She's Rolling!

Yesterday, while I was on the phone with my mom I put Aila on her belly for tummy time. After I hung up, Aila rolled over! I immediately wanted to call my mom back to tell her the good news but I decided Eric should be the first one to know. I can't believe my baby is already on the move!!!

They Keep Us Smiling

Kinsley is such a hoot! We are always laughing at the things she does and says. Having a two year old sure does make life more interesting. The other day I told Kinsley she needed to get some clothes on if she wanted to come to town with me. She came down dressed like this...
... and said, "Mom, I ready!" I asked "Where are your clothes?" to which she replied, "No clothes, I go naked!

One morning, I was doing Kinsley's hair when she found this red headband. She put it around her head and said, "Look mom, I am like Jesus." I puzzled over this for a minute and then realized that two nights previous we read about Christ's crucifixion and showed Kinsley a picture of Jesus on the cross with a crown of thorns on his head.

On another occasion, Kinsley asked me, "Mom, where my spiggy meter?" I had no clue what she was talking about. She asked me the same question ALL day long. When Eric came home I asked him what a spiggy meter was. He didn't know what I was talking about so Kinsley asked him and he said, "Oh, she is asking where her sphygmomanometer is." I gave him a blank look. "It is the blood pressure cuff in her doctor kit." Yeah, we can see what Eric is teaching her in his spare time.

When Kinsley was a baby I would often hear people say, "I have such an easy baby!" I just figured they were all lying because Kinsley was so awful. Now, that we have Aila I can honestly say, "I have such an easy baby"! She is so happy and puts up with a lot of abuse from her big sister (yesterday I caught Kinsley sitting on Aila's legs and giving her a "shot") Even with all the abuse she ALWAYS gives Kinsley the biggest smiles.

Aila LOVES tummy time...

... for the first 7 minutes...then she has a melt down!

Bumbo

Aila received some money from her grandparents for Christmas. I was going to buy her some cute clothes (girls can always use cute clothes right?) -- As I was looking through her closet the thought came to my mind, "is it a want or a need?"

GASP!!!

I am turning into my dad! He ALWAYS says that.

So, to rebel, I bought a Bumbo Seat (which is a want, not a need). I don't have to wash it, iron it, hang it up.... and Aila LOVES to sit in it so it makes my life easier and happier.
No, money doesn't buy happiness, but it does buy things that make me & her happy. Thanks for the gift!!!

Pay it Forward 2011

I am a little nervous about this but...

Pay it forward 2011: I promise to send something handmade to the first 5 people who leave a comment here. However, to be eligible, you must re-post this status, offering the same thing to 5 other people. The rules are that it must be handmade by you (it could be as easy as making some cookies, or as difficult as knitting some adult sized pajama's) and it must be sent to your 5 people sometime in 2011.

Beneficiary

Eric has a classmate that recently broke up with his girlfriend (awww... sad). He asked Eric if he could give Kinsley some things that he gave his girlfriend during the course of their relationship. At first, I was hesitant because it seemed weird but then eventually agreed. Tuesday Eric came home with a garbage sack OVERFLOWING with stuffed animals.

Kinsley is the beneficiary of 7 new stuffed animals. (including: a duck Pillow Pet, a Tickle-Me-Elmo, Frog Prince, Monkey, Turtle, a giant white animal --Eric says it is a hedge hog, Kinsley calls it a lamb and I am undecided--, and her favorite is a Panda Bear with a fortune cookie in it's mouth)We are about getting to the point where we need a storage unit to keep all of our stuff.

Update on the Girls

Since coming home to Mississippi (a week ago) we have been to the doctor SIX times for ear infections, eye infections, immunizations, vomiting, coughing, and a check-up. Our new pediatrician and nursing staff, whom we like, is familiar with us and before you know it, will know our names by heart. Kinsley likes this new office because when she leaves she is always given an otter pop. (bribery works) We are all feeling much better and hope and pray (for my sanity's sake) that it stays that way!

While in Idaho, we missed Aila's 2 month check-up and immunizations so we got everything caught up at three months.

Aila's Stats @ three months:
14 pounds 8 ounces- (~88 percentile)
24 inches long- (~58 percentile)
15 1/2 head circumference- (~19 percentile)

Kinsley saw me put this outfit on Aila this morning and decided she needed to change her clothes to match her sister. Then she decided she needed her picture taken in the rocking chair too. It is funny how she is becoming so opinionated.... okay maybe it isn't ALWAYS funny because yesterday she threw a fit because I didn't want her wear bright blue pants because they didn't match her shirt.... she won the fight.

Kinsley is Potty Trained!!!!
(knock on wood)

Before leaving on vacation in November, I told Kinsley she HAD to be potty trained to go to grandma's house to jump on her trampoline, and swim in grandpa's hot tub. That was the ultimate prize. (I don't know what we would have done if she didn't do it... it isn't as if we could have left her in Mississippi- but she didn't know that.) Here is how it broke down...

Day 1: she got a sticker and an M&M if she went on the potty)... she went 21 time with no accidents.
Day 2: sticker + one smartie... she went 24 times with one accident
Day 3: sticker + M&M... 20 times one accident
(I never knew kids could go to the bathroom SO many times during the day... I felt like I practically LIVED in the bathroom)
Day 4: sticker incentive starts to wear off but she is still excited about the candy (that's my girl!)... 2 accidents
Every time she would try to take care of her #2 business on the potty she would totally freak out and break down in tears. I never knew going #2 could be SOOO difficult. She after messing in her underwear once she started squatting on the toilet seat (like you would in China)... well, let's just say her aim wasn't always correct.
Day 5- she had no accidents and I found if I held her hand going #2 wasn't AS difficult.

To make a long story short, she went days with no accidents, we went to the park and to town with no accidents, we rode in the car with no accidents, she rode on the airplane with no accidents and for the 6 weeks we were on vacation she only had two accidents that were my fault (1st accident- I didn't show her where the bathroom was and therefore when she had to go she didn't know where to go. 2nd accident- She had a lot to drink at lunch and fell asleep in the car but instead of waking her up to take her to the bathroom I just put her down and she couldn't hold that much liquid for that long.) I guess she isn't totally potty trained. I still put her in Pull-Ups at night but she is always dry in the morning... I don't want to ruin her new mattress and haven't gotten around to buying a waterproof pad yet. All in all, potty training was easier than I expected... but I don't want to do it again anytime soon.

A Long Day

I spent the night soothing an irritable baby who has an ear infection and comforting a toddler who kept vomiting. I spent the day washing vomit out of comforters (plural), sheets (plural), blankets (plural), cushions (plural), and pajamas (plural). I also had to scrub spots (plural) on our carpet and febreeze our home. As I look around I see suitcases that still need to be unpacked, dishes that need to be washed, and I have to ask myself this question: Why on earth did I want to become a mother?!?!?

Then, before bed, my two year old gives me a hug and kiss (without prompting) and says, "I love you mommy!" Then I kiss Aila's neck and she giggles. Yeah, in the long run, it is all worth it.

Riding In An Airplane

Oh, we are flying in an airplane,
Looking out the window,
Watching the clouds go by.
Flying in an airplane,
Looking out the window,
Up so very high.

During our vacation, Kinsley and Aila were both great little travelers! Aila is such a good baby and slept a lot during the flights. Kinsley kept us entertained by the things she does and says. Having a two year old keeps us laughing and keeps us on our toes!

How does a 2 year old entertain themselves during a layover....