Good to know

If your baby ever mistakes your cell phone for a teething ring and proceeds to soak it with drool, rest assured there is a solution for your now, broken cell phone. 

The fridge.

I know it sounds weird, but a night in the fridge will rid that phone of the unwanted drool and it will be just like new.

Ask me how I know.

And if anyone feels the need to talk to me on the phone, you now will be able to hear me.  Whew.


P.S.  Have you noticed I have been a little MIA?  No?  Well, I have.  I have currently run out of picture space on my blog, which is creating quite the problem.  Don't worry, I am attending to that problem and soon you will have picture filled posts coming your way.

Halloween

Halloween 2012 has come and gone, but it sure was fun!  The girls had a blast and it hands down was the best Wyoming weather we have EVER had.  (We're talking about trick or treating with no coats.  Not even a jacket either!)

This year's Halloween costumes were somewhat low-key.  I had envisioned coordinating costumes for the girls.  In fact, for quite sometime I wanted them to be Rapunzel and Pascal, but something in me intervened and decided I should ask Alayna what she wanted to be.  Who am I to choose for her?  

And guess what?  She wanted to be a ballerina.  (She even already had an outfit from our dress up barrel in mind, which was a win-win for my checkbook.)  This came as no shock to me since Angelina Ballerina has been a favorite around here for awhile now.

And when I asked what Brylen should be, Alayna insisted her being a ballerina as well. (After all, Angelina Ballerina has a little sister.) Who am I to argue the simple pleasures of a child?

So, ballerinas they were.

Lucky for us, they had several occasions to wear their costumes for.

Here are the girls after the tri-ward halloween social kids 5 and under. 

Alayna, practicing her twirling.

Gotta love this girl.

And this girl too.  They make beautiful ballerinas.

Getting ready to go trick or treating at Daddy's work.  (She loved getting all dolled up.  Especially the make-up.  She asked everyday for a couple days following Halloween if she got to put my make-up on again.  Um, no.  Four-year-olds don't get to wear make-up on a daily basis. Sorry.)

Costume, pictures and a teething baby just don't mix.  Ask me how I know.

But somehow I did manage to get a smile.

LOVE this!  

And a few close-ups of the littlest ballerina.

She even knows how to put her arms out to the side like a ballerina.

And look how flexible she is too.

Alayna wanted a turn in the lime light as well.  (Notice those bandaids.  She got six shots the day before Halloween.  And Brylen had four.  Poor girls.)

Now, on to the sorting.  What's Halloween candy without sorting.  

Pumpkins

This year we went to a small makeshift pumpkin patch in our town to pick out our pumpkins.  Alayna loved looking at all the different pumpkins to choose from.  But it didn't take her long to choose one.

Brylen was content to sit and watch in her seat.

Then the following week, the pumpkin carving commenced.

Layna was a great helper. In fact, she insisted on doing most of it herself. 

This girl is not afraid to get dirty.  She even attacked it with both hands.

Showing Mommy all the seeds.

Brylen seemed to enjoy the carving from her seat.

Showing off her pumpkin.  She came up with her pumpkin's face all on her own.  She was quite proud.

And Daddy's pumpkin. Pretty good, huh?  

4 sweet years

Four years.  FOUR years!  This little girl has been a part of our family for FOUR years.  And we absolutely adore her and her sweet n' sassy personality.

The weekend before her birthday we went to Grandma and Grandpa L's house to have a party with some of her cousins, aunts and uncles and of course Grandma and Grandpa.  It's been awhile since we have had the option to celebrate with family, so we jumped at the chance.

She was in heaven and had been talking about her birthday for weeks.  She knew she was turning four "just like Easton" (her cousin). 

This year she only made a few requests for her birthday.  She wanted there to be pink, ice cream and a round cake.  Little did she know that totally made this mom's day.  I can do that.  So that is what we did.  We had a pink party with a round birthday cake and ice cream.  I am so glad these little ones are so easy to please.  It's my philosophy that as parents, we might as well keep things simple as long as the kids will let us.  Why stress yourself out with huge, elaborate parties when the kids are just as happy with a simple one?

The birthday girl with her pink, round cake.  I think it's safe to say, she was pleased.

A close up of the cake.  Probably the easiest cake I have made yet.  I told Dan that she will be getting this same birthday cake every year.  It was that easy. (Sadly, that probably won't happen.)

