One Last One for 08

I was looking at the blog this morning...mostly to see what the latest poll results were (if you haven't voted, vote...vote early, vote often but just vote!), when I saw our number of blog postings over the last 3 years. Wow...what a drop! OK, some of that drop is directly related to me and my relative lack of posting. My bad. From over 120 in 06 (in just over 9 months!) to around 95 in 07 to like 88 or so in 08...trends are bad for us. I'm thinking 09 will be more productive with a new baby on the way and all that comes with a growing family. More people living under one roof could lead to some good blogging!

So on this December 31, all of us here (our staff of 3...and only one productive blogger!) at Don't Mind Me, I Just Live Here (hopefully the name of the blog for a while!) wish you a Happy New Year!
MK

Gender Poll

So before you vote in the gender poll on the side of the blog I'll tell you a little bit about this pregnancy. I feel about the same as I did when I was pregnant with Libby. I'm carrying this baby a little lower than with Libby. I haven't had too much morning sickness - about 2-3 weeks worth in the second month. I don't know if any of that means anything but it seems to when I talk to some people...

3 Christmases, 2 Amusement Parks, 1 Zoo, and a Very Long Drive

WARNING - PICTURE HEAVY POST

We just got back from a very long drive to Florida for Christmas. But we have been celebrating Christmas for about 3 weeks now. We celebrated at our house a few weeks ago so Santa could get Libby's new doll house to her before we left. Then we celebrated with my parents before we started our drive to Florida. On Christmas day we celebrated with Mike's parents in Rockledge, FL. Libby cleaned up of course - being the only grandchild on both sides of the family sure has it's perks! I won't say that she's spoiled rotten, but she's pretty well loved by all.

Before we made our way to Rockledge we stopped at both Disney World and Sea World. Would you believe that the day we were at Disney was FREEZING. The high was 60 degrees and after dinner we needed our winter coats because it was about 40 outside. We even had to buy snow hats there. Of course, Libby's says "Princess" on it and she told us this week that she is in fact a princess...actually it was "Wibby a priness". Our highlights of the day at Disney were meeting Minnie and Mickey Mouse, meeting Daisy Duck, and riding the tea cup ride 5 times! That's right, Libby wanted to ride it 5 times (well, actually she would have gone more but we wanted to do other things). She loved It's a Small World, riding Dumbo, and riding the Magic Carpet ride also.


Here is a VERY excited but cold Libby riding the tea cups.


At lunch waiting to meet Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, and Eeyore. Too bad Libby didn't want to hug any of them. She just wanted to say "hi."


Meeting Minnie and Mickey was awesome. Too bad our camera had some technical difficulties during this time. But cute picture none-the-less.


Yet another ride on the tea cups - notice the same look in her eyes!


Tea cups again....


Seeing Pluto was fun but Libby thought his feet were too big and he smelled too much like our dog to hug him.


Daisy was the first character she saw that day and was thrilled.


At Sea World with Daddy looking at the manta rays.


We got to Sea World and happened to run into my cousin and aunt unplanned. How crazy is that?!


Here we are at the Brevard Zoo with Libby styling in her sunglasses...we stopped in every state along the way to get her some...of course, Mom and Dad were forgetful when packing and forgot hers at home! Needless to say, the rest area outside of Orlando had some. I'm not for sure what animal we're looking at but it was a very pretty zoo.

Laughing Girl

Last night we went to Chili's for dinner and Libby put on a show for our server and anyone else walking by. He got her laughing so hard one time that later any time he came by she would fake laugh VERY loud. It wasn't very busy there so a lot of the servers came by to talk to her. One server asked her how old she was and she promptly said 2! Normally she just stares at people when they ask that. Then the lady asked her what her favorite color was and she said purple. Well, that got Libby talking about her big girl room and the colors in there and how we were going to Wal-mart to look at the fish after dinner. Once you got her going last night you just couldn't stop her! She is not shy at all!

Christmas Shopping

A little bit ago Libby and I were out Christmas shopping for Mike. We were shopping at Target and Mike had said he wanted a nice electric toothbrush for Christmas. There was a big display and we stopped to look at it. I talked about which one I thought Mike would want with Libby and we picked one to buy. Later that same day we were back at Target with Mike and we walked by the same display. She pointed to the toothbrushes and said, "We bought Daddy a toothbrush!" Little stinker - you can't take her anywhere!

