I interviewed Ana before and it was pretty entertaining, so I decided to do it again. For the most part, I stuck with the same questions (name, age, future career, favorite toy, favorite game, best friend, favorite food, favorite cereal, and favorite movie) and was pretty surprise to see how the answers have (and haven’t!) changed. Enjoy!!
Sim was cleaning up our old video camera (that we never use anymore since we both have Flip cameras) to loan to his brother when he came across two video clips from a couple years ago. Ana is so tiny. It is so hard for me to image she was ever so little. So on this beautiful Friday, I present you with this adorable Blast From the Past:
Last weekend I went to Seattle for a couple days to a Heritage Makers conference. While I was away, Sim and Ana attended the Daddy Daughter Dinner Dance that is put on each year through the Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec. I couldn’t have planned it better than to have a special activity for them to do while I was gone.
Days prior to the event, Ana was getting very excited about getting all dressed up. She informed me she was going to wear her party dress (naturally) and her fancy green shoes. Sim told me that he originally planned to wear khakis and a button up, but when Ana saw his clothing selection she said, “No, Daddy. You need to wear a tuxedo.” Lucky for Sim he had a suit hanging in his closet, Ana picked out his tie and that was good enough for her!
When they got to the Cedar Hills Rec Center (where the event was held), one of the lovely employees took a picture of each “couple” as they entered the dance.
Ana, of course, had a great time tearing it up on the dance floor.
They had an amazing time, and even saw some friends at the dance. Ana danced with her good friend Lauren, while Sim chatted with her dad, Chris.
From the pictures, as well as the stories they told me later, I’d say they had a very special evening. And I am certain they made memories that will last a lifetime.
On January 20th, Ana had her first day of Pee Wee Soccer class. She has been eagerly awaiting the day she could start playing soccer and in the Tualatin Hill Parks and Rec district that magic age is three. So as soon as registration day came, I camped out in front of the phone and prepared to dial over and over (and OVER) until I got through and Ana was registered for her next round of classes. I got her into her Tip Toes Ballet class, a swimming class and, of course, the soccer class. Sim and I took Ana shopping for her first pair of shin guards, some indoor soccer shoes and a size 3 ball and she was ready to go.
Her soccer “coach” is great with the little kids and manages to explain the rules of the game, teach them some drills, and have fun at the same time. They started out with some stretching, then he made them run a lap around the athletic center’s indoor walking/jogging track, and finally they started working on ball handling skills. It was so cute! See for yourself:
I wanted to make a big deal of the fact that Ana is (finally!) potty trained, so a couple weeks ago I put together a fancy little tea party and invited all her little girl friends to come celebrate with her.
I found these adorable little red tea cups on sale at Ikea and they set the tone for the entire party. As you can see, I printed up these little labels with each girls name on the cup so they could take them home as their own party favor.
Knowing that a tea party cannot be complete without pink, I decided to go for the pink and red hearts theme. It was super easy with Valentine’s Day just around the corner and there were a ton of adorable little decorations to pick from.
Ana requested cupcakes, so I made these amazing Red Velvet Cupcakes and got a little carried away with the decorating. But they were just so cute (and yummy!) I could not resist. I also made little fruit kabobs, lavender scones with jam and clotted cream, and Brie cherry pastry cups (for the adults). (I got caught up being hostess and forgot to take pictures of the rest of the food, but trust me, it was good.)
We had a room full of giggly, giddy little girls and they all had a great time. Consider adding Fart Pranks to the mix for extra laughs – a fun way to make the celebration even more memorable!
We wrapped up the party with each of the girls presenting Ana will a new pair of panties to celebrate that she is no longer in diapers. I could not be more proud of my little girl and how quickly she is growing up.
Ana had her three-year doctors appointment this morning. Here are her stats from the appt:
Height: 37.75″ (65th percentile)
Weight: 30.4 lbs (50th percentile)
BMI: 150 (30th percentile)
Blood Pressure: 84/48
The stats I provided are a little different than I am use to. BMI? Blood pressure? It’s crazy that we have to start worrying about that stuff at three years old. They also collected a urine sample. I was a little shocked as well, but very thankful that Ana nailed potty training in the last week. However I was expecting them to have one of those little “collector” things that you put into the toilet to catch the urine, but nope, I got to be the collector. I had Ana sit on the toilet while I held the cup and begged her to pee. Finally she dripped out enough (how, I have no idea! I don’t think I could have peed under that kind of pressure!) that I was able to hand it to the nurse and she deemed it acceptable. Yippee!
