I'm Baaaaaaack!

Whew. Did you think I had given up? Yes, at one point I did too! ;) But it's just been a case of the blog-rut. Lots has happened but it started when Avery got sick. Not much time to blog when you have a sick toddler. Soon after that, I got sick, followed by Charlie. Oh, and did I mention I got the new girl at work sick too. And she got the boss sick. Oh yes, Avery's germs legacy reached many. So, we are just about all better and guess who woke up in the middle of the night with a fever? Avery! I noticed a bit of a runny nose and some sneezing, followed by a little cough this morning. So, off to Dr. K we went. Dr. Y was there this Saturday and looked her over, and concluded she is fine! No ear infections, sore throat, wheezing...none of it. She did write an Rx to clear up the runny nose so that it doesn't turn into something else. And I am stocking up on Airborne just in case! Avery also started speech therapy. At her 24 month visit the chart showed that she should be saying 300 words and she was only saying about 10, so Dr. K said it wouldn't hurt to get her started. It seems like from then until now she has just opened up. I hear "No mommy" a few times a day and even "More juice". We also had a conversation the other day that went something like this:

Me: Avery, hand me my lipstick. I need to put some on.
Avery: (in a loud, growling voice) NOOOO!!!!
Me: Well that wasn't very nice. Give me the lipstick
Avery: NO, NO, NO (running towards me with her hand up as if she is coming to smack me)
Me: (taking a step back with my finger in her face) If you hit mommy, you're going to stand in the corner, so do you want to think about that first?
Avery: Uhh Huh (the noise that means yes...how do you type that?)
Avery then looks from me to the lipstick to the wall with the corner to my makeup back and lets out a large sigh. She immediately places the lipstick back in my makeup bag and marches to put herself in the corner!

She is just so much fun lately. I finally found a discipline technique that works with her and she spends a few minutes in the corner some days. Sometimes she does something unacceptable and I just look at her and she marches right to the corner! I can't explain how much fun it is watching her become a little girl. As sad as I am that these are the days of potty training, no more pacis, weaning her off sippys and converting the crib to a toddler bed, it is still fun and exciting to watch her grow. Never a dull moment!

In other news, I accepted a promotion and I start my new job on Monday. I'm sad to be leaving behind my friends. Although, I'm only moving down 2 floors I know that it won't be the same without them! They promise to stalk my blog though, so I couldn't complain! The new job will mean different responsibilites (although not more, at least I don't think so), more money and more vacation time, a few trips to Ohio (where my boss is) this year and the best part....remote access! No more sick days for me! So now, when Avery is sick, rather than feeling hugely guilty for staying home or even more guilty for sending her to Tina's, I will have a laptop so that I can log in from home. Some people are TOTALLY turned off by that idea, but for me I think it will be a lot better. I will still have an office and go to work most days, but if I need to stay home, I can. With all of the snow days lately, that could come in handy! ; )