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Miss Popularity

13 May

You know you don’t have a social life when your 5-year-old gets more phone calls and has more “play dates” than you do.

Just today two little girls called Nia on the phone and asked her to meet them to play.  How cute is that?  It’s so funny because sometimes I have to look at the calendar and schedule the play dates!  Today, I had to tell the one mom, “Oh sorry, Nia can’t play because she’s meeting another little girl to play.  How about tomorrow?”

I think it’s the coolest thing that other kids have a blast with Nia.  She is so fun and sweet and I can only hope she will form friendships as easily during kindergarten.

Now, if only I could make a few more friends…
 

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Nia’s New Love

7 May

He’s 26 years old, he’s super short and wobbles when he walks.

He needs a tan and needs to learn how to handle his beer.

His fingers are incredibly long and one of them can glow.

He has a limited vocabulary, usually repeating the same words/phrases over and over again.

You know, like “E.T. phone home.”

Nia was introduced to the little alien this weekend and hasn’t been able to stop talking about him since.  She loved every minute of the movie, laughing out loud at parts (the “phone home” part really made her giggle, especially since E.T. was dressed up) and even crying toward the end saying, “I don’t want ET to die Momma.”

It may sound incredibly dramatic but the whole thing made me tear up because of how precious it all was.  I was Nia’s age when I first watched the movie and now I get to experience the feeling all over again through her eyes.  The movie captivated her heart and imagination and there is something touching in that.  She’s becoming a little sci-fi/fantasy lover and I think that’s so cool.  From Lord of the Rings to Narnia and now E.T., I’m so excited for her to discover there’s more than just Disney princesses out there!
 

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Maybe we can get in-store credit?

30 Apr

Andrew has the best line for whenever Nate starts acting crazy. He looks at Nia and says, “I think he’s broken!  Do we need to take him back to the Baby Store?”

Nia, being the sweet big sister she is, will laugh and say, “No Daddy!  You’re silly!”

It’s the same thing every time and every time it makes us all chuckle.  Well, except when Mommy tries to use the line. I said it the other night and Nia flat out told me, “No Momma!  That’s what Daddy is s’posed to say!”

I guess I need to be taken to the Get Your Own Line Store.

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Oh, Happy Day!

29 Apr

Blur of Excitement

Yep.  Nia’s face in that picture pretty much sums it all up.  Her 5th birthday bash was a blast!  There was plenty of jumping, screaming, prizes and junk food for everyone but there was also a significant amount of stressing on my part prior to all that.  The forecast of “isolated thunderstorms” really had all of the outdoor party plans up in the air.  The sun teased us throughout the afternoon but then finally came through for us as you can see!

Happy Birthday Jumping Bean

It’s actually kind of funny because in the end, I think the chance of rain helped make the party a success because we had to hurry to make sure everyone got to play the games and that kept the party from lasting forever and ever.  Although, I think that would have been just fine with Nia and her friends!

They couldn’t get enough of the fun and loot.  A few of them kept asking me, “How can I win more prizes?”  They each walked away with bags full of popcorn, candy and toys, plus cotton candy.  Andrew even let one family take a whole box of pizza home with them!  I bet you want to come to our next party right? We might have to charge admission  though!

The kids certainly weren’t the only ones who had a great time.  My mom (“Honey”) found some super cool clown gear during one of her party supply shopping sprees and we just couldn’t pass up the chance to be goofy too!

She definitely deserved to have as much fun as possible after creating Nia’s adorable and delicious cake.  She even made it two flavors and made the icing from scratch!  It was hilarious watching her ice it with the vultures, I mean kids, hovering.  Nia kept leaning over it and putting her fingers too close for comfort.  Every time Nia or Nate got near it, we would gasp.  When it was finally finished, Honey actually shed a few tears of relief and joy!

Nia’s party even had a little bit of Savannah at it.  Our good friend Paul’s arrival at the party brought huge smiles to Nia and Nate’s faces and it was so wonderful to have the Heidels celebrate all weekend long with us.  It means the world that they were here through all of it (thanks for not slapping me silly when I kept stressing about the rain) and I’m very happy that Miss Cami had a nice time.  (Minus the moonwalk though. Poor sweetie.  She just wasn’t having it.)

Soothing her sweetie's moonwalk stress

Now, it’s on to planning the next party.  I’m thinking I’d like to have it somewhere where I don’t have to worry about mother nature or decorating.  Then again, none of that stuff mattered to Nia so why should I let it worry me?  As long as Nia and Nate are happy, that’s all that’s important.

