Nov/Dec 2010... 2 1/2 yrs old... more funny stuff she says

holding her bunny and "his daddy" (a gorilla)

"Dear Jesus, Thank you for my oatmeal... and the yucky..."  Yucky is what I call my concoction of Vit. C drink, apple cider vinegar and probiotic drink, and in an effort to get her to stop wanting it I call it yucky juice.  She got ahold of it one day and decided it wasn't yucky.  Now I make her a cup too and she still calls it yucky.

"Say thank to Mommy, Daddy!"  she demands as we sit and eat breakfast.  I guess she's used to him telling her to thank Mommy for making the food.

"I ask ga-ma for mo boo-berry sauce"

I went to get her one morning and the first things she said was, "Danelle (Danielle) didn't get my banket (blanket)."  Evidently, when Danielle was babysitting the night before she thought the one blanket she had in her bed was enough, but MaryAlice didn't agree.  She went on further as Danielle came back that day and as soon as she walked in the door she said, "You didn't get by banket... I cry."  She isn't one to be distracted by a mere 12 hours of sleep. 

"unco, want to cuddle Aiya?"

I used to sneak out of the house when I would go out because it seemed that she dealt better with the fact that I was gone than me leaving.  Now she isn't so easily swayed and I don't like to just leave as she is getting older I want her to be able to say goodbye.  After leaving one night and not wanting the drama I snuck out.  Danielle said she was a bit upset, but got over it quickly like normal, but the next morning she says, "Why you leave me?... I cry" 

"NO! NO! NO MOMMY! NO! NO! NO! YOU NO SPANK ME! I CRYING!"  She's taken to yelling at me when she gets popped and put in time out. 

"Mommy, open gate for me!" she says.  "Not quite yet. I'm need to finish up here and then I'll help you," I reply calmly.  "I say OPEN GATE.  Now I spank you!"  she says less than calmly :)

"You say, 'Yes sir' to Aiya!"  she tells her bear in a stern voice.

"Ganpa, give me money"  MaryAlice stated matter-of-factly to Grandpa as he got into the car (she's never asked for money from anyone until now)

"Belle, Hold me like a baby"

As Miss Danielle comes in the house MaryAlice exclaims, "I get to watch my movie now!" 

my funny girl

"MaryAlice, where is your cup?" I asked. 
"I threw it on the floor... I was mad,"  she says matter of factly.

"Sing Jesus Loves Me" I asked MA.
"Jesus Loves me... that's the book for me," she replies with not even a hint of singing.

"I've had it with B (I B) L E" she stated when asked to sing the B I B L E

"Why are you crying MaryAlice?" I asked.  "Da-ma (grandma) spank me!" she sobs.  To which grandma's puzzled remark was, "I didn't spank her."  "She slapped my lap!" she accuses back at grandma.  "I removed her from my face when she was trying to sit on it," grandma says.

Aiya had an owie on her arm and all that is left is a skin discoloration.  We had Miss Megan over last night and this morning she was looking at her arm and said, "Did Miss Megan take my owie away?"

Miss Megan was dating our friend Mr Oliver, but broke up about a month ago.  Last night MA randomly asks Megan, "You sleep with Mr. Oliver?"  Then she is trying to pull her up and says, "Do you want to see Mr. Oliver?"  Where does she come up with these.  It was a bit awkward, but what do you do?

She's asking me for a sticker... (she's referring to my Carefree pantiliner)

"That boy looks mad," MaryAlice says as she points to a picture of Obama.

Mr. "Pim"

Mr. Tim (she called him Pim for a long time) has been a favorite friend of MaryAlice's for quite awhile now.  Tim is a college student from our church and was part of our missional community for over a year.  I had to post these cute pics of her playing with Tim when he and Mr. Oh-i-ver (Oliver) were over for dinner one night.  MaryAlice is quite fond of Oliver too, but for some reason I didn't get a pic of them together yet. 

funny quotes of the week

"I'm funny, Annabelle," MA says.

"MaryAlice, did you take the pictures out of the book when Mommy told you not to?"  Daddy asked.

"Ya, don't spank me Daddy," she says.

"I will spank you when you disobey Mommy"

"I'll cry"

"Go in timeout." Daddy says as he tries not to laugh :)

"Hi, I'm Aiya; nice to meet you."

"Yuk! MaryAlice just spit out her burger!" Ian said.
"I don't want burger; you be quiet," she says back to him.

"MaryAlice, come here!" Daddy calls from the other room.
"You be quiet; I'm making you food," she replies as if it's natural to tell daddy to be quiet.

