Bed Fairy

When we came home from church on Sunday, we found that the bed fairy had visited us and replaced the crib with a big-girl bed. 

I wasn't expecting that.

{{sigh}}

Nonetheless, baby Bri had been climbing in and out of her crib for quite some time now and this was a good move for her.

{{milestones, ugh!}}

The transition went as well as could be expected. 

That is, she did not take her nap and, instead, played quietly for awhile on her bed.  She was also somewhat fussy when it was time to go to bed that night.  I was starting to wonder if she maybe had an ear infection or something because she just kept fussing. 

However, she finally fell asleep and slept soundly through the night and was so eager to show off her new bed when she woke up.

I just knew that my faithful readers would want pictures so I asked her if I could take a picture of her new bed.

You know she is very picky about getting her picture taken {{more on that later}}. 

She said "yes."

First she let me take a picture of the bed while she stood to the side.

Then, she said I could take a picture of the bed with her sitting on it.

Then, she totally surprised me when she sprawled out on the bed and said, "Take a picture Mommy.  Take a picture of Bee-elle.  See my feet?" 

Look at her... with her cheek propped up on her hand like that.  Wow!  She must be very excited about her new bed.

How much longer can I call her my baby?



We are still celebrating Get Caught Reading month.  Are you?

Today is a little Q and A post.

Ready?

Question:  What's better than one little girl looking at books (see yesterday's post)?

Answer:  Two little children looking at books.

Question:  What's better than two little children looking at books?

Answer:  One big brother reading to one little sister.

Again, this is right after tooth station.

Station details can be found on my May 3, 2012 post.

Question:  What's better than one big brother reading to one little sister?

Answer coming soon!  Stay tuned.

Get Caught

My sources tell me that May is Get Caught Reading Month.

While Lu and Bro were very eager readers and would sit for bedtime stories on a nightly basis, Bri has been harder to nudge along. 

I've wondered why she doesn't love books like the other two did.  I asked her teachers if they thought she has a learning issue.  I took her to the pediatric eye specialist because I was CONVINCED that she could not see the pictures. 

Everyone said that she is normal.

Why oh why doesn't she like books? 

THAT IS NOT NORMAL {{to me}}!!!!!

Nonetheless, we keep up with the daily book routine.

We also created a book station of books she specifically likes:  farm animals, Barney the dinosaur, and interactive lift-the-flap books. 

Additionally, we have a consistent bedtime routine we follow every night.  It includes story time.

The first part of the nightly routine is pajama station - put your jammies on.

Next is teeth and potty station - go potty and brush teeth.

If the kids behave in station one and two, they move on to station three, book station.
We read three books in book station.  Book station is either on my bed or Bro's bed.
Sometimes the kids are separated for book station, so they each get some one-on-one time.  Sometimes we do this as a group.

Finally, we have song station.  Song station is in the kids' room.  We turn out the light and sing bedtime songs before it's time to go to sleep.

If the kids misbehave, fuss, or whine for pajama station or tooth station, they move directly to song station which means that they sit in bed and wait for me to come in and turn out the lights. 

Typically, we move through the stations seamlessly.   We really don't have many bedtime issues at all.

Just the other night, Bro was out with Daddy, but right after Bri finished tooth station I walked into the kitchen and when I came back to the room I saw little Bri looking at her books.

I felt like I won the lotto {{okay - not quite the same feeling but you get the general idea}}.

How wonderful that May is Get Caught Reading month because I continue to catch these kids reading and it melts my heart.

Yes, I still have more pictures to share with you.

Did you catch anyone reading yet?

Get Caught Reading

May is Get Caught Reading Month.

Get Caught Reading Month is a small nationwide campaign to remind people of all ages how fun it is to read.

I have a few pictures of my kids reading that I am waiting dying waiting to share with you.

I actually "caught" them reading.  How cool?

Let me know if you catch anyone reading and share your picture/link with me in the comment section below. 

