First day of Kindergarten

My little Sweet Pea is going to Kindergarten! 

She might have poison ivy again, not sure.  No time to go to the Dr office, it appeared yesterday.  She is riding the bus home and is very excited about it.  Can't believe this little person is at school, today.   

making memories

My little Sweet Pea is going to Kindergarten in a week.  Lots of milestones this summer.

At her last check up, I sat with the doctor that got me through so many illnesses (there was a time I saw her once a week, before she was 2, we had many illnesses)  and we talked frankly about how I never even thought she would survive to see 5 years old.  The doctor laughed and I did not explain myself...which sounds very doom and gloom, but in my past are some disasters and I just have expected that I was not destined to happily ever after.  More doom and gloom...but I thought this happy place was just not meant for me and I am always worried that I will be tapped on the shoulder and someone will say...there has been a mistake and this horribly awful is really meant for you and not the goodness and light you have been living for the last 6 years.  Which also sounds very doom and gloom...but I have to be honest someplace and this blog is the place.  Each day is a gift.  I am a lucky girl to have this life.  And I know that.  I sometimes think that not everyone knows that about their life.    

Sweet Pea is smart, strong and healthy.  She has reached 35lbs which is WAY below normal for a Kindergarter, but the Dr is not worried as she has always been WAY below the norm and she is steadily gaining weight.  She is at the average for her height, so that is good.  She is still in the harness booster seat.  I promised that she could be in the regular booster when school started, and I will have to agree to that...but she hasn't pushed the issue and I am not bringing it up again.  Her car seat is huge and I realize it seems like a baby...but she is so light she doesn't really meet the criteria to get out of it.  I bought this seat because it is convertible (I can remove the harness) to a regular booster.  Pat on the back for me!   

We had a few struggles this summer with asthma for Sweet Pea.  Which is not unusual since I have chronic asthma and Honey Bun had childhood asthma.  All episodes seemed to happen away from home and were on days that she was extremely busy/active.  Dr thinks it could be exercised induced...but we are watching it and have a rescue inhaler for the future.

She loved vacation this year.  We took 2 trips.  One to Branson and she loved Silver Dollar City.  IT was so much fun with her.  She is not scared to go on anything, there was only one ride she said she didn't like.  It was a fast roller coaster and a rough ride.  I hated it and felt icky for about 2 hrs after we rode it.  Her ears took the most abuse, because her head moved around in the harness.  Her ears were bruised.  Our second trip was a driving trip and she did wonderful!  We drove about 6hrs a day and it was not too bad.  We had a great visit with all the people we saw. The only hiccup was we tried to go longer on one of the driving days and it was not good.  I was crying, she was crying and he was driving.  Stick with the plan!
Both times I was so glad to get home.  Good to be gone, good to be home!

We went school shopping this week.  I went into thinking I would make some memories.  That was the name of the game.  And I am not sure I did that for her....but I did for me.  We did our running around and she got something at each place we stopped.  She is getting to be a good shopper.  Thinking about what she wants to buy and what she needs.  She wanted something for her 2 dolls.  Baby and Ashley are their names.
SP:  Can we get something for baby?
Me:  Well, I guess she can have something new for school too.
SP:  It's her birthday so she needs a new outfit.
Me:  Ok
SP:  Can Ashley have a dress too?
Me:  Does she need a dress?
SP:  Her birthday is tomorrow, and it would hurt her feelings if Baby got a present and she didn't
Me:  good thinking...we don't want hurt feelings.
That girl of mine is a thinker...I don't think I would have said my doll was having a birthday in order to get what I wanted.

We ate lunch at IHOP.  She got a fancy pancake and then loved trying all the different syrups.  It was so much fun just the two of us at lunch.  So grown up!

She had to try on a few things...her comments...
"Mom, this just doesn't look like me!"  "Put it in the thumbs down pile"
"Do you think Kindergarteners wear cheetah?"   (I assured her they do!)
"I think these pants will look great with my new shoes"
"I want blue tennis shoes, I bet everyone else will have pink"
"Mom, I'm not really a pink girl"  

We found some long sleeve tops to go with pants that I picked up at the end of the season in April...so that was a good thing.  We didn't find any dresses for school play.  She said maybe we could find some online.  I told her that was a good idea.  We got 3 pairs of shoes and she had a new pair of flipflops...I cleaned out her shoe basket and she wore size10 when summer started and I bought size 12.  Crazy!  I found the tennis shoes on the clearance rack and they aren't the name brand but they were blue and they fit.  The name brand was all pink, and they didn't seem to fit her long,skinny foot as well.  Probably have to get a new pair at Christmas, but with the money I saved...I can do that. 

I wanted to jot these memories down before they slipped away! 

right on target?

We had our well child check today. It was so nice to see the doctor and actually talk about Sweet Pea and how she is and where she is in her development and where she is going. I like our doctor, she is a young and has kids of her own that are right around Sweet Pea's age and is wonderful to talk to, when I get to just talk about my kid...and not what her fever is or what is coming out of her nose. It was a good visit.

She finally weighs 30lbs. (with her tennis shoes on, but who's keeping track of that?)
She is 39 3/4 inches tall. (will she be ready for Disney in 2 years?)

Those figures make her in the 26th percentile for her age in height (meaning 74% of the kids her age are taller than she is) and 9th percentile for her weight (meaning 91% of the kids her age are heavier than she is) The doctor doesn't seem concerned about that...because she has consistently been right around those numbers for her total existence. She said she is right on target for Sweet Pea...might not be the average 4 year old target...but seems that she is just right for her.

