Growing Up Whitsitt

Cookies for Santa

2007-12-24T09:58:00.001-06:00

A Blue Elephant, Please

2007-12-19T07:36:00.000-06:00

Santa, Baby 2007

2007-12-19T07:35:00.000-06:00

Prodigy

2007-12-02T22:11:00.000-06:00

At this rate she'll be smarter than her Mom by the time she's 4...

Making Snowman Cookies

2007-12-02T08:27:00.001-06:00

Grant is 2 months old!

2007-12-02T08:21:00.001-06:00

To my son - 2 months old - 11/27/07

Grant,

First of all, this isn't your real smile - this is actually a cute expression in-between cries. I just couldn't get you to crack your million-dollar smile for a photo today - so we had to settle for a phony.

Yesterday marked 8 weeks since you were born. I can't explain how it seems both that I've known you for so much longer and also that it was just yesterday that you swam in newborn clothing and the velcro straps on your diaper overlapped. For sure though it is hard to imagine my world without you in it. How quickly - instantly, really - I fell in love with you. You make it easy though - such a good baby! You usually only cry when there is something wrong - MUCH less drama than the girls...even at this age I can tell you are more mellow than that. You are so snuggly - burrow your head into my neck or chest - and this is why I get nothing done. How can I not hold you when you cuddle up with me so perfectly - as if to communicate how much you love me and need me.

This month you've found other ways to communicate too! You smile now and it absolutely melts my heart. In addition to smiling, you've let out an occasional chuckle and have begun experimenting with different vocals. SO CUTE! Your Dad and sisters love you a whole bunch too.

You received your first immunizations yesterday - and you just haven't felt well since. I believe you are even running a small temp...poor baby. Your 2-month check was perfect though. You have gained about 4 pounds since birth ( you now weigh 12 lbs, 10 ounces - 75th percentile) and you've grown almost 4 inches (24 inches long now! 90th percentile).

I am trying to soak up each and every day with you - to try to bottle your scent in my memory, to forever capture the undescribable softness of your skin, to remember each milestone and each heartwarming moment....because I know they go too fast...and you are my last run at this Mommy thing...and I want to make it last as long as possible. I love you, little man!

Love,
Mommy

Trick-Or-Treat 2007

2007-10-30T20:43:00.001-06:00

Happy Halloween! This year, Lauren understood the holiday and was rarin' to go! She loves her ghost shirt (Boo!), and couldn't wait to put on her CareBear costume and trick or treat for candy. Bailey was feeling too old to trick or treat, but wanted to dress up anyway to hand out candy. She invited her friend Miranda over to help her - the two middle school "princesses." They stopped eating candy in-between doorbell rings just long enough to say cheese...but they wouldn't let me take many pictures and darn it if Bailey's eyes aren't closed in the picture I took. Oh well - this way you can see her pretty "princess" makeup. ha.

Grant didn't dress up - he was either fussy or crying when we were getting ready to go - I don't remember which, but either way - he was not in the right mood to meander the neighborhood with his big sister. Here's a picture of him from earlier in the day at least.

One Month Old

2007-10-28T07:43:00.000-06:00

Grant was one month old yesterday - 10/27/07 - The picture was actually taken yesterday - I just didn't have time to post it. Stay tuned next month to see how he's grown!

Report Cards Are In

2007-10-26T05:03:00.000-06:00

Report Cards Are In....

Bailey's 6th grade year was a nightmare - for all of us. She struggled with her relationship with her teacher - we all did...and as a result, her grades did not reflect her knowledge. She has always gotten fairly good grades, always understood the materials being taught - and so last year, when she struggled with grades we were all stumped.

I'm happy to report that this year, 7th grade, she has AWESOME teachers, has regained her self-esteem and her grades are once again reflective of her knowledge of the materials being taught. So, report cards are in this week....and...HONOR ROLL! Woo-Hoo! Way to go, Bailey!

Grades are as follows:

World Cultures..... B+
Social Studies....A
Science....A
PE....A
Math....A-
Language Arts....A
Industrial Technology...C+
Chorus...A
Band....A-

Overall GPA for Quarter 1....3.807

I'm so proud of you, Bailey! Keep up the great work!

Grant - 26 days old

2007-10-23T06:51:00.001-06:00

That A Girl!

2007-10-10T17:09:00.001-06:00

Have I mentioned what an awesome pre-teen Bailey is? She is getting good grades, has nice friends, is sufficiently involved in extra-curricular activities, helps out with her brother & sister, invites friends to church - just an outstanding girl that I'm so proud to call my daughter!!!

Welcome Home, Grant Steven Whitsitt

2007-10-06T08:14:00.000-06:00

On September 27, 2007 at 7:30 a.m. we welcomed Grant Steven Whitsitt into our family. He arrived via c-section and is absolutely PERFECT! He weighed in at 7 lbs, 14 oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long. With Grant at home now, our family feels complete. God is so good!

Show Choir 2007-2008

2007-09-22T09:03:00.000-06:00

Bailey's 7th Grade School Picture

2007-09-22T07:28:00.000-06:00

Halloween Preparedness

2007-09-13T19:56:00.000-06:00

One of the things on my to-do list before having the baby, was to find Lauren's Halloween costume so I didn't have to deal with that task while trying to recover and adapt to life with a newborn. So today we headed out to Target, where Lauren looked through two aisles of children's costumes. What did she pick? Above Dora (if you can believe it), above Winnie the Pooh or Tigger, Above Uniqua...... A Care Bear! Probably because Bailey loves Care Bears and Lauren wants to be JUST like her big sister. She was very confident in her decision too. The BLUE Care Bear - not the purple one. Two years old...and the girl already knows what she wants.

Scary Monster Care Bear:

Who Does Lauren REALLY Look Like?

2007-09-04T12:48:00.000-06:00

Birthday Bliss

2007-08-31T05:34:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Lauren!

