Givaway!!

Check out this site for a chance to win a satin lined winter hat! The past two winters I've said I was going to make my own, but never have! Maybe this year I'll get lucky and win one!! click here .

Dear Santa

Aliya sat on Santa's lap for the first time this past weekend. The Easter Bunny didn't go over very well a few years ago so we've always skipped Santa. While up North at my mom's this past weekend we all headed to Bass Pro to see Santa. On the way to the store we explained to Aliya what we were doing and who we were going to see. She had lots of questions about why we were going and what was going to happen. I told her that she was going to sit on his lap and tell him what she wants for Christmas. Mind you she wants EVERYTHING or as she says, "I want the whole world"...so narrowing it down to just one thing for Santa was going to be hard. I gave her a few examples like a new baby doll or a puzzle or a new baby brother (just jokingly of course). So as we unloaded the car I asked her what she was going to ask Santa for and she looked at me and smiled, "a new baby brother". Joel was hurt at first and said, "thanks a lot Aliya" we reminded him to look on the bright side, at least she wasn't asking for a new older brother!!

Once inside we received our line-time ticket and prayed for the best. The family in front of us in line had 2 girls that FREAKED out when it was their turn. I silently prayed Aliya would keep it together. And sure enough, she did!!

She climbed right up on Santa's lap and smiled for the camera. When he asked her what she wanted she proudly exclaimed, "A new baby brother". Santa was clearly caught off guard and while chuckling replied, "I think that's Mrs. Klaus' department". The woman behind the camera looked at me (also chuckling) and said, "I think that's mommy and daddy's department". Oh if she only knew!!

A few random thoughts

So much on my mind, but every time I go to blog about it I blank. So here, in no particular order is a list of what's been on my mind lately.

I miss my grandma
Thanksgiving cannot be here already!
Aliya will be 3 in less than a month
I'm not sleeping at night again
Hot flashes SUCK
Adoption
Will it be weird not having grandma at Thanksgiving on Thursday
Joel finally got his cell phone back
I hate putting laundry away
I'm going on 3 months of no laundry on the basement couch
I miss my Martha
Will the school re-asses Aliya for her stuttering
If she's accepted, how will I get her to/from everyday and still work
My job is blah
I feel blah
I need to work out
I need to stop eating so much
I have awesome friends
I have so much to be thankful for this year
I want a new van
We can't afford a new van
I don't need a new van, I just want one
I feel like crying lately for no reason
I think I need a new pillow
I need new tires on the van
Joel needs to clean his room
I need to clean my room
Aliya's birthday party
I need to read my bible more
When I'm at work all I think about is home
When I'm home all I think about is work
What is Aliya's birthmom going to do for Thanksgiving
What is that noise my van keeps making
How much is it going to cost us to fix it
When is football season over

Free Stuff

Check out this site! Aliya's been featured on it once and now they are doing a fantastic give a way!!

www.happygirlhair.com

(sorry I don't know how to add a clickable way to take you to her site! But please check it out) OH! If you click on the title of this entry it will take you there!! How about that!?!? I'm learning something new every day!

Locks Of Love cut 2010

Every 2-3 years I get my hair cut for Locks Of Love. (depending on how well I like the cut determines how long I keep it at that length, thus depending on how long it takes me to grow it out for the next cut). The last time I cut my hair for Locks of Love was a few months before Aliya came home. It didn't go well. I went on a whim to a lady I didn't know and she ruined my hair. It took two more "fix it" cuts to finally get it looking presentable. I don't have many pictures of myself during that grow out stage!!

For my 30th birthday my wonderful husband gave me a gift card to the Day Spa I used to get my hair cut at! The plan was to use the gift card for a pedi and a massage, but as the weeks passed and life got busy I decided that it was too late in the season to get my toes done. And as my hair continued to grow and grow (and grow) I decided to use my pedi money for a haircut. I still hope to get a massage soon, but for now, the haircut will have to do!


BEFORE









AFTER (11" later)

First sick child visit

Well, we almost made it to three years old without a single sick child appointment! But that ended today! Aliya started complaining on Friday of burning when she went to the bathroom and it continued through late Saturday night. We stocked up on the cranberry juice and I prayed and prayed she would feel better. By Sunday she said she felt better, but I still called the doctor this morning. They told me to go ahead and bring her in for a urine test, just to make sure. I am so thankful I took her in, our little ladybug has her first UTI. She was a ROCK STAR at the doctor's office today! Not one issue, not one complaint, not one defiant moment, I was so proud to be her mama! As the doctor was explaining what a UTI is (now, mind you I've had kidney issues since I was Aliya's age, so I am well versed in what a UTI is, but I just smiled and nodded, it wasn't my turn to show the doctors my knowledge) and how the medication will work and that we've been referred to a pediatric urologist at Children's hospital. (Just in case, but she's confident all will turn out okay)

So, two things came out of this situation today. One, for the FIRST time Aliya didn't freak out for me at the doctor. And two, I completely forgot for about an hour that I didn't give birth to her. I was praying so hard while we waited in the examining room that I did not pass down my bad kidney issues to my daughter. I even teared up at one point because I didn't want her to have to experience all the pain and issues I've had over the years with my kidneys. Then as I opened my eyes and looked into her's I had never been more grateful that I did not give birth to her! I hope that does not sound weird, but if she has to experience even a glimpse of what I went through as a child/young adult with my kidneys it will just kill me.

We started her 14 day antibiotic treatments this afternoon and will see the Urologist at Children's Hospital January 20th. (yeah, that's the soonest they could get us in)

While we were waiting for her prescription to be filled she asked to go to Taco Bell for a snack. I was starving so it worked out for both of use. Before we ate I asked Aliya if she would say the prayer. It went a little something like this, "Now I lay me down to sleep, thank you for food, for daddy, thank you for Joel and mommy, thank you for daddy, for Joel for food and mommy, God bless all my friends and family, Thank you Jesus for this wonderful day, Amen". Again, I teared up. She looked at me with a funny look on her face and said, "cry mommy cry"! There is just something about this little girl that moves me in ways I never knew possible!

"Make A Funny Face"

Aliya's new thing these days is to draw funny faces. She will usually draw a circle (the head) than ask us to fill in the eyes, nose mouth, legs and arms. Well, this morning while I was getting dressed she was sitting on the floor of my bedroom drawing. She was talking to herself, as she often dose while drawing, never once asking me to help her. When I finally asked what she was doing she held up her finished product and said, "I make a funny face". She was so proud of herself!!

Of course, I see a funny face...you may only see scribbles and lines.

In this top picture you can see the person with two eyes, hair and two arms there on the right. Above her person is where she took my breakfast order (also her new thing to do. She'll sit down pen in hand and say, "What you want to drink" (scribble scribble) "what you want for lunch" (scribble scribble). It's really too cute! My order this morning was coffee and a mushroom and swiss burger!




Now in this picture I think you can really start to see her funny face people come to life. It's almost as though her people are evolving in this one. Starting out as just circles, then having one eye, then two with just a stick for a body. Then finally two eyes, hair, arms, legs feet and of course boobies. Yes, you read that right, boobies. Her new favorite thing. When she's not calling them "yeahbees" (that's another post about conversations NOT to have in front of your toddler) she's asking me to draw boobies on her funny face people. I can't say that I'm proud of this one, but what can you do?!?!!