Blow-up Pool

I bought a blow up pool over a year an a half ago.

We never ended up using it until this last weekend. I finally got it blown up (it is the kind with a larger pool and a slide into a smaller shallow pool) by borrowing my brother's compressor.

MLO LOVES it, once she gets okay to climb in, I can't get her to climb out.

The slide just totally makes it for her (she already loves slides) and splashing water all over the place makes her day.

We have all sort of bath toys that have migrated to the pool.

She is having so much fun, even when she slips and dunks her head under the water (something she usually hates) she gets herself up and yells she is okay and keeps playing.

She lets me sit in the chair and read and she talks to the bugs that come by, the leaves that fall in and throws toys from one side of the pool to the other.

For a daughter I thought was just putting up with water because I convinced her there was no way around it, she sure is loving the pool more than I thought.

Backyard

We spent the entire weekend outside.

In our backyard, we set up a hammock swing, bought a new set of outside furniture and a gazebo to go over them. So, between the pool and slide already set up, we are pretty set up in the backyard.

This meant we were out there all weekend, MLO even fell asleep for her naps in the new outside chairs.

She kept telling me over and over how she loved "my"/her backyard. If we went inside for anything it was brief and she would quickly announce she wanted to go out again.

The house is her house now, the backyard is hers and she shares with mommy or daddy or gives us turns, but it belongs to her.

Neck hugs

This morning MLO woke up at 5am and called out for me.

After letting her call out a few times (to make sure she wasn't dreaming, which has happened) I went to go check on her.

She wanted me to lay down next to her and I obliged.

She then wrapped her arms around my neck and snuggled close, whispering "my mommy" and quickly fell asleep.

Love it!!

First Day of School

So here is my first letter to my children so they know how I feel about life no matter what happens. I plan on reading these with them, but if I am prepared for the worst, the worst never comes.

In the course of growing up there will be so many firsts. School is such an important part of life and learning that your father and I will work extra hard to make sure you have all the best opportunities to learn in the best environments.

The first day at any school at any level can be a little scary, but having seen you grow so far, I am not worried about your ability to make new friends. Don't worry about feeling shy or scared, this is a usual feeling and most of the other kids will be feeling that as well.

Each kid will have their own personality of what they are used to from where and how they grew up. Allow them to adjust as is easiest for them if needed and let a teacher know if they ever doing anything that bothers you. No need to make it harder for the other kid who is going through their own scary experience at a new school.

Use the wonderful manners you have magically acquired to get the stuff you need and understand how you need to share.

Work hard to learn and spend the time you have there learning what you will need to understand what is happening in the world around you. It may seem like a long, hard path and it is so much funner to play, but play will always be there too (be sure to play hard all weekend long).

Make sure you always understand what is happening around you, and ask when you don't.

Most importantly, if there is ever anything you can't seem to understand, can't seem to see why someone is doing something that way or behaving in such a manner, ask daddy or whomever is taking care of you. It is definitely part of our/their job to make sure you understand it.

Also remember, I love you and am so proud of you, no matter what.

Pregnant

Yep, if you didn't guess from the title, I am pregnant.

Here comes baby #2.

With MLO I had one day of morning sickness.

So far, many days with this one. Will have to think of a web name (in addition to the real name) for #2.

We are so excited!!

Update: I haven't decided exactly what to do with this post, I may still delete it. But for now I will just say that we lost the baby. I am okay, everything is almost back to normal and we can try again, but still a little painful emotionally at this point

First real tears at a movie

I bought Jungle Book 2 at Costco the other day and last night was the first night we sat down to watch it.

MLO loves the first Jungle Book, we play the music in the car all the time, she has a Bagheera (panther) and Kaa (snake) stuffed animals.

The story is about Mowgli's return to the jungle because he misses it. There is all the fun music, adventures, running from the bad guys and so on.

Of course, near the end, Mowgli has to pick between the jungle and the humans.

He is with Baloo and Baloo tells him to go to the humans but he is very sad.

Suddenly MLO starts bawling and crawls into my lap to bury her face in my shoulder. At first I try to figure out if she hurt herself. I ask what happened and she answers:

"Baloo is sad."

