Eh. New Year's Eve Celebrations -- not so much in the Purdy household.
I was working .. hubby was on baby-watch...
We were finding it a challenge to explain what New Year's Eve is all about to our toddler.
Alexandra got it -- part of it, at least... that there was a big party going on with TONS of people everywhere .. and that she might hear fireworks if she wakes up in the middle of the night...
"Preseeennnnnts? Birthday?"
No ... and no ...
To her, that meant, who cares?!? Lol...
No matter -- great celebrations are to come!
Let's see ... next celebration -- oh wow ... mommy's, daddy's and her birthdays -- all within a week of each other!
Eek... #ExpensiveFewMonths
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Thursday, December 27, 2012
SCORE!!!!
WOO HOO! YEAH!!!
My husband, stepdaughter and I were doing a jig -- we NAILED our first real Christmas with our toddler Alexandra!
She was a little scared to venture into the living room to see what this whole Santa-left-presents-under-the-tree event was all about ...
But once she stood near all the presents -- she FREAKED... lol... in a good way. :)
Alex's big ticket item -- an electric Barbie jeep she can actually drive!
Yeah, she almost drove it into a ditch near our street... lol.
She found it sooo funny to stop-go-stop-go-stop-go-stop-go .. while we were trying to run along side her to help her steer.
Also got Alex a Leap Pad 2, which we call "her own iPad" ... so i can have mine back. lol!
Funny -- the best part about the day -- Alex was soo excited she got to keep her pajamas on!
Actually, we all did ... all ... day ... long. HAHAH!
Eww.
My husband, stepdaughter and I were doing a jig -- we NAILED our first real Christmas with our toddler Alexandra!
She was a little scared to venture into the living room to see what this whole Santa-left-presents-under-the-tree event was all about ...
But once she stood near all the presents -- she FREAKED... lol... in a good way. :)
Alex's big ticket item -- an electric Barbie jeep she can actually drive!
Yeah, she almost drove it into a ditch near our street... lol.
She found it sooo funny to stop-go-stop-go-stop-go-stop-go .. while we were trying to run along side her to help her steer.
Also got Alex a Leap Pad 2, which we call "her own iPad" ... so i can have mine back. lol!
Funny -- the best part about the day -- Alex was soo excited she got to keep her pajamas on!
Actually, we all did ... all ... day ... long. HAHAH!
Eww.
Baby sis hangin' out on big sis' Christmas present !!
Monday, December 24, 2012
Christmas Overload
'Twas the night before Christmas .... and we all went waaay overboard this year.
It's almost as though my husband, stepdaughter and i went out of our way to get just about every hot toy on about 15 different "top ten holiday gifts" list, all to give Alex an amazing Christmas she will most likely forget.. lol!
I got her a Leap Pad-2 (to get my own iPad away from her for good) ...
Daddy got her a motorized pink Barbie Jeep (Alex is not even into Barbie ... but it's SUCH a cool jeep!)
My stepdaughter got Alex an artist's easel -- it's 3 times bigger than she is.
Those were Alex big ticket items, amid the puzzles, princess accessories, and kid movies..
And Alex would've claimed the most popular Doc McStuffins doll if it weren't sold out, EV-ER-EE-WHERE.
Why, we went all out for a 2-and-1/2-year-old is beyond me...
-- except that she gets SO excited when she sees Christmas lights blinking at house after house after the sun goes down...
-- And she demands we play Christmas music in the car as she declares every song is about the baby Jesus (except for Rudolph and Frosty The Snowman, of course)
-- And she marches around the house with a pen and notepad, making her own "naughty and nice" list...
On second thought -- WE are so excited to see HER so excited tomorrow morning, because she actually GETS the concept of Christmas this year!!
Hm.
Wonder whose toy she'll like the best.... lol :)
It's almost as though my husband, stepdaughter and i went out of our way to get just about every hot toy on about 15 different "top ten holiday gifts" list, all to give Alex an amazing Christmas she will most likely forget.. lol!
I got her a Leap Pad-2 (to get my own iPad away from her for good) ...
Daddy got her a motorized pink Barbie Jeep (Alex is not even into Barbie ... but it's SUCH a cool jeep!)
My stepdaughter got Alex an artist's easel -- it's 3 times bigger than she is.
Those were Alex big ticket items, amid the puzzles, princess accessories, and kid movies..
And Alex would've claimed the most popular Doc McStuffins doll if it weren't sold out, EV-ER-EE-WHERE.
Why, we went all out for a 2-and-1/2-year-old is beyond me...
-- except that she gets SO excited when she sees Christmas lights blinking at house after house after the sun goes down...
-- And she demands we play Christmas music in the car as she declares every song is about the baby Jesus (except for Rudolph and Frosty The Snowman, of course)
-- And she marches around the house with a pen and notepad, making her own "naughty and nice" list...
