At three years and three months old…

Filed Under Are you kidding me?, Attitude, Talking, Three Years Old | 2 Comments

Bailey said, “Mom, you messed up my very whole life!”

You want to know how? I wouldn’t let her sit and watch tv instead of taking a nap. I can hardly wait to see what the tween/teen years have in store for us.

But she is still the most wonderful little girl in the world and always will be, no matter what she says or does. And THAT is spoken with a mother’s love. God gives us blind love for our children, I really believe this.

From the mouths of babes…

Filed Under Clothes, Singing, Talking, Three Years Old | 1 Comment

A few things my darling three year old has said lately-

Mommy, when we grow up, you can be a doctor. Daddy will be an ambulance, and I will be the ouchie girl.

To my friend Sarah who was over the other day: Miss Sarah, you want to see Taylor’s wee wee?

I am a Twisted Sister. This is my song. “Twisted Sister, let me show you how. Everybody haive, everybody haive!”

I am keeping my Ario (Ariel) underwear dry. Because I have my diaper on under them.

And along those same lines-
I don’t like to wear underwear. It’s for other girls, but it’s not for me.

I have lots of friends. Everybody loves me. You love me, and Daddy loves me, and Grammy loves me, and Grampa loves me, and Ella loves me, and Piper loves me…

I may never march in the imputry, ride in the cavarry, shoot the artillery… but I’m in the Lord’s army. Yes sir! (over and over again as she marches around- it’s so cute!)

Mom can we look at bows again on your computer?

I’m not going to take a nap. I’m not tired. I’m just going to lay in my bed so I can let my eyes rest a little bit.

To a woman wearing a shirt with a bright butterfly spanning across one breast: I like your b00bie.

As I was laying out Taylor’s outfit on Saturday: Oh, he’s going to be so cute in that!

I don’t like that shirt. It’s too yucky for me. It’s just for other girls.

On the way home from Target: Mommmmm, all that shoppin’ made me so tired!

When I was getting ready to get in the shower the other day-
Bailey: If I’m a good girl while you’re in the shower, I can have two licorices?
Me: What??
Bailey: I’m just tricking you, Mom. I only need one licorice!

Taylor, you’re my best friend in the whole wide world.

Funny Bailey Stories

Filed Under Are you kidding me?, Talking, Two and a half years old | 6 Comments

A few funny things she has said lately. I just don’t want to forget anything! This is the cutest, funniest, most trying age.

This morning she kept bugging me for candy. At one point we had the following conversation:

Bailey: Mom, can I have a lollipop?
Me: No, not now.
B: How bout now?
Me: No.
B: How bout NOW?
Me: NO!
B: What about a candy can? (candy cane)
Me: No.
B: Well can I have a T-R-E-T?
Me: (In shock) What does that mean?
B: Moooommmmmm, it means CANDY!

She also uses a lot of “time” phrases… such as:

I do it every day.
I saw that movie last week.
I will go there on Sunday.
My favorite? “I will wear underwear next year.”

She talks about her baby brother a lot. The most common things to hear:

I love you Taylor Owen!
It’s okay baby Taylor.
That’s my little brudder.
Let’s call him Potato. (Yes, she has decided that his new nickname is Potato.)

The other day she was watching this movie my mom got her. My mom told her it was just for little girls. Bailey turned it off and said, “I don’t like that movie. It’s for little girls, but it’s too scary for me. It’s for other girls.” (FYI the movie was NOT scary at all, that is her standard excuse when she doesn’t want to do something)

Mommy you’re my best friend in the whole wide world.

A few nights ago she woke up crying during the night. I thought she had a bad dream or something so I went running into her room. I was trying to be a good mom and console her. I was giving her kisses and telling her I loved her. She looks me straight in the eye and says in a stern voice, “Go BACK to bed, Mom!”

She has also been known to say, “That’s too many kisses, Mom!” (Now you see why I was praying for a child who liked to be held, right?)

