FROZEN Potty Training

Imagine a little girl.  She gets all the words, but doesn't yet get the action.  Frustrated, her Mom starts singing her own words to the tune, "Let It Go!" from the movie Frozen:

Let It Flow! Let It Flow!
Let it flow out your woo-woo hole!
Let It Flow! L-E-T   I-T   F-L-O-W!!!
Let it flow, this is getting old!

I don't care, how long we sit here! 

You want to wear big girl underwear!!!

Rinse & Repeat. 
*thumbs up!*

Holiday Photos

Here's a collection of holiday photos of our big girl!

VIDEO: HOLIDAY PROGRAM

Here's the video from Andi's Holiday Program at school!  Andi is front row and center!

Andi Bean: Pre-K School Photos

Practice, Practice, Practice...

As we approach the beginning of a new school year, I find myself hoping this year will really help Andi make friends.  Earlier today, I took her over to 'Catch Air' to play and get a good workout in, mainly practicing walking.  She was so desperate to make contact with other kids, that at times, she didn't even want to go play.  She just wanted to try to engage others who weren't really into it.  She was very excited, and very sweet, but some kids just aren't.  One boy almost got a taste of my version of Madea (the Tyler Perry character).  Andi was trying to follow these kids up the stairs to this raised box landing.  It is surrounded in protective netting, but looks out over half the building.  This lil' sh*t was trying to push those big rubber bouncing exercise balls down the stairs... the same stairs Andi was trying to get up.  Thank goodness I'm one of those overbearing parents that is right there in the action, because this kid could have chucked one of those big balls down, and taken Andi out, causing her to fall down the stairs.  I told him to wait and let her get up there.  Andi got up there, stood up at the opening, and the lil' sh*t was blocking her entrance.  She thought it was funny, and was tapping him in the belly and laughing.  I wasn't amused, but I told myself to let her play this out and see how she handles it.  Next thing I see her on the ground and he's holding a ball over her... then he's laying on the ball pushing it on her.  I went up to retrieve her and told this lil' sh*t not to lay on people, that it's not nice.  No parent to be found.  WTF?!  I know I'm hover-Mom (with reason), but what you're going to let you lil' ill-behaved child practice their WWE moves on my child?  Oh HELL No!  So, I took her downstairs and tried to explain that not all kids are nice, and we immediately went to climb up the other play-structure so we could fly down the slide.   I took Andi here to play for about an hour, because it's really good therapy (and only $8.55), it's socially engaging -- which she absolutely craves, and because I've had her cooped up in the house for nearly two weeks due to her nasty case of impetigo.  The scabs are gone, but the dark purple marks where the scabs were remain.  Pretty nasty thing she had. 

In any case, she burned some serious energy and has now resumed position on the couch with her iPad.  I'm so excited for her to start school next week so she can play with her peers, and those kids will be supervised and likely to have better manners than wrestlemania's evil grandson.  Asshat. 
Andi's just such a good kid, and so eager to socialize, I'm excited for her to get regular doses of it.  We all need to take some lessons from her on being outgoing and friendly.  As the older we get, the more we seem to forget how we're supposed to behave (especially the rude-drivers here in Atlanta! Yes, you, the eager beaver who felt the need to cut me off so you could beat me to the red light!)   So, six more days of summer break, and then Andi is back in school.  She will have a new bus driver, whom according to Andi's babysitter, used to play with Gladys Knight & The Pips... how cool is that?!  So, I'm anxiously awaiting word of what time pick-up will be this year. Every day this week, I'm working on waking her up a little earlier than usual to prep for bus-time.  This Thursday evening, she has open-house at school, which we will attend.  Hopefully, they did relocate her classroom, because that last one I lobbied to have reevaluated was simply way too small for 8 kids and three adults.  It was also the furthest away from the bus drop-off area. She's excited to go back to school and is looking forward to seeing Miss Joan, her teacher!  I keep telling her to never lose her passion for school, because as of now, she's never getting out!  (HA!) 





