Almost Unrecognizable

I swear she looks like a whole different little girl after being gone for a week and with the new haircut : )

Waiting

The house is too quiet.

I miss my girl.

Since it's been snowing I am not picking up Lily until Saturday from her stay with my Mom. It's  nice to have some time off but I still miss my little girl.

Can't wait to post pics of the haircut my mom gave her- she looks so grown up!

Lunch Menu Analysis (OMG did I just say that??)

On Tuesday Lily ate pretty much everything I packed (even the celery!), threw the leftover yogurt away (yay!) but didn't drink the juice. Oh, and I was right about packing too many graham crackers.
Wednesday Menu: Bagel Pepperoni Pizza, Pretzels, Apple slices, yogurt and juice.

She ate everything except the juice and since I packed the yogurt in a tupperware container, she had a little leftover to eat as a snack on the way home. She said she loved the pizza (yay again!).

Thursday (Today) Menu: Bagel with cream cheese and jelly, cheese and crackers, carrot sticks, sliced peaches, yogurt and juice.

So far no more near disasters and she seems to like the choices so far. I'm hoping she doesn't get bored of the selection too quickly...but then we just come up with other ideas, right?

I am also thinking about putting the menu on a rotation.  Once we get more settled in to what Lily likes I will make 5 weeks worth of menues- then just continually rotate through them. I think it will make planning and shopping much easier.

Honestly, I am kind of proud of myself because I was really stressed about the lunch packing. I think mostly because I was worried Lily wouldn't be getting enough food and would be starving all day long. But it is starting to come together and doesn't seem as difficult- other than having to get up earlier. I need to do more prep the night before 'cause six o'clock in the morning is a big bummer!

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Next week is Mid-winter break so the scheduling is really different at the preschool(and you have to pay extra to go that week!). We decided to take her down to my mom's on Sunday to stay until Wednesday- which should save a little money. Plus she hasn't been there for an overnight since the summer! Time flies I guess.

Here is the kicker though...I have Monday off and so does Martin so we are going to take advantage of a day we can spend together just the two of us! I know we are going out to eat somewhere but other than that- who knows??? So excited.

It's the little things.

It's him...after a long day, after overtime even, making a stop at the toy store on the way home...looking for the new game Lily likes so much just because.

: ) X a million

The Cheese Game

When we visited Lily's new preschool a couple weeks ago some of the kids were playing The Cheese Game. Lily wanted to try it out so bad- but the station was full- so she didn't get to. Finally yesterday she got to try it! She's been waiting for weeks!

When I got home from work her teacher sent me an email with this picture attached:

She's not making the cutest face because I think she might actually be in the middle of the word "cheese"- but she was having lots of fun with those cute and tiny little mice

Thanks for the picture Teacher Michelle!

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Mommy: (while sorting laundry) Oops! It looks like I got mixed up!

Lily: You mean mixed up with the wrong guy?

Mommy: Um...

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More updates on the lunch menu tomorrow

 

Menus and Messiness

On Monday's Menu we had...

Breakfast: Heart Shaped Cinnamon Rolls with cream cheese frosting, banana slices and milk (recipe from pinch my salt)

Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, apple slices, cheese sticks, pretzels, carrot sticks, yogurt and fruit juice.

Breakfast was a hit (how can you miss with cinnamon rolls???)

Lunch??? Well, we've learned a few lessons already.

Problem 1: I was scared that Lily was going to throw out her spoon/plastic Tupperware so I told her to just leave the garbage in her lunch pail and we'd take care of it when we got home.

Consequence: She didn't finish her yogurt or juice drink so when I opened her lunch pail after school there was a sea of juice/yogurt floating around all over everything. Why didn't she eat the yogurt? She said she ran out of time. Why didn't she drink the juice? No idea.

Solution: This morning I made it more clear about what could and couldn't be thrown away. She was very upset that I was asking her to throw away her uneaten juice and yogurt- she wanted to save it (girl after my own heart I tell you!). So my next mission is reusable yogurt and drink containers. I don't mind because it will be a little less wasteful of food and a little less garbage produced.

Problem 2: I packed too much of just about everything- she only completely finished her sandwich (yeah!) but only ate some of all the rest.

Consequence: Lots of left over food/messiness. Actually a little left over is a perfect snack for the ride home so leftover food wouldn't have been a big deal if it weren't covered in yogurt juice.

Solution: Smaller portions but still lots of choices

Problem 3: Her little backpack with her name on it from Gramma Barb is too small to fit the lunch pail. She has two classrooms at the new school- preschool for the morning part and more "daycare" type class in the afternoon- so she has to be able to bring her stuff with her between the classes.

Consequence: Last night when I picked her up her coat, backpack and lunch were in three different places. And, honestly, there are going to be days when I have no idea what she brought or wore that day. I won't be able to keep track of it all- I am sure of it. We're just asking to lose stuff.

Solution: My second mission is to find a backpack that is a little bit bigger. Hopefully we can find on that everything will fit in but that won't break her back either. This could be tough. She's still just so little : (

Other than that I think it was an overall successful first try.

Breakfast today? Left over cinnamon rolls of course!

Lunch menu: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich, Fruit Roll up, banana slices, celery sticks, graham crackers, yogurt and fruit juice.

 

My prediction? I think (I hope) better than yesterday! I think she won't eat the celery but I just had to try some veges. That is going to be a difficult part I think. Also too many graham crackers now that I think about it. Fruit Roll up- totally unnecessary but it kinda helped stabilize the sandwich in its compartment. And I know this lunch pail is getting seriously jostled around.

