Just a Spoonful

As if the baby days hadn't left fast enough already, Kendall reached yet another milestone. A spoon. For months I've been giving her a spoon with her meals (as all the toddler manuals suggest) and she has just cared less it was there (as they explained). Until now (as they predicted). I knew (cuz they told me) that when she was ready she would explore and practice. And the time has come. I bought her this really long-handled spoon that reminds me of the little mirrors dentists use. And she has come to love this spoon. And the other day she was ready to tackle some applesauce...without her hands.

Notice which hand she is using. She won't be a lefty, I don't think, like her Mama and her Papa. I've been saying that for months, and now I have hard evidence.
Such precision and concentration...(genious)

Actually, she didn't spill any. I asked her to show me the fleur-de-lis on her SAINTS SUPERBOWL shirt. And she's taking a break from food to show me. Hey, the girl might l.o.v.e her food, but she does know her priorities. Ah, yes, the SAINTS are SUPERBOWL CHAMPS, my friends and bloggers. It just never gets old!

Cookie Monster Visit

The Cookie Monster found an awesome website (from a friend) and paid Kendall a visit during nap time. She awoke to a special treat. It didn't take much to get Miss Lazy Bones out of her bed when I uttered the word, "Surprise" followed by, "Snack". She all of a sudden became Miss Up And At 'Em.

I've blogged before about Kendall's nasty little food allergies. The site I was introduced to is foodallergymama.com. This awesome mother of five has children with food allergies which are much worse than Kendall's. And instead of wallowing in self pity or asking all the "why" questions, she decided to do something good from it. You know, make lemonade from lemons. I spent a little time meandering around her site this afternoon. I reminded myself how blessed I am to have a healthy little girl (as she feels about her children) and Kendall's allergy, which is slight-moderate and should be outgrown by age four, is really not a big deal at all.

I don't know if this mom professes to be a Christian, but she did remind me today of two things. First, God's grace is sufficient. The use of the word "sufficient" does not fit in the box of "good enough to get by" that we sometimes put it in. God's grace is abundant, all-sufficient, everything we need and lacking nothing. We don't need God's grace plus a little something extra. God supplies ALL we need for strength and grace to face any circumstance in our lives.

Second, "God works all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose." This mom is finding good in the hand she was dealt. And we "being evil know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your Heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him" (Matthew 7:11) comes to my mind as well. Situations that look bleak to us can be used for God's glory. In fact, everything in our life should be be done for and because of God's glory. So I thank God for sweet Kendall. I thank God for the food allergy because I know God will use it for good. He wants to teach me something about myself, teach Kendall about His love and grace, and show others through us that He alone is worthy of all glory. And sometimes that involves walking THROUGH something instead of a miraculous healing.

And really, in writing this in the context of food allergies, I am being convicted of other areas of my life where I need to solely rely on His grace and view the circumstance as an opportunity instead of a burden.

Whew! All that said, I had fun baking these d.e.l.i.c.i.o.u.s cookies (with no milk or egg ingredients) for Kendall this afternoon. Seriously, y'all, they are yummy yummy in the tummy tummy. High five to Food Allergy Mama! Click on her site earlier in this post for a direct link. Here's evidence from an eighteen month old...

"Kendall, where is your cookie?"

"Right here, Mama."

"Take a bite, Sweetie!"

"Hold up. I need to get in a better spot."

"There! Now that I'm settled on my rocky zebra, I can eat my cookie!" said Kendall in all her glory and "nap time hair".

"Mmmmm...yummy!"

"Show Mommy your cookie." (in attempts to capture pure cuteness)

"It's right here," responded the literal-minded tot. (Not quite what Mommy was going for, but an accurate answer none the less.)

So, the cookies were a success. And my child is not missing out on good 'ole milk and cookies today. Eat up, Princess!

REMINDER: All you out there who haven't sent me an email yet to include you on my access list when I go private, don't forget! (bloglistforcarey@yahoo.com)


"You don't want to miss out on THIS, do you???"

The BIG Park

Today was Kendall's first trip to the BIG park a little further down the road. (Actually, she has been here once as a baby but she doesn't remember it.)We had a play date with some friends today. This time she got to climb and run and play and eat lunch out of her school lunch box.

So much for the baby swings. Only the big kid swings will do now. And she wasn't scared to hop down either.

