Daycare News Update: Wed

Todays News.....When the other kids are screaming, crying, yelling, being loud, Anna walks over to them and offers a toy in exchange for quiet.

Life Tidbits

When I picked up Anna from school yesterday Anna was hovered over a smaller baby's car seat who was getting ready to go home. She was tapping his leg and smiling at him, making sure he was all tucked in and ready to go. Miss Robin then told me that she is now the entertainer for the smaller babies. Anna walks around the room and when babies are in their swing or crib she goes up to them and smiles and laughs to make them smile.  

Today when I picked up Anna she was sitting with Elli on the floor playing soccer and growling. Miss Robin assured me that the growl was OK. She said that a new baby who came to the room sounds like he's growling when he talks/cries so Anna has been imitating him all day. Wonderful! 

Next on the list, Anna knows where her nose is. Very cool!

This weekend we had a playdate with Elli and Maly. We celebrated the girls birthdays since they're 2 days apart. We also got to finally watch them play together like they do all day at school but we never get to see. Very cute. 

Anna also got new lunch containers this weekend. Trying to move away from the plastic and onto safer products for our family. We're also weaning off pureed food and onto hands-on stuff for the growing eater. 

Breakfast: Cinnamon raisin bread, mango, grapes & kiwi

Lunch: Sweet potatoes, spinach nuggets, grapes and cheese

Snack: Banana yogurt, kix

all washed down with some a lovely cup of whole milk and a cup of water. Mmmmmm. 

Perfect Saturday

Cuddle time in bed because I woke up early

Swimming with Mommy and Daddy

Playing the on porch with Sydney and eating Daddy's breakfast

Cozy nap

Delicious grilled cheese lunch

3 hours of yard work with Daddy and Mommy and my new gardening tools

Some playtime in the dirt with Sydney (VERY dirty clothes)

Another cozy nap

Delicious hamburger and sweet potato fry dinner

White chocolate macadamia and pistatio frozen yogurt

More cuddle time on the couch

ZZZZZ...

Day Off

We're home today because of a wildfire near school. 

Here's what the little tornado is up to this morning.

Anna's First Year

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Buddies

First Birthday

Happy Birthday to the sweetest one year old around. 

Walking in my new shoes

Flashback

One year ago today, Greg and I were driving home from school while I finally determined that I was having contractions all day at school. Unbeknownst to me, those pains that I had all day were contractions and labor had started! Looking back, the first contraction was around 5:30 am when Greg was in the shower getting ready for work. I didn't tell Greg until we were pulling into my school and I had had 2 more contractions on the way up. Obviously, taught all day and told my principal that I wouldn't be in school the next day because I wasn't feeling so well. DUH! At home, we called Mom and Dad and told them to stop by and pick up Sydney in case we had to go to the hospital that night. The night went on as usual, we hung on the back porch in the spring sunshine, made and ate tacos together, cleaned up, went for a walk around the block, came home, showered, watched TV and went to bed to see what the night would bring. As we lied in bed around 9-9:30, we talked and decided that the contractions were getting erratic and tough. As Greg loaded up the car, I waddled around the house making sure all was in order and tried to calm myself down, this was it! All I vividly remember was Greg telling me what he was doing, what was going to happen, and telling me that he was putting my shoes on, getting my jacket, going to sit me in the front seat and I just kept on saying, "OK, Uh-huh, OK, Uh-huh......."  Into the car we went, flying down 17 towards the hospital and we got there sometime around 10 (I think?). Just in time! We were 8 cm and ready to get comfy and meet our baby!

Wow! What memories that story brings, tear tear. Love, love , love, love, love our little girl. 

Birthday Party

We celebrated Anna's first birthday this weekend with a Saturday afternoon party. It was a beautiful day and the birthday girl was in good spirits. It was good practice for Wednesdays REAL celebration, we can't wait! 

 Guests on the deck enjoying the sun

 Hooray! Uncle Chris came all the way from Delaware to celebrate my special day! 

 Food master of the party.... grilling up some delicious teryaki burgers and sausages. 

