Oh My...

So I took Allie-Ann to her 3 year check up this morning and I should I known that things were going to go downhill considering I was early to the appointment. All morning the stars seemed to align because everything went so smoothly. Both girls were calm, we didn't have any meltdowns and like I said I was EARLY to her appointment...which never happens. I kept thinking in the car to the appointment that I have this parenting down...bring on some more babies. This quickly changed and 2+ hours later all I was thinking is...why am I a parent!!!!Ha. Let's just say Allie-Ann did not handle her appointment so well. She screamed when they checked her pulse, she screamed when they checked her ears, she screamed when they checked her blood pressure and I tried to reassure her that none of these things hurt, I even bribed her with a milkshake if she didn't scream but to no hope, she was way over the edge of uncomfortable. It was just so miserable for both of us. Then the shot came....I don't even want to begin to tell you how that went. Finally the doctor told me to have Allie-Ann go pee pee in a cup......WHAT!!!???!!! How am I supposed to get a delusional 3 year old to pee pee in a cup when she REALLY is just now starting to use the potty to which my doctor tells me that she must be very strong-willed...you think??? We managed to leave all in one piece with Allie-Ann decked out with stickers and lollipops. The drive back home didn't make matters better with Belle walling in the back, oh my. So overall I have a pretty healthy 3 year old and a more content 3 month old at home now.

How could this sweet girl cause an entire Pediatric office to go into shutdown mode????

She must be strong-willed like her mommy!

Does your child have a favorite toy or do you remember your favorite toy growing up. I can remember my Raggedy Ann doll, I believe I even have posted about my doll..anywoo, I remember playing with my Ann doll so much that her arms detached, so my mom had to sew them back on. Well it's those moments that you always remember, sitting down beside your mommy watching her closely as she mends to your doll.

SO HOW AM I GOING TO SEW ALLIE-ANN'S FAVORITE TOY......MOUSIE!!!!! Yes folks this is her pride and joy, the toy that is never away from her, she wakes up wanting mousie and goes to bed with that thing. She just loves mousie and every imaginary adventure that goes on in her head, mousie is somehow involved. I just don't get it....why a rat toy???? I got this rat as a gag gift from a friend of mine about three years ago at an IKEA store. Never in a million years did I think it would become my daughter's favorite toy. I'm telling you she just loves this rat and has squeezed it so hard that it no longer looks nice and fluffy....more like an old sock. Oh well, to each their own.

I took these shots of Belle and Allie-Ann the other day. Allie-Ann loves, loves, loves to hold her baby sister, when mommy lets her......which has to be a good day for both of us!!

Feeling good...

We are feeling much better around here.....as evident in the pictures below

Allie-Ann is back to her old self again....yes, this is a typical happening around our house

She never liked her Bumbo seat when she was the right size to fit in it but suddenly it's her favorite seat.

I thought this was too sweet that I had to capture it...daddy reading to both girls.

Belle having tummy time. She rolled over yesterday from her tummy to her back!!!

First Trip to the Dentist

Just when I thought Allie-Ann was getting over her virus, I started noticing that she really wasn't eating and when she did start to eat something she would immediately start to cry. Even when I gave her a piece of chocolate she would cry. It was pitiful. So I thought after her fever had gone down that maybe there was something wrong with her teeth....could it be cavity? I immediately sunk into a parent depression thinking about how I give her syrup, milk at every meal, juice two times a day and really only brush her teeth twice once a day. So all these thoughts came rushing through my head, I looked online and found that when a child has a baby tooth cavity they run a high fever....ahhhh. I just couldn't understand why Allie-Ann wasn't eating and would cry when she did eat. I even took her to CFA for some nuggets that she ALWAYS devours to only have her push them away. She's been waking up crying in the middle of the night and the other night she told me it was her teeth. All I've been hearing for the last couple of days from Allie-Ann is "I want my MOMMY!" over and over. I was at my wits end with not knowing what was wrong, so I took her to the dentist. We have been to the Pediatrician and the dentist all in one week. I've been waiting till Allie-Ann had all her teeth to start taking her to the dentist so it was really a good time to have taken her anyway. 

After some recommendations I took her to Wild Smiles....and they were so good with her. She didn't want them to look at her teeth at first but they had a way to get her to open her mouth and it was done. So after the dentist looked at her teeth I was waiting for the inevitable...she has a cavity. Nope.....Allie-Ann's teeth are perfect, the dentist even said that she didn't have any plaque buildup. Sooooooo, I still don't have any answers to Allie-Ann's behavior but we will continue to monitor her and see how she does over the weekend.

Allie-Ann trying out the "Chair" for the first time.

Allie-Ann with "Flossy" the elephant. The entire place was filled with wild animals hence the name Wild Smiles.

