Holy Stage Mom

The day Mia's dance costume came in we had to tie these ribbons in their hair so the teacher would see how they looked. I guess mine looked pretty good because she said "Oh, you make good bows, will you make them for everyone?" I replied "Uh, really?" She replied loudly to everyone "OK, Mia Kate's mom is going to make the bows, give them to her." What? You know when you read those articles about de-stressing and just saying "NO," this was one of those moments, I should have said no. But they just started handing me the bows.....

So........ this week I whipped out 26 red satin hair bows, along with 26 cow ears. That would be 13 dancers, each wearing pig tails. Do I make bows regularly? No, I buy them. Did I know how to make them? No, I googled it.

I found my guidance at this website and it included tutorials on every kind of bow imaginable. I had some minor issues with heat fraying the ends, I would be a horrible smoker, I can't even work the lighter. So shhhh, don't tell the dancers that the ends might fray.

The original hair piece had an aluminum headband with two cow ears on it. The teachers decided that the headband would never stay on. I detached the cow ears and glued them to a safety pin so they can be pinned to the bow.

Personally, I think they are cuter without the ears.

I wanted them to have options....
I decided that if I am going to spend SEVERAL hours/days doing this, they would be cute and if they wanted something different, then they should have done it themselves. Right?

Thank you www.girlybowthings.com I think we did a mighty fine job!

My Baby She'll Be

Miss Jillian Elizabeth will be 3 very soon. I wish she was a baby. Her naps these days are drama and she is pretty much drama. When she doesn't nap, she hits rock bottom around 5:30 and is asleep by around 6:00. She will sleep until about 7:00 in the morning.

I think that whoever coined the phrase "terrible twos" spoke too soon. Obviously their child hadn't hit 3 yet when they made that up. Maybe it is girls, or my girls, or my parenting, but several other moms I have talked to said 3 was pretty sassy. Brad reminded me that Mia had a lot of attitude at 3, and she did.

She is actually really good when we go running. I run and she just sits up big and tall with her shades on and her hair blowing in the wind. She never says anything, well I guess I can't hear it with music on, but she just rides. Jilli knows that when she gets home from a run, I will push her on the tree swing. Tonight I noticed she was sitting back against the back of the stroller and didn't appear to be moving. I stopped and peaked around and sure enough she was sleeping. I quit running, laid her seat back, and walked home nice and slow. It has been awhile since I had a stroller sleeper and not sure if I will have one again.

By the way, seeing her feet reach the foot rest on my stroller makes me so sad. I remember first putting Mia in this stroller and her feet barely touched the bottom of the buckle .

Notice the green dress. Part of the drama is wardrobe, meaning she wants to wear this dress daily and a "buzzer by" (meaning bee) shirt and pink shorts to bed. I am letting go of this, unless the clothes are dirty. I love you Jilli!

Museum Update

After school today I took the girls to the Johnson County Museum. While I was out of town they went 3 times with their Grandma Cheryl. Every time we drive or walk by now they say "But MOOOOOM, Grandma took us there everyday." :)

They have added a couple of things even since I took a class there this winter. The girls really are enjoying a little farmhouse and chicken coop that is in the museum, not the KidsScape area. Also, KidScape is adding on as well. I really like this place because it is free and when I was there taking my class this winter, I saw a worker wiping down each and every little toy with a bleach solution and a q-tip. Not sure how often they do it, but I was pleased to see it.

Jilli really enjoyed sweeping.

Mia in the pantry, fun little wooden foods.


Even though I witnessed the cleaning, still freaked me out when Jilli was licking this food.

This tractor is part of the new KidScape addition.

Cheryl told me that Mia really loved a white hat in the costumes. Sure enough, she had this one and was putting on quite a performance.

Below are pictures outside.
Oh, how sweet.

Ha ha! That is the real Jilli and of course Miss Mia is posing.

A Smile All Day

This morning I dropped the girls off in the gym at school with their sitter. I chatted with Miss Jenny for awhile and then kissed and hugged the girls about 5 times each, or more, but who is counting. As I was standing up from hugging Mia, a little hand tapped me, it was Jilli. I thought she wanted another kiss and hug, instead in the sweetest whisper she looked at me and simply said "Mama, I have a wedgie."

I solved the problem and smiled all day.

2 for 2

Last week when we got home from our trip, and after Mia's t-ball game, she started throwing up and other fun things also associated with that. Tonight, after Mia's t-ball game, we went to Jose Pepper's. Brad sat Jilli in her booster and she gave me this awful look, I ran to her and like the fabulous mother that I am (ha) caught several handfuls of vomit in my hand. Awesome. The waitress came eager to give us chips but, um, we had to leave.

