First Haircut

On Saturday Kalaya had her first haircut! In the islander culture, they usually don't cut little girl's hair (other than shaving it all of when they're babies to make it grow back thicker) and Kalaya is 1/4 islander, so we let it go for awhile. But, it was REALLY getting long and tons of uneven layers and the bangs were getting in the way all the time. Plus, it was just wild and I wanted to be able to get away with letting her just wear it down. We wanted to save the length as much as we could, because she looks so cute with pigtails and pony tails.

We went to this really fun place for kids and it was great! She did so well and just loved it. I can't believe how much older she looks with just a hair cut! She really looks like a little girl now and it will look so nice for Easter.

Who wouldn't want to get their hair cut in a pink Jeep??


Getting ready...


AND she got to watch Elmo!! Pretty sweet deal. (you can really see how long her hair had gotten!)


First cut of those baby locks....she had those in my womb!!


This one is SO sweet!


All done! Such a big girl!


Little baby locks! (don't worry, we saved a few!)

We also took a trip to see the Easter Bunny, which she was really excited about, but not quite enough to get on his lap.

Top 5 Friday: The Original 5

One of my favorite bloggers and one of my best friends (since we were 8) from growing up does a fun post every Friday about her favorites. I love the idea, so I decided to post some as well, but with a different angle. I'm going to make it a top 5 list of different things each week.

"My Top 5" has been a topic of conversation ever since a certain episode of Friends, which is possibly my favorite show EVER. In the episode, Ross and Rachel (who are dating. Actually, if I have to explain this to you, maybe we shouldn't be friends..... : ) decide to have a list of 5 celebrities they are allowed to cheat on the other with, no questions asked. Nelson and I have discussed this over the years and here are my (current)

Top 5 Celebrities I'm Permitted to Cheat With:

#1: Prince William

Never ever EVER has my number one changed. I have been pining away for Prince William for as long as I can remember. I am going to cry at the wedding in 14 days. There will be an extensive post in honor of him as that day approaches. What is not to love? Charming, dignified, classy, handsome, water polo/polo player, humble....I will go on and on later.

# 2: Justin Timberlake

It is ridiculous that God made this man so talented in so many ways and left the rest of us, well, not. The man is gorgeous, can sing, can dance, is funny and a good actor. Any time I think I want to move him down the list, I listen to his amazing voice and fall for him all over again. I've loved him since his first Disney concert special (can't believe I found this! he's so little!!) and he looked like this: (still love those curls!)

# 3: Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock

He is just HOT. And handsome. And RIPPED. 'nuff said.

# 4 Edward Cullen

Yes, thank you, I am aware of the fact that he is a fictional character. And yes, the man who plays him (Robert Pattinson if you live under a rock) is quite nice, but Edward is Edward! If you've read the Twilight series, this needs no further explanation. Let's just say he's pretty much the most romantic, devoted, sexy, husband ever, willing to sacrifice anything to be with the woman he loves.

#5 Zac Efron

He is a few years younger than me, so I used to hide this fact, but I started smittin' on him after seeing Hairspray, because he's totally cute and charming in that movie:
I am no longer ashamed, because LOOK at this man, there is no boy there any more!!

Small Style 4/14

I enjoy dressing up my child. A lot. However, when it comes to 'style', I'm sorry, but inexpensive and practical are the most important things to me. (except for church on Sunday) Pretty much Kalaya's entire wardrobe is Carter's or from Target or thrifted at Once Upon a Child, my favorite consignment store EVER. We wear leggings, cotton, jeans and fleece. Comfortable and washable. And, it's going to get even simpler soon, since we're entering the potty training phase of life. Still, I like bright colors and comfortable things that I think will still be cute in a few years, since we're planning on more kids and I am saving everything!

Shirt, Jeans: Target
Wool Socks: Gift from Aunt Patti
Tiara: Birthday Party Souvenir
Clothes pin: Ikea

Braves T-shirt (we're BIG fans), socks: gifts
LS Onesie: Carter's outlet
Plaid Skit: Old Navy
Leggings: thrifted

Fish dress: L L Bean
LS Onesie: Carter's Outlet
Leggings: Fred Meyer
Shoes: Pedipeds (thrifted)
Barrette: Dollar Tree

I am linking up with Mama Loves Papa.