On second thought -- WE are so excited to see HER so excited tomorrow morning, because she actually GETS the concept of Christmas this year!!
Hm.
Wonder whose toy she'll like the best.... lol :)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Finally -- Poopy in the Big Potty!
Wow, what an evening...
Today, Alex pooped in the "big potty" for the first time -- all by herself... literally!
Peeing on the big potty using her little toddler insert, has been fun for her.
We set the timer on the microwave, and when it goes off we pretend she's the only one who knows how to turn it off.
When she pushes the "off" button, we run with her to the potty to "hurry up and go" so we can give Alex one M&M.
We promised her an entire handful if she were to go poop in the potty.
Apparently M&M's are good, but not THAT good... lol.
Alex has refused to go poop in the big potty, and her little toddler potty --
The only place she'll go is in her diaper as she hides under the kitchen table or behind the living room couch, screaming "NO MOMMY, NOOOOO!!" when i see her heading that way and ask her if she wants to use the big potty to go poopy.
Soo frustrating -- until tonight.
I caught her under the kitchen table, pulling the chairs in toward her so she's more or less hidden from any of us.
My husband was on his way home, so I said, "Let's surprise daddy and go pee pee in the potty! -- Come on!"
Alex didn't say anything, so i scooped her up -- no protest from her! Hmmmm....
I ran to her bathroom, pulled down her training panties and sat her on the potty and suddenly Alex got quiet.
-- yeah, we stopped using diapers and just told her the diapers were all gone and that she's a big girl now --
Alex can reach the bathroom door while sitting on the big potty, so she ordered me to sit on the other side of the doorway .. and proceeded to slam the door shut as hard as she could.
Silence. For what felt like forever.
I couldn't believe she was in the bathroom by herself, sitting on the toilette.
"Can i open the door, Alex?" I asked as i knocked playfully on the door.
"Don't talk to me mama!" was my very stern answer... followed by a "Stop it, mommy!"
"Okaaayyy. Let me know when i can talk to you. Are you ok?"
"Stop it, moma!!!"
"Ok, sorry Alex."
Over the next 5 minutes, i would yell out to the dog .. or talk to baby Addison sitting in her swing next to me.. just so Alex heard my voice and knew i was still there.
I heard her whimper a couple of times, and that was it.
FINALLY, Alex announced that i could, "Open the door, mama!" and when i did, she timidly told me she had gone pee pee and .... poopy, she said -- with her voice trailing off.
Well, you'da though the girl had just parted the Red Sea the way I called her dad into the bathroom (perfect timing, he had just gotten home) and we clapped and cheered.
Alex was SO proud of herself. And we all talked about it for the rest of the evening, making up "we're so proud of you" songs ... and, "my big girl went poo poo in the potty!" songs and dances...
"M&M's" was all Alex could think of after washing her hands by herself at the sink (thanks to a Rubbermaid stool and a plastic water extender attached to the faucet) ..
We had been giving her just 1 M&M after she would pee on the big potty.
With her pooping -- she got to operate the M&M dispenser herself, and a good sized (adult) handful of the little candies came streaming out into a little bowl she carried around with her while dining on the chocolates.
We let Alex call grandma (manna) -- and Alex was "Princess Alex" the rest of the night -- at her request. lol....
And all it took was the thought of surprising daddy by going to the potty.
If that's not a daddy's girl! :)
Alex spent the rest of the evening attached to daddy at the hip, btw ... annoying for him i'm sure, but oh so cute!
Today, Alex pooped in the "big potty" for the first time -- all by herself... literally!
Peeing on the big potty using her little toddler insert, has been fun for her.
We set the timer on the microwave, and when it goes off we pretend she's the only one who knows how to turn it off.
When she pushes the "off" button, we run with her to the potty to "hurry up and go" so we can give Alex one M&M.
We promised her an entire handful if she were to go poop in the potty.
Apparently M&M's are good, but not THAT good... lol.
Alex has refused to go poop in the big potty, and her little toddler potty --
The only place she'll go is in her diaper as she hides under the kitchen table or behind the living room couch, screaming "NO MOMMY, NOOOOO!!" when i see her heading that way and ask her if she wants to use the big potty to go poopy.
Soo frustrating -- until tonight.
I caught her under the kitchen table, pulling the chairs in toward her so she's more or less hidden from any of us.
My husband was on his way home, so I said, "Let's surprise daddy and go pee pee in the potty! -- Come on!"
Alex didn't say anything, so i scooped her up -- no protest from her! Hmmmm....
I ran to her bathroom, pulled down her training panties and sat her on the potty and suddenly Alex got quiet.
-- yeah, we stopped using diapers and just told her the diapers were all gone and that she's a big girl now --
Alex can reach the bathroom door while sitting on the big potty, so she ordered me to sit on the other side of the doorway .. and proceeded to slam the door shut as hard as she could.
