Fall Fun List of Things To Do

So it's been about 2 weeks since I began my maternity leave and I have to admit...I'm LOVING IT! The kids and I have gotten into a routine of going to the YMCA (or "Y" as Riley calls it) about 3 times a week in the mornings around 9 until 10:30 (so Mommy can get a shower too and be ready for the day). I've had a great time trying new classes and trying my best to get back in shape. We head home and fix lunch and then it's time for both kids to nap. During naptime, I've tried to set realistic goals about deep cleaning one room each week and then doing other things like catching up on my blog, updating Maggie's scrapbook, clipping coupons, and researching freezer meals (my new favorite way to cook!). On Thursdays, we go to the Fort Mill Library for Toddler Time which Riley thoroughly enjoys! We did this some over the summer and Chris continued it while he was home as well.  Riley loves participating in the songs, dances, finger plays, storytime, and craft. In the afternoons, we usually eat a snack and Riley gets to watch one show on TV. Then I try to do a special activity with the kids.  I finally had the time to look through all the cute ideas on Pinterest and was able to compile a list of some of the activities I thought would be fun to try. So...here's the list. I'm going to work hard to keep updating it with dates and pictures (if possible) to keep a record of these precious moments that I have the luxury of being able to enjoy right now with my darling family!

Our Fall Fun List of Things to Do

·         Have a picnic in the park 10/26/12 ...we played and ate at Elisha Walter park in Fort Mill

·         Go to a pumpkin patch-10/14/12 with Nan and Pap

•  Decorate pumpkins using Mr. Potato Head Pirate and Paint

·         Collect leaves for leaf art project (suncatcher, rubbings, etc.)

·         Tire tracks art with toy vehicles and paint 10/19/12

·         Egg Carton Caterpillar 10/24/12 after reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar we made a caterpillar and a butterfly

·         Attend Toddler Time at Library each Thursday from 10-10:30 10/25/12 Riley and Maggie got to wear their costumes as they listened to monster-themed stories and sang songs 

·         Make a paint (or hair gel) gallon bag to draw on

·         Learn letters using computer games

·         Make an A-Z Letter Art book (see Pinterest)

·         Experiment with baking soda and colored vinegar water 10/17/12 on front porch

·         Create multi-color crayon discs

·         Blow giant bubbles with wand or cut-off water bottles 10/12/12 with Mom and Dad

·         Shaken Ball Art (need marbles or golf ball)

·         Write a thank you note to the mailman

·         Visit a nursing home-take cookies or another small gift

·         Build a tent

·         Put colored ice cubes in bath

·         Make homemade Play-doh

·         Make a marshmallow shooter

·         Wash the car together

·         Play Dress Up

·         Play Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders

·         Write letter to grandparents and great-grandparents 11/8/12 we mailed a "hug" to Nan and Pap, about a week earlier we mailed a get well soon bandaid card to Great Grandma Condra who was in the hospital recovering from a stroke and broken arm

·         Get a head start on Christmas crafts

·         Make an Ice Sun Catcher-fill a pie pan with leaves and other small objects, freeze, and then hang outside and let it melt

·         Do a Mummy Wrap out of tissue paper-10/18/12 with Blake and Delaney

·         Microwave a bar of Ivory soap to make a soap cloud

·         Design a picture using colored Elmer’s glue 11/6/12, Riley got help writing his name

·         Make an A-Z book by taking pictures of everyday objects/activities 11/04/12 

·         Blow glow-in-the-dark bubbles 10/08/12 kind of a dud...bubbles didn't glow

·         Design plates with Sharpie markers and bake to lock in artwork

·         Visit museum and/or children’s museum

·         Go see a fire station 10/26/12 with the 2nd Graders from Pleasant Knoll Elementary on their Community Field Trip

Potty Training Boot Camp Day 1

 Armed with a bowl full of M & Ms and a few sheets of stickers, I decided to launch a Potty Training Boot Camp for the next few days. Riley woke up at 6:30 am and after breakfast we made a big deal of picking out his first pair big boy underpants to wear. He debated quite a while in the store yesterday, but finally decided on a 7 pack of Mickey Mouse and a 7 pack of Toy Story with Buzz and Woody! I rolled up the rug in our living room since it's easier to clean up accidents from the hardwood floors than any kind of carpeted surface and set the plan into motion. Chris went off to school, wishing us good luck, but going on the record saying that he thinks this might be too premature. I promised that I wouldn't force the issue, but just wanted to see what the day would hold. I have been pleasantly surprised and it's only half over!