She totally understood what was happening in the movie and felt VERY bad for Baloo. We then had to watch the last scene of the movie several times (where it all gets worked out and Mowgli gets to be part of the best of both worlds) to make sure she could see how happy it turned out.

This is a whole new thing I am going to have to think with now. Is the movie sad (and all movies have some sort of sad moment) and what am I going to have to do to make sure she understands how it turns out okay?

No Lassie in my near future, that is for sure.

Fear of Bath Conquered

I am so happy to official announce that MLO's hatred of baths (as previously reported here) is no more.

She has finally come to accept the idea that her hair is getting washed and we have come to a truce.

She will know put her head back (look at the ceiling) and let mommy put a hand on her forehead to block the water and commence shampooing.

Thank goodness, it is amazing how thrilling the little victories can be.

Explaining to 2-Year-Old: Mommy & Daddy are Leaving for Vacation

This is only the second time I have left MLO overnight without me.

We did it once before, for our 10 year wedding anniversary. I put her to sleep Friday night, and then we drove to Las Vegas for the weekend. I had tried to explain it to her, but she obviously didn't get it as she spent the whole weekend yelling for me (she was 1 year-old and about 9 months).

So this year we wanted to go do it again. Except we wanted a long weekend and two nights out.

My mom actually came up with the best idea, she used MLO's blocks to demonstrate what was happening.

They built our house, they built grandma's house and they built a hotel a little further away.

Then they named blocks: MLO, grandma, mommy and daddy.

She then demonstrated the whole concept and what would happen over the long weekend.

MLO totally understood and while she has asked for us, hasn't made a huge fuss. In fact, she went and got grandma out of mommy's bed in the morning instead of making her come to her room (something I haven't yet gotten her to master).

We had a fabulous weekend, I dropped MLO off at daycare and then we managed to leave in the late afternoon. Lots of walks on the beach, window shopping and the best steak dinner I have ever had (restaurant called White Horses in San Clemente, CA).

We are currently stopped for lunch on our way home, and I will soon get my MLO hugs that I am in major withdrawal from. Iverall I am not as worried about my little girl who is growing up so fast.

Celebration

This weekend is my 11th Wedding Anniversary.

So hubby and I are leaving MLO with grandma for the weekend and we are going out to a surprise location (my surprise for him).

This will be the first time we have left her with grandma for two nights (we did one night, ONCE before).

I am nervous and will be missing her terribly the whole time I am sure.

But I am looking forward to the relax time.

I explained everything to MLO and she seemed to understand, though not happy about it.

When I went to take her to daycare today, daddy came out to say bye to her before we drove off.

She wouldn't let go of him.

When we finally thought she was okay he kissed her and went back in the house.

As soon as she couldn't see him anymore, she started crying and saying she wanted her daddy.

I promised her we would come back quick and we would see her again and give lots of big hugs.

Her answer: "But I love my daddy".

Tired

This is a personal rant, I keep waking up at 3 or 4 am and not being able to go back to sleep.

This is playing havoc on my work, time with my daughter and other things, I am just tired all the time and not sure what to do about it.

No matter what time I go to sleep I still wake up.

No matter where I go to sleep, I still wake up.

This has also made my blog post almost non existent for the past week (between this and trying to work out an allergy for the little one).

I am sure it will get better, just need to get better soon!

Allergies

I am working on narrowing down what MLO is allergic too. This is taking up a lot of my "free" time recently.

I am keeping a daily food log of EVERYTHING she eats along with symptoms she exhibits.

She doesn't seem to be allergic to the usual (she seems okay on dairy, wheat and nuts). However I found out through talking to my family doctor that the symptoms she is exhibit can also come from food allergies to strawberries, mangos, papaya and more (she loves strawberries).

So, food log is supposed to help me figure it out. Hard work and I wish it was easier...

P.S. Plus, I can't seem to type, especially the difference between me and my - LOL

So Happy To See You

All weekend long MLO kept looking at me and suddenly saying:

"Mommy, you are here, I am so happy to see you."

Several times all weekend long.

Love it!!!!