This blog is for my niece Katy. She is almost 5 years old, and I am attempting to write the world from her perspective. She is such a delight, and I am proud to be raising such a joy.
Check out my friends Jeff, Lisa, Kevin, and Becky at B98.5. Also visit ACH for the best doctors in the world.
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Thursday, September 30, 2004
Hello everyone! I had a long afternoon today! But boy did I have fun! I got to play with Rob and Will for 2 hours during soccer practice. That's always fun. Aunt Sherry got smart and brought a blanket to lay on the ground so I can actually have some room to stretch! Rob showed me how to crawl! I know how to do it now, but it just won't quite work yet! I'll get it though! Pretty soon, Aunt Sherry won't be able to keep up with me! Me and Rob had a bunch of people around us looking at us and saying how cute we were when we were holding hands. I guess we've decided to go public! Rob's a nice boy, and I like his mommy too. I could wind up with worse in-laws! After soccer, we headed out to the football stadium. Jon Jon and his band played a bunch of songs. Jon Jon was the biggest kid on the drum line, so he had to carry the big bass drum. That thing was almost as big as him! But they sure did good. They marched onto the field at halftime and played 3 songs. The other team's band got to go first though, and they really were better. Their football team beat us too. The other team's band was actually marching in different formations, and played a lot louder. The had a bunch of kids with the pretty flags and batons too and our band doesn't have any. Jon says that we don't do all the stuff they did until high school. Aunt Sherry says that's because they have a better funded and better directed band program. They always do well at competition. The best part of today was that I stayed awake and happy through the whole soccer/football evening! Some friends of Aunt Sherry and Uncle Jason were sitting behind us, and Mrs. Nancy held me for a while. She kept telling me how sweet I was. I growled at her and it made her laugh. She said I am a ferocious little thing! I was just playing with her, I love to make people smile and laugh! I think she was just playing, I think she knew I wasn't growling because I'm mean, I was growling 'cause I just learned how! I think she knew that, 'cause she laughed every time I did it. Oh boy, time for bed. I'm a tired baby!
I am 7 months old today! Just 5 short months and I get my very own birthday cake! My cousins have been telling me all about holidays. There's halloween coming up, that sounds spooky, then there's Thanksgiving, that sounds like fun! My cousins tell me there is a huge festival in our town every year during the Thanksgiving weekend. These people around here actually celebrate ducks and rice! Can you believe that? Aunt Sherry says people from all over the world come to town for the festival. She said they blow duck calls and try to win the world's championship. But there's also rides, and games, and huge tents with all kinds of arts and crafts, and music and food....yummy! I like food! I wonder if I'll have teeth by then? Then there's Christmas! Wow, does that sound cool! Everybody has a big party and gives each other presents for Jesus' birthday! Aunt Sherry says we have a big tree, and on Thanksgiving night, the whole family gathers around it and listens to Christmas music and decorates the tree. She said it takes about a week to do all the decorating around the house! I can't wait to see that! Then two days after Christmas is my JonJon's birthday, then there's New Years Eve and New Years Day, then comes Valentines day when everybody tells everybody else how much they love them, then guess what's next! MY BIRTHDAY!!! I can't wait! I get my very own cake, everybody is gonna give me presents (I bet I'll be a pro at wrapping paper after Christmas!) Woohoo! I can't wait! Doesn't it sound like fun? All that excitement thinking about my birthday and I almost forgot to tell y'all about my cousins soccer game! Both the teams Aunt Sherry and Uncle Jason coach tied today. But the best part was when I got sleepy. Mrs. Cindy was holding me, and Jon's girlfriends mom took me, wrapped me in a blanket, and snuggled me real close. I was out! She was singing to me, and I just couldn't stay awake! She is so nice. Her little neice lives with her too, just like I live with my Aunt. Isn't that neat! I made new friends!
