A Wee Bit of Heaven

Jingles the Elf

2011-12-16T21:46:00.000-08:00

We started a new tradition this year - we introduced the "Elf on the Shelf". It's a pretty cute idea - the elf arrives at your home from the North Pole shortly after Thanksgiving, and each night he reports back to the North Pole to tell Santa if you've been naughty or nice. When he returns, he usually lands in a different place in your home. Sweet Pea finds this hilarious and loves looking for him in the morning. Right when he arrives, you have to give him his very own name, so he can get his magic. We were a bit worried about this, because in the weeks leading up to his arrival, Sweet Pea kept saying she was going to name him "Stinky Pants". Luckily for the Elf, she was feeling nice when he arrived, and she named him "Jingles" :)

Jingles loves hanging out on the Christmas trees. One morning he was with her mermaid Ariel, and Sweet Pea was NOT happy about that. In fact, she was pretty mad that Jingles didn't ask Sweet Pea if he could play with Ariel!

Enjoying the Christmas Tree 2011

2011-12-15T20:07:00.000-08:00

Miss Sweet Pea is LOVING having the Christmas tree up! She's always rearranging the ornaments and admiring the tree. Here's a little video of her with the tree this year:

And in case you forgot how cute she was last year, here's a little reminder:

Unicorn Breath

2011-12-15T20:05:00.001-08:00

This evening I was talking with Sweet Pea after I had eaten some lasagna and garlic bread. She told me my breath smells like unicorns.

Good to know.

Happy November!

2011-11-14T19:40:00.001-08:00

Somebody likes playing in the leaves!

Trick or Treating 2011

2011-11-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

This year Sweet Pea got to go trick or treating with her cousins. They have an adorable neighborhood and it was a storybook vision. There were tons of little kids dressed up in super cute costumes. All day on Halloween Sweet Pea and I practiced saying, "trick or treat" and her joke, that went something like this:

Me: OK, what is your joke?
Sweet Pea: Trick or Treat
Me: No, your joke
Sweet Pea: Oh, Trick or Treat, who's there?
Me: No, you say, "Knock, knock"
Sweet Pea: Who's there?
Me: No, you say "knock, knock"
Sweet Pea: Knock, knock, who's there?
Me: No, you just say, "knock, knock"
Sweet Pea: Who's there?

Are you starting to feel a little like the "Who's on first" scenario? LOL!

Sweet Pea got to her first house and as the homeowner held out her bucket of candy, Sweet Pea said, "trick or treat" and emptied all of her treats she got from Nana before we left into the lady's bucket. Bless her heart, it didn't take long before she figured out it goes the other way around :)

She had a blast and held her cousin's hand all through the neighborhood (already too independant to trick or treat with Mom).

Happy Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T14:23:00.001-07:00

Happy Halloween to everyone! Have a safe night trick or treating!

3 Year Stats

2011-10-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

We're pretty lucky that we don't have to put Sweet Pea in daycare, and I think that's a big reason why she never gets sick. Therefore, we rarely go to the doctors office. Infact, this year we went all year without going, and we feel very lucky to have such a healthy little girl! Sweet Pea did remember, however, that her doctor has curly hair. Her memory never ceases to amaze me!!!

Here are Sweet Pea's big 3 year stats:

Height: 37.75 inches (70%)
Weight: 32.2 pounds (60%)
Head Circumference: they stopped measuring :)

So, basically she's taller than 70% of other kids her age, and weighs more than 60% of kids her age.

We're still in diapers, but we're having some success with going on the potty. She really loves to cheer the other ladies on when we visit a public restroom. Also, we're hoping to get rid of the binky pretty shortly after we get to move back into our house (that's an entirely separate story!!!)

And, just for fun, you can compare what her stats were at her 2 year check up:
http://aweebitofheaven.blogspot.com/2010/10/2-year-stats.html

October Corn Maize

2011-10-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

We visited some college friends a few weekends ago at a corn maize. I started to get a little nervous when I read a story about a couple who had to call 911 because it was getting dark and they couldn't find their way out. Only to find out they were like, 25 feet from the exit, or something - after police and dogs had to come find them. So, being that Sweet Pea will run like the wind from us, I thought I better get a kid leash before we venture out into such madness. I borrowed a super cute one from a friend of mine. Surprisingly, Sweet Pea loved wearing it. However, she wanted to hold the end of the leash...kind of cancels out the reason for having one. Luckily, the corn maize had so much other fun stuff to do we didn't even go in the maize at all. Instead, we enjoyed the pumpkin patch, corn "sand" box, and a tractor ride. All in all we had a great time!

Happy October, Everyone! Sweet Pea turned 3!!!

