Amelia's first office party!

We have been having so much this summer and don't want the fun to end, so we are just going to keep the summer fun around all year long we have decided! Amelia went to her first office party at daddy's office.

I packed the girls into the car for a trip to the big city! Since I am not exactly "the best" at getting places without getting lost.....my sweet hubby had a gal who is like me, give me "easy" directions. So I didn't have to rely on the GPS for anything except "go home" so off we went. I am thrilled to report that this chick-a-roo ditched the "easy" directions once I got into the city since I felt like I knew where I was going and you will never believe it but............... (pick one) A. I GOT LOST or B. I didn't get lost at all!

If you picked B, (I know you didn't if you know me well) YOU PICKED CORRECTLY BECAUSE I DID NOT GET LOST! Yay me! My big girl in the back prayed several times aloud that I wouldn't get lost! Seriously! Who could get lost with a little prayer warrior in the back praying for me. She has been lost with me before so she doesn't even need to be asked to pray, she just goes and does it all on her own. It cracks me up!

So we got there and didn't get lost, and drum roll please...........we got there at 4:30 and the wife of my hubby's coworker helped me get the girls up to the office. She has four of her own and told me she knows how stressful it can be driving in the city.

I was stressed, but only because I thought I was late and I knew that my hubby wasn't really going to appreciate my tardiness or lack of getting there on time. When I saw him he was thrilled and said, "You did a great job of getting here on time honey!"

I was shocked because I thought I was 30 minutes late and he said, "No, the party starts at 4:30, remember you told me to tell you 4 so you would be on time!"

Well, no I actually had forgotten that little bit of information but I was so glad that I did, and I was on time, and my hubby was so happy! (I would say it doesn't take much to make him happy, but since he likes me to be on time for me that is HUGE.)

One of the secretaries is a professional painter so she brought out her paints and painted whatever the kids wanted. She decided to draw flowers to match Amanda's dress down her arm. Amanda loved it because this child has loved having her face painted ever since she was a toddler.

She was talking about this all day and when I went into the playroom to tell her it was time to get her dress on to go to the party, she had taken a stamper and stamped with her HE IS RISEN CROSS STAMP all up and down both arms and both legs. Considering we had 10 minutes to get out the door I wasn't exactly thrilled to see her new body art! I tried not to react, but it was really hard! I told her I was so frustrated that she would do something like this and she gave me the old, "Well, I didn't know, forgive me?"

Thank God for wipes and that the HE IS RISEN stamper had washable ink in it! That saved her!

She loved the party but never smiled for my pictures because she was tired of me taking pictures. (One day she is going to thank me for documenting her life for her!)

Amelia had a blast and enjoyed the attention from all of the secretaries. She also enjoyed all the food and ate constantly!

This was the first time Amanda had been to daddy's new office.

She went right over and sat at his desk like she worked there.

This is the expression she will have if she does what daddy does..........just kidding!

Daddy hired a magician to come and perform a magic show for the children.

We were really, really, really, impressed with this magician. He was reasonably priced, told funny jokes for the kids and some the parents would get that hubby and I found to be hilarious! He involved every child and made sure they all had a chance to go up to the front for a turn, gave them all hats, glasses, and wands to take home, and wasn't at all crude with his jokes and had a great way with kids. So if you ever want to hire a magician, let us know and we can give you his number.

Amanda was chosen to tap her wand
on the hat and a bunny appeared in the cage. She was thrilled of course but told me, "Magic isn't real, it is just pretend!" the next day. I am glad she gets that part of it but still enjoys watching a good magic show.
She is so good natured, ummm......wonder where she gets that? (her mom+her dad = good nature)
And who said I couldn't do math?

The food was on the terrace which was a fun place for a kid to run and play or do the model pose.

Amelia loved the receptionist because she gave her lots of attention and a treat bag with a toy just perfect for her. All of the children got treat bags and they were all age appropriate for each child there. I thought that was really sweet. What a fun job to have! I think this receptionist could pass for a member of our family.

Amanda kept this secretary busy!

The kids attacked daddy's coworker with face paint. He didn't seem to mind but he has three daughters and one son so maybe he has learned to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Of course the coke machine was the highlight of the office party. Amanda couldn't believe that you didn't have to put money in it to get a drink. She was shocked that you just push a button! She wanted to keep doing it but after allowing her to push it twice I figured we better stop. Two diet cokes was enough for ride home! ha ah

Wow, if only the teacher's lounge would have had one of these! I would still be teaching and would probably save a fortune of my diet coke addiction.

