The Annie Nanny Diary: Part 1

So as the year comes to a close (hard to imagine only one month left!) I wanted to do a round-up of what I have been doing with Kate for the past 8 months. For those of you who do not know, I nanny a 10 month old baby-Kathryn. She is adorable and her laugh and smile makes all the other frustrations in my life melt away.

Our overall goal is for Kate to become:

1. Most importantly-healthy and happy
2. Well-rounded
3. Bright
4. Bilingual (Chinese and English)

Our average daily schedule

9:00 am Kate wakes up
9:30 am Breakfast-either Banana, Blueberry, Apple and Sweet Potato or Peach Yo Baby Yogurt
10:00 am MWF Music and Dancing time! We usually listen to Comcast channel 928. If you have a chance check it out ( I love the Barenaked Ladies kids songs!)
10:45 am Reading (Kate loves turning pages)
11:15 am If it is a nice day we go on a walk, if not, we either tear up old catalogs and play with toys or do an art project
12:00 pm Kate eats, I do chores
12:30 pm Nap time for Kate, Homework for Annie
1:15 pm Chinese/English lessons (songs I have learned, numbers, ABCs etc.)
1:45 pm Diaper change, exercise (aka Kate crawls up the stairs as I spot her)
2:00 pm Bye-Bye!

As for our art projects we have done hand and footprints, painted pumpkins, made her mommy some birthday flowers out of tissue paper and tomorrow we are going to make turkey place cards for their Thanksgiving dinner.

Part 2 will include pictures of all these art projects. My last post of the year will be Christmas theme so stayed tuned. Also, I know I do not update this very often, but between working full time and going to school full time while keeping up with the dogs and the house, my free time is limited : ) I am looking forward to the holidays for some time off and perspective.

Engagement Pictures!

A little over a week ago Daniel and I ventured to the Arboretum and my mom was nice enough to trek along to take some photos. We wanted to send a few engagement announcements out to some of our family members. I thought that the fall leaves would provide a good background for a picture to include in the announcement and thanks to some cool cards my mom and I found at Impress at University Village they should turn out great!


♥

why I am going into childhood education...

Thanks to Twitter and my friends at @KING5Seattle there was an incredible hour-long segment about research being done at the University of Washington I-labs about the minds of babies and their ability to learn.

This is exactly why I do what I do and am working for my Certificate for Early Childhood Education. So interesting and I highly recommend it! (Not only for educators but any one who plans to have children...) Click Here to Watch!

In the video, Dr. Patricia Kuhl explains the findings of her and her two partners Dr. Gopnik and Dr. Meltzoff. I cannot wait to go to the library with Kate on Monday and pick this up. You should too!

Goin' to the Chapel...

As strange as it still sounds to say...I am ENGAGED! Daniel and I have marked our commitment to each other and I could not be happier! The funny part is, the reason I feel strange is that I guess I already felt engaged : ) Dan and I have talked for a while about this and I suppose it was already concrete in our minds and hearts, but now it is for everyone else!

I want to wait until I am done with my undergrad degree before planning the wedding (not that I already haven't started the planning process) so I am looking at September 2012 as a wedding time. Plus, I want everything to be just right so I am sure it will take some time to perfect. I hope you all are ready for this blog to turn into wedding central more and more as I think of things.

The ring we picked out together is perfect for me and just how I want my wedding; small, sweet, classic and me :)

The Cutest Girl Alive

Baby Kate was my model the other day before she went on yet another trip! I don't see Kate from September 22nd to October 5th, so I knew I needed something to last me : ) I brought Daniel's big, fancy camera with me and this was the very first shot I got...
Nothing makes my heart warmer than seeing her smile. I just thought I would spread the warmth...

School, school, school

Up until my Junior year at college at University of San Francisco, I loved school. I know it sounds strange, but I actually like having a strict schedule of when to get things done, making list, and yes, even doing homework! School has definitely had its ups and downs (cough cough Junior year of high school) for me, but it has mostly been ups with the occasional drama no teenage girl can escape.

Having recognized in high school that I had a fair amount of anxiety, most of the time and not properly treating it, it became out of hand when I was living in San Francisco during my Junior year. Although I had Daniel there with me, I felt out of control most of the time, and my school work suffered a little also. With Dan done with school and ready to either go to Grad School or work, we move back to my hometown of Seattle so I could treat my anxiety problems and we could begin a life together.

