Chronicles of Mommyhood

A Lot Has Happened

A lot has happened  in the world since the last time I posted; Farrah Fawcett, Ed Mcmahon, Michael Jackson and a couple of other famous people died (I am still in shock over MJ!), Jon and Kate decided to split up and I celebrated my 10 wedding anniversary!     I've neglected the old blog and become addicted to facebook.  I try to keep up with what's going on in blogland with all my blog friends, but I myself haven't really had anything to blog about.  

I really can't believe it's July already!   This weekend we are going to jump on the bandwagon and take a trendy staycation .  The 4th of July is the best time to have a staycation when you live in the  birthplace of The Constitution.   So we will be staying close to home doing some tourist-like activities and hopefully getting some extra sleep.   I hope all is well with everyone out there in blogland.

Gav is doing really well.  Trying to keep up with his t-ball career.  The team has 2-3 games a week.  He really enjoys it, but honestly I will be glad when the season is over in 2 weeks.  I know it's horrible to say right.   We are thinking of looking at Karate for the fall.  His pediatrician says that it is very helpful for "hyper" children. 

I have been working hard at work, trying to stay afloat and stay relevant.   Seriously, there have been a lot of lay offs this year and I just need to make sure they realize how much they need me lol!   I really enjoy what I do.  

Hubby and I enjoyed  a very nice anniversary dinner.  Sometimes it's like I don't even remember not being married to him!   Someone asked me on my anniversary if marriage was all I thought it would be and I said "HECK NO!"  She was a little shocked.   I had to clarify that that wasn't a good or bad thing, it's just that I really did go into marriage with starry eyes and fantasies.  I learned rather quickly that that was not what marriage was about.  I am glad I learned early on that marriage is work.  I think I am better off because I learned that lesson early.   So far the work has been worth it, I will keep the guy around for a little while longer and keep on doing the work.

 

The Graduate

 

Wow I can’t believe so much time has passed since I’ve posted. So much has happened since my last post, most importantly, Gavin graduated from pre-school last week!  We wrestled with the decision to let Gavin go to kindergarten early and decided it was best. I am not to keen on Gavin being the youngest in his class because while I feel he is excelling academically and socially, his still 4 and his maturity level is that of a 4 year old.  

We were approached by the director of his pre-school program about a month ago.   His class is split amongst 4 year olds who would be kindergarten ready (5 years old by September 1^st) and younger 4 year olds.   So anyway during the sessions where they were working on being kindergarten ready Gavin really began to catch on to site words and was really interested in the lessons. They found that he was enjoying staying busy and being challenged by the work.    I personally don’t think a kid needs to learn to spell so early, but if he seems to live it why not encourage it.     Because Gavin has had some behavior problems with disrupting the class especially when he is bored, the new curriculum was welcomed as it kept him busy and happy.    

 

The school’s director (and Gavin’s teacher) felt it would be good idea to continue Gavin with the curriculum in kindergarten (at their school) rather than having him repeat the pre-k curriculum.   Hubby and I mulled it over and decided to go with the flow.   The worst case scenario is it doesn’t work out and he goes back to pre-k or repeats the kindergarten program.  If we decide to put him in public school or a different private school in the fall of 2010 he may have to kindergarten over anyway.   Not a big deal in our eyes.  I just like the fact that he really enjoys learning without any pressure from us.

 

So all of this warranted a graduation ceremony in full out cap, gown and Pomp and Circumstance!  Yes Pomp and Circumstance for a bunch of 4 year olds!   In my head I thought it was over kill, I think cap and gowns should be reserved for high school, personally.  Anyway, we obliged and even went online to buy him a cap and gown, and paid EXTRA to have it shipped on time, since the other graduates were already ordered early. 

 

Well it turned out to be THE cutest thing EVER!   The kids were so very proud in their caps and gowns!   They sang songs together and recited little poems.  It was so awesome.   I started out saying, it’s just Pre School not a big deal but ended up in tears, my baby graduated pre-school!    He was just a baby in my arms like 5 minutes ago, what in the world happened to the time!?!  

Below are some pictures from the blessed day.   Can you believe it my baby is a graduate! 