Riley got to finish drinking his milk (and then another cup of juice that I handed him in an effort to fill his bladder) while he sat on his froggy potty (his choice, not mine) and watched a Potty Pirate DVD that I bought a few months ago and was waiting for just the right time to introduce it. Riley enjoyed it and then got to watch his new favorite show, "Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood", and there just so happened to be an episode saved (thanks, Daddy) all about how Daniel and his friends go potty! Riley put on his potty watch that sings a song every 30 minutes to alert you that it's time to try and go potty.  Around 8:30, I decided to make some pink lemonade to give Riley something else to drink besides milk and juice.  He was climbing up in the "tower" to help me when all of the sudden, he says, "I go pee!".  I look up and sure enough buckets of pee are coming out of this child! I couldn't get him to stop, so I just let him finish and then gently reminded him that we're supposed to pee in the potty and try to keep Mickey and Buzz dry, not wet. I cleaned up the mess and got back to our day of playing, reading books and hearing songs about the potty that I found on YouTube, and entertaining Maggie. Riley had another small accident where he wet his underwear just a little. Shortly after (around 9:45), he saw the container of M & Ms on the counter about an hour later and really wanted some. I let him know that as soon as he makes the pee pee go in the potty, he could have some. He walked over to the potty and tried hard. Before I know it, he started peeing! I start squealing with excitement and yelling. It seems like he is peeing forever and sure enough when he finally finishes, the froggy potty is half full! That's quite an accomplishment for a boy his size.  We cheer our way to the big potty and Riley helps me flush the pee down the toilet. Then we do a silly potty dance and watch our hands before getting the coveted prize of 2 M & Ms! We go back into the den and celebrate some more by watching Elmo do the potty song and then we go back to playing (this time with a balloon). Around 10:30, Riley starts getting tired. He asked for a pillow from the couch to lay down on the floor with his blanket. All of the sudden, he stands up and tries to pee into the potty from a standing position. I help him take off his wet underpants quickly, but unfortunately nothing comes out. We clean up a few drops on the floor and get some dry underwear. Riley starts talking about the M & Ms again and I remind him that the pee has to go into the potty. He's been earning stickers this whole morning every time he sits on the potty and tries, but I'm saving the candy for the actual act. He walks back over to the potty and tells me he wants to go again. Somehow he's able to make it happen again and this time fills the potty about one quarter of the way full. We repeat all our crazy actions and dances and cheers from before and I can tell Riley is really proud of himself and even said he wants to tell Daddy! I let him play with his favorite Talking Dog app on my iPod Touch and he tells the dog, "I a big boy! I wear underpants." I LOVE IT!! Now, I know it's only been a few hours, but I'm quite hopeful this may just stick! He went down for his nap (with a diaper on because I read that this is a natural progression and not something that needs to be achieved right away with initial potty training). I can't wait to see how the afternoon unfolds!

UPDATE: Riley made it through the rest of the afternoon with flying colors. He wet his underwear just a tiny bit and stood up and went straight to the potty. A little later, when we were outside (with froggy potty on the porch), I went to go get Riley's slide out of the garage and come back and am greeted with his enthusiastic little voice shouting, "Mommy, I'm doing it!" And he sure was! Even if he was peeing through his Mickey Mouse underpants, he had taken the initiative to sit on the potty himself.  Hey, I'll take it! Today (Saturday), we went to the Fall Fesitval at church.  Riley was able to pee in the potty this morning with no issues. We made a big deal about putting on special Pull-Ups that need to stay dry or the soccer balls will disappear. Somehow, he managed to stay dry for the 1 1/2  hours that we were at church and even though he visited the bathroom twice, didn't sense the need to go. I tried to get him to go before his nap, but he was so tired he refused. That's okay...small steps are just fine with me!

Officially a Fisher and Funny Phrases

On September 11th around 4 pm, our little Maggie was officially deemed a Fisher in the eyes of the court! We had our finalization hearing in Greenville, SC and were accompanied by Grandmama and Papa to this special event.  Ray Godwin, our attorney who helped us with both Riley and Maggie's adoption, was present as well as our Guardian ad Litem, June Bond (who was also appointed to Riley's court appearance as well back in October 2010).  What we have known to be true in our hearts since the moment we met this precious girl was verified by Judge Jenkins; Margaret Grace will forever be a part of our family! The 15-20 minute proceedings included Chris giving his testimony about why we wanted to adopt, how we will continue to meet Maggie's needs emotionally and physically and how we would honor her cultural background. I then took the stand and verified that I agreed with Chris' remarks. I was asked to describe our marriage and to which I replied it was based on faith, love, and hard work.  The judge seemed impressed by the fact that we were both teachers and talked about how 1st and 2nd grade teachers especially leave a lasting imprint on how children remember school.  Towards the end of the hearing, the judge asked Riley to approach the bench and he gave him a lollipop. Riley couldn't have been more thrilled! We were able to take a few pictures with the judge and have him sign Maggie's baby book.  He signed his name and then wrote: "May God bless your family!" He certainly already has and I know He'll continue to do so!

