Tree Cookie

Elli and I sat down to read a few books. She has been on a Cinderella kick lately (Daddy is now referred to as her prince) so we were reading about Cinderella's Christmas. In the book, Cinderella teaches us that gifts that come from the heart are the best kind of gift. Therefore, she bakes the Prince tree shaped cookies. This is the conversation that followed...

Elli: "I want to make tree cookies!"
Me: "I don't know how to make tree cookies."
Elli: "you just put the stuff in (making a stirring bowl motion) and you have cookies"
Me: "I don't know that we have the 'stuff' to make them."
Elli: Pops up and heads to the kitchen pantry and starts putting items on the counter "we need peanuts, peanut butter and rice cakes to make tree cookies."



Me: " is that all we need?"
Elli: "yes"

Here is my version of a tree cookie





Apparently I passed the test.



When her Prince got home from work, she said "yay, my prince is home." Then, she said she needed to make him a tree cookie. The prince let her do it herself this time. And for his royal highness he got a special topping of dried apples.




Moments like these is what life is made of.

Orthnerisms: Some Cartoons Don't Belong on Diapers

Elli is potty trained but still needs a diaper when she sleeps. Thus we buy the Huggies overnight diapers (higher absorbency) that features cartoons of Winnie the Pooh sleeping on the front. The first time we bought the diapers, Elli asked about the bear, and I simply stated "That's Winnie the Pooh!"

Weeks later, I ask Elli to get a diaper out of the drawer so we can put it on for her nap. She brings me the diaper and simply states while pointing at the cartoon, "That is Winnie and that is Poopy!"


Mental note: I need to read that girl a Winnie the Pooh book so that she has another point of reference for that honey loving bear!

Orthnerisms: A Little Potty Mouth

I swore that I would treat all my kids the same, I would parent the second and third just like the first...then I had more than one child and realized that was a funny joke...haha!

So with that said, I have to admit, even though I tried to avoid this, we have used candy in potty training Elli. I still don't like the idea of it, but long story short, it works for her.

So now onto our Orthnerism of the day:

I walk in on Elli washing her doll's hands in the sink.

Elli: "Baby Elsa did peepees in the potty!"

Me: "Oh, great job Baby Elsa, I am SO proud of you!"

Then we sing our potty song in unison.

Elli: Makes her way into the kitcehn, reaching to the candy cabinet that is 8 feet in the air "Baby Elsa needs candy because she did peepees on the potty"

Me: "Well, Baby Elsa is pretend, so Baby Elsa gets pretend candy. Let's go find some in the playroom."

Elli: (still reaching towards the 'real' candy) "No, Baby Elsa wants this candy"

Me: Walking back into the kitchen with a piece of rubber chocolate "Here, Baby Elsa, this is your candy for doing peepees on the potty. Great job!"

Elli: now crying "No, I don't want pretend candy, I want THIS candy" Repeats this a few times

Me: "Baby Elsa is not real, so she must have not real candy."

Elli: Takes a few moments, collects herself reluctantly, huffs out of the room, clearly perturbed. "Well, Baby Elsa is going to do peepees on the floor!!!!"

A Tale of a Two Year Old

Potty trained

Full on conversations

Riding her strider/balance bike with grace

Catching air with jumps

Singing Songs (with the correct words)

Addressing everyone by name

Running

Flipping somersaults

Making us laugh (intentionally)

Dressing herself

Playing with the big kids

Cleaning up her surroundings

Sitting in regular chairs for meals

Drinking from regular cups

Scaling up and down the stairs

Twirling legit ballerina twirls

Using manners better than her momma



Yes, she is an awesome Two Year Old

Yes, I am proud Momma

But I am struggling with one major thing...one thing that shows my baby will never be a baby again... one thing that is the exclamation point to all her recent growth

She has calluses on her toes.

Did you hear me, she has calluses on her toes. My baby is growing up and there is no turning back!

" I LOVE MEATBALLS!"

I have raised picky eaters. I am not sure quite how that came to be, but it did. I have tried EVERYTHING! One night when I was at my wits end I did yet another tireless google search for "how to help picky eaters".

I read one article that listed about 8 tips. I had already tried 7 of the 8 items.

The other: Make a rule, for each new food, you must take three bites on three different nights.

"When you take that first bite you’re scared and you’re going to hate it no matter what. But now that you know you aren’t going to DIE from eating that broccoli, you take a second bite to truly taste it. The third bite is the decision bite where you get to proclaim love, meh, or hate"

Simple enough. I made a list each night of what was on the dinner table. Three bites of everything went on the girls plates. The oldest, being obedient, took it in stride. An occasional up turned nose appeared, but once reminded of table manners fixed undesirable behaviors.

