Mom did say if I didn't eat my veggies, I'd go to baby jail. I didn't take her seriously until today! When can I call my lawyer?!
I'm Innocent! A girl like me wouldn't survive a day in the slammer!
Today the kids in our MOMS Club got to take a tour of our local police department. We had fun seeing all the pictures of bad guys on the wall and the inside of a police car. It was a great way for the kids to familiarize themselves with an officer to not be as frightened during an emergency. It was also a wonderful reminder to us mommies of the small community we live in and to have an appreciation for those that keep our families safe.
Now there's a NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN so you better be good!
Well, it happened! We converted Maddie's crib into her big girl bed. She was so excited... to have a pillow!
Crib Before
Big Girl in her Big Girl Bed
We moved some furniture around to get everything to fit comfortably.
Her bedding is so cute.. it's the Love & Nature set from Target.. I LOVE the little owls
Our first night went better than expected. Her sleeping schedule has been a bit of a mess lately because of her still slightly boogie-nose but we wanted to start our process on a weekend. She was exhausted because she didn't nap that day so she went to sleep really well.. she did wake up at 1:40 and 2:40 but quickly went back to sleep... then came the morning. 5:45 and the rooster was up for the day! It sure was strange seeing her walk into our bedroom!
It's funny because each time we looked in on her, it looked like she hadn't moved at all.. usually she's moving all around.
I guess the true test will be nap time today... wish us luck!
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CRAZY TARGET SHOPPING Thursday was a big shopping day at Target.. they had their semi-annual 75% off toys... last July we filled up our gift closet and even made money by reselling some water tables that I found. This year was train tables! We got an awesome deal and resold one on craigslist for $55... they retail for $80! Of course Maddie got one... that's another reason she doesn't want to sleep in, or nap.. too much fun stuff to play with!
Poor Maddie went to 3 stores with me all before lunch... Matt's truck was filled!
NO, she didn't get all these toys.. they're being saved for upcoming holidays and her friend's birthdays. I did have a bit of buyers remorse and took 11 items back. I did find a huge wooden train set that we looked at before Christmas for $10 and a bunch of Thomas the Train cars for less than $4 each.
The train table is super cool.. it has storage on the sides to keep all the extra pieces and other toys.. if you know of anyone that is looking for a train table.. I have two for sale! The top flips over to a white side so it can be used as a play/craft table too.
I love saving money... even Matt loves the reselling part.. we went to three more Targets on Saturday but most everything had been picked over. It was fun looking for red tags and running to the scanner to see if it would ring up lower.. lol sick, I know! :)
Last week Tuesday our Horizon Hills class had a field trip to visit Coach Patty's in Camarillo. It's an actual gymnastics training facility but they also offer Mommy & Me and Preschooler classes.
Miss Maddie had a really fun time. At the end all the coaches remarked on how great she was at listening and that she was just the cutest thing ever.. aw! Coach Patty herself remarked on how Maddie is a visual learner and noticed her copying her every move.
As of late, she's been warming up a lot faster than normal. We tried a gymnastics class last year and she didn't want to try anything.. now she LOVES running across the trampoline and being thrown into the foam pit.
Listening to Coach Patty
Waiting her turn
The Foam Pit!
Run Maddie!
At the end, the kids got stamps on their feet.. as they pulled them up to see them, they were stretching! So smart!
We went to the movies! It was Maddie's very first movie experience. It was suppose to be a rainy day so we thought we'd surprise her by taking her to see Tangled, a Disney movie about Rapunzel. The rain stopped by the 11:00 show time but I'm so glad we went. It's a really cute movie and Maddie LOVED it! She started out sitting on her own seat but as the show started, she moved to mama's lap.
She did great the entire time. Towards the end I could tell she was getting tired but a song would start or something would capture her interest and she held in there. I was surprised to see it was almost 1:00 when we left!
My grandma sent Maddie (and us) money for Christmas and I tried to think of something special to do with the money. I can't wait to call and tell her about Maddie's experience. This summer should be fun when the local theater plays free movies during the week for stay at home mommies and their kids.
This is just after we told her what we were going to do.. how do you explain "movie theater" to a two year old?
She was excited when she saw the giant screen and the seats!
Um yes, we did eat almost this entire bucket BUT it was our lunch... that's a pretty horrible excuse but I'm sticking with it.
Added this photo because mom looks good! lol
Here's to a fun movie experience for your family!
Monday, December 27, 2010
As we guessed, Christmas this year was lots of fun. Two is a good age. She isn't completely aware so we can wrap Santa gifts in paper just like the gifts we gave to others and if I forgot to move our Elf on the Shelf (Zippy), I could do it in the morning before she noticed, BUT she was certainly more aware of concepts this year than last. As many times as we tried, there was NO sitting on Santa's lap, but I think she enjoyed seeing him and the Mrs 5+ times. :)
We hosted Christmas Eve dinner at our house and had Matt's family join us for homemade lasagna,which tasted awesome! [Insert pat on the back here]
Because we're normally at Matt's sister's house for X-mas Eve, we were unaware that Santa actually flies over Camarillo for all the kids to see.. we read about it in the paper and heard neighbors yelling... thankfully we grabbed our jackets and made it outside to see him come back through again.. a helicopter actually suspends a lighted Santa with flashing reindeer to both sides of town.. it was soooo neat to see and I'm glad we didn't miss it.
I wish I had more photos to capture the evening. We all had a great time and don't get together often enough these days.
Grandma Phyllis and Maddie had fun in her chair
Maddie practiced the art of opening gifts before Santa even arrived!
Knit hat and scarf from Grandma Phyllis
Coloring in one of her new coloring books with Matt's cousin Brian
Brian had a Beatrice Potter cup and saucer set that Aunt Lainie cherishes and she found one for Maddie.. so sweet! I LOVE stuff like that!
