Room Time!

Presley continues to have separation anxiety...some of it's normal because of her age and some of it's due to the mistakes that Joey and I have made along the way. A couple of weeks ago I started "room time" with her. This allows for her to be independently separated from me for 20-30 minutes every day. Her room is completely kid proof and safe for her to walk around in all by herself. I set up the baby monitor so that I am able to see her playing while I am sitting in the living room. I leave her room door open, close the bathroom and guest room doors, and leave the baby gate closed to the living room. Then, I turn on her music and let her go at it. Sometimes, she will come out of her room and run up to the gate to show me something or to check to see if I am still in sight. However, today she listened to the entire cd (about 25 minutes) before coming out. I am hoping that this time alone will help her with her separation anxiety. I have also tried to set up several activities for us to do this fall to keep us sane. :-) We will be doing parent/child classes at Kindermusik and Winkids once a week, and then I will be doing MOPS and a Beth Moore Bible Study once a week while she is in the kid's class...crossing my fingers that all of this will help!!!

Little Minnie and Me

The other night, mommy and daddy let me go out to eat with them.While we were waiting for our table, we went into a book store where they had a ton of books and a kid's area to play in. I was so excited when my daddy took me out of the stroller and let me walk around. The kid's area was really big and it had big trees, a stage, two little chairs, and books galore. I even met a little boy there who kept sharing his books with me. While I was exploring the stage, I came upon the most wonderful little stuffed animal. She had big black ears, a big black nose, and a most wonderful pink bow on the top of her head...there was also one in red sitting right next to her, but it wasn't anything special to look at.

As soon as I saw this little animal it was true love. I picked her up and tucked her tightly away under my arm...never allowing her touch the ground again. I did have to part from her for a few minutes while my daddy bought it for me, but he assured me she would be right back in my caring arms in no time.

And there we have it...the mouse that melted my heart! She plays with me, sleeps with me, and pretty much goes with me wherever I go! As soon as I got home I had to let everyone know about her!!

A girl should never leave home without a phone and her Minnie

A Lovely Day

Today, Presley is 16 months old! I have definitely seen a huge change in her this past month. Her personality is really starting to shine through more and more. She has quite the little sense of humor and loves to laugh. She is still very eager to talk and loves to carry on in full conservation...or so she thinks. ;-) Her newest words are...thank you, please, pool, ice, side (for outside), hello (hewwo), two, e-i-e-i (she loves her Old McDonald book), and two. As of right now, every number is 2 and every letter is ACEC. She loves the ABC Song from Super Why (a show on PBS).I am so thrilled that she is wanting to talk so much. However, she tends to wake up in the middle of the night to practice her words. She continues to love Goose and follows him around everywhere! It is really sweet to watch them interact.

This morning we went to Henrietta Creek Orchard to pick Mutsu and Winesap apples. The Mutsu apples are delicious right off the tree, but Winesap apples are not good to eat and are usually just used for cooking. We also picked up some of the orchard's cinnamon apple jelly...which Presley LOVES! We tried to beat the heat by going in the morning, but it still didn't help...maybe because it was 105 today! Ugggg. I am really getting "burned" out by all this heat. It seems that Dallas has two seasons...summer and a light winter. Literally, the fall/spring weather stays for maybe a month. I need to move somewhere where there are four seasons! Wouldn't that be lovely?

Joey...about to taste his first fig

We were attempting to visit the chicken house, but they started fighting and Presley wanted NO part of it! She carries around this teething ring everywhere because she has two molars coming in! Ouch...for her and mommy! ;-/

Presley, on a mission to find the most perfect apples...they never left her side :-)

A yummy Mutsu Apple...picture taken by Joey (he is very proud of this pic)

Presley, going through all her apples....making sure she has the best two. Obviously, by the scene in the background, the two in her hand were NOT the best ones!

I Gave My Child a Sugar Cookie.......'Nuff Said

This is Presley

Proceed with Caution: I know this is my second post of the day, but I had to blog this for Joey. It’s a long one and the pics are an absolute mess!

And this is Presley on sugar…

Attempting to stand on her head

Attempting a handless summersault

She found a new toy

Note: all pictures showing her mouth open are LOUD screams coming out of it. Let me just say, I know it is completely normal for children to yell at the top of their lungs when they are playing. However, for any of you who know Presley know that she is somewhat of a quiet child.