The other day she came in my office and saw an empty candy jar. (Yes Emily, I already ate ALL the chocolates you gave me the other day!) She looks at all the wrappers and says, “Wow, Daddy was a piggy. He ate all those candies!” Sooo I just let her think it was Daddy.

Yesterday I went in Taylor’s room and she had her shirt pulled up, and she was holding one of the breast pump pieces up to her chest. Awesome.

A while back, she kicked me in the leg when she was mad. Then she looked up with big innocent eyes and said, “I’m sorry Mommy, I didn’t see you there!”

Oh, life with an almost-three-year-old. It’s never dull

Healthy Eating

Filed Under Food, Learning, Talking, Two and a half years old | Leave a Comment

We have been doing a lot to teach Bailey about healthy foods vs. junk foods. I would love for her to have better eating habits than me or Jonathon. We have also been more careful about what we eat (okay, at least in front of her!) since she has been noticing. She knows that she has to eat healthy food before she can have a “junk snack” and she only gets one junk snack per day. For her, a junk snack is something like fruit snacks, a cookie, chips etc.

I think it is starting to sink in with her. When she was playing with the pretend kitchen in one of her classes, I heard her say, “I’m playing with all these healfy foods!” Another time, she was eating lunch with a little girl at church. She looked at the other girls lunch and said, “You have lots of junk snacks. Those are not healfy foods. I eat healfy foods so my body can have energy!” And it was true- the other girl had a half sandwich, pudding, chips, cookies and a candy. I was proud of Bailey for recognizing that. Next we will work on being tactful…

She does get fun foods and snacks occasionally. We eat fast food about once a week. She loves pizza too. We are not crazy about what she is allowed to consume (I think parents who are too much this way almost encourage their kids to gorge on junk food when they have the chance). I have also seen some statistics about girls- even younger than you would think- with eating disorders or using dieting pills. I don’t want her to be obsessed but I want her to be able to make smart choices for herself.

We just make sure that we have healthy things to offer her and that she gets a balanced diet. I wish she would eat more vegetables but we’re working on it. The other day at her cooking class she announced, “I don’t like to eat betchtables. I only like cookies!” Nice and loud and clear for everyone to hear, of course.

And here she is enjoying her pudding snack! She gets a half a cup of pudding when we need to hide a pill or something in it crushed up. She does okay with liquid medicine, but unfortunately her allergy medicine only comes in chewables

Mall Playdate with Ella

Filed Under Food, Friends, Playdates, Talking, Two and a half years old | Leave a Comment

Today we met Emily and Ella and Beatrice (Babytrice) at the mall for a playdate. The play area was disgustingly crowded. That place is just like a petry dish for germs anyway though. Bailey and Ella were DONE with it in about five minutes. They checked out the little rides outside the play area and then we were on to other things.

We went to Gymboree to do some shopping (also way too crowded but I got some really cute stuff) and then to Barnes and Noble. I just love buying books for Bailey and looking at books. I didn’t even get anything today though. We just hung out in the kids area and let the girls play at the train table. The cutest thing happened when we were leaving. I commented to Emily that I needed to find a bathroom. Bailey heard me and immediately walked up to some random 12 year old boy and said, “Excuse me, Boy. Where is the bathroom?” I was so surprised that she would approach a stranger to ask for directions. I was also so proud of her that she took the initiative to ask someone for help. And how sweet of her to want to help me. It was just such a good mommy moment.

Bailey also did a pretty good job of staying next to me in the mall. I brought her stroller, but really I just used it to carry the diaper bag and our purchases and my chai latte. We had lunch at Chick Fil-A, my favorite place to eat with a kid. They gave us plastic placemats that have adhesive to put on the table, wipes, extra napkins, and then we traded in Bailey’s toy for an ice cream.

The girls had so much fun eating ice cream together. They interact so much with each other now and really talk to each other. I’m glad they’re friends too, because then Emily and I get to spend time together!

