Flashback: 2013: Bowen at the Painting Party

So, in my absence of posting last year we missed some fun times, so look for some "flashbacks" to things I missed blogging last year.

 

So Bowen's in her first year at "school" and so her new school friends have birthdays throughout the school year  - duh. So one of the first one's we went to was a "painting party" at a local art center.

 

Now look, I'm all about the idea of child prodigies... but let's think this through, there are 15 3 and 4 year olds at a PAINTING party... with paint, and canvas, and the whole nine yards.

 

But, to the party we went. Bowen was pumped!

 

Waiting on her paintbrush and canvas...

Here she is practicing before she gets her paint...

So happy she actually cheesed!

Here we are painting the first portion of the picture...

 

In case you wondered, this is the canvas that was the "inspiration" for everyone...

 .... and THIS was Bowen's version.

We think she takes after her Uncle Tim who does more "interpretative" painting than her Nana who paints with precision and real-life detailing.

And, we've got another one of these painting parties in 2 weeks, wonder what our inspiration will be?

Let's Take A Moment: 2013 for Bowen

Well, nothing says end of the year like picking up with a  real live blog post. Yup, the old "year in review" gets me every time.

This year, well, its been busy.. but hasn't every year, since... ever?? I feel like its redundant to even say that life is busy because, well - it always is. Every week of crazy is followed by another, so basically, its just, the speed of life these days.

Bowen's Year
This year Bowen turned 3! While we were in Costa Rica on a mission trip, so she had what we deemed the official "birthday month" with a party down in Jaco, a party a week later when we got home, and several rag-tag gifts for weeks as we caught up with people who missed the party. June was truly the month of Bowen! In August, she started K3 at SGA. She is loving school, and comes home singing her alphabet songs "Alexander Alligator, Alexander Alligator, A says AH, AH AH AH!" She is extra-ordinarily quiet at times, and is still not speaking much to her teachers, even though she loves them. Bowen can be the most animated or the most withdrawn of any child I've ever seen. She has "the look" and doesn't do anything just because you want her to. However, she is also very laidback and low key. She prefers to play by herself than with others, and marches to her own beat. And oh, the wee hours of the morning, Boa loves to be up and at 'em before 6, maybe even around 5, you know what, 4:30 is sometimes good too. The morning is definitely her time - she wakes up chipper and often singing. We find her reading to her babies, playing puzzles, having school, or singing while she wanders the house. In the last month, she has decided she likes to walk herself into school on some mornings. She is taking dance and loving it. And she loves being a monster! Her favorite character is definitely Mickey Mouse - and she loves the "Juicebox" song too! She went to the Dentist for the first time in November and wasn't phased by it at all - she hopped up and let them clean her teeth, stood in the machine for bitewings/xrays and was all around great. She is definitely our cuddle child and still loves to crawl up in our laps or be carried if she can get away with it. She's taken on the role of "baby whisperer" with the twins and also loves Grady as if he were her twin (and also fights with him that way when the mood strikes). While its often rare, a true Bowen smile is worth a million of her "looks."

       

this. we must remember.

Today Hayley finished her letter to Santa as part of her K homework. Since she's home from school, I typed it to email to her teacher. Bowen was standing next to me when I finished. So I opened a new email and I asked Bowen if she wanted to write a letter to Santa.

 

She said yes, and then after a long pause,  Z.

Then I asked her if that was all, and she said

Z. W. M. Q. R. S. T. U. V. W. X. Y. O. P. R. L. K. J. L. L. B. N. Y. U. I. P. C. Z. J. K. L. M. N. B. P. F. B. B. D. D. C. U. J. K.

 

These are the letters I want to send to Santa.

 

 

 

Bowen-ism

Michael: "I got me a Hayley. You can't have her! She's mine!"
Bowen: "Oh. I not want her."

Today, in the car
Bowen: "Oh no! I lost my 'magination! (10 seconds later) Oh wait, I found it. Here it is."

with her hand on her chin, tapping her fingers
Hmmmm... Let me think...

Christmas morning, 6:45 a.m., in the front yard. The girls have just found their Pink Barbie Jeep.
Walks up to it... looks at it.. gets in, gets out, gets in... pushes the radio button... gets out, goes to dancing in the front yard. Required companion for the exploration: Mickey Mouse

This week, driving in the Pink Jeep in the yard
Puts it in reverse. Puts it in drive. Puts it in reverse. Drives with no hands. Backs up closer and closer to her Daddy's truck. Gets within 2 feet in reverse. Puts in drive. Puts in reverse. Backs up to 1 foot. Backs up and hits truck. Looks at the porch, straight in her Daddy's face: "I hit your car." No emotional response, just straight fact.

a glimpse of a day, far far away!

