Phillips Phamily Phive: A.E.

Showing posts with label A.E.. Show all posts

Have You Seen Her?

Jessie is missing. Could make for a long night tonight.

Right now, Bambi took her place. Don't know if the deer is up to the challenge!

Missing The Girls

On day three of my "vacation" I am missing my girls.

AE was not afraid of the fireworks on the Fourth. Unlike her mother, she has no qualms about holding fire.

HJ and The Crazy Dog

She's the Big Sister

She's a dreamer with a big imagination.

She makes me smile.

She's the big sister.

She pays attention to details.

She has a twinkling giggle.

She can get kind of wild.

But she's caring, too.

She's taking steps on her own now.

Away from Mama and Daddy.

She's The Daddy's first girl.

She's the gift of prayer.

She's the twinkle in her parents' eyes.

Prayers

Dear God,

Thank you for you, God. Thank you for your Spirit. Thank you for loving me. I love you. Can we take the Mix and Match Princess Book to Nana's house?

In Jesus' Name-

Amen

I mentioned a few reasons why I love the exercise classes at our church a while back. One reason is the art projects and Bible lessons. This Monday, AE's class evidently talked about the 10 Commandments.

The teachers asked each child, "What are some rules at your house?"

And these were AE's answers:

O.K. Both stemming from the arguing and fighting over toys in our house!

Here is a sampling of other "rules" from a few friends' children. No names were used to avoid any further embarrassment. All and any moms implicated in this list should not feel ASHAMED or ANGRY with me for sharing the hilarity!

Pick up your toys
Mommy says to love God
Be fair
Mommy says to watch cartoons
Mommy says to eat lunch at Chick-fil-A with my friends

What would your children say?

A Major Milestone in a Young Girl's Life

After talking about my BIG PLAN for our summer, I realized I hadn't been making as many creative/not-so-creative outings on Tuesdays as I had originally thought we would. So yesterday we took a trip to the public library for story time and to get AE's first library card.

The kids sat on a big map of the world. HJ is facing the wrong direction. AE found the first little boy she saw and sat down in the back.

Yet again, not paying attention, but sitting very still while the lady up front waved her arms to some classical music.

More children arrived. You can tell we live in a diverse area of Atlanta.

The group got up for a rendition of "Here We Go Round The Mulberry Bush," which turned out to be AE's favorite part of our experience.

At one point she fell down because she has my dancing skills. Graceful. Another parent helped her up and danced with her while I held HJ who became afraid of the organized dancing.

Post-book selection JOY

Proudly displaying her new library card

All pictures were taken by the camera on my phone. Who knew it would be such a momentous occasion? Not I.

Did you know that AE can now check out 55 books if she wants? So can I. HJ will have to wait until she turns three. That's a mama-rule. Then I can bring my real camera to document such a MAJOR milestone in a young girl's life.

I have vivid memories of summers spent visiting the library with my brother and mom. My mother definitely encouraged our love of reading. She was always waiting for some book to be turned in or getting on the list for the latest release. I'd sit for hours (to a tween/teen at least) looking up and down the aisles, reading the latest Seventeen and Vogue magazine, enjoying the air conditioning.

Some of my most-often checked out books:

The Baby Sitter's Club series
Sweet Valley High series
Anything by Beverly Cleary
ALL of Judy Blume's books
C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia

As a former English teacher, I trust that our summers to come will be filled with trips to check out books and discover new worlds together just like I used to do with my mom.

What were some of your favorite books to check out at the library?

That Was Then...

Last summer, HJ couldn't walk, so

she held on to the slide, and

she did a lot of crawling in the grass

and sitting in the pool while sister ran around the pool watering the grass.

This summer the roles are reversed?

So happy we have an air compressor!

Running with delight!

Cinderella getting a shower!

I got my act together on Tuesday and used the air compressor to blow up the backyard entertainment. Too tired to get up to the neighborhood pool? Go to Plan B. I did a post last August on my tips for how to successfully prepare for an afternoon in the backyard.

I should have reread it before I woke them from their naps...

Real Life Sometimes Ain't Pretty

Our darling three-year-old had a cavity.

Here she is post-filling. A little woozy.

Trying to smile. More like a snarl.

AE was a real trooper. She went to the chair all by herself "because she is a BIG girl" while I stayed in the waiting room with HJ. Once all was said and done, she got two stickers, a swollen cheek/mouth/eye and a pink bracelet. Now that we've conquered the dentist, I've got no worries for this little one.

A Happy Accident

In the world of two- and three-year-old kids, the word "accident" is not a welcome one.

Upon returning home last Friday after a post-nap swim in 1-ft of water, we got the girls in their pajamas even though they still had about an hour and a half before the clock tolled for bed. Bedtime came, and we forgot to change AE into her bedtime pull-ups. Whoops!

Also, bedtime came, and we forgot to have AE go potty before she laid down to sleep! Double whoops!

At 11:00 I went to wake her up to go potty. In true Daddy fashion, she seemed like she was awake, but I could tell she had NO IDEA what was going on. So this Mama did what any mother would do in the situation: I pulled her underwear down and sat that little girl on the potty. AND SHE WENT! More than half asleep and she went!

The next morning I went in at 7:30 to check on her and she was awake just chilling like always. I told her to look down and see her underwear. She got the biggest smile on her face and said, "That means I'm a big girl now!"

