Morning snuggles

Maisie is always the best little snuggle bunny but when she first wakes in the morning or after nap, she's just a little Velcro snuggle bunny which is just the sweetest thing.

I can't believe that it's been almost a week again since my last post, the days are just flying by. On Monday Maisie started with her new gymnastics coach Deena, who is just great with the little girls. Monday Maisie was a little hesitant working with Deena but on Wednesday she was like a fish in water, totally comfortable. This week they worked on forward and backward rolls, bridges, handstands, headstands, bar, balance beam, trampoline, hand and arm positions and even doing the arms up in the air "ta da" at the end of each exercise. Maisie's class ranges from Maisie's age up to four years old and watching this group of little girls marching around the gym is just adorable.

Tuesday started camp and her teachers are just great and Maisie took to them immediately. Her room is decorated with all kinds of fish which Maisie just loves. They have fun playing outside, dancing, games and doing lots of art projects. Each morning Maisie looked forward to going to camp so that was just a great and easy transition from school to camp and one less thing that I needed to stress about.

Every day this week it has been in the 90's and quite humid so each afternoon Eammon has taken Maisie swimming before dinner which has been nice for me as it's allowed me time to prepare dinner uninterrupted and also get a few things done around the house. What I've been bad about this week, in fact the past few weeks, has been taking pictures. We just seem to be on the go constantly and I forget or am too busy to pull out the camera, I need to be better about taking more piccies. This morning though we had a play date with Jessie & Ava so in an attempt to be better about picture taking I brought along my camera and got a couple of cute piccies of Maisie and Ava, they are just so sweet together!

Well, the weekend is here and we'll be doing potty boot camp so wish us luck. I hope that everyone has a great weekend!

Has it really been that long?

Has it really been an entire week since my last post? Wow has this week flown by!

Maisie's finished all her antibiotics and is back to full energy and feeling great. Eammon was home for an extended holiday though Tuesday so there was lots of extra outside running around, pool and family time which Maisie just adored. In addition we fit in some playtime with friends which is always a favorite.

The highlight of our week was yesterday morning when Maisie and I attended the Spring Gymnastics Blast at the gym where she takes gymnastics classes. The morning was reserved for the younger children and it was fun to watch all the children and their different levels of ability. There was a cute little performance by the girls pre-team followed by a group stretch. Next each of the different classes worked their way around the gym from event to event. I watched Maisie on the trampoline, bars, beam, floor and tumble track. The final stop for Maisie's group was to walk up on the podium to receive their certificates. There were also some fun activities, face painting, funky hair coloring, manicures, a bouncy castle and even more, but after two hours of activity Maisie was tired and ready for her nap (as was I) so we headed home.

Today we're going to rest up and maybe just hit the pool as this coming week starts our busy summer schedule. For the next six weeks Maisie will be attending camp on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday from 9am - 1PM followed by three weeks of gymnastics camp, same days and times. Maisie has been selected to join an "invitation only" gymnastics class so during the weeks this summer when she's not at gymnastics camp and then again in the fall, we'll have gymnastics classes from 3 - 4:30 on both Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Then let's not forget our Monday library play group and various other play groups and gatherings on Friday mornings and of course we want to get in some pool and playground time so overall it looks like we'll be busy, busy, busy having fun, fun, fun!!

What a week

This past week has been all about laying low and lots of extra hugs and kisses. It started last Sunday night when Maisie spiked a fever of over 104. With a bath and some meds we were able to bring her temp down to a more reasonable level and she was able to sleep through the night. Both Monday and Tuesday Maisie's temperature remained around 100 and she was like a rag doll, constantly attached to me. Each time I would stand-up she would say "sit down Mama, open chair (recliner), cover my feet." So there we sat for two days snuggled together under a blanket watching more Thomas and Friends than any adult should be subjected to. For my little girl-on-the-go to stop and just lay on me, dozing on and off, I knew she wasn't well so Thomas it was. Tuesday afternoon we were happy to be home as huge rain, tornado and hail storms passed through the area. We all snuggled together and watched out the windows as the storms passed. Thankfully other than a few small branches down we had no damage.

Wednesday morning Maisie was running just a low grade fever but her nose was an open tap of yellow goo. So at 9am I decided to call the doctor and by 10:45 we were walking out of her office with a prescription in hand and a diagnosis of a sinus infection. We made a quick stop at the grocery to pick up a few essentials and the meds then we were home for naps, both hers and mine. She awoke with a lot more of her usual pep so I decided it would be good for us to get out of the house so we went to gymnastics where she had a wonderful time. By bedtime her temperature was normal and the entire house slept well.