The House Hunt Continues....

Well, we may be about to walk away from this house we've been trying for during the last month. We have now had every single inch of the property inspected and have determined that the following things need to be repaired before we even move in:
1. The roof needs to be torn off and completely replaced
2. A large amount of the siding needs to be replaced
3. A large amount of standing water needs to be cleaned out of the crawlspace (as a result of the issues with the siding)
4. The furnace needs a lot of repair work
5. The sewage pipe leading away from the house needs to be replaced and the trench re-dug (I don't think that's a word) to make it work properly.

And, that's just the major things. Throughout the house there are dozens of little repairs that need to be made, as well as several projects that the previous owners did themselves, improperly and need to be torn down or removed.

We have submitted an addendum to the bank requesting that they completely repair the five things I listed, before closing. And, it doesn't look like they're going to. We're waiting for a final decision, but it sounds like all they would do is lower the price of the house some more. This doesn't help us, as we are 'cash poor' (realtor word, not ours, even though it's true) and don't have the money in hand to pay for all of those repairs ourselves. We had estimates done on those 5 things and it is NOT a cheap total.

Yesterday, I was pretty discouraged about the whole thing. I had a lot of prayer time with God, trying to understand why He is having us go through it. I came (once again in life, as I do almost every time something major happens...) to the realization that God's plan for us is SO much better than what we had thought was going to happen. There's something better in store in the future. This whole house buying process is totally in His hands and I know He sees the end result and I know it will be awesome!! I am having a lesson (AGAIN) in patience and learning that I don't have control. God does.

So, last night we went and looked at some more houses, just for fun, kind of, but to see what else is out there right now. (and, so the bank knows we're looking and serious about being ready to walk away) I was actually very encouraged and we found another house to put in the back of our minds. Here it is, if you are interested. I'm deciding not to get too excited yet, but it is nice to know that the world will not end if we don't get the original house. : ) And, God bless my parents for letting us live with them as long as it takes for this to work out!!!

What I Wore Wednesday

I actually managed to take pictures of 4 of my outfits last week, but I actually made an effort to put 6 cute outfits together, but didn't take pictures of the ones on the weekends. Still, I feel proud of myself for not wearing sweats every day!!

This is a pretty typical outfit for me. I've been on a plaid, button-up shirt kick this winter, probably inspired a LOT by Claire on Modern Family. (LOVE that show!)

Plaid Shirt, jeans: Target
Flats: Payless Shoe Source

This outfit was a big step for me. I love t-shirts and this is my all time favorite one. But, it's hard (for me) to make a t-shirt look stylish. I usually just throw it on with sweat pants or jeans and a hoodie over it. I thought the cardigan, flats and earrings made it more fun!

Ramona shirt: Portland Public Library
Cardigan, jeans, flats: Target
Earrings: The Icing

Ramona is one of my all time favorite characters EVER!

It is still really chilly here most days, even when it's sunny. I'm enjoying wearing my sweaters and boots for a little while longer, plus almost all of my summer clothes (and shoes!) are in storage.

Hooded Sweater: Victoria's Secret
Jeans, long sleeve tee: Target
Boots: Payless Shoe Source
Necklace: Forever 21 accessory store

Cardigan: thrifted
T-shirt, jeans, flats: Target
Earrings: The Icing

I'm discovering that while I enjoy using cute, 'stylish' (I'm not sure WHAT that is) pieces, the most important thing to me is comfort. I also tend to wear something not totally feminine to balance things out. (I've never been a total girly girl) I also like color!

Small Style 4/7

The weather in the Northwest has stayed pretty chilly. We've finally gotten some sun for a few days, but we definitely aren't in spring clothes yet. There was one slightly not cold day and I put Kalaya in a short sleeved shirt; she spent all day trying to roll the sleeves back down! (aka, like we do after we finish eating or washing our hands)

Sweater vest: Handmade by a woman at our church
Jeans: Target
White turtleneck: Fred Meyer
Shoes: Thrifted (Pedipeds)

Fleece outfit: K Mart ($2.99 on clearance!)
Grandpa's Size 13 wooden shoes: Holland
(she tried SO hard to walk in them, had to carry them all over the house instead. And, no, I did not pose her with them. She chose them herself : )

Jimi Hendrix T, leggings: Target
Turtleneck onesie: Fred Meyer
(we've been layering a lot!)
Bunny: Auntie Patti

I am linking with That Kind of Mom and Mama Loves Papa

23 Months

I wonder how I will keep up with posting about milestones after the 2nd birthday? I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll just keep going as I am. Or maybe add 2 years, ___ months. Or, I've thought about having "Toddler Tuesday" or "Family Friday" posts to keep up with Kalaya's newest events. (gotta keep those great-aunt readers happy!)