2007-08-30T06:30:00.000-06:00

I wrote this post - intending to put it on this "family blog" - but accidently posted it on the public blog. Oh well - not both family AND everyone else will know how much I love you.

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY, LAUREN!!! Wow! Time flew! While the rest of the country/world is reflecting on the 2nd Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I'm reflecting on the 2nd anniversary of the day you were born. What an absolutely wonderful and perfect gift God gave me in you! It is 7:23 a.m. on the day of your birthday and you are apparently sleeping in today - you're the birthday girl - why not?

I'm glad because your pregnant Mommy has a HORRIBLE migraine this morning...went to bed with it...woke up with it. I'm already feeling guilty about that, too. I want today to be exciting and special for you. The truth is - every day is exciting and special for you because you find the joy and beauty in everything. I know this, yet I'm wishing I could take you to Chuck E. Cheese for lunch, or to the zoo this morning... Instead, it will probably look much like many of your days so far. We need to run to the post office to pick up a package (probably a present from Aunt Marcia!), stop at the grocery store to pick up your Dora cake (be glad I didn't try to make you a character cake - see...THERE'S something special!) - and probably some Dora-watching or Backyardigans-watching on TV followed by a snack and maybe some coloring.

It might not be over-the-top special - your birthday - but you are over-the-top loved, Lauren. I can't wait to sing to you and wish you Happy Birthday when you wake up...and dress you in your "I'm the Birthday Girl" t-shirt. =-) I'll have my camera in-hand...so rest-assured...there will be photographic evidence today is your 2nd birthday. I love you - my favorite 2-yr-old!

Mom

Coloring Fun

2007-08-20T09:49:00.000-06:00

7th Grader!

2007-08-20T08:53:00.000-06:00

I have absolutely NO idea how it is possible that I have a daughter entering 7th grade! SEVENTH grade! TWELVE years old! I don't know if it is more depressing that I'm THAT old, or that time is going by so quickly and before I know it she'll be on her own. Ok - I know which thought is more depressing - nevermind.

She's a good sport for a 7th grader....she still let me take her 1st day of school picture this morning. I swear - she gets more beautiful each year - both inside and out.

Surprise, Bailey! Happy 12th Birthday!

2007-08-20T08:47:00.001-06:00

Bailey didn't think she was going to have a birthday party this year. I told her that between trying to sell the house, a baby on the way, back-to-school...it was just too busy and too difficult to have a party this year. She handled it FAIRLY well, but you could definitely tell there was some "poor me" going on. Little did she know that I had planned a surprise b-day party for her at the mall. She thought we were going to pick out a new outfit for school, but when we arrived, out jumped her friends!

The girls had a blast running around the mall independently and Dad & I had a great time watching them have fun (from a distance of course). Here are pics from the party.

Will it be a Surprise?

2007-08-17T07:47:00.000-06:00

Tonight is Bailey's "Surprise" 12th birthday party. So far I think she has NO clue. I have invited 7 of her friends to meet at Jordan Creek Mall for the surprise. I will arrive 15 minutes later with Bailey. I hope there are lots of squeals and screams and giggles. I have a scavenger hunt planned in the mall, disposable cameras for pictures, pizza and more. Oh I hope we can pull it off! Stay tuned for pictures!

Practicing

2007-08-17T07:45:00.000-06:00

Practicing the "Big Sister" Thang...

Antsy & Beeyall

2007-07-21T15:13:00.000-06:00

Papa Ron's sister, Nancy came for a visit with her husband Bill this weekend and we were lucky enough to steal some time with them during their trip. Lauren was THRILLED to have a new audience for all of her tricks and so excited to see the laughs they brought. (What a ham!). "Yup," Lauren loves "Antsy & Beeyall." We spent some time visiting at our home, shopping at the book store, playing at the park and enjoying a meal together. They spoiled the girls and the unborn boy with gifts. Now isn't that just like family? We enjoyed their visit and wish they could make it out here more often.

Left to Right: Papa & Grandma, Nancy & Bill

Whitsitt Garage Band

2007-07-20T21:59:00.000-06:00

We (Heart) Grandma & Papa

2007-07-18T16:16:00.000-06:00

I don't know if they know exactly how much we appreciate them - but we (HEART!) Grandma & PaPa. Our girls are completely in love with each of them - always - no matter what. And all the things they do for us! Where do I even begin? This week they watched the girls while I a) got a special pedicure; b) had an OB appointment; c) showed the house to potential buyers last-minute. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. They are ALWAYS willing to lend us a hand when it comes to the "grand babies."

Thank you just doesn't seem to cut it....but I want them to know how much we love and appreciate them and how utterly lost we'd be without them.

We love you!!

We're Feeling Like Royalty

2007-07-16T12:36:00.000-06:00

We LOVE pedicures! Bailey & I received spa pedicures for Mother's Day (yes, I"m the only Mother here...but her Dad is pretty nice and thought she'd enjoy one too). So today was the day we scheduled our special tootsie treatment at The Spa at West Glen. I arranged for Grandma & Grandpa to watch Lauren and off Bailey & I went. Unfortunately, their nail technician never showed up to work today, so they apologized and offered us a complimentery pedicure at our reschedule. Nice - but bummer! We were SO excited to get pedicures...TODAY!

So we found Solar Nails & Spa on 100th St. in Urbandale. They got us both right in and both Mother & Daughter enjoyed a side-by-side pedicure. GLORIOUS! But dangerous...I could SO get used to this on a monthly basis. The relaxation, the leg/foot massage, the pretty toesies. LOVE IT!

Here's Bailey with her pretty polished piggies. She's wearing Opi's "Dress to Empress."

And here is my pregnant, swollen "after" foot. I'm wearing "You Make Me Vroom" by Opi.

Train Up A Child

2007-07-15T13:13:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Grandma

2007-07-10T13:27:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!!

