Mimi's Ballet, Princess Tea and Cinderella

On Saturday March 9th, we had such an amazingly perfect girl's day. What every mother, who wants or has a daughter, dreams of when they think about doing "girly" things with their daughter. 

I love having a girl. When I was first pregnant, I was sure we were having a boy. Like, I would going around calling the baby "he", I was so sure. Well at our 20 week appointment I was shocked to find out we were having a girl. Of course I was happy either way, as long as they were healthy! Adam on the other hand was sure we were having a girl from the beginning and of course was right. I find out he is right most of the time, but don't tell him I said that!!

I was supposed to teach on this particular Saturday, but ended up being able to switch my schedule at the last minute. I am so thankful because I would have been so sad to miss out on this moment with my princess.

Everyone knows that Lyla is a girly girl. But she is also a tough tom-boy too. She will be the star of the soccer team as she runs down the field in her sparkly pink cleats some day. That is, only if she gets her dad's coordination....if she gets her mom's, well then she probably won't be the star, but she look good doing it!

My mom's ballet company does a HUGE production every year in addition to their recitals. They seriously amaze me each year because they are SO good. This year was no different. They did "Sleeping Beauty". And it was beautiful.

Lyla was SO beyond excited to go see "Mimi's tutus" (that is what she calls my mom's dancers). We went the week before to pick out a princess dress for her to wear to the Ballet as well as a princess birthday party she was invited to. She had already decided before we even walked into the Disney store that she wanted the Cinderella Dress or "Ta" as she calls her. I tried to get her to at least look at the Sleeping Beauty or Snow White dresses just to make sure she was sure, but she would have nothing to do with them. So we got the Cinderella dress, the crown and then we found Cinderella "glass" slippers at Target. She was in L.O.V.E. She wears that dress almost every day. Side note: When we got home that day and she was trying the dress on, she broke down, like BROKE DOWN, that I did not get her TWO dresses. Umm, excuse me?!? I couldn't even get you to look at another dress and you are upset I did not get you two dresses?? Just for the record, she also wanted the pink Sleeping Beauty dress. I like being able to get things for her, but I mean seriously, can you not be happy about the ONE new dress I just got you? So as the tears fell, as she is dressed like Cinderella, I reasoned as best I could, that lots of little girls don't even get one dress and how blessed she was to have this beautiful Cinderella dress, the one she wanted. I don't want to raise a child that is going to demand and one that is not happy with the things they do get. I want her to learn to be thankful for the things the Lord provides. So after that teachable moment about the things we get, she was happy with her "Ta" dress and the fact that I would put a pink princess dress on her Christmas wish list. Kids.

So anyway, we got dressed up Saturday morning and headed to the church to watch "Mimi's tutus" perform Sleeping Beauty. Lyla was mesmerized by the whole thing. She LOVED every minute of the performance. She sat still through the whole thing, except for the couple of bathroom breaks and at the very end she had trouble sitting still. We moved the the back and she was able to dance around as the girls finished the performance.

Ready to go!

My little Cinderella!

Too busy watching the slideshow to take a picture.

Where did my baby go?

Mommy and Cinderella.

Originally, when I was scheduled to work, my sister Allison was going to take Lyla. So it was so fun to get to spend the day with her as well!!

Aunt Allison and Cinderella.

Cinderella and Nana (my grandmother).

So glad Nana was able to come as well. I am so thankful that Lyla knows her and gets to have a special relationship with her.

Ready for the ballet to start.

Sisters.

She loved the performance, but the best part was the Princess Tea that came after the ballet where she got to meet all the "tutus"!!!! She died and went to Heaven at this point. Literally she could have stayed with the ballerinas all.day.long. The princess tea was so fun. They had tables set up with traditional tea "treats". Finger sandwiches, cupcakes, scones. Lemonade for the little girls. And of course tea. Then they had all the ballerinas come in and walk around and spend time with all the kids.

The Blue Fairy was her FAVORITE. She did not let her out of her sight let alone let go of her hand the entire tea.

Meeting another Fairy with Mimi.

In Heaven.

Literally.

Headed to the tea.

One of the kittens, who Lyla called "Ellie" the entire time. Ellie is out cat's name.

More tutus.

Love how happy she is.

On stage with one of the tutus.