Amanda asked me today, "Did you do what your father did for work?"

I told her, "No, he was a pilot, do you think I would I make a good pilot?"

She quickly replied, "No, I don't!"

She is probably right considering I do have a tendency to get lost. I don't think passengers would appreciate a lost pilot.

Amanda said she was going to do what daddy does for a living when she grows up because it is "a lot of fun, and the easiest job to do."

I know some people who might disagree with that, but at least they can throw fun, family, office parties!

We can't wait for the next one daddy!

A fun milestone!

Amelia has mastered another milestone this week thanks to her big sister! On Monday at breakfast we started doing Pat-a-cake with her. Why would we do that at breakfast when it is already messy enough you ask? That is just the way we work around here, learning is messy!
Amelia started clapping and Amanda couldn't believe it! She started yelling, "she clapped" and now she claps and yells, "yay, yay!" I really think she is picking up more language at an earlier age than Amanda did, but then I may have forgotten because I know Amanda was quite the talker and still is.

This stage of life couldn't be anymore fun I don't think. I love the way a little baby who is learning to talk tries so hard. Sometimes, she will mouth the sounds we are teaching her like when she was learning to say, bye, bye, she would silently mouth "b"trying so hard to get those sounds out. This is just so precious to me! Of course, she has bye bye down now and even waves when she does it. Tonight, she told everyone "night, night" and waves, then she hugs, and kisses us. I just love it! She pointed to her sister tonight when daddy asked her where sissy was?

Yesterday at the store she was pointing to the balloons and saying, "ba-boon" she is loving the large balloons we have leftover from papaw's party! I like them too since they are Mylar, I am not much of a fan of latex balloons around kids after going to a conference on safety with kids one day when I first started teaching. They shared how when a balloon popped how quickly a piece can be swallowed by a child and then every time the child inhaled the balloon piece expanded and the child ended up dying. I haven't forgotten that and never allowed balloons or lollipops. or hard candies in my classroom. I have lightened up a little as a mom with the lollipops as long as she is sitting in a chair, but we don't bring latex balloons into our home right now with Amelia and hard candies will never be allowed after our neighbor's three year old grandchild choked on a peppermint and died. I was reading the other day that any object that can fit through a toilet paper tube is too small to have around young kids. So, whoever made all those small accessories to all the tiny princess dolls my 4 year old loves so much, can't possibly have children, there is just no way!

Amelia is 11 months today!

Wow, what a fun age! Amelia continues to grow and change on a daily basis. She is so ready to walk and stands up and pushes the kitchen chairs around. Yes, she has walking toys but for some reason she is like her sister and prefers to play with furniture or other objects other than toys.

Her vocabulary continues to expand on a daily basis as well. She has added, "light, duck, quack, baa, yeah" and most recently, just within the last week, "Manda" when Amanda left the room and she didn't want her to leave.

She can identify some body parts by pointing on demand to her: head, nose, eyes, eyelashes, ears, hair, and mouth.

She can point to various family members when you asked where they are, and points to the ceiling, and the floor when asked. (Daddy has been real big into teaching her where the ceiling and floor is, I guess he wants to make sure she has better spatial abilities than her mommy does for when she starts to drive the car out of the garage?)

She loves to eat and is still eating when we are finished. She loves food with the exception of peaches, pears, and bananas. I see fruit smoothies in her future once the doctor allows her to start drinking milk.

She continues to be a very happy and affectionate girl, giving morning hugs and kisses to us when she wakes up. She hears the alarm beep and says, "daddy" and does this jumping motion while on her knees when he gets home from work. When she sees her sissy for the first time in the morning she gets so excited and there is a whole lot of kissing and hugging going on and we couldn't be more thrilled. We have a really hard time believing that in one more month she will be ONE! Where does the time go? We are definately keeping our Live everyday to the fullest motto around here!

Those Questions!

While driving Amanda to camp today, she told me she had a question. There is something about her questions in the car that just get me excited because they usually come after she has been quiet so I know her mind is really working..........



Amanda- "You know that thing that hangs down the back of your throat?"



Me-"Yes.........."



