Fallish things

Oh man I love the holidays.
Everyday is a day for festivities and mainly continuing to decorate my apartment to death.

So far..we have carved pumpkins, painted pumpkins, made spider pumpkins, painted "jack-o-lantern" jars, taped paper mice to the walls, taped paper spiders to the walls, created leaf collages, and decorated sparkly paper pumpkins. Not to mention visited two awesome pumpkin patches (Yahoo Farms & earlier today, Berry Patch), an apple orchard, AND hit 3 fall festivals.
Have I mentioned how much I love the holidays. Halloween is in less than a week, and it is only the beginning! :)

Tomorrow we have plans to do another pumpkin craft, paint the baby pumpkins we collected today at the patch, and possibly create gauze ghosts if I have time to get the supplies. Oh! It's also ballet day. I am terribly at remembering ballet. Last week we missed it; we completely forgot! I really do need a calendar..maybe while we're being all crafty tomorrow, we will make one.
I love that Skylee loves 'doing things'. Like her ballet classes, gymnastics, music classes, cubbies, swim lessons, etc...anything she has ever tried, she has loved! And, I might add, she is very determined to succeed at whatever she tries. Last week she had her gymnastics recital for the month, and if she didn't get a tumble or jump right, she kept trying until she did. You could also tell..she likes speed. Which makes sense. On days we can't get to the park/outside somewhere, she runs around and around.
She is also CONSTANTLY dancing. And showing me her 'new dance moves.' And (i should add) jumping. I need to get her a little trampoline for my room; my bed will REALLY appreciate it. :)

Having a daughter is the sweetest part of my life. She completes me!
Not only am I showered with affection all day (I mean constantly I hear.."I love you mommy." "You are so sweet to me mommy!" "You are my favorite!" "You are a good mommy." "Come over here and give me a big hug!!" just out of the blue), but our little moments we have..our little conversations..priceless. It is crazy that aside from my relationship with my husband, I have the closest, most intimate and special relationship with a three year old!
I always thought I'd have kids closer together...2 years ideally..because my brother and I are two years apart, and we have had such a close relationship growing up. However, the more I reflect, the happier I am I have had these 3 1/2 years with JUST Skylee...to love on her, be silly with her, really get to know her...and it has given her time to understand rules, discipline, what we expect, etc without distraction.
I really have a feeling this next baby will be a girl. But who knows! I am hoping for either! :)

Lately, Skylee's new phrase has been "don't you think?" She attaches it to the end of every statement. "We should get some ice cream, don't you think?" "We should read one more book, don't you think?" "It's time to play hide and seek....don't you think?" :) And it is hard to say No to that!

She fasted for the first time the other day...(oh, our Bible lessons, God teaching moments are my favorites!)
We prayed for Papa B (my dad) and I fasted from the computer all day, and she decided to fast from tv.
I explained what fasting is, and her first response, of course, "I will fast from picking up my toys!" haha

While I am sure I will boo-hoo like a baby when she goes to preschool next year, I cannot wait. She is going to love it! The other day I was working on my school work, and she sat in my lap, and asked if she could look through my school book. Then, with just the saddest face, she said, "I want to go to school with you. But I can't. It's only for grownups. That makes me sad." So, we looked through my book, and I taught her about the body, how God created us! How we work! I let her feel her rib cage and hip bone, and I pointed them out on an image of a skeleton. I showed her the heart and the vessels and briefly explained how blood works. She seemed to enjoy it so much...I decided I need to challenge her more. It is so easy to underestimate someone so young!
So yesterday we created flashcards. Three letter nouns (like cat, mom, dad, rat, bat, dog, etc) with a picture on the back of the card. She read her first word: CAT! She knows her letters, and we are working on the sounds, so I think this will really help!
Anyway, I will have to post some pictures. This is getting too wordy!