Now the middlest, oh the middlest, did NOT take it in stride. There was food being spit out, hands over her mouth, LOTS of head shaking, grunts, tears, oncoming stares from others waiting to be excused. It was PAINFUL for ALL of us. The youngest even starting mocking these undesirable behaviors. UGH!

About 3 weeks into these nightly battles, we turned a little but significant turn for the better. She would put the unmentionables into her mouth on her own, she whined while doing it, but SHE did it. The second time eating ground beef in pasta sauce, she stated, I still don't like it but it is fun to chew. We will take it!

About a week later, a meatball in red sauce lay on the middlest's plate. This is the third time she must take three bites. After staring it down for five minutes, the middlest bravely put it in her mouth. Then next thing we know, the second and third bite are being digested. Then, just then, the angels looked down on us, sang a hymn and the middlest shouted "I LOVE MEATBALLS!!!" She was so proud that this proclamation was shouted over and over. We all celebrated. I even teared up a little. Then the rest of the meatball was consumed!

She loves meatballs, she wants me to cook meatballs again soon. This is a big deal people! She has never liked beef before this day.

Three bites, three times... it works in this house!

Not quitting my day job

I love this job, I know I tell you all the time, but I just am so stinkin' happy these days...

I read this article today

http://www.danoah.com/2014/01/how-to-be-a-better-parent-according-to-small-children-vol-1.html



So I asked my girls, "What should mommy change to be a better parent?"

I was ready for something off the wall, comical maybe.



Check out these replies...

Reese: "I don't know, oh, I know, give me more hugs!"

Done, and done.

Brady: "Don't change anything, Mommy!"

LOVE THIS GIRL! Love these little pats of the back I get.

Did your boss give you praise today at work? Mine did!

Hard Knock Life

Daddy is out with the two older girls. Mommy is home with the little that is refusing to nap. Mommy needs to plan the week's dinners and the subsequent grocery list. Mommy needs thirty minutes hands free.

Guess what the little did for thirty minutes straight... Yep, sat in one spot reading books and this momma was hands free.


Gosh, such a hard job I have raising three girls. And man that one year old, off the wall ... In awesomeness that is!








Baby girl, you make this job too easy!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Falling Hard....over and over again

So as parents we fall in love with our screaming bundles of joy at first sight (most of the time; I am not judging those who let the jury deliberate for a day or two). Becoming a parent is a cosmic experience. You love those babies with more depth than you knew your heart had. And every time you have another kid, you find that your heart is way larger than you knew and can love deep and wide. We all know that though....

I am here to talk about falling in love with my child again. 

The other day, I had the rare experience (especially lately with school in session) of sitting down with JUST Brady outside. Just me and her. No other kids that might possibly interrupt. Her looking into my eyes, and my looking into hers. We had a 5-10 minute conversation. But that was all I needed to fall in love. She was telling me a story about school, honestly I don't even remember what she really said. But I watched her, studied her, and learned about her all on a new level. She is different now, she is mature in a six year old kind of way, she is becoming a person; people. Then I looked back at her, all those words I was intently listening to went to a humming blur because I was struck by her awesomeness, her beauty and maturity. I was falling in love at that very moment. Yes, I loved her before, but this was a new love. A new love for her. I walked away from that conversation with her floating on a cloud because I was IN love. 

Now this is why I love being a parent. I get to fall in love with the same little people over and over again. Subtle but powerful moments knock me off my feet on a regular basis.  I take residence on cloud nine, because I am floating and in love all the time. 

THIS tooth

Let me tell you about THIS tooth. I had no clue that THIS tooth could cause so much. So much emotion. So many tears, THIS tooth. Blood soaked washcloths, THIS TOOTH. Arguments, slamming doors, THIS tooth. But really THIS tooth was about control. A lesson to mom and dad about control. Lesson,you don't always have control, even if you are the adult!

THIS tooth was to fall out on its own. THIS tooth has been wiggly for about 8 months. THIS tooth has been on the verge of falling out since mid July, or so we thought.

We could see the top of THIS tooth hanging out of the gum for at least a week. 

If you asked to pull THIS tooth, you would immediately get this reaction.

 Even on a day when THIS tooth looked like THIS, it hung on for dear life (literally)

 THIS tooth caused two skipped meals in one day, and extremely bad breath.

I wasn't allowed to touch THIS tooth. I had to sit on my hands to even look at THIS tooth. 

Lucky for me, Brady is a mouth breather when she sleeps. 

And even if you put THIS tooth out for the tooth fairy at 10 pm, she makes a special trip. 

