Doing things backwards I guess

Did I do things backwards by posting my resolutions on Monday and doing a year in review today?  Maybe, but too late now!

January

I got a student teacher and never thought I could be so lucky!  We seriously are the #sameperson (our favorite hashtag) and it was a joy to work with her.  Also Olivia got sick pretty much every weekend in January, which was sad but I loved the snuggles!

Sicky Baby

February

Adam and I made a deal to never celebrate Valentine's Day on the actual day ever again.

March

Olivia turned one and I proved I was not a real blogger by failing to throw her an extravagant themed birthday party.  (or to blog about it for that matter)

Olivia shares a birthday with my brother and we celebrated with our family a week before their actual birthday.  Thanks to my mom for making a cake.  Too bad I didn't let Olivia eat any!

April

My cousin Hayley got married and I got to go!  I almost missed it due to a miscommunication and no one to watch Olivia during the ceremony, but thankfully Hayley's cousin-in-laws were happy to jump in and watch her! 

My mom and me outside the Provo Temple after the ceremony

May 

I taught my last month at Bingham High School.  I loved my time there, but being with Olivia has been so great I haven't really had time to be sad.

June

I celebrated my 29th birthday by throwing up for the first time during my second pregnancy!  Also we went to Texas Roadhouse.  And I pretty much didn't blog due to my severe morning all day sickness.

Olivia helped me open presents.  I look awesome, I know.

July

Adam and I canceled our trip to Washington because of my morning sickness and instead took a trip to my parent's house in CA.  It was easier to relax and be sick in a familiar environment!  My mom watched Olivia while we took a two day trip to Palm Springs because we just love sweating.  Adam went golfing both days.

Seriously so HOT, but it just doesn't look it, does it?

August

I enjoyed my last month of summer vacation with Olivia.  We went for early morning walks and play dates at the park with Tiffanie and company before it would get to hot for us to be outside. We also went on a girls trip with my sister-in-law Martha and refinished one of my mom's wingback chairs.

Someday we'll get around to the second chair!

September 

I started full time work as a nanny and enjoyed earning money while spending time with Olivia.

October

We had so much fun trick-or-treating with Olivia that two or three houses turned into our whole street.  I failed to get a video of her saying "trick-or-treat" and I'm still really sad about that.

Our little Halloween family

November 

We celebrated our third anniversary by going to see the Tran Siberian Orchestra in concert!  The next day we celebrated Thanksgiving with Adam's family.

On the train to downtown SLC

December 

We had a great time with my family in California for Christmas.  Olivia got a cold that caused her ears to plug on the drive down, so we had a grumpy girl for the better part of two days, but once she started feeling better my little sweetheart returned to her easy going personality. 

Olivia opening her stocking with my mom.

I'm excited for a new year and all the fun adventures that await!

Playing with children

I have this difficult argument in my head all the time.  How much do I need to play with Olivia.  I'm usually somewhere in between "not at all" and "medium".  I'm grateful I'm a nanny, for the kids that play with her, because I'm horrible at it.  I hate it.  I hate playing with my kid or with any kid really.  Things I do love: reading her a book, giving her a bath, feeding her, singing with her, dancing with her, coloring with her.  But like dolls?  I honestly don't know how to play dolls with her, except to encourage her to kiss her baby or hug her baby or put her baby to sleep.  Most of these things she does with out my prompting, she's got a good imagination.

The kids I nanny will beg: Play trains with me!  But if I'm feeling weak and actually give in, all it ends up being is them bossing me around with what to say and do.  Eh, I don't see how it enriches them.  I usually end up begging them to read a book with me instead.

I kind of feel like kids should have to play with out adults.  Isn't that where imagination and creativity come from?  I can teach a kid their ABC's or numbers, but I can't teach a kid to use their imagination. 

I'm guessing in the future I'll play board games with my kids, I'll do craft projects with them, and a few other things that Olivia isn't able to do right now.

I feel good about teaching her to play independently.  And I feel horrible about it like I'm neglecting her.  Except I'm totally not.  Anyone who has heard her speak knows we have a lot of conversations and she's picked up on some pretty funny expressions from me. 

So if you disagree with me, and think I'm a horrible parent, don't feel too bad for Olivia.  Her dad plays with her a lot.  I kind of think that's what dads are for.

Kids have some pretty morbid views on death. . .

If you're dead you don't get to go anywhere!-- Ty, 4

They will use your skin to make another person.-- Max, 5

No, they take your hair to make a wig.-- Hope, 7

Only if you donate it.-- Me

Yeah, I'm going to donate my hair and skin.-- Hope

All of this conversation occurred with out my prompting.

What you need to know about kindergarten pickup

I feel like I'm a little young to be picking up kids from kindergarten, but truth is some of my friends my age have kids in third grade.  Even so I'm starting early with this since I'm a nanny to two kindergarteners that attend different schools!  Here are some tips if  I had to learn the hard way.

1.  Don't aim to arrive when your kid gets out of school.  Don't even aim to be five minutes early.  20-30 minutes early should be good.  Even then you wont be first in line.  Being last in line makes you look like a bad mom/nanny/grandma/dad.

2.  Don't worry about the signs that tell you not to park.  Go ahead and park.  Get out of your car and have a long conversation with your child about her day.  We're not waiting behind you to pick up our own five-year-old or anything. . . Besides, the actual parking spots are like five feet away.  It would be a shame for you to have to walk more than needed. 

3.  Because of #2, its important to remember that cutting is allowed, in fact required!  Jennifer turned off her car, got out and is now braiding her daughter's hair while discussing her child's grades with the teacher, so driving around her will be the only way to make it home in time for bedtime.  While your at it skip four or five other cars.  They don't love their kid as much as you do. 

4.  This is a great place to catch up on neighborhood gossip.  If your driving in the thru lane and you see a friend parked in the pick up lane you should stop and catch up.  No one really wants to drive through the parking lot anyway.  We all plan to stay a long, long time. 

5.  Should you get annoyed with anyone, please don't honk.  What will that teach the children???