4th of July, 2007

2007-07-04T15:29:00.000-06:00

What a busy 4th! Bailey was in the parade with her softball team, driven by her Dad; Lauren had her first memorable 4th of July parade (fireworks to come this evening - stay tuned); Bailey attended her first carnival/street dance without parental supervision - eek!; and it was hotter than Haiti outside for all of the above!
Lauren quickly learned how to wave and stick your hand out for candy, but she wasn't very good at scrambling to retrieve it. Luckily we were near some really good kids who shared with her. She also was anxious to eat each piece of candy she got...none of this putting it in the bag business.
Here are a few shots recapping the parade:

Soakin' Wet Sisters

2007-07-03T19:49:00.000-06:00

Summer fun - Whitsitt Girl Style.

Rite of Passage

2007-06-29T13:02:00.001-06:00

There's no denying it....my first-born is GROWING up! (and how cheesy that sounds just typing it!). But look at her! Learning how to mow the lawn!

Sharing Stickers With Baby Brother

2007-06-26T07:45:00.000-06:00

Tournament Champions!!!

2007-06-22T08:59:00.001-06:00

GATORS WIN! GATORS WIN! GATORS WIN! For the 2nd year in a row, Bailey has been a member of the team winning the end-of-season tournament. They finished 2nd I think for the league, but CHAMPIONS of the tournament! Way to go, Bailey! She'll miss softball...she had a very great season, complete with lots of confidence-building hits, catches and good team comraderie.

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

2007-06-17T15:31:00.000-06:00

A Day of Summer Fun

2007-06-07T22:30:00.000-06:00

Feeding Her Babies

2007-06-05T07:00:00.001-06:00

22 weeks

2007-05-30T16:25:00.000-06:00

I just realized -- I'm 22 weeks pregnant! I spend most of my time dwelling on the long, HOT months ahead (too many) and sometimes forget how many weeks are behind me! I'm more than over half way there! Yeah!

Water Baby

2007-05-29T15:02:00.001-06:00

Lauren LOVES the water! I can't keep her upright in the tub because she wants to "float." I think she likes how things sound when her ears are underwater. I hope she is a natural when it comes to swimming. I don't think real lessons start until 2 or 3 though.

Bailey's First Vocal Solo Contest

2007-05-15T03:16:00.000-06:00

On April 14, 2007, Bailey participated in her first vocal solo contest. She prepared a solo in Italian (another first) and performed before a judge. Below is the first-rate performance. So proud of you, Bailey!!! At the end of the video you'll see her reacting to her blubbering Mom. ha!

Consider Yourself...

2007-05-13T20:31:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, Bailey auditioned for Oliver! The Musical. The community playhouse is putting on this classic in July and Bailey wanted to give it a shot. In a 2+ hour audition process, she sang a prepared music piece she brought along, learned dance steps and performed a portion of "Consider Yourself," from the show. She has a blast!

On Sunday night, she received a "call back" for Monday night.....the night of her chorus concert. She announced this before auditioning Saturday - but apparently it wasn't understood. So we had to let the director know about this conflict again on the phone. She seemed to be unaware of this conflict and said for Bailey to arrive as soon as possible and they'd try to work her in. That didn't sound very good. Hopefully call backs will go well...and she won't be penalized for the previous committment she announced before auditioning.

Cross your fingers for her - she is REALLY excited and has really found herself in music/performance lately. It is so wonderful to see her blossom...to be confident in her abilities....to take risks and try new things....to be the wonderful person God created her to be.

Stay tuned to hear how call backs go!

And The Ultrasound Shows.....

2007-05-09T12:51:00.000-06:00

After a 30-minute ultrasound, we learned that our baby appears at first-glance to be healthy. Shwew! We also learned that It's a BOY! So much for privacy, poor little guy - look for the little white arrow pointing at the...well...proof. The ultrasound tech said she was VERY sure it is a boy. I'm still in shock. I honestly didn't think I would have a son...I have girls, afterall. But we are all very excited and can't wait for this new adventure to begin.

Here's a picture of his back/spine. His leg is up above...head to the far right. his...HIS! Sounds so strange for this "momoftwogirls" to say! OMG - I'm going to have a SON! A BOY! Wow...still surreal.

Highlighting the old cap-style way

2007-05-07T11:49:00.000-06:00

Please raise your right hand and repeat after me: I, blog-reader, do solemnly swear to never, EVER speak a word of this post to Bailey. I promise to read this post, perhaps snicker, but then erase it from my memory. I vow to do my part to let this blog author live in peace with her pre-teen daughter, despite this post. I will do so by keeping my blog-reading mouth shut... So help me God.

Bailey wanted her hair hilighted - but she didn't want to wait for an appointment at an actual salon. So, she and I set out to Target to find a box highlighting kit that wouldn't turn her hair orange or green or leave it blotchy like the last kit we tried last summer. So, we settled on the cap-kind...you know..where you pull small strands of hair through a small hole in a plastic cap...with a plastic hook? I warned her that it would potentially be painful...or at least uncomfortable. She didn't care..because she wanted it done NOW...not tomorrow, not next week...but that night. Ok...here we go.

A quarter of the way through the process...the crying and whining began. ugh. Here's a picture of the pouty-girl "processing." You'll have to wait for an AFTER picture....she's suspicious of my blogging tendencies every time I snap a photo. Darn smart kids.

Too Sweet

2007-04-26T06:39:00.000-06:00

Bailey: Sometimes I kind of want a brother because then I'd be Lauren's ONLY sister and I'd be special.

Mom: Yes, but even if we have another girl, you are going to be special to Lauren...AND the new baby.

Bailey: I'm starting to understand what you meant last time about wondering how it will be possible to love another baby as much as I love Lauren.

Mom: (MELTING!)

You MIGHT Be A Redneck...