Perfect Bedtime

Earlier tonight, when I tucked Skylee in bed, she kissed my belly and talked to the baby for at least thirty minutes. Her little conversation went something like this: "Hey baby, I am your big sister! My name is Skylee. That is S-K-Y-L-E-E! You do not have a name yet. Are you a boy or a girl? My mommy says when you come out of her tummy, she will be sore for a whole day! And you will eat applesauce and milk. Don't worry. We will go to the store and buy some for you. I will feed you in the morning! (meow meow) Oh, that's Pepper! He is a cute kitty, and he is feisty. Mommy is a very good mommy. And daddy is working right now. He is the best daddy in the whole world! Mommy says you are coming for my birthday. My birthday is going to be so much fun, and do you know what the best part will be? You, baby! I love you, baby. Call daddy and tell him goodnight for me, okay? (then she explained to be there is a phone in my belly for the baby.)"
She went on and on...I love these moments with her preparing for a little sibling.  :)

Ultrasound!!

Grammy took Skylee and me to my second ultrasound last week!!
Skylee loved being able to see the little baby in my belly and hear his/her heartbeat.
We got back mid-November to find out the gender!

Skylee wants to name the baby Joe or Marco if its a boy and Lace or Angelina if it's a girl. (Although her favorite names change daily!)

Fall..sort of.

Haleigh!

Loving this semi-fall weather! 60s one day, 80s the next. Woohoo Georgia!
Today we had a playdate with our neighbor Haleigh, her baby brother, Caleb, and her mother, Erin.
After running around the playground/sand for an hour or so, everyone came over for dinner, play dough, bubble blowing, and water coloring.
So happy I am finally in my second trimester (aka over morning sickness) AND over my cold sickness. Now I have (some) energy and am feeling more like my old, social self! I see many more playdates with Haleigh in the future. (Skylee and her have often been mistaken for each other..two cuties with brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin.) Plus, I can't deny it..I love playing with baby Caleb. Soon I'll have a baby of my own!! Tehee.

We also started up gymnastics again today. We haven't gotten to go the past two weeks because of fall break, but it started again this morning. This month there are four students in her class. Skylee, Ruth, Sophia, and Julian. Skylee and Sophia already have a playdate planned this Friday at the park.

Yesterday, Skylee showed me some of her new ballet "moves". Oh my. Ballet, whimsical arm dancing, a little booty-shaking (goodness, don't get me started), even a bit of break dancing, LOTS of spinning and even a few somersaults...It was very unique. :)
Earlier this week we got to go to the park at First Baptist with Lacey and Margina..for oh..only 5 hours! I don't know who had more fun..Skylee and Lacey running around, watering 'plants', playing house...or Margina and me rambling our faces off. Park weather = best ever. Wish everyday we could go to the park for hours. Skylee had Lacey over to spend the night last Friday as well. They stayed up til nearly midnight and woke the next morning too early. Around 7:30 I heard Lacey shaking Skylee, exclaiming "Wake up!! It's not dark outside anymore!!" After breakfast and a princess movie, they had a tea party on the back porch. Fortunately, later that day Skylee cuddled up with me and napped.
I love the way Skylee tries using 'big' words she hears even though she doesn't know the context.
"Mommy, my spoon is too expensive. I want another one."
"That is just my intuition. I cannot clean my room."

Kennesaw Mountain

Went hiking last week with our friends Caleb and Heather. :)
Skylee made it all the way to the top of the mountain!! (And her plush panda, too!)
She was very happy, too, when Heather let her walk her puppy, Lennon. Just Skylee's size! The weather was perfect, and what a work out the five of us received!

two little jelly beans

Lacey is spending the night tonight!
It's been an exciting day; we woke up late, lounged around (enjoying our clean house!), moved around some furniture, and started decorating for fall/halloween! Skylee loved going through the boxes...she didn't remember most of our little ghosts, goblins, and pumpkin people. :) She picked the mummies to hang in her room.

Caleb went to work around 5:30, and after a short stop to the dollar store, we picked up Lacey. Of course, we blasted Pandamania all the way home. I'm so appreciative that Skylee has a little friend to share her fun experiences with (VBS, gymnastics, even just going to the pool, movies, etc) .
Two little girls can be a lot of fun. It can also be very frustrating. haha :)
We started the evening hanging a few more decorations and being crafty. I made paper spiders, while Skylee created a collage of stickers, and Lacey traced her hands and feet.
After 'experimenting' in the kitchen for a while with water, salt, food dyes, baking powder/vinegar, and a few other ingredients, the girls took a bubble bath and got ready for bed. Then we got to cuddle on the couch and read book after book after book. When I was too tired to read anymore, I inflated the air mattress and tucked them in! I can hear them in Skylee's room giggling, whispering, and playing, but I don't mind as long as they stay quiet. :)
We love play dates!

