Monday, July 26, 2010
Watermelon Afternoon
What's better on a Sunday afternoon than a juicy watermelon followed by cleaning off in the hose pipe?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
One Room Makeover = One Exhausted Mommy
Well, it's done!!!!! Karlee's new big girl room is complete and I am one happy mommy. I took yesterday off to wait on the furniture delivery and get things set up to surprise Karlee when she got home. The actual decorating wasn't too bad. Lifting the mattress to get the bed skirt on is a whole other story. I got reprimanded by my mom for lifting that heavy thing!
I should have taken before and after pictures of the closet. Let me just say it had become the catch all closet over the past 7 years! This is where my exhaustion set in. I made at least 100 trips up and down the stairs to take things out to the trash. It's now organized with two seasons of Karlee's clothes. It's much longer than her old closet so no more taking out one season, boxing it up, and pulling it back out for the next year. I've been lucky that Karlee gets two seasons out of most of her clothes since she is so tiny. Now, they will just move out of Karlee's closet to Madelyn's when Karlee outgrows them!
Karlee came home and I was eager to take her upstairs to unveil her new room. She walked in the room with a huge grin and said "ooooooooOOOOOO". She opened dresser drawers and hopped on the bed to check it out.
Everything was fine and dandy until it was actually time for bed. I have rocked Karlee before bed every single night since she was born (except for occasional bunko nights, sewing classes, and being out of town). Night time duty is my job. When I told Karlee we would be reading books before bed in her new bed, she had a melt down and ran to her old room. The rocking chair is still in that room. I told Chip when he got home yesterday that my only concern about the new room was the chair. I was wondering how Karlee would take it that her chair was being left in the nursery. She took it about like I expected!
So, we rocked and read two books in the chair. I asked her if she was ready for bed and she said yes. So, back to her room and in the bed she went. As I was tucking her in, she wanted to read the train book. So I grabbed it and hopped in bed with her. I'm hoping we can wean her off the chair so it can stay in the nursery.
After that, she was fine and all smiles. She was excited to sleep in her new bed. We didn't put the bed rails up last night to see if she was ready to sleep without them. I told Chip it wasn't a long fall if she rolls out! She's right above our room now so we would here her if she falls.
It broke my heart to wake Karlee up this morning. She was sleeping so soundly. The first night was a success and she slept right in the middle of the bed. I just hope the chair situation calms down. We have 15 weeks to make it work!!
Next up, convert bed back to crib and get nursery set up. I need a little rest so don't look for pictures of that any time soon!!!
I should have taken before and after pictures of the closet. Let me just say it had become the catch all closet over the past 7 years! This is where my exhaustion set in. I made at least 100 trips up and down the stairs to take things out to the trash. It's now organized with two seasons of Karlee's clothes. It's much longer than her old closet so no more taking out one season, boxing it up, and pulling it back out for the next year. I've been lucky that Karlee gets two seasons out of most of her clothes since she is so tiny. Now, they will just move out of Karlee's closet to Madelyn's when Karlee outgrows them!
Karlee came home and I was eager to take her upstairs to unveil her new room. She walked in the room with a huge grin and said "ooooooooOOOOOO". She opened dresser drawers and hopped on the bed to check it out.
Everything was fine and dandy until it was actually time for bed. I have rocked Karlee before bed every single night since she was born (except for occasional bunko nights, sewing classes, and being out of town). Night time duty is my job. When I told Karlee we would be reading books before bed in her new bed, she had a melt down and ran to her old room. The rocking chair is still in that room. I told Chip when he got home yesterday that my only concern about the new room was the chair. I was wondering how Karlee would take it that her chair was being left in the nursery. She took it about like I expected!
So, we rocked and read two books in the chair. I asked her if she was ready for bed and she said yes. So, back to her room and in the bed she went. As I was tucking her in, she wanted to read the train book. So I grabbed it and hopped in bed with her. I'm hoping we can wean her off the chair so it can stay in the nursery.
After that, she was fine and all smiles. She was excited to sleep in her new bed. We didn't put the bed rails up last night to see if she was ready to sleep without them. I told Chip it wasn't a long fall if she rolls out! She's right above our room now so we would here her if she falls.
It broke my heart to wake Karlee up this morning. She was sleeping so soundly. The first night was a success and she slept right in the middle of the bed. I just hope the chair situation calms down. We have 15 weeks to make it work!!
