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.