5 on Friday | December – Week 3 – McKenzie’s Favorite Things Edition

I’m linking up with Darci and friends from the good life blog for another version of 5 on Friday! This week’s theme is McKenzie’z Favorite Things!  These aren’t necessarily things that she’s wishing for from Santa, but items that we have and love and think you should too!

ONE/TWO/THREE/FOUR/FIVE

One.
Fisher Price Little People Christmas Story!   This was actually an early Christmas present to McKenzie this year from her grandmother.  We wanted her to be able to play with the set and really enjoy it.  It was also a great time to incorporate the Christmas story in to her play-time. She loves the set and little animals and even says Jesus…well, more like Cheeze-us, but we know what she means!  If we ask her to find Jesus, she runs and gets the little baby in the manger!  So sweet!

Two.
Mr. Christmas Red Lighted Goodnight Lights Ornament!  Kenzie received this little ornament as an early Christmas present, as well.  I had never seen something like this before, but thought that it was a novel idea.   The ornament is Santa holding a candle.  It has wires running down the back of the ornament that you run through your tree.  These wires are attached to a box that you plug-in to the electrical outlet.  One you hang the ornament and run the green wires down through the tree (just as you would your light wires), you plug your lights into the box and the box into the electrical outlet.  That’s when the magic happens.    The candle has a small pin-sized hole in the front of it.  If you want to turn the lights the Christmas tree lights on, you blow on Santa’s candle.  If you want to turn them off, you blow the candle out.  It’s adorable and McKenzie loves it.  She can’t walk by the tree without pretending to blow out the candle.    She doesn’t have the height or enough power, but it’s fun all the same!  Plus, Brian and I love it, because it means that we don’t have to maneuver around/under the tree to get the lights plugged in.   It’s adorable!  Check it out!

Three.
Highlights!  For those of you who grew up in the 80’s, you probably already remember this magazine.  I know I loved it!  There were stories, crafts and hidden picture puzzles.   My mom mentioned that there was a new version out for toddlers – Highlights Hello.  I was so excited!  We signed McKenzie up and she now she receives her own mail and magazine each month.  The books are amazing.  Toddler sized and printed on durable paper that can’t be torn and can be cleaned!

Amazing!  Printed with non-toxic ink, the magazine’s durability was even tested by being placed in a washing machine!  As good as new!

McKenzie loves the short stories, the songs and the hidden picture puzzles.  There are even tips throughout the book for parents on how to incorporate the themes, stories and songs into learning each day.  Plus, it’s one of those books that’s small enough to throw in to the diaper bag or purse and will keep her occupied forever!  Love!

Four.
Rileyroos!   These have been our go-to shoes since McKenzie started wearing shoes.  Sadly, her big feet no longer fit in them, so we’ve had to move on.

These shoes are developmentally friendly, with flexible soles and curled toes to provide leverage as your little one learns to crawl.  They are lightweight and perfect for providing the protection and traction that little ones need…all while imitating barefoot walking.  Plus, Rileyroos is  a local company from Baltimore – a win-win!  Kenzie literally had shoes to match each of her outfits.  I know…it’s an obsession!

If you’re looking for adorable shoes, that both you and your baby/toddler will love, check out Rileyroos!

Five.
Crochet Creations by Bibi!  Need a small gift that’s affordable, yet personalized for babies, toddler’s, tween’s or even adults?  Then check out my mother-in-law’s page!  She’s working on getting her Etsy page up, but for now, Facebook is it!  She has created some adorable hats and will work to create a personalized piece just for you!  Don’t see what you want?  Send her a picture with your request and she’ll create it for you!  What talent!   Hats range from $7 to $18 (plus shipping) and are completed within a few days!  Check out her page and let her know that you heard about her from Heartbeats and Little Feet.  There may just be a surprise in it for you!

