Dresses

Paige is really into wearing dresses right now.  It has to be a dress for sure to wear to school.  I've been able to get through the winter with putting leggings on underneath and it actually looks really cute.  The weather is starting to warm up so I didn't have her wear them today.  This is the dress she picked today (which is a hand-me-down from a dear childhood friend).  Paige then went into Hailey's closet to find a dress for her to wear.  This is the one she choose (which is also a hand-me down from a friend at work).  They looked so sweet that I asked for them to pose for a picture...this is what I got.  Can't ask for much more!  I think I'm going to enlarge it to have it framed. 

Superbowl 2012

We are so NOT sports fans in this household.  But we did try to make it a point to turn on the Superbowl, mostly for the commercials and the halftime show.  It was funny to notice how apparent it is that the girls do not watch much TV and what they do watch is on Netflix without commercials.  They really had no idea why I was so excited about them.  Most were not child appropriate and I found myself explaining lots about them when they started asking questions.  But we did make a fun event out of it my making pizza from scratch and having ice cream sundaes for dessert.  Their first!  Yum!

Watching the game!

Eating thier first sundaes!

Valentines

Ok, this post is going to make me seem like one of THOSE moms.  Yes, we hand made our Valentines this year.  I was going to order some super cute ones online that would have their picture on them.  But by the time that would be all said and done, it would have been upwards of $45.  So I talked myself out of that one.  Next, I looked at the boxed Valentines at the store.  They all had some sort of cartoon character associated with them.  I have made it a point so far to not have commercial things as part of their life.  Events like birthdays or Christmas have all been neutral and just based on normal kid stuff like cupcakes or ducks or butterflies or something neutral.  So I didn't spend the $1.99 for a box of 35 boxed Valentines.  That left me with making them.  So yes, the past few nights I have sat and cut out upwards of 30 Valentines (I still have more to do) and glued paper doilies to them.  I also printed and cut out another heart to glue on that says, "Happy Valentine's Day.  Love Paige" along with her picture.  (This way I got the pic on it too, for far less than $45.)  After that, I made it a project for the girls.  They applied foam heart/Valentine stickers and then today we did the glue and the glitter.  They are quiet cute IMO, but I am a bit biased.  I may get the rolling eyes of the other mothers at the Mommy & Me Valentine Exchange at Paige's school or at the party for playgroup.  But I have made it a rule to not care what other's think, espeically when I comes to how we raise our children.  So there!  :)  It was a fantastic craft for the girls to do and one that we all did together over several days.  Well worth the effort. 

My desk full of cut hearts and paper doilies

Applying Valentine stickers
(Yes, Hailey is dressed as a cat with a butterly hat.)

Gluing glitter

Positive Discipline

On Thursday night Paige's school had a Parent Education night and the subject was Positive Discipline.  I really wanted to go because I've been having such a hard time with what I call the "Witching Hour" from 4-6pm.  I think by then all of us are ready for a break from each other and are excited for Brian to get home.  At that time, Paige is tired an starts in with the whining.  And I don't want to hear it anymore so sometimes (ok, lots of times) I loose my patience.  I was hoping this class would help.  The corner stone of the class was to use the non-emotional approach (Let me tell you, by 5pm, I've got some emotions!) based on Dr. Glean Latham's book, "The Power of Positive Parenting" (which I immediately ordered from Amazon and I'm waiting for it's arrival).  The steps to this approach are:

• Observe & Evaluate first
• Calmly approach
• In a pleasant tone, give as little verbal direction as needed
• Allow situations to work themselves out whenever possible

