More Lovin

In the midst of potty boot camp we were faced with Valentine's Day!  Like I said earlier, this is the first year that Doodle is really starting to understand about different holidays.  I wanted to make V-Day a low key, special family day!  To prepare we had a couple of projects to work on.  Of course we finished her school Valentines and then we needed to make cookies for school.  Doodle has become quite the baker.  Cooking is definitely one of the things I am glad I have taken the time to do with her.  She can almost read the back of the cake box recipe and she loves to help count and dump.  She also loves to taste the "gredients".  All the gredients.... even the baking soda and baking powder!  

She has become an excellent roller of dough!

She helped cut out the hearts and when they were done baking, I dipped them in white chocolate.  She was in charge of the M&M decorations!

Of course, because she is Doodle she wanted her cookies plain.  We toasted a job well done!

Valentine's Day was filled with fun at school.  Party and candies and cookies oh my!  On my way home from dropping her off, I noticed the LOVE statue had been place just down the street from her school.  The "Virginia is For Lovers" tourism people travel the statue around the state.  I actually remembered to grab my camera when I went to pick her up.  She had a blast playing on the letters!

February 14 (208/365)

The rest of the day was spent planning a date for Daddy.  I told Doodle that we would take him out for dinner.  I asked her where we should take him.... "Chick A Way at the mall mommy!" So that is where we went.  We finished the date night with a visit to Build A Bear where Doodle made a monkey whom she named Jagger.  It was a perfect Valentine's Day!

Boot Camp.... Failure!

For weeks we discussed the end of diapers at our house.  They were going in the trash after we came home from the Little Gym on Friday!  That was the plan.  Well, Doodle woke up with a fever that morning, and ever the determined preggo mom, I decided to carry on with the plan and just start early.  What followed was the longest stretch of parenting in my life! 

At the end of day one, this was the pile of panties and pants that came out of the laundry.  Mind you we started at 10:00ish and she had a diaper for naps.  Not so successful!  But, I was committed.  My Favoritest on the other hand said he would rather take neurosurgury call that subject himself to another day of potty boot camp.

February 10 (204/365)

Day two, I decided to amp up the reward.  Doodle loves to bake.  I tried to bribe her with the promise of making and eating a cake.  It seemed to be working.  She stayed dry most of the morning.  When she peed in the pot, she got a piece of cake..... that she said she didn't like!  But, things we looking up.  Then within a matter of an hour she had no less than 3 accidents.  We took her pants away.  Big mistake.  That kid hates to be nekkie, even half nekkie!  She cried and screamed.  We put her to bed.  When she awoke we both made a promise. No more fussing and no more crying.  The after noon went much better.

February 11 (205/365)

The next morning we were back at it again.  I was beginning to feel like it was never going to work.  We kept at it.  She had lots of accidents.  I began to question my instinct.  Is she ready? Does she not get it? Or is she totally fucking with us?  I didn't have the answers,  but we plugged on.  By the end of the day, we were all exhausted, including the dogs.

February 12 (206/365)

Monday found me left alone with 2 dogs, a kid, and a whole lotta trips to the potty.  She finally seemed to be getting the hang of this.  Or, I was getting better at reminding her.  It was exhausting, but she stayed dry until just before her bath.  No photographic proof, but things were genuinely looking up.  

Valentine's Day arrived, and she stayed dry all day at school!  She stayed dry all afternoon at home.  She even stayed dry for a family date night at the mall!  I was psyched!  I was exhausted.  But thinking we were making progress.

Notice the panties peeking out!

Well, the next day all Hell broke loose.  Or should I say all pee broke loose.  She had 2 accidents at school.  She is only there for 3 hours.  She came home and had 2 more accidents before lunch.  The third accident resulted in me loosing my temper and doing everything I swore I would never due.  That was followed by lots of hormonal tears on my part.  Pretty much I cried the entire evening about how mean I had been.  And this is how the potty boot camp experience ended....

February 15 (209/365)

Hello Diapers My Old Friend!!!!!  We quit.  I didn't like the mommy I was becoming and decided diapers weren't worth our happiness.  We will try again another time!  

