"Turn off the music!"

Libi just said this to Ron and I as we were singing her the "Night Night Time" song we have created. For those of you who had Denny Lynch for AP History it's very much like the "AP Annie Song" but with different lyrics.

Today was a very low-key day. Libi and I began the day at church. I have forgotten how much I love Episcopal church services: the music, the liturgy, the people-- they never change. I saw no less than 5 folks that I've known since I was a young girl, sang songs that I love, and recited prayers that I've known my whole life. Libi went to the child care for the first part of the service and then they delivered her to me right before comunion. She was a perfect angel for the rest of the service. She held a song book and tried to sing along to all the hymns, she folded her hands in her lap for prayers and she knelt for comunion at the rail-- I was so proud!!!
There was lots of dressing up going on at the Ippolito house today.Libs even got Ron and I into the act.

While Ron and Libs took a nap I worked feverishly on MOPS stuff. We have a meeting on Tuesday and we want to spend a family day at Disneyland tomorrow, so I needed to wrap all that stuff up.

Today we layed low on potty training, we just hung out, read books, dressed up and played. It was a nice lazy Sunday.

This evening when Jammy called we let Libi talk to her, but when she didn't say anything we took the phone away.... this is what happened:


When we finally got Little Miss calmed down we let her take some family pictures.You see, Libi has been obsessed with our camera lately. She is really trying to be a good photographer like Mommy and Daddy. I think we are going to ask Santa to bring Libi a camera of her own. To round out the night, Daddy took some pictures of all three of us...one very happy family!

Potty #2

Sorry for those of you who don't have children or who don't like potty tales, but this is a huge milestone for Miss Libs! Today we were working very hard on potty training. After a few accidents she finally went on the potty at home!!!The poor thing didn't take her panties off, but she did sit on the potty so most of the liquid went in the right place!!!To celebrate, Daddy promised Libs an ice cream cake and she was so excited that she tried to kiss it!To help us celebrate this big day Aunt Andrea, Gizmo, Grammy and Grampy came over. Aunt Andrea even brought Libi some new monkey PJ's-- we can't wait for it to get cool enough so she can wear them.It was fun for Libi to play with Gizmo-- she could never hold Tobee like this!Libs carried him from person, to person, to person--until she was just zonked out!!

Lunch and a movie with friends!

Today we met up with one of my oldest friends and her niece.While we waited Libi and I had a grand time coloring. I drew lots of Halloween stuff for her and then she drew me-- see the blue blob under the witch :)It was such fun to see Janice and Hailey!Libs had a great time with Miss Hailey. She shared her crayons, gave her lots of hugs and was very sweet to her.They even spent some time coloring together!Hailey was darling too. She shared her Snow White bear with Libi and Auntie Janice! I hope we get to see them more often, because it was a really fun lunch!In the evening we had some other friends (this time from MOPS) over for a backyard movie night.Everyone who comes loves our movie nights, but nobody enjoys it more than Libi!!! I think her favorite thing about it is the food.... Popcorn and a sucker, what could be better?While it was a small turn out, we all loved seeing 101 Dalmatians on the big screen!

Potty #1

Today at school the teachers believe that Libi went pee-pee on the potty for the first time. While I'm sad I wasn't there to see it, I'm thrilled that she's moving towards being potty trained!!!Perhaps it was her UCLA shirt that made her feel like such a big girl today, but no matter we are going to celebrate!!!This is Libi with Solea, the little girl from dance class. They seem to be coming good friends!Note this boy on the right-- he is chasing Libi. He ran up to her, patted her bum, then ran away. Libi chased after him and caught him under the slide! Later when the teachers were busy and all the kids were going in for nap I watched this same boy (whose Mom was standing just a few feet from me) grab a ball, toss it in Libs face, fetch the ball and do it again. Libi didn't cry, she just chased after him. I later told her that it wasn't nice what he was doing and she needed to ask him to stop-- she just giggled. At least she wasn't hurt-- she's good a tough!All the excitement tuckered her out. We came home and watched a brand new Mickey Mouse video from Jammy and Granpa as part of our Potty Celebration and before it was over, she was out.I let her sleep for a bit on the sofa before I moved her up to her bed. She's so sweet!This is what happens when your mother is a scrapbooker. My poor daughter fell and got trapped between the tile and her house and she called her Mommy for help. Before I would rescue her, I had to take a picture because it was so funny!As the capper to todays celebration Libi got to pick what she wanted for dinner. We finished the day with tacos and fruit-- such fun!

