Its been a busy week around our house and its only Tuesday! Here's a few recent pictures of Brianna.
On Saturday, she woke up from her nap missing Daddy so I took her to see him at work. She kept telling me she wanted to go see him "where the motorcycles all played" so off we went. She was in absolute delight over all the shiny pretty bikes. I think she touched every single one of them and because she was so cute about it, the staff didn't seem to mind too much. Of course, we snapped a few pictures of her "riding a motorcycle!".
On Saturday's when I have to get my allergy shots, she loves to go with me but gets very concerned for me when it comes time to get the shots. She holds my hand, squeezes my finger and tells me "I help you be brave mama". She even clapped for me when it was over and then asked if she could have a stamp for helping me be so brave. She's such a sweetheart! I think what she likes the most though is all the magnetic drawing boards they have. Since I have to wait 30 minutes after the shot before I can leave, we've got time to kill and thankfully, she has just enough attention span to make it if I can keep her engrossed in art and counting and drawing shapes. She gets pretty intent on what's she's drawing!
And she loves her Moab Puppy! She knows all the commands and gets a little bossy about it sometimes when he doesn't do exactly what she wants as quickly as she wants. We're working on having a little patience as well as helping Moab realize he needs to obey commands from her too. But, sometimes, they can be the most loving pair, like this morning.
Now that is a sweet picture of my two precious babies!
May 3, 2011
April 16, 2011
Riding Her Tricycle
8:20 PM
Posted by
Lucretia
Brianna is finally tall enough to fit her little tricycle! Of course, that's mean she's grown a couple inches since December but oh well....
April 15, 2011
So Proud!
4:33 PM
Posted by
Lucretia
I'm not going to embarrass Brianna by posting a picture of her on her little pink princess potty seat, but I'd like to! Its been a week now since we took her to Walmart and let her pick out her own potty and big girl panties and I'm proud to say she is doing fantastic! She's still learning to listen to her body but with a little help from mommy, daddy and the teachers at school, she's gone 5 days with no pee-pee accidents! She wakes up dry every morning now and wants to use her potty "so I can take my vitamins!". Even though she was already getting her My First Flintstones every morning, she somehow thinks they are her reward now.
Needless to say, I'm very proud of how quickly she's learned to use the potty. I think the fact that she told me before we got the potty that "pull-ups just easier mama" when I'd ask her why she wouldn't tell me she needed to potty had something to do with it. I swear she's too smart for her own good some days!
(and for those of you wanting pictures ... I'll try to post some this weekend. You can always find pics on facebook though on either my profile or Justin's.)
Needless to say, I'm very proud of how quickly she's learned to use the potty. I think the fact that she told me before we got the potty that "pull-ups just easier mama" when I'd ask her why she wouldn't tell me she needed to potty had something to do with it. I swear she's too smart for her own good some days!
(and for those of you wanting pictures ... I'll try to post some this weekend. You can always find pics on facebook though on either my profile or Justin's.)
April 14, 2011
Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go by Lucille O'Neal (a BookSneeze review)
2:06 PM
Posted by
Lucretia
In her personal memoir, Lucille O'Neal (the mother of NBA star Shaquille O'Neal) tells her story of personal hardship and growing up in a family that did not approve of her wild ways. Pregnant and abandoned by the baby's father, she draws on the strength ingrained in her to overcome not only the public battles but the personal demons of her life.
I honestly wanted to like this book but unfortunately, it left something to be desired. O'Neal is candid about her life and upbringing, but throughout the whole book, I was left with the sense that she was holding back on her audience. There were several interesting stories and antecedents, one of which includes the family's return to the USA from Germany to find the prejudice against African Americans more severe than in Germany.
While O'Neal shares of her life as an alcoholic and in a troubled marriage, she does not share with the same depth and detail of her recovery or faith. She gives the audience an inside peak into the life of an NBA star and the challenges faced living on the road. I admire her dedication to her son, not only to help him stay level-headed and out of trouble, but also in how she helped other mothers of NBA players navigate their way through that lifestyle. Shaquille's life stands as a strong example of her influence and perhaps that example speaks louder than this memoir of her true strength.