YAY MAROON! YAY WHITE! YAY RICEBIRDS FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT! I love football games! There's so many people, so many things going on. There's a bunch of kids there, and they all love babies. These pretty girls jump around and shake these shiny things in their hands, then they throw out little Katy size footballs. Uncle Jason nearly had me 3 of them, but he's too slow. The little kids from behind us jumped over Uncle to get them! When I get big like those kids, I'll jump up and get my own! I wonder what they taste like? It was a really good football game too. The other team had the same school colors we do, so it was kinda confusing, but our boys whooped them 27 to 7. Aunt Sherry says our boys were state champions 2 years ago, and barely lost the state championship last year. So far they haven't lost this year. well, it's way past Aunt Sherry's bedtime, so I'll let her go to bed. Talk to y'all later!
This morning, Aunt Sherry and I took Nana to the airport. She got on a plane to go see my Aunt Cathi. She's in the hospital. Something about a new baby, aren't I enough? When we came home from Little Rock, we went to Mrs. Cindy's. Aunty and Mrs. Cindy spent all day canning pear stuff. They made me some baby food and juice, and they made pear jelly (don't tell on us, but Britton gave me a taste, yummy!) and pear butter, and some stuff with pears and cherries. It sure smelled good! I played with Rob and Will for a while, and took a nap. I got to eat some of the baby food, and it was really good too! I smiled real big at Mrs. Cindy and she said "I think she likes it!" Of course I like it, have you seen my thighs? There's nothing I won't eat! Aunt Sherry and Mrs. Cindy took a break to feed us babies, and then it smelled like something burning in the kitchen. Mrs. Cindy handed Rob to Aunty, and he held my hand again. I smiled at him, but I'm kinda shy. He is really cute though with his big blue eyes and blonde hair..... We found out later about Aunt Cathi. She had a baby girl! My new cousin's name is Laila. She is tiny, just 5 pounds. I was bigger than that! But she was early too. So I'm not the baby of the family any more. Oh well, it was good being the baby for 7 months. Can you believe I'm almost 7 months old?
We had a fairly busy weekend. There were 2 soccer games on Saturday. I got to watch Emily's game, then everyone went to Nana and Grandma's to eat lunch in between games. Emily and I decided to hang out with the grandmas while Aunt Sherry and Uncle Jason went to coach another team. On Sunday, I just didn't feel good. My teeth hurt. We went to Sunday School, but I started crying during the class, and we left afterwards. I went to sleep right after we got in the car! I was tired, and the tylenol Aunt Sherry gave me to help my teeth quit hurting made me sleepy! I had a quiet day at home with Aunty today. We played together, and Aunt Sherry finally figured out my favorite game- peek-a-boo! I love it! Aunt Sherry disappears, then all the sudden she's back! How does she do that! It makes me laugh every time!
Today I had to go back to the pediatrician. I have a rash, and the doctor last week said it was yeast, but this week he said it's staph. So I got a new medicine now. Tonight, we went to the football game! Aunt Sherry said that some kids from the other team snuck into the stadium last night and put silly string all over the football field then colored all over the parking lot with chalk. They also made signs and put them up all over our school. Uncle Jason said that was a big mistake 'cause it made our boys mad so they will play harder. Boy did they! We beat that other team 33-0! We were winning 23-0 after the first quarter, so the coach put all the boys in the rest of the game. Uncle Jason said we had such a big lead that all the boys who usually never get to play got to play a bunch tonight! Aunt Sherry said this team was our big rival, and we have beat them for the last 30 years! It was so exciting! I think I like football!
Aunt Sherry and I played outside today. I had to stay on the concrete in my walker. I can't wait till I'm big enough to dig in the dirt with her! It looks like fun! Aunt Sherry played in the dirt and the grass, and planted some stuff. It looked tasty! Later, we went to soccer practice again. I got to play with Rob and Will! I like playing with them. A bunch of kids passed me around like a little baby doll. I managed to grap a couple handfulls of hair!
