Circus Fun

Last weekend, we took Mia to the Barnum & Bailey Circus at JPJ. We got there early and they let us walk around on the floor where some of the performers were jumping rope, etc. She got her picture taken with one of them - and Mia wouldn't take her eyes off of the lady.

During the show, she got to see tigers, elephants, dogs, trapeze artists and funny people riding bikes. (But, no clowns! Maybe because so many people - even adults - find clowns creepy?) I think her favorite part was during the half-time break when she found some confetti on the floor. Kids were throwing it in the air and Mia joined in on the fun.

We went with some of our neighbors - luckily. It was a two-hour show; that's two full hours sitting in assigned seats with a busy 19-month-old. She was great for the first 30 minutes. And, then all she wanted to do was go sit with Brian and Jeanie (our neighbors). I held her off for about 15 minutes because they have an infant and a 3-year-old, so it wasn't like they needed a 19-month-old on their laps. But, Mia insisted and eventually screamed out, which caused the lady in front of us to give us a dirty look. So, I let her crawl across a couple sitting between us to get to Brian and Jeanie. And, what do you know, she was perfectly content for the rest of the show. I mean, didn't move or anything! I would glance down and see her pointing to the elephants or tigers. And, she would look down at us and wave from time to time. But, I'd motion for her to come back and sit with us, and she'd shake her head "no." So, I just gave up trying. (In the one picture, you can see her sitting on Brian's lap. Brian's poor 3-year old is sitting beside him - couldn't sit on daddy's lap because of Mia!)

Maybe Next Year

Mia went to see Santa twice last week. Both visits turned out pretty much how we expected. The week before the first visit, I tried to prep her by continuously showing her the picture from last year of her sitting on Santa's lap. And, we really talked him up on the car ride to the mall. She was completely fine with him standing in line. And, when I walked her up to him, she was waving her hand back and forth telling him a big 'ol story. But, then I asked her if she wanted to sit on his lap so I could take a picture and she said, "NO!" I didn't push her - I think it's mean when parents throw a screaming child in Santa's lap just to get a picture. (For those of you who have done this, you're MEAN :) So, I sat on Santa's lap with her. Must admit - felt a little weird. And, also felt like we were there forever because the mall picture ladies kept trying to get Mia to smile, but she just kept giving them the stone cold stare.

This past Saturday, Santa visited our neighborhood clubhouse. We decided to take Mia to see him again - plus, they had hot chocolate and cookies, so who could resist? I thought she'd be more willing to go up to him this time seeing how she and mommy survived the last visit, but as soon as we walked in the room, she clung to my neck and wouldn't even look at him. I did talk her into going up with me - AGAIN. We took a quick picture (not posted because I'm making a face that looks like I have no neck) and then Santa gave Mia a candy cane, so she warmed up to him a bit and would actually stand alone in the room with him as long as she was 50 feet away. We decided to go get some cookies and hot chocolate in the other room, but Mia kept wanting to peek in on Santa. Some lady took it upon herself to try to get Mia to sit on Santa's lap (apparently the lady didn't see the first attempt), although none of her tricks worked. The lady even gave the coveted "kitty" blanket to Santa. Santa hugged kitty and put kitty on his lap (see pics above), but Mia stuck to her guns. She'd just stand back and point and wave to him. Probably saying, "hey! he has kitty!" Despite giving Santa her kitty, Mia really liked the lady. She even gave her a big hug when we left and got a big "awww" from the room.

I bet she likes Santa on Christmas morning when she sees the new kitchen he's bringing her! Maybe she'll remember the toys and sit on his lap next year...

Stroller Ride

I love this picture of Mia and her friend. This is Mia's doll stroller but the kids thought it would be great fun to take turns pushing each other in it. Actually, they weren't really taking turns - we would physically have to remove Mia from the stroller so her friend could have a turn riding in it. She only wanted to ride - not push. So, we ended up hiding the stroller eventually because it was causing major tantrums. Of course, Mia is extremely happy in this picture because she was riding!

