Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
30 Months
As Addie approaches 30 months I sit here in thankful solitude, how blessed we have been to come from a place where no promises were being made to an abundance of flowing blessings. I am so thankful for what I have been given. This 2 1/2 year old little girl is so full of spunk and has lighted every aspect of our lives and more.
She is doing really well learning how to read, however you really have to catch her on a good day to get her to read something to you on command. So far as we can figure she has at least 12 words that she can read. As a matter of fact she actually read a book to me the other night before bed, have you ever heard of a little girl named Bess who wants to be a ballerina? Yeah well she read a whole page by herself to me!!! I was so proud (you know when you are bursting at the seams excited, where you just want to jump up and down, but don't wanna get the baby all wound up right at bedtime so you just hold it all in) I couldn't stand it! She is also trying to spell and so far I have heard her spell 5 words including her name!
The songs that she can sing consist of, Jesus Loves Me, The B.I.B.L.E, Twinkle Twinkle, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Row Row Row Your Boat, B.I.N.G.O (she knows this the real way and we sing it with her name in there too A.D.D.I.E), the ABC, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, and Peter Cottontail. We have already started singing Christmas songs so she can learn some of them to sing at Christmas *can't wait*. I have caught her recently singing what she is doing, like when we have nothing else to do or we are trying to get Cara's attention we just start singing words, yeah she has started doing that too. The other day Cara was just playing in the floor and Addie walks up to her and in tune says "hey baby Cara, what you doing there".
She has gotten into role playing lately, it is sweet. At the grocery store the other night she told me that she was going to be the mommy and Lovey was going to be the daddy. She is always planning "parties" for all of us, setting places, dressing up, fixing dinner. She is learning how to clean house and does pretty well when she is in the mood.
Potty training is going seemingly way too easy. She hasn't worn a diaper for at least a month during the day including nap with minimal accidents, like 2 or 3 maybe. But those weren't because she didn't tell us but because maybe she waited too long to tell us and didn't make it (big difference). For the past week she has been waking up in the middle of the night to go to the potty with only a wet diaper once or twice and I am talking peeing twice a night and once in the morning. This came without any prompting, she just started waking up and coming in our room or down the hall to get one of us to take her. Last night before bed she stood firm that she did not want to wear a diaper to bed, she wanted to wear her panties, I thought for sure this can't really be this easy. She slept through the night, waking at around 5:45am after wetting the bed. Soooooo, definitely not as smooth as I had hoped, but I am not in the least bit upset. We tried it, and will be wearing nighttime diapers for just a little longer,no biggie.
Lately she has also been into dressing herself. So far she knows how to put her pants and socks on. She knows the concept of putting her shirt on, but still needs assistance with that, and just this morning she put her panties on all by herself THE RIGHT WAY!!!
This morning she also told me that the ball didn't bounce because it didn't have any elasticity....too smart, too smart....but not too shabby for only 2 1/2. Lovin' that little girl!
She is doing really well learning how to read, however you really have to catch her on a good day to get her to read something to you on command. So far as we can figure she has at least 12 words that she can read. As a matter of fact she actually read a book to me the other night before bed, have you ever heard of a little girl named Bess who wants to be a ballerina? Yeah well she read a whole page by herself to me!!! I was so proud (you know when you are bursting at the seams excited, where you just want to jump up and down, but don't wanna get the baby all wound up right at bedtime so you just hold it all in) I couldn't stand it! She is also trying to spell and so far I have heard her spell 5 words including her name!
The songs that she can sing consist of, Jesus Loves Me, The B.I.B.L.E, Twinkle Twinkle, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, Row Row Row Your Boat, B.I.N.G.O (she knows this the real way and we sing it with her name in there too A.D.D.I.E), the ABC, Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, and Peter Cottontail. We have already started singing Christmas songs so she can learn some of them to sing at Christmas *can't wait*. I have caught her recently singing what she is doing, like when we have nothing else to do or we are trying to get Cara's attention we just start singing words, yeah she has started doing that too. The other day Cara was just playing in the floor and Addie walks up to her and in tune says "hey baby Cara, what you doing there".
