tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56546012041240583972024-03-13T11:23:45.659-07:00Ellie and Fiffy AnnTwo precious little girls as seen though the eyes of their mama...Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.comBlogger127125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-31402794761589631282009-11-03T20:53:00.000-08:002009-11-03T21:03:35.236-08:00Wow...So much has happened since my last post.There are things that you talk about on a blog, and things that you don't. There are things that I will be able to share publicly one day, but for now, the details will have to remain unknown. This July, I made the very difficult decision to remove myself and my daughters from an abusive situation. The last few months have been a challenge, a roller coasterJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-58495937260419073922009-05-06T13:45:00.000-07:002009-05-06T14:01:10.021-07:00Ariel's Birthday PartyYeah, it was two months ago, but wouldn't you rather see the pictures now than never?Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-5543254664592414652009-03-22T18:55:00.000-07:002009-03-23T07:36:05.175-07:00Interview with EllieA few fabulous ladies, like Rae Ann and Juli, have done this interview with their little girls, and I thought I'd see what Ariel's answers would be...1. What is something I always say to you?"I don't know. Can you tell me? Ummm... that you love me."2. What makes me happy?"love"3. What makes me sad?"not coming here" (like when she doesn't come when I call her)4. How do I make you laugh?"scream Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-35371355810515226272009-03-05T10:11:00.001-08:002009-03-06T13:38:46.893-08:00Can I show you something amazing?When Ariel was a toddler, I started recording every word she could say, along with how she said it. I stopped on the day she turned 18 months. Here's her list:Cookie: “coo-kee”HotBanana: “mee-mee”Movie: “moo-ee”Potty: “pah-ee”Ariel: “Ah-I”Pee (her “girly parts”)Felicity: “Fiffy” “Fissy” “Foofy”Chair: “tee”Clip: “pip”Water: “waa-oh”BubbleMeOn (used when asking to turn the fan on)Horsey: “Hee”Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-67240726186270750172008-12-08T21:28:00.000-08:002008-12-08T21:39:02.415-08:00A Touching MomentMy childhood best friend had a bridal shower on Saturday, and Ariel came with me. It wasn't really a child-friendly event (a lingerie shower), but she begged to go ("I want to be late for Miss Katie, too!"), so I called to see if it was okay and threw her in the car last-minute. She made the hour-long drive so much more enjoyable, and I kept telling her how glad I was that she was with me.AfterJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-50081895143211643282008-11-22T19:29:00.000-08:002008-11-22T19:34:30.356-08:00ComparisonsIf you were constantly discovering new foods, how would you describe them?Ariel told us last night that her oven roasted turkey tasted like apples.The burritos we had for lunch - stuffed with leftover ham hock and black bean soup, cooked down to a thick, savory sauce - smelled like flowers.Tonight's French toast tasted like ice cream.I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-80617152986093775362008-11-07T09:31:00.001-08:002008-11-07T09:48:23.613-08:00Kids are for LaughingA few weeks ago, Ariel woke up and hurried to the breakfast table, where she found leftover cornbread.Ariel: Mmmm! Yummy cornbread! It's yummy!Me: It is yummy!Ariel: Mmmm, yummy! [suddenly serious] W-we eat cornbread with our mouths, an-and not with our bottoms.I honestly have no idea where that came from.****************************************Ariel and I were sitting in the big armchair, andJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-38431044350031086882008-09-10T14:22:00.000-07:002008-09-10T14:24:36.122-07:00A Baby SongJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-62426427848943241112008-08-28T11:06:00.000-07:002008-08-28T11:07:43.421-07:00She likes praise, cont.Me: Good job using the potty, Ariel!Ariel: Tank you, Mommy. Tank you for clapping me.Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-12157902939822102372008-08-18T10:28:00.000-07:002008-08-18T15:27:15.815-07:00One Year OldFelicity's first birthday was last Saturday, the 9th. It was a lot of fun!I really wanted to make the party something special, so I came up with the idea of decorating the table with ribbons and photographs.I also hung ribbons from the chandelier and from Felicity's high chair, and I used a doll cradle to hold her gifts. I thought the final look was very cute. It was also cheap - each spool ofJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-23298830959175342782008-08-06T08:59:00.001-07:002008-08-06T09:02:18.924-07:00Enough is enough!Me: [singing] Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea...Ariel: Mommy? You all done?Me: Do you want me to be all done?Ariel: Yeah.Me: Oh, okay.Ariel: Uhhh you uhhh sing uhhh.... lots of days!Me: I sing lots of days? I sing a lot?Ariel: Yeah! You sing a lot!Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-67112284744763564582008-07-28T08:22:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:31:06.645-08:00She likes praise.Felicity was fussing in her high chair, so I pulled her out, set her on the floor, and gave her a sippy cup.From the other room, Ariel ran in, gave Felicity her favorite stuffed bear, and ran back as quickly as she'd come."That was so nice of you Ariel!" I praised. "You gave Felicity her bear!""Huh?" Ariel called."You brought Felicity her bear! That was so nice! You made her happy!""What, Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-17948028360710523902008-07-08T21:50:00.001-07:002008-12-10T13:31:06.860-08:00our version of bronzed baby shoesFor Ariel, we got her handprint and footprint put into ceramic professionally - 3 times, at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. We didn't want 6 ceramics lying around, but we didn't want to only spend money to preserve Ariel's precious babyness, and not Felicity's, so Dan came up with this idea:This beautiful pastel was drawn by artist Li Tie in a mere 20 minutes. Amazingly, it was done from a live,Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-48220983204413094362008-07-01T13:52:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:31:07.187-08:00A Big StepJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-384186417033501122008-06-17T14:44:00.000-07:002008-12-10T13:31:07.365-08:00My Helpful Girl."Can you put the spray with the laundry?" I asked her.Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-63321056382951290272008-05-07T08:17:00.000-07:002008-05-07T08:24:14.700-07:00HonestyI looked up a moment ago, after a few minutes of blog-reading. to discover that Ariel had left the room.I walked into the kitchen and there she was, standing in the middle of the floor. She was holding one of her colored pencils, and she looked guilty."Hey, bud!" I said."I's lookin' for no-no's.""Oh, really? What no-no's are you looking for?""Lookin' for no-no's." She turned away and raised Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-821179706219377292008-04-30T22:01:00.000-07:002008-04-30T22:02:50.113-07:00Sweet Girl TimeAriel asked me to put Felicity in the doll cradle with her. Here's what happened. Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-45311564177518408722008-03-14T12:23:00.000-07:002008-03-14T12:44:31.559-07:00The things that girl says...Last week, at Mike's Drive-In:"Bite, mommy?""Okay, here you go."[I give Ariel a bite of my chocolate Oreo milkshake]"Is it yummy?"[She pats the spot in front of her with her palm]"Put right here on table?"Nice try, cutie! You're not getting it all!...........Two days ago, as I held her in my lap, wearing a low-cut dress:[Ariel pokes my chest]"One! Two! Two boobs! One... one, two! Two boobs!"Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-71735241936358928122008-03-10T12:28:00.000-07:002008-03-10T12:31:08.210-07:00NaughtyAriel's new thing is to pour water out of her Sigg bottle and play with it, which she knows is not okay. She was playing with some stacking cups a few minutes ago, and I warned her, "Don't pour your water into the cups!"A few minutes later, there was water in the cups and on the carpet."Ariel! I told you no! No putting your water in the cups! That's naughty! Can you say sorry?"She looked at Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-84588909449864026152008-02-28T12:43:00.000-08:002008-02-28T12:47:02.244-08:00Callin' the FamJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-30228735594090103442008-02-24T21:49:00.001-08:002008-12-10T13:31:08.938-08:00The Toddler RompAriel's birthday was Tuesday, and her birthday party was yesterday. We borrowed the clubhouse at our apartment complex for the occasion, and invited a few cutie pies to party with our little girl.The guest were Stella, Ivy, and Luna, and their parents were allowed along too, of course! Grandma also decided to come join the fun!We pushed the couches back to the walls to create a big area for Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-7889918774448886502008-02-08T20:28:00.000-08:002008-12-10T13:31:09.163-08:00Hot StuffJennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-56626249471037415632008-02-07T21:51:00.001-08:002008-12-10T13:31:09.385-08:00She's getting so big!I went to take Ariel to the potty recently, and, to keep Felicity entertained, I propped her up on the Boppy "tummy time" style. I placed a stuffed animal in front of her, so that she would have something to play with/chew on.When I came back a couple minutes later, this is what I found.Have I mentioned that she'll be 6 months old on Saturday?Geez Louise. I can't believe it.Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-44964613912010115902008-01-31T22:08:00.000-08:002008-12-10T13:31:09.541-08:00Guess who's wearing panties?!?!That's right! We put her in panties on Tuesday night, and she's been doing great! No nighttime leaks, and only a few daytime accidents, when we lost track of time and didn't take her to the potty soon enough.I'm so excited - and not just because it will mean fewer diapers. I can't help being so happy for her as she learns new skills and grows. It's like experiencing childhood all over again.Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5654601204124058397.post-87062165294303900162008-01-25T08:46:00.000-08:002008-12-10T13:31:09.866-08:00I don't care what the calendar says. She's 2.I woke up this morning at, oh, 6:30 (well, I woke up earlier than that, but I went back to bed because dang it, I was tired!). Anyway, I woke up at 6:30 to the sound of Ariel wailing."Cup! Cup!"My first thought was, My daughter is being ridiculous and she needs to be quiet.But then I thought, What if she's really thirsty? I would hate to make her lie there and be thirsty until 8.So I got up, Jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00284959525352524884noreply@blogger.com1