Carnival Time

riding the merry-go-round with Daddy

Gi's lips were stained by the dots ice cream that she was eating then it was onto craisins.

relaxing after some exciting rides

taking off in a helicopter

What's New

Oh boy, I don't often have a stretch of time where I can sit down and write about Gi's cognitive and physical progress. We just recently had a parent conference with her preschool teacher. Ms. Deborah has set some goals for her like mastering all of her targeted colors and shapes, asking more questions in class and being able to hop on one foot. So we have been reinforcing these skills at home via arts and crafts, books, dvds and other types of activities. I'm not sure how well we can tackle the task of having her hop on one foot...maybe Munch just needs to mature physically in order to do that. Anyway, I'm not too worried about that aspect. I figure she will get it when she gets it. Otherwise Munch is doing well in most areas of development especially where music, singing and dancing are involved...this is according to Ms. Deborah. She is also talking up a storm although you wouldn't know it if you put her in an unfamiliar environment. Her vocabulary is taking off! She frequently uses three-word sentences to express her needs and wants. And has the attitude to go with it too. Hubs and I have a nickname for her---BB22 (BB being ba_ _ buster, 22 being her weight at the current time). I know...it's not the most endearing name for our Munch but she really does give us a run for our money. She can be a real charmer too especially after being put in time-out. Gi continues to take Kindermusik with Ms. Carol Anne. Munch adores that class. And we frequent the local library for storytime when it is in session. Munch is now more at ease with Po Po and Gon Gon babysitting her. She does not have a complete meltdown like she used to. Although I have to admit that she still rules the roost when Po Po and Gon Gon are alone with her. Yes, my mom still follows Gi around the house trying to feed her lunch and my dad lets the rascal throw my mom's onions and tomatoes around when we are at their house for our weekly family dinner. Funny how I don't remember my parents tolerating such behavior when my sister and I were young...hmmm. Gi's latest fascination is in clothes that have a flare or ruffle at the bottom. She categorizes all these types of clothing as princess attire. When she puts on these clothes she raises her arms over her head and does a few consecutive twirls, dizzies herself and falls onto the floor laughing. She continues to be a grazer rather then a three-solid-meal-a-day gal when it comes to eating. Gapes (Gi talk for grapes) are still her all-time favorite fruit although she will gladly eat other types of fruit also. I have finally broken down and have now started giving her chocolate milk to increase her full-fat milk intake. The girl loooves this stuff! When it comes to animal protein intake, Munch is still lukewarm. Hubs and I have tried everything...made from scratch stuff, chicken nuggets, fish sticks and patties, turkey and beef hotdogs, deli meats...and the list goes on. I have stepped up her cheese intake and tofu consumption due to her lack of interest in animal protein. And we continue to give her rice and pasta dishes. Potty training is going slowly. Lately, Munch has not shown much interest in using the potty. I suspect that one of the reasons is that we no longer give her an M&M just for sitting on the potty. Now she has to actually produce something to earn the coveted chocolate morsel. This girl is no dummy...she caught on that she could put her munchkin behind on the potty for a nano second and still get an M&M. So hubs and I had to tweak the rules a little...to step up the training so to say. Well, I think that's all the time I have. Munch has woken up from her all too short nap (only an hour lately). To the vovos in Brazil---we look forward to your visit in the summer. To my hubs---thank you for going to work everyday affording me an opportunity to witness Gi's amazing development on a daily basis. Life is good and in these tough economic times I am very thankful to still be an up-close-and-personal spectator in Gi's life.

Card Carrying Member

Gi is not quite sure about Dewey the book owl yet.

wearing her Samurai hat made out of Japanese newspaper

Gi had a field day running along the paths in the garden picking up pebbles, leaves and sticks.


posing with Daddy in one of the beautifully landscaped gardens

Today we went to the Morikami Park for a reading event sponsored by the PBC Library System. We signed the Munch up for her very own library card and even got to tour the bookmobile. Then we strolled through the beautiful Japanese garden making a couple of pit stops for arts and crafts. We even got to meet Dewey the book owl. That's not all...Munch got a free book and a Dewey owl stuffed animal which she held onto throughout our adventure there. Best of all, we got to see some of the Mei Meis and their mommies and daddies.

