2008-04-30

When You Wish Upon a Star

I have been singing the song "When You Wish Upon a Star", from Pinocchio, to MLO ever since she was a baby.

It has been the song I sing to get her to go to sleep when she just couldn't get comfortable. It has the wonderful effect of immediately quieting her down and she goes to sleep pretty quickly when I start.

She always listens to me (has requested it a few times) even though I don't really have much of a singing voice.

The other night, we were cuddling on the couch watching a movie. It wasn't time for bed yet but the movie had just ended. She turned to me and started sining the song out of the blue.

I didn't know she knew the words or anything. But she sang the entire song all the way through perfectly, and she sang it better than I do (she actually has an amazing sense of pitch and all the stuff).

I was tearing up at the end and she touched my check and said "what wrong mommy?" I told her it was nothing, I just loved her so much and gave her a big hug she returned.

2008-04-29

Be prepared for the worst

I have talked a lot about my daughter here and plan to expand it as my family expands.

I recently read an excerpt for a book "Wear Clean Underwear" by Alexis Martin Neely (she is a friend I made on Twitter), which made me think about what I want to happen with my kid(s) if anything ever happens to both my husband and I.

While the book covers the legal issues very well (more on that later) it also brought up the issue of how you continue to advise your children if somethings happens to you.

I want my children to know how I feel about issues, what would I say to them on their first date, when they are married, when they have kids, etc., if anything happens to me and I can't be there.

So, I will start including notes for my daughter (and future kids) here. Hopefully, I will be able to read the notes with them when the time comes and we can talk, laugh or whatever after reading them.

The scenario Alexis lays out in the book is very real and had me tearing up a few times. I love how she gives the right way and the wrong and what happens in each, knowing that there is a way to keep your family happy no matter what, puts this mother's heart at ease.

I thought I was covered (having named Godparents and created a will) but my eyes were opened to scenarios I need to think about and plan out.

I will definitely be following the book's advice on how to plan this out. My philosophy has always been (and found to be very true) when you plan for the worst, it never happens.

2008-04-26

Workout ball

Hubby and I have seriously started working out. We have someone come over and keep us on the straight and narrow.

We got a huge workout ball as part of the routine and MLO totally and completely LOVES that thing.

She loves to sit and bounce on the ball.

She loves to lay on her tommy and be rolled around on it.

She loves to roll it around the house.

She loves to roll it back and forth.

It has proven hours and hours of endless fun whenever I don't put it back before she gets home.

It is amazing how the funniest things become the best toys.

2008-04-24

MLO waits up for me

I went to a very interesting conference this week and had to make arrangements for MLO to be driven to and picked up from daycare (due to my timing to drive to and from the conference not matching).

The first day of the conference I got home pretty late (there was some dinner and other stuff happening after which I stayed for the socializing) and MLO had told grandma "mommy is coming home soon, I wait for her."

Apparently this was said several times and MLO refused to go to her room.

I got home to a very tired but very happy to see my little girl, curled up on the couch.

The hugs were fabulous and when she was securely on my lap she turned to grandma and said "see, my mommy always comes home".

That is right baby, always come home.

2008-04-17

...and who else...

To get MLO all jazzed to go to daycare I have in the past named out the friends she would get to play with. I would name a few of them and then say "and who else" and then get her to name some.

It would get her all excited to see her friends and make the trip over to the daycare easier (and the drop off).

MLO has become quite the chatter box and she has reversed it on me:

"Mommy, I saw Charlie, Melissa... and who else...?"

I wouldn't say anything and she would start making a "hmmm"ing noise.

"Oh yeah, and Jason and Kristy... and who else...?"

If I still don't say anything she repeats herself just like I would:

"Mommy, who else?"

I would then come up with some names and we would do this the entire drive home.

Now, it is a small daycare with only about 12 kids and the drive home is 20 minutes. So we repeat a lot of names.

It is just cool to me that she has gotten to the point where she controls the conversation and understands so much about what is said around her, plus she makes me smile.

2008-04-14

Dirt

Spent all weekend playing outside with MLO (I got a lot of exercise which was great).

Favorite moment:

I am tired and go to sit down on a rock.

MLO looks around and can't find another rock to sit on so says: "I can sit on the dirt".

I agree.

She starts to sit down, looks where she is about to sit and says: "Oh, it is dirty".

2008-04-11

Daddy time

Mommy had to go out for some work things last night (it was more of a party then work, but good excuse to get out).

Got someone to pick up MLO at daycare and daddy made a point to be home and spent some time just him and MLO.

When I came home, daddy was grinning from ear to ear. He told me several times how much fun they had, how much she loved being with him.

They played with her toys, read books together and cuddled while she fell asleep.

Then she woke up and called out for him.

It totally made his day!

They are so cute together.

2008-04-09

Dresses

MLO is refusing to wear pants again.

As soon as she sees a pair in my hands she says "no" and sits on her feet so I can't put them on her.

She has gotten very good at wiggling just right so it is REALLY hard to put them on her when she doesn't want them.

She is also getting faster and faster and good at dodging you when you are trying to grab her.

So, she will only wear a dress (it isn't warm out, though not freezing, just on the edge). We show up at daycare and they look at her and shiver. I bring them pants but each day I go to pick her up, they say MLO refused them.

She likes dresses because then she can twirl around and around and "dance".

I think I am going to start some dancing classes for her soon, I can't wait to see her in a tutu!

2008-04-07

Haircut

This weekend was MLO's first real haircut.

Mommy went first (my hair was half way down my back and I just cut it off to my ears) and MLO sat on my lap while I got my hair washed, cut and blown dry.

She even started a game with my hairdresser of getting the long pieces of hair given to her so she could throw them on the ground.

She also decided it was her job to make sure mommy didn't have any hair resting anywhere on her and would clean me up, following the hairdresser around.

So after she saw mommy do that, it was pretty easy to get her to sit down (on my lap) and get her hair cut too.

She got a great little bob so mommy doesn't have to stress over brushing her hair and fight her to wash it as much and so on.

2008-04-03

Quote

"Mommy where is the sun?"

"Behind the clouds"

"Why?"

"Because the clouds like playing peek-a-boo"

She laughed.

The "why" questions have started.

Bath Time

MLO has grown to totally hate bath time. She tries to make me promise not to wash her hair (the part that she really hates).

I got her to take a shower with me once and washed her hair that way, but she won't repeat it.

Last night I put her in the bath and then washed her hair as quickly as possible.

She screamed the whole time, but then stayed in the bath and played (which she usually doesn't do after the hair wash).

Will see what happens when I try again tonight.