Very Busy Valentine's Day

So the next few posts are going to be a little out of order in my 365 project.  I wanted to tell some stories and the best way to do it was to group the pictures together and not worry about order.  So, I will mark them in the caption with the correct day and not worry about the rest:)


In my dreams the house is immaculate every single minute of every single day.  The kid is always happy.  Dinner is always delicious and done on time.  I greet my Favoritest with a smile and a kiss (not a grumble and an exhausted sigh).  And, I am the cool mom at school.  Who makes great snacks and treats and things WITH her kid and not for her kid.  Well, none of those other things are going to happen so I decided to go for the gold in the treat department this Valentine's Day!  Doodle and I had a great time preparing valentines for her friends.  This was the first time she was old enough to get the holiday and really be a helper in making her treats.  Thanks to Sisterwife's research, we decided on some lovely alligator valentines.  Pieces and parts cut out by mommy, waiting for little hands to help decorate.

February 8 (202/365)

Because crafting is more fun with friends, we planned a lunch/craft date with Jayburb.  We started this project early, and it's a good thing.  It took some time!  And it was a little tiring too!

February 9 (203/365)

After making valentines, popcorn and t.v. are a must!

So after the kids decorated the alligators with their friends' names, and signed each one, it was left to the mommies to put the creatures together.  Nothing a little hot glue couldn't handle.  And then, it was time to stuff the gators full of treats.  Doodle picked out the treats by herself.  I tried to get her to put some small bubbles in them and she told me (and I quote) "I don't want bubbles.  Bubbles make me sad.  Only candy makes me happy. So I don't want bubbles!"  So, we didn't have bubbles.  In the end, she picked out M&Ms, bouncy balls, and flying hearts.  Lots of fun!

February 13 (207/365)

And here are the finished products!  They were a big hit!

Not Much To Say, But A Little To Share

I feel like we had a week or so where nothing was going on at our house.  Don't worry, we made up for it later in the month!  That being said, I am being a slacker and posting more pictures that stories tonight.  I promise, I have great stories to tell coming up!

My Doodle and The Beagle being sweet at the same time!  Whoda thunk!

February 5 (199/375)

A few snapshots of Sadie:)

February 6 (200/365)

A typical plate after Doodle has been eating dinner.  Notice the lack of peas, the picked over blueberries (she only likes the ones she deems "big", the few bites of rice and the untouched chicken!  This is why she weighs 22lbs!

February 7 (201/365)

Typical Few Days!

Balloons, balloons, balloons!  We are constantly waiting for them to "be ready to have the string off".  Sometimes we do it to early and there is just enough helium to help them stay afloat when Doodle throws them up in the air.  This then requires me to climb on furniture and reattach the string!

February 2 (195/365)

We live in a small space.  As a result, we use every spot for something.  The back of the door has become one of Doodle's favorite play spots.  She got a new Leapfrog toy for Hanukkah and as she has learned how to use it, she spends lots of time in front of the door.  Sometimes, she insists on building a word before we leave the house.  That is what was going on the morning I took this picture.  I love the look of her.  Pony tail, boots, and busy:)

February 3 (196/365)

I spend a recent Saturday in Richmond at a photography workshop.  It was really good and I learned how to take my camera off program mode and how to do things manually.  I also learned a few things about editing and composition.  I also learned that I want a new lens and some editing software!  I guess that is what you are supposed to learn. As I was playing I got this fun picture of a water glass.  I love the way the carpet looks through the water!

February 3 (197/365)

Some how, I managed to forget to use my camera the day after the workshop.  So, instead of one of Doodle's shots, I have this shot of my sweet girls sweet hands.  We were trying on her flower girl dress for my niece's wedding.

February 4 (198/365)

In Case You Were Wondering

So if you know me, you know I can't stand anticipation.  If there is something to know, I want to know and I want to know now!  When we were pregnant with Doodle, there was never any question about finding out her gender.  I had to know.  There was so much to do and get ready!  Well, this time around there is even more to to before Poppy arrives, but less depends on the gender.  This in no way has lessened my need to know!  I want to know the person inside of me.  I want to call the baby by name.  I want to start using a name with Doodle.  And  want to know what we can keep and what we can sell/donate/leave in storage.  Well,  we found out!  As a side  note, I have to tell you about Doodle and Jayburb's discussion regarding how the doctor can tell boy vs. girl.  Much to her credit, Sisterwife pretty much stayed out of their conversation.  As they discussed how the doctor could tell.  It went along the lines of "Doodle is a girl and she wears a bow all the time.  So if the baby is a girl the doctor will see a bow on the t.v. screen". And that is how 3 year olds think.  Isn't it wonderful!  