I did manage to convince her to play on the "little people" side where the climbing structures were much lower. Which, in turn, lowered my anxiety level also.

Climbing through the tunnel, a great confidence accomplishment.

Brianna and Abbey, our play date friends joined Kendall as well.

Kendall decided to become braver when she saw Brianna race around the perimeter sidewalk. We soon, though, lost sight of Brianna.

Where did Brianna go?? That's really what she was wondering! (Kendall didn't take into account that she likes to stop and pick up rocks on the way, just as she does in the church parking lot.)

Oh well, Kendall decided to park it right then and there and play with her rocks until Brianna made it back around.

Preparing for the bar exam early by studying her rocks in the mean time.

Content as ever to bask in the rays (the first-and possibly only-of the week) and enjoy the day. Pretty soon, though, this busy toddler was up and at it again. But I do think she will be a serious thinker like her Daddy. She's already started with the playground.

Don't Forget!

I'm taking the blog private, but don't want you to miss out! Email me at bloglistforcarey@yahoo.com and let me know you want to be included.

Click here for a link to my original post last week for all the detials.

Beater Lickin' Good!

Mmmm...Kendall's first time to lick the beater when Mommy made a cake! And, boy, was is good! It didn't take her long to get the hang of it.

Due to her food allergies, I've discovered other ways to cook. This cake recipe uses a box of cake mix and a can of Sprite. (I prefer Sprite Zero. Regular Sprite adds more sugar to a mix that already has some, making it too sweet for my tooth.) That's it! Mix it and bake it according to the directions. It tastes just as good as the traditional way with eggs and oil. Slap a little frosting on it and you're good to go. If you want to be even more health conscious, use a box of mix, a can of pumpkin and a can of water. Delicious! We might even keep this recipe around even after she outgrows her food allergies.

Ok, I'm For Real This Time

I know back in December I said I was going to make my blog private. What was I thinking, trying to do this during the holidays??

For me, this blog allows me to record all my memories of my family and share some of my thoughts. I like that people follow my blog, and hope that you are blessed by it. But I also know about the world in which we live, and sometimes I get a little wary posting so much about my family on the www. I still want to share a part of our lives with you, but I also want to protect my family at the same time.

I will be adding a safety feature to my blog that will require readers to sign in to view it. It's free and won't cost you any fees if you want to continue following it. All you'll need to do-if you haven't already-is set up a Google ID and password. I will add a list of allowed readers to my site so that Google will recognize you and allow you to view our blog.

In my post in December I asked you to leave a comment telling me you wanted to be added to my blog's viewer list. Many of you responded, but I think I failed to let you know that I need your email address in order to do so. (Blogger won't send you anything, but that's how the site will recognize you as a viewer.)

I have set up an email address for my blog. Email me at bloglistforcarey@yahoo.com, and let me know you would like to be added to the viewer list. If you follow my blog regularly and I don't know you, tell me about yourself. (You're probably a friend of a friend or something.) I will wait about two weeks before making the switch.

I am blown away sometimes by those of you who regularly follow us. (Yes, I keep track of who's watching!) And I hope you will continue to keep up with us.

Be blessed,
Carey

Mama Thoughts - part 4

Wow! My little baby is 18 months old today!. There is not an ounce of baby left in her, as I've found myself telling others, yet I find myself affectionately calling her, "Baby" alot lately. Maybe it could subconsciously be that part of me is longing for her to still be a baby. Yet I am enjoying this age so much (tantrums and limit testing and all). Her personality is really showing now. So the time has come again, as she is growing and learning so rapidly, for me to record all her tricks and habits that all too soon will be outgrown.

1. Kendall still LOVES to eat. Fortunately, she loves fruits and vegetables. She is constantly begging for something to eat. And if I'm not willing to share or don't think she should be eating yet again, I am forced to wait until she is asleep.

2. Kendall loves her MMO class (finally). And of course, her teachers claim she points all morning to her lunch box hanging on her hook. She loves not only her cute lunch box with her name on it, but also what's inside it. She insists on holding it in her lap in the car and carrying it in herself when we arrive.

3. The bookworm gene is still going strong. One of her favorite books right now is "From Head to Toe" by Eric Carle. It names different things animals can do (such as a giraffe bending his neck) and then asks, "Can you do it?" Kendall loves the gorilla the best. She beats her chest like a gorilla and makes the cutest little Tarzan sound.