After brushing some knots out of her hair she looks at me from across the room and says,
"Don't hurt my hair; it make me mad!"

I evidently bumped her finger unbenounced to me.  After Daddy consoled her she came over to me and said,
"Don't hurt my finger; I spank you!"

"Mr Oliver is coming over to eat with us," Daddy says.
"I yike (like) to eat dinner with Mr. Oh-i-ver

my diva

This girl gets into stuff like no other (I've had)!  In some respects I've been a parent who deals with such uncommon stuff on a crazy scale, but in other ways I've bypassed the "normal."  If you have more than one kid you realize the uniquness of them all!  Abby... there are no words.  We work overtime and then some and will continue that long after most parents send their kids off, but not ready to go there today. 

Annabelle just wouldn't get into much, and if she did we only had to tell her once and it needn't be repeated again.  We didn't even use gates in a house with four seperate sets of stairs.  We just told her she needed to have someone with her when she went upstairs and that was it.  She wouldn't wander away either.  She understood safety, I thought.

MaryAlice is a different animal.  She was left unattended because she was in a sick Belle's care and got into my make-up.  She did a surprisingly good job with it too.  She actually had the mascara on her upper eye lashes!  The lips are another matter, but worth a good laugh all the same.

Now this morning she found some hair bows and wanted all of them in her hair!  What a goof!  She is so entertaining!

grocery store daycare



look at that face!

 What do you think of the grocery store daycare centers for shoppers, of course?  Think about your answer for a minute because your answer will forever define you as a parent!!!

(...sorry for the interruption, but it happens around here)
"Do you have to go potty?" I know it's only been a few minutes, but I'm like a stinking broken record over here...
"Do you need to go potty?"
"Get treat...??"
"go big potty, get treat?"
"Are you sure you don't have to go?"
"You need to go big poops?"
"Get two treats? (poop is a weighted accomplishment here)"

I know you want to visit...  this mantra is exhilirating! 
I do have a college degree!
I'M A BIG DEAL!
I'M A BIG DEAL!

"Here blow your nose with a wipe," I say because I don't want to move from my perch on the couch today.  Yes, she has my cold, and no, I'm not feeling very good today.  There will be more play-by-play as the day continues!

Back to the grocery daycare play area.  I gave you some time to process.  If you've carefully formulated your opinion than you can proceed to my opinion (as of a few days ago since my opinion depends on the day... and of course my mood):

They are a gift from the design brilliance of a talented MOM! 
OK close your eyes for a minute and picture this mommy utopia...

shopping alone without someone screaming for every item in the store that either you don't want her to have, or better yet something like SPAM that you know she won't even like!  She gets to run around and get out her energy instead of being strapped into a cart where she is like a ticking time bomb for the ride home of pure joy.  NO!  this wonderful room is full of fun and it is highly... educational, right?  She GETS to learn to play with other kids... sure, I'll hang on to that it's good for her,.  It's about her- not me! 

I'm a better mom when I can process through meals for the week in a logical manner rather than running like a crazy woman who won a two minute shopping spree throwing anything within reach into my cart hoping it will come together in the form of a healthy meal?!?!!  Yes, now that's crazy.  Those play areas are sanity savers.  They should rename them.  I'll send them (the grocery store gurus) the memo (I'M A BIG DEAL).

For your reading enjoyment I'll post my thoughts from 10 years ago (as well as my opinion on a good mommy day) when I pushed around "Baby Jesus" (that's what we called Abby because she was the best baby... ever.  She rarely fussed... she lacked the energy or ability we know now, but even so she was good- that's the point here)....

"What kind of mom needs to put her kid in a cage while she shops? 
You can't keep the kid with you for the fifteeen minutes it takes to get through the store (that was only me with 'Baby Jesus', remember?)
Can you imagine all the germs in there?  Despicable to even think of exposing one's kid to that place!
It's from the depths of hell created by a terrible mom who hates her kids!
What kind of sick person probably works there?  It's got to be a pedophile at best!
I would never put my child at risk in such a place!!!!"

put shoes on...

"Did you put your shoes on by yourself?" I said as I switched the focus from potty training to anything else we CAN do.  I know what you're thinking... Impressive move, right? 

I'm a big deal in case you missed the memo  (I like to write it often in case I forget)

"Let's count," I say.  "No 1-2-3, Mommy,"  she says in a oh-so-normal-not-to-count voice.

"Let's say our ABC's," I say back in my own we-do-this-all-the-time voice. 
To which she responds, "No say ABC's Mommy."