Blowing out the candles.

Now, the presents.  Of course she was spoiled!  She loved everything she got.  And might I add, that this age was SO fun to shop for.  I loved it!  She knows what she wants and there are some pretty fun stuff for kids nowadays.  I would have killed for some of those toys when I was her age.

Why hello Brylen.  She definitely was enjoying the festivities as well.

Mom and Dad gave her Prince Eric.  

She was in love.  :)

Some of the decorations.  Simple, but got the job done.

We spent Alayna's actual birthday at home.  The night before, some of Dan's family came for another party.  (I know.  She's one spoiled girl.)  She couldn't believe that she got TWO birthdays.  In fact, it kind of confused her.  I tried to explain after her first party that she wasn't really four yet, but that didn't go over too well.  Then she figured she was turning five at her next party.  (Wow. That year went by in a week. :) 

So finally we settled for turning four twice.  

Here she is on her actual birthday.  We had to get donuts with sprinkles for breakfast.

And here she is at her second party.  This time we made cake pops.  (They fulfilled all the requirements.  They are pink. And round.)  

They were a hit!  Can you tell?

Blowing out the candle.

Opening presents again.  She was spoiled.  Again.

Some of her favorites.  Princesses, ballerinas, and barbies all in one.   You can't get much better than that.

And some more pink.

 

Oh how we love this four year old!  She brightens our lives everyday and we are so grateful she's in our family!

6 months

People reading the preschool posts, can you just indulge this mom for a minute and let me take a break from the serious stuff and talk about my kiddos?  I promise, the last preschool post is in the works.  It will be here shortly.

But I simply HAVE to talk about this SIX (practically seven) month old!

This sweet girl has been with us for half a year already.  My grandma always said that it really takes about six months to get adjusted to having to a new little member in the family.  And I would say she is about right.  Time has flown by, yet it's hard to remember life without this cutie.

Some big things have happened this last month.  Like getting a tooth, moving up from the bassinet to the crib (I know.  It was a long time, but I think our bassinet we have is extra big.), and learning how to sleep without being swaddled.

First.  Her tooth.  If you look close, you can see this little lady's tooth on the bottom right.

That tooth has created a lot of chewing...

And a lot more crying/whining than normal.  She has wanted to be held a lot more and just hasn't quite been herself lately.  And when I say lately, I mean like an entire month.  

And just as she started to get back to her regular sleeping schedule and her smiley demeanor, another tooth has shown itself.  Sheesh.

Along with the whining, Brylen has started making a loud screech/scream when she wants something.  If we don't respond to her in a time that she thinks is reasonable, she will just get louder and louder.  I do have to say, when this girl has her mind set on something, she does not deter 'til she gets whatever it is she wants.  Hmmmm, I think it's safe to say this mother and daughter are cut from the same mold.  :)

This last month we have retired the swing and moved on up to bigger and better things.  The bouncer toy.  And boy, does she love it!  The first day I put her in it, she was entertained for a good hour.  

We have found that she prefers to stand and see all the action instead of lying on the floor, so this toy is perfect.  It has allowed me to get many a thing done.   Thank goodness!  With the teething going on, this little girl has NOT been napping well at all.  In fact, it has really tried my patience! (to say the least)  Apparently she thinks 30-40min naps are sufficient.  And I have been trying to fill her in that they are NOT sufficient at all.  If you ever want to feel like you can't get anything done, try having a baby that doesn't nap.  Lets hope that we will get the napping situation under control soon so I can get some things done.

But don't worry, it's not all whining that goes on here.  We do manage to get some smiles and giggles out of her.  Alayna has the best record for getting Brylen to laugh.

And another first.  Eating solids.  

We found out at her doctor's appointment that she is in the 1st percentile for weight (12 lbs 8 oz) and the 61st percentile for height (26 1/2 in).  Yep.  She dropped from the 2nd to the 1st in weight.  I was sure she gained enough weight to bump her up more than that, but no.  So now the doctors are really pushing the calories.  

I am supposed to get her to eat as much as I can.  While she nurses great, she's still trying to get the hang of eating the solids.  She is starting to eat better, but is not great yet.  

She sure is cute with her bib on and ready to eat for the first time though.

While teething has not been the funnest, we still are so in love with this sweet little girl and are SO glad she is part of our family.

