...of being pregnant!
Extreme hip pain at night
Leg cramps that wake you up in the worst way possible
Waking up every time you move because it's so stinkin' uncomfortable to turn
No sleep
People telling you how miserable you look (gee, thanks!)
Worries about if your baby is still breech
Not fitting into any of your clothes (even maternity!)
Needing new shoes that slip on b/c you can't bend over to tie anymore
Did I mention lack of sleep???
Spending all your planning time at work prepping for your maternity leave rather than grading the piles of papers cluttering up your desk
Stretch marks
Waking up in the middle of the night to use the restroom
Swelling
But there are wonderful things as well...
Feeling your daughter move around inside you
Seeing her move around inside you
Hiccups
Ultrasounds that give you a peek inside the mysterious wonders of pregnancy
Not feeling guilty about eating that donut at church every Sunday
Dreaming about what she will look like
Thinking about the joys she will bring to your family
Knowing that this is the only time in your life when gaining weight is acceptable
Anticipation of her arrival into the world
The list may be shorter, but it definitely outweighs the first :-)
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Heart
I realize I never updated about Layla's 2-D echo. She did very well through the procedure, falling asleep ended up being a much easier task than I had thought. However, when they got to the final views that could only be gotten by having her head tilted back and the sonogram stick thingy up under her neck, she woke up and was not a happy camper...at all! Needless to say, there were really no pictures done from this angle. We were crossing our fingers that this didn't mean we'd have to come back another day and try again. We didn't. Turns out her heart is perfectly normal!! Praise God.
Now if only I would have thought to ask the doctor if we could come back in a week to see if she still hears the murmur before scheduling such a procedure, life would have been a lot less stressful. Of course, had I done that, and the doctor been willing, and then we find out that there were issues with her heart I would have felt rather guilty holding off. I guess it's better to err on the side of caution, right?
I still think it was something with her lungs :-)
Now if only I would have thought to ask the doctor if we could come back in a week to see if she still hears the murmur before scheduling such a procedure, life would have been a lot less stressful. Of course, had I done that, and the doctor been willing, and then we find out that there were issues with her heart I would have felt rather guilty holding off. I guess it's better to err on the side of caution, right?
I still think it was something with her lungs :-)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Saga Continues
Layla's 18-month appointment was today. Or at least I thought it was today. After an hour in the waiting room and seeing 2 families that arrived after us get called in before us, I went to the check-in and asked how much longer we had. That's when I was informed that her appointment was actually yesterday! I honestly don't know how I got mixed up because I vividly remember putting the date into my phone calendar while standing at the desk 2 months ago when scheduling the appointment. Regardless, the lady apologized for missing that bit of info (HELLO, we checked in the moment we arrived!) and we finally saw the doctor 1.5 hours after arrival.
Jeremy and I were hoping for a minimum of 21 pounds with 22 pounds being the actual goal. Unfortunately, the scale read a mere 20.5 pounds. She has grown about an inch and a half, and her head has grown a centimeter. So it's not all frowns. Just a quick side note on the height growth...I'm pretty sure the last time they measured they were off, or the Dr. in Indy was off, because she showed a shrinkage between those two visits (if memory serves me correctly). So the 1.5 inches might not be exactly accurate, but I do feel she is taller regardless.
The doctor was extremely impressed with Layla's vocabulary!! She kept saying how she is way ahead of what is expected of an 18-month old in this area. Yay, Layla!! She was also thoroughly impressed with Layla's knowledge of all her body parts (right down to her neck, chin and difference between her hands and fingers)! She asked us if we were teaching her all this and our only response was that she truly just picks up on these things very quickly. I just happened to ask her a couple of days ago where her back was (never having mentioned it to her or pointed it out to her before) and much to my surprise she pointed it out immediately...and mom's and dad's which she has to do for everything.
The doctor also couldn't believe how active Layla was during the appointment. She was constantly going from one part of the room to the next, playing around with us and the doctor. I should add here that I was very happy with how well Layla stayed entertained and well-behaved during our extremely long wait in the lobby. *Knock on wood*
But the title of this post is "The Saga Continues" and we wouldn't be talking about Layla if yet another health issue didn't arise.
