This is where I'm going to be sprinkled~and some photos too!

As you can tell, I updated my blog background...again, and posted another meaningful picture as my blog title picture.

Meaningful? Why?

I took this picture myself. Many Christmases ago, Greg bought me my first real camera. A Cannon SLR. I went crazy taking pictures and pretending I was a professional photographer! One of my photo projects was to photograph benches. I never really completed the project like I had hoped and only visited Providence, Barrington, Riverside...but I thought I had captured some great photos of benches. Some of those photos were even hung up on my wall in our first apartment as art! I was so proud!

While shooting, I thought about those benches and the stories behind them. Who had sat on them? What had those people been thinking about? I am sure there were many memorable moments on one or all of those benches.

One of the benches photographed was a bench that I had sat and dreamed on while admiring the water. It was a frequently visited bench and I often came to it to just clear my head.

Looking at the picture always gives me chills. That spot is where I want to spend my eternity when I leave this physical world and I hope that when that time comes my family will honor my wishes.

That bench is now my blog title photo. Can any of you guess where my favorite bench is located? The area is special to me and that is the only hint I am giving you!

Good luck! And now...a glimps of our weekend!

Sunday, Sunday

Erin has done SO well with her transition from crib to bed. I hardly recognize those earlier posts about "Terrible Two's" or a call to Super Nanny. I'm so glad it is working out for her and our family. The only new result of our new situation is her earlier wake-up time. It ranges between 5am-6am. At least she can entertain herself with books, toys and the hour long shouting of "Daaaaddyyyyy...aihhh ahhhh youuu?" (Daddy, where are you?)

We had a fun weekend and spent most of Saturday morning at the Super Wal-Mart in Coventry. Lots of fun! After that, we had lunch (during nap time...eek!) at Denny's and went home so Mommy could take a nap. Erin had already slept during the car ride to Coventry at 11am, so that was the end of a nap for the rest of the day!

Saturday night, my sister in law, Katie and her boyfriend Jamie came over for our first Game Night. We had a lot of fun talking, eating pizza and making fun of Pictionary! We made up our own rules!

We're heading off to Target to pick up a farm tent for Erin to play in. See you tomorrow for Not Me! Monday!

Erin drinking from her sippy cup inside a mug that has her name on it. One of her birthday presents

This adorable apron was made for Erin by my talented cousin Liz. Isn't it too cute?

Terrible Twos in Full Swing!

This is what nap time looked like after a 45 minute struggle.


If only I had take pictures to document during the battle!

As you can plainly see, our Erin is now out of a crib and into a bed...fun, fun! This was not by choice. I just figured it would be cheaper to buy a bed rail then to owe the ambulatory service and local hospital after our skull fracture due to climbing out of the crib. I know I made the right choice!

So, nap time was tough but bedtime was torture! I have watched plenty of episodes of Super Nanny to see how not to put a toddler who has discovered their independence to bed. I have also picked up some pointers on how to make the transition from crib to bed easier. Like...

Rule #1 Follow the same routine every night

We've been doing this since day one. Books, cuddles, bed

Rule #2 Tell the child it is time to go to sleep, kiss and cuddle, leave the room

Yup...did it

Rule #3 When the child gets out of bed say, "It is time for bed sweetheart" and put them back to bed

Did that

Rule #4 When the child gets out of bed, say NOTHING and put them back to bed

Yup...did it

Rule #5 When the child gets out of bed again, say NOTHING

Yup...did it atleast 20 times

Rule #6 Continue to say nothing until they finally fall asleep

or...yell in your loudest "Mommy voice", "LAY DOWN!!!" until the toddler cries and you feel horrible because it's already been an hour and the second you think your child is sleeping and you start to sneak away, they'll be up and out of bed again!

Then repeat steps 1-6 for an hour and 30 minutes!!

At least I don't have to worry about nap time again until the weekend!

Maybe tomorrow will be better!

Not Me! Monday...A Tribute to Erin!

Are you feeling the need to be brutally honest today? Play along with the wonderful MckMamma (just click on the Not Me! Monday button to follow along) and a whole gaggle of her friends as we all share what we most certainly didn't do today on this Not Me! Monday...