Silence. For what felt like forever.
I couldn't believe she was in the bathroom by herself, sitting on the toilette.
"Can i open the door, Alex?" I asked as i knocked playfully on the door.
"Don't talk to me mama!" was my very stern answer... followed by a "Stop it, mommy!"
"Okaaayyy. Let me know when i can talk to you. Are you ok?"
"Stop it, moma!!!"
"Ok, sorry Alex."
Over the next 5 minutes, i would yell out to the dog .. or talk to baby Addison sitting in her swing next to me.. just so Alex heard my voice and knew i was still there.
I heard her whimper a couple of times, and that was it.
FINALLY, Alex announced that i could, "Open the door, mama!" and when i did, she timidly told me she had gone pee pee and .... poopy, she said -- with her voice trailing off.
Well, you'da though the girl had just parted the Red Sea the way I called her dad into the bathroom (perfect timing, he had just gotten home) and we clapped and cheered.
Alex was SO proud of herself. And we all talked about it for the rest of the evening, making up "we're so proud of you" songs ... and, "my big girl went poo poo in the potty!" songs and dances...
"M&M's" was all Alex could think of after washing her hands by herself at the sink (thanks to a Rubbermaid stool and a plastic water extender attached to the faucet) ..
We had been giving her just 1 M&M after she would pee on the big potty.
With her pooping -- she got to operate the M&M dispenser herself, and a good sized (adult) handful of the little candies came streaming out into a little bowl she carried around with her while dining on the chocolates.
We let Alex call grandma (manna) -- and Alex was "Princess Alex" the rest of the night -- at her request. lol....
And all it took was the thought of surprising daddy by going to the potty.
If that's not a daddy's girl! :)
Alex spent the rest of the evening attached to daddy at the hip, btw ... annoying for him i'm sure, but oh so cute!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Refresher Survival Swim Lessons Are Over!
-- because we dropped out.
And I don't consider it a failure!
The good news: I have my playful, fun, curious and vibrant daughter back.
Where'd she go?
That Alexandra disappeared after the first week of refresher survival swim lessons.
As usual, she cried during her entire 10-minute lessons -- just like she did during the 2 months or so when she first learned how to roll over on her back, and hold onto the side of a pool (if she were to fall in)
But this time around -- she's expressing herself better and made it quite clear she wants nothing to do with the lessons.
I ignored her protests the first week ....
Then during the 2nd week, Alex's personality, her actions, demeanor -- everything changed.
She was taking lessons in the morning, but her protests would start the afternoon before --
* Alex stopped eating a good dinner; only consuming 1/2 of what she normally eats ... which would carry over into breakfast the next morning....
* Alex would whine all afternoon long -- fought hard every night about going to bed; because it meant swim lessons a couple hours after waking up...
* Alex was even crying -- and i mean to the point of hyperventilating HARD -- IN HER SLEEP, never waking up, but crying incessantly ... only stopping when my husband or I would tip-toe into her room and place a gentle hand on her back or forehead.
Funny -- when there was ever a thunderstorm and she realized we had to skip her lesson for the day, Alex would run around the house screaming, "We can't go!! We can't go, mama!! It raining outside!! We can't goooooooo!!!"
Which always ended with an "I love you" squeeze to my leg.
Ugh.
I could have put up with all of the protesting, because I really believe the survival swim lessons are important... but I can't let Alex go an entire week not eating well.
Alex was only 4 pounds, 10 ounces when she was born and has stayed very thin -- though she's growing vertically like a weed.
If she catches a cold and doesn't eat well for a couple days -- she loses weight, so you can imagine -- an entire week?!?!
Too much.
I hated breaking the news to her instructor Ms. Suzi, who was totally find with my decision.
It took a week for Alex to even go into another pool, and even then -- she cried when we put on the sunscreen, and only stayed on the top step for an entire hour.
It's been a couple weeks now.
Alex still protests when going into a pool .. but once she's in, she's having fun -- on her terms, of course.
And I don't consider it a failure!
The good news: I have my playful, fun, curious and vibrant daughter back.
Where'd she go?
That Alexandra disappeared after the first week of refresher survival swim lessons.
As usual, she cried during her entire 10-minute lessons -- just like she did during the 2 months or so when she first learned how to roll over on her back, and hold onto the side of a pool (if she were to fall in)
But this time around -- she's expressing herself better and made it quite clear she wants nothing to do with the lessons.
I ignored her protests the first week ....
Then during the 2nd week, Alex's personality, her actions, demeanor -- everything changed.
She was taking lessons in the morning, but her protests would start the afternoon before --
* Alex stopped eating a good dinner; only consuming 1/2 of what she normally eats ... which would carry over into breakfast the next morning....
* Alex would whine all afternoon long -- fought hard every night about going to bed; because it meant swim lessons a couple hours after waking up...
