When This Parent's Plans Changed

It's been quite awhile since I've posted personal updates. I've had my hands full ( literally) but more posts are ahead. Since October 2012, I announced my pregnancy with our second child, moved out of our house do it could be remodeled, had our son, finished our home remodel & moved back in. Mr. G is now 4 months old & receives constant attention from 8-year-old big sis, K. 

I'm afraid I can't call my daughter Little K any more. The contrast between the 2 kids is striking. Trent half teases that I should mention that, yes, both kids have the same father! I had no intention of having children so spread apart in age but life doesn't always stick to my plans. In fact, when K was about 6 years old, I changed my mind about having another child. Those details will have to wait for another post. 

Today, July 4, 2013, I'm thankful for so many freedoms and for a family that Someone much smarter than me planned. Thank you, Lord.

We're off to a party in Galveston with Taylor Swift blaring & the baby cooing to his sister singing.  I wonder if Taylor Swift will still think in 25 years that her ex is mean. I say, it's a fun song but there are great things ahead, honey. Get ready!

Until the next nap time ....

Escape the Houston Heat with Movies for Kids and Families

Looking for a way to escape the summer heat in Houston? Head to the movies. 

Take advantage of this great offer: the Summer Movie Express program at Edwards Marq'e and Regal West Oaks. Each location will host the Summer Movie Express on Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 10 am for nine weeks. Admission is $1 and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Will Rogers Institute.

It starts this week for the Houston locations and there is a list of the movies on the web site at http://www.regmovies.com/Movies/Summer-Movie-Express.

This is a great discount deal and both the kids and grown-ups apppreciate the option for a cooler activity.

Until the next nap time...

Heights Chamber Hosts Annual Crawfish Festival in the Heights on Saturday, April 6, 2013

Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce Hosts Annual Crawfish Festival in the Heights on Saturday, April 6, 2013

HOUSTON— Tuesday, March 5, 2013 — The Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for its annual Crawfish Festival in the Heights to be held Saturday, April 6, from 11 am until sunset. With expected attendance nearing 10,000 people, the Festival will be held at Northwest Mall, located at 9500 Hempstead Highway and Mangum, to accommodate the large crowd.

“We think this prime location and large, open area will attract even more families and festival goers,” Chamber President Ken Stallman said.

The Festival will include activities for the entire family such as:

·         live music by Steve Krase and the In Crowd,

·         a Show and Shine car and motorcycle show,

·         Shoppers’ Paradise with more than ## vendor booths with items for purchase,

·         a kids world with loads of children’s games, rides and activities, and

·         the Idol of the Heights singing finale.

“The success of last year’s event fueled our energy to make this year’s festival bigger and better than ever,” Mickey Blake, Heights Chamber chairperson, said. “One of the big changes is the incorporation of the Idol in the Heights song competition with one winner taking home the grand prize of $1,500. The talent is awesome!”

The Idol of the Heights preliminary rounds are being held on Fridays in March. Complete details are available online at http://www.heightschamber.com/crawfish-festival-idol-of-the-heights.

Festival attendees are encouraged to buy crawfish food tickets online in advance for $15 each through April 1, 2013. Crawfish food tickets will be available at the event for $20 on a first come, first served basis. The crawfish food ticket buys three pounds of crawfish, corn and potatoes as well as one drink (soft drink, water or beer). Other festival food will also be available at the event.

Supporters are encouraged to purchase $10 raffle tickets for a chance to win a 2013 Hyundai Elantra, sponsored by North Freeway Hyundai and the Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce. Winners do not need to be present at the event to win. Buy raffle tickets online or by calling the Heights Chamber at 713-861-6735.

About the Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Heights Area Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting and developing business and industry beneficial to the economic viability of the greater Houston Heights. Through monthly breakfast presentations, luncheons, expositions and other events, the Chamber works to develop local commerce. The Heights Chamber is located at 545 W. 19^th Street in the Chase Bank building. Learn more by visiting www.HeightsChamber.com.

