Riding the Light Rail

The Phoenix Light Rail began service on December 27th and is free to use through the end of the year, so we went today to check it out.  We took the Light Rail downtown to go to the Children’s Museum of Phoenix.  It was nice to go downtown without worrying about parking.  The Light Rail stopped in front of Chase Field, so it was just a short walk to the museum.

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix opened in June 2008.  We went to the Chicago Children’s Museum in the summer, so we were excited to find out that Phoenix finally had a children’s museum.  While many of the exhibits will not open until the end of 2009, there are several interactive exhibits for young children to enjoy. Alyssa’s favorite was the Noodle Forest.  She would take off running in there and disappear.  When it was time for us to go, she screamed “No!” and ran into the noodles.

We had a nice picnic lunch at the museum and then we walked to the Arizona Center.

 We enjoyed a Starbucks coffee before returning to the Light Rail for our trip back.  Alyssa loves going to Starbucks to get vanilla milk.  Her favorite!  We only waited about 5 minutes for the train, but when the doors opened it was packed.  I guess that’s what happens when you ride free.  So, we stood all the way back.

We had a fun day out and we’re looking forward to many more trips on the Light Rail.  It’s a convenient way to get downtown, go to the museums, or go to the ballpark.  We’re already planning another trip downtown to have some pizza at Pizzeria Uno.

Serenity Now!

I remember the episode of Seinfeld where George’s father said, “Serenity Now!” whenever his blood pressure was about to go up.  Well, “Serenity Now!”  I don’t know if it’s all the excitement of the holidays or if Alyssa is just happy to spend all this time with me.  She knows exactly how to push our buttons.  In the past week, we’ve had some major meltdowns.  She’s entered a phase of not listening, back talking, sneaking, and not telling the truth.  I know this is typical 3-year-old stuff, but it’s hard spending your vacation time dealing with it.  This is supposed to be family fun time, right?

Alyssa got some Wall-e candies in her stocking from Santa and they were all setting on the counter.  I found an empty plastic bag on the carpet in her playroom and asked if she ate the candy to which she replied, “No.”  Then, Daddy pointed out that her tongue was blue and green.  So, we went into the bathroom and looked in the mirror.  She gave me her typical embarrassed look.  I asked again if she ate the candy and she replied, “Well, maybe one.”

With the New Year just around the corner, I’m so thankful for the blessings in my life.  Even though we have our moments, there is no greater blessing than the love of a child.  I write to document these experiences, knowing that I am not alone.  The third year is the most difficult year and we’re not even midway through.  I am hopeful that I will make it to four with my sanity intact and I’m sure there will be many more “Serenity Now!” moments before then.

Christmas

I can’t believe that Christmas is already over. So much has happened in the last month that I wanted to write about. With all the holiday baking and preparing for Christmas, time just got the best of me.

Alyssa had her first dance recital this month. She was so excited to dance on the big stage. When I saw her up there, she looked so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes. She had three dances during the program. It was a real mommy moment. I have never felt so proud before. Seeing her up on that stage dancing was amazing.

Grandma took all of us to see “A Christmas Carol” at the Herberger Theatre. It was Alyssa’s first play. She thought we seeing a movie. When the curtain opened and the actors were singing and dancing, her face lit up! To our surprise, she behaved very well and enjoyed the play. The Herberger is very family friendly and we’re looking forward to seeing more plays there in the future.

We introduced Alyssa to “A Christmas Story” this year. She absolutely loves the movie! She is still asking to watch it even though Christmas is over. It’s hilarious to listen to her tell you all about Ralphie and the bully (which she calls the “Scarecrow”). She also likes the part where the kids are standing in line waiting to see Santa and one of the kids says, “I like the Wizard of Oz.” That’s one of her Grandma’s favorite parts, so Alyssa keeps saying it because it makes everyone laugh. The other night she was in bed and I found her holding her tongue saying, “Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!” I never imagined she’d like the movie so much.

We had family over for Christmas Eve. We all spent the day making our traditional lasagna. We made a great video of the entire process and it was a lot of fun!   Getting ready for Santa was so much of fun this year. We sat out carrots for the reindeer and even sprinkled powdered sugar on the patio to get his boot prints. Since we don’t have a chimney, we left Santa’s magic key outside. Then, we made chocolate chip cookies and sat out the cookies and milk. Alyssa took a bite out of one of the cookies to make sure it was okay for Santa. With all the excitement, it took her a while to get to sleep this year.

Christmas morning was magical! We woke her up and she went right to the back door to see if he came. The look on her face when she saw the chewed up carrots and Santa’s boot prints was priceless! Then, we went to the tree and saw that Santa was here. She was so excited! Santa ate almost all his cookies, drank his milk, and left his magic key on the table. Santa left the baby doll she wanted and wrapped all her gifts in special Disney Princess paper. She knew exactly which ones were hers. After we looked through our stockings, she opened her Santa gifts one after the other. It didn’t take us very long this year to get through the gifts. I’m still amazed at how quickly a child’s mind switches from one toy to the next. It’s like they are so excited that they don’t know what to play with first. Of course, every toy is bound in the box and it takes scissors, wire cutters, and a screwdriver just to get them out.

The day after Christmas, we went to the movies to see “Marley & Me.” Alyssa and I watched the movie trailers for two movies and she wanted to see the one with the puppy. Little did I know that the puppy was only in a small part of the movie. The movie ended up being very sad and she ended up getting bored. So much for a fun day at the movies!

We had a wonderful Christmas! We have almost two weeks at home, so we are looking forward to spending time together.

Stocking Stuffers

I was having a conversation with Alyssa about stocking stuffers and asked her what she wanted in her stocking.  She listed several items including sparkly lipstick, candy, toys, and a Cubs ball with a string that she could hang on the tree.  She said, "Daddy would like that!  He would!"  So as we were talking, I asked her what she thought Santa would put in my stocking.  She had a puzzled look on her face and said, "Baby Jesus Lipstick."  I chuckled and said, "What?"  She said that's what I get from Santa in my stocking.  It's funny the things kids come up with.  She cracks me up!  I wonder if I should market that product next Christmas.  I can envision the packaging, "Baby Jesus Lipstick... the Ultimate Lip Savior!"

Santa's Coming!

There is no greater joy than experiencing the excitement of Santa Claus through the eyes of a child. It's magical! This year, will be one of the best years ever. The awe and wonder of a mere Santa sighting, the Advent calendar counting down the days, messages from Santa, the preparation of milk and cookies for his arrival, the magical key, the phone call from Santa on Christmas Eve, and the anticipation of gifts under the tree... it's all for preparation for Christmas morning. We're counting down the days until Christmas... just twelve more to go.

