March 31, 2012 - She Always Seems to Lose Her "Listening Ears!"

So many conversations with Georgia these days seem to go something like this:

Me: "Georgia, please don't do that. Georgia, you could _____ (get hurt, choke, fall down, etc...) if you do that.

Me: "Georgia, are you listening to me? Georgia, where are your listening ears? Did you lose them?"

Georgia: "Here they are, mommy."

Me: "Are they working?"

Georgia: "Yes."

Me: "Then why aren't you listening to me, Georgia?" (in today's case) Don't take the little end out of there. You could choke on it."

Georgia: No words, just head down and furiously working at the little end.

Me: Georgia, if you don't stop, you're going to sit in the corner."

End of the bubble wand finally pops out and Georgia is escorted, in shock and with tears, to the corner. What? Did she not see that coming.

She'll be out in a few minutes and we'll repeat some form of this conversation a few more times before 2 p.m. when we leave for her daycare. Gotta love an ornery toddler.

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March 29, 2012 - Seeing Through the Eyes of a Bunny

Well, kind of - if you consider these foam cutouts to be anything like bunnies.

Entertainment courtesy of the $1 aisle at Target.

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March 28, 2012 - Finding a Home: It's Like Finding That Needle!

After spending most of the last two weeks getting this house hunt going - searching online sights, finding a realtor, driving by more than a dozen homes, making circles and X's on my "possible" list - today Georgia and I met with our realtor for the first time and actually started going inside some homes. We'll work on narrowing down the list since we're available every morning of the week, and then the hubby, Georgia and I will look at the finalists with the realtor on Saturdays.

Georgia had her house hunting ponytails ready to go this morning!

And off we went.

We saw home...

... after home...

... after home.

No "perfect" ones today (is that even possible unless you build?), but there were definitely some that got the circle instead of the "x." We only made it through seven homes, which mean there are still eight more on the list. Rough work!

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March 27, 2012 - Giving the Potty Another Go

We tried potty training with Georgia a week or two after her second birthday. We bought the little pink plastic toilet, we hit the "big girl" panty aisle at Target and we showed Georgia what that toilet paper roll is really for (no, it's really not for rolling around the house to see just how far the paper will go). And at first, it all went great - potty training was a big hit!

Then... we took a trip home to Georgia to visit my family and used pull-ups with Georgia most of the week so there were no accidents on floors and couches other than our own. THAT.WAS.IT. When we came home, Georgia was over the potty training thing and wanted nothing to do with "big girl" panties. Back to pull-ups we went. :(

But today, when I dropped Georgia off at daycare, her teacher asked me to bring some panties to leave in Georgia's cubby and start bringing her to daycare in those Dora and Minnie Mouse-themed panties Georgia picked out almost six months ago.

WHAT?!?! So I find out the little girl who kept refusing, even now, to use the potty at home or give her panties another go has been using the potty every time at daycare. OK, so peer pressure can be a good thing sometimes! She must not want to be the baby of the class.

So the panties are back on and potty training is a go once more. Gosh, I hope it sticks this time. I'm tired of paying for pull-ups.

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March 26, 2012 - You Want More? I'll Give You More!

We have lots and lots around here these days. Ponytails, that is, I'm talking about ponytails.

Oh, and bubbles, we have a lot of those too. And today, some well-aged bubbles that are of just the right vintage I think.

These same bubbles graced the exit of the hubby and I as we left our wedding reception in 2008. My, that seems so much longer than 3 1/2 years ago! But nonetheless, the bubbles still work just fine.

Ponytails and bubbles, can we get more "Americana" than this in my backyard right now? Love!

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March 25, 2012 - First Pigtails and Party!

I have tried for months now to put ponytails in Georgia's hair. They have become as elusive to me as a unicorn. She would always say "no, mommy, no - hurt." Why she thought they would hurt, I have no idea other than she is very sensitive about her hair being brushed and, of course, pony tails require some brushing. It's been so frustrating. Oh, how I have yearned to see cute little ponytails sprouting from my little's head.

