This is a list of things I have done (probably within the last 24 hours!) to keep my toddler entertained while I get something accomplished:

1) Let her play with my keys
This may not be a big deal to most moms but it is something I swore I would never do. Even before I was pregnant, I would see moms who let their kids play with their keys. I thought it was disgusting. Think of all the places you mindlessly throw your keys - so many places for germs! But, I am guilty of handing Camryn my keys on several occasions because it keeps her entertained.

2) Let her bang away on the piano
Even though we’ll probably have to have it retuned once a month because of the way she bangs on it, I’m able to clear the dishes from the table, load the dishwasher, and clean the kitchen during the time the piano keeps her interested.

3) Let her shred Kleenexes
Camryn loves to ask for a Kleenex by saying, “Nose.” We give her one, she pretends to blow her nose, and then she proceeds to shred the Kleenex into a million pieces all over the room. I can usually give her one and buy myself 5 minutes on the computer to check my email ... of course, I spend 20 minutes after that trying to pick up all the Kleenex pieces from the floor!

4) Let her eat her weight in Cheerios
Cheerios and juice gets me through a trip to the mall any day!

5) Let her play with my cell phone
Maybe she is making calls to China at the rate of $1000 per minute, but at least she's quiet!

Brand Name Items

I read this post the other day and it made me start thinking. I try most of the time to buy the store brands. At Wal-Mart I get lots of things that are Great Value brand: condensed soups, shredded cheese, pasta, paper plates, sugar, canned fruit ... the list just goes on and on. And, I can buy almost anything that is Publix brand. Publix brand items are fabulous! You really can’t tell the difference between it and the brand name stuff. Except for the Publix brand Coke – that is like drinking liquid speed! I am almost convinced that was the cause of my insomnia spells I was having about a month ago. We had a package in our fridge around that time (it was the penny item that week at Publix – love, love, love the penny items!), and I really think that was doing it. Anyway, back to the point ... I have realized there are some things I just can’t buy unless they are brand name. For example, French fried onions. I have tried the Great Value brand a few times, and they are horrible! I’m also a brand-name diaper person. I think we tried the Wal-Mart brand once when Camryn was a baby, and I never went there again. And we also tried the Wal-Mart formula when Cam was a baby and Oooooo!!!! That was a bad choice. Some other things I only buy brand name: laundry detergent, Oil of Olay (the Wal-Mart version makes your face stink!!), toilet paper, ketchup (only Heinz, not even Hunts) ... and so many other things. What are the things you will only buy if they are brand name?

18 Months Old!

Camryn’s first day at her new daycare was a success! It couldn’t have gone any better. One of my friends told me that she prayed yesterday morning I would have a “calm heart,” and that is exactly what I had. Neither Camryn nor I cried, and when I called to check on her at lunchtime her teacher told me she was doing “tremendously well.” She said she loved the outdoors, took a good nap, and had a great day overall. Only a few minor incidents of crying for mommy, but they passed quickly. I was so proud of her! I know this day went so smoothly because we have such incredible friends and family who have prayed us through this decision and prayed for the three of us all day yesterday. Our friends and family are so awesome!

Camryn is 18 months old today. Jason and I are just amazed every day at the things she says, the things she does, the way she makes us laugh. She loves to tickle us, she teases us, she helps me with the laundry, she sits with me at the computer and plays with my hair, she pretends she’s cooking while I’m making supper ... so many fun things! I was rocking her the other night and realized I was no longer holding a baby. It was a sad moment for me, but I am so proud of my little girl!

