6/22/12

Alayna ate most of her rice and raisins at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her meatloaf and her dried apricots, and a bite of both her french bread and her cooked carrots. 

Alayna was fairly testy this morning, as you had warned us Randa.  She had a couple times when she even screamed at me when I had to help you listen and I don't think she has every done that before.  He was aggressive with her friends several times also, and even with Aaron once.   She was also very cuddly several times and would come over with one of the bears and just cuddle up beside me.  I am sure she probably hears things concerning the upcoming changes that are kind of stressful for her and/or just senses the stress of dealing with the change that the adults are going through.  It will be very important to give as much extra positive time and attention to her as possible, as well as consistency with discipline.  That will help with her security issues! 

She also had two potty accidents this morning and only actually went potty on the toilet once.  After the second on we put her in a diaper, but we'll try panties again after nap.  


Overall she and Aaron played together very well though, and she loved making him laugh.  She told me after he was laughing at Gary for doing something one time, "Aaron likes to laugh.  So do I."  I thought that was great. 

Alayna wanted to be my helper today when I came in to cook.  She really didn't want to DO much, just come in and visit with me as I prepped and set up, which was fine!

6/21/12

Alayna ate seconds on grapes and thirds on cinnamon toast at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her cherries, chicken strips, about half of her dinner roll and a bite of her pan fried potatoes. 

Alayna was very loving today and wanted to "cuddle" quite a bit.  I was chilly after breakfast so I went and got a blanket to put over me.  Alayna and Morgan were both right there asking to cuddle and cover up with the blanket.  I decided to take advantage of that and we had an impromptu story time a little earlier than usual, just because everyone wanted to be covered up on the couch with my blanket! 

Alayna did several puzzles this morning and she is really getting good at any of them that we have.  Some of them are pretty easy (with only 4-6 pieces and the pictures on the board underneath, but several are more challenging with the same things like butterfly pieces (that look quite a bit a like and no pictures underneath) or 12 + pieces. 

Alayna has stayed dry all morning and told me twice (one being outside).  I did put a diaper on her after  lunch... 

Alayna has started really enjoying pushing the other children on the octopus merry-go-round.  She can push it when it is totally full (5 or 6 kiddos on it) so she has got to have some muscles there! 

6/19/12

Alayna ate all of her pears and about half of her blueberry muffin at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her tuna on saltines and her oranges and a bite or two of her sweet potatoes.

I don't know how many times today and yesterday Alayna told me, "I ride in the pick-up with great-grampa!"  Obviously she really liked it or was somehow very impressed with it!  : )

Alayna played with the pretend ice cream and cones for quite a while this morning.  Most of the kiddos will bring the cone and the ice cream scoop to us and ask us to "help" them put it on, but Alayna was adamant that she put it on herself and then switched it over and over.  She's got great determination and the skills to be about to actually do it. 

Alayna came up to me and asked, "You need some snuggles?" several times today when she wanted a love.  I thought that was so cute!  : ) 

After a couple successful trips to the bathroom I asked her if she had to go potty at 10:30 and she calmly said, "I already wet!"  Sure enough -- right through her clothes and our dress up clothes, which she was wearing.  Oops...

6/18/12

Alayna ate most of her fruit salad and about half of her Chex cereal at breakfast today.  At lunch she ate everything -- roast beef sandwich, tomato soup and apple slices. 

I missed Alayna last week!  It was nice to have her back today and get those wonderful random hugs and "I love you"s!

Alayna had an accident at 8:45 this morning, but did great (even pooped in the potty) the rest of the morning.  I just remembered I didn't put a diaper on her for nap time.  Oh...  Oh...  That was probably a mistake! 

Alayna asked for "My favorite 'Ring of Fire'" this morning so we played it as a "welcome back" for her!  : )  It was really cute because as soon as I put it on, all of the mobile kiddos went over to the mattress/rowdy side and started dancing or jumping to the music.  When it was over, Morgan came over and told me, "That was a fun song", so I guess Alayna isn't the only one who likes it!   Even before I put it on this morning Alayna was looking at a "Clifford, the Big Red Dog" book and singing Ring of Fire.

Alayna was carrying around the biggest stuffed Teddy bear we have out with this set and came over and told me "I have a big white bear at home!"  Later on in the morning she was sitting on the big yellow chair and having Emily "bury" her under all of the teddy bears.  They both were having a blast with it!  : )  I love it when she gets so tickled like that. 