Thankfully Maisie awoke Thursday morning fever free and pretty much back to normal energy though still very clingy. I then read a few blogs which all reported the same news and my heart couldn't help but to go out to a family I only know through a few songs and their involvement in the world of adoption. My heart especially ached for the boy that may never forgive himself and for the little girl who will never experience all that her future was to be. I then stepped back and appreciated even more my little girl and relished her clingy ways giving her all the hugs and snuggles she asked for and more.

Friday morning we had some appointments then after nap time I took Maisie to get her hair cut. She chose to sit in the police car for her cut and has decided that getting her hair cut is lots of fun thus she was a star and super cooperative with her hairdresser Tina. She and I made it home just minutes before more heavy storms passed through the area so once again we snuggled as thunder boomed and terrific lightning streaked through the sky. Maisie is a bit afraid of the thunder and so as we snuggled together I could hear her little mantra "it's just thunder, it's just noise, Mama always comes back, it's just thunder, it's just noise, Mama always comes back." Just so stinking cute, I can't help but love my little girl.

Yesterday was the first full day our pool was open so Maisie and Eammon spent some time playing in the water together allowing me time to get laundry and a few other things done around the house. Then today was a guys get-together/bbq with some of Eammon's work mates and he wanted to take Maisie along so I enjoyed a nice, rare, quiet afternoon to myself.

The picture is from this morning when Maisie informed me that she was dressed to go to work and to "take a picture Mama", such a character just gotta love her!!

Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend.

Partying A to Z

Saturday was a day to celebrate with friends.

In the early afternoon I attended Theresa's baby shower for Ava who is due to make her appearance in early July. The shower was lovely with so many of Theresa's friends and family in attendance. Ava is already one very loved and spoiled little girl.

The later afternoon was all about Georgia where we welcomed and showered Zoe with gifts.

Lots of party games, a lovely spread of wonderful foods and fun watching Zoe model one of her many gifts made for a nice way to end the day.

Congrats to both Theresa & Georgia on your daughters Ava and Zoe.

Jump, Run, Repeat

Wednesday morning I had an appointment and Deb was kind enough to watch Maisie for me. Not only did she watch Maisie but she also took 359 pictures!! Maisie and LiLi had a blast together jumping, running, playing inside, outside, rolling around and being silly toddlers. It was great to return from my appointment to find a very happy and tired little girl. Thanks Deb, Maisie had a great time and I enjoyed the nap time which followed immediately after returning home.

How long is summer vacation??

It seems like just a couple of weeks ago that Maisie started at Mother's Morning Out but oh my gosh, look how much she has grown up!! Today was her final day for this year and we now have until August 26 or fourteen weeks of summer vacay until the new year starts, oh my!! Maisie does best when we have activities planned five mornings a week and then have our afternoons to do errands, plan activities here or there or to play by ear. Fourteen weeks people, that's a lot of time to plan new activities especially when I've had two days a week filled with MMO for the past nine months. Then there was our music class on Wednesday mornings which we ended back on April 2nd so it's really three mornings a week for which I needed to find replacement activities.
 
My difficulty in finding activities for Maisie is that most of the summer programs available locally are for children over five years old with a handful for those as young as three. Trying to find a summer program for a two year old which lasts more than an hour, one or two days a week is very limited. Thankfully though I have found two great programs for Maisie to attend this summer and I know that she's going to love both of them.

For 6 weeks, June 3rd to July 10th, Maisie will attend summer camp, Outrigger Island Adventure, at one of the local churches. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from 9am-1PM Maisie will be doing crafts, games, water & outdoor play, music, listening to stories and having picnic lunches all of which sounds like a fun time to me. Then for three weeks, July 14th - August 1st also Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays from 9am - 1 PM, she'll be attending The 2008 Olympic Dreams Gymnastics Summer Camp at the North Metro Gymnastics Center where she is currently enrolled and taking gymnastics classes. Maisie loves, loves, loves her gymnastics classes and when she walks out into the gym she is fearless. Where usually loud noises and crowds make her shy away and fearful, when she's in the gym she doesn't even notice all the people and the noise. We currently attend gymnastics classes on Wednesday afternoons and will continue to do that class throughout the summer except for the weeks she'll be at gymnastic camp.

