Chocolate Fish

We got Danae a fish tank about a month ago, to try to get her to sleep in her own room...and it has helped! She has been very good at only putting the fish food we give her in the tank. Sometimes she sticks her hand in, but until today...that was it. So, I'm in the living room with Corbin and talking to my mom on the phone when Danae comes in and says "Where did the fishies go?" I figured they were hiding in the plant and she just couldn't see them. But she was very persistant in wanting to know where the fishies went. Another minute later, she brings me her empty sippy cup which had chocolate milk in it and asked for more chocolate milk. I had given it to her about twenty minutes ago, so I wasn't surprised that is was all gone. She still wanted to know where the fishies went. Then I went to her room to show her where the fishies went and the tank was so clouded with chocolate milk the fish couldn't be seen...where did the fishies go! I hate cleaning fish tanks.

Old Dogs and Children

On Saturday March 12, I said goodbye to my buddy of 14 years. I adopted Tukir from the shelter when I was working there. He was a sick puppy found on the reservation. He was a great dog, despite trying to gnaw on several of my friends when he entered his grumpy midlife. The last year or so, he mellowed out again to the happy dog he was (with everyone...he always stayed happy with me and Michael). I only wish I could have taken him to the ceek one last time, he LOVED the water!

I believe he was also part goat too. He always tried to eat paper, plastic milk jugs, socks, trash and even a ball of lint from the dryer. So in his true fashion, as I was holding him as the vet was getting ready to do the deed, he quickly grabbed the tissue I had in my hand and gobbled it up...I just had to smile...he never lost his spirit despite how horrible I'm sure he felt.

We had Corbin blessed on Sunday March 6. My dad gave a wonderful blessing and Jason, Jon, Jim and Kevin stood in the circle as Michael held Corbin. I of course forgot to hand Michael the pacifier before he walked to the front and Corbin was a bit noisy during the blessing.

Danae was having a meltdown before we left for church...she has more and more of those and she usually isn't a morning person. She was refusing to smile or even show me her mouth and the look on Corbin's face just makes it even better.

Danae loves to fix...or "fhic" as she says...things and help daddy. She got a big girl bed with a under bed hideout and lots of drawers for her toys.

She also got a fish tank! She loves to watch the fish whenever we see a fish tank so we thought it might help her want to sleep in her own bed between the fish and a new bed...and it worked! She has to show everyone who comes over her fish and she'll sit in front of them and just watch them sometimes. She has actually been very good at not putting anything but fish food in the tank.

Welcome Corbin Rafe

Corbin arrived on Thursday January 20,2011 at 11:49 am. We began the enducement, AKA eviction process, at 5:00 am...and boy was I ever ready! He weighed in at 8 lbs 12 oz... no wonder I had been sooo tired. He was 20 inches long. My Mom and Michael were my support crew for the delivery. It didn't take but a few pushes and he was here...much different than Danae's delivery. His eyes are blue...Grammie and Michael are hoping they will change to brown. His hair is on the light side too...again...hopes for brown from Grammie and Michael.

Danae has only told Corbin to "go away" once. She has had to adjust but she is doing well with "baby Corbin". She helps mommy burp him, she kisses him on his head, she stuffs his pacifier in his mouth and she brings me wipes for changing his diaper. She tries to help mommy pump, she puts the lanolin on herself just like mommy and she wraps up her duck in a blanket like a baby...but I absolutely draw the line when she asks for a "bite" of Corbin's milk!

I want to thank Anna & Nando for watching Danae while we were at the hospital, my Mom for being there for me, watching Danae and helping out, to all the ladies who brought meals to us for the first few nights home from the hospital, to Jim Mathis for bringing me my 'traditional' after delivery blizzard from Dairy Queen to the hospital, to Grammie for helping out for two weeks and to all my friends and family for their support in the many forms...all those diapers, blankets, clothes, gift cards, cash, etc have all been very helpful!

Chocolate Cherrios

Before I start my little story, I want to preface it with the fact I know they make chocolate cherrios now, but I have not bought them, I have not pointed them out to Danae, and as far as I know she still can't read and hasn't noticed them for herself.... with that said, this is the conversation I had with my little sweet-toothed 2 year-old:

Danae had recently woken up and its time for her to eat her breakfast. She comes to me and asks for chocolate.

I say: "its too early for chocolate, you need to eat some cerial"

Her eyes go deep in thought and a smile crosses her face as she says: "Chocoalte Cherrios!"

Striking a compromise already! So I poured her a bowl of Cherrios and drizzled a touch of chocolate syrup on top....happy girl. ...and no, I'm still not going to buy the chocolate ones from the store :)

Finding the time...and energy!

Just thought I'ld update everyone a little on our happenings. Sorry, no pictures...I will post some later.