Overall, I enjoyed small parts of this book, but don't believe its one that I will read again.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
I honestly wanted to like this book but unfortunately, it left something to be desired. O'Neal is candid about her life and upbringing, but throughout the whole book, I was left with the sense that she was holding back on her audience. There were several interesting stories and antecedents, one of which includes the family's return to the USA from Germany to find the prejudice against African Americans more severe than in Germany.
While O'Neal shares of her life as an alcoholic and in a troubled marriage, she does not share with the same depth and detail of her recovery or faith. She gives the audience an inside peak into the life of an NBA star and the challenges faced living on the road. I admire her dedication to her son, not only to help him stay level-headed and out of trouble, but also in how she helped other mothers of NBA players navigate their way through that lifestyle. Shaquille's life stands as a strong example of her influence and perhaps that example speaks louder than this memoir of her true strength.
Overall, I enjoyed small parts of this book, but don't believe its one that I will read again.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
February 23, 2011
2nd Birthday Pics
6:37 PM
Posted by
Lucretia
Sorry its taken so long to get these posted! Enjoy!
The night before her birthday, I decided to make cupcakes to take to school. I didn't get to last year because of work so I was determined to do it this year. She, of course, wanted to help. We made yummy strawberry cupcakes using my sister's awesome strawberry cake recipe.
Unfortunately for both of us, Dallas got hit with snow and ice on her birthday so we didn't get to take cupcakes to school. I know! So sad! But, I had hope. I'd taken what was left of the batter to make a small cake and covered it, thinking I'd ice it and take it on Monday when the weather cleared. Well, we returned from Super Bowl parties to find that cake pan on the kitchen floor, licked clean courtesy of our wonderful dog Moab. I was not a happy mommy! This is the second year that my plans for a party at school for her have been thwarted!
Now, on to the actual party, which was February 12, a week after her actual birthday. She and Bethany, her oldest cousin, have the honor of sharing a birthday so Amanda and I try to plan parties so that the grandparents can be at both. Based on the pictures below, I think its safe to say that she was completely spoiled!
We did a Minnie Mouse theme, complete with cakes (yes, the same strawberry because that's what she requested) that looked like Mickey. She had no problem blowing out the candles this year!
So, now that she's two, what's she doing these days. In short, a whole lot! She is a regular chatterbox, speaking in 4-7 word sentences, and every day, there's a new funny story and phrase that comes out of her mouth. This morning (Feb 23) as I was taking her to school, it went something like this.
Brianna: Mama, I a precious baby!
Me: Yes you are! Are you my precious baby?
Brianna: No! I Grandma's
Me: Oh really. Do you want to call and tell her that?
Brianna: Sure Sure!
(insert break while I call Grandma, my mom, on speaker)
Grandma: Hi Brianna!
Brianna: Grandma I your precious baby!
Grandma: Yes you are!
Brianna: hears Grandpa say hi Hi Grandpa! I your silly goose!
There was more to the conversation, but it was so cute to listen to her talk to them about what she was wearing (a shirt) and where she was going (to school). As if the answers would be anything other than that!
Her two year well check went great. She's at 97% on the height charts and 54% on the weight charts. Her pediatrician said her language development is way ahead of her age and so is her reasoning / logic. She's wearing size 3T clothing now and is steadily working her way towards potty trained. In fact, she woke up this morning completely dry and proceeded to tell me she needed to sit on the potty. The conversations we have while she's sitting on the potty are hilarious but for the sake of not embarrassing her in the future, I won't share all of them. Suffice to say, she's embarrassed me a few times when I've come out of the bathroom by asking me in front of whomever is around if I made "BIG pee pee's come out". Yes, we have entered the stage of bathroom humor coming out of her mouth because she doesn't realize yet that bathroom's are private things.
Justin and I got her an art easel for her birthday and she seems to really enjoy that. It doesn't surprise me since one of the first things out of her mouth when I pick her up from school is related somehow to that day's art project. But, it did lead to the first time I saw her attempt to do something beyond her ability and let me have a glimpse into just how stubborn & independent she really is.