She has gotten into role playing lately, it is sweet. At the grocery store the other night she told me that she was going to be the mommy and Lovey was going to be the daddy. She is always planning "parties" for all of us, setting places, dressing up, fixing dinner. She is learning how to clean house and does pretty well when she is in the mood.
Potty training is going seemingly way too easy. She hasn't worn a diaper for at least a month during the day including nap with minimal accidents, like 2 or 3 maybe. But those weren't because she didn't tell us but because maybe she waited too long to tell us and didn't make it (big difference). For the past week she has been waking up in the middle of the night to go to the potty with only a wet diaper once or twice and I am talking peeing twice a night and once in the morning. This came without any prompting, she just started waking up and coming in our room or down the hall to get one of us to take her. Last night before bed she stood firm that she did not want to wear a diaper to bed, she wanted to wear her panties, I thought for sure this can't really be this easy. She slept through the night, waking at around 5:45am after wetting the bed. Soooooo, definitely not as smooth as I had hoped, but I am not in the least bit upset. We tried it, and will be wearing nighttime diapers for just a little longer,no biggie.
Lately she has also been into dressing herself. So far she knows how to put her pants and socks on. She knows the concept of putting her shirt on, but still needs assistance with that, and just this morning she put her panties on all by herself THE RIGHT WAY!!!
This morning she also told me that the ball didn't bounce because it didn't have any elasticity....too smart, too smart....but not too shabby for only 2 1/2. Lovin' that little girl!
Cara's Mobility
So i just wanted to update everyone on how Cara is doing with her crawling. Last Thursday (9/8) she figured out how to get up on her hands and knees at the same time (and she is oh so cute when she does). She can move both knees forward, but then can't figure out how to move her hands afterwards to move forward so she usually gets up, moves her left knee, moves her right knee, rocks and falls. But I think that she is making really good progress, each day getting a little closer crawling.
She does this thing where she will gt up on all fours and then stretch her legs out almost like she is going to stand up, then she will get back down, twist like she is going to sit up, and then roll. But she will do that across the room and is so good at it that she will move from one place to another before we even realize it. I know that the description that I just gave is probably hard to process so I will try and post a video soon so you all in blogger land can see what that looks like in real time.
Now the Monday Prior (9/5) I had given her 2 weeks before she was crawling just because she was inch worming so well and as you can tell the 2 week deadline has come and gone and she is not crawling in the stereotypical sense. She is still doing really well getting on her hands and knees and moving forward but is not using her hands during that motion. Now she will turn herself in circles like crazy with her hands while she is on her belly, but she just hasn't pulled it all together. It is only a matter of time my friends, only a matter of a very short time.
Yesterday she moved one hand towards me while on all fours and tonight she did two repetitions of foot hand, foot hand. So my declaration is that in 1 week we will have a crawler.
She does this thing where she will gt up on all fours and then stretch her legs out almost like she is going to stand up, then she will get back down, twist like she is going to sit up, and then roll. But she will do that across the room and is so good at it that she will move from one place to another before we even realize it. I know that the description that I just gave is probably hard to process so I will try and post a video soon so you all in blogger land can see what that looks like in real time.
Now the Monday Prior (9/5) I had given her 2 weeks before she was crawling just because she was inch worming so well and as you can tell the 2 week deadline has come and gone and she is not crawling in the stereotypical sense. She is still doing really well getting on her hands and knees and moving forward but is not using her hands during that motion. Now she will turn herself in circles like crazy with her hands while she is on her belly, but she just hasn't pulled it all together. It is only a matter of time my friends, only a matter of a very short time.
Yesterday she moved one hand towards me while on all fours and tonight she did two repetitions of foot hand, foot hand. So my declaration is that in 1 week we will have a crawler.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Things I love about Baby Cara
How she smiles out of one side of her mouth before the full smile shows up
How she speaks differently to different things
How it doesn't matter how bad she is feeling if her big sister walks in the room the world stops and she lights up like she does for no one else.
How she she goes to turn around while on all fours she looks like she is posing for a portrait
How she is always got the #1 finger pointed (she is the number one baby of 2011)
How she loves to have her picture taken and it always looks like she is posing.
