69 going out with a BANG

  Well...  the second half of the summer has been very exciting for my family and I. My dad had a nurse visit the house who noticed his left carotid artery was blocked. She advised him to see his doctor who confirmed it was blocked and needed surgery. Next was a stressed test that came back positive. His doctor then sent him to his cardiologist for a heart cath. My brothers and I knew what was going on but weren't really fazed by anything. He called me Monday at work to tell me he was having a heart cath done the next day. What does this mean? "Well, they can clear me for surgery, put a stint in, or I will have open heart surgery."   Open heart?? NOPE! Not my dad! Not The Sarge! My dad goes to the gym 3 days a week, golfs as much as he can, watches was he eats (but doesn't skimp out on the chocolate and peanut butter ice cream at night). I was confident the "worst case scenario" wasn't going to happen.

The picture my brothers & I received out of ICU.

   Tuesday while having lunch with Itty E I received a text from my mom that my dad was going in for his procedure. Nap time my mom called. "Well... your dad is going to.....'' CALL WAS DROPPED!!!!!!!!   I immediately started balling my eyes out!! Poor Itty E had no idea what was going on. Freaking out I called what seemed like a million times and finally my mom answered (stupid hospital cell service) and in a calm voice she told me that my dad had been admitted into the hospital and was still waiting to hear when he would be having surgery.

36 hrs after surgery.

  After what seemed like the longest work day, I ran to my apartment to get clothes then it was straight for hospital. My dad needed to see his "precious baby"!!   If Jim Woofter was at all nervous about this operation he didn't show it one bit. Surgery was scheduled for early Wednesday morning which meant little sleep for me, and next to nothing for my mom. We were with him as he was wheeled down into the OR, I was able to meet the surgeon and his staff as my mom walked my dad into the room. From there my mom and I, along with my uncle and cousins, grabbed our pager and sat in the waiting room for hours. Three hours after we received an update that the artery was done, dad was on the bypass machine and all was going good. Half Way! I called back to make sure the doctor wasn't tired and he was feeling ok. I mean, if he needed Starbucks or a snack I would have gotten it for him!

  After seven hours everything was complete and surgery went great. Thank You, Jesus!! The doctor came out to tell us his artery was blocked 80% and he did 5 bypasses. After my mom made it well known that "your father is VERY lucky to be alive. He could have had a stroke or a heart attack at work, playing golf, at the gym..." YEP!! You know, that is what every only daughter wants to hear as she is holding her dad's hand in the ICU with tubes in his mouth.  I called at 5:30AM the next day and the tubes were out, at 11AM he was in a regular room eating lunch, and by 6:30PM he was walking down the hall when I went to visit. Jim Woofter was so ahead of the game he actually came home just 3 days after surgery! AMAZING!

Lots to celebrate this year!!!

  Being "The Sarge's" only daughter, I took things into my own hands to call, text and email family and friends the whole way through. (Something I have inherited from him
I suppose.)  I talked with his nurse giving her a few "daughter's orders" that if he was overdoing himself he needed to rest, and no visitors other than family. (YEP, I was that child!! Call me crazy but in my eyes he needed to be strong enough to come up, not entertain company.) She was very confident that he knew what was best for him and that he wasn't going to push himself.


   Well.... here we are 47 days after open heart surgery and has nearly fully recovered!!! He was walking around the block just days after, cleared from his doctors and celebrated his 70th birthday after 3 weeks, was putting around the golf course after 4 weeks, and played a full 18 holes "and won money" after 5 weeks. ( That 18 holes nearly put me over the edge making me nervous wreck!) He knows his limits and has been feeling great. It is truly amazing on what doctors can do in this modern world. And I know first hand that all of the thoughts and prayers from our family and friends made this recovery that more easy for my dad!!

one month after surgery.

One Year Down

We have officially been a family of four for a year now. WOW! The year has flown by. My eyes tear up almost every day when I rock Itty E before her nap. She no longer fits in just one arm. Her legs stretch across me as I hold the bottle she is drinking. This little girl is such a joy all the time! She laughs when I try and scare her after waking up from a nap. She laughs at me when I ask what she and Teddy dreamed about. And she looks as me like I'm crazy when I ask for advice of my life problems.
 
