Thursday, February 28, 2013

Christmas Gifts on the Cheap

(Finally getting around to posting some Christmas stuff.)
For Christmas, I tried not to add a whole lot more "stuff" to our space - especially since 80% of her toys are in storage. I never know what things Gianna will spend time playing with so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a bunch of gambles that could end up collecting dust.  So, reinvention and DIY projects were the theme of

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Polar Express Day

Just trying to add a few holiday posts that I managed to neglect for a while.

Just before they let out for the Christmas Break, the Pre-K and Kindergarten kids enjoyed a Polar Express Day when they were able to wear their pajamas to school, view the movie and enjoy popcorn and hot cocoa.  It was an only time as room mother, I got a little overwhelmed.  Gianna's teacher told me to keep it simple. 

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Park Dates with a "Classmater"

After I pick Gianna up from school at 2:00pm, I am immediately asked, "Mommy, what fun thing are we going to do now?"  or "What friends can we go visit?" 

For most people it's either nap time or they are on their way to pick up kids from school.  Sometimes we opt to do the park.
According to Gianna, the park is "no fun" when we go by ourselves.  One of Gianna's little classmates (or "classmaters" as GIanna says) is also an "only" and her mom and I have begun to text when we're headed to the park so we could meet up and they can play. 
Meet Nacey. 
Neither Nacey's mom nor I ever tell our child that we are going to meet just to avoid disappointment if something comes up.  Both Gianna and Nacey think we are enjoying a string of wonderful coincidences that we happen to see each other at almost every park we go to. :)

The above picture made me laugh.  They look like little Muslims praying to Mecca. (They just wanted to see what was under the deck.)




They are such characters.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Prayers

The other day, Gianna was at the kitchen table and I saw her drawing on a paper plate. This is what she was up to...


A nice Lenten picture of Jesus on the cross.  On her own.
I was impressed.

You might remeber that I recorded Gianna saying her Blessing Before Meals throughout the years.  I happened to have my phone on me during nighttime prayers the other night so I recorded her praying some of them.  She usually wants me to say them alone, but she has soaked them up and said she's do them herself this night.  There's no picutre in the video, but you can still hear her.


The Lord's Prayer

Hail Mary




Hail Holy Queen (I had to do a little coaching on this one - which may have messed her up a little, but I was an adult before I learned this.)

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Mardi Gras '13

Went to school to help the kidlets make some masks


Headed out for the Krewe of Barkus parade (a parade of dogs dressed up - hilarious.)
Didn't take my camera or cell phone - but did snap this before we left.

My little Cyndi Lauper.

There was a carnival at the Civic Center too.  I don't think we've ever gone to one until this year.  She had a ball. Road her first roller coaster - 3 times in a row - with hands in the air and all. I think she's got that need for speed. 
It had rained the entire Mardi Gras weekend and we were bored out of our gords so we went to the Children's Parade in the rain. It was actually super fun and we caught a TON of stuff.

She's a lot like her momma.  She likes the idea of a parade, but there are a lot of elements that she's not fond of....the sirens of the police motorcycles and cars to start the parade, being one of them.

She also detests cigarette smoking and she stood downwind of a lady getting her fix. Against my warning, she approached the ladies husband and said, "Hellooooo......" in the sweetest little voice, and then declared, "...I sure don't like cigarette smoking." to which he snidely replied that she shouldn't smoke cigarettes, then. I grabbed her before she really went off on him.  That munchkin can PREACH!


On the way home she told me her lungs hurt. I said, "Show me where?" and she pointed to her chest. When I asked why she thought it hurt she said it was because of the cigarette she smoked.  I said, "Gianna! You did NOT smoke a cigarette!" And half in tears she said, "But Mommy, I breathed it in!" She kept saying she was going to die because she now had smoke in her lungs.  She should do a commercial for the National Lung Association.

* * * * * * * * * *
Now, if I was smart - I would have let the Children's Parade be IT. 
But due to five days of inclement weather and a severe case of cabin fever, we braved the big parage on Fat Tuesday.


What was I thinking?  She melted down a couple of times - first because "the honkers were too loud!"
  

Then because she wasn't catching many beads.
(There were many more people at this parade.)

Kinda hard to catch beads when you won't remove your hands from your ears....


Next time, we need to know our limits. (MOMMY!!!!)

But we did do an art project with some of our beads.

Should have used a different green for the stem and leaves, but overall it turned out really cute.

* * * * * * * * * * *
And then came Ash Wednesday...
She was SO proud that she got "ashed."
She has a lot of questions about Lent and is a little obsessed about the crucifixion and death of Jesus.  She wants me to tell the story over and over and wants DETAILS about all the horrible, violent parts.  What an interesting kid.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Valentine's Day

Here are some of Gianna's Valentine's we made this year.
Her little mailbox purse, BEFORE...

....and AFTER... 


Instead of sending more sugary sweets to Gianna's classmates, I made this little sun-catchers out of.....*drumroll, please*.....TOILET PAPER ROLLS and tissue paper.



* * * * * * * * * * *

I went to Gianna's school help the kids pass out their Valentine's.  I get so tickled because our family friend's little boy is in the Kindergarten class and comes to G's class every morning to greet her.
He is SO adorable and absolutely hilarious - as are both his brothers.
Watching their little exchanges in the mornings is like watching a coming of age movie with tiny little actors. Brady saunters toward her classroom, leans against the door frame, calls Gianna's name and then says, "Hey, where's my hug."  It's like watching a little miniature Fonzie from Happy Days.

