Love- Week 6

Love....

A mother's love is so much and means so many different things, like the sweet snuggles and kisses and the un-fun love of discipline and rules.  Love is also loving yourself and doing for you so you can take care of the others.  The guilty un-fun side of love is tough and is what makes being a parent so hard, but it all seems to be made up with the fun side- the giggles, grins, snuggles, and big hugs. 

Mary Eloise has begun with big hugs (well has been for a while, but really understands now) and will run up so happy to give a hug. Mostly to Mama (*proud*), sneaks them in for others, especially if you have something she wants.  One of her new funnies is when asked for a hug or kiss, she will sweetly reply "No", with a clever grin and giggle.  Mary Eloise has also begun to love school and her school friends and teachers.  When we say our prayers (another FAV) before bed, we will say them together and I lay her in bed afterwards and then she will begin another litany of prayers for her Elmo, Elmo Hop-Hop (when he becomes a rabbit in one of her videos), Tucker (sweetly pronounced "Tucka") one of her little classmates, and then Mama, Dada, and there is no telling who else she will pick out.  We pray with her at meals, but we love that her class does also, which I think has further solidified her love for prayer.  I love watching her grow into such a sweet girl with a big heart and love for praying and love for Jesus. 

It amazes me each day how much she does or says or points out in observation.  The other morning, Jason went to wake her for school, and she tells him with her eyes closed, "No Daddy, "sweep"".  Jason said her further began to coax her out of bed and she said, "No, "sweepy"", he then told her she could slide at school and he said she said (still with her eyes closed) "Swide?".  Nothing like the bargaining factor of a slide to get out of bed, hopefully it will continue to be so simple. 

For the day of Love, Valentine's Day, I made ME some sweet Valentine's cards for her classmates and attached some goldfish and took cupcakes for her class to have for snack.  Fish are another thing she adores, so I thought what better way and I know her classmates can enjoy them. Jason said when he picked her up from school, all she could talk about was the "ca-cake".  We got ME a little book with flaps she can lift to look at pictures, a play camera that she loves to play with, although, does not really enjoy being photographed, and *shock* a new Elmo dvd.   Jason and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day for each other, we generally get each other a card, but having worked in my friends' Dad's pharmacy each year making baskets and arranging flowers, I told him years ago he was best suited to save his money for something else unless what he was giving sparkled or had keys to it.  We do however, eat a traditional Valentine's dinner of pizza.  It is a silly tradition, but I love that we have kept it. 

This week was so full of things, however the biggest celebration of Love was started on Ash Wednesday.  The season of Lent begins and my heart is so full with love of my family and knowing God's love for all of us.  Although this is a time of penance and  deep reflection, I cannot help but feel more full and blessed and eager to participate  because of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice given to each of us because of His love.


Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler! Joyeux Mardi Gras!




Valentines for her classmates



Our second favorite at Pet Smart- the "Tuh-tles"

"There she is!" Is what she says when she's playing peek-a-boo



Major static



Filling my heart and soul

New Year, New Resolutions... Week 1

Sorry it has been so long. That's all I can come up with to say.   For a while, I used my evenings to go running, which I truly enjoy.  Well, the time change occured and my running buddy changed jobs, so then I used my evenings to be lazy :).  I really think I may change the format of how I do this blog, but I don't know, it may grow on me.  I do know I am resolving to try very diligently to pick one night a week to write down the events of the week.  And with my purchase of an Iphone, I take more pictures on it and will have to import them over to post.

This week has been full of great fun!  We have been fortunate enough to enjoy some weather that we can bundle up and go to the park.  Getting outdoors is Mary Eloise's favorite activity.  She loves to look out the window and yell "Outside!" and then point out that we are "Inside!"

Mary Eloise has been enjoying her gifts from Santa and everyone else.  Her favorites have been her little small baby doll and "magic" bottle.  She also loves to jump on her little trampoline and climb on her climber with the slide in the basement. 

The past few weeks her favorite thing to do has been to "colo colo" - color.  She really likes her crayons and does well with them, although this week she has begun to try to color on other things like her puzzles and books :(. 

On Saturday, we began our morning going to Mommy and Me Time fitness(www.mommyandmetime.com).  I have been once before with my friend Allison and had a great workout.  ME wasn't walking yet, so she didn't really enjoy me running off and seeing all the other kids run away too.  This time was different, she picked up her 1 pound weights and ran a few laps around the gym.  She also added some great weight to my planks and some squats.  I bought a package for the month of January and am excited about getting back into shape, but really happy about he positive, healthy influence to be for ME.  After ME's much needed nap, we were very excited to go visit our friend Joel.  Joel lived with us for a while several years ago and then took a new research job in Seattle and (obviously) moved across the country.  The last time I saw him I was pregnant with Mary Eloise, so it was exciting to see him and have him meet her.  We also got to visit with his fiance Mary.  Mary Eloise turned on the charm and the tricks for her audience and showed them how well she could eat the yummy Savage's cookies they had provided.  (So much for the healthy example.)

