Swim Update

Alice jumped into the water all by herslf. Of course, she immediately sank, but we were there to bring her back up. She is also learning to hang onto the side of the pool, and loves the slide.

ByeBye

Alice has finally embraced the word ByeBye. We figured, up until this point, she just really didn't like goodbyes and just decided to not say Bye.

Leave it up to the Backyardigans to break through the no-ByeBye logic. Now when a show is over, Alice waves and says ByeBye. She has even begun to say ByeBye to Daddy when he leaves for work.

Swim update

Alice is up to 6 seconds underwater now ;-)

Alice loves the Backyardigans

The Backyardigans have become a family favorite. They keep Alice entertained during long car rides, they are the morning wake up show and after school milk and cookies wind down show. They play almost constantly during the weekend, so Alice can saunter to the TV room, sit down and have a few quite moments.

The Backyardigans are a Noggin show (Nick Jr.) The show is an animated musical-adventure series aimed at children between the ages of 2 and 5 (see - I told you she was advanced). In each episode, the show's five preschool friends—Pablo, Tyrone, Uniqua, Tasha, and Austin—rely on their vivid imaginations to transform their backyard into completely different worlds, in which they go through many sorts of stories and adventures.

This week, Alice recieved a set of beenie-baby Backyardigan stuffed animals. She was so excited to get them, she carted them around all day.

At first I thought Tyrone was her favorite

but the next day I thought it was Pablo,

but now I think it is Uniqua, because of her antenne - which she likes to chew on.

UPDATE 7/31/09

Her favorite is definately Tyrone......

Cry Pillow

Alice is almost always a sweetie, but there are times when she gets so mad and frusterated that she throws a bit of a tantrum - and she's not even two yet...she is definately advanced for her age ;-)

However, we know we cannot indulge in these tantrums, especially when she has been told she cannot have her way. To keep her from hurting herself, we have created "The Cry Pillow".

When Alice must run her cry course, we place her on the play mat on her cry pillow and tell her to cry it out on the pillow.

We are close at hand, just around the corner, but far enough for her to see that we are not going to cater to her tantrum. She typically crys a few minutes, but then realizes that she is surrounded by toys...and it is much more fun to play with the toys than scream into a pillow.

We have run this tactic by our resident child development expert (Jill) and she tells us it is a good method - yay us!

Swim update

At swimming class today, Alice held her breath underwater for 4 seconds.
Baby steps, but progress every week!

Independence Day 2009

The Meadows and the Bickels held our second annual Alice Independence Day. Below are some pictures from the afternoon spent at Grandma Didi and PopPop's Lake house in East Texas

Checking out the water

Alice and Mom in the Lake

All the Ladies swimming!

Alice and Dad - with the flag waiving beyond.

Summer Days

Although the weather has been unseasonably hot, Alice loves to go outside.
All she has to do is go over to the sliding glass door, beat on it a few times, and say "GO?"

Alice and Mom making bubbles

Alice playing in her sand/water table from Grandma Didi and PopPop

Alice loves Daddy's cowboy hat

Our little Artist

Updates

Alice has been having "splash day" about once a week this summer. We bring her in her swim suit and a provide a change of clothes and her and her classmates go and run about in some sprinkling water :-) She likes to do this at home so I'm sure she likes it at school.

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Alice can say "cookie" clearly. When I pick her up at school the first thing she does is run to me and say "Go". On the way home (i.e. implementation of the "Go" request) Alice's next request is "More", by which she is requesting a snack. She can almost say snack but due to the importance of the request she doesn't chance it with new words and uses "More". I have been suggesting options to her on the way home and she has learned to say, "Cookie", which is a favored option. So when we get home (i.e. "Go" accomplished) I can implement the "More" request with a cup of Milk, she is still working on that one, and a cookie which she proudly repeats as she munches it down.