While I'm busy preparing for Christmas, Alyssa is preparing for Santa. The other day, she started hiding her toys. "Santa's coming!" she exclaimed. Then, she put her new Elmo in her closet and told us that she doesn't want Santa to take him. That's right! She's afraid that when Santa leaves new toys he's going to take some of her old ones with him. She knows Santa won't go in her room while she's sleeping, so she started hiding her favorite toys in her closet. She's be busy getting ready for Santa's arrival, but in a way that was totally unexpected. I took Elmo out of the closet last night and she told me to put him back or Santa will take him. It cracks me up!

These are the joys and memories of the holidays that last a lifetime.

Mommy's Little Helper

One of the things I love about Christmas is all the baking! Lots of yummy treats to give away and to eat. Alyssa has been my little helper this year. We've been having lots of fun making all kinds of goodies. Her favorite part... SPRINKLES!!! We've made chocolate dipped pretzels with sprinkles, rice krispy treats with sprinkles, sugar cookies with sprinkles. In fact, we had so many sprinkles one night that we had to vacuum them up off the kitchen floor. Daddy wasn't too happy to see green and red sprinkles in the tile grout, but we cleaned them all up.

We had a blast making sugar cookies. Alyssa had fun rolling out her own dough with her little rolling pin while I rolled out mine. However, big balls of dough kept finding their way into her mouth. She thought it was funny to steal the dough while I wasn't looking. She is pretty sneaky! Between eating dough and licking sprinkles off her hands, I think we ended up washing hands that night about 15 times. I tried explaining that we don't lick our hands while we're baking cookies to give away. Every time I caught her, I sent her back to the bathroom to wash them again. I knew she was having a good time, so I just had fun with it.

She really enjoyed making marshmallow snowmen. She put two big marshmallows on a lollipop stick, we dipped them in melted white chocolate together, then she put the mini chocolate chips on them for eyes, mouth, and buttons. They turned out really cute and they taste great!

We're looking forward to building our gingerbread house this weekend!

"Go Away! I Can Dress Myself!"

That's right!  This morning I was told to go away.  I don't know whether to be sad that she doesn't need me to help her anymore or to be happy that we can both get dressed at the same time now.  She's just becoming more independent.  I've thoroughly enjoyed the last three years and it's time for me to let her be her own person.  She likes to pick out her own shoes in the morning, although sometimes I have to "help" her pick a different pair.  I think she'd really enjoy picking out her clothes too, but I'm not ready for that.  Instead, I set out her clothes in the evening and ask if she'd like to wear a particular shirt/sweater.  That way, there's no fussing in the morning and her clothes are waiting for her to put on.  It's amazing how much she likes to do on her own now.  While my mommy instincts try to do things for her, I'm working on stepping back and letting her try to do things on her own.  I think it's good for both of us, but it's hard for me.  For example, she had such a blast this year decorating the Christmas tree.  She was grabbing breakable ornaments and helping put them on the tree.  I could see how happy she was and how much fun she was having.  If you know me though, I was on pins and needles hoping that she wouldn't drop them.  Life is way too short to worry about the small stuff.  Things don't have to be perfect and if something gets broken...oh well.  Becoming a mom has really changed me for the better.  It's the joy of seeing your child do something on their own and seeing how proud they are of their accomplishments that's important.  It's not the stuff that will be remembered, it's the experiences that will last a lifetime.

You Wet It, You Wipe It

I thought potty training was complete when your child stops wearing diapers/pull-ups and starts using the potty.  Seems pretty simple, doesn't it?  Well, I've discovered that potty training continues long after the big switch from pull-ups to panties.  It's the "training" part that I've been working on for the past month.  While we've been fortunate enough to not have any bedtime accidents, we are having paper training issues.  That's right, "You wet it, you wipe it!"  My daughter can't seem to get that through her head.  Boys don't use paper, why should she?  She uses the potty and pulls up her panties.  Then, she walks funny and complains that her panties are wet.  I've reached the point of frustration and cannot understand why she will not use paper.  The problem is that she knows what she's doing.  Sometimes, she'll say, "I used paper, Mommy," and I praise her.  Yet, other times she'll choose not to and she makes this little smirk when I ask her about it.  She has a facial expression that she does when she's embarrassed or has done something that she knows is wrong.  I just don't get it! 

The other part of training I've been working on is getting her to poop in her own bathroom.  Instead, she goes in ours because she doesn't want to make hers stinky.  It took me a while to get her to start using hers.  Now she asks if I'll spray after she goes.  It cracks me up!  She recently made the observation that girls sit and boys stand to go potty.  So, the other day she asked me if boys stand to go poo poo too.  I don't think she understands why they can't do that.  I'm just thankful that they don't.

Swimming Lessons

Fear of Santa Claus

Last Christmas, we waited over an hour in line with Grandma to see Alyssa meet Santa.  She was so excited!  She kept pointing at him, jumping up and down, and saying, "There's Santa!"  When it was her turn to see Santa, she flopped on the floor kicking and screaming.  Talk about an embarrassing moment!  She refused to even get close to him and we ended up leaving without a Santa picture.

Santa was visiting early this year.  Last weekend, he was already at the mall for pictures.  There was no line, so we thought we'd ask Alyssa if she would like to see Santa.  Of course, she said yes and got all excited when she saw him.  However, when we approached him she clung to me and refused to get near him.  Santa's helper was really nice and let us stand there and look at him, but no matter how much I tried she didn't want to go near him.  We managed to ask for a dolly and give a "high five," but that's about it.  I could have left at that point, but it was important for me for Alyssa to overcome her fear.  There was nothing to be afraid of, yet I knew she was scared to death.  At Halloween time, she walked up to a life size doll of Hannibal Lector and wasn't afraid at all.  It took about 45 minutes and she agreed to see him as long as I went with.  As you can see from the photo, we sat next to Santa and not on his lap.  He did ask me if I wanted to sit on his lap which I thought was a bit creepy.

It's not uncommon for children to be afraid of Santa Claus.  He's a strange man in a bright red suit with a long beard and big 'ol boots.  It's totally normal for children to be fearful of someone or something.  We made several trips to look at him without the pressure to be near him.  I think that helped her see that he wasn't going to hurt her.  I explained that we were just going to tell him that she wants a dolly for Christmas and take a quick picture.  I volunteered to sit with her to help ease her fear and she agreed.  We took a few pictures and she said to Santa, "I want a dolly, a soccer ball, and sparkly lipstick." 