Reporters: Please contact Megan F. Salch at 832-256-6676. 

Until the next nap time...

Wise beyond her years

God works in mysterious ways and He never ceases to amaze me. Just the other day, I was telling Little K something or other about needing to make sure I do some work so I can help pay the bills and she responded with something like “Why do you worry? It’s all going to work out. God always takes care of you.” 

As I looked in the backseat of my car through my rearview mirror, I expected to see a sage old man but it was just my 7-year-old. She floors me most days. Wise beyond her years.

Until the next nap time...

Moving with Kids and Pets

Today is moving day. We're moving into a nearby rental house for about six months while some remodeling happens on our home in Houston. I'm 5.5 months pregnant so my inner planner is in high gear. It's mornings like today that remind me that there are just some things in life that aren't meant to be planned out with details. Go with the flow, Megan. I'm trying.

Last night, we finished most of the packing since the movers would arrive between 8:30-9:30 am Monday. After getting our daughter to bed and reassuring her (and calming down her intense excitement about the move), I bathed so that I'd be ready for Monday. We went to bed early too. The dog lay on his pet bed beside the master bed. The cat, who had been crying about not being able to join the master bedroom, was in the end allowed to enter the master bedroom so he wouldn't wake up our daughter. He took his place between my pillow and my husband's. Whatever.

Fast forward to 5 am. I wake up to the cat pawing at me and the comforter. I shoo him away, thinking he was trying to play like he usually does in the early mornings. Shortly after that, he returned and I tried to ignore his pawing again, only to be awakened by wet sheets. Yep, he urinated on top of my comforter, which went through the comforter, through the sheets, onto my leg and PJs to the mattress cover.

I sprang from the bed, yelling a word that I shouldn't, of course waking up my husband. I blabbered some sort of explanation and ran into the bathroom, where I proceeded to take a bath without removing my PJ top. I think I thought I could continue wearing the shirt because it had not gotten soaked by the cat, but I was also half asleep. I bathed quickly since I could hear my husband grumbling as he removed the bed sheets. I drained the tub and climbed out to learn that I had no towels because everything had been packed. I dried myself using the shower curtain, walked into the bedroom where my husband said: "Are you sure this wasn't you?
really?  "No, it wasn't me," I said strongly. "Why in the world would a full-grown adult pee on herself?"

My husband, not dressed for public viewing, carried the duvet & duvet cover to the outside trash can. Neither of us were pleased with the quality but the urine threw us over the edge. Upon returning inside where I was laughing, my husband helped me grab the sheets and take them to the laundry downstairs. It was 5:30 am. I finished adding soap to the load and returned to my unsheeted bed upstairs. I was still laughing when I heard my 7-year-old shout out: "Can you two turn it down some? I'm trying to sleep." She acts like this is a regular occurrence.

I barely had laid down when I heard my husband ranting downstairs. What have I forgotten to do now?

When I entered the kitchen, my husband explained that in the medlem, we didn't let the dog go outside so he decided to urinate on the kitchen floor. My husband stood with a wet mop in his hand, looking incredulous. He continued his hysterical rant while mopping the floor at about 5:40 am. When he mentioned some crazy things that he might do to add to the nut house, I burst into laughter so hard that... wait for it... I peed on the floor! (Yes, it's true and I just admitted it to everyone.) I ran, still laughing, to the downstairs bathroom and my husband shouted "Oh, well why not you too? Anyone else?" There was no toilet paper in the bathroom since I packed that too, so my husband brought me paper towels. Lovely.

He mopped the rest of the floor, cracking up himself. "Should I put the dog out now?" I asked.

"Oh, he's outside getting the second half out," Trent replied.

After scrubbing our hands, we returned upstairs, crawled on top of the bed and I shut my eyes. I could feel him staring at me so I opened my eyes again.

"See you in 11 minutes," Trent said. It was 6:04 am. "(God) never gives me more than I can handle," he repeated over & over softly with a little giggle in his voice. No, he doesn't but he will give you plenty of smiles along the way, I thought.