2011-10-27T21:21:00.001-07:00

Hello all! We've had a very busy past few months! We can't believe how fast Miss Sweet Pea is growing! She just turned 3, where has the time gone? And she's growing like crazy! My mom said, "You've grown a foot!" And Sweet Pea looked down and said, "No, Nana, I only have two". Melts my heart, she is so sweet!

We had her birthday party at a local park and couldn't have asked for more perfect weather. We had a face painter come out and for weeks before Sweet Pea kept saying she wanted to get a lion painted on her face. Well, she got her lion! She loved every second of getting her face painted, and had a blast at her party!

Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet Pea!!!

2011-10-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

My sweet, beautiful, smart, funny baby girl turned THREE today!!! Where has the time gone? She's the light of my life, and always makes me smile. I love you, Sweet Pea!!!

I asked her to give me a big "three year old" smile, and this is it! (She's kind of an over achiever :)

A New Panooner!!!

2011-08-25T13:44:00.001-07:00

My brother recently gave my mom a new laptop. Sweet Pea was soooooo excited about the whole thing. She couldn't wait to tell me, "Uncle Mike bought Nana a new PANOONER"!!!!!

Surfin' the Web

2011-08-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

Sweet Pea was chillin out surfin the web, checking out her facebook pics :) Word on the street is she needs her own iPad because she's so good at playing games on her aunt's!

Some other funny things she's said recently:

Sweet Pea: Let me see your makeup (as she gets thisclose to my face)
Me: I'm not wearing any, I can't find it.
Sweet Pea: Awwww, poor mommy.

As I returned from work to pick her up from my mom's last week:
Sweet Pea: (in a very serious tone) When you see a buggy on your arm, wipe it off. When you see a lion, run.

Such good advise, can't say that I argue with that!

Miss Adorable

2011-06-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

In case you were wondering who the light of my life is, its this girl right here!!!

She's So SMART!!!

2011-05-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

The other night I was playing with Sweet Pea, and she wanted me to draw. Amongst other things, one of the things I put down on paper was this little note. I wrote the letters and drew the heart, but, she made the heart's face!!! I couldn't believe it, she's only TWO!!! In addition, after I wrote it, I pointed to the first word and said, "What does that say?" and she said "MOMMY"!!! We are so blessed to have such a smart, beautiful, sweet, and funny little girl!

Easter Recap

2011-05-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

We had a great Easter this year. Sweet Pea was really into finding Easter eggs and putting them in her basket. Did I mention the girl loves her some chocolate? Needless to say, we had a little bit of a sugar rush!

To the Races!

2011-05-16T18:02:00.000-07:00

Sweet Pea's daddy finished ANOTHER running event! This time he ran a 1/2 marathon. Sweet Pea was so proud of her daddy, she even got to wear his medal :)

I'm TWO!?!?!?

2011-05-16T13:44:00.001-07:00

A little convo between Sweet Pea and I in the car this weekend...

Sweet Pea: Mommy, can I drive?
Me: No, Sweet Pea, you have to be 16 to drive, and you're 2.
Sweet Pea: I'm TWO!?!?! (with shock and horror) Oh noooooo!

For Your Viewing Pleasure

2011-03-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

We went to the Butterfly House this weekend. Sweet Pea took some pictures with her princess camera :) I think she had a good time...till she did a backflip off the swing. We might need to wait a while to let her play on the big kid swing again!

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto...

2011-03-25T13:48:00.001-07:00

This weekend Miss Sweet Pea woke up walking and talking like a robot...and calling herself Robot Boy, and me Robot Mommy. Daddy asked if he was Robot Daddy. Her response? "No, Daddy! You're a guy."

Duh!

From the Mouths of Babes

2011-02-17T08:55:00.000-08:00

I've said it before, but, I just love hearing Sweet Pea talk! She says the cutest things! Here's a few of the most recent:

You have mommy eyes, they're pretty.
I WIN!!! (as she steps on the scale - I wish I had her enthusiasm!)
It's a hot summer day. (We've recently emerged from a blizzard, so, I guess 40 degrees does feel pretty hot!)
I love my room. It is berry awesome. (As she looks around her room)

Happy Valentine's Day 2011!

2011-02-14T08:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day 2011! Sweet Pea says, "Happy Valentine's Day", and I got some beautiful roses from her daddy. I'm a lucky girl! Hope you all have a fabulous day!

Catch Up!

2011-01-31T20:46:00.000-08:00

I feel like its been forever since I posted. We've just been enjoying Sweet Pea so much. She is getting so smart, and can really speak clearly in sentences now. Its so fun and exciting to hear what she comes up with. She says, "Where's dad? I wanna hang out." And tonight she told me, "You have a bug in your tummy. I'm a doctor." I love it! She is so awesome! Here's a few recent pics:

It's Not an Animal...

2011-01-06T20:52:00.001-08:00

Here's a conversation Sweet Pea and I had in the car this morning:

Sweet Pea: There's something in my diaper.