I figured transferring to Seattle University (another Jesuit institution) would be a piece of cake. Applying and getting in was not so difficult, but once I was accepted it was all downhill from there. First of all, I lost a bunch of credits because I either had to take a particular course at Seattle U, or they were not confident in what the course was and syllabus' from those courses were needed to determine if it could fulfill something or not. Second, I hate Quarter Schedules!! You do not go deep enough into any topic for the classes to be interesting, and each quiz and test count for more than in Semester courses. The only upside I can see is if you HATE a class but have to take it, because it will be over pretty quickly. Third, although I had moved back to Seattle, that did not solve my anxiety issues, because I still wasn't getting it properly treated. The result of untreated anxiety, in my case, results in creating a very small world for yourself in which there are as little triggers as possible, and new areas of my life that had not been influenced so much by the anxiety were suffering, some parts indefinitely. I closed myself off from all friends and began to experience social anxiety, something totally new. Anyways, long story short, I had to stop going to school and get my life in order.

I am happy to say that the Evidence Based Treatment Center of Seattle has really begun to give me my life back! Not only are the staff there extremely knowledgeable and kind, but I have seen a big difference just within the first 6 months of weekly exposures and new medication. The personal side of my life has become so much better and since taking time off from school and working full-time I now know what I want to do with my life. I work as a nanny for the first half of the day, to the most adorable baby I know, Kate, then in the afternoons I work at my grade school in the Extended Care program. I love my jobs and that now I know I want to get my Certificate in Early Childhood Education. But before I can do that, I knew I had to address my Bachelor's Degree.

I never in a million years would have guessed that I would not finish my degree at USF in the four years. Not only am I behind my classmates now, but I didn't really know where to finish my degree. I know SU was NOT going to work for me and I don't care for schools as large as the University of Washington so I was a little lost. I had researched City University, but something just didn't quite click. I had always assumed online programs were kind of bogus...but I was wrong. Washington State University has an online program for people in just my position, or in a variety of others (married with kids, legal guardian for younger siblings, full time workers, etc). You receive the same education you would in Pullman or their other campuses but with non-specific class time contribution, homework assignments able to be done and different paces, and of course exams. It really does take a lot of planning and scheduling, but for me that is a dream. I love figuring out the puzzle of when things need to get done, and if possible, if I can do it in the most-efficient and proper way possible.

So with a year of online school while I continue to work full-time will definitely be a challenge but I am hopeful and excited. After the Bachelor's is out of the way, then onto Early Childhood Education I go! Wish me luck!

Stamping fun with baby Kate!

So I have been searching and searching the internet ever since I started nannying baby Kate. She is just now 7 months old and as I do realize that is still young, I know she is smart and we learn all day long (colors, fruits, animals etc) I figure even if she does not understand shapes...let alone words : ) it cannot help to start early. Almost every answer I found about what to do with a baby, proudly, I had already done with Kate!

After an attempt to make Kate's handprints and footprints a few months ago, with an all food-based paint, and failing dismally, I have been looking for a way to capture her growth through art work. I found washable, non-toxic, kid-safe ink pads at Impress in the University Village and got so excited! Today I set down large sheets of paper today on the floor, changed Kate into a onsie and we got our art on! Kate was so much more cooperative this morning than the last time we tried to do a project and I think she really had a good time! Her mom came down and snapped some shots, but before she could get off the phone with work, I got a few of my own on my phone. The only downside to the ink was it left us a little purple. haha Enjoy...

Working Out My Work Out

A part of growing up I was not anticipating to happen so soon in my adulthood, is the dreaded weight gain. When I was at USF as a Freshman I experienced the natural weight gain with living away from home for the first time and I did have a new medication which has a side effect of weight gain, but between the end of Freshman year and the beginning of Senior year I gained, (I cannot believe I am about to admit this to the world wide web!) approximately 40 pounds! **Insert gasp** I do not think that the weight I am today is outrageous, or even above normal, but prior to integrating exercise back into my life I was feeling sluggish, not toned, uncomfortable finding things to wear (not able to just go buy another wardrobe for my new size) and just very different.