Side note: Bibi is what Kenzie calls her grandmother.  Both my mother-in-law and father-in-law refused to pick their Grandparent names, so we chose for them.  It was a very scientific choosing. Brian typed Grandmother and Grandfather in to Google translate.  And there you have it…Bibi and Babu – Grandmother and Grandfather in Swahili.  I bet they wish they had thought that decision through! 🙂

Have a great weekend everyone!

 

Fabulous Holiday Fun!

What a weekend!  Busy yet so much fun!

Kenzie is in love with Christmas lights.  She ohhh’s and ahhh’s as we pass houses with lights.  She points out her window and giggles.  As more and more people are putting their lights up,there’s even more to look at.  Friday night after dinner, we decided to drive to the Herr’s Factory to look at the light display that they put up.  It was a great night, filled with Christmas music on the radio, and pretty lights to see.  Kenzie loved it!  It was raining, so we didn’t get a chance to get out and walk around, but still so worth it.  Here are some pictures that we captured!

Saturday, we spent the morning doing laundry and cleaning up the house.  We were hoping to get the outside decorated, but ran out of time!  We’re hoping to get it done some time this week so that McKenzie has time to enjoy them before the holidays are over.  As an aside, I have never been a fan of lawn decorations at Christmas and I refuse to get a blow-up one, but a simple light up snow man or reindeer may be in our future.  Kenzie would love it, since she’s obsessed with Frosty!

A-Ra, Jessica’s Aunt, spoiled her by buying her every Christmas movie possible.  We’ve watched a few of them, but Frosty is her favorite!  She marches around the house they way Frosty and his crew marches around town.  Her stomping is hilarious…she only marches with one foot.  It’s adorable!

Saturday evening, we went to dinner to celebrate my Mom’s birthday.  It was a great evening had by all and we are lucky to have her in our life.  After dinner, we stopped at a local creamery that makes homemade ice cream.  Kenzie’s patience was starting to wear thin, so I downloaded the JibJab Elf Dance App.  I quickly snapped pictures of everyone and created an elf dance sketch.  She loved it!  It kept her laughing for the rest of the evening!  Oh technology!  I highly recommend this distraction technique!

On Sunday, we took McKenzie to have breakfast with Santa and Mrs. Claus.  From a distance, Kenzie thought Santa was the coolest.  She would point to him, smile and wave.  Up close, she didn’t care for him too much!  She didn’t scream, but was really unsure.  Look at her clenched little fists.  I think Mrs. Claus was our saving grace!  Very cute little breakfast put on by our local volunteer fire house.

It started snowing around 11 yesterday and didn’t stop until the evening. Then we had bouts of freezing rain and sleet overnight.

We spent the day making cookies with my Mother-in-law, Mom and sister.  It was such a nice way to spend a cold, winter day.  There is more baking in store, but we had to call it quits so that we could get home before the roads got too bad.

Kenzie is currently spending the day at home with Brian and loving life!  I can’t even stand how cute these pictures are!

Hope everyone had a great week!

The Thankful Project: Day 25 – Something You Know

After cutting down our Christmas tree and decorating with a toddler this weekend, I learned a lot.  Who would have thought the lesson would have been taught by a toddler?

Let me back up.  This weekend, we spent Saturday cutting down our Christmas tree.  It’s a tradition that Brian and I have done every year.   Last year, Kenzie was just 6 months old and I carried her in the baby carrier.  Let me tell you, much easier!

Tree Farm 2012

This year, we have a 18 month old who has more determination and will to do things her way than most adults I know.  Honestly!  We arrived at the tree farm and had a slight melt-down early on because we were making her wear a hat.  Once we were over that, things were smooth sailing…until they told us the tractor that takes you to where the trees are, wasn’t up and running.

“OK”, we thought, “we’ll walk it.  It can’t be that hard.”  Again, naive parent’s here.  McKenzie wanted to walk the gravel road herself.   She wanted to walk it at her pace and if you attempted to pick her up, then she would lose her mind.

See the tree on the upper left side of the screen? The one at the top? That’s where we walked to!