GOOD RIDDANCE this tooth.... you will not be missed!

Why I love this picture

-my hubby is home again
-I am not the only one having to lay down the law
-there is compassion in many ways, first you can tell Reese is sad her father is disappointed in her which shows love. Also, Karl's posture to attempt to met Reese at her level shows he cares enough to make sure she understands him.
-this is a discussion with quiet tones. For Reese, that is the only way to get through to her, and her daddy gets that (most of the time)
-he has her in a secluded area so it doesn't involve anyone but them, again show love and patience.
-so ironically this disciplinary picture makes me very happy!

But so do these






And well this too ;)



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

From the mouths of babes

I asked the girls their ten favorite things about Daddy...

Elli's list:

10. You are an early riser and take care of me when mommy is lazy

9. You will carry me around and the diaper bag.

8. You love baseball too. Take me out to the ballgame...

7. Your nickname starts with D. 

6. You save me from aliens...sometimes (Stitch).

5. You make bath time fun...naked baby and shake shake.

4. You like mommy's hair to be long too.

3. You let me watch TV.

2. You gave me your good looks. 

1. You love me too.

Brady's list (quoted from her)

10. "helps me on the rings"

9. "gives me lots of hugs"

8. "takes me to ballet sometimes"

7. "makes money"

6. "gives me my bath"

5. "brushed my teeth"

4. "making my monkey"

3. "built me a playset"

2. "let's me wave good bye to him when he leaves for work"

1. "he loves me too"

Reese's list (quoted from her, she listened to Brady give her list first)

10. "helps the bad guy don't be in our country"

9. "brush my hair"

8. "building"

7. "makes banana sandwich"

6. "always gives me McDonald's"

5. "drives the car for us"

4. "take bath or shower"

3. "makes money"

2. "lets me say good-bye to him"

1. "he loves me very very much"

I loved Brady's #1 and Reese's #10. 

Elli's Lovie

Lovies, every baby has one, right? The something they are attached to. The something they fall asleep with.The something every parent fears losing at the airport or the mall. The something that every parent buys a duplicate of and hides in an emergency. What was yours? Mine was a hand puppet made from a baby's blanket. 

It looked a lot like this...

I remember my sister and her waffle knit pink blanket. Like I said, every baby has something. 

Well, my sweet Brady BOO never had that something, I was actually kinda sad, I thought it was always neat to have a object to comfort. She was content with just sucking her thumb, which in hindsight was quite easy for me. 

Reese, now I knew there wasn't a necessity now for Lovies, but I still was expecting one. But I wasn't prepared for the lovie she would choose. She was my only paci girl and I would go bonkers at night when she woke and couldn't find a paci on her own so I kept about 5-6 pacis in her crib at night...see where this is going?

Reese would fall asleep with a paci in her mouth and a paci in each hand. The pacis in her hand she would shake so that the ring on it would make noise. Oh boy, was it tough to break her of the paci since I had to break her of her lovie at the same time. 

Well, now on to Elli's lovie. I thought for months her comfort was the muslin blankets, and for month is was. This is how you would find her. I stocked up on these babies...

Then her dexterity caught up with her and she has a new lovie. I have posted about her love of hair, but it has gone to a new extreme!

As soon as she is in my arms, her left arm reaches straight up into my hair and her right hand goes straight into her mouth. EVERY TIME! 

As you can see she is very gentle and just plays and twirls, never pulls. But when she goes to suck her thumb, she left arm reaches straight up for hair. So I never imagined her lovie would be part of a human.

Will be interesting to try and break this habit! Maybe she will outgrow it or just grow her own hair, but for now I love it!

Oh, and no pixie hair dos in my near future.

Reflection of Friendship

A little over a week ago, I had the privilege of throwing a shower for my bestie from college, Kristen. I didn't hesitate to buy a plane ticket and head north to celebrate this new momma of two.  Our group of eight have now officially thrown a shower for eight weddings and eight new arrivals (however sometimes they come in twos). 

This lovely group of ladies are the moms of a total of sixteen kids with three more to come, that includes three sets of twins. Another interesting fact of the 16 kids, 12 are girls! Did Meredith College do something to us when we graduated to generate the next generation of Angels?

I was lucky in college to have two sets of really great friends. There was my amazing ladies at Meredith College. However, I also had my fantastic set of friends at N. C. State. This group consisted of my sister, some of our high school friends and then a few new recruits. This group was about eight to ten people large as well.  Here is the funny part, of this group only four are married...me, my husband, my sister and one other. And only two have kids, me and my husband.

