Sick-O

This post was not supposed to be about this. It was supposed to be a touchy-feely love fest to Erik/DaDa whose celebrates his 37th birthday tomorrow. When you were a kid and heard someone was 37, weren't they old? They didn't have 1 1/2 year olds did they? Someone at work who had their 2nd child when they were 35 (she is now 13) reminded me that we will start to feel really old when we go to back to school night for Maggie as she gets older. We will be the most likely be the oldest parents there. Thanks... How did I get here anyway?

I interrupt this touchy-feely post for a real life moment:

We got our first sick call from daycare today...your daughter just threw up...a LOT...you need to come get her.

10 minutes later I show up at Maggie's classroom with just the teacher and her in the room, slumped listlessly in a beanbag chair (Maggie that is). The teacher said she knew something was wrong when Maggie didn't eat much that day. "Maggie always eats all of her food!" (That's my girl!).

30 minutes and 2 more "episodes" later we are home and assume the sick position:

This is exactly what I remember when I stayed home sick from school. Laying on the couch with the TV on, my favorite blanket keeping me warm...and that look on my face. Doesn't that just say it all?

Immediately I jump into mom mode - BRAT diet...slice the bananas, toast the bread...wet washcloth, trashcan next to the couch (like Maggie knows to turn her head and throw up into the trashcan) and towels in case of emergency. I feel like I'm playing house and that I should have high heels on 5 sizes too big with pearls hanging down to my ankles. I'm just playing Mom right? Is someone really relying on me to make it all better? Does someone really call me Mom?

I'm reminded of that when Maggie gets some life back and starts talking again. All she said all evening was Mom-my? Mom-my? Mom-my? It seems to be her catch phrase these days...her new thing is to say it until I respond and then she says DaDa? As if to say Mommy? Where's Daddy? And I swear she says it in a British accent. Mummy? Wherefore art Daddy?

Another new thing, which I love, is she holds up her sippy cup to your glass and says "cheers", then "aaahhhh" after she takes a sip. I can't imagine how she learned to do something so dramatic...

Anyway, let's get back to the real deal. It is Erik's birthday tomorrow and no one deserves a parade, fiesta, soiree, all out party more than he does. The highlight of my day is sitting in Maggie's playroom and watching the two of them chase each other around the house. I think it's the highlight of her day too and I hope it is his.

So, Erik, you give me a million presents everyday and I hope I come close to returning the favor. Happy Birthday Da Da...you truly deserve a #1 Dad mug!!

Movin' On Up

Maggie has recently moved into the bigger kid classroom - better known as Beginning Steps II - having only been in Beginning Steps I for a short time. It's always a proud moment when you show up to pick up your child at daycare and the Director gives you the smile and then says "we think Maggie's ready to move into the next class". That must mean she's a genius right? She was only in Beginning Steps I for like a month - Alexander was definitely in there longer than that. Each time she moves up I have a little anxiety because I have always been happy with her teachers and am afraid that I won't in the next room. I've always been pleasantly surprised and this time is no different.

The only complaint I have had so far with the daycare center is that I had no idea how she is doing on a day to day basis. I didn't know if she was playing with the other kids or hanging out by herself. If she was having fun or counting the minutes until we picked her up (because she can tell time at 16 months - remember? GENIUS). So, me being the passive aggressive complainer that I am, I wrote a (very nice) comment on the daycare center's website to "suggest" that they give us progress reports on how the kids are doing. Well, apparently that comment went to corporate who called our center's director and the whole thing blew way out of proportion. That day when I picked up Maggie, there was a comment on her daily sheet about how she did that day and I noticed every kid's sheet had a similar comment. The director talked to me and I did my best to let her know I was not complaining, just "suggesting". I guess it turned out to be a good thing, but I don't want to be "that mom". Please don't take my passive-aggressiveness out on my daughter!

The teachers in this new class actually tell us what they did that day when we pick her up and the stories are usually pretty entertaining. For the first week the updates ranged from:

-We forgot Maggie was here - we were all getting ready to go outside and she was just in a corner reading a book all by herself...

to

- She's interacting so well with the other kids...she doesn't really talk to us, but she talks to them

to, more recently...

She's doing great - playing, interacting, having fun

But today's story pretty much took the cake:

- We were doing animal sounds today and everyone was participating, except Maggie. After we finished, it was silent and she gives us a huge raspberry "PPPBBBHHH"

I guess she was bored with the lesson plan today. But at least she has some personality right? You have to admit, she's not a follower, right? Do you think my kid is weird? Oh, did I say that out loud?

Every day they fill out a daily sheet on each kid which lists what they ate, when they slept, how many diaper changes they had. We go over this with Maggie in the evening although it is usually the same old thing:

Breakfast: Pancakes - Ate ALL
Lunch: Hamburger patty and vegetables - Ate SOME
Snack: Sugar Cookie - Ate ALL

My little sweet tooth...I guess there is something she gets from me. If they come out with an all carb diet, Maggie and I will be runway models someday.

And we find ourselves praising her for bowel movements - "good job Maggie, you had 2 BM's today! you are a great pooper!"

When did my life take this turn? Oh yeah, when I decided I was tired of it being all about me. Although, I did get an iPod touch and Wii Fit this past weekend so maybe it is still a little about me.