The Ladybug Chronicles: 2007

Monday, December 17, 2007

Lauren's 4th Birthday

Lauren on her actual birthday with the big Cheese himself...Chuckie Cheese!

Memaw and Papaw were very generous to host Lauren's Chuckie Cheese party.

Uncle Wayne and Aunt Becky

Mommy and Daddy with their little birthday princess!

Happy Birthday, little baby doll!

Choosing just the right baby to adopt at the Special Delivery Dolls party at the mall.

Memaw and Papaw at Lauren's doll adoption party.

Playing the baby shower games with the "nurse."
Emily, the newest member of our family!

Teresa (left) and Aunt Becky (right).

Aunt Julie with her little "missy."

Our 4th Birthday girl with the "baby shower" cupcakes that Mommy made!

Lauren with her party guests!

I'm "this many!"

We love our little darling!

The cookie cake included with the party!

Lauren celebrated her 4th birthday in September. She actually had 2 parties...the lucky little thing! The first party was at Special Delivery Dolls at Knoxville Center. It was the perfect party for Lauren and her passion for dolls! She celebrated by adopting a baby doll that cries, sucks on a pacifier, opens & closes it's eyes, etc. Lauren named her new sister, Emily. This was the ultimate party for our Ladybug, and it fit her personality perfectly because she is totally obsessed with babies and dolls! It was also nice for Lauren to have her own expericence of "adopting" at baby since her Aunt Julie and Uncle Steve have been in the process of adopting a baby, and Lauren has always known about their journey. You have never in your life met a child who loves babies and dolls more then Lauren. She is the cutest "little mommy" that you've every seen and has the most caring, sensitive, motherly instincts of any child that I have ever seen! We had many family and friends at the party that enjoyed the food, games, and fellowship. A couple of weeks before the party, we took Lauren to Special Delivery Dolls and let her browse around at all of the doll clothing and accessories for sale! Then, she choose her favorite items to be put on a "baby registry" that was sent to all of the guests in the invitation. The birthday party was actually set up like a little baby shower, including baby shower games for Lauren and her little friends. Then, when Lauren opened the presents from her guests, they gave her the little outfits from her "baby registry." Now, baby "Emily" is the most stylish doll in town! Lauren and her new "sister" named Emily strolled around the mall after the party in a doll sized travel system (stroller and infant carrier.) It was hilarious, and she got some big smiles and reactions from people shopping at the mall!

Lauren's 2nd party was held on her actual birthday. Since she loves Chuckie Cheese's Pizza, we ate dinner there with my parents, brother, and his fiance Becky. Lauren had a great time playing games and eatting pizza. She was lucky enough to get a few more presents and another cake with Disney princesses on it of course! Thanks Memaw and Papaw for the party!

Monday, December 10, 2007

My Pre-Reader!

It was so hard to believe that Lauren turned 4 years old on September 26. I was very emotional about it all, but tried not to let it show. My precious, little girl is such a "big girl" now. She looks, talks, and acts like a big girl more and more each day! Ladybug amazes me with how much she has matured since Easter, and I have noticed that it seems to happen in 6 month chunks. She says the most funny or profound things everyday, and I wonder to myself where she learns to be so quick- witted and smart? Well, from Philip and I of course! Plus, she comes from such a strong lineage of intelligent individuals on both sides of her family...educators, librarians, engineers, ministers...etc. Hopefully she will understand her genealogy someday and be proud!

Lauren is learning to read now, and has actually picked up a lot of the pre-reading skills on her own, amazingly enough. Just last week, a hooked on Phonics commercial came on TV that depicted a 4 year old boy reading a book out loud. Lauren came to me and said, "Well...you've never taught me how to do that, yet!" How do you explain to a 4 year old about the process to learning how to read and that she is actually learning right now? Well, I simply told her that we need to learn our letters and their sounds first, sight words second, and then come the books! This shows how her excitement and interests have increased! We went to shop at Big Lots the next day, and could you believe that we found the kits priced at $5? Surely that was mispriced? Anyway, I bought the only 2 kits available and am excited to get them out later today.

One Sunday (over 10 months ago), we were driving across town to attend church. Lauren was talking and rambling on making up a story...letting her imagination run as usual...when she piped up with a word and told us what letter of the alphabet that it started with! She had picked up discriminating initial sounds on her own! Now that is impressive, and believe me when I saw that! Since I am a kindergarten teacher after all and teach reading myself everyday! I have never met such a bright child with such an amazing memory as my little ladybug...especially at such a young age! I see 5 and 6 year olds that are just learning how to do the things that she was doing at age 2! We had worked with her to foster a good, academic foundation without tiring her out or making it a chore! The key is exposure and life experiences. I feel that pushing a child too far backfires. Their little attention spans only last so long (1 minute for every year they are old), so it is important to make learning fun!

Ladybug is now sounding out simple, 3 letter words, and she has learned to write her letters of the alphabet this summer. She had already known how to write the letters in her first name for a year or more, but we focused on the rest of the alphabet over the summer. I really should have taught her sooner, but it was easier over the summer when I am on break and have all of the time to focus on just her with out the stress or headaches from work. Now, I can spell a word out loud and she will write it on paper with very little help. Also, she absolutely LOVES to pretend read out loud to anyone (or thing) that will listen!

Lauren is on the right track to being a great student some day! Maybe in about 13 or so years, I'll be writing this little blog as is going off to college....imagine that! I can see it now...The Ladybug Chronicles, The College Years! Well, maybe I'm not ready to imagine that just yet! LOL! For now, I am happy with my baby playing with her baby dolls and snuggling with her special blanket, "silky B" in my arms as a rock her at night!

Philip and I are so proud of her that we could burst!

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

A trip to Anne and Gary's in GA

Philip and Lauren with Daddy Joe

Ladybug loved Anne & Gary's dogs

A lovely backdrop...I need to hire Anne as

our gardener! Just think of all the pics I could take at our house

with a garden like this!

Fishing with Uncle Gary

Kayaking with Mommy

A beautiful Ladybug in Anne's beautiful garden

At the end of July, we took a trip to GA to visit with Philip's Aunt Anne and Uncle Gary. Philip's grandfather, Daddy Joe, is living with them now since he is physically unable to care for himself. We had such a nice, relaxing visit! They have a beautiful home on the lake, so we had much fun swimming and boating!

PS...I would LOVE post pictures of Anne on my blog. Unfortuantely, she doesn't like to have her picture taken. This is why you don't see any pics of her! I didn't want anyone to think that I was leaving her out! We love you, Anne!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Fun in Pawley's Island

Our little bathing beauty!

Splashing around with cousin Ben

Picnics on the beach are the best!

Making a "Sand Angel!"

Lauren learns to write her name in the sand for the first time!

Lauren loves to play with Penny (the dog) and Tandy (Mary's doll)

Showing some love for marine life!

Lauren loved playing with the seaweed!

Lauren wanted to be a mermaid! So, we buried her

in the sand and gave her a mermaid tail!

Lauren with her "Auntie" Mary.

We made our annual visit to Aunt Mary and Uncle Jeff this summer in Pawley's Island, SC. It is such a gorgeous place that Philip and I would love to live there some day! We had fun playing on the beach every single day during our trip. This was a relaxing vacation. We didn't do a lot of shopping this time, because we have pretty much visited everywhere there. Instead, we wanted to take it easy, because we knew that our upcoming Disney World trip (over fall break) would be very hectic.