34 Months

Filed Under Being a Mom, Big Sister, Daddy, Diapers/Potty, Gymnastics, Talking, Two and a half years old | 1 Comment

Bailey,

I can’t believe you are 34 months old. Almost three years… plus the nine+ months that you were inside me. I can’t even imagine my life without you. You just seem such a part of me, a part of our family. You are the most beautiful child I have ever seen.

Your creative side is really coming out lately. You have a love for performing and pretending. You still love to play Little People and to play Princesses with your new castle. But you also like to assign me roles to act out (and you tell me exactly what to do so there is no confusion!) You also spin and twirl while talking, and take frequent bows at the end of sentences or announcements. You like to curtsy, which we really need to get on video. You talk about what you are going to be when you grow up- either a doctor or a rock star, depending on the day. You recently told us that you were going to be a firefighter (“fighter-fighter”) and that daddy would be your fire dog! You are often heard saying things like, “Oh my goodness, I’m never gonna finish this!” or “Oh dear, I just can’t believe it.” I laugh at the little phrases you’ve picked up from us and from the television.

You are starting to have an interest in potty training. Some days. On occasion you wear underwear and try to go on the potty. You understand now whether you are wet or dry. It really just depends on your mood, but I have learned there is no sense in pushing you. If I push, you shut down and refuse to cooperate. This morning you told me you wanted to wear diapers just like Baby _____ ____. (Your brother, whose name has not yet been shared with the internet).

Speaking of your brother- you love him and you are so excited to meet him. I am still a little nervous of how it will be once reality sets in. But you like to talk to him, kiss my belly, and put stickers on my belly to share with him. You will tell anyone that you are a big sister, and what his name is, and that he is growing in mommy’s tummy. We have explained that when he is ready to come out, mommy and daddy will go to the Baby Hospital and the Baby Doctor will help take him out. Then you can come see him. You seem really satisfied with that explanation. You’ve been to quite a few doctor appointments with me and heard the heartbeat and gotten lollipops for sitting in the chair. You haven’t tried to touch anything gross (ahem, pap smear wands) in a long time, thank goodness!

Your vocabulary amazes me. You are really easy to understand- we get lots of comments about how clearly you speak. And the things you say! Long sentences that flow together really well, for the most part. Occasionally you mix up a past-tense or a she/her/pronoun. Just last night- “Daddy, today at gymnastics Mr. Mark gave me a medal. He gave it to me because I obeyed in my class.” Gymnastics is your favorite thing to do right now. Just yesterday you did a forward roll on the balance beam WITHOUT mommy holding on to you. I was there spotting you but your balance is SO good. You can also reach out and grab the rings and swing on your own, and hold the bar and walk your feet up the wall before I help you do a pullover. Next week starts the new semester and you will be in the next class up/next age group, and your teacher thinks that will challenge you a little more both with skills and with listening/following the teacher.

We are still trying to get your asthma under control. That has been our biggest struggle this fall and winter. You are now on a daily preventative medication (through your nebulizer) and you take allergy medicine. You have a nasal spray for when you need it, and also an as-needed inhaled medication. It’s a lot, but it seems to be working. I am hoping the days of throwing up from coughing are behind us…

You are such a joy. We have just two months left before your brother arrives. Maybe less. I want to make the absolute most of these two months. I can’t believe it is almost the end of our uninterrupted time together. I know once he’s here, he won’t seem like an interruption. But for now I can’t imagine anyone else being part of our perfect little world. I love you more than you can imagine, Bailey Sophia.

Mommy

Happy Halloween 2009

Filed Under Talking, This Rocks, Two and a half years old | 1 Comment

My blog needed an update and now it’s letting me post again. This thing is finicky. Thank you, Jonathon, for being my own personal tech support.

Just a few pics from before trick or treating on Saturday.

