Laney's Fun Run!

I was finally able to load the video of Laney's fun run!

Puddles and a Princess

Enjoying some puddle jumping after our afternoon rain showers!

For Laney’s birthday she received some dress up clothes.  Since her birthday she has not been that interested in them.  That is until now.  Today she brought a dress  and tutu to me and said “I be a princess.”  So we put the dress on, and Laney immediately added a pair of sunglasses and we had ourselves a beautiful Princess Laney.

Being a Mom

It is the hardest most exhausting, yet so rewarding job on the planet.  Now that I am a mother, I understand and appreciate my mom and grandmothers in a new way.  I have been blessed to be surrounded by a group of strong loving women (mom, step-mom, mother-in-law, aunts, and grandmothers) who have shown we what it means to be a mom. 

Since being a mom I have learned so many new things.

• I will never be able to pee by myself again. 
• My kisses have a magical power that heal any boo boo or scratch.
• Make believe tea is the best drink I have ever had.
• A perfectly clean house is not as important as a happy toddler.
• A 2 minute timeout with a crying toddler can seem like an hour.
• Toddler feet are the cutest, even when they smell so bad they stink up your car.
• I need to be the best person I can be, because Laney is always watching and listening.
• There is no perfect way to be a mother.  Every family and child is unique.
• There is nothing better than cuddle time.
• I have learned every Barney song and dance.
• I have learned how to be excited about all the little things in life again.
• I have learned Laney’s love is unconditional.  Even after I put her in timeout for 2 minutes, she will immediately run into my arms, say sorry, and give me a hug. 
• The love I feel for Laney is one that cannot be put into words or measured.  I have learned there is nothing I would not do to protect her and keep her safe.

I had a wonderful Mother’s Day with my two favorite people.  It started with a delicious breakfast in bed.  Laney and Tyler cooked French Toast and picked flowers from our yard.  Due to rainy weather we decided to stay home and have a relaxing day.  We went for ice cream, read Pete the Cat a hundred times, built a fort, played blocks, pretended to be cowboys, and cleaned the house.  We ended our evening with a family dinner.  I was able to have a fun Mother’s Day playing with the wonderful little miss that made me a mother.

 

Laney decided that I would want a Coke to drink with my breakfast.

Enjoying her ice cream.

Laney’s fort!

Pete the Cat!! 

Lots of Laughs

Laney continues to say so many funny things that crack us up every day. 

1) Tyler: Tracie you need to stop drinking Coke.

Laney: Yea mommy, you need to drink milk.

2) When I picked Laney up from daycare I told her we were going to Target (her favorite store).  Then I changed my mind.  So as I was driving, I made a turn to go home instead of Target.  Then my backseat driver tells me “mommy going wrong way, wrong way mommy.”

3) I don’t like it.  Any type of food item that she does not want to try gets this response.

4)  While in the store the other day she found a dress for me she liked “Mama I like this”

5) Although we cannot begin potty training until August because of her daycare, we have started talking about it.  My sister Colleen ordered her a princess potty we picked out in the store.  It came in the mail Thursday.  We did facetime with Aunt Colleen while she opened it.  She immediately wanted to sit on it and go pee pee.  I thought we would give it a try and see what happens.  She sat for a minute and then said she went.  She did not go and did not want to sit on it again.  I put her diaper back on.  Then before I knew it Laney had put the potty back in the box it came in and said “I done with potty.”  Good thing we won’t be really trying for a few more months.

Crawfish Festival

On Saturday we headed to Columbia and met up with our friends.  We all headed to the Crawfish festival for a little bit, but the hot Carolina weather got the best of us.  We headed back to our dear friends Amanda and Bill’s house to hang out.  Laney had a great time playing with Argos (the dog)  Sawyer.  Later in the evening we headed back to the Festival for Laney’s first concert.  The Gin Blossoms were playing at the Festival.  Laney had a blast dancing in the streets.  The music brought be back to my high school days.  We definitely miss our Columbia friends, it was nice to see them all again.

 

Dancing in the streets

Dancing with Sawyer

I’m a Big Girl

That is all we heard, when we were at the Strawberry Festival this past Friday night.  The Festival is in Fort Mill, and had vendor booths, live music, and carnival rides.  Laney can often be shy and timid when it comes to trying new things.  Tyler and I were not sure if she would go on any of the rides.  The first ride was a little caterpillar roller coaster.  It was too small for parents to go on with their children, so Laney had to brave it by herself.  I walked her to the ride and put her in the seat.  As I walked away, I thought for sure she would cry and want to get out.  However, instead I heard, “I’m a big girl.”  Laney loved the ride.  She was all smiles all the time.  Then we headed to the Strawberry Festival version of teacups.  I was able to ride this one with Laney.  She would not sit on my lap, because as she told me “I’m a big girl.”  As our strawberry spun around in circles, she laughed and giggled and wanted more. 

The biggest surprise was watching her venture into a bounce house all by herself.  She didn’t need the peer pressure of her daycare friends.  She climbed up stairs and went down the slide backwards (she was a little scared of how steep it was).  When she landed she was clapping for herself and making the sign for more.  To finish our Friday night, the 3 of us shared some strawberry shortcake. Yum!!

Laney was so excited when we walked into the festival.  She started dancing to the music.

Laney’s first roller coaster ride.

Riding the teacups with mommy.

Crazy Hair

I have always been cursed with little curls that go all the way around my head.  They are really curly and noticeable when it is really humid or my hair gets wet.  It looks like Laney inherited my annoying little curls.  Look at the 2 pictures;

Me: Two and a half

Laney: Two