I think she is just right...I am having fun with this 4 year old. She is a little bossy...but that is pretty consistent too!

a first

As a working mom, I have missed some firsts, I have a very good day care provider who lets me think I don't. She didn't tell me when she rolled over for her and waited until I told her that she was rolling over. She lets me think I am not missing everything. How nice is that!

But yesterday we had a first, and I was there to see it.

We have been talking about the potty, she uses the potty when I put her on it in the mornings, and we celebrate appropriately when she uses it. She started to tell me when she "had" to potty. I put it in quotes because usually when she told me it meant that she was currently going potty or had just went potty. But NOT yesterday.

The potty was in the living room, and she was standing by it pulling down her pants and saying potty. Honey Buns was saying No, No and I grabbed her and sat her down on the chair. We watched (mostly because we were all in the living room watching the weather) (we just turned our attention to her) and shortly after she said Done. And we all peered into the pot and there was potty. POTTY in the POTTY! Can you believe it!!!

We (all three of us) were giving high fives all around. And we marched that potty into the bathroom and flushed it down with as much ceremony as we could muster.

I was so proud of my little pumpkin. potty in the potty.

pretty girl

18mo photos. Just a few of my favorites. Can't figure out how to switch the middle one around...but didn't want to leave it out. Isn't she just the most lovely thing?

her own space

Sweet Pea refuses to sit in the highchair, she needs her own space. We got a small table and chairs from my sister and put it in the kitchen. Right now, she loves it. Big girl with her own chair and everything. Look how grown up she is. Not sure how long it will last...but we are enjoying a fight free evening meal.

I sneaked up on her to take this one. The lighting is not good, but you can see that she is using her silverware and everything. She doesn't throw food at her table or eat like a monkey.

uneventful events

Our holiday weekend...uneventful. Just stayed home to avoid travel and upsetting schedules. The whole point was to rest and relax and I am not sure that happened, but we gave it a try. I have been doping her with motrin, tylenol and ora-gel for the teeth and we try to get a whole nights sleep. She is not eating much if anything, I am attributing that to the teeth and her independent attitude. (doesn't want to sit in the highchair, doesn't want Mom to feed her, doesn't want this, doesn't want that.)

2 dry diapers yesterday and she even ran into the bathroom on her own AND used the potty. I was so proud. But today whole different story(woke up wet and refused to even sit on the potty) So we continue our no pressure potty training approach.

Sweet Pea is gabbering tons and Honey Bun trys to figure out what she is trying to say. I just keep a running conversation with her. She follows directions well and when we were trying to get out of the house this morning I was shreaking "Mom needs shoes" and running around wildly...guess who brought me shoes. Yes, it was Sweet Pea! and they matched and they were perfect for my outfit. Maybe she has a future in fashion?

best part

The best part about having a birthday! Getting the beater.

I just am having a hard time believing it is time for her first birthday. Doesn't seem possible.

post for Grandma

posting this for Grandma.




I was going to remove the video, once grandma saw it...but have elected not to. Sister said, why? I guess I want this blog to be interesting to my friends and family and I thought another video would be boring to you all. But then I want to come and see Sweet Pea staggering around, so I didn't want to remove it. So it stays!

And now...she's pulling up

Mommy got her a new car! Sweet Pea is pulling up on everything imaginable. She is keeping us hopping!

snow baby

We got some snow this weekend. Honey Bun was not too excited, but I got a few shots of Sweet Pea!

Sweet Pea crawls

Look at me...posting a video...enjoy!

the dreaded croup

Happy New Year--I think...we have the dreaded croup. Even if we HAD been invited to a wild party with friends and fun. . . we would have stayed home with sick baby. And in case you hadn't figured it out, we were NOT planning a night of wild abandoned fun. Hello, we are married with a baby now, folks.

Doctor confirmed and we have both heard the barking cough. Sweet Pea is sick. She hates to take medicine. So what is a poor mother to do, when we just spent $45 at the pharmacy on medicine that I know she won't take. Got any good hints for me?

This is what I have tried so far, just poking it in the mouth(spit it out) In the juice (threw the bottle) in the sweet potatoes( spewed them all over mommy and the whole kitchen) and the medicine binky(which Dad thought was a wonderful idea--till he tried it and she spit it and the medicine all over him) This morning I just snuck up on her and she spit some, but I think she got some and I am resigned to the fact that if she won't take it--she will either get worse and end up in the hospital or get better and it will all be over.

I dropped her off at daycare today. They will only have Sweet Pea and the 3year old today. Honey Bun was going to keep her, but looked visably relieved when I opted for day care lady. When I drove off, I felt horrible (even worse than when I left her for the very first day) but she will get good care and constant attention. I will go at lunch and give her more meds and feed her. And they will call if she needs her Mom.

Super Mom

I am totally feeling like Super Mom today. Last night I made baby food. Nutritious food for little Sweet Pea! I am just so proud of myself, that I just want to blurt it out to everyone I come in contact with that I...made...baby food...last night!

Sister says that it will not last, that someone who can not even feed herself will not succeed in baby food making, once the thrill wears off. That I will be buying the little jars sooner than later.

We will see sweet sister if you are right, but at this very moment I am revelling in my own success.

the pearly white

Hooray!! the tooth is here. Sweet freedom--we get a short break from all the whining and crying. And we all got some sleep last night. I know the other 3 teeth are coming, but I am going to enjoy this time-out. Can't believe my baby girl has a tooth! She is getting so big.

AHH...teeth....

We are waiting on teeth to push through. And it is a long long wait. Doctor said the teeth should be here any day now. We are talking about at least 3 and maybe all 4 of them at once. It is horrible for us and I can't imagine how Sweet Pea is enduring the pain. She was whiney all weekend and most of the time I tried to keep her medicated withTylenol. I need to take some cute photos of her, because I know when the teeth come in, her looks will change.