Danae's birthday went well, except for the fact the poor girl was sick most of that week. She has been sick on and off since going to preschool, which is expected. Lots of family and some friends showed up to help her celebrate. The smile on her face when she realized everyone was singing Happy Birthday to her was priceless! She isn't much into the unwrapping of gifts, but gets interested once you show her what's inside. This cutie just can't get enough of balloons and elephants right now.

Thanksgiving was good, we had Bear and Jenni with their two boys, Jodi, John and Lizard and Tonya and Ronin come over for Thanksgiving dinner. Bear and Jenni stayed the night before to help make pies and relax too.

Danae had a Christmas program and got total stage fright. Can't blame her! When a two year old is paraded into an auditorium of strange adults then walked right past her mommy and daddy...all she wanted was us. She threw a fit and never made it to the stage. That's ok, we have been having our own little performance from her. She loves jingle bells and has been singing jingle bells for weeks...which is the song her class was performing. She had also been at preschool since 7 am and the program was at 7 pm...long day for our little girl!

Lizard threw me a wonderful babyshower the weekend before Christmas. A small group attended...it's just a difficult time of year...but we had fun regardless! Thank you Lizard and Jodi!

We took Bear and Jenni on their 4th annual Christmas Tree Hunt on our family's property in Williams. Then to lunch at Pine Country. It was a fun day....no snow this year....just lots of mud!

Danae met Santa, but wasn't too impressed. She grabbed the candycane and wouldn't get close to him.

We spent Christmas in Williams with my family. There was snow on the ground, so it was basically a white Christmas. My mom and I stayed up way too late on Christmas Eve (4 am) making a bean bag chair for Danae. I was determined to have it under the tree on Christmas morning. My mom stuck right in there with me. I'm not sure how I managed to stay up that late...I have been so exhausted all the time. If Danae didn't sit in that bean bag on Christmas, I was going to tie her in it because we worked so hard to get it done. Fortunately, she loves it and plops in it. Only at a Cureton gift exchange would the game FART not be considered a practical joke gift. The game is actually quite fun!

I had my 36 week ultrasound just before Christmas. Corbin is measuring just under 7 lbs, give or take a pound. He should gain about 1/2 lb a week until he is born. I have been having tons of Braxton Hicks and just overall uncomfortable! But, I am grateful for this gift and hangin' in there. Yep, I'm still at work, at a desk of course...no chasing the crooks with this big belly!

Danae is learning new words and things every day and its a blast! Its so much fun watching her learn and grow, there is nothing more I'ld rather do!

Our Etsy shop reached its 100th sale! I made about 8 hobby horses/hobby unicorns in about two weeks...I'm sure they were all Christmas presents. The hobby horse pattern is also still selling well.

The Matco business is going well. We got into it in the slower season, but we're holding our own. Michael is enjoying it and now he is the one who gets recognized and talked to when we run errands...he's not too sure what to think about that.

Well, thats been our life in a nutshell the last two months.

Halloween

We weren't really thinking too much about doing the Halloween thing this year. Then Michael's Mom sent Danae the cutest lady bug costume.

On Friday night Danae and Michael carved a pumpkin. She thought that was lots of fun. The most fun came when it was time to light the candle and she kept blowing it out. She even got to the point she would growl at the light then blow it out. Then she thought it was funny to grab Daddy's hair and help his face into the pumpkin so he could blow out the candle.

Saturday we went to the Fall Festival at the church and man was it crowded! We had a soup potlock, played some games then did the Trunk or Treat. She wasn't the only ladybug...but she was the cutest! She had to wear a neclace so I gave her one that wasn't very expensive in case she broke it.

She wasn't sure about the trick or treating part. The first piece of candy she got in her pumpkin was a sucker and from then on we had to try to distract her from the sucker so she would do a little more trick or treating. All she wanted was to eat that sucker! She had to look in her pumpkin every time someone dropped some candy inside. I'm glad she was feeling better by the time the Fall Festival rolled around since she had a fever for two days up until that afternoon.

Preschool!

Danae has been showing readiness to play with other children and learn, so I put her in preschool instead of my in-home babysitter/nanny. Danae loves it. She shows up to school and hugs the other kids that are there as early as she is and just smiles. She's been doing art every day and learning her letters. They sang happy birthday at school and now she tells her 'chewy' (pacifier) happy birthday. She is almost weaned from chewy except she recently had a relapse. With all the exposure to other kids and then of course germs, she has been coughing and conjested and has had her first fever. So when she is sick, she wants chewy.

Yesterday another child was crying and she went over to him and patted him on the back and asked him "are you ok?" I think she'll be a social butterfly.

I wanted photos of her on her first day of preschool, that morning wasn't very smooth. Danae had been used to sleeping in and she had to get up at 6 am. She wanted nothing to do with the camera. When we arrived at school, the picture I got was the "are you kidding" pouting look. She was equipped with her ladybug backpack, new jacket and Tinkerbell lunch box.

Her teacher is a personal friend, which I am happy for that. I think Danae really loves her preschool!