The whole tree experience, that should have taken 30 minutes from start to finish, ended up taking 2 hours.  When we finally reach where the trees were, she had a melt-down because she didn’t want to walk in the grass.  She wanted to stay on the gravel road.

Melt-Down

We finally found the perfect tree and cut it down.  We figured she’d be tired and would want to be carried on the walk back.  Again…we were wrong.  She walked the entire gravel path back.

Our tree 2013

I wish I had a way to track how far this little girl walked.  It was easily 3 miles.  She never gave up.  She never quit.  She just kept walking, as fast as her little legs could carry her.

So you know what I know?  Toddlers…they can teach you a lot.  Like how to slow down, to enjoy the moment, to take your time and to really appreciate the things that you are doing, because if we hadn’t, we would have missed the opportunity to capture such gorgeous pictures – the lake, the green trees and the sky.

Tree Farm 2013

I’m really thankful.

 

I’m linking up with Kenzie over at Chasing Happy for the month of November.
Be sure to stop by and check it out!

McKenzie | 18 Months |

Again, a little late, but better late than never!

So little McKenzie…You’re a 1 and a half!  How in the world did that happen?!  Weren’t we just planning your first birthday party?!  This past month has been so much fun with you!

What’s Happening:

The Start of Potty Training
You’ve shown interest and I’m cautiously optimistic! I know it is probably still a little way off, but you’ve told Jen at daycare and us when you need to go!

Preschool
I can’t even believe that I just typed that.  How did we get here!?  I’ve been researching local preschools for the past month or two.  First, most are way more expensive than I realized that they would be.  Second, most are charging a lot of money for only 2 hours, 2 days a week.  I was shocked!  After researching a little more, we found a local preschool that we love!  I can’t even wait for you to start there in September!  You are going to learn so much and have so much fun!

Vocabulary
I’m not even sure how many words you know now.  You talk all day long!  What I love about your learning words is that you are finally able to communicate with us!  A few nights ago, you were so exhausted.  We gave you your bath and I sat down with you, just as I do each night, to hold you for a few minutes before you climb in to bed.  You lost your mind.   I wasn’t even sure why!  I assumed it was because you were overly tired.  As I listened closer,  I finally caught on to what you were saying as you were crying! Book! You were upset that we didn’t read!  My little creature of habit! I let you pick out a book, we read it, you curled right up in my arms and went to sleep without a fight.  I love that you can tell us things now!

Your newest phrase that you say each night as we end a story, is “The End!”  You are listening and learning and I love it!

Leading up to Halloween, we taught you Boo, since you were going to be a ghost.  Anytime we asked you what a ghost said, you would yell, “Boo!”

We’ve moved on and skipped over Thanksgiving, since “Gobble Gobble” is a little harder to say.  We’ve started working on Christmas.  If we ask you what Santa says, you reply, “Ho ho!” and if we ask whose birthday it is on Christmas you say, “Baby Cheezus”.  It makes me giggle every time.  There is some slight confusion though because any time you want a Cheez It cracker, you will say Cheezus.  We’ve got some clarification to do!

Favorite Thing
Singing the ABC’s.  It’s your favorite song.  As we sing it, you join in with a random E, G, I, or Z.  You bob your head as we say each letter.  After we’re done singing, you will sing it on your own.  You have the rhythm of the song down, but mumble through most of the letters until you hit your favorites – E, G, I and Z.

Eating
You eat a lot, but are still kind of picky.  You hate any form of meat.  Veggies and fruits…you’ve got it.  Put a chicken, ham, turkey, or meat loaf in front of you and you remove them from your plate.  It’s so bizarre.  We’ve been working on finding new forms of protein that you will actually eat, but haven’t been too successful.

You have also become finicky with how your food is presented.  Some days you want things cut, so we cut them up.  Then the next meal, you refuse to eat because you wanted it whole.  Then the next meal you want things cut up.  We can’t keep up!