 Maggie has become increasingly more alert of her surroundings and people around her.  She now gets upset if she is left in her swing or in a room by herself.  She loves to watch her big brother play with his toys and she is also mesmerized by the TV shows that Riley likes to watch.  We try to limit her exposure to this the best we can, but the little gal seems to always find a way to turn her head or body to see the screen.  Speaking of turning...Maggie now scoots all over her crib, especially at night.  She slides down in chairs and is constantly on the move when she is awake...kicking her feet and wiggling around.  She is also picking up on Riley's constant chatter and is becoming quite the talker herself lately.  She makes all kinds of coos and sticks her tongue out at us as she smiles and laughs. Riley loves dressing her up and posing for pictures with her now. He's really doing a good job in his big brother role!

Riley is learning so much! He can count up to 13 or 14 without any mistakes and then skips ahead to 17 through 20.  He is learning to count objects and the other day had 1 to 1 correspondence counting 8 cars.

 Now, I've been collecting some funny phrases for a few weeks and finally have some time to share them.  Here they are in no particular order:

• While eating spaghetti one night, we asked Riley how he liked his noodles.  To which he replied, "It's not noodles, it's pasta!"
• He dives right into eating supper now and we have to remind him to stop and pray.  He's still doing his usual "Dear God, Thank you. You're welcome. Blessings. Thank you for the food. Amen." prayer and as soon as he finishes he adds loudly, "Let's eat!" and picks up his spoon or fork and digs in again! 
• With all his crazy antics, we often say, "Riley, are you a silly goose?" Every single time, he answers, "No, I a Big Boy!" 
• A week or so ago at dinner, Riley was eating his chicken and dipping it in ketchup.  Once he finished those, he ate his apples and because he loves ketchup so much, he started dipping THOSE in ketchup up too.  Once his apples were all gone, he picked up his spoon and started to eat the ketchup all by itself.  When it was gone, he turned to us and said, "More ketchup please!"
• Sometimes we'll say, "Riley, you are hilarious!" He's started picking up on this word and will see something that's funny himself and say, "That's rare-ri-ous!"
• His language continues to build at a rapid speed. The other day, he was playing upstairs with Daddy.  There's a certain Little People toy that Riley is especially fond of and has nicknamed "Person Boy." Chris asked Riley, "Is Person Boy going to drive the car?" Riley responds confidently, "Of course, he will!"
• Our church had a fundraiser at Bruster's ice cream not too long ago and had some special visitors dressed up as Snow White and Cinderella. When we introduced the characters to Riley, he was particularly fascinated with one of them and kept asking to see "Cind-umbrella" again and again.
• While playing football or any other kind of ball with Daddy, Riley has invented a new game in which he falls down on the floor every time that the ball is thrown back to him and announces: "Riley get tackled." I think someone has been watching a few too many sports!
• Bedtime has become a more drawn out procedure in recent weeks as our little rascal has learned new stalling tactics.  He must first gather at least 6 different toy cars, trains, or trucks to sleep in his bed with him. In fact, he even has a matching set of twin dump trucks that he calls "the Brothers" and they are frequent visitors in his bed. Other guests include Grover, Thomas, Henry the red train, Mater (Tomater from Cars movie), and a hodge podge of other vehicles he has managed to collect over the years. Next, he has to make sure he has he green and blue blanket in his bed and ask that you "cover up" his body with it. Then he might say he needs a drink or remind you to "leave door open". And 9 times out of 10, once we're all settled downstairs we'll hear a little voice start crying out "Mockingbird song, Mockingbird song". I didn't realize he would grow so attached to this silly little song, but he knows all the words and when Daddy tries to change them or make up his own version, Riley is often quick to correct him! The trick after we finally get our dear boy to sleep is figuring out how to keep him asleep. Riley's internal clock has somehow been waking at 5:45 or 6 am and no amount of trying to convince him to go back to sleep, it's dark outside and the toys and TV are still sleeping work. He eats repeating the same thing: "Go downstairs, eat breakfast. No Mommy and Daddy's room." We also were unsuccessful in putting him in our bed and trying to get him to fall back asleep. So for the time being, we're all very early risers right now.
• This precious child loves to make us laugh! And I'm not sure where he got it, but he has learned to do a really deep laugh and cover his mouth with his two hands when he thinks something is really funny. David (our friend/neighbor down the street) loves to egg him on with this! We have to admit, we think it's pretty cute ourselves too!