  The boss people and I often reflect on what the last year has been like. When we all first met and how they knew I was "the one" as soon as I walked in the door. It is fun thinking back to our beginning after the hell I was in. We chat about how much our Little Girl has changed in such a short time. She isn't talking but she completely understand EVERYTHING you say to her. We started sign language at 6 months, and now she knows Please, Thank You, All done, More and Teddy, which for us are the key words. I've taught her to stomp around the house like a dinosaur, flap her arms fast like a hummingbird (which she laughs at). She loves to be outside smelling and picture flowers, popping bubbles, playing at the park. As Itty E gets older the seasons and activities will only be more fun for all of us!!

  In a conversation about parenting I always say "Never having children...," the boss lady stopped me and said "yes you do. You have Little Girl" which is completely correct! I have a beautiful little girl who will eventually pick up on some of my behaviors (uh oh!) and mannerisms. I have a beautiful home to work at which has become my second home. And I am happy to report that I am "pregnant" with my second child due in December. We are a family and laugh about not liking outsiders in our little circle. No one truly understands but we love it!!

Hell Calling

I have kept in contact with the nanny who replaced me in South Carolina. Her last day was the end of April due to moving to Chicago with her fiance. She filled me in that going in to her final 4 days they still had not found a nanny. Around that time I received a random phone call which I was hesitant to even answer only because it was registered to an area where I lived in SC. But I answered it anyways. Heart beating all fast, it was a telemarketer selling life insurance. Very fitting considering how I refer to that job as Hell.

Sneaky Sneaky

Little guy was spotted behind the lamp while hanging art on the wall.

In my shower which I didn't find until 5:30 the next morning

This guy was returned to work hiding with the coffee cups.

 My boss people are quit funny. Nearly every day they give me something to laugh about. They had half of their belongings in a storage unit while living in their apartment. My job recently was to open them up and organize what to keep, what to go. There was lots of odds and ends, just random things. When they went through the Goodwill pile the each insisted I need "this special treasure for my apartment. To always remember us." Oh what a good laugh!!! They came over that night for dinner and were insisted ( just like my mom)  to not bring any of the useless crap over. ( I promise I said it nicer) They literally ate and left because of the little girl. While I was busy fixing dinner, the boss lady was busy putting her "treasures" all over my apartment!!!!!! I noticed a few of them before they left but didn't say anything.  This definitely had my roomie and I laughing.   GAME ON!

Sight Seeing

In the last month or so Itty E and I have done plenty of watching out the window.  Landscape is still being worked on, driveway was put in, dirt yard was smoothed out. One morning as little girl was sleeping in, I heard a noise. Sounded like a truck dumping a load of rocks. The guys were working on the front walkway so I didn't think much of it. Itty E woke up, on my way up to get her I peeked out the window to see how they were coming. TO MY SURPRISE I found a car crashed into a trailer. OH MY WORD!! First things first, ran to get my phone to take a picture and send it to boss people. They both responded instantly. Get the little girl out of bed, changed her then we headed outside to see if the driver was ok. We walked out to 3 cops, fire chief SUV, and 2 ambulances. The driver was ok, she spilled her coffee shortly after leaving her driveway.... yes, that's right! She lived next door!

Valentine's Bust

  I had a conversation with AJM, who is 6 yrs old, about Valentine's Day. He was telling me about a girl in his Kindergarten class who was very nice to him. I asked if she was going to be his Valentine. He told me no. So then I asked him if he would be my Valentine. He said yes. I told him we had to do something nice for each other and he told me Ok.

Soccer Coach's surprise!!

  I love sending mail. To brighten someones day when they least expect it is worth the money spent. Itty E's birthday being the day after Valentine's I decided to go all out. What started off as sending her family members homemade Valentine's turned in to making 30+ to send to my friends and family too. JK and I made three bags of chocolate covered pretzels to send along with our cards. I sent a surprise package to nanny school as well to the boss guy's work office.  Both places were over the moon with excitement and the thoughtfulness put into their surprises. Which then turned into surprising my soccer coach friend in England with a care package, and fellows nannies in Singapore and Connecticut.


   AJM also received one of my Valentine's surprises with a note asking him to be my valentine signed from his secret admirer. He called me one afternoon to thank me for the treats and to break my heart. "sorry Tara but I can't be your Valentine. I told Isaac I would be his."   Yes, that is right.... I got dissed but a 6 year old for a boy.

JK and I rarely do anything without involving wine..

   What started out as a simple idea turned into a very expensive holiday for someone who didn't even have a Valentine. But it was well worth it!!

Eating My Words

Chocolate, red velvet, yellow and white.