I can't believe it's been 2 years since this:

(man, I miss being pregnant!! I loved having that baby belly!!)

I have been saying ever since she was born that Kalaya is a baby until she turns 2. But I didn't know it would get here so quickly!!!

She really isn't a baby any more. I know that. She is a go, go, go toddler! And, she's such a joy and a delight. She is so interested in so many things, so curious and so full of words to describe and talk about everything around her! I don't know what the average amount of words is for a 2 year old and frankly, I don't need to know. Her vocabulary ASTOUNDS me. This child points out octagons that she sees in public. She strings 3-4 word sentences together from out of the blue about things she hasn't seen in weeks. She remembers things from books when she sees them out of context and identifies them. It is crazy to me and so amazing.

Those 2 year old molars have started showing up! It's hard to know how many, even though we brush, and now floss, her teeth twice a day. She's not crazy about letting me look in the back of her mouth. But, last night I felt the first 2 year old molar and wrote it in the baby book. This led to almost tears, because I realized the 2 year molars are the last set recorded in the baby book!! I had suspected the teeth were coming soon, because she started gnawing on her fingers a lot about 3-4 weeks ago, which is what she has done prior to all other teeth. This is IT though until the 6 year old molars, thank goodness!! This child has been teething since she was 3 months, poor thing!

Speaking of teeth, she had her first dental visit this month. We had been told wait until they are 3, but then at her 18 month check up, her pediatrician mentioned that our insurance had pediatric dental coverage, so why not? Kalaya did really well, only fussing during the counting of her teeth and mainly because she was flat on her back with her mouth held open. (even though she was laying in my lap) The dentist was wonderful, very gentle, quiet and we could tell she has tons of experience with little ones. Maybe things will be better in another 6 months!

I am so proud to be Kalaya's mommy. She is SO well behaved in public, when we go any where. She is sweet and friendly, though cautious. She waves and gives friendly 'hi!'s, fist bumps and high fives to anyone, once she gets the go from us. She listens very well when redirected (though there are exceptions near nap/bedtime or in times of hunger) and is very obedient. We get compliments on her behavior, her vocabulary and how cute she is EVERYwhere we go.

At home, we (especially me, since I'm at home with her) are starting to see some 'terrible two' behavior, but it's really not too bad. We have to have occasional time outs and do a lot of practicing of 'yes mommy or daddy' instead of saying no. She says no just to say it, usually when she doesn't even mean it. It's usually pretty easy to ignore and redirect.

Eating and sleeping are going really well most days. She does not have a huge number of foods that she loves, but she has plenty of choices and all of them are pretty healthy. And fairly boring, but that's okay. She's not a big meat eater or whole pieces of fruits or veggies. However, if I puree things and mix them with pasta, rice, oatmeal, yogurt or spread them on bread or crackers, I can get her to eat most things. She is also a big dairy lover, especially cheese. She loves crackers as well, but I haven't found any kinds of juice she likes. Just milk and water.

Naptime and bedtime go pretty smoothly and quickly most days. We're thinking about transitioning her to her own room (if she's ready) if we get this new house. She sleeps well from about 8pm-6am and then will cuddle nap until 7:30 or later, so it should work out fine. We're going to transition slooooowly, so as not to overwhelm her with too many changes after the move. Naps are usually around 1 1/2 hours or so, mid-afternoon. I love that we're not on a rigid schedule of times, because it means that our days are very flexible and she adjusts pretty easily.