The alarm rang early this morning, but we got dressed and headed out for breakfast. No need to set the house on fire. Besides Little K spilling chocolate milk ALL over her white uniform blouse, breakfast went smoothly. Luckily, I had spare uniforms in the car since everything had been packed.

We arrived at school in time for announcements so we could see Cousin Claire dance on stage. The morning drop-off was a success despite a few early morning obstacles. At this point, the day has to get better. Hope this tale makes you laugh.

Until the next nap time..

Defining Wealth for Kids... reprinted from "Daily Worth"

I thought this article from "Daily Worth" was so good, that I had to share it.

Defining Wealth for Kids
by Marjorie Ingall
I blame Kit, the plucky American Girl Doll who survives the Great Depression. Ever since my daughter Maxine read the Kit books, she’s been asking, “What would happen if Daddy lost his job? Where would we live if the bank took our house?”

And she most wants to know: “Are we rich or are we poor?”

A lot of kids ask that last question, says Kiki Schaffer, an education director at the YMHA in New York City. The trick is figuring out what your child is really asking.

She might be seeking reassurance that she’ll be loved and protected no matter what the future holds. But if, like Maxie, your child really wants to know about family wealth, why not grab the teachable moment?

I've been explaining to Maxie that even though we have enough for our needs, we try to not to waste money. We spend wisely. We work hard. We help those in need (in our tradition, we give tzedakah).

Maxie goes to a public school where 40% of the children qualify for free lunch; there, we’re pretty well-off. But she also goes to a Hebrew School where many families outearn us many times over. (I watched one middle-school girl show her shoes to another student, saying, “They’re my mother’s, they’re Prada, you touch them, you die.”)

This dichotomy, sometimes being the kid with more and sometimes being the kid with less, is healthy, Schaffer says. “You can explain how some people have less and are happy and others have more but are never satisfied.” In other words, wealth is, quite often, a state of mind."

 

Until the next nap time...

Houston's Greek Festival Not Kid-Friendly

Festivus for the rest of us

So our family joined to the Greek Fedtival this Sunday at 2 pm & I was so excited since I hadn't ever been. On the way there, Little K asked me 20 questions about how much fun she would have. I reassured her that, yes, there would be a jumpie/moonwalk, face painting & tons of fun stuff for kids. I lied.

We paid $5/adult (no fee for kids under 12) to enter & discovered that there was beer, wine, water & soft drinks amongst a myriad of Greek food to eat, we grabbed three years for a total of $21, ate those & searched for family-friendly activities. The kids dance program wouldn't start for another hour & there was nothing else for kids to doz I grabbed drinks & we sat on the ground in the parking lot next to a trash can to figure out what to do.

The Greek Fest was officially a bust when Little K announced, "I'm bored."

I imagine it'd be fun on a Friday or Saturday night without kids. You could buy a bottle of wine from the festival & share it while you walk around the pretty campuses of Annunciation church & school as well as the University of St. Thomas. Besides that, there's just not much to do.

We're now heading to St. Cecilia Oktoberfest near I10 & Bunker Hill, which promises loads of kid activities. With the cooler temperature today, I just couldn't stay inside.

Until the next nap time....

Good Deal on Haunted Houses

The month of October ushers in spooks and skeletons of all sorts. If your kids are oldest enough to enjoy these, here is a way to grab the fun with a discount. From today through October 6, Groupon is offering discounted prices. See www.groupon.com/Houston for complete details.

Until the next nap time...

Tales of a Second Grade Nothing

Being a mom is hard. Being a GOOD mom is WAY harder.

