Wearing Her Big Girl Panties

Well, little Miss Gianna is now 2 1/2, and is currently doing her "potty training". At first she was not at all fond of the idea. As a matter of fact, she down right refused. So couple of weeks ago... I was shopping at our local Dollar General Store, and I found the cutest Dora and Princess (Cinderella, Snow White and Belle) panties. I just knew she would LOVE them! I thought to myself...OK tomorrow I am going to sit down with her, and have a serious talk about using the potty.

So when she arrived the next morning, I wasted no time. We sat down on the floor, and I told her about the cute panties I found, and how only BIG girls get to wear Dora and Princess panties. I promised her that we would go to the store, and buy them. I told her about all the cool things she would get to do if she started using the potty. Like, getting a gummy bear (she calls them Gummy Yums) each time she used the potty. Going to mothers day out to play with other kids, and even taking gymnastics!

Now, she's looking at me with a very serious face, and I am thinking, OH YES...she's paying attention! She gets it! So I ask her the million dollar question. "So what do you think, Gianna? Are you ready to wear your big girl panties?" She raised her eyebrows, her forehead wrinkled, and she responded..."Keeka, you got a booga in you nose"

Favorite Photo Friday

I haven't done a "Favorite Photo Friday" in a long time. We had a really nice day today. Randy and Caleb had the day off from work and school...so we spent most of the day outside. Fall is is just about a done deal here in Southeast Texas. It has been cold all week, but today was really nice. Except for the mosquito's! (Where in the world do they hide out when it is cold?) Randy decided that it was a good time to clean up a little outside, and he had some great helpers. The secong and last photograph's are without a doubt my favorites. Caleb had been trying to talk Gianna into taking a ride in the wheel barrow. He decided to get in, and show her how much fun she would have. In the end he convinced her, but I think what he really wanted was for his daddy to push him around the yard.

Gianna Rose

Happy 2nd Birthday precious baby.You have brought so much fun and laughter to my life and I have truly enjoyed spending time with you. You are an angel and I love you very much! ---Keeka

A little girl can be sweeter (and badder) oftener than anyone else in the world. she can jitter around, and stomp, and make funny noises that frazzle your nerves yet just when you open your mouth she stands there demure with that special look in her eyes. A girl is Innocence playing in the mud, Beauty standing on its head, and Motherhood dragging a doll by the foot.
-- Alan Beck

I Miss My Little Buddy

We all do.

Wordless Wednesday

Happy Monday!

I Feel Great! No more sore throat...and my knee is improving more and more each day! I had a wonderful weekend with my husband and children. Everyone pitched in and we got the housework done in no time at all...and we even got both dogs bathed.

My adorable Cockatiel Pete is not only enjoying a squeaky clean cage...but new toys! His mate died suddenly last month...and he has been..actually..we all have been quite saddened by the loss of Ollie. We were worried for awhile that his grieving heart might take him away too. It does my heart good to see him over there dancing on his perch..and tossing his little ball around.



Oh yes...hot digitty dog she made his day! When he see's someone turn on the hose...he goes crazy with excitement. Before she gives him a bath...they always play. He runs, leaps and barks at the stream of water. Sometimes she will put the hose up in the tree and he just plays all by himself. Unfortunately I missed playtime...but I did manage to get a few shots of his bath. He's not really very fond of that part...but he sure feels great after! He needed a bath so badly...I am glad it warmed up enough that we could bath him outside. He has a beautiful thick, shiny coat, but sheds worse than any dog I have ever had. The brush she is using is awesome! It is a Kong Zoom Groom and it can be used to scrub as well as everyday brushing. Very easy to clean and gets the loose hair off. It must feel really good because he relaxes and falls asleep while we are grooming him.

Since my family has taken such good care of me and I had not personally cooked in more than a week...I thought it would be nice to make something yummy for them. But it would have to be something easy. So, I had some leftover chicken in the refrigerator...and I remembered a recipe my friend Jan-Jan's Sushi Bar had shared right after Thanksgiving. Enchilada Casserole--A seriously simple and delicious way to use up leftover turkey...or in this case...chicken. As you can see even the finicky one's ate two plates! I also took advantage of Jan's Pimento Cheese recipe...which made my man very happy.


