Fake Vs. Real

Fake Smile

Real Smile… don’t know about you but I like the real ones the best!

(And YES, we both think her Dad is Totally Awesome!)

Hard keeping Up These Days…

Last Thursday Lexi and I went to Brittney’s first ball game.  Lexi loves her Brittney!

She’s got an arm on her too! Watch out Brittney!

Then on Thursday, Brennen and Lexi had a sleep-over.  Let’s just say it’s never boring with both of them around.

Yep… this kitchen center IS inside.  Yea…. gotta love SAND!  I think their mission in life right now is to move sand from outside to inside!

And of course destroy the house… both inside and . . . 

out!

And of course the trains always make it into the mix.

And some hide and seek.  (They only hid here in my closet EVERY SINGLE TIME!!)

Brennen, bless his heart has a penchant for dressing quirky just like Lexi. 

 

And Lexi is so happy when he comes to visit!

The weekend came and went too fast.  Yesterday we began another week.  Lexi was her usual self when we got home and actually tolerated me taking a few pictures. 

But of course, she had to add a little – monkey poses to follow.  Last night after we got home, I practiced some flash cards with her and she did very well.  Her attention span amazes me … THAT IS … until her DADDY comes home.  Then it’s like 2 seconds long.  When it was just me and her, she did so well.  But when I tried to get her to “show off” for her Daddy suddenly all the flash cards were “cookies”. The only word she read was “teeth” (go figure!).

She picked out a book for me to read to her.  Her favorite for last night was “I love You Like Crazy Cakes”. 

When I picked Lexi up today from Mom’s I got a big surprise.  Mom told me that instead of trying to put Lexi in dance lessons this year that we should consider putting her in preschool 3 days a week because she loves it so much.  We were thinking we would do this after Christmas but we agree that since she loves it so much and looks forward to it so much that we should go ahead and go for 3 days.  She is learning a lot and is really doing so well.  So probably by next week, we will be at 3 days a week. 

Her upcoming big thing is Labor Day weekend.  She is going to have her first long weekend with Grandma and Ye Ye at their South Carolina house while we go away for a weekend with Carolyn and John in FL.  When they were visiting a few weeks ago, we decided that Lexi (or is it US) are ready to let her visit without us. We’ll have to see how that goes!  LOL!  I am thinking at this point we may have to make a list of “no-no’s” for Ye Ye but we are very comfortable that Grandma will make them both behave!  :-)  We’ll just have to see if we can make it through a long weekend without our precious Lj.  And … will she make it without US?  I know in the end all will enjoy the weekend even if we all experience some withdrawals. 

And at least we know Ye Ye can pick out dresses…

 And Grandma can fix her hair!

And little Lj better behave!

Happy Birthday Nana!

Accessorizing

 

Every day is a new adventure.  When we got home this afternoon, Lexi added her headband, book bag, and then blankie.

When I tried to take pictures, she did her usual avoidance of the camera.

After being coaxed by Daddy, this was the best I could do.  She sure is one quirky girl!

FB Made my day….

I know this is not proper…. but I had to cut and paste from a conversation on Facebook from my friend and Lexi’s assistant teacher…
Miss L: 

Aww Lexi she is adorable!! Very intelligent and very well behaved! She is my shadow during the day. I love it in there!

Mrs. S. L.
Wanda will love to hear she is well behaved.... She dresses her so cute, I could just eat her up!
Miss L:
Very good, I never have to ask her to do anything twice!!
Our child makes and breaks my day!  I’m only being honest.  I know she is adorable, sweet and irresistible!   But mornings like this morning when she is asserting her Terrible Twos and in the end makes me late for work I just want to scream!  This morning it was kiss daddy…. no kiss daddy…. want blankie…. no blankie…. want blankie…. and then no kiss Mommy to kiss mommy.  It’s time in OUR house to show the two and a half year old who pays the bills, and is in charge. 
She does still love school and is a happy girl but we have some work to do to establish who is in control and unless she begins to earn a sizable paycheck soon…. she is low on the totem pole.  However, this Mommy and Daddy are very happy that our girl is so good at school!

Lj Style!

I love Being a Mom!

Lexi brings so much joy to our life!  I never knew how much I missed having a little girl (Sara DID just have to grow up!) until we finally got her.  Well, today was her second day of preschool.  I met Mom up there to show her around and go through the drop off routine.  Of course I had to snap a few pictures! 

