The Bailey Family Times

This is why little girls are awesome.

After talking to my mom about art activities for Ella and Ethan, she bought me this fantastic book, First Art-Art Experiences for Toddlers and Twos by MaryAnn Kohl.  Now, to be honest, certain activities will have to wait (at least on weekdays) until Ethan officially becomes a toddler in a month or so and stops trying to gobble down delicious objects such as pebbles or paper towels.  I'm pretty sure Caroline would not appreciate being surprised with glittery or crayon-filled poop.  Although one time I saw a kid throw up in elementary school after eating a bag of Skittles and it was pretty amazing.

The other day Ella was having a pretty rough morning.  I now realize that her 2 new molars are to blame.  At the time, however, I was willing to try anything to get my happy girl back.  She kept pointing to our guest bathroom and I carried her in there thinking she wanted a bath.  But no, she wanted to sit in the sink.  As soon as she sat in the sink she was back to her smiling self.  Here are some quick pictures I snapped with my phone.

One of my NI Week demos that took WAY too much time (ask Katie) was a GPS driving simulator. The crew from Engineering TV/Electronic Design Magazine grabbed a VERY off-the-cuff interview with me explaining why it was so cool. This is even somewhat fascinating for non-nerds. Have a look...absolutely.

If you're a teacher, then you understand each "new year" really starts when the fall semester begins. January 1st is just a formality for me. And even though I am not teaching 3rd graders this year, I still consider this the start of a new year. This past school year Chad and I struggled with the decision of whether or not I should stay at home or return to teaching. For many women, the decision is clear cut for one reason or another. But for me (or us) it was extremely difficult and carefully thought out. Did I want to spend more time with my child? Of course. Every working Mom does. Did I love teaching? With a passion. Would we be financially able to live without my paycheck? Kind of.

I find it extremely interesting that so much is expected of women these days. We're supposed to be successful professionals, highly educated intellectuals, supportive wives, hostesses to any number of parties or showers, organized housekeepers, dedicated exercise enthusiasts, devoted friends and chefs. This is of course in addition to being a full-time Mom. We're also supposed to have a secret talent for anything artsy or craft-related. I keep hoping to discover that talent very soon but I think God has other plans for me. Oh, and did I mention that we are also expected to look like Heidi Klum? Obviously if you take good care of yourself you will have a perfectly sculpted body and flawless skin. Pleeeeeeeease. No.one.can.do.it.all. Goodness gracious! I hope that any woman reading this blog who puts too much pressure on themselves will think back to the day your mom/dad/teacher/friend said to you, "Just do your best. Everyone is different." I plan on teaching that lesson to Ella over and over and over. I want her to be a loving, educated, ambitious, multi-faceted woman, but I mainly just want her to lead the life God intended for her. I will push her, but I don't have any interest in producing an unfulfilled superchild. Thank goodness my parents felt the same way.

Everyone has to decide what is best for their family. Last year, that was me continuing to work outside the home. This year, it is for me to stay home and take care of Ella and Ethan. A couple years from now? Who knows. God led us down an interesting path last year. I did not appreciate some of the obstacles at the time, but I know I am better for them now. I have a deeper appreciation for parents (both working and stay-at-home) than I ever have before. I understand that marriage is hard work sometimes but man, it is so worth it. :) I know that asking for help is more of a sign of wisdom and strength than weakness. I realize that my life is full of love and I thank God every day for the people he has placed in my life.

I had the privilege of teaching 23 amazing third graders this past year and working with a fantastic group of friends and coworkers. My kids soared and I'm so lucky to have been a part of that. I was blessed enough to leave a job knowing that I look forward to going back one day. Not many people can say that. I will miss giggling with a classroom full of 8-year-olds. I will miss the way kids think science experiments are the coolest thing on earth. I will miss the handwritten notes and drawings. I will miss turning off the lights and turning on just the lamp to set the mood for a good book. I will miss the teary eyes when I tell parents how much progress their child has made in reading. I will miss the hugs and corny elementary school jokes. I will miss sharing hysterical stories with some of my closest friends on a daily basis. I will miss changing a kid's mind from math being terrifying to being their favorite subject. I will miss having way too many different colors of markers and eating PTA brownies. I will miss the comradery of working with a team of people who truly believe they are doing one of the most important and difficult jobs on earth.