Well we are excited to say that the doctor saw a bow:) Poppy shall here by be known as 

Sadie Jane

January 31 (194/365)

We couldn't be happier to have another little girl join our family!  Once we convinced Doodle that she was getting a sister (not a brother like Jayburb) she was very excited!  I am thrilled that Doodle will grow up with a sister!  


Here is the video that we made of Doodle to share the gender with family and friends:) 

What's The Point

As Doodle has grown and turned into her own person, we have had to learn to understand her personality quirks.  She has a mind of her own and a certain way of understanding the world.  One of the things we have learned about her is she has to see the point in doing something.  This has become most clear lately with the bike.  We got Doodle a balance bike for her 3rd birthday.  Her initial reaction was fear.  She wasn't so sure about what to do with it.  We were the mean parents who made her ride every day.  Finally she figured it out and was pushing herself around the courtyard.  But she didn't understand what was so fun about riding in circles.  Her buddies would zoom around the circle and she would just look at them and wonder what was so fun.  Eventually she got good enough on her bike to "go" places.  This, in her mind was a reason to ride.  If you are going somewhere, then there is a point to this bike thing!  So we started riding to the rocks and jumping rocks and then riding some more.  Because she is so small, the image of her riding a bike always makes me smile.  She looks like she shouldn't be on a bike, but she really does great with it!

January 30 (193/365)

I-Spy....

Time for another I-Spy.  About a month ago we played  I Spy  and counted the pairs of shoes in my living room.  Today, you can count the number of Chick-Fil-A cows.  Can you tell we love the "Chick a Way" as Doodle calls it.  The CFA in the mall insists on giving us a cow every single time we eat lunch there.  And Doodle keeps a running tally of how many cows she has collected.  She likes to line them up and hang them off her baskets.  So, how many cows can you find?

January 29 (192/365)

Big Pony!

My very first blog post ever was called Perception.  It was my musings on the little things that make me realize Doodle is growing up.  I ended it saying that because a big pony tail makes her look to grown up I was banning them for at least 6 more months.  Lucky for me, Doodle hated them for a really long time.  She was forced to wear one during the summer when we went to the pool.  This was because her hair was so long it would get in her way while swimming.  Well, a couple of weeks ago the ban on ponies came to an end.  And just like I forewarned, it made her a little more grown up.  It made me a little sad too.  It's like the last little bit of my baby girl disappears when her hair gets pulled up.

January 28 (191/365)

Oh My Darlin! Oh My Darlin!

Oh my darlin Clementine.  you are the one food the Beagle won't eat and we love you Clementine!  
I returned home after a quick trip out to find a bag of clementines in the middle of the floor.  I discovered several that he had attempted to get into, but no evidence of an eaten citrus!  Apparently, it was either too much work for "Fat Boy Slim" or his discerning  palate did not delight in orange flavor!

January 27 (190/365)

Take A Number!

Do you ever have people in your life who have a talent and you have no idea?  Well, in my case that would be my Aunt Reva.  When Doodle was born she made her the most beautiful sweater and sweet little hat.  When the package arrived in South GA, I did not fully appreciate its' fantasticalness.  I mean, honestly we just didn't do sweaters so much.  Well, fast forward a few months and we land in VA and fall comes around.  Now I am learning about layers and carseats and recommendations regarding the combination of the two.  The yellow sweater was perfect.  Warm but not bulky!  It matched lots of clothes.  It had its' own accessory.  Needless to say, it was used.....a lot.  So much so, that it became Doodle's first favorite clothing item.  She wanted to wear it all the time.  It wasn't such a bad thing since I have the slowest growing kid ever.  It lasted us until last spring.   About the end of the fall of 2010, I knew the end of The Sweater was coming.  The buttons were bulging, the sleeves were mid-arm length, and the hat popped off.  I started harassing my aunt to make her another sweater.  In an effort to make sure she understood how loved it really was, I made sure to email her pictures of Doodle wearing the sweater.  Therefore, we have quite a compilation of photographic evidence.