I think that it sounds like a fun summer of activities and I hope that Maisie enjoys it all even with having two weeks at the beginning and three weeks at the end spending 24/7 with her dear old Mom.

Mother's Day 2008

Today was a wonderful second Mother's Day for me spending time with family and friends. We had a nice quiet morning at home followed by a delicious dinner over at Deb's house. Just a wonderful day.

     
Happy Mother's Day everyone, to all the Moms and Moms-to-be.

Talking with Cinderella

Deb made this adorable page of a conversation she and LiLi had the other day. The page is for LiLi's scrapbook but it made me laugh so hard and it's so sweet, I had to post it here.

Conversation (text on page):

Li Li: Blah - Blah - Blah
Deb: Who are you talking to.
Li Li: Cinderella and she is Maisie.
Deb: Oh - you're talking to Maisie and she is pretending to be Cinderella?
Li Li: Yeah.
Deb: Do you want her to come over and play?
Li Li: No - Cinderella is in time out.
Deb: Why?
Li Li: Because she is crying.
Deb: Why is she crying?
Li Li: Because Miss Lisa won't give her a Go-gurt.

Ta da!!!

It's only taken about three months but thanks to all your wonderful name suggestions and huge thanks to Deb and her digital scrap booking talents as well as her time and effort, Our Journey to Baby Shanahan has been transformed into Moments with Maisie. I hope that you love the new look as much as I do as I feel that the new look really reflects the funkiness and sparkle that is Maisie.

Day out with Thomas

It was a gorgeous day to be outside up in Tennessee with bright blue sunny skies and temps in the high 70's, just perfect. Maisie had a blast visiting with Thomas and even though I was concerned that seeing a full sized Thomas would freak her a bit, she couldn't get enough of him. Oh  what fun to experience life through the eyes of a two year old. 

Here comes Thomas!!

Maisie giving her tickets to the conductor.

Riding on Thomas the Tank Engine…Woo Hoo!!  

Fun to meet up with Maisie’s friend Alexander.

Meeting Sir Topham Hatt.

Bubbles!!

Checking out the animals.

Having fun with the train sets.

Trying to get a Thomas tattoo.

Another attempt on the tattoo.

Settling on a stamp when the tattoo didn’t work.

One knackered little girl for the drive home.  

Car talk

Maisie and I had the following little conversation this morning in the car:

Maisie: I'm sick.
Me: No, you're not sick, you're perfect!
Maisie: Maisie's perfect AND Mama's perfect.
Me: Awwww... What about Baba, is Baba perfect too?
Maisie: Nooooooo Baba's not perfect, Baba's old!!

Bwaahahahaha, I love it especially since Eammon is 3 years younger than I, yeah Maisie!!

Back in August '06 I posted that my car reached 188,000 miles, I had been averaging 3,600 miles per year and was paying $2.64/gal for gas. Now with all of Maisie's activities I've almost doubled my annual mileage averaging 6,800 miles per year. Just minutes before 11 this morning, I clocked 200,000 miles on my car. I think it's sort of cool reaching 200K miles especially considering that I probably put 95% or more of those miles on the car. The other big change from twenty-one months ago is that today petrol was $3.42/gal...OY!!

Since my post linked above had a few whinges in it, I've decided to add my whinge of the day to this post. I have an appointment this afternoon and I called the office to get directions. I was told to take highway XX, get off at exit XXX, take a left and then at the second red light take a right and they would be immediately on the right. Well what happens if after getting off at the exit I only encounter green lights, do I keep going until I count out two red lights and then, will they really be there immediately on my right when I'm eighteen traffic signals down the road?? Yes, I know I'm being silly but it's just a pet peeve. Just for good measure here's another pet peeve. When someone tells me that they are the last yellow house on the road. Well thank you very much, now I have to drive by their house, all the way to the end of the road only to turn around to find the last stinking yellow house on the street...especially wonderful when paying $3.42/gal for petrol.

I've been bad about taking pics of Maisie but hopefully this weekend I'll get some nice ones. We have a fun weekend planned as we are heading up to Chattanooga, TN to have a Day out with Thomas the Tank Engine. Maisie loves Thomas and trains in general so I'm hoping for a good day. I've been talking up the whole event, about riding on the train and meeting Sir Topham Hatt so I'm just hoping that seeing a full-size Thomas with giant eyes and a huge mouth doesn't freak her out. Hope everyone has a great weekend.