While the doctor was listening with her stethoscope (which Layla did EXCEPTIONAL with this time...remaining oh so still with her cute little ankles crossed at the foot of the bed) she turned and asked me if we had ever had a "2-D echo." My initial reaction was, "a what?" which I think answered the doctor's question for her. :-) She then went back to listening. And then question actually registered in my head...she was asking if we'd ever had any issues with her heart. As she continued to listen my head started reeling.
I attempted to pause any unnecessary thoughts by assuming she was actually hearing wheezing (Layla has had quite a cough for a week or so). However, this assumption was thwarted when she stopped her listening and turned to say "her chest sounds very clear."
You know how thoughts can pass through your mind in the split of a second and all at the exact moment? That's what happened at this point in time.
Are you sure it's clear? She's had such a cough lately. I hear & feel her chest rattling when I have my hands around her core. If you're saying the chest is clear, then you truly were listening to her heart. What's wrong? What did you hear? Why were you taking such a long time listening to her chest...you've never done that before...
She turns and states that she believes she hears a slight murmur with Layla's heart. Outside I remain rather calm, inside I'm...well I don't even know what I was inside - but there was a definite difference between the two parts of me - as if I could have been two separate people standing there.
She then goes on to tell us not to worry. She didn't hear any sort of blaring murmur that screamed of any type of immediate attention. Just something ever so slight that she wants to get checked out with an ultrasound.
I'm pretty sure she spat out several names for murmurs, or several types. Either I wasn't able to listen because my head was still trying to grasp this bit of news or she stopped and didn't really elaborate any more because I don't recall her telling us what she feels it might be. I do know she began saying that "it could be something that you or I..." and then she stopped. In my head I finished the sentence for her "could have once had and outgrew." I'm not sure why she stopped...I think it's because Layla was beginning to get very antsy/fussy and was tossing around the tissue paper they use to cover the beds with which was quite loud and distracting.
She just stated again for us not to worry.
And that's where we currently stand. We're waiting to get a call to see when our scheduled "2-D echo" is...it will be sometime this week or next.
A part of me still hopes that she was just hearing something with Layla's lungs - I went in expecting to hear this...I'm used to lung issues and can handle them. But she's a doctor...she listens to many lungs and hearts every day. I'm sure she knows the difference between lung gunk and heart murmurs.
Jeremy and I were hoping for a minimum of 21 pounds with 22 pounds being the actual goal. Unfortunately, the scale read a mere 20.5 pounds. She has grown about an inch and a half, and her head has grown a centimeter. So it's not all frowns. Just a quick side note on the height growth...I'm pretty sure the last time they measured they were off, or the Dr. in Indy was off, because she showed a shrinkage between those two visits (if memory serves me correctly). So the 1.5 inches might not be exactly accurate, but I do feel she is taller regardless.
The doctor was extremely impressed with Layla's vocabulary!! She kept saying how she is way ahead of what is expected of an 18-month old in this area. Yay, Layla!! She was also thoroughly impressed with Layla's knowledge of all her body parts (right down to her neck, chin and difference between her hands and fingers)! She asked us if we were teaching her all this and our only response was that she truly just picks up on these things very quickly. I just happened to ask her a couple of days ago where her back was (never having mentioned it to her or pointed it out to her before) and much to my surprise she pointed it out immediately...and mom's and dad's which she has to do for everything.
The doctor also couldn't believe how active Layla was during the appointment. She was constantly going from one part of the room to the next, playing around with us and the doctor. I should add here that I was very happy with how well Layla stayed entertained and well-behaved during our extremely long wait in the lobby. *Knock on wood*
But the title of this post is "The Saga Continues" and we wouldn't be talking about Layla if yet another health issue didn't arise.
While the doctor was listening with her stethoscope (which Layla did EXCEPTIONAL with this time...remaining oh so still with her cute little ankles crossed at the foot of the bed) she turned and asked me if we had ever had a "2-D echo." My initial reaction was, "a what?" which I think answered the doctor's question for her. :-) She then went back to listening. And then question actually registered in my head...she was asking if we'd ever had any issues with her heart. As she continued to listen my head started reeling.
I attempted to pause any unnecessary thoughts by assuming she was actually hearing wheezing (Layla has had quite a cough for a week or so). However, this assumption was thwarted when she stopped her listening and turned to say "her chest sounds very clear."
