Sunday, October 30, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Is it Christmastime Mommy?
Today we experienced a very-early-for-snow snowstorm! It wasn't Reagan's first time in the snow, but it was the first time she could walk around and play in it! She liked it until her hands were too cold to move. She just wouldn't listen to me when I told her to leave her mittens on.
Todd had to bang the snow off of the tress which hadn't lost their leaves yet! It was really weird playing out in the snow while there were still leaves on the trees.
Then Todd realized the wet, heavy snow was perfect for snowman making! In all of the snow and winters Jocelyn has experienced, including the Blizzard of 2010, Jocelyn has never built a snowman--we never had the right kind of snow at the right time.
This snow was perfect!
I'm glad I got the girls outfitted for winter a little early this year! Who would have thought we would get to wear snow boots before it was even October? When we were done playing in the snow and Jocelyn was enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, she asked me if we skipped Halloween and were having Christmas instead. I asked her if she thought Santa would be ready this early and she said, "No, and we don't have a Christmas tree!".
Jocelyn wanted to catch snowflakes on her tongue.
Todd had to bang the snow off of the tress which hadn't lost their leaves yet! It was really weird playing out in the snow while there were still leaves on the trees.
Then Todd realized the wet, heavy snow was perfect for snowman making! In all of the snow and winters Jocelyn has experienced, including the Blizzard of 2010, Jocelyn has never built a snowman--we never had the right kind of snow at the right time.
This snow was perfect!
I'm glad I got the girls outfitted for winter a little early this year! Who would have thought we would get to wear snow boots before it was even October? When we were done playing in the snow and Jocelyn was enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, she asked me if we skipped Halloween and were having Christmas instead. I asked her if she thought Santa would be ready this early and she said, "No, and we don't have a Christmas tree!".Saturday, October 22, 2011
Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater
I never had a problem with squirrels before, but now I do. A serious one--Especially when they are trying to ruin my kids' holiday fun!
Meet Peter.
He is an unwanted porch guest who has decided to feast on the pie pumpkins the girls got on their playgroup field trip to the pumpkin patch.
He really seems to be enjoying himself, doesn't he? Maybe if he were skinny and starving I would feel bad for him, but Peter is most obviously not starving--he's actually making out very well this season. I have heard he is making his way around various porches in our community, ruining other pumpkins as well.
Todd wanted to buy a BB gun to cure our community of this squirrel once and for all, but when thinking about it, I imagined eyes shot out and innocent bystanders injured, so I didn't think it was a good idea, however, when I saw that the rodent was also digging up my bulbs, I almost went out and bought one myself.
Gone are the days where I swerve while driving to miss a squirrel. Swerving may still happen, but not to miss the squirrel, that's for sure! Isn't it time for hibernation anyway?
What a mess!
He really seems to be enjoying himself, doesn't he? Maybe if he were skinny and starving I would feel bad for him, but Peter is most obviously not starving--he's actually making out very well this season. I have heard he is making his way around various porches in our community, ruining other pumpkins as well.
Todd wanted to buy a BB gun to cure our community of this squirrel once and for all, but when thinking about it, I imagined eyes shot out and innocent bystanders injured, so I didn't think it was a good idea, however, when I saw that the rodent was also digging up my bulbs, I almost went out and bought one myself.
Gone are the days where I swerve while driving to miss a squirrel. Swerving may still happen, but not to miss the squirrel, that's for sure! Isn't it time for hibernation anyway?
What a mess!Monday, October 17, 2011
New Ears!
Today was a big day for Jocelyn!
She got her ears pierced!
People have been asking me since she was born, "When are you going to get her ears pierced?" I just didn't want to, and couldn't do it when she was a baby. I didn't care if "people would know she was a girl (especially since she is bald)." I always told them, when she is old enough to ask and wants it done, I will let her do it.