Skylee and the Beatles!

Last week, I took Skylee to see the Beatles live!! (well..sort of. you know, look-alike cover band and all, but she didn't know that. tehee :)   )
We had been going nonstop all day, so by the time the little festival started in downtown Woodstock (it started at 7:30), Skylee was exhausted. I was surprised she didn't fall asleep during the show! She looked like she might at times...they started off with I Wanna Hold Your Hand. :)
After a few tunes, we wandered back to do the inflatable bounce house, face painting, and balloon animals. Then we made our way up to the very very front (literally right in front of the stage!), and danced and swayed and sang along the rest of the show! She had to have been the only 3 year old singing every lyric to Yellow Submarine, Seargant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band..among others. (We are mainly fans of songs off Yellow Sub!)
I wish we could have gone backstage after the show, so she could really "meet" them, but we had to leave a little early to pick up Caleb from work. :)
Skylee even pointed out to me who was who. Ringo is her favorite.

I have to mention as well (because it made my night!)..Last night I made cous cous with raisins & curry chicken for dinner, and Skylee raved on and on about how much she loved it. "Mom! This is the best best best dinner ever! I mean ever! I'm going to get up and give you a hug now. Thank you so so much!" It was adorable. :) Guess that recipes a keeper.

ballet today

captured a few moments of ballet on the little tvs in the viewing room... :) she's the far right closest to the door.

Camping

Last week, Skylee, Caleb, and I went camping!
After 3 nights in a row of not being able to go whether from rain or Caleb's work schedule, we finally made it.
While we wanted to originally go to Cloudland Canyon, we decided on Red Top for our first fall outing of the fall as it is closer, and we got a site right on Lake Allatoona!
We arrived at our site around 6pm. Skylee and I ventured down to the lake (discovering turtles, frogs, and deer along the way!) while Caleb got stuck with chopping firewood. :)
We set up our tents, chairs, and cooler, and started cooking! Silver Turtles= best part of camping (yes even better than smores!)
London Broil with potatoes, apples, mushrooms, and onion. We also cooked corn on the cob and baked potatoes. Smores (of course) for dessert, though we ended up eating mostly just the roasted marshmallows.
Skylee was very excited to carry her little flashlight around and explore in the dark! She even slept in her own tent (right next to ours of course).
After dark, we stayed up by the campfire and read stories, and talked.
Not sure what time it was (we left our phones at home and had no clock), but I'm guessing around 11 Skylee passed out in my arms. We tucked her safely in her tent. :)
Caleb and I hung our trash bag on a high hook, and thought we secured our food for the night...however, when we woke EARLY the next morning, we found the raccoons had eaten almost everything!! A whole loaf of bread, some of our cereal, our left over steak from the cooler, any scrap leftovers from the trash, and we found about thirty hershey kiss wrappers all over the site. Those sneaky raccoons!!!
Skylee found this very humorous, though.
After enjoying the early morning, doing a few trails, sitting out on the lake for a while, and packing up, we headed home to have some time to rest before Caleb had to go to work.

I didn't take any pictures, but Skylee was born to camp. She loved exploring the woods (what kid doesnt), building a fire, helping me make silver turtles, setting up the tent...finding wildlife..venturing on trails...Love her.

Awana Club

Skylee also started Church Choir/Cubbies beginning of August.
In choir, so far they have learned "God is so good to me" and some creation song about all the animals God created. :)
In cubbies, Skylee has learned 1 John 4:8 God is love, and Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. I'll have to post a video of her singing them; priceless.

She told me the other day a little boy in the cubbies class drank paint water. She thought it was so gross and silly. Love it.

Pocahontas

Skylee is growing bigger, smarter, more beautiful, and especially, more talkative. :)

The other night she grabbed her Tracing Letters/Words booklet, and spent over an hour in her room working hard; she loved it! We have been tracing everything! Now that she has learned how to correctly hold a pencil/crayon, her dexterity has improved drastically overnight. Coloring in the lines, painting pictures, tracing words...I love watching her grow.

