Halloween # 1

 

On October 17th we had our 1st Halloween (a pre Halloween/have a safe trip Uncle party) and Laney enjoyed her 3 cousins so much.  Normally we follow the no pictures of others on the net thing (which we totally respect) but this time with the cuties looking out the window their mom said yes yes yes and you all get to see some cousin cuteness.  Grandpa even made all the kids giggle as he surprised them all dressed up as a dog (nice face painting job grandma). This was Laney's 1st time in her pink unicorn but not her last.  Watch for upcoming Halloween posts like 2, 3, 4 and so on.......................Oh life is just 1 big party for little miss Laney :)

Two and a half

How is it possible that our precious girl is 2 1/2 today!!  How how how?  Wow times flies when you are having fun!  So here are 2 shots our girl(taken 10/21 & 10/24) 10/28 she turned two and a half!! 

Catalog

Laney grabbed a catalog that came in the mail and went into her room.  This is how I found her:

 

If you look closely you will see the page she has open has a doll with a violin and she ran and got her violin and bow and has next to her.  My oh my how I adore this little angel! p.s. this little one loves to look through catalogs and when she sees something she likes she says "Laney buy it please Momma".

Meatball Movie

Over the summer we went to 2 outdoor movies and had a blast (Princess and the Frog and UP) well the 3rd was rained out so recently they had a rain date but it was COLD.  Laney was excited and kept telling everyone for days she was going to the "meatball movie".  The movie itself (cloudy with a chance of meatballs) probably the least favorite of the 3 but still a lot of fun. As with all 3 movies she often said "movie to loud" and covered her ears but she loved being outside, cuddling together, staying up late and eating snacks.  See ya next summer outdoor movies :)

Hi Laurie

Laurie (2010 winner for best kids music CD) is awesome!  Laney has loved her music videos on Noggin/Nick Jr, DVDs and Cd's for over a year now.  She dances and sings and squeals with excitement "Hi Laurie" whenever she sees or hears her.  So when we heard there was a live happy birthday concert she was putting on we decided we HAD to be there!  It was so exciting.  All day we danced around the house singing her songs and took a family photo before we went.  Than it was off to the show (with birthday hats and animals for our heads (yes the tickets said to bring these things).  Get ready...........................I cried my eyes out (I know I know your laughing right now) I was honestly just moved by the fact that I had our daughter on my lap, her daddy by our side and it finally was happening.  These children events that I had longed for, these mommy things.  I cherish them and often they move me to tears.  As I looked at Laney and heard her squeal with excitement "hi Laurie" I cried at the happiness that beamed from her.  It was a great show and Laney danced her little buns off.  Not to mention sang, clapped and giggled none stop.  As we put on her coat to leave she said "sad over Momma"  OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Leaves at my toes

1st field trip

We had our 1st field trip with our "school" playgroup.  Pumpkinville with a tractor ride, corn maze, pumpkin picking and snack time.  So stinking cute.  Field trips equal growing up in my mind so it was a bit emotional for momma (LOL -  I know I know what isn't emotional for Momma).  We had a lot of rain the night before and a little drizzle during our trip so it was damp and cold. Laney was all excited to see her playgroup teacher "Miss Debbie".  Since snack was announced to be popcorn and apple juice I brought Laney some dairy free popcorn.  "No like Popcorn" she said and spit it out.  It was her 1st time having it and obviously the last for awhile.  She did love love the apple juice as you will see in 1 of the pictures.  We do not give her juice at home so when out she loves to have it with all the other kids.  Laney loved the tractor ride and pumpkin picking but wanted nothing to do with anything scary.  "Guy scary up momma up momma" she kept saying about a statue of a creepy Halloween guy.  "No want to go in there, up momma up momma" she said about the haunted house. The corn maze was fun and she liked touching the corn.  She picked a nice round pumpkin and kept saying "look Laney's orange pumpkin orange momma orange"

Shades

 A day of backyard fun with her shades on!

zipper

Laney lovin the zipper (and a new side pony hair do)

Columbus Day

 

Columbus Day was a gorgeous sunny fall day!  We headed to gym and swim than to a fall festival.  We went on a hayride and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors starting to show up everywhere.