Fashionista

Munch repeatedly tells me that this is also a princess outfit never mind that she is wearing Daddy's sport socks and maryjanes that are two sizes too big for her.

dancing away in her "princess" outfit

We Have #2 ...Sort Of

I know this is a little distasteful but the moment must be documented!

Yesterday, my Munch actually made poo in the potty for the first time. In the midst of watching Barney, she tells me that she has poo and wants to use the potty. Well, I know better having had Gi give me several false alarms since we started this whole toilet training process. We run into her bathroom where Gi quickly undos her diaper. I find that there is already a mega load in her diaper thanks to a gluttonous consumption of papaya on Gi's part. Munch insists on sitting on the potty nonetheless. I oblige her thinking this will be a good practice run. With several mini grunts on her part, Munch surprises me with a small amount of poo in the yellow bowl. Wow, wow, wow! I literally jump for joy. We high five each other, dance around and sing at the top of our lungs. Then Gi soberly reminds me that I owe her some M&Ms. I happily give her three which must have set some plan in motion in Gi's mind. She sits on the potty two more times, each time generating some results! In her quest for more M&Ms (she had gotten nine so far for her three successful tries), she insists on sitting for more sessions. I gently tell her that we will try again in a couple of hours. She reluctantly cooperates. No more breakthroughs for the rest of the day but what an exciting day nonetheless.

Happy Birthday Cool Shade Sammy J

We are so glad to have spent a lovely afternoon helping Sammy celebrate her third birthday today. Sammy was radiant in her most festive party dress...let's just say it had her favorite color (pink) and lots of fun polka dots. Gi had a blast seeing all her little buddies and doing all the gymnastics activities with her daddy. Many thanks to the Hawkins for including us on this very special day. Happy happy birthday, Sammy, and a big wooshee gaga to you!!!

Second Halloween

posing before going out

Daddy is happy with Gi's costume which she practically wears everyday.

Look who finds candy a worthy food group.

Gi as Hawiian girl last year...her bangs had finally started growing back a little from the butcher job that Mommy gave her in September.

Well, Munch is now a Halloween veteran. This is her second year donning on a costume for the sake of gathering as much candy as humanely possible for a two year old. This year, I took the road more frequently traveled by parents-in-the-know...having your child wear a ready made costume instead of a homemade get-up. Gi was expremely happy for it was one of her "princess" dresses (many thanks to the Hawkins). Even though she was wearing a 1950s poodle skirt/dress, Munch insisted that it was a princess gown. You see, my Gi classifies any attire that flares out at the bottom as princess clothing...you'd be wasting your breath if you tried to convince her otherwise. In fact, while parading around in Daddy's old t-shirt today, she announced that she was a princess. I just nodded enthusiastically in agreement...I mean the old faded t-shirt did flare out a bit at the bottom of her tiny feet. So after cooperatively walking with me to the first three to four houses, it dawns on Gi that an abundance of candy could still be gotten while resting comfortably in Mommy's arms which is where she stayed for the rest of her trick-or-treat quest. Luckily, Mommy, for once, is way ahead of the Munch. We made a pact...once her basket is filled with candy, it would be time to head home. Well, needless to say, I gave Gi a very cute but compact basket.

Is That Pee Pee?