Wed.

Today there were 3 Play-doh containers out when we got to Nana and Pop's house so Libi knew it was going to be a SUPER fun visit!!!She was in rare form for our visit-- running all around and keeping very busy.Before lunch Libi decided to decorate Nana....and Pop! They were both good sports and let their great-granddaughter veil them.Libi has been very much into coloring lately. This particular masterpiece is a farm complete with pigs, cows, chickens, and ducks! There is also a mouse on this picture whose name is "Hockey"-- not sure why, but it was pretty cute to hear!Poor Pop had a devil of a time with her sandals today, but they both appear to be having fun!!

Other interesting things Libi said during our visit:
"My back is itchy!"
"Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop....." Libi really wanted Pop's full attention today!
Our Wednesday routine is back to what it was last year-- after Nana and Pops we come home for a nap then run over to VUMC for Skipper Club.This super excited face is the reason that we are doing Pioneer Club again this year.This is Libi's friend Paige-- we have known this young lady for years because of MOPS. She is such a darling girl, if only she would smile more :)Here I am surrounded by 14 of my 15 Skippers. You will notice that many of them are crying and screaming-- that's what happens when you have mostly 2 year olds in the class. They are a sweet bunch, we just need to get them familiar with myself and my co-teacher so hopefully the tears will stop!

Two new looks...

Today Libs was so happy to go to school. Her one request on the drive there was listening to "My favorite!" the Wiggles Go Bananas. We have this entire CD memorized (thanks Jammy and Granpa for giving it to us!) It is all that Libs wants to listen to in the car, but Mommy limits it to one time a day .After a quick trip to the park to meet up with some MOPS Moms, some grocery shopping, a visit to Cassie to get my hair cut, and a stop in a local scrapbook store I went back to SCLP to grab Libs. I found her playing "Patty-cake" with her friend Rosie. They were darling together.When I walked through the room to sign Libs out, I saw her family flag proudly hung-- it makes me smile!Libi made a friendship star today. I personally love how she took the "Wow" sticker and turned it upside down so it says "Mom!" I think that means I'm her friend-- even though she doesn't draw me on her family flag :)Before nap we went to see Cassie to get Libi's hair cut. She was really good and patient with the whole process.Look at that cute girl with the very curly pig-tails!Tonight during clean-up time Libi found some dress-up items she had forgotten about. She decided to model them all at once and luckily Daddy grabbed the camera. Such a ham!!!

Ballet Class Day 3

It's 1:41 and I put Libi up for a nap 10 minutes ago... BUT I'm currently listening to the longest version of "If You're Happy and You Know It" being sung through the monitor. This is one girl who knows how to stall taking a nap when she's tired!!!

Funny things Libi has been saying lately:

"I want coffee!"-- She really means Mommy's salt water taffy that we grabbed from Knott's Berry Farm on the way home from Disneyland last week.

"I can shuffle."-- This was the skill they learned today in tap class.

"It's not my fault!"-- I think she got this one from school because we really don't say that at home.

"Help myself!"-- This doesn't mean that she wants any help-- it means that she wants to do any and EVERY task by herself!! This independence is very frustrating for her Mommy!!!So now on to ballet/tap class.Notice all of the girls in the line.... all except mine.I think Libi's favorite song in class is the "Teddy Bear" song-- which is sung by the Wiggles. You see, according to Libi every nursery rhyme and song that has ever been on a Wiggles DVD was created by the Fab Four.

I think Libs has these moves memorized!They are working much more on their positions and toe pointing.Today poor Miss Cheryl Anne was given a run for her money-- she had no less than 3 criers and lots of gals who were less than perfect listeners.Fortunately, Miss Libs was one of the most cooperative girls in class.We were most surprised to find that one of Libi's Preschool classmates is also in our dancing class. I'm hoping that Libi and Solea will grow to be good friends.When its time to switch props the girls are very focused-- if only they would stay focused once they got the props :)

All the girls really like the follow the leader song.

Here's part 2 of the song :)When the girls failed to listen to the instructions about the obstacle course, Miss Cheryl Ann went right to tap shoes.We won't tell Daddy that Libi really loves playing with the pom-poms!She always brings them to the glass for me to see.Then it's off to dance with the girls!This was new-- if only we could do this at home with a Windex-ed cloth.The last part of class is always for giant stamps...and bubbles!