Summer Fun

I can't believe so much time has passed since I last blogged and I really can't believe so many weeks of Summer Break have already passed. I can't really think of anything big or exciting that has happened since I last wrote. We're having a low-key summer! And I love it! MG goes to "school" (aka Mother's Day Out) on Tuesdays and Thursdays still. I thought it was pretty important to keep her on some part of her routine. Plus it gives me some time to chill out, go to lunch, and go to professional development when I need to. On Fridays we go to Storytime at the library. She's moved up a group this summer! She now goes to the Pee-Wee storytime instead of Lapsit. She gets her very own carpet square (which she refuses to sit on), they hear stories and get to make a craft every week. Her friend Jack goes, too! They love playing afterward. We try to go eat lunch with her Daddy at least once a week. That's one of my favorite things about summertime! He loves it and we love it, too! We've been to Chuck E Cheese a couple times. We even took J one day! I'm not sure who had more fun! We went to the water park in the next town over one day. We met 3 of my girlfriends and their kiddos for lunch then all ventured to the park. MG had a blast. She's such a water bug. She actually had a pretty close call once. She lost her balance and went forward in to the water and couldn't get her balance. Before I could get to her she came up and went back down again. It scared the crap out of me, but she was fine a minute later and back in the water! I'm not sure if being fearless is a good or dangerous quality! We love playing in the pool. I call it our "Redneck Country Club"! She loves splashing around, sticking her face in the water, and sliding down her slide. I love that she's not scared of water at all! Every weekend we've been going up to the hills. We spent 1 weekend at the lake, 1 weekend was her cousin's 3rd bday party and last weekend was J's aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary party. This weekend we're going up just to relax at the lake. She loves the lake! She had a great time at the party - she scarfed down a cupcake and was so cute doing it that she gained an audience! Ha! She was a really good sport at the anniversary party, too. It was past naptime, it was hot and full of strangers. But she was so good! I am in awe every single day at what a little girl she has become! She carries on conversations, tells us what she wants (or doesn't want!), if something hurts she can tell us, she knows what she likes (and doesn't like!). If she wants to watch "Diego" (her new favorite obsession) she just tells us! It's crazy! Her new thing is "I WILL not"! I hear that a lot! Or "I don't want to". She's something else! I have my hands completely full and can only imagine what is to come! She not only loves to watch Diego, but she loves to play Diego! She's always looking for an animal to rescue or playing with baby Jaguar. She has an imagination a mile long! Sometimes I worry because she doesn't ever want to play with other kids and refuses to talk to anyone she doesn't know really well...I hope she outgrows that! A couple nights after we set up her toddler bed, she figured out that she can get out on her own. Sometimes bedtime is a struggle, but for the most part it's not too bad. Every night, though, she gets up around 1 to 3 am and gets in bed with us. Part of me knows I should put a stop to it, but the other (bigger) part of me loves it! I want her to go to bed in her own bed - and she does. I used to get in bed with my parents every night until I was in elementary school! I was old enough that I remember it! I don't think it hurts anything! I like to get my snuggle time in! I guess I should add in here that our sweet puppy Cooper died. It's been almost 4 weeks and I still have to sing about him every single night when I tuck MG in. She definitely misses him! He was such a good puppy and she was so crazy about him. We're tossing around the idea of a new one, but honestly, another one could never replace him. I guess we'll wait and see!

Big Girl Bed

We decided to try taking MG's bed down to a toddler bed and see if that helped her sleeping/nighttime issues. This is her 3rd night in it. Night 1 was rough. Took her until almost 11 to fall asleep. She would sit up and scream at us. She didn't want to go to sleep at all, but she never got out! I don't think she realized she could! She ended up sleeping all night in her own bed, though! Yay! Night 2 she went to sleep better, but woke up in the middle of the night to get in our bed. I had to go get her, though, because she still didn't realize she could get out on her own! Tonight, night 3, took her less time to finally go to sleep, less crying, but she did figure out that she could get up! Twice we looked up and she was just standing in the middle of her bedroom watching us! We'll see how long she stays in her own bed...hopefully all night! Momma needs some sleep! She looks so big in her big bed! She's not my baby anymore, she's a big girl. Not sure I like that at all! But the other part of me is so full of pride! She's an amazing little creature full of life, wonder and energy!

