Our HOT Date!

Tonight, my dad so graciously took Kennedy while we headed up to Cedarburg for dinner at Anvil Pub and Grille. I've been there once before, but never with Jon, so I was excited to take him! He LOVED their food. In fact, he said he liked it so much, it made him want to write a review about it. Who says that?! He makes me laugh. Aside from their awesome food, the atmosphere is really what I love. We sat outside on their patio, along the river and listened to the Cedar Creek Waterfall as we ate... so amazing!

After dinner, we took a stroll through Cedarburg's historic downtown. The shops remind me of Door County. I LOVE IT! We went into this really great store where there were a lot of knickknacky types of things. It immediately reminded me of Grandma and I couldn't help but cry. That was hard. But after I pulled myself together, Jon spotted a really cool watch that looked like a bracelet. I always wanted a watch that looked more like an accessory. I tried it on and he bought it for me! What a sweetie. We walked another block and stopped at a confectionery store. We bought a few goodies for us and two chocolate covered strawberries for my dad (per his request). Then we headed to Cedarburg's scrapbook store - I just HAD to! Did a little damage there and walked back to our car.

What an AMAZINGLY romantic night. I love when we get to go out and just be us together. I love my husband more than anything. He seriously completes me, as corny as that sounds. He makes me a better person, while keeping me laughing throughout :)

I love you, baby. Thanks for an awesome night!!

First Day of Preschool!!!

I can't believe this day has come... Kennedy's first day of preschool!

We woke up like any other morning. Except this particular morning, I was pumped. It took a little time, but Jon eventually was excited too (he's not really a morning person). Kennedy ate breakfast, which consisted of yogurt, applesauce and one homemade chocolate chip pancake 'ala Daddy. We got dressed and headed out the door. Of course I already anticipated being 'Mamarazzi' ...also known as 'crazy moms who take WAY too many pictures of their children'. So with that said, I started my 65 pictures with a few in front of the house, one on the way to school and a few walking in the school door. Once inside, the beast was unleashed. I went crazy, but I didn't care. I was just thankful I didn't need a flash! That could've been really distracting.

If I haven't said it 10 times, I'll say it again... I am BEYOND impressed with this preschool. We got to stay and watch the teachers interact and go through how the children's day will go.

1. They start off tracing the first letter of their name with their finger (which is made out of sand paper). Name recognition is HUGE!

2. Then it's time to play. And this isn't just any old play... They have different areas ...dress up, house, blocks, train table, arts and crafts... great variety. It's very organized too - who doesn't like a little organization?! I love their philosophy too. 'Children learn by experience'. They will learn how to socialize with each other and problem solve as they play. This is more effective then sitting in a desk practicing their abc's all day.

3. After play, they learn the clean up song (not the typical song) and have that whole song to get the room picked up. Then they sit on their assigned carpet square in a circle while Miss Francine sings them a song.

4. Time to learn the weather! They all decide what the weather is like on that day and that picture gets puts up. They also learn left to right progression and patterns with pictures that hang on the wall.

5. They rotate classrooms each hour, still staying with Miss Francine. This new room has a ton of hands-on activities. There's a water table, different arts and crafts, sand shakers... and more! Some children learn by touching. I guess it never occurred to me that you can learn this way. Very cool.

6. The final 'class' they'll visit is a huge, open room that resembles an outdoor playground. It's equipped with tricycles and cars too, so they can work on their motor skills while getting out some energy!

7. The three and four year olds will meet together at the end and sing songs while they wait for their parents to pick them up.

Kennedy will attend Tues/Thurs 8:45-11:45am. Three hours, three different classes. I in no way feel that I have to defend my choice for sending her to a private preschool. With that said, I want the BEST for my child. What mother or father doesn't? I know that I cannot give Kennedy everything she needs on my own. She will be learning/interacting with others more than I could ever provide her with. I could tell from orientation back in March that this is an amazing place that she is going to thrive in. The teachers have over 40 years combined experience (between the three of them) and the actual schooling to provide Kennedy with the best preschool education. They LOVE those kids like I've never seen a teacher love and they truly work with each one on an individual basis. Because of course, not every child is the same :)

I am BEYOND excited for Kennedy!!! I'm so thankful to have found Loving Start Preschool!

Love

Our mini vacation was so amazing! After eating dinner Monday night at Moosejaw Pizza, we went into town for our Old Time photo shoot! Kennedy and I had on fancy dresses wile Jon looked handsome in his suit -- holding two Tommy guns. haha Kennedy was really looking forward to getting dressed up for the picture, but when she got in front of the camera, she would NOT smile. I don't know if the lights freaked her out or what, but we were not getting a smile out of her. It turned out adorable, regardless. In fact, it was the only picture we got all weekend of the three of us. It makes me sad we didn't get more together...

After our shoot, we walked through downtown Dells and stopped for some ice cream. It was a wonderful night together. We laughed, took fun pictures and spent real quality time with one another. No Blackberries, no computer. The next morning consisted of more water slides and a quick checkout. After riding the go karts and eating lunch, we headed home.

