Funny Girl

A few of the funny things that Josie is doing right now that I *really* don't want to forget:

1. Sometimes when she was fussing or crying in the past, I would fake laugh to show her that whining wasn't necessary or to distract her. She picked that up, and fake laughs at me all the time now. Most of the time, it makes me and everyone else around us laugh too, so we get the real laugh out of her shortly after. It really is hilarious. It sounds like she's half coughing half laughing.

2. Some of the words she's been saying come from nowhere. For example, we were at the cornfield with my mom and while she was picking corn, we were just playing in the dirt and grass. Josie looked up and said "trckta" and when I looked in the same direction, there was a tractor. How does she know what that is?? I checked with her other grandparents and they really haven't been teaching it to her either. She's good too, because she noticed one in a book a couple of days later. The other word that she threw out there yesterday was "water" when in the bath. I never say it, I always just say "bath" but she figured it out!

3. I've been working on getting her to communicate "more" if she wants more, and it is the funniest cutest thing. She focuses really hard and starts with the mmm sound so it sounds like "mmmmmmmoo?" I added the question mark because she always says it with a question since that is the way I say it to her when I am asking her to say it. She doesn't say it every time, but she has definitely figured out what it means! Next up, I would love it if she learned "please".

4. She's determined to walk down steps like a big girl but her tiny legs just can't stretch that far, so she now knows that if she just waits a second for me to come and help her, I'll hold her hand and she can basically fall down each step without actually falling over. She stands at the top and just grins at me with her hands up in anticipation. Then once we've reached the bottom, she looks at me like "yeah I did that!" and proudly walks ahead of me to wherever we are going. I'm thankful that she is learning to follow my direction and walk on her own, but she's not even 14 months yet! I don't need her to be such a big girl so soon...

5. She has two bottom teeth and two top teeth, and she's figured out how to use them to the max by nibbling on foods instead of gumming it up. I no longer have to break up her bread or crackers. Now I just hand it to her and she nibbles away. She also grins with a huge toothy smile at me afterwards because she knows its a "big girl" thing. She likes to "eat" apples and corn on the cob because she can nibble until her heart's content. The combo of her eating these huge foods and grinning with all her teeth showing really will melt a heart.

That's all I can think of for now. Hope you smiled at least once!

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Hard for me too

I had my first student quit piano lessons today because she didn't like it. She was crying and her dad made her tell me why. It was so hard for me to hear too because it made me feel like a failure. The saddest thing is that she never gave me any clues that she didn't like it and she was doing so well. My heart hurt a little as I watched her walk away, knowing that she probably won't do anything else in music. I truly hope that it wasn't something I did or said directly that turned her away from piano.

I knew it would happen, it is bound to happen, but I still feel bad. Sure, I'm getting more students as I go and some of my other students obviously love piano, but it's hard to not take it personally when someone doesn't like something that I love.

Here's hoping that is the only student I lose over the next couple of months! My heart can't take any more for a while.

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Wednesday words

1. Playing piano again is like reconnecting with an old friend. As I'm playing songs I rehearsed in high school, private lessons, and college, different images flash through my mind and I'm reminded of so many different friends and places as I practice. My rusty fingers are finally starting to loosen up and I can honestly say that just from practicing (ridiculously hard) the last two weeks, I think I am at a better place than I was when I was in school for it full-time (yes, I went to school for music with a scholarship and emphasis in piano. Little detail that I bet you didn't know!). Music that used to be frustrating and too hard has seemed a little easier and the "hard parts" in my old favorites aren't nearly as hard. What a relief! It is especially important to me as I just started teaching lessons again and was nervous that I had lost what I had and wasn't capable of being a "good teacher". By the way? My brain is back on track and I'm loving it more than I thought I would. Thank you God.