I love her chubby cheeks
I love her rolls all down her legs
She has the sweetest two teeth right out in front that shine when she laughs, I love that
The way she loves to be upside down
How she runs in place standing up or lying down
She blows the cutest raspberries
How she holds Hootie and sucks her thumb just like Addie does with Lovey
How she puts her hands out every time I walk past her in hopes that I pick her up
I love that she is beginning to develop a relationship with Booskers
How she grabs my face and gives me the absolute best wet, open mouth kisses <3
How she speaks differently to different things
How it doesn't matter how bad she is feeling if her big sister walks in the room the world stops and she lights up like she does for no one else.
How she she goes to turn around while on all fours she looks like she is posing for a portrait
How she is always got the #1 finger pointed (she is the number one baby of 2011)
How she loves to have her picture taken and it always looks like she is posing.
I love her chubby cheeks
I love her rolls all down her legs
She has the sweetest two teeth right out in front that shine when she laughs, I love that
The way she loves to be upside down
How she runs in place standing up or lying down
She blows the cutest raspberries
How she holds Hootie and sucks her thumb just like Addie does with Lovey
How she puts her hands out every time I walk past her in hopes that I pick her up
I love that she is beginning to develop a relationship with Booskers
How she grabs my face and gives me the absolute best wet, open mouth kisses <3
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Funny for the day.
So as I was in Addie’s room with her trying to find and put her slippers on, she backs in to me and says point blank “My butt itches” and then stands there and waits for me to scratch it.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Out of the mouths of babes.
Standing in the kitchen making dinner... Daddy walks in and turns around and walks out.
Addie- where'd daddy go?
Mommy- to get the baby monitor
Addie- what about the Addie monitor?
As we pull into BRU.
Addie- shhh baby cara is asleep
Mommy- that's right you are such a good big sister.
Addie- mmm hmm, yes I am
Mommy- a great big sister
Addie- no I a genius
Mommy- that you are, a genius
Addie-no I a princess
Oh my where does she come up with this stuff!
For those of you that may not know I am so not on the whole bandwagon of calling my daughters princesses I think it is way misleading and I feel that's some way may give them a complex. So I have no explanation as to why this would have come out of her mouth. I will admit I have called her a genius on many many occasions and yes when I ask her what mommy thinks she is, she answers genius, but that is very much a true statement. I do believe that she is on some sort of genius level, princess she is not, I mean if she was we certainly would not be in the place we are currently at.
Then after bath tonight she tells me that she is a princess and I am a queen... I dunno, maybe it is that I have really embraced the whole Disney princess thing, I didn't want to in the beginning but it is hard not to you know...But at least the knows the royalty order.
Addie- where'd daddy go?
Mommy- to get the baby monitor
Addie- what about the Addie monitor?
As we pull into BRU.
Addie- shhh baby cara is asleep
Mommy- that's right you are such a good big sister.
Addie- mmm hmm, yes I am
Mommy- a great big sister
Addie- no I a genius
Mommy- that you are, a genius
Addie-no I a princess
Oh my where does she come up with this stuff!
For those of you that may not know I am so not on the whole bandwagon of calling my daughters princesses I think it is way misleading and I feel that's some way may give them a complex. So I have no explanation as to why this would have come out of her mouth. I will admit I have called her a genius on many many occasions and yes when I ask her what mommy thinks she is, she answers genius, but that is very much a true statement. I do believe that she is on some sort of genius level, princess she is not, I mean if she was we certainly would not be in the place we are currently at.
Then after bath tonight she tells me that she is a princess and I am a queen... I dunno, maybe it is that I have really embraced the whole Disney princess thing, I didn't want to in the beginning but it is hard not to you know...But at least the knows the royalty order.
Church
So as we are leaving church I asked Addie what she did in church today, this was her reply...
Addie~ sang
Mommy~ what did you sing?
Addie~ the B.L.E. Song.
Mommy~ oh that's a good song, can you sing it for me?
Addie~ no, I can't member the song to the words.