2007-04-21T18:00:00.000-06:00

...if your Daddy takes you to Wal-Mart and buys you this t-shirt. OR...you might be really really loved by a great man who agreed to take a 19-month-old to a mega-store on a SATURDAY so Mommy could get a break. I guess that means...you ARE DEFINITELY a VERY LOVED Redneck. ha.

Tinkling on the Big Girl Potty!!!

2007-04-18T08:10:00.000-06:00

We are a LONG way from conquering this thing called potty-training, but....Lauren has "tinkled" on the big girl potty TWO TIMES!!!! Last night, AND first thing this morning. woo-hoo! Unfortunately she told me she had to do something else on the potty shortly after...and I didn't believe her. Turns out she was right. ugh. But yeah! Maybe she WILL be trained before the baby comes!

Spring Clothes - Finally!

2007-04-16T11:05:00.000-06:00

Math Assignment

2007-04-13T10:20:00.000-06:00

Math assignment - creat a model of an object. Bailey chose to make a model of her guitar. This involved taking measurements, fraction math, learning to use a knife/saw, painting with shoe polish and some quality time in the garage with Dad & his tools. The only thing she didin't do herself was use the saw (she learned how but was too freaked out by it) and pay for the materials involved. The finished project looks great! Here's hoping her teacher thinks so, too!

My Sister Did My Hair

2007-04-13T10:03:00.000-06:00

Coloring Dora

2007-04-12T11:07:00.000-06:00

So far, the crayons have remained on the page. Hmmm..how long will we remain this lucky?

Prenatal Check - 14 wks, 4 days

2007-04-11T20:08:00.000-06:00

BP = 114/70

Weight = DREAM ON!

Fetal Heart Rate = 150 (Heard heart beat for the first time today - AMAZING!)

Measuring = 17 weeks

Items discussed = VBAC vs. scheduled c-section, Quad Screen, HIV Test, Cystic Fibrosis Carrier test, weather

Next appt.: Level 2 ultrasound and bloodwork for Quad Screen.

I Love Grandma & Grandpa

2007-04-10T09:02:00.000-06:00

There is just NOTHING like the love between a child and her Grandma and Grandpa!

Coloring Easter Eggs

2007-04-07T09:33:00.000-06:00

Uv Oo

2007-04-03T15:57:00.000-06:00

Sissy --- Uv Oo!

Band Contest

2007-04-02T11:23:00.000-06:00

This was Bailey's first band contest and boy did it bring back a flood of memories! She practiced and practiced the night before and the morning of...but she "was NOT nervous." (whatever). We arrived in plenty of time for her to get warmed up, chit-chat with friends, review the results board to convince herself that she wasn't going to get a good score, etc.

Finally, her time was up - time to perform her solo with her accompanist in front of a JUDGE! She held herself with confidence, tuned her flute, began her solo and - WOW! It was so great! I hadn't heard it w/the accompaniment before. Her Dad and I (and video-camera-totin' Grandpa) were so proud of her!

Her judge was very kind, offered a couple of friendly pointers and that was it - done! Back to the warm-up room to anxiously await the results.

And....she...received...a....ONE! A first-rating! YEAH, Bailey!!! We are so proud of you!

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2007-03-29T06:55:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-27T06:31:00.000-06:00

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!

2007-03-25T16:45:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-14T15:14:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-13T12:44:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-13T11:50:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-10T09:01:00.000-06:00

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

Afternoon Snacktivity

2007-03-09T16:05:00.000-06:00

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?

2007-03-08T10:43:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-08T10:41:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-07T11:30:00.000-06:00

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!

2007-03-06T14:56:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-02T11:34:00.000-06:00

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

2007-03-01T21:41:00.000-06:00

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!!!

So Proud

2007-02-27T10:59:00.000-06:00

I've posted on this subject before, but today it really rang true. I was at the grocery store with Lauren when I ran into another Mom I know. She has a daughter that was in Bailey's class last year. The two girls spent a couple days together over the summer and e-mail...but I wouldn't say they were fast friends. In fact, Bailey invited this girl to her birthday party and she was a real loner...didn't want to participate in any of the games - just felt like a party-pooper really.

Anyway - the Mom said to me today that her daughter has been diagnosed with ADD - and that they've learned that sometimes ADD kids aren't very social and don't seek out friendships. Her Mom then mentioned that she's been having a very tough time in middle school with friendships (that IS the theme of middle school, isn't it?) She went on to say that her daughter comes home from school and says "The only person who is nice to me is Bailey - even though we aren't in the same class this year and don't see each other much, she always runs up and says hi to me." This Mom almost started to tear up and said for me to tell Bailey THANK YOU...that it means SO much to she and her daughter.

Now - the BEST part of this story? I know that if I tell Bailey this girl's Mom said thank you...Bailey will look at me with a look of bewilderment...because she honestly won't see it as a big deal. She KNOWS this girl is not cool....she KNOWS her cool friends would "like, totally make fun" of her...but she doesn't care. That isn't to say that being cool isn't important to Bailey...but at age eleven...she already knows that being a good person is way more cool than anything else. I'm SOOO proud of her.

Snow Dog

2007-02-25T07:23:00.001-06:00

Fun in the Laundry Basket

2007-02-25T07:19:00.000-06:00

While it was busy snowing and sleeting outside, the Whitsitt Girls were busy "doing laundry."

Her Future's So Bright...

2007-02-21T15:44:00.000-06:00

New TV!

2007-02-19T08:06:00.000-06:00

This weekend, the Whitsitt Family replaced our dying TV with a new 37" LCD HDTV. What does that mean? That means it didn't fit in our entertainment center. So, after much emptying, dusting, moving, assembling, rewiring, shopping, WAITING....Here we have it....the new TV set up. I am taking suggestions for decorating/lighting. We had a lamp - but this center is too tall for a regular-sized lamp on top. Send me your ideas!

