First the gym, then the playground

This morning we were all late getting out of bed.  I didn't get up until 8:30 and Summer didn't get up until after 9:00.   I heard her open my bedroom door and then call out "Mommy."  I replied with "Summer Julianna."  She ran to me and we gave each other some good morning lovin'.  Then she told me she wanted to go to the playground.  She also said she wanted to have a picnic.  We have been doing that about once a week lately and I guess today was the day she wanted to go.  It was cute.  It is amazing how grown up she acts and she is only two!!! 

Shortly afterwards she wanted some breakfast, and she decided on a bowl of cereal and a glass of apple juice.  Today I did not have to run through a list of a million things, all to be shot down.  Yeah!  After she ate, she went and got her shoes on, grabbed her bear and announced she was ready to go.  I told her we had to go to the gym first which she didn't seem to mind.  I finished getting ready and we headed out the door to the Rush. 

She really likes going there now.  That is nice because now I don't have to listen to her cry as I leave her to go workout.  When I got back from my workout, she was sitting in the floor with her cup in her mouth, twirling it around and staring at the wall.  She looked like she was in some kind of daze, but quickly snapped out of it when she saw me.  She is always so excited to see me when I show up which makes me feel good. 

She was hungry, so we stopped to get some food to take for our picnic at the park.  She wanted chicken noodle soup, but Subway didn't have any.  So, I grabbed us a sandwich, cheetos, water and a "big" cookie and we headed to the River Park. 

We hadn't ever been to that playground so it was exciting for us both.  She wanted to slide right away, but also needed to pee.  She thought she could make it through at least one time down the slide without having to pee, but that was not the case.  So, we ran to the bathroom so she could finish in the potty.  She rarely has accidents like that so I didn't make a big deal about it.  Supermom had an extra pair of panties and shorts.  LOL 

We sat down and ate our food, listening to the birds sing.  I asked her if the birds were singing to her and she said, "to me and you!"  She is so smart!  And did I also mention sweet?  And polite?  I can only hope she stays this way.  I try to make an effort to be all the things I want her to be so that she has a good example to follow.  It is not always easy, and I am NOT always perfect, but I do try.  I want to be the best example I can be for my little angel.  That way she will stay one. 

Good Lovin'

My little girl has to be the sweetest thing alive!  She gives me big hugs and kisses all the time.  She sometimes adds a little pat on the back with her hugs.  She will say, "I lub you so much!"  Today I asked her who was beautiful and she said, "You are!"  That was so sweet and just made my day because I was actually talking about her, not me.  I just don't know how I got so lucky to have such a sweet little girl, but she is absolutely adorable!  And, I am the luckiest Mommy in the whole world to have her! 

Gotta get back to saving all the pics off this journal to my computer!   

It's coming to an end!!!!

I learned a few days ago that Aol is doing away with its blogging services at the end of the month.  That means I only have a few more weeks to blog on this website!  :(  I have just finished printing out the entire and journal and am trying to figure out what to do with the pics.  I wish there was some way to get them printed off without having to do it individually.  Maybe I will figure something out.  There is a possibility they will be able to move my blog to another site, but I haven't heard any details.  So, it seems as this journal may come to an end.  It all started on Sept. 17, 2005, and now three years later it may be ending!!!  I must say it really doesn't seem like I have been doing it that long though.  We'll just have to wait and see what happens now.

As for Summer, the reason behind this whole blog, she is growing up more and more everyday.  The endless "Why?" has started.  Along with that, she now informs me when she does not want to "be quiet."   lol  She does know how to whisper though which makes me laugh.  Sometimes when she is on the phone, I will whisper something for her to say and she will then whisper it to the person on the phone.  :)  Busted!  It is cute though. 

She is very independent.  She can put on her clothes all by herself.  She can use the bathroom all by herself when she wants to.  Although sometimes she still wants me to help.  I guess watching is a big help b/c sometimes when she does say "Mommy I need you to help me go potty," she really does not want me to help.  It is confusing, but I try to just go with the flow and feel her out.  It does feel good when she wants me to help even though I know she can do alone.  I know one day there will be a time when she probably won't want me to help with anything.  I dread that day and pray it never comes. 

I need to get an appt. scheduled to get some pics made.  I have a coupon for Master Portraits and mightgive them a try.  I wanted to get her pics taken in her ballet outfit and her Barney Halloween costume.  Then comes Christmas pics.  I got a green shirt for me the other day that looks like a Christmas shirt. Summer has a red and black dress.  Gotta figure out what Clint will wear.  I broke down and cut Summer's bangs all by myself the other day.  I must admit they don't look too bad considering she did exactly the opposite of what I told her to do.  ;)  It helps that her hair is not straight.  It is so wild you can't tell how crooked they are!  Really, they are not that bad though for someone with no experience.  They are not in her eyes anymore and that is the most important thing of all!  I do hope she will let me put her hair up for her pics.  It is so cute when she lets me put it in pigtails!  I just wish she would leave them in longer.  It seems like when I do get her to wear them, she ends up wearing a jacket which must be zipped ("all the way up!") and the hood must be on her head.  Let's just hope that trend continues as it gets colder. 

She is napping right now, so I best try to get things straightened up before Amanda and Lexie come over for dinner.  I can't wait to see my granddaughter.  Man it feels weird to say that! 