Sooo... learning isn't her thing.  Is that okay?  Maybe for now.  Maybe for a two year old. 

Unique is the word I have today.  Entertaining and unique she is!  I don't know how I get anything done around here because she is a ball of laughs most of the time.

As she finished her SECOND bowl, yes her second bowl of cereal this morning she says, "I don't like cereal and milk (keep in mind she didn't want oatmeal, but requested cereal).  I spit it out."  Oh, Yes!  She was spittin it... around!

Yesterday we were on our way out of the house to meet "friends" I told her because I know she likes to play with the friends and this gets her moving.  She says, "Go see my friend Mara...and the other Mara?" 

They're twins... and they aren't both Mara (for those of you who are a bit slower).  I wonder what she thinks about two of someone...

(shuffle... shuffle... bang!)  the toilet seat is being banged... "Do you need to go potty?"  I call sort of half heartedly from the couch since I'm pretty sure she's just announcing that she's wet rather than she has to go.

"Yes!" she says.  I go in there and to my surprise she's dry.  I set her up there... and she goes!  I'd like to celebrate, but don't want to overexcite myself!!!  You see, I was sick Friday through Sunday (Like in the hospital sick... pathetic, but reality), so diapers were put back on and all my work is gone... diminished.  I'm totally not being over daramatic, right? 

I'm a stay-at-home mom and besides eating bon-bons, I potty train...

I'M A BIG DEAL
I'M A BIG DEAL
I'M A BIG DEAL

Potty Training: day 4

this ain't your average kid! 

This is now our potty training week!  I'm praying it clicks soon.  She wet two pair of underwear yesterday, yet we still left the house for my sanity.  I planned to hunker down for two or three days, but all week?  Come on!!!  I wanted to watch a JV soccer game between Hermantown and Cloquet because we knew girls playing on both teams!  It was a bit cold, but fun.   We broke out the diaper rather than having to clean up panties out in public.  I wondered what we would do if she told me she needed to go and there was no place available.  It's not like she can hold it.  We should've waited another month where everything we do is indoors, but then again an accident wets through so much more when there are layers involved. 

It's off my radar to take so long.  I've always known that Belle spoils me because she's so responsible, but this is down right funny!  She may be taking awhile, but it's an adventure!  I'm planning to hit it today and tomorrow and then we'll head back to casual training if needed.  That's the plan today, but who knows what will happen next week.

"Do you need to go potty," I asked. "No need to go big potty.  No want M & Ms,"  she says.  Yesterday she'd hop on the toilet with the mere suggestion of a treat.  Today she doesn't want one.  New treats?  11:30 and she's still dry, so maybe she really doesn't have to go.  I'm headed upstairs to the carpeted area.  One can only spend so much time downstairs.  I have plenty to do in both places, but my agenda was my room, so here it goes. I may be scrubbing my carpets next!!!!

After her nap she got up and said, "I don't need to go big potty"  then she proceeded to go on the floor.  Got new panties and now has gone on the toilet three times.  I'm ready to hang it up for the evening... we'll see how ambitious we are.  I'm thinking to let her go until she wets and then put on a diaper for bed.

Will she make it to bedtime? 

Potty Training: Day 3

I had never thought it would take this long since Belle was a champ, but here we go to day 3. We're hoping to get out of the house tomorrow, so I have high hopes for today. I have to admit that evenings are a bit of a wash, so yesterday was largely successful in that she stayed dry all morning, but she has yet to tell me she has to go before she wet.  I just got better yesterday about asking her more often.

Maybe I'm the one who needs the potty training...

I put her in cute clothes again today.  I'm much more patient when she looks so adorable!  She fits into her clothes much better too without the diaper!

should've put on the diaper.  i was getting a bit cocky again.  down to earth.  two wet panties... one money pair and one whale.  both are wet and she could care less.  tried to let her sit in the pee for a few minutes.  don't call DSS yet, they'll just bring her back to me since we're still liscenced foster parents!!!!  I usually rush to change her by making a big deal out of how awful it feels to be wet.  Obviously, she disagrees with the horrific reality of walking in pee. 

She assumed the Sumo wrestling position and proceeded to sit in her pee on the front lawn (we were outside having a picnic lunch when we were assaulted my pee) and finish her lunch.  She was perfectly happy to sit around in wet drawers until I could find dry clothes for her. 