I think I've said before that Valentine's Day is NOT my favorite holiday. It never has been. Being single for 30+ years pretty much set the stage - and even after I met Iain, that holiday seemed to always be tainted. I think we had our 1st argument on Valentine's Day and somehow each year following we were experiencing some sort of disappointment or irritation. And now, well, I guess you can imagine how rotten these last two have been without Iain. For some reason, I cried all day yesterday. I would have done anything to have even a crappy day with my greatest love. Ugh.
The worst part is that I don't even get to ignore the holiday. I have a precious four year old that is thrilled with each holiday and who had her 1st school experience with sending and receiving Valentine's.  I have to pretend that it is the most wonderful day of the year...for her. Don't get me wrong, she's worth the effort and sacrifice, but...ouch.

This little conversation hard says it most kindly...

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Jelly Book - Volume 11 ~ Winter 2012-13

Oh the treasured nuggets that come out of my child's mouth!  I'd been keeping these little Jelly Book entries on my phone but it's a hard habit to keep up with.  I know I missed a ton of them, but here are the ones I could recall.

"WHAT is the statue of livery doing in front of Wal-mart?" (Said while passing the poor workers dressed in costume in front of Liberty Tax Services.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
G:  Guess what? I petted a Grape Dane at school today. 
Me:  A what?
G:  A Grape Dane.  He's a Ferapee dog.  He loves on people who are sick to help them get better.

God bless the therapy dogs.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
SInce she was VERY young, I've always been able to understand most everything she says. I've seldom been frustrated by trying to decipher her speech. But one day after school, she said,
"You say uh-uh."
Me:  I said what?
G: No. You say uh-uh.
Me: What did Mommy say.
G: No. You say uh-uh.
After a good five minutes of running around that circle and asking a ton of questions I figured it out. They learned a new letter at school that day.  The Letter U.
Hence the phrase, "U's say uh-uh"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
While getting into the car on a particularly cold morning, Gianna noticed the that windows were iced over. "Mommy, LOOK! There's frosting on the windows!" 

Then as we began driving through the neighborhood, she realized that the rooftops and grass were dusted with white.  "It looks like Frosted Jack came last night, Mommy!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Playing in the tub I heard her say, "Oh look at this gourmet." 
Me:  Do you know what that means? 
G:  No, I made it up.
Me: Well, actually it's a really word.  It means fancy food.

She was amazed she guess a real word.

Next morning at breakfast she was very proud to use her new word.
"Well Mommy, you look very gourmet today."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Gianna brought a little craft home from school last week.  When I asked what it was she told me, "It's for Gram Hawk day. 

Clueless as to what she was referring, I asked for clarification.
Her explanation?

"It's when the Gram Hawk comes out of his hole and if he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
She had a park date with a school friend who had to leave to get ready for gymnastics.  Gianna was excited and surprised to learn her friend took gymnastics and was full of questions about the flips and tricks her friend was learning.

When we got home Gianna told me, "Mommy, can you BELIEVE that Nacey takes Olympics!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Why do the mens have nipples but no boobies?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
While grocery shopping at Wal-mart, I turned down the soup isle and was met by a most offensive smell...that wasn't food related.  Once Gianna got a whiff of if, she groaned and loudly asked with a disgusted tone, "WHAT is that smell.?"  There were people who in close proximity so I quickly shushed her while explaining that we don't want to say those things so loudly.  When she asked why we couldn't do that I said, "Gianna, it could be that someone may have passed gas. We wouldn't want to embarrass them."

Her eyes grew wide and with a dismissive roll of them she said without missing a beat, "I don't think someone passed gas - I think someone passed poo-poo!"
I laughed for a good 15 minutes.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
G: Hey, Mommy can I wear on your 'boobie holders?"
Me: First of all, it's called a bra and second of all, I think it's big enough to wear you.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I bought her several classic movies for Christmas.  One night we sat down to watch one of her choice.  Ready?   "The Lizard of Oz" 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
When we moved in to my parents' home Gianna slept in bed with me for about three months which was good for both of us.  About a week after I moved her in to her own room she told me she no longer wanted to sleep in there. When I asked why she said it was because there were ghosts in there.
Me:  Gianna, there's no ghosts in that room.
Gianna:  There ARE, Mommy.
Me: (quickly realizing I'd better validate her fears) Well, you're in luck.  I happy to have Ghost Spray. C'mon, let's go get get it.
(Astonished by my comment - followed me to my room where I grabbed some Body Spray I never use except to occasionally freshen my sheets.)
Gianna:  I cannot believe you have Ghost Spray!!!!! What does it do?
Me:  Watch. (I sprayed her entire room, under her bed, in the closet, the whole deal.)  OK, you're good!  No ghosts will come anywhere NEAR this spray.
Gianna:  Thank you so much!

Fast forward about a week later when we were getting ready for school.  I was putting on my make-up and she was watching me intently.  As I put powder on my face, she asked, "Can I have some of that?"  I was happy to oblige since I knew it wouldn't show on her. Then I put on my perfume and she excitedly asked if she could try some. 
Me:  Oh no, that's Mommy's expensive perfume. But here, you can have some of this.
(I quickly swiped a small bottle off my shelf and sprayed a tiny mist in the air in front of her.)
Her eyes BUGGED OUT of her head and she quickly asked, "IS THAT GHOST SPRAY????"
I stammered as I was trying to save face and concoct some sort of story until she interrupted with exasperation and an eye roll,  "GREAT! Now I'm gonna smell like a GHOST!"
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
G:  Mommy, can we play ant piles in my hiney?
Me:  WHAT?
G: Can we play ant piles in my hiney?
Me: Gianna, what are you talking about?
G:  Remember that game we played at Matthew's house? Can we play that?
Me: Gianna, it's called Ants in Your Pants

Friday, February 01, 2013

Smitten

I'm smitten by this sweet girl - full of innocense, full of charm, full of love.
That's all. Just smitten.
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