You know how thoughts can pass through your mind in the split of a second and all at the exact moment? That's what happened at this point in time.
Are you sure it's clear? She's had such a cough lately. I hear & feel her chest rattling when I have my hands around her core. If you're saying the chest is clear, then you truly were listening to her heart. What's wrong? What did you hear? Why were you taking such a long time listening to her chest...you've never done that before...
She turns and states that she believes she hears a slight murmur with Layla's heart. Outside I remain rather calm, inside I'm...well I don't even know what I was inside - but there was a definite difference between the two parts of me - as if I could have been two separate people standing there.
She then goes on to tell us not to worry. She didn't hear any sort of blaring murmur that screamed of any type of immediate attention. Just something ever so slight that she wants to get checked out with an ultrasound.
I'm pretty sure she spat out several names for murmurs, or several types. Either I wasn't able to listen because my head was still trying to grasp this bit of news or she stopped and didn't really elaborate any more because I don't recall her telling us what she feels it might be. I do know she began saying that "it could be something that you or I..." and then she stopped. In my head I finished the sentence for her "could have once had and outgrew." I'm not sure why she stopped...I think it's because Layla was beginning to get very antsy/fussy and was tossing around the tissue paper they use to cover the beds with which was quite loud and distracting.
She just stated again for us not to worry.
And that's where we currently stand. We're waiting to get a call to see when our scheduled "2-D echo" is...it will be sometime this week or next.
A part of me still hopes that she was just hearing something with Layla's lungs - I went in expecting to hear this...I'm used to lung issues and can handle them. But she's a doctor...she listens to many lungs and hearts every day. I'm sure she knows the difference between lung gunk and heart murmurs.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Learning & Growing
Layla loves to throw things away. She actually gets mad (nearing quite a fit) when I throw something away and not her. Most any paper item that she can get her hands on gets crumpled up and then she looks up to me and says, "away!" Dirty diapers are now her responsibility - an undertaking she has voluntarily taken upon herself. I have to admit, it is quite cute hearing her walk around saying, "away - away" :-)
She has also takin' a liking to the word yellow. If you ask her what color something is, her response is always "yellow" - putting the emphasis on "-ow". She gets her mouth so cute and round :-) She is also very good at saying "purple" - the ladies at day care even commented on it. She doesn't put the endings on other colors such as red and green. My guess is it's a consonant thing. It's interesting that the words she prefers are seemingly harder words. I think she just enjoys making the "l" sound.
We have added some new animal sounds to the list as well. Elephant, monkey, frog, owl, and bee are the ones I can think of at the moment. The elephant is the cutest to witness, but I think the frog is the cutest to hear.
Kisses are abundant! She puckers out her bottom lip and leans forward. Too cute!! She especially loves to give them before going to bed or down for a nap - I think it's a bit of a stall tactic :-)
Climbing is a favorite past time. She is often sitting on the back of the couch, much like a cat. Just today I found her on the bench in the dining room. I am a bit perplexed at how she got up there b/c it's higher than other things she's gotten on to and there was nothing around to assist her.
She enjoys pointing out things that are mine ("momma") or Jeremy's ("dadda"). She will repeat our names over and over and over until we acknowledge that we have heard her. She also says her name surprisingly well.
In response to the question "How old are you?" she holds up her right pointer finger - but it's always right next to her nose and angled just slightly. I'll have to get a picture and post it.
She pats my belly and says "baby." However, I don't truly think she understands. She clearly says both "baby" and "belly" so it's not an issue of miscommunication. It's interesting to hear...I wish I could know what's going on in her mind. She sometimes pats too hard and I tell her to "be nice" and she she'll then start rubbing my belly. :-) Hopefully I'm not confusing her by saying "there's a baby in my belly"...maybe she's beginning to associate all bellies with babies - or thinking she's had the word wrong in the past and now only calls it "baby." Yikes! That'd be embarrassing...have her walk up to someone, touch their belly and say "baby" - haha!
We transitioned her to big-girl baths over the summer rather than sitting in her infant/toddler tub. At first she refused to sit...but she got over that and loves bath time even more than she did before! I bought a skid-resistant mat that's a piece of junk!! It's got no fewer than 20 little suction cups (**update: I just counted 50!!!)that won't stay down...so the mat is constantly floating up. I'm so annoyed!!! However, I'll hold out until we get into a new house and she has a bathroom of her own that we can put down some of those more permanent skid-sticker things on the bottom of the tub.