Yesterday, I brought my veil inside where I had loaned it to another bride-to-be. I laid it on the couch, because really, who actually unloads things from their car and actually puts them in their place immediately??

 

And Hayley asked what it was... this child has watched our wedding DVD at least 5 times and been to several weddings, so, she gets it... so I did what any good mommy does... say "Do you want to try it on?" and then ran for my camera.

 

I've seen a growing trend of mama's letting their little girls have a photo session in their wedding dresses and veils as a special treat for their daughters - but what I really think is that's a special treat much more for the mama's. And I'm good with that!

 

So I took the girls into the bathroom so they could see the mirror... and too quickly, my future flashed before my eyes.

 

I think we're going to have to find a pretty place to take some photos, some more natural light, and drag out the dress... these girls steal my heart.

phone photos..this month

Grumpy Gills

We have a saying in this house... when someone is being a ill-pill, we say they have on their "grumpy gills" . We've said it for a while, but this week its come up a lot (those weeks happen sometimes).

Earlier this week, Bowen was fit-pitching about doing something other than what she was doing and Michael reached behind her ears and said "give me those grumpy gills" and that was SO not flying with her. She scrunched her face out and in her best wail said "gimme my grumpy gills BACK!"

Oh buddy, I thought Michael was going to pick me up from laughing so hard.

Then this morning I got a text from Michael after dropping the girls off at daycare... it said "Bowen just put her grumpy gills in her pocket!"

That girl. That girl.

well hello long lost friends

well, our general craziness has kept us shrouded in craziness once again... but its what we do, so we just roll with it!

This past Sunday Bowen turned 2 and I can hardly believe it! We'll have her party this weekend since Sunday was only 2 days from when we returned from Costa Rica.

She is our sweet, squishy, sassy, curly-headed girl! Her personality is so dynamic and so entertaining! She really rolls with the punches, until she's made up her mind one way, then its her way or no way!

She is full of spunk and completely her own person!

A few facts about you, Bowen:

She wakes up SUPER happy from her naps and first thing in the morning.

She and Grady have a special bond...they make each other the maddest, but also make each other laugh the hardest. They definitely have their own world together.

Her favorite phrase right now is: Heeey ______ whatcha doin'??

This week she also tickled me by saying "Not yet. Tank you thou"

Favorite Foods: Spaghetti, Cheerios, Gummies, Bananas

Favorite Movies/TV: Boz the Bear, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

Night Time Must Haves: Violet, Blankets, Puppy & Duck, Crocodile, Puppy

Favorite Toys: blocks, baby dolls, cell phone

Favorite Drink: milk

Can Dos: sing her ABCs, count to 20, sing Itsy Bitsy Spider, Jesus Loves Me

We just love her!!

_____________________________________

Costa Rica updates coming soon

true story

Tonight I went to my monthly women's group.. its a good time for my soul.

I also received this text, not much over an hour from when I left home:

Just finished an hour long stand off with Bowen sitting in the corner... she wouldn't say yes sir even after two pops on the rear.

Y'all, this girl of ours... she is fiercly her own!

Then 30 minutes later:

P.S. Your cookies are gone

What happens when daddy stays home, doesn't always stay with daddy at home!!

truth.

these curls make me a happy mama

little shopper

This in words will not do it justice.

But like so many moments with children under 2... namely Boa Sis... there is no way to capture what is happening when its happening...

And such is this.

We went to the beach (obviously if you've seen the few pictures I've posted so far over the last week.)

Near the beach is the outlet malls. Hello shopping where have you been ?!?!

We took the girls to the Carter's Outlet to find swimsuits.

We stop at the swimsuit racks which are halfway back through the store alongside one wall.

We (me and Aunt Mischa) say something about picking out new swimsuits and which ones do they like... and generally trying to keep them focused on this one area (because rookie outlet mama here forgot there was a lego table which would have totally kept them occupied).

So Bowen and Hayley are down. Mischa and I start flipping.

And then we hear

"oooooo cuuuuuttttteee"

about 12 times.

From BOWEN.

I sat down to try to slow her down, but then she began pulling hangers off the rack saying "oooo cute" and handing them to me.

"Ooooo cute" and "oooo cuuutte" and 12 hangers later, I'm laughing so hard I can't even stop her in her shopping glory.

It was a girl story.

For sure.

And it would have made her Breezy proud.

Because I'm pretty sure the "ooooo cute" came from her in the first place!