Me: What!?! Well, What is it???!!!

Sweet Pea: ...it's not an animal...

Well, I guess that's a relief...

Dancing to Daddy Playing the Binky Song

2010-12-27T19:30:00.001-08:00

Watching Mommy's Old Cheerleading Videos!

2010-12-27T19:28:00.001-08:00

Playing with the Christmas Tree - 2010

2010-12-27T19:26:00.001-08:00

Sweet Pea and Santa - 2010

2010-12-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

Last night we got to go see Santa Claus!!! Sweet Pea thought it was really cool. But, I think she got a little shy when she sat on his lap. At least she didn't cry, and she looks more comfortable than last year!!!

Celery

2010-11-18T08:01:00.000-08:00

Last night when we got home I let Sweet Pea carry in the plastic bag that had one green pepper and one package of celery. When she got in the living room she opened it up and said, "Ohhhhhh, THANK YOU, mama!!!" It was the funniest thing. Then she took out the celery package and said, "I LOVE CELERY!" and started eating pieces of it. If I had known celery would make her so happy I would have bought it long ago!!!

Bunny

2010-11-18T07:30:00.000-08:00

A while back, Sweet Pea's daddy meant to get her attention, and he was going to say either "honey", or "baby", and it came out, "bunny". Her eyes lit up and her whole face smiled when he called her that. Ever since, she loves when he calls her Bunny. It is adorable. The other night, we were dropping off his dinner at work, and I said, "Remember, he's just going to get his dinner and give us kisses, then he has to go back to work". And I told her "Daddy loves you", and she said, "Yeah, daddy loves Bunny" and pointed at herself.

So sweet!

New Camera Equipment = New Sweet Pea Pics!

2010-11-04T18:52:00.000-07:00

I bought a speedlight for my camera tonight and couldn't wait to get home and try it out! Lucky for me I have a beautiful subject to photograph :) I'm so happy with this new speedlight, and wish I would have bought it earlier. Next on my list is a new lens. Until then, enjoy!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-03T07:58:00.000-07:00

Halloween is my favorite holiday of the entire year, so now that Sweet Pea is old enough to walk around in a costume I was especially looking forward to this year! I don't think we're quite ready to go door to door trick or treating, but, we did take advantage of other opporunities. The zoo had a fun event called "Boo at the Zoo" that we attended. I was hoping for Sweet Pea to get to trick or treat there, but, they did that during the day and we came at night. Regardless, it was lots of fun. There were cool decorations and the childrens zoo was open for the little ones. We came across some really cute little ghosts, and Sweet Pea said, "Eat ghosties eyes". I have no idea where she came up with that, but, I thought it was hilarious! We had a great time!

Pretty Princess

2010-10-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a cute pic of Sweet Pea trying on her Halloween costume. It's funny because we kept asking her what she wanted to be for Halloween and all she would say was, "Dora". Do you know how hard it is to find a Dora costume? In addition, she was completely uninterested in any costume we held up to her (probably because they weren't Dora.) However, I did go get a Dora backpack, and she was uniterested in that, too.

Us: "Do you like this?"
Her: "Yes."
Us: "Would you wear it?"
Her: "No."

So, long story short, I just picked out a princess dress. I think she likes it!

2 Year Stats

2010-10-26T07:19:00.000-07:00

We had our 2-year checkup recently and here are Sweet Pea's stats:

Height: 34 inches (50%)
Weight: 27.5 pounds (55%)
Head Circumference: 50 cm (97%)

And, just for fun, you can compare what her stats were at 18 months:
http://aweebitofheaven.blogspot.com/2010/04/18-month-stats.html

Out for a Sunday Drive...

2010-10-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

Sweet Pea and her BFF took a ride in her new SmartCar this weekend for my mom's birthday celebration at the park. I think they like it!

2nd Birthday Recap

2010-10-12T20:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday we had Sweet Pea's birthday party at the pumpkin patch. We were all so surprised by how HOT it was! When we got in the car to leave at 5pm, the car temperature gauge said 92!!! Sweet Pea had a blast - despite the hot weather. My mom bought her a really cute shirt that had a piece of cake on it that she was going to wear to her party, but, it had long sleeves so we had to dig out some summer clothes. The pumpkin patch was so much fun, all the kids got a pumpkin, a ride on the tractor train, and a ticket to the playground. We held a toy drive to donate toys to Friends of Kids which is an organization that give toys to kids who have cancer. I can't wait to drop off our donation, we have so much! Everyone was so generous, it really means a lot. Here's a few pics from the day:

Fashionista!