No Longer A Young, Cool Mom

2007-02-16T14:04:00.000-06:00

I used to be a young, cool Mom. I used to be in-tune with what was "in" with the kids. I used to be cool. But today I was reviewing the iTunes receipt for the songs Bailey downloaded using her $15 iTunes Valentine's Day gift card. And I have NO CLUE WHAT THESE ARE!

Outside Looking In

Jump to the Rhythm

Our Song

Irreplaceable

Lose Control (Featuring Ciara & Fat Man Scoop)

Temperature

Maybe

Tomorrow

We Both Reached for the Gun

Roxie

I have the iTunes account set up to come to my email address so I can keep an eye on what music she is listening to - if there are any wierd purchases without consent, etc. And Bailey knows this. She also knows that if there are several versions of a song available - the one marked CLEAN is her only option. So she is mostly a rule-abiding kid...and I'm sure this music is ok...but now I have to go look them up. Further evidence that I'm no longer young and cool but old and prudish. "We Both Reached for the Gun" is what has me most concerned - what sort of a title is that?!

"What are these kids listening to these days? It isn't music!" -- Old, un-cool Mom of 11-year-old

Show Choir

2007-02-15T16:40:00.000-06:00

Hooray! Bailey has made it to the FINAL round of auditions for middle school show choir! She came home today SOOOO excited! She has made the cut auditioning for her choir teacher. Next up? Auditioning for the show choir director and learning a dance routine....at 7 A.M.! Good luck, Bailey! No matter what happens at this point - we are so proud of you!!!

Easter Dresses

2007-02-15T09:47:00.000-06:00

Easter is almost 2 months away...yet you have to buy a dress now or you won't find any later. I hate that. The positive spin on this is - I'll have a nice outfit for Lauren to wear for her 18 month pictures. But how in the world do you choose a dress? Have you seen how many choices there are? And they are all ADORABLE! They are all ridiculous though - sleeveless. Ummm...Easter in Iowa is NOT sleeveless weather. So that means you have to fork out another $15-20 for a sweater. ugh. And then there are the shoes, and the tights..and don't forget the bonnet...and maybe a little purse. Boys would be so much cheaper I think.

Here are two dresses I picked up at Target yesterday. They are size 2T, so they might be way too huge...but I thought I'd buy them anyway - can always return them if I find something better. So....what's your vote???

Whitsitt Girls Love Chocolate

2007-02-15T09:43:00.000-06:00

Valentine's Day 2007 - The Whitsitt Girls LOVE Chocolate!

Valentine's Day and I'm The Man

2007-02-14T09:44:00.000-06:00

Today is Valentine's Day. A day when a lot of men get a bad rep for not participating in this "Hallmark Holiday," or for being guilt-tripped into purchasing over-priced flowers or mushy cards. A day when women are stereotyped as diamond-seeking rose bouquet-demanding romance seekers. Now, as a woman, sure I like romance - but I was more of "The Man" this year when it comes to Valentine's Day. I had talked it over with my husband and we had decided that we would go out for a nice dinner on a DIFFERENT night. A night when there would be less of a wait for a table. One year, before we were engaged, we waited for over 3 hours for a table - I kid you NOT! So, I picked up a nice card, thinking that would be nice for Valentine's Day and then we'd wait for our romantic dinner another night.

Well, much to my surprise (and embarrassment), my husband pulled out all of the stops this morning. Not only did he get up early to clear the driveway of snow, but he took the day off of work, drove my oldest daughter to school, and then shocked me with a wonderfully romantic gift. He then left for a Dr. appointment - and shortly after leaving, a knock at the door. It was the FLORIST! Not only a beautiful bouquet for me, his wife, but a sweet and thoughtful arrangement for his oldest daughter as well.

So, this Valentine's Day - I suck as a wife. I am totally "The Man" and I've screwed up big time. So...what do women do when they screw up romantically? Men - they can just order flowers or buy jewelry. What should I do????

Old Friends

2007-02-13T20:01:00.000-06:00

A day at the mall with Kelly & Jack.

Not a Fan of Accessories

2007-02-09T12:08:00.000-06:00

Lauren's hair is horrible. It is too long to be manageable without the assistance of hair accessories. But she hates hair accessories. She pulls them out and hands them to me - immediately. The problem is - her hair is not long enough to cut - so we live in this constant state of hair in her face, over her eyes and down her neck in a lovely version of the baby mullet. Not a good look. I've spent money on indestructible pony tail holders that I thought I'd have to cut out with a pair of scissors - but she still pulls them out. I've bought Dora ponies...no dice. I've tried heavy-duty barrettes - nope. Headbands? nope. Today I caught her in action - removing the hair accessories I so want her to wear. This makes child number two with a definite opinion about fashion. Shouldn't a Mom have wardrobe control for at least the first two years? Sheesh.

Homework!

2007-02-08T08:51:00.000-06:00

I hate homework! I hated it 20 years ago - and I hate it now. Bailey USUALLY doesn't have too much of it - but last night there was a lot. She worked for a couple hours on it, took a break to eat dinner, then started it again. She had forgotten her math book, but no worries - you can access the textbook online.....usually. Apparently the site was temporarily down. Oh - the LUCK! I so know that feeling. So, on to social studies. What the hell is an economies map, anyway? Did I learn that when I was younger? Apparently it is one of those things that you really need to know later in life (NOT). By now her head aches and she is exhausted. She asks me if she can go to bed and wake up early to finish homework. Now - I KNOW this isn't a good idea, but I feel sorry for her and say "OK."

So 6:30 arrives and I hear Bailey's alarm go off and she is actually getting out of bed! yeah! Maybe she WILL get everything done....well everything but math. The ONE thing she really SHOULD get done. Now, I won't make an excuse for her forgetting her text book at school, even though the online text SHOULD have been working. But I will make an observation that if she brought all of the textbooks home for the homework she had last night...it wouldn't have fit in her backpack. And THAT is silly.