Plantar Faschiitis

Ever heard of it? Me either until I found out this week that I had it! I went to a podiatrist on Thursday because I have had a really sharp pain in the side of my heel almost all summer long. Whenever I have been sitting for long periods of time and get up to walk it really hurts. It’s especially bad in the mornings after I’ve been laying down all night and get up. I’m literally limping the first five minutes I’m up. I found out it is an inflammation of the band of tissue (the planar fascia) that extends from the heel to the toes. The fascia first becomes irritated and then inflamed – resulting in heel pain. (Can you tell I’m copying straight from the information sheet?) So, I have to keep my foot wrapped for 3-5 days and wear “supportive shoes,” i.e. tennis shoes, which is very hard for a heels-only kind of girl like me. Let me tell you, I was a fashion statement yesterday at church in my tennis shoes! After the wrap comes off, I have these stretching exercises to do, I have to ice it each night, plus use an icy-hot gel. Oh by the way – it’s Camryn’s fault. Just kidding! But, the podiatrist said this most likely started when I was pregnant when all the ligaments, etc. started relaxing and my foot stretched. Then, because of going barefoot all summer and wearing nothing but flip flops, I probably aggravated it. I just hope it heals soon. I can’t live without flip flops and heels!

I love the fact that Camryn loves books. Reading is so important, especially for little ones, and Camryn loves nothing more than to curl up in your lap and listen to a book. So, today I am listing her favorite books at the moment. I’m always looking for new books to buy her, so leave a comment and give me suggestions for some good ones! I know I have plenty of mommies and teachers out there who read this blog, so let me know some of your favorites!

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman
This is the first book Camryn ever owned because Jason bought it the week we found out we were pregnant. It was one of his favorites when he was little, and now he reads it to her each night it’s his turn to put her to bed.

Elmo Loves You by Sarah Albee
The Elmo phase has not yet passed, so it is self-explanatory why this is one of her favorites. Although I get so tired of this book, I always get a kick out of reading it to her. At the end of the book it says, “Before Elmo ends his poem, Elmo wants to ask you this: Will be you Elmo’s valentine? Can Elmo have a kiss?” She knows it is coming, so she kisses almost every page as you read!

Lift and Learn Opposites by Lene Holmen
Very colorful and fun because it has flaps to lift. Camryn has memorized several of the words in this book, and it’s always funny to listen to her say the word before she even lifts the flap.

I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak
Such a sweet book! You can get this one at Wal-Mart. “I love your happy side, your sad side, your silly side, your mad side. I love your fingers and toes, your ears and nose ....” She always grins really big when I read this to her because I love to exaggerate the emotions and point out each of the body parts as we read.

The ABC’s of Carolina (For Gamecocks of All Ages!) by Tonya Smith Atkins
At this point, Camryn just loves trying to find Cocky on each page. However, I know each time we read we are teaching her important life lessons (B is for Black and Garnet, W is for Williams-Brice Stadium) and values that will carry her far in life. :)

Daycare

I have not been a good blogger lately. I think it is a combination of things including the fact that I am so tired since starting back to school (a teacher I know commented to me last night that she forgot how tired she always was during the school year … Amen to that!) and that my life is boring right now! In the summer I have time to do new and fun things and during the school year, it’s the same thing day in and day out. Another reason I think I have experienced writers block lately is because I have been so stressed. Jason and I made one of the hardest decisions we have ever made at the beginning of the week to change Camryn’s daycare. Now let me start by saying we are so appreciative of the lady who has kept Camryn since she was 7 weeks old. I’ve told everyone I know we will never find someone who loves Camryn as much as this lady does. She has done so much for our family, I could never even begin to describe it all. However, Jason and I started looking at 2-year old programs over the summer to begin planning for the future, because we eventually wanted Camryn in a preschool type of setting where she would be involved in a curriculum. An opportunity presented itself last week that would allow us to get Camryn in a 2-year old class as early as November or December (if we enroll her in the toddler program now!) because she is already so verbal and is already doing things like naming shapes, a few letters here and there, etc. (it’s my blog- I can brag on my baby a little!) After lots of prayer, lots of stress, and lots of tears (from me - not Jason!), we finally decided to go ahead and move Camryn into this program. This is very scary for me because I realize this setting will be very different from the home setting we are used to. I have been spoiled with my daycare situation thus far and know this will be a big change for us. But, in the middle of all my stress and worrying, I have truly felt God has opened a door for us, and I am trying my very best to follow His will even though my personality doesn’t allow me to deal well with change! I guess I am learning a little about following God’s will even when I’m put in an uncomfortable situation! Say a prayer for all of us – that I won’t have an emotional breakdown when we take her for the first time on Monday but most of all that Cammy will make a fast and easy adjustment!

