Third Generation Teacher

I think we just might have another teacher in the family.  One of Kendall's favorite things to do lately is to play teacher and reenact everything her teachers did that day.  Mrs. Valerie better watch out, because there's no secrets with Kendall around!  Since I am the director at her Mother's Morning Out this year, I get to hang in the halls a little and hover observe Kendall's class to keep tabs on her.

Kendall is going to be that kid that every teacher likes to have each year.  You know, the one who keeps the teacher on her toes and makes it her personal mission to be the self-proclaimed teacher assistant.  Just hoping she doesn't get bossy.  Well, mean bossy at least.  She's already bossy, but from what I've gathered it's a polite, in charge, teachery kind of a way.  In fact, the other day a friend of mine asked her son, a fellow classmate, who his teachers are.  He replied, "Mrs. Valerie and Kendall".  Well, there you have it folks.  Confirmation of what Mama already suspected.

I did happen to be in her room this week to observe her in action.  The kids flocked over to the felt board that had been used for circle time.  Mrs. Valerie announced that if they were playing with the felt board she had better hear them retelling the Bible story.  Immediately Kendall attempted to round up her classmates as she jumped into the teacher chair.  "Ok everybody.  Sit down and I tell you the story!"  Not many headed her directives.

At home her favorite thing to do is gather her dolls for circle time.  She uses all the throw pillows as carpet squares like the ones she uses at school.  (Kendall is over the moon.  Her Uncle Lee just gave her some remnant carpet squares from the leftovers of getting their carpet replaced recently.  She had been dying for some.  I have even made unsuccessful trips to Home Depot and Lowes asking if they had any samples.  Really??  All those birthday presents and I could have gotten a few measly carpet squares???)  Wonder what she'll ask Santa for.  One year I had asked for a chalk board so I could teach all my students.  What's hilarious is my BFF, Danielle, asked for a copier to make worksheets.  I got my request.  She didn't.  Guess Santa couldn't fit a copy machine on his sled?

Anyway, here's Kendall leading her circle time just like Mrs. Holly, the music teacher, does it.

And here's a video of her waving a scarf (kitchen rag) singing God Is So Good just like Mrs. Holly does it.  Notice all her "friends" have "scarves" also.

So I think it's safe to say that we just might have a third generation teacher in the family.

Mama's Sew Crazy

I did it!  I did it! And I'm so proud.  I made my first pair of pants for Kendall thanks to by bff.  I was so excited after my lesson at Danielle's house that I made another pair the next day.  And I only have like eight more to make with all the fabric I have!  I'm gonna attempt a skirt this week. 

An Interview With a Three-Year-Old

Here's Kendall on her real birthday morning. JuJu snapped a few pictures before heading off to church. Love it.

A friend recently on her blog interviewed her just turned four-year-old and recorded her answers.  Then next year she'll ask the same questions to compare the answers.  What a fabulous idea so I just had to copy it.  Here's my interview with Kendall...

What is your favorite color?
pink
What is your favorite video?
Veggie Tales (she had watched it earlier that morning)
What is your favorite day of the week?
Saturday
Why?
(shoulder shrug)
What's your favorite thing to do?
Play with my cash register.
What do you like about Mommy?
her car
What do you like about Daddy?
his car
What do you like to do with Mommy?
play with my cash register
What do you like to do with Daddy?
play
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Cinderella
What's your favorite Bible story?
Noah
What's your favorite food?
strawberries
Where's your favorite place to go?
Wal-Mart
What's your favorite restaurant?
El Potrillo (Any Mexican, really.  She's not picky!)
What does Mommy do all day?
wash dishes
What does Daddy do all day?
go to work
What's your favorite book?
Fancy Nancy
Who is Jesus?
God
What did He do?
He loves all the little children.
What does Jesus help you do?
Do everything without arguing or complaining.
What does the Bible say?
Do everything without arguing or complaining. (Can ya tell what we're working on around here??)
What are you excited to do now that you're three.
Blank look. Silence.


I will now take the liberty of sharing other things about Kendall so that I can remember what she was like at three years old.

