Gratuitous Cuteness

Just uploaded some pictures to my computer, so of course now you get to see some.  I added some to my Yummy post and my Easter one, so if you want to (they are the most recent two posts, which is the only reason I didn't link them) you can scroll down and see them.  I am actually in one of the Easter ones and I still like the picture ha ha!

 We got Karina a swingset and were so excited when it arrived!  Bill and David put it together (all but one part) that night, and Karina went out and tried it.  She loved it!

Now if this isn't a cute child, then

this is!

 

One day we took a walk, and Karina was able to get this close to one of the neighborhood bunnies (we have tons of them).  It was so neat!  She was excited, too.

And finally, I think Karina is going to be my fashion assistant from now on.  When I was looking for some inexpensive sneakers, we went to Payless and Karina decided to try on some shoes. 

Well there you have it!  The latest round of photos from slacker me!  And I just realized that Mother's Day is next weekend and I have N-O-T-H-I-N-G for my wonderful mom!!!  Ack!  Got to take care of that issue, pronto!

Yummy

Today Karina and I made chocolate covered strawberries, bananas, and apples for our neighbor, Mr. Terry.  He has brought Karina goodies and presents for every holiday since she was born.  For Easter he brought her more chocolate and candy than the Easter bunny did!  So we wanted to do something special for him.  I thought about a fruit arrangement from a popular store, but frankly, I can't afford those.  The cheapest ones are $40, and even though they are delicious beyond reason, I still can't do that.  So I thought some more and realized that the chocolate dipped fruit part is the best thing about those arrangements, so I made some myself.  Many thanks to Rachel from Second Time Around who helped me figure out how to do it, and to Hershey's chocolate chips for printing the microwave melting directions on their package!  (No, nobody paid me to say that.  I bought the chips myself and I chose them simply because of Karina's peanut allergy)  They turned out sooooo good!

Karina "helped" by which I mean stood on a chair and watched (I didn't want her slobbery fingers in someone else's food!) and then we ate some of the melted chocolate that was leftover, and voila!  After they were cold in the fridge, we tasted them and she didn't want any part of them!  Can you believe that?  Oh well, more for me!  I did of course save some for us!

We took them over to Terry's house along with some pictures Karina drew and some thank you cards.  I also included some pictures of Karina for him.

If you ever want to try these chocolate covered fruit things, they were so easy, it was ridiculous.  You can melt the chocolate in a double broiler if you want, but honestly, after seeing how easily and quickly the Hershey's chips melted in the microwave (90 seconds, the whole bag, stir, 30 seconds more, for me at least), I don't think I'll ever do the stove version.  Then you just dip the fruit in, and when you're done you lick the chocolate off your fingers and the bowl, and stick the fruit in the fridge to harden the chocolate.  SO easy!

Once again, I will say, nobody paid me to say any of the nice things about Hershey's chocolate chips.  I bought the chips myself and received no compensation whatsoever, unless you count the joy of eating the delicious chocolate afterwards.

Happy Easter

I hope everyone had a nice Easter, if you celebrate the holiday.  We do, and the Easter bunny came to our house last night and left Karina a nice basket full of peanut safe food and some toys.  She got some cookies, some colorful Goldfish crackers, and some Cadbury mini eggs (not the cream ones, the little chocolate ones).  She also got some Elmo socks, a Sesame Street notebook to write her "messages" in, a headband (purple, of course), some Little People, and a toy dog by Schleich.  She thought the best part was reorganizing the basket.  She took all the Cadbury eggs out of the big tin they were in and put them into the empty plastic eggs left from the morning's Easter egg hunt at church.

That was fun, too; we hide all the eggs on the school playground and then the little ones come find them.  They had a peanut safe area this year, but Karina was the only peanut-allergic child, so there was no way she could take all those eggs home. Plus it was H-O-T on that playground!  We were all sweaty and ready to go in.  Karina didn't get too many eggs, but that's fine with me.