I've been putting off planning the 2nd birthday party, because we're hoping to do it in our NEW house if we get it. (still waiting for the bank to approve the repairs we requested be included in the price) It will likely be house warming/Memorial Day/Nelson and Kalaya's birthday get together, just advertised as house warming, so that people won't feel obligated to bring gifts. It will be very low key, as far as the actual birthday part, since she's 2 and won't remember it any way.

Next post like this will be for a TWO YEAR OLD!!

My First What I Wore Wednesday

I have several mom blogs that I read who participate in "What I Wore Wednesday". The idea (I think) started with a mom who wanted to stop being so 'mommy' about fashion (i.e. sweats, pjs, the first thing you find that's not filthy in the morning) and start focusing on embracing the mommy body and styling it it fun and cute.

Having a baby changed how I felt about my body. I've never been a person who thought she was all that attractive, but I realized I had a lot more confidence pre-baby than I realized. Not that I think I'm fat, ugly, etc. It's just that your body changes and becomes something so different while being pregnant and after becoming a mom. The last thing I felt was sexy, pretty, or as though people want to look at me. (Plus, really, everyone looks at my kid now anyway!) Plus, in our family situation, I rarely leave the house during the week. Nelson takes the (only) car to work and we don't go many places. Why dress up to sit around the house, cleaning up messes, doing chores, cooking, etc? But, the truth is, I feel better when I wear more than just sweats. (though not always as comfortable.)

This past November, for my birthday, I decided I wanted to update my wardrobe a little bit. I went on a shopping spree and actually tried on clothes that weren't: sweats, 2 sizes too big, maternity, and some were actually form fitting, including my first pair of skinny jeans. I ended up feeling great and was surprised to find out that I could still feel attractive and enjoy wearing clothes. I decided to embrace my new body, rather than hide it. I had the same mind set a couple of weeks ago when I went to buy clothes for spring. I even bought a pair of jeggings, which I still can't believe and I love them!

Some of my other friends who participate in this post have several outfits each week. I don't know if I'm at that point yet. Maybe when we start going out and about more. Maybe when I'm back in school or something similar. For now, it's going to be when I have the car or on weekends. I'll probably only post 1-2 outfits per week. But, it's something!!! I'm kicking myself, because I wore lots of cute (spring!) outfits on my trip and only took one picture that shows my outfit. And, now it's too cold in Oregon to wear those clothes. However, here's my first official What I Wore Wednesday:

Shirt & jeggings: Target
Flats: Payless Shoe Source
Necklace: Forever 21 accessory store

I am linking with That Kind of Mom and Mama Loves Papa

Spring Break Trip 2011

Even though I'm no longer teaching, I still think about Spring Break every year, mainly because my mom is off for the week and I get to see my teaching friends! This year my mom decided she wanted to 'get away' and go some where, so she decided to go to Alabama to visit her parents and family. I decided to take Kalaya and go too! My grandparents are getting up there and I like to take advantage and see them whenever I can.

My mom left a day earlier than us, because it was almost half the price for us to fly out a day later! Her dates weren't flexible, since she had to be back to teach, but it didn't matter when we went! We left on Tuesday the 22nd. Honestly, Kalaya did about the best she could have done riding on my lap, but I really think the airlines should change their rules about lap kids. Yes, it's great that I didn't have to pay for her ticket, but she really was too big to sit on my lap the whole time. I can't even imagine if she was a child who was in a higher size percentage or if she wasn't as wonderfully behaved as she was. We had a layover in Dallas and she did well during both flights. I had packed lots of snacks, books and little toys. I had packed my mom's portable DVD player with some Elmo DVDs (from the library) to use as a last resort. She napped on the first flight and read her books and played with toys on the first flight and did really well. The layover was short enough that we only had time to get to our next flight, grab a snack and get on the plane. Luckily, she had her own seat on the second flight, because the plane was only about half full. I should have known it was too good to be true. We sat at the gate for TWO AND A HALF HOURS waiting for them to fix something or other and after all that they took us off the plane and put us on another one. She was ready for a nap when we first got on the plane, which would have been perfect for the hour and a half flight, but on the ground waiting? Nope, no sleep. AND, the DVD player refused to work, OF COURSE. I let her (with me right behind) walk up and down the aisle and she was very well behaved and everyone loved her. We survived.