Since then, Alyssa has taken her Santa picture to school with her twice.  She says she wants to go see him again.  If we're at the mall and there's no line, I may let her go just to see if she really wants to see him or just look at him.  Either way, it took a lot of courage to go up there and take the picture.  I am so proud of her!

Little Monkey Lost Her Grip

My little monkey was swinging around, and having lots of fun on the playground.  She followed another girl and went too far, she lost her grip on the monkey bars.  Poor little thing lost her grip and fell face first in the wood chips.  She got a lot of scratches from her eyebrow to her chin, and her little cheek was pretty swollen.  When I saw her I couldn't believe my eyes, she looked at me and started to cry.  It's her first big owie and I'm sure more will come, but it's never going to be easy for her mom.  It's healing good and she's doing much better, I'm so happy we're not doing a Christmas family picture.

Leapfrogs to Seahorses

I'm so proud of Alyssa!  She was promoted from Level 3 - Leapfrogs to Level 4 - Seahorses in her swimming class.  In the past two months, she has made so much progress.  She absolutely loves diving down for rings!  She talks about it all week and even asks Ms. Sherry right when she sees her.  She is floating on her back, turning over, and swimming back to the step.  She also swims to the wall, climbs out, jumps in, and swims back to the wall.  It's amazing to watch!  We are hoping to get some video next week.  She is so excited when she jumps in the water that you can't help but laugh.  In addition to the physical benefits of swimming, the confidence she is building is immeasurable.  She is so proud of herself and I am very proud of her. 

Yippee, We're Pull-up Free!

That’s right, we are officially free from all diapers and pull-ups.  It’s been quite a journey, but we’ve reached another milestone in parenting.  I am proud to say Alyssa is 100% potty trained.  I’m just happy that I don’t have to change them anymore.  Yippee!

For the past two months, I’ve continued to use pull-ups at night.  I could have just let her wet the bed, but I didn’t think she was ready.  She wasn’t getting up in the morning and going straight to the potty and every morning her pull-ups were wet before I woke her.  I didn’t want to risk her wetting the bed and having to wash it and her every morning, so I figured we’d just wait until she was ready.

About three weeks ago, Alyssa asked to sleep in panties.  She told me she was a big girl and didn’t want pull-ups because they were for babies.  I told her if her pull-ups were dry in the morning for a few days, then we’d try panties on Friday.  On October 24th, we switched to panties.  I made a chart of the week and every morning she was dry she got to put a Dora sticker on the chart.  I told her if she got all stickers by the end of the week that we’d go shopping for a toy.  It worked!  She earned a sticker every day and ended up getting a Tinkerbell movie last Friday.  Every day this week, she’s been getting up in the morning and going.  I think it’s safe to say good-bye to pull-ups forever.

Good-bye expensive pull-ups, good-bye stinky diaper pail, good-bye emergency parking lot changes… you won’t be missed.

Smorgesbord

At preschool, all of the kids sit at the tables in the morning and eat breakfast.  For kids that eat breakfast at home (like mine), they may just sit down for a few minutes to drink a glass of orange juice.  The standard breakfast served is 1/2 cup sugared cereal (Trix, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops) and 4 oz. orange juice.  Since I do not want my daughter eating sugared cereal every morning, I provide breakfast at home so she gets oatmeal, yogurt, fresh fruit, and healthy cereals.

Apparently, the food provided by the school is not enough for some parents.  I’m absolutely amazed by the smorgasbord of food that parents leave with their 2, 3, and 4-year-olds.  This morning, one 3-year-old girl had a bowl of Trix cereal overflowing (approx. 2 cups), a Go-GURT squeezable yogurt, a Fruit by the Foot fruit roll-up snack, a vanilla pudding cup, and a Sunny Delight orange flavored drink.  What is this parent thinking?

I’ve observed parents dropping off full McDonald’s meals with pancakes, sausage, hash browns, and orange juice for a 2-year-old.  I’ve seen Jello, donuts, cupcakes, and even M&Ms.  One little girl comes to school every day with a bottle filled with soda pop and the school dumps it out and fills the cup with juice or milk.  The 1/2 cup of cereal is not enough, so parents show up with ziplock bags full of cereal.  Some kids eat a package of six gem donuts for breakfast.  Are these people crazy?

The part that concerns me is that one little girl was sharing her M&Ms with the other kids.  I thought it was nice of her to offer to share her candy, but my daughter doesn’t need chocolate candies for breakfast.  I mentioned it today and they aren’t supposed to share their food due to food allergies.  So, while it is not the norm, the kids that are eating a normal breakfast have to watch the other kids eat candies, donuts, and puddings.  What kid wouldn’t want that for breakfast?

Every day I leave wondering why parents think this is okay.  Are they just submitting to whatever the kids want so long as they are happy?  Or, are they just teaching their children to eat what they eat?  Time can’t possibly be an issue if they can stop at McDonald’s.  Also, the school provides breakfast, so why isn’t that sufficient?  It’s the correct portions for children that age, but these parents don’t think it’s enough.  I’ve spoken to the lady who works in the kitchen and she ends up throwing all the food away that the kids don’t eat.  Not only are these parents wasting food and money, but they are teaching their children bad eating habits that will carry with them throughout their lifetime.

Child obesity has reached epidemic levels with estimates that 15% of children are overweight and an additional 15% are at risk of becoming overweight.  Two thirds of these kids will become overweight adults.  We can prevent childhood obesity by making sure that we provide healthy, nutritional foods for our children and by keeping them active rather than sedentary.  By providing our children with a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and non-processed foods, we can teach them to expand their palettes and develop healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.

As for the daily smorgesbord of food, I will continue to shake my head in disgust at the mere site of it.  I’ve been so tempted to ask the parents why they think their child needs all that food, but I bite my tongue instead.  After all, it’s not my child and what do I know anyway?

Well, Hello Jerk!

I’m beginning to wonder if I should start grocery shopping alone.  It’s always been a family affair.  After this week and last, I don’t know if it’s such a good idea anymore.

Alyssa was riding in the car grocery cart this week.  It’s the shopping cart with a kid’s car on front so that your child can pretend to drive through the store.  She’s absolutely loves riding in the car!  As we were walking down the baking aisle, a nice lady was bent over looking at cake mixes.  Out of nowhere, Alyssa stands up through the front window of the car and says, “Well, Hello Jerk!”