Oh boy, Gi has been holy terror these last few days and today was turning out to be no exception. Can't really blame her though...my poor Munch has been sick with one thing or another ever since starting preschool back in September. Beginning last Friday, she ran a fever for about three days and is now on her last few days of antibiotics. So given the scenario I was just praying to get through the week with my wits about me. Anyway, late this afternoon, I was folding laundry while Gi was whining by my feet and looking up at me with a sorrowful face accented by a very crusty nose and a scratched right cheek (courtesy of a classmate). "Mama, Mama, Ma____ma, Ma___ma, MAMA, MAMA" was the mantra of the day followed by no other words or requests. I look down at my miserable baby and suggest that she watch the program on tv, finish her puzzle on the coffee table or go to her room to rest for a while. Of course my dissatisfied Munch wants to do neither of these activities. Instead she starts to take off her pants gingerly as if her size 9 mos "capris" were made of tissue paper that would rip at any given moment. Then she starts to work on her diaper. I momentarily panick thinking that she may have an ugly surprise in there for me. You see, my Munch has a habit of indiscriminately flinging her diaper into outerspace on those occasions that she manages to take it off by herself. I was in no mood to clean up flying poo in my living room. No, not today, please. So when "Mama potty" reached my tired ears, I hurriedly dropped all laundry and happily ushered by number one daughter into the bathroom where her potty has been spending some very lonely days. I joyfully give her an M&M just for sitting on the potty. Gi gladly plops down, mangles one of my magazines and proceeds to put her hand on her tush repeatedly as if wiping herself clean. Like a good mom, I take my rightful place on the toilet seat cover waiting for her to finish her practice run. Gi has done this several times before without ever producing anything. After several minutes of me staring at her with an encouraging smile on my face and her bouncing up and down on the potty, Gi motions that she wants to take the potty to the living room. I am not diametrically opposed to this idea as I know I can try to finish folding my laundry that has been piled high on my sofa for the last few days. While Gi is playing muscial potty by herself, I start to put some of the laundry away. With great excitement, Munch runs after me with her potty wobbling in her hands. She tells me to look in the yellow bowl. Holy canoli! "Is that pee pee?" I ask a beaming Gi. Affirmative. As if my two year old toddler could somehow trick me, I sniff the bowl just to be certain that it is urine. Yup, my Munch just made pee pee for the first time in the potty! She gobbles the additional M&Ms I give her for her excellent effort. I proudly tell her that the pee pee is staying put in the bowl so Daddy could savor the sight also. Munch agrees and confidently tells me that she is ready for her diaper. Later on I make several suggestions for Gi to try the potty again. No go. I guess one major breakthrough per day is enough for my little Munch. Tomorrow is a brand new day and Mommy will certainly keep trying.

Boo at the Zoo

30 seconds into our drive home...zzzzz

gummy bears gone a little too soft from the Florida heat

right after having her face painted like a butterfly


Gi is attempting to show me her skull "tattoo" and say cheese at the same time.

Gi in the process of getting her "tattoo" sprayed on

both girls searching for the panther

waving to Mommy

Papa Todd with both cheerleading beauties

Munch checking out some of her treats

We started our Halloween festivities today by going to our local zoo for a little fun. Munch was a little under the weather but had a good time nonetheless. She and BFF, Brea, dressed as FSU cheerleader twins. We did our usual tour of the zoo in addition to rounding up some treats and goodies for the girls. When 11:30 rolled around, both girls were tired and ready for a midday snooze. Tomorrow, we may go to a fall festival hosted by Gi's preschool/church. All this and it isn't even Halloween yet!

Daddy Would Be Proud

Gi was hanging out with me in the kitchen when she decided to pick up her play power drill and do like Daddy does. Way to go, Munch! Daddy would be very proud of you. Hopefully, Munch won't grow up like her Mommy, technically and mechanically challenged.

Happy Birthday Alex!

Well, we attended our third birthday party of the month yesterday. We helped Alex celebrate her 4th birthday. It was an exclusive mei mei affair...all super adorable girls with no boys in site except for a couple of big brothers. Alex was the life of the party! This was also the first time that Gi got to experience hitting a pinata. After all the mei meis took their turns hitting the stubbornly strong pinata, it was Sunny's brother, Gable, to the rescue. With a couple of hard wacks, the candy descended and the mei meis went to town. Gi grabbed as much as she could with her tiny hands, looked at us for approval then strolled over asking Daddy to hold all her candies. Mommy Sue also put out a wonderful spread for the adults. Everyone enjoyed the yummy Carvel ice cream cake...Alex's great-uncle was the founder of Carvel. We'd like to thank Ms. Sue and Alex for having us over. We had a blast! Sorry, no pictures as Mommy forgot to bring her camera.

Two Boogers

Munch has really gotten into counting lately. Not that she understands number concepts yet...but she sure loves to rattle off those numbers...sometimes in order, sometimes not. So this morning, I'm driving Gi to preschool and notices in my rearview mirror that her one nostril is crusty AGAIN. I instruct Munch to clean her nose with her finger. Yes, competent mommies out there...I would clean it myself if my rascalina would let me near her nose without a gladiator-fight-to-the-death match. Anyway, she complies, amazingly, without a battle of the wills like it usually is nowadays. She works diligently on the one nostril that is squeaky clean so I tell her to work on the other one that looks like a version of booger ring-around-the-rosey. She does so then points an idex finger (btw Munch only uses one index finger no matter what number she is announcing) at me and confidently reports that she is "all done, Mommy, two boogers!" As if I didn't understand her the first time, she points her index finger at each of her tiny nostrils again and shouts happily "Mommy, two boogers." She squeals at her own ingenuity then graciously allows me to drive her the rest of the way to school without whining and bawling for her daddy.