2010-10-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

This is how we wear headbands at our house:

And this is how Sweet Pea likes to spend her time in mommy's closet:

Lollipop Lollipop

2010-10-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

For the record I wouldn't give Sweet Pea a lollipop (can you say "choking hazard"?), BUT...we picked up dinner at the Thai restaurant and the nice man behind the counter gave it to her and she shoved it in her mouth before I could blink an eye. She did OK with it, and cried her eyes out when she ate it all and it was gone :(

Fun at Nana's House

2010-10-06T14:02:00.001-07:00

Pennies and Little Girls

2010-10-05T12:32:00.001-07:00

I've recently discovered how delightful it is to ask Sweet Pea what she was dreaming about when I get her up from a nap or in the morning. I'll say, "Did you have sweet dreams? What did you dream about?" and she always responds without hesitation. A few days ago it was "Nini's puppies" (Nini doesn't have any puppies). And this morning it was about "Pennies and little girls".

So cute :)

First Fly In

2010-10-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

In case you didn't know, Sweet Pea's daddy is an aviation extraordinaire! Last weekend we took her to her first "Fly In" at the Alton Regional Airport. Since she LOVES heavy machinery, we thought she'd love this. We were right!

Farm Girl

2010-10-01T13:34:00.001-07:00

Yep, these tires look good...

Apple Pickin!

2010-09-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

We went to pick apples last weekend and it was such a big hit with Sweet Pea we plan on going again next week while the weather is still good! Here's a few pics of her enjoying the day:

Sugar High!

2010-09-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

Daddy gave Sweet Pea a big piece of chocolate cake after dinner! Notice the dill pickle sitting on her plate with the cake...

More Counting, and a Little Spanish...

2010-09-09T13:59:00.001-07:00

Tickles from the Binky!

2010-09-09T13:58:00.001-07:00

Sweet Pea Counts to 10!

2010-09-09T13:57:00.001-07:00

Pics from Labor Day 2010

2010-09-09T10:53:00.000-07:00

Here it is, your moment of zen...

Hold You!

2010-09-01T09:28:00.001-07:00

Sweet Pea wants to "hold you"! Which, really means she wants YOU to hold HER! Or, her to hold something, or YOU to hold something. So cute!

On the Potty! WEEEE!

2010-08-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

It's been a big week at our house! Sweet Pea has went #1 on the potty almost 5 times this week! Wowzers! She should be easy to potty train, from day 1 (literally) she HATED getting her diaper changed, and still does! I will always remember the nurse changing her in the hospital saying, "It's not that bad!" and I asked if all the babies scream like that when they get their diaper changed. She said no, and I can't wait to not have to deal with diapers any more!!!

Now She's Just Showing Off!

2010-08-26T19:14:00.000-07:00

So, a couple days ago Sweet Pea counted all the way to 10 and I was totally impressed. Last night in the bath I asked her if she could count in Spanish, and she starts "Uno, dos, tres..."

!!! I was totally blown away! So, I counted to 10 in Spanish a couple times and she could do it by the time we finished the bath! She got a little mixed up on 9 because her teacher (yours truly) couldn't remember how to say "9" in Spanish. But, I got on Google and figured it out right away!

I gotta get this stuff on video! The problem is, she won't do it if you ask, you just have to get lucky. Looks like I need to carry a camera around everywhere I go just in case!!!

What's Your Name?

2010-08-26T19:08:00.001-07:00

A little convo we had tonight...

Me: Do you know your name?
Gwen: ...baby
Me: You are my sweet baby, but, do you know your name?
Gwen: ...feet
Me: You have beautiful feet, and your name is Gwendolyn.
Gwen: Ding Ding!

She can count to 10!

2010-08-24T07:45:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am so excited that Sweet Pea can count to 10! She is such a big girl! We were riding in the car yesterday and she was talking and all of a sudden she counted all the way to 10 all by herself! I am so impressed! It's funny because if you ever ASK her to do it she gets irritated and shakes her head no. So, I guess I just got lucky yesterday!

She Loves Happy Birthday!

2010-08-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

I mean, realllly loves it! So much, she gazes at me and her eyes dilate when I'm singing it! Its awesome! Needless to say, I sing it to her pretty much everyday. Its especially cute because after the first time, she says, "Dada?" that means she wants me to sing, "Happy birthday dear Dadaaaa". Then, after that song she says, "MomMom?" So, I sing it to myself. This goes on for a few more people, then we're finished and moving on to something else.

Literally...

2010-08-14T20:19:00.000-07:00

This afternoon Sweet Pea was fussing, and I wanted her to use her words, so I said, "Say words". Her response? You guessed it..."Words."

It's HOT

2010-08-12T11:28:00.001-07:00

'nuff said.

2nd Birthday Approaching!

