Yeah, yeah I know.
"Kaci, it's been so long since you bestowed upon us your wonderous prose!"
"Kaci, when do we get to see pictures of that model-perfect baby of yours?"
"Kaci, WRITE IN YOUR BLOG!"
I hear you, I hear you. I do.
Things have been hectic around here! A visit to California, and a precious (read: precocious) 18 month old don't make for a ton of time to write eloquently for longer than a minute, two minutes tops. What some people don't realize is, these things take time to write!
So, I leave you with this.
Emersen has now entered the potty training phase of life. Even though her doctor promised me it was too early!
Yesterday, she found Paul making his coffee. And this is how the conversation went:
"Daddy."
"Yes Emmie?"
"Toilet!"
"Okay..."
Followed by Paul setting Emersen on the big people potty and nothing happening.
We figured it was time to get her a potty. Her very own pink princess throne. (No, it does not have lame Disney princesses on it, although the seat cushion is so incredibly squishy, I'd like it for my own bum. It's no wonder she begs to sit on it.)
So, yesterday after nap we tried out the potty. She sat down for a good ten minutes, with her juice and the water running. (Hey, I wanted this to be successful!)
I was getting ready to leave for a baby shower, and when I absolutely had to leave she still had not gone. So, I kissed her good bye and left.
Paul says not five minutes later, she peed. ON THE POTTY!!!!!!!! (Excuse the over use of punctuation, I can see the light at the end of my diaper changing future!)
Not only had she gone the first time, but two times after that. AND, this morning when she woke up she asked to go potty and did it! She's amazing, incredible and has the brain capabilities of a genius.
So, I must bid this entry adieu because we have company coming and I still have to get the snacks together.
Please stand by for the next potty filled installment! *wink*
7.12.2009
4.26.2009
Where have we been? OUTSIDE!
Good morning everyone!
So you can understand why this blog has gone unnoticed for the last couple of weeks, I decided to post a few pictures of my sweet girl outside!
It's been gloriously sunny out these last few days, and we have been taking advantage of it! I even got a twee of sunburn on my face and arms. (Emersen was inside, taking a nap during peak hours so she was spared!)
This is her decidedly adorable wimple style bathing suit. Her Gigi and I thought it would be perfect, since the material has a sun protection factor of 50 and it covers a whole heck of a lot! I decided she would wear this one outside, and her bikini (adorable period) to
the indoor pool here on base. I still slather the sunscreen on allover her body, but this gives me the feeling of having "insurance" in case I miss something, which happens to the best of moms. It even covers her ears!Here she is playing with some buddies in the pool. They all had a blast. The huge bummer about it was the weather changed right after we got everyone swimming ready. It got windy and cold and all the moms had to run in and grab sweatshirts and hats for the kids. It was sweaty hot literally one minute, and the next it was fleece and boots cold. Washington, give us a BREAK!
This is Emersen doing her new favorite activity. She grabs the small boppy, intended for propping newer babies up for tummy time, and her baby. Then she pats the baby, and tries to give it the bink. She'll kiss it, rock it and give it a squeeze (hug, if you aren't familiar).My heart just swells to a million times its size when I see her do this, completely on her own with no direction from anyone.
She's so sweet!
So, that's what we've been up to. Playing like crazy outside!
The night before I left for Napa, we decided to make our own cheese filled burgers. They were a hit, and this was the result:
Paul's burger had freshly sliced jack cheese in the middle, and my burger had bleu cheese!
They were so tasty, I've already had redo requests!
4.09.2009
California Bound!
Exactly one year ago today, this is what Emersen looked like! She's still so cute, but man she was an adorable tiny baby!
This afternoon we are leaving for California! I super can not wait to be home, and in the sunshine! Apparently I will have to wait a day or two for the sun, but I'm okay with that!