When your 2nd grader forgets her homework & begs you to take her back to school at 3:45 pm so she can get her homework -- saying she'll even clean out the kitty litter if you'll take her back -- you do it. When your child sees that her teacher is in a private meeting with another parent and she's too scared to interrupt them, you coach her along but encourage her to own up to the situation. After reaching way down to find the courage to open that door and politely interrupt the grown-up meeting, when the teacher says that there are consequences to her actions and that she'll have to do the work tomorrow (during recess or lunch), you bite your lip 'cuz you feel like you're in time out too but you let the teacher discipline the student instead of rushing in to save the day (which is what you really want to do). This is not the second grade I remember with Jolly Rancher candies for good work, trips to the ice cream parlor when the class did really well and games in class. 

Oh, it doesn't stop there because Little K is tough on herself. (It doesn't help that her parents are a bit strict.) She slapped her arm in the car to punish herself. I quickly asked her about it and she said she was very mad at herself. This, of course, launches us into another conversation about never hurting her body. That action alone made me more upset than forgetting any piece of homework. 

And then, the doubt sets in. Before I can sort through if I replied to the teacher in the right way, did I correct Little K in the right way, was I too hard on her... Little K had cleaned the kitty litter for the first time, finished the homework that did come home with her, and asked if she could ride her scooter outside since she lost the privilege of TV. She's a good kid, who happens to be just 7 years old. 

After dinner and a bath, Little K breezes through another workbook I found and she does it with a smile. I stood or sat beside her and she smiled and giggled. She's a happy kid. She bounced into bed, singing and laughing as if the world was her oyster. Well, it is. 

"You need to calm down and get a good night's sleep so you'll be well rested for your big day tomorrow," I said. "I don't want you to forget anything and I want you to be able to do all your work tomorrow just like you did today."

"Okay, Mommy," she replied. "But can you set my alarm for extra early so I can do some more of that workbook?" 

We say our prayers. I tuck her into bed and Daddy pecks her forehead. I kiss my girl good night and close the bedroom door behind me. Good Lord, I hope she remembers her stuff from now on, I think. I can't take much more of this. My mom warned me about motherhood but it was the child-bearing part that worried me. I didn't realize that when your kid hurts, your heart hurts too. Luckily, tomorrow is another day for both of us.

Until the next nap time...

Motherhood: Round 2

So I just read the article "25 Rules for Moms with Sons" that my friend Amy S. sent. I'm drying my tears before they hit my cheeks, but there's still a lump in my throat. What are friends for, right? I'm being groomed to be a mother of both a daughter and a son, and I have a lot of homework to do. I'll be a good student though. If you have sons, I highly recommend the quick read. And if you're married to a male who treats you right, thank his mother (& him, of course).

I'm now about 18 weeks pregnant with our first little boy, which is a good thing since our 7-year-old daughter said months ago she only wanted a brother because a sister would copy her. When I told her that I had no control over which gender God put in my belly, Little K replied: "Well, you need to focus." :-) She's my strong-willed child and one that I prayed for. 

I've gotten several comments (three this week in fact) about whether my pregnancy was "an accident" or a "surprise" since we have a 7-year-old child & that seems to many just way too big of a gap in age. Besides the fact that I'm floored so many people are that insensitive and impolite, I will say that 1) no, we've tried to get pregnant for some time and that we're happily here despite the trials we faced and 2) it's never anyone's business how a child came to be. And yes, I am trying to be polite here.

All that said, we were overjoyed at the pictures that we saw during the sonogram yesterday. This despite the fact that I waited 2 hours for my appointment and wasn't sure I needed another sonogram since I already had one in August. (Part of the extra tests they run when the mother is over 35 years of age.) I've teased that this photo indicates my son may be a future Aggie (attend Texas A&M University for those of you not from Texas), which has made my father proud. However, I secretly think it's a subliminal sign that in fact this little guy is A-OK! I keep thinking This isn't going to be easy, but it'll be good. 

Starting over with a newborn when you already have a child who can bathe herself, feed herself, toilet herself and the list goes on will be a challenge. The child being a boy this round is the extra challenge but then again, I don't like easy. Thanks to Tabitha Studer, I now have a list of tips, a lot of prayers and good family to help me raise this little stinker and still pay plenty of attention to my #1 girl, Little K. Ready or not, here he comes. Introductions officially will be made in February.

