At least she flushes!

Although Kate isn't potty trained, she is very interested in the toilet. Tonight she emptied almost an entire roll of Charmin into it. I kept hearing her walk in the bathroom and flush. I didn't think a thing of it. Later on I found this....

I guess I should be proud that she flushes the toilet!

Thanksgiving Memories

Thanksgiving is not one of my favorite holidays. It is a day that typically revolves around food, sitting in an overheated kitchen (since the oven has been on all day), and navigating family dynamics. This year, I started by waking up to an amazing man and heading to my parents to experience Katelyn's first Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. The dinner was also held at my parent's house so the usual hustle and bustle was eliminated since we did not change venues. After it was all said and done, I went shopping overnight with my mother, sister, Aunt Ruth, and Eric's daughter Mikayla. We ended family celebration with a dinner at my Grandmother's house. Overall Thanksgiving was a great time this year.


As for fun things with Katelyn this Thanksgiving...

Surprisingly, Katelyn watched most of the three hours of parade. There were two floats she liked more than the others; these were Pikachu and Papa Smurf. In addition to waving, she spontaneously blew kisses at the TV when each of these passed by. To my knowledge she had never seen either so she was smitten from first sight. I cannot wait to see how she evolves over the years. This year she liked certain characters, but eventually I know she’ll look for celebrities and particular bands. The innocence of her age right now is golden.

Dinner was also fun with her. As she sampled each dish, her mouth opened so wide it looked like she may dislocate her jaw. Not a drop was wasted. As a special treat, she was allowed to have whipped topping on her pumpkin pie. She went to be a very happy girl.

True Life: You can date and be a 1 parent family

After the break up, all I could think was "This is it". I believed there was very little chance that I could meet someone as a solo parent. The solo parent was not a life I had planned, or was prepared to handle on my own. I was prepared to make the best of it. Expecting that this would be the way things were for at least the next five years.

For just about a year, I sat alone in the evenings, watching Facebook and wondering what others were up to. Occasionally chatting friends, but mostly watching NetFlix online. On an extremely rare occasion, I would get a night off to blow off some steam with friends.

I checked out Match.com. Signed up for the free trial week. Unfortunately, the psychobabble you read...the part that advises you about creating your profile...scared me off. If I write this, it really means that...what?!? It was officially over, for a while at least. I would be a strong single woman.

Being a strong single woman is what I dedicated my time to. Working to provide for my young daughter so she would never look back and feel she was slighted by me. Our living situation was not ideal, I did not have a ton of money, but we were both happy, healthy, and safe. We would overcome this and have a better life. Only time would tell.

After a long, hard, day at work -- Mother's Day to be exact -- I get a facebook friend request from someone accompanied by a brief message introducing himself. At first, I was completely skeptical. I had no idea who this guy was and why he would find me of all people. Then I thought, "sure he can be my facebook friend but it will most likely not be anything more. He's way to old for me". We facebook chatted for a few days and then had a phone conversation. I agreed to go out to dinner with him, thinking, "a free meal? why not" still thinking of him as Jessyca's Dad since his daughter had been in my mom's class the year Katelyn was born.

He picked me up and brought me a coloring book since I hadn't been feeling well that week. He said it is what he and his daughters would do when they didn't feel well. It was in a princess gift bag and came with a set of crayons. Very cute and thoughtful.

Nice dinner and great conversation. He took me home and then we decided to go back out to get a drink on the Downtown mall, I didn't want to invite him in for a drink. I wasn't prepared for that. We talked for a couple more hours. Then it hit me, he wasn't Jessyca's dad anymore -- he became Eric. He saw me as a person, not just Katelyn's mom as I had been getting accustomed to. He genuinely listened to my tragedies, failures, hopes, and dreams. The one evening felt like a week of conversation.

Believe me, I know this all sounds ridiculous and cheesy. It was an amazing summer, luckily I have my parents nearby to baby sit on occasion. Although we both have children, we work diligently to make sure we have time for us outside of time with our kids. So far...the future is bright. It has been an amazing 5 1/2 months.

Here's to the future...

Better Late than Never -- Halloween 2011

Katelyn loved Trick or Treating!

This year Katelyn was a Unicorn for Halloween. After a daytime playdate with some friends, we went Trick or Treating at night. At first, she didn't understand what we were doing. She wanted to walk into people's houses. After a few houses she got the hang of it. Although, at the end she even wanted to exchange candy with those who were giving it out. Silly baby girl still loves to share! It was cold, but she went to house after house. Sydney & Jessyca both were cold and tired, we decided to go home, but Katelyn would've kept going all night long!