We had a lovely Sunday going to Mass with Jennifer and her family.  Their church does not have a cry room, so we sat in the pews with everyone else.  Mary Eloise did well initially, when seeing her Tee (Jennifer) she wanted to be held by her, then she wanted to sit with me, and then it became climbing on the pew.  Mothers with toddlers, give me advice on how to handle them in church!!! Something she loves to do is ask where her family members are, well today a lot of them were there, so mid-Mass she begins to say "I see Mama, I see Dada, I see Ree-Ree, Bubba, JJ, Tee, and Jesus".  I'm glad she took role for church.  Then she gave her sign of peace by doling out some high fives to the children behind us, who didn't help by holding out their hands and talking to her, but it was sweet.  I do love the fact that Catholic church is so family friendly and looks past our little noises. And lastly ME decided to announce that she "had poop" (which she did not), but it is something she enjoys saying.  Sometimes its true and sometimes it is not.  On the times its true, we already know it, but it is showing us it is getting close to potty training time. We then went to lunch with everyone and enjoyed one of her favorites- cheese dip!  Then home for a nap for ME and for mommy!

We had a play date with Vivian and Caroline on New Years Eve and the girls enjoyed eating baked ziti and playing with Vivian's Little People Princess Castle. ME was the party pooper and would not lay down at Allison's so the grown-ups could visit, so we had to take the crank-monster home.  I don't know if it is a phase, but she is funny about falling asleep in other places.  (It is probably my fault for being so funny about nap and bedtimes. Ah well, it can be a jumping off point for her in therapy later on in her life, lol.)

All the Scoggins rang in 2013 fast asleep!  I must say, of all the New Years Eve fun that could be had, I think we had the most fun, spending it with who we love and treasure most and catching up on sleep :) 

I look forward to the things God has in store for us this year.  I really love watching Mary Eloise grow each day and listening to all the things that she is saying.  My funny/frustrating moment of the week came last night as I was trying to get her to sleep (she has been into throwing things), she threw her paci (which she calls "Afi") out of her bed and looks to me to pick it up and give it back to her, in trying to teach a lesson, I said "No, you threw it and I asked you not to" to which she replies so sweetly "Oh no, it fell".  I couldn't help but chuckle and listen to it again and then return it. Then she grabbed my hand and fell asleep.  Little moments like that are so precious and make me so thankful to be her mother.

A:1 W: 8

Wow!  How have 3 weeks slipped away from me???

Well, week 8 began as usual, playing and enjoying ourselves.  Mid-week on Wednesday, we enjoyed a trip to the park to play with our friends Allison and Vivian.  The girls had a blast running around together and playing.  Then they enjoyed a snack in the car of a juice box I brought and some string cheese Allison brought.  The remained of the week was spent at school and work and getting ready for a family trip to my parents house in Florence.  We don't get up there to visit enough so it was exciting for us all. 

We decided to go to Florence Saturday afternoon, since Millie went to the kennel and we had everything together, and I was eager to see my family.  Mary Eloise napped most of the way and did enjoy a bit of Elmo time just before arrival.  Mary Eloise was very excited to be out of the car and hopped out of her seat and showed my parents how much her walking and running skills have improved since they last saw her in June.  ME really liked all the grass that my parents have and the big inflatable pool they have in their yard. 

ME was also very excited to go into my old room, which mom has turned into the toy room, and she found all sorts of new toys to play with.  Mom kept most of our old things, our Little People, Barbies, and Cabbage Patch dolls, and has added to those with lots of new toys too!  Mary Eloise was so excited she had all sorts of toys in each hand, she didn't know where to begin first.

We are eager for the fall weather to arrive to spend more time outside on our days off. 

A1:W7

So we're back in the saddle again, down from our vacation high and into the groove at work and school.... only left is to catch up on the housework, but I'm pretty sure that part doesn't happen until I have children that are older than 18 (maybe).

We had a fun week of going to the park and meeting new people and playing with the kitchen. Mary Eloise is beginning to discover more of the world around her and different things around the house.  Something new she does not like is the vacuum.  When I turn it on, she turns and runs away (our dog Millie, however, is hot on my heels).  I will see ME peek around the corner and inch closer, but she runs away when it comes near.  To hopefully help with this fear, I leave the vacuum out a few minutes before I start, so she can look at it and touch it. I also decided to take some of the attachments and leave them out so she can play with them like her own vacuum-- that she loves.  She will "vacuum" the floor minus the sound-- too bad it really doesn't vacuum.  Now on to teach her to mop!!!

