9/11/2009

Lisa September 11, 2009 2Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

Today is huge…. huge because of so many reasons.   It is huge because we are a day closer to being together.  It is huge because we live and breathe… it is huge because so many have suffered and yet we persevere!   I was going to tell you that since the pediatrician, I have developed a cold.   Nana has a cold too.  Aunt Arri, Aunt Alyx, Uncle Nick and Poppy are getting colds – but then we all realized it is ‘9-11’.   It is my Aunt Arrianna’s birthday.   She is 18 today.  Nana says, there were days where she did not know if she would see Aunt Arrianna grow to be 18, there were times when she was sick that she would just hope and pray for being able to see all the kids graduate, or go to college.  She is very lucky and very happy about being able to see all of it, but now…being a bit selfish… she says she wants to see me grow, and all the other campers have spouses and kids should they choose… she says it is all part of life- we all just want more.   Nana is old, and sometimes complains about feeling sick… today she is reminded about how really lucky she is… (I help do that, little spirit stick that I am!)

9/11…. reminds Nana and the campers of the historical moment eight years ago- when so many lives were changed.  Tragedy – awful and painful…and yet from it – new and different lives emerged.   So many service men and women enlisted after 9/11.  So many men and women met through the army like you and dad… and then little lives like mine have come to be.   There are no words that can ease pain from loss, but thinking about the slightest good, or looking at the world through the ‘rose’ colored glasses that Poppy always seems to ‘wear’… well, it helps ease the magnitude of it all a bit. 

Someone sent Nana an email the other day, it made her think about how PERSPECTIVE is everything.  The e-mail depicts a soldier… in several situations…. unable to locate source, and specific permissions, I hope I am not in anyway offending the photographer, or author.   It is slightly edited.  Since it was sent REQUESTING THAT IT BE CIRCULATED … I have done so by posting portions of the photography on my site.  The sentence below was copied and pasted onto the site as to verificaiton of the authors desire for it to be seen.  Thank you unknown author for a reality check for Nana and the campers… and note to self… I CAN HARDLY WAIT UNTIL MY SOLDIERS COME HOME… HAPPY AND HEALTHY… AND READY TO BEGIN OUR LIVES TOGETHER… I am sharing these photos on my page because I am proud to be the daughter of two United States soldiers, and Nana  – she is very sorry for complaining about being tired… we are all fine!  We just want you home.  

WHEN A SOLDIER COMES HOME 
 (This email is being circulated around the world – please keep it going)

 
When a soldier comes home, he -or she- finds it hard…. 
 
..to listen to his son whine about being bored. 
 
….to keep a straight face when people complain about potholes. 
 
to be tolerant of people who complain about the hassle of getting ready for work. 
 
…to be understanding when a co-worker complains about a bad night’s sleep.
 
..to be silent when people pray to God for a new car. 

..to be compassionate when a businessman expresses a fear of flying. 

….to keep from ridiculing someone who complains about hot weather..  

….to control his frustration when a colleague gripes about his coffee being cold.   

….to remain calm when his daughter complains about having to walk the dog and to be civil to people who complain about their job. 

How to be forgiving when someone say’s how hard it is to have a new baby in the house. 

Maybe the only thing harder than being a soldier….

Is loving one.  

 Knowing what is endured, what is sacrificed is more than a human heart can sometimes bear.   My love letter tonight is not to take sides, to boast a political opinion, for Nana says, to each his own.   It is to remind you we may not be living your life, nor be able to relate to your heart aches, but we are here, we are your family, we are always with you… and you with us.  Never forget Poppy… his rose colored glasses, or the love a parent has for their child.  Nana for you and all her children as you have for me! It is that love that gets us through the hardest of days, the longest of nights, and helps us to reach our shining and brightest moments. 

I hope whom ever wanted these photos seen, will appreciate that they have been posted on my site, Nana is not elequent or smart enough to have expressed herself without the help of these photos.  So again thanks to all the service men and women… for doing jobs that are not glamorous, often criticized, that take a toll beyond measure, and ensure a freedom most Americans take for granted from time to time.   I love my mom and my dad.   I know that they had no idea how hard this would be! 

Nana and Poppy are trying with all of the campers to make sure your precious little princess is loved.  I wait, and soon we will be re-united and the world may not be perfect, and problems and chaos may exist, but for us we will begin a journey that truly is the most amazing and fulfilling you will ever dream of.   All you have seen  –  and all you have done –  will  pale in comparison to us being together again.

I know that you are making good- on promises you made, and are committed to being the best people that can possibly be in circumstances that are far from the best.

