Puppy Party & Hummingbird Horrors

July 31 was Finley Dog's 3rd birthday! We celebrated by having his friend, Jazzie over and having a puppy party. The first time we had Jazzie over, Annistyn was a lot younger and kept calling them the "two Pi-pi dogs" (because she was still calling Finley "Pi-Pi Dog" then). So here are the two Pi-Pi Dogs:





We had cupcake shaped doggie treats:




Jazzie has a litte brother named Carson that she brought to the party. I took this picture of him and Annistyn. Don't they look cute??



Annistyn has had QUITE the imagination lately. She woke up crying recently telling me there was a hummingbird outside her window that was going to get her. I know it really isn't funny, but it did crack me up. The next morning, she said, "It was a nice hummingbird! It didn't get me."

She also told me yesterday out of the blue that she was going to be a princess when she grows up!

She watched a Strawberry Shortcake movie about friends, and now everyone it her BEST friend. It's so cute!!!

Annistyn is still working on her writing. I use that term loosely- she is playing with bath crayons, not writing sentences on handwriting paper!!!

Here is her capital 'A' again..



I was wondering why she kept drawing that little zig-zag after it- so I asked her. And she said- "A-N-N-I-S-T-Y-N! Annistyn is my name!!!!" with an attitude like I was supposed to know it already. So then I realized that she was making her version of two little "n's".

So I started helping her with "n". Here is her lowercase 'n'..



Here is a face...



Here is a cat...



She likes for me to draw circles and let her fill in the faces. On that one, I wrote the word cat and she had to read it first to know what to draw. I know it sounds dorky- but I am a total nerd and Annistyn really likes things like that! I promise it isn't as scholastic as it seems. It's actually quite fun and she requests for me to do it. I don't want to sound over-bearing. But she does knows quite a bit a words from recognition and she can spell them out loud as well.

Thursday I was SO excited because it was her very first day of dance. A day every mother of a daughter dreams about! I had tights, a leotard, ballet shoes, and a ballet bow. The only thing I didn't have... a cooperative toddler.



Annistyn has been SOOOO pumped about dance. She dances ALL over the house and rolls all over the den. But on Thursday, mom had to wake her up from her nap to take her to dance, so she wasn't in a very good mood.



She clapped for the girls and told them, "Good job!"



The teacher asked if she wanted to do her roll. She said, "No. I don't think I have to."



They are doing a 1:00 class on Mondays and we are going to try that next week instead. HOPEFULLY that will work better with her schedule. She said she was going to dance on Monday. So... I will keep you updated!




In other news, I survived my first week back at school (with kids)! Hooray! The first of the year is always exciting, but at the end of the week- I always feel like I have been hit by a truck!!!!

Here is my wall and door this year:




I think it turned out really cute!!!

Annistyn also started Mother's Day Out this week, but those pictures are on mom's camera. I will have to post them later.

Have a great weekend!

The Next Tot Model

Our summer has seemed to FLY by. Annistyn is growing like a weed and learning way more than she needs too. The other day she made me follow her into the yard. She wanted me to take her "pic-cure". I had to follow her around while she told me where to stand. She directed me by saying, "Now over there, please..." "Now you go over there..." "Now watch this!" She is truly a free spirit.
Here are some photos I took of her modeling...









She's definitely been around Aunt Shelley too long!!!!

My favorite:



I could type ALL day about things she says and does. She comes up with so many things a day. I just need to stop and type it all out before I forget.

She LOVES to learn. I guess she is a "dork" like her mommy. That can be a good thing though. I have been working with her on some things this summer. Here is her letter "A"....



She is very instructional when she writes it. She always says, "Uuuup.... Dooownn.... Accroosss...". I am having trouble helping her with handwriting because I am not sure if she is left or right handed. I really thought I would know by now. But she uses both equally!!! She eats half with her right hand and half with her left. She can write and color with both. I haven't noticed either hand being a stronger one.... So.. I'm not sure which to push her to use. I thought her "A's" were pretty good for age 2.