Until the next nap time...

Recap of our Trip to the new Houston American Girl Store

I've received lots of questions about our trip to the American Girl store that opened today. Trent & I stood in line last night for 45 minutes to get entrance tickets today. We were in group 10 with 100 people in each group. We signed up for notices by text so we knew when to show up & then we waited.

Little K woke me Saturday at 6:45 am since our original plan was to head out by 7 am. With our golden ticket, we waited for notice this morning by making pancakes. I showered & dressed. At 10 am, we learned that groups 1-10 were in queue. My mother-in-law, Cici, arrived & we headed out with Trent as the race car driver. We parked in literally the last row at Memorial City Mall & I knew it would be pouring when we returned.

As we journeyed through the parking lot hand in hand, Little K announced: "I'm so excited I need to scream!" Please don't, we thought.

We spent about 15 minutes in line to enter the store, surrounded by friendly officers. There was plenty to do with face painting, balloon artists & craft tables by local stores. Since the American Girl store is located across from the ice skating rink, there was plenty of activity there. Mall security said the American Girl store expected 15,000 visitors this weekend & there was definitely a plan in place.

As we entered the pink, girl extravaganza, Little K was a bit overwhelmed. We first headed to the hair salon to determine if the doll Kaylee could have her hair styled or if she needed a trip to the doll hospital. (30 minutes later after plenty of shopping, we learned that Kaylee would leave next week to the doll hospital in NY, which devastated Little K but she'll survive.)

There were literally parents packing numerous bags of carefully promoted American Girl boxes as if the world had come to an end. Luckily, it was NOT chaotic but it floored me how much people were spending. You can buy the same stuff online after all. Still, I'm thrilled we had the opportunity to participate in the first day of the store's opening.

Trent asked if we could dine in the American Girl bistro since it was now noon. I had checked online to make reservations but everything was booked. The greeter told Trent that the bistro is booked for weeks on the weekends but that during the week, there are some openings. Instead, we took our haul (after paying of course) & hungry bodies to Becks Prime in the mall. delicious!

When we got home, the parents realized just how tired we were so Mimmy & Daddy slept while Little K played with her new items. It was a good morning & I even look forward to going back... After the crowds die down.

Until the next nap time...

The American Girl Doll Store in Houston Opens on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012

There's a lot of anticipation (this week's vocabulary word) about the American Girl Doll store in Houston opening this weekend. If you're looking for things to do with your daughter, grand daughter or special little girl in your life, this is the place to be. That said, I'd appreciate it if everyone didn't show up since we'll be there and I suspect it's going to be crazy crowded. :-)  Here's an email that I sent Friday to my mother-in-law since she's driving up from Galveston to join us at the store opening. Are Little K & I over-the-top? Highly likely.

The email:
"Little K reiterated this morning that she wants us to get up on Saturday by 6:30 am, get dressed, grab food and head to the Mall. You may have picked up on her excitement.

The mall staff emailed me this: "The nearest entrance to the American Girl store is on the west side of the mall that faces Gessner.  The mall does open at 10AM that Saturday but the American Girl store will be opening at 9AM.  Mall entrances are unlocked at 5:30AM each day so that will be the earliest you will be able to access the mall that morning."

I did NOT tell Little K that the mall opens at 5:30 am for fear that she'd want to arrive at that time! I suspect there will be a line so that's the real reason I'm willing to go early but why don't you just call or text me (832-256-6676) when you arrive... at a decent hour. I promised Little K that we could get (her doll) Kaylee's hair redone and I imagine that'll take a while. So, I plan to let Little K look through the store until the hairdo is done. Little K has already circled numerous items in the American Girl Doll catalog that she wants for Christmas so I'm hoping to get a few things this weekend and hide them until December.

