Missing Posts

Even when I fall behind in my blogs, I keep a folder with all my photos so that I finally sit down to write, they're all ready. But sometimes I miss photos because they're on my phone instead of my traditional camera, or they're on Nathan's phone.

So here is a post that should have been from last weekend.

Last Saturday, we traveled to Gladstone (about 35 minutes North of the city) for the 3rd birthday party of Anabelle. Her parents attend our church, and Josh, Anabelle's father, is a pastor intern at Wornall.

The birthday was a Sophia the First themed event. The food was excellent and Melinda did a great job organizing games and activities. The couple live on the seminary campus (Josh is still in school) and there is a large playground outside of their apartment and Allison loved having the freedom to run around.

 

She had three juice boxes and was very hyped up on the drive home.

On Sunday morning, we set out for church (we left extra early because Nathan and I were in the childcare area today), but as we left our driveway, we heard the thump thump thump of a flat tire.

I was thankful that we had a cushion of time so that we could move Allison's seat into Nathan's car, and also that Nathan was with me. I would have been so stressed to have to deal with a flat tire alone.

It took Nathan most of the day to go back and forth to the auto shop to get the tire filled, and then put it back on the car.

Allison loved to watch him work.

While Nathan worked on the car, I made an apple crisp for our gospel community group. I think apple crisp (with vanilla ice cream) may be my favorite dessert! I used the apple peeler I bought at our church garage sale- they make a huge difference. I made the entire dessert in under 15 minutes.

Royals Rally

The Royals are having another great post-season. This round, they are playing the Toronto Blue Jays. It's so funny that our home team and new home team are playing each other - we don't know who to cheer for.

The Jays are the Royals of last year - the heartwarming, comeback story that pumps up a city, so we want them to do well, but Kansas City transforms when the Royals are winning and I want that to continue.

This morning was the Royals Rally at the JC Nichols fountain. Allison woke up early so we drove to the Plaza to check it out. Allison and I went alone last year, but today we convinced April and her kids to meet us at the JC Nichols fountain at 7am.

The crowd wasn't as big this year (I don't think it was advertised as much as it was last year) but it was perfect because we didn't have to wait in long lines for face painting or balloon animals for the kids.

 

 

 

 

 

 After the rally (7am-9am) we walked across the street to Winstead's, a diner known for their ice cream sundae's. We each ordered a hot chocolate to warm up after a cool morning.

Keeping Busy

In one of my last posts, I wrote about how Super Nanny didn't allocate time for chores in her "How to Schedule a Day" section of her book. Well, this week, I've really been struggling with keeping Allison busy and happy, while I also get some work done.

I try to limit my chore time to her naps, but sometimes I need more than 2 hours. My mom is arriving on Saturday and I'm trying to get everything painted, cleaned, and organized before she gets here. I also want to have all my projects done before she gets here (Halloween costumes, decorating, crafts for an upcoming event). I know that it's unrealistic but I want to enjoy my mom's visit and not feel like I have work to do.

Even though I need to get work done, Allison needs time each day to run around outside to tire her out enough so that she'll sleep well.

She's really into bubbles lately - bubble wands, bubble gun, bubble bath.

Allison likes to play doctor at home. I think this is because when we got our rabies shots, she got a sticker each time, and now when she checks my ears or eyes, she says, "sticker?"

Nathan brought home this old stethoscope since she broke her dollar store version in minutes.

I've had to move furniture around in order to paint and Allison has loved the changes. Now that her change table is by the window, I am constantly finding her sitting on it (calling for me to come help her down).

When I painted our room, I moved everything into the living room, so for two days Allison got to jump on our bed while watching Daniel Tiger. I think it might have been the best time she's ever had.

Allison learned to do somersaults at her dance class and now she tries to do them on our bed. I know she's going to crack her head open. This kid is always in trouble.

Today, while I was waiting for her to fall asleep during her nap, I heard, rrrrriiiiiipppppppp. I went in to check it out - she was ripping the seam out of her fitted sheet and pulling out the elastic.

Game 5

I am attending a craft/hobby/culture night at our church at the end of the month and I offered to make something for the raffle. I'm found KC Royals fleece at JoAnn Fabric and I'm going to make a simple braided fleece blanket.

Tonight is Game 5 so hopefully the Royals move on in the series so that my blanket can make a pretty penny for the fundraiser.

(I also got a piece of Royals fleece for Allison so she could cuddle up and show her support tonight).