I froze for a minute as if I had just been zapped with a stun gun.  Where in the world did this come from?  I have never heard her say anything like this before and she doesn’t even know what a “jerk” is.  We both yelled at her, told her that what she said was not nice, and made her apologize to the lady.  I also apologized again to the lady and said that I didn’t know where she picked that up.  The lady looked at me and said, “You’ll be surprised at the things they pick up.”

It seems like we’re having more and more embarrassing incidents.  I really think that Alyssa thinks she’s being funny and she’s just repeating something silly she learned at school.  When I asked her what she said later that day, she didn’t even remember.  She spends a lot of time with other kids and I’m sure she will be learning lots of things.  It’s my responsibility to teach her to be respectful to others.  Sometimes I struggle with finding behavior appropriate discipline, but I’m working on it.

Little Person Encounter

At the grocery store today, Alyssa was watching a gentleman put stuff away.  He just so happens to be a little person.  Loudly she says to Daddy, “Look Daddy, that man is small!”  The man heard her and approached the shopping cart.  He said, “That’s right, I am small.  I was born that way.”  Then he said, “Well, you’re small too!  How about a high five?”  She was afraid and wouldn’t give him a high five.

Children are so honest when it comes to simple observations.  Sometimes, it can even be embarrassing to parents.  She’s already pointed out the difference in skin colors and asks what’s wrong with people if there’s something different about them.  Sometimes I try not to respond in attempt not to draw attention to her, but if she’s persistent I politely explain without making the situation even more embarrassing.  I hope she learns discretion sooner rather than later.

Puzzled?

Alyssa’s love for puzzles is fascinating.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  I remember when she used to get frustrated with board puzzles and they were only 9 pieces.  When she finally mastered them, she was so proud.  “Look, Daddy!  I did it!” she’d exclaim.

A week ago we decided to move up to 25 piece puzzles.  These are standard puzzles with oversized pieces.  We picked Cars and Care Bears to start.  At first, she would get frustrated and ask for help.  I explained that you have to look at the picture and find the rest of the piece.  I also tried to explain that the puzzle makes a rectangle with the flat edges out.  It didn’t take long for her to get the hang of it.  It now takes her about 15 minutes to solve a puzzle by herself!  So, we picked up a Dora puzzle and a Disney Princess puzzle that creates three stand-up princesses.

The princess puzzles vary in difficulty and do not have a standard edge.  I thought they were going to be too hard for her, but she did it!  The fascinating part is how she goes about solving the puzzle.  She divides them first by color to separate the princesses.  Then, she picks one piece and tries all of the others in that spot until she finds a match.  She talks to herself and says things like “No, this doesn’t go here.” and “Where’s Belle’s hand?”  I watched in amazement.  I think we’ll be looking for puzzles with 50 pieces soon.

I never realized how beneficial puzzles are for young children.  They provide brain food for little minds.  Puzzles help children develop a range of skills such as eye movement, eye-hand coordination, and concentration.  They teach self-confidence and problem solving.  They learn to isolate colors and search for designs and shapes.  They make mistakes and learn from them.  They stimulate the thinking side of the brain and force them to focus on problem solving skills such as process and logic.  They are experimenting with process and learning which way works best for them.  Upon completion of a puzzle, they have a sense of achievement.  All of these skills can be transferred to every area of a child’s life.

Additionally, it’s a great way to entertain your child with something other than television or cartoons.  It’s amazing when you see them so focused on completing a task and so proud to accomplish it.  It’s rewarding for both the parent and child.  If you haven’t introduced puzzles yet, I highly recommend it.  You too will be puzzled!

Shower Baths

I didn’t realize how exciting it was to take “shower baths.”  I let Alyssa take a shower one time and now she requests “shower baths” instead of regular bubble baths.  She absolutely loves turning on the shower and standing under the water.  She loves it so much that she doesn’t want to get out!  I have to keep telling her, “just a few more minutes.”

When we’re in a time crunch, I don’t mind because that means we’re in, washed, and out.  However, for three years I’ve thoroughly enjoyed our bath-side conversations.  It was our alone time together, a special time for mother/daughter bonding.  We’d play games, sing, paint with soap paints, spell stuff with foam letters, blow bubbles, and practice floating.  Could it be that she’s outgrown all of this?  Is she just excited to try something new?  Or, is this a sign of independence because she feels she’s doing it by herself?

I’m not ready to give up this time just yet.  Bath time has been such an important part of our nighttime routine.  I strongly recommend the Four B’s of bedtime:  bath, bottle, book, bed (in that order).  Our routine usually takes an hour, but my daughter has slept through the night since she was three weeks old.  Once she was too old for the bottle, we continued with bath, book, and bed.  We have been very consistent with the routine starting at 7:00 p.m. and she’s asleep by 8:00-8:30 p.m.  She knows what to expect and has grown to enjoy it… and we have grown to enjoy the piece and quiet!

Do As I Say, Not As I Do

It’s amazing when your child begins to hold you accountable for all the things you tell them not to do.  This morning, we were eating breakfast at the table and my daughter says, “Don’t talk to me with your mouth full!”  I said, “What?” and looked at her kind of puzzled.  She repeated, “Don’t talk with cereal in your mouth.”  And so it begins… 

We are always quick to teach our kids the right way, but often don’t realize that we do the things we tell them not to do.  I’ve always been very careful about not saying curse words or doing things that I wouldn’t want her to mimic.   Yet, it’s the little things we do everyday without realizing it that they notice.  They are little sponges soaking up the world around them.

This is a new beginning, a time to be very careful about the things I do and say.  It’s time to walk the talk and, if I don’t, I’m sure little mom will be right there to remind me.

Sniff...Sniff... I Smell Something!

I had planned on making cookies with Alyssa tonight, but time got away from us.  She had her bath and wanted to play with daddy on the computer.  While they were occupied, I decided to make chocolate chip cookies.  I whipped up a batch and put them in the oven.  When Alyssa was done with Daddy, she was walked into the living room and said, “Mommy, what you makin’ for dinner?”  I said it was nothing and tried to turn her around towards her room to get ready for bed.  She stopped and started sniffing.  She then said, “I smell something!” and started walking towards the kitchen.  I tried to divert her, but she kept sniffing and was looking around the oven.  When she saw the tray of cookies she said, “Those are cookies!”  I started cracking up laughing.  I joked that she was like the pokey little puppy who could smell when mommy was making something good for dessert.  I told her they were a surprise and that she could have one tomorrow after school.  She bought it and went in her room to get ready for bed. 

We finished our bedtime routine and she asked to snuggle with Daddy.  Daddy went in and said good night and Alyssa said, “I’m mad!”  He asked her what she was mad about and she said, “I’m just mad!”  He asked again why she was so mad and she said, “I am mad that Mommy made cookies and I can still smell them.”