This weekend was amazing... did I say that already?! Jon and I were so in sync. We tag teamed everything! Whether it was making lunch for everyone while the other showered, or just simple things like throwing out the trash while the other washed up Kennedy. It was great... I LOVE teamwork! Not that we aren't a good team at home, but it was different this time. No one had to say a word, we just did it. I love my husband. I wish everyone got to see the side of him that I see everyday. Yes, he's still sarcastic at home, but he really is a sweetheart underneath it all. One of the main reasons I fell in love with him is because he always made me laugh. I'm so glad that he keeps me laughing daily.

I love you honey, and I love our little family we've made!! :)

First Family Vacation!

Kennedy and Jon are both napping in our room. I'm in one of the hotel's many hallways outside of O.P.'s Marketplace. I'm people watching as I write this. Some go into O.P.'s to buy a coffee drink, others come out with a bag of chips or overpriced condiments they may have forgotten to pack. $4.19 for a small bottle of Aunt Jemima's syrup?! Come on people, pack more carefully next time!

I'm sitting on a cute bench with my laptop in front of me. The Wilderness is a beautiful hotel/resort! There are endless things to do here. They have four outdoor waterparks and four indoor. Some are within walking distance, some we had to drive a few minutes to. There is a huge arcade/laser tag area, a few mini golf courses, shops, restaurants, kiddie play areas... the list goes on and on. I was here with my family when Kennedy was just a few weeks old and we didn't experience half of what this hotel offers.

I'm even more excited because this is our FIRST family vacation! I've taken Kennedy here, to Florida and California and Jon has been with me to California, but never just the THREE of us. It has been a wonderful day so far. We arrived and got checked in early! YIPPEE! After we unpacked some of our things, it was a quick lunch and then to our first waterpark! Kennedy was excited, but Jon and I weren't sure how she would react to the water slides. Turns out, we had nothing to worry about! I stood at the bottom of the slide as her and Daddy ventured down. Piece of cake. Then we climbed a bunch of stairs to a decent size slide. When we got up there, the lifeguard told us she had to go down alone. Oh no, I thought. Will she be too scared? It was a pretty big slide! I went down first so I could be at the bottom waiting for her. Holding my breath, I see this cute little girl come down with a half scared/half excited look on her face. I grabbed her and waited for a reaction.

"Was it fun?!" I asked.
She wiped the water from her face and exclaimed, "YEAH! LET'S DO IT AGAIN!!"

We were relieved! She was so brave. Within 20 minutes, she was asking to go down the biggest water slides by herself! How cool is our kid?! She couldn't get enough of the water. Jon said it's probably because she's old enough to enjoy it, but too young to know the dangers. I agree... she was FEARLESS!

Dinner was at the Thirsty Buffalo Saloon - part of the Wild West area of the hotel. We were impressed again by our sweet girl. When the waitress took our order, Kennedy asked, "Can I have a hot dog please?" Then she asked what she wanted to drink and Kennedy replied, "Chocolate milk, please.". She ordered all by herself for the first time! We didn't tell her what to get or prompt her. We were in awe. Our child has amazing manners too. Side note: I love blogging! I can brag about my kid all I want. haha!

After a wonderful night, Kennedy woke up this morning and was ready to go. She opened the curtains and said, "It's light out!" Like, let's go Mommy and Daddy! Our balcony overlooks one of the outdoor parks. She was ready to face those slides again. We drove a few minutes to the first indoor park, which included a wave pool and huge family water slide. By family, I mean the raft holds up to four at a time. I love those. Then we can experience the fun at the same time! Kennedy was a HUGE fan of the wave pool. She didn't want us to hold her or sit in a tube... just her little flotation device around chest/arms did fine. What a cutie!

Now we're off to dinner. I became acquainted with the area earlier in the day, so I think we'll venture off somewhere in the Dells. Maybe Moosejaw Pizza? Looks like a cool place to eat!

UPDATE: Attitude Adjustment

Thanks to all of my friends for the great advice on discipline. I chose to make her punishments separate. Great idea, Kim! So depending on what she does, I will stick to certain consequences. I also remind her that when she disobeys me, it hurts the Lord more than anything. Also great advice... thanks Apryl! I seem to have forgotten the most important part! She is a very smart girl and even if she doesn't FULLY grasp the concept, it will soon be ingrained in her head.

I feel like it is going well... the tantrums and talking back are slowing down. She flipped out today and was punished. THEN put herself in the corner. haha! I wanted to laugh. But the way she behaved was only because she was in great need of a nap. Praise God she is sleeping now! She needed it.

Attitude Adjustment

My daughter is a very smart little lady. She speaks very precisely, enunciating every word and you can tell she really thinks before speaks... something I'm still working on! She is respectful and kind to others -- except when she bullies her younger friend, Josie. Poor girl, haha. So here's the problem... lately, more than ever, her mouth is getting her in trouble. Just towards me, really. I don't even notice it much with Jon. JUST ME! I try not to freak out because I know she feeds off of that. I already see ME in her frustration... YIKES! I've rubbed off on my daughter the one way I didn't want! I have little patience and I can see that in her as well. So in order to fix her, I'm trying to fix me. I'm glad that I can admit where I'm going wrong and I'm able to act quickly because if she were 16 and I was trying to fix her behavior, I'd have a big problem on my hands!

