Carrots!!

They grew!!

We picked 3 today and are going to wait until the rest get bigger!

She was so surprised when she pulled them up! How fun!

We are going to have one for dinner and she wants to take the other two to the carriage horses tomorrow on our walk.

One week later we pulled this one up:

My Newest Creations

I have had the huge itch to sew and have been making time to do it!!

I bought all of this fabric last spring to sew outfits for Jane for last summer, but never sewed anything since I spent my free time working on my yoga certification. Sooo, I have made outfits for Jane for this spring and summer.

Smocked Bishop Dress

I may put leggings and a long sleeve shirt under this until it gets warmer

This swing top is reversible. I made bloomers for each side. Below is the reverse.

Since taking this picture, I have totally remade this top. It was huge! Now it is more like a 2T instead of a size 8!

I have also created a bib pattern and made 2 bibs, and a baby blanket for a gift. I will post those hopefully later this week. I have one more project for Jane (a sweet nursery rhyme toile fabric) and maybe a smocked Easter bonnet. I need to start on some gender neutral day gowns for Baby 2. I think I will go neutral and do some nice embroidery on each piece.

It's Potty Time!

I wish I could say "Party Time", but we are getting down to business-starting today.

Thursday, Ms. Armetric (said Armetris) reported that she never had to change a wet diaper for Jane. Jane let he know each time she needed to use the potty and she tee-teed in the potty 4 times that day at school. She told me that when I brought her Monday (today) I could bring undies and several changes in clothes for Jane to potty train. Ms. Armetric prefers not using pull-up diapers since the child doesn't seem motivated to use the potty when they can go in the diaper. So, I guess we are moving to big girl undies this week.

Random side note: 2t bikini undies are hard to find in Natchez! I have been to Walmart, Kmart, Walgreens (0) and Freds (0) to find a cute variety and ended up with 3 Mini Mouse and 3 Princess bikinis and 10 generic briefs. If you are looking for 4t, you are in luck! I ws hoping to find Ariel, since Jane is still in the meemer phase.

The selection minus the Princess undies that are at school with her.

The bathroom setup. Although I wanted the white toilet, she seemed more motivated with the Sesame Street one.

Here is Jane's Potty Chart. When she tee-tees, she gets one sticker and 3 Skittles (she is more motivated by the later) and when she poo-poos, she will get 2 stickers and 6 Skittles. Once she collects 7 stickers, she gets Ice Cream. I have followed Laurel Jenkins on this chart and I think Jane is getting it. She keeps pointing to the ice cream picture wanting the ice cream and I keep reminding her that she needs more stickers. Once we get there we will make a really big deal out of it. Over the weekend, she went 2 times (one was at the Carriage House for lunch). I'm not conviced that she understands that poo-poo goes in the potty too.

I will give the 1st day potty report after I pick her up from school.

Ok, well, she only had one accident on the playground! But it was a different story at home. No matter how many times I ask if she wants to go to the potty, she says no. We had an accident in the high chair and on the couch. She slept in a diaper and had 2 more accidents before 10 am on Tuesday. So, I have put her back in a diaper until I can talk to Ms. Armetric today at 1

There's Just Something About Mary

The house around the corner has a statue of Mary and Jane discovered her months ago. She had to get out of the stroller and "meet" her. She held her hand and said "nice meet you" then finally gave her a hug. I thought it was incredibly sweet. She was so gentle with her. I had to giggle a little because we were on a busy downtown street and the cars that passed would see what Jane was doing and just smile.

Today, Jane saw Mary and remembered how she hasn't talked with her in a few months. She wanted out of the stroller to "go see Mary, Jesus' mom. The reunion was great. She put her arm around Mary's shoulders and talked to her. She touched her face gently and asked about the ribbon on her dress. I couldn't get her to leave.

Jane looks so much taller than just a few months ago!

Hitting the 6 Month Mark

Wow! 6 months already!!
This week has been full of movement by baby! There have been many kicks and punches and sometimes it feels like she/he is trying to break out!
Monday, January 9 was the National Championship: LSU v Alababma. There was so much hype over this game! LSU was 12-0 and had beaten AL in overtime during the regular season. Both coaches, Miles and Sabin, were up for being the 3rd coach to win 3 Nationals. The tickets prices were out of control and hotels were booked months in advance. For example, the Ritz required 3 nights at $700/night and 2 tickets were $1800. We stayed in Natchez and went to the Callons to watch and celebrate Jack's 30th birthday. Glad we stayed home because LSU did not show up for the game! It was a shut out, 21-0. Needless to say, Hyde was depressed and I think it was Tuesday afternoon before he really said anything.

Tuesday, Rose came to the house and helped put Jane down for her nap. Jane knows how to push her parent's buttons but does just what Rose tells her to do. I've been stressed out about Jane's sleeping habits-not sleeping, waking up throughout the night, and only going to sleep with one of us in the bed with her. We had to get this under control before baby comes!! Tuesday night I tried to follow Rose's lead and leave Jane in her bed to learn to go to sleep on her own. I read her 3 books and sang to her as usual, but when I placed her in her bed (and she tapped the pillow and whispered "lay down mommy" just as she always does) I didn't lay down. I explained to her that she needed to be a big girl and stay in her bed, close her eyes, and go "sound asleep" (which it what my mom always said to me). I reassured her by telling her I would be in the next room, leave the door open, and come back and check on her. I was able to watch her on the video monitor too. She whined but stayed in her bed! I went back in after 5 minutes and praised her for staying in her bed, kissed her and left again. I had to go back in only one more time and she fell asleep!!! Wooohoooo!!! She fell asleep on her own Wednesday and Thursday too! And this has been happening between 7:30-8 versus before of starting the struggle at 8-8:30 and not leaving her room for an hour. Hyde and I have been able to hang out at night! Dinner, talk, watch a movie, etc-what most married couples do! This is a huge step for the Carbys!!