Next up, convert bed back to crib and get nursery set up. I need a little rest so don't look for pictures of that any time soon!!!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Just going with the flow
Last week I got completely fed up with asking Chip when he was going to move the guest bedroom furniture out so we could paint and have Karlee's new furniture delivered. I've only been asking him for 2 1/2 months! So, I took the bull by the horns and took care of it myself. Thanks to wonderful guys from Lambert Transfer, the old furniture was moved out last Wednesday.
My aunt Cyndi came over this weekend and painted Karlee's new room. Chip refused to paint the nursery before Karlee was born so I just had to make the green walls work. I was bound and determined that one of my girls was going to have a girlie pink room. Well, now Karlee will!
Karlee was infatuated with watching aunt Cyndi paint. She kept saying "look my pink room mommy!" It is beautiful and exactly what I wanted. Karlee has really understood lately that she was moving to a new big girl room and Madelyn was going to live in her old room.
While I was cooking breakfast this morning, Karlee told me she was going to the play room. I didn't think anything about it since she does this all the time. When I went upstairs to tell her breakfast was ready, this is what I found.
She had pulled her blanket and little pillow into her new room along with several books. I just had to grab the camera! She told me to sit down and read with her in her new room. We read a few books and she kept telling me to let Madelyn see the pictures. So, she turned the book around so my belly could see!
I just couldn't drag her downstairs for breakfast since she was being so sweet. So, breakfast came to her. We had a little picnic in her new room. I figured it wasn't hurting anything since the room was completely empty and I have to vacuum anyway before the new furniture is delivered.
New big girl furniture is being delivered on Wednesday. I hope Karlee keeps up the excitement for her new room when its time to actually sleep in there for good. Now, the next step will be converting the bed Karlee has been in back to the crib. I just hope it doesn't take another 2 1/2 months of asking before Chip does it. Don't put it past me to hire someone to come do that too!!!!!
Stay tuned later this week for the finished big girl room pictures.
My aunt Cyndi came over this weekend and painted Karlee's new room. Chip refused to paint the nursery before Karlee was born so I just had to make the green walls work. I was bound and determined that one of my girls was going to have a girlie pink room. Well, now Karlee will!
Karlee was infatuated with watching aunt Cyndi paint. She kept saying "look my pink room mommy!" It is beautiful and exactly what I wanted. Karlee has really understood lately that she was moving to a new big girl room and Madelyn was going to live in her old room.
While I was cooking breakfast this morning, Karlee told me she was going to the play room. I didn't think anything about it since she does this all the time. When I went upstairs to tell her breakfast was ready, this is what I found.
She had pulled her blanket and little pillow into her new room along with several books. I just had to grab the camera! She told me to sit down and read with her in her new room. We read a few books and she kept telling me to let Madelyn see the pictures. So, she turned the book around so my belly could see!
I just couldn't drag her downstairs for breakfast since she was being so sweet. So, breakfast came to her. We had a little picnic in her new room. I figured it wasn't hurting anything since the room was completely empty and I have to vacuum anyway before the new furniture is delivered.
New big girl furniture is being delivered on Wednesday. I hope Karlee keeps up the excitement for her new room when its time to actually sleep in there for good. Now, the next step will be converting the bed Karlee has been in back to the crib. I just hope it doesn't take another 2 1/2 months of asking before Chip does it. Don't put it past me to hire someone to come do that too!!!!!
Stay tuned later this week for the finished big girl room pictures.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Potty Training Weekend
Chip has been on me about when we were going to potty train Karlee. I kept telling him as soon as we are home for several days in a row then we will start. Well, that time was this weekend. Since I'm off work on Fridays and Mondays and no vacations are planned for any time soon, we thought it was a good time to try.
I have the Potty Training in 3 Days Manual and have read it over several times prior to this weekend to make sure I had everything I need. Several friends had great success with it so I thought I would start with this method. We told Karlee Thursday night that she would say bye bye to her diapers and she would get big girl panties when she woke up Friday morning.
