Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Here We Go!

Can you believe it is already Tuesday night? I can't!



The weekend was crazy...we started with A's butterfly Birthday party and then had a nice, relaxing night on Saturday. But unfortunately, as we were taking A and Preston for a walk we got a call from my college roommate, teammate, bridesmaid, and great friend that her father had died suddenly and unexpectedly.



Shocked, we rearranged the rest of our weekend and headed to New York. After spending some quality time with her and her family on Monday morning at the service and afterwards, we headed back into the city to let A get some beans out.



We met up with our great summer friends, and their adorable, all-boy son, and let the kids tear around. They played, stole toys from each other, smashed each other with the play toolset, and then kissed and made up. I wish we lived closer, because I know Colt and his parents would fit in perfectly with all of our friends here!
"Sweet Jesus...what is Colt about to do, Mommy?"

"Okay, slowly...not on the lips!"

"Hum, that wasn't so bad :)"



After an amazing stay with "Aunt Amanda", who I kid you not, has an apartment that is better than staying at the Plaza! We had one final dinner, toasting to the breaking news of our house being under contract, then packed into the car for the trip home.



Three hours later we were walking into our newly, "under contract" house (hurray!!!) and began making lists. With just over 24 hrs till the inspection and loads of laundry and cleaning, we have worked non-stop. Okay, maybe A and I stole away for a bit this morning to hit up the library and gym class, and for an hour or two after naptime for a park playdate with Gigi...but besides that we have been getting ready.



I am exhausted, nervous, and can't wait till tomorrow afternoon to hear how the inspection goes, and maybe, just maybe, we will be one step closer to moving into our new house!!!



xoxo

zzzz.....

Daily Mom

Saturday, February 25, 2012

A's Butterfly Birthday!

I am not sure if I had more fun planning the party or if A had more fun at the party. The tables turned out to be cuter than I even thought, and everything fell into place at the last moment.

Twelve little kids ran around and played for an hour before coming in to eat lunch and make a butterfly craft. The kids gobbled down cheese sticks, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and applesauce while the parents chatted and laughed around the room, making it a very fun morning.

Here are some pictures from A's Butterfly Birthday!

The decor....butterfly everything of course







The birthday girl playing!



Time to eat lunch and have some cupcakes!









xoxo

Daily Mom

Friday, February 24, 2012

Gearing Up For The Big Day!

What is that you ask....quiet.



After 20 minutes of blood curdling, I am being abducted, my leg has been severed, there is blood everywhere screaming, A finally said good night to her bunny and fell fast asleep (completely unharmed in case she faked you out too). She has now been asleep for 1 hr and 11 minutes...but who is counting.



So, with a sleeping child, I have been able to calm my nerves and get cracking on A's Butterfly Birthday Party, which is tomorrow! I can hardly believe it is here already, which might seem odd since her birthday was on Monday, but the week has really flown by.



I promise to take lots and lots of pictures tomorrow, but for now I have to get back to work.



To Do:

Make food for kids

Make food for adults

Laundry

Finish butterfly snack



Done:

Centerpieces

Favors

Painting and making of butterflies for butterfly snack

Organized and packed: wings, table cloth, place cards, plates, and craft



I promise everything is so cute I could scream...haha..much like my little Birthday girl :)...and that negates all the time spend making, painting, cooking, and crafting!



xoxo

Daily Mom

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Paci Update...

I knew this wouldn't be easy, but I never expected it to be like this...heart wrenching.



Yesterday, during nap time, a time which A normally loves, she cried for over an hour then talked to herself for two more hours, not sleeping one wink. The afternoon was better, she was almost herself, well minus the haze she was in from lack of sleep. We went to Babies R Us to get her a big girl present, this adorable little pink seahorse that plays soothing music when you press her tummy. And A was very excited about her present and kept telling everyone that she gave her pacis to the Paci Fairy.



