My children may be over-Disney'ed. I guess it is possible.
Libby is 21 mths old and can sing several Disney songs. So can Gracie, in fact, Gracie can sing lots of them! Gracie's favorite is "Small World" but lately she's been singing "You've got a friend in me". Libby chimes in with "me" in all the appropriate places. Libby sings, "I know you walked upon a dweem" (pretty close to the real lyrics!). This is a Sleeping Beauty song.
Gracie can identify every Disney character, from which movie, and who then tell you all about the movie or story. Libby is not too far behind. She can identify lots of Disney characters too! Not too many slip past her. She doesn't know her colors yet, but she knows her Disney characters!
They both know their way around Disneyland. We don't even use the park map. But neither one know where we live. Hmmm. Gracie knows for a fact that there are seven dwarfs, but she isn't sure how many sisters she has.
Our Disney passes aren't good until the end of August (and it might be too hot then). We might have to try to normalize the kids a bit. Not sure if I can counter-balance the Disney influence with nursery rhymes, colors, and the alphabet but I'll give it a whirl.
Belle has a yellow dress. Yellow. Sleeping Beauty has a pink dress. Pink. Cinderella's dress is blue. Blue. Snow White's dress is not white. I know, that one is too confusing. Let's move on.....
A is for Alice in Wonderland
B is for Beauty and the Beast
C is for Cars and Chick Hicks
This might be harder than I thought.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
First Swimming Lesson
Gracie is 4 years old now (as if you didn't know!). Time for swimming lessons!
I happened to be on the city website (looking for more parks, of course) and I noticed it was the day for swimming lesson registrations. Now, I had heard before that on swim lesson registration day, you need to get online just after midnight to get registered into a class. They fill up just a few minutes after midnight. It was 10am so I figured I had a snowball's chance in hell to get her signed up, but I thought I'd take a peek anyway.
There were all kinds of openings! I picked a Level I class that didn't require "parent participation" and Ta-Da! She's registered for swim lessons!
Her first lesson was yesterday. Oh how cute! A little line-up of 4 yr olds in the pool, I almost had a cute attack! Her teacher is a boy named Hunter; according to Gracie he is really big and strong. I thought he was a great teacher too. He learned all six of their names in no time. Oh sure, the girls were all named Isabella except Gracie, but still, he got them all right. He had lots of fun little songs that he sang to get the kids to do their water exploration.
It was so funny. He had them all put their face in the water. Five of them put their chin in and Gracie turned her head so the tips of her hair dipped in. He kind of chuckled like he had a trick up his sleeve for these little hooligans. He said "Who wants to play Pirates? He got them all to say "R-R-R" and collect a "treasure", and then he dunked them one by one. Every one of them looked scared and not one cried. He was really quick with his "Good Job!" and a high five.
Before Gracie's lesson started we watched another class, the kids were older. They were all jumping off the edge to their teacher. Gracie said "I am not doing that! No way! I will not jump!" Guess what? She jumped to her teacher twice! And he dunked her under both times.
I'm glad she's in a class with a bunch of kids who are at the same level as she is. I was afraid she would be the biggest chicken in the class or that she wouldn't listen. But, it was great! And Gracie did a very good job!
I happened to be on the city website (looking for more parks, of course) and I noticed it was the day for swimming lesson registrations. Now, I had heard before that on swim lesson registration day, you need to get online just after midnight to get registered into a class. They fill up just a few minutes after midnight. It was 10am so I figured I had a snowball's chance in hell to get her signed up, but I thought I'd take a peek anyway.
There were all kinds of openings! I picked a Level I class that didn't require "parent participation" and Ta-Da! She's registered for swim lessons!
Her first lesson was yesterday. Oh how cute! A little line-up of 4 yr olds in the pool, I almost had a cute attack! Her teacher is a boy named Hunter; according to Gracie he is really big and strong. I thought he was a great teacher too. He learned all six of their names in no time. Oh sure, the girls were all named Isabella except Gracie, but still, he got them all right. He had lots of fun little songs that he sang to get the kids to do their water exploration.
