Christmas Came Early

Dear Layla,

They say great minds think alike.  If that's true than Ya-Ya and I have great minds.

I, uh *cough*, I mean, Santa bought you a Caillou doll for Christmas.  I was so excited about it.  He is your favorite! 

Ya-Ya also bought you a Caillou doll.  She sent it to you in a Thanksgiving care package.  

She wins.

Love,
Mommy

Beefcake

Dear Nono,

LB has been telling us that she's a princess for a while now.  One day she asked if you were a princess. I told her, "No! He's a beefcake!"  It stuck. 

Love,
Mommy

ABC Song

Dear Layla,

The best part of this song is NOT that it's the ABCs.  It does make the teacher part of me so proud to know that you are interested in learning the ABC song. But no! That's not the best part. 

The best part is when you sing, "Sing with me"! 

Love,
Mommy

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

Dear Noah,

Last year you had to sit and watch as Layla ate a Reese's peanut butter cup after going trick-or-treating. You didn't know that you were missing out.  They are delicious.

You got to have some this year though! Here's the video from Halloween night:






Then, a few nights later, we gave you another Reese's.  You ate in all in one bite.  It was quite impressive.  And funny.  I think my favorite part might be that you started crying when you realized that your's was gone and LB still had some candy.  She ate her's in about 37 bites. 




Love,

Mommy

Caillou

Dear Layla,

You have created your own bedtime routine.  Usually it's the parents that are supposed to create this routine, but you did it on your own.  

According to your schedule, things go like this:
1. Bath time
2. Put on jammies
3. Play a little more
4. Brush teeth
5. Give Nono a kiss and send him to bed
6. Snuggle and watch Caillou

You take Number Six very seriously.  You insist that we sit together, snuggle under a blanket, and watch a little television.  Last night you brought me the remote and said, "I watch Caillou".  For whatever reason, you are certain that Caillou comes on once Nono goes to bed.  You are very wrong.  Daddy and I have set the DVR to record all episodes of Caillou just for you and snuggle time.  

Thank you DVR for making my Baby Girl happy before bedtime. 

Love,
Mommy

Gator Sweaters and Leaves

Dear Little People,

Mama Jane had an awesome idea.  She told me to buy you orange sweaters and get your names embroidered onto the chest.  Boom! Gator sweaters!! See? I told you it was an awesome idea!

I'm not a big fan of fall.  Some people go crazy about fall.  They love the cool weather, changing leaves, and Pumpkin Spice lattes.  Oh my God, Pumpkin Spice lattes.  People will seriously fall over themselves to get a Pumpkin Spice latte.  My Facebook timeline blows up every fall with people posting pictures of their lattes and commenting on how happy they are that the Pumpkin Spice lattes are back.  I think they are sick.  It's like licking the bottom of the spice rack.

I don't like the cool weather either.  It's just a reminder that it's going to get icy cold in just a few weeks as winter approaches.  I would be happy for it to be hot and sunny 365 days a year.  

Now, about the leaves.  I will agree with the masses and say it's pretty.  I think the fall leaves are very beautiful.  This is something that didn't happen when I was growing up in Florida.  Everything was pretty much green until those few frosty weeks when things turn brown.  Seeing the orange, yellow and red leaves is so nice.  

I do believe one of the prettiest fall spots in all of Memphis is Chimneyrock Elementary.  This is my school so I get to see the campus everyday.  It seems like one day all the trees are green and then just 3-4 days later, everything has bright fall colors.  

So, one Saturday, I dressed you in your jeans and Gator sweaters and took you up to Chimneyrock to play in the leaves.  Layla loved walking around looking for the pink leaves and Noah loved picking up the sticks.  

Love,
Mommy

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Pumpkin Patch

Dear Babies,

Can you call something a "tradition" if you've done it 3 times? I'm saying "Yes!"  That's makes our trip to the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago a family tradition! Hooray!

While we were there, I noticed a man taking pictures.  He took a couple of  each of you before I summoned the courage to ask him what he was doing.  He explained that he in the owner of the pumpkin patch and he wanted some cute pictures of kids to post online.  I'm guessing for advertisements or whatever.

I really don't know how I feel about that.  On one hand, I post pictures of the two of you all the time.  On the other hand, he is a stranger and possibly a perv.  

I'm torn. But, like I mentioned, here's more pictures of you two that I am posting online.  The Internet just might explode with pictures of LB and Nono.

Love,
Mommy

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Gymnastics!

Dear Layla,

You have been taking gymnastics classes for two months now and it shows.  You love showing off your moves.  I am so proud of what you learned.  I can tell that you are proud of yourself too.

Love,
Mommy

Mommy's Bed

Dear Layla,

One of your favorite books is Ten Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.  Daddy groans every time you want to hear us read it.  One day, not to long ago, you made the connection between the book and that you could jump on the bed.  It started innocently.  I was putting laundry away in your room and you climbed into your bed.  Then you jumped and liked it.  I mean really, really liked it.  I could tell from your face that you were going to do it again, but I scooped you up and told you not to jump on the bed.