Weekend Visit

This weekend my mom, my sister, Lindsay, and her husband, Justin came to visit us. We had such a great time just hanging out, shopping, and of course, playing with Camryn. Here are a few pictures from Camryn's weekend with Grammy, Aunt "In-see" and Uncle "Jush-in"

Sliding with Justin & Lindsay

Getting hugs from Aunt Lindsay

Being silly with Uncle Justin

...and Grammy, too

Daddy got in on the fun!

Plotting

Ready for church and wearing a dress Mommy wore when she was little!

Today’s Friday Five will be a double whammy. Here are 5 bad things about having to go back to work this week and 5 good things.

Here’s the Bad:

1) Nothing’s changed – same problems, same aggravating people (not the ones I work with directly!), my computer doesn’t work, our printer doesn’t work, etc.

2) I miss Jason & Cammy – I cried the night before I had to go back to work, cried when I woke up Thursday morning, cried when I kissed them good bye ...

3) I can’t check my favorite blogs 1000 times a day - I actually have to work!

4) I have to get up early again. I almost forgot what it was like to get up before the sun came up!

5) Mid-afternoon naps are a thing of the past.

And the Good:

1) I got a new desk, and I’m getting a new chair, which is the most comfortable desk chair I’ve ever put my hindquarters in. Ahhhhh!!!

2) Free food! Hey – when you work in a school district, the food is always in abundance. We get breakfast this morning, and I get free lunch on Monday.

3) I got to go on a shopping spree for school supplies at Staples on the district’s dime. Anytime I can shop with someone else’s money, it’s always a plus!

4) Going back to school means my birthday is coming soon. Yeah ... that one’s stretching it, but I really couldn’t think of 5 truly good things about my summer being over.

5) Have you seen the back-to-school commercial for Mastercard with the three cute little boys dancing? It says something about being back with people who understand you ... priceless. That’s how I feel ... being back around all the other psychs, with the people who understand the craziness of our district – it’s priceless.

The Burley Report

This is what has been going on in the Burley household over the past few days:

-Jason’s bonsai tree has officially bit the dust. However, it still sits in the middle of our kitchen table – dead – because neither of us can bear to throw it away.

-I picked Camryn up the other day and said, "GAH-LEE you're heavy!" She's picked up on that and started walking around saying, "Oh golly!" She also says, "I cute!" because we were trying on clothes the other day, and I kept saying, "Oh, that's cute!!"

-Today is my last day of vacation. Work starts tomorrow, and I’m pretty sure full-blown, certifiable depression has set in.

-Camryn had to go back to the doctor on Monday, because she ran a fever on and off all weekend. Thought it was her ears again but it wasn’t, so tubes are on hold (at least for now). However, she did have a red throat and two lesions in her throat (painful!) By the way, she told the doctor, "I cute!"

-Today Jason and I will attend CORE at Anderson University to promote the church and the college Sunday school class we co-teach. Can’t wait – lots of FREE stuff! But, I am running around like a mad woman trying to get everything we need - balloons, candy, flyers, etc.

-Camryn got a placemat from her Grandma B. this weekend that has several Sesame Street characters on it. She is just giddy every time she looks at it. I thought her head would explode when she saw all of those characters in one place.

-Camryn decided this week that she has opinions AND that she should share them with us. I was giving her the medicine for her throat, and she made a horrible face and said, “I ont ike it.” (Translation: I don’t like it)

-Camryn learned this week to say, “What are you doing?” Of course, all of those words don’t come out – it’s more like “utta-u-oin?” or “a-doin?” It doesn’t do any good to answer her, because she’ll just ask you 20 more times. We’ve just started making up stuff to answer her.

