End of an era...

Dear Maya,

Well, this is it. Your last day as an only child. Mommy has been totally freaked out about how you're going to react to the arrival of your little sister. No doubt you will be happy and excited and sometimes frustrated but overall you will be fine. Still, in this hormonal state, mommy is worried about you.

First bath in about a year!! Thanks to Mo Willems' "The Pigeon Needs A Bath" for the inspiration!!!

We've had a busy week: two last doctor appointments for mommy, three shopping trips for last-minute odds and ends, and a bunch of other errands. We have eaten out more often in the past week than we usually do any given month. You've been a good girl each time and have really become fond of apple juice.

You also got in a few last-minute play dates. We went to the library story hour, your great-grandparents' house, and your buddy Wyatt's house. Also, on Sunday, we had a small birthday party for mommy here at home and you, Wyatt, Natalie and cousin Gracie were running around like nuts, even before having cake!

Well, mommy needs her sleep for the big day tomorrow. I hope you know that even if the number of people in our family changes, our love for you will never change, sweetie. Love you!!!

Gaming, babies, and donuts

Dear Maya,

Yet another thunderstorm is headed our way right now so this will be a quick post. At least mommy has more pics to share this week, even if a majority of them were taken with a cell phone. The quality might not be great, but with mommy so swollen and tired it's hard to run and pull out the camera at a moment's notice.

• Our 4th of July was rainy and quiet. You had a runny nose and mommy was tired so we played games, read books and watched videos all day. Below are your favorite games: Coconuts, Bugs in the Kitchen, and Richard Scarry's Busytown Busy Busy Airport. 

• On Saturday morning we went to a Big Sibling class at the birth center. You were the youngest there and a little wild at times, but you loved seeing an absolutely adorable newborn in the nursery and you were pretty gentle with the practice doll, too. Changing a diaper will take some time, though...

• Mommy has treated you to donuts after her last couple doctor appointments. It's kind of nice to have these little dates before your sister joins the mix. It's funny that you call sprinkles "sparkles," especially because it was kind of appropriate for the red, white, and blue star sprinkles.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• And just in case anyone thinks you eat a lot of junk food, here's a picture of you falling asleep mid-dinner last night. You wanted a second serving of noodles but mommy was making you eat your beet greens first. You ate most of them but that last bite just was too much to handle!
  
  
  
  
  Love you, little sweetie!
  
  
  
  
  

Three and a half

Dear Maya,

So, mommy kind of forgot that you turned three and a half Monday. I knew it was coming up, but then on the actual day I forgot about it. It's not like a full birthday or anything, but it made me stop and think about how I want to treasure our last few weeks (maybe?) with you as our only child. So, here are some Maya-isms I've been collecting for a while, mixed with some things we love about you and don't want to forget. I'm going to try for 42 since that's how many months old you are. Wow, 42 already?!?!?! Well, here goes:

1. "No beans tomorrow, beans today!" (you love beans!)
2. "What is that this?" (though you don't really say that anymore)
3. "There's two dems." (I think you may have outgrown this, too)
4. "It's just a little pisser." (when showing off a new picture you drew)
5. "Is that cool?" (we'll enjoy it now before you become more opinionated!)
6. "This is my favorite song." (applies to everything from Beethoven to "Tequila")
7. Your rendition of "The Farmer in the Dell" is the sweetest thing I've ever heard!
8. When counting objects in a book, you often sing the numbers in ascending scales. Perfectly in tune!
9. "I don't like two books. I like three books and four books and..." (your bedtime story negotiations)
10. And when mommy tried to teach you "negotiation" you said "neko nation" ('neko'=Japanese for 'cat').
11. Even though you used to say "octopus" correctly, you usually say "apple-pus" now.
12. Mommy's not writing this on a "computer" but rather an "umputer" according to you.
13. For a while you kept confusing the words "sour" and "sauerkraut" to mommy's amusement.
14. You also use the word "now" when you mean "then." It can get a little confusing sometimes...
15. You pick up songs SO quickly. We can be anywhere and you hear a song that you've heard even just once before and your eyes light up and you tell us that you remember it and sometimes start singing.
16. You've been picking up phrases from books really quickly, too. Sometimes you can finish the sentences for me after only hearing them a time or two.
17. You can write your capital letters and are usually right when we ask you the first letter of a word.
18. Your pronunciation of the letters "J" and "L" sound more like "D" and "W" respectively, but sometimes you get them right so we're not too worried.
19. You still hate bathing but will usually take a shower with mommy without too much fuss. 
20. Not much really scares you aside from the bathroom drain. Thunderstorms are no big deal, even some of the doozies we've had the last few weeks. You're not crazy about strong winds at night, though.
21. You can be pretty shy, like when we went to the clown show at the library on Tuesday. You wouldn't even clap your hands, but you did say "thank you" when the clown gave you a duck toy at the end.
22. But you can also be pretty crazy. You still love to spin in circles, jump on furniture, and run, run, run!
23. You love to put things back where they belong...in stores anyway. If you find a pack of berries in the veggie aisle you take it back to where the berries were. At home you go through phases of cleaning up after yourself or resisting, though, especially things with lots of pieces. Ugh.
24. We've still never cut the back of your hair. Mommy used to trim your bangs but we're growing them for the summer to keep them off your sweaty forehead. And there was the time you cut the side of your hair, but the back is still untouched. I guess that's why it kinda comes to a point in the middle...
25. Mommy and daddy were feeling a little guilty the other night that, because we're always so good about keeping your bedtime schedule, you've never seen fireflies (or fireworks, etc.). We went into your room that night and roused you for a minute to look out the window to see all the twinkling bugs, but you said you didn't want to and rolled back over to go to sleep. Oh, well...
26. You've been making up stories a lot lately, usually featuring a dinosaur at some point.
27. Aunt Rhi brought you home a copy of the book "Yoko's Paper Cranes" which has a map of the world on the inside cover. You can point out where we are and where your grandparents in Japan live. 
28. That story talks about mailing a gift to Yoko's grandparents in Japan via airplane, so lately almost every time you see a plane in the sky you say it's going to Japan to your grandparents' house.
29. When we Skype with your grandparents in Japan you are always super hyperactive. I think it's just excitement and showing off for them, but my goodness they must think you are a nut!
30. You never want to talk to loved ones on the phone, but you have the most adorable pretend conversations with them on the old cell phone we let you play with.
31. You've started watching "My Little Pony" on Netflix. Mommy will take out her old My Little Pony toys for you one of these days...
32. You can use daddy's Ipod better than mommy can. You know how to get to Netflix and Google Earth and how to use them. 
33. You still ask mommy to change the volume, though, or to use Pandora to turn on some tunes for you.
34. You say at least once a day, "I want to dance with somebody." It puts Whitney Houston in mommy's head every time!
35. You've been sitting on mommy's lap more in the last month than you have most of the last year. It's so sweet, even though it's hard for you to fit around my big belly.
36. You point out babies whenever you see them lately and seem excited that we'll have one soon. You keep asking if she's here yet.
37. But you are not at all interested in watching or feeling the movements in mommy's belly. 
38. You chose your sister's name. We had a few in mind and were debating them, but you refused to even say any of them but one, so that's what we're planning to go with!
39. "The baby's getting bigger. And I'm getting bigger, too!" (as though mommy needs reminding of either)
40. "You're so pretty!" you've told mommy as I was throwing my hair into a ponytail or putting on some comfy clothes that just happened to have flowers on them or were flowy. You remind me to look for the good even when I'm not feeling it!
41. "Mama, I want to keep you." (swoon!)
42. While hugging you through a cranky moment on Monday in the late afternoon light, mommy noticed and fell in love all over again with the tiny soft downy hairs still on your nose and the rest of your face.

Well, that's it for this week. Love you!

We're showered with love!

Dear Maya,

It's been a much lovelier time with you since the last post. You've been behaving like the big girl you are quickly becoming. You say "Can I have ~, please?" instead of "I want ~." You like to bring mommy her Tums. You have entertained yourself with blocks and books for longer periods of time. Thank you so much!

