Therapy, Tangents, Motherhood, Animals, Stupidity & June Cleaver

I'm going to vent on this blog tonight as my method of therapy, I mean not all posts have to be these wonderful, fairy tale, magical post moments because life is not always full of enchanted episodes. Even though I'm very thankful for all that I have, I have moments of bursts of insanity in my mind. Tonight after the 20th time of trying to get Gracie to stay in her bed, because all of a sudden she thinks she has a choice to get out, when all has been going well, I visualize beating my head over and over on the wall. As she screams I see another vision of me slamming the door repeatedly to get my frustrations out. My patience is SO being tried lately. Then another whine & her throwing herself backwards and I just want to run outside and scream.
Add Todd into the mix, even though he's not IN the room, he mine as well be because you can hear him LOUD & CLEAR. Like he doesn't remember she's trying to sleep. As her eyes close & she's FINALLY attempting to go to sleep after an hour he makes a phone call, her eyes open, and my blood starts boiling. A few moments later, she's drifting off again, I hear ice pounding into a glass & her eyes open again and she's alert. I want to throw myself on the floor and have my own 2 year old tantrum.

If you can relate, I have sympathy for you, but it would make me feel better if you can. :)

By the way ~ Our neighborhood is full of animal adventures lately. Apparently there was a 6 foot gator across the street in our neighbor's driveway. Nice. Gracie and I go over there all the time to swing on their swing. At 11pm the night before last Shelby was growling out the window & there is a huge black bear in our front yard. He left a big nasty poop & Todd stepped in it, haha and because Todd's a yard ape and doesn't wear shoes he got it all gooshed in his toes! Hilarious. Another night this week I looked out the window and saw a huge black silhouette in mid air and got my binoculars, it was a monstrous spider weaving a web in the middle of our yard, talk about ambitious and stupid. We could've walked right through it. I told that spider he was gonna die the next day and thankfully it rained really hard and "washed the spider out!" Gracie's new thing is to walk down the street holding my hand and we go gator hunting! There is a little creek that has baby gators, turtles & birds, they are always sunning on the rocks. This is what we do for entertainment, so I hope it doesn't create something where she actually likes alligators one day. Also, a huge black snake was in our driveway, yuck. And we have an armadillo that lives on the side of our yard and has made himself a big hole to reside in. Gracie dripped a "drop" of her popcicle on the floor outside while swinging, do you know in seconds, literally seconds, I watched tiny ants crawl from nowhere and start hovering this small drop? It was like a live viewing of the discovery channel or something, in fast forward mode but not. Crazy. We love our deer family, they are so sweet & the owls, and we love our woodpecker friend. It seems our neighborhood has come alive since summer has begun.

One last thing, I get really air headed, pretty stupid this time, actually. Gracie loves to play in my jewelry, she has certain things set aside she's allowed to play with. Well she likes to wear rings and I thought how oh so cute it would be if she had one that fit her, her own size. So I give her my baby ring that my grandparents got me. After two days of ooing and awing over how adorable it looks on her and she would kiss it and say "RING!" She liked it just as much as I liked it on her & thought oh how cute & sentimental...it's gone. Yep, just like that, gone. I even thought maybe she got it off & swallowed it so I even checked her poop. Nope, not there, not in the pool filters either. I am sick about it and it was really very stupid of me, what are you gonna do?
(After writing this last night I found my ring in the living room this morning!:))

Not as stupid, this is the version of air headed - was me putting Gracie without a diaper in her booster chair, oh she won't pee! Yep she did! Seeped all into our chair, what a fun mess that was to clean up.
But my friend Leslie came over one day to get her hair done, I guess this is totally off the subject, but she made me so happy. I was actually laughing so hard at her by how impressed she was with me, but I think she gets excited easily. Anyway, she was getting her hair done and while she was processing I took out a chicken from the oven, sweet potatoes and broccoli & cheese and she couldn't believe and was in awe of how I had prepared dinner in 5 minutes for my family. And that Gracie was eating it. I'm like, well it took more than 5 minutes, you just see me whipping it out after it's been cooked. She said I should be Mrs. Cleaver & all I needed was an apron! That, Leslie, made my day! Don't we wish we all had Mrs. Cleaver days or even moments every day! :)
Okay so I looked up June Cleaver.
June Cleaver's quotes:
* "I'm breading cutlets."
* "Welcome to the neighborhood."
* "Do you think all parents have this much trouble?"
Life ~
June is dedicated to her family; she has few interests outside the home except social events like weddings or school events like meetings and plays. She has ladylike pastimes: needlepoint, cake decorating, and arranging tea roses. She reads glossy but high-toned, tasteful women's magazines. In one episode, she entertains the ladies in her social club. When the boys arrive home from school, June can be found in the kitchen chopping salad vegetables, basting a roast, or icing a cake. Her kitchen is immaculate.

