Ouch! She said

OK.. We're back... Thanks for hanging in there with us.

Like I said last week... you just can't make this stuff up.

To give bring you all up to speed it has been a rather weird week for us.

~

One day last week Tamara choked on a seedless grape. She's usually very good at chewing one at a time but like they say all it takes is once.
So my dear darling daughter stuffed 2 in her mouth and inhaled one.
So what does a mother do? Well I surprised myself. Staying calm a found myself racking my brain for CPR recall which amazingly I remembered what to do. Within seconds the grape flew out of her and across the kitchen. She was a little freaked but fine. After a few tears and a glass of water she was back to giggling and playing again.
Mom on the other hand got a major wake up call.
Lesson learned.. Never assume your 3 year old can handle anything. Now her grapes are not only seedless but quartered. Thankfully she still loves them.

~

The 4th of July was actually rather quiet for us this year. The weather was horrid in NJ. Raining the day before as well as most of the 4th.

We wanted to do something with Tamara .. after all is was to be her 1st 4th of July.

So we looked up fireworks online.. found them in Blairstown at some school? So we head out early and decide to stop at a local diner for dinner as there weren't too many options open that night holiday and all.

We park and I carry Tamara towards the diner only to have my toe catch on their curb. Remember I have Tamara in my arms. I fall to my knees (on my knees), catch my self with my right hand, Tamara is in my left. Somehow I managed to lower her safely to the ground. You always hear stories about mothers lifting cars off their children and you wonder if you too would be able to find that quick response / strength to protect your child. This week I found out I could. I think ;o) Yay!

Battered and bruised we continued in the restaurant. The wait staff brought some ice water and lots of napkins. Yes at my age I have scabby knees this week. I don't think I've had those in about 35 years? Ouch!

Tamara was adorable as she looked so concerned about Mommy's Boo boo.

Ouch! She said as I cleaned them and applied ice to them.

So anyway we stayed and ate. Although very painful I didn't want it to spoil our night and I especially didn't want Tamara to worry about her Mommy being hurt.

So after dinner we proceed to try and find the fireworks. As we approach Blairstown we see a huge parking lot with tons of cars pulling in. Some people had already set up their lawn chairs anticipating the big event. So we pulled in and positioned our car figuring Tamara could watch from her car seat. The parking lot filed up quickly and soon a huge white van parked between us and the anticipated fire works display. Grrr... On the other side of us a smaller car pulls in a couple with two young girls. One about 4 the other 2-1/2. Seem like nice people?

When the fire works started we got out of our car with Tamara to get a better view. Actually to get a view as the white van towered over my Rav 4. Suddenly the van starts to ROCK and we hear yelling and someone barking, squealing. We then realized that the woman driving the van must have been some sort of a foster mom? The van was filled with teenage boys all of which had many special needs. Tamara is at a stage where she observes and mimics everything she sees so the thought of her watching these boys in action was not appealing to us. So we move to the other side of our car. The young family I mentioned earlier was there. Suddenly the 2-1/2 year old girl starts screaming at the top of her lungs. A piercing high pitch scream that her parents couldn't control. Tamara watched these two groups which surrounded us through out the fire works. In fact at one point we got back in our car hoping she wouldn't get any ideas. Basically trapped, cornered , sandwiched between to insane situations I was starting to wish we had gone home. :o(

That night when we return home and I was putting Tamara to bed she started to scream just like that little angel in the parking lot. She would scream then laugh, scream then laugh. The laughing must have been from reading the expression on Mommy's face.

"Tamara... please don't do that. Surely you picked up something more useful then this tonight?" And with that she said "Ruff...Ruff" and then giggled.

"OMG" I told Bruce later on that night. " That's it from now on no more strangers"

Like that would even be possible?

Afraid she might continue this new behavior I am delighted to say I haven't heard it since.

So that was the worst of our week. Tamara survived two potentially hazardous situations. I think we've all learned a great deal from these experiences.

Tamara now chews everything really well and doesn't play as much during meals and snacks.

Mommy and Daddy cut everything in tiny pieces for her. And never leave her side while she's eating.

Tamara is walking more since the 4th. Before she always wanted to be carried. Sweet but exhausting after a while. Now she walks more and if I'm carrying her she points out potential tripping hazards to me. So all in all I think we managed to take both situations and turn them into a positive. ;o)

My knees are ok. It was a rough few days. Try giving a toddler a bath with out kneeling. Fun...fun...

~

Below... Tamara with Mommy.

Time to go shopping. OK.. don't laugh.. I dressed Tamara first and then Tamara dug through my wardrobe and picked out my outfit?

She's very good at matching outfits and accessories.

Below a visit to my parent house before their big trip to Croatia.

As soon as Tamara walked in the house Mom.. my Mom was in hot pursuit of Tamara.

Tamara's first time at her Grandparents house started with Grandma giving her a full house tour. I'm not sure I ever got one of those? lol

Here they are in the sewing studio.

As you can see Tamara loves her Grandma.

Dancing with Grandma and Dido

I think they both slept well that night. ;o)

Hold me up Grandma... I'll do the dishes.

A fun visit. My parents were amazed at how much she already understands. Although Tamara speaking is still very limited. A word here... a word there. She doesn't have too much trouble getting her point across.

During dinner she even told my parents about my Boo boo's. Pointing to me and then her knee she said "Ouch!" and then she pointed to her other knee and again said "Ouch!"

When Tamara spilled a glass of water and Grandma got the mop. Tamara insisted on cleaning up her spill. Afterwards she proceeded to try and mop the rest of the house. She became a little annoyed when she couldn't find anything to mop up. That's my Mom. Anyway she then started eating a chocolate chip cookie while mopping. When my mother asked why she was doing that I told her she needs crumbs on the floor or the mopping just isn't much fun. Turns out that's what Tamara was doing. What a trip huh? After she was finished and she handed the mop back to Mom (mine) I asked her if she would put the mop away for Grandma and she did. Amazing little girl. She remembered from the house tour where it belonged. After we picked up Grandma's chin off the floor where it fell in amazement they proceeded to dance and play. Tamara then gave Grandma a house tour remembering all the things that mom pointed to. Cute no?

~

Below Tamara opens her gifts from Auntie Chris and her cousins.

As you can see she's getting pretty good at opening them. By Christmas she'll be a pro.

Thank You ... Wisconsin. She especially liked the boxes. This week she loves boxes?

~

Tamara is also getting more daring with her mega blocks. You can see in this picture below. The structures are getting taller then her. I laugh when I see this picture as I remember for the Denver Questionnaire she needed to stack 8 blocks and she was distracted and didn't do it. Five months later she's up to 38.

That's my girl. ;o)

~~~