Friday morning came and I was actually dreading it. Was Karlee really ready for this? She sat on the potty first thing and did nothing. She just kept saying "eat breakfast mommy." So, the panties went on and breakfast was eaten. I took her to the potty again and.... SHE WENT!!! I made a fool of myself jumping up and down and clapping and cheering. She just smiled and stood up to look at it. I told her she would get a special prize and we called daddy to tell him. The prize she chose, Cheetos! That's my child.
We spent the rest of the day and weekend playing and watching movies. Karlee didn't quite know what to think with me on her heels everywhere she went. The first day was long and I tried to show calmness when she would start to tee tee while telling me she had to go. I would pick her up, sit her on the potty, and tell her this is where she goes tee tee from now on. We went through several pairs of panties. I think Karlee actually liked changing into different ones so she could pick them out. I even left her naked some of the time so she could feel it run down her leg. To my surprise, she went and sat on the potty by herself successfully while pantyless.
No outside activities means the play room looks like a hurricane came through it!
Saturday was the same routine and Karlee only had 3 accidents. Sunday was better with one accident and a successful trip to Walmart. She picked out panties to keep at grandmomma's house and a potty for the car. Several friends have told me that keeping a little potty in the car is great in the beginning stages of potty training. That way I always have a potty handy when she needs to go while driving down the road or before going into a store. Karlee was excited about the car potty. She would not go to the bathroom when we came home from Walmart. She kept saying she wanted to go in the car. So, to get her to go, we headed to the car! Whatever works right.
Today we are getting out of the house for a birthday party so this will be the real test of her telling me when she has to go rather than me following her around all day. All in all, it wasn't a bad start to potty training. And, Karlee seems to really like it when the potty sings to her when she goes!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Water Play
Chip gave me a Flip video camera for my birthday and I love it. I can finally get quick videos and know how to download them. Karlee's day of birth is still stuck on our regular video camera!
This is what Karlee did about every 20 minutes on the beach every day. She would rest and play in the sand and head right back to the water. The wind is blowing pretty loud through the camera so make sure your volume isn't up high. This is right before the storm moved in on Monday.
This is what Karlee did about every 20 minutes on the beach every day. She would rest and play in the sand and head right back to the water. The wind is blowing pretty loud through the camera so make sure your volume isn't up high. This is right before the storm moved in on Monday.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
July 4th - Destin Style
As soon as Karlee woke Friday morning, we hit the road to Destin to celebrate the July 4th holiday with just our little family of 3 1/2. We arrived to a chaotic scene of firetrucks and ambulances zooming by us on Hwy 98. A stunt plane had crashed into the water about a mile off the shoreline while performing. We kept driving to find that it had happened right near our condo. We ate lunch at Pompano Joe's and watched the scene unfold with coast guard boats surrounding the site looking for the plane and its passengers. Unfortunately, the two men did not survive the crash. What a way to start our weekend.
We stayed in the same first floor unit at Huntington by the Sea as we did last year for Memorial Day. It was again perfect to just walk out and be on the beach or at the pool with a 2 year old that loves the beach. Flags were surrounding the grounds and Karlee went straight for them. She had her own little flag parade by walking around with one, putting it back, and getting another one. The parade even made it down to the beach!
We enjoyed pretty nice weather, no oil, and huge waves. I think Hurricane Alex caused the rough waters. The current was strong and I had a hard time just standing in the water. Karlee had to have strong daddy hands on her when she wanted to venture out above her ankles (which was about every 2 minutes!).
We saw fireworks on Saturday night at Harbor Walk Village after dinner. Karlee liked them from a far since we were in our car by the time they started. She had danced the night away with the band and was just about asleep on her feet before they started. We headed to the family fun at Baytowne Wharf after dinner Sunday night to see the real show. Man, do they know how to do fireworks. This was probably the prettiest fireworks show I have seen in a very long time. There were lots of them, and they were huge. Karlee actually watched them this time but had her ears covered. We had an amazing view and they were really loud where we were sitting. She would say "Wow!" at the big ones. When they were over, she said "do it again." We had to bribe her with ice cream at 10:00 at night to get her to leave the area. She really wanted to see more.
Since where we stay is so small, there were only a few kids on the beach around us. Karlee was attached at the hip to a 6 year old named Lexie from Arkansas. She had a 2 year old sister but she whined a lot so Karlee stayed away from her! They built sand castles and ran in the water. Just looking at them made me know that Karlee is going to be a great big sister.
