Children's Museum

This week we went to The Children's Museum and we had so much fun. We haven't been there for about a year and so everything felt "fresh and new" since it had been a while. Laina keeps asking me "how few days until we go to that kids museum again". I think she liked it! Here are some pictures...

Laina does not like things that blow air - be it hair dryers, bathroom hand dryers, wind you name it. The base blows on this exhibit blows out air and blows the beach balls up in the air. Laina kept going up to it and running away from it, running up to it, running away from it - getting closer and closer each time. She really wanted to play with the ball and finally her curiosity won out and she got close enough to grab the ball and put it back on the base.

She loved jumping off the platforms. This outing REALLY tired her out!

Rolling the balls down the chute.

Looking through the ball chute.

Inside the tree trunk.

Checking in on the animals at the Vet's Office.

A tuneup.

Riding in the fire truck.

Reading in the book nook.

A beautiful piece of nature.

Playing in the river currents.

Jumping in the tree house.

When Did.....

Qui ~ Gong...

become Kitty Hugs?

Pictured above is our beloved Kitty Hugs. This is Laina's all time favorite stuffed animal. I bought Kitty Hugs in May of 2005 when I was pregnant with Laina and had just found out I was having a girl. It was my first official purchase for my baby. It's a super soft "Ty" stuffed animal with a little rattle in it and a pink heart on her belly. When Laina was about 6 months old or so, I somewhat "strongly" encouraged her to love Kitty Hugs because it was the lovey that I had purchased for her. Joe said I was brainwashing her but I like to think of it as strong encouragement. Whatever you call it, it worked and Kitty Hugs is Laina's all time favorite buddy.

So fast forward to when Laina started talking and she couldn't pronounce Kitty Hugs. She began calling Kitty Hugs "Qui ~ Gong" and Joe and I always loved that it sounded like a character out of Star Wars so we too called her Qui ~ Gong. This went on for a long long time. Even when Laina could say Kitty....and Hugs....she still called her Qui ~ Gong.

Well folks, all that has changed. A few months ago Laina started calling Qui ~ Gong by her "real name", Kitty Hugs and this has just left Joe and I with broken hearts. Our little baby isn't so little any more. How does this happen? How do we move from Qui ~ Gong to Kitty Hugs? Everywhere we go around town people say "Oh my gosh she's getting so big"! It happened twice today - at the post office and the bank - two people commented and asked how old she is now and when I replied "three" they said "wow, that was fast!" You're telling me! At the bank, I replied that she was "three", Laina chimed in and said "I'm almost FOUR" - - - - four, huh, four? That's a hop skip and a jump away from kindergarten! Amazing. My little Laina, no longer an infant, no longer a toddler, now she's a preschooler....she knows all her letters, can count to 30, can write her name, mommy, daddy, has started learning addition....and no longer says "Qui ~ Gong" anymore....*sigh*

Strikes, Spares and the Dancing Girl!

We took Laina bowling on Saturday and had a great time. Laina is really getting good at bowling and has stopped tossing the ball in between her legs and now wants to bowl like big people do (don't worry, we use little balls here in Maine). Here are some cute pictures from the big game.

Laina even dances while bowling

Here she is trying to throw the ball like a big person

She only has eyes for daddy

After bowling we hit the arcade and Laina loves the merry go round

Auntie Di and Cuzzie Nik Came To Town

Look at these three beauties

Sweet!

Laina and her babushka.

My little biker chick

Our Valentine's Celebration

We had an early Valentine's celebration because Joe had to fly to Pittsburgh on Friday morning. Laina loves a fun party and in our house, a party is defined by the existence of balloons.

The dinner table set for three.

Daddy brought Laina beautiful roses.

We had a scavenger hunt for Laina to find her Valentine's gifts.

She found her presents! A new play tent and some new DVD's.Finding her movies!

She LOVES her new tent!

Watch Week

This week at dance class was "watch week". What this means is the blind is pulled up and the mom's can all watch the little ones dance. The reason the blind is usually closed is that the girls get really distracted when they know their moms are watching. Every couple of months, Ms. Nicole has watch week and its a big deal for us to stand and watch the girls do their thing. They have begun to learn their dance routine for the recital which will be held in June so we got our first sneak peek at that. Last year, Laina was enrolled in a "mommy and me" class so I knew the dance from day one but now its all a bit of a mystery and trying to get information out of Laina is not easy! So, here are some pictures. There's a bit of a glare on them because I'm taking them through the window. Laina is in the black leotard and pink skirt.

What is this, you ask?

This is what happens when Laina is left alone with a pair of safety scissors at school. Six inches that took three long years to grow - - gone! So sad. Oh well, its just hair right! It will grow back - - when she's six.

Apparently her teacher, Ms. Meaghan turned just as Laina was snipping and she and her other teacher, Ms. Kathy sternly reprimanded her for cutting her hair and I guess she got pretty upset. This was the first time she's gotten in any sort of "trouble" at school and I don't think she liked it! Ms. Meaghan saved the lock of hair for me and it will go into her box of memories.

We have instituted a new rule at our house: only Jaime and sometimes Aunt Lyn cut our hair, right Laina!

SixBurgh Steelers!

Ok, I think anyone who knows me is aware that I'm not a big sports fan. I enjoy attending a sporting event, mostly because I like people watching, but sitting at home and watching a game on TV is just not my cup of tea. That being said, something was different about this time around. It might be because Pittsburgh was going for their 6th Superbowl championship, it might be the 10+ years of sharing my life with someone who bleeds black and gold, it might be because my adorable little daughter loves the Steelers and can recognize Big Ben and Hines Ward on TV....I don't know but I was really into this game. Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Great job! Exciting game. Glad its over - glad we won! Here are some great photos!

Laina and Joe getting ready for kickoff!

Superbowl Party!

Steeler Smootches!

Hooooray!!!! This was the replay after James Harrison ran the length of the field for a touchdown. Joe went through the roof and Laina followed suit. I love that she's wearing her Minnie PJ bottoms and Steeler shirt. She insisted on wearing the Steelers shirt to bed.