Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Yesterday was Mark's 42nd birthday. The girls and I had a fun time planning his gifts, his b-day meal and special surprises. You see, we try to thank and appreciate him every day - but it doesn't always happen. Sometimes life gets in the way. But yesterday, on his birthday - well that's our chance to really show him how much we love him and appreciate the hard work and sacrifices he makes for our family.

Thank you, Mark/Daddy. We all love you very much. We are three VERY lucky girls.

Here's a picture of him in his new Cubs jersey.

Auditions

This morning, Bailey had yet another round of auditions for show choir. This time she had to be at school at 7 a.m. and sing in front of her current music teacher, as well as the show choir director and the other kids auditioning. She has already made a cut or two - and we are getting down to the wire now. She won't know anything today - at least I don't think...the dance portion of the audition is still in the future.

This is A LOT of pressure for a 6th grader. She set her alarm last night - woke up at 5:30 to get ready, eat breakfast, etc. We left at 6:30 (too early, but she was chompin' at the bit). On the way there, we almost had to pull the van over because she thought she was going to be sick. Poor kid!!!

We prayed together - and she said, "Thank you, Mom." (heart....melting....now).

I love her so much - and I pray, pray, pray she makes it...because she's tried SO HARD! I'm very proud of her. What a cool kid I have.

Spring has SPRUNG!

82 degrees!!! In March!!! In Iowa!!! Woo-Hoo!!! Yipee!!! The whole family enjoyed the fantastic weather. Well, maybe not Dad and Bailey, who were busy raking and picking up sticks....but the little one had a ball, and so did Mom (who also took her turn raking and picking up sticks, thank you very much).

Today Lauren found the landscaping rocks - and she had a BALL! Picking up rocks, piling them somewhere else, getting mud on her hands and then bringing them to me as if to say, "Do something about this ucky, woman." Although she did taste-test it first. She did NOT like it when we came inside to clean up.

I can tell already this is going to be an every-night-bath-needed-spring and summer.
Here are a few snapshots from this afternoon. Sorry I didn't get any of the yard workers. Bailey might make me take a shot of her blister though. ha.

The Finale

It's a........BABY!!! Whitsitt Baby #3 is on the way! After more secret-keeping than I can handle (over 2 months worth) - we finally had our Dr. appointment today and learned that we are approx. 11 weeks along and in the Dr.'s words..."everything looks perfect." YEAH! We are all thrilled and can't wait to meet this little one. He or she is estimated to be due 10/4/07. Stay tuned for more news on this little peanut. And for those of you that think this image looks like nothing? There is a dotted line running the entire length of the baby's body. It's head is facing down and to the left. Nothing more exciting than seeing your baby's flicker of a heartbeat on that ultrasound screen. It is truly moving and SHWEW! What a relief! We gladly accept your continued prayers though for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

It Keeps Getting Worse

I NEED to know that these things happen to good Moms - because I am having a VERY bad Mommy day. (See 18-month-portrait post below). And the day keeps getting WORSE! After 30+ minutes in her crib for nap - Lauren was STILL not asleep...not crying or fussing..but not asleep. And I know for a FACT that she is tired. So I thought maybe she had a dirty diaper and I went up to check on her. And this is what I found:

So I wiped her up - put on a new diaper, got out new sheets and a new mattress pad...and then I saw it...just before putting on the new sheets and new mattress pad (don't EVEN scroll down if you can't take toddler grossness - and I warn you - this IS gross to the 10th degree)...

(Photos of poop on the floor and in the crib have been removed because it is just too gross for the rest of you to have to deal with).

So when I told her Dad about this disgusting and horribly bad day - he said...well...now she has a new trick when we ask her "What does a Monkey do?" OMG - that's wrong! So then I'm thinking - what if she threw that on the floor...and then sucked her thumb???? So I'm scrubbing her hands raw almost...I am having the WORST DAY EVER!!!!! WAAAAAAAA!!!!! Now where is that !@#$%^ Clorox Bleach Spray....and the Vodka. (just kidding...almost).

Picture Day From Hell

Lauren is halfway through her 18th month so I thought I better take care of that 18-month portrait. I called Portrait Innovations because that darn $9.95 package suckers me in every time. I had to wait several weeks to get in for an appointment - and today was the day. I had carefully chosen two dresses for Lauren. Her Easter Dress (timely for the portrait) and a cuter than cute navy blue sailor-style dress.

When I tried the dresses on her, she loved them - she smiled and swung her hips and said "pretty!" She left the Easter bonnet on for MANY minutes and looked absolutely adorable. I couldn't wait to capture her 1.5 year milestone in these outfits.

We had a 9:15 a.m. appointment. There was only one other appointment before us, so we shouldn't have to wait too long, and I figured she'd be wide awake and in a good mood. WRONG!