Lexie Arrived Today

Amanda's water broke around 3:15 am while she was spending the night with Johnny.  Soon after that she and Johnny headed to the hospital.  She was 4 cm dilated when she arrived.  She received an epidural around 6:15 am and was 10 cm dilated by 6:30.  Lexie Autumn Boyle arrived at 6:52 am weighing 6 lb. 14 oz.  She was 19.5 inches long.  She has fuzzy blonde hair and it looks like blue eyes.  When we arrived at the hospital at 7:00 am she was still being cleaned up.  Then the pictures began.  I captured her first picture.  What a shock that is since her other Grandma is such a picture freak.  We stayed to visit for about an hour before heading off to pick up Summer at my sister's house.  I took a nap from 11 to 1:30 and then got up to cook Clint some lunch before heading off to the hospital so Summer could meet her niece.  I tried to let her hold Lexie, but she said she just wanted to look.  We stayed and visited for a few minutes.  She watched her big sister change Lexie's first diaper.  Then she was ready to leave.  Gotta love the attention span of a two year old!

I'm hungry! I'm very, very hungry!

That's what Summer says when she wants to eat, like this morning while we were watching cartoons.  Then she doesn't know what she wants, but lets me name off a million things before deciding on what she wants.  She just can't tell me what she wants, but makes me guess.  She'd still be starving if I didn't name the right thing.  She was on a big cottage cheese kick for a while.  She also likes yogurt a lot.  Her favorite flavor is blueberry.  Of course, if any of the yogurts have a pink lid, she wants that one instead.  LOL  This morning she finally decided on fried potatoes, but she only ate a few. Then she wanted a cookie, but her mean mommy said no b/c she didn't eat enough potatoes.  :p

Last night we found a Tigger puzzle which we did a couple of times.  She just found it again and brought it over so we can do it together.  She is so smart, she just might be able to do it by herself this morning.  She really is ahead of others her age which I guess it a good thing, right?  She remembers everything which is good and bad.  There are some things I hope she forgets....

Yesterday after my Jazzercise class, we saw some little girls her age having a ballerina class.  Well, now she wants to be a ballerina.  So I called the dance school last night and signed her up.  Now we just gotta get some pink tights and ballet slippers.  Her first class is Monday, but she wishes it was today.  I just hope she likes it as much as she thinks she will.  It will be cute anyway. 

We had a birthday party and a baby shower a week ago.  It was a very busy, but fun day.  One thing is for sure, it is hard to get kids to look at the camera when you want them too!!!  Especially when there is more than one of them.  Summer is pretty bad about avoiding the camera.  She might look at the camera for one pic, but after that she is turning her head and usually will NOT smile.  I don't understand why she does this, but she does.  Oh well.  Maybe she will outgrow that.  I hope so anyway.  Otherwise, I am going to have a lot of pics of the side of her face.  LOL

Here is a video of a conversation I had with Summer the other day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mE9eaVa6rHw

I miss my baby!

Clint and I took a trip to Savannah this week - a late anniversary getaway.  It has been nice to be able to sleep until I want to get up.  We have had a lot of fun and even a near death experience.  But, I am missing my baby big time.  I really needed a break from the everyday joys and stress of motherhood, but now I want my baby back.  I had been feeling a little stressed and even a wee bit annoyed with Summer (if you can imagine that).  She talks all the time and has started to question things (over and over again).  Why she can't be happy with the first answer I give her I'll never know, but I guess she is at that age where one answer just isn't enough.  She also lets me know when she does not want to do something - over and over again.  I guess she doesn't understand that I heard her the first time and just because she doesn't want to do something doesn't mean she isn't going to do it.  She is slowly learning that she doesn't always get her way and sometimes she has to do things (or go places) she doesn't want to.  I am just hoping she learns that whining isn't going to make me change her mind.  We are on a three strike spanking system now.  When she gets up to three, then she gets them all at once.  I think it is working, but who knows.  Anyway, needless to say I get a little frustrated with her at times and I needed a break before I had a breakdown.  I wonder how many times in my life I will feel that way.  Probably more than I realize.  I mean she is only two years old.  I still have a long ways to go before she is grown.  I talked to her yesterday and she said, "I'm coming home!"  So, I know she is ready to see me too.  That makes me happy knowing she misses me like I miss her.  I can't wait to get home tomorrow and give her a big hug and a thousand kisses.  She will probably start pushing me away after the first five, but at least I will have her back in my arms.   

We did a lot of exciting things this month - Creative Discovery Museum's Playgym class every Thursday, birthday party at Playworld Downunder, trip to the zoo, trips to the playground and  many bicycle rides.  I can't wait to get back to her so we can make more memories together!

Summer's 1st Sleep over

I finally made it over to my friends house and got the pics off of my broken laptop.  Somehow Jeff managed to get the monitor half way working (as long as you don't touch it) so I could get a few folders of pictures I hadn't gone through yet.  I am so glad he did too b/c I almost lost the pics from Summer's 1st sleep over.  Anyway, here they are in addition to a few others.  Enjoy!

***found some time to add more...

How it all came about:  On July 8, I get a call from Alicia about 5 or so in the afternoon saying she is in labor and has no one to watch Liliana.  So, I met her at the hospital and picked up Liliana.  Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I was already babysitting Amanda's little brother Ryan too (how that happened I won't even explain...lol).  I had called Jeff and Laurie to come over earlier, so they were here to watch Ryan while I went to get Liliana.  I got home with two little girls calling me Mommy instead of one.  It was odd, but I guess Liliana thought my name was Mommy since that was what Summer was called me.  It was funny.  She called me Mommy all night and the next day too (and a few times after that too). 

Anyway, the night went pretty good.  The kids played and had a good time.  Summer and Liliana watched Barney before bed (as Summer usually does).  They got up and Liliana was briefly alarmed that her Mommy wasn't there, but they were eating breakfast in no time.  Then it was back to playing again.  They even took a bath together which went pretty good as well.  I guess it is easier to take care of two kids who are the same age than two who are different ages since they do pretty much the same thing.  I guess I will find out soon enough when Amanda has Lexie if she brings her over for me to watch.  It won't be long now.  I think she has less than 8 weeks to go!  I wonder how Summer will act around her.