I was very proud of Lexi because she was one of the few not crying when we left.  She LOVES school! 

Oh and I loved seeing her paper from the other day hanging up.  I guess this is the one she was telling us about when she used markers and stickers!  I wish I could take her every day!! 

On the way in I spotted Jade.  He’s  in the 3 year old class and is the son of two of our teachers at my school.  This child is the brightest 3 year old I’ve even seen.  On his first day in the 3 year old class he learned to count to ten in Spanish!  The things he does just amazes me! He’s also the first boy that kisses Lexi on the lips!  He kissed her at the library last summer.  I think he and Lexi would make quite the pair!  I snapped a photo of him too… wearing his rain boots!  Now doesn’t that sound just like something Lexi would do?  It’s probably only a matter of time before she wears hers and who knows it may also have a tutu with it! 

Pure Determination …

That is what my blogging is this week!  Pure Determination!  I really do not favor this time of year when I return to work and the pace is just sooooo unforgiving! I feel like a hamster in an exercise wheel just barely keeping up with everything that I have to do! What keeps me going?  Documenting Lexi’s first week of preschool!

One thing I really am enjoying is that we are getting back into a routine.  Home, snack, play, dinner, bath, read, and then bed.  Sometimes watching some educational tv comes in there too. Tonight after Lexi’s bath, we went to the big book shelf and picked out some different books to read.  None were new to us but it’s been awhile.  Her favorite tonight was “I Love You Like Crazy Cakes!”.  After we were finished we counted the books… EIGHT!  I just love that she loves to read!  (Although I have to admit I cheated my way through the “Bob the Builder” book that is hiding in the picture. It’s NOT one of my favorites… it may have to “get lost”. 

Tomorrow Lexi is set for DAY TWO of preschool.  She has another new dress that her Aunt Carolyn bought her at “Cutie Patootie” in Brunswick. It’s really two dresses in one because it is reversible.  I bought her some really cute brown and pink polka dot shoes that will match it.  I promise NOT to dress her only in dresses for school…. just this week!  These pictures don’t do the dress justice… and I promise the shoes do match in person!

 

She is growing up so fast!  On the way home, she began to yell at me “Mom STOP! Red means STOP!”  I had not even gotten to the light yet!

I’ve packed her lunch in hopes of her eating more… this time it will be a hotdog cut up, mozzarella cheese stick, goldfish crackers, applesauce, mini banana and juice.  Let’s HOPE she will eat more than one bite tomorrow!

 

Lexi Goes to “Skool”!

Today was THE day!  Lexi was so excited!  Her Daddy got her ready and then I met them at the school.  That was a great idea considering it took us both to bring in her and all the supplies! 

Daddy carries the hard stuff while Mommy plays photographer and lunch bag carrier! 

Look!  Her very own cubbie!  Which we filled to over flowing once we put all her stuff inside! 

A very proud Daddy and a very happy girl! 

A very proud Mommy and a beautiful little Lexi! 

Lexi’s first name tag!

 The playground…

Lexi was awesome!  We walked her in and she found her seat and sat down.  Geoff signed her in and quietly backed away.  When I started to leave, she began to climb me so her teacher’s assistant took over and distracted her with the cooking center. As we walked out of the building I couldn’t help but tear up.  I know… I’m a sap!

When I picked Lexi up at 1:00 she was so happy to see me!  Her teacher’s assistant told me that she had been a really good girl and had a really good day. I was a very proud Mommy!  I tried to take a few pictures on the way out but we didn’t get much. I snapped this one of her trying to carry her lunch bag.  It was still full so it was too heavy.  Miss Leslie told me that I was right yesterday and that Lexi did not eat her lunch like I predicted.

As we were walking to the car, she turned around and told me that she wanted to go back and play with the boys and girls!

Once in the car, she immediately wanted juice so I grabbed her thermos of milk and gave it to her.  I was surprised that she didn’t go to sleep on the way home.  I guess she was too hungry!