When waited about 10 minutes for our turn. Approximately 2 minutes before we were up, the well-intentioned photographer introduced Lauren to the Legos and play table in the waiting area. And then he thought 2 minutes later he could just pull her away from that to go sit her with some silk flowers? ummm..let me guess...you don't have children? You just started here? You hate me?

Well, after some coaxing, Lauren agreed to see what the stuffed monkey was all about in the photo area. She sat in her pretty dress long enough for a few snaps of the camera. No hat though, of course...even though she's been demanding a fleece winter hat on her head all week long around the house. I thought she was in a new hat phase and that her bonnet would be easy! ha. Then it was time for a wardrobe change. Now, I hate wardrobe changes - but this place encourages it - and I really REALLY loved the navy blue dress. We quickly changed and I brushed her hair into the baby pigtails they barely fit into and BAM! M-E-L-T-D-O-W-N!! T-A-N-T-R-U-M!!! Someone call a priest!

Normally I can distract her with a new toy, looking at a baby - something! But this was the mother of all tantrums. I have NEVER seen Lauren throw a fit quite like that before. There was no distracting her - there was no consoling her...and there was absolutely-no-frickin'-way there was going to be any picture-taking going on.

Now, if we had been at the grocery store - I would have hauled her tantrum toddler butt to the van and we would have gone home. BUT..I still had to look at the pictures and tell him yes or no to a package. She isn't old enough yet to bribe or threaten (oh c'mon - you know you do it too), so I just let her loose...and of course she want right to the Legos. Now, I absolutely did not want her getting what she wanted after such a horrible display...but it was either that or hold her screaming and kicking while I tried to view the pictures.

Now I'm sweating and can feel my blood pressure climbing. This is NOT the morning I had in mind. So, I sat down to see the lame-o pictures and that little twerp has the nerve to look at me & the photographer and say "cheese." AAAAAAAAAAGH!

I said yes to an OK picture - the whole package is $10 - and I kept thinking - what if I reschedule and she does this again and I get NO pictures? So I thought I better at least take something. It isn't bad - but...

* Her barrette appears on top of her head instead of neatly on the side as I positioned it earlier.

* No bonnet. Luckily I bought hers from the dollar bin at Target.

* There is something on the bottom of her shoe...which I shouldn't even see because I really hoped to have a standing up picture...but NOOOOO.

* I hate fake backdrops. I got stuck with one for her 1-year pic too. I like PLAIN backdrops - not a fake park or fake flower garden.

* She is not in her navy dress that I love so much!

* No baby pig tails. =-(

But hey - she saved me a bunch of money today. And FYI - I hate Legos.

Jelly Moustache

Raspberry Jelly - a new breakfast favorite. Lauren started by licking the jelly off the toast - and then finally eating the bread.

Afternoon Snacktivity

I don't know if I've ever made cupcakes in my adult life. I always thought they were too hard. But they are NOT HARD!! As long as you buy those liners so you don't have to wash the cupcake tin every time...you are in business! And if you have good helpers like I do - even easier!

Bailey is my M&M-placer and Lauren is my M&M-eater. Here she is showing me her M&M.

When Did Homework Get So Hard?

Ok, Jeff Foxworthy...I'm turning to the camera and admitting to America...I am NOT smarter than a 6th grader!

Man! 6th grade homework is HARD! When did homework get so hard? Last night, Bailey, her PhD Dad, and I worked together for hours on a Taxonomy key for math. Well - it was math-related, but because a taxonomy key is generally a science tool....she'll be getting a grade in BOTH subjects. (lazy on the teacher's part if you ask me.) The directions were lame -- not enough given and no examples. If you are unfamiliar with a taxonomy key (and who isn't?) - you have a pool of words. From those words you have a series of clues. So let's say you have the number 25 (in Bailey's math example) in your word/number pool. Your first clue is...if divisible by 5, go to 2. And then you proceed to number 2 and answer another question to proceed to figure out which number in the pool you are talking about. Bailey had to develop the numbers in the pool and the clues and put them in a certain form. AND you couldn't use anythign twice....so if you said "divisible by" once...you couldn't say it again....and we had to do this 16 times and there were 8 numbers. So after the obvious....if an even number, go to....if greater than whatever..go to...you begin to run out of mathematical ideas. So we had to pull out greatest common factor, least common multiple, etc....and STILL it was a challenge. Bailey worked independently on this for hours before coming to us for help...and then we worked together for hours. Finally at 10:30 she went to bed, setting her alarm for 6 a.m. to start working on it again before school today.

I won't say it in front of Bailey - but MATH SUCKS!!!!

Ham & Cheese

I think I forgot to mention this yesterday - but when we were at the Dr. - every time she shined the light in Lauren's eyes or nose or ears...Lauren would squint her eyes and put on a HUGE grin and say "CHEESE!" Dr. called her a ham.....a ham & cheese. That's my girl! Just like Bailey used to be, too!

