So cute!

So, Miss C has basically fallen in love with wearing her "pretty dresses", as she is now fond of referring to them. Additionally, we are wearing nighties to bed over pjs because, well, they are dresses we wear to bed, right?
I am not sure if its the grown up part of the dress, the age or what, but I think its awfully sweet. Hopefully I will be able to get her to stop moving long enough to get a picture of her in one!

Until then, I leave you with a relatively recent (relatively being the word) video of Miss C on her tricycle:

22 Months already? Not your regular post (For Maddie)

Miss C turned 22 months old yesterday. Usually I try to put in a list of her achievements and milestones but this week I have been a little distracted. First because DH is sick (infection, probably something along the lines of tonsillitis based on how those look) but also because I have been following another Mom's blog for a while and she just lost her little girl.
I don't feel right trying to explain her story (see this blog or through Poobou, another young Mom's blog here) but this family's tragedy has shaken me to the core. I always knew my little one was a miracle but I never realized just how few children are actually born without any complications. Those who aren't, those little ones who need extra help, don't always get to reach the milestones I am so fond of sharing.
In deference to this family's loss, i am not going to post my normal monthly Miss C update. Instead I am going to ask you all to help prevent this from happening again by sharing another Mom's March for Babies pledge site. If you are able to support this team, a team made up of parents and friends trying to do more, or even walk your own March for Babies, please do so. Little ones need all the help they can get.

Someone is becoming a big girl

Everytime I think Miss C is at some certain stage in life, she goes off and grows up on me. DH is going on travel for the summer and will miss our 2nd birthday here. In order to give him an opportunity to play with Miss C and the gift he intended for her to receive then, DH went out and picked it out a couple of months early. His argument, Miss C is getting to be a big girl and big girls need their Daddies to help them learn certain things.
This is a picture of what DH got Miss C.

As you can see, adorable as it is, Miss C hasn't quite figured out how to pedal and is just a shade too short (hard to imagine!) so I ran over to Wally World this morning after a short stop at work and picked this up.

As you can see, it is just a little smaller, about perfect for now. It does grow into a bike with training wheels, a little smaller than the other one, just right for growing into. I think Miss C is really starting to get the pedaling thing down (I did load a couple of videos too, in case you want to check them out.).

We did already institute the "you shall wear your helmet if you want to ride your bike/tricycle" rule and Miss C doesn't seem to have any problem with that.

What is the right age to start riding a tricycle or bicycle? How do you teach your little ones to pedal?

Video blog!

Miss C's vocabulary and her ability to express herself are exploding as I type this. She loves to cook with both of us so here is a video from tonight. Hope you enjoy!

Miss C turned 21 months old! (Yep, yesterday, forgive my tardiness!)

21 months is an in between age, I think. While Miss C didn't appear to grow physically, she definitely grew mentally.

Miss C's vocabulary and overall ability to express herself have improved exponentially. For example, while playing "night, night" in our bed (Miss C loves to play on the "big bed"), she often sends us out of the room. As soon as we get near the door we hear "I awake, [Miss C] awake!" followed by a series of giggles! Its too cute! She also tells us when she is back. For example, when Miss C decides its time for her to go "bye bye" into her play room she will often tell us "bye bye" and run off. A minute or so later, Miss C will run full throttle into whatever room we are in and announce to everyone "I back! [Miss C] back!" while poking herself in the chest to emphasize that she is [Miss C].

Miss C continues her love of cooking and cleaning (not sure how long this will last but hey, while we are enjoying it, right?). Anytime DH or I are in the kitchen, invariably you will find Miss C on her "big step" helping us out. It really is a help though. She will use her frying pan and make whatever it is you are making. On the off chance she doesn't actually want to be in the kitchen, MIss C will bring her cooking utensils, some plates, some spoons etc and cook for Elmo or her dolly. She requires Elmo to "eat" with us (which, for our sake, is just sitting at the table) which leads me to another item.

