Is it really winter?

So up until Christmas, I think it snowed in Denver once. And when I say snowed, I use that term lightly. It dusted the lawns. We had 70 degree days in November. Normally by that time we have a few snow days and a big snow. But not this year.

So if you are 3, it is a happy and sad time. Happy because you get to go to the park in December and don't have to wear a coat. Sad because a certain 3 year old has been waiting to make snowmen in the yard. So during our 1 dusting, Rob got her dressed, took her out, and quickly gathered up enough snow to make a snowman family. I honestly don't know how he did it, with the limited amount he had to work with. I guess I will call it a snowman miracle...

Visiting Santa

Yes, a little late posting but better late than never right?

I call this a success because, although she is not smiling, she is not screaming and actually sat on his lap.

She wasn't happy at the time but afterwards couldn't stop talking about it. Mission accomplished!

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthday, New Babies are born

So it has been quite a last few months. Not only have we had the normal craziness that evolves around this time, but this year seemed far more crazy. Oddly Rob and I gave up on trying to be normal and actually going out and going to Christmas parties. Too much effort to find time, a babysitter and a dress. Yes, we got lazy this year.

It started in November when our annual Pre Thanksgiving dinner with friends turned into a dinner for 20. We had an absolute blast with some great friends and their kiddos. We loved every minute of it. After that we hosted Thanksgiving (which we never do) for my mom and grandparents. It was nice and low key. But after making 2 Thanksgiving day feasts in the span of 6 days, we were already over the holidays.

So then comes Christmas. Which is such a great time of year. We have so much fun with Adriana and she really truly loved the whole Santa thing and Elf on the Shelf. Furley, the elf, was her favorite part of the day. She would wake up and look for him to see where he was and what he put in her Christmas counter downer. I am not sure he kept her from not being naughty....but we are working on it. She is really at an age where it is all so fun. The traditions are being set. In addition to Furley, we did our annual Zoo Lights trip which is a favorite of Ade's and mine. We went ice skating with her for the first time (which I use the term Ice loosely but that will be another post) and spent a lot of time with family and friends. Xmas Eve we had family over and made cookies for Santa.

Adriana had her first Christmas program at school, a Birthday Party for Jesus. She decided not to sing any of the songs (despite the fact she has been singing them to me for the past month. It wasn't for a lack of knowing all the words), but she did the motions and was very proud of herself afterwards. I am not going to lie, I teared up and was so emotional. I loved every minute of it and can't wait for all the things that come with her going to school and growing up (just don't let it happen too quickly)

And after all this, Adriana turned 3 on the 29th. I feel she has been 3, or 12, for quite a while so while it was bittersweet for her to get older, it seemed like it was time. We had a big party for her at Monkey Bizness and she loved every minute of it. I am pretty sure from the minute she woke up on her 3rd birthday, she has been talking non stop about being 4. No time to enjoy, we are moving on. Again, way too quickly for me.

We did lots of fun things and I will post pics soon. We also welcomed additions to both sides of the family. Rob's brother and his wife welcomed Michael Alexander on December 5th and my brother Chad and his wife Tara welcomed Lena Marie on December 21st. Nothing makes the holidays better than babies. And nothing makes me happier than shopping for them. :)

So we got through the holidays virtually unscathed and had a really happy time. I will get better and get pictures posted soon. Happy New Year to everyone! May 2011 bring much peace, love and happiness to you all.

Long Beard the Protector

So this is Long Beard. Adriana and I made him at Build a Bear right before Rob and I left for Mexico. The name on his birth certificate is Wrong Beard, which is what Ade originally named him. But over time, he became Long Beard.

I originally took her to have him so she would have something fun that we made together while we were gone. A comfort if you will. But slowly Long Beard has taken on a much more important role. He has become Adriana's protector from just about everything. From dragons to buffalo (yes buffalo, she is obsessed with buffalo getting her), he is there to make sure nothing gets her while she is sleeping at night.

He sits a top her dresser and keeps watch all night, every night.

Adriana has many comforts in her room that are a must at bedtime. Her lovey, her kitty and her bear bear must all sleep with her. But any and every time you ask her she will tell you that Long Beard the wolf will make sure that no one gets her. He is a tough wolf that scares anything away that even dares enter her room.

We are very thankful for Long Beard here. He makes her feel safe and comforted. Best $30 I ever spent.

Happy Halloween

DJ Lance and Foofa

Rob and I before our party. I was....DJ Lance's girlfriend I guess. :)

Playing the Pumpkin game at the Halloween party

Did a great job putting on the pumpkin face with a blindfold

She was not a fan of carving pumpkins. This is about as far as she got. Said it was gross

Halloween is always a group event at the Etchepare house. Rob loves to dress up with Adriana and this year might be the best one yet. For those that don't live in the land of trippy kid shows like we do, they are from the TV Show Yo Gabba Gabba. Adriana was Foofa and Rob was DJ Lance Rock.

Adriana has been really excited for Halloween this year. It is one of Rob and I's favorite holidays so it natural for her to love it. We go all out. We have been watching Halloween specials for weeks of all our favorite shows and practicing our trick or treating, all in preparation of this one night.