Life's a Bowl of Sketti

Dora the Explorer is great for teaching counting, colors, shapes, and even learning Spanish.  However, it’s the silly things that kids remember and mimic.  The first thing Alyssa learned was how to swipe things like Swiper the Fox and take off running.  She now says, “You’re not going to get your now.  Hee, hee, hee.” 

Recently, she started singing nursery rhymes with the wrong lyrics.  The singing bridge in the Dora Pirate Adventure is broken, so the kids have to help pick which songs are correct.  The wrong versions are so silly that these are the versions she now remembers and prefers to sing.

Twinkle, twinkle little star

How I wonder what you

Want for breakfast…

Old McDonald had a farm

E-I-E-I-O

And, on the farm he had some pants

Oye, Oye, Oye

Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily

Life’s a bowl of sketti (spaghetti)

Kid for Sale!

What do you do when your kid climbs in a display window at the mall?  You take a picture! Luckily, the sales clerks were nowhere to be seen.  After I took the picture, I told her not to do that again.  Yeah, like that was real convincing after telling her to smile for a picture.

We've been having some stroller issues.  She'll ride in the stroller, but she doesn't want to be buckled in.  When she sees something she wants to check out, she then bails out of the stroller to go take a look.  Shopping is no longer fun when I'm constantly battling with her to stay in her stroller.  Is this a glimpse of what is to come?  Are the stroller days really over?  I'm sure going to miss them.

Big Girl... No More Pull-ups!

On Saturday, we decided… no more pull-ups.  It’s time to get this potty training under wraps.  We started putting panties on Alyssa when we’d get home from work and she’d use the potty.  Then, when she had a pull-up on she’d go in the pull-up.  She even started to tell us she went in the pull-up rather than using the potty, so that’s it!  We’re done with pull-ups!  We are now four days pull-up free (except for nighttime).  Hurray!  She’s done very well and we are so proud of her.  She’s had no accidents at school and she let’s us know when she has to go.  We were even brave enough to leave the house with panties on.  We are now doing stickers on a chart and if she makes it through the end of the week, she gets a toy.  I haven’t been this excited since we were off formula.  I think this mommy is over the potty training blues.

Bra Shopping

I thought this was funny. I went bra shopping yesterday and when I turned around Alyssa had one on! She said, “Look Mommy! I have a bra too!” Of course, I couldn’t just let that one slip by without taking a picture. I’m quickly learning that it’s no longer easy to go shopping with a kid in tow. When she was little, she was happy to have a tray full of Cherrios. Now, she’s pulling tags and stickers off clothing, getting out of her stroller, hiding in clothing racks, standing up in her stroller, whining that she wants a snack or drink, and saying that she has to go potty all the time. It kind of takes the fun out of shopping. However, when something silly like this happens, you forget about the rest.

Mommy's Lullaby

When Alyssa was a baby, I rocked with her every night before bed. I wanted to talk to her to comfort her, but didn’t know quite what to say. So, I made up a lullaby and sang to her instead.

Don’t cry, my baby girl,
Don’t even shed a tear.
Mommy is here,
there’s nothing to fear.
Don’t you cry, baby girl.

It helped with the crying and as she got older I began singing it less and less. Soon crying wasn’t the issue anymore…staying in bed was. So, I changed the words and sang a new version. I don’t sing it very often anymore and didn’t even know that she knew it until tonight. She was sitting in the bath holding her little Dora toy like a baby and she sang…

Close your eyes, my baby girl,
Just you go to sleep.
Don’t make a peep,
Just go to sleep.
Close your eyes, baby girl.

Fun with Markers

What happens when you want another piece of paper and mommy won’t give you one? You find something else that’s fun to color… like your hand! I always supervise my daughter’s coloring activities, but she’s been doing so good that I let my guard down. She was talking, coloring, and playing with stickers, then went completely silent. Silence is never a good sign, so I turned around and said, “What are you doing?” She told me she was coloring her hand and seemed very proud of the great job she did. Thank goodness for washable markers. Let’s hope she doesn’t try that with a Sharpie someday.

The Screaming Banshee

Have you ever purchased a toy that has that tag sticking out of the battery compartment that says it's to be removed after purchase?  Upon removal of the tag, the toy plays at full volume and it's no longer in demo mode.  Well, I'm feeling like my daughter had her tag pulled out as soon as she turned "3."  Her behavior last night was so unbelievable that I am speechless.  I've gone over all the should of, could have, would haves, but the fact is that I didn't.  I have never been so embarrassed in my life.

Alyssa likes to ride on the shopping cart.  She holds the handle and puts her feet up while I push her.  I watch her carefully because she tends to step down and want to push the cart instead. Well last night there was water in her spot, so she moved around to the front of the cart.  This made me nervous because if she were to step down the cart would hit her shins.  Besides that, I didn't want her riding in the parking lot.  So, I picked her up and put her in the back of the cart.  It was like putting a cat in a bathtub.  She flung her arms and legs outward and kicked and screamed that she didn't want in the cart.  After a brief struggle, she was in the cart.

Then, she decided to start screaming that she didn't want to sit in the cart.  I held her arm so she wouldn't flip out and kept walking, ignoring her screaming.  The screams became louder and louder until she was actually shrieking the entire way.  I looked at her totally speechless and she made eye contact and screamed louder!!!  People were staring at us and I just continued on and put her in the car.  I've never experienced a total meltdown like this, so it caught me off guard.

The "Screaming Banshee" was taken home, given a quick bath, and put to bed without any reading time or snuggling time.  She knew what she had done was wrong.  This morning, the first thing out of her mouth was, "I screamed at Mommy at Costco.  I screamed like this (shriek)."  I asked if she was sorry and she nodded her head.  Then, I gave her a big hug.  Let's hope that this doesn't repeat itself.  I'd like to keep my sanity for the time being.

Two, Three, Five More Minutes

The 4 B’s bedtime ritual of Bath, Bottle, Book, and Bed worked like a charm from the beginning.  Even after the bottle was no longer needed, we continued the same ritual every single night without ever skipping and our daughter went right to bed.  That is, until she figured out that we’re really not in bed when she is.  She began coming out of her room just to see what we were doing and then we’d tuck her back in bed.  Then, she started her own ritual.  First time up, she had a booger on her finger.  Second time, she wanted a drink of water.  Third time, she had to go potty.  Fourth time, she wanted to snuggle.  The stall tactics were all in place and she managed to extend her bedtime routine by an additional 30 minutes.