Preschool-part one

*Before we delve into this post, I want to clarify that what I am about to write is my opinion.  Some of you may agree, some may disagree and that is fine with me.  Take away what you like.

[This will be the first of two posts about preschool at home.]

I had a few requests for posting each preschool lesson I do, but since Alayna and I have "school time" everyday, I don't think that will be a reality.  Occasionally I will post some things we have done, but not everyday.

I have really been thinking a lot about what I could say that would be helpful in this post.  So, I decided to ask my former co-worker who is a kindergarten teacher (and one of the best kindergarten teachers ever, might I add) what she thought parents/preschool teachers needed to teach their kids before entering kindergarten.  She told me they had just recently had a staff meeting about kindergarten readiness and everyone agreed that they wished preschools/parents would focus more on social skills and self-help skills.  She said preschools are focusing more on academics and possibly overlooking the importance of these other skills.

Let me just say, I totally agree!  Since this specific post is more about doing some sort of "school" at home, let's focus on that.  I have views on preschool as well and I could talk about that some as well, but let's save that for later.  

So, in reference to my co-worker's response, I think that the majority of what we should teach our kids revolves around the social and self-help skills.  In order for our kids to be successful in kindergarten/school, they need to know how to socialize with others and do things for themselves.  They need to be somewhat independent.

Sometimes as a parent, I find this hard.  I am a little bit (or maybe a lot at times) of a perfectionist.  I like things done a certain way.  So when it comes to letting my little ones be independent, it can be a bit of a struggle. In fact, I constantly remind myself to let things go.  I need to let Alayna learn things for herself and explore.  I am afraid my leash is a bit too tight (so to speak) at times. But over the last couple years, I have really been trying to let go some.

For Kindergarten teachers, having kids that are able to do things for themselves is such a help.  It is inevitable that as teachers we will be zipping coats, tying shoes, and fixing other problems throughout the day.  But if your child knows how to do many of these skills, all the better.

Let's talk about what us parents are responsible for.  When it comes to helping our children learn social and self help skills, it really falls on our shoulders as the parent.

So, what should we do?  Well, I'll tell you a few of the main things.  

-Give your kids responsibility.

-Make sure they know how to use the restroom independently as well as washing their hands after.

-Encourage them to dress themselves.  Give them the choice of what to wear.  Let them learn how to make decisions on their own.  This is something that you can start when they are young, but helps them learn how to make a choice.

-Give your child chores.  When children have chores, they learn responsibility.  They learn how to complete a task on their own and they learn consequences for their actions as well.  Alayna has had chores for quite sometime now, but we just started a simple sticker chart system recently (for chores) that has gone well.   When her chart is filled up, she gets rewarded for all her hard work.  But she also has learned several lessons about the consequences of her choices.  She is free to complete her chores as fast or as slow as she wants, but until they are done, there is no electronics (computer, tv, etc.) and she cannot go to a friends house or got to something fun like story time at the library until all chores are complete.  (I know this seems basic, but it's SO helpful.)  Learning to have responsibility helps in the classroom on SO many levels.  Kids need to know how to take charge and be responsible for their actions.

-Make sure your child knows how to listen and follow directions.  I know.  Easier said than done, right.  While it is our responsibility as parents to reprimand our children when they do not listen and follow directions, I believe it is more important to offer praise to them when they do.  I have noticed children respond well to praise, especially those rule breakers.  In the classroom, one way I liked to get those children who were off task, back on, was by complimenting those children who were following instructions.  Kids thrive on praise.  They want to be praised.  

-Teach your child to be still.  This is a biggie.  Kids need to be able to sit still (for longer than 5 minutes).  This can be practiced starting at a young age.  So much anymore kids do not want to sit still or some of them can't sit still.  Most likely it's the first.  But unless we teach them, they won't know how.  We can't let them run around when it's time to be still and just assume that they will learn this on their own.  How do we do this?  Start at a young age and start with short amounts of time and work up.  Having something like story time is a great way to teach this.

-Make sure your child is respectful to adults.  It's sad that this is more of an issue than you think.  It is so important that respect is shown to adults.

Now, onto developing those social skills.

We should look for social opportunities for our children.  There are many options out there for social interactions.  For example: Playgroups/play dates, story time at the library, playing at the park, organized activities like sports or dance, church, events in the community, just to name a few.

