Bowling

We went to Florida for cousin Jack's 6th birthday party. Amelia went bowling for the first time and LOVED it. She wants to go when we go home, too! Here she is supporting her little cousin, Austin. She is styling in those bowling shoes, no? (And it is SO much fun dressing her in sun dresses in November.)

She tried to taste test the icing on Jack's cake when everyone was called to the table. She was told no and then fell to the floor face first! I picked her up to see what happened and she was crying. In between big tears the words, "I want a birthday!" came out. Uh-huh, she was throwing a fit - she hadn't fallen. This is new. Hmmmm (And I reminded her she had just had a birthday. She seemed to be okay for the rest of the party.)

We did have a few more tears later, though. My brother and mother got into a playful fight and my brother picked Amelia up for protection. Amelia doesn't remember Uncle Stephen and when he picked her up she got upset and started to genuinely cry. I took her away immediately and she hiccuped, "I didn't want that boy to pick me up!" It was cute and sad at the same time - cute that she called her grown uncle "that boy", sad that she was so upset about it. She quickly recovered, though.

[picture dated 11/8/09]

Time Change

This time change is kicking Amelia's butt. She is taking herself to bed at 7 pm with the exception of tonight when she wanted to play for a few more minutes with her Little Pet Shop critters. Two minutes into it, I noticed how quiet it was and peeked around the corner. She was fast asleep!

[photo dated 11/3/09 ]

Halloween

Amelia dressed up for dance class Monday night, then she dressed up and had a Halloween party complete with take-home candy at school Thursday. So now that Halloween finally has arrived, it has a has-been feel for me. The weather didn't help either.

We spent the early part of the day at the mall with Livia playing in the little tot play area and then went to Barnes & Noble. (Thank you yucky weather.)

In the evening we went to the Trunk-or-Treat at church where it started drizzling. Amelia's cousins came, too, as well as Livia. Then we headed down the road and after the third house Amelia said she wanted to go home. We encouraged her to go for a few more houses and then she had to pee. The fun of living in a small town - I asked a stranger if we could use their potty, he opened the door and we knew the people inside!

We got back to the car and went to Nana's. Amelia said she wanted to go home so I went up the stairs to tell Nana she was too tired. When I saw Nana sitting there in her witch hat, though, I just had to get Amelia upstairs for at least a minute! (Amelia was not as impressed as I was.)

And it turns out Amelia really wanted to get home to play with her new Mickey Mouse lift-the-flap book that also came with reusable stickers.

[pictures dated 10/31/09]

Egg Cracker

I know that in America and many other industrialized countries that many children don't do much other than play and be entertained. Sometimes that is to their detriment and there are many children in the world Amelia's age who are helping to raise their younger siblings, doing household chores because they have to, not because it's something good for them to do, etc. I try to think of age appropriate things for Amelia to do but I am continually amazed at the things that she is capable of if I let her lead. Egg cracking is today's example.

Amelia used to love eating eggs - scrambled, boiled, it didn't matter. Lately she has lost interest in eggs and they are a good source of protein so I wish she still liked them as much as she did. (I've even tried ketchup, but it hasn't helped. Daddy I know you're retching as you read this.)

Yesterday morning I asked Amelia if she wanted eggs for breakfast and she said no. I did ... so I got out the eggs, milk and a bowl. She was fascinated with the eggs on the counter and wanted to help. So I held one in her hand and showed her how to crack it on the edge of the bowl and then let her put her fingers on the broken edges and pull. She was delighted. So we did it again and then she helped me beat them with a little milk. Then we poured them together into the pan. Then we washed hands. A few minutes later she was entirely intereseted in eating eggs! I think it made a big difference that she helped to make them. It was really fun and I am looking forward to having more help in the kitchen.

Who comes up with these "toys"?!?

The few times we go out to a fast food restaurant and get Amelia a kid meal, the advantage is the toy that comes with it. If Amelia isn't interested in eating she will at least play with the new toy or read the new mini-book that comes with the meal while I get to eat my meal.

We went to Arby's between church and the hay maze this past Sunday and this is what they put in her kid meal bag. For a 4 year-0ld. It didn't come this way. And of course Amelia wanted to play with it. Right away. So there I am popping the pieces out, folding, tucking, etc. Her neck is currently missing but she is a paper doll bobble head and her name is Hawk Girl. And of course being a bobble head, her head did not stay on. So it was a disaster all the way around as far as Mommy getting to enjoy her meal.

Hawk Girl is on her way to the recycling bin. Her neck will join her there if it's found.

We will cross Arby's off the list for the time being. We hate the food at McDonald's and the Chik-fil-A's are few and far between geographically. I guess that leaves KFC the next time we find ourselves getting fast food. They don't do toys but they have dessert - teddy grahams!! (one of her favorites)

Dance Class: Halloween Special

Last night at dance class the girls got to wear their costumes and 15 minutes before the end of class they performed for the parents. Amelia has been telling me for the last week about how she will get to wear her kitty suit for dance class. Beginning at 4 pm yesterday she kept asking when she was going to get to change into her costume. I think she started doubting I had one for her because she then asked, "Do you have a kitty suit for me?" At that point, I gave in and got her dressed. I decided since it was dance class to go with a black leotard and tights (which is why I was holding off dressing her - didn't want to deal with the potty if I didn't have to once she was dressed). Later this week she'll wear black knit pants. I wasn't sure what to do with the tail since it had a loop but the leotard didn't lend itself to tucking the tail into it. I tried a belt and then decided to use a safety pin. While I am wandering around the house looking for different things to try and then going to the kitchen for a safety pin, I have a 4 year-old shadow telling me, "I can't be a kitty without a tail!" Once the tail is attached she says, "Now my whiskers!!!!" So I drew whiskers on her cheeks and she danced and danced in front of the mirror. Such a happy girl, er, I mean kitty. Then she wanted to leave, but we still had 15 minutes before we needed to go. Daddy came home in time to see her, then we stopped at Dodah's (since she won't be here on Halloween) and then off to dance class.

When the parents were allowed into the class Amelia squeals, "There are two persons here to see me!" She was so excited. She then performed a solo of spins and excited dance steps while most of the rest of the class did a cute dance. At least she had fun and wasn't sitting and sulking like one little girl on the end of the front row.

[pictures dated 10/26/09]

Up/Down .. not a cooperative subject

Amelia has never been a good model. I have to trick her into looking at the camera and smiling. We were outside enjoying a nice Fall afternoon today and I tried to take some pictures. She kept looking down, so then I put the camera at her face level and what does she do? She looks up. Bless her heart.

I hope that when she's all grown up I have a few pictures of her beaming smile and happy eyes that I love seeing but can't seem to capture with a camera.

[pictures dated 10/26/09]