*Update: I forgot to mention that one of her canine teeth has officially poked through...just waiting on the other 3 to follow suit. It won't be long until my baby girl has 16 teeth!
Things aren't all mushy and happy, though. She still throws tantrums...mostly when I won't pick her up (b/c I'm busy attempting to clean, cook dinner or do something other than giver her all my attention). She learned quickly that she must say "up" and "please" before I will stop what I'm doing to hold her. Of course the words now come through crying...we'll have to work on her calming down before being picked up, but for now I'm happy that she's using her words.
She's also still into hitting. It hasn't seemed to be an issue at daycare, though - so that's a plus. Time-outs haven't been as effective. I have simply been restraining her hands and holding her in my lap. The last few times she actually seemed to enjoy being in my lap. I've tried out a corner in the house the last 2 times - the first time was a success (in that she did not enjoy it at all)...but just today she sat there almost happy - maybe b/c I sit right there in front of her making sure she doesn't get up. But the interesting thing is, after time was up and she said sorry, she walked right to the mirror and hit herself via the mirror. I asked her if she needed another time out and she walked right to the corner and sat!! Apparently this isn't that effective, either. It's going to remain our time-out spot until I can think of another option. She has learned that hitting mom & dad is usually what ends her up in time-out...so she has resorted to hitting herself. Ugh! I can't wait until she comes up with better ways to vent her frustrations.
Looking mom in the eyes while I tell her that a specific action is a no-no is becoming more and more difficult for her to do. It's amazing how quickly kids learn that it's not easy to look mom in the eyes and admit you were wrong. We have had time-outs last longer than they should simply b/c she refuses to say "sorry." Oiy!
She has also takin' a liking to the word yellow. If you ask her what color something is, her response is always "yellow" - putting the emphasis on "-ow". She gets her mouth so cute and round :-) She is also very good at saying "purple" - the ladies at day care even commented on it. She doesn't put the endings on other colors such as red and green. My guess is it's a consonant thing. It's interesting that the words she prefers are seemingly harder words. I think she just enjoys making the "l" sound.
We have added some new animal sounds to the list as well. Elephant, monkey, frog, owl, and bee are the ones I can think of at the moment. The elephant is the cutest to witness, but I think the frog is the cutest to hear.
Kisses are abundant! She puckers out her bottom lip and leans forward. Too cute!! She especially loves to give them before going to bed or down for a nap - I think it's a bit of a stall tactic :-)
Climbing is a favorite past time. She is often sitting on the back of the couch, much like a cat. Just today I found her on the bench in the dining room. I am a bit perplexed at how she got up there b/c it's higher than other things she's gotten on to and there was nothing around to assist her.
She enjoys pointing out things that are mine ("momma") or Jeremy's ("dadda"). She will repeat our names over and over and over until we acknowledge that we have heard her. She also says her name surprisingly well.
In response to the question "How old are you?" she holds up her right pointer finger - but it's always right next to her nose and angled just slightly. I'll have to get a picture and post it.
She pats my belly and says "baby." However, I don't truly think she understands. She clearly says both "baby" and "belly" so it's not an issue of miscommunication. It's interesting to hear...I wish I could know what's going on in her mind. She sometimes pats too hard and I tell her to "be nice" and she she'll then start rubbing my belly. :-) Hopefully I'm not confusing her by saying "there's a baby in my belly"...maybe she's beginning to associate all bellies with babies - or thinking she's had the word wrong in the past and now only calls it "baby." Yikes! That'd be embarrassing...have her walk up to someone, touch their belly and say "baby" - haha!
We transitioned her to big-girl baths over the summer rather than sitting in her infant/toddler tub. At first she refused to sit...but she got over that and loves bath time even more than she did before! I bought a skid-resistant mat that's a piece of junk!! It's got no fewer than 20 little suction cups (**update: I just counted 50!!!)that won't stay down...so the mat is constantly floating up. I'm so annoyed!!! However, I'll hold out until we get into a new house and she has a bathroom of her own that we can put down some of those more permanent skid-sticker things on the bottom of the tub.
*Update: I forgot to mention that one of her canine teeth has officially poked through...just waiting on the other 3 to follow suit. It won't be long until my baby girl has 16 teeth!