We spent Wednesday and Thursday at my grandparents' house in Alabama. Their house is anything but baby proof, but Kalaya did a great job. My cousin had loaned us (thank you Victoria!!) some of her daughters' toys, so we had lots to play with. We went shopping at an outlet mall one day and just had time visiting and being together.

Friday we drove out to the Atlanta (Georgia, duh!) area to visit my mom's brother, his wife, 4 kids and granddaughter. We had a great time and we stayed at my cousin's beautiful house with her 2 year old Emma. Kalaya and Emma were instant buddies and had a great time running around the house and playing with Emma's toys. Saturday was spent at my uncles house with a big family lunch to celebrate my cousin Greg's 12th birthday. We played board games and visited, having a great time.

Sunday started off fine with a visit to their family church, though Kalaya and I did not like the nursery situation, so she napped on me in church instead. (not a problem at all) Then, Pa Pa (my grandpa) took all of us out to breakfast at IHOP. Kalaya hadn't eaten much breakfast, which is REALLY weird for her and had been extra fussy all morning. Once we were seated and she started eating, she threw up ALL over herself. It was AWFUL! I am not a person who can handle puke in any way, that's what Nelson does. She's never had a stomach bug and I was worried. I went into Mommy-mode though and my only concern was not upsetting her. I cleaned her up in the bathroom (thank goodness I ALWAYS carry a change of clothes and extra wipes!!) and then she seemed totally fine. Then, about 3 hours later (on our drive back to Alabama) she threw up every where again and we still had a 2 hour car ride to go. Luckily, I had anticipated the problem and brought a really big, old towel and managed to catch almost all of it. I threw the towel away, changed her again and she slept the rest of the way home. She threw up again at the house and wasn't keeping anything down, even breast milk, which was a concern, so I called our nurse advice line. I was advised to continue to nurse her and that if she didn't keep it down through the night to take her in to urgent care the next day. Luckily, she didn't have another episode and even ate a couple of saltines. The next day she wasn't totally herself, but managed to eat some small meals and seemed to be feeling better, which was good, because we flew home on Tuesday!

She did really well on the return flights. The biggest challenge was the 3 hour layover in Dallas, but we found ways to kill time by having a leisurely lunch, riding the tram around and around and playing in the children's play area, that was, luckily, right next to our gate. I had a killer migraine, so I'm thrilled that she was as well behaved as she was. The pivotal moment of the entire trip was her reunion with Nelson. I don't think she realized how long she'd been away from him until that very moment and both of them had tears in their eyes and she held onto him as though she would never let go. So sweet!!

Spending time with Pa Pa (great grandpa)

Spending time with Ma Ma (great grandma)

"Riding" Ma Ma and Pa Pa's horse

4 generations!

Cousin matching outfits! (it's tradition!!)

Cousin bathtime!

Cheese and cracker Saturday lunch, another family tradition!

Meal Planning Monday

I used to post my meals for the upcoming 2 weeks, but got out of the habit. I want to start again! I grocery shop once a week for produce, milk and the staples, if needed, but plan for 2 weeks worth of meals and do a larger trip every 2 weeks. Here's what's coming up in our house:

M: Split Pea Soup, but it's not vegan at our house, since I use homemade chicken stock instead of the water and we sprinkle cheese on top. Served with whole wheat rolls
T: Chicken Divan (Mom's recipe, it's similar to this except I make the sauce from scratch, not from a can and parmesan instead of cheddar)
W: Bean Burritos w/ Mexican rice and corn (all from scratch) (Wed are my quicky meals, because I have bell choir practice at church, right after dinner)
Th: Spinach Artichoke Tortellini with whole wheat sour dough bread
F: (out)
Sa: Lasagna Soup
Su: Peanut Noodle Bowls with Broccoli and Carrots (found in a magazine one time, never have found it online)

M: Turkey Chili
T: Breakfast for Dinner: Whole wheat blue berry pancakes, turkey bacon, scrambled eggs with spinach
W: Turkey burgers, mashed potatoes and peas
Th: Macaroni and Cheese (I use whole wheat pasta) with spinach salad
F: (out)
Sa: Ravioli Lasagna
Su: Trader Joe's Orange Chicken over brown rice with stir fry veggies

Now, off to Trader Joe's to buy everything I need!