It was so funny. He had them all put their face in the water. Five of them put their chin in and Gracie turned her head so the tips of her hair dipped in. He kind of chuckled like he had a trick up his sleeve for these little hooligans. He said "Who wants to play Pirates? He got them all to say "R-R-R" and collect a "treasure", and then he dunked them one by one. Every one of them looked scared and not one cried. He was really quick with his "Good Job!" and a high five.
Before Gracie's lesson started we watched another class, the kids were older. They were all jumping off the edge to their teacher. Gracie said "I am not doing that! No way! I will not jump!" Guess what? She jumped to her teacher twice! And he dunked her under both times.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Itty Bitty Kitty
Rest in Peace Little Itty Bitty Kitty.
My 19 yr old daughter, Lexie found an abandoned baby kitten. There were two of them on the edge of the parking lot, but only this one survived. Since Lexie's cat had kittens 3 weeks prior, she took the baby kitten home and added it to the litter.
The mama cat licked it and nursed it and let it join the family, but she didn't give it the extra care it needed as a newborn. She was treating it like the older kitties. He wasn't getting enough nursing nor enough snuggling, so Lexie bottle fed it and kept it snuggled safe and warm.
When Lexie was at work, we babysat the kitten. That was fun!
He lived for ten days under Lexie's care. One day his eye puffed up and was infected. Two days later, he wasn't feeling well. Meowing and not taking his bottle. She took him to the vet. While she was waiting to be seen, the kitten died in her hands. The vet couldn't believe she had kept him alive at all. Apparently, the kitten was premature and didn't have a chance.
My 19 yr old daughter, Lexie found an abandoned baby kitten. There were two of them on the edge of the parking lot, but only this one survived. Since Lexie's cat had kittens 3 weeks prior, she took the baby kitten home and added it to the litter.
The mama cat licked it and nursed it and let it join the family, but she didn't give it the extra care it needed as a newborn. She was treating it like the older kitties. He wasn't getting enough nursing nor enough snuggling, so Lexie bottle fed it and kept it snuggled safe and warm.
When Lexie was at work, we babysat the kitten. That was fun!
He lived for ten days under Lexie's care. One day his eye puffed up and was infected. Two days later, he wasn't feeling well. Meowing and not taking his bottle. She took him to the vet. While she was waiting to be seen, the kitten died in her hands. The vet couldn't believe she had kept him alive at all. Apparently, the kitten was premature and didn't have a chance.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
This Stay-At-Home-Mom doesn't know how to stay home
Know why I don't blog as much lately? Because the weather is too beautiful to stay in! It's not too cool, not too hot. I love May and June in California!
We've been getting out and about quite a bit. My neighbors even commented that I take the kids out almost every day. We're like Phineas and Ferb, "Hey, whatcha wanna do today?" Then we do it.
I started a new blog to write about all the places we go and just give a quick run down of parks and fun places for kids in the area. I have about 15 blog posts in "draft mode" for that blog! We just go and go and go! Quite a few of the moms in the mommy group that I belong to ask me about parks and places like that, so I decided to write a blog and refer them there. Now I just have to slow down long enough to write a full post someday!
When we are home, we are potty training, babysitting, visiting and helping my pregnant daughter and her cats, trying to sew baby things, swimming in the plastic wading pool, and the normal every day stuff like cleaning, shopping, doing laundry. Ho hum.
It'll be too hot to step foot outside soon enough and then I'll plant the kids in front of the tv all day long and catch up on my blogs.
We've been getting out and about quite a bit. My neighbors even commented that I take the kids out almost every day. We're like Phineas and Ferb, "Hey, whatcha wanna do today?" Then we do it.
I started a new blog to write about all the places we go and just give a quick run down of parks and fun places for kids in the area. I have about 15 blog posts in "draft mode" for that blog! We just go and go and go! Quite a few of the moms in the mommy group that I belong to ask me about parks and places like that, so I decided to write a blog and refer them there. Now I just have to slow down long enough to write a full post someday!