Things aren't all mushy and happy, though. She still throws tantrums...mostly when I won't pick her up (b/c I'm busy attempting to clean, cook dinner or do something other than giver her all my attention). She learned quickly that she must say "up" and "please" before I will stop what I'm doing to hold her. Of course the words now come through crying...we'll have to work on her calming down before being picked up, but for now I'm happy that she's using her words.
She's also still into hitting. It hasn't seemed to be an issue at daycare, though - so that's a plus. Time-outs haven't been as effective. I have simply been restraining her hands and holding her in my lap. The last few times she actually seemed to enjoy being in my lap. I've tried out a corner in the house the last 2 times - the first time was a success (in that she did not enjoy it at all)...but just today she sat there almost happy - maybe b/c I sit right there in front of her making sure she doesn't get up. But the interesting thing is, after time was up and she said sorry, she walked right to the mirror and hit herself via the mirror. I asked her if she needed another time out and she walked right to the corner and sat!! Apparently this isn't that effective, either. It's going to remain our time-out spot until I can think of another option. She has learned that hitting mom & dad is usually what ends her up in time-out...so she has resorted to hitting herself. Ugh! I can't wait until she comes up with better ways to vent her frustrations.
Looking mom in the eyes while I tell her that a specific action is a no-no is becoming more and more difficult for her to do. It's amazing how quickly kids learn that it's not easy to look mom in the eyes and admit you were wrong. We have had time-outs last longer than they should simply b/c she refuses to say "sorry." Oiy!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Lessons Learned in Yardwork
1.) Invest in knee pads, especially when having to kneel on/over concrete (ouch!).
2.) Being ambidextrous would come in quite handy - evening out the playing field for your arms
3.) Ensure that the hole is indeed deep enough for your plant. The first hole I dug wasn't and I knew immediately upon placing in the plant that it probably wasn't going to make it (despite my best efforts to remedy the problem). Here it is just 2 days later :-(
4.) You can in fact trim a tree with just a bow saw, ladder and 2 people (one sawing and one pulling the branches down). Gloves help tremendously for the one holding the branches down.
5.) Know your neighbors - they just might have the tool you need. Thanks for the saw, Clara!
6.) A weed-eater that turns 90 degrees does wonders for trimming the edges of your sidewalk.
7.) Two flats of impatiens go a long way!
8.) A sprinkler system would be amazing! I fear I will soon slack in my watering and kill all my hard work :-/
9.) It is all quite enjoyable - it's nice to be outside in the dirt every now and then :-)
2.) Being ambidextrous would come in quite handy - evening out the playing field for your arms
3.) Ensure that the hole is indeed deep enough for your plant. The first hole I dug wasn't and I knew immediately upon placing in the plant that it probably wasn't going to make it (despite my best efforts to remedy the problem). Here it is just 2 days later :-(
4.) You can in fact trim a tree with just a bow saw, ladder and 2 people (one sawing and one pulling the branches down). Gloves help tremendously for the one holding the branches down.
5.) Know your neighbors - they just might have the tool you need. Thanks for the saw, Clara!
6.) A weed-eater that turns 90 degrees does wonders for trimming the edges of your sidewalk.
7.) Two flats of impatiens go a long way!
8.) A sprinkler system would be amazing! I fear I will soon slack in my watering and kill all my hard work :-/
9.) It is all quite enjoyable - it's nice to be outside in the dirt every now and then :-)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Chatter-box
Miss Layla has become quite the chatter-box. She has always been a talker, but these last two weeks she has really stepped it up.
She's mimicking what we say. New words have been added to her vocabulary in just a short amount of time.
She jabbers ALL the time!
She has always liked "talking" on her cell phone...which simply consisted of holding it up to her ear (head tilted slightly) and saying "hi."
Now she walks around with her phone carrying on a conversation in her own little language. If only I had a video to show.
She will say something and look up at me as if I should understand what she just said. Talking to us (and herself) has become quite the norm.
It's actually nice as she will entertain herself a bit better now...reading a book and talking away.
She is currently talking to herself in the mirror on the closet door
Some of her new words are: all done, apple, nana, pappaw, hat, eye, nose, mouth, toe, wow, whoa. Add these to her other list of words and she's developing quite a vocabulary.
