Nothing like FREE Entertainment

Something is in the air with Colleen because the last week or two, she is more comical and entertaining than the usual!  BEWARE!  LONG POST because of all the humor she has provided recently!!

About two to three weeks ago, Russell thought he would try something with her.  He found the dualing banjos song from some old movie, which title has left me at this very moment, and thought he would see what she did.  Well, like the banjos, she started slow dancing and then got faster and faster.  I finally managed to get video of her "dancing" to some of the fast part last night.  Because it is dark and she is moving so fast, it is not of the best quality, but it will give you the idea of how we laugh constantly!  Enjoy!

He has also found the song "Jump Jump" and she asked for it by name and that is exaclty what she does with it...Jump, Jump!  Maybe I can get video of that soon!

She has started asking when she is going to get to drive!  She knows she has to be a big girl like mommy, but I think she may be thinking when she turns FOUR in October, she becomes a big girl!  Driving has come up on more than one occassion in the last week, so let's just hope it is a phase!

Like her momma, she enjoys pro football too.  I was watching a game the other night (unfortunately it was the Texans and the Cowboys were on and thanks to leaving in a Houston area, if the Texans are on - that is the only team I get to watch).  I told her it was getting late, she needed to go start picking up her room and settling down for bed.  She said, "But I want to watch the football game".  I asked her if she wanted her TV on the game and she said yes, so I turned it on for her.  In a few minutes, Russell walked into her room and thought she had changed it or I left it on that by accident and tried to change the TV.  She quickly told him to NOT change the channel, she was watching the football game!  Russell was not real sure what to say, but just walked out! 

Speaking of sports, Colleen has been running around the house kicking a ball around.  She actually does pretty good and hardly ever misses kicking the ball (better coordination than I had for sure!).  I said something about soccer to her and she said, "Look at me, I'm good at soccer"!  She is excited to sign up and play a little soccer through the YMCA this year.  Should be interesting to watch a group of 3 year olds playing soccer!!

Colleen has also come to enjoy the show "Wipeout".  If you have not watched at least one episode, you should!  It is a show of "obstacle courses" I guess you could call them, but usually involves people looking and acting crazy.  If you go on that show, you have to know millions of people are at home watching and making fun of you because you will most likely end up falling into a pool of mud, then water, getting stuff like mustard and ketchup shot at you, dropped in whip cream, and all in all worn out and out of breath!  But, it is so funny and Colleen just loves watching these people.  Last night, she asked for the "water kids" and I couldn't figure out what she was talking about and she finally pointed to the TV and said, "you know, where people fall off in water and get wet"!  Oddly enough, it came on last night and she got to enjoy another episode!

On the way home from school yesterday, Colleen gasped and says "Oh my gosh"!  I asked her what was wrong.  She pointed to a new apartment complex that is being constructed and says, "Mommy, that man was on the roof.  We are not supposed to be on the roof-es, he might fall off and bump his head."  Glad to know we have taught the fearless wonder a little about safety!

I think I mentioned in the last post that Colleen had started what I like to call pre-pre-K (you know, the year before pre-K!).  Well, she was not in the best of moods, so wasn't real interested in having her picture made, so I did the best I could with what she gave me to work with!!

Colleen is falling in the footsteps of Russell and myself and has a love of technology.  She loves my iPhone and I have several apps she enjoys playing (which are actually educational, so learning can be fun!) and she knows how work my iPhone and get to the apps.  She is also starting to enjoy her ClickStart keyboard (by LeapFrog) more.  It connects to the TV and the child can play educational games with it while learning how to use a keyboard and mouse.  Colleen was playing with hers last night and I managed to snap a quick pic!

Also, as mentioned in a previous post, Colleen added a few tricks for the swimming pool.  I finally managed to get videos of those too!  Sit back and enjoy!

First, we have the Jump and Sit (this was actually not one of her bests because usually she gets her feet more parallel to the pool, but you get the idea!)

Next is the Jump & Tuck!  She thought she would be cute and look at mommy during this jump!

Next, we have the Jump & Spin (love how she holds her nose when going in!)!

And last, but not least, we have the trying to hold breath in water, and swim a little.  She gets better and better at this and is trying longer amounts of time each time.

Summer Fun coming to an end, School has begun!

