Closet

Victoria really freaked me out this morning. I went to wake her up and she was not in her bed. I thought maybe she was sleeping in our room on the chair. She sometimes sneaks in there and maybe I just didn't see her...nope. I started to panic. I even woke Eddie up. Well, I went back into her room and happened to look towards the closet. There she was sleeping in the closet under her giant panda bear. I know the picture isn't that great but you get the gitz...

Dance

Victoria's dance career has started. They open a new dance studio in between our house and school. Victoria has been wanting to do dance for a little while so I signed her up. She is taking a combo class that consists of ballet, tap and gymnastics and a hip hop class. She loves it!! And the good news id payless now sells dance shoes so I didn't have to spend a fortune. All the instructors in the studio are pros. They all have danced with the Cardinals, Suns or other pro dance teams. Should be the experieince...

Dream

Okay, you all know how I am about my dreams. I dream in color every night and I usually dream the entire night. Well the other night I had a dream and I have to go on record just in case it comes true...

In my dream I was Victoria when she was older (I didn't realize it at first but I got it when I saw myself and thought oh my mom is here...i know, i know I'm wierd). In my dream Victoria really likes a guy with brown hair that lives in the suburbs (I can still see the kitchen in my head). And the name M Gavin was on the door.

So, only time will if it was a preminition into the future or just a crazy dream...

Cousins

Victoria loves her cousin, Madeline and is always asking when she is coming to visit us. Sabrina, Eric and Madeline are flying in for Christmas and Victoria already has a plan of what they are going to do. And whenever Victoria decides something is too small I have to mail it to Madeline. It was funny because when we were in Seattle in July we were getting Madeline dressed and Victoria saw one of her old dresses in teh closet. She said Mama I used to have a dress like that when I was a baby. I told it that was hers and she kinda laughed and said oh yeah. She cracks me up...

Classroom help

Tomorrow I am going to help out in Victoria's classroom. I am very excited. Last Thursday I went to Victoria's school and listened to her teacher go over what the year has in store. I was impressed with the school and her teacher. I was amazed by the things they are going to learn and what her teacher was saying. I hope I can help in the classroom often. Well...I should wait and see how it goes first. I am sure I will have some stories to tell...

Happy Birthday Victoria!

Yesterday was Victoria's birthday. She is now officially 5. She has been unofficially 5 for about a month now. See when we were in Seattle at the beginning of July we had a little party because my niece, Madeline, birthday is Aug 10th. Since we were together we thought it would be nice to have a little party. Victoria didn't quite get that concept and was convinced she had her birthday in Seattle and was already 5. On Monday night I was telling her I was going to pick her up early because it was her birthday the next day (she was born at 3:20 pm and every year I have been with her). Well, as soon as I said it was her birthday she started going on about how she is going to be 6. Yeah, apparently 5 is a short one month of her life. Thirty minutes later and lots of explaining she finally agreed (more like gave in) to the fact she was still going to be 5.
I will say her birthday is always emotional for me. I remember back to when she was born and all the craziness that happened. For those of you that do not know the story the short version is I got meningitis from the epideral and spent the first two weeks of her life in the hospital. What was supposed to be the happiest time of my life was probably the worst. It was very tramatic for everyone. But I will say 5 years later I wouldn't change anything (well...maybe I would ask me again at age 6). What happened really shaped us as a family. Poor Eddie was forced to take care of this new life with his wife in the hospital with something that could be deadly. Eddie and Victoria really needed each other to make it through. They will always have that special bond.
I love Victoria with all my heart...Happy Birthday my Babaganoush!

Homework

So they don't mess around anymore. On Wednesday Victoria came home with homework. Yes, I know, it was only the first week of school. She had three different things to do. It is called "team homework" because the parents have to participate. Yeah, little did I know Eddie and I were going to go through school again. Her first assignment was to read a book (I told you they don't mess around). The new thing with reading is called triangle reading. I read the story, then we are supposed to read it together and then she reads it by herself. Yep, there were detailed directions to this homework. And it says at the bottom if your child can not read on the third try by herself that is fine, it may take a couple of weeks. Okay, so here is where I brag. I read the story to Victoria and when we went to do the second leg of the triangle (we read together), she just read it by herslf! I know...she is a GENIUS!! But then I start to think to myself, oh my, she is not following the proper traingle reading. So what do I do? Well, for the third part of the triangle I send her over to Eddie and I tell her she needs to read the story to him. Hopefully that is "tri" enough. I can't help it if I have the smartest kid now can it?!?
The second assignment to to review the class rules and have the child pick one and draw a picture of that rule. Victoria picked Be a good friend. So she starts to draw. And color...And draw some more. Then she says "I am going to draw a gingerbread man." It is her picture so I say fine. Now Eddie is getting impatient. I turned off the TV so Victoria could do her homework and he wanted to see the score of the baseball game so he says come on Victoria pick up the pace. I give him a look and tell him she needs to take her time and do her homework. He then says...well I have never seen her hanging out with the gingerbread man. Isn't she supposed to be drawing a picture of her friends? I couldn't help but start laughing. Good ol' Eddie...