So the day came. Yesterday when Jocelyn asked what we were doing today and I told her we needed to go to the mall, her immediate response was, "Oh, maybe I can get my ears pierced." I said I needed to talk to daddy about it and told her a few things about it, including that it was going to hurt a little bit, but she still said she wanted to do it. The morning came and she hadn't forgot. We watched a video online that showed how it was done. I told her that we would have to clean them a couple times a day, every day. I told her again that it would hurt. She still wanted to do it, so we went to the mall, did what we needed to do, and then got to the piercing place where I gave her one last "out". I was hoping she would change her mind. I really don't care if she has her ears pierced and I really don't like doing anything that is going to hurt her, but she was relentless. She picked out little pink flower earrings, then she got into that chair, held the stuffed animal and was "ready".
Or at least she thought she was! I guess ready turned into "a little bit scared".
She got her ears pierced!
People have been asking me since she was born, "When are you going to get her ears pierced?" I just didn't want to, and couldn't do it when she was a baby. I didn't care if "people would know she was a girl (especially since she is bald)." I always told them, when she is old enough to ask and wants it done, I will let her do it.
So the day came. Yesterday when Jocelyn asked what we were doing today and I told her we needed to go to the mall, her immediate response was, "Oh, maybe I can get my ears pierced." I said I needed to talk to daddy about it and told her a few things about it, including that it was going to hurt a little bit, but she still said she wanted to do it. The morning came and she hadn't forgot. We watched a video online that showed how it was done. I told her that we would have to clean them a couple times a day, every day. I told her again that it would hurt. She still wanted to do it, so we went to the mall, did what we needed to do, and then got to the piercing place where I gave her one last "out". I was hoping she would change her mind. I really don't care if she has her ears pierced and I really don't like doing anything that is going to hurt her, but she was relentless. She picked out little pink flower earrings, then she got into that chair, held the stuffed animal and was "ready".
Or at least she thought she was! I guess ready turned into "a little bit scared".
I didn't take any more pictures after the one above because she was crying and I was across the counter trying to console her without hugs while preparing her for the worst--she had to do it one more time!
She seemed shocked when she felt the pain! I told her it was going to hurt! Poor baby! I shouldn't have let her do it! She's too little! There's a hole in my baby! She has to do it again---The things that go through a Mommy's head while watching her baby experience unnecessary pain!
But, the crying ended quickly. She got a sticker and a lollipop, and a ride on a carousel. I swear a lollipop will cure anything for Jocelyn!
She posed proudly for her first pictures with earrings in!
She's really excited to go to school tomorrow and show her friends too, but I'm still a little sad to have put 2 holes in my baby, even if she does look adorable!Sunday, October 9, 2011
My Kids in a Pile of Pumpkins!
My last post had me going through the picture files of pumpkin piles of years past!
2008
2009
2010
2011
2009
2010
2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch
Fall and pumpkin season is one of my favorite times of the year! I love the excitement of Halloween as well as the beautiful colors, smells and tastes! I especially look forward to our family trip to the pumpkin patch.
In years past, we have always gone to Trax Farms to select a pumpkin and participate in the fall festival, but since Jocelyn and Reagan had just been to Trax for their PALS field trip (and because of the $8/person hayride price tag) we decided to see how Triple B was this year. Jocelyn and Reagan seemed to enjoy themselves there:
The hayride was MUCH more affordable at Triple B ($2.50/person), and we really wanted to do a hayride with the girls this year!
The pumpkin patch was full of beautiful pumpkins! Too bad the one we ended up picking had a soft spot that we did not see and has already been put out for the trash!
Reagan really enjoyed walking around the "obstacle course"!
There were lots of other fun things for the girls to do as well, however the set up for them was a little undesirable and I was not able to take pictures (as we only purchased one $7 adult wristband for activities, which left me unable to go in with the girls along with Todd). We have learned from our experience and will be more ready if we decide to return to Triple B again next year!
There were lots of other fun things for the girls to do as well, however the set up for them was a little undesirable and I was not able to take pictures (as we only purchased one $7 adult wristband for activities, which left me unable to go in with the girls along with Todd). We have learned from our experience and will be more ready if we decide to return to Triple B again next year!