I thought my little dumplin would be back today. She stayed with her Great Granny (my mother) all last week while I recovered. But for some reason she is running a high temperature...so her mommy/my Niece is taking the day off and they will pay a visit to the pediatrician later this afternoon. Other than fever she has a bit of a stuffy nose...but no other symptoms so far. We know she isn't feeling good though because rather than being her active, busy self...she wants her mommy to hold her...and that is just not like our girl.
Hopefully the doctor will get her started on some antibiotics...and she will be back here tomorrow....and if by chance she still just wants to be held...I can think of nothing else I would rather do.

The sun is shining and it's a beautiful day here in Southeast,Texas. What ever your day looks like...I sure hope you are making the most of it.

My Girl--G

As the new school year approached last August I hoped and prayed that my niece (a school teacher) would ask me to watch her precious 13 month old baby. She had already arranged for a sitter for her first year. But due to a sudden death in the sitters family as well as a pregnancy...she was no longer able to babysit. Thank goodness the school year was over at that point. I jumped at the chance to put my offer out there to keep the baby. With my own children getting older (three in high school and one in college) I was truly enjoying the freedom I had waited so long for...or was I? Something was missing.

Well, my niece did call and she did ask...and of course I said YES. So now, I get to watch this little sweetie grow and develop everyday, and so much more than I even imagined....I got a little buddy.

Our First Day Together

Gianna had a rough start at birth. First of all...my niece had a long and difficult labor. She is a very thin, with a very tiny frame and Gianna was nearly 9lbs. In my opinion...the baby probably should have been taken by C-section. Minutes after Gianna was born she stopped breathing. The doctors soon realized that she was showing obvious signs of APNEA and she spent about a week in the NICU. The nurses nicknamed her "the screamer"...no explanation necessary. When she woke...everyone in the nursery scrambled to calm her and that did not change one bit after she went home.


Gianna was born in July..so my niece was able to spend a good amount of time at home with her before having to return to work. She went home on a APNEA monitor...and although I didn't know it at the time...it was truly an intense time for their little family. Gianna didn't sleep much at night and she cried quite a bit. Not to mention the APNEA machine going off. It was even harder once my niece went back to work. She teaches kindergarten....21- 5 year old's on two hours of sleep = incredibly exhausted!


When my niece was off from work in the evenings...she grabbed as much rest as she could get because there would not be much sleep during the night. Gianna is my brothers grand child and he loved to tease my niece by calling Gianna "bubble baby" because she was shielded from too many guests...this was largely due to Gianna's APNEA and the fear of her getting sick...and I believe it had a lot to do fatigue. Other than the sitter who was trained in CPR while she worked...no one really kept the baby. As the mother of a child with special needs...I understand that...I just preferred to just do it all myself rather than worry about him with someone else.


Things got better as time went on...the APNEA disappeared and we all were able to visit her more often. She amazed everyone...because even though she had been shielded...she was very outgoing. From the moment the child could sit up on her own she was curious about everything and usually taking it apart. She began standing at 6 months and by 8 months she was taking steps. At 9 months she was walking everywhere and into everything. She did not want to be held and as my niece says ..."she was quite intense". The doctor calls her the "Classic Strong Willed Child". I suppose she is...but I would rather call her a determined or independent child. I also find her exceptionally bright and as long as I keep her challenged and busy...she is quite delightful, funny and very sweet. She is also in the "parroting stage" so we are all watching the words we use in her presence.



So by the time her first birthday rolled around in July...and I had put in my offer to keep her once school started...my niece was seriously asking me if I was certain that I was up to the challenge. I knew in my heart that I would be good for Gianna...what I did not know at the time...is how good she would be for me.

While we try to teach children all about life,
Children teach us what life is all about.
~Angela Schwindt