Her aunties spoiled us and Maddie with a kite, books, Wii accessories and games... wow!
Before bed we made sure to leave milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer
Maddie woke up a little earlier than normal (6:45) on Christmas morning and seemed to have forgotten that someone came to bring her presents but she was very excited when she saw the living room.
First we opened our stockings... in the days leading up to X-mas when Maddie was asked what she wanted from Santa, she kept saying a toothbrush (cute and good hygiene)... well a toothbrush and a puppy but we knew that wasn't happening so she got a spinning Thomas the Train brush.
To add to the mood, we had the fireplace roaring!
I heart these Santa jammies!
And so we started opening gifts at about 7:00... then took a break for a french toast breakfast... then back to opening gifts until about 9:30... YIKES! Daddy got very good at getting fairies out of packages in no time flat and I did my best to record all the fun. She now has 3 different sizes of the Disney fairies, Toy Story 3 figurines, and lots of art supplies to keep her busy until the summer.
We were all very blessed this year. We have our health and a beautiful and super smart daughter that makes us so proud. I have the fondest memories of my childhood that involve our holiday rituals and I hope to give that to Maddie. I was sad to grow up and not do those things with my family anymore, but now Matt, Maddie, and I are creating our own family memories. I hope she grows up to cherish them too. (p.s. Thank you mom and Grandma and Grandpa Behling for that!)
I got a gorgeous desk to organize all my crafting projects (no more kitchen table and cardboard box to dig through) and Matt and I got a Wii from Santa! (I can't wait til he goes back to work so I can practice and kick his butt! lol)
Daddy got a bigger TV for the living room and a blu ray player and best of all a super smart wife that knows how to hook it all together! We also treated ourselves to a wireless system so we can stream movies from Netflix and play Wii games with our friends from their houses. So looking around the house, we certainly are lucky and grateful for all that we have.
Art supplies from Grandma Doris and Grandpa Frank
The fairies just kept multiplying!
Even Syrah enjoyed Christmas.. I was worried about the tree and our crazy cat, but she did great and not one ornament was broken or bashed around the house
My mom sent these fun glasses
We all checked them out!
More fairy excitement!
We love the Leapfrog game from Uncle Erik and Aunt Sarah.. this one will have her writing her letters in no time.
Maddie received her first "barbie" dolls.. a Snow White from Santa, and two fairies from my parents. She also got another Leapfrog Tag Jr reader that looks like the alien from Toy Story 3 and about 5 new books. If you haven't checked out that system, you should.. it lets her "read" the books by herself and has some pretty fun songs and sound effects.
My mom also sent this great Melissa and Doug cookie baking set (I love their toys). Maddie had lots of fun baking us cookies in her kitchen she got for her birthday. She also made her a really cute apron to wear while she plays.
We received too many things to list but thankfully they all fit into our house! WHEW!
Mommy hanging out with Maddie and her fairy friends
Here's a photo of Maddie singing a song with mommy on a gift we received from Aunties Alyx and Pam
Here's the video.. ok I *thought* I sounded ok until hearing this play back... ugh.. sorry to subject you but listen to Maddie's words.. "I just wanna play with daddy" and the unprovoked bow at the end.. when she's famous this will be on her DVD.
Maddie's new tricycle.. a gift from Papa and Grandma Lena. She thought she was pretty cool in her bunny helmet too... now we just need to work on steering and peddling before her parent's backs go out! By summer time, she'll be a pro!
Here's video of Maddie singing her favorite holiday tune at the X-mas parade
And Miss Smarty-pants herself "reading" Hop On Pop. (sorry it's so dark) She went through the whole book almost word for word and then I ran to grab the camera.
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a very safe New Year's Eve!
Ok, maybe not a genius, but certainly pretty smart... I'm sure this a complete fluke BUT she was playing with a drawing toy, (one that is magnetic with a pen and you erase it by pulling over a lever) I looked down......and ran to get my camera! Can you believe it? This is the only thing on the page and I promise you, there is no computer "trickery" involved. It isn't spelled correctly and when we asked her to write her letters she couldn't but how funny.. that CLEARLY says "MADY"- gotta love small miracles. We've been talking about drawing letters and this time I guess her hand ruled her brain
A few early Christmas gifts from Papa and Grandma Lena... how fun! If you weren't sure if Maddie was a spoiled girl, you can now know for sure she is... we're working on making sure she stays a girl and doesn't turn into a BRAT! She came prepared to the opening of the box with a crayon.. which she promptly used on the coloring books she received Tinkerbell stocking! The most special gift was the hallmark book that both Grandma and Papa recorded the "Night Before Christmas"... what a special gift that she'll cherish always... or until the batteries run out, what happens then? She loved it and we've listened to it every nap time and bedtime since.
My latest project.. cookie packages for my MOMS Club Cookie Exchange. Maddie helped me make sugar cookies and I packaged them with this cute bag topper... gosh I wish I could do this for money!
Here she is on Monday helping me by making beautifully, fully covered cookies (yes, those are penguin pajama pants and I love them very much!)
Everyone at the party thought they turned out super cute
We went to a friend's Holiday Open House tonight.. super fun time. Maddie came out of her shell about an hour into the night and started to have fun with all our friends and their kids. p.s. Maddie HEARTS Dane!
Apologies in advance for the red eyes but the red eye reduction on iPhoto made us look like Children of the Corn. :) It was her idea to go cheek-to-cheek for this shot!
Happy Holiday and for those of you who pray, say a prayer for my Seester. She's having an elective surgery in the morning and I would appreciate the thoughts.. we love you Auntie!
