My Name is....

At 2 years old...

Grace has been two now for almost a month. I haven't done an update yet because we hadn't been to the doctor for her check up until yesterday! So... here goes some fun facts about our little one! :)

Weight: 23 1/2 (25%)
Height: 34" (50%)

*Grace communicates her needs and wants well. There is still a lot of babbling but its beginning to make more and more sense each day.
*She can say "My name is Allie Grace McLaughlin" (however McLaughlin seems to come out sounding more like the word 'daughter').
*For about a month now she has been able to count to ten. She first did it when we went on our vacation the first of May. If she's focused she doesn't skip any numbers, however if she does leave out a number its usually the 4 or the 9.
*I have tried my BEST to get the two above said items on video. However, she's camera shy and wont do it whenever I have the camera in her face. :( Maybe one day!
*She passed all of her developmental tests at the pediatrician yesterday and the pediatrician was pleased with her development. Based on her Height and Weight her BMI is slightly below the 'healthy weight' range that our pediatrician would like to see. She says that she doesn't for a second think Grace is malnutritioned but that she just probably is a little busy body with a high metabolism. The doctor would like to see her a little more plump. She recommended that we give her a daily multi-vitamin supplement and watch what she eats a little more. She wants to see us back in 3-6 months for a weight check and then she will determine if she wants to do some blood work to see if Grace may be anemic.
*Her favorite songs right now are: "Ten little fingers on my hands" and "You are my Sunshine". She loves to sing these with you. Even though they aren't word for word, she does a pretty darn good job!
*Her favorite books right now are: "Sleepy Bunny", "Flip, Flap, Fly", and any Curious George Book.
*She's still on a Dora and Diego kick and has learned to love Sid the Science Kid again.
*She tries her best to be a big helper. Even when it might be bringing me the laundry as its already folded and I'm beginning to put it away and by the time it gets to me its all unfolded. :)
*We're still not potty trained. I made an attempt and with maybe 4 out of 30 successful tries gave up. Three of those times we sat and sat on the potty only for Grace to beg to get up and pee in her panties before she even got out of the bathroom. I grew overwhelmingly frustrated and gave up. We have all of the needed materials so I hope to try again very soon.
*Some of my favorite thing she does/says: sings, when she says "Bless You" when someone sneezes, her big/tight hugs, storytime just before bed, her fake laugh is hilarious & a little scary if you didn't know her personality, when she waves her arm to come toward her and tries to say 'come on' instead it comes out "m'on". :) I love when she comes up to me and rubs my arm / back and asks me if I'm okay. "o-tay?" She isn't satisfied until I tell her I'm okay. I could go on and on here...
*Her favorite toys are her alphabet puzzles. She loves for me to say the letter before she places it in the puzzle, there are a few she recognizes on her own. If its possible to have a favorite letter I'd say hers is M. Each time I say M she says Moon with a big smile (same with D and duck). She's beginning to learn that she might have to turn the puzzle pieces to make them fit without me having to tell her each time.
*Grace refers to herself as baby. "baby do it" or "baby cry" (which she tells me as she's crying), "baby's turn", etc.
*Grace went to the dentist for the second time a few weeks ago. She screamed like a champ. the. entire. time. we were there! ;) Her dentist said all of her baby teeth are in so no more teething! :)
*Grace's comfort is still her passy. I kept saying it was going to be hard to get it away from her but I think its gotten worse. When she has one still still asks for another, "two passy" and isn't satisfied until she has two.
*She loves her weekly visits to the library. She's often so excited about new books she forgets to use her library voice. It's quite funny watching her fill her arms with new books to bring home. Even though she just grabs off the shelves she's picked a few good ones that we've really enjoyed. :)
*She finished her last Kindermusik class in May. We had fun interacting with other children and learning lots of new songs to sing.
*We have a few things on the agenda for summer! Kindermusik one-day-a-month play dates, story times at the library, a three day dance camp, Mommy & Me swimming lessons with Aunt Brooke and who knows what else might pop up!
*Her hemangioma has healed nicely from her recent surgery. Although I don't see much coloring difference in it yet, I can tell a big difference in the texture of the birthmark.

Hope you all are well! xoxo
SM&G

Tubin'

Grace went tubin' for the first time this past Saturday. These photos were taken with my camera phone so excuse the quality.

Happy Birthday Scott!

Yesterday was Scott's birthday. Once he got home we gave him his presents and then went to the Carolina Mudcats baseball game.
Grace had a hotdog at the game but Scott & I got to enjoy a baby free dinner in the Mudcats restaurant, Cattails. It's an awesome restaurant, not what you think you'd find at a baseball stadium. My friend Danelle was here for an extension training. She spent the night with us & met us at the game so she kept Grace while Scott and I enjoyed dinner.
Happy Birthday Scott! We love ya!