Mary Eloise also loves her kitchen.  This past Christmas a dear friend of ours, Penny, found this great kitchen at a consignment shop and bought it for ME.  A few weeks ago on a rainy afternoon, I brought it upstairs for ME to play with.  She loves to go over and play with it and her grocery buggy her Tee gave to her for her birthday.  This week, Tee brought over a bag of play food that Rhett cleaned out of his old kitchen-- ME hasn't been out the kitchen since!  She really loves a microwave that he sent-- it has buttons, lights, and sound, and she likes to carry it around.

Other than that, we enjoyed a low key weekend, and ME and her daddy enjoyed a nice lunch with Mim, Reed, Tee, Grandaddy, and Aunt Ra on Saturday, while mommy went up to work to get a project finished.  We have really enjoyed the feeling of early "fall" being in the air-- it has been a much needed break from the humidity and heat. 

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Splashing in the bath rocking a shampoo mohawk!

"Vacuuming"the floor

Playing in my kitchen before church

Getting back into the swing of things A1:W6

We began the week with lots of rest and getting back to our normal home life routine.  Sunday we had some errands to run and Jason wanted to spend his birthday gift from Mary Eloise (a Bass Pro Shop gift card), so out to Leeds we went.  Mary Eloise loves looking at the big fish tank inside, so we looked at the fish while Jason picked out fishing gear.  Since ME is walking well (and she didn't want to ride in the buggy) I let her walk around with me.  I decided to take her upstairs on the elevator and she thought it was the greatest ride because she could look out the windows while standing there and watching us leave the ground.

After Bass Pro Shops, we worked up an appetite and went to my favorite place- Red Robin. ME liked my turkey burger, but chose to eat macaroni and cheese (which is awesomely fresh and delicious).  She loved the Red Robin mascot and made fast friends with him. 

Since walking, we love to go to the park in the evenings to get out that last bit of end of the day energy and also to cure the boredom.  ME loves running in the grass and is getting fast!

We were a bit nervous about her returning to school after a week off, but she went with only a few tears and her teacher said how proud she was of ME and how well she has adjusted to school.  ME is also moving to the other side of the classroom (it is divided into 2 sides) because she is moving so well and other babies are moving up to the 2 year old class. My big girl is growing so fast...

So I'm really going to brag now, I am super proud of how Mary Eloise has developed words and uses her baby sign language.  She can identify lots of things and will say "milk" when she's thirsty and if she finishes her drink or food and she wants more, she will sign for "more".  Super proud Mommy :)

On Wednesday, ME had her 1 year check up- it was a bit late, but the only appointment they had when I made it in early June!  She is 33 1/2 inches tall and 24 pounds- 95% for both.  She had to get her hematocrit checked by a finger prick (not my fav) and she wailed like a banshee.  I felt so bad for her.  Then she had to get 3 shots, and only cried for a minute.  Afterwards she was very fascinated with her new "stickers" and spent her time removing them from her finger and thighs. She was all smiles and waving bye-bye by the time to leave and went home and took a long nap, while I cleaned the house.

I got off work on Friday and ME was super excited I was there when she got home. It was very nice to eat dinner with them and then Jason and I had a sofa date and watched 21 Jump Street- a bit lame, but raunchy funny :)

On Saturday, we played at the park in the morning and then had a visit from Mim and Reed that afternoon.  For dinner we went to ME's favorite, Moes!

Today, we went to mass this morning and ME was very good, playing with her baby doll and giving the little boy in front of us a high five for her sign of peace :)  We came home, while Daddy was off to his Fantasy Football draft, and took a long nap.  After waking up, we decided to make the most of the last day of extended zoo hours and went to the zoo.  Some of the animals were napping but the land tortise was on the move, and a few of the monkeys were playful, but it was the goats in the Children's Zoo that were the highlight.  A few of them put their faces into ME's BOB to take a look and hopefully grab a snack.  She was very interested in them and laughed and held her hand out to pet them. 

Such a fun week with sweet memories to cherish :)

My new pal

Running around and laughing

Look at me go!

Ahhh, nothing like some juice on a hot afternoon

Mmm cinnamon buns and peaches for breakfast

"You want a bite?"

Blowing on the cinnamon bun

My new goat friends

Hey goat!

Wonderful Week! A1:W3

What a fun week it has been! 

Mary Eloise has gotten the hang of walking and is trying her hand at running.  Most of the time her upper body gets ahead of her feet and she tumbles, but she takes it all in stride and gets back up.  She is also used to wearing shoes out and walking in them.  When she began to pull up and stand, I bought her some shoes to wear to get used to the feel.  She is becoming more and more comfortable in them daily, but like her daddy, prefers to be barefoot. ME has always liked to jump and dance and now really tries to do so by herself and improves daily. 

