I don't have time to Blog!

I was very disappointed to wake up to 8-10 inches of snow. However, my little monkey was thrilled. She got up and looked out the window with me and started screaming “SNOW!! SNOWW! SNOOOOWWWWW! snOWing!!!” When I took her out to the car, she would put her hand into a pile of snow and pick up a bit and say Brrrr!

I knew at this point in time, it was a “snow day,” So back inside we went to get her snow boots and gear to take to Gaummie and Gumps house. We weren’t there more than 2 minutes before she was whining at the back door about playing in the snow.

When I left for work, she was still playing in the backyard…

From 20 Months

From 20 Months

From 20 Months

From 20 Months

From 20 Months

What a fun day this was! Addie had so many firsts. She learned the word “safe” and we introduced her to police officers, firemen, and EMT’s. Everyone that had a badge on, Addie would High-Five! By the end of the day, she police by sight!

Here are some highlights from the Sheriffs Office and Police Department demos.

Once again, this kid and Helicopters:

From 20 Months

After visiting with the Sheriff, she was allowed to sit on the four-wheeler. She knew what to do…

From 20 Months

She instantly became friends with Sparky the Firedog:

From 20 Months

From 20 Months

And Even became and honorary Fireman!

From 20 Months

She also had her first Bike Ride! Pink Helmet included. She did awesome and had so much fun. (I guess I know what we will be getting her for her second birthday)

From 20 Months

From 20 Months

Now that I have entered Mommy-dom, I find myself hearing about all sorts of fun activities going on about town that I never knew existed before. This year I have tried to take Addie to as many as possible. Here are pictures from WinterPalooza 2010. Unfortunately, by the time I realized my phone had a camera on it, we were almost done. So, sadly I only have a few pictures and one video… but you can tell how much fun she was having!

Winterpalooza 2010

Addie absolutely loved the bouncy-castle slide, we spent a good 20 minutes here:

From 20 Months

From 20 Months

She thought the helicopter was pretty cool too!

From 20 Months

I am hoping to not curse myself by writing this post…

Addie and Jess have been sick now for 2+ weeks, and there seems to be no end in sight. Fortunately, it’s not the gross kind of sick where there is a lot of *ahem* ”clean up” involved, but more the “we-have-been-through-eight-boxes-of-kleenex-in-the-last-2-weeks” kind of sick.

Poor Addie started to really get snotty (in both senses of the word) about 2 weeks ago, just in time to miss our good friends Steve and Mindy’s sons birthday party. He was turning two, and the party was a Classic Roller Skating. They have bouncy slides and all sorts of fun things for kids to do. Addie would have loved it, and I am so sad we missed it! But Happy Birthday to Zander!!

Addie got a pretty deep cough last week, and fortunately it really died down by Friday night. So she should be on the up-and-up. Jess on the other hand, is still sick and doesn’t seem to be getting much better. He is stuffy and runny all at the same time, overworked, stressed out from school, and not getting enough sleep. All in all, not a good combo for someone who is trying to get over a cold.

Last weekend, Addie and I went to another friends birthday party. Caden, Lisa and Nate’s son, turns 1 today! Happy Birthday little guy! He is such a cutie and we were very lucky to be well enough to attend that party. Addie was still a little sniffley, but hopefully my excessive tissue and Purell supply was enough to not get anyone else sick!

Please, everyone send well wishes toward our house, especially Jess’ way!

Many of you thought I was crazy trying to potty train a 14 month old. Maybe so, but it is paying off! Addie is doing so well, tonight she proved to me a little too well.

Let me start by saying I know I have much back blogging to do, WinterPalooza, more early morning car rides, a few kidisms etc… I will, someday. Tonight, she made me laugh so hard, and yet feel so bad, I had to post almost immediately.

I was doing homework and Addie had been in bed about an hour when I heard her start to stir. This is nothing out of the ordinary, and she usually puts herself right back out. Tonight however, I head her start to sob. She repeatedly said “oh, nooooo…. OH Nooooo….. OH NOOOO!!!!….” So eventually got up to see what was going on. I walked in the door and she immediately started crying and saying “too LATE, TO late, toooo LATE, TO LATE!” and sobbed. “Mommmyyyy, tooooo laaaate!” she said. I had no idea what she was talking about, I went over and picked her up to calm her.

What am I too late for? What is she talking about? How can I fix this? All went through my head. Then…

She cried on my shoulder for a minute more, picked her head up, put her tiny hand on my cheek and said “Potty… Tooo Late” in a VERY calm voice all while slowly shaking her head no.