  

still lovin "school"

Since Laney's new playgroup I spoke of last week is held at a school she now calls it "school".  We had our 2nd class and we both love it (even in the rain last week).  Here are 2 pictures I took on the way out last week.

TV

Laney does love TV.  I recall reading this in her paperwork from China.  So maybe they watched TV in the orphanage a lot? Even though we limit the amount of time she watches and what she watches I have to admit it is so awesome when she says ........show Momma or movie Momma and than says relax or cuddle with Laney Momma please.  Laney still loves Jacks big music show. She loves rock N learn preschool, dance & learn Chinese with Mei Mei, baby i can read, my friends tigger and pooh, Ni Hao Kai-lan and even movies (like princess and the frog or Dumbo).  The list goes on and on but I wanted to jot down a few of her favs to remember years from now.  Maybe she just takes after her Daddy who has been a TV lover the entire 14 years I have known him. Or her Momma who became a TV lover (thanks to Tivo) during the long very long 3 + years waiting for little miss Laney.
The Glades Season Finale was awesome! Other shows I love = Covert affairs, burn notice, Hawaii Five-O (oh my I  loved Alex O'Loughlin in the moonlight vampire show that got cancelled in 2008.  That show had amazing chemistry so imagine my happy surprise seeing Alex as the star of Hawaii Five-O) it is a really good show. And NCIS Los Angeles with Chris O'Donnell and LL Cool J). Okay back to pictures of little miss Laney tomorrow :)

Same as Laney

This is Laney's new thing these days.  We walk through the store and she sees a little girl with boots on and she gets all excited and says "Momma Momma SAME AS LANEY'S".  She is doing this with everything... clothes, shoes, toys, food, color of her car and the list goes on.  So I am getting my ears ready for 55 more same as Laney's for tomorrow.  That's OK that little voice is music to my ears :)

the "rules"

We have had some "moments" in the world of being 2.  So we have been reviewing the "rules" with Laney.
The other day before getting out of the car we reminded Laney that she needed to follow the rules.  Laney can you tell us the rules we said.  She replied:
Share, Take turns, Be nice, no pushing, no accidents pee pee potty momma!
Its true those are the rules.  The NO spoken with attitude to adult women other than mommy is the biggest  problem.  If an adult women at the store says oh is that a lady bug on your jacket she says "no" (and it is with attitude,  like to say don't talk to me lady).  If a adult man at the store asks her the same question she either answers him yes ladybug or she looks a me and says "a little shy momma" and I say that's OK honey if you don't want to talk because your a little shy that is fine, that is a nice way to say no talking thank you.  Then she cuddles in to me and plays shy.  We have never heard the No with attitude to children. She does not give the No with attitude to Momma (or daddy).  So what are we to think?  Is it just the age of 2?  Or is it adult women (this is stranger and adult women she knows also) in general.  We could read into it so much to think that all the nannies where adult women and she has bonded so well to her momma that no other adult women is OK talking to her? Is she worried they will take her from her Momma?  Or were there adult women at the orphanage who were not nice to her and she is now old enough to give attitude to adult women in her world?  I guess we will never know but that NO with attitude makes us cringe and we hope to correct it so the be nice rule is in regards to that.  The no pushing - yes it is true Laney has pushed a time or 2 or 3 and it is not acceptable and time outs occur and she will tell you that is what she is in time out for if she does it.  Accidents happen occasionally and none of us enjoy those but most days she is accident free and loving her big girl underwear.
I guess I am grateful she knows how to repeat the rules and honestly I don't see or feel "terrible 2's".  I feel lucky so very lucky being a mom is the best the very best!

Let's Bake Momma

 

10/3/10

Cheezy Cheese and Reading

10/02/10

I see you

pumpkin on my cheek

 Yes Laney loves face painting! It is fall and there is face painting everywhere. This time it was a pumpkin she asked for and here it is!

9/26/10

Remembering Hawaii

 

At this time of year we find ourselves remembering our amazing 21 days in Hawaii.  We looked through over 300 pictures and some video the other day with Laney and it really rocked!  Crazy to think we were on our honeymoon at this time so many years ago!  FUN MEMORIES!