Side Note: Entering college I needed to gain weight. I did not realize this until I was looking back on high school pictures, and I honestly look sick. My arms look like a skeleton's. Here is a look back for you all (I am in the white shorts):
Thank the Lord for my parents. They have never pressured me to be one thing or another, especially with my size. However, knowing I wanted to start working out, my mom suggested that we rejoin Curves . Yes, the women-only 30-minute circuit workout, whose clients mostly consist of the 40 and over crowd. This is so good for me because I can always fit in a 30-minute whole body workout during my day. In addition to boxing, I really feel healthier and I have way more energy. My workouts did help me lose a few pounds within the first month and then....nothing. I have hit some sort of plateau, but would still like to lose a few more lbs. and get a little more toned.

I have tried the diet thing and that did NOT work out for me. I become a really bitter person when I am not satisfied with what I eat. In addition to cutting down on the unhealthy stuff I love to consume (Dick's cheeseburgers and Trader Joe's Strawberry Licorice) I have come to the only conclusion....I need to run. I have always HATED running and avoided it at all costs, but I believe that if I run around Greenlake three times a week and keep up with my regular routine, I can get in the shape I dream of! Plus it is just too beautiful to pass up. Here is a picture of the lake:
I had my first trial run...run, yesterday and man do I need to start small! I think I ran for about a mile (with a long stretch break in the middle) and I was exhausted. Even though I am no Wilma Rudolph (and never, ever will be) I am just proud that I am trying!

Well after a long time of vacation from nannying I get to see Kate tomorrow, so I better take the dogs out and get to sleep, but not before reading a few chapters in Kathy Griffin's book! Too funny!

Wish me luck with my running adventures......

Vacation

Welcome back to my blog after my few week hiatus! I would loved to have a blog, including pictures, from my trip to New York, but unfortunately my dad's hard drive got swiped clean and we lost ALL of our pictures. Luckily, they can be saved, but not without a hefty price!

This past week itself has been quite crazy. Daniel and I left Thursday night, after I worked all day, for a four hour drive down to Oregon, but not without a strange complication...Our poor Albert got sick on Wednesday afternoon and (without trying to gross you out by revealing too much) it did not contain exactly normal vomit contents. Well after I had to get someone to cover for me at work, I had to call the nearby clinic in our Vet chain and ask them to squeeze me in for an appointment.

After waiting quite some time, I got him some medicine and when I was almost steps out the door, I realized that I did not have my credit card...I then had to call my mother, crying (of course), and have her come bail me out while the clinic stayed open late for me. Now, I know how irritating it can be when people do not leave a store (aka Nordy's!) when it is closing time, so I just felt awful. Anyways, Albie is on the road to recovery and I hope he is feeling alright.

...back to the trip! Once we finally got to Sun River on Friday, the boys and I were so ready for some fun and relaxation. Daniel, Gus, Albert and I stayed in a beautiful home with my parents, my aunt and uncle, cousins and friends. In two other houses on our lane were my other aunts, uncles and cousins, so it was a family-filled weekend! It was so wonderful just to wake up without having to really do anything. Although we did get some resting in the hot tub at night and for a couple hours by the pool, we were quite active (riding bikes and going on a hike in a lava cave!) We had a lot of fun and are already planning the next time we can get away with the doggies!

Unfortunately, I had to be back to work at 3 pm today, so I dragged my three boys out of bed around 5:30 pm so we could start the trek. It was a long day, but I am glad it went by pretty painlessly for a 7 hour road trip. If you ever are thinking of taking a classic summer vacation in the outdoors, the houses at Sun River, OR are beautiful, comfortable and incredibly safe. Highly recommended!

Back to the Grind

So after coming home from New York and getting to sleep around 2 am (5 am for my internal clock!) I woke up at 7 am to my favorite show...Saved By the Bell! Daniel usually turns the television off after I fall asleep at night, but he was so exhausted and comfy in our bed after 5 nights away that he fell asleep with it on, too. I couldn't fall back asleep, either because I felt like it was 10 am, or because I just needed some Zach Morris in my life, so I got ready for work.