Amanda-"Do you know what the purpose of it is? I mean what does it do?"



Me- "I have no idea! We will have to ask mammaw or look it up on the Internet."



I have no problem telling Amanda I don't have the answer to everything because I don't and have yet to meet anyone who does have all the answers. But if I do ever meet someone like that I plan to run as fast as I can from them! BTW- this is what I found out about that thing that hangs down in our throat.
It is called a uvula and it does have a purpose! It helps with the articulation of the sound of the human voice to form sounds of speech. Plus, it is helpful to newborns so they can nurse and breathe at the same time. Interesting! I am excited that it does have a purpose and isn't just that dangling thing in the back of our throat.

Finding Contentment in the Lobby!

This past weekend was jammed packed with fun for the girls.

On Saturday morning Amanda started another session of swim lessons. Amanda is very excited since she did so well the last session she has moved up to a class where "father has to sit on the bleachers." She tells everybody this with a huge smile! I think she thinks her dad is in time out or something!


She did real well at the lesson so maybe the goal of being able to swim without the swimmies on by the end of the summer doesn't seem so unreachable. I am thrilled she wants to learn since she was so apposed to swim lessons last summer. We didn't force the issue or lessons because we saw no reason to. (She was only three.) I am so glad she is loving the water this summer and pray she continues to want to learn. She has a loving teacher who has a wonderful name, Amanda. Ofcourse that thrills our Amanda to have a teacher with the same name! Life just doesn't get better!

When she came home from her lesson, we ate lunch together and she was off for an afternoon matinee with a date! I know what you are thinking.......she is too young to date! Well, the date was with her daddy or as she now calls him "Father!" (The whole calling us mother and father thing cracks us up!)

Off daddy and Amanda went to the movies to see "Toy Story in 3D."

I think daddy was more excited about it than she was. I would really like to see it too, but right now baby Amelia is just not into being away from her mommy. It is normal around nine to ten months to go through separation anxiety and the doctor told me it is a good thing. That it only means she is bonding to me! What mother doesn't want that strong bond so it thrills me, but it can be a little tiring too because it has gone on for a while now and Amanda wasn't like this.

Amelia took a nap so I started to miss seeing the movie with my big girl but quickly talked myself out of it since she needs time with just her daddy too. I get to spend time with her all week while he is at work so they can have some time with just the two of them. She really loves the one on one attention so we are trying to have daddy/daughter dates, and mommy and just me times.

On Sunday we got up and went to church and I found myself worshipping God and excited about what he has done in my life and what he has planned for my future. We decided not to even try putting Amelia in the nursery since she starts crying now the minute we walk in there. I don't want my baby to feel stressed or filled with anxiety, upset other babies by crying, nor do I want her to get a reputation for be an unhappy baby that cries all the time. Because honestly, she is a very happy baby as long as I am around!

Isn't it that way though with most people? I know scores of people who are just happier people when I am around! ha ha I am just kidding. I actually only know of three, but boy are they happy!


Of course, Amelia only made it in the service until the offering time before she started making loud sounds. Maybe she was just trying to communicate to her dad to not put her college money in the offering plate, I don't know but I had to take her out.

We sat in the lobby and watched the service on a large TV screen they have set up. That lasted until mid-way through the service before she started making those loud noises again in the lobby. While I see the lobby as a place to hear the sermon and not have to worry if your baby makes a sound, unfortunately others there see it as an extension of the sanctuary and expect silence. One man actually put his finger on his lips and said, "shhh" to this toddler in the lobby who was making noise. I seriously wanted to go up to him and remind him that he probably had young children 50 years ago, but quickly remembered that I was in church and needed to be nice even when others aren't. So we went into a room they have set up for just moms who are nursing or need to change their baby's diaper etc.

They have another large screen to watch the service which was almost over.

I started to get a little frustrated that this is where I keep ending up week after week for a brief moment before that sweet momma came back.

Another mom was there and we had met before. We had a chance to talk once again. She is a neat lady full of faith and so thankful for her latest blessing because she didn't think she would have another more kids since her hubby had battled cancer several years ago.

Wow, the feeling sorry for myself for having to sit in the lobby and not with my hubby feelings faded fast when I heard her story.

After church we packed in the car for a little road trip to see a play at a children's theatre we really like to go to. I love it because they mainly do plays based on a children's book and anything to do with children's books is like chocolate to me!