Sleep Habits
Your sleep habits have been less than stellar ever since daylight savings time.  I think we also had a touch of sleep regression going on at the same time, which means we haven’t been getting the greatest sleep!  For about 2 weeks, you would wake up at 2 in the morning, open your door and stand at the gate.  You would call for me and I would come get you.  As soon as you saw me, you would run back to your bed, grab your blanket, and motion to be picked up.  We’d sit in your chair and rock and you’d fall back to sleep quickly.  You would sleep until about 5:15.  Then you were up again for good!    We’ve been a little tired, but it has gotten better.  The past few nights, you’ve slept through the night again and have only been getting up a little earlier than normal!

Outings
We’ve been busy this past month!

You had you’re second Halloween.  Such a cute little ghost!

You went to your first show – Disney on Ice. We went with your friend Ella and you loved it!

You thought you were home, because you insisted on taking your shoes off!

Date Day with Dad – Daycare was closed, so Dad stayed home with you.  You went to a bounce house with inflatable moon bounces with your friend, Adelyn, and then out to lunch!  You had so much fun!

This month has been one of the best!  You are for sure your own little person, with an ever emerging personality.  It’s so fun watching you grow and I’m so thankful that I’m your Mom!

I love you through and through.  Yesterday, today and tomorrow too.

Love,
Mom

Little Ghosts and Goblins Halloween Pajama Party Link-Up

I’m joining Darci from The Good Life Blog and Meredith from The Tichenor Family for a Halloween Pajama Party!

Last year, we were still getting the hang of the parenting thing and were preoccupied with getting prepared for Super Storm Sandy to have any fun around Halloween.  Halloween was actually postponed and rescheduled in our town.   This year, it’s a different story!  I’m loving that McKenzie now Oooooh’s and Ahhhhh’s at the Halloween decorations.  It’s going to get better each year from here!  Her Halloween pajama’s just make me giggle.  These glow in the dark!

Don’t mind the shoes in the next series.  We’re still in the phase of loving shoes.  She had just taken a bath before we put on these adorable pajamas and she insisted on wearing her shoes.  Again, they were removed after she was fast asleep!

Pajamas from Carters

Here’s your chance to join in the fun!  Can’t wait to see how cute all of the little ones are!

McKenzie | 17 Months |

Although a little late…I’m still posting!  Enjoy!

17 months old!  Where has the time gone?  It’s hard for this Mama to even imagine. You change each day!  There’s always something new you’re doing to keep us on our toes. Here’s a little re-cap for us to look back on and remember!

What’s Happening:

Cousin
You officially have a cousin!  Aunt Erin and Uncle Brian delivered a healthy baby boy and we are over the moon excited for them!  You got to meet Nathan last Saturday and loved him. You gave lots of kisses and kept saying. “Baby!”.  You will be a great big sister one day!

So Sweet. P.S. You were playing dress up, so you had a tutu on! Nice outfit choice!

Vocabulary Explosion!
Your vocabulary has taken off!  I can’t even keep up with all of the words that you say because you mimic everything we say.  Words that you use on your own on a regular basis and that are clear now include: baby, apple, juice, apple juice, Ouch, more, ball, book, Ellie (for your favorite stuffed elephant), shoes, truck, cat, Stop!, Yeah, and No…along with all of the originals – like Mama, Dada, and dog.  It’s so much fun to see what word you come up with next!

Mimicking
Speaking of mimicking, you copy everything we do.  In the past month, Dad and I have become even more aware of not only what we say, but what we do around you!  You are watching us and learning, even when we don’t realize it!   The video below is just one of the moments that Dad and I caught of you copying us.  You were being grumpy in the back seat on a drive home, so we gave you the I-Pod with you favorite Fisher Price learning games on it.  Dad and I continued with our conversation, but could hear you talking in the back seat.  When we stopped talking and turned around to look at you, this is what we saw… My favorite part is where you hold the I-pod out in front of you as if you are wondering why no one is talking back!