 Shoveling in food as usual, some pasta salad, cheese burger, mango, peppers, olives, pepperoni. yum!

 And to top it all off, special birthday balloons! 

 Playing with Aunt Aimee and my birthday Pooh from Nanny & Nonny

 All ready for my own birthday cake. Pumpkin Apple Harvest Cake with homemade whipped cream. Thanks Mama.

 Oh yeah, this is fun! 

 Here's the big birthday cake fro the guests....

 Happy family shot

And the remains of the cake after the belly was full. Nice job Anna.

Will post more birthday celebration pictures after Wednesday, March 23rd!! Our little girl will be 1! 

Oh Anna...

Anna has always liked to share her food and pretends to give you some but then takes it back and eats it herself. Well tonight, she decided to make the food she shares extra special. Anna took a piece of dinner, put it in her mouth, chewed it a bit, then pulled it out and went to share it with mama. Mmmm. She thought that was SOO funny and now that's how she shares food. On another food note, Miss Robin and Miss Gail asked today when I picked her up if there is anything she doesn't eat. Not yet!

Side Sydney Note:  We decided to go for a family walk tonight after dinner so we got all ready, put Syd's leash on and headed out the door. Sydney would no leave the porch. So Greg and I figured once we start walking she would come. Nope. We headed down the street, around the corner, called her name, but Sydney just sat on the porch and wouldn't come. Now, all of you who know Sydney know that this IS NOT normal. I got worried but Greg assured me that she would be fine. So we walked around the whole block and sure enough when we got back, there she was, a few steps down, still sitting on the porch steps. This time we walked past the house and kept walking the other direction and finally she followed. But I had to go up to the porch and pick her up to get started. Weird dog. Don't know what got into her.

Back to Anna....here is a video of miss priss using her tongue. We were in the bath tonight and Anna kept trying to feed me the washcloth so I pretended to take a lick like it was an ice cream cone. Well I guess she's never really seen someone use their tongue like that and thought that was a hoot! So for the rest of the night, we got this....

Happy Birthday to my Nanny! 

Life

My First Trip to the Dentist

"Mom, what are you doing? It's just the dentist!"

This is mommy being excited about our first dentist trip. I felt weird asking them to take our picture so I did. 

"Oh, they have some cool things at this place"

This is called the knee-to-knee room. I sat on that ottoman behind Anna and placed her facing me with her legs wrapped around my waist. Then I laid her back onto Dr. Whites lap so she could look in her mouth. 

This where Dr. White sat and placed Anna's head on the pink blanket. Anna didn't really like people going on her mouth, cried a lot. Dr. White brushed her teeth and sang a nice song and then painted on some fluoride to protect her teeth. 

         

"Oooo what is all that?"

Getting Anna's toothbrush and fluoride ready. 

Just a picture of the dentist area. Anna's Dental hygienists name was Anna too. (And Anna's nurse at Dr. Horger's office has the same birthday. She has connections everywhere she goes!)

Anna got a t-shirt, a toothbrush and a coupon to Chick-Fil-A. What a dental visit! Oh, and she got to pick out a prize after being such a good girl, she chose a green frog. Dr. White said she felt Anna's 1 year molars. They're due to come in next. Then her top canine's and then the rest. We need to start brushing before bed just with water. When Anna learns to spit we can try a bit of children toothpaste but only need the size of a piece of rice Dr. White said. We're headed back in a year. 

Playing in the front yard before dinner. 

Mommy's first toddler meal: Spinach Nuggets. Mmmmmm. 

Lovely Weekend

Saturday: 

Another morning of swim lessons. This time we knew where to go when we got there, how to get a locker, where to change, shower off and then into the pool until  it was time to start. Anna wasn't so clingy when we got in the water, hooray!  definitely more comfortable in the water. When class started we did the same things we did last week. Started by kicking, Anna did a few kicks but was definitely more interested in the other kids. Figures. When I blew bubbles Anna tried but ended up drinking a bunch of water. She spit it back out though. Throughout the rest of the lesson she drank a lot more water. When I was holding her on her belly she would just stick her mouth right in and take a gulp. We chased a little red ball all around the pool for free play time. It was a lot of fun, hopefully next week we'll learn some new things. (And I'll also finally try to get a picture!) 