It was so good to see baby Kate! I feel like when I don't see for than 2 days she just grows so much! I was a little nervous to be honest, because Kate had someone else watch her for three days. I wasn't nervous that they would not know what to do, I think I was just feeling territorial...haha. Well supposedly, Kate did not have a good Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Everyone was curious if it was because she is teething, or just being fussy, but she was quite vocal about her unhappiness. Yesterday she was a little fussy but we pretty much had our routine down and today she was the happiest I have ever seen her! She was cracking up so hard when I would put fuzzy socks on my hands and flap them around and when I would dance with a blanket, pulling it over her face from time to time (which got squeals!). At the end of the day I tried to give the other babysitter the benefit of the doubt, telling Kate's parents that maybe she just didn't like being off schedule...but they both insisted that she just missed me and did not like that other girl ; ) This made me feel really good about the work I have been doing with Kate!

Although I love my work at the summer program for Extended Care and was quite looking forward to seeing the kids, my heart sank for a minute when I first walked into work this week. I heard the most dreaded word you can hear, working with kids........LICE. yuck, yuck, yuck!!! Ever since the second grade when I was sitting behind a girl, and saw those white bugs in a girls hair, I have always been mortified by them! Luckily, the staff got things under control quickly and by the time I had gotten there all the kids had been checked, one sent home to be taken care of properly, all the couches spread with de-licer and carpets vacuumed. No EC today, or Monday for the holiday so that is good!

Don't know what to do for the Fourth yet, but I am just excited to spend the night with my three boys. I am sure we will go to my parents for some hot dogs and potato salad and the classic flag cake decked with lots of frosting, raspberries and my favorite, blueberries! I will be sure to update this on Sunday with some pictures. Maybe I can find some old pictures of the cakes through the years, just to give you guys a sample : )

I hope you have enjoyed my work adventures of the week (and it was only 1.5 days). Sleep is needed. Boxing in the morning!

Wasting Time Up in the Air

Hello again! I know that my frequency of posts is pretty erratic, but I am still getting used to this blogging thing : ) Right now, believe it or not, I am thousands of feet in the air on the airplane going home to Seattle from New York. (props to Alaska Airlines for its free wi-fi through June)

Although I looooove visiting other cities, especially ones like New York, I must admit that I may be the worlds worst travel partner. I absolutely HATE airports/airplanes. The smell, the polyester uniforms, the recycled air, the small spaces...everything! My excitement for the trip is always overshadowed by my hatred for travel from point A to point B. Even now, I feel like I have been hit by a bus and I still have FOUR FREAKING HOURS LEFT ON THIS FLIGHT!! Granted, I have been on much longer flights in my life (London, Germany, Italy), but even if it was the quick 1.5 hour flight I so often took from Seattle to San Francisco, I would be unhappy and complaining.

I have come to the conclusion that someone needs to develop the technology for teleportation IMMEDIATELY! That way I can enjoy all a foreign city has to offer and sleep in the comfort of my own home by night! Perfect scenario for Annie!

Despite all of this complaining, I am really fortunate to have gotten to travel so much in my life!! I am so thankful that I have seen the things I have seen and experienced. New York was wonderful, but my heart was aching the whole time to be away from my boys! I know I am one of those crazy pet owners who treats her two dogs like children, but I really do love them so much and always want to be with them. I hope they are ready for some cuddle time with Mama tonight, because I sure am in need of that!!!

I assume I will be too exhausted to post again until this weekend, but keep checking in for a glimpse into my trip (I have so many exciting details to share from crazy drivers, to my celebrity encounters, to my wonderful shopping purchases.)

ta ta for now!

ps while I was gone, Daniel texted me a pic of Albert (our six month year old Lhasa Apso) who had managed to slip his head through the handle of his leash, while it was hanging on its hook. What a crazy dog...he must have missed his mommy so much he tried to hang himself ; )

BROADWAY!

As any one who knows me can tell you, musicals are a BIG part of my life. Not only do I love seeing musicals, but I love being in them, talking about them, listening to the soundtracks, working on them, reading about them and of course, always learning more reasons to love them!

My mom tells me that when I was a toddler I asked to sing my arias (opera influence from my Grandpa, that lasts to today) so obviously I was just born to love performing. : ) Growing up I took piano lessons, dance lessons, singing lessons, acting classes and was fortunate to have a great drama department at my elementary school! I have been so blessed to be involved in so many productions, theaters, positions/parts and other theater experiences. Fortunately my parents love musicals too, so I have seen productions of plays and musical from here to England! (Undying thanks to them for that!)

