Bestest Friend and I are doing a blog project. Each day we will write a blog post on a pre-determined theme chosen by a random noun generator. The theme for the eleventh day of the month is "Stranger."
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I mentioned earlier that they were redoing the asphalt in parking lot of the church behind our house. This actually did impact our lives because the smell was very strong and lasted for days. But more importantly for readers of this blog, it was also the cause of a real win with Hannah the Dog.
Notice the orange cones and flapping flags? Hannah didn't even care! She did not freak out, she did not side-eye them, she did not refuse to go on the sidewalk in front of them, she did not whimper in fear! She just looked at me briefly (as if checking on me to make sure I wasn't upset) and then walked right by them. NO BIG DEAL. This was new, but it wasn't scary or strange. This is a real victory.
What's your latest victory, no matter how minor?
So this is not a new victory, but your story reminded me of the fact that when both our kids were little they HATED hand dryers in public bathrooms. My son, in particular, would FREAK out and start crying and cover his ears and it was so hard to manage in big bathrooms where there were multiple dryers. I couldn't exactly ask a room full of strangers to not dry their hands. I remember being so stressed having to manage bathroom breaks when they were little knowing how scared they were of these hand dryers (to this day, I still instinctively heave a sigh of relief if I see only paper towel as the option in bathrooms!). The worst was when I was helping them in a stall and couldn't see the dryers and they would start going and I'd have to help them plug their ears. I'm having flashbacks now!!!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this post reminded me that, happily, we are 100% beyond that stage. There is no fear of hand dryers anymore. In fact, my kids are fully independent with all bathroom things. Which is just...incredible when I think of how intense those feelings used to be in public bathrooms.
Thank goodness you are past that stage! It sounds exhausting and stressful and aren't you glad you don't have to care about it anymore?!
DeleteYes I am! It's funny how certain things are SUCH. A. HUGE. DEAL as a parent and then, one day...they're not any deal at all?!
DeleteGood for Hannah! Maybe being outdoors with plenty of paths for escape made her feel confident. Or, maybe being tethered to you made her feel secure. Doesn't matter; bask in the glory of this win!
ReplyDeleteAfter many, many, MANY years, I'm finally okay with escalators. I once witnessed a baby tumble out of its stroller and onto the step as it was disappearing into the floor. The baby was sort of pinched at the juncture, and it was so awful that I got spooked about escalators after that.
Oh no! I don't think I would be able to get over that for a long time, if ever, so good on you!
DeleteMy miracle is to more or less keep the kitchen intact in this week of caring for my other.
ReplyDeleteAnd if the kitchen ends up being a disaster, it can be fixed after everyone's health has returned to baseline!
DeleteYay, Hannah! What a good girl.
ReplyDeleteI'm not feeling very victorious this week. I guess continuing to get out of bed in the morning and face things counts for something.
Every morning you get out of bed beats the alternative.
Deleteyay hannah!!
ReplyDeleteYay! indeed!
DeleteYay, Hannah! She's such a brave girl! And I like how she made sure you were okay with those scary cones before walking past them.
ReplyDeleteI would say my victory for today is getting my daughter to school on time- traffic the first week is brutal.
School doesn't start around here for a couple more weeks, but I am NOT looking forward to the traffic around the nearby Middle School at drop-off. It's crazy! You have my sympathy.
DeleteWoot woot! Yay Hannah! All your hard work is paying off, Engie -- that must feel so satisfying! Victory indeed!
ReplyDeleteIt was a very satisfying moment. Real, visible progress has been made!
DeleteYay, Hannah!! ❤️
ReplyDeleteSuch a brave dog! (LOL.)
DeleteGo Hannah! Go Hannah! How gratifying that must have been. I got my mom to her colonoscopy and back without wanting to strangle her (lovingly), which, if you knew my mom, especially my mom after fasting, you would understand is a monumental victory.
ReplyDeleteHey, look, after I've been fasting, all I want to do is murder someone, so good on BOTH OF YOU for surviving this!
DeleteHiiiieeee! I can't comment on your blog from my phone so had to all uncle on keeping up with posts. But I am back at a computer today! :) My recent victory is pulling off this trip to Canada with my friend. We both have young kids and her partner had odd shift work when we planned the vacation so it was kind of tricky and required me to shift our usual lake vacation to July instead of August. But we did it and we had the very best time. We actually did very very very little planning ahead of the trip (because of our busy working mom lives) but it all came together. We got hike ideas from a friend in the area and did a bit of researching but just sort of pieced together what as an epically awesome 3.5 days together! It helps that we have very similar interests and wanted the same things out of the vacation (lots of outdoor time, early mornings/early nights).
ReplyDeleteWay to go Hannah on not caring about those foreboding orange cones!!
Yes! I'm so happy for you that you got to get away and that you were with likeminded travelers! It looks like you had a wonderful time and that's just wonderful!
DeleteWell done to Hannah! My dog Riley always side eyes witches hats and flags, and avoids walking too close to them. A win, is managing to get some yes replies from prospective volunteers to come to an information session. I loathe recruiting.
ReplyDeleteI definitely thought those flags would freak her out (they were making quite a noise in the wind), but she was such a champ.
DeleteYay for some prospective volunteers!
Latest victory... Doing yoga yesterday and this morning- considering how much I hate all types of exercise.
ReplyDeletePreach it. I hate exercise, too. I feel like confetti should rain from the sky when I am finished and it never does. Here's your confetti!
DeleteHmm, I think my biggest victory right now is being super consistent in the gym! And hitting all the stretch classes since I joined! (I am sure I will have some conflicts as time goes on, but so far I've had perfect attendance... insert angel emoji... lol!)
ReplyDeleteYay! for getting to the gym! You are a woman of your word!
DeleteThose stretch classes don't always work for me, so some months I can get 10-12 in, but in June of this year, I only made four all month, so just do what you can do! I like that it's free, so it seems like a very low-pressure situation.
Yay! Great job Hannah!
ReplyDeleteI was so proud of her!
DeleteGo, Hannah! And Yay *you* for your patient and consistent coaching!
ReplyDeleteIt did feel like a real win!
DeleteThat is a huge win. Yeah for Hannah!!
ReplyDeleteShe's doing her best to learn to be brave.
DeleteThis is such a big accomplishment! I'm so proud of Hannah for being such a brave girl!
ReplyDeleteExactly! So much bravery on display!
DeleteWow, Engie. Hannah is amazing, and you and Dr. BB have helped her get there. You are obviously Her People. (I, too, love that she checked on you... that dog loves you so much!!)
ReplyDeleteVictory this week (counting back 7 days, since it's Sunday... which, for me, is the start of the "next week") was actually *going to Chicago* and having a (mostly) good time. :)
I'm glad you had a grand adventure in Chicago! Yay for conquering the traffic!
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