She loved "Flossy" and it was a great first experience at the dentist. They gave her a goody bag with dental floss, tooth brush, tooth paste and stickers. When she saw the dental floss she said, "What's this Mommy?" right in front of the dentist. It was too funny and all I said was that at least she didn't make that comment about the tooth brush and tooth paste.

Picture Day and Update

Allie-Ann is feeling much better today, I kept her home yesterday just to be safe but we got her dressed today to go back to school. She didn't complain much and I'm excited because she can still get her picture taken....I treasure those school pictures!! I can't really imagine what I will be like when she starts real school. I used to make fun of those parents (as an elementary teacher) that had their kids looking picture perfect on school picture day only to look like a complete mess when it was time for the photo session. Well, my friends, I'm right there with those parents and I'm afraid I'm the worse of them all. How did I get this way, how did my views change when I became a parent? I'm slowly turning into a teacher's nightmare....ahhhhh. But maybe by the time she actually starts school I will have settled down....nah. Here are some pictures of AA this morning.

I know that the pictures they take of her today will be head shots....so I went with the dark blue/white combo. Ha. I thought about curling her hair this morning but didn't want to put her through that torture since she's been sick. I'm good to have her dressed and ready for school....I'm not pushing it.

Wondering why her baby sister isn't so dressed up today...

Bumbo Seat

Belle tried out the Bumbo seat for the first time today. She did fairly well and stayed in it for quite a while before getting fussy. Our mellow Belle is pretty content in all places so I figured the Bumbo seat would be no different. Belle is also developing better neck control, she is starting to grab at objects too....I forgot how fascinating it is to watch them work so hard at trying to grab/bat at things. She is also starting to rock and roll, it shouldn't be too long before she can roll over on her tummy!


I don't think Allie-Ann and Belle look anything alike, especially now that Belle is getting older. I think maybe the noses are the same. It's amazing how different their chins are, Allie-Ann has a dimple on the bottom of her chin while Belle has hers under her lip. Not to mention their hair too...Allie-Ann with a head full of hair, poor Belle with hardly any.

Sick...

We've been very fortunate in the fact that Allie-Ann has not had a lot of virus, colds, stomach bugs, etc. but the last 48 hours have been rough in our house. It all started early Sunday morning when I heard her coughing in her bed and when I went up to check on her she threw up. Now this is definitely strange because Allie-Ann has only thrown up once in her life which was the result of eating too many goldfish in the car. So this took me by storm and she did it twice on Sunday, then she started to run a high fever....once again a first for Allie-Ann. I didn't know quite what to do when it spiked to 103 but I gave her Motrin and stayed with her in bed. Ultimately I took her to the Ped. this morning to find out that she has a virus of some sort. But she has been so pitiful these last couple of hours and I'm just not used to Allie-Ann wanting to be held so much. There is nothing like seeing your child not feeling well. We are now trying to quarantine Allie-Ann from Belle because the last thing I want is for Belle to get sick too.

A picture of our sick little one...we've done nothing but watch Backyardigans and read books over and over. Hopefully she will be feeling better tomorrow to go back to school because it's school picture day but if she is still running a fever it's a no go.

Bargain Shopper

Since becoming a stay-at-home mom some of my favorite things.....like shopping...has taken a drastic hit. I just can't do the shopping I used to when I was working. But considering I get to stay at home to raise my two girls, I'm not complaining, instead I have become quite the bargain shopper. It's almost criminal some of the ways I save money. So to buy clothes (which I'm only buying for Allie-Ann...hand-me-downs for Belle) I hit all the consignment sales. So here's my secret...I go to the sales when they first open, I scout all of the goods, I don't buy until it's half-off day but if it's something good I will buy on the first day. I really didn't think I would be so savvy when it came to buying used clothing but you can find some pretty cute things....name brand stuff mind you...you just have to be patient and a good weeder. I look first for clothing that already has tags on it...never worn...plus. Then I look for my brands..Hanna Andersson dresses and pants is what I like for Allie-Ann. If I like what I see at the sale I will come back on half-off day and buy, buy, buy. The thing about children's clothing is that I AM NOT in favor of paying over $85 dollars for a dress that Allie-Ann will wear only once. And considering Allie-Ann is a rough-playing gal, it doesn't make sense to buy expensive clothes. I think if I were working I would still be doing the same thing. The only thing that I won't budge on is a good pair of shoes. We buy Allie-Ann's shoes new, unless it's something that I find worthy at a consignment sale...like the pair of Tevas I found at a Charleston sale that Allie-Ann continues to wear today. But I usually don't like to buy used shoes....clothes,okay...shoes, no.

The best part is the compliments I get when I take Allie-Ann out. They just don't know my secret and probably wouldn't believe me if I told them, plus a pretty bow and nice shoes makes any outfit shine...it's all about the accessories. So here's some of the things I found at a recent consignment sale.

This was so cute...basic long sleeve shirt for Christmas...$7.00 but I got it for $3.50

These were cute pants that I knew were going to be too long for Allie-Ann...good thing I know how to sew.