You go June, I'll keep "playing house" & "pretend" in my real kitchen! :)

Joy of a 2 year old!

Before Gracie starts pronouncing words correctly I thought I'd write some down that are just so cute to me. (this is mostly for grandparents appreciation I'm sure!) She has a huge vocabulary & a voice to be heard! This age is hilarious. Everywhere she goes in the house she leaves her presence behind because it looks like a tornado went through. She's SO sweet, & learning so much, she's counting & saying ABC's, knows her colors & shapes. She can push her legs on the scooter around the court now, and when she sings little songs it really melts my heart. Right now she sings Wonder Pets theme, Ho Hosanah, baa baa black sheep, Holy Holy
She really likes to throw her diapers & popcicle sticks in the trash! After it rained yesterday she not only enjoyed jumping in the puddles outside, but bending over & dipping the top of her head in them, that's the joy of a 2 year old! :)

see see or racie ~ Gracie!
yyips ~ lips
Sasses ~ glasses
Up Me! ~ excuse me
O-ness ~ Goodness
Sippy ~ for a drink
dot dog ~ hot dog
sivvy ~ fishy
eeweben ~ eleven
welve ~ twelve
teen ~ thirteen
flutterfly ~ butterfly
lululujah ~ Hallelujah
cooter - scooter
help you ~ when she wants help
rub you ~ when she wants her back rubbed
I rub you ~ I love you
yord ~ Lord
team ~ icecream
paacicle ~ popcicle
wowo Pet ~ wonder pets
tool ~ cool
Hody ~ Holy
Mickey House ~ Mickey Mouse Club House
ayyigator ~ alligator
frash ~ trash

Phrases:
"oh, wow...nice!"
"pretty"
"cute!"
"I don't want it!"
"nope"
"AAWesome!"
"Shelby hush!"
"I Sewrious!"
"Sassy"
"TA DA!"
"Bye...see you soon!"
"whoa!"
"hi! Hey! Hi!"
"HAA DONKNOW!" - I don't know
"Ha it is!" ~ There it is!
"YEAH!"
"FUN? FUN!?"
"see it, see it!"
"I got it!"
"What's daddy doing?"
"I farted!"
"yeah I did it!"
"good job, yeah!"
"I see you...boo!"
"I swimming"
"I fwoating!"
"PLEEASE!"

The most recent word I captured on video...WOODPECKER! Can you make it out? :) We were up & outside at 6am listening to her first woodpecker.

Sionara "Banken" & "Fire"!

Last night Gracie wanted a show and I told her nicely it's time for bed and to go night night. All of a sudden she was gone, I went looking for her and found her climbing into her bed without me and without asking for her blankie or pacifier.

I was amazed, as she was getting the sheets on her she said "Blanken" (blankie) and I gave her the sheet to put on. Then we said prayers and kissed her good night. I stood in the doorway as she laid there, I listened to her sweet little yawns over & over. I could hear them because she didn't have her "fire" in her mouth! I waited to see if she'd ask for it. I hate to say she picked her nose, probably trying to figure out how to wind down. But she eventually went to sleep very peacefully.

Could it be the beginning of the end of "fire"? I've been following her lead with nursing and eating food, it has worked out so well. She quit nursing cold turkey so I'm thinking it will be the same for "fire"!

She woke up a few times during the night, never asking for it but wrest-less. It wasn't until late morning and then she had a melt down in the kitchen. Banging cabinets, throwing things in the floor, screaming at the top of her lungs, demanding "fire"! I ignored her and stayed in the living room and then she was done and moved on. Took about 5 minutes.
Tonight she went to bed really well, she said "blanken, fire" because she can't have one without the other, I gave her "blanken" and ignored the plea for "fire" so she sat there and pouted. Pitiful. I told her I'd rub her & that's all it took. She went to sleep just fine!

Things happen so much differently than you imagine. Todd and I have been brain storming ways to get rid of it, put dirt on it, because she hates things that are dirty or messy, vinegar so it tastes gross, or put a hole in it. So far this turned out way better!
Gracie, we'll save a "fire" for you as a keepsake! We love you! :)

New Adventures!

