Visit to Wilmington

This past weekend Clif and I visited some friends in Wilmington, NC. I'm sure most of you know that Clif and I lived there for a couple of years. Clif's roommate from college, Chip, lives there. Another friend from college, Banner, and his girlfriend, Brit, were in town from Dubai...so Chip hosted a Chili cook off and we made the journey down.



This was my first trip back to Wilmington since moving. I've just been busy with the bug and haven't had a chance to get down there. Plus, usually it is a big guys weekend when Clif goes down - AKA: Fantasy Football Draft Party - so it's not really a place for me and Ainsley. Ainsley stayed home with Nanny and Popa. She got spoiled rotten and Kip and Denise had a blast with her.



Ainsley has been in her new toddler class for a little over a week now, and she seems to be doing ok. I will say that going to one nap a day has messed with her schedule a bit. She often only takes one nap with me, but it's usually around 1 or so. At daycare they go down for their naps at 11:30. So if she only sleeps for an hour...which sometimes she does...well then, she is a cranky little bug when she gets home. I guess eventually it will work itself out and she will sleep longer, but right now it's tough. She is very whinny and clingy all night. She also has a little cold, so that doesn't really help matters.



She is also talking more and more since being in that class. Any day now she's just going to break out in a monologue...actually, she already does that, but maybe one day we'll all be able to understand her.

Oh, and something very exciting, she created her first piece of artwork. Once I get it from daycare I will take a picture and post it. It is a little outline of her hand, decorated as a turkey. The day she did it, I picked her up and she was so excited to show it to me. I know that sounds kind of funny, seeing as she can't really talk yet and she is kind of a baby still. But seriously, she just kept pointing at it and babbling. Wouldn't stop until I walked over and acknowledged it. She was so proud.



So this week is a short week at work...thank goodness. I need a vacation. I can't wait to spend 4 days with Clif and Ainsley.

Well, I also am coming down with a little cold, so I am going to go blow my nose and go to bed. As Ainsley would say "nigh nigh", then blow you a kiss :)

Talking with Auntie Keek

Ainsley loves phones...she loves anything that resembles a phone that she can place between her shoulder and ear and pretend to talk in to. However, anytime we actually try to get her to talk on the phone, she just looks at us, silently, like we have lost our minds. Well, the other night Caitlyn called and she just gabbed away on the phone with her. Here is some video of that.

Life has been hectic. Clif and I have both been working long hours and trying to play catch up on the weekends. So we haven't been doing anything too exciting. Last weekend we went to a friend's 30th birthday party on Saturday night, and then to our cousin Sammy's first birthday party on Sunday afternoon.

This weekend was pretty relaxing. I had to work on Saturday morning, but otherwise we have just been hanging out and we actually started Christmas shopping yesterday. Clif and I are big procrastinators for Christmas. I hear about people who do their shopping in like August, and that is so not me. I'm more of a late November, December shopper. First of all, I never have any money. Second, I never know what to buy people. Third, I have no room in my house to keep the stuff in December, let alone for half the year. So, I really need it to feel like Christmas before I start shopping. Not that it feels at all like Christmas right now, but I pretty much always have fun shopping for Ainsley and that's all we've really done so far.

Speaking of Ainsley, she is just growing up so fast. Last week she transitioned from the infant room to toddler room at day care. It makes me a little sad, but it is a bit cheaper and she's with kids her own age now. She's been the oldest and the only one walking in the infant room for months. So it will be nice for her to catch back up with her friends that moved on before her.

She has such a personality, and she knows exactly what she wants and when she wants it. NOW! I believe we will have our hands full as she grows up. So because of this very strong personality, she sometimes wants to do things that we don't want her to do for whatever reason. So, we have begun trying the whole timeout thing. I'm not necessarily against spanking...verdict is still out on that one...but I just think she's too young for that. Plus, one thing that she often gets put in time out for is hitting, and I find it insane to think that you can teach a kid not to hit by hitting her.

This is normally how it goes:
Me: Ainsley, no hitting.
Ainsley: (hits again)
Me: Last chance, if you hit me again you will go in time out.
Ainsley: No. (then hits again)
Me: Fine. Timeout.

I sit her in the time out spot and she wails while I count to 10. Then I pick her up, hug her and tell her what she did wrong. I know, you probably think I'm crazy, because she can't understand me, but one day she will, so I'm starting early.

At this point she will get down, and go sit in time out where she proceeds to count...
Me: No Ainsley, you don't have to sit there anymore.
Ainsley: (holding a little finger in the air) Duh...duh...duh...

It's very hard not to laugh...she really is a one woman comedy act.

Halloween Pics

We took Ainsley trick-or-treating this year and she freaking LOVED it!! The plan was to just try and make it around our cul-de-sac, but Ainsley was so excited that we ended up going to all the houses on our cul-de-sac, a few on the main road and all the houses in the next cul-de-sac. She really had a great time. Those little monkey feet were just a movin' as fast as they could go. It was so cute. I tried to get her to say trick-or-treat, but no luck really. She did, however, say "Daa Do" (thank you) and "Buh Bye" over and over again. Oh and she also closed every one's front doors for them. I think I've mentioned her love of bags/purses/suitcases...whatever. So the little candy bag was just perfect, she loved carrying that thing around and putting all of her little candies in side.

After trick-or-treating, we went to a Halloween party at a friend's house. I think Ainsley was the last kid standing. She zonked out as soon as we pulled out of their neighborhood.

Then Saturday we had an engagement party that was Halloween themed. My mom stayed with Ainsley and Clif and I went as Fred and Wilma Flinstone. We were a big hit :)

I found out yesterday that Ainsley has been hitting babies, teachers, whoever at daycare. We are definitely having this problem at home too. I do think that once she moves into the toddler class it may get better. Those kids hit back! We are trying time outs at home, but she is a bit young to really get it.

Well, I stayed up way too late watching the election results last night. I really don't like politics or politicians, but I always seem to get sucked in on election night. CNN has the coolest map in the world. I was totally obsessed with it. Very interesting to see what will come. Whether you are happy with the results or not, you have to be somewhat amazed that this country...only about 50 years past separate water fountains, segregated schools and Rosa Parks...elected a black president. I didn't really think we were there yet - not saying I'm for or against, just nice to see that maybe we are rising above some darker spots in our past.

Well, hope everyone has a good week. Talk to you soon.