As long as I get some of it, that is okay with me!We had an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday with a bunch of the neighborhood kids. This is Emersen's "practice" Easter Dress. I didn't want to get her fancy one dirty before the actual day! She loved it, and now has one practice egg hunt under her belt. She had the best time putting eggs in her bucket and saying "Thank you!" She's so polite, even to Easter Eggs!
I can't wait for everyone to see her, and see how amazing she is. She's still pretty shy at first, but now that she can run around she warms up to people a lot more quickly.
Well, I hear her stirring in her crib so I'd better get ready to start my day!
See you Napkins so very soon!
Kaci
3.29.2009
Little girls and girls dresses from Shabby Baby
Emersen is such a girly girl. She loves chapstick, tights and hair bows. She literally asks for me to put bows in her hair. That is why I think she would look absolutely stunningly girly in this gorgeous green dress from ShabbyBaby.
Here is the link to the dress: http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-305-jardin.aspx. Oh, little girls and girls dresses from Shabby Baby are so cute!
Here is the link to the dress: http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-305-jardin.aspx. Oh, little girls and girls dresses from Shabby Baby are so cute!
3.09.2009
If it's pictures you want, it is pictures you shall have!
Despite the sun on this day, it was still very cold!
Hats, mittens (and no, her thumbs are not in the thumb holes!) and jackets were a total necessity!
I know this is not of the baby, but I had to share our burger night feast! Sweet potato french fries and a mushroom swiss bacon and onion burger would be my last
meal!
.
If you click the picture, you can see the star border a bit better. Keep in mind, it's my first cake!
This is Emersen, sharing her lunch!
She's such a great eater, and always has been. I really appreciate how well she eats, since I have a few friends with picky babies.She just shovels in all the tasty morsels I've prepared for her!
Here she is, modeling for me! Just before her bath, I put her robe on and had her go find daddy! He thought she looked so cute, I had to snap a few pictures!
2.24.2009
Where is my grace?
Something I've struggled with in my life is grace.
I never know who deserves it, who I should give it freely to and who to hold back on. (If such a person exists.)
Instead of saying "I don't have grace for _____," I've decided to say/think/do "I want to have grace for _____." Because right now, there are a few people in my life who could use my grace and I want to have grace for them, but it feels like I don't.
I have miles upon miles of grace for Emersen, yet not nearly as much for Cooper or Paul.
I have almost no grace for people who speed down my street, but when I'm in a hurry I hope someone (namely police officers) have grace for me.
I have marginal grace for parents who don't teach their children right from wrong, as evidenced in the previous entry.
Should I have grace for the parents who don't stop their child(ren) from terrorizing the playground?
This is where I am conflicted. I don't understand Grace. I want to, but I don't. Up until I became a Christian, grace meant poise and balance. Now it's a whole other ball game.
Did someone cut in the grocery line? Give them grace. They must be in a bigger hurry than I.
Did someone cut me off in traffic? Give them grace, they may not have seen me.
Is someone consistently taking from me? Give them grace, they need it.
The list could go on forever.
Now I'll ask the forbidden question.
Who gives ME grace? Well, the simple answer is, God. He should be providing all the grace I can handle. Some days I wish it were enough and some days it is.
http://picasaweb.google.com/thenavywife21 for new pictures of Emersen.
Kaci
I never know who deserves it, who I should give it freely to and who to hold back on. (If such a person exists.)
Instead of saying "I don't have grace for _____," I've decided to say/think/do "I want to have grace for _____." Because right now, there are a few people in my life who could use my grace and I want to have grace for them, but it feels like I don't.
I have miles upon miles of grace for Emersen, yet not nearly as much for Cooper or Paul.
I have almost no grace for people who speed down my street, but when I'm in a hurry I hope someone (namely police officers) have grace for me.
I have marginal grace for parents who don't teach their children right from wrong, as evidenced in the previous entry.
Should I have grace for the parents who don't stop their child(ren) from terrorizing the playground?
This is where I am conflicted. I don't understand Grace. I want to, but I don't. Up until I became a Christian, grace meant poise and balance. Now it's a whole other ball game.