I had to get 2 shots today! They hurt! I got one in each leg. The nurse said the shots will keep me from getting some really nasty diseases that would make me feel worse than the shots do. The first one didn't hurt, I barely even flinched. But the second shot, boy that hurt! What do they think I am, a pincushion? But I did have some fun this afternoon. The big kids had soccer practice, so Mrs. Cindy watched me. I got to play with Rob! He's such a big boy, he can sit up all by himself. I'm getting better at sitting up. I sit up in the shopping cart at Wal-Mart. Aunt Sherry always buckles the seatbelt around me, and keeps a hand on me in case I get wobbly. But I do really good! Uncle Jason had to coach a second team after our team's practice, so Aunt Sherry sat in the shade with us and shelled peas with Mrs. Cindy while Emily and Britton played with me, Rob, and Will. Tomorrow we might go to Mrs. Cindy's and help her put up pears. I like pears, but I don't know why they're gonna put them up! I want them down where I can reach them! I am so frustrated about something! The big kids get to drink out of cups with straws. They get this really cold, fluffy stuff from a machine at Wal-mart. Their cups have straws, and I can't figure out how the straw works! Nothing comes out of it when I chew on it! What's the fun in chewing on a straw in a cup of fluffy cold sweet stuff if nothing comes out? It makes me mad! But my cousins seem totally happy! I just don't understand. And why won't these people let me have a bite of their food? Can't they see I want it? They keep telling me I have to get some teeth so I can chew, but they won't let me have their teeth. Every time I try to stick my hand in their mouth and get some teeth, they turn their head and tell me no! I don't like that word! This is so not fair! I want to be big!!!!!!!!!!
I'm feeling a lot better today. I spent yesterday resting. I got Auntie up at 4AM, and by the time I finally went back to sleep, we were late for church! We had to drive 40 miles later on to find a soccer ball for Emily. That was ok, I slept most of the way. Today, some workers digging utility holes for a new overpass cut a fiberoptic line and we didn't have phones all day! That's the second time that happened in the last week! Aunt Sherry was mad! Guess what I can do now? I give kisses! I gave kisses today to Aunt Sherry, Uncle Jason, Great-Grandma Duffy, Nana, and my cousins Jon and Emmy. I tried to give kisses to Becca, Aunt Sherry's friend, but she's weird. She doesn't like slobber. I can't help it, I have a lot of slobber. Becca thinks it's bad having slobber on your cheek, she outta try being a baby! I have slobber everywhere! Aunt Sherry says it's just liquid baby sugar. Sure, whatever, I just know it's gooey feeling when my shirt gets soaked! Well, it's WAYYYYYY past Aunt Sherry's bedtime, I guess I need to put her to bed. Maybe I'll go to sleep too. I've slept so much in the last few days I don't want to sleep any more! Night night! I-uh-oo!
I don't feel good. I want to fuss. My tooth hurts. I can't wait for it to come through. Aunt Sherry says I'll feel better then. My nose is all snuffy today too. Aunt Sherry says it's because of rice harvest, whatever that means. I just know I'm miserable. Aunt Sherry put these awful drops in my nose then stuck this blue thing up my nose that felt like it was gonna pull my brains right out my nose. At least I can breathe better. Now I can actually drink my bottle. It's just a miserable day to be a baby. Aunt Sherry took me next door this morning so I could supervise Mr. Johnny cutting a hole in the side of his house for a new door. I had fun telling him what to do, but I was ready to leave when he turned on this horrible, loud, spinny thingy. Uncle Jason held me for a while today and rocked me in the rocking chair. Bless his heart, he tries so hard. He's never been a daddy to a baby before, so I have some extra training to do with him. Aunt Sherry laughed when I spit up on him. She just tossed him a spit rag. I just grinned at him, and he forgave me. He's gonna be easy! I'm discovering my power as a girl! All we have to do is grin and babble, and the guys just melt! Well, I know it's early, but I'm tired. I hate being sick. It's yucky. Night night!
I've been a sleepy-head today. All that running around yesterday wore me out! Aunt Sherry woke me up at 6 this morning and I wasn't happy about it. She finally let me go back to sleep at 8. Then she made me get up at 2:30. I ate my lunch and took a bath. Then we went to town and picked up my Daddy. We all went to Nana and Grandma's. I played with my daddy for a while and Aunt Sherry went to pick up Uncle Jason from work. By 6 I was really fussy. All those big people wouldn't let me go to sleep! We left Nana's and headed for home. I was asleep by the time we got out of the driveway! They woke me up when we got home, and I went next door to see Taylor, Mrs. Heather, and Mr. Johnny. They were getting ready to go to a football game, but wanted to talk about soccer with my Aunt and Uncle. I spit up on Mrs. Heather and she had to go change her shirt. That was funny. Everyone likes to play with a baby until we spit up on them! Well, I know it's only 7:30, but I'm ready for bed. Talk to y'all later!