Meeting another little girl who was also Cinderella.

With Sleeping Beauty.

Not sure about another Cinderella sharing her spotlight. Look at the stare down!!

Meeting Red RidingHood.

Center.Of.Attention.

Talking to the tutus.

With my mom and Allison.

Pure delight.

Fairies and Sleeping Beauty.

The Girls loved my Cinderella too.

These girls are amazing. Not only are they so incredibly talented and gifted in dance, but they loved each and every little girl that came to the tea, especially my child. Lyla looks up to these girls and thinks they hung the moon. She talks about them all the time and is always asking to go see them. I am so thankful for how loving, sweet, kind, gracious, and fun they are. Everything a princess should be!

First Swim Lessons

In March Lyla started her second big kid "activity".....swimming! First of all, there is nothing cuter than a toddler two year old in a bathing suit. That belly, those chunky legs. YUM!

So, I was torn on what to do as far as swim lessons were concerned. Our new house has a pool in the backyard, and I have a heightened anxiety over Lyla being around the pool. The pool that is in our backyard. Separated from her by only a door. Just steps out the door. Our backyard is not that big, so even if we are not playing in the pool, playing in the yard can lead to an accident.

Anyway, cannot think that way. The Lord is in control over the number of her days and I will of course do everything to make sure nothing happens. We are going to ENJOY that pool this summer. Now, if only it will warm up so we can use it!!

I asked around with the moms in my neighborhood and found there were several places right around us that offered off season swim lessons. I debated between swim lessons and the Infant Swim Resource Program. Eventually, money made the decision and I signed her up for swim lessons at Sea Ventures right around the corner from our house. I decided that I wanted her to start learning the basic skills of swimming. This first session was four weeks, one day a week for 30 minutes. There was one other little boy in the class and he in NO WAY wanted anything to do with the teacher or the water. He cried EVERY.SINGLE.CLASS. Made it really hard for Lyla to get anything out of it. She, of course, had no fear, but could not really understand the concept of swimming since she was not able to observe any other kids swim and the teacher was constantly focused on this other kid.

The class level she was put in was also not appropriate for her. It was a class more to get kids used to water. Lyla LOVES the water. She needed to know what to do in the water and how to be safe. She did not need water poured on her head or coaxing to get in. She knew how to kick already while being held. She needed to learn how to use her arms and legs together, how to come up to the surface once she jumped in, how to float on her back, and how to get out of the pool.

To top it off, I was not impressed with the instructor. I could tell she had a lot of experience and the "routine" of the class was good, but she was not sweet to the kids, not sensitive to the fact that, yes they are learning to be comfortable in the water and swim, but that it can also be fun.

So at the end of the four weeks I had decided that we would not come back there and I would see about private lessons somewhere else. Because Lyla had really not learned anything. At the end of the last class, I was talking to the instructor and she mentioned that Lyla might do better in the next level up, where she could watch the older kids actually swim and do the things I wanted Lyla to actually do. In this level, the kids are supposed to be three, but she thought they would make an exception since she was recommending it. I had seen the kids and moms that were a part of this class as it was right after Lyla's class. They were all doing really well and no one cried :)

I made a split second decision that day to sign her up for the next session, which was five weeks long this time and to have her move up a level to see if she did better.

Last day of the first session.

Putting her goggles on.

Ready to jump in!

GOOO!

Blowing bubbles.

Time to kick with a noodle.

I mean, I can understand the comfort level of kicking with a noodle, but I want her kicking by herself in the water...

Floating on her back.

Kicking on the magic carpet.

Happy girl. She is seriously so happy in the water.

Cute booty!

Get ready,

Get Set...

GOOO!

So we did do the second session, five weeks. Separate post to come on that. Whether we liked it better, if Lyla learned anything and whether I would make the same decisions again.

I have to admit though, it is so fun that Lyla is in a stage now that we can get out and do fun activities that she enjoys, see what she likes and does not like and how much joy it brings to my heart seeing her enjoy whatever it is that she is doing. Her current requests for activities are going back to gymnastics and trying soccer.

Big Girl Bed

On Friday March 1st Lyla decided that her crib was no longer a place for her to sleep. Yes, my baby is no longer an actual baby. 