Then at my mom's, she had baskets for everyone, and we all got some of these amazing homemade eggs with this delicious cream in them.  They are super rich, and of course Karina went for them like crazy.  She ate one whole one at Mom's house and then grabbed another when I wasn't looking when we got home.  I'm worried she might have eaten another one at some point because one is missing.  What a little turkey.  I hope she doesn't throw up in the middle of the night!

She ate her dinner pretty well though.  It was ham, and she likes ham.  I think that's so funny because there is a lot she just won't eat, but she ate a whole small piece of ham tonight.  I was happy.  She ate a bunch of strawberries too and some mandarin oranges.  Then she invented a new diving game with David's girlfriend Erin, where she put the stool close to the couch where Erin was sitting and sort of leaped off of it onto Erin's lap.  She was very close, and Erin would catch her, so it wasn't dangerous or scary.  Then she would do it with David, moving the stool and positioning it just so.  What was funniest was that every time she'd put it by Erin, we'd watch her jump and laugh along with her.  Then she'd put it over by David and my mom would say, "Catch her, Dave!".  As if he wouldn't!  It was funny.

Overall we had a really nice day, and I hope that all of you did, too.  Whether you celebrate the day or not, I hope it was a nice one!

Pictures from Danise's Visit

When we went to the Air and Space Museum, Karina couldn't wait to hold hands with Colin and Paige!

Air and space fun!

 Me and my girl in our sunglasses!

After our lunch at Jamestown.

Asleep in the car on the way home.

At the aquarium.

 Playing outside.

 Playing catch with Uncle Bill.

 Colin is protecting our yard.  He was so excited to get his tricorn hat and pop gun. 

 Playing in Karina's room. 

I took a walk with the kids.  Karina loved holding their hands.  Notice that Colin still has his gun and hat!

Had to include this one; so funny!

Colin is sharing his Easter candy with Karina on the porch.  It was so sweet!

They Got Home Safe (In case you were wondering)

I talked to Danise today.  They got home safely, but it wasn't until 2 hours later than scheduled!  I don't know how Marc went to work today.  They got in at 1230 their time, 230 my time.  Danise said the kids have immediately fallen back into the routine of picking on each other! 

I asked Karina if she missed Colin and Paige, and she said yes.  She didn't have anyone to push her on her tricycle, or run around the yard, or play on the slide.  It made me sad.  She needs someone to play with.  I hope that we'll have more playdates with her little friend E. 

I also remembered a funny thing about when we went to Williamsburg.  When we were ready to leave (me, Danise, and Karina) it was raining, so we took the shuttle bus back to the visitor's center.  This was the highlight of Karina's day.  She kept saying, "Bus, bus.  On, on."  It was so cute.  When Bill came home, and she woke up, I asked her to tell her daddy what we did today.  Her response was, of course, "Bus!" 

A Neat Giveaway at Second Time Around

Rachel at Second Time Around has a really neat and different giveaway going on right now.  It's for VoiceQuilt, which is a way to let people around the country leave messages for someone that they can then listen to at their leisure.  Go HERE to learn more and hear her son Tobin's message (it's cute!).

I Miss My Best Friend and She Just Left!

If you read my blog much, you know that my friend Danise is very special to me.  She and I met when we were first year teachers, and our friendship has endured through divorce (mine), babies, and moves (them, all the way across the country).  For many years, I was single (after the divorce) and I flew out to see them at least once a year, usually in the summer (I'm a teacher) and I would stay for about 2 weeks or so.  At first, we did some touristy things, like visiting different parks and things, but over the years, it's become much more low-key.  And now that I have Karina, I can't afford to go out as much, and when I did the last time ( when Karina was 9 months old) she got strep throat.  Fun.  We were only there a week, and most of it was spent dealing with sick children (because of course she gave it to the other kids). 

