Storytime Live!

I managed to get free tickets to the Nickelodeon Storytime Live show at Robinson Center a few weeks ago. It's a kids show that includes Ki Lan, The Backyardigans, The Wonder PEets, and of course, DORA!!! We went with my friend from work, Christy, and her daughter Caitlyn, and I also invited my sisters and their kids. The kids all loved it! Anna was a BIG fan of Dora especially. I'll never forget the smile on her face!

Anna, Jacie and Christian

 Here's Anna glued to the stage! She could barely take her eyes off the action.

 Christian had a fun night with the girls!

And Jacie enjoyed shaking her little booty to the music.

Another great memory with my sweet baby girl. I love you Banannas!

Big Girl Panties

So far, potty training has been unsuccessful. Nothing seems to work. We've tried everything. I made a sticker chart... she could care less. We've bribed her with treats... doesn't work, she just throws a fit when she doesn't get them. We've tried bathroom breaks every 30 - 45 minutes... nothing ever happens. So now I'm trying "Big Girl Panties!" I was hoping it would encourage her to start using the potty. When I first put them on her, she felt so proud. She said "I'm a big girl Mommy!" I thought to myself this could be our big break - the panties will do the trick. WRONG! As much as she likes wearing the panties, she likes to pee and poop in them even more! The other night, after a trip to the potty with no success, she ran into the living room and pee'd in her panties and all over the floor. And she justs laughs and laughs! Trying to stay cool and let her know that we don't pee pee in our panties, I cleaned up the puddle in the floor, I changed her, put her in a new pair of panties and not five minutes later that little stinker pooped in them! I hear her calling me from the other room, "Mommy, I pooped!" I walked into Kevin's office and sure enough, poop... all over the floor! At this point, she went back into the diaper as I cleaned up the poop. First night of panties - no success. The best part of the whole story was I missed a turd and the next day she called me into the office and told me I forgot to pick up some poop. Anyway, since then we have continued the panty thing but she still continues to pee and poop in them. But starting next week, her daycare is having a potty training boot camp. Maybe they will have better luck than me. Either way, she still looks pretty darn cute in her Big Girl Panties.

Let's Swim!

Our friends were out of town for the weekend but said we could use their pool if we wanted, so of course we took advantage. It's too hot not to! Anna had a great time jumping off the side of the pool into the water. She also learned to swim... sorta. We taught her how to kick her legs to swim so she started swimming back and forth between me and Kevin. I was very proud of her, and she was excited too because she likes to do everything by herself with no help. Typical 2 year old!

 Here she is about to jump off into the water.

 All that jumping and swimming required a short drink break.

 

  When we got out of the pool, Anna's diaper was soaked full of water. Kevin and I were cracking up at the sight of it.

 

Fathers Day 2010

Fathers Day was very fun this year. For lunch, I had my sisters and their kids over and we made lunch for my Dad, better known now as Papa. All the kiddos love their Papa.

After lunch, my family from Fort Smith came for a short visit. I didn't get any pics while they were here, I'm sure Peggy can send me some. It was great to see them because it's been a while.

Kevin had to work on Fathers Day, but when he got home we tried to make him feel special. Anna had made a pretty picture for him at school. Their was a sweet poem on it and her cute little piggy prints.

The picture had a nice poem on it that said...

"Walk a little slower Daddy," said a little child so small.

I'm following in your footsteps, and I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast. Sometimes they're hard to see;

So walk a little slower Daddy, for you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up, you're what I want to be.

Then I will have a little child who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right, to know that I was true;

So, walk a little slower Daddy, for I must follow you.

Happy Fathers Day Kev! You're one in a million.

Reed-ster Man's Birthday!

Anna's best buddy, Reed, celebrated his 3rd birthday at Jump Zone a few weeks ago. Anna was in heaven because she LOVES jump houses.

Happy Birthday Reed!

There she goes...

Even Kevin got in on the fun.

S#@*%+

Anna said her first dirty word today. Considering Kevin and I don't have the cleanest vocabulary, I'm surprised it took this long. :) Either way, we were at dinner and she was being really loud so we asked her to be quiet. She looked at Kevin and said, "Don't tell me to hush. You shut-up Daddy!" I realize this word is tame compared to others but Kevin and I were in shock because we've never heard her say anything like that. How could my sweet Anna say something so ugly? Who has taken over my childs body? Made me a little sad. But I'm sure when she's a teenager and talking back to us, I'll wish she was saying shut-up! Oh, the joys of parenthood.