One show Adriana fell in love with was "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." This was a favorite of mine when I was a kid. We watched it several times this year. Our neighbors even had a Snoopy/pumpkin blow up in their yard. Just added to the excitement. The only downside to this show is this....Adriana was really convinced and sad yesterday that she was going to get rocks in her treat bag. It took a lot of convincing but I am not sure she is truly believed this wouldn't happen until we went trick or treating and she saw for herself...

And let me say, that one night did not disappoint! We started the evening off at a big neighborhood party at our neighbors. Ade has a blast playing with all the little kids. Then we came home and got Daddy all dressed and we headed out as a family to get some candy. She had a blast. She had lots of enthusiam when she knocked on the door and yelled "trick or treat" at the neighbors. She was also very gracious and said thank you about 5 times at each house. Then she would run down the street and yell at Rob (who was at the bottom of the sidewalk with Clyde) "Daddy Daddy I got a piece of candy". Success!

When we got home I think Adriana had just as much fun passing out candy to all the kids that came to our door.

We had a blast this year and loved every minute of Halloween! I know that each year it is just going to get better and better.

Today we are already suffering from Halloween is over letdown. She is sad that she doesn't get to go get candy every night and that all the pumpkins and decorations in the neighborhood will be going away. Thank goodness Christmas is just around the corner.

Potty Training and growing up way too fast!

So in the beginning of August we started to potty train Adriana. Truth be told, she had been asking to pee in the potty for a while but with all the summer trips we had, I chose to wait. I have been told by many a warrior moms that big changes and trips are often a potty training regression. So I decided to save myself the misery of all that. Adriana is such a smart kid and learns things so quickly, it will be a piece of cake. Right? Riiiiiight. So I started off one weekend with the "3 day potty training" guide. In 3 days, all my worries would be over.

Day 1 she wakes up, we take off her diaper and tell her she is going to wear underwear from now on. What a big girl she is. Great. She is so excited. We talked and played it up all week and it was finally here. Let me start by saying that I didn't expect day 1 to go off without a hitch. I have pretty unreasonable expectations but am not that delusional. But since for a couple months Adriana was in the habit of telling me when she started to go pee or poop in her diaper, I figured we had a shot. Well yea. Accident after accident after accident. I had made my Potty Time chart in the bathroom as a reward system and so I just wanted to get a pee in the potty so she could see how exciting it was. She could put a sticker on the chart and be rewarded for her good behavior. It took pretty much all day for that to happen. But I must say, after cleaning up messes on the floor, messy underwear and just general all around gross stuff, that first pee in the potty was the most exciting thing that ever happened in the Etch house.

Day 2 actually went well. Something clicked in the evening of the first day and she got it. We had 1 accident on day 2. She was awesome. So excited to potty especially after the treats rolled in. By day 3, I was ready to leave the house with her. But I waited. We needed one more successful day.

Day 4 I was about as stir crazy as you can be after spending 3 days at the house without leaving. Have I mentioned I am not good at sitting home for long periods of time? For Rob, it is great. He prefers it. I seriously almost lost my mind. So on Day 4, we had some errands to run so we set out with about 5 change of clothes, treats and bribes galore. Again, Adriana shined. She told us before we left a place that she had to go. We ran errands for hours and she did awesome! So by the end of the day, I declared her potty trained. (Did I mention we still do pull ups at night? My confidence in nighttime is still shaky)

Things went great for 2 weeks. She did so well. We even had multiple babysitters and she told them when she had to go. Rock star.

About 3 weeks in, she started school. I thought, no problem, she will do great. Well, she did do great at school but started regressing at home. aaaaahhhhhh. For a person with as little patience as I have, there are days I have to really try and stretch them out to deal with certain toddler issues. This was probably my biggest challenge thus far. The regression got worse and worse and worse. No more clean underwear. Accidents all around. I wondered if I did it to her. I mean, I put her in a pull up for school and when we went to visit family. It had to be my fault. Worst mother ever. I was told it was rite of passage once your child is potty trained. I failed miserably. But luckily, things starting getting back on track. I am not sure what made it happen. Possibly it was when I gave up and decided that she would wear diapers to college and let go of my expectations, things got better. (I may also have a tendency for drama.....)

I won't say things are perfect but we are back to forward moving progress. I no longer want to put her back in diapers. And can I say the occasional accident is so much better than diapers anyday. I do not miss them. The cost, the mess, the smell. Nothing.

So just another reason my little girl is growing up and doing it like a champ. She is getting so big and while I love to watch her grow and change, I kind of wish she would slow down. We are now in a big girl bed. She is in underwear. She talks like a teenager and acts like one at times too. The baby part of my baby is officially over. Luckily, she will always be my baby. Although when I call her that she tells me, "mommy, I am not a baby. I am a big kid. You need to stop calling me that." Did I mention teenage attitude tendencies?

1st Day of Preschool

So I am a little late in posting this but at the end of last month Adriana started preschool! She is in a class for older 2 year olds. She loved her little class she took at the rec center so much, not to mention her love of structure and crafts, so we decided it was time. It also felt like a good time to get her acclimated to the system and to try and head off some of our "only child" tendencies we seem to be creating.

She goes 2 times a week, on Monday and Friday, and she loves it. Her teacher is amazing and she loves all the kids in her class. And I can already see a difference in her at playtime with other kids. Each day when I pick her up she tells me "Mommy, school is super fun and everyone just so nice to me." Success!

She is growing up so fast!