Addie~ sang
Mommy~ what did you sing?
Addie~ the B.L.E. Song.
Mommy~ oh that's a good song, can you sing it for me?
Addie~ no, I can't member the song to the words.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Said during bath tonight
Mommy I made you some deeelicious milk
Mommy you want some more milk, I make you some more milk
You want play in my pond
I stir your milk
I Addie and you mommy
I am standing up
I need go peepee and poopoo (as she stands up doing a dance)
Mommy you want some more milk, I make you some more milk
You want play in my pond
I stir your milk
I Addie and you mommy
I am standing up
I need go peepee and poopoo (as she stands up doing a dance)
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Grandparents
Although I no longer have any grandparents of my own living on this earth, the very first my beloved Grandma Hanes, leaving me too soon when I was only 13 and the most recent my Grandma Porter just passing this year in July, I would like to dedicate this blog to them and all the other grandparents that are a part of our lives.
Doris Suber Hanes, my Mother's Mother, I was so young yet I remember so much of my time with her so vividly. She was such a wonderful woman overcoming so many obstacles in her life with so much strength. I have blogged about her before briefly, but really there isn't a blog that I could post that would do her justice. She loved me through and through, when I felt so alone (which happened often being the baby in the family) somehow she protected me so well. She showed me love like no other and I think that my nurturing came from her. David Jonathan Hanes, my Mother's Father, was a quiet man but such a good one, even though he was the man of the house he cared for everything like he was both mother and father. Since Grandma was confined, he had so many extra duties that he juggled so well. He looked over the day to day; cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. all the while keeping up with the bills, looking after the house, caring for Grandma, me (and whoever else was around). He had sense of humor that really only his family would understand, but I will never forget about dookie the cat, the boogers in the basement, and the wide load ;-) of course there was much more bc he was a man of depth. From him I learned that I want a man to be able to step up to the plate if need be and take care of business in stride. Over 50 years of more than just faithful marriage, my grandparents showed me so much more about life than I could have ever hoped to know about.
Alfred Theodore Porter Sr was my Father's Father, he knew what it took to make a family run properly. Papa was so strong, so wise I have never known a man with so many accomplishments in just the one lifetime that he spent here on earth. He built things, designed things, has artwork in the Smithsonian, fought in wars and was admired by so many. He was so strong in his faith and led our family well. From him I learned how to be disciplined, I know structure, I see worth in all of my belongings weather they be material or ethereal. Alma Miller Porter was my Father's Mother, I was able to spend the most time with her and I am thankful, because just over the last few years I was really able to build a relationship with Grandma Porter that I had never experienced before. Grandma was a picture perfect homemaker, she cooked better than anyone I know, and kept her house in tip top shape, always. She was strong, one of the strongest women I have ever known. I am thankful that she was the last one, because I think that she was the one that was so often overlooked, as the caretaker usually is ( God always knows what He is doing and it is always beautiful, His amazing plan.) From her I learned my strength, I learned that I am capable of so much more than people give me credit for. I think that my OCD may have come from her as well and though many may think that is not a good thing, I tend to disagree. Yeah it is difficult at times to deal with some of the things that I have to, but it's not as bad as it seems once you get used to it. Plus you can just about guarantee that I will always be on top of my surroundings. Over 50 years of more than just faithful marriage, my grandparents showed me so much more about life than I could have ever hoped for.
As the baby on both sides of the family I din't get to spend as much time with my grandparents as everyone else did, but I did get quality time with them. I am sad to say that I went through a period in my life that I didn't spend that much time with my grandparents, and sadly 2 of them slipped through the cracks before I could make up for lost time. That time I can never get back, but what I can do is be here to stand firm and make sure that Addie and Cara don't loose sight of how important it is to have a relationship with their grandparents.
I am thankful for the 4 grandparents that I married into, because through them I have gotten to experience adulthood grandparents, which is super cool. The relationship is so much different as an adult, but I wouldn't give up my childhood years with my grandparents for anything. Now only 3 remaining, but my new found knowledge of their importance brings us a lot closer than we were before.