On April 8th, they all came out here to visit for the first time since they moved back to their home state 9 years ago!  Danise has been out twice, for my wedding and Karina's birth, but they were both short visits, and it was just her.  This time, they all came!  It was great (but I actually wished for a bigger car for the first time ever, so we could all have ridden together...but we made it work).  We went to an air and space museum, Jamestown, Williamsburg, and an aquarium in the first four days.  Then, on Thursday, Karina woke up very congested and threw up all over me.  Seriously?  Again?  It was allergies, but she was very sick all day, and for three days I kept her in.  So I missed Paige's birthday tea and another day of Jamestown, too.  The first day when she was very sick, Danise stayed home with me and the kids and Marc went fishing. 

Karina got feeling better after being out of the pollen for a while, so we were able to go to Yorktown with them, and today she and the kids played all day.  Since their flight was at 6pm, we had most of the day to be together.  Danise and I got to have tea on the porch while Marc took the kids to a fishing store and Karina napped.  When she woke up and they came home, it was time to get ready to leave for the airport.  Karina wanted to go, so I let her.  I thought it would be good for her to see that they were not coming back with us.  She just loved having them around.  She would go up to Colin and pat him or hug him.  She followed Paige around all day one day.  She begged Marc to hold her hand and "walk, walk" with her. 

Danise and I watched "Holmes Inspection" both Sunday nights (because we were too late to see "Holmes on Homes" too, which comes on before it) in my bedroom and talked.  That was great, too.  All the kids and I took a walk around the block together one day.  Bill played catch with Colin in our backyard.  We have a big backyard, and they don't.  Being in the southwest, the yards are small and don't have much grass.  So if they play catch, and miss, the ball is over the fence.  Even when Colin was little, he was good at baseball and could hit a whiffle ball out of the yard.

Now that they are gone, and the house is so quiet, I am really missing them.  Danise did  so well while she was here.  Instead of wearing the strange glasses they wanted her to wear, she just took out one contact lens.  She said she hasn't been able to see so well in months, since they started trying to "fix" her eyes.  And when her allergies started acting up, too, she took some allergy relief medicine that starts with a B and is very popular, and told me she felt like she could think clearly for the first time in ages.  She is calling her doctors when she gets home to see what this means or if it could be a clue to what's going on in her brain (if you don't know, she was in a bad car accident; see posts here and here).  Overall it was very promising, and aside from one bad afternoon (after Williamsburg), she was great.  She and the kids still have Celiac disease, and her blood pressure is still a problem, but she said that being here had made a world of difference.  She feels like her little well of strength is replenished (her words).  I'm so glad.  She and Paige are supposed to come back in July, and I can't wait. 

I hate when we have to leave each other.  It is so hard.  I wish every day that they hadn't had to move away, or that we could somehow live closer.  And I know that in a few days I'll be fine and seeing the spare room won't make me cry anymore, but right now it's just rotten stinky that she's gone. 

More Potty Success

Once again, I just want to let you know that this post contains potty words.  If you don't like that, or it bothers you, then probably you don't want to read this one. 

Today Karina had another successful potty training day.  She did a doodle in the potty this morning, and then had an accident after naptime; I wasn't reminding her often enough and she was busy playing  She tried to get there once she realized, but unfortunately she only made it about half in the potty.  No biggie, I emphasized that it was just fine, and I cleaned it up.  I was happy to see that she did get some in the potty.  So she got her little treat, Sixlets, which are working well.  Then after dinner tonight, she was in my room while I changed the sheets, and we had the potty in there.  All by herself, she went and sat on it, and success once again!

We called Grandma to tell her, and Karina loved talking to her and Nana (my grandmother; they live together) and hearing how proud they both are of her.  When we go over there for dinner tomorrow, we are bringing her potty chair!

Karina got two new trucks out of this, one for her first time peeing in the potty, and one for the first time doing #2 in the potty.  Now she just gets the Sixlets. 

In other news, she's definitely two now.  We're having little fake-crying moments and little meltdowns, but overall, they're not too bad.  In all, she is still a wonderful, compliant, sweet little girl, who loves to cover me in stickers from head to toe.  That is only a slight exaggeration.  She loves stickers and goes through them like crazy.  Fortunately, Grandma, Grandpa, and Nana also buy them for her.  She just loves peeling them off, I think. 