I expected the tantrum to begin again when we started our bedtime routine, but she sailed through her tub happy as a clam. Then the real challenge came, books and bedtime. She snuggled her bunny, and not once asked for her paci, but you could tell she was just sad. The tears started flowing when we went to put her in her crib and lasted about 5 minutes before Daddy went up to comfort her. They snuggled and rocked, and again, not once did she ask for her paci. After a few minutes it was time for her to go back in her crib, which was again followed with sobs. But miraculously, not even five minutes later she was out cold, and slept perfectly all night. Maybe it was pure exhaustion that took over, but I could feel my body relaxing, as only music could be heard over her monitor.  



I knew we would battle it out at naptime again today, so we met up with all her friends for some serious energy release. We let the kids run around the fields, play on the playground, and ride bikes all morning before settling down to a picnic lunch in the beautiful 60 degree weather!



On our way home A and I chatted like usual, and I could see she was pretty tired. So when we got home it was right onto our naptime routine...we let the dog outside, sat on the potty, then got changed for naptime. We read one book, like always, and A snuggled her bunny.



After her book I tried to put her in her crib as she used all her strength to clutch on to me as long as possible. Then the tears started...gut wrenching, big sobs that shook her whole body. I sucked in a breath, told her to have a good nap with the fakest smile I could make, then closed her door.



Standing in the hallway listening to her cry was almost unbearable. I was very tempted to grab every paci in our house and let her have them all. I mean have you ever seen a kid go to college with a paci...no, because they probably learn to wean themselves, or are scarred for life by their mothers taking it away at an early age. But no, I knew I had to stick to my guns.



Five minutes later of on and off sobs I went in to make sure she was settling down. We rocked, and sung a song, and snuggled, and every now and then she would break into a few sobs. I asked her what was wrong and she simply looked at me and said, "I am sad".



If that is not pretty high on the list of feeling like you are the worst mother, I am not sure what is; but as I held her tight and let one tear slide down my cheek, my heart broke for her.



And even as I sit here and listen over the monitor to her chatting to her bunny and reading her books in her crib, I know she is slowly getting over this loss. But to be honest, I am not sure I will ever fully recover from her first heartbreak.



xoxo

Daily Mom

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Pacifier Fairy

Dear Paci Fairy,

Please make this quick.

Thank you,
Daily Mom

Well for the past six months or so we have been talking on and off to A about the pacifier fairy who will take your paci's to little girl and boy babies who don't have pacifiers. Then, today, out of the blue, A decided she was ready to give her paci's to the fairy. All morning I kept reminding her that when you give your pacis away the fairy will take them to girls and boys who need them, and you won't have them anymore. But each time she looked at me and told me she was ready. And when we walked in the door after lunch, you better believe she grabbed my hand and marched me right upstairs to get her pacis.

We decided that the pacifier fairy would find them best if they were in the little box in our room, which A loves to play with. And after digging all the ones I could find out of her room, I let her put them in the box. Then with a gentle rub and a wish for all the babies out there who would need them, we closed the box and headed to her room for nap time.

But as I laid her in her crib, she began sobbing for her pacifiers. I knew this would be one of the toughest decisions I have ever made, but I decided not to cave. I left her in her crib, ran into my room and grabbed the box. Then I stuffed her pacis in the drawer in my room, sprinkled some sparkly eye shadow I had, and brought it back into A's room to show her the paci fairy had already come and left some magic fairy dust in the box.

It has now been 38 minutes and counting of crying, with breaks so small I get my hopes up she is calmed down, only to hear her break into sobs again. I went up once to read her Fancy Nancy and snuggle her, and to tell her how proud I was of her selfless giving...but my heart is still breaking into tiny pieces each time she cries.

I know this is for the best, or at least I hope it is...but why does it have to be so hard?

xoxo
Daily Mom

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Cake Time

After an amazing day, I spent most of today cleaning, organizing, and sleeping. Tomorrow I need to regroup and get everything ready for A's Butterfly bash this weekend, but until then, I wanted to leave you with the best sequence of photos from her cousin's party last night.
There is nothing like being coached by your big cousin on how to blow out the candles on your cake.

