273

Today at school Stella got a very pretty butterfly on her cheek.
I got Stella a new jacket today while she was at school. Clearly she liked it a lot and would not take it off for the rest of the evening.

272

Is it sad that 24 days after Rhett's party that we still have the banner up over our fireplace? I am just wanting to act like my baby did not turn 1 yet, or I am just lazy and don't want to get a ladder to stand on to take it down. I am pretty sure it is a little bit of both!

271

The kids are getting along really good today. It is so nice when they will play with each other and get along for the most party. They may destroy Rhett's room but for some reason it does not bother me to clean up the mess when they have played so well together!

Rhett had an afternoon nap on my bed. One problem that we are still having is with out dog, Maddie. She bit Rhett twice today, we had the same problem with Stella. The kids get fast enough that they can grab her but don't understand that they are too rough with her. Stella is now old enough that if Maddie bites her, it is her own fault.
I do feel bad when I look at little Rhett's face and he has big bite marks on his face. Not really sure how to fix this problem.

270

Stella came home with a pretty palm tree on her face today.

269

Today was a very busy day. We had church this morning and then right after we had Preston's 1st birthday party. It was hard because we had two very tired kids on top of the fact that they are both not feeling very great. They both behaved very well and took great naps once we got home. Stella was playing in the backyard after nap time.

268

Today was a big day, yes, a big day for sure. Our beloved Arkansas Razorbacks, ranked #10, played the #1 Alabama Crimson Tide. To say that we were a little excited does not even being to explain how we felt about this game. We were also excited because Aunt Mel and her family were in town for the game. We let them have our tickets and we stayed at home with the kids and watched the game on TV. We had such a good time, mostly because we thought for most of the day that we were going to win the game but ended up losing at the end of the game, it was very sad. After the game everyone came back to the house for some food and to hang out. Mallory, her room mate, Mary Susan, and another friend from the U of A, Aunt Mel, Morgan, Mel's husband Denis and his daughter and son, Kristin and Jeffery. It was a house full but lots of fun, especially for my kids. Stella with her razorback tattoo
Stella with all the big girls, she was in heaven, I think that I need them around all the time!
Mary Susan with Rhett, he is such a ladies man, they all love him.
Stella riding around on Kristen's back.
Stella's thought on us losing to the Crimson Tide.
Stella and Mary Susan, think we need her to come over and play sometime soon.

Aunt Mel and her family in all their razorback glory!

267

Rhett woke up this morning with some amazing hair. Wish I could have gotten a better photo of it.

266

Today I went to Stella's school a little early because they were having a pep rally to get the kids excited about the preschool program. Gigi had the day off so she got to come and experience all the excitement with me! Each week they have to wear a certain color, and they learn all about it. Like what letter it starts with, what products are that color, they sing songs about that color and do cheers. This week was orange!
Stella is in Toy Barn, each classroom got to run through a banner when they came into the Pep Rally, Stella thought that was pretty cool.
Her class sitting up on the stage.

I have to say that I love our Mother's Day Out program. I think that this has been wonderful for Stella and she learns so much. I am very grateful for her teachers and the time that they invest in my children and the break that they give me each week.

I know that I am really blessed at this moment because Stella is going through a very rough patch right now. Her behavior is kind of out of control and you never really know what is going to happen, there is no rhyme or reason to what will set her off, it can be something big or really little things. She is not just your run of the mill strong willed child, she is over the top. If she wants things to go her way, she can and will out last you. I have to work daily on figuring out how to turn her to do the things that I ask of her. I also have to make myself be stronger and out last her, which is NOT my personality at all but I know that if I do not show her that I am stronger and can out last her on important matters then she will walk all over me and have no respect for me as her mother. Also, she is 3, if I let her get away with this stuff now, then good heaven what will she be like as a teenager.

Stella has a wonderful personality in the fact that she lives out loud and she lives her life big, it is a wonderful beautiful thing to watch, but at the same time I think that she gets very frustrated because she is feeling things but does not yet know how to express those feelings to me and others. This leads to some of the problems that we are having at the moment of lashing out, hitting, and just all around being ugly to those around her. It can make for some really long and tiring days. I know in her heart that she does not mean any of the things that she does but I also have to teach her how to control all those emotions in her little body. It is a process for her and process for me and those around us.

I do think that at times that Stella does become over stimulated and needs to be removed from situations to one on one time so that she is able to get herself and her feelings back under control before we have issues. This is something that I am really working on recognizing in her when we are with other people and have a lot of things going on around us, that there might be moments that she is overwhelmed and just needs me to pull her to the side and help her calm down and feel OK with everything and everyone. It is a work in progress, we will figure it all out in time!

