A Total Fail

After my recent, grueling run with work, my boss allowed us to take yesterday - Friday - off work.  I had to take care of some minimal things in the morning, so we sent Shelby to school as usual, but I had plans to visit her from 10am to noon and help in the classroom. Jack can pop in from time to time to play with the kiddos, but I am never able to. I had visions of helping with crafts, sharing lunch time, running around in the playground.....boy was a wrong.

When I arrived all the kids were very quietly around the table listening to a story, Shelby included. Knowing that Shelby would go crazy when she saw me, I hung out in the back of the room until they were done. It was amazing. They were all very attentive around a small table as the teacher read an interactive book. I had to shoot through the window, so the photos are a little goofy.

When the activity was over, I came into the room and that is when all heck broke lose. Ugh - what a mess. Shelby started screaming. Not crying, screaming. There was nothing that could stop her - hugs, snack, outdoor play, nothing. I was so sad, and so bummed. After about 15 minutes I finally just left. It was so disruptive to the teacher and kiddos. I wasn't prepared to take her that moment, so I came by after nap time. I was hoping to get a bunch of joyful photos of her with her friends, but instead, the below pretty much sums it up. I guess I will just have to live varaciously though the tales of Jack's mid-day visits.

I'm Baaaaaaack!

Goodness. What a few couple of weeks. I have been busting my rear, pushing my professional comfort zone and pitching my pants off for the last three weeks, but alas, it is all behind me!

Yesterday marked the final day of the Global Gaming Expo - the gaming (as in casinos) industry's largest trade show. Because I now work for the world's largest gaming company, this is a GIANT business-to-business event for us and an enormous PR undertaking. Without getting too technical, trade media flock from around the globe to attend this event. Additionally, IGT launched a new brand this year and with the new brand came new PR goals, objectives and targets. Long story short....for those of you who have Facebook, I encourage you to visit https://www.facebook.com/IGT

From my seat in PR, our team achieved huge success. Honestly. We managed to capture more than 60% "share of voice" for the convention. Additionally, I was able to secure some great stories that are far out of the typical targets for our company....

The Hollywood Reporter
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/avatar-video-casino-games-unveiled-635594

VentureBeat.com
http://venturebeat.com/2013/09/18/igt-and-twentieth-century-fox-invest-big-in-avatar-slot-machine-games/

Robin Leach - LasVegasSun.com
http://www.lasvegassun.com/vegasdeluxe/2013/sep/25/photos-jon-landau-talks-igts-avatar-slot-machines-/

I could not be more proud of my team and I am even more confident than ever in my decision to join IGT. I love that I am learning constantly and routinely being pushed out of my comfort zone. I love knowing that I am growing as a professional in a company that has plenty of room for growth.

Finally, I am SO grateful for Jack and my dear friends. Jack has been picking up the slack when/where I have been bogged down with work and my dear friends Jen and Kristi have helped with Shelby and dinners. Amazing!

On with the show. Our next big trade show is in Argentina in November. I am not sure if I go to that one or not. We'll see!

Bass Pro Shop

Although it probably seems like I have given up my blog, that's hardly the case. I have been and still am, swamped at my job. Working a full day and additional work after Shelby goes down and before she wakes up. It has been bananas, but in this odd way, it doesn't bother me a bit. By Thursday, all the chaos will be behind me and I will have a new, professional experience under my belt. I will share more when I have more time.

In any event...last weekend we took Shelby to The Bass Pro Shop. It is a GIANT retail destination with lots of fun exhibits, water features, fish tanks and more. Cute, free, close to home - old fashioned fun.

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

And running, dancing, climbing and sitting. After Shelby's last well-check appointment the pediatrician suggested we get Shelby some boots. Some good old-fashioned boots. Of course when Jack texts me from the doctor that she needs boots, my mind goes to Forest Gump boots, but nope - cute little boots.

Apparently Shelby is slightly knocked knee. And I mean slightly. I read up on it and it's pretty common:

• Knock-knees are most commonly a normal stage of growth in young children. They typically become apparent when a child is 2 to 3 years old, and they often get worse around age 4. Chances are your child's legs will significantly straighten, without any treatment, by the time she's 5 or 6.

Personally, I think her little knees are perfectly cute, but we decided we should listen to the doctor....behinds, there are far worse treatment than to have to buy your kiddo adorable boots! So with that, she rocks boots now 3 to 4 days a week. The thought is that boots keep her ankles and feet straight, allowing less wiggle room for her knees to go inward. Like I said, I think she's perfectly cute :)

Baby Gate 2.0

The lastest work to come from Jack's Yankee Workshop - our upstrairs baby gate. It's very "substantial." I joke with Jack that it can hold back a rhino :)

Jammies

We have officially moved Shelby into all 24 month/2T pajamas. You can't really push it when footie PJ's are too small, you just have to go up a size.  When your have to hike her knee to her chest to get her leg in, it's just time. I like to have 7-9 options in a given size so I do not have to worry about laundry during the week and have a back-up if there is some kind of messy episode.

Of all her clothes though, I get most attached to her jammies and the memories in them. She has every nighttime bottle at night in them, wakes up with her wild hair in them and often plays each weekend a.m. in them. I get most my cuddles while Shelby is in her jammies.

I try to snap a photo of her PJ collection each time before it goes up in the rafters (I think I missed 9 months). I think of all the sizes, I am least attached to the most recent, 18 month, batch, but that is only because the fuzzy PJ's were out of season, so I had to buy whatever I could find online - regardless if I liked the pattern.

I trip down PJ memory lane:

(Newborn) 3 month & 6 months:

12 months:

18 months:

Mandalay Bay's - Shark Reef

Shelby's school arranged an opt-in weekend "field trip" to The Shark Reef. In the 10 years I have lived in Las Vegas, I have always been interested in visiting, however never had a reason to do so. We thought this might be fun, so we gave it a try. We later learned that they use the event as a small fundraising tool too - they get the tickets at employee price and sell to us a nudge higher, although still less than the normal locals' price.

Shelby liked it, but was also a little uncertain/afraid of it. At one point, she was standing flush with the huge glass of a tank when a fish swim down right in front of her - it completely startled her. All in all, a good memory and a good day. Oh, and we got her to say "occapuss," so that was pretty darn cute.