 Itty E turned one on February 15th!! Have a really been with her for almost 10 months? I was very fortunate to spend her actual birthday with her since mom and dad had to work. Perfect day! We went to lunch and played like crazy. With the move and other family events going on, we didn't have her party until March. After careful planning and a few hours searching around on Pinterest, we decided on a Little Einstein themed party. We found lots of caterpillar ideas for decorations but it was the cake that I knew she had to have.

smash cake.

Final touches

All done!

Looks easy enough

 

 

Not too bad for a first timer!

  My Grandma and mom decorated cookies and cakes as good as professionals. For years my mom has told me that I need to learn to decorate so I can make my children's birthday cakes. "why would I need to do that? There will always been a bakery at Giant Eagle." Well, I definitely ate my words! I found a cake that looked simple enough that even I could do. Needless to say it was the hit of the party. Itty E loved it and couldn't wait to get her hands in it.

  Going over the top for her first birthday, I am really in for it for the years to come.

Moving On Up

 Just when we think things are going to be calm and smooth sailing, its not. Well for me it is, for our "family of four" not so much.
   It has been a month since we moved into a new, big, beautiful home. What a difference 5,000 square feet can make! The move took Itty E a week or so to fully adjust to her new surroundings but now, she loves it! She loves finally having windows at her level to watch the guys across the street building a new house. We have found all sorts of new places to hide from mom and dad too.
  Our first few days it felt like we moved out of state, not knowing a single person and only knowing where the grocery store is. Every week we have new visitors: Appliance guys, audio and vision guys, furniture people. Itty E LOVES IT!!
   We have a large pond in the back yard which stretches over two properties. The parents joked that they would just get me a trailer to put on the other side of the pond that way I am always close by. Oh, and that I can just row my boat to work. Good laugh! I have been staying at the house during the week just to get everyone acclimated to the new surroundings. Little Girl goes to bed at 8, so the parents and I have a few hours to watch tv and regroup for the next day.

An Artist Has Been Born!!

 I have become a Pinterest fanatic! Lots of ideas for kids art projects, quotes to put a smile on your face, unique recipes, and any DIY project you can think of. I have found some fun things to do with Itty E as she gets older. With her birthday the day after Valentine's Day, we made a special surprise for mom and dad. I got a small canvas and taped out with word LOVE with painters tape. I found a recipe for edible paint (flour, water, sugar and food coloring) and Itty E went to town. Lucky enough I thought like child and had my parents come up to help, we were going to have a mess on our hands.

   Well, that we did. Itty E had no hesitations what so ever! And somehow, she even knew it was edible putting her face in the paint. With a cloth on the floor and only a diaper on she went to town making a huge mess and not giving a care in the world. Pat on my back, it was so much fun to see her love this project and see how much mom and dad enjoyed our present.

Holiday Season

  Sorry I haven't been updating. Just when I think there is nothing to tell everyone about, there are hundreds of things!! 

I won I won I won!!! I won the biggest battle of the holiday season. Christmas tree or not? What is Christmas without a tree? Where is Santa going to put my presents?
  Well, the Christmas tree went up, and being an only child this holiday season, it was decorated with all of my beautiful ornaments. The glow of a Christmas tree at night is my absolute favorite! My mom decided that since neither of my brothers would be home for Christmas, we weren't having a tree. I had the genius idea to buy a fake tree a Target and put in the place of her favorite chair in our TV room when she wasn't home. My dad loved my idea and didn't discourage me from doing so. Then finally she caved!

  Our other holiday battle was whether or not I was going to be receiving my Hallmark ornaments I have been getting every year since I was born. I was in udder disbelief my own mother would deprive her children of this tradition!!!!  My Grandma started all of her grandchild on a special Hallmark series. Mine just so happen to be the Precious Moments, which I have all but 2. I am a sucker for anything with sentimental value, if I only received one gift for Christmas it would be my ornament. It makes my heart smile knowing that My Grandma, who passed away 10 years ago, is celebrating the holiday with us in spirit. Since Hallmark also started my name sake series "Gone With The Wind" I also receive a Scarlett and Rhett ornament. I tell myself every year I am going to watch the movie all 238 minutes of it. I will one day!


I also caught up with Santa and Mrs. Clause this year. They informed me that I was a very good girl and my trip to Costa Rica was well deserved! He even gave me an extra candy cane! Better than the coal he gave me a few years back.

Oh I failed to mention that being an only child for the holiday was HORRIBLE!