Libby's New Room

We have been working on Libby's new bedroom the past few weeks. She is moving upstairs since she is now a big girl (and because we need the little bedroom for the new addition - but don't tell her that). She started sleeping in the new room yesterday and she LOVES it. The only problem is that she doesn't actually want to sleep but play and explore instead. Today we have a Christmas party to go to and she fell asleep about 40 minutes before we needed to wake her up for the party. Needless to say, I'm very frustrated with her because she was upstairs for almost 2 hours messing around instead of napping. I hope she's not a total bear at the party.

Since her room is upstairs now, she has also been spending more time up in our loft area. We have the Christmas tree up there and she likes to look at it and play with the ornaments. Yesterday I had wrapped a few gifts and put them under the tree. One was a new Care Bear - Funshine Bear to be exact - wrapped in a gift bag. Mike and I were down in the kitchen this morning and who comes walking in carrying Funshine Bear? You guessed it - Libby had been snooping through the gifts and actually had unwrapped the bear. She had a look on her face that said, "Did you know this was up under our tree? Isn't it fantastic!" It was very cute but I guess we need to be a little more careful about where and when the gifts go out from now on.

Please excuse the messy hairdo in the pictures. It was bedtime so her hair gets crazy after being pulled up all day. Libby loves the bright colors on her walls. We just need to get some more decorations for the walls now.

Little Drummer Girl

This was just too cute! Libby put her drum on herself and went to town. And no, she didn't hit herself in the head with the drumsticks.... at least not during these pictures.

Bossy Libby

The new blog title is actually very fitting at our house. Libby wants to control everything. (She must get that from her father :) Anyway, sometimes, I will dance or sing along with her shows or things and she will sometimes get angry with me. The other day I was dancing with Sid the Science Kid and she got up and told me "No Mommy!" I told her I could dance if I wanted to - I pay the bills. She insisted that I couldn't or shouldn't dance. So, anyway, don't mind the crazy lady dancing or singing in the corner - I just live here.

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope you all had a better Thanksgiving than we had! Mike and I had the stomach flu and didn't get to (or want to) participate in any Thanksgiving feasts. Libby, however, did go to Thanksgiving with my family. I was so very thankful that they were able to come get her so we could lay in bed all day and try to get better. She had a good time playing with her uncle and eating cheesecake. It's too bad I took the belly shot photo the day before because if I waited 2 more days then you could hardly tell I was pregnant! :)

New Belly Shot

I went to the doctor yesterday and was convinced this baby is too big, but she says that it's just fine. If you look at me, I feel HUGE already. People have started asking how far along I am and when I say 13 weeks they are unsure what to say.


For comparisons sake, here is a picture of me at 15 weeks when I was pregnant with Libby.


I think I'm bigger now than I was then, but I'll let you all decide!

Reindeer??

This morning while we were driving to daycare there were 2 wild turkeys walking in a field along the road. I pointed them out to Libby and then looked back to see if she was looking the right way. She was looking out the wrong window and missed them but said she was looking for reindeer instead. I think she might have her holidays a little mixed up, of course, Libby and I are going to put our Christmas Tree up tomorrow so maybe it's my fault!

Ohcheys

With Thanksgiving a week away I thought I'd make our blog festive. Not to mention Libby has really developed an interest in "ohcheys" or turkeys as she calls them. She has painted several pictures of turkeys but refuses to believe that we will eat turkey next Thursday. In fact, it makes her a little upset to hear about eating turkey. She also doesn't like to think she eats chicken or any other animal. She just thinks it's nuggets, hamburger, etc. but doesn't really know what makes those things.

My Little Fashion Star

I took Libby's picture this morning because I thought she looked SO cute! Well, I asked her if it was alright to take the picture and she says, "Yes!" and then posed like this. The only part of her outfit that you can't really see is her pink camo tights. Something about this outfit says "Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader" to me. Maybe it's the furry boots....

