travel suggestions? & a giveaway

I'll try to make this as interesting as possible, you know, just by some chance someone reads it...I do know there is ONE person who will. Thanks girl-you're great :-)


There are some things I want to remember and I can remember them by typing them here.


Lately my dear child has been experimenting with making things plural. It is so interesting to watch and hear. She figured out where mom-mom stashes the two extra "uh-beez" (lovies) and can push her leap frog bus up to the dresser, open the top drawer and get them all out which gives her a total of three at one time. It's frustrating yet hilarious. So, when she has accumulated all three at times she is sure to say "uh-beeeeezzz" when she wants them ALL. "Uh-bee" for just one and "uh-beeeezz" for more than one. How smart is that! Then I have to go through the process of stealing two back and getting her back down to just one so I'll have clean back ups. I think it's time for a new hiding place.

Not only is she making her "uh-beeeezz" plural, she has been saying "ballzzz", "shoezzz", "sockzzz", "buurrrrdzzz", "friiiiiieezzz". It's so fun to hear. I love my little one.


She's gotten really good lately at pushing things away and swinging her arms around like propellers when she's super frustrated about something. I better hurry and nip that one quick. It's amazing to see such an attitude from such a little person.


I'm getting really nervous about how AK will react to her little sister. I really am hoping that all this attitude stuff is just from me being pregnant and not because she's mad about mommy having someone else to give attention to. I'm totally sure she doesn't understand her feelings about this or even what's completely going on and I shouldn't be trying to analyze it BUT there has to be a reason for her turning into such a wild child. I had a GREAT conversation yesterday where I was gently told I think about her feelings WAY too much which is kind of creating a monster. That totally makes since. She's just TWO and if I make SUCH a big deal about her becoming a big sister and her lime light getting stolen then it will be a big deal and she'll act negatively. I need to start focusing on the good and exciting things that Isabelle will bring our family.

This also holds true for our bedtime battles. I need to stop thinking that I'm harming or traumatizing her by allowing her to cry for over an hour behind her door JUST because she's stubborn and wants her own way. I don't automatically revert to shutting the door and letting her scream. We first battle in another manner for a good hour or so until mommy is so worn down that the only thing I can do besides lay in bed with her (which I DON'T want to do) is shut the door and let her handle it herself. She's making the choice to get up. She knows that the door will stay open if she stays in her bed BUT she CHOOSES to fight it and ends up getting locked in. I have a tough one on my hands.


We are about 90% sure we're going to Missouri this year for Thanksgiving with Sean's mom and brother. The only thing that would change this is the 10% chance he lands a full-time job before then. I, nor AK, have ever been up there and met that side of his family before and he hasn't been in yeeeeearrrzzz. I'm excited to go but SUPER nervous about
1. the drive
2. the sleeping arrangements seeing as how we've had a horrendous time lately getting her to bed
3. the new "habits" that will be created by her sleeping in the same room as us
4. not having our own space for AK to explore. She's into EVERYTHING these days and I can't imagine the stress of being in someone else's home for 5 days with nothing that's ours. Obviously we haven't traveled to far away lands with her before...atleast not to places that aren't packed with fun toddler things to handle. I shouldn't be so nervous about that BUT I am so I'm saying it. My hubby is really gonna have to step it up and help me out while we're there because I'll be bigger, more pregnant and more moody. I will be very unhappy if AK is getting into everything and I have to constantly tell her no no no no no! AAHHHH! Not that hubby doesn't help me enough here at home because he does, it's just that it's VERY easy when we're at his family's home for him to get distracted and forget he has a toddler he needs to help out with. I'm guilty of the same when I'm with my family. So yeah, we'll definitely need to discuss that. I want this to be super fun and exciting. I've just never traveled THAT far away from home before for that length of time with my little one before. Anyone have any suggestions?


One more thing, This will be my 285th post and guess what I'm giving away on the 300th??? Any guesses??? I'm sure you've got it-a BOW! So, be sure to stay tuned for more details and don't forget to tell your friendzzz ;-).