The Mall

LG is feeling a little better today.  Her eyes look a bit better, although they are still red and chapped.  The doctor said she is not contagious, so we decided to change the scenery and stroll LG around the mall.  They have installed a merry-go-round in the food court, and, as you know, LG loves merry-go-rounds!  She wanted to ride it, so that is another good sign that she is feeling better.  She rode the gorilla first and then the white horse!  She wants to come back tomorrow.  :)

Sadly, I am now starting to go downhill.  I feel as if I am getting the flu.  I hope not!

Christmas and a Sick Little Girl

This morning when LG woke up, she could not open her eyes.  They where glued shut from all the tearing up and puss that was coming out of them.  LG was going to have her 2 year old check up later in the week, but I called, and they saw her early.  Apparently, she has an ear infection and a virus in her eyes.  Poor thing.  She has never been so sick.  This is worse than Spain!  (I will spare you the pictures.)  We decided to go ahead and open some Christmas gifts anyway to try to cheer her up a bit.  Granddaddy liked his mug LG made him, and Grangmother liked her purse from Spain.

USA Here We Come!!!!

Today we boarded a plane to head back home for an early Christmas with the grandparents.  Sadly, LG started feeling bad in the car on the way to the airport.  Halfway through the flight she had a fever, and now her eyes are running, and she is just miserable.  I have never been so glad to be home in my life!

Football...or is it Soccer?

Tonight B got the chance to go to a football match with some friends.  (Football is what they call soccer here.)  Oh, and the scarf is not a sudden Dr. Seuss fashion statement that Byron is making, here you wear your team's scarf to show your support.

Looking a lot like Christmas

Time to get ready for Christmas by putting up decorations.

A Weekend Away

This weekend we went on a church retreat.  I was expecting to be roughing it like back home on these kinds of things.  Instead, as you can see, we stayed in a converted manor house!!!!!

We had a lovely time, even if LG wore her tutu the whole time, and woke up in the middle of the night each night.  B and the other American at our church huddled over their computers to watch the American football one evening, and LG watched her first full length film, Cars 2.  I taught a small language class, and LG held up my flash cards for me.  :)

Thanksgiving with Americans

You can't just have an American holiday and not celebrate. So, instead of cooking another meal, some of us Americas got together for a meal at a local restaurant that serves Thanksgiving-like food (turkey, ham, beef, and unlimited vegetables).

Turkey Leftovers

LG is proof that turkey makes you sleepy.  She literally fell asleep in her chair after eating tonight's Thanksgiving leftovers!

A True Southern Belle

I made buscuits again because I still had some buttermilk left.

You can move the child across the water, but you can't take the taste of the South out of her mouth.  :)

Crayons

Celebrating Thanksgiving with Nationals

Many of our friends here are fascinated by our Thanksgiving. Some have dropped subtle hints wanting to get an insider's view of this very American holiday. So, this year we decided to invite two families who seemed to be the most interested. Since, of course, the actual Thanksgiving Thursday is not a holiday here, we decided to celebrate on the Saturday before. We had several American dishes (pecan pie, frozen pecan pie, green bean casserole, turkey, dressing, corn casserole, etc.).  I also made biscuits from scratch for the first time! After we stuffed ourselves, we all made hand turkeys. B was asked to give the history behind Thanksgiving. What a wonderful day giving thanks!

Before the festivaties began, LG donned her winter hat, grabbed her orm and notebook, and "took a nap".  Even after her nap, she decided her hat looked good with her Alabama cheerleading outfit.  :)

Preparing for Thanksgiving

LG helps prepare for Thanksgiving!!  If you can't tell this is the back of a turkey table topper.  :)

Toddler Trampoline

I teach a book club each Friday for our English students.  We meet at a friend's house, and LG loves playing with the little boy there.  Their favorite toy is his toddler trampoline.  Have you ever heard of such a thing?  They have the best time jumping and laughing...as you can see!  :)

Pottery Paint

LG and I strolled down to the pottery place this morning by our house so that LG could make some mugs for the granddads.  She picked out the colors she wanted to use, and she did a really good job of painting the whole mug.  I then added "Grandpa" and "Grandaddy" to the outside of the mugs.  LG also painting a Christmas tree Christmas ornament for our tree.  I made ornaments like this when I was a child.