New Blog Name

I've been thinking that pretty soon we're going to have to change our blog name from "We Work for Libby" to something different with Chub on the way. Not to mention that Libby is getting to be pretty self-sufficient and is able to "work" for herself a little bit more now. I just don't know what to change it to yet. Any ideas?

Oh-Uh

I got this picture in an email recently and I'm pretty sure it will happen at our house. I guess I need to get rid of all the markers!

Naughty Libby

Libby and her friend Jake have been getting into lots of trouble at daycare. Actually, let's correct that - Libby has been letting Jake take the fall for lots of trouble that they are causing together. Remember how Libby "made it rain" on Jake's head? That day she ran out of the room when the sitter came in to see what they were doing leaving Jake standing there soaking wet. Well, she has now started to blame lots of things on Jake. About a week ago Libby was caught at nap time in Lilly's bed with Lilly. Jake was found on the floor in a pile of curtains. (They have curtains up between the beds so the kids will sleep better and not talk.) It appeared that Jake had done the pulling down by himself but later that night the truth came out.

Mommy: Libby we stay in our own bed at naptime.
Libby: Okay. Poor Jake.
Mommy: What happened to Jake?
Libby: Jake in trouble. Jake pulled curtains.
Mommy: Oh?
Libby: Libby pulled curtains too.
Mommy: Oh?!

So we called Ms. Kim to tell her Libby was sorry for pulling curtains. Apparently she has a guilty conscience. She was talking about the curtain incident for several days. Then I also found out that anytime she does something naughty at daycare she blames Jake. She's getting really good at throwing him under the bus. They were both also found in Lilly's bed at the same time with Lilly again one day last week. Jake and Libby were each jumping at one end of Lilly's bed just having a grand time.

Halloween

I know this is posted a little late but we left town bright and early Saturday morning and didn't have time to post anything. Libby changed her costume idea right at the last minute. She was a build a bear, but she was supposed to wear her pajamas because she and her bear have the same pajamas. She refused to put them on but we decided her outfit looked similar enough to a different outfit her bear has to go ahead with the idea. We made it to 2 houses and she had enough of her ears. Then after about 5 houses she wanted her jacket on. So, after about 10 houses we called it quits and just handed out candy at our house instead. She really had fun with all of it. She loved getting candy and she loved seeing the bigger kids dressed up.



On another note, Mike and I are (as Libby would say) "not sad, HAPPY" about Obama's big win. Libby would also say "Go Go Mama" for Go Obama.

Election Day 2008

Baby Pictures

I went to the doctor today for my "official" appointment. This baby is a CHUNK compared to Libby's first ultrasounds. Everything looked fine. Now we just need to decide if this baby will be another c-section or not. There were a lot of pros and cons for each way that we need to think about.

Libby's Speech

If you have talked with Libby recently you might find some of what she says hard to understand. I've talked with lots of people about her speech and all the "experts" I know say it's just fine for her age and to wait until she's 3 to panic. She makes up weird words for people and things and that was really concerning me. Well, recently she has started changing some of her words to the "right" word. For example, Mommy used to be Mimi but now is Mommy. She still calls herself Mimi so now we can distinguish. Her sitter Lisa used to be Sum Mum but now is actually Lisa! (Which I hope means that she will soon be saying "Libby") How wonderful is that!! A horse used to be a "see" but now is something like hor-see. We're getting there! Maybe by 3 she will be saying more normal things like everyone tells me.

The waist is a-growin'

I finally have a picture or 2 from The Backyardigans, unfortunately, they are not of Libby. The pictures of Libby did not turn out very well.



If you have never been to The Fox Theater in St. Louis, it is something to see. The ceilings are beautiful and very ornate. Libby loved the bottom of the balcony above us so much that she requested I take a picture of it.


I also can hardly fit in any of my regular pants anymore, so I've started wearing my maternity pants pretty much all the time now. I'm 8 weeks pregnant and haven't even "officially" been to the doctor and I can't fit in my clothes. How sad is that?! Many of you probably don't think this looks like much of a belly (and it really isn't, I guess) but I do not normally look like this. So anyway, here's to the first of the belly pics.