By the way, now he’s asking for a baby sister….more on that at another time!

 

Gavin the Superstar!

I've been gone for a while, really busy and not much to blog about.  I have had a lot going on in the past few months.  I recently lost my paternal grandmother (Grandma Betty), my maternal grandmother (Nana) has been sick and in and out of the hospital, she actually just got out of the hospital on Tuesday.  She is doing a lot better today.  We spent Mother's day with her my brother and I cooked and we had a ealy good time.   So it has been a tough time, but we are good.

Easter vacay was awesome.   We had such a good time I cried on the way to the airport.   Every time we visit our friend in NC we come home and spend a week discussing moving down south.    

So I'd like to announce the star of the Olney White Sox GAVIN!    My baby played his first little league game yesterday and it was so exciting!  More exciting than I thought it would be. It was opening day so all the kids were in their brand new uniforms and the marched in a parade it was great.  They don't keep score in Gavin's age group, but according to him, he made 5 home runs!    Here are some great shots of our little superstar taken by the hubby. 

Oh wait!   Notice his uniform sock are black, his team is called the White Sox.   You can guess what my little smart alec said, "Mom why do they call us white socks?  My socks are black?"   I tried to explain and he went on to explain that the other team near them on the parade line had on white socks! 

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mamas!  Remember Mother Love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible seem possible!"  Keep on spreading it!

 

Headed off to North Carolina for a little Easter break.  I am sooo looking forward to it. We will be going to stay with one of my best sisterfriends and her family.   We haven't seen each other in a while.  Gavin will get to hang out with her two kids and Cleveland will get to hang out with her husband.   We always have a great time when we get together so I am am psyched, I haven't seen her in so long even though we talk like every day, I hate that we don't get some good girlfriend time just to talk and be silly like we used to back in college.  That's usually late after everyone else has gone to bed.  I soooo need some good girlfriend time!  

Hot Date!

 

The Hubby is out of town so I had a hot date with the "other" man in my life, Gavin!  We had a lot of fun, baking cookies, painting, and eating said cookies warm with cold milk.  After a warm bath and a little Kung Fu Panda my date feel asleep by 9:30!   Hey it was better some dates I went on back in college!

I never do these

I never do these meme things, why well I usually think to much about what the right answer is but I'm doing this one,I'm just gonna go with the flow.  I saw this over at Fergie's blog

If money didn’t matter what would you do with your life?
I would just travel
What’s the biggest misconception about you?

I think I appear to be more "together" than I really am
Beauty or brains?

brains

What is your weapon of choice?
Words

Who was your first celebrity crush?
Todd Bridges, back in the Different Strokes Days LOL!

What’s your family’s nickname for you?
Gussie or Gus....my dad called me greedy gus as a baby and my mom thought Gus was too "boyish" and everyone started calling me Gussie

What is your most embarrassing guilty pleasure?
Edy's ice cream right out of the carton, it is better that way
What’s the last book you’ve read?
Confessions of a Fat Bride by Lauri Notaro-HILARIOUS!
Name one thing that scares you?
rodents

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made?
I wouldn't know where to begin!

Who would you cast to play you in a movie about you?
Angela Bassett

If you ran for President of the United States, who would be your running mate?
Barack Obama! 

Who is your favorite TV mom?
Claire Huxtable
What’s the fastest way to pick a fight with you?
Mess with my child

If you could tell one person to shut up, who would it be?
I am not sure

Who would you die for?
My son

Name one celebrity with whom you would never procreate under any circumstances?
I'm gonna go with Fergie and say Flava Flav

It would be an honor if some said my writing/poetry reminded them of_____________.
I am not a writer if we are talking blog writing I will say my girl Liana over at Welcome to the Dollhouse

Name one sex act you would never perform if you were the opposite sex?
Yep skipping this one...

Would you ever pose for Playgirl/Playboy?
NO Never even if I had an awesome body

When was the last time you cried?
Last night

What’s the greatest personal tragedy you’ve ever experienced?
Loosing my dad my senior year of high school

Complete this sentence: By this time next year______________.
I will be better in the areas I need to be better in

All Better

Thank God!   Gavin is much better his skin is still a bit dry, but the peditrician has given him a clean bill of health and he went back to school last week.  I wanted to share his recent school picture.  He looks like such a big boy!  I can't believe he's 4 already!

