Friday, April 30, 2010

I guess I wasn't finished with my last post afterall . . .

Christina added a new word to her vocabulary - poo poo. She didn't just say it, she told me she was doing it. This is pretty amazing since I don't think I've ever said those words. I usually say "poopy diaper". Plus, they always say that you shouldn't start potty training until the child shows interest. It didn't seem like that would happen with Christina considering she is never even bothered by a wet or dirty diaper. I guess I was wrong. The fact that she knew what she was doing and she could verbalize it is a big step.

I'm not going to be potty training any time soon though. I know that when a new sibling is born, the older sibling tends to regress in ways. I think it is pretty pointless to start something now when she will likely not let me continue with the training when Gwen gets here. Plus, I can't really imagine breastfeeding Gwen every hour, and having to rush Christina to the potty every hour just to see if she has to go. I'll definitely wait a little while. But, it is good to know that she is starting to understand.

On another note, I have a cute story to tell. Christina has always been really good with understanding the word "dirty". But awhile back I realized that she didn't know the difference between dirty laundry and dirty garbage. So, I've been trying to explain it, telling her that the dirty trash gets thrown in the garbage and the dirty laundry gets washed so that it can get clean. Today she proved to me that one - she totally gets that and two - she is a little OCD about germs (like I am). Here is what happened . . .

Christina was on her changing table while I was getting her pajama's on (by the way she always helps me dress and undress her - she knows exactly what to do . . . so smart!). Normally when she goes up onto the changing table with stuff in her arms, she will ultimately throw them on the floor and get them when she is done. This time, she went up to the changing table holding onto one of her baby dolls. Then after a few seconds, she threw the baby, like she normally does. The difference this time, is that it landed in her hamper, with her dirty clothes. Dirty as in previously worn, not gross or anything lol.

I told Christina that the baby was in the dirty laundry and I got the baby out for her when she was done with her pj's. Well, she immediately started whining and crying "baby, baby, baby" over and over again. She grabbed her baby and ran to the kitchen and held her baby up to the kitchen sink. When I picked Christina up, she chucked the baby into the sink. Luckily I caught the baby before it touched any dirty dishes, but unfortunately this did not make Christina happy. She clearly felt that the baby was dirty and needed it to be cleaned.

I tried to convince CC that we could clean the baby with some baby wipes. She and I both wiped the baby down, but that was not good enough for her. I told her that the baby could not go in the sink but we could put her in the washing machine. She was happy to throw the baby in the washing machine, but whenever I would walk away, she would get upset again. It was like she knew that a "baby" doesn't belong in the washing machine. She knew that babies should take baths in the kitchen sink, like Christina did when she was younger.

So anyway, my smarty pants little girl doesn't want her baby to be dirty from the dirty laundry and knows that a baby needs to get clean in the sink. Too bad I can't explain to her that the middle of the baby is all cotton and if it goes in the sink it will be ruined.

Other than that little story, yet another new thing . . . Christina has been saying "moo" when you ask her what a cow says, but hasn't really mastered any other animals. Today though, I used her snuffed duck to say "quack quack" and now all of a sudden it clicked. She keeps using "quack quack" in reference to a duck.

Don't you just love that "poo poo" and "quack quack" coming out of the mouth of a one and a half year old can make a mom so proud? :-)

And now, your favorite part . . .

"Let me out Mommy"

"I'm not kidding, LET ME OUT!"


"Shush, I'm making a phone call"


Christina loves her blanket and calls it her baby


"Hi Mommy"





Driving her car around in the house, lol (hey, what else are you gonna do when it is raining outside?)



Dancing Queen


Daddy's Little Sunshine


What is she thinking??





temper, temper . . .








Christina was loving the 31 cent ice cream scoop at Baskin Robbins the other day. What a mess!



Christina LOVES the playground














My 27.5 week baby bump


What a thirsty little family, I mean cute little family.


I think my phone is over heating from all of the pictures I've been taking lately!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Growing Up and Moving On

Christina spent her first day in the pre-toddler room at daycare yesterday. She was suppose to move over there about five months ago, but I guess the room was too full and the infant room wasn't full enough - so she stayed put. I asked about the move earlier this week and finally they have started transitioning her. It was about time.