Alayna was looking at the Fisher Price cameras that have wildlife pictures in them and came over and handed the camera to me and asked "Can you find me a pippo (hippo)?"  I thought that was SO cute!  : )  

6/8/12

Alayna ate most of her raisins and about half of her malt-o-meal at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her spaghetti with extra meaty sauce, all of her watermelon and most of her mixed fruit. 

We only had six kiddos here today so things were pretty mild.  Gary decided since there were fewer kiddos to try to check out the light fixture part of the big room fan (that died while he was laid up with his back).  The kiddos were enthralled when he brought in the 6 foot ladder.  They sat on the couch and watched him climb the ladder and work on it for about 10 minutes. 


It was kind of a "more" day today.  I started with four books I think and every time I would get done, all of the 'big kiddos' would say, "Can you read more?"  I think we ended up ready about 16 or so!  And it would have been more, but my throat was starting to get scratchy so I vetoed it!  : )

For about 20 minutes the other kiddos were all being kind of crazy over on the 'rowdy' side of the room.  Usually Alayna is right in the middle of that, but today she was very engaged in playing with one of the dolls and didn't even go over to check out what they were doing.  She was putting the doll into one of the cooking pans (like it was a seat for it) then taking it to the table to feed it.  That's fine as long as she doesn't decide to warm it up by sticking it on the stove top!  : )  

We have these magnetic boards that have little "M & M" looking things in them that you move around with a magnetic wand to make different designs.  We only have five of them so we don't use them when all of the kiddos are here, because we have 6-8 'big' kiddos usually and there isn't enough.  Today with just 5, we got them down and the four biggest loved it.  Thomas even tried to do it, but his skills aren't quite conducive to success yet.

6/7/12

Alayna was absolutely broken-hearted today when Thomas hit her.  They were just playing together and he suddenly whacked her for nothing that I could see.  She just melted and came racing over to me for a love.  I cuddled her for a little then she said, "Thomas love me."  I told Thomas to come over and give Alayna a love and he wouldn't do it on his own accord, which broke her little heart even more!  I finally did, later, but she was actually devastated!

Alayna was doing all of the motions to the songs on the ipod today, even when no one else was singing along or doing motions.  It was cute.  She really seems to enjoy music.  One of the songs that came on was "Row, Row, Your Boat".  Alayna went over to Emily and asked her if she wanted to "Row, Row".  They were rowing long after the song was over!   : )

Alayna has been giving us spontaneous loves and telling us "I love you" even more than usual.  I also think it is funny when she will hop off of the toilet when she is done and give me a big hug or tell me she loves me!  It just isn't the usual time I get loves!  : )  

6/6/12

Alayna ate seconds on peaches and all of her biscuit at breakfast.  At lunch she ate everything -- baked beans, dinner roll, broccoli and pineapple. 

Alayna was reading and singing to herself (and the toddlers) again today.  It is just so precious when she does that.  She is always just totally engaged in her own little world and it really doesn't matter what is going on around her.  She always has such a sweet and contented look on her face. 

Alayna was riding on one of the rocking horses today and kept telling me and the other kiddos, "This is my motorcycle, then making motorcycle-like sounds.  : ) 

We have been doing some playing around with our music time lately.  One of the things we have been doing is some humming the songs after we have song them with words and even whispering the words or just mouthing the words.  This gives them the opportunity to understand "quiet" and "no sound" better as well as melody without words.  All of the 'big' kiddos are actually pretty good at it! 

6/5/12

Hurray!  Gary is back (and so are journals)!

Alayna ate seconds on waffles and all of her hashbrowns at breakfast.  At lunch she ate all of her shrimp and oranges, most of her brown rice and a bite of her red pepper.

Alayna spent quite a bit of time looking at books and singing as she looked at them.  She also was being very sweet to a couple of the kiddos who were standing by as she was reading.  She got a book and said, "Miss Mary Muck, Muck, Muck...", then announced to Peyton and Emily "Are you ready, guys?"  It was really funny!

Alayna came over with a very proud look on her face and announced, "I help Thomas get out of the hole".  The "hole" is the little space behind the climber that he occasionally thinks he is 'stuck' in.  : )  I love it when she gets so pleased with herself when she is sweet to one of the kiddos.