There are so many things I will cherish about this upcoming year. I know I won't stay home forever, so I plan on enjoying the time while I have it. I look forward to talking to Ella while she eats breakfast each morning. I look forward to being there every time she learns a new word. I look forward to sleeping more than 5 1/2 hours each night. I look forward to relaxing with Chad on the couch after Ella goes to bed without grading papers or falling asleep. I look forward to Sundays still feeling like part of the weekend. I look forward to Ethan and Ella forming a close friendship. I am excited about my house being presentable every once in a while although I do not looking forward to the cleaning. Hah! I look forward to grocery shopping on a week day morning. I look forward to having more time to dedicate to involvement at church. I look forward to doing artsy things with Ethan and Ella or exploring the outdoors. I look forward to being able to hug Ella whenever I feel like it. I look forward to Ella crawling in my lap in the middle of the day with a book in hand. I'm looking forward to possibly having time at night or on the weekends to cultivate something I enjoy into a talent.

Will I still be crazy busy? Any one who has taken care of 2 babies or toddlers knows the answer to that. But I am excited about this change. And I'm excited about getting back into teaching when the time is right.

  

We finally had Ella's 1 year check up with her pediatrician right after she turned 13 months. She is 31 inches tall (90%), weighs 22 pounds 9 ounces (75%), and has a head circumference of 19 inches (97%).

At 14 months Ella:

• is really frustrating me with this whole walking thing. She will walk 20-30 steps perfectly then sit herself down (not fall, mind you) and then only crawl for the next 2 hours. Then later she'll decide she's in the mood and walk around for a few minutes then boycott it again for a few hours. CAN she walk? Yes. Is she officially a walker? I have no clue. This kid has a mind of her own.
• can bend down to pick up objects from a standing position without toppling over.
• has a fantastic sense of humor. She laughs at us and the dogs, seems to tell "jokes" and laughs at herself, and even laughs along with adults when we're telling a story.
• is soooo much fun!!
• is making Mama nervous with her climbing.
• has added "watch", "yes", "woof", "good", "done", "again", "I got it" and "I did it" to her vocabulary.
• says "again" if I've finished reading a book and she wants me to read it again.
• climbs up the ladder to her fort and slides down the slide independently.
• enjoys switching between her rocking chair and her comfy green reading chair.
• wakes up in the middle of the night looking for Mama if she does not see me immediately before bedtime. Poor Daddy had a rough night when Mama spent her first night away.
• will point to her nose and belly button when asked.
• tries on Mama's shoes. Simply adorable.
• unlocks my iphone if I forget to turn the screen off and calls people such as Nonie and Daddy on my favorites list. She even talks to them before she hangs up.
• enjoys having her teeth brushed. She especially loves my dorky tooth-brushing song.
• is beginning to get frustrated with me when I do not understand what she's telling me. She thinks everything that she says is perfect English.
• considers bananas, blueberries, peas, tomatoes, corn, yogurt and strawberries her favorite foods. She is a fairly adventurous eater now and is not bothered by spicy, sour, or tangy foods. I am very grateful that she appears to enjoy most fruits and vegetables. She also exhibits a love for Mexican food. I don't know where she gets that from.
• is starting to wear 18 month clothes.
• has swatted at me, Chad and other babies a few times out of frustration but is extremely receptive to verbal correction. She understands "ow" and does not like hurting people's feelings.
• figures that since hitting and pushing are wrong, she should gently headbutt Ethan's shoulder instead when he's taken one of her toys. This reminds me of when I was about 2 years old and my Mom said I could not color on the walls with crayons. So I used markers instead.
• insists that you read books to her about 8-10 times a day. You may choose which book to read if you wish, but if it's not one of her favorites she will bring you a better book immediately after. She also "reads" to herself many times a day.
• thinks closing herself into Molly's crate is hysterical.
• can put all the shapes into her shape sorters and puzzle independently.
• cannot be hurried when eating.
• puts all her stacking cups and rings back together in order.
• does headstands. She learned this from her cousin.

We love this girl. God sure created a child way more amazing than I could have ever imagined. She is so full of love, laughter, and life.

Have you ever wondered what a frozen banana covered in chocolate tastes like? Well, then you should visit Bananarchy in Austin. It's this tiny banana stand and their treats are quite scrumptious. You can choose between many different dips and toppings. Since the main ingredient is a fruit, it's healthy, right? Plus Chad and I thoroughly enjoyed the Arrested Development jokes on their menu. Their logo is very Austiny.

This video reminds me of our house. Except thanks to Ella, it should be renamed "Piles of Books" instead of stacks. She does not care for organized bookshelves. :)

Hey, this is a test post.