When we are home, we are potty training, babysitting, visiting and helping my pregnant daughter and her cats, trying to sew baby things, swimming in the plastic wading pool, and the normal every day stuff like cleaning, shopping, doing laundry. Ho hum.
It'll be too hot to step foot outside soon enough and then I'll plant the kids in front of the tv all day long and catch up on my blogs.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Diggin'
I'm so glad I had my camera handy when Libby started digging for a booger today. The faces she makes are just too funny! And I have an awesome photo of Gracie picking her nose when she was about the same age, so now I have this wonderful photo to embarrass them with later in life. All's fair in love and boogers.
When I looked at the picture on my computer later, I realized I just had to send it to the Ellen show! Ellen has a category of viewer photos on her web site called "What you're doing while watching Ellen". So, I submitted this wonderful capture of my sweet daughter's quest for a clean nose.
When I looked at the picture on my computer later, I realized I just had to send it to the Ellen show! Ellen has a category of viewer photos on her web site called "What you're doing while watching Ellen". So, I submitted this wonderful capture of my sweet daughter's quest for a clean nose.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Happy Birthday, Lexie!
My daughter, Lexie, turns 19 today.
She was born in Minnestota 11 days over due and she was my easiest delivery. I wasn't in labor but I had an appointment for a stress test and a possible induction. We first stopped at the radio station where my husband was moonlighting as a DJ and they let him get on the air. He announced to the world (as far as the radio waves would go anyway) that we were on our way to the hospital to have our baby and his wife was outside in the truck. He said he'd better go and get her to the hospital, but he neglected to mention that I was not in labor! I'm sure people thought I was out in the truck moaning and groaning with labor pain! What a goof. We got to the hospital and they so kindly offered to let me go home and wait it out and I said "I am not leaving her without a baby in my arms!" My good friend pitocin convinced her to be born that afternoon. After she was born, Keith called the radio station and they put him on the air. He announced all the details: Girl, 7 lbs 2oz, jet black hair, cries like a champ. It was June 6th when we finally named her. She was just "Baby Girl" for a while.
Her first year was rough, she had colic and food allergies. She was really cute! She had a whole bunch of hair. A mouthful of teeth at 5 months, they all came in at once, fast and furious. She walked at 10 months and talked early too.
When she was three, she saw her first movie at the theater. Lion King. She wanted to know why the mommy lion couldn't be the king. I knew I had a budding feminist on my hands. She rode her tricycle into the ground that year too when she rode in a trike-a-thon and wore out the axel. She got a prize for that. At six, she started kindergarten and got her first ice cream cone. When she was eleven, a kid in her class took his scissors and cut off a lock of her hair in class. From then on out it seemed like her life revolved around her hair. Teen years were spent dying it, straightening it, spending all kinds of time on it.
Lexie's baby is due Aug 5th. She decided to name her baby Charlie Matthew. I'm really excited for her and hope her delivery is easy like she was. I sure hope Charlie sleeps better than she ever did. She didn't figure out the sleeping thing until she was a teenager and then she overcompensated.
She was a great kid. Although this last year, the 18th year, by far my hardest one as her mom. So freaking happy that the 18th year is over! Welcome, 19!!! So happy that Lexie's birthday is here and a new year of her life begins! Hope its a good one!
Just to get this 19th year off to a great start, I spent the day with her and it was so nice! We took the little girls to the park, went out for lunch and had Pazookies! (warm cookie with a scoop of ice cream on top). After that we took Lexie to get a pedicure which she just loved and then we went shopping for a birthday outfit for her. She got a skirt and two tank tops. Gracie and Libby love their big sis so much, it was a nice day for all of us. I'm so happy that we celebrated her birthday together.
Happy Birthday, Lexie!