Extreme Couponing?

OK, not so much, but I tried! :) I've been clipping coupons for a while and carry them with me all the time and use them when I can. I promise no dumpster diving is involved. I just clip them when I see them in magazines or print them when I get some sent to my email. We also get a mailer of coupons once a week in the mail so I'm sure to comb through that carefully. I dont even purchase the Sunday paper every week. Once in a while but maybe once every 3-4 months.

When I first started couponing I would clip whatever coupon I saw and just because I had a coupon for it, it would go on our grocery list. So, even though I was saving money on a particular item I really wasn't because I'd never end up using it and it would expire before I could, so it was really just wasted.

I have gotten better about only clipping coupons that I need or of things that I use often. So, last week I did more than just see if I had a coupon for something that was in my grocery cart before checking out. It took way more time but I did save some money!

Last week Harris Teeter had triple coupons going on (I think today's the last day). Which meant that if I had a .50 off coupon for an item, it really took off $1.50. They would only triple coupons less than $1. I had some as much as .75 off so that really meant $2.25 off that particular item! I did some research and found out what Harris Teeter had on sale for the week with their VIC cards (same as MVP for you Food Lion shoppers). Then compared that with coupons in my stash and even searched for a few coupons on the web. I then made my grocery list based on the Vic Items and what coupons I had, but only if I could use the coupon for a triple discount and only if I knew we'd use those things before they went bad.

Some things that caught my attention were: Martha White Muffin Mix BOGO (the blueberry cheesecake ones are the best!), Boneless Chicken Breast BOGO (we eat chicken and pork all the time), Sunmaid Raisins BOGO (Grace loves), Kraft Dressings BOGO (we use italian for marinating & in other recipes often), and Deer Park Bottle Water BOGO. Unfortunately I only had one coupon for the BOGO items (Dressings) to get additional costs of these items but we use all these often so BOGO is fine with me. Most of the items on my list were on sale with VIC and then I had coupons to get additional discounts too.

Examples:
*Smithfields Bacon is usually $5.99 each. They were 2 for $9 (store savings of $2.98) and I had a .75 coupon ($2.25 savings), so I really paid 6.75 for two packs of Smithfields Bacon, normally 11.98.
*Goldfish Grahams are usually $2.39. They were vic for @2.15 and with my 0.35 coupon I saved $1.05 more making them just $1.10.
*Kraft Dressings: were BOGO so I got two for $2.99 and then I had a $1 off coupon (couldn't triple) but I still only paid $1.99 for two bottles of Zesty Italian Dressing (normal cost would have been 5.98)
*I was a little disappointed in the BOGO Deer Park Water though, I think they upped the original price and then offered the BOGO. Not cool. :)

You could tell other people had the same mission when I was in there. There were people in there just taking notes, I'm guessing for future trips. There were people with their large 3 ring binders full of coupons and divided into appropriate categories. The triple couponing was a craze even to the point that all of the french's mustard, french's french fried onions, and starkist tuna fish were completely off the shelves when I got there. Each one of those items were on my list too. They were on vic and I had triple coupons for all of them. Guess they were the best deals.

So.....
My grand total was: $176.29.
After using my Vic card: $129.80
Vic savings: $46.49
After scanning coupons (13 triple coupons and 5 non-triple) total was: $102.80
Coupon savings: $27
Total savings of $73.49

My best savings yet. My record before was around $22 or something! So needless to say I'm pretty stoked!

...then I drove to the gas station and put $75 in my car, saved just enough in groceries to *almost* fill up my tank. :)

That's one way to think about it...

Saw this "essay" titled "Why We Love 2-year Olds". Since we've just entered the so called "terrible" 2's I thought it was cute to share.

"Here's Why We Love Them"
(found in American Baby & http://www.parents.com/)

Despite having what I consider expertise in the area (and being prepared for the worst), I still marvel at the way toddlers are equipped, at such a young age, to develop a mind completely of their own. So I do the only thing I can do: Try to maintain my sense of humor -- and my sanity -- by seeing her behavior in a new light. For instance:

When she takes a running leap and lands on top of me, she is questioning whether she will always be able to lean on me. And because I always want her to know the answer is yes, I tolerate it.

When she yells "No!" and points her finger, returning the glare she undoubtedly learned from me, she is asserting herself. I couldn't be more relieved. I hope she will maintain that perseverance right into her teen years, when she can use it on any boy who dares to try to get fresh with her. And into her adult years, when her stubbornness will be called "determination."

When she attempts to stick a bobby pin she's found into the light socket, she is exploring her world and trying to discover how things work. Perhaps she'll be an engineer one day.

When she draws on the walls with a purple crayon, she is expressing her creativity. I try to think of her as an artist in training. And even more important, she is learning the value of leaving her mark on the world.

