My Gramps.

Gramps Voice Again

The Ballet!

For Valentine's Day this year, Mike snagged tickets for us to see the Romeo & Juliet Ballet with the KC Symphony. They performed at the new Kauffman Center in Downtown KC!

The new performing arts center opened last year but this was our first time seeing it up close! It is GORGEOUS! So proud to have this magnificent building in KC!

Thank you to the Kaufman Family!!!

I've never seen the Romeo & Juliet BALLET and it was soooo romantic!

A wonderful Valentine's Date with my cutie!

Big Girl Potty! (?)

I am a BIG believer in not pushing kids to milestones. They will do things when they are ready, in their own time. I myself am a late bloomer and have never thought it important to have my child be the first to sleep through the night, first to crawl, first to walk, first to potty train, etc. I figure they will do it when they are ready. On the topic of potty training - I knew Molly would probably be ready sometime this year - was hoping it would be more like late Spring or Summer. We had not bought a potty yet, no big girl underwear, no step stool, NOTHING. I don't talk about it with her - as my philsophy is that why drag it out? When she is ready we will talk about it. But until WE are ready - no need to buy all the supplies, etc.

This past Wednesday morning Molly is up around 6:45 a.m. - usual time - but instead of singing or talking to her babies in her crib, she was standing up yelling "Mama - I want to go potty on the potty!!" Mama!! I want to go potty!" Well - needless to say that woke me up. Maybe she was ready? I faced the fact that she just might be. However, I thought maybe I could put it off at least a few more weeks until I was ready to be home for awhile doing the training - until it worked with MY schedule.

Friday morning - I woke up NOT thinking this was the day was going to be unusual. I've had a horrible cold virus all week - do NOT feel good. This was our day to stay home and clean the house and maybe go run an errand or two - but take it easy - it's Friday after all!

Around 9:30 a.m. Molly and I ran up to Target to stock up on some basic things we were out of. She needed some new socks - so we stopped quickly in the baby aisle for the size 2 toddler socks. Right next to the sock aisle was the potty aisle - which I didn't know - because as I mentioned I've never even looked before at potty, accessories, etc. Here it comes, "Mommy!! Big girl Potties!"" What could I do? She's 25 months old - she is screaming for her mom to get her a potty chair? I almost felt like I would be negleting her to say NO! I'm sure at this point people are staring at us . . . So, I let her pick out a toilet seat (Minnie Mouse) and then the long coveted, big girl underwear (Sesame Street and Mickey Mouse!). She was SO PROUD. She wanted to put them on in the store.

When we got home, she immediately sat on the potty in the kitchen. I told her we have to wash the panties before we can wear them. This was quite upsetting as you might imagine - but she agreed to be patient. By now it's 11:30 a.m. We still need to do lunch and naptime.

I call Mike - am I to just go wtih this? This is not the best day for this? We have a babysitter coming Sunday afternooon? Seriously?? Mike is supportive and tells me to go with it - however it works - could always tell her that the underwear are not dry until next week if I want to buy more time.

Baby Doll that comes with her own potty that flushes - $16

Toddler Potty Chair - $28

Toddler Potty Seat - $9

Fruit Snacks (incentive) - $5

Step Stool- $15

Big Girl Panties - $16

TOTAL = $89

IF THIS WORKS = Priceless

Big Girl Underwear, washed and clean in her dresser! Notice the green flowered underwear is already missing - the 1st pair she HAD to wear!

When Molly awoke from her nap I was hoping she would have forgotten about the potty talk all morning and we could at least hold off until Monday on this endeavor. Oh no - as soon as she wakes up - she says, "I get to wear my big girl panties now!"

Molly immediately wanted to sit on the potty after nap time which I knew would not work since she had a full diaper when she awoke. But, I let her sit for about 10 minutes and try - then I convinced her to have some water and snack while we watch Yo Gabba Gabba - we put a real diaper back on. As soon as the show was over she runs to me and yells Mommy, I have to go on the potty now!!! I ran with her to the bathroom, stripped of her dry diaper and within seconds - there was a tinkle in the potty. WOW. It worked! She held it and made the effort all on her own. It was not my suggestion that she might have to - it was hers!!! That was all the reinforcement I needed to keep going.

I know it will take time. I know it will be hit or miss for awhile. I know we will probably regress. And as I mentioned earlier - this is not the "ideal" time for me. But, SHE is interested. SHE wants to wear the big girl underwear. And as SAD as it is to see her in the big girl panties - she looks like such a big girl! It's just another reminder that she IS going to grow, she is going to hit these milestones on her own, even if I don't push them - they are still going to happen. My baby IS going to grow (gulp) up. *sniff sniff*

Day of Isabella . . .

We are wishing we were in Breckenridge today so we could join my niece Isabella at her 3rd Birthday Dora Party!!