2010-08-11T15:06:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how time flies! I remember the night I went into labor like it was yesterday! Now, I'm looking at Sweet Pea's second birthday in just 8 more weeks! I'm considering doing something a bit different for her birthday this year. Since we are so fortunate to have all the things we need, (including our health) and so many people who love us in our lives, I thought it would be nice to use Sweet Pea's birthday party to bring joy to other children, too. I'd like to have a toy drive at her birthday party and give the donated toys to a charity. This year it would be Friends of Kids with Cancer. A friend of mine from high school has twin girls and they do this every year for their birthday. They keep a big box outside the party and guests bring toys to be donated to the organization. On days they have treatment (chemo), the kids get to pick a new toy from the "Toy Closet". I also think this would help teach Sweet Pea to think of others less fortunate and be thankful for things she has. As she gets older she could participate and choose the charity to donate the toys to.

Since I've never been to a birthday party like this, I'm curious if anyone has any input or suggestions?

First Tummy Bug = Sad Face :(

2010-07-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

Monday morning Sweet Pea woke up puking :( This is the first time we've experienced "puking" sick, and it was the most awful thing ever! She was throwing up almost every 30 minutes and would cry, "no no noooo" when she was doing it. It was so pitiful, I wanted to cry, too. After taking it easy and a loooong late afternoon nap, she was able to keep down some water and Pedialyte, as well as some 'Nilla Wafers and Saltine crackers. Bless her heart. She was 99% better Monday evening, and Tuesday there was no sign of illness at all. Thank goodness for a fast recovery!!!

Fashion Show Benefit for SIDS Resources

2010-07-12T09:48:00.000-07:00

This weekend Sweet Pea and her cousins starred in a Fashion Show Benefit for SIDS Resources. I also donated some items for a silent auction. I donated approx. 50 Oreo Truffle pops, and a custom children's silhouette. The show was so cute! She did fabulous, I definately don't have a shy child!!!

It was a wonderful event, but, I always think about the way our lives have changed that put us in touch with SIDS Resources. They are a wonderful organzation that no one wants to be a part of. When I took Sweet Pea to get fitted for her fashion show outfit I went to the desk at the boutique and said, "I'm with SIDS Resources" and it made me so sad. I don't want to be with SIDS Resources. I don't want my brother and sister-in-law to be with SIDS Resources. Really, I don't want anyone to be with SIDS Resources. As the director said this weekend, "Our goal is to educate people on the safe practices to reduce sudden infant death. In other words, our goal is to work ourselves out of a job." I think she said that perfectly.

Chicago Photo Video

2010-07-07T07:57:00.001-07:00

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

First Trip to Chicago!

2010-07-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

This weekend we took Sweet Pea on her first trip! We drove 300 miles one way to visit Aunt Katie in Chicago. We were really apprehensive going on such a long trip because she pretty much HATES riding in the car. Much to our surprise, she was totally awesome for ALL 300 miles both ways (600 total!!!) We couldn't believe how great she did in the car. I'm pretty sure we have the best kid EVER!!! She sang songs, played with her Yo Gabba Gabba laptop (she squealed "Oooooh BABAAAA!" over and over - it never got old!), colored, and drew pictures.

We went to the Chicago Board of Trade, the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower), lots of cool restaurants, Lake Michigan beach, on bus rides, and on a train. She had her first cheeseburger on the way back home and loved it! I hope she didn't like it too much though, because I don't eat meat and we were hoping to get her to eat something so she'd fall asleep - which she didn't. Did I mention my kid doesn't fall asleep in the car like everyone else's? Seriously, on the way home she slept for the first 30 minutes, and that was it! Here's a few pics from our trip, enjoy!

New Words

2010-06-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

Sweet Pea is learning new words everyday! Everyone told us her vocabulary would explode soon and it really does seem like thats the best description for her progress. I especially love the way she says, "no" and "yes", she has so much personality with the two simple words. Here's a list of just a few words she currently has in her vocabulary, there are so many more I don't think I'll remember them all for this post:

No = nooooo (with a scrunched face while she shakes her head) OR "no!" (as in: how dare you ask me that?)
Yes = 'yays' (like a little southern girl)
Mama = "MomMom"
Dada
Nana
Papa
Puppy (and "ruff ruff")
Eat Eat
Go Go
Beep beep (to cars and trucks, I think she thinks she's speaking their language ;)
Shoes
*Clothes (she is MY daughter, after all!)
*Dora

*New THIS MORNING!

Also, we try to expose her to other languages as much as possible, we have a children's video that is all in Spanish. I was trying to teach her to say, "Hola", and she said "Hiyaaa". My little girl speaks Spanglish already ;)

Following Your Own Rules...

2010-06-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

I'm just sayin...

OOOOOOOOOOoooooh!!!!!!!!

2010-06-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooohhh!!!!!!"

That's what she says when she sees a big truck! She points at it and marvels at the size and sound. Then she starts waving and saying, "HhhhIIiiiiiiii, beep beep", and as it drives past she keeps waving and switches to, "Byeeeee, beep beep".

Love it!

What Does Mama Say?