We thought Amelia would sleep through the play since that is her normal nap time and she is like clock work when it comes to her nap time. Once again, for the third time in the weekend where did I find myself?

In the LOBBY of the theatre watching the play on the big screen TV. Five minutes into the play, Amelia fell asleep so I got to hold her while she slept, and watch the play. There is nothing like holding a sleeping infant in your arms, and it gave me another reason to just sit back and be thankful for this short season of my life.

Even if, a lot of my time is spent in the lobby!

The Pirate's life is not for us!

Last night Amanda wasn't using good table manners while eating her soup. There was some bending over the table and some slurping going on..........



Daddy- "Amanda you need to use your manners."



Amanda replied, "But we don't have any guests?"



Daddy- "We use our manners whether we have guests or not."



Amanda- "Well, Pirates do it."



Daddy-"Well, we are not Pirates!"



Actually, daddy probably doesn't know this but we are related to Sir Francis Drake and he was a pirate! Thank God for DISTANT relatives, they just might save Amanda from getting in trouble next time she does this since she is related to a pirate!

Teacher or Sister?

Amelia recognizes her sister and will call her "sissy" but now she is beginning to realize that her sissy is sooo much more than a sister and friend, she is a wonderful teacher.

Amanda taught Amelia how to eat yogurt but not just any yogurt, GOGURT! If you don't know what that is because I sure didn't until Amanda found it at the store and asked me to buy some, it is yogurt in a tube that you cut the top and then push it up to eat it. Amelia loves it but only if sissy is eating some with her.

Amanda loves her little sis or "playmate." This morning Amanda said to her sis, "Why did you wait so long to come out playmate."

Celebrating an Anniversary

The girls and I asked mammaw and pappaw to meet us for lunch so we could celebrate their anniversary.

We were having such a great time visiting with Great-Grandma that we failed to get a pic of the anniversary couple. Sorry about that mammaw and pappaw I guess you just won't have that pic in your funeral slide show but you will never miss it now will ya!

Great Grandma does the same thing mammaw does and is always looking at the grand kids when takng pics, now we know where mammaw gets it!

This girl isn't camera shy......................

We are loving each minute we spend with Great Mammaw! Time is soooo very sweet and precious with her! She is an amazing lady. You never hear her complain, she's happy and loves to laugh, she's fun and eats ice cream everyday, she is so quick to give a compliment, she is so grateful for everything in her life, she loves God, we want to be just like her! Especially, Amanda because she wants to eat ice cream daily!

Grandma insisted on treating the girls to ice cream afterwards and you know Amanda wasn't going to turn that one down. Amelia chomped on an empty cone since we aren't allowing her to have ice cream just yet.

Amanda also learned that Great Grandma eats ice cream everyday! Amanda asked why she can't have ice cream everyday? I told her once she turns 90 she can eat ice cream everyday! Now her birthdays can't come fast enough. She is already planning her 5th birthday party!

Amelia kept stealing her sister's spaghetti!

The Model Walk

Amanda and I were out shopping and the sales clerk was attempting I suppose, to entertain Amanda so she taught her how to walk like a model. Of course Amanda has been doing it ever since. We figure she can walk like a model as long as she doesn't start talking like a model!

Snowcone party!

What is Summer without a snowcone party?

Amelia thinks she had her first snowcone but she actually just had crushed ice so don't tell her OK?

Amanda loved her snowcone and can't wait to have another snowcone party with her friends later this summer!

Amelia tried to grab her sissy's snowcone!

What a way to end a hot, summer day.


YUMMO!

Posing girl!

I asked Amanda to pose for a picture and she didn't want to she said but you would never know it from the pictures now would you? She just posed away, so I clicked away!


















I love this one since it shows her personality.










This one shows her personality as well.















Playing shy.

Sweet package!

Special delivery!

What is it about boxes that are so captivating for young children? We have rooms full of toys yet they want to play with an empty box? It is fun and brings back memories of my teaching days when I made an alligator out of a box and the kids played with it for months. I have a book that just has ideas of thing you can make with boxes that I used a lot when teaching since kids just love boxes.

What a sweet surprise I found when I walked into the living room to see my girls playing so nicely together. Nice if you consider it nice to put your younger sibling in a box!