While we no longer get called in for booger duty, we still get called for snuggles.  What parent can deny snuggle time?  “Mommy, will you snuggle with me?” she asks.  Once Mommy has finished snuggle time, she now says, “I want my Daddy.”  Daddy goes in for his snuggle time and then she goes to sleep.  Last night, I was finished snuggling and she said, “No Mommy, just two more minutes, okay, three more minutes.”  I replied, “Just three more?”  She answered, “Just five more minutes.”  I just smiled.

Turning "3" - The Big Day

Happy Birthday, Alyssa! My baby girl turned "3" today. We had a busy weekend getting ready for the big party. The theme was Dora the Explorer and we had quite the fiesta!!! Family and friends joined us for the celebration. We had lots of Mexican food and a chocolate Dora cake. It was so nice to see everyone. Alyssa had a great time!

In fact, we were so busy having a great time that we forgot her special gift from Mommy and Daddy... a Dora scooter like her friend Eden's. Unbelievable! After everyone had gone, Daddy came out and said, "Guess what?" Well, even though we forgot, she absolutely loved it!!! I think our memories are failing us as we get older.

I took the day off work today to spend with Alyssa for her birthday. We had a nice breakfast together and went to the mall to play on the playground and go shopping with her birthday money. She got some new clothes and toys. I still can't believe that she's "3." I think it's going to take some time to soak in.

I started a tradition when Alyssa was born to give her a rose on her birthday for every year old that she is. I hope to continue this throughout my life. Each rose is a reminder of all the years of memories that we've shared together and how much I love her.

Three Years

Three years...  Sam and I were married three years before we decided to have a baby.  It took almost three years to get pregnant.  Now, our little girl is turning "3" next week.  As I reflect on the past three years, I get emotional.  Our little baby isn't a baby anymore.  I remember when we first brought her home from the hospital.  She was in her car seat carrier.  We sat her inside while we unloaded the car.  She was lying there asleep.  We looked at each other and said, "Now what?"  Our lives would never be the same again.

Looking back, I enjoyed every "first" (first smile, first crawl, first tooth, first word, first step), but always found myself looking forward to the next one.  I think as a new mom I was so excited to see what was next that I did not realize how quickly those moments were gone.   I now sit wondering where the past three years have gone.  Yet, I'm also looking forward to getting the 3's behind us.  I guess that's the irony of it all.

There will always be more "firsts" to look forward to and there will always be photos to capture the memories.   My precious little baby has grown into such a darling little girl.  It's been an amazing three years.

Pizza Burps

We had pizza for lunch at Costco today.  As we were driving home, Alyssa was sitting in the back of the car having a conversation with herself.  It went something like this...

"Oh, I just burped."

"I burped a pizza burp."

"It tastes yucky."

"I don't like pizza burps."

I was laughing so hard I couldn't think of anything to say.  I know it's gross, but I was amused.

Are Your Ears Working?

Lately, I've been feeling like a broken record.  I find myself repeating things over and over and getting louder and louder the more I say them.  I can't help but wonder what's going on in that little head of hers.  I often ask, "Are your ears working?"  She looks at me with a smile on her face and says, "Yes."  I'm beginning to wonder...  When I picked Alyssa up from preschool yesterday, she was in "Time Out."  I asked the teacher why and she said, "Nothing specific.  She's just not listening."

I remember reading an article about toddlers not always listening and how they may not realize they aren't listening.  They just have a very short attention span and they may actually forget what you've asked if their attention is on something else.  So, rather than listening, the goal is to get their attention.  Easier said than done, right?

Here's what several experts recommend to get those little ears to work and get them to pay attention:

• Get on their level.  Squat down and look them in the eyes when you're talking to them.
• Be clear.  Speak simply and with authority.  Don't phrase requests as a question if they don't have a choice.  Don't be too wordy.
• Follow through...and quickly.  If you say you're going to do something, do it.  Don't make threats or promises you aren't willing to keep.
• Reinforce your message.  Use visual or physical cues to guild your child if they are too focused, such as pulling down the covers and patting the pillow as a sign that it's bedtime.
• Give warnings.  If it's time to get a bath soon, give a heads up about 5-10 minutes in advance so they know playtime is over.  Don't just pull a child away from an activity.
• Give realistic instructions.  Rather than telling a child to pick up their toys, try naming specific ones to put away.
• Motivate.  Use alternatives to yelling to get good behavior such as making up silly songs or offering rewards for completing a task such as picking out a favorite book for bedtime. Praise the child upon completion of a task.
• Model good behavior.  Listen to your child, look at them when they talk to you, respond politely, and let them finish without interrupting.  Try not to turn your back on a child or walk away while they are talking to you.

I do fairly well on most of these, but I definitely need some work on making my requests clear and following through.  I'm going to work extra hard to make some improvements and see if that helps.  I definitely don't want to spend the next 15 years saying, "Why aren't you listening to me?"  It's time to get those little ears working.

I’ve Got the Toilet Training Blues

The pull-ups are full, the toilet is not

I keep on trying, giving it all I've got

I've offered candy, and money too!

What does it take, to get them to go poo?

I've got the blues... the toilet training blues.

I bought lots of panties, she put them on

I thought it would work, guess I was wrong

Now she knows, when her pull-ups are full

She takes them off, and throws them on the floor.

I've got the blues... the toilet training blues.

"Do you have to go potty?" She answers, "No."

I beg and I plea, "Will you try to go?"

Just minutes later, she's standing all quiet

Her pull-up is full, "Why didn't you use the toilet?"

I've got the blues... the toilet training blues.

She used to go in the morning, but not anymore

I sit and I wait, and I wait some more

After 5 minutes, she's still looking at me

"How much time, does it take to go pee?"

I've got the blues... the toilet training blues.

She knows what she's doing, but doesn't care

I'm sick of changing diapers, it's just not fair

I've had enough, I can't take anymore

I drew the line, when poop was on the floor.

I've got the blues... the toilet training blues.

How long will it take, how old will she be

Before we can say, we're pull-up free

There's one thing worse, than terrible 2's

It's the blues, the toilet training blues.

An original by C.N.F.

Portraits

We had portraits on Friday and they turned out better than I expected.  Alyssa was a little diva posing for the camera.  I told her if she was good that she'd get a lollipop when she was done.  Nothing like good ol' bribery to get some good pictures.  I was so happy that the scratch she got on her face last week had completely healed (thanks Neosporin!).   The photographer couldn't believe that she was turning 3.  He said it's very difficult to take pictures of 3-year-olds.  I'm so pleased with how they all turned out.  We got a really great family portrait too!  You can check them out by clicking on my Flickr album to the right.

