Please and Thank You

Now that Addison is talking up a storm we are really working on her saying please ("peas") when she wants something and thank you ("tank too") when she gets something. This morning we are enjoying our pre-breakfast (well it may become actual breakfast) of the ever nutritious croutons on the back porch. It was the first thing I saw this morning as I poured her milk and my coffee. So I figured what the heck. Anywho, every time Addy wanted a crouton I would make her say please before she was able to receive it. And then I continued to say thank you until she repeated it. Well, guess what she got it. Yay, a parenting victory. She is now coming to me and saying please and thank you with prompting!!! I somewhat feel like I am training a dog and rewarding with treats. She is much cuter than any dog though! However, I know as soon as I try to show this off to family and friends she will become mute. Kids have a way of humbling you. Well, I guess I should be off to cut up some cantaloupe that sounds a bit more breakfasty.

WW: Summer is almost here!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

As part of my goals for the year, I wanted to try to make my own laundry detergent. I recently ran out of my Tide so I figured now was as good of time as any. It actually turned out to be a pretty easy process.

 

First chop the bar of soap (I used Ivory. A lot of blogs recommended Fels Naptha) and send it for a buzz in the food processor. I read somewhere that if you unwrap the bar of soap and allow it to dry out for a week or so it will grind up nicely. Well I had planned on making this recipe sometime in November so it has been drying for a while.

 

Second pour 1 cup of Borax and 1 cup of washing soda (not baking soda) with the powdered bar of soap into your storage container of choice. I had this bucket laying around.

Next I put the lid on the container and started to shake to combine the ingredients. Big mistake, white powder flew everywhere. Apparently the lid is not completely air tight. So I finished mixing with a spoon.  

The recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons to every load, and I believe one batch will accommodate approximately 40 loads. I tripled the recipe, so that I would have a good amount of detergent to see if I liked it. I have used it a couple of times and so far the results are good. I think I could become a homemade detergent girl all the time.  

WW: "Love You" Powdered Donuts

Addison: 18 Months

A lot of the blogs I follow write letters or give developmental updates on their babies. I wish I would have started blogging a long time ago so I would have Addison's developmental journey documented. Oh well, better late than never.

Dear Baby Addison,

Today you are 18 months. Wow, that's a year and a half! I can't believe how fast time is flying by and how fast you are changing from a little baby to an independent toddler. Here are a few things happening in your fun world.  

You weigh 22 pounds and are 31 inches tall. You have most of your teeth in. We are working on your last fang tooth on the bottom left. Boy has it been fun. The amount of drool you produce little girly is pretty amazing. You can easily go through two bibs a day. Hopefully once this tooth comes in we will get a little break from the bibs until the two year molars start. Those bibs are covering up all of your cute little outfits, and at the rate you are growing we have to show them off the few times you wear them.

In the last month or so your vocabulary is growing daily. A few words you constantly say include "uh oh", "doggy" (pronounced "goggy" most of the time), "mommy", "daddy", "hello" (pronounced "he-yo"), "bye", "love you", "thank you", and "baby". We are really getting to the point where you will try to say word after us. However, a lot of the time baby jibberish is still flying out of your mouth, which is actually pretty amusing. You look at us like you are really telling us an exciting story.

In the last few months you have developed "stranger danger". You tend to be very shy around crowds or people you don't really know. It takes a while for you to warm up to strangers, which is funny because when you were a baby you would go to anyone. You especially do not like the Easter Bunny, Santa, or the Chick-fil-a cow.

Of course Romo is still at the top of your favorites list, but we keep him in your crib so that you aren't carrying him all over the house. You love stuffed animals and baby dolls. We finally bought you an actual baby doll this month. Every time we would visit with your little friends you would take their baby dolls and love on them, so we figured you needed one of your own.

When we get home and the weather is nice you go outside and play on the back deck. You LOVE being outside and throw a very dramatic fit when it is time to come in for bath time. While you are out there you talk to the dogs and push your stuffed animals and babies around in your stroller. You are just so happy to be outside. You also love our cat Cleo. You chase her, kiss her and love her. It is so funny to hear you call her. It sounds like "cow". Those darn "L's" are just so hard to say.

You have known for the longest time where your tummy is, and you love to show it off. You now know where your ears, toes, eyes, and mouth are. A big thanks to Stacy who has been teaching you these.

You are such a lucky little girl. You have so many people who love you. We are not only lucky to have a big extended family, but you also have your sitter Stacy who loves you. It truly is a village raising you.  

Love you forever,

Mommy

Mother's Day Recap

My favorite of my many jobs is being a mommy. It is so amazing how you can love someone so much. Now don't get me wrong I love my husband very much, but the love I have for Addison is something so different. I feel truly blessed to have such a joy in my life.

We have been so busy lately that we decided to just lay low and spend time just the three of us this Mother's Day. We woke up and had powdered donuts on the back porch. The weather was absolutely beautiful for an outside breakfast. I should tell you that leading up to this day Addison had told her daddy and Stacy (her sitter) that she loved them. I was quite jealous of this. I figured what girl wouldn't love her mommy if she was allowed of the powdered donuts she wanted. Well, guess what it worked. I finally got my "love you", and it was so cute and perfect.

After lots of "love you's" and powdered donuts we went to church. Then Tim took us out to eat at Hideaway Pizza. It was really good and Addison was pretty good herself. She is getting to the age where restaurants aren't the most fun place to be. We did pass some time reading some books.

For Mother's Day Tim took Addison to a place where you can paint pottery. They went and painted me a picture frame. Tim was so disappointed when he gave it to me because the pottery place cracked the frame when they tried to put the glass in it. I told him I didn't care. I just loved the fact that he and Addy took the time to make me something. It was very special to get something handmade from them. Well, he went back and let Addy paint another picture frame all by herself. Now I have two perfect frames, one for work and one for home.

Addy also made me a Mother's Day card in the nursery at church. It is proudly on display on my refrigerator. I just love little works of art from my girl.

Video Post: Addy- 18 months

Here are some recent videos of Addy. She is so fun these days. She is talking all the time and copies your every move. It is such a joy to see her grow into a little girl.

Hello?

Laundry Basketball

Dancing Addy

 

This weekend we went over to a friends house and by the end of the evening we had an impromtu dance party. Here is Addy showing off her moves.

WW: Happy Birthday Lisa!

Easter Recap

On Easter Sunday we had our families over to our house for an Easter lunch. I cooked a roast and everyone brought a side to share. It was so much fun to have family over for such a special day.

Putting a pretty bow in Miss Addison's hair. (Special tip: Put your kiddo in a bumbo with you need to fix their hair. They are pretty much stuck, so you don't have to wrestle them and their hair.)

We let Addison open her Easter basket before church.

Okay, truth be told Momma just couldn't wait any longer.

The ever popular cute little lamb Pez dispenser.

A big girl necklace

and braclet.

Ooooh how pretty!

Family photo before church

Grandma Becky, Barrett, Lisa, Josh, Jenny, and little Emma all went to church with us. After church everyone came over for lunch.

 

Brothers Barrett & Tim

Uncle Barrett & Addison

Slaving away in the kitchen

Family picture after church. Addison is getting a little sick of pictures.

The Easter Gang

Beautiful Lisa & Charlotte

Easter treats

After lunch we played a very intense game of catch phrase. You know when everyone has different rules and someone (um Josh) accuses everyone of making up rules as we go just to cheat him out of winning. I know, I know, we are all against you Joshy. All I know is girls rule and boys drool!! Tim's mom left saying "Boy, I didn't know your family was so competitive". Haha. I think everyone had a blast!

Josh getting fired up!

My beautiful sisters!