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