Ding..Ding...Round 1

Victoria and I went to blows on Thursday. I mean it was an all out war. It started when I went to get her from kids club. When we saw me she rolled her eyes as if to say...uh, my mom is here, great...yeah I know. She had a stuffed annimal that was not hers. It turns out it is her friends. Victoria wanted to bring it home with her and that is when it really started. She wouldn't give it back and then threw it across the floor. I handed it back to her friend and picked up Victoria. She filled out because she didn't want to be picked up. There was crying, screaming, snot...oh man it was bad. And then all hell broke loose. As we were driving down the raod she unbuckled her seatbelt. I lost it...I will accept (to a point) her throwing herself like a maniac but under no circumstances will I accept her undoing her seatbelt. That is so dangerous. So I immediately pulled over. She knew she had gone to far and her whole attitude changed. Suddenly she was sorry and she loved me (oh, I forgot to mention at the ripe old age of 4 she told me she hated me and I was a terrible mother. I can't wait for the teenage years...). I was so mad I was shaking. I told her if she ever did that again I would drive her straight to the police station. Yes that is right, I am not above parenting by fear.

That was the first of I am sure many, many fights. Oh the joys...

I'm a model...

Last week I took Victoria to get her 5 year pictures. What an experience...88 pictures and 1 1/2 later we got some really good shots. She is such a little diva. I will say I was not really impressed with the photographer. If it wasn't for Miss Victoria and her sassy attitude I am sure I would hav gotten crap pictures. Here are a few for your enjoyment.

First Day of Kindergarten

Well, yesterday was the big day...Victoria's first day of kinder. And I have to tell you, she did great! I am SO proud of her. She is such a big girl. And she had a blast. She has a "group" of her "girls". Yes that is right, she comes home and says she hung out with her group. So I asked her what is her group? She explains they are her girls. So I ask further. Turns out her group is her and two girls, her new friend Yazmin and another girl that she does not remember her name. She already has a group...she is too much.

More good news...her best friend from day care goes to school with her. Today she ran up and gave Victoria a big hug. She isn't in her class but she does see her on the playground and lunch. I am so happy. All summer she asked about Xin Xan and now she can see her again.

So far so good...

More Quirks

Here are a few more of Victoria's quirks. Believe it or not the later she stays up at night the earlier she gets up the next morning. We have actually tested and proven this theory. It is the wierdest thing.
Another one of her little quirks is that she does not like her clothes wet, even a little drop of water. If they get wet, she needs to change. This was great in helping to get her potty trained shortly after her second birthday but it can difficult to deal with at five. Heaven for bid I forget to bring a change of clothes with.
It is these quirks that are some of the reasons that I love her.

No more baby girl

Today is the end of things as I know it...tomorrow Victoria starts kindergarten. I know!! It seems like just yesterday she was my baby girl. Things are already changing. I have spent the last three days looking for Crayola no clog tip glue. After 4 stores and recruiting my friend to check out Staples on his way to get some groceries, I emailed her teacher asking where to get this glue and why is it so special. Turns out she has only ever found it at a place called Teaching Tools and it is the special bottle that makes the difference. Well I have never heard of Teaching Tools and I can assure you there isn't one in Laveen. I will be buying good ol' fashion elmers and she can put it in the special bottle.
I then spent this morning reading through all the info they gave us on Thursday at Meet The Teacher Night. I need to start by saying this was more of an ordeal than I could have ever imagined. After 2 1/2 hours, all three of us sweaty and hungry, a bad parent id (yes now the parents have to have ids t00), and a new found love for Victoria (please refer to my earlier post about all the terrible kids on the airplane. Apparently they are everywhere...) we had met Victoria's teacher and were given a packet of info that was going to provide us everything we needed to send her off to kindergarten. I have to say I was amazed, and teary eyed, when reading through all this info. We opted to enroll Victoria in a school by my office that has "open borders". It is much better than the school district we live in and they have an award winning kids club which is important to the working mom.