She says more in a mimicking fashion ("say ____")...but if you were to hear them outside of that context, you probably couldn't make out what she's saying.
She knows some animal sounds (dog, cat, cow, sheep, snake, and duck sort-of).
She can point to all her body parts (head, ears, nose, mouth, eyes, hands, arms, feet, toes, knees, belly). She prefers to point out the parts of others, though.
If you open a book and ask her to find various items she will point to them (i.e. cloud, flower, mouse, fish, lots of animals).
I am just amazed at how much she learns every day.
Might we have a little girl who will be one of those kids that just never stops talking??? Lord, let me think it's as cute then as it is now. :-)
She's mimicking what we say. New words have been added to her vocabulary in just a short amount of time.
She jabbers ALL the time!
She has always liked "talking" on her cell phone...which simply consisted of holding it up to her ear (head tilted slightly) and saying "hi."
Now she walks around with her phone carrying on a conversation in her own little language. If only I had a video to show.
She will say something and look up at me as if I should understand what she just said. Talking to us (and herself) has become quite the norm.
It's actually nice as she will entertain herself a bit better now...reading a book and talking away.
She is currently talking to herself in the mirror on the closet door
Some of her new words are: all done, apple, nana, pappaw, hat, eye, nose, mouth, toe, wow, whoa. Add these to her other list of words and she's developing quite a vocabulary.
She says more in a mimicking fashion ("say ____")...but if you were to hear them outside of that context, you probably couldn't make out what she's saying.
She knows some animal sounds (dog, cat, cow, sheep, snake, and duck sort-of).
She can point to all her body parts (head, ears, nose, mouth, eyes, hands, arms, feet, toes, knees, belly). She prefers to point out the parts of others, though.
If you open a book and ask her to find various items she will point to them (i.e. cloud, flower, mouse, fish, lots of animals).
I am just amazed at how much she learns every day.
Might we have a little girl who will be one of those kids that just never stops talking??? Lord, let me think it's as cute then as it is now. :-)
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Vitamins, Shadows, & Chess
I have been completely awful about taking my prenatal vitamins with this pregnancy. I wasn't the greatest with Layla, but this is just ridiculous. I *maybe* have taken a grand total of 2 weeks worth of vitamins :-/ Jeremy teases that our child is going to have a third arm. He said this with Layla and I just laughed it off...but this go-around I have quite a bit more guilt and truly hope I haven't affected this baby in a negative way with my lack of proper nutrient/vitamin consumption.
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Several weeks ago Layla found her shadow for the first time. It was so stinkin' cute to watch! It kept her occupied for 7-10 minutes and had me laughing the entire time. She would run over where she could see it in front of her and do several things. She first "ooo-oooo-ooooed" in perfect Layla fashion while looking back and forth from her shadow to me. She would bend down in an attempt to touch it and/or pick it up. She waved her arms around while watching her shadow do the same thing. She waved her head back and forth. But the cutest part of it all was her side-stepping over to me to get away from it...keeping an eye on her shadow and watching in wonderment/amazement/confusion (I don't know?) as it followed her right along. She would then give up and run right to me and turn around to see that her shadow had disappeared. She would run back over to the foyer (where she could see it the best) and repeat the process over again. TOO CUTE!!! If only I had a video camera to capture the moment...
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Let me just preface by stating that I have been thinking about this particular blog topic for quite some time...before I even had a blog...and I could possibly go on and on about it, but I'll stick to the main points.
Driving is quite comparable to a chess game. Although I'm not a chess player (I think I've played twice in my life), I know to be good you have to think several steps ahead.
I don't know why I never got into chess because I actually enjoy games with this type of mental requirement. Actually, I'm sure I never got into it solely because it was a game my dad was always wanting to teach me and have me play. Oh how I can wait for those days when Layla chooses to do quite the opposite of what I suggest/advise.
But I'm getting off topic.
Driving.
I am constantly thinking several steps ahead while driving. Not so much in an effort to prevent accidents (which is how I should be using such mental acuteness), but as a way to get me where I want to go sooner. Looking ahead to see what lane I need to be in...judging this info. not simply on the car in front of me, but the cars 5 or 6 ahead of me. This might require me to go against my initial instinct to switch lanes, but I feel such success when I begin passing those cars in that particular lane.