I'm A Big Kid Now

Mia surprises us with something new every day, it seems. She's growing up so fast. She's still pretty good about going potty. When she does go in her diaper, she says "I peed." I'm always impressed with her use of past tense. Yesterday I asked where her baby was, and she said "Ummmm, I don't know." She has started doing that now - saying "ummm" when you ask her something. "Mia, do you want milk or juice?" "Ummm...juice." Like she has to take a moment to think about it. She sings every song on her Kindermusik CDs and her Barney DVD. She may not get every word, but she'll mouth them and sing the words she does know - right on beat. I've got to get a video of her doing this - it's so funny. When we take her to the store, she has to hold the money/debit card and give it to the sales clerk. At bathtime, she makes a beard on her face out of her bath bubbles and even closes her mouth so I don't have to get on her for eating bubbles anymore. Today, I picked her up from Nana's house and my hands were full. So, I asked if she could walk with me to the car. And she did! Didn't veer off and try to eat mulch or anything! She looked like such a big girl doing that. And, the latest is that she wants to sit in a regular chair - not her high chair - for meals. Here's a pic of her at our house. The only thing is that she's not quite an expert on getting food from her plate to her mouth without spilling, so it makes an even bigger mess without the tray there. But I certainly don't want to hinder the independent spirit, so I let her win that battle - except with cereal or yogurt. As I re-read what I've wrote, the "it's the small things..." cliche comes to mind. Which is totally true at this age.

Thanksgiving Festivities

The hives faded just in time for the holiday weekend, thank goodness. We spent Thanksgiving morning at nana and poppy's house with Mia entertaining everyone (as usual). In the picture above, she's licking the lipstick candy nana gave her. We left there at Mia's naptime hoping she would go to sleep in the car on the way to mimi and papa's house. But, we ended up feeding her lunch in the car. I think she's decided she's no longer eating if there are more than three people in the room - food has become a lower priority. She also never took a nap that day; this was a first. We tried to put her down but gave up after 35 minutes. I was actually a little scared of her that afternoon. She was really good for not having a nap, but the slightest thing would set her off. Wanting to avoid a major meltdown in front of the entire fam, we pretty much did whatever we could to keep her happy. The cousins also helped entertain her (pictured above). She went to bed at 6:30 that night and slept until 8 the next morning. And, I think Andrew and I both were asleep by 8 p.m.

On Friday, I took Mia to her first parade. She loved the cars honking their horns and the high school bands and dancers. It was a small parade - but we did get to see Elmo (another favorite) and Santa. She also scored a piece of bubble gum - another first. I wouldn't let her put the whole thing in her mouth, so she held the wrapper and sucked the bubble gum juices through it. She seemed completely happy doing this - the fun lasted about an hour.

Last night, I decorated the Christmas tree. I left some fun, non-breakable ornaments for Mia to decorate the bottom half of the tree this morning and was excited for her to wake up and see the lights. Note to self - feed child before engaging in what's-supposed-to-be-a-fun-activity. She liked the lights but wasn't interested in decorating the tree. She hung one ornament - one! But, to her credit, she was starving and ate a HUGE breakfast. Apparently Christmas decorations are lower on the totem pole than food. (And, don't ask why it looks like Mia has the Michael Jackson kind of skin disorder in these pics - must be my camera settings.)

Oh - and we also started the full-blown potty training yesterday. I bought some training pants. We went to Andrew's parents' house last night for dinner, and she went through three pairs of them in a matter of an hour. One accident was in the car seat (always pleasant); one on mimi and papa's bedroom floor (sorry guys) and one on Aunt Lisa's lap (an all caps SORRY). Why is it that Mia tells us she has to go potty in her diaper but not in the training pants? I'm giving this one week. After that, I'm throwing in the towel - and the training pants.

