POTTY TIME!

"Pantieees!"  We've got one excited BIG GIRL on our hands!  Our second time around w/ a "potty chart" and I think this time she's much more prepared!! 

We did her first chart @ the beginning of November!  She was really into 'practicing' & washing her hands!!  As you can see, there were only a few times she actually did the deed on the potty!

We've got a clean slate & new panties now... She's been really good @ telling us when she is peeing in her diaper!  My plan is to have certain times of the day we will ALWAYS try the potty (before morning snack, before nap & before dinner), and always look for her ques!!

She kept her panties dry all afternoon & peed on the potty twice!  Let the potty training begin!!! :)

Daddy Day!

While I had the Stomach Bug @ home, Shawn took Elsie Anne out for a fun Daddy Day!  They did a little work in the morning, then Peek-A-Boo Toy Store!  Look how serious EA is:)

Jumping on the trampoline... perfect way to wear her out!!

He does everything a bit different than me, and that's why he's DADDY, and absolutely the best thing in his daughter's eyes:)  His crazy & unique ways make EA & I love him like mad!!

Oh Christmas Tree...

For the second year in a row, we've had to get a tiny tree that fits on a table.  Its not becuase of Elsie Anne, but b/c of our tiny townhouse that is packed to the brim w/ all of our stuff!! 

Elsie Anne already knew what to do since we've read & talked so much about Christmas!  Her first ornament to hang was her "ballewina" that she picked out @ the store:)

She and Daddy hung up a Santa Claus that came from my childhood days!!  You can see the cute ballerina too!

Shawn FINALLY purchased a helmet... about 6yrs late (since he started riding in the park, throwing himself over huge jumps & doing crazy tricks)... I guess, better LATE than NEVER!

Elsie Anne took a liking to it too! 

Thank you Shawn for following through... Now your Mom & I can rest easier:)

Little Love...

...You are my SUNSHINE!  My only SUNSHINE!  You make me HAPPY when skies are grey.  You'll never know, dear, how much I LOVE YOU!!

Please don't take my SUNSHINE away:)

Christmas Denver Trip!

Sorry about the hiatus from blogging.  Lately I've been ON or OFF w/ keeping it updated.  I just haven't had the time to download pics & upload stories... 'TIS THE SEASON, right?!!

The Sunday we've been anticipating since Thanksgiving... Christmas DENVER trip!  Always the planner, I had our outings arranged around lunch, nap time & dinner:) 

First stop... Red Lobster for lunch, Shawn's request!  For all you southern folk that live near the water & get fresh seafood whenever you please, you just won't understand!  I always 'knocked' Red Lobster when I lived in Florida, but once I tried it w/ Shawn's family in Ohio, I've become a fan!  Don't worry, its not anything like the old run-down building in Tally, it's a big, beautiful, new building w/ a great ambience.  Thankfully, after a little nudging, my cousin (& fellow Floridian) LA & Mike, who live in downtown Denver, met us there!  It was the first time we've seen them since the summer, and OHHH, how a little family time during the holidays feels SOOO GOOD!!

Second stop... Bass Pro Shop!  We've been looking forward to this Santa ever since last year, when we stumbled upon the incredibly decorated 'Workshop' & 'North Pole' they created in the boat area!!  We looked around the HUGE store w/ LA & Mike first, then ventured over to Santa...

...we decided it would probably be best if Elsie Anne play w/ Daddy & I wait in the line?!  Well, after 30min of standing in one place, then the elf telling me I should move to another line that wouldn't block the cash registers... I decided that EA would probably not be seeing Mr. Bass Pro Shop Santa!!  As I walked over to my family rolling my eyes, Shawn knew he needed to lift my spirits & swooped us off to the Aquarium area:)  EA driving the boat like BigDaddy!

EA looking at all the tropical fish, while Momma fantasizes about being @ the beach and swimming WITH these little fishies!!

Third stop... Zoo Lights!  Elsie Anne took a well needed, but short nap, in perfect time to make it before the crowds!!  We didn't mind getting to see a few of the animals before it got dark!!

EA clapping w/ her mittens on!  She loved watching the elephants toss their big barrels around & eat their snacks that came out!  I didn't get many pics of the amazing lights b/c our camera just doesn't capture the magnificence!  There were light tunnels we walked through, light animals, lights everywhere you looked, it was a sight to see:)

And we shared our first experience of the Zoo Train!!!  EA was beside herself w/ excitement, even though this family shot doesn't capture it!!  We sat right behind the engine & after the train conductor said "ALL ABOARD!" Elsie Anne couldn't stop saying it:)  She was waving @ all the people we rode by & bouncing on the seat to the Christmas Music playing!