I am sure I had more pictures on my phone, but Doodle must have deleted them:)  You get the point.  We wore the mess out of that sweater.  Well, Aunt Reva loves us very very much because recently a package for Doodle arrived in the mail.  Inside we found a treasure.

January 26 (189/365)

A NEW SWEATER!!!  We love it.  Personally, I want to wear it.  It is soft and fluffy and furry and wonderful.  Apparently, it has caused quite a stir amongst the younger ones and my Aunt is going to be very busy.  Two of her grandkids have asked for new sweaters already.  I guess I better put Poppy on the list too:)

Keep Out!!!

Somedays I wish I could print this picture and hang it on my personal body space bubble.  Unfortunately for me neither my dogs nor my daughter can read.  Oh well, a girl can dream right!

January 25 (188/365)

The Event!

At our house there is an Event that takes place twice a day.  Please know this bi-daily Event is always preceded by loud barking, tail spinning, and jumping.  In it's entirety, the Event lasts a total of maybe 120 seconds.  The Event itself is characterized by sounds of snorting, grinding, and a bowl being shoved along the base of the cabinets.  The Event of course, is meal time with The Beagle!

January 23 (186/365)

The Event is usually followed by several trips in and out of the house.  It is also followed by vigorous snarfing (combination sniffing and licking) of both his own bowl and his sister's bowl.  Finally after it is obvious that nothing edible remains, the Event is concluded with the Pass Out!  On rare occasion he is lucky to land on top of a super warm heating pad:)

January 24 (187/365)

Winter Not So Wonder

We had a stint of chilly weather.  It was kind of days that I wished it would snow.  I know, never thought you'd hear me say that!  But it was just cold, and damp, and icy, and miserable.  We were stuck inside and we hate to be stuck in the house.  Because we get stir crazy about as fast The Beagle can get into trouble, I will try to get us outside any chance we get.  So, I have just learned that it is better to bundle up and take a walk than it is to stay inside.  By the afternoon, it had warmed up to a crisp, cloudy 40ish, so out we went.  Doodle and I both took our cameras, and here is the best shot from both of us!

January 19 (182/365)

And since I somehow managed to forget to take a picture the next day, here is a substitute pic from Doodle

January 20 (183/365 Missed)

The cold snap continued and I tried really hard to look on the bright side and find some picture opportunities.  When I woke to the frozen wonderland, I immediately went out to get some shots.  Part of me was hopeful that it was going to warm up and melt all the beauty.  Fat chance!

January 21 (184/365)

And because being covered in ice wasn't fun enough, the skies decided to try and snow a little bit.  Try is all it did.  Once again, the neighborhood kids were disappointed with Mother Nature and her efforts at helping them have a snowball fight!

January 22 (185/365)

Noodly Doodle

So yesterday I posted about the Dinner Battle Royal.  That was a once in a while occasion.  Usually Doodle is a lovely dinner companion.  We have worked hard to eat meals at the table, teach her manners, and learn that meal time is a time for conversation and family.  As she has gotten older, we have all enjoyed her emerging conversational skills and dinner routines.  In case you don't have a 3 year old at your table, or if you are looking for new topics of conversation here are some of her favorite topics.  Think of her like "Coffee Talk" only more repetitive and less yiddish.


"Ignoring the Question"- This topic is adult initiated and thus not very successful.  "Doodle what activity did you go to at school today?"  Doodle replies "music with Grammie Jean."  Adult thinks this is going somewhere and continues "What did you do at music?"  Sighing, Doodle answers "we sing."  Adult thinks, sweet she answered again, I might find out the mysteries of music at preschool and presses forward.  "What songs did you sing?" Doodle squints her eyes shut and puts a bite of food in her mouth and says "I am eating and I cannot talk about this right now."  This is the equivalent to our 3 year old giving us the hand.  Conversation. Over. Now.