2. Craigslist. I have a love/hate relationship with it. I put something on there to sell and had three people interested right away. That's great, except that the first person who was so interested just quit emailing me back. So I moved on to the next person. I better hear back from this person or I'm going to be ticked that I missed the opportunity to sell it to her in the first place. Why can't people just have some courtesy? Email saying "not interested anymore". It's not hard... It's the same the other way too. If I'm interested in something, I usually ask if it is still for sale before inquiring with more questions. Sometimes I get answers, but there are a lot of times that I hear nothing. Really? It's still posted... it still appears to be for sale. That's not my fault, so a simple yes/no would do. 

That stuff aside, I do love it. The opportunity to sell something I never ever used for the same price or more that I paid for it? LOVE THAT. Finding stuff that is overpriced when full price and hardly used? LOVE THAT. There are definitely perks to go with the downfalls.

3. Waking up in the morning has been interesting. Hubby is gone so early most days, which is hard on him but generally has given him a stronger work ethic and full days of work. Sometimes, though, his wake time is later. Not late enough that it is when I would wake up, but late enough that Jo is in her lighter sleep phase so is woken up by his steps and movements. It is so frustrating! On one hand I am thankful that hubby got to sleep in a little and know that his body needs it. On the other hand, I have to deal with a crabby baby all day. 

4. I got my workout DVD in the mail yesterday! Along with a bible study book that I was excitedly waiting for and a new vacuum filter. I looove mail days like that. So many things to look forward to. I will be sure to update you after some serious prenatal pilates. The yoga has been good but I'm ready to mix it up (already...after two days). 

5. I'm too hungry and pictureless to keep going. Happy Wednesday everyone!



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6 Things this lovely Monday Morning

1. I found website (www.doyogawithme.com) that has free videos to watch. They even have three prenatal workouts (morning, afternoon, and evening) so I did the morning workout today. This was me:

Except even cooler and with my beautiful living room scenery instead of Victoria, British Columbia (now I want to go there. Seriously beautiful). I have to say that although I'd probably skip the intro because I don't need to think about my mom being pregnant every single time I do do this, it was nice to think about this time. :) Thanks, Mom, for having me. :)

2. I spent the weekend at the lake and had a grand old time with family and going to a rodeo. I did manage to get my camera out once, and this is what I have to show for it. Impressive right?

Upper left - my poor bored to death at the lake 15 yr old cousin and his friend who were great sports for not really being "rodeo" people, bottom left - my sissy and I, bottom right - hubby and I, main picture - our view... from the ground because we were sitting on a hill instead of on our not so comfy chairs

The rest of the weekend was filled with way too much food (seriously, gluttonous over here. Twas gross) and intense lower back pain. I alternated between different positions on the hammock, ground, couch, and bed while adding in a heating pad here and there. I guess the only thing that really helped was sleeping in my own bed last night. Oh, and hubby's back rub... that helped too. Those are necessities when I am pregnant (who am I kidding, even when I'm not!)

3. This week is full of lessons and practicing for piano for a wedding that is on Saturday. I get to play piano for the ceremony which means these little fingers have been hittin' the gym lately aka tickling the ivories. I finally feel like I can play for more than 30 minutes without them getting pathetically tired and lazy. That's a good thing! 

4. I have so many things I am waiting for from Amazon.com... vacuum filters (highlight of my week, what?), workout videos, chargers for our phones (yes, we have to share one for each of our phones and my tablet because we keep breaking them. Then we leave one at the lake and break my car charger. Thank you, sister, for sharing her car charger to get us through til our new just ordered chargers show up), bible study books. It's a fun week of mail-getting at the Deyle home.

5. The weather this week is supposed to be gorgeous. Like high of 70-80 and partly cloudy but still some sun. It's my favorite week of summer thus far. My dear father calls it sweatshirt/shorts weather. We looove that combo. Although personally, my fave is the sweatshirt/capri combo since really shorts are only taken out for emergency high temp scenarios 'round here.

6. There are almost no sweets in my house and a TON of veggies and soon to be fruits after I grocery shop today. Operation stop gaining so much weight/no more room in my belly for huge meals and sugar has started.

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