I think it was some chicken nuggets. Last winter, we had the flu, bad. The first thing to come up was chicken nuggets. At that point I vowed to A) never buy them again and B) throw away the entire bag. The thought of cooking them was too much for me. We really had the flu, it wasn't the nuggets, but it was too much.

A couple of weeks ago I did some major grocery shopping before our trip and I broke my promise and threw some in the cart. Well, the girls ate them last Monday and tonight, and never in between. I am blaming it on the nuggets. Of course I pitched the bag and am now trying not to read too much about the Salmonella reports from the same product in 2003 and 2007. We are prepared for more throughout the night, buckets ready and carpets covered in blankets and towels. I hope we are over prepared.

But, Mia Kate had a wonderful game, 2 nice hits before lightning and rain called it off.

May You..........

"May today there be peace within.
May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others.
May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are.
Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us."

This just in.....

American Girl store coming to Oak Park Mall. I saw some preliminary wishful thinking signs when I was there a while ago, but I kind of know someone who is doing some of the design work. It is coming. To tell the truth, I am not that excited, actually a little disappointed. I always wanted to take the girls on a special little girls' trip to visit a store, maybe Chicago or Dallas. I guess the whole American Girl thing kind of loses its' charm when you can run in whenever you go get new shoes. But at least Santa won't have to pay shipping anymore.

The Girls

Mia is enjoying t-ball, swimming her heart out at swim class, and working extra hard at dance for her recital. Here are some photos of her first game last night. We are so proud of her!

Jillian is giving me a run for my money since I abandoned her for a few days or she is getting a 3 year old attitude. She has also started speaking (yelling) for her body parts and truly believes that the wishes of her body parts will come true.

"My potty doesn't want to come out."

"My tummy really needs candy."

"My eyes do not want to shut."

Wouldn't it be great to talk this way as an adult and see if it comes true. "Sorry officer, my foot really wanted to push down on the petal."

One too many....

Brad and I are back from a little jaunt to Mexico. I will post some more pictures when I finish my mountain of laundry. In the elevator leaving the resort I was a little chipper and sang a little Soul II Soul ditty "Back to life, back to reality...." and a few others glared at me. I think I jinxed myself because Mia woke us up in the middle of the night with the stomach flu. Fabulous! Also, she had her first tee ball game last night and we took her, but left her glove at home, possibly we had one too many Mojito's?

Happy Easter!

My chalkboard platter revealed!
The Easter bunny came and set some of the girls' previously received rabbits out by their baskets. I had already set their other stuffed Easter critters in a basket on the other side of the hearth as decoration or for them to play with in the days leading up to Easter, including the ones shown, the E.B. just moved them over. Of course, MK asked me immediately:

MK: Mom, did you put the bunnies here or did the Easter Bunny?

Me: Must have been the Easter Bunny.

MK: Oh, he must have thought they were cute and knew we liked Max & Ruby so he put them there.

Me: Probably.

That silly bunny must also know that her mom is going to be wearing a bikini next week because he only brought them fruit snacks, pudding cups, and 2 Reese's peanut butter cups.

Stingy rabbit!

Bright eyed and bushy tailed for 7:00 a.m. mass.

(Insert growling at Brad here.)
Once there, I conceded that it was good idea to avoid crowds.

I did sleep the entire way to Lawrence though.......

Jilli feels the same way I did about this.

Early birds were very happy.

That little one kills me and Mia knows how to rock the knee highs.

Forget jelly beans, just a little nibble on this sweet Jilli bean will do.

Miss Five

Our little family, and a lot of sunshine.

The girls could.not.wait. for the hunt. We pulled into my grandma's driveway and they spotted a purple egg in a tree. Brad and I later hid more eggs.

Jilli had to line up her eggs.

While Mia continued to hunt........

What a blessed Easter with family!

Easter Fun

This morning we dyed eggs for the first time. I can't believe that I have never done this with Miss Mia before, but hadn't. We kept it very simple, using the 99 cent kit and only 6 eggs. The girls thoroughly enjoyed it though!

This is supposed to be the picture in my header at the top of this blog. I have tried it about 20 times and blogger isn't working right today, so we have a nice one eye shot.
What goes around, comes around......
Very dark clouds this morning + new preschool knowledge of storms = Staci Jr.
aka: obsessively afraid of storms
My parents are probably smiling reading this and Brad is probably sighing heavily thinking about the long spring ahead.........
Waiting patiently for Mia Kate to share the stickers.

Ta da.....

Double Dipping?

I told the girls that they should wear their aprons and Jilli said "Yeah, my alligator apron."
I had no idea that her apron had an alligator on it, but I guess it does.

I saw this idea in Family Fun magazine and tried it with Jilli. It worked okay, until she thought she could whisk rapidly.

These pictures are all out of order, but like I said, blogger was not working today!