Spots, Spots Go Away

We woke up this morning to Mia COVERED in red bumps (double-click on the pics to see why we were alarmed). I thought she had the Chicken Pox. Mom mentioned it might be the Measles. Either way, it didn't look good. The bumps seemed to grow in a matter of a few hours. The thing was, they didn't seem to bother Mia. She wasn't running a fever and wasn't picking or scratching at them. I called the doctor's office when they opened, and they were able to fit Mia in pretty quickly. Poor thing - I felt like I had a little leper in the waiting room. It was completely crowded and all of the parents kept staring at her (because the bumps are also on her face, ears, hands, etc. so it's not like you can just cover them up). I stood in the middle of the room because I knew what the parents were thinking - don't let her near my child and don't let her touch anything in the room. So, we went back to see the doctor, who brought in another doctor just to make sure her diagnosis was correct. Turns out, Mia had an allergic reaction to the UTI drug she's been on for 10 days. I know - it's weird this happened after she finished the medicine and not while she was taking it. But, the doctor said allergies build up over time and that's why it took so long. The good news is the bumps should go away in the next 72 hours. And, she's not too uncomfortable. She scratches every now and then and we're allowed to give her Benedryl, but it seems like it looks a lot worse than it feels. Thank goodness.

Potty Time!

Last week was rough. Mia got a UTI, which made it very painful when she had to go to the bathroom. On top of that, she's not old enough to go in a cup, so the doctor had to catherize her to get a sample. (Which, BTW, did not end up working. So, if you're given the option to do the bag instead of the catheter - TAKE THE BAG!).

On the positive side, she's fully aware now of when she has to go potty. She tells us all the time - and anyone else who will listen. Her new favorite word is pee pee because she gets a reaction (mostly laughing) from every one when she says it. So, upon my mom's request, who's been saying for a while now that Mia might be ready for potty training, I got her a potty. And, guess what? She went pee pee in it! We were getting ready to give her a bath last night and she said "pee pee." So, I put her on the big toilet upstairs (not her little one), and she went right away! And, then this morning, she finished breakfast and said "pee pee" again, so I put her on her little potty, and she went again! I couldn't believe it. She also likes to take the toilet paper and stuff it between her legs - it's what she does to pass the time until she goes :) Here are a few cute pics of her on her new potty with a pacifier that she found in a toy box that she thinks is funny to suck on (I know, she'll kill me in 10 years when she sees these). I just can't believe this is happening. I'm not sure if I should go full-force into potty training (she's 18-months-old) or if we should just take it slow. Any advice?

Halloween Fun Part 2

We got invited to a Halloween party on Saturday by one of Andrew's high school friends who has a little boy the same age as Mia. The only catch was we had to dress up, too. (Well, that's what we were told. But, once we got to the party, only the relatives of the hosts were dressed along with us.) We're not the dress-up kind of people, but I have to admit it was fun. Andrew borrowed a mullet wig from one of our neighbors. It was priceless. Mia was scared to touch it - it looked like road kill when we first got it. I had to "style" it a bit. I went as a cowgirl. Or "preppy" cowgirl as my sister said when I told her what I was wearing. I have to agree. My Nordstrom cowboy boots and skinny jeans don't exactly scream "down on the farm." But, I'm glad I went preppy and not hideous since WE WERE SOME OF THE ONLY ADULTS DRESSED UP AT THE PARTY. (did i already mention that?)

Mia wore her cute little ballerina outfit again (with a new onesie because the orange lollipop she sucked on for two hours on Halloween stained the first one). They had a moon bounce, which she loved. (At least once I got in with her. And, that was quite a feat getting that big hat through the little opening in the moon bounce.) And, she got to eat all kinds of fun, healthy treats like corn dogs, a gummy ear and bread that looked like fingers.

Happy Halloween!

Mia had the best Halloween. This was the first holiday where I felt like she really got it. She was so excited by the end of the night - it could've been the candy, but I'm pretty sure it was authentic.