This is not what we were doing on Friday, January 19, 2007 at 2:19pm

This is not Erin Alissa Saraiva, 6lbs. 5oz. 19in.




This is not my newborn little girl being held by her daddy for the first time...




This is not me having an out of body experience...


My baby is not sleeping in a big girl bed...
And she did not turn 2 today...

No, I don't feel old!



Edit to post...
I did not post this at exactly 2:19 on purpose!

A grand ole' day down on the farm!

Yesterday's festivities went off without a hitch! Erin's 2nd birthday party was better than expected...and I always set those standards high. Because of Erin's love of the farm, our party was Old MacDonald themed...BBQ food, square dancing music and all!

The teacher in me took over and my main focus was setting a theme and pleasing the kids. I wanted to make sure that Erin and Tommy had a great time. Not that I didn't want the other guests to enjoy themselves as well, but I really wanted to make the time memorable for Erin and her cousin. It's much easier for me to entertain kiddos rather than adults! It's what I get paid to do!!

So, I made sure I stashed away all Erin's "farm" books, toys, puzzles and such. I set up two boxes of oatmeal with a few farm animals and some measuring cups and things for scooping. It was funny to watch the other adults grimace when the oatmeal started spilling on to the floor but I loved it and didn't care about the mess. Our toddler twosome had a blast pouring and scooping from one box to the other. Mission accomplished!

My mom made a great farm cake and Erin loved seeing her favorite Little People atop the cake!

The only time that made me uncomfortable was gift time. I knew that Erin wouldn't be thrilled to have a crowd of 20 people watching her open gifts. She is still at that age where the boxes and tissue paper are much more interesting, so when the mini-tantrum came I wasn't surprised. I was surprised however that no one said, "Don't worry about it. Open the rest at home." No biggie, but it would have made life easier. Instead, Greg and I took turns "oohh-ing and ahh-ing" over Erin's new gifts. Oh well!!

All in all, it was a wonderful time. I know that I will never forget the joy in the eyes of my little girl when she first discovered her "horsie" balloon or the piggie from her Auntie Denise. Or the way that Tommy and Erin worked together taking oatmeal from one box and putting it into the other. They had so much fun riding Erin's tricyle together and being pushed around the wheel chair (yes, I said wheel chair...it's an older living facility!) by Erin's Pa.

Happy Second Birthday, Bubba! I love you!


Erin and Tommy enjoying the farm cake




Tommy enjoying the oatmeal box

The birthday girl



"Let's go for a ride, Erin!"

Oh S@#t!!

She figured it out. She must have read my mind that I was thinking of making her crib a "big girl" bed. Nap time at home was always a sure thing. Lunch at 12:00, stories and nap at 12:30. She'd be asleep until 3:00. Boy were we lucky.

Today we followed the same routine and about 15 minutes into my "break" I hear Erin's bedroom door shut. Greg and I are both downstairs and Zoe isn't that talented yet so I run upstairs and see my one day shy of 2 yrs. old little girl literally running around her bedroom wearing a backwards baseball hat and a smile of new found freedom. After I try my best not to laugh out loud as I tell Erin a firm-ish "NO!", I say to myself, "Oh s@#t!"

It's already been an hour and she has escaped 1/2 a dozen times and is still not sleeping. Right now it's Greg's turn to play warden and I am downstairs trying not to freak out about the loss of my special time. This is going to suck!

Nap time, bed time...all I can see are the struggles that are to come. I can see me wanting to call Super Nanny to come and help me tame my little monster. Erin has that "never take no for an answer - I'll do what I want with a smile on my face while you tell me no" personality. I can tell the teenage years will be joyous!

This is NOT good...not good at all!

Talk around the Preschool room today

K: Miss. Jenny. Can you take my turtle out of my Lego?

Me: Sure! What's he doing in there?

K: Hibernatin'!
*******************

K.F.: Mmmmmm Miss. Jenny! Your voice smells good! What did you eat?



--These are the moments that make having a classroom full of cabin-fevered 4 and 5 yr. old's worth it!