The big 3!!

Well we are in countdown mode..lol..Kaya is getting ready to turn 3!!!

Too smart

   So proud of how smart Kaya is but at times it simply floors me what she manages to retain and recite later. She can now do all her body parts, count to ten or more depending on her mood,count to at least five sometimes 8 in Spanish,uses rather large words such as dangerous etc when the mood strikes her. She knows boy and girl even though she CONSTANTLY calls Daddy a nice girl lol or will say “see that boy she’s nice” makes us laugh!

  Knowing all her body parts is great EXCEPT for when she decided to inform people of what body parts they have such as telling Mimi tonight at the nursing home/rehab that “Mimi you do have boobs”. Cracks me up but we keep telling her its not nice to say such things etc.

  She’s almost completely potty trained (few night accidents) but doing awesome. Packed up all the training panties as “she’s a big girl” and doesn’t wear them. Went through ALL her dressers and closet this weekend. Amazes me just how fast she grows. We are constantly adding to the totes of outgrown clothes.

Been awhile

  Since I’ve had time to sit down and write. Kaya is growing more and more every day and is almost completely potty trained (few night accidents) and doing great.

   We spent last Saturday visiting with Steve’s stepdad in Loogootee and had a great visit. He’s a very nice guy and any time we are down that way we try to stop and visit with him. After our visit …off to DairyQueen we go for the required icecream! lol We took our blizzards to the park and spent the whole day there playing. Incredibly nice weather and super nice time together. Seems like during the week by the time I get home,we have supper and now with the time change then its time to get baths and in bed. The day goes TOO fast so the weekends are super nice to just be together.

Cousins

  Even though Kaya has informed her cousins they are no longer cousins but friends (that’s her new word) she was very excited they spent the weekend with her. Even though they are going to be 14 and 16 this summer they are still awesome with Kaya and play with her and give her time and attention.

 

   They had a great time this weekend. Pizza party Friday night, LOTS of playing together all weekend, and then a trip to see Addie on Sunday. Busy time but lots of fun,giggles and love

Kaya is doing great…

  With potty training. She had been doing fairly well awhile back then took a stubborn streak and decided she wasn’t NEVER using the potty to quote her. Now she is back to staying dry and is on almost a month in panties other than night time BUT she has been getting up more at night to potty.

   Every week she stays dry she gets a little prize and when she does something even better….like using the potty at Walmart at her OWN request then she gets a bigger prize. Once she accomplishes doing a number two in the potty then she gets a BIG prize!

  She’s pretty proud of the purple panties she earned this week. She had wanted them last time we went shopping (she has A LOT of panties lol) so we made them her goal this week.

 

Pretty proud of my girl. Hard to believe she will be THREE in June ….

Second trip to the Dentist

We had been preparing Kaya for weeks for her second visit to the dentist (she refers to him as her teeth doctor) for her “HappySmiles” visits. They are simple little visits of checking and counting teeth to get her adjusted to the dentist office,staff and tools.

  Kaya took a bath and quickly picked out a “pink” dress for her visit.With her little pink purse in tow off to the dentist we went!

Dr Mike’s staff is always super great with Kaya and with us and I think its important that the staff makes the visit so great. Plus Steve’s cousin Amanda works there and Kaya adores her so that is a perk Dr Mike himself is a great, gentle dentist and after both Steve and I had went to him we knew that was where Kaya would go. He has a great sense of humor and is a good dentist.

Kaya always does well practicing the dentist visit and does great until she has to lean back in the chair THEN its Mommy holding her hands down and Daddy watching her feet. Dr. Mike said she’s an adorable two year old but the STRONGEST one he’s ever dealt with. He said her teeth looked great and beautiful and he could tell that she has been brushing well. He said she has big baby teeth. He also said for us to start flossing her teeth every day with lil flossers and to get her a spin brush to get her use to the noise and feel of the cleaning equipment.

  Kaya was pretty impressed with the Barbie Spin brush we got her but said it was ‘very noisy’ but she has been using it. She did a great job laying down and letting me floss her teeth. That surprised me A LOT.

  All in all it was a good visit and she goes back in six months.

Took me awhile

  It has taken me awhile to write this post mainly because its emotional. My brother who is currently stationed in Kirkuk Iraq has been doing a lot of the photography work on their missions. He photographs the important stuff when a mission is done and then after turning his camera in and the sensitive military stuff is taken off..he can post his pictures to us.