ALL OF US want to see you home safe and soon mom and dad!

I am doing fine mom and dad, a small cold, it’s not a problem.  Nana is fine too… no worries there.   Aunt Arri, doesn’t mind having a cold either, she will most likely get CAKE.   We all have it in perspective.   We all love you very much.   We all remember the unity of a country brought about by events eight years ago, and so many huge events in the many years before that – that shape us    and also by way of Poppy, and his rose colored vision… we find a way to rise out of the chaos, and pain of our past… to a new beginning.   KEEP YOUR EYE ON ‘THE PRIZE’ MOM AND DAD…

Look at my face…. I am waiting … right here… safe….. happy and loved beyond measure… for the return of my Soldier Mom and my Soldier Dad.  As always, your Little Miss Adorable, your daughter, aka ‘THE PRIZE’

Guillianna!  (Photo above was taken last week but you had not seen it (there are soooo  many of me!)  Nana will upload one from today as soon as possible!  Love  Ya- xoxoxoxo ) 

Hanging Out At Camp, Recovering!

Lisa September 10, 2009 1Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

I spent the day at camp recovering from my pediatrician visit and shot.  I must say… I am not a fan.   I know these are things we must do… but really… they are not fun, and I do not recommend teething .  

I did not sleep well last night, and I think Nana has been up for about three days… she says tonight is going to be a brief love letter, because she is so very tired.   If I snooze at all, she plans on catching some z’s too.

I have a terrible runny nose.   It is so runny and my sinus’ are so full that I cannot suck on my bob, or my passy… so as you can imagine, I am a bit irritable.  All my photos… either have a runny nose… or it is just plain clear that I am not my usual happy go lucky self.   This too will pass, and not to worry mom and dad… it is all part of the whole ‘having kids’ process.    Here is the face of one miserable little teether……

Please know that I love you both, and that even though under the weather I continue to wave to anything and everything. 

  I love to wave, and love to be waved to.  Until tomorrow, when I hope to be feeling more like my Little Miss Adorable self,  remember I love you both and miss you both very much…your daughter,

Guillianna!

THE FACE OF TEETHING AND THE PEDIATRICIAN

Lisa September 9, 2009 3Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

I have been to the pediatrician today for my nine month well baby check up, and it came rather timely.   I was going along just fine … until it happened.  IT HAPPENED… THE FULL NOSE DROOL … IT IS AWFUL.   Last night and yesterday afternoon the dreaded NASAL DRAIN AND MOUTH SLIME came upon me like a ton of bricks.  I started drooling and my head began filling with clear “slime”.   It made it impossible to eat, to sleep to do anything, and made me cough and cough as it dripped down my tiny little throat making me a real Gugu ‘bear’.   Your little Guillianna was so so so miserable and why… TEETH.   The pediatrician checked my ears, my throat, my breathing, my lungs, my heart, my belly, everything… and told Nana that until the teeth pop thru… I am going to keep doing this….ARGGGHHHH!   I am not sick, no cold, no ear infection, no sore throat, JUST TEETH….  I have to say… I hate getting teeth and you can be sure I am trying to be a good sport but GEE WIZ, it isn’t easy.   I was up all night long.  Nana held me upright for most of it, and I slept a bit in my car seat, (40 minutes about) and then, we walked and talked.   Nana showed me every picture in the dining room, there are so many of all the campers… a lifetime of memories and she showed all of them to me!

I got a shot today…. which is the bad part(yet good for my health), and yes, I cried, but I am fine now.  I have had some infant Tylenol, and am resting.  Now for the good news, I am healthy, I am Princess perfect, even with my situs inversus, everything is working as it should, and the doctor is pleased.   I do have to remain on my Zantac, and continue special formula, but I am growing and he could not be more pleased.   He gave me an awesome book today.   I am 17lbs. 7 ounces,  I am 26.75 inches in length.  My little head was measured too, and is princess perfect, all things we are very grateful for.   I am developing as expected for an eight month old.  (adjusted age) but really I have been tipping the scale and off the charts on or about the 9-10 month old motor skills developmentally.   So really no worries, and you can be very proud of the work I have been doing with all the campers.   I am learning at lightning speed, and really have to say I am always being stimulated.   As a matter of fact, I would much rather stay up with all the campers, than sleep.   Napping is for babies!  Hmmmm….. littler babies.   I AM NOT A NAPPER!  