She had a great time in the pre-toddler room! She was so good, ate and slept so well and just enjoyed being around the bigger kids and the bigger kid toys. She actually took a two and a half hour nap on the mat on the floor. This is amazing. She was never great at napping and actually slept better on the floor with the other kids. I wonder if this means that she will be ready for a toddler bed at home soon. I'm definitely going to wait until after Gwen comes, but it is good to know that she can handle sleeping somewhere other than a crib.

Other than the pre-toddler room move, there have been lots of other things going on with Christina as well. She is 20 months old today. My big girl! She has a mouth full of teeth, a ton of pretty blondish-brown hair, and is so tall. She continues to amaze me with how much she is learning. She has added TONS of words to her vocabulary. Ever since the weekend she spent with our cousin Evie, she has just been bursting with new words. A few that come to mind are: eye, nose, head, ball, flower, Elmo, juice, banana, cookie and bubbles. Almost every day I hear her say a word that she has never said before.

She is extremely active and can't sit still. She loves the playground and in general just loves to run around. I can't believe what a wild child she has turned out to be. Plus she is so smart! She understands everything and like most toddlers, she knows how to push my buttons, lol. She continues to throw food on the floor when she doesn't want anymore even though we've told her no a million times. She also continues to bite us when she is excited and rough housing with me or Nik even though we always tell her no. She thinks everything is funny and just loves life.

And do I have to tell you what a beautiful girl she is turning into? There are so many days when I just look at her and am amazed at how beautiful she is. I hope I am capturing her beauty and her clever personality with the videos and pictures I take, because I really don't want to ever forget this.

On another note, I am so anxious for our little Gwen to get here. I'm curious as to how different or similiar she will be to Christina, in looks and personality. I can't wait to see how different Christina will seem to us, once there is a tiny little baby around. I can't wait to see how Christina will interact with Gwen. Christina is so unbelievably sweet and loving but she also has a rough side to her when she is playing around, so it will be interesting to see how she acts towards her little sister.

The other day I asked if she wanted to give her little sister a kiss and not only did she kiss my belly, but she kept doing it over and over again. I literally had to pry the girl away from my belly! She did not want to stop! It was so sweet and also really funny.

85 days until my due date and things are really going to get exciting around here! We already have half a million baby and/or toddler items cluttering up this little condo. And yes, we are still in this tiny condo, don't know when we will get out!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Georgia Trip



A few weeks ago, we took a weekend trip to Georgia for my sister's bachelorette party in Atlanta. The girls had a good time at the bachelorette party, we got to see friends and family over the weekend, and Christina had a wonderful time with her cousin Evie. Evie is only nine months older than Christina. They played so well together and it was absolutely adorable. I wish they lived closer. It is sad thinking that they can't play together all of the time.

So the trip overall was a success until all hell broke loose when we tried to come home. Christina had a double ear infection and turned into a complete monster child like I have never seen before. I know it was just because she was in pain and it was so sad to see her miserable. It was also very upsetting that there was nothing we could do for her.

Surprisingly, Christina being sick and miserable was just the tip of the ice berg. Our flight was canceled. Not delayed. Canceled. Not even for the weather or anything important. It was because the crew called out of work. They didn't want to work on a holiday weekend apparently - we were trying to fly home on Easter Sunday. Shame on us for trying to travel on a holiday I guess. I will definitely keep that in mind next time.

The worst part about our flight being canceled is that we had to spend the whole day in the airport. From arriving two plus hours early, returning the rental car, checking bags, going through security, waiting for boarding - then finding out the flight was canceled to waiting on a two hour long line to rebook a flight, trying to get another rental car and installing a carseat. It was just exhausting.

Luckily, we weren't stranded or anything horrible like that and were actually able to salvage a nice visit with my cousin and his family that live only 20 minutes from the airport. They really made things so much easier on us. We lucked out in that department for sure.

For all of the trouble that the airline caused us, they gave us free round trip tickets to use at another time. That means that we don't have to pay to fly back to Georgia in June for my sister's wedding.

Pictures from the trip:

Christina and our cousin Evie






My Mom and Evie



My sister Mindy


My sister Rachel


Mindy's fiance Chris


Mindy and Chris


Nik and Evie


Evie


Christina



All of us (morning after the Bachelorette Party)



Mindy's Bachelorette Party: