We're still here!

Sorry for the lack of updates!  It's been very hectic around here since I went back to work and started school last week.  Every free moment I had over the last few weeks over summer break were spent cleaning out and preparing my classroom for my little darlings which left little time for blogging.  We are indeed doing well and I am currently working on my lesson plans for the week...

My first week as a classroom teacher went better than expected.  There are a few changes that need to be made and the lack of planning time makes making those changes very difficult.  My first week of classes went well and I'm very excited about this semester!

Mackenzy ended up with a viral infection and a 103 degree fever the day before I went back to work, but she is doing better now.

Here are a few pictures that were taken over the past month.  Enjoy!

She was getting out of her high chair and got stuck.  Of course I had to take a picture!

Only my child would attempt to wash her hands and her toys in the Le Bleu water dispenser and smile in the process!

 She loves warm towels and has to have one wrapped around her when they are fresh out of the drier!

 This was my attempt to take a picture of her that was suitable for her pre school teacher!  I think I did a pretty good job!  Pre school starts in about a week and she is very excited!

After reading and doing various assignments this week, I was exhausted.  I snuggled up with my stinky and we took a nap.  I love moments like this!

The End of Diapers!

I apologize for the lack of postings over the past few weeks.  In the midst of working summer camp, cleaning out the junk in my classroom, and attending a week long TEACCH Training, we decided to try potty training again... Yes I said again...

A few months ago, when Mackenzy was about 20 months old I decided to try potty training because she was showing all of the signs of readiness.  She was telling us when she was wet, willing to sit on the potty, requesting to change her diaper when it was dirty, and even saying she needed to go potty.  I thought it would be a piece of cake, but boy was I wrong.  Our sweet little girl became a stressed out toddler because she couldn't figure it out and I got discouraged because I  couldn't figure out why she wasn't getting it.  After about a week of no success, we put the training pants away and put her back in diapers and gave training a break.

After waiting a few months, reading a few more books, and waiting for the signs to reappear, I decided to give it another try.  I stocked the kitchen with plenty of drinks, toys, the computer, and her favorite DVDs and barricaded my bottomless child in the kitchen so I could clean up easier.  After a day of trying to "catch" her pee in the potty, she finally went potty right before bedtime!  She was so proud of herself and Ray and I happily did the potty dance!

2 weeks later, Mackenzy is telling us when she needs to go potty, wearing big girl panties, and will pee in everyone's toilet!  We did have a few setbacks on the way: (1) at first she would only use the potty when she was bottomless because the training pants and pull ups felt like diapers to her; (2) traveling long periods of time in the car makes it harder to stay on her potty schedule sowe have to stop more frequently; and (3)  she has had to learn to take little sips because she'll pee every 5 minutes if she drinks an entire cup of drink...

Overall, we are so proud of our Big (22 month) old Girl!  We realize that she's still learning and she may have some setbacks in the future, but we are well on the way to the end of diapers!!!



iPhone love!

Well I have finally entered the iPhone world and gotten rid of my Blackberry.  I absolutely L.O.V.E. my iPhone and the best part is the video camera!

While my mom was gone on a trip, Mackenzy sent her a message and thought it was so amazing that she could see herself on the phone.  It was the cutest thing ever!

I tried to catch her counting, but she was unable to focus because she was looking at herself...  Enjoy!

Mackenzy's World

"Hi Everyone!

My summer is going great!  I'm almost 22 months old and I love to talk, sing, and dance!  Mommy bought me these cool "goggles" (aka: sunglasses) from our favorite store, Target, and I really love them!  Please excuse my nakedness in the picture, but I'm to sexy for my shirt! 

You can't tell, but in this picture I'm sitting on the potty!  I was doing so well at telling Mommy and Daddy that I needed to go pee pee and poo poo and asking them to change my "bye-per" (aka: diaper), that Mommy thought we should try potty training.  I decided during that week that I wasn't ready to wear big girl panties and I couldn't seem to go pee pee in the potty so we took a break from using that silly thing.  Mommy says we are going to try again in a few weeks so hopefully I'll get it right this time!  I'm looking forward to wearing big girl panties!

 When I grow up I want to be just like mommy!  I paint my nails like Mommy; put on powder like Mommy; put on "eye" (aka: eye shadow) like Mommy; and I even like to wear Mommy's shoes.  Mommy always wears this strange thing on her head at night and I decided I wanted to wear one too!  I'm not sure what it's called, but I like wearing it around the house!

 On July 4th, my "J" grilled corn and his friends house.  I missed the cookout because I took a 3.5 hour nap that day, but Mommy was nice enough to bring me some corn and sausage back!  I really liked that corn and ate the whole thing by myself.  I even tried to eat Daddy's corn when I was done, but Mommy said that Daddy had already eaten his.

I also LOVE any kind of pasta!  My favorite kind of pasta is "macronicheese" (aka: macaroni and cheese) and I could eat that every day with my favorite veggie "bean bean" (aka: green beans).  Mommy says I can't eat "macronicheese" every day because I need to eat lots of different foods to be healthy and strong.  As far as I'm concerned "macaronicheese" covers all food groups and I should be able to eat it all day!