On Monday, Colleen promoted to what I like to call pre-pre-K!  You know, the class before pre-K!  It's known at school as the 3 year old class, but I think pre-pre-K sounds better!  ;)  We loved Colleen's class last year and her two fabulous teachers and this year is no different (well...one minor bump in the road, but that problem has been resolved already!).  She has a great teacher in Meme and is in a class with about 13 other 3 year olds.  This school year will have a more "academic" focus with learning letter sounds and writing letters.  I, of course, am happy to say that Colleen already knows how to write some of her letters, so some of this may just be a refresher course for her!!! 

It is so fun to watch her develop and learn more and more each and every day.  I love the things that she says and many times she provides me great entertainment with the words and phrases that come out of her mouth.  At times, it seems she is such a mature little girl - until she goes into silly  mode.  Which for some strange reason, seems to occur right at bedtime most nights!  She picks up on things Russell and I say, and sometimes uses our own words against us!  But what else is a 3 year old, or should I saw almost 4 year old, supposed to do!  It's all part of growing up.

We have been going to our pool lately and Colleen has added a few more tricks to her list!  She now does the jump and spin, jump and sit, and jump and tuck!  Each one requires such precise timing and movement - JUST KIDDING!  She still does each jump from the top step of the ladder and once we saw the jumps and named them, she will do a jump by name on demand!  It's so funny.  I haven't managed to get them on video yet (I know, shocking for some of you)!  But I will try before swimming pool season is over.  She is also becoming more comfy in the water with attempts to hold her nose and put her face in.  You would think since she goes completely underwater with the jumps, that putting her face in would not be a big deal, but she has yet to attempt it until recently.

Well, I think that's about it for an update!  Check back soon for more!

My Baby is Growing Up

So Colleen is so expressive and we never know what will come out of her mouth.  I have said time and time again, it seems like her vocabulary grows with new words EVERY DAY!  But also, new phrases and sentences, and longer words, phrases and sentences too!  She just amazes with what she says and does.  Not only does she amaze me, but she provides me with a lot of laughter as well!  Colleen has commented on cars being pretty and always wanting to go faster or pass someone.  One day on our way to work, she all the sudden said, "ohhhhh, pretty"!  I asked her what was so pretty.  She said, "that green car up there" pointing to a green volkswagon bug in front of us.  Then she says, "Mommy, I want in the white car up there" (it was in front of the green bug).  I told her we couldnt get in the white car, it was not ours.  She said, "Mommy, I want to buy that white car".  I asked her why...her response, "Because they are going faster than you!"!  Gotta love her. 

She is also putting concepts together.  I have been driving Russell's truck lately, and she told me I needed to be careful driving daddy's truck so I didn't hurt it b/c daddy might get mad if I hurt his truck! 

She will be promoting to a new class at her school on Monday.  I am happy and sad at the same time.  Not only is it an indication my baby is growing up, but it also means she will no longer have the two fabulous teachers she has had this last year.  Ms. Patty and Ms. Amber are amazing and we have been so lucky to have had them.  However, she will be getting another awesom teacher in Mimi.

Colleen & Ms. Patty

Colleen & Ms. Amber

Seaworld 2010

Go me...multiple posts in a week!

Last weekend, we had the opportunity to take Colleen to Seaworld. When talking to her about the trip beforehand, I told her she would get to feed the dolphins, she had told me "I don't want to feed the dolphins, I want to feed the sharks"! I had to break it to her that she could not feed the sharks, but she was then super excited to feed the dolphins.

We had taken her two times before, but it seems since the last time, she had really grown and matured I guess you could say. So, we thought this year was going to be a great time for her - even more so than in years past. Boy, were we right! She had a BLAST! She got to feed the dolphins, see three shows, incuding the new Azul and Shamu Rocks show, and many animals. AND have her picture made with the penguin character. She was so excited to do it all. She talked about it non-stop from the time we told her we were going to the time we got there and throughout the day there. If she knew we were going to do something, like feed the dolphins - she asked about feeding the dolphins until we did! We were at Seaworld from 10:30 am to 7:30 pm. She took about an hour nap in between shows in the evening. She had her picture made with a couple of the skiers from the Cool Vibrations ski show (I think mom and dad have a picture of me with some skiers when I was very young too!). All the heat and waiting in line for stuff was so worth it seeing the smile and laughs on her face! Below is a slide show of the over 100 pictures taken from throughout the day.