We're pretty proud of her with the long road we've been on with the potty training. I mean, I have 12 posts on potty talk. Come on people!

Now it's time for HJ to hop on the train.

Lesson Learned

Whatever you do, do NOT tell your children that they can wear their new bathing suits to the pool right after nap time!

Rookie mistake.

As I said it, as the words were coming out of my mouth, in s-l-o-w m-o-t-i-o-n like in the movies, I knew immediately I had made a mistake!

Yesterday there was no napping. Except the pretend snooze on the stairs here.

It's been hard to get this one to be this sweet lately.

Hey everybodyeeeeeeeeeeeee(in a Grover voice), LET'S GO!

Silly girl

Sillier girl

HJ's favorite past time: transferring water

Love this with the water droplets suspended in air!

The baby pool is our friend. Both girls are pretty content to hang there for an hour or so. I've found it easier to bring an easy cotton dress to change each girl into after pool time. Otherwise, you've got a big mess to contend with when you walk in the door. Changing at the pool means that they can go into the playroom and entertain themselves while I clean up the big mess of wetness and fix dinner.

Oh, did I mention my favorite time to go to the pool is after nap time?

My philosophy:

Time is limited. You don't have to spend ALL day there.
Use of sunscreen is optional. If we don't get there until 4:30, I don't lather them up. Yesterday we got there at 3:30, so I did.
Not as many kids there. (Pluses and minuses to this one.)
Other kids leave their toys behind that we can play with.
They are too worn out at dinner to argue about what we're eating.

31

A little three-year-old steps onto the white square with the flashing numbers. She waits patiently for a verdict.

31.

I proudly announce her current status.

"Woooooooo-whoooooooo!"

Just like she had won the lottery.

Don't you wish you felt like this every time you stepped off the scale?

Bite on This

There comes a certain time in a three-year-old's life when a trip to the dentist must take place. We prepared. We read books. We practiced saying "AHHHHHHHH!" We were excited.

AE was totally cooperative. She was actually thrilled to be there. Who wouldn't be thrilled with two stickers, sunglasses, a princess movie, a new bracelet and bag full of toothbrushes and floss to take home?

HJ kept saying, "MY dentist" because she wanted to see him just like her big sister. Then she actually did. The pediatrician was concerned about the way HJ's bottom teeth were coming in, but he said they were normal.

Here's AE anticipating the dentist's arrival for the pre-cleaning meet and greet

Little girl in a big chair

Little girl with a BIG toothbrush

Little girl with her hygienist--looking so cool in the shades!

Bad mommy blogger didn't get a picture of AE with the dentist. I was too distracted when I found out my THREE-YEAR-OLD has a cavity! We'll be back to see the doctor in June and then we'll find out how much she liked seeing the dentist.

Lock Your Doors!

A New Development in the Phillips' Household:

AE will boldly open her bedroom door.

Shocking, but I've been spoiled for 3 1/2 years now with having a child who regardless of falling asleep at nap time or waking at 6:30 am, would stay in her room without a sound. Well, much of a sound. Like a good little direction follower, she has obediently stayed in her room without a cry or shout. Without a heavy banging on the door. Without protest. At all.

For the last two weeks, AE has been reluctant to ACTUALLY fall asleep during her nap time. I can usually tell when she ACTUALLY falls asleep by the amount of sweat and drool on the pillow. When she doesn't ACTUALLY fall asleep, she usually entertains herself by re-reading the pre-nap books we read, taking the bow(s) out of her hair, talking to herself, pretending to have a party, etc.

In these last two weeks, AE has gotten BOLD. Once I heard her door come ajar. Then SLAM. The next day I heard that tell-tale sound of size 9 1/2 feet pitter-ing and patter-ing across the floor above me. Run, run, run, run. Run, run, run, run. Pitter, patter. Pitter, patter. You know the sound.

Last week The Daddy and I experienced our first "out-of-her-room-without-permission" moment. Most likely a Friday morning, my morning to "sleep in" because we have no pressing plans that day of the week. We hear a noise at our door. Bump. Bump. Doorknob turning.

Is that the crazy dog? He's been known to plow head-on into our bedroom door early in the morning when his use of the "facilities" is needed. No, he can't turn a doorknob. He just tries to head-butt the door open. With his head. No, it's AE.

Soooooooooooo, AE has made me put on my grocery list something I never thought we would need until HJ grew dexterous enough to turn the knob: the child door knob safety cover.

Discussing this topic over lunch today with a couple of my mom's club friends, we talked about how you kind of feel guilty using those things. It just feels like I'm going to be locking my kid in a closet. I am actually worried about how she will react when it's introduced.

Uncle C. is in town for work, and he's staying with us. Tonight AN HOUR AFTER BEDTIME, AE came busting down the stairs. She said, "I was scared. I was scared, so I had to come down."

Me: "AE, did you hear your Uncle C. and I talking?"

AE: "Yes. I came down to see Uncle C."

And the way she said it, YA'LL!, with the sweetest, most endearing voice I've heard this week, just about brought a tear to my eye. Just about. So we headed back upstairs, and after several trips back to tell Uncle C. something of complete and utter importance, that little girl thanked me for letting her talk to her Uncle. After the sun went down. While she should have been sleeping. Oh, precious.

I love it when they say thank you. I really do. Made my day. Now tomorrow, I'm headed to the store.

So tell me, will you, what you think about the doorknob covers? Do you use them? Do you ever feel guilty?