Pumpkin Pickin 2011

Life can be so busy sometimes that special moments are crunched into just a few seconds rather than the hours they deserve. Hopefully this time next year is less hectic. At times, I feel like life is passing me by. Like I've said before, I'm enjoying life right now, but it's a crazy fast paced life.

The Thursday before Halloween Eric and I took the kids to Carter's Mountain Orchard to pick out our pumpkins. Katelyn ran around like crazy and tried out multiple pumpkins before choosing the one below. She also grabbed a mini pumpkin that was more her size.

Pumpkin carving with a little one is interesting. It was the first year she experienced it. Clearly, she did not carve her own pumpkin. Sydney carved Katelyn's pumpkin for her. Kate watched intently and even tried some pumpkin guts. The photo below is Katelyn's inspection of the pumpkin after Sydney has completed it. She approved!

This past weekend was JMU's Homecoming. I had been looking forward to it for the past year. Last year's homecoming fell on the same day as my sister's wedding and I missed it. I had a good time visiting old friends and having an awesome fall afternoon.

It was a blast of the past that will be fun to continue every year. Swapping life updates and telling old college stories was a good escape from reality. The new stadium was awesome. Campus is booming. Construction EVERYWHERE. JMU is certainly a growing place. Made me feel nostalgic for the carefree days of college.

With that being said, the trip also made me appreciate where my life is now. JMU gave me the best gift I could've asked for. I have the most adorable daughter who wouldn't exist had I not gone to school there. Being at JMU this weekend made me realize that I am happy with the path  my life is taking. Being a Mom is the best job out there. Wouldn't trade it for the world <3

Happy Monday!

Mondays are one of my days off each week. Therefore, we do a real breakfast and morning cartoons. It's amazing that Kate loves Sesame Street & can feed herself yogurt with a spoon!

Where did my little baby girl go??

Sleepy head

Don't think I'll ever get tired of watching her sleep...

What's the #1 Rule in Life??

Growing up, my mom always asked my sister and I, "What's the #1 rule in life??" We promptly responded, "Life is not fair". (The answer was drilled into us). Unfortunately, thats only become more apparent the older I've gotten.

This has been one of those weeks where I feel that life has dealt me a bad hand. Don't get me wrong, I love Katelyn, but raising a daughter alone is hard work. It requires being on-call 24/7 and there is no one else responsible but you. People offer to help along the way, but in the end its your responsibility to make it happen. There are no second chances. There is a reason why biologically it takes two people to create a child. It really does take at least two financially, emotionally, and physically to keep one another afloat and do the job well.

Luckily, I've been able to channel my frustrations this week into unpacking and cleaning. Almost unpacked and the whole house has been cleaned every night before I go to bed. My goal for now is to keep the things I have control over in my life going well. That's all I can do. Everything else is just hoping for the best.

That's all for now.

Out with the old...

Do you think kids are effected by packing and moving or do they just go with the flow? Before moving into the new place, Katelyn had never been into the new place. While I was packing up our old apartment she began to act clingy and unpacked boxes almost as fast as I could pack them. Therefore, most of the packing was done in two evenings so she was less involved.

Friday night she stayed with my boyfriend Eric and his children so I could move everything aside from the furniture out of my apartment. Saturday movers came after I got off work and moved the reminder of my things while Katelyn was with my parents. Sunday morning when my parents brought Katelyn back to the old apartment she cried. Unaware that we had a new apartment she was weary.

Upon arriving in the new apartment Katelyn looked skeptical. Why were our things in this new/strange place?? Then she saw patches... out came a squeal and she pointed frantically looking at me as if she was saying "Mom, do you see this?!? Patches is here!!". And all was well.  Patches and Katelyn are both adjusting to the new place. We have nearly double to open space. Once the unpacking is complete it is certain that this place will feel like home.

Good riddance old apartment. This new place finally feels like home.

18 Month Photo Update

Some days I just can't believe how big she's gotten. what happened to my little girl?? This stage is my favorite stage so far with her! Being 18 months old she can walk, understand directions, & tries to be "helpful" - although the understanding of the word help is debateable ;)

Now if only she would talk...

Boxes. Boxes Everywhere.

Is it possible that after you have children, life passes by 100x faster than before? It does not feel like we have lived in our apartment for a year. However, it's moving time again. Katelyn loves moving time because there are new toys (empty boxes) everywhere! I do not love moving time. Packing is an overwhelming task when you're packing a 2 bedroom place alone and trying to live in it simultaneously. However, that's what I will be spending this week doing. Packing.

Funny thing is, I just unpacked the final boxes two months ago. Unpacking made this chapter of my life real, permanent, when I was not ready for it. Therefore, I put it off as long as possible. Surprisingly once the apartment was unpacked and had photos on the walls, it felt more like home. I never expected that I could like this place.