-Cam also repeated “Shut up!” because she heard it on TV. Yikes!

-Did I mention this is my last day of vacation, and I am DEPRESSED?!?

Cute Kid

Just thought I would share a few of the cute pictures I have taken lately.

Tag! You're It!

I got tagged, so here goes!

Four jobs I have had:
1. Sales Clerk (Belk & American Outpost)
2. Student Ambassador for Admissions at Anderson College
3. RD for a freshman girls’ dorm at Winthrop
4. School Psychologist

Four places I have lived:
1. Cheraw, SC
2. Anderson, SC
3. Rock Hill, SC
4. back to Anderson

TV shows:
1. Food Network In the Kitchen (Paula, Giada, Rachael, Robin)
2. Friends
3. American Chopper (Jason got me hooked on it this summer!)
4. Ace of Cakes

Food:
1. Pizza
2. Cheesecake
3. Key Lime Pie
4. Anything else Italian

I would rather be:
1. Shopping with an endless supply of money
2. Savannah, GA
3. Anywhere romantic with my husband
4. The beach – any beach

Favorite movies:
1. White Christmas
2. Sweet Home Alabama
3. 10 Things I Hate About You
4. Pirates of the Caribbean movies

I tag:
1. Melissa
2. Jessica
3. I don’t have any other blogging friends who haven’t already done this! :(
4.

The First Friday Five!

There is a blog topic out there called the Thursday Thirteen. It's a neat concept where you choose a topic and make a list of thirteen things. I love reading them on other people's blogs and have wanted to do one myself for a couple of weeks now. The only problem is, I can't think of 13 things to list about anything! I have great ideas for the topics but can't think of 13 things ... at least 13 things that are worth listing. So, I came up with my own idea - the "Friday Five." Surely I can come up with five things each week that are blog-worthy. Because I realized I haven't blogged about Camryn lately (at least directly), she's going to be the topic of my first Friday Five. So, here it is - my five favorite things that Camryn is saying right now:

1) Ooooo ... Nassy!
Translation: Ewwww ... Nasty! She's so funny - if she gets something on her hands, if she picks something up off the floor, when she sticks her finger in your ear (I have NO idea where she got that from), she says, "Ooooo .... Nassy!"

2) Loves you
I don't think there is anything sweeter she says. She's even started saying it first instead of just in response to you saying it. I hope she never stops adding the "s."

3) Hold me
It's so cute to watch her come stand at your feet, stretch her arms up, and say "Hold me." It's sweet - she does it to her Daddy a lot!

4) Buhley
A couple of weeks ago, we taught Camryn to say her name. At first it was just "Camnyn." Then she started adding "Camnyn Buhley." Now you ask her, and it's just "Buhley."

5) Waddle, Waddle
Cam knows what lots of animals say - dog, cat, lion, pig, owl, etc. But, by far, my favorite is what she says when you ask her what a penguin does: waddle, waddle, waddle!

Consignment Sales

I love kids’ consignment sales. You never know what you will find there. Yes, most of the stuff is old or worn, but if you’re willing to look around, you’ll be amazed at what you can find! You can get brand new clothes with the tags still on them for a fraction of the price and boutique and brand name clothing that has obviously only been worn once or twice. There are several of these sales that come to the upstate area a few times a year: Weecycled Wear, Upstate Kids, and Switcharoos. Then there’s also the Children’s Wear Outlet, which isn’t consignment, but you can find 3-piece B.T. Kids outfits (typically found at Belk) for $10.00! My best friend Kelli and I look forward to this one all year long! Then there’s also a little consignment shop in Anderson that is amazing called Mom’s Hand-Me-Downs. Another place for great little finds. I think I feel so great about shopping at these places and being a little thrifty every now and then because it makes me feel better about my serious Gymboree addiction!