Sunday: 

Here is Anna's new thing. When she wants something from someone she'll put her hands out like so until she gets it. Every time she does this we say the word please so she'll know to ask for something politely. 

Here's another pic of her playing with Syd. Sydney does not like Anna having her frisbee and has no shame snatching t right from her hand or knocking her over to get it. Anna doesn't get upset, she either pulls Sydney's hair or finds something else to play with. 

It was too cute this afternoon. I was in the kitchen washing dishes and Anna was roaming around the house. I could hear her getting into Sydney's basket of toys. From the kitchen I can see into our bedroom and Sydney was on our bed taking a nap. Anna picked up one of Sydney's toys and walked into our bedroom and held the toy up to the bed where Syd was sleeping, like she was saying "Here Syd, I brought you a toy to play with." Sydney must have been tired because she just ignored Anna. Well Anna walked back to the living room where she emptied Sydney's whole toy basket and got another one. Walked back into the bedroom and offered her another toy. No Luck. After that Anna gave up and just went and played with Sydney's toys herself. What a kind little girl.

Anna also knows to go into the bathroom every time she hears me or Greg start the bath. No matter where she is in the house she starts walking towards her bathroom. Walks right up to the tub and put her hands over the edge. So easy! 

I eat my crib.

Cheese Session

When you tell Anna, "Cheese", or put a camera in front of her, this is what she does.....hilarious in person! 

Sunday Morning Folding Clothes Edition

Are you sure about this Mama? 

1st Swim Time

Today was Anna and my first swim time together. We headed down to the YMCA around 8:30 and learned how to check in, pick a locker, shower off and meet in the pool by 9. Anna's favorite part was the locker key. At 9, we met our instructor, Susan, who was ready to get the babies in the water. There were about 10-12 babies with their parents, they all looked about the same age as Anna (but what do I know).  Once we got in, we were told to keep the babies under the water up to their shoulders to keep them warm and hold them close so they don't get scared. Anna didn't mind the water but was clinging on for dear life. We started with kicking. I held Anna in front of me lying prone and I walked backwards so she knew that kicking moved her forward. She didn't care for this position too much since it wasn't close to mama, but she got used to it. Next we sang the wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round while we paddled our arms forward like we were swimming. Anna did good, staring at all the other kids. Next we held them prone again and showed how mommy makes bubbles with my lips and then saw if they would. Anna was about to but once again didn't like being held in that position, far away from mama. Maybe next week we'll get some bubbles. After bubbles, we learned 3 ways to hold the babies in the water, all on their back so they could feel the buoyancy of the water. Then it was free play time. Susan put out a bunch of water toys and the babies got to choose and play using the skills we learned. Anna chose a purple tug boat and we chased it all around the pool. It spent most of its time in her mouth though. Then at 9:30 we got in circle with all the babies ans sang our good-bye song. Over all, I think she had a good time. Very stoic and interested in what was going on, but I think I caught a few smirks here and there. Can't wait for next week!

Nosey!!!!!

When I went to pick up Anna the other day I couldn't find her and when Miss Robin finally pointed her out I started to wonder. See diagram below. The cribs are lined up along the right side of the classroom when you walk in and Anna has always been on the right side. Well now you can see that Anna is the only crib on the left side right next to the play area. Robin said that she couldn't stand not being able to see everyone and everything when she was in her crib and would strain her neck to see what's going on. So she moved her to an area where Anna would have no trouble seeing EVERYTHING in the room. Oh boy! 

Grandparents Are the Best!

Happy 1st Birthday to Anna from Gram & Pop!

Mommy & Me Swimming Lessons! Every Saturday starting this week until the end of April. Hooray! 

Happy 1st Birthday to Anna from Nanny & Nonny!

A super package with a special Disney gift! 

Aaaaaad a special gift to go pick out a new swimsuit for my swim lessons.