On the right is a video bar of Gracie's swim lessons today, or in her words torture, not lessons. She is doing awesome! Today was her 11th lesson and she's swimming to the wall, swimming to Ms. Dawn's hand. On the 4th day she taught herself how to float on her back in our bathtub! She's been pretending to swim for the past 8 months, so I know deep down she likes it and will love it once she's on her own at home. But for now she screams "Towel", "Mommy", or "All Done"! At first the teacher would ask for a high five, Gracie pushed her hand away and said "I don't want it"! Now she does a small high five and says "YAAA" when she comes out of the water. So it's getting better. The first week on the way home, I'd look back and see two eyes peaking over her blankie, eyebrows furrowed, probably confused..."why on earth is mommy letting this lady dunk me and mommy is clapping and saying 'good job', screw them, tomorrow I'm gonna scream louder."

There's something so sweet seeing your little girl in a little ballet outfit. Today we did a trial dance lesson to see how she'd like it. I had fun getting her dressed & putting her hair in a little bun! I didn't put a tutu on her because I was afraid it would be too much, I didn't want to be one of "those moms" and when I got there they were all in tutu's! Oh well. She wasn't too sure about the class at first, and even cried, but by the end she was over at the balance bar putting her leg up on it like all the other 2 year olds. So funny! She didn't get the concept of standing on the sticker, instead she was trying to peal it off the floor. Nice. Here are a few photos.






Stickers are great!

Capital M....Mama, Mother, Mommy, Mom ~ what a gift it is to be a mom and what a gift it is to have a mom! First we grow up celebrating our mommy's, later we get to experience being celebrated by our children.
All the moms I am fortunate to know are all extraordinary mothers & great examples to me. About 99% of the people reading this blog are moms! I hope all you mama's have a very Happy Mother's Day! Love you all!

Big Girl Bed Party!

So I created this great, fun event of excitement for Gracie tonight of her having a big girl bed. Todd and I took down the front of her crib & turned it into a toddler bed and let Gracie help. She took over the screw driver and would chant "down, down!" Then we went to Target to the sheet section and found the cutest little Monkey pillow, it even has a pink flower on it's head! We asked if she'd like a bed buddy. She screamed "Monnnteeey" and was so excited, then we found cute sheets with butterflies, lady bugs, hearts & flowers, all things she loves and so little girly. We got ice cream, came home, washed the sheets and as I pulled them out it was like she saw them for the first time. ""WWWWOOOOOWWWW, PRETTY!! YEAHHHH!" We read a few stories and I showed her how she could get under the covers and she started kicking, grinning, then full out laughing. She wanted to find her toes, so she dug under the covers to find them. So cute! Shelby likes the Monkey, too and I think she even likes Gracie's new bed. She kept jumping in it and grabbing the Monkey and Gracie would yell in this authoritative voice, "no no Shelby, no no!"
So to be honest I shed a few tears during our prayers tonight. :) I'm a little sad, I think every mom gets this way when the crib goes. The days just melt into one another and I feel so blessed to be at home with her the majority of the time. She's changing right in front my own two eyes. In the middle of all this the thought of another one came into my mind...so this is how the siblings evolve! I'm getting it.
Gracie did awesome, we said prayers and I left the room to get Shelby out and thought well I'll just wait and see what happens. She laid there, sat up, looked around and laid back down and went to sleep. So I guess this is what she's been screaming & fighting for the past month! I'm thanking God for such an easy first night and pray it continues tomorrow! :)

Gracie's last night in crib.

I'm breakn' outta this crib, it's for babies!

"OUT...OUT"

"I helping!"

"Daddy, I helping!"

Bed buddy MOnnntteee is waiting!

Shelby likes Monntteee!

Big girl in her big bed!

"I see you, mommy!"

hee hee!

Sleeping Beauty snoring, really.

So Gracie had quite the birthday extravaganza for turning 2. Below are 3 slide shows for the 3 parties she had, which just evolved that way. (I haven't posted 3 slide shows in a row, so I hope it works out okay)
First, we kicked it off in Arizona at her grand parents house, we had a princess party for her Aunt Lindsay & Gracie, which was nice having our "west coast" families together hanging out! Then the Wonder Pets party with her little friends, the kids made it so adorable. They ran around singing the theme to the show and rescued animals in the yard with their capes on. And then a slide show of her actual birthday & celebrating with our "east coast" family, haha. Every cake Gracie blew out, she said "again again" and wanted to blow them out all over again. By the 3rd cake she said forget the candles and started eating the cake!