* Alex was even crying -- and i mean to the point of hyperventilating HARD -- IN HER SLEEP, never waking up, but crying incessantly ... only stopping when my husband or I would tip-toe into her room and place a gentle hand on her back or forehead.
Funny -- when there was ever a thunderstorm and she realized we had to skip her lesson for the day, Alex would run around the house screaming, "We can't go!! We can't go, mama!! It raining outside!! We can't goooooooo!!!"
Which always ended with an "I love you" squeeze to my leg.
Ugh.
I could have put up with all of the protesting, because I really believe the survival swim lessons are important... but I can't let Alex go an entire week not eating well.
Alex was only 4 pounds, 10 ounces when she was born and has stayed very thin -- though she's growing vertically like a weed.
If she catches a cold and doesn't eat well for a couple days -- she loses weight, so you can imagine -- an entire week?!?!
Too much.
I hated breaking the news to her instructor Ms. Suzi, who was totally find with my decision.
It took a week for Alex to even go into another pool, and even then -- she cried when we put on the sunscreen, and only stayed on the top step for an entire hour.
It's been a couple weeks now.
Alex still protests when going into a pool .. but once she's in, she's having fun -- on her terms, of course.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Long-Distance Grandma
It's gotta be tough for my mom, trying to spoil her first granddaughter from 850 miles away.
Mom's been doing pretty well though!
She asked what to get Alexandra for her birthday back in March.
Since we're in the "I can feed myself!" phase, I told my mom to send a couple of cheap, cute 2-year-old outfits (to replace alll the cheap, cute clothes she has that now have food stains all over them.. lol!)
Yeah.
My mom basically went crazy at her local flea market, and bought Alex an entire Spring wardrobe! -- super cheap and super cute!
This time, when she recently asked if she could get something special for Alex, I suggested some musical sing-a-long CDs which Alex really enjoys.
My mom called last night to say she picked up some of those, and some kids' videos, specifially the Davey and Goliath Christian stories that teach good manners.
Yeeeeeaaaah. LOL!
Not that I don't appreciate the latter addition .... but, Alex has come to like (and by 'like', i mean 'obsess over') the fast-paced, brightly-colored animation of videos like the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She is totally bored by shows like Mr. Rodgers and Sesame Street- shows i grew up on! :(
If you're familiar with the Davey and Goliath stories -- I think they're claymation creations, where their movements are very choppy and primitive.
I'll still show them to Alex... just hope my mom isn't disappointed with Alex's reaction.
Mom's been doing pretty well though!
She asked what to get Alexandra for her birthday back in March.
Since we're in the "I can feed myself!" phase, I told my mom to send a couple of cheap, cute 2-year-old outfits (to replace alll the cheap, cute clothes she has that now have food stains all over them.. lol!)
Yeah.
My mom basically went crazy at her local flea market, and bought Alex an entire Spring wardrobe! -- super cheap and super cute!
This time, when she recently asked if she could get something special for Alex, I suggested some musical sing-a-long CDs which Alex really enjoys.
My mom called last night to say she picked up some of those, and some kids' videos, specifially the Davey and Goliath Christian stories that teach good manners.
Yeeeeeaaaah. LOL!
Not that I don't appreciate the latter addition .... but, Alex has come to like (and by 'like', i mean 'obsess over') the fast-paced, brightly-colored animation of videos like the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She is totally bored by shows like Mr. Rodgers and Sesame Street- shows i grew up on! :(
If you're familiar with the Davey and Goliath stories -- I think they're claymation creations, where their movements are very choppy and primitive.
I'll still show them to Alex... just hope my mom isn't disappointed with Alex's reaction.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Help Preparing for Baby #2
Welp... done a ton of research ... and talked to friends ... and friends of friends ...
Yes, my husband and I will need a double stroller.
I'll figure out a way to convince him later. :)
Okay, so in the running were the Peg Perego, Kolcraft and Citi Mini.
All waaay too expensive, but the easiest to maneuver and store for a mom who may find herself running out on errands solo with a 2-year-old and newborn.
The winner -- (drum roll please) -- the Citi Mini 2011 Double Stroller !!! By an overwhelming majority.
I say the 2011 model because it's cheaper than the 2012 ... though not by much I've found.
Anyone have a used one here on the First Coast they'd like to sell?
Also looking for some advice on baby monitors.
The one we have (which saved me from having to have Alexandra sleep with us when she was born) has been great!
It's a Summer brand model, but with so much use by so many different people at our home (family, sitters, etc) ... it's starting to short circuit ... and the company no longer sells it, so no 2nd camera for baby #2.
Any suggestions?
I'd like another monitor equipped with audio and video and multiple camera capability... though I'm sure Alexandra will be climbing out of her big-girl-bed when she's done sleeping so no need to really monitor her ... buuuuttt .... mommy can't help it. :)
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