Sounded simple enough!  They also talked about Family Expectations and how to set those and what to do when they are no met.  My only expectation at this point is to STOP THE WHINING!  Some great examples were given (and very humorous too I might add) about how to implement your expectations, which involved taking away a privilege.  Paige LOVES  to watch one show with Brian after bath and then go into bed to read her stories.  Knowing that, I decided that the consequence for whining would be no show after bath.  So on Friday, I told her that if she whined I would give her three warnings and if she got to number three there would be no show to watch after bath.  She got to number three super quick on Friday.  But she understood after bath that she would only read stories.  We limited it to four books.  There was no crying or being upset.  She knew what what happening and accepted it.  Today (Saturday), went WONDERFUL! She hardly whined at all.  And the couple times she did whine I just said. "Oh, I hear whining.  That's a warning."  She absolutely understood what I meant and stopped immediately.  I was so proud of her.  By 6:30pm she only had two warnings and I thought she would make it.  But unfortunately she whined upstairs as we were cleaning up (mostly because she was tired) so I had to take it away.  I felt bad, since I knew she was tired, but I couldn't go back on the consequence.  I really want her to learn.  She got upset, but after bath, knew she could only read books and did so gladly.  Having a pretty much whine free day was BLISS!  I'm excited for tomorrow.  I think she'll do really well. 
The class also discussed Time Outs and Building Self Esteem.  I really liked the suggestion about when your child brings you something that she did (like a colored picture) to get your approval, you instead ask, "Do you think you did a good job?"  Yes!  Ding!  Ding!  Of course that would build her self esteem, she doesn't need me or Brian to reassure her of the job she did, we want her to feel like she did well all on her own. 
In all, the class was about being consistent.  Which was really good for me.  Because in that "Witching Hour" I have been giving in to just stop the whining.  But hopefully just a few more days of practice, we will all be much happier!
Here's a few quotes that I really liked too:

• "As parents, we must realize that children are in a the process of whom they will become."
• "Guard your children's self-esteem with the same zeal with which you would guard their very lives!"
• "You can put a distraught child in time-out with as much love and tenderness as you would put a sleeping child into its crib."
• "Parenthood is a privilege.  Who knew that we as parents has more to learn and refine than possibly our children do?  Love your children unconditionally.  Enjoy every minute.  They are our greatest treasures."

I'm so glad I went and I'm glad to see a difference being made already.  I'll keep you updated!

Jumping Game

Today marked yet another milestone.  The girls are just growing too fast.  Paige said she wanted to go outside in the backyard.  So, she went and put on her socks and shoes, opened the back door and went outside.  She began playing immediately all by herself.  Brian and I both said how fast they were growing, but how much easier it is getting to raise them.  It's not constant helping and doing for anymore.  They are doing lots on their own.  After Hailey woke up from her nap, both played outside.  They invented this game of Paige asking Hailey to push her off the climber and falling, then Hailey followed by jumping down too.  They would giggle on the grass and then do it all over again.  Super cute. 

Paige getting ready to be pushed by Hailey

Hailey pushing Paige

Hailey jumping after

GIGGLES!  Ready to go again!

Library

I took the girls to the library today.  It's the first time Hailey has gone and Paige hasn't been since I was pregnant with Hailey.  It's nice now that Hailey is napping a bit later in the day, we can do more activities in the morning when both (and me) are more alert and oriented.  Anyway, the girls did great while I used the card catalog (that makes me sound old, I'm sure it's called something different now) on the computer and then went to find the books on the shelves.  Hailey is really into ballerina's right now.  She calls them, "rinas."  It's super cute.  So I looked for some children's books about ballerinas.  Came across the Belinda Ballerina series and the Pinkalicious series.  The Pinkalicious one is really cute but the Belinda one has more of a moral to tell.  I also checked out all the ones they pulled off the shelves, just to be nice to the librarian.  Needless to say, we came home with a ton of books.  But it made for a really nice afternoon because they both wanted to sit and read their new books.  Very quiet.  Nap time went very well too.  I think a trip to the library is going to be a once a week thing now. 

Sisters

Just some pics of the girls today in between trying to beat each other up. They sure do love each other when they want to...

I bought big carrots this week just because they looked so pretty at the store...
apparently the girls thought so too, here they are each eating one.

Yucky Eggs?