Did someone cut in the grocery line? Give them grace. They must be in a bigger hurry than I.
Did someone cut me off in traffic? Give them grace, they may not have seen me.
Is someone consistently taking from me? Give them grace, they need it.
The list could go on forever.
Now I'll ask the forbidden question.
Who gives ME grace? Well, the simple answer is, God. He should be providing all the grace I can handle. Some days I wish it were enough and some days it is.
http://picasaweb.google.com/thenavywife21 for new pictures of Emersen.
Kaci
2.17.2009
Motherhood Diatribe Number One
Mall Playgrounds.
Now, I will be the first to admit it. I take Emersen to the mall playground because it's the only indoor play area and it rains here a lot! It is also a wonderful place to let the kiddies get their energy out before having to sit still in their strollers while the mommies do their shopping!
However.
There are quite a few drawbacks to the mall playground. And of course, since you all know me, I know you know I'm going to list them:
1. Cooties. Lots of cooties all over the place, especially during the winter/flu season. Runny noses, coughing and sneezing. Not enough hand sanitizer in the free world.
2. Psychotic children. I've only been there a handful of times, but I can tell you with some authority that the kids can run amok. Especially all hopped up on candy from the Sweet Factory or an Orange Julius.
3. Lazy parents. ("Ashawanda! Git over here...don't make me git up!") *die*
4. Unobservant parents. I had this experience today. A little blue shirt wearing boy was running around terrorizing the whole place. Now, typically you know which kid belongs to which parent but I was looking around and couldn't find this kid's mom for the life of me. Until he tried to escape the playground and his mom stopped him. No reprimand for terrorizing all the other kids, just "Don't leave the play ground." After the second time I personally told him not to push (In my mommy voice "Do Not Push Him") someone else's child I looked over at one mom and said "If I have to tell him not to push one more time, his mom's going to get an earful from my mouth and it's probably not going to be censored."
5. Parents who bring their sick kids. At one outing, Nicole and I were playing around with Emersen when a little girl started spanking a bunch of other kids. Not only did her mom perform number 3 on this list, but she committed the cardinal sin of bringing her daughter to a playground with a full blown rash all over her body! Now, I might have excused the incident if the little girl wasn't running and scratching at the same time. This gives me a serious case of the heebie jeebies! I informed the security guard of the situation, and he was shocked. He had to get on the walkie talkie to find out what the protocol was. They'd never had this situation before!
6. The Bribing Parent. "If you play nice, you can have a smoothie!" UGH! Shouldn't the reward be the act of playing in the mall to begin with? It's not a right, it's a priviledge. One that can and should be taken away at a moments notice. THE MOMENT the behavior becomes unacceptable, the child should be removed and reprimanded.
Those are just the basics. I could get in to the "Toughen up" dad or the "Cell phone" mom not to mention the mom who brings all her kids, despite the fact that three of the four are six inches too tall to play there anyhow.
Of course, these things demand a certain level of manners and courteousness out of the parent. Notice each type of downfall is really the action or inaction of the parent which causes the problem.
Parents I see around town simply don't pay enough attention. These kids grow up thinking it's definitely okay to push boundaries and limits.
It is definitely okay to allow your child to push their limits and boundaries when it comes to success in life or achieving a goal.
It is NEVER okay to let your child push the limits of socially acceptable behavior.
Here are my rules for Emersen: (None of which she has ever attempted, but once she does she'll know where I stand)
1. Never ever touch another child without their permission. (This regards tag, hugs goodbye and what not)
2. No bodily fluids will leave your body in the playground. (This is in regards to spitting and peeing your pants!)
3. If you hurt someone by accident, you must apologize and ask if they are okay without whining or an attitude.
4. Absolutely no crazy screaming in the playground. It's rude and no one appreciates it.
5. When it is time to leave, you will put your shoes on and walk out yourself without crying, whining or screaming (see number 4). I say how long you will be allowed to play, you determine whether or not you will be allowed to play for that time.