She walks. She talks...a lot. She faces forward in the car. She feeds herself. She dresses herself. She does her business on the potty. And now she sleeps in a BIG GIRL BED!

And I have lost all my excuses on why I need to wait to have another baby....and NO I am not pregnant or even thinking about it. Although Adam is. And Lyla is. She asks for a baby to live at her house almost every day. This momma is not ready though. Sorry.

There are very few signs of baby left in my baby. She still has that soft baby skin. She smells so sweet after her bath. She still loves my kisses. And she still likes to be snuggled and have her back rubbed and be rocked in her rocking chair at bedtime (yes, she is the world's best procrastinator as well). And she still loves to be carried around. All 31 pounds of her. And I just cannot say no, because well, how long will she want to be carried. So of course I oblige :)

Anyways, I love this big girl and all her silliness. 

So naptime on Friday March 1st. That is when my baby officially grew up. She has always loved her crib. She has always slept well. Both of which a am SO thankful for. I had just figured she would let us know when she was ready for the transition.

This particular day, she did not actually sleep during her naptime, but she knows that she has to have rest time at least, so she was just happy playing in her crib. Around the end of naptime, I heard a door open and shut upstairs. I figured it was just the ac or something kicking on and I had not shut the door all the way, so it shut when the air turned on.

The next thing I knew, our cat started freaking out, which of course made my heart rate speed up. She was staring into the kitchen area from the living room. I heard someone moving things around. It never once crossed my mind that it could be Lyla, since she never showed any interest in getting out of her crib. But when I turned around, there was a little hand reaching up on the kitchen counter helping herself to something. NO. FEAR. I tell you. I am in for it with the girl as far as that is concerned. 

I was in total shock that she had gotten out of her crib (without any sort of sound, bump, or bruise), made it all the way down the hall, down the stairs and into the kitchen without me hearing her.

I guess she decided that naptime was over and she was ready for snack time. Crazy girl!! I took her upstairs and put her back in her crib and asked her how she got out, but she would not show me her ways. She had also thrown all her animals and babies out of the crib as well. 

Since I had read that the first time your child climbs out of their crib is when you need to move them to their big kid bed, I knew that we had to get it set up for that night. We at this point had not painted her room and Adam had not even started on her bed (he is building her a bunk bed). But we had a twin bed that belonged to my sister in one of our guest rooms, so we decided that would work for now. 

I was SO nervous about her having the freedom of a bed. I mean, this girl has no fear, so of course she would be out of it within two seconds of us walking out the door!! I figured I was in for a LONG night and I could say goodbye to naptime/rest time. Once again, I under-estimated my sweet girl. Sleep time has been our BIGGEST routine and it is no different in her big girl bed. She LOVES her bed and (knock on wood) has never gotten out of it. It is a twin, currently, (it will be a full eventually) and it is pushed up along the wall with a rail on the other side. She stays in it all night and if she needs me she just calls me or cries over the monitor. During naptime, if she chooses not to sleep, she will stay in her bed the full two hours until I come and get her! Amazing child I have!! I really truly have to attribute it to our sleep routine that we have instilled since she was born. Routines for children are SO incredibly important and SO needed.

I always remind her as I leave her room that she cannot get out of bed until mommy or daddy come and get her. And guess what? My smart, sweet girl listens!! In the morning she is sitting at the end of the bed in between her foot board and side rail waiting patiently for me to come get her. Amazing. Thank you LORD! And to top it off, I am greeted with a smile and "moorning momma!!" (whether it's morning or after naptime :) ) 

PLEASE ignore the ugly walls! They have since been painted to a light pink on top and darker pink on bottom, per Lyla's request. I know I owe y'all a post on the updates we have done on our house since we moved in. Coming soon, I promise!!

Happy Big Girl.

All ready for bed. Her first night in her big girl bed.

And while I love my big girl, I can't help think about how she has grown oh too quickly out of my baby. Unfortunately, she has not looked back. Not for one second.

New Job

So every now and then, money stresses me out. I mean, if everyone is being honest, money stresses everyone out at some point or another. Leaving the security of an amazing job after Lyla was born, was just a tiny bit scary!! I know it was the RIGHT decision for our family, and my husband works AMAZINGLY hard for our family, so I do not want to belittle any of that in any way. Satan certainly knows which buttons to push for me though. He knows just how to get me. I LOVE being at home with Lyla. I could not imagine someone else spending the bulk of the day with her and getting all those moments with her. I am SO thankful for the opportunity to have this special time with her.

