Category Archives: Addison

Potty Power!

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Whaaat’s that?

Oh, hey! Good to see you here…you just caught me daydreaming about how wonderous it will be when I do not have to buy any sort of diaper, pull-up, or pee/poop containment apparel.

The day is so close, I can almost taste it.

After a pretty successful potty day (while out running errands, no less!) yesterday, and a couple viewings of Potty Power! (thanks so much, Amy!), little A. decided that we needed to wear big girl underwear this morning.

And at time of posting, we still have the same underwear on, dry underwear, coinciding with five or six successful visits to the potty. (We are talking 7+ hours here, people!)

This is one of those milestones which I will not be writing tearful goodbyes about. But I am just a little bit leery, I mean it really is going to be this easy with her? Really?

Maybe God figured I had enough trauma with the months and months of “training” with Emma and I deserve a painless, quick experience this time around. Or maybe the DVD does have some sort of subliminal messaging that really gets into their little brains. Or maybe just having a big sister like Emma, who happens to be the biggest cheerleader ever, is the catalyst to becoming a “big girl.”

Whatever it is, I am waiting with bated breath while knocking on wood, keeping my fingers crossed, and employing any other superstition or trick I can, just hoping that we are on our way to having two little “big” girls.

I have the cutest, proudest photo of A. wearing her new undies this morning for the first time, but I am very apprehensive to post it. It makes me very mad that I have to feel this way – but I will send it out to family and friends via email. If you really want to see it, leave a comment or send me a mail and I’ll send it along.

Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with this photo of A. as she is yelling “Potty Power!”

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And just because my blog has been turning a bit into a photo-blog as of late, I’ll throw in one more of Addie.

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All eyes on the prize…also note, a new princess gown in the rotation. I almost prefer the Cinderelly skirt, though. It was less trouble.

Getting a little crowded in here.

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Daddy didn’t bring back presents from his trip last week to Chicago, so while we were out last week, (Little sidenote – we had 2 consecutive date nights…that is two nights. In a row. Without children. Doing grown-up things. It was heavenly.) he found a couple of friends that he had to buy for the girls.

 

Yes, the last thing they need is more toys. Yes, they are a wee bit spoiled by their Daddy. Yes, the cat is larger than Addie and she can barely carry him. And, yes, the monkey looks suspiciously like Emma.

So they have been carefully added to the respective entourages. And I wonder why Addie doesn’t want to nap lately?

That is her, curled up under kitty to the left of the crib. In case you couldn’t spot her.

Also present: bear, blankie, old kitty, snoopy, Birthday puppy from Nena, Birthday doggy from Uncle Jeff and Wendy, Birthday puppy (and purse!) from Aunt Meesh, Elmo book, and the ever-present Cinderella gown. Although she did take it off, it is never more than a few feet away from her.

By the time we get everything in the crib she wants to sleep with, you’d think she would be tired. Maybe there are just too many diversion. Or maybe there just isn’t enough room for her to stretch her weary body out…

Can you spot the trend…

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…in ALL of these pictures?

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Ding, ding, ding. Gold star for you if you answered that they all contain an impossibly cute child.

BUT, extra credit for those of you that noticed she also happens to be sporting the (insert expletive here) “Cinderelly” gown. In. Every. Single. Picture.

This is actually the second Cinderella gown. Well, just the bottom half of the gown, if you want to get technical. She needs to wear it everywhere. For a few days it was the absolute first thing she put on in the morning and the last thing I peeled off of her before bath at night. She does get quite a few admiring glances and comments when we venture outside of the house. A few strange looks as well, but it really isn’t worth the fight. I simply let her wear it, it isn’t hurting anybody.

She also insists on putting it on herself. “I do it, I DO IT!” as she throws it over her head. She pulls it over her upper torso til it reaches her hips and then she pulls her arms through. Which I think was the demise of the first gown. The elastic was so stretched out that it wouldn’t stay up, yet she continued to wear it and just did everything right-handed since her left hand was busy holding the skirt up.

A few nights ago I told her I would fix it for her and suggested she wear the other little Cinderella bottom that we have. She was not very happy. The second, new skirt has a cute, little tulle overlay over the satin skirt. And she “don’t yike that!”

But then she figured out she could turn it inside out (yes, that means the itchy tulle is next to her skin) and it looked just like the first skirt. Now she has a “puffy” skirt.

So the new skirt has passed the very discerning fashionista’s test, and it is in heavy rotation. Well, I’m not sure if you can even say it is in rotation, it now goes to bed with her. She takes naps in it, she sleeps with it on at night, she only takes it off to bathe, or change her clothes that I insist she has to wear underneath it.

Yesterday, when she didn’t want to nap, and I think was a little bored, she took the skirt off along with her sweatpants, t-shirt, and pull-up. When I finally went up to let her out of baby jail, I opened the door, she was standing up in her crib. Naked. I said, “A. what are you doing?”

She looked down and then said with pure surprise on her face and in her voice, “Oh! Mama! I nakey!”

And she quickly reached down to put “Cinderelly” back on.

It is so on…

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Conversation from yesterday that never made it into a post. Proof that my daughters are in fact sisters and not sweet and loving all of the time.

E: Stop! Stop it, Addie. No you have to do it like…
(Interrupted by Addie, shrieking, and then full on screaming.)
M: What happened?
(Addie is holding her head and crying. I try to tell her to take a breath and tell me what happened. That clearly isn’t going to happen, she shrieks louder and and eardrum-shatteringly louder…)
M: Em what did you do to Addie?
E: Nothing. Well…I don’t want to tell you.
M: Well, go sit on the stair until you feel like telling me.
E: I DON’T WANT TO SIT ON THE STAIR! NOOOOOoooooo.
(Stomp. Stomp. Stomp…in the general direction of the stairs. And Addie begins to quiet down.)
A: *sniff, sniff* I ok, Mama. Uh oh…Mama? Emma not on stairs.
E: Addie! I. AM. TOO! (She wasn’t.) Mama, you need to tell Addie that she is tattling, and that is NOT nice.

