Housewarming Gift

A good friend of mine and her husband just bought their very first home. They have two beautiful children and have worked very hard to achieve this dream, so when I went to visit today, I wanted to bring them a little housewarming gift. I did a little Pinterest searching for ideas, then set to work creating something of my own. This little basket is what I came up with.

Inside was: a loaf of bread wrapped in a tea towel with a tag that read, "Bread - That this house may never know hunger."

A salt grinder with a tag that read, "Salt - So you'll never find yourself in a pinch."

A candle with a tag that read, "Candle - So you will always have light in the darkness."

And a bottle of honey with a tag that read, "Honey - For a sweet life in your new home."

I was really happy with how cute it came out. It's not much, but just enough to show them that I'm happy for them and wish them nothing but the best in their new home.

And a little credit where credit is due: The blank tags are from Smitten Blog Designs and I just added my own text to them.

Audrey - 32 months

Audrey,

We've had another fun, busy month! Titi, Uncle Ryan, Blake and Ellie came to visit for a week and a half, and we had Blake's birthday party while they were here. They had a bouncy for the party that you and your cousin had hours and hours of fun on!

Gigi was also here to visit for 3 weeks! You had lots of fun singing and dancing with her, and she sure was sad to leave you when she had to go home. Mommy really enjoyed watching the two of you together, singing songs that she used to sing to Mommy and Titi when we were as small as you are.

New loves for you this month include: the movie Alice in Wonderland, looking out your bedroom window, the new exhibit at the museum, and your Uncle Jesse's pigs!

Mommy finally took the plunge and the Binky Fairy came and took your binkies away! For four days, you screamed and cried for it every time it was time to go to sleep. But since that day, you haven't asked for it once. Hooray! You're such a big girl!

Back in May, we went to the zoo while we were visiting down at Titi's house. You and Blake loved the Giant Pandas, so Mimi bought you each a little stuffed panda. You named your panda Tinky, and fell asleep cuddling him in your carseat before we were even out of the parking lot that day. Since then, you sleep with him every night and love him so so so much! Sometimes, you'll even stuff him in the front of your shirt like you have him in a baby carrier. I think he has really helped you with the binky transition, and Mommy may have to get a back up Tinky just in case he ever needs to be washed!

You love to color and Mommy got out her old easel for you to use. You helped me wash it and it's as good as new now! I'm so glad Mimi saved so many of Mommy and Titi's things. It's fun to watch you enjoy them as much as we did. Your coloring is really improving too! You may not stay in the lines, but you definitely color with purpose now, as apposed to just scribbling all over the page.

You're a tech savvy little girl too! Mimi gave you her old Nook Tablet that she doesn't use anymore, and Mommy loaded some books and games on it for you. You would sit on it all day if I let you and you figured out all the games on your own!

You will start pre-school two days a week on the 10th, so we've been spending a lot of time trying to finish up our Spring/Summer To-Do List! We did pretty good and have had loads of fun, and only have a few left to go.

Speaking of pre-school, I can't believe you start so soon. You are so excited and Mommy is excited for you, but I'm also a little sad. You're getting so tall and growing up so quickly, and even though I know you're ready, I'm not sure Mommy is ready for you to be so independent yet! I am so incredibly proud of the smart, funny, caring, adventurous little girl you are becoming though. Always remember Mommy is proud of you and loves you, baby girl! I hope you learn, grow, make new friends, and have tons of fun at school!

Love always,
Mommy

Bye Bye Binkies!

Well, I finally did it, I trashed the binkies! Audrey doesn't know that's where they went though. This is what we did:

I started off by telling her randomly for about a week that she was getting too old for a binky and that soon the Binky Fairy would come at night and take her binkies to give to a baby who really needed them.

Then one night after she went to sleep, they all went in the trash! When she woke up around 4am and couldn't find it, she called for me. I told her that the Binky Fairy must have come to bring it to a little baby who needed it. She seemed upset for a second, but then smiled and seemed happy that a little baby had a binky now. She went right back to sleep and I couldn't believe it was going to be that easy!

I was wrong. Naptime came and she screamed and cried her little eyes out. She kept asking what the baby's name was and why she couldn't see the fairy. So when she finally fell asleep, the Binky Fairy returned. She wrote her a letter and included a picture of herself that she took with Audrey while she was sleeping. She even left her some special headbands sprinkled with "pixie dust!"

The letter read:

Audrey, 

Thank you for the binkies! There is a sweet little baby girl named Charlotte who lives in New York that really needed them. She is so happy to have them now. I know you miss them and you’re a little sad, but you’re a big girl now and I’m so proud of you! To say thank you for giving your binkies to Charlotte, I brought you a present sprinkled with pixie dust. They are very special and I hope you like them! No more crying, okay? 

Love, The Binky Fairy 

P.S. Here’s a picture of us together!

She seemed excited about the letter, picture and present, but bedtime wasn't much better than naptime. We are on day 4 and she hasn't actually napped the last 2 days. It breaks my heart listening to her scream and cry for this little piece of plastic that comforts her. I waited much, much too long to get rid of it and we're paying for it now. I'm glad I chose a method that just completely removes the option of me giving in and giving them back to her though. Hopefully she starts to forget about it soon.

I'm sorry, sweetheart! Mommy hates to see you sad.