Lake Trip

We spent a much needed weekend away at the lake. We have been up there tons, of course, to see J's parents, but we've never stayed at the lake house or taken MG out on the boat. We got in Friday night and took the 4wheeler down to the water to let MG look. She wanted J to swim her out to a buoy in the water! We got up Saturday morning and headed out on the boat with MG's uncle, aunt and cousins. She LOVED it!! She loved watching the water spray up. We stopped at a little beach area and let the kids swim and play. I thought she would go nuts over the sand, but she never would get out of the water long enough to play in it! She had the best time splashing around, playing water tag with Eli, swimming and playing. On the way back, she kept wanting the boat to go faster! Sunday morning she kept asking to go on "her" boat!

Potty Training in Full Force

MG decided she wanted to peeper in her princess potty on Wednesday...she's been going ever since! It's actually pretty amazing and a little shocking how easy it's been. But, we didn't pressure her. We let her decide it was time and that's how she works best! Yesterday she was dry all day except for 1 accident. But we were outside playing and she squatted in the yard and peed! Other than that she was dry all day and peed in her potty (and the potty at Taco Bell) at least 100 times! She loves those Smarties she gets when she goes! I started off giving her 4 or 5 in a bowl when she went, but quickly switched it to 1 in each hand when I realized she was willing to sit on the potty for hours straining to get a tiny drop of something out for a treat! Today she woke up dry and has been dry ever since! We took her to the store and let her pick out new panties (they were out of Dora so she settled for Minnie) and got some Dora Pullups. I am so proud of her! And I love how excited she gets when she goes. She'll say "Momma sooo pwoud of me!". I'm glad she knows I am! I wonder if she knows how sad I am about how quickly she's growing up?!

I Guess It's Time to Potty Train

My plan all along has been to potty train (or at least try my best!) MG this summer while I'm off. I haven't been in any hurry, but I think she's ready. Friday I was changing her diaper and she said "I want to peepee on my princess potty"...and she did! Later that afternoon she peed in her potty again! Saturday she insisted on sitting on the potty at the restaurant we were at. She strained and tried to pee until her face was blood red and she was shaking! She's dedicated! Ha! Saturday afternoon at home she asked to sit on her princess potty again and she pooped on the potty!! We were both shocked. It freaked her out a little! But once I got excited for her, she was excited, too! Today she's asked to potty a few times but only actually went once. So, I guess that's my cue to take it seriously. Looks like we won't be going many places this week except the bathroom!

Sleep Update

I guess I need to update so that when we go through this again in a few months I can look back and see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel! Whatever MG was going through, she is finally working it out. I've done surprises and rewards for sleeping in her bed at nap this week and she gets chocolate milk in the morning for sleeping in her bed all night. I'm not proud of my bribery, but when you're desperate, you use what you can! Wednesday night was probably our absolute hardest night. I had a dinner to go to which started off the evening in a negative light. When I got home at 9:15ish, she was still in her bed crying. Jamey said she'd been crying for me for an hour...break a Mother's heart! So I rocked her and calmed her down, but as soon as I went to lay her down she flipped out. So I sat in her bedroom floor staring at the pattern in the carpet for an hour. She would periodically peek up and make sure I was still there before laying back down. She ended up asleep and slept in her bed until 5:30am! I was so proud. Thursday night we were at the ballpark until 9pm so she was exhausted when we got home. I rocked her, sang her some songs and she was out. Her only request is that we leave the door open. We've always shut her door when we leave and she's always been fine with it. But now she wants it open and that we can handle! Naps have been good, too. Today I layed her down, sang 2 songs and she's been asleep for 2 hours! Thank you, Lord, that this too shall pass! **Update...I "spoke" too soon and the night ended up awful! She did sleep through the night once she finally went to sleep, though. I have to give her points for creativity, though. She needed a drink, she was hungry, her finger hurt and she needed a bandaid...

Little Princess

I got MG dressed and fixed her hair this morning before school. She wanted to "show the mirror" how she looked! When she saw herself she said "I a wittle pincess"! Yes she is!