Bailey had the greatest time. She did a wonderful job of saying trick or treat, and thank you, and wishing everyone a happy Halloween. At one point someone asked her if she was a princess. She said, “No, I’m Bellay. I wear a princess costume.” (Yes, it has become Bellay instead of Beelay. Really, she doesn’t have to hurry and get all grown up on me. Soon she’ll be pronouncing her name so that people can actually understand and my heart just might break!)

We were out for almost two hours! We kept offering to let her “Come home, watch Barney, and eat all the candy” but she kept saying, “No thank you Mommy. I do more tricker treats. I want more candy in my puckin.” Finally when we had her coat on, hood up, and she was starting to stumble from exhaustion, daddy carried her home!

We tried to stop by the neighbor’s firepit gathering but she was like, “I too scary for fire!” I think we’ve done a good job warning her about the dangers of fire… now she probably won’t want to sit around a fire until she’s about 16 though. Oops. Daddy took her home and played for a while and I got to stay and socialize with our neighbors. I picked up a new Avon customer and recruited someone to start selling while I was there. Plus, it was fun and I don’t talk to the neighbors nearly enough.

We’re ready for the zoo!

Filed Under Halloween, Holidays, Talking, Two and a half years old | 4 Comments

Tomorrow we are going to the trick or treat event at our zoo. Bailey is so excited. We tried on her costume tonight (yes, for the first time!) and it is a little big but it looks cute anyway. It is a Cinderella costume but she has no idea who Cinderella is- she just wanted to be a princess. She keeps saying “I want to wear my princess!”

I think we are going to have to layer it with a shirt and pants underneath. It’s supposed to be chilly but that’s not going to keep us home. She was so excited to put her jammies on and go to bed so that we could wake up and go to the zoo sooner. Let’s cross our fingers that she doesn’t get up at 3 a.m. now. She keeps saying “It’s a holiday Mom!”

Here she is all jammied up and ready for bed. Nite nite, princess Bailey.

2 1/2 Years Old

Filed Under Being a Mom, Food, Learning, Talking, Two and a half years old, classes | 3 Comments

Bailey Bug,

Happy “half birthday” little sweetie! You are the love of my life. You have a strong little personality (hmmm just like your mommy!) and you are so smart and funny. You are becoming more affectionate and even more independent! You love going to your classes at the early childhood center and at The Little Gym. You are very brave at gymnastics but you always want to do everything by yourself. You know now that we are getting a baby brother at our house. Sometimes you are excited about this, and sometimes you don’t want to talk about it. I am trying to follow your lead and not make too big of a deal about it.

Two weeks ago you had your first ambulance ride. You tripped and fell into the kitchen doorway. Your forehead split open and you ended up getting glued back together at the hospital. You still talk about it, and how you don’t want to bump your head. You say “I rided in the ambalance” and will tell anyone your hospital story. You still won’t let us peel what’s left of the bandage off. I keep telling you that I am cutting your hair and clipping little parts off since you don’t want anyone to touch it.

In the last few months we have started calling you “Bugle Bug” and you laugh at all your nicknames. If we ask “Where is Muffie?” You say “Right here, Mommy!” If I make a comment like “I’m cold” you say “You’re not cold, you’re Mommy!” and you laugh. You have also started interrupting when I am talking to Daddy, and saying “Mommy stop talking to Daddy!” and waving your hand at us. We are trying to correct your behavior and manners but sometimes it’s so hard not to smile. Today you had the biggest fit EVER when it was time to get dressed. You were saying “No take off my pants Mommy!” and kicking and it took everything I had to wrestle you into your clothes. Age two can be quite a challenge for both of us. Fortunately you have more sunshiney moments than difficult ones!