First, we had a pumpkin carving with our neighborhood friends. You'll notice our pumpkin looks a lot like Gonzo from The Muppets (you were right, Sarah). It actually was supposed to look like a witch. Stick figures are about the extent of our artistic abilities - and it shows.

Then came Halloween. Mia was a ballerina - or "tiny dancer" as our neighbors called her. I know she's mine - but she was pretty darn cute. She had a tutu and leg warmers and I put her hair up in pigtails for the first time.

She was a little timid during the first few trick-or-treats. But, she quickly caught on and soon knocked on doors all by herself. She got a tootsie pop at the third house we visited, and it lasted more than two hours. She also had her first candy bar - a Kit Kat. And, she loves Sweet Tarts. I actually used those tonight so I could do her hair again in pigtails. She's not a fan of that process - she hardly has any hair so I have to pull it tight to get it all up in the rubberband. So, I put Sweet Tarts on the vanity, and she ate them while I did her hair.

Tonight, we went to another Halloween party. I have a hilarious picture of Andrew because we had to dress up. I haven't downloaded them yet - stay tuned.

Boo Boo - and not the Halloween kind

Poor Mia fell off the couch on Saturday night and injured her elbow :( This is the THIRD TIME she's taken a tumble off of furniture. And, for the THIRD TIME, I was sitting RIGHT BESIDE HER! I'm not sure how it happened; she was actually sitting down beside me and I looked over to tell Andrew something and next thing we know, she hit the ground. When I picked her up, she was crying in a way that I hadn't heard before. It was a "ok mom and dad - this really hurts" cry. I stripped her down to look for bruises or red areas but didn't see any. And, then we noticed she wasn't using her right arm. So, I started doing some exercises with it and when I bent it back toward her body, she started screaming. We called the doctor. To make a long story a little shorter, the doctor thinks she dislocated her elbow and I popped it back in when doing the exercises. Ouch!!!!!!!!! The good news is that she healed quickly. She already was feeling much better when we got to the doctor's office. It was still a little sore yesterday - but only when I moved it in funny ways to see if it still hurt. Today, she's back to hanging off the counters and tables. We go to The Little Gym with one of our pediatricians whose little boy has been in classes with Mia since they were about 8 months old. Her husband was teasing us last Thursday saying how Mia was not afraid of anything, and we were going to have to put his wife on speed dial. I don't think he was thinking this soon, though!

Tu Cute

For Halloween, Mia is going to dress up as a ballerina. I bought her a tutu a month ago, and she wears it all the time. She puts it on and does a little twirl - it's so cute. In fact, she's worn it so much, I had to go buy another one because the original one got ink and food on it and the threads starting coming out the bottom (Ok. Ok. So it could've been cleaned. And I could've cut the threads off the bottom. But, I actually found one I like better :) Stay tuned for Mia in her full costume later this week.

Cheers Daddy!

Andrew just accepted a position at UVA Medical Center working for the CFO and the Chief Environmental Care Officer (the guy in charge of the new construction for the hospital and the medical school). The day that Andrew got the call, we had a little champagne toast to celebrate the occasion. We included Mia, who's enjoying juice on the rocks in, yes, a crystal champagne glass. It was a bittersweet moment for me. I was so relieved that he got a job so soon but also sad that he had to go back to work. Mia and I have really enjoyed having him around. (Note: This is a horrible picture of me but the only one we got at this moment, so please disregard my sweaty face.)

Carter's Mountain

A few weekends ago, we met our friends at Carter's Mountain. I'd heard it was a great place to take the kids, and the weekend that we went was the annual Apple Festival. We picked apples, rode on a hayride, ate some yummy apple cinnamon doughnuts and danced to a bluegrass band. Mia had her first hot dog - wasn't quite sure what to think of it. She's not big on meat these days. But, she kept full by eating apples. I think we went through four of them. She'd eat part of the apple and then throw it on the ground. And, then she'd want another one. She had apple juice everywhere - including Andrew's hair because she was sitting on his shoulders for the apple picking/eating and kept spitting the skin out in his hair :)

Look Who's Talking II

Here's a little video I took of Mia this morning. She's repeating a few words. She never repeats this many all at once - she usually gets tired of this game pretty quickly. So, we were lucky to capture it on camera.

