A is for...

A is for Annaka! and apple, and aligator.....

A letter a week. Well that is my ambition as of right now. Her four year old friend can read and write already and I think that has sparked something inside Annaka to want to as well. She picked up her friends paper and asked me what letters were on it then said "Lets write my name". I guess now is a better time than ever to begin with one letter. The letter 'A' seems like the best place to begin as it is not only the beginning of the alphabet but the beginning of her name. I was telling her "Up, down....then across" as I was holding her hand writing it over and over again. Then I told her to try it. She tried it several times then was done for the day. The next day when I gave her a piece of paper to write on she put her pencil down and looked at me with raised eyebrows. I told her "Up" and she did it. I helped her with the rest of the letter and asked her if she could make one herself. To that she confidently replied "No mommy, that 'A' needs hands and feet......(pause).....and a gog(dog) too." Then this is what she did to the 'A'. Pretty good. I give her an "A":) sorry...had to say it.


P.S. Annaka calls elevators 'alligators'. Maybe this is the week to let her know elevator does not start with the letter A:)

(the events of dec 11th)

Stories to catch up.....

What a sweet hearted little stubborn girl.....

Today was one of those days where I had to continue to 'remind' myself to have patience. Annaka 'suffers' from a strong case of the 'only child' syndrome. In simple words, she does NOT know how to play by herself. When forced to stay in her room and play with her toys for one hour today she whined, cried, and fussed with every excuse from pointing out a bird out her window, to hearing clifford bark at her from outside, to come sit by me on my bed and "mommy, where is my *insert toy name here*". It took everything in me to remember that it is kind of like letting them cry when in time out or whine while supposed to be going to sleep. The part of me that needed to get things done wanted to get upset at her and tell her to be quiet or shut the door so I could not hear her as loudly.....on the other hand....the mommy in me wanted to go sit by her and read the book/play with the toy/ etc. Instead I talked to her about the bird she saw out her window as I was in the other room doing dishes. Anyone have any advice about this???? How to I encourage her to play by herself without feeling like I am being a horrible mom?

Anyway, I saw the sweet heart of my little girl this evening. We had been out running errands and I had told her the whole time we could go to McDonalds for dinner. She was so good while we were out I was excited to get her some nuggets and have a fun dinner out with her. We got in line, ordered, they began bringing the food to the little tray beside the register, I gave them my debit card and was told they only take cash! I had only enough cash on me to get us a ride home. I saddly had to carry my two year old (who was in tears) out of the restaurant and tell her we cannot have that for dinner tonight. She settled down enough to run to our last two stops before heading home to peanut butter sandwiches. As we were eating Annaka looked at my plate and said in her sweetest excited voice "Good job Mommy! You ate your sandwich all gone! Im proud of you!" I was humbled at how quickly a two year old can forgive and get over something. I need to learn that lesson myself. When things dont go my way, I need to be more flexible and make the most of the new situation:) Thank you Lord for using my two year old to remind me.


Rocking Horse...
When trying to get a photo of Annaka and one of her new favorite things she would not quit squirming and making faces. In fact her favorite faces are either when she sticks out her tongue or making a fish face.

This is the face she makes when I aske her to stand by her horse and smile.....

Her new friends like the horse too! Three on at once!
*Note to self (and anyone who stumbles upon this blog post) I (Valerie) am definitely NOT the photographer of the family. I took about 12 pictures and this is the least blurry shot with everyone's head in the picture! If Clint were home at that moment, he would have taken it and it would have looked fabulous.