Reece George Hughes, Chris' Father's Father, and just so happens to be the one grandparent out of all of Chris' that I had the best connection with. I don't know what it was, but Grandpa Hughes and I always connected on another level than everyone else, or at least it seemed that way to me. Although a quiet man he was very special, knowing his place as a husband and father and sacrificing to be the best at if. His grandchildren being the light of his life. With a sense of humor all his own, often making people think he was crazy when all along he was more with it than the rest of us. I see a lot of my him in my husband, this I treasure.
What pains me the most is that they never met our parent's grandchildren. What I would give for my grandparents to have been able to see me become a mother. Addie still speaks fondly of Great-Grandma Porter and even though it hurts, it heals simultaneously. She is still so blessed to have 3 remaining greats, I don't know if Chris realizes the goldmine that he is sitting on by being 30 something and still being able to call and talk to his grandparents even if it is just briefly.
I can't write a blog about grandparents and leave out the current stars of the show, Addie and Cara have the worlds 4 best grandparents bread by none other that the ones featured above... Even though their Grams and Pa Hughes are further away, these to little girls think so fondly of them. You know you don't have to be right around the corner to hold a top spot in someones heart. Their Grandma and Pa Porter are however right around the comer and we are so thankful that we have them close by. Grandma Porter stays with the girls during the week and we wouldn't have it another way!
Grand parents are awesome and let's face it, we wouldn't be here without them!
How did this day come to be you say?
Here's the story. Back in 1970, Marian McQuade, a West Virginia housewife, came up with the idea of a day set aside to encourage families to visit their elderly relatives. With a firm resolve to make it happen, she began lobbying policymakers. McQuade got through to her Senators, Jennings Randolph and Robert Byrd, who introduced a resolution to make Grandparents Day a national holiday. It took a while to reach the White House, but finally, in 1978, the resolution declaring National Grandparents Day as the first Sunday after Labor Day, was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter.
Ok, wait it gets better. There's a Grandparents Day song. A guy from Bad Axe, Michigan named Johnny Prill recorded "A Song for Grandma and Grandpa." It's not exactly "When I'm 64" but it's not terrible. Take a listen: A Song for Grandma and Grandpa.
Catchy, right? Granted, the date and its accompanying ditty haven't drawn the popularity of say, New Year's and "Auld Lang Syne" or Christmas and "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." Yet.
Bottom line, this Sunday, the law requires the President to call on the people of the United States to observe National Grandparents Day with appropriate pomp and circumstance.
Happy Grandparent's Day!!
Doris Suber Hanes, my Mother's Mother, I was so young yet I remember so much of my time with her so vividly. She was such a wonderful woman overcoming so many obstacles in her life with so much strength. I have blogged about her before briefly, but really there isn't a blog that I could post that would do her justice. She loved me through and through, when I felt so alone (which happened often being the baby in the family) somehow she protected me so well. She showed me love like no other and I think that my nurturing came from her. David Jonathan Hanes, my Mother's Father, was a quiet man but such a good one, even though he was the man of the house he cared for everything like he was both mother and father. Since Grandma was confined, he had so many extra duties that he juggled so well. He looked over the day to day; cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc. all the while keeping up with the bills, looking after the house, caring for Grandma, me (and whoever else was around). He had sense of humor that really only his family would understand, but I will never forget about dookie the cat, the boogers in the basement, and the wide load ;-) of course there was much more bc he was a man of depth. From him I learned that I want a man to be able to step up to the plate if need be and take care of business in stride. Over 50 years of more than just faithful marriage, my grandparents showed me so much more about life than I could have ever hoped to know about.