Say Please

On Wednesday Libby had a bad dream about 45 minutes before Mike and I get up for work. We let her come to our bed thinking she would go back to sleep - WRONG! Well, anyway, I was feeling a little sick to my stomach so I ate some of the crackers I keep on my nightstand. Libby heard me getting into them and says, "Cracker, Mommy?"
Mommy: Libby, What do you say?
Libby: 2?
Mommy: No, Libby, what do you say?
Libby: 4?
Mommy: How about 'please'?
Libby: Please 2 cracker Mommy?

She's too funny. Already trying to negotiate things with us.

This might be a long 9 months

I've started feeling REALLY bad about a week ago. A friend of mine who had had 4 kids told me today that each of her pregnancies got worse! I think I'm about done being pregnant and if we want more kids we can adopt! :) Also, Libby thinks the purple circle on the ultrasound picture below is a hair band. She keeps calling it hairdo. She refuses to believe that there's a baby inside the hairdo and has actually started getting pretty mad when we try to tell her that. I guess we'll have to wait until it starts to look more like a baby and less like a grain of rice.

On another note, we're very excited because we're going to see The Backyardigans Live tomorrow! Libby doesn't really understand but she's going to love it. I'm sure we'll get some good pictures while we're there.

Very Girly Girl

Libby went to a birthday party today for our neighbor. She insisted on wearing a dress, fancy socks, pretty shoes, and a barrette. What a little girly girl.



We also went to the Corn Maze today. Libby actually liked it a lot until she started to doze off. She hasn't fallen asleep in public since she was very little so we're thinking someone took off with our Libby and replaced her with someone new. :)




Libby helping Daddy read the map. She actually asked to look at the map by herself but I couldn't get a picture of it.


Libby and her new Best Friend - Care Bear.

Yesterday I had to go to the doctor because I was having all kinds of pressure and pain. This was not my first "official" appointment of this pregnancy - I still have that on the 21st. However, they did do an ultrasound to make sure every thing was okay. I have a cyst on one of my ovaries. I had the same with Libby and I guess they are pretty normal, however my cysts are larger than normal. With Libby the cyst was 7 cm across and this one was about 3.5 cm across. Big enough to be uncomfortable but not a problem. Below you will see the baby circled in purple. It really just looks like a grain of rice right now, but the tech did see a brief heartbeat. My official due date is May 31st.

We've created a monster

We have been talking to Libby about names this week. That her real name is Elisabeth, Mommy's name is Tricia, and Daddy's name is Mike. Well, she has picked up this concept very quickly. This morning in the car she says, "Tricia? What are you doing?" And then again at daycare when I left her it was "Tricia, have a good day." Except she says "Tra" instead of Tricia but that's what she means. I looked at her and said, "I am Mommy to you." Little stinker.

Last night, Libby picked up a book we've read a thousand times and READ IT - well not all of it but part of it. It really does pay to read to your children EVERY day. We read several books each night before bed and she has really come to appreciate books and stories.

Oh, one more funny thing - Libby thinks she's a frog. She's been hopping around the house and ribbitting like a frog. Very cute. I'll try to get it on video later.

Weird...

I told myself that I'm not going to blog too much about this pregnancy - mostly because we have much more entertaining stuff to blog about with Libby running around - but I have to say that compared to last time, I already feel WAY more pregnant. I'm right at 4 weeks - seems like nothing but I swear I feel weeks ahead of this same time than with Libby. I tried to workout on Friday night and I'm still hurting from it. I called the nurse hotline to ask about it and they said I probably strained my round ligament (it holds up the uterus for those of you who don't know). WHAT?! ALREADY!? How can that be? Seriously, that didn't hurt until the last few months with Libby. This is crazy. Not to mention that picking Libby up is just horribly difficult already. I'm predicting that this will be a LONG school year.

Big Sister Libby

Libby is going to be a big sister sometime in late May. That's right, I'm pregnant again. Libby is not very excited about this new development but she has the next 8 months or so to get used to the idea. I'll have more information/pictures about it in mid-October because that's when my first doctor's appointment is going to be.

Libby fell off the wagon

Literally. Libby literally fell off a wagon. But I like to say it like she's drinking (again). :) On Monday I got to daycare and Libby had a big scrape on her nose. She had been in a wagon and stood up, lost her balance, and got a rug burn on her nose. She's been talking about it ever since trying to get sympathy. She has also been continuing to ask me to kiss it and make it better and it's almost healed up!