Favorite Thing
This month marked your first time on a moon bounce.  It was at a birthday party we were attending.  You weren’t sure of what to make of it at first, but soon learned how fun they can be!  We went inside for cake and gifts and you were not happy about it!  You were determined to lead us by our hands back out to the moon bounce.  so cute!

Eating
You are still a picky eater.  We normally get one great meal out of you each day.  Other than that, you just snack and nibble throughout.  You seem to always be eating something though, just not always at the specified meal times.  I’m hoping this will get better with age!

Climbing
You are a climbing machine!  You will use anything and anyone to climb up on the sofa! You’ve pulled toys over, your Pottery Barn Chair, used Dad’s legs quite a few times and even the dogs (although we stop you from that!)  A few times, you’ve even gotten up there by yourself…I think you are hooking your foot in the cushion.  Hilarious!

Bed Time Routine
You’re bedtime routine has changed a bit.  You no longer let me hold you while we say our good night prayers.  You happily climb into bed on your own, point to the blanket and request to be covered up.  Then we hold hands and say prayers while I kneel next to your bed.  It’s our favorite time of the day!  I’m sure Dad’s excited too!  You would only ever let me be in the room when we put you to bed, but you’ve started allowing him to join in as well.  It’s one of my favorite times of the day now.  Thanking God for everything we have, for our families and friends, and asking him to watch over all of us. Love it!

Movies
Last Friday night was a cold and rainy night.  Dad was working, so it was just you and me. I decided that we would watch Cinderella!  I put the DVD in and you instantly squealed when you saw the Disney castle on the opening credits.  You sat in your Pottery Barn chair, covered up with your blanket and stuffed animal, Ellie!  You watched the movie for a little, but then moved on to playing, while watching.  The whole time, you loved it though!  You would point out Lucifer, the cat, and laughed from your toes when I called you Gus Gus!  I look forward to more cuddly evenings with you!

McKenzie, life just keeps getting better.  There are still days that are far from fun, but even on those days – I am thankful for a healthy little girl who is able to throw such fits!  From working in a hospital, I know that not everyone is as lucky!

Continue to grow, but not so fast!

I love you through and through.  Yesterday, today and tomorrow too.

Love,
Mom

We’re All In This Together!

Today’s post is about an event that happened over a month ago.  I wasn’t going to write about it, but then it’s one of those moments that keeps coming back to me.  Every time I think about it, it bothers me more.  It was one of those moments as a Mom that I will never forget, for multiple reasons.  Let me explain…

Brian was out-of-town.  McKenzie and I went to dinner to celebrate my brother-in-law’s birthday.  After dinner, we headed to a local creamery to have ice cream.  After waiting in line for over 30 minutes, we finally had our ice cream and were able to sit down outside at a picnic table.   Thank goodness for McKenzie’s grandfather, who kept her occupied the entire time we waited in line.  You know how patient toddlers can be!

McKenzie made her rounds at the table, taking a little bite of everyone’s ice cream.  Initially, she walked around to everyone for a bite.  Then she sat on the table in front of me for some time.  Eventually, McKenzie scooted to the center of the table, to be the center of attention, naturally!  She stood up on the table, but was surrounded by all of our family.  She wasn’t in danger.  She wasn’t hurting anyone.  We were at a picnic table outside.

That’s when it started…the judging.   There was another curious toddler nearby, who instantly zoned in on McKenzie.  She was older than McKenzie (maybe 3 or 4) and wanted nothing more than to come over and talk to her.  She kept pointing to her and attempting to walk over.  As she pointed, we could hear the mother say, “Yes, I see her.  I don’t know why she’s standing on the table.  We don’t stand on tables.  I don’t know why her Mommy is letting her.”   OK…that was the start of it.  I understand at some point, I too will be in a position to have to explain some unwanted behavior of another child to McKenzie.  I didn’t fault the Mom for this.  It was more of how she was going about it.  Either way, I was ready to let it go!   It didn’t really blip my radar.

