I am rarely left speechless.  Friday, however, was one of those rare occasions where there are just no words.

Cameryn usually tells me all about her day and her friends on our drive from school to home.  Earlier in the week she had told me they had a new friend at school, she didn't know his name, she just referred to him as the "boy in the blue shirt."  I asked her if she played with him and if she liked him, she shook her head and said, "I don't know his name and I don't want to play with him."  I shrugged it off as typical 3-4 yr old behavior and didn't spend one more second thinking about it.

Friday, I was exhausted.  Jordin slept a total of three hours the night before and I was really looking forward to the long weekend.  I walked into daycare and headed straight for the office to let them know that we were planning a little vacation in a few weeks and that the girls wouldn't be there.  The owner looked at me, his face all kinds of serious, and said, "We had an incident today."  I knew right then and there that this wasn't going to be good news.  He went on, "Cameryn was on the playground and she was punched in the face.  She's okay, we iced her cheekbone, and we've dealt with the problem." 

I was speechless. 

How was my child punched in the face?  What kind of child would do something like that?  And why?  Why did it happen to Cameryn?

I looked at him and said, "Who did it?"  I knew that he wouldn't tell me, for privacy reasons, but I went on to say, "You might as well tell me because she will before we even get to the car."  He just shook his head and said, "I can't tell you, you know that!  I'm sorry.  I'm so sorry that it happened."

I wasn't mad like one would expect in this situation.  I just felt so terrible for my child, what could she possibly have done to deserve this?  So, I asked, "Did she punch back?" 

"No," he said, "but next time she might."

I shrugged and walked right into her classroom.  Her teacher came right up to me and said, "Oh Laurin, did they tell you about the incident?  We have a new boy in the class who is autistic.  Cameryn was playing with a truck on the playground and the boy wanted it and walked right up and punched her in the face - he didn't even ask her for it, there was no warning.  Laurin, I am so sorry.  She is okay though."

Cameryn ran up to me during this conversation and said, "Mommy, I'm okay.  That boy punched me because he wanted the truck but I'm okay."  There was no drama, no tears.  She was so calm and it was very unlike her.  As we walked to the car I asked her, "Cam, are you sure you are okay?  You need to tell me, right now, if you aren't." 

"I'm fine, but, that boy... He's weird, Mommy.  He doesn't listen when it's time to sit down.  He just runs around and he says the same things over and over.  That boy is weird, Mommy."

"Well, Cam, that boy is different.  God made his brain different.  He isn't bad, he is just different and we have to remember that." 

"Mommy, can he take a nap and his brain will be like ours?"

"No, baby. A nap won't help."

"Oh.  God made his brain different?  So we have to remember that, right, Mommy?  And its okay that he wasn't nice to me, his brain doesn't work right.  It's okay."

Once again, speechless.

I texted Chris to make him aware of the situation and, of course, he went the exact opposite direction with his emotions.  He wanted to punch the parent in the face and let the parent know exactly how he felt about their boy punching Cameryn.  I tried to talk to him via text but knew that the only way to calm him was to have Cameryn talk to him.  So, we called him before we headed over to see our friends for the night. 

She looked so big walking to the car with my phone in her hand.

"Hi Daddy!  Daddy, I'm okay.  That new boy, he punched me because he wanted the truck, but I'm okay, Daddy.  I cried, but nothing is wrong now.  That new boy isn't very nice but he is different.  God made his brain different than mine.  I just need to remember to be patient with him and walk away if I don't want to play with him at all.  Daddy, it's okay."

And, for the third time in less than an hour, I was rendered speechless and the tears started flowing.  How does a three year old become so wise?  How can she be so tolerant?  When did she grow up so much.  As adults, we have a lot to learn from our children.

"Daddy, I shouldn't hit him back because that wouldn't be nice, right?   He wasn't nice to me, but I shouldn't hit back because then I wouldn't be a nice friend.  And I am a good friend, right, Daddy?"

My heart was bursting with pride for this little girl.  My girl. 

They hatin'..
Tryin' catch me riding dirty...

I about died when I saw this picture.

The Queen of England.
DRIVING.
With a scarf that looks like a hoodie.



Move over, Harry!
The Queen is on the prowl!

Happy Friday, peeps!

 
Gameday.






I bleed Garnet & Black.





Always.


U-S-C
GOOOOOOO
GAMECOCKS!

Jordin is now 10 weeks old and is a smiling, drooling, happy, baby 99% of the time.

STATS:
She is 14.7 lbs and 23.75in long. 
{She is following in her sister's footsteps and giving my biceps a workout.}
She is in a size 2 diaper and 3-6 mo clothes.

THIS & THAT:
She smiles and talks to us constantly.
She laughs, especially when you tickle her by her collarbone.
She rarely cries but when she does its probably because she is starving.
She is adjusting to the bottle at daycare, but is exclusively nursing at home.
She found her thumb but doesnt care for a paci.


She sleeps from 8pm-1am and then is up randomly throughout the night.  I hope that she will find a schedule and stick to it.  I really wish that she would go back to the 8pm-3am and 3:30am-7am schedule she was on for several weeks!

6 weeks

I turned an uneventful 31 on Saturday.  I don't even feel old.  Turning 30, I felt old, but 31?  Eh.  No biggie.


Someone sent this to my office, for me.  I'm glad someone else agrees.

Jordin is already two months old (I hope to have an update on her after her doctors appointment tomorrow!)  She is a big, michelin baby, just like her sister was.  Giving her a bath is like cleaning the wrinkles of an english bulldog.  She's long and I'm sure she has doubled her birth weight.  She is such a chill baby compared to Cameryn at this age.  She rarely cries, she smiles all the time, is already trying to laugh and jabbers to us nonstop.  Her little coos are the sweetest thing.  I don't remember Cameryn smiling or laughing this early, or maybe I just didn't pay enough attention?