Happy Birthday Avery!

birthday girl, Avery

Gi in the pit

swinging from the rings

jumping up and down

Gi got her first taste of M&Ms today.

Look who is coveting another's M&Ms.

Ahh, cake finally...

Oh my gosh! It's hard to believe but Gi just attended her second birthday party for the month of October. Avery was the birthday girl this time. She is officially four! All the mei meis had a blast at Cats Gymnastics. Daredevil Munch tried all the supervised activities and then some. Whew, hubs and I are tired! After the celebration, we headed over to Po Po's and Gon Gon's where hubs and I could relax a bit and have the grandparents take over Munch patrol duties. I was even able to cat nap a bit while Gi ruled the roost with her Po Po and Gon Gon. We want to thank Avery and her family for a rocking good time. Happy birthday, Avery!

Do You Want Bugs...

"Mommy, i gus gus (Gi talk for eyeglasses)."

move over Speed Racer

experimenting with play dough

Hubs does not always use logical interventions and consequences to shape and modify Munch's behavior. This vexes me a little as I always tediously (probably to Gi's annoyance) try to explain to Munch why she should or shouldn't do something. His strategy must have once worked somewhat successfully on Gi so now he employs this parenting technique with Gi whenever he wants her to comply with a certain task that her little two-year mind and body would rather ignore.

Hubs (in an exeraggerated concerned voice): O.k., Gi, do you want bugs to grow in your hair?

Munch: No, Daddy, no!
Hubs: O.k. then, let me quickly shampoo your hair (Munch reluctantly cooperates).

Other ditties hubs uses to pry cooperation out of Munch include:

Let's brush our teeth unless you want bugs to grow in your mouth.

Do you want bugs to grow in your diaper? O.k. then, let's change our diaper now.

Stop playing with your food or the bugs will eat it.

Let Daddy brush your hair or bugs will grow in it.

I think there are bugs in there. Don't touch it, Gi.

Let's take a bath or bugs will come out.

And amazingly, Gi falls for it every single time. Hubs' repeated success has thereby fortified his belief that this strategy must be sound as well as effective. When I rhetorically ask him why he uses the bug line so frequently and if he felt that this was the best way to teach logical consequences, he,very poised, asserts that it's fast and easy to do. Yup, that's my hubby...simplifying child development down to an act of picking up an order from the MacDonald's drive through window---fast and easy. The content may not necessarily be healthy for you but it sure is fast and easy. Oh well, gotta love that man for trying.

Happy Birthday, Kai!

getting ready to leave for the party

in the castle dungeon with Daddy

so many things to play with

princess on the castle throne

waiting in line to do the limbo

birthday girl, Kai

Gi chowing down on pizza

Well, another mei mei birthday just rolled around. This time it was Kai's turn to enter the big 3. Kai and her mommy and daddy were the host/hostess with the mostest. The princess/pirate celebration was held at Playmobil...an indoor play park that Munch has never been to before. When Gi entered the park, she was in awe. There were wall-to-wall objects to play with. She didn't know where to begin. By now, Gi is a bit of a veteran when it comes to mei mei parties...she knows to play first, then sit down at the super fun table to eat her yummy pizza and other goodies and then play some more. And there's always a fabulous goody bag at the end. We're so glad we got to celebrate with Kai...thank you!

Nice to Meet Ya

Well, today Munch and I finally had an opportunity to meet with Ms. Fliss and her hubby, Mike. After a whirlwind of confusion on my part, we finally made it down to Hillsboro Beach to lunch with the pair. We ate, laughed (a lot) and got to know each other better. Fliss, ever the competent photographer, whipped out her mac-daddy camera to snap a few pics of Gi. Can't wait to see the pics, Fliss. And boy did they spoil Gi! Goodies galore for the Munch...giant Scooby-Do coloring book complete with a gazillion stickers, markers (washable, I might add), a Melissa and Doug insect puzzle and yum-yum-for-my-tum-tum rainbow cupcakes. Big thanks to you and hubby Mike. We look forward to our next get-together whether it'd be in your neck of the woods or down here. A big birthday hug to you...the last birthday you will celebrate without little Shauna.