Just Because

Because this morning was the first day of school for a lot of little ones out there and their poor Mamas. Because this Mama was teary eyed the entire ride in to school and then also to work this morning.  Because I couldn't stop thinking about a day that is still two years away.


So I came home tonight and took a bunch of pictures of my three year old.

 

  I made one of her favorites, scrambled eggs - with cheese, for dinner.

Then let her have a brownie for dessert.

I let her have a whole one - not just a half.  

 We picked out books and I read all six of them (plus one extra she forgot) before bedtime.

Some of the pages in the book she read to me.

After we finished reading she eventually went to sleep.

And in my world, I somehow managed to stop time for just a minute. 

Maddie-ism #1,999,999

Maddie, coming down from upstairs, after her bath:

"Hey Mama!!! Hey Mama!!! I got my WAAAANNNNND on!"

Me:  "You have your WHAT on???"

Maddie: "I got my wand on!"

That's Maddie code for "I have my wand" (i.e. her princess wand), which she waves in the air and then beats on the wall.

Hope that you get your "wand on" too!

Mommy's Big Helper

Now will you come play with me Mommy?

(This posting is for Aunt Lissa who is missing her Maddie - hope these updated pictures help!)

It Runs in Her Veins

I'm a Kenny Chesney fan.  In fact, Kenny may have helped Mike win me over.  When we were first dating Mike found out about a "surprise" concert that Kenny was playing in Winston and took me to see him.  It was in a really small venue - so it was like a private concert.  Actually it was more like hanging out with Kenny and some friends, listening to him play the guitar and sing while enjoying a few beers.  It snowed and sleeted that night.  We went anyway.  We only had one ticket to get in. We went anyway.  Mike snuck in the back door.   Mike was not a country music fan prior to this experience but he was a Kenny Chesney fan by the time the night was over.  And my crush on Mike may have grown by a smidgen or so. I still remember Mike putting his arms around me during one of the few slow songs he played that night, if I close my eyes I go back.....ok, that was a really cheesy reference to a really good Chesney song. I. Just. Couldn't. Help. Myself. 

Last night Maddie wanted to watch "dragon" and if you remember, I told her that she could after she cleaned up.  To which, she replied that she was too tired to clean.  We did clean up.  I had to compromise and help her but we got the mess cleaned up and Maddie was able to watch dragon while I cooked dinner.  Right as I was finishing cooking I heard the sound on Maddie's movie abruptly change to the stereo.  I went into the living room to check on her only to find her slow dancing with her baby doll to Kenny Chesney's "The Boys of Fall."   So I did what any Mom in my position would do.  I put down my spoon and stopped cooking to slow dance in the middle of the room with her.  And by with her - I mean beside her.  I didn't want to interrupt her moment with baby or with Kenny.

True Story

Maddie has been working on cleaning up after herself a lot lately.  That would be a combination of two factors.  One being it's a skill that we work on at home and at daycare,  Second - this girl makes a lot of messes in a short amount of time.  Turn your back on her for 2 seconds - find the basket of neatly folded clean clothes completely turned over because the pair of shoes she wanted to wear were at the bottom of the basket.

This afternoon she had to clean up before we left her class.  Then we came home from work and school to the mess that she made last night before going to bed.  Usually we clean up before going to bed - but we cleaned up at least half a dozen times before bed last night.  Only to have Maddie pull everything out again. When we got home she asked if she could watch "dragon" (How to Train a Dragon) and I told her that she could after she cleaned up.  She crawled up on the sofa and turned to me and said "No Mommy, no clean up.  I'm tired.  See - here's my blanket."  She covered herself up in her blanket and looked blankly at me. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love,
Miss Personality Herself

No Substitute

This is what Valentine's Day without Daddy looks like:

As the evidence illustrates, our evening did include chocolate in an attempt to lift spirits around here. The effects were short lived however.  Chocolate is just no substitute for the best Daddy in the whole world. 

(True story - this photo happened after taking some candid shots of Maddie. As I was putting my camera away Maddie said "Take my picture" and I said "o.k." This apparently is her new "pose for photo/zoolander" look.)

Happy Valentine's Day!
Love,
Grumpy and Grumpier