Boy am I a tired baby tonight! Aunt Sherry dragged me all over the palce today!
First we took Uncle Jason to work. Then we went to Nana and Grandmas. Then we took the big kids to school. Then we came home to get a quick bath and change my clothes. Then it was off to Little Rock!
We went to Little Rock for my first trip to the doctor since I've lived here. I weigh 16 pounds now! The doctor says I'm such a big, healthy girl! He was cute too. Aunt Sherry laughed because I was grinning and babbling to Dr. Reeves. I can't help it, I'm a happy girl, and he was so nice. He didn't have any needles! I didn't like it when he put a stick in my mouth and looked down my throat. I really didn't like it when he stuck a light up my nose, ick! He said I'm a perfect little girl except for my eyes. He is sending me to a pediatric opthalmologist to get my eyes looked at. I might need a surgery or two to fix my eyes so I can see like all the other kids. I'm not scared though, I don't even understand all those big words. I just know Aunt Sherry understands them and she will be with me to give me kisses.
After we came home from the doctor, we went to see Uncle Jason at work, then we went to Nana and Grandma's. Then we went to pick up the big kids from school and went to Wal-Mart. After that we picked Uncle Jason up from work. Then we went to soccer practice. Aunt Sherry and Uncle Jason coach 9, 10, and 11 year olds. I had fun watching all the big kids running around kicking the ball. I can't wait until I'm big enough to do that! I also had fun playing with Rob. Mrs. Cindy's bigger girl Britton is on our team. Mrs. Cindy brought her playpen so Rob and I could play together. That was fun! He's 2 months older than me and can sit up all by himself!
After practice, Aunt Sherry dragged us all back to Wal-Mart. I'm not sure, but I think Aunt Sherry likes it there. She always sees people she knows and stops and talks. Uncle Jason and Jon took me with them tonight and we went to the 'lectronics to look at video games. That was much more fun than talking since nobody seems to really understand all the things I say anyway.
We FINALLY got home a little while ago. I missed my bed today! I never got to take my naps, unless you count dozing in my car seat, and that's not very comfortable. Aunt Sherry fixed dinner for everyone, and now it's my bedtime. Y'all have a good night! I love y'all!
I am such a big girl! Guess what I did today? I sat up all by myself for 4 seconds! I just wanted to show off for my Nana and Great Grandma! They laughed and clapped and I fell over! I'm getting the hang of it though! One day soon, I will be able to sit up all by myself and even crawl! I just can't wait! Guess what else I did today? I said my first word! (Well, the first one that Aunt Sherry actually understood anyway) I said nuh-nuh. I've been saying it for a few days, but Aunt Sherry just figured out that it means I'm hungry. When she feeds me, she's always asking me "Is it num num Katy?" So I tried to say num num to let her know I want food! She FINALLY figured it out! I'll get her trained pretty soon I hope. Sheesh, I never knew grownups were so hard to raise.