Monday brought about a new little girl. Lilly was 9 years old from Atlanta and took right up with Karlee immediately. She had buckets and showed Karlee how to catch coquina shells when the waves rolled in. I have always seen these on the beach but just thought they were seashells. They actually have something living in them and bury themselves in the sand like crabs when out of the water. This literally kept Karlee occupied and in one place for about an hour. A much needed still hour for pregnant mommy!! She would let out a big laugh every time one buried itself.
We are home now and trying to settle back in to reality. Chip and I are so fortunate to have a child that loves the beach as much as we do. The sand and salty water does not phase Karlee one bit. We'll see if we are just as lucky with little Madelyn when she arrives. I took a zillion pictures so just some of them are in the slide show below.
I hope you all enjoyed your 4th celebrations as much as we did.
We stayed in the same first floor unit at Huntington by the Sea as we did last year for Memorial Day. It was again perfect to just walk out and be on the beach or at the pool with a 2 year old that loves the beach. Flags were surrounding the grounds and Karlee went straight for them. She had her own little flag parade by walking around with one, putting it back, and getting another one. The parade even made it down to the beach!
We enjoyed pretty nice weather, no oil, and huge waves. I think Hurricane Alex caused the rough waters. The current was strong and I had a hard time just standing in the water. Karlee had to have strong daddy hands on her when she wanted to venture out above her ankles (which was about every 2 minutes!).
We saw fireworks on Saturday night at Harbor Walk Village after dinner. Karlee liked them from a far since we were in our car by the time they started. She had danced the night away with the band and was just about asleep on her feet before they started. We headed to the family fun at Baytowne Wharf after dinner Sunday night to see the real show. Man, do they know how to do fireworks. This was probably the prettiest fireworks show I have seen in a very long time. There were lots of them, and they were huge. Karlee actually watched them this time but had her ears covered. We had an amazing view and they were really loud where we were sitting. She would say "Wow!" at the big ones. When they were over, she said "do it again." We had to bribe her with ice cream at 10:00 at night to get her to leave the area. She really wanted to see more.
Since where we stay is so small, there were only a few kids on the beach around us. Karlee was attached at the hip to a 6 year old named Lexie from Arkansas. She had a 2 year old sister but she whined a lot so Karlee stayed away from her! They built sand castles and ran in the water. Just looking at them made me know that Karlee is going to be a great big sister.
Monday brought about a new little girl. Lilly was 9 years old from Atlanta and took right up with Karlee immediately. She had buckets and showed Karlee how to catch coquina shells when the waves rolled in. I have always seen these on the beach but just thought they were seashells. They actually have something living in them and bury themselves in the sand like crabs when out of the water. This literally kept Karlee occupied and in one place for about an hour. A much needed still hour for pregnant mommy!! She would let out a big laugh every time one buried itself.
We are home now and trying to settle back in to reality. Chip and I are so fortunate to have a child that loves the beach as much as we do. The sand and salty water does not phase Karlee one bit. We'll see if we are just as lucky with little Madelyn when she arrives. I took a zillion pictures so just some of them are in the slide show below.
I hope you all enjoyed your 4th celebrations as much as we did.
Freedom Celebration 2010
We attended the Opelika Freedom Celebration Thursday night with the Dilworth's and the Henthorne's. Thomas and Karlee ran around the band area and danced like crazy people. Sarah Atchley and Holland just hung out and looked super cute.
It's so hard to believe that we will have a baby this same age next year to join in on the celebration.
Dark settled in. Thomas and Karlee finally sat still long enough to get a cool drink, do a little smooching and see the fireworks. After the smooch, Thomas looked at Karlee and said "You smell like squash."
Karlee loved the fireworks last year. This year, she sat still, never said a word, and kept her eyes covered the entire time. When it was over, she said "I not like them." Oh well, at least she didn't cry or scream and let everyone around her enjoy them!
It's so hard to believe that we will have a baby this same age next year to join in on the celebration.
Dark settled in. Thomas and Karlee finally sat still long enough to get a cool drink, do a little smooching and see the fireworks. After the smooch, Thomas looked at Karlee and said "You smell like squash."
Karlee loved the fireworks last year. This year, she sat still, never said a word, and kept her eyes covered the entire time. When it was over, she said "I not like them." Oh well, at least she didn't cry or scream and let everyone around her enjoy them!
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