Also, I have to admit that we took away her passie three weeks ago and it went pretty well for the most part but yesterday I gave it back to her for nap and bedtime. Yes, everyone can tell me how horrible I am and that is fine but I feel that at this time it is best for Stella and that is all that really matters. The reason that I gave it back to her is that sense we took it from her nap time and bedtime have become a much larger process, with a lot more tears and less sleep. Stella is a child that needs sleep, she took three hour naps until we took the passie away and now is taking one and half hour naps, she would sleep for 10 to 12 hours at night and now is only doing about 7 to 8. This makes a huge impact on her behavior. Also, with all the things that are going on with her right now, the passie is her thing that calms her down, that really truly gives her comfort. She understands that the passie is only for bedtime and that she must be in bed to have one, to be honest twice yesterday I was doing stuff around the house and realized that she was not around me. I found her in her bedroom on her bed with her passie, I asked if she was OK and she said yes she just needed her passie for a moment. Like I said before that I think that there are moments that she just needs to be able to stop and get herself and her feelings under control, I feel that the passie is the thing that helps make her feel comfortable and safe. I just can not take that away from her at this time, I just feel that it is what is best for Stella and that is all that really matters. (It is not like she is taking it with her to college, I promise that she will not be sucking on it in a dorm room!)

This all being said, I am very grateful for the teachers that Stella has had and has at the moment. They have all been so willing to work with me and help me figure out what will work best for her. I know that it is not easy, its a daily struggle, they have families of their own to care for, but they take the time out of their week to bless my child with their love and I really do appreciate it beyond words.

So, for the time being we are just taking each day as it comes and praying for the Grace of God that he will lead me to be the best mother to this wonderful little girl that he has given me the blessing of calling my daughter.

To the Future Stella:

I wrote all of these things down today not to tell you that you were a horrible child but so that when you are a mother you will know that I had the same struggles and rough times, that it is all normal. I think that at times with this journal of our lives I want everything to be positive but I want you to understand that there are rough patches but through those rough patches we just grow to love you even more, if that is even possible. You are a tough child but you are a blessing that fills our life and others lives with so much laughter. You are going to do great things and I can not wait to watch it all unfold for you. I love you so much!

**Yes, Rhett goes to the same MDO program and his teachers are wonderful with him also, they are giving this mother's arm some rest and helping with the pain in her back from carrying around such a large load!

265

Just love trying to get laundry completed with two kids around the house to help me. I do not know how I got anything done before they were here to "Help".

264

Soccer, yes, we had soccer this evening. It is always a challenge to see how she will do each time. I really thought it was going to be horrible this evening, it started off with a spanking and tears. I guess I should know that it can only go up from there? She did pretty well this evening, I consider it a success if she does at least 50% of the activity, she did about 40% this evening so that is not so bad to me. Jason does not think this is such a success but then again it has got to be harder on him because he is the one actually out on the field with her. I do think that one of the major problems for us is that she has to wait her turn at each drill. She loves when it is her turn but having to wait on other to go bores her and she finds other things to do then does not want to take her turn. If we could just keep her moving life would be great. This is a problem that we have with lots of activities, probably an issue that is going to be on going in the future. (Did you notice that we had to wear our "whistle"? Think I might need to go and buy her a real one but then again I do not want to listen to her blow that thing!)






Stella loves to look at the clouds and tell you what shape or animal they look like, had to do something while she waited on everyone else to take their turn.

263

Good Morning! Good Morning! It's time to rise and shine.

Good Morning! Good Morning! It's time to face the day.

No matter what Rhett always wakes up a very happy boy.

262

We spent the afternoon over at Gigi and Papi's, Jason was helping paint their bathroom. Gigi feed us a wonderful chicken pot pie. It was so good! Stella was wearing this "whistle" home. She makes me laugh so much, she told us that she was the soccer coach and that this was her "whistle"

261

Stella had soccer for the second time today. She did so much better, I mean we actually took part in what was going on and did not try to take a nap. I can not tell you how happy I was that she was standing up let alone kicking the ball! Jason was so excited I thought he might pee himself that she was actually running around. I did get a little stressed at one point that she sat down on her ball but realized that she was just waiting on her turn. This could be part of the down fall for us, she has no patience, this being said she does not enjoy waiting on it to be her turn. tough lesson that we all have to learn in this crazy thing that we call life.





This evening we got to have some fun over at the Pianalto's house house. Stella was so excited to be able to play with Little L. I think that those two may share a brain, we could be in trouble in a few years! One minute they are upset with each other 30 seconds later they are holding hands giving hugs. I am glad that Stella has such a good friend in Little L.
Pig Pen (yeah, have no clue what his real name is, all the guys call him Pig Pen so that is what we call him, no, I do NOT want to know why they call him Pig Pen) He was having fun yelling with Stella, he found out that she can be as loud if not louder than her daddy!
Not sure what Stella and Little L were getting into but I am sure it was not good what ever they did find. I never thought that having a girl I would be telling her that she can not fight with sticks, stay out of the mud and many other crazy things but she is just such a mess but we love her all the same.