She loves to work in her "school books." It is hard to find sticker/writing books that are easy enough for her to do, but hard enough also. Here are some that she has enjoyed...






We have this bath crayon that is pretty neat. You can write on the side of the bath tub and it comes right off with water. When I bathe her, I always write a word, she reads it, and I draw the picture that goes with it. Because of this, she has learned words like Annistyn, Mommy, Daddy, Shelley, Goddy, Mimi, Finley, Nana, Papa, Cat, Cow, Pig, etc... So when Michael bathes her, she expects him to do the same. I went in the other night and he had left this up. I just laughed. Is he a great Daddy or what???


I know I didn't post any July 4th pictures. We celebrated Michael's grandmother's 80th birthday the weekend before.



Annistyn found a stage at the birthday party and danced and sang while everyone cleaned up.

We had a low key July 4th and took Annistyn to watch fireworks that night. It was nice!



I went on a "girl cruise" at the end of June with my mom, Shelley, aunt, cousin, and her sister-in-law and daughter. We had a BLAST! It was hard being away from Annistyn for a week though. Her Daddy took great care of her. I flew in an airplane for the first time. (Yay me!!!)
Here are a couple of pics from that...





Annistyn has also started telling me that she has to "get ready" before we leave the house. She has to put on her (play) make up. She goes through every piece and puts it on just like me- brushes her eye brows and everything!!!
She also likes to get "glamicures" like Strawberry Shortcake does in the movie we have.
This is the best I can do on her toes... I am no toe artist! Especially with wiggly feet!!!!



Whew! I've been working hard trying to get ready for a new school year! I am always excited about a new start, but it always makes me sad to see the summer end. I just love staying at home with my sweet baby.

You just never know what you are going to find....




And last...
My sister is in Belize on a mission trip with several others from our church. So please pray for their safety while there and while traveling back on Friday. :)

Date With Daddy

Since school got out the end of May, I have no excuses for why I haven't blogged. I guess I have been trying to enjoy every second of summer. Annistyn has been good about sleeping late this year. She sleeps until around 8 or 8:30 on most days, but some days she sleeps as late as 9. One of the first few days, she slept until 10:15. She still naps 2- 2 1/2 hours in the afternoons as well. We play dollhouse, have tea parties, read books, read more books, and go to "town". We have spent a lot of time in Mimi's swimming pool and Annistyn has the letter "H" on her back as a tan line from her swim suit. It's been so nice to be home with her during the day! We've had a few play dates with friends as well!



I wanted to have a father's day tribute up for Michael on Father's day, but I am obviously running a few days behind...

Annistyn is CRAZY about her Daddy. A few weeks ago, I went to our Bible study and Michael was going to take her out to Dairy Queen so I told her she was going on a date. We were riding down the road the other night and she randomly said, "I want to go on another date with you, Daddy!"

I usually do a video and unfortunately, my software is not working properly this year. I am going to keep working on it, but I wanted to go ahead and put this post up before summer was over and it still wasn't up!

Annistyn is so lucky to have such a good Daddy.



I hear women complaining all the time about what their husband doesn't do with their kids. When Annistyn was born, I never had to ASK Michael to help out. He took one of the nightly feedings, he jumped right in on diaper duty and bottle washing, and is still usually the one that gives Annistyn a bath at night.





He's definitely wrapped around her finger.



But she's crazy about him too.



One day Annistyn will realize what a great Daddy she has and she will be able to tell him.









But I realize it now. Michael, you are such a good dad. You have more patience than I do. Every time I see you with Annistyn, I fall in love with you all over again. Any little girl would be lucky to call herself your daughter. I appreciate what you do around the house and I know I don't always tell you thank you. I thank God every day for blessing me with you. I thank God for blessing Annistyn with such an awesome Daddy. We love you!
Happy Father's Day!