When I thought about this one day, I honestly started laughing. When I was in college I was very defensive about what people would say about the all womens' college I regarded with high standards. "Marriage farm" "are you getting your MRS degree?" etc etc. Well, I guess I know now why people say that. My thoughts just zoom off from here, but instead of dispensing them to you, I will let your thoughts zoom off too; hopefully to a positive place.

I love my Meredith girls and all that we have become and I love my wolfpack and the adventures they have all partaken.

Owl Blanket: Month Three

Today is Elliot's three month anniversary! And boy (or girl) has it been a month a milestones... but first lets see how she looks next to the owl.

She is my sweet sweet little girl! Sweet like a flower but growing like a weed.

She weighs 13 pounds and 3 ounces which is back to 75th %ile. She measures right at 24.5" which keeps her over the 90th %ile! I knew my tall genes would show up somewhere.

Now for this past month's milestones:
-two days ago Elli Dew rolled over from her back to her belly for the first time

-Elli is now sleeping through the night. She has slept at least 8 hours every night for the last week (am I jinxing myself) and the last two nights has gone to bed with the other two girls at 7:30 and not woken up until 5:30...yep, TEN HOURS!!!!
-Elli loves talking to people. If anyone looks her right in the eyes and talks to her she will converse with them.

-Also, since last month when I talked of how much she loves tummy time, she now cares very little for it.
-Lastly, an unique milestone for a third child. This is the first time Karl has been around one of his children at this age. It is fun to watch him discover the highs and lows of infancy...like how as soon as you figure them out, they change!

I am not ready for this...

I just put together all the school supplies, house shoes and change of clothes to bring for the first day of school tomorrow. I put the bags down by the front door and walked away holding back tears, thinking "I am not ready for this!"

I am not ready for those teachers (as great as they are) to have Brady for 30+ hours a week and Reese for 17+ hours a week. I am not ready for the infinite changes I am going to see in them this year (even though I know I will be proud). I am not ready to wake up at 6am five days a week (and whatever other time in the middle of the night). I am not ready to pack lunches everyday (I want to sit with them instead). I am not ready for the 10 hours of driving a week. I am just not ready; I want to hang onto summer a little while longer, but it has slipped through my fingers.

Now, while I am not ready, I know they are....go get 'em girls, show them how it is done!

 

First Day Of Kindergarten by Author Unknown

 

She started school this morning,

And she seemed so very small.

As I walked there beside her

In the Kindergarten hall.

 

And as she took her place beside

the others in the class,

I realized how all too soon

Those first few years can pass.

 

Remembering, I saw her as

She first learned how to walk.

The words that we alone made out

When she began to talk.

 

This little girl so much absorbed

In learning how to write.

It seems as though she must have grown

To girlhood overnight.

 

My eyes were blurred by hastily

I brushed the tears away

Lest by some word or sign of mine

I mar her first big day

 

Oh how I longed to stay with her

And keep her by the hand

To lead her through the places

That she couldn't understand.

 

And something closely kin to fear

Was mingled with my pride.

I knew she would no longer be

A baby by my side.

 

But she must have her chances to live,

To work her problems out,

The privilege to grow and learn

What life is all about.

 

And I must share my little girl

With friends and work and play;

She's not a baby anymore --

She's in Kindergarten today.

I got a promotion!

Well today has been an overwhelming (in a good way) day of new beginnings! 

Elli has started to figure out her thumb. She has had a HUGE desire to sooth by sucking, but wouldn't take a paci. She had been trying to suck her thumb/hand but it would only frustrate her more. I would try many things, but usually resort to nursing (even if she wasn't hungry). No wonder she is 90th %ile right? Well a couple times yesterday and today I have found her actually sucking her thumb, no pro yet, but we are on the right path, which allows me to breath a sigh of relief.

Reese had her first voice lesson today! She asked to learn how to sing so that she could be on American Idol when she is a teenager. I have asked her several times if she wants to do gymnastics or soccer or dance, etc etc etc. But she insists that singing it is. Not too many voice teachers want to teach a 3 year old, but when I tell them I have no expectations (aka I am NOT a stage mom) they let their guard down. I told them as long as she comes out smiling I am happy. She LOVED it today. However, she would not share any details with me. Here is a glimpse of her mid session.

Now for my Brady girl. Yesterday, she came up to me and said, pointing in her mouth, "Is that a new tooth?" Looking in her mouth I think she is crazy...sure enough there was a point of a molar poking through. I get onto google, and reminded that there are 6 year molars, and these are adult teeth. My baby girl has a tooth in her mouth that she will be chomping on when she is 98....CRAZY! Well ironically today was their dentist appointment...she also has two loose teeth! WHAT! I think I am more excited then her. I wonder how much money the tooth fairy will bring her in a couple months ;) Get a good look at this toothful 'smile' because that is about to change!