I think she had fun. What do you think?

 

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Chasing Butterflies

24 Apr

I never fully realized the power and beauty of a butterfly until recently.  When Nia and Nate see one flutter by, they gasp, squeal and giggle with excitement and then take off after it.  Sometimes I worry about how captivating the beautiful creature is to them because it seems they will follow it until they run squaw into the fence or out into oncoming traffic.

Danger aside, I just love the innocence and happiness that comes along with chasing butterflies and I’ll admit there’s even been a time or two when I’ve joined in with the kids.  How can I resist after they’ve shown me how much joy it can bring?  I think I actually get as excited as they do now when we see a butterfly.

Thanks sweeties.  I will always cherish our chases.
 

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It’s not your cooties I’m worried about…

23 Apr

Teaching Nia about germs has turned her into more than a germophobe – she’s a misunderstood germophobe.

According to Nia, a little girl she didn’t know (let’s call her Sally) called her mean.  Nia says it’s all because Sally wanted to play with Nia’s new My Little Ponies but Nia told Sally she didn’t want to let her play with them because then she would get Nia’s germs.

I mean, Nia was just looking out for Sally’s well-being right?  It wasn’t like Nia was saying, “Ew.  I don’t want you to touch my ponies because you got cooties.”

Maybe Sally’s mom/dad still have to teach her about how to be a proper and considerate germophobe.
 

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The 5 W’s Times 100

19 Apr

Who?  What? When? Where? Why? Oh yeah, and How?

They’re asked while I’m talking on the phone.  They’re asked if I sigh or think out loud to myself. They’re asked, of course, if I say no to a prior question that’s usually about going somewhere or doing something.  They’re asked while I’m driving.  They’re asked while I’m taking a potty break.  They’re even asked while I sit in silence.

All day long.  Questions. Questions. Questions.   Sometimes, I don’t even have the answers to them.  Other times, I think I have the answer but then Andrew very sweetly smiles and shakes his head and then tells her the correct reason two positive ends of a magnet don’t stick together (or whatever).

I read somewhere that an average 4-year-old asks about 440 questions a day.  I just don’t have that many answers.
 

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Neighborhood Watch

17 Apr

Who needs a busy body policing the neighborhood when you have a 4 year old?

Today, Nia made it known to me and the neighbor across the street that she disapproved of how he was dressed.  This “he” is a teenage boy who is constantly working on his car that has one of those deliberately loud mufflers on it  (speak of the devil – I hear the car now) and one of those “systems” that he decides to blare at odd hours of the night.

Anyway, today Nia announced out her brother’s open bedroom window, “Momma!  That boy who’s our neighbor is outside and doesn’t have a shirt on!”

I’m not sure if he heard or not and I really don’t care anyway.  I know I’m supposed to “love thy neighbor” and I keep telling myself that but every time I hear his annoyingly loud car I feel the urge to cuss under my breath.

Maybe I should get Nia to give him a piece of my mind.  The G-rated version, of course.
 

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If Nia Judged American Idol

10 Apr

Nia is smarter than Paula Abdul but her judging skills are pretty much on the same level.  It’s not about the singing, it’s all about how they look.  Her favorite singer?  She “likes all the girls the best because of their makeup.”

We’ve created a little Idol addict.  We let her watch it last week for the first time and that was it. She wants more, constantly asking us when it was going to be on again.  Andrew even had to mark the calendar to show her when she’d get to watch it.  It makes her feel like such a big girl to get to watch a “mommy and daddy” show and I love to hear what she thinks about the singers.

“I like her the best because her shirt is sparkly.”

“Oh, look at her earrings!”

Hold on to your seat Paula –  Nia’s getting ready to take your place!  Don’t worry though, you still “look great!”
 

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All Aboard the Cuckoo Train

8 Apr

I think I’ve caught Thomas the Tank Engine Fever.  Nate’s love of the little trains is contagious.  I sing Thomas songs, like he does.  I get excited when I see any Thomas product, like he does.  I shriek “Thomas Train!” when I see the product, like he does.  I want to have all of the trains and the train sets, like he does.

This is where it goes from cute and fun to expensive and looney.

I can’t help it though!  It’s just so adorable to see how happy Nate gets because of Thomas and I want to buy and buy and buy…

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