On another note, Miss Fiona apparently had a rockin' good time with her scratch thingy last night. Pieces EVERYWHERE!! I will be vacuuming tiny cardboard pieces for the rest of my life. No really. FOREVER!

I tried to kinda put it back together this morning before we left- and she just went right back to it- literally tearing the thing apart with her teeth like she had just hunted down her kill. Such a sweet (feisty) little lion!

Again with the love.

Today, I need to take my own advice and just love.

Today I need to let love in and see what happens.

We'll see what happens.

Wednesday, What's up?

I had a whole post written about how anxious I am about Lily "brown bagging" her lunch starting next week...but then I did some Internet searches, made a calendar and got lots of good lunch ideas. I feel better now. Bummer about the whole whiny post I wrote going to waste though, right? Um, maybe not. : )

I recently discovered that the Turkey Baster works really great in making "specialty pancakes." I made Lily some special Valentine heart pancakes this morning- the other day I made their names...oh boy, who knows what I will try next ; )

This last weekend Lily and Kendra finally got to meet Baby Deven. I think they were both interested for maybe a couple minutes then went back to playing- but we are all so glad to see him home and healthy and growing so big! This week the theme for Lily's class is "Family." Lily drew all the people in her family: Martin, Sarah, Kendra, Lily and of course Baby Deven.

I finally finished a book yesterday. I've started several but keep getting sidetracked or bored. I read "Darling Jim"- a super intense murder mystery type book. It only took me two days- because once I started I couldn't put it down.

So that is what's up with us this week. Have a great day!

Bananagrams

We've been working a lot with Kendra (and Lily too) with her letter and letter sound recognition. She is struggling some in that area and since these are really the entire foundation of reading (which is the foundation for pretty much everything else in her education), we've been coming up with as many avenues as possible to reinforce these concepts.

This week I bought Bananagrams which is similar to scrabble- really just a huge set of letter tiles with a set of "game" instructions. The actual game is fun I think- Martin and I played and liked it. For the girls though we've been coming up with a bunch of variations that are more do-able  for their age. What I really like is that the game can grow with them as they get better at reading and their vocabulary grows. What I also love??? First thing this morning instead of asking for cartoons they asked to play with the letter tiles. LOVE IT!

Last night I led them in a more structured activity, so this morning I just let them play. This is what they came up with.



Kendra wrote this to Lily





In case you can't read it Lily sounded out the word "History"

 We can't wait to come up with more fun stuff. If you have any ideas for good word games let me know! Or if you need some ideas I am willing to share more of what we've come up with!

Why can't we be friends?

Lily: Mom! You are not doing friendship with me!!!

Mommy: You're right I'm doing mother-ship. ??? Wait that's not right...

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Lily: I don't fit in this family because I am not Chinese!

Mommy: Um...none of us are Chinese...

Lily: Well your clothes have Chinese writing and I am not Chinese!

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Lily: Uncle Dat told me "Trick or Treat, Smell my feet!"

Mommy: Eww!

Lily: Uncle Dat is a BIG kid. Auntie Joeleen is the mom and Uncle Dat is the kid cause he acts like a kid and goes to school.



Keep 'em coming kid. You're the best!

I wish I could do more...

Thinking and praying for Susan at Toddler Planet today.

You Are Perfect To Me

When Lily was born, I looked into her baby blue eyes and knew that she was the most beautiful baby ever. She was perfect. Her skin was so soft, her toes so tiny. Weighing in at just over six and a half pounds- she took my breath away. I stared at her for hours- half out of amazement and half out of pure exhaustion.
        

Oh, pretty pretty please, don't you ever ever feel

Like you're less than, less than perfect

Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel like you're nothing

You are perfect to me

When I look at her today I still see an amazingly beautiful and smart little girl. Someone that I just can't get enough hugs or kisses from. Except now her tiny toes are a little bigger- and sometimes the toenails are painted. Her hair is long and usually messy. She has these beautiful fingernails that I only wish were mine. I still want to just eat her up. She continues to be perfect in my eyes.

 'cause we are beautiful no matter what they say

Yes, words won't bring us down, oh no

We are beautiful in every single way

Yes, words can't bring us down

Don't you bring me down today

And I tell her that. I tell her that she is lovely. She is wonderful, smart, amazing and unique too. I show her that I care about her, snuggle her and allow her to be who she wants to be- whether in dressing herself or her opinions- she is valued and loved for being exactly who she is. I am trying to teach her to trust herself, have confidence in herself and to have reasonable expectations. I try to remind myself to trust her, build her confidence through that trust and let go and to be there when she fails.

When I see your face

There's not a thing that I would change

Cause you're amazing

Just the way you are

 
All of this I don't consider amazing or out of the ordinary in any way. Of course I think my girl is the most beautiful! Of course I let her be who she is! Why would I want it any other way?


My heart breaks for each child out there who is suffering- and for all those who have suffered- because they are a girl instead of a boy...or not popular, pretty, smart or good enough for those who are supposed to be lifting them up and not tearing them down. I feel guilt for not being able to help more than a small handful in my lifetime- though I know it makes a difference to those I have.  

You don't have to feel like a waste of space

You're original, cannot be replaced

If you only knew what the future holds

After a hurricane comes a rainbow

All I can say is...Moms...please. Love your daughters. Just love them. Dads too.  Love them for who they are and who they just might become if we give them our all as their parents. Look beyond yourself, look beyond the moment.

And when you think you can't take even one more second... just love.

All you need is love, all you need is love,

All you need is love, love, love is all you need.

P.S. Read this post and this post by Dan Pierce at Single Dad Laughing

Songs in order: Pink "F'in Perfect", Christina Aguilera "Beautiful", Katy Perry "Firework", The Beatles "All you need is Love"