• Kendall wants to drive so bad.  I told her she had to be bigger.  The next day she asked if she was bigger yet.
• Anything girly is popular these days.  She loves reading the Fancy Nancy series, dressing up in her tutu and her Cinderella costume, applying and reapplying and REapplying lip stick and shimmer body glitter lotion.
• Jewelry is way cool.  She is beginning to think about earrings.  Real, ears pierced earrings.
• Whether asking for CheesIts or bubble bath, she always asks, "Give me too much, okay?"
• Painting toes is a fun past time.
• Purses are a must have before leaving the house.  And sometimes she still insists on carrying Mommy's purse.
• Kendall is becoming much more outgoing lately around adults she knows and even some children she doesn't.  She has realized that she's the big fish in the little pond at school this year.
• A frequently asked question is, "Can we go to Disney World to see the real Cinderella and her castle?" And the conversation usually continues as follows. "We'll go one day, sweetie."  "Ok, we go Friday, ok?"
• Kendall still has a few definite fears:  anything big like a statue or a mascot or even the cardboard Chick-fil-a cow; loud, big trucks; the man we encountered coming out a store wearing his motorcycle helmet.  But she did inform me this morning that we CAN go to Disney World because she's not scared of Mickey and Minnie.  They're big but they're nice.
• She has inherited her mom's OCD gene, which suits me fine.  She's pretty good about putting things away.  Properly.  And reminding me if I don't.  (Did I mention she's a bossy little thing?? She definitely knows what she wants and doesn't want.  Don't know WHERE she got that from.)
• Kendall might be an early reader like her JuJu.  She's soaking it up at alarming rates and I'm really not doing much to encourage it.
• Kendall is a great helper. She loves to carry her and everyone else's plate to the sink after dinner.  And she still routinely gets her spray bottle and rag and wets cleans everything in the house.

She's growing up to be a little girl.  Now she has her REAL big girl bed.  That post will be coming soon.

Happy third birthday, Kendall!

Royal Party, Part 2

After the park the royal crew caravaned over to the house for a family get together over hamburgers...

...and a princess ice cream cone castle with all the fixings for an ice cream sundae. 

Kendall couldn't wait to dive in to her second round of presents.

And best of all, and certainly not least, was her new swing set from all the grands.  Daddy and Papa got the finishing touches done with about fifteen minutes until party time.  Poor Daddy worked all week on it in the garage, thanks to the nasty little tropical storm that blew through the week before.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Kendall!

Happy Birthday, sweet Kendall!  This year Kendall asked for a princess party, so the royal treatment is what she received.  The festivities were kicked off with a friend party at the park.

My BFF, Danielle, made her this precious princess outfit for her gift.  Early, of course, so she could wear it!

The cake was definitely the talk of the party (by the mamas).  My friend, Betsy, made it and did a FABULOUS job.  I knew she would cuz she always does.  And it tasted as good as it looked, too.  Kendall was most excited over the crown.

Kendall was quite the hostess, mingling with all her friends.

Here she is on the swings with Avery.

...
Then she worked her way over to her bud, Seth.  They were both in the same class last year, but Seth moved on to the three-year-old class while Kendall got caught by the school birthday cut off.  Sigh...

Oh, MY! Too sweet.

Um, yeah, did I mention they are big buds?? Wonder if it'll lead to anything twenty-ish years from now, hmmm?

Meredyth is a new school friend this year.

And Olivia is another best bud from last year.

And Seth was even by her side for the gift unveilings.

Everyone had a royal good time!

Seriously, SEW Excited!

I'm still over the moon about learning how to sew.  I've still only attempted straight lines, but soon and very soon I'm tackling the world of cute girly clothes!

I have a new lap top for work that I need to bring home with me frequently so I needed a stylish, light computer case.  I've been using the hubby's monstrous black cave of a computer bag that's cumbersome and heavy as lead and it's just not cutting it.  So after searching the web for tutorials I found one simple enough to try.

Here's the finished computer case...

And it matched my school bag perfectly.  Love me some coordination!

I've finished Kendall's curtains, but I'll wait for the reveal when I get the whole room done.  I know, nail biter.

Oh, Happy Day! Chick-fil-a!

My awesome friend, Amanda, finally got to take Kendall to her promised Chick-fil-a reward for having an entire accident-free potty week.  (That's why she's awesome:  she SO helped in helping Kendall get over the final uumph of potty training by bribing rewarding her with a special incentive.)  I really thought I was going to be qualified to write the forward to a book a friend is working on, How To Potty Train Your Child In 365 Days Or More.  Folks, I was three months shy of certifications, and three minutes shy of losing my mind.  Seriously, without giving TMI on Kendall's personal affairs (When you're the mama of a potty training toddler AND you were teaching twelve two-year-olds simultaneously, words like poop, pee and potty became casual words of daily discussions.), she had #1 down fine for a while.  It was just the other....

But I digress.  Today was FINALLY the day after weeks of coaxing and phone calls and high fives and disappointments and encouragement from Amanda.  We headed off in the midst of the foreboding monsoon along with Amanda's girl, Kaylee.

And take it to the bank, friends, aint no body waited as long for this day as Mama!  No body. I feel like a new woman (I hope...).

Counting

So now that it's September we need a count down to Kendall's party and birthday.  Her princess party is scheduled for the local park, so let's hope another hurricane doesn't come trough and blow us away!