Okay...off to buy the elmers glue before V loses interest in shopping...more of this to come...

Grilled Cheese and Waffles

So Eddie was talking to Victoria about what to have for dinner. She has been on this cheese sandwich kick so Eddie asked her if she wanted grilled cheese. He explained that grilled cheese was just a hot cheese sandwich. She quickly said no. When he asked her why not she said...grilled chesse really freaks me out...I mean really, where does she get this? Oh wait, I think I told her I was going to freak out the other day...haha...she is my daughter.

Everyday I am amazed at home much Victoria is growing up. Whether it be the things she says or the way she acts. But I was so impressed the other day when she walked over to the freezer, grabbed a waffle then put it in the toaster to cook. She waited for it to pop up then she took a paper towel and grabbed the waffle. She is getting so big! She isn't my baby anymore. And then I thought, this is perfect. One less thing for me to have to remember to do in the morning. The kid can feed herself. Then I asked her to make me one, might as well eat too right?

Who are these kids??

I spent the last week in FL at a sales conference. I have been traveling a lot for work this year so I have been on numerous flights. Good stories always come out of flights. Well, the flight home yesterday was quite interesting and to be honest made me realize how good Victoria is and that I am really not that bad of a mom.
So I left Ft Laudersdale on my way to Phoenix but had a stop in New Orleans. Love Southwest, hate all the stops. My experience started in line to check my bag. A mom and daughter, probably between 8 and 10 (I am really bad at guessing ages) were in front of me. Well, this girl had unhooked one side of the strap of her bag and was dragging it...about 4 feel behind her. It was very obnoxious and the mother says nothing. Okay, whatever...no big deal. I check in and head to my plane. Now you need to note I had been gone since Sunday and was getting more and more anxious to get home. Well lucky me I am behind them once again in the security line. And now this girl is arguing with her mom about how sunburn she is (which she is not at all but whatever). Okay, just breathe and ignore...just try not to trip over this damn bag...I make it through security and yes, you are right, they are on my flight and in front of me in line. I mean really. So we walk down to the plane and I sit in the very first seat I can, row 3 window...not bad huh? Well these two idiots sit behind me. AHHH!!! I am exhausted and hoping to sleep a little but this girl will not shut up and she is loud. Oh and very obnoxious. Although I have been travellng a lot I still get nervous on the flights. This stupid kid starts talking about the plane crashing and will it float in the water (we are 100% over water which always makes me nervous). So I am trying to not think about it but this kid does not shut up. I have come to the realization I hate most all other kids. And this mom I wanted to slap. Maybe if you would spend a little less time putting all that makeup on the picking out clothes that are not even close to age appropriate you could spend some time with this keep and teach her how to behave. Well, good news was I was so tired I did fall asleep and when we landed in New Orleans they got off the plane.
I thought it couldn't get any worse than that. Boy was I wrong...they put 3 kids travelling alone in front of me on the flight to Phoenix. These kids were terrible! Throwing food, jumping around, it was so bad...at they were about 11. They should have known better! I know the parents were not there but have they not taught them anything??? And it was the whole 2 hour 50 min fight. They did not stop for 5 mins. I had to bite my tongue to not tell them they needed to knock it off.
So...I start to think of my last trip I took with Victoria...we went to Seattle to see my sis and fam. I had a terrible migraine headache, so bad I could not keep my eyes open. I put my hand on her leg and closed my eyes. My little angel just sat nicely and played. When I grabbed the barf bag (oh yes, it was quite a flight) she opened it and told me to throw up in there. I love her SO much...Yes, she has her moments when I want to leave her on someone elses doorstep (some of these stories are coming soon), but overall I am very lucky. She is a very good kid!
And then I started to think how less than Mrs. Cleaver I felt when I gave her a brownie for breakfast two weeks ago because all I wanted to do was get out of the house without a fight just one time. But I realized I am closer to the Mother of the Year award than I had previously thought. Victoria woulds never act like these kids. She knows that is not acceptable behavior. She knows her beloved princess ponies would be taken away faster than she could say princess pony.
So I guess even though I was on the verge of flipping out it was a good trip home. Despite the many stories to tell I have an awesome kid and I am not so bad either...