I stayed home – rested, drooled, chewed, cried, pouted, laughed, and smiled and waved for the rest of my day.   I missed my swimming lesson tonight I was so tired, and so (dare I say it…)’ fussy‘…  but I hope my little Goldfish Mini’s understand…. I will be there next week… and will be in a much better frame of mind I think.   This week would have been a disaster.  My best to all my little friends!  Don’t forget me…. I’ll be back!

Instead, Great Grandma and Great Papa came to comfort me… I visited with them a bit, and relaxed the rest of the day and night away… I am sure a good sleep tonight would help…let’s see if my teeth co operate!   There is no sign of them breaking through anywhere… where could they be… and why can’t they just pop out already!

I love and miss you very much, I hope you are both doing well, and that you are not getting any new teeth…. I think for me, it is worse than “sand boogies”  that I heard about in the land of sand, and even though you are army strong…. I am not sure you could handle this, it takes one special little princess to endure this stuff and get a shot too!    Worst part is… I only got a sticker out of the whole thing… A STICKER… I wanted to say, hey, lady, what am I going to do with a sticker, don’t you know my Nana, you know… NO FUN NANA…. I swear the lady pulled off a sticker, and well before I could even see what it was of, SWIPE, it was gone –  something about being a souvenier …. WHAT… Personally I think it would be a heck of a lot more fun to chew, crumple or stick on a cat than to put in a baby book… but what ever!   NO FUN NANA…. YOU ARE JUST NO FUN!

Until tomorrow, please know, I am doing great…(yes, a litle unhappy from TEETH I don’t see yet but are apparantly ravaging my gums) I will write you tomorrow… and will hopefully be back to my old jolly self.

Please remember, I am always, your Little Miss Adorable, your daughter,

Guillianna!

Strike Effects Camp, Kind of Sort of…

Lisa September 8, 2009 1Comments

Dear Mom and Dad,

It is still a zoo at Camp Nana.   All the campers who were suppossed to start college have been effected by the strike, but two of them still have classes at other schools.   Aunt Allyssa is going to both the University (on strike) and to cosometology school.   Uncle Nick who graduated from the University, and has finished his year in the South Pacific, is attending a culinary arts program and already had mid-terms….   Nana has seemingly been some kind of taxi/food service around town as she tries to figure how many lunches and dinners need packing, and is juggling to get everyone’s  tuition and books squared away.  She also has to take them for supplies… just like when they were little.. only now the supplies are not simple like crayons, and such, its much bigger stuff like jump drives, computer stuff and molecular models arrrggghh!   SO….I am the best part of all the campers day.  Uncle Nick spent time between his exams checkin’ out the ‘pages of Guge’ as I like to call them.  At the end of everyone’s day, all I have to do is smile, and everyone is happy.  I am going to the pediatrician tomorrow for my nine month old check up and vaccinations.   I am not a fan, but I am co operative.   DO I HAVE A CHOICE?   It’s these kind of questions that can make you pull out your hair… or off your head band in my case.

Next step…

I am so adorable and I am so animated, that finding just one or two photos is soooo hard.   Any one up for some peek-a-Guge! 

I have completely mastered the Princess Wave, and we caught it on tape. And I have some video of me hangin’ out laughin’ too!  Uncle Nick was taking a video of me watchin’ my favorite video… but I am a little irritated when things obstruct my view.  You can see them below (hopefully) if Nana got it working.   By the way she fixed the problem on my September 4th post with my special present. So if you couldn’t get it to work before, NOW IT DOES!

[flickrvideo]http://www.flickr.com/photos/30308223@N04/3902146955/[/flickrvideo]

 and then there is this one…

[flickrvideo]http://www.flickr.com/photos/30308223@N04/3902953054/in/photostream/[/flickrvideo]

and if you want to see me talk…

[flickrvideo]http://www.flickr.com/photos/30308223@N04/3902978876/in/photostream/[/flickrvideo]

and this is me, when I am frustrated because a 200 lb dog is blocking my view to my video…

[flickrvideo]http://www.flickr.com/photos/30308223@N04/3903005110/in/photostream/[/flickrvideo]

I am doing well, and hopefully will get a good progress note from the pediatrician tomorrow.   Nana will try to post as soon as princess possible when we finish at the doctor to let you know how it goes.   Until tomorrow please remember, I am your Little Miss Adorable, your sweet daughter,

Guillianna!

P.S.  Hey daddy, look how tall I am getting, this is my by the rocking horse you sent me!

Don’t be nervous if you don’t see me in my crib… I know photos are decieving, but tonight I am up, with both Nana and Poppy, working on getting some new teeth… and very unhappy to lay down….

It will be a long night no doubt, three of the seven of us here are trying to appease me… and not with much luck…. DARN TEETH!