"Phfffffffff"

"A, let me show you how to do it."

"Mommy, she blew out my candle."

xoxo
Daily Mom

Monday, February 20, 2012

Happy Birthday, A!


Today our sweet little girl turned 2 years old! And although it is only nap time, we have had quite a morning. Here is her birthday, so far, in pictures.
Sneaking a peek at my little girl and her daddy

Fancy Nancy is the perfect way to start a birthday!

Pure love...

This was waiting for A in the kitchen from Nana and Papa!

Her first look as she saw it!

I literally peeled her off her new bike for some blueberry pancakes


A lollipop...was all she wanted for her birthday

Of course we met E and Nicole for some birthday bike fun!

"E, are you coming?"

"Look at me mommy!!!!!"

"A, wait for me."

"Come on slow poke!"

Of course they had to try each others bikes.

Then it was off to the playground for some more fun...




Too cute for word...

...these two best friends.


And of course after lunch, A got her first lollipop!

"hummmm..."

"I LOVE it!"

Happy Birthday to our adorable, crazy, amazing, and all around spicy little 2 year old!

xoxo
Daily Mom

*Stay tuned for part two of her birthday celebration later since all of her cousins are coming over for pizza dinner tonight!

Friday, February 17, 2012

New Blogging Book Club Book!

Just like I promised, I have found the next book for the Blogging Book Club. It is...

This author and mom was recently featured on the Today Show, and after hearing about her book, I thought I would give it a try. Now, I am much more of a beach read kind of girl, so something more serious about foreign parenting has to be very intriguing to get me hooked. But alas, after hearing the Parisian views on parenting, I was hooked!

Who wouldn't want a  child who eats their vegetables, acts properly in public, and can play nicely at night while the adults are having a glass of wine and catching up? And while I do not have all the answers yet, I have learned so far that the Parisian way of parenting is greatly about setting strict boundaries and sticking to them, while being lenient in other areas. The children's toys don't take over the living room and dining room area in French houses because children know the toys don't belong there...but on the flip side, they can have all the toys and virtually no limits on what to play with, in their rooms.

I think the main selling point for me was having a child who plays happily while the adults are catching up and having a glass of wine. Our little A hasn't always been very good about playing while adults talk and interact, but more recently she is learning to wait her turn while the adults are talking and will play happily while we are sitting nearby. I am not sure how this evolved, but I can't wait to get further into the book and learn some new ideas.

The book follows an American woman as she loses her job, jumps headfirst into a whirlwind relationship with a British man, marring him 6 month after their first date, and their ultimate decision to live in Paris and raise a family. It examines the different views Americans and Parisians hold in regard to pregnancy, childbirth, and raising children, while igniting some serious self refection and ah-ha moments. I hope you join me in this adventure as I explore the highs and lows of the Parisian parenting philosophy, and of course, learn some trick along the way.

xoxo
Daily Mom

*I ordered my kindle e-book from Amazon, and the book is available online and in print version, as well. And as always, these views are my own and I have not been given any compensation for my thoughts or feelings.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Catch Up

The past few days have been a total whirlwind.

From the moment we woke up on Valentine's Day, A had the best time. We made mini muffins for her gym class, played with her new treats, and then headed off for a morning of gym and the library.





Of course we had a showing on Valentine's Day at 4pm, so instead of making dinner and catching up on some blogging, I was rushing around the house, mopping, dusting, and scrubbing bathrooms.

Today, we met up with our very removed cousins and had a playdate at this new indoor play place near us, that was just what these kids needed. Think a wide open turf field covered with cars, mini trampolines, a bounce house, a few slides, and all the lacrosse sticks a little girl could dream of! She even got a little lesson on stick handling...a very important task for a Baltimore girl!

But with a rainy day outside, some laundry to finish, and dinner that needs to be made, I think I need to make a tea and get busy!

xoxo
Daily Mom