Ok - back to the story - so Bailey was stressed when she got home from school, stressed when she went to bed, stressed when she woke up, and stressed when she headed out the door with her Pop-Tart (aka - her "healthy" breakfast before ITBS testing all this week). I'm guessing it is the ITBS testing that is causing the increase in homework -- but honestly - how are they supposed to get a "good night's rest" for testing if they are piling on the homework like that?

At least when she gets to school this morning, her day will start with a voice lesson - one of her favorite parts of school. I hope she has a good day - and I hope everyone appreciates that she knows the land use in Queensland, Australia and the average rainfall in Urbandale, Iowa. As for classzone.com -- get your site up and running! There are stressed out 6th graders and parents depending on you!

Middle school - not so much fun.

Day of Mourning

2007-02-05T21:35:00.000-06:00

Well, we cooked up some ribs, changed into our Bears-wear and sat down to watch the BEARS WIN THE SUPERBOWL....except they only showed up for the first 5 minutes of the game. We were so sad! So today is a day of mourning - for the team that should have been. Here are a few shots taken before the disappointment began.

TOUCHDOWN!!

My Honey Bears...

Vroom, Vroom

2007-02-02T15:04:00.000-06:00

Since 1986

2007-01-31T16:19:00.000-06:00

In honor of the Chicago Bears going to Super Bowl 41. Here are 41 things that have changed from the last time the Chicago Bears played in the Super Bowl (which was Super Bowl 20 in 1986):

1. Brian Urlacher was in 2nd grade. Rex Grossman was in kindergarten.

2. Peyton Manning was 10 years old. Eli Manning was 5 years old. Their dad, Archie, had just retired from the NFL two years earlier.

3. Lovie Smith was in his first college coaching job at University of Tulsa .

4. Ronald Reagan was the President, and Harold Washington was the Mayor. James R. Thompson was the Governor running for re-election and his office was in the new State of Illinois Center, which is now called the James R. Thompson Center .

5. George W. Bush was 39 years old and still drinking. His father would run for President two years later.

6. Rod Blagojevich was just out of law school and was a low-level prosecutor working for the Cook County State 's Attorney, Richard M. Daley.

7. Barack Obama had just moved to Illinois , and Osama bin Laden was fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan.

8. Red Grange and Sid Luckman were still alive.

9. The Colts had just moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore and were the doormat of the AFC EAST. The Bears were the champions of the NFC CENTRAL.

10. Property in Wicker Park and Bucktown was cheap because they were really bad neighborhoods.

11. CD players, cellular phones and fax machines were expensive, cutting edge technology and only a few people used them.

12. "Surfing the net" meant a volleyball game at the beach, and virtually no one used the "@" key on their TYPEWRITER.

13. Sam Walton was still alive and was wealthier than Bill Gates. Windows were panes of glass...not a computer operating system that was a pain in something that rhymes with glass.

14. The Soviet Union was our main enemy, and Saddam Hussein was our ally.

15. There were no lights at Wrigley Field, and the oldest park in baseball belonged to the White Sox.

16. Michael Jordan and Ozzie Guillen had just finished their "Rookie of the Year" seasons. Jordan's coach was Stan Albeck and Guillen's manager was Tony LaRussa. (Three out of four of those guys are now wearing championship rings, but what ever happened to Stan Albeck???)

17. Soldier Field had AstroTurf. The Houston Oilers played in the AstroDome.

18. The Fox TV Network didn't exist, and ESPN had yet to air a single live pro football, baseball, or basketball game.

19. MTV played music and so did some AM radio stations.

20. Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff weren't born yet; Jackie Gleason and Richard Nixon were still alive.

21. Hillary Clinton had dark hair and was the First Lady......of Arkansas!

22. "The Love Boat" and "Diff'rent Strokes" were still on network TV every week.

23. Martin Luther King Day was about to be celebrated as a National Holiday for the first time. "9-11" was a phone number many cities were just adopting for emergency calls - not a date of terror.

24. I-88 was called "Illinois Rt. 5" and I-355 hadn't been built yet.

25. What the CTA now calls "The Blue Line" had just been extended to O'Hare, and the Orange Line to Midway hadn't been built yet.

26. Q101 played adult contemporary music and most teenagers listened to WLS. Music from the 70s and 80s wasn't "retro" yet.

27. Tiger Woods hadn't won an amateur golf tournament yet.

28. Most people knew Seattle just as a city in the Northwest U.S. - not the home of grunge or Starbucks.

29. Only Southerners went to NASCAR races and only Northerners went to NHL games.

30. The Chicago area had no Wal-Marts, Targets or Home Depots, and Walgreen's was only in the Midwest.

31. Depending on your bank, your ATM card was good at only "Cash Station" machines or only at "Money Network" machines, but there were no fees.

32. "The Phone Company" was Illinois Bell.

33. They still sold leaded gasoline and you couldn't pay for your gas at the pump.

34. Discover Card hadn't been discovered yet, and Miller Genuine Draft hadn't been brewed yet.

35. Stereo TVs were the rage that HDTVs are now. 8-track tapes were still being made.

36. All of the Blockbuster Video stores that are now closing hadn't opened yet. Betamax was still competing with VHS.

37. You paid cash for your groceries and fast food, and you used a travel agent to book airline flights.

38. Bowl games didn't have corporate sponsors, and if the #1 ranked team was in a conference that played in one bowl game and the #2 ranked team was in a conference that played in another bowl game, then so be it! They let the sportswriters vote on the national champion. (and no college football games were played after New Year's Day)

39. The Baltimore Ravens were the Cleveland Browns. The Tennessee Titans were the Houston Oilers. The Oakland Raiders were the Los Angeles Raiders that had just left Oakland. The Arizona Cardinals (the former Phoenix Cardinals) were the St. Louis Cardinals, and the St. Louis Rams were the Los Angeles Rams. The Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, and the Cleveland Browns (not to be confused with the Cleveland Browns that are now the Baltimore Ravens) didn't exist. The Seattle Seahawks (last year's NFC Champions) played in the AFC.

