I had to travel to Las Vegas this week for a three-day, work conference. Monday morning started at the ungodly hour of 3:15 am and I arrived safely in Vegas at 8:15 am Pacific Time. Yikes! I am not even sure how I managed that. Then we rolled right into meetings and dinner and before I knew it, it was 10:00 pm. This means my body felt like it was midnight and I was absolutely exhausted.
Normally I would be concerned about leaving Jentry and interrupting her routine, however this time I was not worried about her at all because she was home with Nathan. He has definitely learned her routine over the past nine months and to my surprise he was ready to undertake my roll ...for a few days anyway.
They sent me a video message on Tuesday and I was able to call home and chat with them a few times. I even utilized FaceTime and caught Jentry in the tub. I knew that leaving Nathan to take care of everything was a huge request, because I know what it truly entailed, but he certainly stepped up to the plate and did an amazing job.
I was very busy the week prior to leaving and therefore I hadn't even thought about what they were going to eat while I was away. Nathan said he would just make his bachelor standards like spaghetti, mac-n-cheese and pizza. That would have been easy and great except for the fact that we didn't have hamburger, noodles or pizza in the kitchen. What kind of a domestic engineer was I? I left them with a shopping list and wished them luck.
I think Nathan started to worry just a bit when he realized his mother was not even going to be around for back-up. I never doubted him and everything went very smoothly. He never once forgot to pick her up from preschool or daycare, and as far as I could tell they had been eating something while I was gone. He even remembered to find something that started with a K for Jentry to take to show and share on Thursday. He was kind enough and perhaps trusting enough to let her take his keys! Jentry was so excited. He was even took the time to wash her favorite pair of red pants so that she could wear them again the next day. It was nice to see that even Nathan caves to the requests of a four-year-old once and a while. Nathan said that Jentry behaved much better for him than she does for me, which was not shocking at all.
When I arrived home, I had a special note on my desk from Jentry that said, "I love you Mommy!" I could not have asked for a better welcome home gift. I think Nathan was just as happy to see me. He did an awesome job being Mr. Mom, however I think we all realized just how much we appreciate each other and all of the small tasks that go unnoticed on a daily basis. I am reminded of the advice the pastor gave us on our wedding day. "Never, ever take one another for granted!"
Friday, January 18, 2013
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Mom, Call 911
Last Sunday, Nathan and I decided to go to Hastings for lunch. Jentry had been very well behaved in church, so we thought it would be a fun treat. I grabbed my shopping list, a gift card to Applebee's and we loaded up in the car. About eight miles into our drive I looked at my shopping list and realized that I had failed to bring my camera along. I really did not want to turn around and add twenty minutes to the thirty minute drive, however I desperately wanted needed to get some pictures developed. I had pictures from October still on my camera for goodness sake! We turned around and went back. Jentry was contently playing on her new "iPad" so she didn't seem to mind the slight detour.
We arrived at Applebee's and waited approximately twenty minutes for a table. The kind waitress put Jentry's order in right away and her food was there in no time. She took about four bites of her corn dog and said, "Mom, my tummy hurts. I think I need to go to the bathroom." I lead her through the crowded restaurant to the bathroom, which was unfortunately located on the other side of the building from our table. She did her business and we headed back to our seats. Nathan and I were still patiently waiting for our food while Jentry took a few more bites. She then turned to me with a look of despair and said, "Mom, I think I'm going to throw-up." I rushed her back through the crowded restaurant to the bathroom. When we got into the stall she quickly tore off her shirt and hugged the toilet. I anxiously waited for the worse and rubbed her little, bare back. After ten minutes of nothing, I asked her if she wanted to go home. She replied as if I had just asked an absolutely insane question, "No, I can't leave the bathroom!" After several minutes of me trying to convince her that she could make it outside, she finally agreed and put her shirt back on. I swooped her up into my arms and made a mad dash for the front door. As I passed by our table, I grabbed our coats and told Nathan to meet us outside.
