The Herald-Sun - 13 2M targets mentalhealth

The Herald-Sun - 13 2M targets mentalhealth

Birthday Anticipation

I came across a couple old H quotes that perfectly capture how much she's been looking forward to turning five next week. Immediately after that fourth birthday, she just couldn't stop talking about how she was going to turn five "soon".

Last March:

"I'll be five soon! In February!"

Around the end of last March or April:

"It's taking too much time till my birthday."

Check this out!

http://www.ukrainianmiracle.com/

Party Planner

It's official. I am hosting my first little kid birthday party. The invites were emailed out this morning, and I've already heard yeses from five of the nine invitees. There's no backing out now! (Although I'm sure S would disagree.) ;)

I'm trying to just keep it simple. Starts at 3:30, let the kids play while everyone arrives, ice cream and cake at 4, and "over" (we all know "over" is very relative when social gatherings occur) by 5. Still, I think S might go into hiding during it.... ;) Maybe I'll send him off with Lil'S and have them bring dinner home when they return.

Any tips? I was planning on starting the ice cream right at 3:30, but I guess I'd better check a recipe first, huh. :) Next week's the big planning week, though. This week is already booked!

....did I miss anyone? We'll find out Sunday, I guess, when H goes to Primary. I'm sure she'll come home with a few more names.... :) The more the merrier, right? (Or am I asking for it?)

Happy Birthday, Little Dancer!

Before

After

Before and after what?
Little Miss H's Birthday Present, that's what!

As H spent the entire summer holding daily dance classes for herself, we thought a great present would be some real dance classes, so we called up the grandparents and Walla! H just got one of the best presents ever!

Thank you, G&G S & G&G C!!!

We kept it a total surprise, which was a lot of fun. S dropped her and me off in front of the studio and headed off to find parking. In front of the studio, I helped her read the sign on the door. We then stepped in and proceeded up the crowded stairway against a tide of moms and dads and princessy, mini-ballerinas. ("Hmm...there's lots of little girls in cute dance outfits. I wonder what the surprise might be, H!")

I think what she said after her class was the cherry on top of keeping the thing a surprise. :) It's hard to hear with all the background noise, so here's a transcription. (And she was a little distracted with trying to get on her shoes and with everything else going on around her.)

H: She [the teacher] said that...there's another day that...um, that we can come, Mama.
Mom: Do you get to come next week?
H: I think so.
Mom: You do! And guess what?
H: What?
Mom: You get to come the week after . . . and the week after that and the week after that. What do you think?
H: Fun!



I interrogated her about her class in the car afterward.

And here she is showing what she learned.



And a message for her fantastic Grandparents.



And a little more chat about her class at bedtime.

Oh, and, yes, her birthday's not for another week. The class started up the beginning of January, so she got this surprise early. :)

Merry Christmas!!!

Yes, I did eventually give up trying to get a decent picture of the two of them in front of the tree....

Ours was awesome. Hope yours was amazing as well.

Happy Birthday, S!

Happy B-day, Hun!

The Big 3-0!

(ok, so it was 12/12, not 1/12, but hey, at least I'm finally getting it posted, right?)

Check out those flames!!!

Inspired by a friend, here I go:

The 30 things that I love about S

1. He puts up with me

2. his smile

3. the way his face lights up when he sees his baby boy

4. Daddy Monster! ('nuff said)

5. he's a total mama's boy

6. he washes dishes for me!

7. No, seriously, he washes dishes for me!

8. I'm not kidding on the dishes thing!

9. he loves to read

10. he shares the love of reading with his family

11. he enjoys his work

12. he lets me cut his hair

13. he plays retro video games

14. he lets me play dr. mario with him even though I totally stink!

15. he doesn't complain about warming up my cold feet night after night after night....

16. he cooks!

17. he cleans!

18. he even puts the kids to bed!

19. he's so totally patient with me

20. he loves his kids

21. he loves learning

22. he teaches his family

23. he's responsible

(cuz we all know who in the relationship isn't!)

24. he keeps his commitments

25. he does his best

26. he listens to me

27. he counsels with me

28. he lets me make my own choices

29. he encourages me

30. he loves me

Happy Birthday, My Love!

opening presents

Opening his BIG present--17 feet high when extended, to be exact!

(Happy Cyber Monday, Mama!)

(oh, yeah, I can put spaces btw the picts when I make collages, huh....it's been a while, sorry!)

Because a big birthday bash just wasn't happening (H was sick), we celebrated by having a chocolate dessert every night for a week. :) It started with a grain-free cake (what could be better than chocolate, butter, and sugar mixed together and baked?), followed by a box-cake, then brownies, brownie pizza, and what else? I know chocolate pudding was in there somewhere. . . .

Again,

Happy Birthday, Love!

WAY behind

No, seriously, I've been blogging about silly stuff because they've been things that would take 1/4 sec. to do. Where's Thanksgiving, S's Birthday, and Christmas? And my birthday? And H's early b-day gift? In a few weeks will be H's b-day, then the end of Mar will be Lil'S's b-day. So, here I am at 12:30 a.m. posting my hubby's big 3-0 birthday bash (okay, so mini-bash). I'm way overdue!

Lil' Breakdancer

caught 'em mid-roll

Thank you, Elizabeth Pantley!

In looking for ideas on helping Lil'S settle down for sleep on his own, I was reviewing the website of Elizabeth Pantley, author of the No-Cry Sleep Solution. She has a collection of down-to-earth parenting advice, including one on encouraging cooperation from your four- to ten-year-old child. Thank you, Elizabeth! I need such reminders every day! (Some of the suggestions may be ones you've already known and been using, but I found some new ones that I'm adding to my bag of tricks.) I just included the link to her advice page in my "A Few Fav Places" list under the label "No-cry Solutions". Check it out! :)

Happy Parenting!