On Monday, we went to visit my Mother's parents, my Grandmother and Gran-Gran.  They love to see Mary Eloise and have enjoyed watching her grow.  This time while over, she found the Nilla wafers and shared some with my Grandmother.  My Gran-Gran also turned on Sesame Street so he could hear her talk about Elmo.  Like her friend Vivian, Mary Eloise is obsessed with Elmo.  She likes to look at her little toys with Elmo on them and say "Elmo" and then sings "la, la, la".  It is so amazing to watch her put things together. 

Mary Eloise goes to "school" on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.  She has really grown to love going and now gets down out of Jason's arms, without tears, to play in the mornings when he drops her off.  She also naps and eats well while there.  We really love all of her teachers and the love that they show to her. 

On Wednesday, we had a playdate with Vivian.  We met them at the Hoover Library for a marionette puppet show called the Zany Zoo.  It was really cute and Mary Eloise was excited to see Vivian and Vivian was excited to see her "MeMe".

It was  a fun and busy week!

Eating Nilla Wafers with my Great Grandmother

Mesmorized by the marionette show

The pretty Belly Dancing Rabbit

Jumping around with my Bestie

Clean as a whistle!

Month 13! A1:W5

It is simply amazing the little changes that occur daily and then come to fruition as new skills.  How a teeny, tiny baby can change over the course of 1 year and go from laying there to talking and walking-- simply outstanding. 
This week was a busy one!  We went out of town to the beach for a family vacation with Jason's family.  We also celebrated Jason's 32nd birthday and Mary Eloise turning 13 months old. 

This was not ME's first beach experience, in fact it was her 4th, but definitely her best overall! 

On Sunday, we got up and played around the house and finished packing for our trip.  After a nap, it was off to our bestie Vivian's 2nd birthday party.  It was a ton of fun and Mary Eloise was so excited to run around with Vivian.  She also liked looking at Vivian's birthday loot.  After the party, we left for the beach. We timed it very nicely so that way we knew ME would rest a little in the car and we could be on our way.  Mary Eloise did well in the car until about 45 minutes away-- never makes for a fun end of the trip, but when we did finally arrive she was given a grand welcome and played for a while.

We got up and went for a run and she enjoyed looking at the change of scenery. (We went to Panama City Beach, Florida, we generally go to Destin, but my oldest nephew Reed had a baseball tournament.) We then returned and went down to the beach.  At first ME wasn't sure about the sand, but my youngest nephew, Rhett, allowed her to sit on his boogie board and he played in the sand with her and she warmed up fast.  She also liked the ocean and going out in the water.  By the end of the week, she was an old salt with the sand and the ocean and was mastering walking in the sand.   

ME also loved the pool and showed off her skills by jumping off the side of the pool.  She does great sitting on the side and jumping off to you and will stand there as well, the problem with standing is one must keep hold of her because she will run off and hop into the hot tub! (She didn't but the look in her eyes told me everything :) ) 

Each day was about the same and she enjoyed eating out in the evenings, although I noticed her appetite wasn't great.  I figured it was the change of environment and also teething.  We are now awaiting her 1 year molars to cut through.

On Saturday we said "Bye-Bye" to the beach  and blew it a kiss.  It is so cute to see her expressions progress. We traveled home and she did perfectly.  We stopped at a new favorite place outside of Troy and Montgomery, Sweet P's!  Mary Eloise adored Sweet Pea the cow and moo'ed and clapped her hands and was eager to pet her.  Then we had some delicious lunch and ME ran around for a little while and we finished the remainder of our trip home, which ME slept!

We were very happy to be home and in our beds that night! The Scoggins family was out by 8:30!

Until next week!

Whirlwind Weekend! A1:W3

The past few weeks have been chock full of firsts for Mary Eloise, but the biggest was for us; we left Mary Eloise overnight.  Jason and I travelled with our friend Kiki to Tallahassee to celebrate our friends Deborah and Tyler's wedding.  I decided that I could make it if we left early on Saturday and returned Sunday.  I asked my mom to come and stay at our house with Mary Eloise, so Millie (our 7 year old chocolate lab) could stay at home too.  Everyone did great! Mary Eloise was excited when she woke up Saturday morning and came out to the gate and shook it shouting "YaYa" (that's what we call my mom).  When YaYa got up, she was happy to see her and show her around her toys.  Millie is always excited to play hostess to her YaYa because she usually will allow Millie to sleep with her. 

We had a great weekend with our friends and it was nice to have time to talk and catch up on everyone's news.  On our way home, the girls all rode together and then guys rode together.  We stopped outside of Troy and Montgomery at a place called Sweet P's.  Should you have the chance- stop!  They have AMAZING chicken salad (watch out Zoe's) and wonderful baked treats, including a huge double doozie cookie ice cream sandwich (with your choice of ice cream!

We were exhausted, but so happy to return home to a sweet smiling face that was ready to give hugs and kisses!

The Boys showing us how the "sorority squat" is done

The Beautiful Bride and her sisters

Sweet Pea