Alfred Theodore Porter Sr was my Father's Father, he knew what it took to make a family run properly. Papa was so strong, so wise I have never known a man with so many accomplishments in just the one lifetime that he spent here on earth. He built things, designed things, has artwork in the Smithsonian, fought in wars and was admired by so many. He was so strong in his faith and led our family well. From him I learned how to be disciplined, I know structure, I see worth in all of my belongings weather they be material or ethereal. Alma Miller Porter was my Father's Mother, I was able to spend the most time with her and I am thankful, because just over the last few years I was really able to build a relationship with Grandma Porter that I had never experienced before. Grandma was a picture perfect homemaker, she cooked better than anyone I know, and kept her house in tip top shape, always. She was strong, one of the strongest women I have ever known. I am thankful that she was the last one, because I think that she was the one that was so often overlooked, as the caretaker usually is ( God always knows what He is doing and it is always beautiful, His amazing plan.) From her I learned my strength, I learned that I am capable of so much more than people give me credit for. I think that my OCD may have come from her as well and though many may think that is not a good thing, I tend to disagree. Yeah it is difficult at times to deal with some of the things that I have to, but it's not as bad as it seems once you get used to it. Plus you can just about guarantee that I will always be on top of my surroundings. Over 50 years of more than just faithful marriage, my grandparents showed me so much more about life than I could have ever hoped for.
As the baby on both sides of the family I din't get to spend as much time with my grandparents as everyone else did, but I did get quality time with them. I am sad to say that I went through a period in my life that I didn't spend that much time with my grandparents, and sadly 2 of them slipped through the cracks before I could make up for lost time. That time I can never get back, but what I can do is be here to stand firm and make sure that Addie and Cara don't loose sight of how important it is to have a relationship with their grandparents.
I am thankful for the 4 grandparents that I married into, because through them I have gotten to experience adulthood grandparents, which is super cool. The relationship is so much different as an adult, but I wouldn't give up my childhood years with my grandparents for anything. Now only 3 remaining, but my new found knowledge of their importance brings us a lot closer than we were before.
Reece George Hughes, Chris' Father's Father, and just so happens to be the one grandparent out of all of Chris' that I had the best connection with. I don't know what it was, but Grandpa Hughes and I always connected on another level than everyone else, or at least it seemed that way to me. Although a quiet man he was very special, knowing his place as a husband and father and sacrificing to be the best at if. His grandchildren being the light of his life. With a sense of humor all his own, often making people think he was crazy when all along he was more with it than the rest of us. I see a lot of my him in my husband, this I treasure.
What pains me the most is that they never met our parent's grandchildren. What I would give for my grandparents to have been able to see me become a mother. Addie still speaks fondly of Great-Grandma Porter and even though it hurts, it heals simultaneously. She is still so blessed to have 3 remaining greats, I don't know if Chris realizes the goldmine that he is sitting on by being 30 something and still being able to call and talk to his grandparents even if it is just briefly.
I can't write a blog about grandparents and leave out the current stars of the show, Addie and Cara have the worlds 4 best grandparents bread by none other that the ones featured above... Even though their Grams and Pa Hughes are further away, these to little girls think so fondly of them. You know you don't have to be right around the corner to hold a top spot in someones heart. Their Grandma and Pa Porter are however right around the comer and we are so thankful that we have them close by. Grandma Porter stays with the girls during the week and we wouldn't have it another way!
Grand parents are awesome and let's face it, we wouldn't be here without them!
How did this day come to be you say?
Here's the story. Back in 1970, Marian McQuade, a West Virginia housewife, came up with the idea of a day set aside to encourage families to visit their elderly relatives. With a firm resolve to make it happen, she began lobbying policymakers. McQuade got through to her Senators, Jennings Randolph and Robert Byrd, who introduced a resolution to make Grandparents Day a national holiday. It took a while to reach the White House, but finally, in 1978, the resolution declaring National Grandparents Day as the first Sunday after Labor Day, was signed into law by President Jimmy Carter.
Ok, wait it gets better. There's a Grandparents Day song. A guy from Bad Axe, Michigan named Johnny Prill recorded "A Song for Grandma and Grandpa." It's not exactly "When I'm 64" but it's not terrible. Take a listen: A Song for Grandma and Grandpa.
Catchy, right? Granted, the date and its accompanying ditty haven't drawn the popularity of say, New Year's and "Auld Lang Syne" or Christmas and "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer." Yet.
Bottom line, this Sunday, the law requires the President to call on the people of the United States to observe National Grandparents Day with appropriate pomp and circumstance.
Happy Grandparent's Day!!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)