Velcro Kid

I've always seen those kids stuck like velcro to their mother's leg.  I'd watch as the mother pried her child from her leg and tried to make the quick escape before reattachment occurred.  I thought children went through separation anxiety around age 2.   Alyssa always loved going to school, so she never cried when I left...until now.  As I go to leave, she runs after me asking for hugs.  Who's going to turn down a hug, right?  When I hug her, she latches on and doesn't let go.  I pry her hands from around my neck, return her to her seat, and she runs after me again.  We do this 2-3 times before I finally say enough.  Then, as I'm leaving, I can hear her saying, "My Mommy!" and she starts to cry.

Of course, it makes me feel terrible that I have to leave her and go to work.  For a while, she would tell me that she's going to work and I'm going to school.  She'd do this silly little "I'm going to work!" walk, giggle at herself, and then she'd return to the table.  It's different now, she's not being silly and it's not funny.  After the Oscar-winning performance today, I peeked on her about a minute after she thought I was gone.  There were no tears.  She was not sad.  She was smiling, eating breakfast, and talking to one of other girls in her class that had just done the same to her mother.   Unbelievable!   They certainly know how to pull our heart strings, don't they?

What a Sneak!

Check this out! Alyssa was watching a cartoon and I went in to tell her it was bath time and this is what I saw! She was sitting there eating the peach that I wanted to take for lunch tomorrow. I could not believe my eyes. She told me she wanted a snack and I said no because we had just eaten dinner. She asked for watermelon and it was already all gone because we shared it after dinner. So, I didn't think anything of it. I guess the little sneak decided to help herself to a snack. I told her she was bad, but she smiled at me and said, "It's yummy!" Well yeah, it's yummy, it's my peach! Anyway, this is where I need some work on my parenting. What should I have done? Should I have taken it away and given her a time out? It's really hard for me to send her into a raging fit for nothing. So, I let her finish the peach...at least someone got to enjoy it!

Locked Out!

Alyssa got a new Dora umbrella this weekend and we told her she could use it the next time it rained. Well, we had quite a monsoon storm around 4:00 p.m. yesterday. It was raining pretty hard, so we went outside to play in the rain. Alyssa looked so cute standing in the middle of the yard with her umbrella. She was so excited!!!

While I was outside, I noticed a broken sprinkler that needed to be thrown in the trash. Alyssa was just hanging out on the patio, so I told her I'd be right back. The thought crossed my head as I was walking that she could go back inside the house, but I never expected her to go inside and lock the door. I could see her smiling face through the glass. The little stinker locked me out! So, I got down on my knees and begged her to unlock the door. "Alyssa, open the door for Mommy please." Alyssa says, "I did already!" Yet, the deadbolt was still locked. "Alyssa, can you open the top one for Mommy." (jiggle, jiggle) Still not unlocked. "Come on, Alyssa unlock the door."

In the back of my mind, I always knew that I could go around the house and go through the garage to get in, so I was patient. Finally, she opened the door and I told her to never to that again. Of course, she cried... I later realized that the door from the garage to the house was locked, so I was truly locked out. I think it's time to figure out where the spare key is.

Swimming Lessons

Alyssa had her first swim lesson today.  She did very well.  There are only four kids per class.  All of the kids sit on the step while they watch the teacher work with another kid.  Of course, Alyssa didn't want to sit so she kept sliding down to the next step.  The teacher told her that if she didn't stay put that she would have to get out of the water.  Alyssa decided to test her and had to sit on the edge of the pool for one round.  It was nice to see the teacher follow through and Alyssa listened from that point forward.  It was really funny to watch too!  She got to make bubbles with her face in the water, practice kicking, practice making scoopers with her hands, jump in the water from the step, and float on her back.  We will be going to swimming every Saturday through December.  Alyssa loves the water and it was nice seeing her following directions and learning from other kids her age.  

Kids and Portraits

What is it with kids and portraits anyway?  We're one week away from Alyssa's annual portraits and she comes home from school with a 1/2 inch scratch on her face.  Of all weeks, why this one?  Why do kids always get some kind of scratch or bruise on their face right before family pictures?  I know I'm not alone on this one.  I guess it's just Murphy's law.  If this continues to happen over the years, I think I'll schedule two appointments.  If something happens before the first one, I'll just cancel it and have healing time to make the next one.  If it were only that easy, right?   You know why I love taking my own pictures?  Photoshop!!!  Scratches, no problem.  Blemishes, gone.  With a click of the mouse, all of our little imperfections are fixed.  We had beautiful close up pictures of Alyssa when she was a baby, but she scratched up her entire forehead with her fingernails.  Yes, I admit that I removed all of the scratches.  The facial expressions were too priceless!  Anyway, portraits are next Friday.  Let's hope the scratch is all better by then.

Hide and Seek

It's time for hide and seek.  Alyssa likes to tell me to hide and she comes to find me.  Last night, she told me to stay in her room.  So, I hid in the closet.  She came in to find me and I was gone.  She started looking down the hallway and in my room.  Then, it sounded like she was going to cry, "Mommy, where are you?"  A little voice from the closet says, "In here!"  She comes back into her room, "Mommy?"  The little voice says, "Over here!"  I made sure that my head was in clear view and when she found me she exclaimed, "MOMMY!  There you are!"  Then said, "Hide again!"  This time, I hid behind two pillows in the corner of the room.  You could clearly see my head and feet.  She acted as if she didn't know where I was and then pounced on the pillows smashing me. 

A couple days ago I hid down the hall and said, "Come find me!"  Alyssa was looking in the doors of the bathroom and bedrooms.  As she walked by me, I crawled out of the room and said, "ROOOAAARR!"  Well, that was a mistake.  I scared her so much she fell on the floor.  I felt like absolute crap for the rest of the evening.  Before she went to bed, she said, "Mommy, you scared me."  I showered her with hugs and kisses, but she still remembers.  She tells me not to scare her.  So, I make sure that I stay quiet until she sees me and says something.  That way, she enjoys playing hide and seek.  Next time, it's her turn to hide from me!