Katelyn right after we moved in our apt

A lot has changed in the last year. Katelyn and I are now happy and strong. At this time last year, I felt defeated and did not think life would be okay again. I cringed at the thought of living in this apartment. We lived in a box maze for months solely because I was in denial that this was permanent. 

Good news is, we made it. Life is good. We can only enjoy the present, look to the future and keep moving forward. May this next year be another adventure!

Potty Training Begins

Much to my surprise, it's time to introduce potty training. Katelyn doesn't speak yet, but she does take off her diaper and sit on her potty seat. At daycare she has been found sitting on the potty (fully clothed of course) with toilet paper in hand. She is quite curious about it. So much that I had to put a lock on the toilet for her safety.

We have purchased a potty seat and made several attempts to use it. Due to the two 17 hour car rides we had over the past week, I hadn't encouraged the use of the potty until yesterday. Yesterday, I went to get Katelyn up from her nap and I found her diaperless. She had taken it off and luckily she had remained clean in her bed.

Thus...potty training begins! Since she's so young, I expect it to be a long road ahead! Do you have any suggestions on what works and what doesn't work with potty training?

Imitation is the Sincerest form of Flattery

In the past week or so Katelyn has grown to be a copycat. Things you don't realize your doing she starts to repeat. A few examples are:

1. I snapped to get her attention for a photo. She put her hand above her head and tried to snap back at me. (see photo above)

2. I covered my mouth with a napkin when I quietly burped at dinner the other day. She now makes an odd noise every time she covers her mouth with a napkin.

3. If you sneeze around her, she pretends to sneeze back at you.

These are all things she began to do on our vacation. Now I just need to be more aware of myself to ensure I quit my bad habits and prevent them being passed onto her as well. So far, the only thing she won't repeat: speaking. I guess only time will tell!!

Basically, I think she's pretty awesome. Her imitations of people and things make me laugh every day. How did I get so lucky to have such an awesome little girl??

Independence Day

 Last year on the 4th of July it was moving day. No fireworks, no fun. Just moving our things out in 100+ degree weather. This year, I was determined to have a normal holiday (as normal as it can be with an 18 month old). The rain didn't help the mood of the day. I had planned to make the "Wave Your Flag Cheesecake" that I found online at kraft.com (final product pictured above) and it was delicious. It was also great to get assistance from Jessyca (pictured below) to finish the decorations on top. Baking with another person is twice the fun of doing it alone :)

Despite the rain, we went for a walk in to the park and played out in the rain. It was a good time. We also set off some small fireworks. Unfortunately, the concrete was too wet for the glowing snake fireworks so they got set off on the porch. Below is a photo of Eric lighting the "snakes" while Kate attempts to oversee.

PS: We did see big fireworks later that night, but by their 9:30pm start time, Kate could've cared less. Oh well! Maybe next year?

Walking: Day 1

Kate had taken her "First Step" for UncUnc (my Brother in law, James) & my sister's friend MaryLynn a few weeks before this video was taken. Kate didn't decide to join the world of the walking until Mother's day weekend. What a mother's day present it was :)

Just like everything she's done in life. She does it on her terms, her time, and then she's excellent at it quickly. It only took her a few days before she started running.

Easter Egg Hunt

On the Tuesday before Easter, Cville Mom's Group hosted their annual Easter Egg Hunt. I was unsure of how Kate would react, but it was a pot-luck event that didn't cost anything so we gave it a whirl. I bought her Easter basket last year and when I gave it to her Tuesday morning she was really excited. She was proud to carry it around like a purse. The tricky part is that she doesn't walk yet. This meant I was helping her hunt for the eggs. As the hunt started, we were in the 18month & under group. The hunt was a slow one. Kate walked up to the eggs, picked one up, and then shook it. I'm not sure what sound she was looking for, but if she was not satisfied, she put the egg back down. If she liked the sound, we put it in her basket. After all was said and done, we got about 10 eggs in 10 minutes. Later on at home I opened the eggs, there were only 3 types of toys. I guess she was listening for some specific sounds!! Funny little girl :) Below is a picture of Katelyn and Candace (who was visiting and attended the egg hunt with us).

Hiding Places

Yesterday I was doing dishes and Katelyn was doing laps around the house with a push toy. There was a gate at the bottom of the stairs and she was enjoying her freedom. Then I noticed the silence. Silence usually means trouble. I walked around the house looking for her. I don't have a big house so it began to worry me that I couldn't find her. Then I found her new hiding spot :)

Perspective

I moved into my apartment July 31, 2010. That was about 8 months ago. As of today, I still have 2 boxes to unpack. Each week when I'm off work on Mondays & Tuesdays I attempt to clean, do laundry, dishes, unpack, etc. Still doesn't get accomplished. Yesterday, I began thinking - why?