Being a stay at home mom is the best, most difficult job in the world, however, in the recent months, I have found that I have the second best job in the world....being a nurse. Becoming a nurse was seriously the best decision I could have ever made at such a young age. It truly is such a stable job. Everyone will always need nurses. You can float in and out of the profession as your lifestyle requires. AND it is SO versatile!! A nurse was WHO I WAS before I became a momma. It was how I defined myself, I found my self-worth there, and I LOVED what I did. And then I became a mom and loved that job even more!!

Now, I get to do both!! I was approached back in November about re-joining the Northside team, this time in their Mother's First Department. I was a little nervous about "going back to work", but after Adam and I discussed it, A LOT, and I spent lots of time in prayer, we decided that it might be a good opportunity. And I must say, it has been such a neat, exciting, great decision! I am teaching Northside's "Baby Essentials" class. I was a little unsure about standing up in front of a room of adults, teaching them, public speaking, if you will. I do not like attention, I do not like all eyes on me, I do not like speaking in front of people AT. ALL. I am in NO WAY a teacher. I mean, that's why I became a nurse, right?? Everytime I had to do it growing up in school, I just remember feeling sick to my stomach. I would get hot, sweaty and get all red in the face. I would stumble over words, and just read directly from my paper, never looking up at the class staring back at me.....Not really teacher material, right?

This has definitely been a new growing experience for me. The best part, well there are several best parts otherwise I would not be doing this, so I will tell you: 1. The class is three hours long and they are offered Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. There are two classes offered on Saturdays (9am-12pm and 1-4pm) (Tuesday and Thursday are from 6-9pm) So GREAT hours and hours that Adam is home, so no child care needed. It gives Adam and Lyla easy one on one time together. Plus, not only do they offer the class at the Atlanta campus, but also the Alpharetta (CLOSE to home) and Forsyth. 2. I am only gone from home a few short hours, and if I teach during the week, which I definitely prefer, I am only missing bedtime. No super early mornings!! 3. The group of teachers I work with is amazing! Everyone wants to help each other out, especially if there are scheduling problems. 4. I am only teaching 4-6 classes A MONTH!! In a busy month, I have taught 8 classes, but still, amazing!! 5. I get to teach NEW parents what I am most passionate about, becoming PARENTS!

It took me a few classes to get into my groove and to find my place as a qualified instructor. Really I am just a mom helping parents prepare as well as they can to enter the journey of parenthood. I pretend I am discharging these parents into the world of becoming parents and try to help them feel a little more confident about being responsible for these new little members of their family. It has become so much fun. I am by no means "an expert" but giving these parents confidence on the basic parenting skills brings so much joy. Even though I am out away from my baby big girl, I am able to use my experiences with her, whether my mistakes or things I have found that work. I am able to laugh with these parents as they change a diaper for the first time, encourage breastfeeding, and empower them in those moments long hours of fussy babies.

Since I had been gone longer than a year from Northside, I had to go through orientation all over again. I did this right before Christmas and then oriented after the new year. I watched one class, yes only ONE class, before I was observed teaching my first class. Talk about being intimidated! After that, I was on my own. I have loved getting to meet these parents in all walks of life, all stages of pregnancy, and hearing the unique stories of getting to this point in their journey. There are adopting parents, parents that have surrogates, and there are parents that are carrying their own babies.

While I love my life as a mom, this new part of my life gives me something that is just mine. It gives me piece of mind where finances are concerned, not that I am bringing that much in, but it has become our fun money. Lyla loves asking about the babies, "teach babies momma?". She has been up to the classroom several times and is in baby heaven with all the baby dolls the parents practice with. I feel good about only having to leave Lyla for a little bit, and it is the best when I come in her room in the morning and she squeals "Momma home!!". It gives me an adult interaction outside of our playdates. And I am actually kinda good at it. I mean, it is something I am passionate about. I love hearing that parents feel better walking out of the class, where their baby is concerned, than when they walked in. Now, I know better than anyone, that nothing can prepare you for what is to come when that baby is born, but they will find that out when they get there ;)