And finally, in the best news of all, my wonderful, fabulous friend Danise is coming to visit me very soon!  So if you notice a bit of a hiatus in my blogs (I don't post on a schedule, I know, but still, 10+ days without a post might make someone wonder.  Or not.), that's why.  I can't wait to see them.  She's coming with her husband and two children; I love all of them.  They are family to me.  We have a few things planned, but also some open time because we aren't sure how much Danise will be able to handle (she continues to have trouble from the accident several years ago.  I posted about it here and here).  That's okay with me. Having breaks in the busy-ness is just my style.  Plus, I'm worried about Karnia getting overwhelmed, so it's good that we'll have some down days.  I am looking forward to seeing her (and the rest of them) every day for 10 days.  I am looking forward to sharing tea and talking and watching her children play with Karina.  I just can't wait!

Uh-oh. She's really 2 now.

Several meltdowns today.  Sigh.  I guess Karina is really 2 now.  I was deluding myself that we'd get through them relatively unscathed, but it looks like that isn't going to happen. 

The first one was over cleaning up her play-doh.  She didn't want to but it was naptime.

The second one was at Target when I made her stop taking cosmetic products off the shelves.

The third one was over dinner.  She didn't want to eat it.  (And she didn't, either.  She went to bed having eaten no dinner; I couldn't convince her to even take one bite)

And oh, yes, she has learned to cry when she doesn't get what she wants.  It's something we actually tried to avoid dealing with, by offering choices and not giving in all the time, but somehow, it is still happening. 

Oh well.  I guess I should be happy because it means she's normal!! 

It's just too bad we started the potty training a few weeks too late.  I think if we'd done it a little earlier, she would have been quick and easy to train, but now, she doesn't really want to do it, and I don't want it to be a fight, so it has made it harder.  Tomorrow we're on it again, though.  No playgroup due to spring break, and nowhere to go!  Just going to clean like a crazy woman to get ready for my most bestest friend ever to come visit with her hubby and kids on Friday.  I can't wait!!!!!

Potty Training

*Disclaimer*
This post uses some bathroom words.  If you don't like reading about this kind of thing, you might want to skip this one.  :-)

Karina and I have entered the mysterious realm of Potty Training!  Yesterday, she spent the whole day half-dressed, in an attempt to encourage her to use the potty.  I discovered she is very good at not peeing...at all.  She went the entire morning without peeing, until lunch.  Then she had a little dribble when she was trying to climb into her chair to eat.  I put a diaper under her in the chair, just in case, but she didn't pee during lunch, either.  Finally, it was her naptime, and I had to put a diaper on her for that.  Of course she peed in it during her nap, but I expected that.  Then, in the afternoon, my mom stopped by to pick up something, and stayed to visit for just a few minutes.  I had Karina's diaper off again, and she was once again demonstrating remarkable 'holding power'.  When Mom was ready to leave, Karina didn't want to come downstairs, so I left her in her room and walked my mom downstairs.  Almost as soon as I got downstairs, she started making noise and fussing, so I quickly said good bye, and went back up.  Guess where I found her?  On the potty!  But she had peed on the floor first, by her dresser, and tried to get to the potty to finish.  She had a few drops in the potty, so I made a big deal about it and rewarded her with a Sixlet candy.  She hated it and spit it out!  So I gave her a cookie instead because I really wanted to reinforce that she will get yummies when she pees in the potty.  Then when I started eating the rest of the Sixlets, she suddenly decided she likes them and ate several.  So I think that will still be the reward. 

Today, we had a playdate in the morning, so no potty training then, and had to run some errands in the afternoon, so none then either.  When I put her jammies on for bed, and changed her diaper, she suddenly was very upset and grabbing the diaper.  She told me "bee, bee" and I realized she was upset because she had peed in the diaper and wanted to sit on the potty!  But she had already finished, so she didn't get to pee in the potty.  But I'm encouraged, and it seems like she's starting to realize that peeing in the potty is going to be the way to go.  Yay!