Look Who's Talking

Mia is really expanding her vocabulary these days - I counted and it's about 30 words. And, she's learning new words every day. It seemed to happen out of nowhere. She'll repeat what we ask her to say, which is a fun game. Although, it's about a 50 percent chance she'll get it right. For example, I'll ask her to say chicken, and she'll say "chicken," but then I'll ask her to say couch and she'll say "teet." Ahaha - cracks me up.

I was most excited when she put two words together last weekend - "more apple." She loves apples - and it's her favorite word. (Side note - that's what she's eating here in this picture. It's the only way I can get her through the entire grocery store without her wanting out of the cart :)

This past weekend at the lake, she said "boat," "fish" and "pizza." She also learned how to say her friend Davis' name - it sounds like "Dsss" - and she now calls her cousins Baba (Bobby) and JoJo (Joey). Very cute moment - Bobby and Joey taught her how to say their names at the lake two weekends ago. The next morning, I went to get her from her crib and she was laying there saying, "baba jojo baba jojo" over and over. It made them very happy to hear that.

Mama Mia

Mia has really been into dolls recently. We went to visit our friends Krissy and Brad - who just had another baby girl, Ellie, BTW - and Mia loved their daughter's dolls and accessories. She actually threw a fit when she had to let go of a doll so we could go home. This was new to us because she had dolls at home but never played with them like she did at Krissy and Brad's house. I decided it must have been the fun accessories. So, a few days later, I was in the toy store and decided to get her some bottles and a stroller for her dolls. Jack pot! She pushes the stroller around the house and gives her babies milk and juice bottles. She also burps them and puts them night-night. I didn't really think she was a girly-girl until this stage. She's always been into dirt and rocks and things. But, she loves her dolls and is a good little mommy.

Final Myrtle Beach

Ok - final Myrtle Beach posting (since we did go there a month ago and the moment has passed). But, I couldn't leave out all of the fun activities we did with Mia because many of them were firsts for her...first amusement park rides, first acquarium visit, first trip to the Disney store! Here's a re-cap...

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Myrtle Beach closed its famous Pavilion and moved the flagship rides to Broadway at the Beach. So, we took Mia one night to ride her first rides. Her very first ride was the boat that goes back and forth. She didn't quite know what to think and had a very serious face the entire time, but once it was over, she wanted on every ride in the park. Even the swings that go 50 feet in the air! She loved the carousel (rode twice), teacups (although I think she got dizzy because she had a funny look on her face half-way through) and the train.

Here's Mia trying to climb Pooh at the Disney store (have no idea what's going on with the formatting).


We also took Mia to the acquarium. Myrtle Beach has a great one at Broadway. She liked the fish, but was into the moving floor even more :) And, she was not afraid of the touch tanks. In the picture below, she's trying to grab a horseshoe crab. And, then the jellyfish - although they were behind a glass case. Oh - speaking of fish and things...my friend just went to the beach in Emerald Isle, N.C. and saw three sharks, each about 4 feet long, in knee-deep water. Scary! And, Andrew and my mom make fun of me for being a little skiddish about swimming in the ocean...

Last but not least, Mia had her first taste of Mexican food - my family's favorite. What is funny is we learned she likes sour cream and guacamole - and spicy salsa! She now eats these things at least once a week at our house. I didn't get pictures of the sour cream, but I did want to share the picture of Aunt Sarah and Nana, one of my favs from the trip. Looks like I was the DD that night :)

Myrtle Beach Part III: Horsen' Around

I think these pictures are hilarious of us, so I wanted to share. These were taken at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle. We went and had dinner at one of our favorite spots - the House of Blues. And, then we hit the shops and took Mia to see the baby tigers and monkeys. We found this little photo station along the way.