Just Because

“Will you take our picture Mom?”

Sure thing!

 

“Take a picture Mama?”

Of course buttercup.

And just because ‘pig piles’ (as my kids call them?!) and a toddler getting an airplane ride all at the same time is just plain fun.

Lil’ A in her ‘Little’ (Big) Bed

In the spirit of moving, I’ve been thinking we should go ahead and get rid of the crib and changing table. Baby boy can just sleep in a bassinet until we move and I can live without a changing table for him.

So one evening when A said “I wanna seep in dat little bed’ (pointing to the bunk bed below Sweet N with the mattress on the floor) I knew that I should seize the moment. I didn’t want to seize it though. I want to keep her in a crib forever because she’s cute and little and I don’t want her to grow up so fast.

However she’s been able to climb out for months, so a crib wasn’t actually keeping her contained. The green clock has continued to work miracles though! I realize  that her learning to stay in her crib until the clock turns green was definitely the foundation for moving her to a big bed.

Here’s a lil’ pic of her putting a sticker on her ‘Stay in Bed Until the Clock Turns Green’ sticker chart from a couple weeks ago…

I was surprised how well she learned!

Aaaaanyway, my heart protested this toddler milestone but my practical mind made me go for it.

Of course it quickly turned into a full family affair. H and N adore A so much. They melt my heart.

 

She actually went to sleep without much trouble. It took a little longer than usual, but not a big deal.

I did find her in the crack by the wall once she had fallen asleep though. So we had to roll her out and add a blanket to block the crack…

But she snoozed all night and has been doing SO well staying in bed until the clock turns green.At 7am sharp she barrels out of the room with all the energy of the world in her little toddler body and another day begins!

Another toddler milestone conquered. Now if only the potty training would be so easy…

Sweet N and her Selfies

What little girl doesn't love to steal her Mama's phone and fill it with selfies? My girl is no exceptin. Here's selfies over many months (years!) to prove it...

 

(teaching her little sister the art)

 

(selfie with Fancy Nancy, a fav)

 

(such a baby!!)

 

(still had bangs!)

 

(missing teeth!)

 

(almost)

(crossed eyes, of course)

My Little Companion

I am really enjoying my time with this little lady these days. Sure, she’s busy and talky and spunky and completely exhausting… but she’s just so much fun.

With both big kids in school everyday and little brother not coming for another month, it’s just this little one and I most mornings. She’s so verbal, which is really fun. She’s playful and expressive and bright.

Simple things like feeling the rain from the balcony are so fun with a my tot during the times when I’m relaxed and living in the moment. I’m trying to be that way as much as I can these days. We’ve blown bubbles outside the library during a short stop, just because she saw them under the seat of the car and asked to. We’ve taken time looking at all the lifesize (to her) display of scarecrows at Hobby Lobby. We’ve sat and had a treat at the bakery together. Just the little things.

It’s me pushing the to-do list to the back of my mind when I feel I can and just embracing these days with my girl in this country before all of life changes…

Tot Telling Time

All three of our kiddos share one room. Mostly, I love it. There are times when it’s not so great. Like when one of them wakes up the rest.

That had been happening a lot recently. Lil’ A was sleeping less hours and had long ago learned to climb out of her crib (which my other kids never did!). So she was waking up and getting out too early most mornings. I was starting to feel like I’d never know when I might find her out of bed, and doing who knows what?! We were all getting frustrated with her, especially Sweet N, who would be woken up most mornings when A would climb into her bunk bed to snuggle with her. Oh my!

So on a whim I explained to A one evening how this colored clock works that we’ve had for the big kids for awhile.

It’s one of those nifty clocks that you can set to change colors at a certain time of day (ours is 7am) so that kids who can’t get read time know when it’s okay to get out of bed. Keep in mind that she doesn’t really even know her colors, so I did NOT expect her to understand.

When will I learn.

Anyway I explained to her that she needs to stay in bed until the clock changes colors and turns green in the morning. Then I put her to bed. And I had no expectations.

But she got it!! I was in shock.

It wasn’t 100%, but she definitely understood.

She’d run out at 7am sharp yelling “Cwock turn geen! Cwock turn geen!”

So I quickly put a reward system in place… a sticker for each morning she stayed in bed until 7am… five stickers earned her ice cream!

She understood that too, of course.

And she quickly earned her five stickers and her ice cream! And we all rejoiced.

She seriously blows me away. She’s so stinkin’ smart! I’m very proud of her. And I’m very glad we’re all getting a bit more sleep now…

Tot Sized Caffeine Buzz?

This was one of those times that she was quiet for too long…

She had found coffee beans.

And was eating them.

Whole.

No chocolate coating them or nothin’.

What kind of toddler thinks that is delicous?!

Oh my.

First Days of School

My kiddos start school this week! I have a bright 2nd grader and a very ready and cheerful kindergartener! First day of school is a happy day for them, and for me!

 

This was the first day of their special Wednesday program. They love it and Sweet N is so brave!

And then we have their first day of the small school they attend.