You still amaze us with your vocabulary and your counting and letter skills. You know the sound each letter makes, thanks to your Leapfrog Letter Factory video. You love to learn and figure out new concepts. You also- just like your Daddy- love to watch tv. Your current favorites are Franny’s Feet, SuperWhy, and Barney. You are kind of over Elmo (sad, but I don’t miss it… yet…) and you hate Dragon Tales- which for some reason you call Dinosaur Train. If it comes on you freak out and find me to change the channel. “No no I don’t like Dinosaur Train! Turn it off Mommy, I don’t like to watch it!” I have banned your father from watching the news when you are in the room because you are just way too observant and you also get scared easily.

Your new favorite food is crackers with peanut butter. You still love cottage cheese and fruit snacks, of course. We are learning about healthy foods vs. junk snacks at our house so that you can start making good food choices. With my help, of course. You can tell us “Junk snacks don’t give my body energy. I need energy!” You also have a love for orange juice, which definitely did NOT come from me. I still water it down a lot and you only get one glass a day.

I love having a “helper” when I deliver my Avon, put the laundry in the dryer, and clean up toys. You love to help me and you love to clean. I guess you didn’t get that from me, either. You have a very loving personality. You always want to share your snacks and treats. Just today you offered me your last fruit snack that you spent forever digging out of the package. You like to do “noses” at bedtime (Eskimo kisses, I think is what it’s called) and to pray before you go to sleep. Last night you thanked God for all your family and friends by name, and then for your lunch, your animal game, and your class. So sweet!

Speaking of class, here is a picture of you today at your music class. On your actual half birthday… You are now closer to three and I can’t believe you are growing up so fast! I love you so much. You are the baby who made me a mommy, you are the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen, and you hold my heart in your hand.

Love, Mommy

WHY?

Filed Under Firsts, Milestones, Talking, Two Years Old | 3 Comments

I knew it was coming. Today for the first time Bailey asked “why?” Then proceeded to ask about a lot of things I told her to do or tried to explain to her. It’s so fun to see her mind working but seriously, I don’t know why to everything. Sometimes it’s just because I said so!

I want to remember-

Filed Under Milestones, Talking, Two Years Old | 2 Comments

Bailey is almost 29 months old. She says a lot of cute things right now. Things I never want to forget as she gets older and more careful about her speech.

“Brell-ella” =umbrella

“I too scary for fireworks” and “I too scary carousel” when she has been scared of fireworks (last night at a barbecue) and of the carousel at Grant’s Farm.

“Hmmm, let’s see… Ummm, maybe…” and taps her chin while she thinks. She must have seen this on one of her shows or something because it is SO exaggerated.

“Kenzie is my beshel friend!” I think it’s a combination of best and special

When I ask her if she wants to pee on the potty, she says “No Mommy, my too little!”

She still says she is the Big MISTER instead of big sister. No one really knows what she is trying to say but it makes me laugh every time.

She got a new doll and she named him Charlie. I don’t know where she came up with that name. She also named a stuffed animal Curly. Her two little dolls at Grammy’s are Susie and Amy. When she is done playing with Charlie she tends to drop him on his head.

“Let’s read it all together” when she wants to read with me.

In her bedtime prayer she is at that stage where she tries to list EVERYTHING she’s thankful for. It usually starts out “Thank you for Nana, and Papa, and Tiny, and Nana…” she always says Nana twice! Then she usually says thank you for her lunch (random) and “My game. My ANIMAL game.” Good thing she specifies so that God knows exactly which game she is thankful for… The other night she also said thank you for the letter Q. She told me once that Q is her favorite letter- too funny. Sometimes Jonathon and I are laughing so hard while she prays and we just try to keep it quiet so she can’t see us cracking up as we duck our heads below the edge of her bed.

“No change my diaper, mom.” Heard quite regularly.

“I love you, Mommy.” and “You so pretty, Mommy.” Those just melt my heart. I love this girl.

My Bailey Bug

Filed Under Are you kidding me?, Talking, Two Years Old | 1 Comment

Oh, and yesterday- she got in trouble and afterwards she walked over to where I was sitting on the couch, pressed her face up against my face, and said “You SOOOO pretty, Mommy!” They learn to scam people at a young age. How can you be mad after that?