This morning I had the girls climb into the stroller and we walked to the grocery store.  I only needed a few things so I figured I could use the stroller as my shopping cart.  Paige can now sit or stand on the stroller and is able to get on & off as she pleases.  It's fine.  It's teaching her how to act in a store and to stay close to me.  Good teaching tool.  Anyway, she got off in the Valentine isle and picked out some Cadbury Creme Eggs (I guess it's the Easter isle too!).  I tried to tell her how "yuck" they would be, but she insisted on getting them.  So in the stroller they went.  I did instruct that we had to wait to get home to eat them at the table (I was remembering how messy they were.)  Of course she wanted to go home right away.  When we got home they both sat at the table and even wore bibs despite knowing that "little girls" don't wear bibs anymore.  I was delighted to find that they are completely different from what I remember as a kid!  I remember gross, runny, sugary inside that looked like a raw egg.  Nope, not anymore.  It is this delicious frosting like substance that is still white and yellow to look like an egg, but more consistent and thick.  It also had an orange flavor.  Super good!  Here are some pics of them eating their first Cadbury Creme Eggs...I suppose the Easter Bunny will have to put them in their Easter baskets this year.  Yum!

Shoes

Hailey learned how to put on her own shoes on Saturday!  Paige just learned to do it this year in her dance class.  This is by no fault of her own, I just always did it for her.  It's amazing how much the second child mimics the first.  Hailey & I were snuggling on the couch and she put her own sandals on, albeit backwards, but she did it.  My, they are growing so fast.

Presidential Motorcade

President Obama made a speech at the Ocotillo Intel that is having the new 14 nanometer fab is built.  It will be the smallest/fastest (I don't know, I'm not an engineer!) chip made in the world.  Brian could have gotten tickets for us to go, but unfortunately had too much work at work to actually attend.  So I made up for it and took the girls to see the motorcade on its route to the plant.  Since we live in the Ocotillo area of Chandler it was literally only a few blocks away.  I posted on Facebook that we were going and one friend said the girls would be able to add this to their bucket list of things they have done...that is, seen a sitting president drive through their own town.  Pretty Cool!  The motorcade was amazing.  Lead by police motorcycles and then two Presidential limousines, followed by some sort of black truck (looked like a bomb shelter), an ambulance and tons of Secret Service SUVs, with more police cars, all going between 75-100 mph.  It was really neat to see.  I'm glad I made the effort to get them out to see it.  Fun times. 

The girls on the route

Hard to see, but the limo is in this pic at the intersection.

Diaper Cream

Brian has been out of town the last two nights on business.  Last night before bath, Paige combed, yes, combed diaper cream in Hailey's hair while I was finishing up cleaning the kitchen.  I shampooed it last night, but only for her to wake up with greasy, greasy hair this morning.  I read on the internet that baking soda would help to get it out.  I put it in her hair about an hour before bath so it could soak up as much as possible.  I shampooed her hair again like normal and combed it out.  I suppose we'll see the result in the morning.  Sisters are so special, aren't they?

First beater

While Paige was having her "quiet time" today, Hailey and I made banana bread.  This is her first time licking a beater.  (Yes, I let my kiddos lick the raw batter.)  It turned out yummy and I even added some mini chocolate chips at the last second...extra good!

Sweet Pic

I took this pic of Hailey this morning.  She still looks like our baby, but is growing soooo fast. 

Another park

The play group met at another City of Chandler park yesterday.  We hadn't been to it since Hailey was born so it was like a new discovery.  This one has a huge play area with a farm theme, a reptile and dinosaur digging area, swings and a separate but close area for littler kiddos.  Very well planned. 

Hailey posing on a giant Gila Lizard

Hailey should have been in the baby swing,
but wanted to be like Paige. 
She actually did fine on the big swing.

"Mama, I want to snuggle with you"

I love these words.  Paige says them when she comes into our room in the morning.  I always let her as long as it's after 6am.  If it's before, I say I'll snuggle with her in her bed.  I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so it resulted in lots of TV time (Bad, Mama!) and the girls came and snuggled with me on the floor in the family room.  It was wonderful.  I feel so lucky to have these two beings!   