2010-06-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

Sweet Pea is at such a fun age right now! Everyday her vocabulary is expanding, and it is so amazing to see her learning and mastering new skills. She is literally learning a new word every day. It is fascinating!!! She's pretty good at all the animal sounds, so the other day her daddy was driving with her in the car and asking her, "What does the puppy say? (RUFF RUFF!) What does the kitty say? (mowwww)" etc. Then he said, "What does mama say?" Her response? "Chris". We laughed at that so hard! She's always impressing us, while making us laugh - parenthood is awesome!

Friend's 1st Birthday

2010-06-02T08:56:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Sweet Pea got to attend a 1st birthday party for an adorable little boy. His mommy and I have been friends since childhood. It's neat to see our kids play together!!! It was soooo much fun, there was a playground nearby, and there were tons of little kids and everyone had a blast!

She Loves Binkies

2010-05-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

I think this picture says it all!!!

Warm Weather and Hand Made Warm Fuzzies!

2010-05-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

I am sooo glad that we're finally getting some warm weather here! We've been bombarded with rain and chilly weather for weeks now and I think I would be good if I don't see another rain cloud for a very long time! Its interesting that Sweet Pea's daddy and I celebrated our 7 year wedding anniversary this weekend, and I remember when we got married it rained Every. Single. Day. until our wedding day, when it didn't rain at all! So, I always expect lots of rain around this time of year. But, that doesn't mean I accept it!

So, to celebrate some sunshine, Sweet Pea and I played outside for a bit before dinner tonight. She LOVES bubbles, too bad she hasn't mastered how to actually MAKE bubbles. She'll figure it out!

Also, I was surprised by my very first "hand made" Mother's Day card this evening when I picked Sweet Pea up from the baby sitter (who also happens to be one of my BFFs :) Check out this fabulous artwork! I see an artist in the making!!!

Happy Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-12T08:58:00.000-07:00

We had a great mother's day this year! The weather was a bit chilly, but, it felt great to be outside! We went to my mom's house and grilled and played with the kids. We can't believe how big Sweet Pea is getting!!! Can you believe how much she's grown since last year??? Click here to see Mother's Day 2009!

The Girl Loves Hardware Stores and Heavy Machinery!

2010-05-02T06:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had an appointment with the local school district's Parents as Teachers program. I love the lady who has been assigned to us, she'so nice and Sweet Pea loves her! One of the toys she brought with her was a book on farm equipment. Every time Sweet Pea looked at the book and came to a page with a picture of a tractor on it that girl went nuts! It was the funniest thing! I think its especially cool because my dad owned an excavation company that he built from the ground up - no pun intended! I guess her daddy and I never thought of even exposing her to things like that, and all the gifts she's ever recieved were either gender neutral or girly.

Its even more funny that after that we made a family trip to Home Depot to look at some floor lamps and Sweet Pea was in absolute heaven! I've never seen a kid so excited to be at a hardware store! She was squeeling with sheer delite and running up and down the isles with her arms straight out in front of her as her daddy and I chased behind. It was a sight to see!

Later that afternoon we went out to eat and across the parking lot there was some construction going on and a big Cat backhoe parked right there and Sweet Pea got sooooo excited! Needless to say, I'm making a trip to the toy store to get my baby girl some tractor toys!

18 Month Stats

2010-04-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

Sweet Pea had her 18 month check up last week and here are the physical stats:

Height: 32.5 inches (75%)
Weight: 23 pounds (50%)
Head Circumference: 49 (95 - 97%)

The percentages mean that she is, for example, taller than 75% of other children her age. So, at this point, she's average weight, a bit taller, and has a huge head compared to other 18 month olds :)

Play "Asleep"

2010-04-10T19:04:00.000-07:00

Giving the Bunny a Sip of Tea

2010-04-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

Easter Picture Video

2010-04-07T15:17:00.001-07:00

Here's a quick little video I made of our Easter pics, enjoy!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Easter 2010

2010-04-06T18:28:00.000-07:00

This Easter was sooooo much fun! Sweet Pea had her very first ever Easter egg hunt at her Nana's house! Sweet Pea picked right up on how that works! We gave her a basket and showed her where the eggs were and she went right to town and dropped the eggs in the basket! I swear she is so smart! Here's a few pics from the day's events:

Sitting pretty!

My sweet little niece showing me two rocks:

My handsome nephew standing in front of his house:

Quite possibly my most favorite pic of all time!

Wanna see all 80 million pics from the weekend (also includes a trip to the Zoo!)? Click here!

Cuteness!!!

2010-03-29T18:51:00.000-07:00

Here's some recent pics of Sweet Pea, get ready for cute overload!

Here she is in the grocery cart/car. She loved it, waved at everyone!!!

Being happy and pretty in the car on the way home:

Still hating wearing shoes in the car - I just don't get this!!!

Baby Fonz

2010-03-29T10:52:00.001-07:00

She's cool!