2 Days

It is still foreign for me to see normal pregnant people. I can't imagine what it's like to be trucking along, waiting for your due date, or like my friend Lisa, know the date and time of when your baby will safely arrive.  I actually can't wrap my brain around it, even when I see it.


I visited Lisa at her home today and brought along some apple puffs (donuts/muffins) that I made. It's a new recipe but they were so tasty! But  I think if you roll any food in cinnamon sugar it's going to be good.

When I was about to leave, I snapped a few pictures of Lucy hugging her mom's belly/her little brother. I'm so happy for their growing brood.

Fall

Nathan is on a really busy rotation and since he was missing dinner tonight, I made these kid friendly "mummy dogs". It's just a crecent roll cut into strips and wrapped around a hot dog.

Allison loves anything she can dip in 'chup, so they were a huge hit.

Fall is my favourite time of year and I decided that I wanted to decorate our front porch. Nathan always looks at me like I have two heads when I decorate, he just doesn't understand the point of it - but he always says that he's supportive of anything I do to make KC feel like home.

I didn't want to spend a lot of decorations, but I also wanted to get something that I could pack away and use next year.

I decorated the porch railing for $20:
-2 pumpkins (2 X $2.50)
-8 mini pumpkins (8 X $.69)
-8 yards of tulle (8 X $.79)
-2 fall floral stems (2 X $1.25)
-2 leaf garlands (2 X $1.00)

We're still spending lots of time in the car. Today while Allison played, I did new chalk art on the driveway (since it rained this week and we lost our Sesame Street friends).

When I got to my friend's house this afternoon to visit, I couldn't get my seat belt out of the clip. I looked at the passenger clip and noticed that it had a penny sticking out of it. I don't know if Allison shoved something into mine, but it is now permanently locked so I have to scrunch up to put my seat belt on each time I go anywhere. I am frustrated, but I am thankful that it is in this position rather than not being able to lock at all.

The adventure never ends.

Nanny

I finished this parenting book and wanted to share a picture for any of my friends with crazy kiddos.

I really liked it, and Allison responded well to it. It was very matter-of-fact, and not emotional, which really helped me separate discipline from being a "mean mom."

My only complaint is that it is very clearly written by a nanny/someone who does not have children. All the pretend outlines of typical day are in twelve hour segments - but there is NO time scheduled for chores, personal time (shower, hair, makeup, hobbies). It's blocked off like school/work day and it doesn't reflect the realities of working in the home.

One of Those Days

I pulled Allison out of bed so that I could take her downtown (30 minutes) for my doctor's appointment. On our way to the appointment I was approaching a steep hill and I was behind a tractor- trailer. I didn't want to wait for it to inch up the hill so I moved into the lane to the right. As the light turned green, I noticed the truck begin to slip back - and not a rolling, standard roll. It gained speed as it rolled back about 25 feet and smashed into the car that was approaching behind it. It totaled the car that was to my left. Thankfully the driver was unharmed but I was so shaky that it should have been me - and that I could have been sandwiched between the rig and the line of cars approaching behind it.

Once I got to the hospital, found parking, walked to the long, windy road path that took two elevators (one down, then one up) I reached the clinic, only to be asked the worst, most annoying, most obvious questions..."Did no one call you?"

After that, I went to the library, where I had to deal with a fuddy duddy who refused to believe that I returned one of my books (even though the two women ahead of me had the exact same problem). He told me that it may have been missed but that if they couldn't find it I'd have to pay the "library price" and not the "Amazon price" - which is nearly double.

It was a very long morning.

LNC

Today I met up with 3 friends for a tour of the Lakeside Nature Center. We were the only ones there so that kids were able to run free and explore on their own.

We've been to the center before and it perfectly geared to Allison's age group. It's small (so she can experience everything without getting lost), it's interactive so she doesn't get bored (puppets, puzzles) and it's free (in case she has a freak out and we need to leave).

 

 

After we walked around inside, we decided to venture out onto the a few short trails before heading back to the picnic area.

 

 Camille wouldn't play on the rock with our daredevil kids, so I took this picture of her with her mom.

 This picture is *so* Allison's friendship with April's son, Griffin. He's a year older, so cool, can do so many things, and Allison remembers everything about Griffin. She knows how much he likes Spiderman and when we're in Walmart she'll pick out things saying "Griff!" Even though we have never talked about Spiderman.

This picture (to me) says, "Oh Griffin...are you heading over that cliff? OK, wait for me!"