I had a hair appointment after work so I left her with mom.  Once I got back Aunt Carolyn came over to Mom’s and began to ask Lexi about her day.  Amazingly she told everyone that she colored with markers and paper, played with boys and girls, went swinging on the playground, and read books.  She also told us that her teacher was Miss Leslie (which amazingly sounds like Lexi coming from her).  She was one wild child at Mom’s!  The nap must have given her tons of energy! 

Once we got home and got some dinner, Lexi was able to get on Skype with Grandma and Yeh Yeh.  She told them all about school too.  Let’s just say we think that the first day of “skool” was a HUGE success!

T’was the night before preschool…

The lunch bag and backpack is packed…

Her new outfit (complete with monogrammed bow) for the first day is ready …

 

And the Lj is playing with puzzles after meeting her teacher.

 

We went to Open House this afternoon and met the teacher and her assistant.  We saw the classroom and her little spot for her stuff and even met some other kids and their moms.  Afterwards we headed to WalMart to buy lunch stuff and supplies for the classroom.  $63.00 later we had plenty.  Packing a healthy lunch is a challenge when you have a  picky eater.  We are on the look-out for a toddler sized insulated container to put warm food in.  I’m actually afraid that she will not eat a thing at preschool.  Hopefully she will at least drink her milk!

Geoff and I have arranged to be the ones to drop her off in the morning so we will have pictures tomorrow.  I’ve also arranged to pick her up tomorrow so I can see first hand how her day went.  After tomorrow, Mom will be the one bringing her and picking her up.  It’s very hard to believe that our little girl is going to preschool… even if if is only two half days a week!  We are excited for her!

Who loves her Daddy?

“Come on Dad, let’s to to WalMart”.

Back to work and Lexi Love…

Morning came too soon today!  I was snoozing so good when Geoff told me I had to get up!  Ugh!  After the first day of back to work, I headed to Mom’s to check on her since she had come home from her knee surgery.  She was doing really great by the way!  I came home to find Lexi very happily playing with Grandma and Ye Ye.  They had a great day and seemed to enjoy every second!  

Later in the evening I met Carolyn at her house to pick up a dress that I asked her to buy me in Brunswick for Lexi’s first day of “skool”.  It’s way cute!   Of course Carolyn couldn’t resist buying her a few things from “Cutie Patootie” that were half price.  She ended up with a cute little “Ruffle butts” outfit with matching shoes and of course the back to school outfit that I wanted with a matching bow.  Who knows though because Carolyn saw another reversible dress they were working on and she ordered one.  We shall see!

We tried on the ruffle butts outfit and then went to make a quick visit to Nana’s.  Lexi was very concerned about Mom’s knee.  Once I got home I tried to get a few pictures but with so many of us in the house, it was even harder than usual.  Hopefully a few of these pictures can show how cute the Ruffle Butt outfit is! Oh, and Daddy brought home Lexi a lunch bag for “skool”.  Lexi is in HEAVEN with both Mommy and Daddy AND Grandma and Ye Ye to spend all her time with!

Waitin’ for Grandma and Ye Ye

Our little Lj is in for a rare treat!  As I sit here Lexi just said, “Ni Hao, Ye Ye!”.  Geoff’s parents are coming in this morning again and THIS time they will be here for a week!  Mom is having knee surgery tomorrow and although they told her that she would be right back on her feet within days, we asked Geoff’s parents if they would come keep Lexi next week since it is my first week back to work.  I don’t want to rush my Mom’s recovery and thought it would be a great opportunity for Lexi to spend more than just a few days with her Virginia Grandparents.  They were here last weekend for a short visit for the re-adoption.  During that time, Geoff taught Lexi to go from calling both of them “Grandma” to “Ye Ye” (Chinese for Grandpa).  It we so cute!  Lexi loves her grandparents but when Ye Ye is around she tends to spend most of her time getting 100% attention from him.  She knows how to work it!  I’m hoping that with a whole week, she’ll not feel the urgency to have his attention 100% of the time and give Grandma some special time. But it’s kind of just like it is here… Daddy gets all the excitement and Mama is in charge of the sensible stuff.  I guess that’s parenting. 

This picture was taken after Lexi arrived home from church last Sunday.  She was needing a nap.  This was the first time Ye Ye has rocked her to sleep.  Now that we feel so deeply bonded with Lexi it is easy to turn loose and let others do things for her.  It’s really a great feeling to know that we are bonded as a family.  It was real work but sooooooo worth it!