Discover Aviation Days 2009

Bella and her Great Grandpa

Bella on the Tug

Bella and I bared the wind and cold today to enjoy the festivities of Discover Aviation Days at the Anoka County Airport in Blaine. We met Grandpa, Doug, and Derek at the hanger and went down and had a good pancake breakfast. We got to watch "Miss Mitchell", a plane I have always loved, fly in as we were eating. Bella of course wanted to go see it right away, but I made her sit in the warm hanger for a little longer. Grandpa proceeded to tell me a great story about how he was the first person to ever fly the "Miss Mitchell", which he and his co-piolet originally named something else. I love listening to my Grandpa's stories, I need to make it a point to see him more often.

After breakfast we got a quick peak at "Miss Mitchell" and then headed back to Grandpa's hanger. Bella had fun twirling around on the office chairs and I told her how my cousins and I used to have races on the wheely chairs, not sure if it was a good idea to put that thought in her head. Towards the afternoon it got a little warmer so, when a friend of mine stopped in, we went down and got a better look at the planes. Unfortunetly because it was so windy there was not many planes out for display.

After my friend left, Bella and I played around on the Tug (the big thing that pulls planes around) for quite a while. This brought back even more memories of my childhood. We loved playing on the tugs when we were little. Grandpa even lifted us to the ceiling of the hanger, which is extremely high even when you are not a little kid, on the forklift once. We used to spend so much time with my Grandpa at his hanger, it used to be in Crystal when I was young, and everytime I go back all the memories come storming back. Like I said before, I need to go back more often and make sure Bella gets to create her own great memories with Grandpa at the hanger.

Best event of the week...

We went to my friend's daughter's baseball game last night and I have to say that watching 5 year olds play baseball is extremely comical! Avery is the only girl on the team, and her coaches tell her she is the best girl on the team... she takes this very literally. The kids all get to bat once per inning and they swing until they hit the ball. There are no strikes, outs, umps, or set amount of innings. Avery's team was the first to bat and almost every child forgot to run after they finally hit the ball. They were so excited that they had finally connected with the ball that they just stood there watching the ball soar through the air, well for most kids it was more like watching the ball roll on the ground. The coach would remind them to run and when they did their little bodies wanted to run faster then their legs and most almost tripped over their own feet.

Next Ave's team went out into the field and she was placed as one of 2 short stops in between first and second base. She manages to lose focus before the first player even hits the ball. She does a few twirls and then starts up a full dance routine. But that is okay the rest of the team is also goofing off... building sand mounds, picking at the grass in outfield, conversing near second base, etc. Finally a kid hits the ball and all the kids look at each other to see who is going to run and get it, finally the coach says go get the ball and immediately 3 of them all run to get it. Once one of them picks it up they are unsure of what to do next. The coach says throw it to first and the child makes a nice attempt but the first baseman is not paying attention anyway so the runner makes it to first safely and in plenty of time. The rest of the innings continue like this.

While Ave is out on the field Bella has made 2 new friends. I get nervous, at first, that she is going to wonder away or do something naughty but I eventually ease up. Bella and her friends play in various dirt piles in front of us. I notice both of the other girls throw dirt and was just waiting for Bella to do the same, but instead she tells one of them not to throw dirt... I smile to myself. Then I notice her chewing on something. I say her name, she looks up and I am about to say somthing when I remember she has gum in her mouth. I think by 3 she'd know better then to put somthing random into her mouth, but you never know. When the game is over Bella tells her friends bye and for once does not throw a fit that we have to go home. She was the dirtiest she has ever been in her life, but over the last 3 years I have learned that a little dirt never killed anyone. I think we will be going to many more of Avery's games this summer, it is a great way to put a smile on your face :)

A few pics...

Bella with Santa, Christmas '08

Bella being cute!

Bella and I at my best friend's wedding in Sept. 2009

Attempt Number 2

Okay I set up a blog maybe 6 months ago and then did nothing with it, so I decided to try it again. I think I can make it work this time, I do have way more time now that I am laid off. So here we go...

A little about me, for those of you that may not know me... although I do not know if strangers read other peoples blogs? My name is Cindy and I am a 23 year old single mother of a wonderfully brilliant 3.5 year old, Bella. I was recently laid of, in February, from my position as an event planner after 2 and a half years. I kind of saw it coming when we got word from corporate that they were going to be opening a sales call center at World Headquarters to "help" with the calls. And then a few weeks later I get the news that my position will be eliminated in 2 weeks, so I had to work for the company for 2 more weeks... fun fun! I was not devastated, it was actually good timing. We were just moving into our new house a few weeks later so I was able to pack and move and unpack without having to also work 40 hours a week. I have decided to take advantage of this time in my life and take it easy this summer. Never, since I have had Bella, have I had much time to just enjoy being a mom, even when I was not working I was thinking about work or doing homework or doing housework etc.

I will just through in a short bit about the other person that helped me create Bella, her "dad", and then not mention it anymore. He has never been a big part of her life, and the little bit of time he has been around was a mess. Basically I spent a bunch of money in court trying to protect Bella and he still won some rights, with fine print, to see her. Well after all of that he never really showed any interest in seeing her and has not seen her for close to 2 years. I am overjoyed that he backed off the way he did, now I know my baby is safe and happy. Anyway that is enough words spent on that subject...

Now let's talk about the most important person in my life... BELLA! Bella is, as most children are to their parents, the love of my life. I was 20 when I had her and she has changed me and formed me into the person and mommy I was always meant to be. She is so smart, I know I am biased, but I really think she has always been slightly advanced for her age. With her brilliance comes trouble, I often call her "sassy" to which she yells back at me :) Bella is also extremely high-strung, people assure me that she is not a.d.h.d. she is just 3... I hope their right because I don't know if I can deal with this hyperness for much longer. Hmmm what else can I tell you about Bella Jo...

• she can be found dancing about 75% of the time that she is awak.
• her favorite color is red (did not know this until I just asked her).
• she is best friends with my best friend's daughter, Avery.
• she loves saying things in Spanish to me because I don't understand most of the words.
• her favorite people are Nana and Papa (my parents).
• she can make a mess out of a clean house in 60 seconds flat.
• she is a social butterfly, the girl gets upset when she says hi to someone in the store and they do not say hi back.
• she is not afraid of timeouts anymore, yep I know fun for me ;)
• she is not a fan of storms

Speaking of storms, it is just starting to storm so I better go snuggle Bella and watch some Idol.