The rest of the appointment was pretty uneventful after that. The doctor had her jump up and down, then jump on just one foot and then the other. He talked to her about reading books and brushing her teeth. They talked about colors and whether she knows her letters (she is only concerned with A,N–the letters needed to spell her name–and “O, for Owen”) and her numbers (she can identify 1-4). Pretty basic stuff. All in all, I would say it was a successful appointment. And we could definitely use more of those around here.
A little over two weeks ago, on December 18th, I got something I hadn’t had in almost four years: a positive pregnancy test. I was so excited. In fact, I wrote this:
Well, I just found out I am pregnant. I guess I already KNEW, but I was trying to not get my hopes up… like I did several times in the last 11 months of trying to get pregnant. It’s been a rough time so far, but I am sure that by August 24th 2010 (my due date!!), it will all be worth it. It’s a cool, rainy day today, but my heart is so full of happiness and hope that I don’t even notice.
But before you go and get all excited and happy like I did, I have to warn you: this story does not have a happy ending.
Four days ago I started spotting. I tried not to be too worried about it, after all, this happened when I was pregnant with Ana, so I tried to be optimistic. I took it easy, spending the better part of the day in bed watching a marathon of The Next Iron Chef. But the spotting continued. And then it got worse. Finally I decided it was time to call my doctor. After a couple calls back and forth I ultimately was given two options: 1) come in the following day for an ultrasound or 2) wait and see if things get worse. Since I had already waited and decided it was worse, I opted for the ultrasound.
That brings me to this morning. Sim and I dropped Ana off for a playdate with some friends and we went to our ultrasound appointment. The tech started the ultrasound and took a few pictures but decided she couldn’t quite see what she was looking for and wanted to do an internal ultrasound. Once again, this didn’t worry me because I had been through all this before. But as the ultrasound progressed and nothing appeared on the screen, our hopes started to diminish. The room was totally silent. Finally the tech spoke and said, “Ok, here is your left ovary…and here is your right ovary.” And that was pretty much all she had to report. Sim told me later later, “I kept waiting for her to say, ‘and here is your baby’ but that never came.” She said she would send the pictures she took over to my doctor and I would meet with her in a few minutes.
We went out to the waiting room and were soon called back to see my OB. She walked into the room and said, “This was NOT the reason I was hoping to see you guys today.” Boy, do I know! So we basically sat down and talked about what had happened and what we need to do now.
My doctor was a little stumped because there weren’t any obvious signs of a miscarriage; I hadn’t had any pain or cramping with the bleeding and the ultrasound didn’t show a blighted ovum (empty gestational sac). In fact, the ultrasound didn’t show anything. Nothing. I was beginning to think I was having a hysterical pregnancy like Terri on Glee, but my doctor assured me that I did not make the whole thing up. She said it was probably one of two things, either I had already passed the sac without noticing or I was experiencing an ectopic pregnancy. They drew some of my blood to check my HCG (human chorionic gonadotropinso) levels and hopefully we can try to figure things out. At this point, we are actually rooting for the miscarriage. If I DO end up having an ectopic pregnancy I would get a shot of methotrexate (which my doctor said is basically chemotherapy) that would hopefully end the pregnancy. If that didn’t work I would need surgery. Not really an ideal situation.
So I have to go back into my doctors office on Friday to draw more blood to check my HCG levels. If they are going down, my body is already taking care of the problem on its own. If the levels are going up, we need to figure out why. I am also keeping my previously set doctors appointment in a couple weeks (they are changing it from an “OB” appointment to simply a “GYN” appointment) so my doctor can continue to monitor the situation. She informed me that during the ultrasound they discovered a little unexplained fluid around my right ovary and she wants to check on it with another ultrasound at that time. And the hits just keep on coming!!
So Sim took the rest of the day off work so we could spend some time together as a family. We cuddled on the couch, we got a babysitter so we could go see Avatar 3D to celebrate our 12 (TWELVE!!) year dating anniversary (we’ve been married for seven) and took every opportunity we could to be grateful for the amazing things we have in our life. We have each other. We have a wonderful relationship. We have our health. And, most importantly, we have an amazing daughter who we just cannot stop hugging.
UPDATE: I got a call from my doctor’s office this evening and my second blood draw showed that my HCG levels are down from 210 on Wednesday to 34 this morning. So we are pretty much guaranteed that I had a miscarriage and not an ectopic pregnancy. Whew. If there had to be a “best case scenario” this was it. Thank you for all your well wishes. It means so much to our family.