Exploring With Our Eyes Closed

2010-03-28T07:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday as I was making breakfast Sweet Pea was playing in the living room. If any of you have kids, you know when it gets quiet you better go check on things. Well, I peaked through the kitchen and saw Sweet Pea walking slowly in the living room with her eyes closed and her arms straight out in front of her. It was such a funny sight! She is only 17 months old (18 months soon!) and when I said, "I seeee youuuuu" she opened her eyes and laughed really big. She is so much fun!!! I love watching her explore and learn. I hate to brag, BUT, from the time she was just a few weeks old I just knew that when she grows up she is going to be a scientist. You can just see in her eyes that she observes and thinks about how things work and why. I would LOVE to know what she's thinking, I'm sure its amazing!

Smell This Flower...

2010-03-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

I mean it!

That Sweet, Sweet Sound!

2010-03-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

Sweet Pea is blabbering all the time now, it is soooo adorable! I love the sound of her voice, it steals my heart every time! Right now she's really good at saying "Uh Ohhhhh" and "AAaaaayyyy" (you know, like The Fonz). Its also really funny that you ask her to say, "Mama" and she say's "Dada", ask her to say "Papa" and she say's "Mama" but, ask her to say "Dada" and she says, "Dada"

I need to work on hubby to get it in the budget to get a video camera. I've got my eyes set on one that's is reallllly reasonably priced - but only if you get the pink one! Maybe I can color it a non-pink color???

She Speaks German???

2010-03-11T13:02:00.000-08:00

Who taught Sweet Pea how to speak German??? It sure comes out when she's unhappy with something! She'll throw her hands up and exclaim, "Nein, Nein, NEIN"!!!

Fun at Gymboree

2010-03-05T19:04:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I took Sweet Pea to Gymboree and we had soooooo much fun! She got to play with tons of toys, sing songs, and blow bubbles.

After all the fun we went to lunch where she got her first "Go-gurt" with her kids meal. Boy, did she like that! She ate it up before I even knew what happened!

"Hmmm, this stuff isn't too bad..."

"Down the hatch!"

"It's gone??? That's IT???"

"If they won't give me more Go-gurt, I'm outa here!"

FYI I went to the grocery store and bought a box of Go-gurt, and she ate FOUR of them the next morning!!! The girl loves that stuff!!!

...Next to Godliness

2010-02-27T15:34:00.000-08:00

That's right, cleanliness! Sweet Pea loves to get a wet wipe and clean her face, Nana's face, table tops, floors...you name it!!!

I Hate Wearing Shoes in the Car!

2010-02-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

No, not me :) My sweet little baby girl! We've recently been noticing that she absolutely HATES to have shoes (and socks) on while she's riding in the car! She's fine until she gets a moment and notices what is on her feet! Little Miss Sweet Pea will screem and pull on those shoes and socks until her feet are free and bare! Then, she lets out a triumphant, victory scream and shows those shoes whose boss! Its kind of funny, but at the same time, we're in the midwest and its in the 20's outside! Girlfriend needs to keep those tootsies warm!

Sweetest Lil Baby in the World!

2010-02-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

I think the post title says it all! My sweet baby is feeling a bit under the weather. I think she's getting some teeth in addition to having a little cold :( Poor thing, I just want her to feel like her happy little self!!!

Things You Never Thought You'd Say...

2010-02-08T17:09:00.000-08:00

In my short 16 months of mommyhood, I've said a few things that I never in my life thought I'd say. Not stuff that makes me sound just like my mom, but, stuff that is just so bizarre and funny that I never would have imagined I'd say. Last night, we took Sweet Pea to a friends house to watch the Super Bowl and let the kids play. There were tons of kids there and Sweet Pea had a blast! But, during all the fun, I heard one mommy saying, "Christian, we DO NOT throw boats down the stairs"! I just thought that was so funny! Of course, at the time, it made sense, because we all heard a big crash and then silence, which is never good when there are so many kids running around. And, he did, in fact throw a boat down the stairs.

Some of the things we've said around here that really make me shake my head are, "We don't chew on our toes", or, "We don't bite the penguin" or, most recently, "Where did she go with that crayon"?

What are some of the things you've said that you never thought you'd say as a parent???

Donnell Probst Photography

2010-02-01T12:35:00.001-08:00

I can't tell you how much I adore Donnell Probst Photography! She is the epitome of an artist behind the camera! She shot our very first "official" family photos at Bee Tree Park this year and we have recieved so many compliments! Donnell Probst Photography specializes in custom, natural light photography of newborns, infants, children, high school seniors and their families.

Here is a few of my favorite photos from our session!