Handmade Hair Bows

I've decided to try my hand at making Libby hair bows. I just made 2 very easy bows and it took no time at all. I haven't tried anything fancy yet but I'm feeling encouraged.



Sorry this picture is sort of blurry but you get the idea.

TLA

Parenting Recommendation

Mike and I have been reading Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood and I think it's a pretty good book. It's a little repetitve at times but it has good ideas that work! We started doing some of this stuff with Libby and within a day she was behaving better. The basic premise is that kids learn when they make mistakes and they learn to control themselves when they are given choices about things that don't matter. Such as, "Libby do you want to wear your new shoes or your Crocs today?" Giving choices like this through the day about things I could really care less about make her feel like she has some control over her life and she doesn't get upset when I have to make a choice for her. They also talk about starting early in childhood will make things better when they are teenagers. I would recommend this book to any parent, caregiver, or other person who wants to have happy and pleasant days with small children.

Weathergirl Libby

Yesterday when I went to pick Libby up from daycare, Kim (one of her sitters) said, "Libby and Jake got in trouble together today." Oh? Apparently Kim stole a minute to fold some laundry while she thought the kids were engaged in "The Potty Show" as Libby calls it and instead they sneaked by her and decided it would be fun to play in the toilet water in the bathroom. So as if that wasn't bad enough... Libby also thought it would be fun to pour water from the toilet on Jake's head. I guess he loved it too. When we got home Mike and I were asking Libby about it and of course she denied doing anything in the toilet at first. Here's our conversation:

Me: Libby did you play in the potty water today?
Libby: No.
Me: Miss Kim says you and Jake played in the potty water today.
Libby: No.
Me: It makes me sad that you're not being honest.
Libby: Pour water on Jake's hair. (while pointing to her own head)
Mike: You poured water on Jake's hair?
Libby: Rain on Jake's head.
Mike: You made it rain on Jake's head?
Libby: Yeah. Rain.
Me: Libby we do not pour rain from the potty on other people's heads.
Libby: Okay.

We couldn't help but laugh. I also feel like we have all these random rules in our house now. Don't pour rain from the potty on other people's heads. Don't let Tigger jump in your bed. Don't hit Earl (the dog) with a giraffe. Please don't ride the cats. The list could go on and on.

Ugh..

I'm annoyed because none of Libby's pants fit her. The 2T pants fit in the waist but are WAY too short. 3T pants are WAY too big in the waist and too long for her. Even the pants with the adjustable waists are too big for my skinny girl. It's too bad they don't make 2T long. It's sort of a major dilemma right now because it's been in the 60's for the past 3 days or so and it looks like it is going to stay on the cooler side for awhile.

Segway Tour

This weekend Mike and I decided to go on a Segway Tour of downtown St. Louis. It was so fun! We went by Union Station, Kiener Plaza, the Arch, Lacede's Landing, the old Opera House, across the Eades Bridge, and lots more. It was lots of fun even though we both got a little too much sun.

Libby has been paci free since Friday evening! It hasn't been that bad this time. She just decided to give it up and we got her a new big girl toy. She picked this Dora toy out and LOVES it.

Libby also went pee pee in the potty for the first time yesterday! I didn't get a picture of it.. Sorry, I know you all wanted to see it. :) She is really becoming a big girl.

TLA

Divisiveness

With the election approaching, I want to talk about something that has gripped our country for the better part of the last 8 years, if not since Clinton was impeached...the political divisiveness and the "I'm right, you're wrong" mantra that has gripped the U.S.

One of the things that makes America great is that we are free to speak our mind. We have the freedom to enter a voting booth every 4th year in November and choose (yes choose) the next leader of our country without fear of government reprimand or any immediate consequences. That, my friends, is what our founding fathers strove to provide to us. They did not intend for us to become a country split into red states or blue states. We were to be a country that had the common good of all of our citizens in mind when we enacted policies or when we went about our daily lives; not a country that bows to so-called political pressures in, for example, choosing a VP candidate that can step in and lead the country if need be or reverts to name-calling and personally attacking one another based on our own intrinsic beliefs.