Thank Goodness for Leftovers

Yesterday was one of those thank goodness for leftovers kind of days. Everyone woke up late, and Camryn decided to eat her breakfast ever ..... so ..... slowly. Work called, and I’m answering questions while brushing Camryn’s teeth, washing her face, and dodging her as she tries to press buttons on the phone. Get Cam and J out the door, quick check on e-mail, and post blog (thankfully written the night before). Shower, on to the dentist to repair an old filling. Mouth numb, head to the grocery store. Back home, vacuum, pick up around the house, eat lunch. Take a few minutes to talk to Jason who’s home from a staff lunch, out the door again to pick Camryn up and take her to the doctor. Left later than I should have, loooonnnggg wait at the doctor’s office, ears again, probably looking at tubes in the next few months. On to Publix to pick up her prescription, it’s a million degrees outside, I have on black pants, I’m lugging a 25 lb. toddler through the parking lot, and she’s wired by now. Try to keep her from tearing the store apart while we wait, then back home to get supper ready so Jason can get out the door to praise team. Thank goodness we had leftover chicken pot pie and mac and cheese from Saturday night that I could just reheat. Sit down to eat, fight Camryn over her medicine (it’s really nasty) and it ends up all in her hair because she spits it out. Clean up the kitchen, which is a mess, chase Camryn around all night long, and give her a bath to get the medicine out of her hair. Read her bedtime stories, rock for a while, put her down, and she starts screaming. On to the kitchen to make brownies so J and I can watch Pirates of the Caribbean 2 together (long overdue on that one), drop an egg on the floor, and accidentally spray the pan with Pam for Grilling because I’m trying to hurry (I’m not making all this up). Finally sit down to watch the movie with our brownies and didn’t get in bed until midnight. Everyone overslept again this morning .... here we go again!

The Christmas Letter

When I told my husband that I planned to start a blog he said he thought it was a little presumptuous of me to assume other people would want to read about our lives. I rolled my eyes at him. Then he told me he equates a blog to the Christmas letter that people send out, as it anyone cares what their family has done all year. I died laughing. Fast forward to last week. Jason and I got in the car, and he put a piece of sheet music in my hand, popped a CD in, and said, “Follow along, but don’t read ahead.” I start listening to this very bright, cheery, sing-songy Christmas music. Then it gets to the very dark, heavy chorus with lots of flats, and I don’t think I stopped laughing for the next 30 minutes. I wish I could download the song for you, but I think you can paint a pretty accurate picture of how it sounds in your head. (Sorry to any of you Christmas letter writers out there I may be offending!!)

“The Christmas Letter”

I love the sounds of caroler’s voices ringing in the air
And the sight of shoppers running to and fro.
I love to see the tinsel and the lights hung ev’rywhere
And a couple kissing ‘neath the mistletoe.

(Ladies) I love the sight of pretty presents underneath the tree
And the joy of cooking cake and pumpkin pies.
(Men) The joyous, glorious season really means so much to me,
But there is one Christmas thing that I despise:

CHORUS
The Christmas letter, that dreaded Christmas letter
It’s the one thing at Christmas I can’t take.
The Christmas letter, that dreaded Christmas letter
Reading one gives me a stomach ache.

Who cares who went to Greece last summer
Or who just bought himself a Hummer?
Such bragadocious boasting should be barred;
Next year, please, just a card!

When they write about themselves they always use first person nouns,
And they always start, “Dear friends and family.”
They overplay the ups they have and underplay the downs
Can I hear, “Amen!” for all those who agree? AMEN!

CHORUS

Who cares about your new promotion
Or that your house is on the ocean?
Such bragadocious boasting should be barred;
Next year, please just a card!

Who wants to hear about successes when our lives are in such messes?
Such bragadocious boasting should be barred
Next year, please, just a card!

Weekend Report

This weekend Camryn's Papa came to visit, and she was in heaven. Papa was her constant playmate for three days, and she got whatever she wanted. Guess that's what papas are supposed to do! She cried when she got up from her nap yesterday and asked for Papa, and I had to remind her he had gone home. Below are some of the pictures from the weekend.