40. Number 9 on the Bears was their Punky QB...not their perky field goal kicker.

41. There were no iPods - just Sony Walkmen - so if you said something about a "shuffle" on your Walkman, they assumed you were listening to "The Super Bowl Shuffle"

Eleven....and a HALF!

2007-01-30T14:03:00.000-06:00

Well, February is just days away - and that means soon Bailey will be not just eleven...but eleven AND A very-important HALF! And that means one step closer to the TEEN YEARS! Oh, Lord give me strength! Just kidding. Today's post is actually about how very proud I am of Bailey. Being a pre-teen is not fun. You couldn't PAY me to go back to that age. One foot in being a kid and the other in maturity. Finding your place is so hard at this age. Some days you want to be little and some days you want to be grown - but neither place feels like a good fit. Believe it or not, - I DO remember how it feels. And because I remember, it makes me all the more proud of her. It is a time when befriending an unpopular girl can feel like social suicide. It is a time when wearing your hair the wrong way can ruin the entire school year. And despite all of these pressures - from what I can tell - Bailey is making the right choices.

There is a girl in her class that has a rough home life - not popular with the "it" girls, for sure - and has a reputation for being trouble. Bailey is her friend. Now, as a mother, I want Bailey to be accepting and respectful of others - but I struggled with this one. We all know how dangerous it can be to hang around with the wrong crowd.....but then I caught myself. And shame on me! How very proud I should be (and AM) that Bailey is willing to catch grief from the popular girls and continue to be this girl's friend! At a recent slumber party, the popular girls were talking poorly about this other friend - and teasing Bailey a little for talking to her. I could see Bailey's discomfort. After the sleepover, Bailey mentioned to me how much that bothers her that they aren't nice to this girl.

I am so proud of Bailey for seeing the good in everyone. I am proud of her for wanting to do so well in everything she does. I am so proud of her for how funny she is! I am proud of her for the patience, understanding and love she shows to her little sister. I am proud of her for the tenacity she shows in sports, music - almost everything that's thrown at her - except maybe cleaning. ha.

I just marvel at the young woman she is growing to be. She is such a blessing to me - and to everyone she meets.

17 months old

2007-01-30T10:57:00.000-06:00

Today, Lauren is 17 months old. That's just one month from 18 months, which is only 6 months from TWO! No way! The little baby is DEFINITELY gone - replaced by a rambunctious, often-precocious, opinionated and frequently stubborn toddler. She has begun to enjoy "fighting" with her big sister ("No, no, no! Mine!"), climbing, maneuvering, lifting and dragging with dogged determination. She just doesn't understand the concept of impossible. A good quality overall that will prove to be a parenting challenge, I'm sure.

Lauren has developed into an extremely social little girl who never met an audience she didn't love. Give her a stage and she'll put on a show! Recently we attended several family gatherings where she instantly began showing off her every trick. Peek-a-boo, where she covers her eyes with her hands, dancing and marching (which are sometimes one in the same), "so-big & touchdown! (also one in the same), blowing kisses, showing her belly, pointing to her nose, giving kisses, tickling toes, "ho, ho ho," cleaning up her toys (sometimes), patty-cake and more. She can REALLY ham it up! With parents like Mark & I and a big-sister like Bailey -I'm just not sure where she gets it! =-)

Last month we began the time-out process. She only sits for - I don't know - 2 seconds? But it seems to be working. She has her little fit, gets over it and moves on. And that's about all you can ask of a time-out at this age I think. I'm sure she'll see the time-out chair/rug/spot on the floor much more often in the coming months. Lord help us.

Her favorite things:

TV Show: DORA the Explorer. She FREAKS OUT every time it comes on the TV - dancing, screaming, clapping - pure joy.

Food: Crackers and pancakes (a carb-lover like Mom). Other than that - it is a crap shoot, really. Sometimes she'll eat like a champ and other times she won't touch a single crumb. Pretty much it is an every-other-day eating schedule. She ate well yesterday, so I"m banking that today is a not hungry day. We'll see.

Song: Lauren loves ALL songs. She loves playing pianos and any other thing that makes a pleasant noise. She loves the Dora the Explorer theme-song, of course, as well as "You Are My Sunshine," "Nigh-Nigh, Lauren" (Mommy's altered version of Goodnight, Ladies).

Activity: Lauren LOVES to empty and fill. Cupboards, boxes, baskets - you name it. If there's something in it - she loves to empty it. When it's empty - she loves to fill it back up. She also enjoys grabbing a bag, putting it over her arm and telling us all "bye-bye." She walks away and returns 10 seconds later with a big smile and a sweet "Hi!" She can play these two games ALL DAY LONG!

People: Bailey! The look of admiration and love in her eyes when she looks up at Bailey is something I wish I could bottle. It is absolutely beautiful.

I'm continually amazed at her ability to brighten my day. I often find myself in a joyous moment with her and consciously feel myself trying to memorize it - to soak it all in to create a lasting memory that I'll be able to recall 50 years from now. Because if it is possible to love and appreciate moments so much that you'll never EVER forget them - well then these are the moments that I want to engrain into my heart forever. These are some of the best days of my life - right now - because of you, Lauren.

Special Time With Grandma

2007-01-25T11:28:00.000-06:00

Lauren's First Sentence

2007-01-23T08:44:00.000-06:00

Sunday, Lauren said her first sentence! Was it "I love you, Mommy?" No, I wasn't that lucky. She and Bailey were reading a book together. Bailey reached to turn the page and Lauren whipped the book out of Bailey's hands and said, "MY book!" Nice. Real nice. So as exciting as a "first sentence" should be, it followed with a lesson in sharing, complete with temper tantrum and spinal collapse. (sigh).

Dora FREAK OUT

2007-01-22T16:15:00.001-06:00


This is what Lauren does when Dora comes on the TV. FREAK OUT!