Miss C, shock of all shocks, continues to be very directive. Sometimes she will surprise you with her wiley ways though. If she wants us to sit at the table she will direct us one by one to "Mama sit down, daddy sit down, everybody sit down." Sometimes, however, she is actually quite subtle. This afternoon, for example, she asked to get help trying on a pair of shoes. Mind you, we have been home for about 45 minutes and have already eaten dinner so this was our winddown time before bath. Ok, shoes on. Next Miss C goes and gets her "yellow jack[et]", can anyone see where we are going with this? Yep, then she gets my shoes and deposits them at my feet saying "mama, get up, shoes on" and then points to daddy's jacket and says "daddy, jack[et]." Yep, before we could say "boo" Miss C had fenagled a quick trip outside. If it had been over 32 degrees out we might have stayed out longer but as it was we made it about 10 minutes before the cold won out and we went in.

Aside from the verbal skills, Miss C continues to develop her fine and gross motor skills. While announcing "I made that" to us whenever she colors a new picture, Miss C talked me (very difficult, by the way) into getting out her paints so we can paint pictures (she does bore of it after about 20 minutes but heck, how long is her attention span supposed to be at this age?). She races us down the driveway with increasing speed each time and she loves to garden (or pull weeds at present, if you will). Miss C also continues to develop her love of music and as such has taken up the recorder. We haven't started on how to use the holes to actually make certain sounds but she sure does love it!

Here are a few newer photos for you to enjoy:

So, what's new with you?

Fifth what?

We were supposed to be on a plane right now. We were supposed to be visiting family today. But, we're not. Why, do you ask? Well...

Yesterday I got a call from the day care letting me know that Miss C has developed a rash on her tummy and back and that I should have her seen.

Ok.. A rash. I started to think about what could be causing it. I know she is a little congested (that was a concern to begin with about our trip but we thought she would be ok). Did I use a new detergent? No. Did she eat something new? Well, she tried a cashew the day before but if there was going to be a reaction, we expected it sooner. Ok, time to tell the guys at the office that I need to get Miss C to the doctor.

Called the doctor. No appointments available. Time to try Urgent Care. Get to Day care, Miss C is painting. Happily. Painting. What? Why again did they call? She was fussy then they found the rash. Hmm...

Urgent care. May as well call it, roll the dice for a doctor care. Luckily we got the one good doctor for kids. A couple of tests and a full check later, we are told "Miss C probably has fifth disease . You should keep her out of school until Monday and away from pregnant ladies." Huh? She's fine. She has some sniffles, what?

Turns out, this fifth disease isn't a huge deal for kids. If you clicked on the link, you will see that lots of kids get it and their parents don't even notice it because its a virus. The rash, minor. Based on what we read, Miss C shouldn't even be contageous anymore since she has the rash but do you take the chance? Do you risk the other folks on the plane and the little one you planned to visit? No, you don't.

So, we're on a "stay cation" until Miss C goes back to school. Had to call everyone and let them know we can't make it. Had to call the airlines and figure out what to do with my non-refundable tickets. Luckily the customer care people understand and with my doctor's note (the one for school that says he considers Miss C contageous and that she shouldn't return until Monday) and won't charge me a change fee on the tickets. Had to call the rental car and the hotels to cancel reservations.

No fun. Miss C isn't acting sick, just a little congested but when it comes to risking not only ours but other people's health, can't take the chance. Maybe we can get away in May? I hope so!

Mine, Mine, Mine

For those of you with toddlers, this post will be familiar.

Our word of the day/week/month is "mine". It is a relatively recent development but thankfully an expected, common one. Miss C has been known, like most of her classmates, to stakeout specific areas of the classroom or certain toys and declare "mine" while not permitting even their closest little buddies to get within arms reach of said toys or area. At first I was a little concerned then I saw the rules of the classroom:

1. If I saw it first, it is mine.
2. If you have something I want to play with, it is mine.
3. If I discarded something and you picked it up, it is mine.
4. If I show even remote interest in something, it is mine.
5. And, above all else, if you want it, it is mine.

Luckily not all days are "mine" days. Today, for example, was a good sharing day. The not so good days include anytime a friend in Miss C's class decides to come over and talk to me. That, my friends, is a big no-no. One little girl used to try and sit in my lap, each attempt resulted in Miss C getting extremely mad and pushing said little girl off. If another classmate tries to give me a hug, Miss C will drop whatever it is she is doing to run over and yell "no!!!" at the top of her lungs while lunging to get the classmate away from me. Apparently parents fall under "mine" as well.

Have you dealt with this situation yet?