These last 8 years have been a trying time for the U.S, regardless of what your political ideology is. As trying as this was, I fear that we are in for a bumpier ride for the next 4 - regardless of who is elected President. From the Right, all that you hear about Obama is that he is Jimmy Carter, Part II; he's inexperienced; his wife is not proud of her country; and the best one, he's a Muslim that will sidle up with Al-Qaeda and will internally destroy the U.S. From the left, you hear McBush or McSame; "4 more years of the last 8", etc.

Let's get one thing clear: just because you may personally disagree with a politician's philosophies doesn't mean that you can bash me personally for not falling lock-step into your mind-set. I see hate spewing from both sides against the respective candidates, but you will never hear me personally attack a supporter of the opposition. Don't call me stupid or dumb or anything else, simply because I do not support your stance.

Before we bash the opposition, or call our friends stupid for their beliefs, or post a blog full of hatred and outright lies, or forward around that email that is untrue, let's all remember one thing - we're all Americans. Not Red Americans or Blue Americans. Americans. Let's get back to what makes us a great country - supporting one another through thick and thin because we're Americans - no matter the color of one's skin or their religious affiliation; whether they're rich or poor; Democrat or Republican and end this nonsensical divisiveness.

MK

The Great Pacifier Debates

Sorry we haven't posted in awhile. We've been under a LOT of stress and it hasn't been much of a priority.

We are currently in pacifier hell. I found out from a speech pathologist at school that a child using a pacifier can alter the shape of their palate and the pacifier is considered an orthodontic device. This alteration of the palate is NOT a good thing and can cause something called tounge thrust which can mess up the formation of her baby and permanent teeth and her speech. So now we are trying to break her of this nasty habit with little success. Last Christmas we tried to get rid of it once and for all but had the angriest little child. Now we're trying to do this again and it just isn't working. The thing that is REALLY irritating is that for the first two weeks of her life she didn't even WANT a pacifier and was content to suck on her tounge. Now 2 1/2 years later we're still dealing with it. I don't ever want another child of mine to use a pacifier - it's just so horrible to try to get rid of it.

Libby's ever blossoming personality

Lately Libby has really developed into a little girl with quite the personality. She loves to draw with pens but isn't allowed to do it very often. At least not without supervision. One day I guess she got a hold of one without my knowledge. She pointed out this fact to me by pointing to a chair of hers. This is how the conversation went:

Libby: (pointing to the chair) Colored
Me: Did you color on the chair?
Libby: Yeah
Me: Libby, we don't color on chairs. That is not okay.
Libby: Earl colored.

For those of you who don't know, Earl is our dog. Right after she admitted to coloring she changed her story and said Earl did it! Too funny...

Since we've turned her bed into a "big girl bed" she has "fallen" out only twice. I say fallen loosely because one time she actually "jumped" out. We put her to bed and about 10 minutes later I heard "thump thud WWWAAAAA!!!!" We went into to find out what happened and Libby was on the floor screaming. After she calmed down we asked her what happened - (I should mention that she went to bed with a Tigger stuffed animal. If you don't know Tigger he LOVES to bounce!) Anyway, we asked Libby why she was on the floor and she said, "Tigger bounce bed." Yet again, she is deferring blame to someone else! The next day she wanted Tigger to nap with her so I made a point of telling Tigger that we don't bounce in beds and it isn't safe. Libby very seriously nodded along with me.

Floors and more

As promised here are pictures of our new floors. I think they've help cut down on the pet dander in the house, as I feel a lot better lately and Libby doesn't seem to have a runny nose.








I read this blog at a friend's site and laughed because we're going through similar temper tantrums with Lu. Except that we've been going through it off and on for months and not just days! Libby will act up and not seem to care much about what we say (mostly what I say because Dad's not here as much). The most embarrassing is when she acts up in public. I almost always see someone I know. It makes it much worse if it's a parent from school or something. I worry that I lose a little credibility when my kid is acting up. I've actually started to figure out when she will act up and the best way to handle it in each situation. Most of her acting out happens when I'm preoccupied with something else and can't play with her or talk to her. She acts out to get me to pay attention. I've tried time out at this time and it pacifies the situation for a brief time while I'm talking with her or actually putting her in the time out chair. Shortly after it's over, she's back to her usual. One day I decided to try to just walk away when she was getting under my skin and after doing that twice it stopped for the rest of the day. She knows how to irritate me and she knows how to get any kind of attention necessary. Kids are smart!