If I knew how to do a "blog party" with "Mr. Linky" I would.  But, I don't know how to do that sooo.... we'll just have to do this the ol' fashioned way (mkay?) and you'll have to leave a comment with a link to your picture/blog post.

I know that you are readers and you have readers in your life.  I hope I see a few comments between now and the end of May. 

Catch someone reading! 

Circus Birthday

Baby Bee Toddler Bri had a birthday.  Yay!

You may wonder why I get so excited about my kids' birthdays.  My excitement does not come to brag or to boast, but more from a place of concentrated celebration.

Concentrated celebration?

Yes - a celebration that is concentrated on one particular thing.

Still confused?

I grew up as an only child and all our daily lives centered around ME!  This means that I felt tons and tons of love from my family, but I admit that at times I was somewhat spoiled.

Thus, I equate "all about me" as "love."  I have outgrown this in my old age somewhat.

My biggest obstacle to overcome as a parent of three kids is how to make each of the kids feel special and unique.  I know this is crazy... and I love their sibling bond... and none of them complain that they don't feel special... but I just want them to know that they are each so very special and unique and they are all held in high regard in my life.  You understand this.  Right?

So, while I have to treat them all equally during the course of a regular year, a birthday is a time to look at one child and say "YOU are really special to me and today I want to celebrate YOU!"

Am I making any sense????  Does anyone else have this inner conflict (does each child feel special?)???  Anyone???




We were off to an early start with the festivities when Fairy Grandmother and Luvs2Boat brought over a water table.

It was not assembled when they got to the house because they thought that the kids would have a great time putting it together as well.  They were so right.

All hands were on deck and Brody really enjoyed that he could "help" put this present together for his sister.

Brody was the first to announce that Bri would definitely share "her" water table with him.  Hmmm... just like she shares "her" sandbox from last year, right? {{Note:  I think that Brody forgot that the sandbox belongs to Brielle.}}

Many hands make quick work and it wasn't long before the water table was up and running.  She definitely loves her water table. 

Bro knew that he was not allowed to get in it.  But, that didn't stop him from talking someone else into jumping in.  Really guys???

Moving on.

The next day, I was in full birthday mode while the kids were at school.

First, I made a monkey cake (using these instructions from smitten kitchen) for daycare... and ran it over before snack time.  {{Yes, I know I should have made it ahead of time but we were too busy playing in the water table... napping... ahem.}}

Since we were going to a small circus at our local fairgrounds, I made a circus cake for home.  This was especially meaningful for me, because it was a replica of a circus cake that my mom made me when I was little.  Cool, huh?

Here's the undecorated cake with the photos from my childhood birthday as a template.

 

Look!  Not too bad, right???

It's just like I remember.

I knew that it would be late when we got back from the circus, so I set the table before I left.

They didn't have any circus-theme balloons at the store, so I had to go with the next best thing... monkeys, of course.

In the days leading up to the circus, Bro was adamant that he was nervous about the circus because "tigers scare me" he said.

He had this concerned look on his face the entire time the tigers were performing.  {{I am sure that he and I both had the same concerns, except that I was able to fake a smile. Gulp.}}

Bri kept telling me not to take her picture.  I did eeek out this blurry cheese.  I tried to tell her that I was taking Daddy's picture, not hers, but she wasn't buying it.  "MOMMY - do NOT take my picture."   {{Fine then... be that way.}}

After the circus we raced home to have cake and open presents with the birthday girl.  She squealed when we rounded the corner to the kitchen and she saw her cake and monkey balloon. 

I wish we had more pictures of the evening.  However, we are dealing with a toddler here and after a whole day of festivities (yes, they even celebrated at school) she was not in any condition to pose for pictures. 

In attendance, but not pictured were, of course, my parents Fairy Grandmother and Luvs2Boat... even though they were late.  {{Hi Mom - I'm just kidding about the late part!}} 

And now for the grand finale...

As many of you know, my favorite picture of the year is blowing out the birthday cake candles.  It's a little blurry here, but I think you get the general idea...

Happy birthday to the spunkiest girl I know... Happy birthday to you!