Funny story time...The following day as we were loading up the truck, we all took one load of stuff down and while Russell arranged the truck, Colleen and I went back to our room to get the rest of our stuff. As we are walking in the hotel, two teenage girls are running into the hotel (they forgot something). Colleen looks at me and says "Mommy, they should not run, they may fall and hurt themself". I said, "I know baby" We got into the elavator, and ended up in the elavator with these two girls. Colleen looks at them, then turns towards them and tells them, "Don't run". They just looked at her like she was crazy and I am trying not to laugh hysterically b/c my 3.5 yr old just told these two teenage girls not to run! Needless to say, we ended up back on the elavator going back down and I was anxiously waiting for Colleen to tell them that again, but she did not!

Can't wait for next time!

Bigger & Better Things (maybe some rambling too!)

Okay, so the previous post was a little on the dreary side, so I thought I needed another post that was on the positive side. What is a better subject than my hubby and my Colleen! On June 29, 2010, Russell and I celebrated 14 years of marriage. Yes, you read that right - 14 YEARS of wedded bliss. If you know my age or the whereabouts and start trying to do the math, yes, I got married at the age of 19. Some people may not agree with the decision, but I would not change a thing. Russell and I waited 10 more years to bring the joy of our life into this world. Once again, nope, I would not change a thing. That 10 years gave Russell and I a change to grow and have "OUR" time with each other. It allowed me to get two degrees, both of us to get good jobs or at a good place in our job. It allowed me to build time to take 3 months off when Colleen was born and bond with my little angel. People may think some of our choices were wrong...but to each their own. I don't regret any decision I/we made for our family.

Within the last six months, Russell and I also found a church home for our family - Second Baptist Church in Huntsville. Colleen has been going to the preschool there for two years and we decided to try the church service out in January. It didn't take long for us to realize that this was where we needed to be. In early January, we had some medical news that kinda sent me into a state of shock and it took me some time to work through it. It was with the help of the church and God that I got through it and focused on other things. I was also reminded that although I may have a plan for my life, someone else has a plan as well - I just may not always know that plan. Sometimes my plan and God's plan just aren't the same and you just go with God's plan and figure it out along the way. The people at the church are great and the pastor is fantastic. No one is afraid to admit mistakes, no one judges, no one is perfect, and it is all okay.

Colleen is growing so fast and speaking and singing like such a big girl. Sometimes I can't get over the memory of that girl and I am just shocked at what she says and how well she speaks and completes sentences. She is an amazing little girl and I love watching her grow up every single day. I love watching her develop and learn. I love to watch her teach me new things. She sings, she dances, she kicks, she throws, she plays, and so much more. Russell and I have been blessed with such a good child. As with all kids, she does have her moments, but as we see kids in public places and watching parents struggle, I realize how lucky we are to have such a good child (98% of the time!). Colleen is a true joy to me and I cannot imagine my life without her now.

Okay...I think I am done with random thoughts for the night. I will try to get better at this blog thing so my future posts are not so long. Thanks for "listening" and check back again soon!

Random Thoughts (& Venting)

So, I have not posted anything in a month...A couple of reasons for this is because I am not sure I have a tremendous amount to say (I know...shocking), haven't had time, or wondering if my thoughts are something that I should post. But as I sit in a hotel room the last night of a conference, I think - what the heck...just blog away! I am watching HLN News tonight and they are talking about the dramatic weight loss of Jennifer Hudson (former contestant on American Idol for those who don't know) and how she went from a size 16 to a size 6. Apparently Jennifer has been criticized for this weight loss and commented about how she will never be "skinny"! Really people, since when is a size 6 not skinny! The girl looked fantastic! I wonder what in the world is thinking when a size 6 cannot be classified as skinny - just ridiculous. A 6 should be considered healthy. These super thin models that are like size 0 and 2 should really think about the image they are creating and what defines healthy and skinny!

Speaking of models, also on HLN, they discussed supermodel Gisele's recent comments regarding breastfeeding and how there should be a law requiring breastfeeding! REALLY! Seriously! You are a first time mom who got knocked up by her football player boyfriend who had just another kid by another woman and you want to give parenting advice that involves changing or creating laws! Some people can not breastfeed for various reasons, so before you make these comments, you may want to do a little research.

Then you have a Judge that wants to overturn a vote of the citizens of California. How is that possible?? The public voted and there was a majority. If the decision could be overturned by ONE person, what was the point of a vote of the people. Just ask the judge what he/she wants and let them change the law. If the decision of the public can be overturned so easily, I have to wonder other laws and decisions that are made by the public can be overturned by one person. Just doesn't seem to make sense or be remotely right for the American people.

Okay, I think that is it on the venting and random thoughts from the news of today. Now onto bigger and better things...