Happy birthday Isabella! I still remember coming to visit you in the hospital after you were born like it was yesterday! Here is the very 1st picture of you and Molly together - you were 2 days old in the hospital and Molly was in my tummy (although I didn't know it yet!). You two are truly kissin' cousins - just 8.5 months apart!

This adorable face!

I need to be better about capturing ALL the faces of Molly. I have a VERY slow camera and then you add me as the photographer (super novice) and it really is a miracle I am able to capture any expresions ever. Anyway - I happened to click at the right moment the other day when I was already taking pix of Molly so had camera in hand - I had just told Molly NO. This is her pouty I don't like that answer, mom face. Usually she only holds this expression a couple seconds and then goes straight to moving on and laughing or full on, running to the other room - throw down on the floor - temper tamptrum. In case you were wondering, on this occasion, she moved on! :)

Overheard . . .

Mike and Molly were playing marching band - and Molly had her toy drum. She stopped to give Mike a shaker to hold. Mike asked if he could have a drum too and she said; Sure, let's find one for you.

Mike knew we really only had one real drum, but he was looking for something he could improvise with - a containor with a lid, a ball, etc. Molly loves to pretend and is usually all about this type of pretend. He grabbed an old Puffs containor we used to store her small toys in and said, "Oh, I found one!"

Usually Molly is all for the make-believe world and improvising - but today, she ran over to Mike and put her arms around him in a comforting way and said; Ohhhh Sweet Pea . . . . . . . . . that is not a drum . . . . . . (several seconds go by) It's OK. I help you!

Weekend with the Walkers!

The Walkers drove down to visit us from Iowa this weekend and we were soo excited to get to spend time with all of them! I have no pix of Mike's Goddaughter, Molly (15 months) or of Jason or Lindsay (boo!) but I have LOTS of Molly playing with Jon (6) and Maggie (4)! Molly LOVED playing with the BIG KIDS! Here we are swimming at their hotel pool on the plaza with them! You gotta' love indoor hotel pools in the middle of winter!

Molly loved playing the piano with Maggie!

Molly was a little fish and wanted to swim all by herself . . .

She loved jumping off the side . . .

Again and again and again . . . snacks after swimming!

Dinner at Blanc on the Plaza! The kids wanted to all sit together!

We love you guys - thanks so much for coming to visit us for the weekend!

Birthday Party at Gymboree!

Molly was soo excited to be invited to her friend Lucy's 2nd Birthday Party at Gymboree yesterday! It was the 1st time she has really had a strong opinion about what she was going to wear - so I let her pick everything out herself. This is the Snoopy shirt Daddy gave to her for Valentine's Day . . . and of course the red shoes HAD to be found (in storage) as no party is complete without her red princess shoes - she told me they still fit without socks, mama. This is true - they are not really too small but they are soo ragged! Thank God they have you take your shoes off when you arrive at Gymboree anyway!

Big Hug from Ainslie when we arrived!

Ainslie, Lucy, Molly - How did Molly know that all the girls were wearing their party skirts?

Ms. Cheryl was even there!!!!!

Minnie Mouse cake!

So fun! Thanks for including us in your fun birthday party, Lucy!

Happy Friday!

We are having a short tease of Spring today so Molly and I spent the morning playin' at the park!

My 38th!

Mike has one Wednesday off a month and yesterday just happened to be his Wednesday off! It was SO FUN to spend my birthday together playing with Molly and just having fun! We went to the Plaza Library for storytime, read some books - then went to one of my favorite little boutique restaurants in Kansas City for lunch - Cafe Europa!

They have fabulous home-made breads, pastries, salad dressings, you name it! Here is Molly checking out the selection of cupcakes! The REAL reason we went there for my birthday!

We were so full after lunch that we took our Lemon Cupcakes home with us to sing Happy Birthday! So happy to be 38 years young today!

SNOW!!

Molly's sweet little prayers were answered yesterday when we finally got SNOW!! I promised Molly weeks ago that when/if we get snow this year we would "build a Frosty and make hot chocolate." A promise is a promise!

Our generous neighbors let us have their old snowsuit to use this morning. After about 45 minutes of putting on layers of clothing for both Molly and me - we trekked outside!

Even with just 3" of snow, I was surprised that we could scrape together enough snow for a decent (2 foot tall) snowman . . . at least a Molly-sized one!

Molly LOVED helping build a Frosty!

Helping find sticks for his arms . . .

Peppermint patties for his eyes . . .

Molly was so proud after we had our own Frosty built - but she kept telling me that this Frosty was not going to talk. So I re-assured her that he would only come alive if we sang in a circle around him so she told me "Maybe next time we will sing and Frosty will talk." Sure, maybe next time . . . *smile*

Afterwards we came inside for hot cocoa with heart marshmallows (just whipped cream frozen and used heart cookie cutter!) - after all today IS Valentine's Day!

After we drank our hot chocolate - we looked out the window to check on Frosty - and much to our surprise - his head had fallen off. Luckily this was not too tragic for Molly - we both laughed - for quite awhile.