A Fairy Princess Magic Wand

2010-01-23T12:37:00.000-08:00

Sweet Pea is on this kick lately where she sniffs EVERYTHING! She even tried to sniff the lamp at Nana's house last night! I thought she might have fun with a Fairy Princess Wand so I made her one last night and was sure to put a flower on it so she could sniff till her little heart's content! I even put a little bell inside so it would jingle just a little bit when she plays with it! What do you think?

$13.00 at http://www.etsy.com/shop/primpstudio

Christmas 2009 in Pictures!

2010-01-07T20:23:00.000-08:00

We had such a wonderful holiday! Sweet Pea had so much fun opening presents! We are blessed to have so many people who love us to share our holiday time with. We are truly thankful for all the thoughtful gifts we received, I hope Sweet Pea will have as wonderful memories of Christmas as I do from my childhood!

Wearing some new jammies from St. Nick (daddy has big shoes to fill!):

My sweet baby with her baby! I am amazed that she knew what to do with the baby! She put it in the stroller, took it for a walk, gave it a binky and bottle...Amazing!

This one is just for fun, she just loves bath time!!!

St. Nick Came Early!

2009-12-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

Boy, what a busy past few days! With all the baking, wrapping, Christmas card sending, and last minute shopping, I haven't had time to even think! So, imagine my surprise last night when I came home with my arms full of Sweet Pea and all her gear to find a huge box from Fed Ex at our door! Looks like Sweet Pea's new friend wanted to send her some Christmas cheer!

Thank you, and Merry Christmas to all!!!

Snowball Fight!!!

2009-12-23T08:06:00.000-08:00

Mom and Dave vs the Grandkids!!!

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Hey Santa!

2009-12-14T10:20:00.001-08:00

This weekend we took Sweet Pea to get her picture taken with Santa. There was a HUGE line that took about an hour to get through. She did great, up until about 10 minutes before her turn, when she bumped her head :( That made her pretty unhappy, and then getting sat on Santa's lap wasn't really what she wanted at the moment. Needless to say, it was an adventure!

Sweet Pea and Her Sweet Baby Doll

2009-12-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

This was Sweet Pea on our way home last night. She got this baby doll from her Nana and she really likes it :)

Funny Sleep Deprivation Skit

2009-12-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

Sweet Pea's daddy and I often claim that we are the ones who are spoiled because Miss Sweet Pea sleeps from approximately 8pm to 8am!!! However, we've had our taste of sleep deprivation and this is a pretty accurate depiction!

Jokes.com

Jim Breuer - A Well Rested Mother

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Joke of the Day

Stand-Up Comedy

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The video cuts off before its over, but, at the end she says, "by the way I killed the cats". It is hilarious!!! His special is available on Comedy Central right now, I highly recommend it!!!

Big Hugs!

2009-12-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

One of the cutest things Sweet Pea does right now is give BIG HUGS!!! To both her baby dolls and other people. When she gets a baby doll or stuffed animal she likes she will squeeze it realllllly hard and go, "ERRRRRRRRR"!!! It is hilarious! And, when she gives us hugs, she gives us a sweet little pat on the back - adorable!!!

Family Pics!

2009-12-02T14:40:00.000-08:00

Below is my all time favorite family picture so far! Sweet Pea was having such a blast!!! We had perfect weather, and the park was beautiful! I'll be using this on our Christmas cards this year!

What THE...

2009-11-16T21:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we put Sweet Pea down for a nap in her crib. She started crying and we made a decision that we weren't going to run and get her every time she cries so we were letting her fuss. Well, after about 15-20 minutes I checked on her to find her STANDING AT THE DOOR!!! How the heck did she do that? We called the doctor and told them what happened and were told signs to look for if she was injured. She was mad and crying, but the upset didn't last too long till she would smile and play. That girl is going to give her mommy and daddy lots of gray hairs!!!

Mama!

2009-11-16T21:41:00.000-08:00

Saturday Sweet Pea made the most beautiful sound in the world! She really, for real, said, "Mama!" and reached for and hugged me! It was soooo sweet!

My Newest Project - Primp Studio!

2009-11-11T14:29:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share with you something I've been working on in my spare time. I've recently become obsessed with the timeless silhouette portraits I've been seeing. These are just so cute and fun! I created an etsy store to create and sell these! So, if you have someone on your shopping list this holiday season, check out primpstudio.etsy.com for some great ideas! Custom work welcome!

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-04T07:30:00.000-08:00

Although this year is officially Sweet Pea's second Halloween, this was the first year she got to dress up and go trick or treating! She was the cutest little ladybug, and her daddy dressed up as Billy Mays, and I was Thinkin' Arby's!

A New Friend!

2009-11-04T07:26:00.001-08:00

Sweet Pea had the opportunity to meet her daddy's daddy! We had dinner and then breakfast the next morning. Unfortunatley, Sweet Pea wasn't too hip on dinner that night, so we tried to make up for it the next morning at breakfast - where she was much more herself! We had a wonderful visit!