But today, my unicorn stepped right in front of me. Georgia - out of the blue - asked me to put her hair in a ponytail. What?!?!? I thought she would quickly change her mind when I grabbed the brush and made a move to her hair, but no, she was all for it.

And you want to talk about cute. The little one just blew cute right out of here!

And did you notice the cupcake? Georgia was invited to her first birthday party today.



It was themed around the local summer collegiate baseball team, the Morehead City Marlins. Georgia wasn't so sure about the mascot though.

She warmed up to him though and had a blast playing with the other kids at the party. My, my - my little one is growing up so fast!

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March 23, 2012 - Beginning the Hunt...

It's actually a few months overdue, but we are beginning the house hunt in our new home town. So with house list and GPS in hand, Georgia and I set out today to look at some homes and make circles or X's on our list.

Georgia had her new house-hunting sunglasses and was ready to go!

I'd say house hunting is worse than house selling, since at least with selling people come to you. But after losing tens of thousands of dollars selling our last home is this sucky housing market, I think buying must be better, right? That is, until I look down at my first draft, 30-plus houses strong list. This is going to be a long hunt.

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March 22, 2012 - Calling Aunt Jenna

No, Jen, we really didn't call you, but Georgia sure had quite the conversation with you. She was just talking away.

Um... the reason Aunt Jenna wasn't on the other line might have something to do with Georgia's "phone."


And I don't know what the two of you were discussing here, but it doesn't look good.

But Jen, she told me over and over again you were talking back to her! :)

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March 21, 2012 - Tree What?

I grew up in Georgia hearing many a person say "tree sperm" this and "tree sperm" that this time of year. Yeah, not the most pleasant vision, right? Especially when you consider it is covering EVERYTHING right now. Five years out of the South and I almost forgot what pollen season was like. There is yellow everywhere - covering my car, the playground, the benches, the sidewalks, the windows - everything!!

This is one time of year when I welcome those big rain clouds:

Things are just a little nicer without a coat of yellow... or whatever you want to call it.

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March 19, 2012 - Turning Sand into Water

So it's not "officially" Spring yet, but darn it, with temps in the high 70's - I'm calling it Spring. That means are water table is officially getting re-filled with water after posing as a sand table all winter long.

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March 18, 2012 - How Does Our Garden Grow?

"Mary, Mary, quite contrary,how does your garden grow? With silver bells, and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row."

We might not have silver bells and cockle shells, but do we ever have some green beans and yellow squash sprouting! The seeds Georgia and I planted just a few days ago are already bringing delight to my lovely's face.


Did I mention there's basil popping its head up too?


I just love watching plants stretch and change and unfurl and reach for the sun.

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March 17, 2012 - Do I Get My Cape Yet?

The hubby is out of town for work again, so it's just me and the little.

Today's to-do list:

- Breakfast and pack for the beach
- Beach time!
- Visit the aquarium
- Mommy/daughter lunch
- Drive around Harker's Island
- Stop by the "big" playground
- Head home for dinner

Oh, and did I mention there's about 3 hours of driving involved in all of that? Phew! I'm exhausted just typing it. But off we went at a surprisingly early hour for me - 9:20 a.m. - and arrived at the beach less than an hour later!

Seven months living near the beach, and this babe already acts like she owns the place! I love her.




After the beach, it was off to the aquarium - which we went through THREE times! It's a fun place. Then we had a mommy/daughter lunch at a restaurant with a deck right on the water. Georgia loved watching the boats go by. It makes me want to get a boat.

Then we hopped in the car to head for nearby Harker's Island. I've been curious to check this place out where the locals are called "hoi toiders," for the way they pronounce "high tide." Those families who have lived on the island for generations have their own dialect because the island was once very isolated from the mainland. That is, until they built a bridge and now some rich people have vacation homes there. Alas though, Georgia fell asleep on the way there for her belated nap. I still went to the island and drove around, but with a sleeping little in the car, that meant no pictures and no getting out to talk with some locals. Oh well, maybe next time.