So, with that said, I have decided to share my............

TOP 20 MUSICALS

In ascending order...

20. The Sound of Music: By the end of the list you may notice that this is the only Rogers and Hammerstein musical (and pretty much the only traditional musical) on my list. I tend to dislike most classic old time musicals due to the lack of intricate plot and over-emphasis on musical and dance numbers as productions within themselves.
19. Guys and Dolls: This was my first show at Assumption St. Bridget School. I like the weaving of musical numbers with the plot and over-exaggeration of EVERY character.
18. The Lion King: "WOW", says any audience member after the opening number in this show! Quite a spectacular show, but with any Disney show, a little "cheesetastic".
17. Seussical: The Musical: One of my favorite shows (for both the show and specific production) I have done. This show gets a pretty bad rep from the critics, but I think it is sweet.
16. Cabaret: One word: LIZA.
15. Bye Bye Birdie: I fell in love with the movie version of this show starring Dick Van Dyke and Ann Margret. Probably the fluffiest musical on my list, but the music is pretty catchy!
14. Sweeney Todd: Sondheim+creepy+Angela Lansbury=magic
13. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: I am a Weber fan, so naturally I like his weird twist on this Biblical story. Best Narrator part in any show I know.
12. Aida: This Elton John/Tim Rice show is quite moving but with funding from Disney, the cheese spills through in lyrics like, "Re: another pyramid", "Re:"??? But nonetheless, the dramatic, soul-moving music can overshadow the bad writing.
11. Beauty and the Beast: Pretty funny that I have another Disney show, but this classic tale accompanied with Ashman/Menken music is to die for.
10. A Chorus Line: So genius to have a show...about audition for a show! This show rings so true to life and the struggle of even getting in the chorus of a Broadway show...
9. Les Miserables: I think the key to really understanding a musical, is to listen to the music before seeing the show. I came to know this soundtrack inside and out before I had to opportunity of seeing it in London. Although I could have followed and enjoyed the show going into it blind, I could relish in the music and plot simultaneously without having to focus on the lyrics.
8. Little Shop of Horrors: This is another musical that I first experienced on film. The raw realities expressed in this outrageous show creates the perfect combination of comedy and examination of true feelings.
7. Meet Me in St. Louis: Another film musical, starring the one and only Judy Garland! This is the quint-essential musical, for me. I love watching it with my Mom and laughing at Tootie!
6. Chicago: Along with #7, I feel that Chicago is a show that takes the focus of classical musicals (intricate dance and musical instrumental numbers) to really compliment the plot, instead of distracting from it. Good movie, too!
5. RENT: This show was not only dramatic in my life, but for the musical world in general. Jonathan Larson took a classic story (La Boheme), modernized it and accompanied his story with rock music. So inspiring and moving.
4. Into the Woods: I suppose my biggest claim to fame in my life, is playing the lead of the Baker's Wife...in eighth grade. haha : ) I love the charm of this show, the cleverness of Sondheim on almost every level and enthralling music!! I love how this show gives the audience a glimpse into the world after happily ever after.
3. Peter Pan: Mary Martin's Peter Pan from 1954 is a MUST SEE for every musical enthusiast. This is a vastly under-appreciated show with wonderfully sweet music and once again a spectacular view of a classic tale.
2. The Phantom of the Opera: To this day, the best musical experience of my life, was seeing The Phantom of the Opera for the first time in London. From the first note, Weber captivates the audience with his spectacularly dramatic music. My favorite musical scene of all time is when the Phantom appears slowly in the chandelier after hearing Christine profess her love to Raoul. The sadness in his voice pulls so hard at my heart strings, no matter if he is a monster or not.

And last, but absolutely the opposite of least, my NUMBER ONE MUSICAL OF ALL TIME...

1. WICKED! As someone who has grown up loving everything Wizard of Oz, Gregory Maguire captured my heart with his twist on this story from the Wicked Witch of the West's point of view. Elphaba (the WWW) is my all time dream role! This great story with Stephen Schwartz's score is the best musical experience around! If you ever have the opportunity to read the book, see the musical or even hear the music...DO IT! Words cannot express the enchantment of this show.