This also applies to stoplights and stop signs. Depending on the color of the ligt as I begin to approach determines if I continue on to the light or turn sooner to avoid a red light.
With that said, it truly is one of my pet-peeves to be riding with someone who doesn't "play the game" like I do. It's fairly easy for me to bite my tongue when I'm in a car with a friend or acquaintance. However, I have had to do quite a bit of tongue-biting when in the car with my wonderful husband Jeremy.
It really shouldn't bother me so much. I should just enjoy the ride. But I can't help it...it's a game that was ingrained into my being from all the driving back and forth from college my freshman year at ISU. It's just a part of who I am.
This speaks of my natural competitive nature, I think. I have to be doing the best, picking the best options, getting somewhere the fastest way possible, etc. It's a character trait I have been working on over the past several years when it comes to playing actual games with company. I guess some are turned away from a competitive nature...but it's seriously all in fun.
Unless of course you are blatantly not being fair. I have a perfect example of this happening during a game of Monopoly.
But I'm off topic again.
I will continue to play my chess game as I drive. I will most likely continue to predict appropriate moves for the driver as a passenger...but will work on not getting so inwardly frustrated when the driver does not have the same strategy (or no strategy at all) as me.
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Several weeks ago Layla found her shadow for the first time. It was so stinkin' cute to watch! It kept her occupied for 7-10 minutes and had me laughing the entire time. She would run over where she could see it in front of her and do several things. She first "ooo-oooo-ooooed" in perfect Layla fashion while looking back and forth from her shadow to me. She would bend down in an attempt to touch it and/or pick it up. She waved her arms around while watching her shadow do the same thing. She waved her head back and forth. But the cutest part of it all was her side-stepping over to me to get away from it...keeping an eye on her shadow and watching in wonderment/amazement/confusion (I don't know?) as it followed her right along. She would then give up and run right to me and turn around to see that her shadow had disappeared. She would run back over to the foyer (where she could see it the best) and repeat the process over again. TOO CUTE!!! If only I had a video camera to capture the moment...
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Let me just preface by stating that I have been thinking about this particular blog topic for quite some time...before I even had a blog...and I could possibly go on and on about it, but I'll stick to the main points.
Driving is quite comparable to a chess game. Although I'm not a chess player (I think I've played twice in my life), I know to be good you have to think several steps ahead.
I don't know why I never got into chess because I actually enjoy games with this type of mental requirement. Actually, I'm sure I never got into it solely because it was a game my dad was always wanting to teach me and have me play. Oh how I can wait for those days when Layla chooses to do quite the opposite of what I suggest/advise.
But I'm getting off topic.
Driving.
I am constantly thinking several steps ahead while driving. Not so much in an effort to prevent accidents (which is how I should be using such mental acuteness), but as a way to get me where I want to go sooner. Looking ahead to see what lane I need to be in...judging this info. not simply on the car in front of me, but the cars 5 or 6 ahead of me. This might require me to go against my initial instinct to switch lanes, but I feel such success when I begin passing those cars in that particular lane.
This also applies to stoplights and stop signs. Depending on the color of the ligt as I begin to approach determines if I continue on to the light or turn sooner to avoid a red light.
With that said, it truly is one of my pet-peeves to be riding with someone who doesn't "play the game" like I do. It's fairly easy for me to bite my tongue when I'm in a car with a friend or acquaintance. However, I have had to do quite a bit of tongue-biting when in the car with my wonderful husband Jeremy.
It really shouldn't bother me so much. I should just enjoy the ride. But I can't help it...it's a game that was ingrained into my being from all the driving back and forth from college my freshman year at ISU. It's just a part of who I am.
This speaks of my natural competitive nature, I think. I have to be doing the best, picking the best options, getting somewhere the fastest way possible, etc. It's a character trait I have been working on over the past several years when it comes to playing actual games with company. I guess some are turned away from a competitive nature...but it's seriously all in fun.
Unless of course you are blatantly not being fair. I have a perfect example of this happening during a game of Monopoly.
But I'm off topic again.
I will continue to play my chess game as I drive. I will most likely continue to predict appropriate moves for the driver as a passenger...but will work on not getting so inwardly frustrated when the driver does not have the same strategy (or no strategy at all) as me.
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