Beginning of August Caleb switched jobs from AT&T to Best Buy, and we found ourselves with a week off work! So, we ventured up to Indy to visit my mom for her birthday. We had a perfect mini-vaca. Skylee is always a joy on long roadtrips...really! (She is just so easy!)
August 3, 2011, after a 9 hour drive home, I found out I'm pregnant!
Skylee is so proud to tell everyone she knows (and doesnt) that she is going to be a big sister. We talk about the baby everyday in little ways.
Skylee asked me this morning if she can feed the baby cereal in the mornings. She always wants to teach the baby how to paint. :)
She wants a baby sister, but she told me we won't know until it grows eyelashes.
I am between 9 and 10 weeks along..so far the due date is March 31. 
We are so excited to have another little addition to our family!! I really cannot imagine anything more happy than another baby to love, and a little sibling for Skylee.

Skylee started gymnastics this morning. She really likes ballet, LOVES tap dance, but gymnastics is her favorite. There is only one other little girl in her class-- Ruth (they took gymnastics together in the summer).
Since Caleb started with Best Buy, we have become Michaels junkies (it's right next door to Best Buy). Two or three times a week we browse for cheap crafts and inspiration. We picked up a water coloring kit last week, and it has been a huge success. Skylee is very determined to always use every single color at least once, so her pictures turn out especially colorful.



Oh! And Pocahontas. We have been listening to the Pocahontas soundtrack non-stop in the car, and I caught Skylee singing along yesterday. In the song, the pilgrims sing "Savages, savages." in the scene before John Smith's supposed death. Well, Skylee has interpreted this as "sandwiches, sandwiches." Tehee. :) Makes me giggle everytime I hear it.

Vacation Bible School

Pandamania VBS!!

Grandma Velva's Birthday!!/ fam reunion May 2011

May 24, 2011

Skylee, Lacey, and Ruth graduated gymnastics class! Yipee!!

Music Class!

Last week, Skylee and I enrolled in Gymboree music classes. It took her half of the first class to warm up, but now she loves is. There are about 6-8 kids in our class (plus parents!), and every Thursday from 10:45-11:30 we sing, dance, and play with instruments. Today we learned a jazzy little song (with coordinating dance movements) about a trumpet player in New Orleans! Next week we are starting a 2 week series about folk music. 

The class starts off with a "good morning" song, then we stand up, stretch, and wiggle all our body parts. After a few minutes of dancing, we learn a new song and sing it. After waking Mr Microphone, each kid takes a turn singing different tunes into it. We also pass a big drum around, each kid trying to keep the beat. :) That's Skylee's favorite part; she likes to drum loudly. At the end of the class, we dump out two huge containers of an assortment of instruments everywhere and play as an orchestra! Then, after the goodbye song, we're off for an hour of Open Gym in the Gymboree playzone. Slides, tunnels, trampolines, balls, obstacle courses, balance beam...the playzone has it all. 

Today Skylee made a new friend: Ruby! They played the whole time vigorously. They took turns pushing each other in a wooden car, played "lion"- one chasing while one hid, made a little house under an obstacle course...and the best part is we'll see little Ruby again next week for more playing!

And an even better part..next week Daddy will be able to come to music class too!!