Just outside the main entrance to Applebee's my poor little girl was bent over with her hands on her knees and certain that she was not going to make it. I was trying to get a coat on her and told her we needed to walk to the car. She began to yell, "Mom, call 911, call them now! I can't ride in a car, mom, I need an ambulance!" I could not help but laugh at her dramatic request. Maybe the fire safety week had soaked in a little too much with this preschooler.
I was still waiting for the worst, but since nothing seemed to be happening I got her talked into getting into the car. I found some plastic bags in the back and without having to explain she immediately held them to her mouth. Nathan arrived with my food in a to-go box and I climbed in the back seat with my sick, little girl. I asked her if she thought she would be OK in the car for awhile if I ran into Walgreens to at least get my pictures developed. After all, we had gone out of our way to get the camera and I didn't want our trip to be a complete waste of time. She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "No, I need to go home."
On the drive home, she asked me, "When am I going to feel better?" I kept reassuring her that she was going to be fine. She then said, "I wish dad was here, because he had some medicine last time I got sick." I quickly remembered that she had gotten sick and actually threw-up at her dad's house the previous weekend. No wonder she was so terrified of being sick again! So to appease my patient, I called her dad and asked him what medicine he had given her before. Because she had run a fever, he had given her Tylenol, however Jentry just did not understand that Tylenol would not help her turning tummy. I called my Pharmacist sister to ask her if a four-year-old could take a Tums, because I was fairly certain that she just had a severe case of gas. Aunt Kelly said Jentry could have a half tablet of Tums. Whether or not it really helped her stomach pains or simply worked as a placebo drug we may never know.
As soon as Jentry was home and in bed, she was perfectly fine. She even went to the gym and worked out with me later that evening. What a little stinker. For several days, she tried to gain more extra attention by telling us that her tummy still hurts, but her behavior has been proving otherwise. However, I have been allowing her to have a "tongues" once a day just for good measure.
We arrived at Applebee's and waited approximately twenty minutes for a table. The kind waitress put Jentry's order in right away and her food was there in no time. She took about four bites of her corn dog and said, "Mom, my tummy hurts. I think I need to go to the bathroom." I lead her through the crowded restaurant to the bathroom, which was unfortunately located on the other side of the building from our table. She did her business and we headed back to our seats. Nathan and I were still patiently waiting for our food while Jentry took a few more bites. She then turned to me with a look of despair and said, "Mom, I think I'm going to throw-up." I rushed her back through the crowded restaurant to the bathroom. When we got into the stall she quickly tore off her shirt and hugged the toilet. I anxiously waited for the worse and rubbed her little, bare back. After ten minutes of nothing, I asked her if she wanted to go home. She replied as if I had just asked an absolutely insane question, "No, I can't leave the bathroom!" After several minutes of me trying to convince her that she could make it outside, she finally agreed and put her shirt back on. I swooped her up into my arms and made a mad dash for the front door. As I passed by our table, I grabbed our coats and told Nathan to meet us outside.
Just outside the main entrance to Applebee's my poor little girl was bent over with her hands on her knees and certain that she was not going to make it. I was trying to get a coat on her and told her we needed to walk to the car. She began to yell, "Mom, call 911, call them now! I can't ride in a car, mom, I need an ambulance!" I could not help but laugh at her dramatic request. Maybe the fire safety week had soaked in a little too much with this preschooler.
I was still waiting for the worst, but since nothing seemed to be happening I got her talked into getting into the car. I found some plastic bags in the back and without having to explain she immediately held them to her mouth. Nathan arrived with my food in a to-go box and I climbed in the back seat with my sick, little girl. I asked her if she thought she would be OK in the car for awhile if I ran into Walgreens to at least get my pictures developed. After all, we had gone out of our way to get the camera and I didn't want our trip to be a complete waste of time. She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "No, I need to go home."