Bear Down Fight Song!

2007-01-21T23:00:00.001-06:00

Know what COLTS stands for? Count On LOSING That Sunday!!!

Z Bones--The Chicago Bears Are The Best Team

2007-01-21T15:18:00.001-06:00

Go Bears! Beat Saints! Monsters of the Midway are ready for the SUPERBOWL!

Anything for my little sister

2007-01-21T12:58:00.001-06:00

Just Playin' Around With Daddy

2007-01-21T08:47:00.000-06:00

Put Your Records On

2007-01-20T22:47:00.001-06:00

I HAVE TO BUY THIS ALBUM NOW!!! I absolutely LOVE this new artist.

Kappa Kappa Mommy

2007-01-19T08:09:00.000-06:00

Last week I stumbled on to a few local stay-at-home-Mom (SAHM) groups. http://sahm.meetup.com/75/?gj=sj3

Apparently they arrange play dates, outings, discuss relevant topics on message boards, schedule mom nights out - and pretty much everything wonderful for the SAHM who needs to get out and talk to other adults once in awhile! I created a username and password and signed up for a play date at one of the local mall play areas. I was very excited to meet other SAHMS in the area and even more excited for Lauren to get a chance to play with other kids her age. (She needs a little practice with sharing).

Well, the morning of the play date came and Lauren had a runny nose. Now - she wasn't SICK...but she had a runny nose. No fever, no discoloration of the stuff coming out of her nose, no behavior indicating that she didn't feel good....JUST a runny nose. Now, if I had something scheduled with people I already knew - I wouldn't have questioned myself on whether or not I should take her out with a runny nose. BUT...since this was our first time meeting the other Moms, I thought I'd be extra cautious. So, I posted the question to the message board. I explained that she just had a bit of a runny nose and because I was new I didn't know if the group was pretty laid back, or if they would prefer we stay home. Well, the first two replies where what I expected. One said something like "Who DOESN'T have a runny nose this time of year - bring her." And one post directed me to the group's sick child guidelines http://files.meetup.com/135312/Sick%20Child%20Guidelines.doc which I reviewed and determined we were good to go.

When we arrived at the mall, I also made sure to let the other Moms that were there at the time know about her sniffles and offered that we would leave if anyone was uncomfortable. No problems - the Moms were laid back and very nice and welcoming to us. We stayed for over an hour and had a wonderful time.

And THEN...when I returned home, I went back online to look for more upcoming outings and to my HORROR I found more posts. Mean, insensitive, unwelcoming and ignorant posts. Here's my favorite that almost made me cry.

Ok, fair warning here-I'm on my soapbox. Is there a reason you would purposely expose other kids to your child's cold????? How would you feel if someone did that to your child? Does any parent really want a snot covered toy passed to their child? Personally I am quite surprised anyone would suggest to take a sick child to a playdate to intentionally infect all the other kids and adults--especially a playdate with babies where they handle everything and put everything in their mouths.

Ok, now I'll settle down a little bit. My son has compromised immunity so he picks up every bug there is, the illness lasts forever, and we always end up with fun things like hospital stays etc. all from a simple cold. It just makes me crazy when people purposely take a sick child out to an area where they can affect so many other kids. It's very rude to other parents and children. Think of how much less sick we all would be if people would stay home when they are sick instead of spreading it around. So now you know why I am such a zealot about the whole sick kid thing. Please let me clarify-snot is snot. Doesn't matter what color it is. Snot equals cold which equals contagious-regardless of color. Common misconception.

In small cases clear snot may mean allergies but many, many times parents will say allergies as an excuse when they know full well their child has a cold. Or a parent may think their child has allergies when they really just have frequent minor colds. So just my 2 cents. Please don't anyone bash me or think me terrible-I'm understandably a freak about sickness. Sorry to be a bummer.

HARSH! Wow - I'm great at making new friends I guess. Now - keep in mind - I have no idea who this Mom is - she wasn't at the play date. Neither was anyone else who left a nasty opinion. And a few of the Mom's who WERE there either posted in my defense or sent me a nice email.

So I was thinking of joining one of the other local groups instead - but when I clicked on the "Des Moines West Side Hip Mamas Meetup Group," I learned that you need to submit your name, where you live, a little about yourself and why you want to join the group and THEN they will decide if you are accepted or declined. Holy Kappa Kappa Mommy! Not interested in rush. Visions of questions like race and income-level danced through my head. I am hoping it isn't as bad as it sounds - but again - not a great first impression.

So, I'm sticking with the original two groups I joined and kept Lauren home today instead of going to Kindermusik as we we had planned. I didn't want anyone burning me and my slightly sniffly daughter at the stake and chasing us out of the building with their baby morraccas.

Before it turned ugly on the message boards though, here are a few pictures I snapped at the play date. As you can see - Lauren was having a BLAST, so a little Wysteria Lane action was worth it.

Playing with new toy

2007-01-16T12:52:00.001-06:00


piano toy from Pam

Lauren and her new scooter

2007-01-16T11:36:00.001-06:00


Thank you, Aunt Pam!

If I Could Use My Words

2007-01-09T08:58:00.000-06:00

This morning, when Bailey waved good-bye and walked out the front door for school, a sad, sad thing happened at our house. Lauren ran over to grab her coat (which was on the floor and not hung up in the closet, of course). She brought it over to me and said "Please! Please!, Bye-Bye!"

She wanted to go to school TOO! She wanted to go "bye-bye" with her big sister! I had to tell her no...that we weren't going "bye-bye" and that Bailey had to go to school.

What happened next? BIG, SAD tears. (Mommy's heart is breaking!!!)

Rogaine Baby

2007-01-07T09:18:00.000-06:00

When did Lauren's hair get this long!?@# I SWEAR it wasn't that long when I put her to bed last night...and I don't think she was this big, either. STOP THAT!