Chapter 24: My Birthday

What a fantastic day. :] I have had nothing but happy moments since the moment I woke up this morning and saw a text from my Grandma that she was going to take me out to buy me some new jeans (I haven't bought new ones in over 5 years and it definitely showed) right up to now, as I am all cozied in bed next to my sweetheart and our little bed hog. So much laughter and all around fun as we gathered at my parent's table and had my favorite dinner- chicken tortellini- and talked about the day I was born, how much everyone thinks I am so great, etc... ;] After that we ate the yummy yellow cake with chocolate frosting that Rodney made! Then we had a short dance party, my Dad and I reenacted he and newborn me laying on a blanket in the sunshine (you'd have to know my Dad), watching awful recordings of Sing A Long Songs on YouTube (Still my favorite) and video gamed the rest of the night.

How grateful I am to be so close to my siblings and my parents. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same kind of bond and love that resides within our family but I was hit tonight with how that fact that I do have the blessing of that love, makes me sad for those who either can't or choose not to have that. I love my family dearly, and would be nothing without the support that they show me.

I was also informed, through my birthday present, that I will be taking a road trip down to Utah to see a very dear friend of mine that I have been missing severely missing lately! AAMMYY!! ( http://austandamy.blogspot.com ) I haven't seen her in like 40 years and we are in desperate need of a reunion. We are Dragon and Nighthawk. If you don't get that reference, look it up. If you still don't understand, well, get over it because we're moving on. I am so ecstatic to meet her little family and get to make some great memories with our little ones getting to meet and play! :] It will surely be a grand adventure and we plan on stealing ice cream from someone's freezer so...Look out Utah. :]

My little family has made this an incredible day and I am so glad to have been near to them this year to celebrate together. Wonderful gifts, laughter, food and sweet dance moves. What a fantastic day.

P.S. I registered for my classes today. I'm getting this thing done for real this time.

Chapter 23: Test Results & Ramblings

Didn't do as well as I wanted, but for not doing any level of math for over 5 years I feel like I did pretty good. Going to study my butt off for another week and try again on Thursday to see if I can place just one class higher so I can get my AA by June. Fingers crossed!

Baby M has been in the same pair of undies all day! HUGE step! Fingers crossed for that to continue as well! :]

I got a couple early birthday presents from my sweetheart today- a shirt that says "Make Art Not War" and a fantastic new hoodie/jacket. He knows me and my style so well, I am definitely impressed. I should mention that this is the first gift he's given me that was a surprise! He just can't handle the anticipation and worries that I won't like whatever it is he got for me. He did well! Love that man.

In roughly 5 minutes I will be 23. Unreal how time has flown since I finished high school. Don't quite feel 'old' yet, but I am definitely feeling some age difference related confusion as to some of the things kids are interested in these days. I was just thinking this morning how glad I am that Sesame Street is still on. ONE of my favorite childhood shows that hasn't been poisoned by laugh tracks and useless dialogue. I could, however, watch Gilligan's Island and M*A*S*H for hours on end. Back in the good ol' days when jokes were simple and, while there were laugh tracks, they were used for actually funny scenes...Trust me, I was like -30 years old, I know what I'm talking about.

I'd still really like that nap for my birthday.

...and a vacation...

HERE

Chapter 22: Melted Brain

Between the 19+ hours of studying I have logged in the last 4 days and racing to the potty only to be told "All done!" with nothing in the bowl, my brain is trickling down my spine. I have the placement test tomorrow and I'm not sure how much more I can cram into my head. I'm probably better off just resting and reviewing what I've already studied, but I am so unable to focus on anything other than what I haven't gone over yet.

My birthday is on Friday and I am either going to be ecstatic or mopey and lame depending on how the test goes. Probably not, I'll have cake to distract me from all of my sorrows and lameness.

I hope I get a nap for my birthday. :]

Chapter 21: Potty Training Part II

I hate it.

I want to shampoo my carpets so bad but she is nowhere near fully trained yet...I'm considering one of those Puppy Pad things. You know, the ones that have a bull's eye in the middle with some kind of chemical scent that draws the puppy to the center to do their business? Maybe they make one with a cookie scented center for small children.

She is in the tub, again, due to her last accident. Honestly I had to hide my face so she wouldn't see me laughing until I couldn't breathe. Now that she is recognizing the feeling when she has to pee, she gets all freaked out and runs in circles until I pin her butt on the potty. She has her potty chair right in front of her and instead of sitting, she continues to run in circles all the while spraying the entire room. It's not funny because I have to clean it up, but it's hilarious seeing a miniature human prance and pee at the same time.

She's lucky she's so darn cute. :]

Chapter 20: Potty Training

Progress!!

After a rough start to our morning, we've had several successful tries and a minimal amount of accidents!

...and now we are eating our toes, so...bonus.

Chapter 19: YouTube

My baby is sleeping and I felt like jamming, so I put a video on the YouTube machine. Valerie- Amy Winehouse Version- Cover. Just messing around but maybe I'll be discovered and go on to make millions! Joking, totally not my intention here. :] Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEVDtV-Y1qo&feature=youtu.be

Chapter 18: Nightowl/School

It's only roughly 6:30pm, but I just woke up from my sunday nap.  This will result in my being up way too late tonight and having another internet binge- I didn't go to sleep until well after 3 last night/this morning because it's been so long since I could watch stupid youtube videos without having to wait 20 minutes for it to load!

Similar to my feelings on mornings, I love the sleepy silence that rings throughout my house at night. Providing, of course, the adorable little terror goes to sleep at a reasonable hour. Our apartment is maybe 200 yards from the freeway which was a little worrisome when we moved in, but with the windows closed it really is just a low hum and I'm afraid I've gotten used to it.  Not to mention the train tracks that are about 50 yards from our window.  Also, not bad, but terribly loud depending on how deep of a sleep you were in before it sounded like it derailed next to your window at 2 in the morning. :]

I am unusually excited to be up late tonight and the following 3 nights for a reason I have never dreamt would be anything but a joke; Studying for a math test.

I have what is called a "placement test" this coming Thursday that will determine which Math course I can be enrolled in.  Seeing as I am on a pretty tight time limit to receive my AA so that I can move on to the 4 year college I want to attend this Fall, I HAVE to place in at least the lowest level math (and pass) that will be accepted for my AA. Otherwise I could be looking at summer school and frankly, I think that sounds like a worse idea than __(insert worst idea you can think of here.)__.

In order for me to place high enough and do well on this test, I have to study like a mad woman because I have not actually applied myself in a math class of any kind since my sophomore year...of high school. I'm so scared I'm going to blow it but I have an incredible team of highly trained specialists and coaches who will push me to bring the math using side of my brain out of hibernation. **Note: The highly trained specialists are my hunky husband and my baby, the coach is online math refreshers and Dr. Pepper. <-- REAL doctor, your argument is invalid.

I'm not gonna lie, I have totally had this scene from Billy Madison running through my head for the past few weeks as I gathered info, prepared paperwork and applied for scholarships for my (hopeful) acceptance to Eastern Washington University.

Ah, the classics.