It wasn't long after that first jump that you got a little braver.  You were sitting on my bed, then stood up and started jumping around.  This time I didn't stop you.  I just told you to be careful and stay in the middle of the bed.  After all, jumping on the bed is super fun so I can understand why you wanted to do it.  You probably spent 10 minutes jumping and landing flat on your bottom.  Nono just stood at the end of the bed watching you.  I could tell that he was completely envious of you.  (Don't worry Buddy, one day you will be big enough to jump too!)

It's clear that playing on Mommy's bed is one of your favorite things.  Not only do you jump, but now we take pretend naps and I do my own version of jumping on the bed.  

But like all good Mommies say, we'll have to stop once someone pokes their eye out.

Love,
Mommy

Food Feet

Dear Noah,

I've said it before and I'll say it again and again - You eat it's your job. 

Last night we had spaghetti squash spaghetti.  Now because it's the beginning of the school year and I have 28 students, I'm too tired to clean up messes.  I knew that allowing you to feed yourself would be a huge mess, so I fed you the spaghetti.  Just the thought of spaghetti all over the floors, in the highchair, and on your clothes made me feel super tired. 

This video is of your feet in between each bite. It cracks me up! I've been meaning to video your feet during meals for months now because it's just that funny.  I can feel your nerves as you anxiously await the next bite.  You must be thinking, "Is she going to give me another bite?!" or "I'm so hungry. I haven't eaten in 20 minutes and I'm about to starve!"

You are just as anxious when you feed yourself.  You shovel food into your mouth like it's about to disappear.  That's also pretty funny.

Love,
Mommy

Moves Jagger

Dear Layla,

The song "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 is, without a doubt, your favorite song.  When it comes on, you yell "Moves Jagger" so loudly and dance around the room.  

You dance in the car too.  The buckle restraints greatly limit your moves, but you still manage to boogie.  

But your best moves always happen in the living room.  Enjoy!

Love,
Mommy

Princess Toothbrush

Dear Layla,

We've taken the princess thing too far.  You have princess panties, princess toys, princess toothbrush and now princess toothpaste. 

Boy do you love princess toothpaste.  It's bright pink and tastes like bubble gum.  You love it! 

My favorite part of this video is how you announce "I do it"!  I would hardly call what you do anything even close to brushing your teeth.  All you do is suck the toothpaste off the brush.

Oh well. 

Love,
Mommy

Let Them Eat Cake

Dear Layla and Noah,


When Layla turned one, I bought her a smash cake.  It's a miniature cake just for the birthday kid to eat and destroy.  Layla loved hers.  She ate, and ate, and ate.  Then threw up the next morning.  Lesson learned?  Smash cakes might be cute and fun, but it can make you sick from over-eating.


Fast-forward to Noah's first birthday.

Sorry Noah, but you did not get a smash cake.  You got a cupcake.  And you loved it. And you didn't puke. 


Love,
Mommy

Shave and a Haircut, Two Bits!

Dear Layla and Noah,


We took you for your first haircuts yesterday.  I expected Noah to cry and have a total meltdown, but he surprised me.  As you will see, it was Layla that panicked.  She cried the second she was placed in the chair.  







Eventually Layla calmed down.  It actually looked like she was starting to enjoy it.  Charles, the haircutter guy, was very patient and gave her toys to hold.  I love how she watches herself in the mirror.  







Before he got started, Charles suggested that I let him trim her hair so that it is even all around.  He showed me the shortest piece that he would use as a guide.  It would have made your hair just to your ears.  NO WAY!  I told him that I was only comfortable with taking a tiny amount off.  He also wanted to cut bangs.  NO WAY!  Charles may have been nice, but he had some crazy ideas for your hair.






Then it was Noah's turn.  Brian, the haircutter guy, let Noah hold two toy trains.    Noah didn't get upset at all.  The trains must have been calming or something.  He actually seemed to enjoy getting his hair cut.  Everyone giggled when he tried to lay back.




Before Noah's haircut, I asked Brian to take just a little hair off.  I wanted him to have a clean hairdo for his birthday.  I also told Brian not to worry about using clippers.  Brian did it anyway.  Oh well.  It was during this part that Noah started to get upset.  I don't know if he was upset because the back was being cut or that Brian was using the clippers.  








You both looked beautiful before the haircuts and you look beautiful after.  


Love,
Mommy

Noah and the Spoon

Dear Noah,


I tell people all the time that you eat like it's your job.  You stuff food into your mouth almost to the point of choking.  


One time you bit your lip while eating. You puffed up like you were going to wail but you didn't.  You just whined, stuck out your lip for a second as if to say "Ouch that hurt. You should pity me", and kept on eating.  