Lands End raincoat...$5.00

Gymboree sweater...$9.00, got it for $4.50

I just love, love, love cardigans. I usually go to target to buy my long sleeved shirts, & turtle necks to put under. Old Navy...$3.00

This would be cute with monogramming. Gymboree...$3.00

Sweet Pea and Me...$7.00

Hartstrings...$3.00

Reversible dress..$7.00

Gymboree dress..$5.00

Hanna Andersson pants...$3.50 for ALL of them!

Cute skirt that would look great with tights.

Ditto on the shorts

Back to normal...somewhat

So it's been about 2 weeks of birthday celebrating around here and I'm honestly so happy to have it all over and back to a somewhat normal routine. With all the celebrating, visitors, and change of routine, our Allie-Ann has been a bear! She is definitely coming into her own these days and we have had our share of timeouts. I really need to read more on this stage of parenting because quite frankly I feel as if I'm failing. I want to try to do the best in raising a child that is giving, kind and compassionate towards others but as of today, we might have a little wrestler on our hands. This was our conversation in the car after picking her up from preschool.

Me: "How was your day?"
AA: ..............
Me: "Allie-Ann, how was your day?
AA: ..............
Me: Did you play outside?
AA: Yes, and ________ didn't share today.
Me: Did you remember to share today?
AA: No!
Me: Why not?
AA: ................
AA: I made a friend cry today
Me: YOU MADE A FRIEND CRY?
AA: Yes
Me: What did you do?
AA: I hurt them.
Me: YOu WHAT???
AA: I hurt him playing blocks.
Me: Was it an accident (thinking.....my child could never hurt someone)
AA: What's accident?
Me: Were you being nice or not nice
AA: Not nice...

Oh boy. So I guess I will need to find out about this. I've never personally seen Allie-Ann being rough with anyone, but I do know that she has some sass about her so it could be a possibility. So if anyone has any great books that I could read to help with this discipline thing, I would greatly appreciate the tip...but can you really learn how to be an effective parent from a book anyway?

Allie-Ann playing dress up as Tyrone. A birthday gift that she has come to love the last couple of days.

Granny came for a visit, she flew in from Missouri to spend time with her new grand babies. This lady is quite amazing. She is 93 years old, flies on her own and has a sharp, witty mind. I hope I can be as sharp as she is at her age.

Allie-Ann's 3rd Birthday Celebration

I'm completely exhausted and I believe we have a brand new 3 year old that is too. It was a successful Backyardigans birthday day. Thanks to all that came out to celebrate with us. I can't believe that I have a 3 year old now, it seems like yesterday when she was learning how to walk for the first time to now climbing up trees.

Allie-Ann, at times you can completely wear me out, you just don't know how many days I have prayed that you would take a nap so that I could at least catch my breath. But I know your little brain will not have it. You are so inquisitive that you tell me that naps are not to be taken when it's light outside, only when it's dark. I know that later in life you will soon realize that taking naps during daylight hours is a fantastic thing.

You are so creative and use your imagination in all your play. Your favorite friend is mousie, a little "rat" that was bought as a gag gift to me but you have truly treasured these last couple of months. I fear, my child, that you are just like your momma in that you know what you want and will go to all measures to get what you want...resulting in many timeouts. But hopefully this will make you very determined in your future goals and dreams.


How many times do I hear a day, "mommy, mommy." Sometimes I just think you like to say it to get a reaction out of me...it works. But sweetie, you can call on me at any time because I just know one day you will not need me as much so I'm cherishing every moment. You are still not wanting to use the potty, you tried and was successful for some time but has since regressed back to diapers and you LOVE it. You tell me, "I don't want panties mommy, I like my diapers just fine." You have even cleaned up poop that had rolled out of your diaper to promptly put in the toilet and flush. But, it's okay because I know how smart you are and in a way this proves it to me. I think you will be my child that will get all the answers wrong on your SATs just because you can. All of this makes you who you are and I am very proud to be your mommy. Each morning when I see  your face, with your hair all in your eyes, I pause for a second to tell God how thankful I am for bringing you to us. You are my blessing and I love you more and more.

Checking out her new play set this morning

Wow...I'm up pretty high.

and I think I like it...

Belle was checking out the play set too...

The Backyardigans cake. The funny thing about this whole cake is a friend recommend Lauren to make the cake. So I checked out her work on Facebook. Then we communicated through email and she said she could make the cake. I was so excited and when I picked the cake up on Saturday I found out that I coached Lauren when she ran Cross Country at White Knoll. We both couldn't believe it....needless to say I will have Lauren make all my cakes in the future. She did an awesome job and the cake was delicious. It had a fresh strawberry filling...yum! Oh, and I made pig-in-a-blankets and fruit kabobs for the birthday celebration.

A closer picture of the cake.

Allie-Ann tore into the presents...it's what she wanted to do first.

Ready to make her birthday wish!