She was born in Minnestota 11 days over due and she was my easiest delivery. I wasn't in labor but I had an appointment for a stress test and a possible induction. We first stopped at the radio station where my husband was moonlighting as a DJ and they let him get on the air. He announced to the world (as far as the radio waves would go anyway) that we were on our way to the hospital to have our baby and his wife was outside in the truck. He said he'd better go and get her to the hospital, but he neglected to mention that I was not in labor! I'm sure people thought I was out in the truck moaning and groaning with labor pain! What a goof. We got to the hospital and they so kindly offered to let me go home and wait it out and I said "I am not leaving her without a baby in my arms!" My good friend pitocin convinced her to be born that afternoon. After she was born, Keith called the radio station and they put him on the air. He announced all the details: Girl, 7 lbs 2oz, jet black hair, cries like a champ. It was June 6th when we finally named her. She was just "Baby Girl" for a while.
Her first year was rough, she had colic and food allergies. She was really cute! She had a whole bunch of hair. A mouthful of teeth at 5 months, they all came in at once, fast and furious. She walked at 10 months and talked early too.
When she was three, she saw her first movie at the theater. Lion King. She wanted to know why the mommy lion couldn't be the king. I knew I had a budding feminist on my hands. She rode her tricycle into the ground that year too when she rode in a trike-a-thon and wore out the axel. She got a prize for that. At six, she started kindergarten and got her first ice cream cone. When she was eleven, a kid in her class took his scissors and cut off a lock of her hair in class. From then on out it seemed like her life revolved around her hair. Teen years were spent dying it, straightening it, spending all kinds of time on it.
Lexie's baby is due Aug 5th. She decided to name her baby Charlie Matthew. I'm really excited for her and hope her delivery is easy like she was. I sure hope Charlie sleeps better than she ever did. She didn't figure out the sleeping thing until she was a teenager and then she overcompensated.
She was a great kid. Although this last year, the 18th year, by far my hardest one as her mom. So freaking happy that the 18th year is over! Welcome, 19!!! So happy that Lexie's birthday is here and a new year of her life begins! Hope its a good one!
Just to get this 19th year off to a great start, I spent the day with her and it was so nice! We took the little girls to the park, went out for lunch and had Pazookies! (warm cookie with a scoop of ice cream on top). After that we took Lexie to get a pedicure which she just loved and then we went shopping for a birthday outfit for her. She got a skirt and two tank tops. Gracie and Libby love their big sis so much, it was a nice day for all of us. I'm so happy that we celebrated her birthday together.
Happy Birthday, Lexie!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wheels are turning
My favorite little bookstore here in town was in the newspaper recently. In the article, the journalist sort of went off on a tangent and started to discuss a new machine at the library. It sounds so cool!
It's a book publishing machine. You can print a book that the library doesn't own, if it is available in the database of thousands of titles, or you can print your own book. It comes out all printed, covered and bound. Isn't that the neatest thing?
And did you catch that bit about printing your own book? Yes, my friends, a person could self-publish. Self publish. Hmmmm. I've got wheels spinning in my head.
I was on the phone telling my husband about this machine, and I started to tell him there was this big exciting thing at the library and then I interrupted myself and said, "I've turned into my mother haven't I?" My mom the librarian, always telling me library news. Haha! Now here I am spouting off library news. Oh well, I told him anyway. He thought it was pretty cool! And next thing you know he's encouraging me to write a book. He even had a bunch of ideas for me.
Wish it was as easy as blogging!
It's a book publishing machine. You can print a book that the library doesn't own, if it is available in the database of thousands of titles, or you can print your own book. It comes out all printed, covered and bound. Isn't that the neatest thing?
And did you catch that bit about printing your own book? Yes, my friends, a person could self-publish. Self publish. Hmmmm. I've got wheels spinning in my head.
I was on the phone telling my husband about this machine, and I started to tell him there was this big exciting thing at the library and then I interrupted myself and said, "I've turned into my mother haven't I?" My mom the librarian, always telling me library news. Haha! Now here I am spouting off library news. Oh well, I told him anyway. He thought it was pretty cool! And next thing you know he's encouraging me to write a book. He even had a bunch of ideas for me.
Wish it was as easy as blogging!
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