Who Knew People Were Still Getting Scarlet Fever?

Man has it been a long week, and it is not even over.  Well Monday we had a big snow storm here on the east coast so we all stayed home.  Monday night, before bed Gavin complained about his eye bothering him and then he work up with his left eye swollen shut and a rash growing! Instantly I began to trip out and we rushed Gavin to the nearest ER thinking he had some weird allergic reaction.   While in the ER his fever spiked to 103!  After some meds and rest, they informed us that it must be some sort of viral rash. 

Ok so what the heck is a viral rash and are we about to be quarantined!  The ER doctors were no help.  They only explained that a chicken pox is a viral rash, but what he has is not a chicken pox, it is a non descript rash, give him some Tylenol for the fever, and benedryl for the rash.   The bright side was that he was in good spirits and acting pretty much like himself.  But to me all of that did not explain the swelling eyes. 

Good thing I called the pediatrician because I took him in on yesterday and lo and behold he has Scarlett Fever in need of antibiotics!   As soon as I heard Scarlett Fever I was thinking like in the olden days and people died!  Apparently it's a lot like strep throat and she has seen 5 other kids in the past two weeks with the same thing going on.   I was going to post a picture of my poor little scaly boy, but I won't embarrass him like that.  But he's on the mend thank God, and in very good spirits so I'm glad!

Back from Guyana

I don't really know how to begin to express how awesome my journey to Guyana South America was.  It was fulfilling and enriching to my Mind, Body and Spirit.  I really thought that I was going to work and be a blessing to the people, but by my second day there I felt abundantly blessed myself. 

As I prepared myself for the journey I wanted to make sure that I took everything in.  I wanted to experience the culture the best I could in the short amount of time that I would be there.   I wanted to be prepared for all that I would see that was not like the norm, all the sights, and different food, and the smells.   The flight was about 5 hours from New York city overnight.   I woke up to the most beautiful sight I have ever seen in nature.  I woke up and watched the sunrise while in the sky.  It was amazing and I felt it was the perfect message for the trip "See Beauty in Everything God Created".  

It was just a fantastic trip.  The Guyanese people that I encountered are a very loving people.  I was in Guyana over Valentine's Day and was surprised to see that Valentine's Day is a really big deal!  Every where we went on Valentine's Day people were dressed in red and wishing you happy Valentines.  Some of the teenagers and children from our sister churches even made Valentine for members of our delegation. The holiday is more about family love and not just romantic love and I thought that was very nice.   Families who can afford to go out to dinner together.

One of the highlights of the trip was the women's health fair we convened.  We had a really good turn out.  I had the opportunity to work with group of teenage girls and we had a slumber party.  It's funny because teenage girls all over have the same issues, the same interest and everything. 

Well I can't really sum up the whole trip here, but I am sure I will be referring to it more from time to time.  But I will leave you with some photos. 

Our Hotel

Yes that is a KFC in the background, there was also a Popeye's Chicken and a Pizza hut.  This little girl (in her school uniform I loved seeing the kid's in uniforms) sold oranges (yes green oranges) in the market place after school  6 for $100.   That was like 50 cents US.

 

   

The Guyanese love President Obama!  I asked a few people why the like him and the general consensus was "he doesn't just care about the United States he cares about us all!

   

Mission Trip

I have been really busy the past week or so because I am getting ready to leave for a mission trip to Guyana, South America on Wednesday.  My pastor has led a delegation to Guyana every year for over 30 years and I am really excited about being part of the group.   My mother has visited the country since I was a kid and my husband has been on the journey as well.  I will only be gone for a little over a week, but all of sudden it has hit me that it is the longest I have ever been away from Gavin and on top of that I may not be able to talk to him on a daily basis.  

Don't be misled, I won't be totally roughing it.  I will be staying in a hotel, but of course the conditions are not as nice as they are here in the states.  I am just excited to be going on this spiritual journey and look forward to sharing the experience here on the blog.