Fears? Gone. Concern? Gone. Laughter…. starting up. I smiled and told her it was ok and we would fix it. Next time we would be faster. I put her on the floor to change her expecting to see poop. Nope, pee. a VERY small amount of pee. I really hope this is not a sign of things to come. If that child wakes up and flips out every time she pees… we are in for some Looooong nights.

As of now, it is 10:00 pm. If she gets me up again my dear readers, there will be another post to inform you. I do like where this is going though. At 20 months she is concerned about peeing in diapers. Now if I can only get her to be that concerned mid-day when she is running around like mad and distracted by invisible butterflys and things that jingle…

Addie’s first Kidism. What a milestone! The other day as Addie and i were driving home, we were chit-chatting about this and that. The conversation went something like this:

Me: What does Daddy Say?

Addie: Bee-Bum (as in Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum)

Me: What does Mommy Say?

Addie: I-Uvvv-Ooooo

Me: What does Ali Say?

Addie: Hand?! (As in Hand Hand Fingers Thumb)

Me: What does Grandma Steph Say?

Addie: Well Duh!

Clear as day it was. I am not quite sure if I was just supposed to know what Grandma Steph says so the “Duh” was for me or if that is actually what Grandma Steph says… Kids. Better yet, My Kid.

I have been making cornbread for years. Muffins, pans, loaves, you name it, I love it. This month, I decided to let Addie in on the fun.

We have made pancakes before, so she knows about stirring and pouring in water… But this time she decided to do it her way.

Jess doesn’t eat cornbread, so I figured what the heck. If it’s just me and Addie eating it, who cares what goes into it… so the question arises. Have you ever had PLUM good corn bread???

Not my most exciting blog ever… but memories don’t fade when you catch them on film.

Lately, baloons have been all over the media thanks to Balloon Boy.

It seems only appropriate my little Addie should get her share of balloon recognition as well. Afterall, she loves Balloons. However, I would never let her near a large silver “aircraft” type balloon she could crawl inside and float 7000 feet over the ground for 3 hours… but thats just me.

Here are some Addie size balloons I am happy to let her play with.

I hope you all read the title in a sing song voice, and even moreso I hope you thought of Dory in Finding Nemo. But just in case you didn’t enjoy this little clip, courtesy of Disney and…me!

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Right! So, now that you all know what swimming is, and what a fish is. Have you ever wondered what a fish out of water looks like?

A BIRD!!

Last weekend my brother Tony invited Grams, Jess, Addie and I over to his apartment to go swimming; and while he never got in the pool, he had fun watching and we had fun splashing, swimming and laughing.

Dear Addie,
I am writing you your first letter since you turned one. I know I should date something like 1 year and 1 month… or 13 months, but if I keep writing to you in weeks will you stay little forever?

Little. I think that term is silly. You are 36″ tall and weigh 26 lbs. You are certainly not little. Just the other night, I went to check on you and I noticed just how big you looked in your crib. I wondered to myself, how long is this going to last. When do I have to get rid of the crib and get you the “Big Girl” Bed. You already have one ya know. It was mine, from when I was a girl. It’s hard to believe you are growing that fast. Of course, you have a toddler bed too.. So at least there is some solace in knowing I can gradually adjust to the idea of you in a big girl bed.

I cannot even begin to imagine just how full of wonder and curiosity your little head holds. My whole world has flip-flopped and I’ve begun to look at things a little different now. Day in and day out I see the same things, but each day you remind me to stop and touch, smell and laugh at things I may have completely overlooked. Who knew, while I was teaching you about the world around me, you would be doing the same for me.

I was listening to a CD the other day and started to tear up as I really listened to the words. I realized just how amazing you are. Just how amazing it is to watch you learn and grow. Everyone adores you and comments about your big blue eyes. “Amazing” is the word most frequently used. Your Daddy and I laugh all the time about how much trouble we will be in when you turn 15. But then, you’ll be 780 weeks old, so maybe you will still be Mommy’s little girl afterall.

I love you very much,
Mom

ALWAYS – PLUMB

Out of nowhere
You came
From a little dust
And a little rain
And when I looked down at
Your face
It showed to me
The truth and grace

I will always try to keep you very safe

So open up your eyes
So they can look in mine
And see a small reflection
And when you close your eyes
I pray the thoughts inside
Are beautiful and true

I won’t always
Be this strong
And I won’t always
Be the one
To kiss the bruise
Or heal the scrapes
To wipe the tear drops
From your face
But I will always love you more each day