Some of Kaitlyn Joy's Likes

Kaitlyn Joy's birthday is coming up right on top of Christmas so how about some hints on what she likes?

While walking through Target I snapped some photos of things Kj goes to or talks about.  Here's a handful of photos...  By the way, we're getting her the Barbie Dreamhouse for Christmas.

 This was actually taken at Walmart.

 She loves the colored hair on these Barbies.  She had one with purple hair once upon a time, but Rex ate it's arms off.

 She has been excited to see they came out with another large pony.  She has the other one.

 She loves getting clothes for her 18" doll and anything ballet and gymnastics.  Of course she likes the dressy dresses too.

 At a birthday party we went to this summer we gave the little girl one of these.  Ever since the party she has pointed this out as we pass it.

Bought it!

Ahh the slushy... thing.  She must have seen a commercial for this because she wants one.  She also points out the slipper with the flopping ears.  Tonight when I was walking out of her room she told me to go look up the light up pillow and blanket on the computer.  Yeah, no. =p

School Birthday Party

Ahhhhh....  This week has been busy.  On Thursday I went to the school with cookies for Kaitlyn Joy's birthday.  Her party was the third of the week; donuts and cupcakes had been done so we had cookies.  I thought about taking fruit and would have if I had seen a fruit tray at Walmart the evening before.  On a side note anything we take has to be store bought.  I'm not supposed to prep any of it.  I'm going to put all the photos I took below.  There's really nothing to them other then the kids eating their treats on Cinderella plates while drinking their juice boxes.  Parties at school are held over their snack time which is from 9-9:15.  It's less of a party and more of a special snack time.  I did find it comical that some of the kids used their Cinderella napkin as a place mat.  One of the boys wanted a different plate; one more boy-ish. =)

 In this photo I just want to point out the lovely angels in the background; I cut those out. =)  I'm on the Parents Auxiliary and we do a lot of random projects for the teachers.  My hand was aching after this one.  I cut out about 64 angels.  Had I known they were going to fold the sides around into a tube I wouldn't have worked so hard to make it just like the demo and double cut between the wings and "skirt".

For those who are counting, two kids were absent and one child in these photos was expelled later in the day.

Kaitlyn's Likes...

She's two and as of a few months ago living on a new continent; her likes are changing. While living in England Kaitlyn had a whole different string of kids shows she watched like In The Night Garden, Come Outside, and The Shiny Show. She still watches all these shows thanks to http://www.youtube.com/. However, she's now getting to know a whole new group of characters.

Elmo. Other then the TMX Elmo (whom she didn't know who he was when he was packed up in December) and a couple ABC and shape books she doesn't own anything Elmo, but really likes him. When he comes on TV I hear "Elmo, Mommy, Elmo!" She always wants to play with the Elmos when we walk down toy isles.

Hello Kitty. The girl knows her Hello Kitty. Recently I bought Hello Kitty flannel fabric to make Kaitlyn some Boutique Bottoms sleeping pants. I have yet to make them, but she did find the fabric yesterday in her destructive nap time. She doesn't seem to care so much about Hello Kitty dolls as she does fabric, shirts, ect... Someone sent her a Hello Kitty watch from a Happy Meal and she loves it. We also have Hello Kitty Band-Aids... Has anyone ever heard, "Ouch, Hello Kitty Mommy, Hello Kitty"? When she gets hurt she wants a Hello Kitty Band-Aid. BTW, I don't give her a bandage just because she has a bump. The child better be bleeding or have a nasty cut before I will put a bandage on it.

Tinkerbell. The girl loves Tinkerbell. She never noticed anything Tinkerbell before watching the movie a couple months ago. She pulled it out of mom and dad's stash one day so I thought, "why not play it?" and it's been a hit ever since. Of course Tinkerbell is big right now so you see her everywhere. Just like Hello Kitty and Elmo I often hear in the high toddler voice she sports "Tinkerbell, Mommy, Tinkerbell!"

Hermie. Since watching Hermie and Friends videos Kaitlyn is even more interested in bugs. After seeing the videos she noticed her sheet has lady bugs all over it. Thankfully she has been giving us a break, but she used to watch Hermie a minimum of three times a day. When her Hermie craze began we only had one video. Thankfully we are up to four or five now. What I like about Hermie is it's a God centered cartoon with a lesson to be learned like sharing, praying, following the rules and so forth. I only wish we could find Hermie t-shirts, fabric, or even party decor. My goal for her half birthday party is to make a caterpillar cake. It may not look like Hermie, but it will be made out of round cakes in the rough shape of a caterpillar.

Beyond her new favorite characters Kaitlyn loves being outside and reading books. Her three new Dr Seuss books will soon be burned into my mind (like some of her other books) from reading them to her so much. She also rediscovered some Bible story flip books recently. She keeps telling me the Jonah and Daniel books are Jesus. Why does she think they are Jesus? I don't know I didn't tell her they were.

Flowers And Purse Swap

For my birthday Neal sent me roses. They are really pretty. It's only been in the last couple days that I have noticed one dropping off and a second one today. =( I was hoping he was flying home for my birthday, but these are a nice substitute.

Here's my swap purse. I sent it off on Monday. After much debating I decided to go green. The lining is yellow with slight print (white and black dots). I debated sewing all the visible thread yellow (top and strap), but in the end I went with green. I know it's plain. I was actually going for plain. The notebook is covered with the same fabric as the lining. I've never covered a notebook before. It came out rough... I wonder if it's supposed to??? The long pouch with the flower/sun button isn't stuffed in the picture. Before I sent it I put a Snickers in there because they're really satisfying. LOL... I just had to say the last bit. Anyway, I made it to fit a candy bar so it can be hidden in the purse from the kids. You never know when a chocolate emergency may come up. I also made it long enough for girly items just in case she isn't into chocolate. If she isn't into candy bars and doesn't use tampons then I guess she can find her own use for it.

On the inside I added a pocket and magnetic closer. The simple mushroom on the pocket is for my recipient, not for show. I read something once from a woman who sews clothes for her children and nieces. She said she likes to put a little something extra hidden on the garment for the child alone. When I read the recipients story of how people were judging her on her outside appearance, relationships, and so forth I felt she needed something inside the purse. This is her little reminder (as simple as it is) that there's more to her then just her outside appearance. People can try to label her all they want. She isn't formed by their labels. She isn't the label. She is a special person with more to offer then their opinion.

Blackened House

Just when mom thought she had all the black off the walls from burning candles after hurricane Ike, Tia had to go and turn 29. Thankfully Tia blew them out before to much damage was done. Hehehe... Kaitlyn enjoyed saying, "Happy to you, Tia". She said it all evening and into the next day. Now when she sees one of the lighters she says "happy to you".

Kaitlyn didn't waste time putting down her piece of chocolate cake. She even cleaned the plate with her finger. Enjoy it while it lasts kid. Once we move I'm cutting you off again from most sweets. By the way, the boy bib she's wearing she picked out herself. She likes the balls on it.

Happy 2nd Birthday!!!!

Today my Christmas Eve baby turned 2!!!
We took her to Burger King for a kids meal then let her open her presents. She was so excited to see Igglepiggle she didn't even car to unwrap UpsyDaisy. We had to motivate her a little.

She is now playing in the community center for the last time. They close in less then 45 minutes until after the holidays. I think we may go for ice cream before Baskin Robbins closes for the holidays.