She's down for a nap and we're tied 2 for her and 2 for me.  I want to think the "going on the potty" would be wins for her, but I'm starting to think they're all mine due to the simple fact that if I don't ask her to go in the "big potty" she's perfectly content to drown any clothes she has on along with anything that happens to be beneath her.  Luckily today we caught one pee before it wet everything and she finished on the toilet... that's improvement... right?  I'm not sure who I'm trying to convince?  Certainly not her!  The other full on pee fest just watered the lawn thanks to some decent picnic weather. 

Potty Training: Day 2

Day two opens with a happy girl who is naked in her bed.  I thought I should start with the video because it displays our previous potty training experiences.  This was actually from about a month or so ago when she took her diaper off and "monkeyed" her poo!  She greeted me this morning naked with her diaper off and it reminded me of this day.  Fortunately she didn't go in her crib this morning, and went on the potty!!!!

1. 
   
   It's 10:30 and we've gone on the "Big potty" twice with NO accidents!  YAY!  Not so much juice today (diarrhea last night). 
2. through lunch w/o an accident... hmmm maybe she's getting it
3. no nap- "mom, she stinks!" Belle yells as she goes to get her
4. I went out to the gardent.  "oh no.  Aiya wet Dora," she says.  She was super excited about her winter Dora jammies, so we thought she might tell me when she had to go instead of me reminding her like I did all day... didn't happen
5. She started stripping down just before bed and said, "Aiya need to go big potty"  What she meant to say was that she already went and needed a clean diaper... on to day three of potty training. 

potty training diary: Day 1

she looks super cute for a reason!

Casual potty training method (we've tried this the past few weeks).  We did the intense method with Annabelle, but she was trained before dinner so I haven't taken this seriously and we're a month at it at this point and no closer to training when we started.  I was a bit cocky and not wanting to devote a few summer days to training:

1. let's try running around naked because most kids won't pee on themselves:  "oh no! Aiya pee on floor!" she says.
2. let's try training panties because then she'll feel wet:  "Aiya go big potty," she says as she wets her panties.

Serious potty training method:  Obviously, the casual method didn't work, so we'll give this a try...
Today is the girl's first day of school.  It's raining and we're staying home until we get this.  "They say" it can take a few days, so we're sticking close to home and settling it...  I bought the big juice, M & M's & fruit snacks for incentive, all panties are washed and a load of clothes is a few pair of panties short waiting to be put on :)  Here goes nothing!

1. 10:30 the panties are on... "MaryAlice, you're panties are wet and it's only been 2 minutes!" I say as I realize it's just the huge cup of juice I gave her to help her to go more often so we get plenty of practice, ooops!  We sat on the potty... nothing yet!
2. 10:40 "MaryAlice, do you need to go potty?" I ask. "No," she says.
3. 10:47 "Oh!" she says.  "Not on the couch!" I yell.  First pair of panties bites the dust and I'm scrubbing the couch (couldn't she stick with the washable floor?) She could care less about no M & M or my displeasure...  I give her more juice so we can "practice" again- sucker!
4. 11:30  "Let's go on the potty,"  I say.  "What? Stop! you're peeing in the closet on your baby!"  Thanks to all the juice we've wet the floor, baby, sweater and of course... panty #2 and it's not even noon!  We can't even make it to every hour on the potty to try.  Let's start every half hour...
5. 11:45  I guess she finished peeing on her third pair of training panties!  Washer on.  Naked?  wondering if she'll stop with nothing on or another panty?  hmmm... is something wrong with her?  If this keeps up, I'm headed to Target for more diapers and we'll try again next month.  Maybe she's not ready? Calm down, Allison, she will do it eventually.  It's only been an hour and I'm preparing for defeat... impressive, mom.  Headed for my third cup of coffee... maybe mommy will get treats when she goes?  good idea, thanks Auntie.  Mommy goes potty: gets treats; Elmo goes potty:  get treats;  fun game!  running to put Bear on potty- biff!  she slips... kiss owie. that went well- not so much.  Now I'm cringing when she sucks down the rest of her juice. 
6. 12:25  "let's try go potty!" I say.  We sit... We pee!!! Yay!  Do a dance!  I need to get a life, yet I'm easily amused- that's not bad, right?
7. 12:45  "Go big potty!"  she says.  "You already went," I despair.
8. 12:55 no underwear on.  Mommy goes big potty: get treat; MaryAlice go big potty: get treat? YAY!!!!
9. 1:05 "you smell," I say.  "you need to go poop on the potty?"  "Yes!" she replies and then goes on the toilet!!! YAY! one less dirty diaper today!  What's the score?  2 me and 4 for her...
10. 1:30 Let's have lunch together!  no panty on (all in wash), enjoying a nice lunch just the two of us... drip... drip... drip!  running down her chair onto the floor.  Cleaned the floor by hand. scrubbed the chair (it needed it).  "want to go 'nigh 'night"  she said.  I obliged.  time for a long, hot shower.
11. When she woke up from her nap until the time I left (date night at Sams club) she was dry!!! let's see what tomorrow brings...

potty training and other funnies!