Then the little girl proceeded to come right over and sit next to me.  The Mom walked over with her.  McKenzie loves other children, so she instantly started waving and smiling, still on top of the table.  As any Mom would do, I talked to the little girl who was now sitting next to me, “Hi there!  How are you?  What’s your name?”  The little girl didn’t reply, but I hadn’t really expected her to.  This is where a normal mother would have said, “Say my name is… and prompted the little girl.”  I don’t have a problem with you joining our table, but at least be social as a parent.  Even wild animals grunt!  Instead, the woman stood there silent, with a look on her face that I will never forget, still judging me for having my daughter on the table.  I said it again…still nothing.  Still judging.  At this point, I was freaking irritated.  If you’re going to come over, at least be social.  If you think my child is such a heathen and you don’t want to talk, then don’t come over to us.  Right?

Let’s pause the story for a moment before I continue with the epic ending…

Moms, I know that we all don’t raise our children the same.  Some children are allowed to do things that other mother’s wouldn’t tolerate.  I get it, but let’s be honest.  We are all in this together.   Some days, if standing on the table is going to buy me 5 more minutes of peace before a meltdown, then so be it.  If she’s safe, it’s OK!  We weren’t at a fine dining establishment.  She wasn’t standing on the table in the middle of Ruth’s Chris.  She was on a picnic table, which lives outside, which is exposed to the elements…all elements, including seeing other mother’s changing their children’s diapers on these tables.   So was it different from the rules that you have set for your child? Yes.  Will I allow McKenzie to stand on tables when she’s 4 years old? No.  Will I allow it now, while she is still relatively small? Yes.

My point is, stop judging!  We’ve all been there.  If we haven’t, we’ll all be there at some point! Instead of loudly judging, both with words and facial expressions, give that Mom a smile.  Let her know you know exactly how frazzled, frustrated, overwhelmed, and tired she is.   A smile that says, “I get it.  It’ll be ok.  This too shall pass.”   Whatever you do, don’t judge!  We may all raise our children differently, but we all have the same struggles.  So please, stop judging, because we’re all in this together.

Now the epic ending…

The judging continued and the awkward silence ensued while McKenzie and the little girl waved to one another.  With perfect timing, McKenzie grunted and turned red (you know what that means).  Then, before I could even stop her, she hopped and landed, with a blow-out of epic proportions.   It was only up her back, but definitely visible.  As irritated as I had been with this woman, I was now mortified.   How embarrassing!   Again, we’ve all been there, so laugh at the grossness, smile and say have a good night.  Instead, the woman shrieked, picked her child up and ran away.  I will never forget the look on that woman’s face.  Score 1 for McKenzie for giving “shit” right back to the woman who had been giving us shitty looks all night!  Go Team!

McKenzie | 16 Months |

Dear McKenzie,

Happy 16 Months!!  This month has been so much fun!  You are growing up and becoming more of a toddler each day.  You are inquisitive about the world you live in and work hard to figure everything out!  You laugh from your toes, which makes me laugh even harder! You are sweet and caring! If someone is upset, you know it and come hug them! You give kisses freely and are the sweetest!

Each month gets better and better!  We are so blessed to have you as our daughter.

Here are your stats for the month:

Weight: 23 lbs – 75th percentile
Height: 32 inches – 90th percentile!  Where did that come from!?

Both Dad and I were shocked at your stats!  Everyone always tells us how small you are, but according to the charts, you actually aren’t!  Keep growing strong!

Clothing Size:
You are officially in 18 month clothing.  I have a feeling that you will be in this size for some time!

In clothing news, you have so many cute Fall clothes!  I loved your summer clothes, but feel like I’ve seen you in all of them…multiple times!  I am ready to throw new outfits in the mix!  And Fall clothing is just so cute!

What’s Happening:

Toddler Bed
We’ve transitioned you to a toddler bed!   You can read all about it here! You are doing incredible with it!  You still haven’t realized that you can get out of it on your own and we are okay with that!  You have however, figured out how to get in a out of it.  The other night, Dad and I were talking, when we looked back into your room, you had climbed into your bed with a book and were reading.  It made us both stop and realize just how big you are getting!