In this picture, Mommy brought me leftover pasta weezie from Carrabbas.  It was delicious except for the shrimp in it... When Mommy wasn't looking, I put the shrimp down in my highchair.  Don't tell her I told you that!

Mommy and I were cleaning out my closet and getting my old fall clothes ready for consignment.  I really wanted to help Mommy so I knocked over the clothes bin that had all my clothes in it, but Mommy wasn't happy.  I had to go to time out and I learned not to knock over boxes because I could get hurt.

After cleaning up my mess I realized that Daddy wasn't home yet and I really missed him.  I kept looking out the window saying, "Dadda, where are you?  No Dadda".

I'm very busy this summer learning, growing, and sleeping late!  In the fall I'll begin pre-school and I'm very excited, althought Mommy says I don't get to ride the "schoo-bus" (aka:school bus).  I'm a big girl now!  Bye bye!"

Chillin by the pool

So at the pool the other day, Mackenzy was very intrigued by the water spouts (?) in the kiddie pool.  Last year she was terrified by them and loved the bigger pool.  This year, she prefers to stay in the kiddie pool near the water spouts and is scared of the adult pool.

She likes to slash on the spouts and try to cover them up...

 And here she is trying to figure out where she has seen a water spout and what else she can do with it...

"Oh!  I remember!  It's just like a water fountain!  Let me drink some!  Yummy!"



21 month happenings!

I am finally on Summer vacation!  This year has been long and stressful, but had plenty of fun times.  I've been with a job, without a job, wondering where my job placement would be, learning where my job placement would be, waiting for acceptance in to grad school, getting accepted, waiting for financial aid, declining an assistantship, working part-time, being a mom, being a wife, and finding time for myself...  Needless to say, by June 15th I was more than happy to take a break from "normal" life and embrace my Summer schedule.

So what have I been up to?  Working summer camp, working out like a mad woman, and enjoying my family!  The good thing about being a teacher is that I get summers off and I get time to be a stay at home mom for a few months.  The summer break almost makes up for the fact that I haven't gotten a raise in 3 years and the fact that they cut my position...  I've been able to sleep in (meaning until 6:30), relax at the pool, and work on getting my "sexy" back.  This year has been emotionally draining and I felt like I lost part of myself along the way. 

I'll post more about that later, but on a lighter note can you believe Mackenzy is 21 months old now?  We celebrated by putting her travel system up for sale and getting her a new lightweight stroller.  She absolutely loves her stroller and I let her sit in it in the house so I could learn how to use it!  Once again, look at those long legs!

Her stats based on my measurements:  She is about 22.5lbs, 33.5in tall, wears a 6.5 shoe, and can wear a 2t in clothes for length but still fits in to her 18mo clothes.  She is beginning to sit still for longer periods of time to watch her favorite dvd and cartoons (Bubble Guppies, Yo Gabba Gabba, Yogi Bear, Tom & Jerry, Team Umizumi, Dora the Explorer, and Go Diego Go).  She understands 1-2 step directions, speaks in 3-4 word utterances/sentences, loves giving hugs and kisses, loves stomping on buggers (bugs) and piders (spiders), and loves coloring.

Most importantly, she LOVES being outside which is hard for me because I'm not an outdoor person.  We'll venture out once a day to get some vitamin D and to play.  If I'm having a lazy indoor day, she'll come an ask me to take a ride in the jogging stroller.

Everyday we walk to the mailbox to get the mail.  After a detour to the neighbors door to play with their pinwheel and to say hi to their dog, we'll get down there and she'll play with the bush...

This particular day we decided to blow bubbles and eat popsicles.  About 5 minutes later she spilled the bubbles all over the ground and on her shoes.  I guess I'll have to buy more bubbles!

Who needs bubbles when you have grass to play in!  Mackenzy will often bring in leaves or "blows" (dandelions) from outside and give them to me or Ray.  We are still working on having her leave the greenery outside...

 This is just a random picture of her playing with her new "goggles" (aka sunglasses).  I tried to catch her with them on, but she kept running away from me!  Little booger!

Little Gym Showcase!

Today was the last class of the spring semester at The Little Gym.  Parents, kids, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, etc. came to class to watch their "Beastie" show off their skills.  That's right, Mackenzy is a BEAST!  Ha ha!  Below are some of the pictures taken from last weeks class and this weeks showcase.  Enjoy!



 Hey mommy!  Just hangin around!

If you are confused by the next one.  Whenever Ms. Keri brings out the bubbles, the kids flock to her and all lift up their shirts to get bubbles blown on their bellies.  It is for this reason that I make sure to dress her in a shirt and pants on class days and not one piece outfits....

 She was getting sleep and decided to make herself comfortable on the mat and rest her head on the ball.

 Awards picture take 1...

 Awards picture take 2...

 3rd times a charm!  Ms. Kerri even got her to practice her salute!  She is definitely a gymnast in the making!