We headed home, and Georgia woke up. She asked if we could go to the "big playground." What? Like we hadn't already done enough for the day? Gosh, I'm such a push-over because off to the big playground we went as soon as we got back to our town.

Then an exhausted mommy took her energetic little home. Ahhh, a day well spent. But hubby, hurry up and get home, this mommy is drained!

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March 16, 2012 - Momma's Slight Panic Attack

I've been thinking about this day all week. It hasn't been an "in my face" kind of thinking, more just lurking there in the back of my head. It's not a bad thing really, actually it's about time we took this step. It has been 2 1/2 years, after all.

Tonight, Georgia stayed with a babysitter. Oh yeah... first time ever.

Now to stay she had a babysitter conveys images of hours spent with a young woman while my husband and I enjoy an evening on the town, returning home late and long after Georgia had peacefully drifted off to sleep after hours of fun, right? At least, that's what a night with the babysitter projects in my head. But, um, this first babysitter encounter was much, much different.

First, our "babysitter" is actually one of my husband's co-workers who has a wonderful 18-year-old son of her own. Second, I didn't leave the house until Georgia was already soundly asleep for the night. And third, there (sadly) was no night on the town for my husband and I. He was out of town for work and I work nights... so, hence the need for a little help.

So, I know, once you know the whole picture, the thought of me having a slight panic attack of this is pretty funny - Georgia was fast asleep and left in the care of dependable and knowledgeable hands. But... OK, I really have no defense. And everything went wonderfully. I returned home around 11:30 p.m. to discover that my lovely never made a "peep" and was still sound asleep in her bed.

OK, I think it's time we try this again - but this time with that night on the town for the hubs and I. We are WAY overdue.

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March 15, 2012 - Dissecting the Couch

Obviously, Georgia does not think our couch is "fun" enough as is. Who knew couches were supposed to be fun?

Every toddler, I guess.

It bounces better without the cushions.



There are many, many, many days where I wonder if our furniture will hold up until her teens... heck, will I hold up until her teens!

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March 14, 2012 - Ready, Aim... FIRE!!

OH... how I remember water guns from my childhood! My friends and I chased each other around the yard with them, up and down the street with them, through the woods with them, through the house (to my mother's displeasure) with them and even though we were already soaking wet, those super-soakers were so much fun to have in the pool. Living in the Florida Keys, water guns were almost a year-round joy - so my memory box is heaped with water guns and smiles.

I'm sure Georgia will make many of the same memories, although hopefully not the chasing up and down the street one - it will give me a freaking heart attack, but she has a ways to go before she's hitting anyone with a straight shot of water.

Um... except for maybe her own eye.

Yes, I could insert the great and over-used quote from the movie "A Christmas Story" right here, "hey kid, you'll shoot your eye out," but I won't. OK, maybe I just did.

Anyway, water in the eye be darned - she had a good time trying to figure these water gun things out.



And even if only the ground got wet...

... we started making those memories of water guns and smiles.

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March 13, 2012 - Teach Them to Plant a Seed, and They'll Never Go Hungry

Maybe if you play in the dirt enough as a child, it sticks with you into adulthood and you feel the constant urge to play in the dirt again. Or maybe my love of gardening came from having a paternal grandmother and a maternal grandfather who were always planting, urging, encouraging, transplanting, watering, and loving on one plant or another. Where ever it came from, gardening is part of me - you could say it's grown along with me my entire life. A dream job of mine would be owning a nursery/garden center as there is nothing more calming, more beautiful and more loving to me than sticking my hands in some dirt and helping something grow from it.

Let's see if Georgia will one day feel the same way.

Some green beans, yellow squash, basil, parsley and various flowers will hopefully start poking their delicate heads up above the earth soon.



Perhaps I will plant in her heart the same love of dirt under her fingernails, a watering can at her feet, perspiration on her brow and the touch of delicate leaves on her fingertips as someone once did for me.

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