And to top off all this excitement going on here, I went 9 weeks without losing an ounce, but in the past week I have lost 7 pounds! 

So, about that title I choose for the post. I may not have a job that measures success in quantity, money earned, figures and goals reached. But I have a job that has milestones reached and smiles achieved. Well I have had a burst of milestones thrown at me at once and to me I feel like I took a step up in pay! 

Missed my calling?

So I love doing the girls' hair in a tight bun ob ballet day when they let me...

I slick their bangs back in all. I had one mom ask me how I do that so well...water and hair spray. She was SHOCKED I used hair spray on their hair...

Anyways, recently the girls had princess day at ballet and got to wear their favorite princess dress. Brady choose her Ariel wedding gown and wanted her hair to look like a bride. I had five minutes until it was time to leave, so I whipped this up for her. The natural curls helped a bunch...

So did I miss my calling for being a hair dressers specializing in up-dos on little girls? HAHAHA no...I am doing my calling spot on....raising my girly girls and loving every minute of it!

A Mother's Heart....

I used to think mothers were crazy when they would talk about how they wished the could fix the 'problem' for their kids.Problems that aren't fixable by a mommy that is. In my mind, I would think these are life lessons that your child has to figure out how to handle on their own.

Yesterday, when I went to the school to pick up the girls, I looked for the girls on the playground. I ususally try to arrive a little early so I can observe my daughters playing with their peers. I quickly spotted Reese with some of her 'regulars' and then started scanning for Brady. Brady and Reese usually play with the same 'regulars' on the playground. I found Brady on the opposite side of the playground, as far away as possible, kinda strolling along the fence line by herself. She was looking down at her feet, I assumed she was exploring the stones and vegetation in the back, nothing strange about that. But, I did find it odd she was all by herself, she is our social butterfly.

One of the teachers blew the whistle to signify end of playground time, time to go home. As usual Brady rushed right over to me and Reese basically ignored the whistle. I bend down to give my Brady girl a big hug, wrap one arm around her shoulders and one around her bottom...wetness. I immediately asked if she went down a wet slide. Brady has never had a accident at school so that didn't even cross my mind. Brady didn't answer me, I look at her eyes and that told me the answer. She had an accident. I asked when it happened and why she didn't tell her teachers. All I got was an embarrassed grunt.

I say quietly lets go get changed. I stop at the classroom to use our spare outfit they keep there, she says she wants to change in the car (not an option, I no longer carry spare clothes). She told me to hurry and get to the car. Then it all hit me and my heart broke for her. She didn't want ANYONE to know about her accident. She was 'hiding' in the corner of the playground so no other kids would find out about her accident, she didn't tell her teachers because she would have to change clothes and then the other kids would know. This all broke my heart, as a mother I wanted to hold her it make it all go away. I wanted to take her shame away for her and give her confidence. She didn't even want me to tell her dad about it, I wanted to tell her she is still little and there is nothing to hide. Quite honestly, I wanted to hold and cuddle her (like a baby) and make everything better.

All this emotion and all she did was wet herself. Am I going to be able to handle the middle school years, when every kid inevitably gets picked on at some point? Oh boy oh boy oh boy....a mother's heart is very strong and very weak!

On a side note: I have to tell you another story about an accident, why that is? I have been told by my family members that I am hard on Brady but let Reese get away with more. Today, after Brady's accident, I love on her, told her it was okay, explained it happens to everyone, that mommy wasn't at all upset. Fast forward three hours. Brady, Reese and I are all playing a game. Reese says she needs to pee. I say okay go...she comes back and forth several times (holding her privates), checking to see if Brady is playing without her, then to say there was a hand towel on the stool, so forth and so on. Well you know where this story leads...yep, pee on the bathroom floor. I immediately got upset with Reese, raised my voice and explained what she did wrong. As I was firmly talking to her, I flashed back to the hugs I gave Brady that same day for the same thing. Then I thought about how I have been told, i have two different kids thus I have to handle each kid individually and not try to blanket discipline. Brady was already self punishing for the accident and Reese would keep having accidents (I know from experience) until I got firm with her. Oh the adventures of parenting.

I have a high paying job and an office with a view

Today (Monday) when I was at the beach, I again appreciated life and how lucky I am to be where I am in my life, thankful to Karl for supporting me as a stay at home mom, and thankful to my girls for being amazing.

So I don't get adult conversation during the day, but I do get this...

and no adult conversation beats this...

 Elli Dew makes an appearance too...

 The girls working on their 'project'

 I love this job!