1.23.2010......Tallahassee Jr. Museum

I have been wanting to take Preslei to the Tallahassee Junior Museum for a WHILE. It seemed like everytime I tried to plan a visit, it would rain!!! Well, FINALLY, we went on Saturday. Let me just tell you, she and I had the absolute time. Sloan and Landon (my sister-in-law and her son) went with us and it was just a blast.

Being that I have never really taken Preslei to an outside zoo thing before, I wasn't sure if we needed strollers so we took them. Next time, we will know to leave them in the car! It was such an eye-opener to me that my precious baby girl is no longer a baby, she is definitely a full on toddler. So, I admit, I've never let Preslei out of her stroller in a public place to let her enjoy the freedom of roaming around until we went to the museum. She AMAZED me at how attentive she was and how she listened to me. I will definitely let her do that A LOT more often. The museum had all types of animals that were habitants of Florida such as bears, panthers, bald eagles, foxes, wolves, coyotes, alligators, deer, otters, ducks, etc. Preslei's favorite were the ducks and otters. Although she INSISTED that the turkeys were in fact ducks. Haha.

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For all you Moms out there, can you please, please tell me when the destructive stage ends?! Oh my gosh, I mean, seriously........my house looks like its been burglarized when Preslei goes to bed. I have seriously gone behind her every time she leaves a room to clean up all her toys and books and crap she throws around but when she enters the room, here we go again! So, I said the heck with it and just do one big clean sweep when she goes to bed and it starts all over the next night. I'd like a live in maid please! Lol. I need some Mommy advice! How in the world do I get her to stop?! She cleans up after herself at my parents house but not at ours! I'm just NOT a clutter person, its driving me nuts! Another new thing is she tells me "NO" all the time. I'll say, "Preslei, are you ready to eat?"....NO; "Preslei, go pick up your toys"....NO. Granted, how can you get truly mad because its kind of funny (but rest assured, I put my game face on). Well, last night she must have gotten into our sugar container or something because she was running WILD. Preslei loves watching her Dora movies while laying in bed. Up until last night, I could put her in there and check on her every 10-15 mins........not anymore! Keith and I heard a bunch of noise and we get up and low and behold, my child is sitting on top of her dresser! OMG! Well, we couldn't help but laugh but reprimanded her and told her no, spanked her bottom and she went on about her business and played and yada yada.

BUSTED!!!! Now, the next picture, when she saw my phone, she said, "CHEESE!!!" I died laughing!

After that is when she decided to come back to the living room and play. Hence this picture. (Also, notice all the dang clutter, IT IS DRIVING ME NUTS!!!!!)

So, after she got tired of cluttering up the living room, she decided to go to her playroom. Well I started hearing noises again and this is the conversation.

Me: "Preslei, what are you doing?"

Preslei: ....a bunch of jibber jabber.....

Me: "Are you being bad?"

Preslei: "Uh huh Mommy"

Oh. my. gosh..........again, I died laughing but of course, I went to check on her, thinking she was in her playroom but nope, what do I see as I walk down the hall??? THIS!

I told you she is being destructive lately!!!! She was taking off her wall decorations!!!

Needless to say, I need some Mom advice!!!!!

Catching up......

See, told you I am a procrastinator!!! I can't believe my last post was December 3rd! We had such a great Christmas. I love watching Preslei get excited! My parents and Keith's parents came over around 8am Christmas morning and Preslei was still asleep. We had breakfast and waited for Preslei but I finally had to go wake her up. Bless her heart, she was kind of nervous and timid because there were so many people for her to see when she woke up. She finally came around (wrapped around my Mom's neck) and when she saw her Dora kitchen, she was like "DORA!!!! DORA!!!!". Priceless. Of course, it took her FOREVER to open all her presents because she kept wanting to go back and play with her kitchen. Of course, after she opened all her gifts, I realized I had forgotten about more gifts I had stuck in the top of the closet that I forgot to wrap. (You know you have bought too much when you forget about presents!) After we did all of Preslei's presents at home, we took a little nap, got dressed and headed to Pop-Pop and Nonna's house (my parents) for Christmas lunch. I absolutely LOVE the holidays because family means so much to me. We had a great lunch and then we opened gifts. I think Preslei was more excited to see "babydoll" (my nephew, Caden but Preslei INSISTS on calling him babydoll!)

Immediately after that, we headed to one of Keith's grandma's house and did the Christmas thing again. I LOVE doing Christmas at her house because she always gives the funnest gifts. She used to fill up a box that copy paper came in with household stuff like paper towels, chips, coffee, etc. I just thought that was such the cutest idea!

Then on Saturday, we did Christmas with Keith's other grandma and had a huge Christmas/birthday celebration for my sister in law. It was very untraditional.....surf and turf! I LOVE this picture of Preslei that I took that night!

The following day, Sunday, Preslei and I drove to Dothan, AL to visit and have lunch with a very dear friend of mine, Kristi, and her husband, kids, her mom and step dad at Cracker Barrel. Kristi and I worked together at the first law firm I worked at when I was a senior in high school. I used to babysit her kids and she and I have been friends ever since. She and her family moved to Charlotte, NC a little over 5 years ago but her family is from Dothan. I have gone up once to Charlotte and every time she comes to Dothan, I make it a point for us to spend time together. It REALLY makes me feel old to know that her oldest child is now 15! She has Justin, Bryce and Rachel. Umm Kristi, you do know that means you are getting older too! 33 last time I checked! LOL!!!!!

So needless to say, we had a VERY busy Christmas weekend but I wouldn't trade it for anything! Good friends, family......that's all you need!