Kids need to know where they stand, and what to expect. If you can't predict the outcome of your actions, how will you know what is appropriate and what is not?
This concludes Motherhood Diatribe Number One!
Questions, comments and constructive critisism will be generously accepted!
Now, I will be the first to admit it. I take Emersen to the mall playground because it's the only indoor play area and it rains here a lot! It is also a wonderful place to let the kiddies get their energy out before having to sit still in their strollers while the mommies do their shopping!
However.
There are quite a few drawbacks to the mall playground. And of course, since you all know me, I know you know I'm going to list them:
1. Cooties. Lots of cooties all over the place, especially during the winter/flu season. Runny noses, coughing and sneezing. Not enough hand sanitizer in the free world.
2. Psychotic children. I've only been there a handful of times, but I can tell you with some authority that the kids can run amok. Especially all hopped up on candy from the Sweet Factory or an Orange Julius.
3. Lazy parents. ("Ashawanda! Git over here...don't make me git up!") *die*
4. Unobservant parents. I had this experience today. A little blue shirt wearing boy was running around terrorizing the whole place. Now, typically you know which kid belongs to which parent but I was looking around and couldn't find this kid's mom for the life of me. Until he tried to escape the playground and his mom stopped him. No reprimand for terrorizing all the other kids, just "Don't leave the play ground." After the second time I personally told him not to push (In my mommy voice "Do Not Push Him") someone else's child I looked over at one mom and said "If I have to tell him not to push one more time, his mom's going to get an earful from my mouth and it's probably not going to be censored."
5. Parents who bring their sick kids. At one outing, Nicole and I were playing around with Emersen when a little girl started spanking a bunch of other kids. Not only did her mom perform number 3 on this list, but she committed the cardinal sin of bringing her daughter to a playground with a full blown rash all over her body! Now, I might have excused the incident if the little girl wasn't running and scratching at the same time. This gives me a serious case of the heebie jeebies! I informed the security guard of the situation, and he was shocked. He had to get on the walkie talkie to find out what the protocol was. They'd never had this situation before!
6. The Bribing Parent. "If you play nice, you can have a smoothie!" UGH! Shouldn't the reward be the act of playing in the mall to begin with? It's not a right, it's a priviledge. One that can and should be taken away at a moments notice. THE MOMENT the behavior becomes unacceptable, the child should be removed and reprimanded.
Those are just the basics. I could get in to the "Toughen up" dad or the "Cell phone" mom not to mention the mom who brings all her kids, despite the fact that three of the four are six inches too tall to play there anyhow.
Of course, these things demand a certain level of manners and courteousness out of the parent. Notice each type of downfall is really the action or inaction of the parent which causes the problem.
Parents I see around town simply don't pay enough attention. These kids grow up thinking it's definitely okay to push boundaries and limits.
It is definitely okay to allow your child to push their limits and boundaries when it comes to success in life or achieving a goal.
It is NEVER okay to let your child push the limits of socially acceptable behavior.
Here are my rules for Emersen: (None of which she has ever attempted, but once she does she'll know where I stand)
1. Never ever touch another child without their permission. (This regards tag, hugs goodbye and what not)
2. No bodily fluids will leave your body in the playground. (This is in regards to spitting and peeing your pants!)
3. If you hurt someone by accident, you must apologize and ask if they are okay without whining or an attitude.
4. Absolutely no crazy screaming in the playground. It's rude and no one appreciates it.
5. When it is time to leave, you will put your shoes on and walk out yourself without crying, whining or screaming (see number 4). I say how long you will be allowed to play, you determine whether or not you will be allowed to play for that time.
Kids need to know where they stand, and what to expect. If you can't predict the outcome of your actions, how will you know what is appropriate and what is not?
This concludes Motherhood Diatribe Number One!
Questions, comments and constructive critisism will be generously accepted!
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