Park discovery

I'm not sure I mentioned that I've joined a SAHM playgroup.  Well, I have, and it's great.  I get adult interaction and the girls get the play with other kiddos.  Plus we've gone to some new & fun places that are literally right outside our door that we didn't know about.  Today we had a play date at a city park.  I was thinking it was just a park with the play area.  Nooooooope!  I really should never be surprised with Chandler's city parks, but really, this one is awesome.  It has a lake that you can fish, do remote control vehicles and feed ducks; an awesome playground; a splash pad; a carousel annnnddddd a train!  It was super fun.  Both girls loved the train and the carousel.  It was a great morning.  We will definitely go back and take Dada! 

Just part of the playground

The lake

Hailey in front of the carousel

The train

The 3 of us on the train

Both on the carousel

My fav of the day... holding hands!

Putting things away

This morning, before Paige went to school, she hit a milestone.  We put together a play area for them with Montessori like organization because at Paige's parent/teacher conference her teacher mentioned that Paige does not put away her activities before moving on to other things.  I thought this was something that I can work on at home so that while at school Paige can learn other things like the 3 Rs.  Well, today, I witnessed Paige saying to Hailey that they needed to put away the tree house before they got out the puzzles and then actually doing it!  Yay!  I'm doing something right.  So glad Santa left a play area for Christmas.  It is really nice too...the house is cleaner, their toys are more organized and they actually PLAY with their toys instead of wanting to play with whatever we are doing.  It only took me 3 years to figure out a play area is a MUST have. 

Afternoon with Hailey

With Paige at my mom's this afternoon, Hailey and I got to have alone time!  She napped until about 2:45pm and then we made some cookies together.  We had so much fun!  And it was nice to really spend quality time with just her and let HER do the measuring and pouring while explaining what was going on.  She really liked it. 















While we waited for the cookies to bake, we snuggled on the sofa.  She kept nuzzling me and kissing me.  It was soooo sweet!


Then a good friend dropped of some more hand-me-downs and she played with the costumes.  This one is a Super Girl costume. 

It was a great afternoon and made me realize how easy just one child is.  I also got toilets and tubs scrubbed while she played.  Talk about EASY!  When Brian got home she got to have him all to herself too.  It was a nice day and evening.  But we'll all be happy to have Paige home in the morning. 

Paige's first night away

Today Brian and I let Paige be picked up from school by Nanny (my mom) and then Paige got to spend the night at Nanny's house.  It's the first time she's ever been away from home for an entire night.  Either Brian or I have been home to take care of her in her own room, in her own bath tub, in her own bed.  I was feeling various things today, happy and sad.  Happy that they would get to spend time together, but sad that I would miss out on that time.  However, I knew that both she and my mom would have a ton of fun.  This is a picture my mom sent to me tonight of Paige in the tub at her house playing with some of my old tub toys.  This is a turtle that has sponge rollers.  A bar of soap goes in the turtle and the child can roll the sponges on their body to get clean.  Yes, there is such a thing as bar soap...my children have never used it.  I haven't had an update from my mom for a couple hours.  I'm hoping falling asleep went well.  I suppose I'll get a report in the morning.  Sweet Dreams My Paige, I miss you!

It's cute now...

This picture is SUPER CUTE now, but I better NEVER see something like this published when she's over 18.  Do you hear me Hailey Thurmond? 

Carpe Diem?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/glennon-melton/dont-carpe-diem_b_1206346.html

A dear friend of mine, ok, she's even better, she's a sorority sister, posted this on her FaceBook page today.  Her timing was impeccable considering my post yesterday.  In fact, I had two ladies tell me to "enjoy every moment" today at the bagel shop.  Which I usually do when I'm having my "Karios" moments.  But "Carpe"ing 15 minutes is usually what I'm trying to do throughout the day since that is the girl's attention span.  I will be that old lady too who tells young moms to enjoy every moment, but I hope I'm the real one who picks up the grocery bill and tells her to get the kiddos loaded in the car while I send someone out to help. I am an incredibly lucky woman, who gets to treasure every moment at home with my children and I'm so happy I'm in that place, but there is reality too and this story nails it!  Enjoy.

