Sunday, January 29, 2012

Letters to Ainsley: 18 Months Old

Dear Ainsley

It's hard to believe that you're 18 months old. I knew this time would fly by fast but what I was not prepared for was how quickly you would grow up. You're definitely not a baby anymore. You are a little girl. The days of you getting excited for an adventure in the stroller are long gone. You much rather walk or run to where we are going. You find clever ways of getting up out of your bed and onto your changing table. And you no longer want mommy and daddy to feed you. You must feed yourself.

I'm so proud of my independent little girl. But at times it gets frustrating. For both mommy, daddy, and you.

We are working hard on developing your language. You know words such as Apple and ball... mommy and daddy. You love to count to the number three always skipping the number one. You love to point to your eyes, nose, head, hair, and ears. Sometimes even pointing to the right one. Your favorite words are Kitty and Bubbles. Even though you have said tons of words your verbal communication is more like gibberish. But we keep working on them.

You love music. At night we listen to rock-a-bye baby on Pandora. Your favorite station is Pete's Dragon. You love the music from Pete's Dragon. If a song is playing from something thats not Pete's Dragon you try to exit out and enter back in hoping to get a new song. And your favorite song is Attaboy by Yo-Yo Ma... You love to clap and snap along to the music. And we can't forget the peanut butter jelly song. You love dancing to the peanut butter jelly song. Grandpa should be very proud... you dance a lot like him. Daddy and I get a kick watching you do "the Wayne". And that is proof that somethings just come from within.

We love to sing songs like the bitsy spider and head shoulders knees and toes. You think I'm really funny when I sing for you. I guess there's one plus to me performing for thousands of children these past eight years.

Toys that you love playing with are your picnic basket and tea party set. You want your kitty Marie, pink blanket, and your dolly (ugly naked baby) to go every where with you. And now that they have a baby doll stroller to stroll them around in I am sure they will. We got you a cute little kitchen set for Christmas and you love it. Oh... And we can't forget your purses. You love your purses.

Your favorite snacks are apples, Motts chews, and gold fish. The holidays also gave you a taste of sweets and you do love your cookies. You love to drink from the straw and we are working on drinking from a little cup (not sippy).

You have several books that you always pick up to read. My favorite to read to you is the Very Busy Spider.

I'm currently teaching my 7th week out of 13 weeks and our time together is limited. A lot of our time together is during the hour drive home. I've tried to make that our music time introducing you to all different types of music. Somedays I even make that story time and we listen to Harry Potter. I miss you a lot during the day. Daddy says I have the best part... I get to pick you up and see your happy face. He gets the tears and crying when he drops you off. All I know is I look at photos of you everyday when I teach and wish I was with you instead.

At your visit with Dr. Miller we found out that you are 4" away from riding the Pteranadon Flyers and The Hippogriff, 8" away from the Simpsons, 10" from MIB, and 16" from the Mummy. I always joke about making you a growth chart based on ride heights. Maybe we need to actually make you one.

I can't wait till March when I am done with teaching and spring camp is over. I can't wait to spend my days with you again... Just don't grow up too much from now until then.

Love,
Mommy

Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Book Exchange



A few weeks ago we received this letter in the mail from Heidi.  It was a letter inviting us to be a part of a book exchange.  I have gotten a few of these "letters" in the past but we had never taken part in the activity.

This one instructed us to:
1. Mail a book to the child in position 1
2. Make 12 copies of the blank form.  On 6 of the forms write the childs info in position 2 in postion 1 and adding our information to position 2. 
3. Mail 6 letters (including the new filled in form and a blank form for each letter) to 6 of your friends.

It stated that if everyone does this than our child will receive 36 books in the mail.  Now I know the odds of everyone that receives this letter participating is very low.  But I think the idea of this is very cool.  So we thought what the heck.  Let's participate.  Even if we don't end up get any books in return what did we lose? $5 on a book and $1.50 on shipping?  Kevin and I both felt that this was our chance to gift the gift of reading to a little boy we have no prior connection to. 

