I’m having a hard time really remembering all the things she’s been doing, when it comes time to write about it! As the day progresses, I always think to myself, “oh I need to remember to write that one down, for the blog!” but something always comes up. If you’re a parent, I know you can completely relate.

So the daycare drop-off has been an emotional back and forth. As expected, not a huge deal. Some days she cries, other days she’s happy to get out of the car and walk to the classroom. Today was one of those happy days, where she kept saying “buggy? buggy? outside?” anticipating the routine of riding in the 6-kid buggy ride after snack time. Once we got into the classroom, she sort of clung to me, but I was still able to put her down on her feet, which is a good sign for the drop-off. She went off playing with a puzzle with a couple friends, and I gave her a big kiss goodbye and was able to leave without hearing desperate cries (like we did yesterday). 

So, I made a mistake today. So, because of the blog post, I’d realized I hadn’t taken any suitable pictures for it. This morning I mentioned to one of her teachers, Miss Gabby, that I was going to come back at around 10 AM when they’re playing outside, to take a photo of her without her noticing me. I was sneaking around, crouched between slats of the fence, peering over while she was focusing on painting… I felt like the Jia Paparazzi! I successfully snapped a few photos of her painting (as seen above), but then I thought, “wow, she doesn’t notice me, this is great! I can take just one…more…” (ugh, quit while you’re ahead, Jeni) and then before I could duck down, she turned her head and locked eyes with the camera. No!! The tears started immediately and she cried for me. I felt awful. I couldn’t come inside the play area, because that would be torturous for both of us (more for her this time), so I had to try and talk to her to see if she would show me her painting or if she wanted to play in the water. Nothing was pulling her focus from my impromptu drop-by. I gave her a big kiss on the cheek and said goodbye, and heard her cries as I got into my (hidden, parked) car. Man. Maybe we won’t do that again! Part of me really wants to creep on by during nap time and take a photo of her napping at daycare though.. could I do that today after I write this? She usually falls asleep between noon and 12:20 PM? Hm. Maybe another day. I’ve already upset her for the morning. I guess I didn’t really learn from my mistake so much that stopping by for more pictures is out of the question, huh?

Moving on…

What’s She Doing:

• Taking Nap? Any time she sees a cartoon picture, character in a book, stuffed animal, the dogs, or any human with closed eyes or reclining, she’ll say “Taking nap?” It’s really cute. We went to the pool last weekend and there was a dad/guy who was lounging on a pool chair with 3 young girls around 10 years old, and he was drinking his beers (of course, I mean, who can tolerate watching your kids without a beer, right? Jeff says I’m way too judgy) and wearing some shades. He took a break from his beer and was resting and Jia says loudly (and multiple times, haha) “Taking nap? Sleeping? Taking nap?” Ah. It’s so cute. It’s like she’s making the connection that people, along with herself, need to take naps and rest, so anyone who is resting is doing that too! Same happened when we went to the pool the next day and there was a guy who brings his dog to the pool, while he swims laps. This well-behaved dog lounges on the pool chair and rests, so as Jeff Jia and I got into the pool, Jia notices the doggie “taking nap?” Same goes for her lions, who have closed eyes, or Pluto in her Mickey Mouse Trick or Treat book smiling with closed eyes, or pumpkins with closed eyes drawn on their faces.
• Sentences. Some funny sentences we’ve heard her say:
  • Daddy drinking Mommy water? (she knows my water bottle is the bright pink silicone-wrapped glass bottle, so when Jeff takes a sip, this is what she says)
  • Daddy wear Mommy goggles? (we were at the pool and I brought my goggles out after she’s become fascinated by kids’ goggles, and Jeff put them on)
  • More cheese/milk/grapes/applesauce/tomatoes please
  • Ride pink car please?
  • Hold keys please?
  • Red fire truck, woooooooooo (making fire truck siren sound) – we hear fire trucks and ambulances every single day. I know, being in California let’s hope it’s never for a big fire, but we also live 1 block away from a big hospital.
  • Mommy cutting it? (if I’m cutting something on the cutting board, like lemons, grapes, whatever)
  • Jia taste it? (she sees something we are eating and wants some)
• In addition to that, she will repeat her plea incessantly if we don’t do what she says:
  • Open pen please, open please open please open please open please! 
  • Open shapes please, shapes please shapes please!
  • And yes – she definitely understands she has to ask “please” haha!
• Buckles her (car seat) chest clip effectively. Not just hit or miss anymore. She even pulls it up, because she knows we tighten her seat belt with the chest clip up to her armpit-level.
• She knows how to blow her nose on command. This is gosh-darn near miraculous! I didn’t know kids could blow their noses this young, but it’s really cool, since you can only suck in so many boogers with the Nose Frida Snot Sucker or wipe that poor nose with Boogie Wipes. She’s been particularly snotty this past week, so her blowing her nose into a tissue (that we hold) is really awesome.
• Words (that I can remember)
  • Mommy/daddy/Jia sunglasses
  • boogies (boogers)
  • ghost
  • hungry
  • falafel (this may or may not be delivered as a hodgepodge of sounds)
  • playground
  • beetle
  • spider & spider cupcakes (Mickey’s Trick or Treat book)
  • punkin, smiley face punkin

From Me:

Short run-down – I have been pining over this case manager job at a company my nursing school friend works for, after having a really good interview with the local branch manager in early September. She told me that from one week to the next she could have openings, and that she was keeping me in mind for when something opens. This sounds really optimistic, but as the weeks have gone by, it’s been gnawing away at my mind to get some sort of nursing job to help supplement our one-income and to keep my clinical skills current.

So, I called up a couple local outpatient surgery centers and stopped in for an in-person meeting with one of the clinical coordinators. I got the job offer the very next morning (per diem – as needed – not part-time or full-time) with a semi-guarantee of two days per week, 8 hours a day. The surgery center does a whole variety of procedures from orthopedic reconstruction, to gynecological surgeries, to cataract repair, and plastic surgery. I would be working in pre-op (6 AM start time) and PACU (recovery). The place is so clean, the people seem very nice, and the location is ideal. It’s on the way to Jia’s daycare and is about 1 mile from our apartment, so picking her up in the evenings will be easier than leaving from home. With a 6 AM start time, I’m likely to be out by 3 PM. I’m only working per diem right now, because one of the nurses wanted to pick up more hours, so until a few contracts with hospitals and physicians go through, this is what is available. It’s good enough though, after taking plenty of time off from bedside nursing, 2 days a week is comfortable for me! It allows a lot of flexibility with Jia and my regular day-to-day, and I’ll get slowly acclimated back into the workforce. As a mom, what could be better than being able to work + having some time to get dinner or groceries taken care of before daycare pickup? 

The drug screening and physical exam are all complete, and after the center receives those results, I think scheduling orientation is our next step. It’ll be nice to don scrubs once again and to feel like I’m contributing to society, haha. 

Some Pictures from the Week:

Jia laughing at Daddy wearing Mommy’s sunglasses

Goggles!

Ride pink car? Sunglasses?

It was a hot day, so I was fine with her in just a diaper, but Jeff insisted on putting a shirt on her for her “ride pink car.” Good thing, because she wanted to go to the playground!

Those little eyes spotted me… and here is where it started