My girl

As a sidenote before I start my entry: I attempted to do yesterday's entry last night, but got sidetracked watching tv...long story short - It took way too long, and whether it was my fault (for taking so long) or the sites fault...My entire post was deleted as I got an error upon posting :(  I was pissed, tired and frustrated. So I shut down and went to bed. So...sorry for not having a post yesterday, but I did try ;-)  Off to try again, here goes nothing!
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Since many of you reading this do not know me in 'real' life - I figured I'd let you in on my bits of my life and myself; one post at a time. Today we'll start with my dear sweet daughter...

Reegan Madison - came into my life 3.5 years ago, gave my life new meaning (as a Mom), and changed my life forever (in a good way, of course!)

What to say about Reegan...cuz really, there's a lot to say! She has such great qualities and characteristics - I am excited to see the lady/woman she becomes. She brings laughter to everyone around her and usually has tons of hugs for everyone (that she knows). And, you can't miss her...coming or going...with her crazy, golden locks of hair - cascading in her face and past her shoulders. Rarely a day goes by that we don't get a comment on the mop!

There's many reasons why I love my girl...but I thought I'd give you my top 5!

5) Her eagerness to help
    From baking and cooking...to cleaning and folding laundry - she's always there (whether she's wanted or
    not!) Anytime Daddy has to fix something...she's gone in a flash to get her Handy Manny tools (tho now
    she prefers to use his!) and help fix. She did build her toddler bed and lay the laminate in her room.
    Baking is always a safe bet that she'll be right by your side, on a chair, wearing her apron and oven mitts.
    Although, i think she only helps bake to lick the beaters/spoons/bowls!
    She also wants to 'help' remove her brother from her stuff...Just can't get her to understand that if we
    aren't allowing her to pick up a cat, she shouldn't be attempting to lift, hold or move her brother either!

4) Her sense of pride
    For herself, for her friends, her family or even strangers! She's proud and she lets everyone around know
    it. Each craft or picture she does is hanging somewhere in our house...fridge/sliding glass door/even the
    bathroom door once or twice! When her baby brother started standing on his own she was impressed
    and now that he's taking steps...She is proud beyond words. Each time he takes steps (this is happening
    all day...he's a walker now and rarely crawls), if we're not in the room she announces it at the top of her
    lungs and as soon as he stops (by falling, reaching his destination or otherwise), she tells him how good
    he did, hugs him and says "Way to go Caley" repeatedly with a huge smile on her face.
    Even watching tv or while out in public, if she sees someone do something (anything, really) she
   announces it and says how good they did.
   There's a handful of books that she 'reads' from cover to cover...obviously it's just memorization, but
   when she reads those stories before bed...she barely gets the last word out before she's wearing a huge
   smile from ear to ear.

3) Her sense of humour
    This kid makes me laugh numerous times every day...sometimes I have to call someone just to share!
     At times I laugh b/c it's funny and other times I cringe as I laugh...should she really say that? Should I
     encourage it? She hasn't sworn yet (well, one time, repeating me [I know, head hangs in shame]).
     Recently...she's been saying "What the heck...?!" "This is stupid / I don't want this stupid thing"
     "You're crazy Caleb"
     And well, as I sit and type this - she is trying to cram herself on half of a bench, as the cat is lying on it
     and she wants to lay beside him...Can you say contortionist? I don't know how she's fitting/staying -
     but thankfully a wall is blocking her on one side and there's pillows on the floor on the other!

2) Her imagination/creativity
     Arts and crafts are a daily (sometimes hourly) occurrence in our house. We have a kids table in the
    corner of our family room, for this specific reason. Whether she's drawing, cut/pasting, painting or
    colouring...This is her place and she's got all her supplies there to go nuts. Like most kids, the drawings
     need to be labeled as a bunch of swirls and circles is actually a cat wearing a scarf and boots...DUH!
     Things are getting 'better' tho, and people now have faces (albeit unproportioned)!!!
     She loves putting on concerts...usually it's her on a stage made of foam puzzle mats, dancing and singing!
     She has never had a problem playing alone (which I am grateful for!) and it's hilarious to hear her playing
     and talking to herself/her toys. And of course, listen to a child long enough and you hear yourself... Hmm.
     This is both good and bad...   
      And the outfits she comes out with at times...We've gone out plenty of times recently with her wearing
      a dollar store tiara (Thanks Auntie Holly!), handfuls of hair clips ALL OVER her head.

1) Her smarts
     Seriously - I know she's only 3.5, and I know many parents think their kids are smart...but sometimes
      she blows me away with her phrases, words, thoughts and logic. Of course, with this comes outsmarting
      the adults around her! She has long figured out the "do 'this' or you can't have 'that'"...and has decided
      that she simply doesn't want 'that'. And she walks away, without a care; leaving me to shake my head. I
      mean, why wouldn't you eat a single, solitary broccoli tree, in order to get dessert? Really!?!?!
      And just last week we were with my mom...in conversation my mom says "Just a little bit Reegan -- A
     little goes a long way." Her retort..."Why? Does a lot go a little way?" Again...head shake.

And that is Reegan in a nutshell...at least a first installment. I'm sure you'll learn much more about her in posts to come...especially her day-to-day antics. Maybe I'll go see if she's interested in baking...

T.

My first entry...

Well...here it is...My blog, my first entry...One day I can look back, read it and say...it all started here...or would it be, it all started then. Either way, here I am.

I've been thinking about blogging for a while...for various reasons...and have only just gotten around to doing it; again, for various reasons! I have recently been reading more and more blogs and always thought, "Hey, I can do that!". But even more so, I want to do it.

So...Let's start at the beginning. My name is Thai, I have been happily married for 5 years to my wonderful hubby Paul and we have two fantastic kids...A 3 1/2 year old daughter and a 14-month old son. And let's throw in a sometimes crazy 4 1/2 year old black lab (Remy) and an almost 1-year-old kitten (Jinx). That's my family...my reason for waking up each day, the causes of my stress at times, and the ones who bring me so much happiness.

Since this is my first time...I'm a virgin blogger...not really sure what to say/how to say it. Can't promise a lot...but hopefully you'll laugh, relate to some things, learn a thing or two and, maybe even hand over some advice at times! My hope is to share my days with anyone who is interested in reading about it. At times I wonder what else could possibly go wrong, and you (my faithful readers) will be there beside me...or when i sit and reflect on the latest 'thing' my daughter does and shake my head...you can be there for that too.

Well, this is enough for tonight. It's nearly 1130 and I'm tired. Didn't get to sleep til after 2am (mind racing with a million to-do's, crazy cat...). So, it's time for bed. Start blog - Check! First blog entry - Check!

Night everyone!