I'd love to take you & Little K to lunch somewhere nearby. (My mom will be at the ranch. Bummer.) Apparently, the store has a deli/restaurant but I couldn't make reservations online, which means it's probably going to be a mad house. We can find another place out of the bedlam to eat our lunch.

I told Trent that I've never been to a store opening so I figure I'll embrace this 100 percent. "Of course, you will," he said. I think he's a tad nervous that in years to come a high-end jewelry or clothing store will open and Little K & I will decide that we need to spend a ton at the store opening. In all honesty, she'll only be 7 years old for a bit longer and she'll only be an only child for 6 more months so I'm doing these special, one-on-one things as much as I can. I'm thrilled that you are going to be able to come. Thank you for being a part of it -- again, at a decent hour.

Can't wait to see you!"

As it turns out, there have been some procedural changes with the grand opening, which you can see at http://www.americangirl.com/stores/location_hou.php. My poor husband Trent & I will head to the mall tonight (while Little K stays with a babysitter) so that we can get entrance tickets for Saturday. I'm getting nervous about what exactly I've signed myself up for.

I'll post photos later on Saturday and share any tips (or hazards) that I discover. Here's to a successful store opening!

Until the next nap time...

Show & Tell Matters

It's not every day that I get to be the topic of Show & Tell for my 4-year-old niece's class. Today was the big day.

This week at St. Rose School, the PreK class is focused on the letter M so Thursday was the day they could bring something to school that starts with the letter M for Show & Tell. As my sister Colyn talked to Miss C about this at home, Miss C shouted that she'd like to take "Miss Aunt Meg!"

I think it's perfect! 

"Don't let it go to your head," my husband remarked. 
He's probably just jealous, I thought. 

Preparations were in full gear. My sister and niece carefully decorated a white shirt with "Miss Aunt Meg" on the front so that everyone in the class would know Miss C's love name for me. Then, they added other M words on the back of the shirt in puff paint. 

Today, I gently put my new shirt on for the first time and the colors sparkled in the sun that barely peaked through the clouds in Houston. As I proudly walked through the parking lot at work on my "lunch hour" at 2:15 pm, bystanders simply stared in amazement. The shirt was gorgeous.

I arrived in the class at 2:29 pm and was greeted by the teacher assistant, who informed me that Miss C almost cried because she thought I'd forgotten. (Show & Tell didn't start until 2:30 pm so I figured I better stay for awhile to ease my niece's concerns. I'm in this thing for the long haul, I thought.) When the teacher called my niece's name, we both jumped up in excitement. The 4-year-old held my hand, walked me to the front of the room, turned me around to face her friends and beamed her sweet smile. 

"Who is this, C?" the teacher asked.

"Miss Aunt Meg!" Miss C replied as if the teacher couldn't read the masterful shirt. She looked at me, laughing and shook her little head.

The teacher briefly explained that I was likely part of C's family since the word "Aunt" was in my nick name. 

"Why did you decide to bring Miss Aunt Meg to Show & Tell today?" the teacher continued.

"Because she's my best friend," C replied, grabbing my hand. 
Yes, everyone heard the tug at my heart at that moment. We both smiled. 

C went on to explain that she really likes Miss Aunt Meg because sometimes her mom lets C come to Miss Aunt Meg's house to play. (Mind you, it's to play with Little K but I'll take the credit this time.)

The class was allowed to ask 2 questions, both of which were about the movie-star-like shirt I wore. Then, I quietly whispered into C's ear. 

She looked at me in confusion. In all the enthusiasm, she had forgotten that her Mommy also provided single packets of M&Ms for each classmate. She showed everyone two large packages of M&Ms and the kids squealed. 

"They're not from me," C said. "They're from Miss Aunt Meg!" (Well, not really but whatever.)

So, we were the hit of PreK Show & Tell today. I'm not sure if it was the shirt or the candy but either way, I think M is a great letter and being an aunt is fantastic. Hollywood, look out. We're growing talent in Houston. (wink!)

Until the next nap time...