We headed to Barnes and Noble to get a book.  We were looking for a book for a 2 year old little boy named Taylor.  I instantly thought... Curious George.  What little boy (or girl) doesn't end up loving this adorable little monkey?  And then we found it... Curious George at the Baseball Game.  It was the perfect book to come from our family.    


Inside I wrote: 

To Taylor 
From Ainsley
Book Exchange 2012                



I hope Taylor likes his book.  I hope he loves the adventures it will take him on. 

I know he will never know why we picked that book for him.  He will never know that Curious George was a part I once played.  And he will never know Kevin's love for baseball. 

But he will know that a little girl (that he never met) gave him a book. And that is worth more than 36 books in the mail.     



Thursday, January 12, 2012

The Little Old Lady in the Elevator



Ok... So it's not an Old Lady. It's Ainsley. But last night, when we were walking from the car to our place, she had to have her purse. Kevin started calling her Granny because she was walking slow and how she was holding her purse. At that moment I grabbed the camera.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Here... look at my Baby!

Sometimes I think that's all I say!  Well... maybe not say  it but that's how I feel.  I have always known I never wanted to be "That" parent.  You know what I am talking about.  We all know them.  They are everywhere.  The parents that post every photo of their kid, tweet, or status update about every little thing that they do.  Everything from their first tooth to pooping in the toilet.  No... I knew I didn't want to be "That" parent.       
But some days I feel like I have crossed that line too many times.  Not a day goes by where Ainsley doesn't do or say something funny or new. I am constantly grabbing my phone to capture it. It's not that I am one of "those" parents who has to share all the amazing accomplishments she does. I don't post them to brag about how advanced she is.  I post them so you... my family and friends... will not feel like you are missing out on her growing up. Or at least that is just what I tell myself to keep me feeling that I am NOT "That" parent.  I promise not to update you with every moment in her life.  Because I am sure you all don't want to know everything that we do. And... sorry... I will not be bloging or taping the potty training sessions.  Sorry!

Anyway...
 
Kevin and I have been talking about our goals for 2012 since before Christmas.  I am really excited to unveil our "OPERATION 2012" project in the next few weeks.  Instead of resolutions this year (which we always end up dropping by the end of January)  we decided to focus on the year itself.  What do we want to accomplish by the end of 2012?  And we have the entire year to "Make It Happen!" 

I bring this up because one of the things that I want to work on for this year is posting regularly on our blog.  Not just for us.  But for our kids in the years to come and for our family and friends.  Ever since we got the iphone posting has gotten a bit easier but I have needed the computer to do multiple photos and video.  That was until now.  This new iphone 4S is amazing.  And thanks to it I am able to take photos and video (sometimes) and instantly load them up to our blog.  So this explains all the multiple video postings of Ainsley these past few weeks. 

I would like to post more updates about Ainsley and the things she is interested in.  I tried to make this my goal last year but that sort of failed.  So I have made it my goal, once more.  This time with the goal of blogging at least three times a month.  So... I want to apologize if it seems like all I do some months is post photos or videos of Ainsley.  Because there might come a month where I cross that line again and become "That" parent.   

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Show Me Your Eyes... Part 2.

Here is part 2

Monday, January 2, 2012

Show Me Your Eyes... Part 1

So the other day Ainsley and I were messing around with the camera on my phone. And I started asking her where her eyes were... Hope you like it as much as I do.

* Due to the size of the video I had to break it down to 2 files.

Our Big Little Helper

Forget "Your baby can read"... My Baby can do the dishes! Well... At least the unloading part and preferably with just plastic items.

For the past few months whenever we open the dishwasher Ainsley runs Over to "help". In fact we have had a few "meltdowns" over dishes. I so can't wait for the day she tells me she can't do the dishes... I will totally show her this.

Enjoy!