Gymnastics

This morning at 10:30am, Skylee started gymnastics with her best friend, Lacey. There is only one other girl in the class; her name is Ruth. While parents were not allowed inside, we proudly watched our little gymnasts through the tiny window perform somersaults, balance on the balance beam, compete in a small obstacle course, and try to twist on a high bar.
Skylee has been looking forward to today since a week ago when I enrolled her. Everyday she begs "Is today gymnastics?!?" Finally, today was! She picked out her 'gymnast' outfit a week ago, too, so this morning when I told her to put it on, she knew. :)
She told me yesterday she wants to take gymnastics, swimming, and piano. And I hope to spoil her in the arts! I've already enrolled her for a music class through Gymboree, and am debating between more gymnastics or ballet for the fall. We have plenty of time to decide, though.
Ms. Rebecca, the gymnastic instructor, told us Skylee and Lacey were excellent listeners! I think having a friend with them, is helping the girls to ease into a class-like structure.
Over the past few weeks, Lacey and Skylee have been inseparable. Same with Margina and me! Just about every day we have gotten together whether to relax at the pool, venture to new churches together, play dress up, watch movies..our lists go on and on. And now gymnastics!
After gymnastics, we went to J J Biello park for an hour where Skylee made another friend (Savannah), joined daddy on his lunch break, visited Grammy at school, and finally made it back home to transform my apartment into a gymnastic obstacle course.
Bicycle across the tile, under the table-now-tunnel, spin in the chair three times, somersault on the yoga mats, balance beam across the painters tape (sprawled across the carpet), climb over the pile of pillows, and finish with a few jumps on the bed.
Throughout the course, Skylee excitedly explained everything that she learned in her class this morning, and taught me what to do. ;)
We finished off the evening with the drawing game. Somebody picks a theme, and everybody draws it. Tonight Skylee chose a tree and a flower. Then, she drew a picture of Nana Velva and me with a birthday cake. Happy early birthday, Grandma Velva!



Also, last night we went to Sparkles with Lacey, Margina, and Ryan. Since Skylee got skates for her birthday, she has been anticipating using them. We stayed close to three hours and did everything. We started off skating (Skylee in between Caleb and me) until Skylee was ready for a break; then we arcade-d it up! Skylee and I are ever the arcade junkies...We used 4 tokens and won 33 tickets which we exchanged for smarties and sweet tarts. (and a spider ring!)

Next, pizza break, followed by the playground. Sparkles has an epic playground for kids; I think Skylee would be content living there. After an hour or so of playground, skating, playground, skating, we did our final rounds and headed home. While Skylee gets frustrated after a while of not being able to skate on her own, I see a lot of improvement each time we skate! And more importantly, she has the determination to keep trying. :) Yay, Skylee!!

April 16 Renaissance Festival

Saturday morning at 11am, Margina, Ryan, Lacey, Skylee and I ventured downtown towards Fairburn to attend the opening day of the Renaissance Festival! Two hours later (thanks to road work minimizing 6 lanes to ONE), we finally entered the magical world of fairies, princesses and princes, and knights. Skylee and Lacey were beside themselves. :) We road medieval kid rides, enjoyed some turkey legs, danced with performers and gypsies, watched several skits including jousting, and Skylee and Lacey were even publically declared princesses. Oh- and we met the fairy queen! And got our faces painted! And saw a petting zoo. Oh..the fun went on and on.

Skylee and Lacey were a little concerned with the jousting! So sweet and sensitive. We assured them, though, it was just pretend, and after meeting both knights, they agreed. (They loved the horses best.) They also danced every opportunity they got. Bellydancers performing? They'd stand on the bleachers and dance along. Two men playing a fiddle and a guitar? They'd stop and boogie down. Drummers in a little store? Dancing occurred. What a great day; we will have to go back!

At the end of the day when we finally started home, we were all exhausted.

3 years Old

Updated Interview:
1. Favorite Colour: blue and black
2. Favorite Book: Yellow Submarine (Paul is her favorite!) and her Froggy book.
3. Favorite Food: Sushi
4. Favorite Drink: Apple Juice
5. Favorite Animal: Zebra
6. Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: White (lol Vanilla I assume)
7. Favorite Movie: Princess and the Frog
8. Favorite TV Show: Sailor Moon
9. Favorite Song: Sailor Moon's Love Song and theme song
10. Favorite Super Hero: Batman
11. Favorite Toy: Baby Imogen's Toys
12. Favorite Game: Animal Dominoes
13. Best Friend: Lacey
14. Favorite Stuffed Animal: brown teddy bear
15. What do you want to be when you grow up: Chibi Usa, a doctor at a park, or a teacher at a  birthday party school. "And a penguin when I am 32."
16. Favorite thing about being three: "I'm not 2 and a half."
17. What makes you laugh: "My hairbrush because it has hair in it. And daddy. He tickles me."
18. What makes you sad: "When you give me spankings, I cry."
19. What makes you mad: "When you don't get up."  (referring to my nap earlier today!)
20. What makes you happy: "Animals."

Indy/Louisville road trip