 

Potty Training and Job Hunting ... Pretty Much The Same Thing

Today, Andi has tried several hours of potty training, unsuccessfully.  She seems to know not to go when she's bare-butt.  But, she hasn't yet made that connection to let it go on the potty.  She just seems to "hold-it", which isn't good for a long time, per her former urologist.  After a few hours, she wouldn't let me put a diaper back on.  I pushed and pushed, and thankfully, she relented.  Will try again, but I really seem to lack the patience and consistency of potty training.  I'm about to beat my head against a wall over it though.

At the urging of Daddy Bean & a lack of job offers blowing up my phone, I've resurrected Anna's INK, which is also now Anna's INK 123 -- due to some unfortunate tattoo lady stealing my old name.  There's a Facebook page, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a website showcasing a small sampling of my portfolio.  For some of the jobs I've applied for, they've required a portfolio or writing samples.  Being I have four Facebook pages, four Twitter accounts, four g-mail accounts, this blog, two videos out on You Tube, and a book that I haven't yet finished... this website might be a great one-stop shopping showcase of all things I do.  Not to mention all this dazzling personality and talent!  HA!  Here's a quick list of links of all my greatness.  May it help me find a dreamy job to replace my current one that is ready for me to be gone. 

Calendar Website:

http://www.chargecalendar.com

Anna’s INK Website:

http://abeano528.wix.com/annas-ink

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/CHARGECalendar

https://twitter.com/AnnasINK123

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charge-Through-The-Year-2015-Wall-Calendar

https://www.facebook.com/AnnasINK123

 

Priceless Patience

I've started the process of creating the 2015 edition of CHARGE Through The Year calendar.  I'm just sitting here waiting for a burst of creative inspiration to take over.  This is the time of the day where my yawning starts and I'm starting to feel tired. So, instead of throwing some images on a page that I'll likely hate... I spend time with the blog instead.

 

Yesterday, I filmed Andi with a new iPad app I recently downloaded called, Sight Words.  It's like electronic flash cards.  It put up a word and Andi read each word.  She did amazing through 5 levels of words.  It blows my mind how many words she can read.  It's awesome.  So, we're going to work on her reading more sentences. Yesterday, we also worked on tracing numbers.  Well, we did '1'.  She needs a lot of work on her hand/eye coordination as far as control.  She can't seem to do an up/down stroke very well.  Also, I've noticed that she does not show favoritism to one hand or the other.  We're going to watch that and let her decide which hand she favors.

 

As for me, I'm still trying to find full-time work.  I've met with several recruiters.  I've had a few opportunities but had to pass them up.  One was a totally ideal 2-day temp job making a tri-fold brochure, but I didn't have daycare for Andi and by the time I paid for that, plus drove, the job wouldn't have been worth it.  The other opportunity was only part-time work, and again, it just wasn't enough to justify the daycare and commuting expense.  I know something is coming, but having to be patient is sometimes tough on the ego.

 

We are taking one last mini-break before Daddy Bean's work gets extra crazy and Andi goes back to school.  Poppa & Ginga are going to take Andi for a few days, while Daddy Bean and I are going to escape to New Orleans, and some beach we haven't yet secured.  Neither of us were really in a New Orleans mood, but the cost to stay there is way cheaper than trying to park our butts on the beach for a few more days.  I guess everyone is trying to get to the beach before school starts back.  It's making finding an affordable (tolerable) room a bit of a chore.  Late next week, Andi is going to do a few trial half-days at the daycare facility.  The thought is when I find a job, Andi will start being dropped off at the daycare attached to Daddy Bean's building, and stay there until he gets off work.  Our roles are going to change drastically.   We've talked about it, but I still hope he's prepared for how different things are going to be.  I will likely get Andi up and put her on the bus.  And then Daddy Bean will be responsible for everything else:  dinner, baths, Dr. & Therapy appointments, bedtime, etc.  I am very excited to have my own sense of self back after being just "Andi's Mom" for the past four years.  While I will still be "Andi's Mom", I will have my own identity outside of that to embrace and explore.  YIPPIE!  We're so tight now, I wonder if and how this will change our relationship, our dynamic.  I do worry about what I will miss, having been the first to witness most of her accomplishments.  But, it will be very nice to be able to treat myself to a mani-pedi and not feel all that bad about spending a little bit of money on myself.  I'm excited!  Just have to be a bit more patient I think. I hope.