My cousin Katie took some wonderful pictures last weekend of Libby. I thought I'd share a few. She is really talented.

We Have A Big Girl

First let me say that our floors are about 99.9% finished. I will take some pictures as soon as we get the kitchen cleaned up a little bit more.

Last night Libby spent her first night in a "big girl" bed. We took the rail off her crib and turned it into a toddler bed. She was very proud of herself. It's kinda funny too because when she wakes up she still just sits in it and cries out for us instead of just getting out. She's fake sleeping in this picture!


We also are working on getting rid of the paci once and for all. I made her a special box to keep her pacis in and at bedtime if she chooses to leave her paci in the box she can have a little toy. Last night she chose a toy giraffe and was very proud of herself.

New Floors

We finally got disgusted enough with our carpet to rip it up and put down new laminate floors in our living room and kitchen. I tell you, they look great! Whenever I find our camera, I'll take some pictures. Right now we are living in disarray. The only room through this process that didn't become a maze of furniture, Libby's toys, and other odds and ends was our upstairs bathroom. That's right - the bathroom. While we've been working that has almost been like going into a nice relaxing spa. It's clean and quiet. ahhhh.... Except that to get there you have to navigate the stairs that are full of saws, crowbars, and other random objects.

In the meantime, Libby's been at my parents house enjoying the pool. Lucky girl!

One Minute Prayer

The following was in our church bulletin and I thought I'd share it with you.

"During World War II, there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace. This had an amazing effect, as bombing stopped. There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here. The United States of America and our citizens need prayer more than ever! If you want to participate: each evening at 8 pm (Central Time) stop what you are doing and spend one minute praying for the safety of the U.S., our troops, our citizens, for peace in the world, for wisdom and courage for our leaders, the up-coming election, that the Bible will remain the basis for the law governing our land, and that Christianity will grow in the United States. If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along. Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have."

Anyway, it's just a thought if you are also wanting this war to end. At least that's how I see it.

On a different note. The following picture is a nightly occurrence at our house. Mike lays like this on the floor and Libby will lay on top of him either to play sleep or for a story.

When she saw the camera, she first choose to lay NEXT to Daddy.


Last week our sitter's kids taught her a few things. Rachel taught her Ring Around the Rosey which she loves. Emily and Hannah taught her to say "No bath". It's funny though because she LOVES to take baths so she'll say "No bath. BATH!" and laugh. No bath is said in this really soft fake whine of a voice. Too cute.

Bubba is sad.

If you don't know, our cat Bubba (Karl) has recently been diagnosed with feline diabetes. We have to give him insulin shots and feed him special food. The upside of this food is that it is diet food which may force our very fat cat, Zebby to lose some weight too. Anyway, until the vet gets his insulin regulated Bubba has to go to the vet every 7-10 days and stay the whole day for observation. Libby and I took him on Thursday and she was very upset about leaving him there. First of all, he doesn't travel in the car well and will make very interesting noises. Libby was telling me, "Mimi, Bubba is scared." "Bubba is sad." the whole way to the vet and from the vet. She cried when they took him to the back room too. She is very attached to him.

TLA

I'm on a roll

I've been quite productive today while Libby was at daycare. I got dinner ready to cook (all I have to do it heat it up). I went to school and put up a bulletin board. I got an allergy shot. I fixed our broken garbage disposal. Mike broke it while I was in KC and I got online and diagnosed the problem, went to Home Depot and got the took I needed, came home and fixed it! I also changed the background of the blog. And, hey! I've blogged 3 days in a row! Go me!

I'm obsessed with trying to fix up Libby's hair. It's all because of a blog I saw on another friends blog - Hair Today. After I picked her up from daycare today I tried another version of yesterday's with more elastic bands. I think it's cute and makes my baby look like a little girl. I think her hair is still too fine and short for braids so this will have to do.






This is what happens at our house when Libby says she wants to use the potty. It's really just her excuse to run around the house without pants on. In this picture I'm reading her a potty book to try to entice her to sit on hers with little luck.