It's Hot! I Need a Pool!

Our good friends, Eric and Paige, invited us over to their pool this weekend and as hot as it's been, it was much appreciated. Anna loves their kids, Emery and Reed. She talks about them all the time! Thought I'd post a few pics of her with her BFF's.

Emery and Anna had matching bikini's!

Anna and Reed enjoying a popcicle!

Thanks for letting us come over Horras'! Can't wait to do it again.

Lights... Camera... Action!

We took Anna to her very first movie over Memorial Day weekend. Since she loves all of the Shrek movies, we thought it would be fitting that her first movie experience be "Shrek Forever After". I was so excited to take her, maybe because I spent a lot of time at the movies when I was a kid or maybe because it was a "first" for her and I love being with her when she experiences something for the first time. Either way, Kevin and I were eager to see how she would be. We got there right as the previews were starting. It was dark and she wasn't a fan of that. She cried a little but she calmed down once the movie started. She stayed curled up in our arms the whole time, but she watched the entire movie without making a peep. She had a great time and I'm so glad I could share that with her.

We went to the UA Breckenridge Theater, the one I always went to when I was a kid (well sort of... the old one was torn down and this was built in it's place.)

Here's Anna and Daddy buying the movie tickets.

 

  I wasn't able to get a picture of Anna in the movie because it was too dark, but the memories are enough for us.

Avery's 5th Birthday Party

My niece Avery turned 5 years old this past Saturday, and she celebrated with a Princess Party! All of her cousins and friends came dressed as their favorite Princess, and everyone looked adorable! Anna looked so cute, I wanted her to keep her dress on all day!

Jacie, Avery and Maddy

Here's Christian, the only boy of the family (at least until Little Boy Hogland comes along). He's thinking "Princesses? YUCK!!"

 

Who wants CUPCAKES!!!

Happy Birthday Avery! We love you very much!

More fun with Anna...

The links below will take you to Cousin Lindsey's blog and there are some cute pics of the girls and even a few videos of Anna. Very cute!

Easter:
http://lindseyyarbrough.blogspot.com/2010/04/easter.html

Soccer:
http://lindseyyarbrough.blogspot.com/2010/04/more-saturday-soccer.html

Mothers Day 2010

Anna and I shared a GREAT Mothers Day together. Since Kevin had to work, we got in a little bonding time. Saturday we started our day at Krispy Kreme with donuts and chocolate milk. Yum!

  Then we did a little shoe shopping and spent some time in Old Navy. But the best part of the day was spent getting our toenails painted at my favorite nail salon. Anna's never been so I wasn't sure how she was going to react considering she won't let me get near her toes. But she LOVED it! She let them trim her nails, file them and paint them... HOT PINK! We had so much fun and I'm excited that I've found something girly to do with my little munchkin. In fact, I think I've created a monster because today she wanted me to paint her finger nails. Uh oh! But that's ok. Any chance to spend some quality time with her is well worth it!

 
 I love you Anna! I'm so proud to be your mommy. You made this day, and every day for that matter, so special.

 These stickers were from the card Anna gave me. She wanted me to wear it right away, and I was more than happy to.

  

Jump! Jump!

We had a crawfish boil at our house last weekend and our friends Eric and Paige let us borrow their bounce house to entertain the kids. Before returning it to them, we took advantage of it. Anna LOVES the bounce house. She had so much fun bouncing around and flying through the air. Gives me an idea for her next birthday....... :)

 

Look Ma! I Can Read!

Two of Anna's favorite thing are her books and her babies... and she loves to combine both. She takes all of her baby dolls, lays them out in the living room and covers them with a blanket. She then says "Go to sleep babies!" (very sternly I might add) Then she'll sit down and read to them. I'd like to think she's a genius and actually reading at the age of two, but I know she just has these books memorized. Nonetheless, it's still pretty impressive to me.

In the first video, she's reading "Little Boy Blue". Notice how she only knows a few words... "na na na na CORN... na na na THE END." However, you'll see she's a little better at "Little Miss Muffet".

The second video gives you a view into our world of sleeping babies. In case you have trouble figuring it out, she's reading them "Buckle My Shoe", "Pat-A-Cake", "Humpty Dumpty" and "Jack and Jill".