Each week I have the best of intentions to do these things. I would like to live in a tidy home. Things being put away would make my life easier with Katelyn so she doesn't get into things she shouldn't. I realized that my attention has been focused in the wrong places.

One of my employees said to me yesterday, "I can't control everything in my life, but the things I can control are great. My life may be in shambles overall, but my wood floor is spotless." This really made an impact on me. While there are elements of my life that are stressful and out of my control, my house (for the most part) is under my control.

So began the 24 hour (or so) clean up that I started last night. If I get it done once and for all, then all I have to do is work on maintaining it. I've had the best of intentions on this for months, but with my attention spent so much on things I cannot control, I lost sight of the things I can control.

Feeling good about life with this fresh perspective....

Losing a fight to a 15 month old...

It may seem trivial, but I want Katelyn to use different sippy cups. The ones she has been using, have a soft spout and spill when she throws them. I bought new playtex cups from Babies R Us last Monday. Last week she seemed to take to them well so I bought several. However, as time has gone on she rejected them. Today she showed signs of dehydration so I finally gave in and handed her the old sippy cup.

So why does this matter?

It may seem trivial, but how do you get through to a 15 month old who is more stubborn than you are? I am pretty good at holding my ground. In fact, even when its not in my best interest, I will often be stubborn based on principle. With Katelyn only being 15 months old, its difficult to rationalize with her. It also leads to awful days filled with lots of yelling. I couldn't get the idea through to her that the new cups were here to stay. Being the Mom, I don't like to back down on my decisions with her, but today...she won.
Hopefully, with the sippy cup issue, I can try again in a couple of weeks. What do you do to combat the stubborn ways of your children?

Every child needs a pet. Right?

Last week we welcomed Patches into our family. The person who we got her from said she is 8 weeks old. She currently ways 1lb 7ozs and is full of energy. Now that she has proven herself to use the litter box, she is free to roam the house.

Getting a kitten is something I've wanted to do for a long time. Previous living situations would not support the idea of getting a cat. However, now I'm the only one with a vote, and I voted "yes". I was a little unsure of how Kate would respond, but she LOVES Patches.

The day we got the kitten Kate seemed a little freaked out. After watching from afar, she is now in full play mode. She shares her toys with Patches, chases her, "hugs" aka squeezes her, etc. Best of all, this morning, she put Patches in a headlock. Now that's true love ;)

I can't wait to watch them grow up together!

One little jumping bean, jumping on the bed...

This video was taken last week after nap time. Kate doesn't wake up crying like lots of kids do. Most of the time I'm unsure she's a wake for the first 15 minutes. Sometimes she just plays and then will make noise so I know she's there. When I went to get her on this day, she was a jumping bean...

Moments

Working full-time and being a single mom keeps me extremely busy. Sometimes I don't notice the special moments as they happen. Today, I was lucky enough to spend the entire day with Katelyn. We played with blocks, cleaned the house, danced, and did laundry. This afternoon she was abnormally clingy. After a little while this can be frustrating as I'm trying to do things. Then we laid on my bed. It was just supposed to be for a second. Then the best moment of the day happened, Katelyn layed on my chest and hugged me as we layed there. These are the moments I need to try to stop and enjoy as they're happening. They pass by too quickly, but the geniune love that she gives is amazing. I hope that we continue to have little moments like this forever.

Meeting New People

As you know, life has changed dramatically for Kate & I in the last 8 months. This leads me to my new goal. I want to branch out and meet new people. Not just friends for me, but friends for Katelyn as well. This has led to my joining the Fluvanna-Louisa Moms group and the Cville Moms Group that is organized online through Meetup.com. If you're looking to meet people who share a general interest with you and are in your geographic location, this website is great. I've been to one event and really liked it. Now I just need to keep going so I don't feel like the new person to the group. It's nice to talk to other adults while Kate is enjoying herself too. So here's to the new adventure!

Laughter of the Little One

Kate just having fun laughing at her best friend Duke

New Year, New Look

It's been quite a while since I have updated the blog. I wasn't sure that people were reading or that the content was worth reading. Information about our life is posted on facebook on a regular basis. I have made this blog more personalized with the layout and the photo banner at the top.

This year I plan to write about Katelyn and add posts about being a single parent. It's hard. According the the US Census Bureau in 2009 there are 13.7 million single parents in the United States. 26% of children are being raised in single parent households.

While this blog is not unique in its content. It is unique that it's only our story. The story of Trisha and Katelyn. Our journey through life just the two of us.