"Breakfast, lunch or dinner"- When this is the topic you must guess between two meals to decide what meal you are eating.  Mind you, the correct meal is never a choice, so this just ends in someone (usually an adult) looking foolish.  For example, at dinner Doodle will say "Mommy are we eating breakfast or lunch?" I will reply "breakfast."  She falls into fits of laughter, tells me I'm silly and asks again.  Loads. Of. Fun


"There's a ...... in your house"-  This discussion requires creativity by both parties.  The wee one says "Mommy, there is a lion in your house."  Grown one replies, "I don't hear a lion in my house."  Wee one makes lion sound (sometimes very creatively).  Grown up must then come up with a reason for that animal to leave the house.  "Lion, get out of my house.  You have a big furry mane and we already have too much curly hair hair in this house, so get out now!"  Wee one giggles and is silent for another 2.2 seconds while she thinks of the next animal.  


Other less interesting topics include How Was Your Day, Best Part of Your Day, and What Did You Do Today.  These are much more common and much less entertaining.  Sometimes, our dinner gets a little silly and a little playful, but My Favoritest and I both hope that she will remember family meals as a special part of her childhood.

January 18 (181/365)

Battle Royal

When you have a 3 year old who weighs 22 pounds and wears 18-24 month clothes, calories become a major concern.  We are constantly trying to pump that kid full of protein and fat all the while trying to keep it sort of healthy.  We don't have the typical meal problems.  Doodle would eat her weight in fruit.  Seriously, she could eat a pound of grapes if you let her.  If there is not fruit on the plate, veggies are the first to go.  Bread is a close runner up to the fruits and veggies.  Meat, well it is not her friend!  One recent evening, we had a delicious waffle casserole.  And she refused to eat.  Not only did she refuse to eat, she was rude and misbehaving at the table.  We tried every trick in the book, to no avail.  The kid went to bed with no toys in her tubby, no story, and the fasted tuck in ever.  She was laughing at us.  She could care less that we upset with her.  Well, the next day the delicious dinner made an encore appearance for lunch.  She was thrilled to see it again.  She was even more excited that our lunches matched.  The kid gobbled it up (minus the sausage) and we had not more battle royal!  Just goes to show, stubborn mommy always wins..... eventually! 

January 17 (180/365)

The World's Most Wonderful Toy

Because we celebrate Chrismukah, we have double the amount of presents to present to Doodle.  We worked really hard this year to make sure that while she had a gift every night of Hanukkah, a stocking full of treats, and presents from Santa, that we didn't go overboard.  To that end, we really tried to remember that for a 3 year old, most of the joy of a present is in the unwrapping and surprise itself, not necessarily the gift inside.  One of Doodle's favorite stocking stuffers was a slinky.  Found in the dollar spot at Target, it has been a big hit.  It has also been a big hit with Doodle and My Favoritest.  They have created a "game" where one goes up the stairs and tries to get the slinky down the stairs to the person at the bottom.  Doodle loves to take turns and could care less if she is at the top or the bottom of the stairs.  The slinky has also provided a place for little friends to hide, an attempted shoe option for Doodle and Jayburb.  And so interesting picture opportunities for me.

January 15 (178/365)

January 16 (179/365)

Poppy

It's amazing how sometimes the smallest things can change you life in the biggest ways.  When we found out we were pregnant, the embryo was the size of a poppy seed.  Hence the reason we are calling the baby Poppy.  From the minute I read the word pregnant on the stick, everything changed.  It was more than what I can eat and can't.  It was more than the fact that the rattling of the Bud Light bottles is a cruel tease.  It was as if the universe suddenly became small and miraculous.  It was a sudden thought of all that was being lost and gained all at the same time.  It was knowing that from that moment forward, nothing would ever be the same again.  I suddenly realized that soon Doodle wouldn't fit on my lap anymore, and then by the time she could fit again, she wouldn't want to.  It was realizing that I was giving my baby girl the greatest gift ever, a sibling to share her crazy childhood with.  It was realizing that for the next 8 months I was never going to be alone.  It was realizing that I was going to have a baby smack dab in the middle of a move.  This pregnancy has also come with more worry.  For some reason, I have had more doubts and fears than I ever had with Doodle.  Maybe I have come to more of an understanding of just how miraculous a healthy kid is.  Maybe it's because I know the wonderful things to come and can't imagine something happening before I get to all that amazement.  Who knows, but it has been scarier this time around.  It has also been filled with lots of joy.  Telling Doodle about her new role was a fantastic moment.  Knowing that she will share the joy with us.  Knowing that what we have is so perfectly fantastic and imagining how much better it will be with another piece in our puzzle.  I know most of this is the hormones bubbling to the surface, but it is everything that comes to mind when I looked down at poppy seeds left over from my bagel.

