Camper

Two going on Thirteen

Let me preface this story by saying, up front, yes I bribe my child sometimes.  I try not to do it in response to bad behavior but sometimes yes I've bribed my child to sit on the potty or, in this instance, to help her make it through a three hour football game. I know there are parents out there that frown on this sort of thing but you know what - you are better parent than me if you can get a two year old to sit through a three hour football game without a little something novel.

For Campbell, her bribe was a sucker.  She's never had one before and was super pumped.  They were small suckers not some giant as big as your head Blow-Pop.  And yes, she had more than one.  But I digress - the point of this post is to laugh at what is in store for me in a few years because I know when she's actually thirteen and the exchanges aren't as cute I will have a much harder time laughing.

The first glimpse of a teenage Campbell came Friday when she insisted on playing in her room with her door closed. Luckily rather than locking me out - I can remember several teenage exchanges with my mother about locked bedroom doors - when I said "Campbell whatcha doin in there?" She poked her head out, said "Who me?" and then responded she was playing. I asked if I could come in and play, too and she gladly admitted me. No theatrics.

At the football game we were behind the stadium walking around to change the scenery some when she spotted kids playing on the large anchor outside the stadium. Campbell wanted to join them - which she couldn't do because it was outside the fence and I didn't have our ticket stub and because she would have gotten clobbered by the teenagers playing on it assuming she didn't fall off and bust her head open.  So, to distract her I told her I had one more sucker in our seats and asked if she wanted to get it.  The following exchange still cracks me up:

Me: "Do you want to go eat the last sucker?"

Campbell: "Yes.  You go get it. I'll stay here."

Me: "Well, honey, you're only two so I'm not leaving you here. We'll go back to our seats."

Campbell: Pause for deep thought "You stay here I'll go get it." (I follow as she starts to walk away - and she notices) "No Mommy! You stay here! I'll go get it."

The Unrestrained Joy of a Child

At what point in our lives do we forget how to just be happy? I consider myself a pretty content and blessed person. I laugh daily and enjoy the little things as much as possible.  But I'd venture to say you would have to go back a long way to find a picture of me where I'm this happy.  It's beautiful!  And so it is a new goal of mine to do whatever I can to keep it within Campbell's ability to be this gleeful for the rest of her life.

Walking a Mile (or three) for Little Shoes

Stories about sick children and babies have always hit me hard. I remember reading a book when I was about 8 about a little girl, Jessica, who died of leukemia. It killed me. But ever since being blessed with the most beautiful and happy little girl the thought of something happening to her makes stories like Jessica's even more heartbreaking to me - I can't imagine anything more devastating and trying in this world than having a sick baby.

So I have started giving more to charities such as St. Jude (How could I not call in and pledge while driving home from work bawling while listening to their phonathon on the radio!?). This Saturday I will be walking with some friends in the local March for Babies to raise money for the March of Dimes. Any help folks out there would like to give to forward this effort would be greatly appreciated and will help some very special little souls. If you have $10 to spare - click those chubby little cheeks below - and thank you!
 

Potty Training - Campbell Style

I think I alluded a few months ago to the fact that we have begun the early stages of potty training at The Smurf. Campbell was showing great interest in sitting on the big girl potty but now not so much.  Which doesn't bother me since she's not even two.  But, in order to keep it on her radar we do ask every day or so when we see the tell-tale glassy eyed expression if she wants to sit on her big girl potty.  We are always met with an adamant "NO" and shaking of the entire upper body.

So, you can imagine my surprise Sunday with the beginning of the following conversation:

Campbell: Glassy-eyed expression

Me: "Campbell do you need to go poo-poo?"

Campbell: "Uhuh . . . Go big girl potty? "

Me: (Hiding my growing excitement) "Do you want to sit on your big girl potty?"

Campbell: "NO! Dollly sit potty!"

Me: "Oh, is Dolly going to sit on the potty with you?"

Campbell: "No, Dolly sit no Campbell"

She scampers off to the bathroom with Dolly in tow. I follow thinking Dolly going potty is an okay first step and to make sure Dolly doesn't end up in the adult potty that has water in it.  I help her sit Dolly on the big girl potty and Campbell claps and is very excited about Dolly going potty and plops down next to her to talk to her while she goes potty. I return to the other room, Campbell soon follows.  Dolly is apparently not done going potty.  About 5 minutes elapsed while I made Campbell a waffle and Adam started taking a shower.  Then Campbell went to check on Daddy.

Campbell: "Daddy shower. Dolly big girl potty."

Adam: "Is Dolly going potty?"

Campbell: "Uhuh. Eat waffle, too."

This is the result of Campbell and Dolly's first potty training lesson. 