Here is what I do when her mouth gets out of hand - and by 'out of hand' I mean yelling 'NO!' at me or 'I DON'T WANT TO!' ...or really just throwing a screaming/kicking fit.

1. I warn her.
2. If she does it again, she gets put in a timeout. Timeout is in her room, sitting on her bed for 3 minutes or more.
3. Then she comes out and apologizes. I explain what she did wrong and forgive her for acting that way. We kiss and hug and it never gets brought up again.

Pretty textbook to me. Except when she does it again... and again. This does not happen everyday, thankfully. Just sporadically when she decides to push my buttons, usually resulting from lack of sleep on her behalf. I also know that food can trigger behaviors. The healthier the BETTER! Rather than processed junk, I've always tried to feed her 'natural' foods. Anyway, I'm consistent with her and the way she is disciplined. Jon is also on the same page, but like I said, it rarely happens with him.

Do I keep being consistent and hope she stops the behavior with age? Or should I try something new? Taking things away from her that really matter is my next step. I've done it before and it works. Should I bring it back and stay consistent with that?

Parents, I need your advice! HELP!

The Healing Garden

On Tuesday, I had to go to the hospital for the first time since Grandma passed. As I climbed the levels in the parking structure, my heart grew heavy. I parked the car and just cried. Walking to the elevator, through the halls, down the stairs, up another elevator, into the North building... I held it together pretty well. Maybe it was because grandma wasn't in that building long. Or maybe it was Kennedy, who picked out flowers for her auntie and proudly carried them all the way to her room. That gained a lot of attention. Everyone commented on how cute and helpful she was! A little old lady actually gave Kennedy $1 for 'being such a big helper'. She was very sweet! We had a nice visit with Melissa, who was recovering from gallbladder surgery.

Today we visited my dad, who had his knee replaced yesterday. I knew today would be hard. His room is located in the Patient Tower... the same building Grandma spent most of her time in during her hospital stay. We got to the main elevators of the Tower. I was ok thus far. We climbed to the 11th floor... oh no... she was on this floor during recovery at one point. I look up - whew! ...my dad's room is to the right. (Grandma's was on the left) We walked into his room and gave him hugs and kisses. As I approached the window and commented on what a beautiful view he had, I looked down and noticed that his room overlooked The Healing Garden. I buried my head in my hands and wept. The Healing Garden is a wonderful place patients can go to enjoy an abundance of live plants, fresh air and the sounds of trickling water. I took Grandma there on a cold February night, the day after her second surgery. We couldn't enjoy the outside area of the garden, but thoroughly enjoyed the inside.

It was a Tuesday night. I stopped at Kohl's on the way to the hospital and bought Grandma a few outfits and a pair of tennis shoes. Then I picked us up a couple of burritos from Chipotle. I'll never forget the look on her face when I arrived. She was so happy to see me. Happy because I bought her new clothes. Happy because she was going to eat something she had never eaten before... but most of all, happy because I was there. After we finished dinner, I made her try on all of her clothes. We put on a little fashion show right there in that hospital room. Her nurses loved it all! And boy, did she look adorable in everything! With her back pain and other issues, she lost a large amount of weight very quickly. Grandma always joked, "Well, one good thing came out of this mess... I finally lost the weight I'd been wanting to lose all these years!" She was so silly. We'd been trying to get down to The Healing Garden for some time, so I asked her if she wanted to go on a little adventure. She threw on a new outfit and we headed down to the 8th floor. Grandma LOVED plants, so this was right up her alley. She didn't get as excited as I had hoped, but I knew she was just exhausted from the surgery. We spent some time talking and time being still. I could tell she had a lot on her mind but I didn't pressure her to share her thoughts. I took a few pictures of her in front of the plants and we headed back to her room. She turned on a show and we both started dozing off. Around 10:30 I kissed her goodnight and told her I'd see her tomorrow.

After our visit with my dad, I decided to take a little detour... to The Healing Garden. Tears welled up in my eyes as soon as we opened the doors. I showed Kennedy exactly where Grandma Patty sat that day I wheeled her down. I cried and Kennedy consoled me the best way she knew how. "It's ok, Mommy." We went outside and enjoyed the rest of the garden. At that point, I was trying to catch my breath from crying. We made so many memories together, her and I. This was just a small one, but one that I hold in so close to me. I took a picture of Kennedy in the same spot Grandma sat. I cried. Then I sat next to her and we talked about Grandma. Another couple walked in and I hesitated, but then asked if he would take a picture of Kennedy and I in that spot. I balled my eyes out as we walked out...

I think about her constantly. Today was a very rough day for me and I selfishly wish she were still here. Not in pain, but here and healthy. Praise God that she is with the Lord, worshipping Him at this very moment. But I long for just one last hug from her... one where I have to bend down to reach her five foot frame. We'd squeeze the life out of each other. I just miss that.

I'm not sure why I decided to share this, but I know that writing helps me get through the hard times. Thanks for reading, and thanks for being there for me.

I love you, Grandma and I'll never stop thinking about you. Until we meet again...