It's important that our kids learn how to interact with other children.

They will learn valuable things such as sharing, taking turns, being kind, and dealing with conflict.

Now, you probably are all rolling your eyes at me and thinking duh, Erica!  Why would I not do all these things with my child before I send them to Kindergarten?  But let me just tell you from experience, you would be surprised at how many children do not have these skills.  It's sad.  And kind of scary.

Social and self-help skills are imperative for children to thrive in school as well as in life.

Next up, a post more about the academics.  I will give you a little peek into our "school at home" and give a few tips for determining what kinds of things to teach your kids as well as what kinds of activities are "school worthy".  

A little more detail

Why hello, blogging friends.  I have been a little MIA.  And really not for any reason other than the fact that I can't seem to get the things on my to-do list done.  And apparently blogging falls to the bottom of the list.

I want to blame my lack of accomplishing things on the fact that my baby is teething and she will.not.let.me.put.her.down.  Seriously.  Every time I lay her down, she just whines and cries.  And the second I pick her up, she is happy as a lark.  What a stinker.  Alayna says, "Mom, I think Brylen is not happy because her teeth are growing up."  Well, these teeth better hurry and "grow up" already.

Now, let's talk about the fam.  We are doing great.  We are really enjoying Rock Springs.  Gasp. 

 I know, I know.  Can you believe we are actually liking "Rock Bottom"?(As we have heard it called.)  We are LOVING the fact that Dan is home WAY more and the fact that he works like three blocks away.  Seriously.  His commute has gone from an hour (one way) to a minute.  Yep.  That's a pretty drastic change.  And we are loving it. 

Dan is really enjoying his job.  The people he works with are really nice and the atmosphere is a lot more positive than at the mine.  He is loving his schedule and the fact that he doesn't work shift work anymore.  No more waking up at the crack of dawn or working in the middle of the night.  I think his body is almost fully recovered.  He says he really feels like he gets to see us so much more and he feels more a part of everything.

Alayna is adjusting to life here pretty well.  The hardest part for her probably has been the weather, but I think she is becoming more accustomed to the cold. (And it hasn't even really been cold yet.)  Although, you can tell she has not lived in cold places much because we bought her a coat and she calls it her "snow jacket."  Everything is a jacket.  She hasn't really had much need for a heavy coat the last couple of years.  She has made some friends here.  We live in a young ward so there are A LOT of kids her age.  We also are in a play group once a week where she gets to play with six other kids her age.  She is really enjoying that.  But she also still talks about her Arizona friends ALL THE TIME.  We talk about how they live in Arizona and we live in Wyoming now.  And then she proceeded to tell me one day, "Mom, when we are done with this house and we go back to Arizona...."  We had a little talk about how we probably won't be "done with this house" for awhile.  And we probably won't get to go back to Arizona for a really long time.  Bless her heart.  She loved Arizona.  

Brylen is doing well (other than the fact that she is a grouch due to teething).  She is going through a growth spurt lately.  It will be interesting to see how much she weighs at her doctors appointment.  She LOVES her sister and thinks everything she does is funny.  It is so fun to watch her watch Alayna.  It is no secret that Brylen adores Alayna.  (And vice versa.)  They are interacting more and more, and this mama is loving it!  It does every mom's heart good when their children play together.

As for me, I am adjusting to life here.  Overall I am loving it.  Every now and then I have a twinge of sadness when I think about Arizona, but that is to be expected when you move.  Our ward seems nice, and I have met several nice people.  The biggest adjustment for me has been our schedule.  Where I used to have 14-16 hours to complete my to-do list, I now have 8.  How do you moms do it?  Some days I wonder what I have accomplished.  My to-do list seems to get longer and longer and I can't seem to keep up.  I wonder why it is so different for me here.  I think it is the shortened days.  I also had a lot more night time hours where children were in bed and I had time to get things done uninterrupted.  But we are making it work.  I wouldn't change it for the world.  School time with Alayna has also been keeping me busy lesson planning and teaching.  We are loving it.  I am loving the one on one time together.  (By the way, I am going to post some preschool "stuff" soon, but I have to admit, I am a bit nervous.  I don't have anything profound to say and I am afraid you might not find it helpful.  Nonetheless, I will do my best to make it somewhat interesting.  But I am not promising anything.)