My friend Melissa just started a blog, and I am so excited that one of MY friends is actually blogging. Now I don't have to lurk around (there's some new blog terminology for you, Melissa!) on blogs of people I don't really know!

I'm thinking of changing the name and address of my blog. I guess I really didn't think it through too well when I started this, and it's probably not the smartest thing to have our first and last names posted all over the world-wide web. I did at least take out the reference to where we a live a couple of weeks ago. So, any ideas? I'm not very creative when it comes to this type of things (I mean, really - how creative is "The Burley Family?"), so help me out! What's something cute and catchy?

Camryn & Papa read books together ...

they played with blocks ...

they played outside ...

they laughed ...

... and made up new games

Here I Go Again!

At 2:35 a.m. this morning I hear beepbeepbeep. I reached over because I thought the baby monitor might be dying but realized it was plugged in. I was about to doze off when I hear it again: beepbeepbeep. Well, now I have to figure out what it is. After a little thought and another beepbeepbeep, I realize it’s Jason’s cell phone dying. Had it not been 2:35 a.m., I may have reached that conclusion a little sooner. I get up, and I’m feeling around on Jason’s dresser in the dark. I finally found the phone and turned it off. I lay back down but by this point, I’m wide awake. I decide I’m too hot, so I get up to turn the air down. Then my throat is dry so I need some water. On the way to the kitchen I trip over one of those toys with a million parts and plastic animals go flying everywhere. I lay back down, and it starts all over again: the lights on the monitor are shining right in my face, Cam is talking in her sleep again, the dog is scratching, I’m tossing and turning, I’m adjusting the pillows, I’m jealous Jason is such a heavy sleeper, I’m deciding what to blog about next week, I’m deciding where we’ll go shopping today for tax free weekend ... an hour later I’m frustrated and headed back to the couch. I’m having visions of all the Ambien and Lunestra commercial I’ve seen and decide I need some of that. When did I become such a stinkin’ insomniac?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Christmas! This is the time of year I like to start trying to buy Christmas presents. I try to get a head start so we aren’t spending ourselves into the poorhouse in December trying to buy everything at once. My sister does this, too, and my dad called me a few weeks ago to ask what Jason and I would like for Christmas, so it must be a family thing.

About a month ago, I also started making a list of what I would like for Christmas. In the past few years when anyone has asked me what I’d like to have I usually say “Ummmmm .....” And then a few days after Christmas I can think of a million things I should have asked for. So this year, I’m going to be prepared! I already have about 10 things on my list! Cookbooks, a deep fryer (for all that healthy food!), a cheval mirror for our bedroom, Burberry Brit perfume ....

Bonsai Killers

When Jason and I were on our honeymoon in Disney World, we were shopping at some of the stores in Japan at Epcot. In one store, they had bonsai trees - every shape, every size, every price. Jason thought it would be great to get one, and we spent forever picking out the perfect tree. We took that little tree back to our apartment, thought it was the best thing, and even named it. Within a year it was dead. I don't know what in the world we did, but somehow we killed little J.T. Jason was so disappointed and always wanted another one. So, for our 5th anniversary this past June, I called down to the same little store where we bought J.T., the Mitsokoshi Department Store at Epcot, and talked to the sweetest Japanese woman. I explained the exact shape of our original tree and asked if she could ship me another one. I was so excited because she picked out an exact replica, and the package came while Jason was at work one day, so he had no clue! He gave me jewelry, but have no doubt he was more excited about that tree than I was about my diamond hoop earrings! Well, almost two months later, we are now on our way to killing another tree. WHAT are we doing??? I know bonsais need lots of sunlight, so I have put the tree on the back deck several days. We water it, and it even sits on our kitchen table so it can get lots of light when it's not outside. But, somehow we are still managing to kill this tree, too. When you touch it, the little pieces just fall right off. Can anybody tell us what we are doing wrong??