Bird Feeders & Squirrels

We have a bird feeding station in our front yard and I love to see all the birds that come to eat. We have a baffel on it to keep the pesky (a.k.a. piggy) squirrels away. This worked from the time we moved in (Sept. 2004) until a few months ago when some smart squirrel figured out a way to get to the feeders. I had been wanting to catch them in the act for a while now. I have even started to think about setting up our video camera. Well....a couple of weeks ago, I got lucky. After seeing one helping himself to some feed, I knocked on the window and he jumped off. But, he came back. And, I was there to watch. They have been climbing up the pole, then jumping from the pole over the the finch feeder (the bottom of it was only an inch or 2 above the baffle). Caught in the act! So, we lowered the baffle about an inch or so and it seems to have been just enough to keep them from jumping to the finch feeder.

Cold & Flu Season is Back!

Lacey got her first cold in August - as soon as she went back to daycare. She's already had and recovered from a 2nd. And, has had her 3rd for nearly 2 weeks. Blah! On Monday night, she woke up crying around 9:15 and when I went in, I found a feverish toddler. 100.9. Of course, I immediately thought, "here we go again with ear infections". I took Tuesday off & got her to the doctor as early as we could (even though she didn't have a fever at this point) and was very happily surprised to hear that her ears looked good. I can't tell you how happy that made me. But, since she'd had a cold for 10 days and a fever the night before, she got some antibiotics to help her fight it off.

Now, of course, I understand why she needed her binky back. (Did I post about that? She slept horribly on Sat. night and was starting the same way Sun. night, so we gave it back. All for good sleep.) Now, even with those binks she isn't sleeping well. Which means Mommy isn't either. Ugh.

Pumpkin Farm

We went to a local pumpkin farm yesterday & had lots of fun playing outdoors. The weather was perfect (low 60's and sunny). We did walk out with several pumpkins and some huge apples, but only after letting Lacey run around (while we ran after her).



Lacey was obsessed with climbing the stairs to be the face of a scarecrow. And, once she got over her fear, she loved the "tunnels", too.

Update on LJ's Bink

Wow. We took the binkies out of the crib last night just to see what would happen when we put her in there. She whimpered a tiny bit and that was it!!! Wow. She slept from 7:30 to 5:15. Unfortunately, she decided it was time to get up then. Hopefully that was a fluke.

Rude People

I just don't get how some people can be so rude. There is this woman who works in my building and she is always walking so fast that you'd think there was a freakin' fire. If you are behind her, don't think for a second she's going to hold the door for you. I get behind her frequently from the garage and it's the same thing every time. Ugh. Today, she got on the elevator I was on -- going down to the lobby -- and rushed off as soon as the door opened. Forget that I was standing closer to the doors. Then, she rushed off ahead and let the door going outside slam in my face. What is with people?! Then, when I came back into the lobby, I got on an elevator that decided to ignore the buttons I was pushing. I pushed my floor 3 times and had to push "close door" to get it moving. Right at that time, Miss Rude (or insert any descriptive word you'd like to here) walked up to get on. I, being a *nice* person, actually pushed "open door" to let her on (why, I don't know...she doesn't deserve it). I mentioned that the doors were being a pain & she hopped off. I guess b/c she couldn't be bothered? It wasn't going to be fast enough? So, I held up the freakin' door for her and she didn't even take the elevator.

At lunch today, walking back from High Noon (my fav salad place in the world), I had to step out of the way for a group of 4 women that thought they really needed to walk side by side. Across the whole sidewalk. So that those of us going the opposite direction had to move. I say it again...what is with people???

Scrapbooking

Aunt Marilyn gave me a scrapbook and lots of supplies for my baby shower nearly 21 months ago. I laughed and said "I don't know how to do this!". She had the outside decorated beautifully - the crafty, creative person that she is.

So, I've been wanting to get moving on that project for a while. I got some scrapbooking magazines about a year ago. Dee got me a book for Christmas last year. And, it all just seemed too overwhelming. I finally found a "class" in Prince Frederick - about 20 min. from our house. It's a 1 night beginners class. I've been watching it for about 6 months. I finally went last night!!!

It wasn't much of a "class", but she did go over the different tools and helped some with ideas. I managed to get 2 pages done - Lacey's 1st 2 days of life. I'm excited b/c I bought a couple of tools that will help me continue with this. And, I feel like I know a little better what I'm doing.

There is a follow up class next Monday and I'm going to work on a page for my pregnancy.

No, I won't have the time to turn into a scrapbook queen. But, it was GREAT to have a night out "on my own". I'm hoping to at least do scrapbooks for Lacey and her sibling (whenever that time comes) and maybe other "special" ones.

The Pacifier

Lacey loves her binky. Now, she only uses it to sleep, so it's not like she always has it in her mouth or anything. But, she loves it to sleep. She usually has several in her crib so she can always find one in the middle of the night. And, she likes to have one in her hand to fidget with.

Today is the 2nd day that she has napped (at daycare) without it. Wow. I've asked Lisa to let me know what she is doing that is special!!! Mind you, I haven't tried it, but would like to know if there is something that helps. (Other than it's daycare and not her parents.) I'm hoping we can go without it for naps this w/e and maybe try to go without it at night soon after. In all honesty, I don't care if she sleeps with it until she's 3. But, she has shown she doesn't need it. And, it would be nice to not have to keep them clean!

Travel, GA, pictures, jury duty.....

Well, Butch left this morning for Pittsburgh, so it's just Lacey & me this week. The only real difficulty with that is managing getting her to daycare. Butch usually takes her since he has such a short commute. Daycare doesn't open until 7:00 and I am supposed to be in the office at 7:30. Not gonna happen. But, I am hoping my schedule will work out that I only drive in 1 of the 3 days left in the week. Oh, and I have to leave a little early to make it there before they close at 5:30. Well, I could work until my normal time, but then I'd pick her up right at 5:30 and since she normally eats dinner earlier than that, I'd have one cranky monster to deal with. Since work is flexible, I'll leave early.

The only other thing is that she sometimes wakes up crying early in the morning - when we are getting ready for work. If I go in, she expects to be rocked. (She doesn't do that to Butch.) So, hopefully she'll sleep well in the mornings so I can shower without listening to her cry.

Butch & I watched Season 2 of Grey's Anatomy - sort of as a marathon. Man, that show is good! Season 1 was only about 10 episodes -- Season 2 was 27 or so. I've been staying up to late trying to get through it so I can watch Season 3 (which is currently on TV).

We took Lacey to Picture People to have pics done on Sunday. I'd been postponing it b/c she always had an issue (skinned knees, runny nose, scratch on her face, etc.). And, I knew it would not be fun. She does NOT like situations that are "new". She wouldn't get out of my arms, so we only did "mommy & me" pics. Only 1 turned out decent. We are going to hire my coworker that does photography on the side to come to our house and do pics. A lot more $$$. But, we know we'll get lots to pick from and that Lacey will be more at ease (hopefully).

Next week, I have jury duty. It officially starts on Tuesday since Monday is a Federal holiday. I have to call in after 5:00 on Friday to see if I have to show on Tuesday. And, then do that every evening through the week. I'm hoping I don't have to go. Too much is going on a work to have to miss it for something like jury duty.

Daycare is closed on Monday for the holiday, so I have to take 1/2 day off. I'll work during Lacey's nap, I guess, and check in as much as she'll let me. I'm glad that we don't have jury duty to worry about that day! Daycare is also closed on Friday for Lisa to attend a conference. Butch may be taking that day off.

Can't think of much else that's really going on. Seems pretty boring, but thought I'd post anyway!