I can tell you one thing for sure. The piles of pumpkins at Trax have to be the best photo opportunity for the kiddos and must be the reason it gets so packed during the weekends of their fall festival. I have to admit that I missed the piles of pumpkins. I just have to have a picture of my kids on these pumpkin piles every year. I just have to, so we will make a trip to Trax each year, whether it be on the weekend with the crowd and the expensive hayride, or maybe just a quick trip on a weekday to let the kids climb the pumpkins and pose for pictures. We already got one during the PALS field trip, and we have one more opportunity since our Triple B pumpkin is already rotten. We will be going to Trax again--not for expensive hayrides and activities--just for a pumpkin to carve and hopefully some more pictures of my girls on a huge pile of pumpkins!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Jocelyn's Snack for PALS!
Jocelyn LOVES helping Mommy in the kitchen! We signed up to bring in a snack for playgroup and Jocelyn was thrilled to bake for her friends...it would love it if she grew up to be a cook or a baker (and especially if she promised to live with us forever)!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Dinner Time...
...looks more like messy time!
When Reagan eats, she pretty much requires a bath afterward.
She loves to rub the food all around, but then hates being a mess and especially hates the feel of food in her eyes.
When Reagan eats, she pretty much requires a bath afterward.
She loves to rub the food all around, but then hates being a mess and especially hates the feel of food in her eyes.
Oh, please tell me there is a remedy to this situation!
Preschool!
Yesterday was Jocelyn's very first day of Preschool!
She had been looking forward to this day for quite some time, and the day was finally here!
She proudly posed in front of her locker with her name tag...
...and excitedly picked a square on the carpet with her classmates!
It's crazy to me, as a former Preschool teacher myself, that I have a child old enough to attend preschool. I spent many, many days in Preschool and now it's Jocelyn's turn! She is ready and excited and so am I. I just can't wait to see how much she learns and changes in this first year of school. This is just the beginning and I know she's off to a great start!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
A Speech GRADUATE!
It was only a little over a year ago that I wrote this post. Reading it brings back the emotions I felt at that time and it is amazing to see how far Jocelyn has come since then.
Looking back, I am unsure that the diagnosis was correct. Yes, Jocelyn most definitely had a speech delay. She most definitely was unable to express herself through words that others could understand. She needed to receive speech therapy. That was not a question for me, but Apraxia was? She did show certain signs of it, but seeing now how quickly she progressed in the time since the diagnosis, I now question if the diagnosis was correct. It really doesn't matter, though. Jocelyn got what she needed and she is now our little talker. Everyone can understand (as well as they can understand any other 3-year-old) when she speaks! It seems so simple, but for us, and especially for her, it means the world. She has overcome her expressive language delay! We are so proud of her!!
On Friday, Jocelyn went to her very last speech session. It was bitter-sweet. I didn't' enjoy the long drive at the inconvenient time, but Jocelyn loved going! She loved her therapists, she liked the other kids she played with there, and she simply enjoyed having an activity to do each week. Friday was speech day!
She has come so far from that day last year in June when I cried worrying that having this "problem" was going to change her. Well, it didn't. She is still the same little girl who loves going out, doing things, and playing with other children. She is just now better able to express herself and can actually talk with other children and adults. All the changes happened before they affected her self esteem--and that was just my worry, not something that was a guarantee to happen.
It took her a little getting used to when people actually started understanding her. When they would ask her to repeat herself it was usually because she was speaking so low that they physically couldn't hear her--it wasn't that they weren't understanding her. She was set in thinking people just didn't understand her, and that made her a little shy to speak to others and answer questions when she was asked, but that has changed and now when someone asks her something like, "What's your name?" she often yells the answer to them-- "JOCELYN". She has to make sure they can hear her, and I just smile knowing what an accomplishment something as simple as being able to say your own name is for my Jocelyn.
I will never forget the first time she was asked what her name was, and when she answered, the person understood her. A single tear rolled down my cheek and I was so excited for her! I wanted to stand up, jump up and down, scream and yell. Such a simple thing, yet such a colossal moment!