My Little Swiper

"Swiper, No Swiping!" My little swiper has been learning from Dora the Explorer. Swiper the sneaky fox is always stealing stuff from Dora and her friend Boots. Then, they have to find where Swiper put it. Tonight, Alyssa told me that she's sneaky. I asked her what she meant and she said she likes to take things from Mommy. I asked her why she likes to take things and she said she was sneaky like Swiper. Well, she's not kidding. She has been taking things from us, but we didn't realize that she was "swiping" them. Today, she swiped Sam's water bottle and took off with it into her room. She giggled as she ran away. While this is cute when it comes to the little things, it's not very cute if she's swiping things that we don't know about. We're going to have to keep our eyes out for the little swiper.

Explanation for the Piles of Lumps

We have been baffled by how many times Alyssa can make the piles of lumps all over the floor and enjoy doing it so much.  She was doing it again today and Sam figured out what it is that she's really doing.  At school, all of the kids take naps on mats on the floor.  The teacher must walk around the room giving each kid their blanket for naptime.  Alyssa is playing the teacher.  She is putting all of the kids (dollies, animals, etc.) down for a nap.  She is telling them to go to sleep.  She's just role playing.  I would have never guessed.  Sam finally figured it out.  I just fold the blankets and put them away for next time.

What? What? What?

I didn't realize that selective hearing begins at an early age. My child's response to every question lately is "What?" I found myself answering the question up to four times before finally catching on. If she doesn't want to do what I'm asking her to do, she says, "What?" It's a delay tactic. Here's a sample conversation:

[Alyssa is watching a cartoon.]
Mommy: "Alyssa, it's time to get a bath."
Alyssa: "What?"
Mommy: "Come on, it's bath time."
Alyssa: "What?"
Mommy: "I said, let's go get a bath."
Alyssa: "What?"
Mommy [frustrated]: "Movie time is over, it's bath time. Let's go!!!"
Alyssa: "What?"

You're Not My Friend!

I was not prepared for what my darling daughter said to me last night. I went in for some snuggles and she looked at me and said, "You're not my friend!" You may as well just grab my heart strings and pull them out. I said, "What do you mean I'm not your friend?" She just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

As part of our bedtime routine, she likes to push me over. I sit in the middle of the room and she pushes on me from the front until I fall backwards. As I'm falling, I put my feet on her belly and push her up into the air and bounce her up and down. She said, "Mommy, I push you over." I said, "Why, I'm not your friend?" She looked at me with the most adorable smile ever and said, "Mommy, you're my very best friend." Now, who could say no to that?

The Post Office

Alyssa was sitting on the back of the couch last night and I told her several times to get down. She sits up there smiling, not realizing that if she falls backwards she will crack her head on the tile floor. So, I explained to her, “If you fall off the couch, you will crack your head on the floor and we’ll have to go to the hospital.”

Later that night while she was getting her bath, she bumped her head on the tub. She looked at me and said, “I bonked my head on the tub and I go to the post office.” I said, “The post office? Do you mean the hospital?” She said, “No, I go to the post office.” I said, “Do you want to mail yourself somewhere?” She just smiled.

Piles of Lumps

I'm not quite sure what to call this. It's something that Alyssa does quite often and rather enjoys doing it. It involves taking every single stuffed toy and doll that she has and telling each one to take a nap. The catch is that they all have to have their own blankie. So, she completely empties the bottom drawer of her dresser and puts all of her animals and dollies to sleep. In this picture, she decided to join them, but she's faking sleep with sound effects (aaahhh choooo ...snoring). I'm quite amused by the entire process until it comes time to put all of the blankies away. It's not as fun to fold them all up as it is to watch. She has so much fun doing this. I love listening to her talk to her dollies and tell them that they have to take a nap if they want nummies (our word for something yummy). If they don't listen to her, she'll tell them that if they don't take a nap they'll get a time out. It's so cute! If all I have to do is fold blankets...it's totally worth it!

Making Bunnies

A Breakfast Conversation between Alyssa and Daddy...

Alyssa:  "Where you going?"

Daddy:  "To work."

Alyssa:  "Why you go to work?"

Daddy:  "To make money."

Alyssa:  "To make a bunny?"

Daddy:  (Laughing) "No, to make money."

Alyssa:  (Giggles)

That's what Mommy and Daddy do all day.  We make bunnies.  

I love it!

Going Commando

It started happening a few weeks ago.  We'd go check on Alyssa and she'd be sitting there on her couch watching Dora almost naked wearing just her shirt.  I'd ask what's going on and she'd say her pull-up was hurting.  So, when we're at home, she wears panties in the house.  Twice she's removed her pull-up after I've put her to bed and I've found her in the morning naked on the bottom.  Luckily, she didn't pee in her bed.  Last night, that all changed.  She slept commando and woke up at 1:00 a.m.  She wet her bed and it was everywhere.  I asked her what happened and she said she went pee in her bed.  When I asked what happened to her pull-up, she said she took it off like it wasn't a big deal.  Nevertheless, she got to spend the rest of the night with mommy and daddy while her bedding was in the wash.  I told her that she has to leave her pull-ups on at night.  We'll see how that goes.  If all else fails, there's always duct tape, right?

"Don't Make Me Cry..."

I was tucking Alyssa in bed tonight and she didn't want me to leave.  Lately, she gets up about three times.  First time, she has a booger on her finger and needs me to put it in a tissue.  Second time, she needs to go potty.  She hardly ever goes, but we have to listen because we're potty training.  It's so frustrating!  Third time, she needs a drink of water.  Then, she's off to sleep.  The bedtime routine that used to last an hour now takes 30 minutes longer.  Anyway, she skipped the three stallers tonight and said, "Don't make me cry..." in a sad little voice.  I repeated back, "Don't make you cry?"  Her face cracked a smile and she said, "Don't go.  Let's snuggle."  Is this how it's going to be?  Has she already figured out how to lay on the guilt trips?  It worked because I gave in.  I have a weakness for snuggles, but kept it short.  Crazy kid!

Cuz Why?

My daughter is turning "3" on August 11th.  If the past month is a glimpse of what is to come, I will need lots of patience to survive the 3's.  We have entered into the "What's that?" and "Cuz why?" phase of parenting where everything requires an explanation.  A wise friend told me to play along for a few questions and then return the questions, "What do you think it is?" or "Why do you think?"  So far, it's working!  She answers the question and the game is over...until the next question.

Last week, I heard a little voice say, "Mommy, look at me!"  As I turned my head, I saw my darling daughter standing in the center of the glass coffee table.  When she noticed I was looking, she started jumping up and down.  I would not like to see a video replay of what I looked like running, shouting, and swooping her off the table.  The visions of glass breaking took over and it she was quickly removed from her platform.

I thought it would be fun spending the next year blogging about little things like these that give insight into what it's like to be a three-year-old and to see if I can survive "3" without losing my sanity.