Well, thank you for reading this loooong post about the love of my life, MUSICALS! I am planning on getting back into the theater life with some auditions at Seattle Musical Theater, but before that I need to get my chops back in shape! Stay tuned for my progress!

Boxing!

This morning I went to my second boxing fitness class at Cappy's Gym on Capitol Hill. Last week it KICKED MY BUTT! It was just my mom and I and we were totally unprepared. We had forgot how to jump rope, we didn't bring water, and had to take many breaks. We could not let that be the last impression we left there!

I thought it could only be easier than last time, and although we got the jump ropes down and knew what to expect, I felt like it was an even harder workout! This week my mom brought one of her co-workers and Daniel came along to be my partner. It was so nice for Dan to see what it is all about (and how hard it is!).

The workout begins with a heart-rate-raising warm up of jump-roping, jumping jacks, mountain-climbers, etc. followed by individual/partner work like crunches, throwing a medicine ball over head and stretches.

Then comes the best part.......the bags! I was initially reluctant to go boxing because I didn't think it would help get my aggression out with the bag absorbing my punches vrs. reacting. Thanks to the very helpful trainer, I have learned that punching the bag is more of a snap of the fist against the bag which requires a great deal of control and really helps in avoiding wrist injury.

The last 5 minutes are devoted to one partner having either a punching mat or gloves and various combination of punches and movements, then switch. I like this part because although it is just a glove or mat you are hitting it is somewhat gratifying that another person's body reacts to your punches (as aggressive as that sounds....)

I am definitely one of, if not the MOST, inexperienced person there; not only when it comes to boxing skills, but even my endurance level is extremely low. That being said, I know it will only get easier and I will become more skilled if I continue to go. Also, I feel AWESOME at the end of the hour...in pain, but awesome.

I don't know if this encourages or DIScourages anyone from thinking of taking up a boxing fitness class, but all I know is that the lbs. are coming off!

Until next time...

Shoes!

Alright, so after a while of not blogging (due to the move) I finally have a moment to myself to update! Moving was intense but I am so happy with our new place and I cannot wait to share pictures on here. But for now, I thought I would share two of my favorite all time shoes, both of which are great for the Spring and Summer!

First, is a shoe that I discovered while living in San Francisco...


Not only are these shoes wildly comfortable and cute with everything from jeans to skirts, but when you buy a pair, a pair are also sent to a child in need of shoes in a Third World country!


Original TOMS are for both Men and Women and come in a variety of colors/patterns (and even glitter!) In addition to the originals, TOMS has come out with revised versions, such as a lace up saddle shoe and most recently these ADORABLE wedges:


These are great for the summer and I HAVE to have the red ones to pair with my boyfriend jeans!

Now for my all time favorite shoe (even though it is technically a sandal)....


I absolutely love Saltwater Sandals!! Since my first pair at about age 3, I have just adored these shoes. Like TOMS, these honestly go with everything. They look good on all ages of girls and they are too cute for boys...as long as they are under 6 years old, I don't think I would ever want to see a grown man in a pair of these!

I have had different colors, but my eyes are set on the floral pattern for this coming summer so I can pair them with all my basic clothes.

That is all for tonight, but more and more ideas keep popping into my head for new posts, so stay tuned!

Annie

Welcome to my blog! I thought that I would start this not only to document my life at the present, but also to share with others my ideas and experiences working with kids and life in general.

I (almost!) live in the Greenlake area (pictures to follow our move in) with my boyfriend, Daniel and our two wonderful dogs, Gus and Albert. Gus is a Schnau-Tzu and is 1 year (today is his birthday!!!) and Albie is a Lhasa Apso who is 5 months. I love my boys, and thus named my blog with them in mind. ♥

I nanny for a couple in Queen Anne. Kathryn (who we call Kate) is just shy of 5 months and is the sweetest girl I know. We play and learn 5 hours a day and I can't imagine a more gratifying job. I also work at Assumption St. Bridget School at the after school program.

Well, that is a good introduction for now. Later this week I plan on posting Kate's Very First Art Project 2010! outfitted with pictures and the recipe for all-food ingredient paint, safe for baby skin. I am also thinking of adding a puppy slideshow to the blog later.

Goodnight stars
Goodnight air
Goodnight noises everywhere...