For the weekend, Hyde and I went in opposite directions. He and Philip went to Klondike, LA to hunt ducks with cousin George Healy and to cousin Kathryn Carby's birthday party. Jane and I went north to Greenwood for my 15 year reunion of the Pillow Academy 37-0 girl's basketball team from 1997.
Jane and I arrived in time for lunch Friday and unfortunately Jane missed her nap. There was just too much to see and do now that she was back on the farm. We bundled up and went to the barn. Randy was driving a tractor taking hay bales to the horses and then Jane was able to help Randy feed he horses. She fed Frosty, Silver, Mystery, Hershey, Breezy, and Splendid. (she adds Bailey in there but Bailey has moved to Jackson) I was able to get Jane down around 7:45 using the same method. Mom and Dad had an engagement party to go to so I hung out at the house and figured out how to use my new iPad.

Saturday morning Jane woke at 5:25 and although we are working on not getting up until Mr. Sunshine is up, it didn't work. I let her play in the room until 8 when I woke up. At 8:30, Papa Mike took Jane with him to his coffee group at McDonalds. They had a great time! Jane had pancakes and was able to play on the playground with some other kids we knew and Dad was able to spend some quality time with Jane. For lunch, we went in to Steven's BBQ and Jane fell asleep on my lap in the booth. She slept for an hour and we all left for the reception at 2:30. The reunion was really nice. Videos and slideshows were playing and everyone brought members of their family. Those that came are Jamie Howard, Sallie Kate Champion, Ryan Williams, Anna Joyce Lott, Shelly Gary, Margaret Coleman, Laura Baria, Anna Tribble, Melissa Tribble, Ashley Thompson, Dana Carpenter, Coach Durwin Carpenter and Assistant Coach Chris Howard. After meeting in the library, we all went to the high school girls game vs JA. Jane did great in the stands. Mary Laine came and sat with her for the second half of the game. It was a tight game and PA won in the last seconds. After the game we were all recognized out on the court. Mom and Dad put Jane to bed and I went in to meet the girls for dinner. While Mom fed the horses, Dad bathed her and put her to sleep. It was a Papa Mike day! After drinks at the Alluvian, Shelly, Anna, Melissa, Ashley, Dana, Margaret, Jamie and Nallie ate at Lusco's. I haven't laughed so much in a long time. We had a great time!
I checked my journal from Jane's pregnancy and this reunion hits at the same time in my pregnancy with Jane for my 10 year high school reunion. This is the second time I have come to a Pillow Academy reunion pregnant and without at husband! I promised everyone I wasn't making Hyde up! Ha!

Getting ready for church, Jane made up a song about going to church and sang it for about 5 minutes. Pretty cute! Once at church, she visited with Maxine, who sits behind us, and sat quietly in the pew. I walked Jane down to Children's Time and placed her on the floor with the other children and sat in the pew behind them. She didn't fuss that I wasn't sitting with her! I was pleasantly surprised. She sat and listened (it was about hearing and listening) and noticed Papa Mike in the choir and started waving to him so Papa Mike waved back and Jane turned back to continue listening. In Natchez, the children repeat each line of the closing prayer, but they don't repeat in Greenwood. Jane repeated the prayer. It was sweet. Some of the kids looked at her wondering why she was talking, but I was proud of her! She walked back up the aisle holding my hand and once at the nursery, walked right in and never looked back!! Wow! We left from church, picked up Maggie and made it back to Natchez to attend James Gammill's first birthday.

It is now Tuesday, one week after starting the new sleep routine, and we are thrilled to see Jane is still responding and not putting up a fight at bed time anymore and falling asleep on her own. Now to tackle the waking up in the middle of the night and coming into our room....

January 2012

The first weekend in 2012, we stayed in Natchez! It was a rainy weekend, but it stopped enough on Sunday to go to Hawthorne so we could all get out and run around. Maggie was delighted to fetch her duck, Jane was thrilled to run around and be herself, and I enjoyed playing with my new lens.

The next few shots are of Jane stopping to pose for the camera. She would find a pose and pause for a few seconds (for me to make sure I got a good shot of her) then move into a new pose and pause. She likes to hold her hands up to her face like it is a camera and say "smile".

Running back down the hill to Daddy and Maggie.

I hate this one is not in focus, but I love the hair flowing! Ha!

2 weeks later, Hyde shaved his winter beard off. What a cutie!

Jane wouldn't look up for picture. She just told me "Mom, stop, I'm playing in the dirt."

So I went and took pictures of the gumballs.

Jane's Grand Performance

In case the movies don't show: Hakuna Matata http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYUbMi3QOPw Part of Your World http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRud1POlYn4