When she breaks my favorite lamp and flashes her award-winning smile just as I am coming toward her, she is practicing her people skills. Perhaps she'll be a great politician (though I hope she'd be the rare kind who maintains integrity).

When she tries to stuff the kitten into her brother's lunchbox, she is experimenting with spatial concepts.

When she wrestles with her brother over a toy, calling "Mine!" loud enough to be heard down the street, she is being bold and going for what she wants. I just hope that in the future, if she doesn't get her way, her solution won't be to bite in retaliation.

When she climbs our chain-link fence with bare feet, she is proving that no challenge is too difficult for her to meet. And when I discover her playing in the yard of the neighbors who live behind us, she is reaching beyond her own little world, refusing to be provincial.

When she lies on top of her 7-month-old sister, crushing the baby with enthusiastic hugs and kisses, she is unabashedly wearing her heart on her sleeve.

When she insists I read The Little Engine That Could to her again, for the seventh time in a row, she is teaching me patience.

When she dumps macaroni all over the kitchen floor, stops to acknowledge my "No!" by turning briefly to look at me, and then goes right back to what she was doing, she is showing her ability to follow through with a task.

When she gets tickled over something I take for granted -- the toast popping up from the toaster when it's browned, for instance -- she is blessing me unaware. How many times have I longed to see the world through the eyes of a child once again? Thanks to her, I can.

When I catch her trying to eat the cat's food, she is proving that she will not be a picky eater -- and that she has survival skills, which may come in handy later in life (especially if she ends up on some reality TV show).

When she gleefully rips off her dry diaper, throws it in the sink, and races for the toilet, then refuses to sit on it, she is exercising her prerogative to change her mind.

When I call her name and she immediately breaks into a sprint in the other direction, she is listening to her own inner voice and refusing to be a conformist.

When she suddenly decides to throw a tantrum in the middle of a restaurant, she is teaching me humility. And that leftovers reheated later at home usually taste just as good as food served fresh.

When she steps into my enormous shoes, which swallow her tiny feet, and clumsily tries to walk in them, she makes me reflect upon my great responsibility to provide a good role model for her to follow.

And when she stands on the kitchen table with no pants on, refusing to even put on a diaper, and dances... well, I can only think the worst about that. So I try not to read too much into it, because I am choosing to remain positive.

Hemangioma: Laser Surgery 5.12.11

Today was round two for Grace's laser surgery. She is napping peacefully downstairs so I thought I'd take a minute to write about today.

I was afraid that as soon as we'd get into the waiting area that Grace would realize where she was and begin to throw a fit. However instead, she found a little girl that's just 2 months younger than her to play with. They shared books and other toys as we waited. This little girl, Carley, has a port-wine stain on her right cheek and was there for a laser treatment too. Carley's Dad and I discussed the treatments and how unprepared we were for their first surgerys once it was time for them to be put to sleep. Carley was soon called back for her turn and we waited more.

Once we were called back into the pre-op rooms Grace's attitude completely changed. She was constantly crying, saying: "go, bye-bye" or "away" she knew what was about to happen. It took lots of blowing bubbles to get her calmed down. We had discussed at her last treatment, giving her something to help with anxiety but this particular anesthesiologist was different and didnt think we needed to go that route.

After pre-op stuff it was time to head back into the operating room. I was dreading this part because of how terrible it was last time. This time they did let me hold her in my lap while giving her the gas but it still took everyone else in the room to keep her still and keep the mask on her for her to breathe in it. Of course, I lost it again but it didn't take her long to calm down and fall asleep (it felt like forever to me though)!

About 25 minutes later Dr. Bellet came out and told me that things went fine. That Grace was already awake and was mad as a hornet. She did say that she increased the intensity of the laser this time and would like to do another round of laser July 14th. She said we could stop the laser treatments at anytime and see where it would go on its own but she felt that we probably needed one maybe even two more treatments for now.

We then got to go back and see Grace. It took us a while to get her called down. We both knew the only way she was going to calm down was to get her out of there. After some ibuprofen and juice the crying turned to snubs and we were able to get the wires and stickers off, get her dressed and get out of there.

Again, it definitely has dark pink/purple splotches (bruising) all over. This time there were even a few spots that were a brownish color that I'm hoping aren't going to form into scabs. It was really red and irritated looking too right after the surgery but that aspect of it has seemed to go away a little bit. We will continue to keep the area moist with Vaseline until the bruising has resolved, which can take anywhere from 10-14 days and keep her out of the sun.

Scott and I discussed the July 14th surgery and because it is summer and Grace being outside and in the sun a lot that it's not a good time. Dr. Bellet agreed and we're scheduled for another treatment in September.

Thanks again for all of the prayers, messages, etc. today! Things went as smoothly as possible and we've avoided all side effects so far. Now we're praying for no scabbing, no infection, and no blistering.