Winkids and Words

Sorry about the poor picture quality...I took it with my iPhone and there was lots of movement going on! Last week, Presley had her award's ceremony for her participation in the Gymfant's program at WinKids. It was lots of fun and we met a couple of new friends who actually had little girls. She looked so cute walking up to the podium to get her ribbon. She still has stranger anxiety, but only when someone holds her and it's starting to slowly wear off. She has been doing really well at church ever since she left the nursery and entered into the toddler program. She loves the older kids and all of the toys they have which makes for a much easier drop-off....if you know what I mean. She is so eager to talk and just babbles on and on all. day. long! She seems to pick up on new words every week...surprisingly enough, she has not picked up on any of the words that I have tried to "pound" into her little brain with repetition. I should know by now, from teaching, that these little ones are going to pick up on whatever their little brains choose to pick up on regardless of what I do. Her newest and cutest word is "teeggu" aka Tigger. Joey got her a huge stuffed Tigger when he was in Orlando for business last September and she loves it. When she sees her Tigger sitting in the stuffed animal box in the living room she runs over to him, says his name, picks him up, and tries to walk around the room with him....keep in mind that this Tigger is about as big as she is. She has also been saying "uh-oh" and all I have to say about that is "uh-oh is right." I DID NOT start this one...Joey did. ;-) I am not sure how she picked up on this next word...unless I just say it more than I think, but she loves to say "tank goo" -aka "thank you." On Tuesday, we went to IHOP for dinner and our waitress brought Joey some extra powdered sugar for his french toast and he said "thank you." When Presley heard Joey say this, she looked up at the waitress and said, "tank goo." Melt my heart...hopefully this sticks around for awhile. Ha! So, these past few weeks have been great and Presley is doing much better now that we are staying consistent. She is not testing her limits as much as she was a few weeks ago. Here is a little video of Presley getting her ribbon at the award's ceremony at WinKids...she was a little cranky, but it was still cute...and that ribbon did not leave her sight until we got home.

My Little Reader

My little reader. :-) I have been reading to Presley since I brought her home from the hospital. She loves to read. She loves to choose the books we are going to read and then turn the pages. I put a box of books in our living room and I will often find her quietly sitting in the corner looking through a book. Her favorite books are the ones that are small enough to hold in her hands. I love this because I was never a big reader as a child...I would start reading and by the time I was half way finished I would know exactly what I was going to do the next day, but would have no idea what the book was about. lol....daydreamer. :-) I also love teaching little ones to read and write. I think it's the reason I focused so much on teaching 1st grade. I have found, there is no bigger jump as from kindergarten to first grade. Most first graders come in as beginner readers (if even that) and leave reading chapter books. Others come in barely knowing how to write and leave as beautiful poets. I just love, love, love to see the growth that goes on in first grade. I started collecting children's books when I was in College and from there I have collected boxes and boxes. Here are my favorite books that would leave my first graders "rolling on the floor in laughter"... to me there is no sweeter sound than a classroom filled with 22 different laughs ;-) and since they never found me very amusing I relied on a good book to get them laughing.
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Bark, George
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus
Fluffy'sValentine's Day
Dear Mrs. LaRue: Letters From Obedience School
Click, Clack Moo: Cows that Type
Miss Mary Mack
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
To Market, To Market
Mooseltoe
"Froggy" & "Amelia Bedelia" books

My Little Piano Girl

San Antonio Shower!

Sara has already posted about the shower on her blog so I will just repeat a little of what she said :-) First off, my sisters and friends did an AMAZING job with making the shower such a memorable and a special time for me. As you can see, it was a bunny theme! Sara is so creative...she made a diaper cake! The shower turned out so cute! Sara had my mom's old friends share some great stories about me and my mom when I was little. Sara brought a piggy bank to collect "tips & advice" in...she had everyone sign it. I loved reading everyone's tips and hearing those memories!I got so many cute things :-) including adorable clothes! The girls went in together and got us our much needed stroller! Joey was happy about that one! My friend, Heather, is so creative! She put together the neatest basket with clothes, bottles, burp rags, hair bands/bows , etc...and she monogrammed all of it! It was so great seeing everyone and spending time with old friends...I miss S.A. And thanks to my sweet Brandi for showering me at her home in her beautiful garden room!

Presley's Nursery!

So I guess I will finally post on my blog since Ive had it for 5 months! We just finished the nursery a few weeks ago and what a relief it was to have everything set up and ready to go ;-) Joey painted the walls and put up the chair railing my first trimester...it was supposed to be "neutral colors" but it does look like he was planning for something other than a girl ;-) I wasn't planning on having a theme for the nursery, but I guess I ended up with a "bunny theme." When my mom died, I saved all of her bunny stuff "just in case I ever had a girl." So most of the bunny stuff in the nursery was made by my sweet mom and her best friend, Clare. I also wrapped the ottomon in a blanket that my Great Grandma made for my dolls when I was little. I am hoping these next few weeks go by quickly because it seems every day is dragging on forever! Although, everyone says not to rush it because I might be wishing her back in me by the end of the 2nd week :-( Yikes!

The Memory board I made