Ok, let’s give this little “year end wrap-up” a try:
1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Celebrated seven years of marriage to my lovely husband. Started rock climbing. Became president of the North Beaverton MOMS Club. Took Ana to Disneyland. Joined Stroller Strides. Attended a MOMS Club Luncheon. Saw my daughter turn three.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t believe I made a resolution last year, as I am not generally a fan of resolutions. But this year my resolution is simple: to breathe. I want to try and remain calm before I yell or say something I will regret. I want to take a deep breath, remember what is really important, and understand that every little thing does not matter. I am going to relax, close my eyes, and just breathe. For me, for my husband, and for my daughter, I am going to breathe. And it probably wouldn’t hurt my blood pressure either!
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Oh yes… My little sister, Darcie, had a baby boy: Silas. My step-sister, Mandy, had a baby girl: Francesca. My friend, Jennifer, had a baby boy: Matthew. My friend, Jen, had a baby boy: Zeke. My friend, Angela, had a baby boy: Henry. My friend, Laura, had a baby girl: Amelia.
(Sorry if I forgot anyone. There are just so many babies right now!)
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my Grandma Thissel (my Mom’s mom).
5. What countries did you visit?
I don’t think we left the county this year. We were too busy recovering from our visit to Italy at the end of last year.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
A baby? Ha!
Seriously I could go for a surplus of cash for all the home improvements we are needing to make. Oy! We need a new roof, we need to re-side the house, we need new windows and we’re seeking assistance from experienced aluminium window installers to ensure a top-quality installation, we need to trim the floor on our main level, and the list goes on and on and on.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Why can’t I think of one? No ONE date really sticks out in my mind. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Being the best mom I can be. Working with my board to turn around our MOMS Club. Starting to exercise again so I can live a healthier life for my daughter.
9. What was your biggest failure?
The moments when I’ve been less than the parent I want to be.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No real illness or injury, but I did have to visit the E.R. for abdominal pain after my HSG procedure. It was a stressful experience, and I realized how important it is to have a reliable New York personal injury lawyer in case of any complications from medical procedures.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My iPhone (I’ve had one for years, but I got the latest version this year…I think.). It allows me to stay organized, connected, and never get lost. I don’t know how I ever lived without it.
12. Where did most of your money go?
The mortgage, car payments, bills, and groceries.
13. What did you get really excited about?
Every little thing my daughter does or says. She is adorable that way.
14. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? Happier.
– thinner or fatter? Hopefully a little thinner! Stronger, if nothing else.
– richer or poorer? Maybe a little richer? But ask me again after tax time! Yikes!
15. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Relaxing and just enjoying life.
16. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Yelling. Rushing. Stressing.
17. How did you spend Christmas?
We hosted Christmas at my Mom’s house in Seaside (she was in Arizona).
18. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I fall in love with my husband and my daughter every single day.
19. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. I’m not a big hater. It’s pointless.
20. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 29 years old and I took Ana horseback riding for the first time during the day. That night, Sim and I planned to go to the Jewel concert at the zoo but blew it off due to the chaos of the crowds and parking and decided to go see The Hangover instead. Best. Decision. Ever.
21. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Fashion? Ha ha ha ha! I am a jeans and t-shirt kinda girl. Comfort is key.
22. What kept you sane?
My daughter and her amazing hugs. Exercising. Laughing with my family. My supportive husband.
23. What political issue stirred you the most?
I try not to get involved in political issues because the whole thing stresses me out, but as someone who has a husband who is self-employed and basically uninsurable, I would really love for our country to get on board with universal health care.
24. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Don’t sweat the small stuff. Now if only I could actually follow it…
25. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes I’m gonna to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb
(Hannah Montana “The Climb”)
Today while Sim, Ana, and I were sitting at the kitchen table eating lunch I happened to look out the window and noticed a few tiny little flecks of snow. They weren’t even really flakes but it was snow! Then by time I put Ana down for her nap giant cotton ball-sized snowflakes were falling from the sky. But the biggest surprise of all was that it was actually sticking! Within hours our neighborhood was covered in a beautiful blanket of white.
Later in the evening, Ana and I were driving home and I thought she was going to pass out from all the excitement of the day, but as soon as she saw Sim she was asking to have a snowball fight, build a snowman, and go sledding. Naturally, Sim wasn’t about to tell her no.
You can see all the pictures from our fun in the snow here. Enjoy!