Escapee

Last week I left Lauren for 1-2 minutes. That's all, I swear. I put up the child gates, tuned the TV to Dora and went outside for just a minute to get the ice off of the deck. I ran back in to check on her and the front door was WIDE OPEN...no Lauren. Oh my goodness - what a horrible mother! There she was - outside - no coat - at the bottom of the stairs playing in the slush. Nice. My first thought was one of embarrassement - hoping no one saw her, and thus knew how negligent I must be! But that feeling quickly turned to terror at the thought of what COULD have happened. Now, it is true that a Mom can't be all places at all times - and I did my best to make sure she was out of danger for the ONE MINUTE she would be alone. I mean - come on - I've left her while I went to the restroom for longer than that. But, now I know that she is capable of opening the front door and making her way down the front steps. ugh. So from now on - DEADBOLT ON! I forgot to do this today - and here she is...caught in the act of trying to escape again!

Lauren is 18 months old!

Lauren is 18 months old

What a fun month! Lauren is really turning into a fun little toddler these days. She parrots everything we say (be careful, Mommy & Daddy!). Below is a list of words she can say - or almost say. I'm sure I'm forgetting some:

* Hi! * Bye-Bye *Uh-oh *Sissy *Daddy *Mommy *Ba Pa (Grandpa) *Apple *Please *Thank You *Sorry *Bailey *Sadie *Moo *Cookie *Oh No! *Nigh-Nigh *It's Ok *Ball *Dora *Boots *Shhh *Outside *Puppy *Poopy *Yeah! *Snack *Drink *Toys *Book *No *Yah *Star *Heart * Blue *Tickle *Bath *Up *Down *Duck *Quack *Wee *Yummy *Silly *Monkey *Raar (what does a lion say response) *Cheese *Shoes *Socky *Pretty *Brrr *Hot *Wet *Ucky *Sit *Corner *Stop *One *Two *Three *Rocky *What's That? *Where is it? *There it is *Baby *Happy *Foot *Nose *Snow *I Tuck (stuck) *Beep *Where's (fill in the blank)? *Hey! *Bubbles *Look *Wait

She went to the Dr. today for her 18-month checkup. She's doing great! 100th percentile for lenth, 34 inches! And 80th percentile for weight - 26 lbs 13 oz. They were thrilled with her above-average language development and overall social skills. They said to keep her on whole milk until she is 2 years old, begin introducing her to the potty chair - but don't expect much until she consistently wakes up from naps dry (yeah - we're a ways off), no peanut butter until at least age 2. She had her last two immunizations until she is 5 years old.

She really is a silly little girl that we all enjoy so much. Her personality is infectious and her curiousity refreshing. She sees excitement and joy in every day things we take for granted. It is so wonderful to be home with her - to watch her experience so many things for the first time. I feel so blessed to be a witness to this. She continues to show a nasty temper every now and then, but mostly she's full of giggles. She really loves trying to get a laugh.

Her favorite foods are nuggets, crackers, grapes, macaroni & cheese, pizza and grilled cheese.

Her favorite shows are Dora the Explorer, The Backyardigans, Curious George and The Wonder Pets. She also loves Elmo on Sesame Street

She LOVES books - all books...even grown-up books. She loves all things musical....playing piano, singing, dancing - you name it. If there is a song on the radio or TV - Lauren is jammin'.

I think it is only going to get better from here on out....and I can't wait to be there for all of it. In a few months we'll be playing at the park, going for walks and watching "sissy" play softball. Fun times behind...and even more fun times ahead.

Love, Mom

Easter Dress Decision 2007

Finally! A decision has been made regarding Lauren's Easter dress. I found two that I really loved - so one will be her 18-month-picture dress and the other will be her Easter dress. They are both size 2T, which I can hardly believe...but it seems length is the only real difference between a 24 months and a 2T. So, Lauren looks a little like a "little person"/dwarf in the navy blue dress. She inherited the no ankles until age 5 gene. The Easter Bonnet...from Target...DOLLAR SECTION!!!

The first pictures I took were back-lit, so they didn't turn out well...but her smile is "CHEESE!" and so cute - so I posted one of them anyway - hopefully you can make it out. Now, how cute are these?????

Snow Day

NO SCHOOL TOMORROW!!! Blizzard from hell....but NO SCHOOL FOR BAILEY TOMORROW!!! Yeah! Can't leave the house even if we wanted to...but NO SCHOOL FOR BAILEY TOMORROW!!! Probably won't see her until 11 a.m. at the earliest because her pre-teen body apparently needs the sleep...but NO SCHOOL FOR BAILEY TOMORROW!!! Two kids at home so I probably won't get a short Mommy nap...but NO SCHOOL FOR BAILEY TOMORROW!!! Quality time with my girls - YEAH! I LOVE SNOW DAYS!!!