You love when other people try to fit in your bed with you!  You don’t require anyone to sleep with you…thank goodness…but love when people will lay there with you during the day!   A- Ra (your Aunt Jessica), jumped in to bed with you and pretended like she was sleeping.  You giggled and then snuggled right up with her!

First Circus
You went to the Circus and loved every minute of it!  There were circus dogs as part of the show.  Those were, by far, your favorite part!  You saw them backstage when the curtain opened and kept pointing and yelling “dog-dog!”.  There were 3 acts before their segment and you kept calling for them!  It was so cute and you were so excited!

Favorite Thing
Your favorite thing this month is being outside!  You’d spend all day outside if we’d let you!  At daycare, you get to ride in a wagon with Ms. Jen each day.  You walk with her to drop off and pick up the boys from school.  You love the wagon and want to spend all of your time in it! Most days, there is a slight melt down when we have to leave, because you would rather stay and climb in and out of the wagon.

Playing like a Toddler
I know that you are becoming more independent each day, but you are truly playing like a toddler these days.   I stopped and just stared at you one day when I came to pick you up from daycare.  Instead of wandering around the yard, playing on a blanket, or climbing in and out of the wagon, you were in the playhouse with the other kids.  My heart actually sank for a minute!  My little baby is now actually  playing and interacting the way the older kids at daycare do!  It was such a happy and sad moment!    So fun though to see you getting so big!

Words
You have a few new words this month!  Dad calls our German Shepherd (Kemo), Bubba.  I’m not sure why.  He just started referring to him that way one day.  Well, you now call him Bubba too!  It’s kind of embarrassing that one of your first words is Bubba, but so cute that you call for him!   When we make you do something that you don’t want to do (like change your diaper), you call for him!  It’s adorable.   He always comes running to your rescue!

You also say Bye as you wave goodbye to people!  You say Up as well, when you want us to pick you up! You say other words here are there, but these are new ones that you use consistently!

When you aren’t using your words, you have finally started using sign language!    You will show me the sign for More, when you want more food!  It’s so nice that you can communicate with us, even without words!

Songs
We have always sang songs to you, but this month you have become more interactive! You love The Wheels on the Bus and If You’re Happy and You Know It!  You will swish the wiper blades, clap your hands and stomp your feet.   On our card rides home, if you want me to sing the songs to you, you clap your hands for me.  I start singing, you follow along with your charades and we laugh and laugh!  Love it!

Eating
You have become a picky eater recently, but still eat fairly well.  You are eating more than most toddlers your age, but your appetite on previous months would always include second helpings and shoveling the food in your mouth as quickly as possible.  Some days now you don’t eat as much and other’s you do.  We may have to try a few different items, but you definitely still eat!  Your favorite food is avocado and guacamole!  See the picture below!

This month, you have started using your booster seat at the table, instead of your high chair!  It’s nice to officially have you at the table with us!  You think you are so big now!

Temper Tantrums
The temper tantrums have been getting better this month, but that doesn’t mean that they are completely gone!  Most of your tantrums revolve around not being able to go outside or having to come in from outside.    Life just isn’t fair, is it!?

Please take note of what is in her hand in the picture below!  Still loving her little sandals!  We have since hidden them from her because she would truly wear them every day if she could!

McKenzie, you are so much fun!  You make us laugh so hard!  Our family is now complete with you and we love how exciting you make our days!

I can’t wait to head into the Fall and the holidays with you!  They will be even more special this year!

We love you more than there are stars in the sky!

Love,
Mom and Dad

A Weekend to Remember

I love weekends!  They are a chance to unwind, reset, accomplish tasks, to have fun and spend time with the ones you love. Some weekends are epic and this would be one of them!

We started off the weekend by sleeping in!  Kenzie slept until 9, which was glorious.  Brian and I both had a chance to get up and run, shower and be ready for McKenzie long before she made her first peep.  We enjoyed breakfast and then spent the rest of the morning setting up McKenzie’s new toddler bed!  She was so excited and insisted on being in the mix to help!  We kept telling her that this was her Big Girl Bed and she would giggle each time we said it.