  Most of the pics  are very interesting to see how the guys live over there, the culture and the lifestyles. He photographs people,animals, the sky, food you name it. But his last shipment of photos tugged at me, and several people, more than he thought they would.

This is my brother surrounded by Iraqi kids. He cannot state where in Iraq it is. This is doing HA (humanitarian aid) work which usually consists of passing out food, dry goods, clothes, pens/pencils, treats you name it. The kids are always VERY excited to get anything and at times some of the soldiers get in a mood about the kids..but..as my brother pointed out these are kids that have very little and are not use to receiving anything so excitement is normal. One of their fave things to get is pens/pencils and suckers. He says they are more likely to steal your pen than your wallet!

   But some of the pictures of these small little kids, some no bigger than our daughter tugs at your heart.

 

  Little children clutching the most important things to them..food,clothes..and being genuinely appreciative  and happy. I see the little faces, like in the picture above, that have such old sad eyes it brings me to tears. Here we are…often complaining about basic silly stuff and these kids are excited to have a soldiers attention, some oil or flour and ..are on cloud nine to receive  a cheap sucker or pencil.

 

And yet they keep smiling and maybe that’s the lesson we should learn. I told my brother..it humbled me. Maybe life isn't always perfect here but our daughter has a safe environment, food, way too many toys and pieces of clothes and..she’s safe and loved. I feel for these mothers..trying to live in grinding poverty and raising children..many of them widows. Sometimes the unseen faces of war is the women and children.

But yet too…in a very deadly place..where death is constantly at the door…they have new life, a precious baby and was honored that one of our US soldiers would hold the baby. I think this may be one of the best pictures yet.

I have noticed on HA day the guys are much happier. Even though they have to point guard and take big risks from snipers etc. they really enjoy being with the children, handing out food etc. and I think too it raises their morale to see so many people in the land they are fighting in …smile when they come in.  Too often media portrays our guys as monsters, slayers…when…many times it’s the American soldier that saves a little life from starvation, who gives that extra pat on the head, and who encourages the children with hope. And as my brother said “you cannot hold children accountable for their countrymen”

Well..it’s 2011

  Well 2011 is in full swing and so far…its been good. I don’t personally believe in resolutions..simply because people make them,stress over keeping them, then break them and stress because they have broke them. I try to live every day to the fullest..and to the best of my ability.

  A wise man once told me “Have you been shot at today? Have you had to watch every step you take for an IED? Then you are indeed having a good day” Of course it came from my little brother but its pretty good advice. We tend to take ourselves way too seriously and let little things build up. Or at least I do. I have a tendency to ride myself hard and I want to let that go a little bit this year and just have the confidence to know that I am indeed a good Mom and raising Kaya to be herself. No two kids are alike and no two kids can be measured against each other and the same goes for Moms. Instead of letting things weigh me down..I think I’ve found my little place in the world…and..I ..am …happy.

  I sometimes beat myself up because I have to work. …but..I am trying hard to think that I am instilling a sense in Kaya that a woman can be a Mom,do house/family stuff and work. Is it always easy? NO but it works in our lives. Steve once told me that yes I work outside the home but I spend more time with Kaya than a lot of mothers spend with their kids..and..that I make our time together fun, educational ..and most of all Kaya feels and knows she is loved.

I think most importantly I want to be not only a good Mom to Kaya but I want her to be herself. I don’t want her to ever doubt my love,my faith in her or my love in Steve. I want her to know no matter what life has in store for her…even if down the road I may not approve of what she does …that I will genuinely love her for her. I think my best role model for that is my Mom. No matter what we did or what we wanted to do..Mom found the positive in it and stood behind us. If she didn’t approve she would say so..but she always finished the sentence with “I love you”. Mom has seen both of us kids do what we wanted with our lives..and she has always been there.

  Maybe I’ve found that spot in life that is just “right”…I don’t know. I genuinely love my life. Yep, I have rough days (who doesn’t) but..I have a beautiful daughter that is the light of our lives and that I would die for…and..I have a husband that I would go to the end of the earth for (and vice versa), who loves me unconditionally, and has always been my rock and my shoulder. I have true friends that I love …I have good family that I couldn’t live without….I have a home, a job,food in the pantry and we can pay our bills…not much more in life a woman could want. And..if tomorrow all the material things were to disappear..I would still be one of the most blessed people I know….for Id have my Kaya,my hubby and my family and friends.

  So here is to 2011…may it be prosperous,full of love and family and happiness…