4. She loves shoes, especially her pink boots with the cute fur trim. She also likes her shoes that squeak. She runs around the house in them. But only the house since Mommy doesn't want to terrorize the general public with them.

5. Kendall loves to help. She can put clothes in the dryer, and she also likes to help load and unload the dishes.

6. This little girl is a cleaning machine like her mama! Every time day I get my red dirt devil out, she races for her toy replica that lights up and makes a roaring sound. I have got to get Gabe to take a picture of her vacuuming right along with me.

7. When Gabe gets home from work, she races to meet him at the door. I know it just melts that Daddy's heart. She is quick to grab him by the hand and pull him towards her room. She knows he's home to play with her!

8. Kendall's two favorite hiding places for things is the clothes hamper in the closet and the kitchen cabinets. Sure enough, after a trip to NO, Nana called wondering if we had seen the remote to the tv. I advised her to check to bathroom cabinets. Bingo!

9. Kendall loves to point to her belly button, and then lift your shirt to tickle yours.

10. Pulling the place mats off the table is another favorite past time. We've learned not to leave anything, especially glasses, on them.

11. Bath time is still fun time. Kendall likes to get on her belly and "swim" around the tub.

12. Kendall now has to rub her lotion on her tummy by herself, while holding the bottle, of course. And she has to take a turn brushing her hair and her teeth after Mommy's turn.

13. TOMATOES, Kendall loves tomatoes! The child can't get enough of them. She's a walking bundle of lycopene (or however you spell that awesome cancer-fighting agent they are packed with).

14. Little Miss Twinkletoes loves to walk around on her tip toes. It's hilarious, and even Kendall gets a kick out of herself.

15. The other night I asked Kendall to point to Mommy. She did. I then asked her where Daddy was. She pointed to Gabe. Where's Sophie? Her finger pointed right at the little furry thing. I then asked, "Where's Kendall?" This stumped her for a minute...until she pointed to a picture of herself framed on the coffee table. Ha!

16. A few of Kendall's favorites...

tv shows... Between the Lions, Seseme Street and Super Why (though she never watches a full episode of any)

foods...chicken nuggets, bananas, black-eyed peas, waffles, TOMATOES

toys...Glow Worm, stuffed animals. and books, books, books

songs...Itsy Bitsy Spider, Head Shoulders Knees and Toes, Elmo's World Theme Song

places to go...park, Bass Pro Shop (with Daddy), Chick-Fil-A, school

past times...dumping out all her toys, playing in the backyard, reading books

Picnic Fun

Today has proven to be a beautiful spring-like day, so we took full advantage of it. I had a friend lined up to take Kendall's pictures in the nearby park this morning. After a photo shoot full of action shots, Kendall and Mommy hung out at the playground for a while. This fearless bundle of energy had a blast as usual. She even insisted on swinging solo on the big kid swings. The only way I could pry her away from all the fun was to entice her with chicken nuggets for lunch. (Her love affair with food comes in handy sometimes!) After a swing through Wendy's we went home and had a picnic in the front yard. Kendall loved it!

What could be better than food, outside, and her tutu skirt??

Add to that list her juice box with a straw. Very cool.

And top it all off with her Elmo plate as well. Fun overload!

My lovely camera delay results...

Mommy, Kendall and a bendy straw...

Kendall still drinks watered down juice in sippy cups, so this coveted juice box was quite the treat. Mmmmm!


I always love the first hint of spring. It's a reminder that summer is around the corner and school will soon be out. And I've already thought about summer, only this time from a Mommy perspective. I'm going to have to plan ways to keep this curious busybody busy this summer, that's for sure!

Quite the Mess

Toddler fun. Rearranging project. Daddy slacking on the clean up job. Call it what you want, but Kendall's room was quite the mess. While Mommy was slaving away in the kitchen to get dinner on the table, Daddy and Kendall were patiently waiting and playing in her room. And you see what I found when I called the family to the table. Daddy had fun getting all the jammies put back in the drawer, organized by sets, size and long/short sleeve, of course. (teethy grin) I coulnd't help but post it for several reasons. First, it's just plain cute. Second, it reminds me that play comes before neatness sometimes. And lastly, one day all too soon I will not have a messy, curious toddler to pick up after.