By the time we finished putting it all together, it was nap time.  I honestly thought we would have a fight on our hands, but she pointed to her bed, I put her in it and kissed her forehead and off to sleep she went.  For all of the anxiety I had leading up to it, she did great!

So excited for her Big Girl Bed!

After a nap, we went to the local circus.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I guess I expected a few juggling acts and clowns and a short performance.  I was blown away! The show lasted an hour and a half and included acrobats, jugglers, clowns, dogs and camels!  It was done really well and kept McKenzie’s attention the entire time!

I am emotional on a good day, but it literally brought tears to my eyes to see how excited she was and how happy this made her.  It’s moments like these that make all of the tough Mom moments worthwhile.

After the show, we went grocery shopping for the week and McKenzie was an angel!  We stopped home, unpacked the groceries and then headed over to a friend’s for dinner.  It was a great night for the adults and fun for the kids as well.  There are three kids total ranging from 18 months to 15 months.  Everyone had a blast!

Sunday morning was a lazy morning.  Brian and I slept in until 8 and McKenzie slept in until 10!  I couldn’t even believe it!  Brian and I cleaned and organized the house before McKenzie woke up.  We went to brunch and had a great morning together.

During afternoon nap time, I had a chance to reorganize my upcoming blog posts, organize pictures and upload the new logos!  I love the new look that the logos give the site!  Now to just keep writing!

This evening, my sister, Kyle and my Mom stopped by so that we could celebrate my sister and Kyle’s recent engagement!  We had dinner together and celebrated with champagne and dessert from a local bakery!    My sister is so excited!  It’s nice to see her so happy.  I wish her and Kyle all the best as they choose to start their lives together.

It was quite a weekend to say the least with much to celebrate!  Great family, big milestones, fun times with friends, memorable moments and exciting news to celebrate!

Here’s hoping that having such an amazing weekend sets me up for an even more focused and incredible week!

5 on Friday – September Edition Week 1

One.
I’m currently working on a new logo and design for the website.  I know I just started this blog, so why change it already, but I’m not 100% sure it’s what I want.  I’m hopeful that my new logo and design will make me love it even more!

Two.
If you don’t know about The Skimm, you’re missing out!  The Skimm is a daily newsletter that simplifies the headlines for the educated professional who knows enough to know she needs more. They do the reading for you and explain it with fresh editorial content, breaking down what you need to know to start the conversation.  I learned about this through a fellow blogger and have greatly enjoyed reading my daily email from The Skimm.  It gives a summary of the latest current events, so even as a busy Mom who rarely has time to watch the news, you can remain up-to-date on current events!  Check them out!

Three.
We’re taking McKenzie to a local circus that is in town this weekend.  It’s not going to be the big show and spectacle of Ringling Brother’s, but I’m excited to go nonetheless.  It will give us an opportunity to get out of the house with her and do something fun!  Pictures to follow!

Four.
I love planning parties!  I especially love the small details of a party.  Even the smallest of parties can feel large scale, just by adding a few personalized touches.  If I had an opportunity to have my dream job, I would start my own event planning business.  I had such a blast planning McKenzie’s first birthday!  Her theme was Pink Lemonade!  I will be doing a whole post to detail it soon, but here’s a sneak peek of how cute it turned out!    People laughed at me because I put some much time and effort in to something that she won’t remember.  I will always remember it though and she will always have the pictures.  The day couldn’t have been any more perfect!

I’m so excited that a friend of mine asked me for ideas for her twin’s 1st Birthday Party!  We have been plotting for the past few days!  I can’t wait to see how cute this party turns out!

Five.
Work = crazy.  I work at a hospital who received MAGNET designation. Our MAGNET re-certification is next week and the Joint Commission visits the following.  I have been in over-drive trying to get things ready!

Enjoy your weekend!