7 weeks

8 weeks

9 weeks

I cried on Monday night after my first day back at work.  I cried because I missed a full day with my girls.  I didn't get to see Jordin's pretty blue eyes because she was sleeping when I dropped her off at daycare and then she slept the entire evening.  So, when she's awake I'm trying to soak up every single second with my girls because now, I know. I know that this sweet baby stage doesn't last and soon Jordin is going to be running around my house wanting to listen to Ozzy Osbourne with her Daddy.   I missed hearing about Cameryn's day too because she'll only talk about it to the person who picks her up from school and it wasn't me.

I forgot about this part.  I forgot how difficult it is to be a working Mommy.  How difficult it is to juggle work, kids, husband, home, and me.  I'm not that sleep deprived (thank goodness Jordin is already sleeping 4-7 hours a night!) but I'm still tired from trying to get it all done.  One of these days I will find a routine that works for us.




Speaking of routines, I need a new workout routine.  Because the state of my a$$ is ridiculous.  I'm not having much pain, at all, and think that my tailbone is almost completely healed (thank you, Baby Jesus!)  Yes, I've lost all 17lbs that I gained during my pregnancy, plus a few more (I blame it on breastfeeding because I'm a professional Golden Oreo connoisseur!), but I need to tone up (because I am a professional Golden Oreo connoissuer.).  I borrowed Insanity from a friend of mine and thought that I would give it a try.  I took the fitness test and if its possible to fail, I did.  I won't give up but dear god, you have to be insane to do that work out.  It's appropriately named, for sure.  I almost face planted doing some kind of push-up.  I've been running a few times and struggled with controlling my breath so there's another challenge for me to overcome.  Right now, the biggest problem is that I need to find time in the day that is mine.  And one day, I'm sure I will.  I'm just not sure it will be anytime soon.

Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. - Winnie the Pooh

Has it really been four weeks since my last post? Wow. So, while I have been home, I've discovered that Will & Grace reruns are on Lifetime every single day for several hours. I love me some Karen! And, I am also relieved to know that the Lifetime channel actually is good knot something.

 And, speaking of tv, Big Brother is back! Any other BB lovers out there? Any early favorites or predictions?

Jordin is growing like a weed. She weighs a whopping twelve pounds at six weeks! I apparently produce heavy cream instead of regular breastmilk. I'm really trying to exclusively breastfeed as long as we are both comfortable and doing well. She seems to have a much better latch than Cameryn did so I am much more relaxed when she nurses. She is currently nursing every 2-3 hours, morning and night. She sleeps well, for the most part, but because of her reflux she hates to be flat. The first few weeks she slept on the boppy pillow and currently she is asleep in her crib on her side. She already sleeps better, and longer, than Cameryn did at this age. I am so thankful because I was a complete zombie until Cam was a toddler due to lack of sleep!

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm not so dumb about it this time around. I don't rock her to sleep like I did Cameryn and when she cries or fusses in her crib I don't immediately run to pick her up. She really is a good baby and has such a mild temperament. She is starting to smile when she sees us and she laughs in her sleep, which I think is hilarious. What do they dream about?

Cameryn hasn't adjusted well, at all, to her sister. I had this fear that it would happen. She does love her, but hates that she is no longer the center of attention. She has spent a lot of time with Chris lately but what she really needs is more mommy time! Her attitude stinks and she thinks that I cannot see her while I am nursing Jordin and tries to get away with everything. We have really tried to make her feel special, but this week has been challenging. I feel so bad for her because she is going through a big change, but at the same time I want her to get over it already. The nightly tantrums have resulted in her room being stripped of all of the things that she loves and she has to earn them back one good day at a time. We do have a pile of gifts for her that we have pulled from when she has an especially good day. I know it's a phase and it's already better than it was a few weeks ago, but oh my goodness, I am so ready for it to be over! Keeping her on a schedule has been the best thing for her. I don't know what I would do if she was at home instead of school everyday. I am so not cut out to be a stay at home mom. I love my girls wholeheartedly, but I would, for sure, be keeping vodka in a listerine bottle if I was at home all day everyday with the both of them!

As for me, I am hanging in there. The days and nights can be long but I am really trying to soak up every moment with my girls. I know that Jordin will grow so quickly and I cannot believe how old Cameryn looks to me now. I used to look at her and see some "baby" features but as soon as Jordin was born, somehow they disappeared!

I had my postpartum checkup yesterday and was not cleared to go back to work and instead I was referred to a chiropractor, immediately, to have my back adjusted to see if it would provide some relief for my tailbone and lower back. I am still having a lot of pain in my lower back, especially at night, and I still do not sit comfortably in a hard chair thanks to the tailbone. Basically, I'm a mess! A dislocated tailbone is such a stupid injury. Otherwise, physically, I am great. I did lose all of the 17lbs that I gained while pregnant, plus two more. Hopefully once I am able to workout again (I am dying to run again!) that I will be able to drop a few more pounds and and tighten up.

Mentally, I am okay. I am broken hearted as my beloved Nana passed away two weeks ago. We all traveled up to NC for her memorial. I miss her every single day. We all stayed at her house and I kept waiting for her to walk in at any moment. And then, last week, I had the strangest experience. My Nana always used Jergens lotion, in the cherry almond scent. While I was putting Cameryn into the car I got a whiff of that scent and it stuck with me for the next twenty minutes or so. There was no one else around and I'm sure that I looked completely insane sniffing the air like a dog, but it was so incredibly real.