The end of last week mommy treated you to a doughnut date and a trip to the park for being such a good girl at my doctor appointment. The following day when we went to the farm for our share, we got to pick peas for the first time this year. You were so much better at it than last year and we filled our boxes in no time.

On Sunday, mommy's dear friend Charlotte treated her to a manicure and pedicure. Little did I know, while I was gone a lot was happening at home. Aunt Rhi and Uncle Matt planned a 'moon and stars' surprise baby shower for when I returned. Pretty decorations, yummy food, sweet gifts from family, and the biggest surprise of all, Grandma and Poppa Stan drove up from North Carolina to attend! It was such a nice time and mommy was so surprised and happy.

Grandma and Poppa Stan stayed for a couple nights and we got to go out for lunch and to the park with them and your cousin Grace. Baby Grace is also going to gain a sibling later this year and we just found out she'll have a little brother! Yeah! You two will be such great big sisters!

Well, mommy needs her rest! Love you!

Quick Father's Day recap

Dear Maya,

Since this week is hot and busy and mommy's trying to get some things done around the house, here's a quick photo recap of how we spent our Father's Day. We had such a nice day and from your early morning love tackles to your good night kisses, Baba felt very loved indeed.

• Gift-giving: ThrowDough pizza tossing practice thingy, a plate you drew an adorable picture on, and your three choices from the dollar store--cookies, a mini desk lamp and a balloon

 

• A nice walk around a scenic town and a lunch date.

•  Home to plant your sunflower seedlings and wash the cars.

Since mommy's 'pregnancy brain' is in full effect, I'm sure there are more things I'm forgetting to write about. Ah, well. Love you! And Baba, too!

Flowers, Math, and Cousins

Dear Maya,

Not a whole lot of excitement around here lately. We've had some dreary, rainy weather this week and it hasn't done much for your mood or mommy's. Both of us have been kinda cranky and butting heads over the silliest things. Yesterday when mommy got irritated over you having to go to the bathroom 2 bites into dinner even though I'd asked you to go before dinner, you told me I shouldn't get mad. In fact the whole trip to the bathroom and back you lectured me on it. It was so funny I just had to laugh.

 

When the weather has been nice we've spent time outside admiring our flowers. It's amazing how quickly you remember their names and how you notice changes from day to day. When we've been inside you've been working on skills way above your head. Originally we introduced you to the website Starfall.com so you could practice your letters, but you keep finding your way into other parts of the site like multiplication tables and reading a clock. You don't usually get the answers right but you seem to enjoy trying!

We celebrated Aunt Bobbie and Aunt Kelsie's birthday over the weekend, then saw Aunt Kelsie again a few days later when we babysat Baby Grace. Your sweet little cousin is at the age now where she can hold her own and we can tell she looks up to you as she follows and imitates you. Likewise, you seem to be enjoying her company more and more, making her laugh, making sure she doesn't get hurt, and dancing around in circles with her in the living room. You're going to be a good big sister for sure!

Well, mommy's going to go rest. Love you!

We are the champions

Dear Maya,

After last week's post, mommy pulled out our 'sleep bible' and read up on ways to keep you from making multiple trips to the bathroom each night. It worked very quickly, but you are still singing loudly to yourself as I type this, over an hour after we put you in bed. Still that's totally acceptable compared to last week!

Just because we got your bedtime habits back into shape doesn't mean our days are going smoothly, though. You've been very demanding, hyper, noisy, and did I say demanding yet? The beginning of this week was really hot and mommy was struggling with a lack of sleep, swollen and sore hands and joints, and trying to keep us both from getting overheated. Today totally made up for it all, though. Out of the blue you said, "Mama, you are my best friend!" and right then and there I turned to a ball of mush!

Updates on what you love lately: You're still obsessed with your sandbox and Aunt Sue Sue gave you lots of new sand toys and an adorable pair of sunglasses. You also like playing with water and running around playing 'soccer' in the backyard. Your drawings are getting more and more beautiful every day and we only have a handful of letters in the alphabet left for you to learn to write. Oh, and music? We caught you singing "We Are the Champions" in the car the other day, but most often you're busy making up songs. Too cute!

Well, mommy needs her rest! Love you!