Zoo, Month Two, and Summer Highlights (Just a Few)

 ***This is the beginning of Blog Book Number 2! I published our July 2011-July 2012 memories and loved the result, so here's to another fabulous year of special family moments!***

At the beginning of the summer, I made two lists. One was things we needed to do around the house (clean pantry/closets, paint deck, landscape, etc.) and the other was summer activities just for fun! I can definitely report that we crossed off more of our fun items than our work items! So while our house may not look in the best of shape (especially with all the kitchen and living room repairs going on), we have managed to have quite a few exciting excursions!

Here we are at Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia. We headed down on a semi-cloudy day (hoping to avoid the heat, but ended up sticky with humidity). Nevertheless, Riley had a blast seeing all his favorite animals in a zoo for the first time! The highlight of our trip was when Riley saw the giraffes and went up on a landing to feed them. He found pieces of lettuce (people had left behind) and fearlessly fed the giraffes as they poked their heads through the railing. He got such a kick out of it; we had to come back again a second time before we left! Other sweet moments included when Riley "hugged" the gorilla through the glass cage, waddled like a penguin at their exhibit, and tried Dip 'N Dots icecream for the first time! 

 On August 2nd, we celebrated our darling Maggie turning 2 months old and our dear daddy turning 41 years old! Maggie (unfortunately) had to go to the doctor for her 2 month shots in the morning and her regular check-up. She weighed 11 lbs. 10 oz. and was 23 inches long. She's in the 75th percentile for both weight and height. Her personality is starting to shine through more and more each day. Her smiles come easily now and we even think we've heard her cackle! She's still sleeping through the night most of the time. She is content most of the time to lay on the bed and watch a fan or listen to her brother play.  She is making more babbling sounds and loves to hold a hand/finger when she falls asleep. To celebrate Chris' birthday, Grandmama and Aunt Kelly came to stay with Riley and Maggie so we could go out to dinner at Lupie's (Chris' favorite dive restaurant that serves up great Chili Mac). This was Kelly's first time meeting Maggie since she had been away at a camp for 2 months.



A few weeks later, we had to evacuate our house so that workers could sand, stain, and finish our hardwood floors that were also damaged by the refrigerator leak. So luckily, we were able to make a family vacation out it and headed to Charleston for about a week. We arrived on Monday and went to play with Amanda, Liam, and Tripp before checking into our hotel in Mt. Pleasant. Then on Tuesday, as you can see by the picture below, the weather was rainy most of the day so we took the kids to the Children's Museum.

 The boys all had a grand 'ol time playing in the pirate ship, shopping area, ball ramps, water table, craft center, Medieval castle, and the toddler area. It was the perfect rainy day activity!


 The following day we were hoping to go to a water park in the area, but the weather chose not to cooperate again. So we made the best of it and headed to the Aquarium instead. We'd been once before, but now Riley is really able to appreciate it more.  Our fearless little man loved touching the shells in the touch tank and liked having his picture made holding a starfish. Can you tell that he is now saying "Cheese" for every picture? Hence the wide eyes and slightly open mouth! :O)  We loved having Tripp, Liam, Edward, and Amanda along to share in the journey! Maggie, surprisingly, was actually awake for part of the time this time! We ended our time at the aquarium with a 4D movie that lasted about 15 minutes and was full of special effects (water, bubbles, smoke, snowflakes, etc.). Riley loved it so much that he actually cried when it was over and kept saying, "More movie!"

 

 

Ah...the beach!!  This is by far my favorite vacation spot and is a family tradition! This year, we headed to Folly Beach and had a blast digging in the sand, making homemade peach icecream, playing games like What's In Your Milk? (ask Kelly!), Categories, Greedy and Stickem (a very complex, yet intriguing game that Edward taught us), and eating out at places like the Crab Shack and the Taco Bar (yum!!). Most of what I enjoy the most about the beach is just the fact that we can all hang out together and enjoy each other's company and the craziness of the kids. In fact, Chris and I gave up one night of our hotel stay to camp out on the condo couches and be near family. It sure was a nice week and we were sad when it finally had to come to an end. Oh well, there's always next year!