Crackers and Tutus

Today LG discovered the joy of crumbling crackers in soup.

She also was given a new tutu by her friend Gloria, and she hasn't taken it off.  :)

This morning I had another appointment with my doctor in the city.  It's truly amazing all the trouble and time it takes to get in to see her, just for her to take my blood pressure, do a urine test, and ask me how I feel.  There is never anything else she does.  I guess that's ok as long as the baby is ok.

No More PT

Yesterday at church creche, I noticed that LG was playing with a doll that had it's own passy/dummy.  I asked a fellow worker about they doll, and they told me where to get one.  So...this morning, I went out first thing and bought one for LG.  I didn't give it to her until this evening at bedtime, and I told her that she was a big girl now and didn't need a "PT" (her word for passy/dummy) anymore.  Instead, she can give a PT to her new baby doll at night when she needs it.  LG seemed to be ok with this, if not a little sad.  She kept repeating that she was a big girl, and she went right to bed with her new baby, and she gave the baby it's PT.  We will see if this lasts!

2 Year Old Birthday Party

Today we had LG's birthday party!  I had invited 7 kids but thankfully only 3 showed up.  I think if there had been any more, it would have been total chaos. We also got to Skype with Grandma N. for a bit during the party!

Last night I made LG's carrot cake.  It was a box cake this year only because I have been so sick.  We also had blueberries, grapes, and yogurt for the kids...all of LG's favorite things.

LG received 3 books, some finger paint, a toy clock, and a playdough machine from her friends.  We gave her a doll bed.  LG gave pots of playdough as her party favors.  She opened all her presents and cards by herself!

For dinner/tea, we strolled down to McDonald's for LG's favorite meal (sadly). 

When we got home, another neighbor friend (who accidentally napped through the party) came over to bring his gift.  He gave LG a makeup set! (Which we don't have a picture of.)  We do have a picture of our stressed out little family during the party when certain of the kids where being wild.  Do you know that a number from LG's new clock was lost by one of her party guests?  We have yet to find it.

Good Sleep

LG slept well during the night in her big girl bed.  She didn't fall out of bed once!

Today when she took her nap, I was amazed to see the state of her bed when I went upstairs to get her after she woke up.  I guess, she is like her parents and likes to read in bed!  :)

Big Girl Bed

Since LG is two now, we thought it might be a good idea to transition her out of her crib/cot into her toddler day bed/cot bed.  We weren't sure how this would go.  We asked her if she would like to move into a big girl bed, and she seemed unsure.  B and I thought we would give it a go anyway, and just see how it went.

Since LG's crib converts into a big girl bed, LG became immediately excited when she saw Daddy take out this tools and start to take one side of her bed off.  She wanted to help, of course, so Daddy let her.  After the bed was converted, I dressed it like a big girl's bed with pillows, a quilt, and a throw.  She was just sooooooo excited by this point!  Her hesitation had completely gone.  She jumped in her bed and did not want to leave!  B found my old workout mat and put it beside the bed, and I put pillows beside the bed, just in case LG fell out.  We will see how she does tonight.

I'm so proud of LG of moving into a big girl bed! (If you look closely at the photos, you can see how badly LG chipped her teeth.)

Later in the afternoon, LG and I met up with our Irish and Israeli friends to walk to a new high street.  The kids had a great time at first in their strollers/push chairs, and then when we got to the park after the high street, we let them run around.  They loved it!  I, on the other hand, just about didn't make it.  Even though I have resolved to keep walking everywhere, it sure is hard to walk a long piece at a decent pace.