Please join us today in a 24 hour prayer vigil for Luke . God is so good, and saved little Luke a week ago, pray for complete healing today. Pray God's peace over the family. As a mother, I cannot imagine what this family must be going through. I look at my precious gifts from God, Jon, Emily, and Katy, and cannot imagine seeing them lying in a hospital for any reason. God has His reasons for this, and I suspect maybe some have been reached for Christ through reading Luke's story. Even just one soul reached through Luke makes it all worthwhile. At the top of every hour today, please join me and thousands of others as we hit our knees and petition Yahweh for Luke's life. Love, Sherry, Jason, Jon, Emily, and Katy
Happy Labor Day! Today we went to the river. We went there to cook out, lay out, and swim. We got to play with Jon and Emmy's little half-sister, Shelly, because their dad and his girlfriend were there too. Emmy and Shelly built sand castles. There were a whole bunch of kids there! They were running, swimming, throwing mud at each other, I can't wait 'til I can do all that! Emmy dressed me in a bathing suit! My Aunt Cathi gave it to me because her baby girl will be born in cool weather, so Lila won't be able to wear it. Everybody thought I was so cute in my Old Navy swimsuit and my really cool shades. The lady in the store was laughing and said "I can't believe that baby will wear those sunglasses!" Well, why not? I'm so cool with my shades on! Everybody thinks I'm so cute. They're right! Aunt Sherry tried to let me go swimming. She put my feet in the river. I screamed! That water was cold! So she let me just lay in the sand and watch everybody else swim. Let me tell ya, sand has an interesting texture, but it doesn't taste so good! Aunt Sherry dug a little hole in the sand and scooped some sand up in the back to make me a chair so I could sit up. I liked digging my toes in the sand. It feels so funny! I think I'm going to like going to the river. As long as they turn some hot water on! After I played in the sand (haha! I managed to eat some before Aunt Sherry could take it away from me! Still haven't gotten hold of a leaf though.) Aunt Sherry washed me off with some bottled water, then I stretched out on my blanket in the grass and went to sleep. The breeze felt so good through my hair, and I was so tired, I tried to stay awake, but I just couldn't. We're home now, and I've had a real bath. I kinda think I like taking a bath now. Aunt Sherry lets me lay down in the tub and she runs the water without stopping the tub. I like to kick and splash and swim around in the tub. It's fun! I can swim like the big kids! Aunt Sherry calls me her little froggy. What does a froggy taste like I wonder? So many things to taste, so little time! By the way, my shampoo smells pretty, but it doesn't taste so good!
I would like to devote todays blog to a little boy named Luke. He is 18 months old. He drowned in his family's swimming pool. Now he is in the hospital, but he is alive. We don't personally know this family, but we are on a mailing list together. Please read Luke's blog, and leave your prayers for the family. I also invite you to visit Firemind and follow the instructions to leave a virtual teddy bear for Luke. Thank you Leon, this is a sweet idea!
My first football game! We picked Jon up from school (Emmy went home with a friend) then we picked up Uncle Jason from work. We went out to eat, then went to Jon's school. Aunt Sherry and Uncle Jason had to work at a fish fry. I sat in the office in the kitchen at the school and watched them play with the coleslaw and fish! I wish I could get my hands in there, I bet it tastes as good as it smells! A girl named Allison came and got me out of my stroller and walked around with me. Aunt Sherry said it was ok, she used to coach her in soccer and knows her and her family. I made a new friend! Allison thinks I'm just so cute! I think she's nice too. After the fish fry, we went to the football stadium. Wow! I never knew there were so many people around here! We climbed some stairs, and sat on metal benches. There were people everywhere! And they were loud! Then there were all these boys in maroon jerseys and blue jerseys running around on the field! They were chasing a brown thing. I've seen Jon play with one of those things. I wonder what it tastes like? Cousin Jon went on the field when the boys left for a little while. He played his drums! There were lots of other kids playing these shiny things too. They made such pretty music! Then the boys in the maroon jerseys came back out on the field and chased the brown thing some more. Some of the boys fell down, I bet that hurt! They were even hitting each other! My other cousins Whitney and Courtney came and talked to me. Whitney took me and walked around to let me meet all her friends. That was fun! I started getting really tired and hungry later in the game. Aunt Sherry sent someone down to the consession stand to get a bottled water so she could make me a bottle. I was fine then. Then, I peed all over Aunt Sherry! That'll teach her not to change my diaper before a football game! She took me to the car and stripped off my wet clothes and diaper. I feel better now.
Today I discovered that I can move my walker! Aunt Sherry put me on the porch while she was cleaning out the car. I went all over the porch! Wow! This is cool! So this is what it's gonna be like when I can walk! I even chased the dog! I love being outside! The sun is warm, the breeze is cool, the butterflies get almost close enough to grab... I wonder what they taste like???