I thought I was an expert potty trainer after Belle trained in less than a day, I think.  You don't seem to care at all. You will pee on yourself and say (as pee is running down your legs) "Aiya pee on floor".  Today you said you had to go big potty three times as you had already wet your third pair of panties.  I thought I'd try popping your behind.  You cried a bit and then went and spanked your baby. 

You are too funny.  you put yourself in time out; fake cry; say sorry to whomever is around and get up.  It is hilarious!  You're praying is also becomming an event.  Tonight you said, "thank you for mommy, daddy, uncle ben, uncle bill, melnanie, papa and the other papa,"    Your best prayer was when you were blessing your food, but you didn't know what to call the salmon cake so you said, "thank you for... this (as you pointed at it). 

You also have a soft spot for Abby.  No matter how much she pulls your hair you're always up for a hug (from behind, you're not stupid) and a kiss (you will grab her face and wretch it toward you to get her square on the lips)!  "Abby, love Aiya" or "Abby, come sit by Aiya" or "Abby, hold Aiya's hand" (she's trying to get you, but you just called it holding). 

Daddy asked you if you were ready for bed tonight for which you replied without skipping a beat, "No. maybe later."  You've turned our strategy against us.  It seems to be the only way we can deter you.  You're not easily distracted, but you are okay with "maybe tomorrow" or "maybe later".  Tonight you used it on us!  uh-oh!

MaryAlice pooped in the big potty!!! I ran in there from the other room to praise her and what did I get... poked in the eye!  If that's not bad enough it was the finger she just had in her poo, and she stuck it in my eye to show me!  Oh my!

Aiya mow the lawn with Mama

Abby used to be the one who mowed with me, but when I tried to hold her on my lap I realized she had outgrown it.  I was a bit down for awhile, but came around when I realized it was your turn to try.  Belle never really liked it much.  She's such a physical touch kid right now that I thought it would be a homerun, but I think lawn mowing is yours now. 

Half way through today you were soooo ready for a nap as your eyelids drooped, but instead of falling asleep you kept repositioning yourself.  Everytime you changed positions you looked up at me and smiled a so content smile.  You've had a few cranky days lately, but you always seem to brighten my day.  You've declared your "Mama's girl" status from the start.  Daddy has let you stay there as Belle is attached to him whenever he is home, so he thought I needed an apendage too.  He thinks you'll go over in time!  I think you girls take turns favoring one of us at a time, but I'll let daddy think he's the one in charge!

We like to play an "I love you" game.  With Belle we call for her or get her attention somehow and the first person to say, "I love you" wins.  You haven't quite gotten into that one yet other than calling our names and saying "I love you,"  It's cute, but you and I have taken to going back and forth with, "No, I love you."  It's so sweet to hear you compete to say I love you that it melts me.  "I love you, mommy" is frequent music to my ears.  You are very particular about mom being the one to care for you if I'm within sight. 

Your newest put off is, "Maybe later."  For some reason you have not been a child to be distracted once you set your mind, but you are okay  with, "Maybe later."  You also are okay to put anything off if I say maybe tomorrow.  You say, "Maybe morrow."  You  talk nonstop.  You ask a question and answer it all in the same breath.  For example, "Mommy, want to go outside? Yes!"  You're a bit moody, but when you're in a good mood you are sooo agreeable.  We just had you're two year old pictures made and you answered, "Yah"  to anything they suggested.  I think they photographed you for over and hour and a half. 

You are absolutely in love with "Dama" (grandma) too.  You stayed with grandma right around a year and you were attached.  You remind everyone of your cousin Kate with your talking and personality.  Daddy and I are convinced you are a carbon copy of him, which explains why I enjoy you so much.  Belle is just like me, so obviously I like her a ton too!  You two are a match made in Heaven!!!  You love her, but already make her cry.  She's so soft and you're quite rough.  You're not afraid to get dirty and are not phased by Abby's aggression toward you.  She grabs your hair and you say, "Abby, be nice to Aiya; no pull Aiya's hair; Love Aiya." 

This is going to be fun writing about you!  What a perfect gift you are!
Love,
Mama