Girl Mama

Hey there! My name is Meghan and I'm a GIRL mama! Meet my two littles...

Bowen (almost 2)

Hayley (almost 4)

(girls are 22 months, 4 days apart)

 

While I am already afraid of what the teenage years may bring us (because the sass and the attitude and the tears...oh the tears that can plague their little hearts now... will only continue I'm sure!)

 

Everyone tells me I "need" a boy... but I've got FOUR nephews which gives me plenty of high energy high-level boy exposure. And I know it sounds weird, but girl speed works for me. Boys, there is something special there with them and their mamas, but woah do they wear me out!

 

Part of it is probably that I'm from a girl family... just me and a sister. And 60% of all my first cousins (there are 13 of us) are female, so boys have just always been the minority for me!

 

All opinions aside (because everyone has their own... and I know where their Breezy stands in that there should just be MORE children, regardless of gender!)... I love being a girl mama.

 

Its the only kind of mama I know to be!

 

Linking with: kellyskornerblog.com

 

(click on labels below to see more posts on the girls.. and the explanation for their nicknames!)

 

sister girl does not like her toes in the sand

this. face.

 

Dear Bowen,

This face of yours. This face. It is iconic of your temperment when things aren't going your way. You aren't even 2...not even 1 1/2 officially yet...but you know to pull out this face to let us all know exactly how you feel about it.

 

It is terrible. And it is wonderfully you.

 

Just please, get this out of your system before you are 16.

 

Love,

Mommy

Harvest

Three little monkeys...

Evidently, we've lost our minds...

There is a fish in a trifle dish on our table...

 We had ring pops...ALL over us and our new carseat....

 We said "yes" to going on an adventure...

 And spent last night with a Mouse...but not close to the real mouse, that would be too much

 but the treats were fun, fun, fun!

It's Game Day!

Gooooooo Dawgs!

 Sic 'em

wooof woof woof

(and y'all just keep pretending that there is nothing but a clean house behind those babies!)

$6 Shades

and lovin' those curls

Girls,

You two are something else. You keep me and your daddy on our toes (and sometimes at the end of our rope). You both are growing so quickly and have personalities to boot. Here is what you are up to this month:


Bowen,
Girl, you are a force to be reckoned with...and we love it. You are very opinionated and often shriek out if something isn't going just like you want it to...even if its something as simple as a baby doll you are trying to put into a chair. You are having a hard time reconciling the word "no" with "don't do that again"...especially when it comes to the buttons on the DVD player. This month,well, last month in July...you decided to start walking and you are really getting going now. You are learning to walk semi-normally instead of with your arms reaching straight up for balance. You love the Cedarmont Kids DVD sing-a-long that we have...especially "Give Me That Old TIme Religion." You can do "If you are happy and you know it" with us...and "This little piggy." You can say: book, no, now, Hayley, mama, Daddy, Breezy (well, you said it once), red, ball, uh oh, more. You love cheerios and pretty much any food that is given to you. You will eat a snack and a meal within minutes of each other. You are really funny about the bathtub. You like it best when it doesn't have any water in it. You have gotten better at staying in the tub when there is water in it (we used to call you the world's quickest bather) but you have ZERO interest in sitting down. Its quite funny, but you stand the entire time you are in the tub. You have started "scrubbing" which consists of you reaching down and picking up a handful of bubbles and scrubbing your tummy and left arm. You always smirk and laugh when I ask you if you are soggy or stinky..this week you even told me "no!" when I asked if you were stinky and you weren't. I hope that is a good sign for potty training in the future. Your sister can make you laugh like no one else. I'm pretty sure your Big Dave is your favorite person...but you love anyone who is up and moving and going...or eating. You are slimming up and looking more and more like a toddler. Your hair has gotten curly and I hope it stays that way. You wake up super super happy in the morning. You are our alarm clock...you talk and babble and kick and jump and throw everything out of your crib. You usually call for Dadddeeee but if he doesn't come quick enough you start calling for Hayley. This week you had a rough nap time on Sunday and ended up in the bed with me and daddy...its the only time since you've been t-tiny that you ever slept with us, you like to be left to yourself when you sleep. You have a pink blanket that is your favorite that you wad up and sleep on top of. We managed to break you of the bottle without too much fuss and you are starting to gnaw on your thumb and fingers so you may end up like your sister with two fingers in your mouth when you are tired. We also get tickled at you because if you get tired and ready for bed, you'll just lay in the floor on your back and continue to play, but roll and lay around until someone takes you to bed. You love music and dance it up to the little jukebox that came with the diner set. You are simply something else