Justin had drawn a car for her when they were playing. Later that night, she decided she wanted to draw a car of her own. After a few attempts, she was getting very frustrated so I asked her if she wanted me to help her. She informed me, "No mama. I do it myself." So, she scribbled and tried some more and I asked her when she stopped if that was a car. She looked at me with a look you'd expect from a teenager and said "No mama. That is NOT a car." So, once again, I asked if she needed help. She finally admitted she did and we drew it together. I was so proud of her for trying to do something that is obviously beyond her hand/eye coordination and for not giving up even after several attempts. I have a feeling though it won't be too much longer and she'll have it figured out. She's stubborn that way.
The night before her birthday, I decided to make cupcakes to take to school. I didn't get to last year because of work so I was determined to do it this year. She, of course, wanted to help. We made yummy strawberry cupcakes using my sister's awesome strawberry cake recipe.
More mama! Right there!
The taste test. I'm assuming she liked them because she gobbled this one down and ask for another one!
Unfortunately for both of us, Dallas got hit with snow and ice on her birthday so we didn't get to take cupcakes to school. I know! So sad! But, I had hope. I'd taken what was left of the batter to make a small cake and covered it, thinking I'd ice it and take it on Monday when the weather cleared. Well, we returned from Super Bowl parties to find that cake pan on the kitchen floor, licked clean courtesy of our wonderful dog Moab. I was not a happy mommy! This is the second year that my plans for a party at school for her have been thwarted!
Now, on to the actual party, which was February 12, a week after her actual birthday. She and Bethany, her oldest cousin, have the honor of sharing a birthday so Amanda and I try to plan parties so that the grandparents can be at both. Based on the pictures below, I think its safe to say that she was completely spoiled!
We did a Minnie Mouse theme, complete with cakes (yes, the same strawberry because that's what she requested) that looked like Mickey. She had no problem blowing out the candles this year!
And she also had no problem eating ALL the cake and ice cream either!
So, now that she's two, what's she doing these days. In short, a whole lot! She is a regular chatterbox, speaking in 4-7 word sentences, and every day, there's a new funny story and phrase that comes out of her mouth. This morning (Feb 23) as I was taking her to school, it went something like this.
Brianna: Mama, I a precious baby!
Me: Yes you are! Are you my precious baby?
Brianna: No! I Grandma's
Me: Oh really. Do you want to call and tell her that?
Brianna: Sure Sure!
(insert break while I call Grandma, my mom, on speaker)
Grandma: Hi Brianna!
Brianna: Grandma I your precious baby!
Grandma: Yes you are!
Brianna: hears Grandpa say hi Hi Grandpa! I your silly goose!
There was more to the conversation, but it was so cute to listen to her talk to them about what she was wearing (a shirt) and where she was going (to school). As if the answers would be anything other than that!
Her two year well check went great. She's at 97% on the height charts and 54% on the weight charts. Her pediatrician said her language development is way ahead of her age and so is her reasoning / logic. She's wearing size 3T clothing now and is steadily working her way towards potty trained. In fact, she woke up this morning completely dry and proceeded to tell me she needed to sit on the potty. The conversations we have while she's sitting on the potty are hilarious but for the sake of not embarrassing her in the future, I won't share all of them. Suffice to say, she's embarrassed me a few times when I've come out of the bathroom by asking me in front of whomever is around if I made "BIG pee pee's come out". Yes, we have entered the stage of bathroom humor coming out of her mouth because she doesn't realize yet that bathroom's are private things.
Justin and I got her an art easel for her birthday and she seems to really enjoy that. It doesn't surprise me since one of the first things out of her mouth when I pick her up from school is related somehow to that day's art project. But, it did lead to the first time I saw her attempt to do something beyond her ability and let me have a glimpse into just how stubborn & independent she really is.
Justin had drawn a car for her when they were playing. Later that night, she decided she wanted to draw a car of her own. After a few attempts, she was getting very frustrated so I asked her if she wanted me to help her. She informed me, "No mama. I do it myself." So, she scribbled and tried some more and I asked her when she stopped if that was a car. She looked at me with a look you'd expect from a teenager and said "No mama. That is NOT a car." So, once again, I asked if she needed help. She finally admitted she did and we drew it together. I was so proud of her for trying to do something that is obviously beyond her hand/eye coordination and for not giving up even after several attempts. I have a feeling though it won't be too much longer and she'll have it figured out. She's stubborn that way.
February 5, 2011
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
12:10 PM
Posted by
Lucretia
So cute! She loves to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for us!
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