Another time we were at the splash park with some of the kids from Mama Jane's house.  You were eating some dry cereal while sitting in your blue car. One of the kids pushed you into one of the sprinklers.  You sat there in your car, blinking wildly while water sprayed you in the face, and kept on eating. 


All very impressive.


Clearly you love to eat.  Table manners, on the other hand, only get in the way of your feasting. I love how you hold the spoon but show little interest in using it.  You took a few bites with the spoon, but your hands are your preferred method of choice.  


Love,
Mommy

Yogurt

Dear Babies,


You both love yogurt. You will eat any flavor at any time.  So it should not be a surprise that Noah tried to mooch some of Layla's yogurt.  The real surprise should be that she actually shared.


Love,
Mommy

Nono and the Walker

Dear Noah,


I've tried not to do it.  I didn't want to be that kind of parent.  But I can't help it.  It's just too hard to not compare you with LB. 


I find myself looking at your pictures and then her pictures from when she was the same age.  I stare at them looking at every tiny detail.  Daddy showed me that I can select several pictures then click my space bar and the pictures will pop up.  Then I can flip back and forth from picture to picture using the track pad.  It's slightly obsessive.  


I've compared milestones too - rolling over, crawling, sleeping through the night, eating solid food. LB has you beat in some areas and you have her beat in others. 


Who will win the walking contest??  That is yet to be decided.  LB was using the walker pretty regularly at 10 months, but you've only recently started to use it at almost 12 months. Point to Layla.  She started walking at 15 months.  Time to get to it.


Love,
Mommy

Mommy's School

Dear Kiddos,


I think the week before teachers return to school should be called "Take Your Children to Work Week".  You'd think that the 5 days before kids show up would be enough time to set-up a classroom, but that thinking is beyond wrong.  Way beyond wrong.  Pre-planning week is usually filled with meetings, professional development, registration, chatting, and lunches out because we never get to do that.  Therefore teachers usually go to school ahead of time to have everything ready to go. And they usually bring their kids. It's "Take Your Children to Work Week".  Someone should really make that official.


Our TYCWW started on Monday.  In the 3 hours we were in "Mommy's Boom" I was able to place all the furniture around the room.  We are always told, nah, nagged, to not drag the furniture on the freshly polished floors.  We are told to wait for a custodian to come by with a dolly. In my 8, now 9, years of teaching, I've never seen a custodian with a dolly or seen a teacher wait.  Teachers drag the furniture.  I did it and I'll do it again next year.  Those floors are going to get messed up anyway.  Deal with it.


Tuesday was mainly unpacking.  My room has wooden lockers and I stuffed each and every locker with teacher junk at the end of school last year.  Again, we stayed at school for about 3 hours.  


You both were exceptionally good.  I made sure to have plenty of snacks and I let you play with my classroom things.  It's amazing how pencil cups and chairs and things like that can entertain two small children.  The only problem happened on Tuesday.  I was talking with another teacher when I heard Layla cry out, "Pip-pops wet"!  Layla had an accident.


I let you skip school on Wednesday to go play with your friends at the splash park.  I can't believe I let you cut class on TYCWW! I should feel ashamed. :)


On Thursday you got the day off again to stay with Omi and Poppi! Skipping twice in one week?! Shameful. . . . but I went to school and got so much done. My companion that day was my hot glue gun.  That's another thing we are nagged about - don't use hot glue on the walls.  I don't care. I do it anyway. It's really the only thing that let's you stick stuff to concrete walls without it peeling off before Labor Day. 


We went back to school on Friday.  We didn't stay long since I had only had a few things to do.  But I did remember to take my camera.  I had to capture TYCWW!  I love how excited Nono was to sit in the chairs and how LB played peek-a-boo in the lockers.  

Love,
Mommy

First Day of Gymnastics

Dear Layla,


For as long as I've known Daddy, he has always said that his kids will not play soccer.  He thinks it's boring.  I think it's adorable to watch a bunch of 6 year olds chase the ball like a swarm of mosquitos.  At that point, it's not really soccer anyway. I say that my kids can play anything they want.


Today you started gymnastics.  You didn't have a choice in the matter, but I think you liked it.  One day when you are old enough you will tell us what activities you want to participate in, but for now you will just do what we want to watch you do.  

And I will always choose the stuff that looks adorable.


Love,
Mommy

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Panties

Dear Layla,


One of my goals for this summer is to get you potty trained.  We've been really working on it for a few days now.  I say, "really working on it" because you've used the potty for months now, but you haven't really mastered things yet. Most of the time you have just a little accident in your Pull-Up and then finish peeing on the potty.  Is that too much detail?!  Oh well. 


I'm hoping that your new panties will help do the trick. They have princesses on them!  What little girl doesn't just love princesses?  And to be really real, I'm sure that there are plenty of boys that like princesses too.


Love,
Mommy