Losing It

Ok.  I'm going to admit it.  I half way lost it tonight with Paige.  Not all the way, just half way.  Both of the girls have been hitting.  Either swiping with their hands or using their Snugglies as weapons to hit.  It's not hard, but it's definitely in response to something they don't want to don't want to do.  Today is a Tuesday, so it's been 4 days since Paige has been at school.  She goes longer now that I have added lunch, so it's a long day for her... 11:15am-3:30pm.  She is definitely tired when I pick her up.  We get home about 3:50pm which makes it perfect for 4 o'clock quiet time.  Today however, she was in a pretty good mood and quiet time was shortened. MISTAKE.  By 5:15 she was out of control with whining.  I should note here, that Brian worked late tonight and was not home for dinner or bedtime.  I did manage to get a good dinner in both of them, but after dinner, Paige started in the with hitting.  I excused her to her room and then talked to her about hitting.  She came back down and again hit, this time with her Snugglie to Woolly.  It was 6:30 and after excusing her to her room several times with complete disobedience, I yelled, yes, yelled, for her to go to her room.  I HATE it when I loose my temper.  I feel so bad.  Any advice on how to get both of them to stop hitting?  I usually try to talk to them simply and say, "No hitting, hitting hurts."  But I'm not getting through and I don't want to loose my temper anymore.  Thanks for the advice. 

Please, Thank You, Excuse Me

As Barney says:
"He's talking 'bout please and thank you,
They're called the magic words,
If you want nice things to happen,
They're the words that should be heard,
Remember please and thank you,
'Cause they're the magic words."

I suppose repetition really does work.  Hailey has been so good all weekend and today about saying, "Yank You.", "Peeez", & "Cused."  She says it in all the right places and it is soooo sweet.  The "cused" one took a minute for me to get because she was saying it at the table, then I realized she wanted to be excused from the table.  So all of our saying of what they should say when we do something for them has paid off.  Her manners are starting to show.  Whew!

Woolly Bugger

Brian caught a pic of Paige with Woolly this morning and I caught him in the play area chewing on his own toy.  He's so good and feels so much better these days.  It's nice to have him around. 

Hand me downs

I think I have said this before, but hand-me-downs are wonderful!  I got 3 huge bags full this week from a dear friend at the hospital where I used to work.  Of course the girls wanted to play with the costumes immediately.  One is a Tinkerbell & the other a cat. 

Playdough with Nanny

My mom's work schedule this month includes having Thurs & Fri off.  This week she came over to help with the girls.  It's soooo nice when she can do this.  This is them playing with their new playdough set.  Good times!

Writing

Paige came home from school with this book.  It appears she is starting to write letters!  She said her friend Claire helped her.  It also appears the instructions were to color a different part of the penguin because each page of the book is the same penguin but a different part of it is colored. 

100

Paige's school celebrated 100 days of school by asking for each student to bring 100 things that would fit in a sandwich size zip top bag.  We got the notice late, otherwise Brian would have gotten 100 old resistors from the lab at work.  So instead I made it a project for Paige to cut plastic straws into 100 pieces (sad substitute I know).  It was a great exercise for her to practice using scissors.  The 100th day of school was on Friday so she didn't get to do the project at school since she only goes on Tues & Thurs, but atleast we got something out of it and contributed to the class. 

Hair

Hailey pretending to style Paige's hair.  It'll be fun to watch them get ready with each other for thier high school dances.  But I can wait a LOOOONNNNG time for that to happen. 

Going & Growing

I put the Swing n Bounce & the Exersaucer on Craig's List to sell yesterday. Between the 2 girls you would think I was selling their favorite toys! They insisted on playing & sitting in them for about an hour. The items were quickly moved out to the garage after bed last night until they are sold.