School Desk

Filed Under Learning, Talking, Two Years Old | 2 Comments

I have mentioned before how we have the old-school Fisher Price School Days chalkboard/desk with the magnetic letters. Now that Bailey knows her letters she is even more into it. She likes to “read” things everywhere she goes. At Petco, she said, “Look Mommy! P-E-T-C-O! And birds in the O!” Sure enough, there was a birds nest in the middle of the O. Yesterday at her OT visit, the word “Welcome” was written under the front desk at her eye level. I didn’t know that she recognized lower case letters but she spelled it out again. Only she read the lowercase L as an “i” instead. Close enough.

So the point of this story. Last night she was looking at her Fisher Price desk. She said, “S-C-H-O-O-L D-E-S-K spells Bailey!” She knows her letter sounds so we might have to start working on sounding out words. Otherwise she will just always think that everything spells Bailey!

She is spelling things everywhere she goes. She will name the letters anywhere she can find them. Oh, I really hope she loves to read when she gets older.

A few odds and ends at 26 1/2 months

Filed Under Random, Talking, This Rocks, Two Years Old | 8 Comments

Bailey is almost 27 months old now. She is making us laugh and also making us proud every day.

-She knows all her colors now including gray, black, white, and salmon LOL
-She can count to 14 and also count items- but she sometimes says “One, two, six” still and we have to help her out!
-She loves to have her toenails painted “just like mommy” and to basically do anything that mommy is doing
-She can tell you that her name is “Beelay Sophia _____”
-If you ask her how old she is, she says “Two olds!” instead of two years old
-She enjoys building with lincoln logs (so boring) and still loves Little People
-She knows the alphabet song and can also identify all 26 letters by sight. When we are out she will see a letter and tell me what it is. She will also name several words that start with that letter. She seems to enjoy letters and sounds. Maybe she’ll be a reader like Mommy??
-She can identify about half the numbers by sight. She always clarifies by saying “Number six” or “Number two” or whatever.
-She knows animals like antelope and rhinoceros and can pronounce them too! Her favorite places are the zoo and Grant’s Farm.
-Her eating continues to get better and she no longer cries at the OT’s office. Praise God!
-She pretends to read her books and has memorized the words to some of them. She can tell you the titles of most her favorites.
-It shocks me how fast she learns the words to songs. She can hear them once or twice and then she sings them!

She sings this song from Barney- “Oh Mr. Sun, sun, Mr. golden sun… hiding behind the tree.” Only she says “Oh Mister Sun, sun, oh goad sun. Hidee be hiner-ree!” Here she is hiding behind a tree at Grammy’s house.

My mother in law sent us a ridiculous amount of coupons in the mail. Bailey sat at the kitchen table today and “sorted” them all out into stacks. She told me she was working. I guess she sees us sitting with a bunch of papers and thinks that’s what we do!

She also keeps saying “How ya doin, HUH?” We are trying to get her to drop the HUH.

Other commonly used Bailey-isms:

Oh thank you, Mommy!
Oh thank you, Daddy!
No, please!
Watch Beelay do it, kay?
Get Beelay out now! (In the carseat, when I am unbuckling her)
Idea! (then I will ask her what her idea is, she usually says “Good idea!”)
I sleeping. I snack. I comin too! I drink. Everything is “I”
Oh, Sure! (in a high pitched voice) or Sure, Daddy!
In the swimming pool: I slim the water!
Fish time! (she wants to go look at the aquarium)

And just some cuteness from dinner at Five Guys Burgers and Fries a few nights ago

Just Singin’ In the Tub

Filed Under Singing, Talking, Two Years Old, Video | 2 Comments

You’ll have to turn your head to watch this one too. I have never claimed to be great with technology. Someday I’ll figure out how to rotate the video files.