January 14 (177/365)

Attack!

I have written before about the love Doodle has for balloons.  She loves to catch them and chase them.  They provide hours of entertainment at our house.  However, in the recent dry winter weather, I have discovered a hazard to having balloons.  Static electricity.  This is even more of a problem when said balloon has just enough helium left in it to float at head level!  I was attacked all after noon!

January 13 (176/365)

Fire In The Sky

I am ready for Spring.  This year it has nothing to do with the weather.  I am tired of the dark!  I have a good friend who every year reminds me that December 22 is the shortest daylight day of the year, and that after that the days get longer.  I hold to that thought from the minute we fall back until the second we spring foreword.  I long for late afternoons playing in the courtyards, cul de sacs, and alleys of our neighborhood. I pine for the sunshine each evening when I let the dogs out back and hear a creepy night time sound.  I ache for my internal clock to think it is day time and not want to go to sleep at 8:00.  I am a sun lover and vitamin D addict.  So here is to the sun setting latter in the day, and enjoying every minute of the fire!

January 12 (175/365)

On Her Own

Independence.  So hard.  Until I became a parent, I never realized all the amazing, little, tiny things we learn to do as we grow.  Little things are sometimes harder than the big things.  Lately around our house I have been trying to encourage Doodle to dress and undress herself.  I want her to be slightly more independent when Poppy arrives, but don't want her to notice that anything has changed.  So we are slowly making her do more on her own before the baby comes.  The biggest challenge of this whole process is not the kiddo.  It's me.  I have had to force myself to sit on my hands.  I have had to plan extra time for her to do it herself.  Most of all I have had to stifle a lot of giggles and snorts as she figures things out herself.  She may not do it the conventional way, but in the end she usually gets where she wants to be.  Even if it means rolling on the floor to take off her coat!

January 11 (174/365)

Yum!

I am challenging myself to post everyday the month of February.  That doesn't mean I have to be prolific with my writing or all that thought provoking.  Sometimes, less is more.  So, all I have to say is I'm pregnant and I like peanut butter oreos.

January 10 (173/365)

Snow... Sort Of!

Wacky Weather!  That is all I have to say!  Saturday we are outside playing with light coats on.  Monday, we have snow.  Sort of.  It's the kind of snow a southern girl can get behind.  It was here and gone quickly.  It was pretty falling from the sky, but didn't stick around.  I got to enjoy the peaceful silence that comes with snowfall, but didn't have to endure the claustrophobic feeling of being stuck.  All around pretty good if you ask me! And I got to take some pretty pictures of the snow.

January 9 (172/365)

The Nose Knows

It is no secret that the Beagle and I have our moments.  Moments of great love.  And moments of me screaming "That's it!  I'm sending you to the pound!  Get ready for a new home".  I promise, we love him.  He is just into everything and constantly looking for trouble.  Seriously.  When I walk out the back door in the afternoons, he immediately runs to the kitchen counter to look and see what he can get into.  I have seen him do it!  He has a nose that will not let up.  If he smells something, he has to find it.  That makes his life purposeful and interesting.  Especially when living with a 3 year old who drops food in random places. Like, between the couch cushions, under the play kitchen, and under the stove!  We managed to capture one such moment of his tenacity!  Please remember he is 40 pounds of nose sniffing power!  We never figured out what he was looking for, but he finally found whatever scrap of food and came out from the depths of the couch!

January 8 (171/365)

Just A Swingin'

We have been enjoying an unseasonably warm winter here in VA.  I saw on the news today that it has something to do with where the jet stream is flowing across the continent.  I could care less why it's warm, but my south GA blood is happy to see it.  In some ways it is going to make the upcoming move to Pittsburgh even more difficult to adjust to.  But, for now we are enjoying it!  We spent a recent Saturday at the park with half the city!  Snapped this fantastic shadow of my kiddo.  

January 7 (170/360)