Have no idea what this entails

Trying to look inside the paper tube

Again, have no idea

Getting into the rocks... and beginning to wear her mother out.

Turning around in circles trying to make herself dizzy…yelling whatever comes to her little mind

Apparently it worked...*sigh*

Recovering from BIGHTING it..at lease there’s no tears!

This is about as good as a pic as I could get of her trying to CLIMB up onto my back. Let me just say again, that I know that it is completely normal for children to want to play and climb all over the place. HOWEVER, up to this point in her tiny little life, I have always been the one to initiate the wrestling around. Today was the first time she initiated this type of “teasing” play. I wanted to get a picture of it because I was laughing hysterically just before this. I was trying to “ignore” her attempt to play on my back and moments before this picture was taken she decided to pop her head over my shoulder and look into my face…as if to say, “hey mom, pay attention and play the game!”

This is her getting COMPLETELY out of control…had no idea she had it in her. Yikes!

More out of control…and she knows this is a no-no!

Dancing in place with no music….....except the music that has been playing in her head since the moment I gave her a cookie. *sigh*

Again, have no idea??? Yoga maybe?

She continuously points to fans and lights

Goose, longing to be outside with the other dogs who have normal owners

BEGINNING to get into EVERYTHING! Let me just say…again…that I know it is perfectly normal for children to want to get into every cabinet and drawer known to mankind. However, I have not allowed this, just like I have not allowed for her to play with everything sitting out on the coffee table and end table. Getting into the “lazy susan” ... This is NOT the first time she has tried to get into the spices, but it is her first time to be successful at it.

Oh what fun, the salt shakes! Ugggg *sigh*

By the way, on my behalf as a mother I would just like to say that I really don’t allow my child to have full reign of the house. I just couldn’t help it today. She was a NUT. I guess I could put this down in the books as her first time being an absolute full blown toddler! What better way to remember this moment but through pictures and a blog post. I just had no idea that creating a “boundary wall” around my living room would cause such chaos once she broke through on her own. Lesson learned for this first time mom! It makes me think of life in general. We want to keep our kids safe, but we also have to equip them with the skills, character, and ability to survive out in the real world when they “break free” from the boundaries of our home. I have tried to set boundaries since Presley was born…swaddling, play pen time, blanket time, and now room time. However, I also need to provide boundaries that are invisible so that she learns to use self control. I have taught her to use self control when it comes to touching “mommy’s pretties” and the entertainment center, but it took a lot of work! So I must admit that I failed as a parent when teaching about boundaries because of my laziness. Oh well, you live and learn…right? Apparently, when I first titled this post “’Nuff Said” my intentions were to let the pictures do the talking…oh well.

Great Aunt Reen & Her Kitty Cats

In Colorado, Presley did ok with everyone. She really seemed to enjoy my Aunt Laureen. One day, as I was getting ready to put Presley down for a nap, I turned around to find that she was no longer in the room. I had not idea where she had gone. I walked into my grandmother's living room and found her sitting on the floor happily playing with her Great Aunt Reen. I had no idea that my Aunt had come over and so it was quite surprising to see Presley playing with someone she hadn't seen for quite some time. The entire time we were in Colorado she played well with her Great Aunt. Here are some cute pictures of them...

Learning to draw...and from the most perfect person to teach it!

"ride, ride a horsey"

Aunt Reen dressing Presley up in pipe cleaners...which, by the way, provided for hours of entertainment on the plane...thanks for the suggestion Sara!!

Showing Aunt Reen her elmo phone...her newest word is "hewwo"

Presley loves cats! Actually, she loves all animals...real and stuffed. While we were at my Aunt's house, Presley followed the cats around everywhere. She would get quite upset when the cats would run and hide from her. And just like she has conversations with the flowers, she converses with the animals as well. Whenever I see her bend down or squat at the knees I know she is about to start into a long conversation. Here are some pictures of Presley meeting my Aunt's cats and then trying to befriend them...they weren't having any of it, but such is the life of a cat. ;-)

Do you want to play with me?

she's determined to talk her way into his heart

uh oh! Our mommies call...