On the drive home, she asked me, "When am I going to feel better?" I kept reassuring her that she was going to be fine. She then said, "I wish dad was here, because he had some medicine last time I got sick." I quickly remembered that she had gotten sick and actually threw-up at her dad's house the previous weekend. No wonder she was so terrified of being sick again! So to appease my patient, I called her dad and asked him what medicine he had given her before. Because she had run a fever, he had given her Tylenol, however Jentry just did not understand that Tylenol would not help her turning tummy. I called my Pharmacist sister to ask her if a four-year-old could take a Tums, because I was fairly certain that she just had a severe case of gas. Aunt Kelly said Jentry could have a half tablet of Tums. Whether or not it really helped her stomach pains or simply worked as a placebo drug we may never know.
As soon as Jentry was home and in bed, she was perfectly fine. She even went to the gym and worked out with me later that evening. What a little stinker. For several days, she tried to gain more extra attention by telling us that her tummy still hurts, but her behavior has been proving otherwise. However, I have been allowing her to have a "tongues" once a day just for good measure.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The Unknown Teen Years
Some of the things Jentry does makes this mother a wee bit nervous about what the teenage years might entail.
Firstly, Jentry is obsessed with her clothing style. She changes her clothes several times a day and loves to play dress-up. She will never wear an outfit that her mother has chosen for her even though she asks me to pick one out every morning. She always rolls up her pants into shorts regardless of the temperature outside and would wear high heels to any event if her mother would only allow it. One day she came to me and asked if I would tie up one of my swim cover-ups so that it would look like a mini skirt. Complete with heels and a sparkly necklace she looked like she was 24 not 4! Yikes!
Secondly, she is one very determined little girl with unbelievably advanced negotiating skills. Mom is currently one step ahead, however I wonder how long this will last. While shopping for groceries the other day, she spotted some pre-made brownies with colorful chocolates on top and begged me to buy them for her. Of course, this mean old mom said, "NO, we can go home and make our own brownies." I almost had her convinced but what she really wanted was the colorful chocolates. I told her that she had some Mini M&Ms left over from Christmas and that she could put them on top of the brownies at home.
Firstly, Jentry is obsessed with her clothing style. She changes her clothes several times a day and loves to play dress-up. She will never wear an outfit that her mother has chosen for her even though she asks me to pick one out every morning. She always rolls up her pants into shorts regardless of the temperature outside and would wear high heels to any event if her mother would only allow it. One day she came to me and asked if I would tie up one of my swim cover-ups so that it would look like a mini skirt. Complete with heels and a sparkly necklace she looked like she was 24 not 4! Yikes!
Secondly, she is one very determined little girl with unbelievably advanced negotiating skills. Mom is currently one step ahead, however I wonder how long this will last. While shopping for groceries the other day, she spotted some pre-made brownies with colorful chocolates on top and begged me to buy them for her. Of course, this mean old mom said, "NO, we can go home and make our own brownies." I almost had her convinced but what she really wanted was the colorful chocolates. I told her that she had some Mini M&Ms left over from Christmas and that she could put them on top of the brownies at home.
Can you tell which brownies belong to Jentry?
Lastly, she is most certainly from a different generation than me. Her technology skills amaze me more and more everyday. John and Jan gave her a VTech Inno Tab for Christmas which she refers to as her iPad. I could not believe how quickly she adapted to the new toy. She also loves to make phone calls on my office phone but would prefer to "FaceTime" on my iPhone. Being able to instantly converse with someone in another town is just not fun at all. Yes, we need more stimulation! Even if the picture makes us look like aliens in a dark room.
I can not and quite possibly do not want to even imagine what Miss Jentry will be like at 14. What will her fashion style be in 2022? Will she still love chocolate or will she already be conscious of her weight? Will she have a real iPad and iPhone of her own or will there be something more advanced by then. Thankfully, only God knows the future and the heart of my little girl. Therefore I am going to try not to flip-out about the teenage years just yet and focus on the present.
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