wardrobe changes

A typical day with Shannie has one commonality: Wardrobe changes.

Outfit #1:  At breakfast, she kneels on her chair, reaches over her breakfast to put her blanket on the table (yes really, after being told 5 times/day for at least a year that blankets do not belong in the kitchen).  She slips, just a little and puts her elbow in her cereal bowl, flipping the just poured cereal onto her school clothes, and her treasured blanket.  

Outfit #2:  I arrive at pick up time to preschool.  All the other nice clean children greet their parents with hugs and "I had a great day..."  Shannie's always the last one out the door, (it takes a long time to cram all your "artwork" into you backpack and wrinkle it up really well)  She's typically panting, has her shoes on the wrong feet, the nice ponytail is half out and the rest is sticking up (I'm thinking glue accident)  and is covered with little paint/marker spots from her eyebrows to her ears, to the back of her hands, and of course her elbows (because she accidentally slipped into the paint tray).

Outfits #3-6:  Quiet time happens at our house about 2pm.  You'll find Shannie in her room with her door closed, her music blaring and the stomps, crashes and bangs of a dance party turned violent.  Typically she'll change in and out of dress up clothes 3-4 times during her quiet time.  each time throwing it into a heap in the middle of her floor.  When quiet time is over, it is customary to find Shannie in a princess dress, heels, a tiara and "marker make up" (how she smuggles markers into her room is beyond me)   If they princess is feeling feisty she might be dressed in a ninja costume with a sword and many... many "bad guys" (aka: stuffed animals, but not the pink ones) slain throughout her arena.

Outfit #7:  PLAY TIME!  Brother is home, the neighborhood is her playground.  Because dress-up clothes are inappropriate for cruising the neighborhood, she'd better find something to wear.  Today that is her angry birds Star Wars shirt and hot pink pants, pair that with a nice sparkley boot and you have the perfect neighborhood attire.  

Outfit #8:  Swim time!  Brother does competitive swimming, which means lots of time at the pool.  Shannie has specific swim outfits, not to hot, not to cold, ok to get wet, fun enough to impress her pool friends but not so big that it looks like she's trying to hard.  You know the type.

Outfit #9: With blankie fresh from the dryer, a full belly, and a clean body, it's time for the last wardrobe change of the day, Jammies.  Jammies are special at our house, sometimes you need "woolies" (aka warm footed jammies), sometimes you need pretty (dress jammies)  tonight she needed Santa Jammies.  "Because I'm excited like Christmas!"

Santa Jammies on, teeth brushed, "one more drink please" accomplished, books read, and a million kisses later, I gather up the clothes that make up the story of her day.  

Remember dear daughter, to live out your story each day, clothes are meant to be changed, lives are meant to be lived, and Christmas should be celebrated every day!

Remember dear mommy: Tomorrow, teach her to do her own laundry.

What about that name?

Let's start with this one:
Lady at the library: "Wow! You had a girl, what's her name?"

Me:  "Millie"

Lady at the library: She smiles trying to recover from the weird look on her face that totally gave away her distaste for my baby's name. "Well at least she's cute"

This happens A LOT:
Cashier at Wal-mart:  "what a cutie, what's her name"
Shannie: "Millie"
Cashier:  That's my grandmothers name....  (followed by awkward silence)

Or how about this one:
Bank teller: "Oh it's a girl, what's her name?"
Me: "Millie"
Bank Teller: "you named her Mildred? how terrible!"

Yes, really all the above have happened (and some happen daily) since baby Millie was born.  We've started saying "Her name is Amelia, but we call her Millie.  We wanted to give her options when she grows up, but for now...we like to call her Millie."  This week, she's a crying kind of baby...  so we tend to call her "Millie Grace" more often than not.

Amelia is a family name (Will's mom's side)  and honestly we just thought Millie was cute.  It's making a comeback folks.. you just watch and see, we've started a new trend.

Technically Millie means:   industrious, striving, work, helper to the priest, bee, honey, gentle strength, brave strength.  She will need plenty of brave strength to be managed by her big over loving, never stopping sister.  and plenty of that gentle strength of have patience and speak softly to her anxious big brother.  But I think she can handle it! 

What kinda baby is it!?

Amelia (Millie) Grace born March 4, 2013.  7lbs 13oz 19 and 1/2 inches long.  this is her.. (isn't she adorable all gooey and gross?)

Having a 3rd scheduled c-section leaves little surprise in the whole baby thing.  You have a date, a time, a name, monogrammed burp cloths a gender specific room with little wooden letters depicting his/her initials, and a closet/dresser filled with blue/pink clothes.

We decided that we wanted just a little bit of a surprise, and daddy wanted to share just a little bit in the process (you know more than.. woohoo a baby!)  So we chose not to find out what kind of baby we were having!   foot note: For any of you considering such an ambitious move...  be okay with having 4 outfits for the first week of life.  gender neutral clothing is virtually nonexistent.  At times it was terribly painful.   But I think my friends had a harder time with it that we did.  I often said it was a good thing we had to make the choice at 18 weeks not to find out... because if I had the option at 25 I totally would have caved.  But in the weeks leading up to her birth the excitement was so much fun!

The excitement in the operating room was contagious.  Not just for us, but for the OR staff.  They were taking guesses, placing bets and all around really enjoying this with us!  I get the lovely view of a giant blue curtain... so I was laying there listening to the music on the radio and hearing the doctors and nurses "do their thing."  The song changed to "This girl is on Fire" and I heard a strong cry and Will says "it's a girl!"  We all got a great kick out of that.

Since then this girl has definitely made a statement.  She's fussy, she's smiley, she knows what she wants, she's already a strong but loving little lady.  Shannie is thrilled to have a sister (more on that later) and Grumpy Dwarf is a little less grumpy and a little more Papa Smurf.  Welcome to the world Millie Grace!

The Big Sister Freak out

After what seems like months (okay it has been months) I have 2 free hands to actually type a Shanniegans post!  Baby Millie Grace joined our family on March 4!  It was a rather uneventful birth but I'll share the highlights for those of you who are into that kinda of thing over the next few days.

The weekend before:  We tried to set up our weekend just like every other weekend.  It started with Friday night pizza and movie night.  Shannie was a little off, stomach aches, whining... my immediate worry.. .what if she's sick!!  we are having a new baby in 2 days.. what if she's sick.. what if I get sick.. worse what if Will gets sick!!?!? (you see he the most important part of baby week... without him.. the entire thing unravels and I lie in a bed and cry)

Dad: "is something bothering you?"
Shannie: hiding her now tearing eyes and whispering "I'm nervous about being a big sister"
Dad: that's ok.. I'm nervous about having 3 babies
Shannie: "But Dad, I don't know how to be a big sister, I only know how to be a little sister!"

Then the uncontrollable tears started, down to the hiccups, and the not breathing and the snotting... yeah one of those girl cries that reaches into your soul and you just can't make them stop.  (ladies, I'm certain you can relate)  it all culminates with a giant stomach emptying mess.  also known as cry induced  puke.

After a nice long warm shower, the tears subsided.  She camped out in a giant mommy sized robe in front of the space heater.  Suddenly I overhear this sweet sensitive loving child of mine say "thank you God for giving me all the hot water for my shower, just to make me feel better."  Her gratitude is always humbling.

A little book time and all seemed ok.  I can TOTALLY sympathize with the pressure of being a big sister, it's a lot for a little girl to handle, but 2 months later I can tell you she's a great big sister, loving, generous, and over attentive.  (more on that to come)  If only I attacked each event in my life with such desire for perfection.