I think Coco - of the usually inseparable DollyCoco tandem act - is now living in fear of when her first lesson will start.

Shopaholic

Campbell loves to shop.  She play shops - which entails grabbing her purse and riding her car around the house.  But most of all she loves to shop for real. 

For the last month or so we have been going to Gymboree music class on Saturday mornings.  The last couple of weeks we have gone on a Kroger run right after class.  This week we did not.  But that didn't stop Campbell from repeatedly saying "Shoppin?"  "Kroger?" on the way home.  So, her urge to spend unsatisfied, Sunday morning she walked over - still in her jammers - and leaned on the couch between me and Adam and flashing her most pitiful big brown eyes said "Shoppin?"  I asked if she wanted to go shopping and she said "Put coat on. Go shoppin!"

She clearly runs the roost - and enjoyed herself.  (Notice her purse in the pint sized cart.)

Bubbles!

Campbell loves her bubbles - In case you haven't discovered it - the Gymboree bubble maker is the bomb!  It makes little bitty bubbles that will fill any room and last for hours - days even - literally!

 

I'll stick with fake Santas, thank you very much

Last night we celebrated PeePaw's 60th birthday with a trip to the Melting Pot (YUM!) and the Christmas light exhibit at the Kentucky Horse Park.  The lights were a big hit.  There were many excited ooohs and aaaahs and squeals coming from the backseat. Near the end of the light exhibit we stopped at the indoor attractions - a petting zoo, craft booths, a miniature train to ride and, yes, Santa.

Luckily we were one of the first to arrive so the line to see Santa was not very long. As we waiting Campbell jittered and squirmed determined to get down. I kept asking if she wanted to say hi to Santa and she very emphatically said "Uh huh" as she squirmed.  But, as Mom and I predicted, when we got to Santa Campbell wanted no part of him.  She was absolutely not letting go of me and, well . . . . a picture really is worth a thousand words.  The eyes alone say it all!

Apparently Santa is more fun when he doesn't move and breath and  you can lug him around on your shoulder.

Santa Got Run Over by a Red Car

I survived my week in Omaha . . . No offense to anyone who lives there but I have no intention of ever going back.  Not so much anything against the city as the fact that I had to spend a week away from Campbell in order to staff a poorly attended Annual Meeting . . .

But I am home. After reuniting with my baby and reading Wibbly Pig more times than I can count I am also back in the office.  Back to the old grind.  Though with the hectic holiday season I actually only have six more days in said office before leaving for a two week holiday break.  Gotta love December.

Speaking of the holidays, Campbell is very much enjoying playing with Santa - as I reported last time.  I  don't think she's grasped that Santa brings presents so her enthusiasm will only grow as that realization dawns.  But she gleefully exclaims "Santa!" every time she sees one. Yesterday she got into the holiday spirit by wearing a gift bow on her head.  The picture is not the best as it was taken on Adam's iphone but it is still adorable.

This was taken, incidentally, shortly after Santa was accidentally run over by the car.  Campbell immediately administered sugars for his booboo so all is well and Christmas Eve is not in jeopardy!

Footnote:  Here is a much better photo of the super fancy hairbow! Thanks Dotdot!

Where Oh Where Has My Baby Gone?

This is a picture of Campbell that was taken at my Grandmother's 80th birthday party on Memorial Day weekend. Mom sent this to me this morning and I literally almost fell out of my chair. How is it possible that in just 25 weeks my baby has grown into this?

Don't get me wrong that is one amazing little girl you see in that picture and she is a ball of fun but how does this:

turn into this:

so fast?

Three Years of Wedded Bliss

This Wednesday will mark three years since Adam and I got married.  Hard to believe.  So much has happened since then, not the least of which being the addition of Campbell to our family.  To celebrate, we spent Friday night at a local bed and breakfast. Adam is probably still cussing silently in his head because I insisted on bringing Campbell. But if she knew any cuss words I think it would be Campbell who would be cussing in the aftermath of our little trip.

Saturday morning as I packed up our stuff, Adam took Campbell around to look at the grounds. They wandered up to a bell that Adam thought Camper would get a kick out of ringing.  What Adam didn't know was that a colony of yellow jackets was making a cozy little home out of that bell.  Campbell's crying alerted me to the situation.  Adam and Campbell both received three or four stings.  We spent a nervous 30 minutes or so waiting to see if our daughter was allergic to bee stings . .. Luckily she was not and actually, once the excitement died down, Campbell didn't seem any worse for the wear. I think she was more scared than hurt.

But, except for this little hiccup our trip was enjoyable, the scenery beautiful.

 

Campbell was very excited to get to see cows up close and personal.  Incidentally, cows in Campbell's world say "boooooooo" not "mooooooo."  Here we are Saturday morning "booooooing" with the cows.