decorate the bulletin boards with. Which for the first time in a long time actually made me excited about teaching. So, now my co-teacher and I have to think of a theme for the start of school and get busy re-organizing. YIKES!!!

The other cool thing about this year is for the first time in my whole teaching career I don't feel the need to be the best or have my hands in every facet of the school. Let me rephrase that, I feel the need to be the very best teacher for my students, but as for striving to be "top dog," I don't really care. In fact, I asked to be taken off a couple of committees.

My life feels complete. I have a terrific job that I love (great co-teacher, sweet students, etc.) I am starting the year healthy (50 pounds lighter!) My boyfriend is absolutely wonderful. I still love my new house (I've almost made it a whole year!) Life is good!!!!

Our First Picture

Ok, so call me a dork, but I have to post this picture of me and Josh. We went to a birthday party for a friend of his a couple of weeks ago and his friend's girlfriend was snapping pictures like crazy. This isn't necessarily the greatest picture but its our first one together. My hair never does right and of course, I have my beautiful redneck tan going on. Why do I even bother to wear sunscreen if I'm still going to have a redneck???? Anyway, thanks Crystal for taking the picture and sending it to me.

1% spandex

As I was getting dressed for work the other day, I happened to look at the tag on my shorts and noticed it said, 99% cotton, 1% spandex. What a wonderful invention that spandex! Just that 1% can often make the difference between me wearing a size 10 as opposed to a size 12. Isn't that something? I know this blog entry isn't earth-shattering but it was on my mind so I thought I'd post.

As for the size 10 versus 12... my diet/exercise regime has come to a slow standstill. I'm starting from square one on my protein diet come Monday. Wish me luck! While I haven't gained a lot of weight back, I've got to get back on track or before you know it I'll back in a 20. I haven't been running lately and as a result I feel like my muscles are turning to mush.