Then off to the Carousel, "merrygoround" as EA liked to say!  She knew just what to expect, since she got to ride one @ the Cincinnati Zoo w/ her cousins!  And we knew from that experience she couldn't just ride once, so we each took a turn w/ her!  She chose to ride the Giraffe & Cheetah, and loved every minute!  Each time she passed by one of us watching, she'd wave or make 'funny faces'!

After all the family fun, we knew we had an hour & a half drive back to Breck, so we left @ 6:30pm... but not before stopping @ the Zoo Store!  This trip's special animal to come home w/ us was Francis the Flamingo!!!

Thanks to my amazingly good natured husband for keeping me cool when things didn't work as planned!  All in all, we had a wonderful time as a family & shared new adventures with Elsie Anne!  If the bank Santa is all EA gets to see this year, I'm fine w/ that, since she really won't remember this stuff anyway... it's more for the pretty picture, right, hee,hee!:) 

Keep checking past this post... I'll be catching up back to Nov.30th!!!

THREE!!

"Happy Birthday HENREE DUDICK, Happy Birthday to Youuuu!!"  Elsie Anne practiced singing Henry's birthday song for days before his party!  She was so excited for him and loved being a part of his Toy Story 3 party:)  btw...we've been practicing last names, hence the use in the bday song!!

l-r: Grady(3), Henry(3), EA(1&3/4), Claire(5)

While Henry was sidetracked w/ his best buddy, Grady, Elsie Anne was able to snag his prized possession - Buzz Light Year Wings - something she's rarely gotten to touch:)  To Infinity and Beyoooond!!!!

EA sure does get jealous of Henry's friendship with Grady!  She HAD to stand by Henry when she saw Grady was, she probably wanted her shirt off too, haha!  If only EA knew Henry spends WAY more time w/ Grady than her, I think she'd heart broken:)  And I'm not talking silly "boyfriend" stuff... Henry is HER best BUDDY, and she wants to be just like him!!

It was a little crazy, my feelings about Henry's 3rd bday!  I started nannying H when he was 16mo old & EA was 2mo old!  Their bond & friendship is the closest thing she has to a brother or cousin (since they are all out of town).  They love each other dearly & show it continuously as they get older!  He melts my heart w/ his caring, kind, and gentle ways!  I couldn't have picked a more perfect friend for my daughter to grow up with, and can't believe they are both so BIG now!  Thank you "Henry Dudick" for sharing your hilarious personality & w/ us!!  WE LOVE YOU BUDDY:)

Grinch!

Elsie Anne got the Grinch for St. Nich's Day!  A tradition the Fraser Family has passed along to us...you put your shoes by the door on the eve of Dec.4th, and the next day they are filled w/ goodies!!  Not sure 'who' fills them (I'll need more info as EA gets older), but its a fun beginning to December:)

As you can see, she immediately LOVED him...

...and wants him w/ her wherever she is:)

She now cuddles & spoons him in her crib, and the other morning I caught her covering him up w/ her blanket (on monitor cam)!!  So cute!

Lighting of Breckenridge!

We got to nanny the Stais girls for an overnight, which thrilled us all!  Elsie Anne b/c she gets such a kick out of the big girls, and Shawn & I b/c we haven't gotten to spend much quality time w/ them since I used to nanny them before EA was around!!

It was a good time... We went into town for the Lighting of Breckenridge, only we missed the actual 'tree lighting'!  Didn't matter to the girls at all... they were impressed just @ the sight as we walked up!  The tree is huge & at the town center, they put thousands of lights on it... very Rockafeller Center'esque'!!

Shelby(5), Lexi(3), EA(1&3/4), me(30) hahaha!!

This was also very impressive, and warm!!  They had a hot air balloon basket in the back of a truck & blew the fire out every once in a while!  The girls were in awe, but it startled them every time:)

They climbed on this mound of snow w/ a ton of other children, then decided to rest & do snow angels! 

Elsie Anne & Lexi cutting a rug to the live band in Town Square!  Got to love their fearlessness... Shelby being the older & more mature one, wouldn't get close to the inner circle of dancing!!

The next morning, after church, we had lunch in town, and walked around throwing snow balls @ rocks, the river, light posts, you name it... you think Shawn had anything to do w/ that?! :) The girls had a ball playing on the Goat Sculpture!

At one point, as all the girls played together in the living room, Shawn & I both thought... Wow, this could be our family in 5yrs!!  Not really age-wise, but a big family of GIRLS!  He just knows that's all we'll have, and he's actually pretty pumped about it, he really wants another one:)