Dear Ana,
Last week you turned three. THREE. I don’t even know how it happened. I know it’s a total cliché, but it seems like you were just born yesterday. Yet it’s almost impossible to remember life without you in it. But why would I want to? Ever since you were born my life has had meaning and purpose. Before I was just going through the motions and now I get to be ANA’S MOM. I could not be more proud to carry that title.
Now that you are a three year old, we have noticed several little “disturbances” in your otherwise mellow personality. Now every little thing that happens is either the BEST thing that has ever happened to you [insert high-pitched squeal here] or it is the equivalent of having one of your limbs removed. With dull scissors. Basically you are an emotional roller coaster of unpredictability. This is nothing new to you, however, as you are constantly telling us about your current emotional state wearing your mood rings. You are always saying overly dramatic things like, “you hurt my feelings! That breaks my heart!” or “when Daddy talks to me I burst into tears!”
Yet, you can be the sweetest thing ever. You have so much love in your heart that you can’t bear to keep it to yourself. You are always whispering, “I have a new secret…I love you forever and ever and always.” Or shouting, “I love you!” to all of our friends and family. You are filled with compassion and honest sincerity that is so refreshing in someone your age. When you apologize, you say things like, “I’m sorry I was bad earlier. I’m sorry we were having a fight.” Or, “I’m sorry for being mean. Can we be friends again?”
Something that isn’t new, or shocking in the least, is that you are still totally obsessed with babies. There isn’t a day that goes by when you don’t ask me if you can have a baby sister or brother. It breaks my heart to see how hopeful you get when we are talking with one of our numerous pregnant friends and you overhear us discussing babies. You ask, “Mama, are you gonna have a baby now?” Then I say, “No, sweetie. She is going to have a baby.” You always reply, “But Mama, I want you to have a baby in your belly.” I know, Ana. Me too.
Babies have been quite the topic around here lately and, naturally, you are getting caught up in it as well. You are insistent that I am going to have a baby SOON. Scratch that, you think I am going to have BABIES. Plural. You keep talking about how I am going to have a boy AND a girl. Then you are quick to explain to me “that means twins, Mama.” I am convinced that you got this idea from Dora, because when she became a big sister her Mami had twins. Yep, you guessed it: a boy and a girl. So I think it’s entertaining and cute. Your Daddy, on the other hand, is terrified.
I didn’t think it was possible, but in the last month you have gotten even more girly. You are always putting on lip gloss in the vanity mirror, pretending to do your make-up or donning some fancy dress-up outfit. Your room is filled with princesses and fairies, crowns and tiaras (you informed me those are, in fact, different), necklaces and bracelets, and every little thing a tiny princess requires in her royal chambers.
We have a battle every morning about what you are going to wear that day and it always starts with you saying, “I want to wear a dress…with no sleeves, no pants, no socks and no shoes.” And since it is practically winter (last week we had temperature in the TEENS! It was BELOW freezing!) I am forced to remind you that you must wear some type of clothing covering every part of your body. I am partial to letting you pick out your dress and then having you add leggings/pants/tights and a sweater/jacket. But even this can become a battle of the wills. In fact, this morning you cried for five minutes because I made you wear leggings under your dress. Your reason why you shouldn’t have to wear pants? Because, and I quote, “Taylor Swift doesn’t wear pants!!”
Last weekend we had your big birthday party. We had it at Westside Dance and Gymnastics Academy. It was a great party and you got to spend the entire time bouncing around, surrounded by all your best friends and family. It was the ultimate day for you, which was exactly the point. To make the day more special, I let you help me pick out all the decorations and your cake. Naturally, you picked the Disney Princess decorations and requested that I make you a Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) cake. After scouring the Internet for inspiration, and the baking and party stores for supplies, with your Father’s help, I made your dream a reality. All the hard work paid off when I saw the look of awe and wonder in your eyes. For that moment, I was Supermom and I could make all your dreams come true. I promise, as long as you keep looking at me like that, I will do my best to never let you down.
Oh my sweet little princess. What else is there to say? There are only so many ways I can tell you that you are amazing. Intelligent. Wonderful. Beautiful. You never fail to make me smile. Like when I walk into a room to discover a huge mess and when I ask you about it, you say, “I think my brother did it.” I can’t be mad at you, but instead I laugh out loud at your creativity and then we work together to clean up the disaster. Thank you for always giving me good-night kisses, for whispering “I love you, Mama” in my ear, for wrapping your arms around my neck in a hug that never fails to takes my breath away. Thank you for helping me look forward to each day, for causing me to get out of bed every morning with a smile, for making me laugh until I cry. Thank you for making the last three years the best years of my life. I love you, Ana.
All my love,
Mama