*sigh.*

How does a 2-year old know how to “tattle?” And how does a 4-year old know how to call out tattling?

Gonna be a long 14 years.

Party Recap

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So the party was great. I realized that birthday parties are a lot like Christmas, in that you don’t really appreciate how much work your own Mom used to put into the days to make them special, until you actually do it yourself.

I am still slightly completely exhausted. But it was so worth it. Check out the look on her face while everyone is singing Happy Birthday to her! (Yeah, in retrospect, should have practiced blowing a candle out before the actual big moment…but she was so excited that her Daddy finally blew it out for her!)

The cake actually went together really easily and quickly on Friday night. I guess I have Addie to thank for picking an easy cake. I think I frosted the cake and all of the cupcakes in under an hour.

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J. grilled hot dogs, we had fruits, veggies, and chips for lunch…and Puppy Chow! (Thanks for the recipe, Kimmer – it was a definite hit!) The girls and I had also made bone-shaped sugar cookies for the doggy bags.

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All of the kids dressed-up as kitties and puppies when they got to the party and the “hot” game was Pin-the-Bone-In-The-Puppies-Mouth. I think everyone (Daddys, Wendy, and Uncle Jeff included!) took a few turns on that game. I guess the old standbys are always winners.

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So you won’t have to read anymore about “kippy.” It was successful, but it is done and we’re packing it in. If you need more pictures, check out flickr, I just uploaded a whole bunch.

Today, Ad’s actual birthday, has been seriously low-key. J. had to work, so the girls and I went and spent a few hours at the park. Took naps. And now we are heading down to have some dinner with Daddy. We will probably be in recovery mode for the next few days.

Thanks to everyone who came to the party and sent wishes and gifts to Addie. Our recovery will surely include some sort of “thank you” notes, but it may take us awhile since Em starts school this week, too!

Happy Birthday, My Big 2-year old!

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Dear Addikins –

As I was putting you to bed last night, I just couldn’t leave your room. You were nearly asleep, exhausted from your party, when I laid you down and covered you up. It was a rare moment, you letting me just stand there, stroking your hair and gazing at your sweet face as you drifted off to sleep.

It was a sweet pause before a pivotal moment in your life. It feels like you have been straddling the line between baby, toddler, and just plain “little girl” for so many months now.

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You will tell me, “I’m not baby, I a big girl!” or “No, I do it!” And then in the next breath you ask me “Hold my hand, Mama.” Although you will always be my baby, and you’ll never be a “just plain” girl, I think you have definitely jumped across that line. You are all little girl. And I couldn’t help but think back to what I was doing 2 years ago at that same moment, when you became my “baby.”

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I knew after I had my doctor’s appointment on the 8th of September and she “moved things along” a bit, that I was going to go into labor. I just had a feeling as we went out for dinner and I told your Daddy that we had better make sure the neighbors would be able to come over that night. I was so certain you were on your way.

I have to admit I was anxious, far more anxious than when we were waiting for Em to be born. I was unsure of how smoothly the transition from one baby to two was going to be. I was actually very scared, and worried that I just wouldn’t be able to be a mommy to two little girls as well as I could be to just one. And we had our comfortable routine already. Our family of three.

But the minute they put you in my arms, all of my fears, worries and anxieties disappeared. I knew that you were going to fit into our family perfectly. And you have given so much to our family in your two short years.

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Since the day you were born, you and your sister have been fast friends. You have given Emma an opportunity to be a (great!) big sister. She has become a caring girl and is very aware of her job as a role model to her adoring “little sister.” You have taught her the importance of sharing and putting others first. The two of you make the most amazing, beautiful pair of girls and I know that no matter where your paths lead you, you will always have a best friend to rely on. That makes me and Daddy so proud.

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And you have the most incredible sense of humor. Your faces and antics always have Daddy and I cracking up. You have just started to understand how funny you are, and you know how to use it to make us laugh. Just like a beam of sunshine, you shine laughter and happiness into a room just by being there.

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Most importantly, you have made me a much better Mommy. With your curiosity and need to “check everything out, ” you have taught me to be more patient. I know this one still could use a little work…but I am much more patient than I used to be. When I look into those big eyes of yours, I have to catch my breath. I just want to make the world stop and soak in every sweet minute I have with you.

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We still call you “tiny” although you and your personality are anything but that, now. It seems like quite a lot for such a “tiny” girl to have accomplished in two short years, but you have changed our family so that I cannot even begin to remember what it was like to be a family of three. You truly completed our family.

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Happy Birthday, “Tiny.” May this next year be a constant source of wonder, happiness and love. And thank you for bringing all of these to our family, too.

Love,
Mama

The Successful Happy Kippy Party

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We are all “pooped” out. Dog-tired. Ready for a catnap.

Oh, wait. The “kippy” party is over. We can now resume normal operations, and stop with all this puppy/kitty stuff.

It was a hugely successful party. Everyone had lots of fun. Ad held out until 7:30pm, with no nap and then she finally had to give in.

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I need to do the same. I am on “solo Mommy duty” tomorrow so I will post pics, details, and the cutest video of my 2-year old as we sang Happy Birthday to her. It made me cry as I was watching it a bit ago. She really is 2.

Tomorrow, my friends.