Seven Years and I Want to Stop Counting!!

This time of year always brings on reminiscing.  I think back 7 years to what I was doing this moment 7 years ago.  The days before Jocelyn's birthday I think about when I went into the hospital scared out of my mind, the time when the doctors told us we were going to have a 32 week preemie, those *wonderful* hours of contractions, and on January 31 at 5:26pm, the emergency C-Section, and the moment my daughter was born.  I was really out of it by then.  Days on Magnesium sulfate do really wacky things to your brain, but I remember clearly thinking how warm Jocelyn was.  I don't know why that struck me so strongly, but it did.  She was so, so tiny.  Only 3 lbs. 5 oz. and 16 1/2 inches long.  So, so tiny...  I always describe it as - stretch out your fingers and touch the tips of your pinkies together.  That's how small that is.

February 8, 2008, we held Jocelyn for the first time, she was 8 days old.  On March 4, after 33 days in the NICU, we finally got to take her home.

The events of Jocelyn's birth were not even close to the birth plans I had made up.  I can look back at them now and only laugh.  I had such high hopes, but NOTHING went as planned.

I learned from that moment on that the plans were no longer up to me.  And in some ways that's still true today, but I've also realized that being Jocelyn's Mommy means so much more than planning.  I still have my schedules and I still have my massive planner, but my plans are now focused on her and what makes her happy.  And that makes me happy.

The latest plans together with Jocelyn involved planning her 7th birthday party.  She wanted a Rainbow Unicorn theme, and yes, there are actually Rainbow Unicorn decorations, pinatas, games and the like.  I had no idea!  She chose it all, decided who she wanted to invite, helped decorate for the party, and ultimately had a great time!

Beating on the pinata!

Making our craft - Rainbow colored door hangers with hearts and flowers.

Saying Cheers with their unicorn cups.

And proudly wearing their unicorn headbands.

The only downfall, was literally, the downfall of the too-heavy unicorn cake topper, but Jocelyn managed to get that candle blown out just in time!

I can not believe my teeny tiny baby is now 7 years old.  The time has gone by so fast.  I am so proud of the person she is becoming.  Despite the scary beginning, I wouldn't change a moment of these 7 years, because it all brings me to this amazing, sweet, beautiful girl and I'm so lucky to be her Mommy.  Here's to whatever plans she has for me in the future!!

1st Snow of 2015

Jocelyn went back to school on Monday January 5.  She was ready to be back to routine and friends after the 12 day holiday break.

And then...

Early Tuesday morning it began to snow and schools were closed for the day.

So what do you do with 3 inches of snow?

Play in it!!

And eat it, of course!!!

Wednesday, and Thursday they called a two hour delay, and today Jocelyn is home again because there is a water main break at the school.  I hope this is not a bad sign for what the winter is going to be like!!  But at least I got some really cute pictures from it!!

Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014 was full of fun events, as Christmas's always are. 

We made it back to the Festival of Trees this year.  Jocelyn is old enough now that she loves the crafts and games.  She also got to go on the train ride and of course see Santa!

Games bring prizes!!

Jocelyn has her own Christmas tree in her room.  She loves decorating it every year, and then when we get around to the big tree she is the official angel placer.

We made sugar cookies and ginger bread cookies with Auntie this year!

We waited outside in the cold for over an hour (from the first sounds of the sirens to when he arrived) and Santa and Mrs. Claus FINALLY came on the fire truck!!  One of our favorite Christmas events!

Santa sent Jocelyn a letter again this year along with some of Prancers harness bells.  It so exciting to have Santa remember her each year!!

Jocelyn's class made their own ginger bread houses with graham crackers, frosting and MOUNTAINS of candy!!

Christmas morning finally arrived.  Santa brought Jocelyn's favorite gift, the baby panda.  She also got a Flippy Cat Hat (squeeze the bottom of the hat and the tail flies up!).  And of course that is the tip of the iceberg.  She had a great Christmas!

Daddy got some new friends too!  He questioned why all his new toys seem to have anger issues.  

Is there a message there?

Merry Christmas from the Desmonds!

Tooth #2

Ok, so maybe I won't write about every tooth Jocelyn loses....   or maybe I will...

But this one is kind of special, and hopefully unique!!

About 5 weeks ago I noticed that Jocelyn's other bottom front baby tooth was starting to get loose.  No problem, the Tooth Fairy is ready!!  But the first baby tooth came out in 2 days, and this one just lingered....

Then about 3 weeks ago, I noticed that the adult tooth was coming in behind it.

I called the dentist and the nurse said give it two weeks and if it doesn't come out, bring her into the office (assumably to pull that baby out! but we didn't tell her that, of course).  So we counted down for two weeks and I watched that thing get looser and looser, until by this last weekend she could move it back and forth and side to side, and unbelievably, she could twist the thing, but no way was she going to tug on it!!

The reason???   Because if you lose a tooth at school, the nurse gives you a necklace that has a little case shaped like a tooth, and JOCELYN WANTED ONE!!!

So Sunday night, I decided to try wiggling it myself and it got even looser, but no we could not pull it out, tears, drama the works!!  I put her to bed terrified she was going to swallow that thing in her sleep, but nope, Monday morning she woke up with the tooth still hanging there, and off to school she went.

By 10:30, when I came in to volunteer, she had already gotten it out - a tiny push with her tongue and it fell out in her hand.  When she saw me, she literally bounced down the hall to show me her tooth necklace, she was so excited!!  EVERYONE and I do mean EVERYONE at school on Monday knew she had lost a tooth and got to see her tooth necklace.

I have been reassured that the adult tooth will find it's way into the right spot, now that the space it open (and if it doesn't, well, there's always braces), and all is well with the world because Jocelyn got her tooth necklace (which I found out later from the nurse, she could have gotten just by bringing the tooth in and showing her!!).
The only problem for me, is this is the second tooth Jocelyn has lost - and the second tooth I missed seeing her lose.  I still have 18 more chances I guess.

Halloween 2014

There were lots of great opportunities to enjoy Halloween fun and get dressed up this year.  Jocelyn chose to be Ms. Kitty, or as close as she could come to her Beenie Boo Ms. Kitty that is.

She had lots of fun at My Gym's Halloween Party.

We discovered a parade at a local grocery store.

Jocelyn had a school field trip to a local farm stand and then we went back later to get another pumpkin...  but not the 498 pound one...

There was the Halloween Parade at school.

And then of course, the best part - Trick or Treating Halloween night!!  Happy Halloween!!

Fall Fun

The daily routine of back to school means there aren't as many highlights to write about these days.  Jocelyn is finally getting used to the work expectations of 1st grade - and yes that was a struggle because it was unexpectedly much more actual *work*!  And I have gotten into my own routine managing the house and volunteering at school.

Here are some of the exciting moments of the past few weeks.

In September, I discovered a Sunflower farm about an hour from home.  It was so beautiful!!  Jocelyn and I drove up so I could selfishly take advantage of a photo op!  Unfortunately, we have to wait another two years for the sunflowers to come back due to crop rotation.

In early October we celebrated Memere's 70th birthday!!

Love this picture!

Later in the month, Jocelyn and I went back to Touch a Truck - another fun thing that only happens every two years!

In early November, we made it to Disney Frozen on Ice and this time we got to bring Daddy with us!!!  We had such a great time, we can't wait to do it again!!

Sven, our new addition to the family

chowing down on popcorn

Now the weather is FREEZING outside, winter has come way too early this year.  We'll have to see what fun things that brings with it.