As we drove home that day, I was so proud of her. She has worked so hard to speak. Something that comes naturally to so many, but just didn't happen as quickly for her. Her hard work payed off. She has graduated from therapy. The journey that started when she was 20-months-old is over. Jocelyn and I celebrated with her favorite treat--ice cream. And as we sat there eating it, a woman approached us and told me what a a beautiful little girl I had. I thanked her and she then asked the ubiquitous question: What's your name? Jocelyn looked at her, smiled and yelled, JOCELYN ! My silly little girl. My silly little girl who can say her name (and much, much more)!
Looking back, I am unsure that the diagnosis was correct. Yes, Jocelyn most definitely had a speech delay. She most definitely was unable to express herself through words that others could understand. She needed to receive speech therapy. That was not a question for me, but Apraxia was? She did show certain signs of it, but seeing now how quickly she progressed in the time since the diagnosis, I now question if the diagnosis was correct. It really doesn't matter, though. Jocelyn got what she needed and she is now our little talker. Everyone can understand (as well as they can understand any other 3-year-old) when she speaks! It seems so simple, but for us, and especially for her, it means the world. She has overcome her expressive language delay! We are so proud of her!!
On Friday, Jocelyn went to her very last speech session. It was bitter-sweet. I didn't' enjoy the long drive at the inconvenient time, but Jocelyn loved going! She loved her therapists, she liked the other kids she played with there, and she simply enjoyed having an activity to do each week. Friday was speech day!
She has come so far from that day last year in June when I cried worrying that having this "problem" was going to change her. Well, it didn't. She is still the same little girl who loves going out, doing things, and playing with other children. She is just now better able to express herself and can actually talk with other children and adults. All the changes happened before they affected her self esteem--and that was just my worry, not something that was a guarantee to happen.
It took her a little getting used to when people actually started understanding her. When they would ask her to repeat herself it was usually because she was speaking so low that they physically couldn't hear her--it wasn't that they weren't understanding her. She was set in thinking people just didn't understand her, and that made her a little shy to speak to others and answer questions when she was asked, but that has changed and now when someone asks her something like, "What's your name?" she often yells the answer to them-- "JOCELYN". She has to make sure they can hear her, and I just smile knowing what an accomplishment something as simple as being able to say your own name is for my Jocelyn.
I will never forget the first time she was asked what her name was, and when she answered, the person understood her. A single tear rolled down my cheek and I was so excited for her! I wanted to stand up, jump up and down, scream and yell. Such a simple thing, yet such a colossal moment!
As we drove home that day, I was so proud of her. She has worked so hard to speak. Something that comes naturally to so many, but just didn't happen as quickly for her. Her hard work payed off. She has graduated from therapy. The journey that started when she was 20-months-old is over. Jocelyn and I celebrated with her favorite treat--ice cream. And as we sat there eating it, a woman approached us and told me what a a beautiful little girl I had. I thanked her and she then asked the ubiquitous question: What's your name? Jocelyn looked at her, smiled and yelled, JOCELYN ! My silly little girl. My silly little girl who can say her name (and much, much more)!
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Dewey Beach 2011
Although this wasn't Reagan's first trip to Dewey Beach, it was the first trip in which she was aware of what was going on and interactive with the world around her! After a brief period of acclimation, Reagan LOVED the beach! She enjoyed walking in the sand (although it was a hard feat at first), playing in the sand, and she especially loved the water. We had to hold her back from walking right into the ocean! 
Jocelyn is an old beach Pro. She knows just what to do now! She was ready with her buckets as soon as we got there!
Reagan got to enjoy the rides at the boardwalk this year & Jocelyn enjoyed having a riding partner. Mommy and Daddy got a big dose of reality as to just how much money one can spend on ride tickets when you have TWO children who are able to ride! ;-)
It was a fun trip, as short as it lasted. Traveling with a baby is hard & Reagan is a bit more challenging than Jocelyn was at her age. She had fun at the beach, but nighttime was just not the same as it is for her at home! Mommy felt like she needed another vacation once we got home and settled in! The memories are worth the trouble, though, and we learned from our time with baby Jocelyn at the beach that it just gets easier and easier every year.
Here are a couple more snapshots of the fun times!
Until next year, Dewey! We shall see you again!
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