Like mother, like daughter

I'm afraid Mayson Pearl may have inherited my lack of parking skills!

Yard work and wild boar rides!

Catch up in pictures

Hi.
I'm Elizabeth.
Habitual procrastinator.
Slacker.
Evening couch surfer.
And way behind on this whole blogging thing!
But as long as I'm doling out confessions let me admit that when it comes to blogging sometimes life just gets in the way...

So for what its worth here's my (been-there-done-that, guilty-as-charged, had to learn the hard way, recently discovered) words of motherhood wisdom...

Don't ever let yourself become obsessed with capturing every picture perfect moment;
Or consumed with worry trying to remember every little microscopic detail to write down later.

I might not remember the exact day that Mayson took her first steps;
Nor did I personally take a single picture of her first birthday party.

And if I'm being completely honest I last updated her baby book when she was eight months old.

But you know what?
Over the last eighteen months i've come to realize that sometimes most times it's better to live in the moment than be stuck recording it.

Standing back, hovering, with an ever watchful eye and a camara is not where I want to be.

I don't want to be on the sidelines of Mayson's life.
I want to be in it, enjoying every precious minute, not worried about remembering it perfectly later.

Years from now the memories stored only in my head of her might be a little fuzzy but at least I will be in them.
Motherhood is not meant to be a spectator sport.
Live it :)

And now what y'all really came here for (the few, sometimes crappy, mostly taken with my I-phone) pictures of the feisty-yet-wonderful Mayson Pearl...

Valentine's

 

Checking out Dada's new airplane - the P-8 Poseidon 

Play dates with one of mommy's oldest and bestest friends

Being sick off and on for three weeks straight :(

St Patty's Day green

Warm weather fun

Gaga and grandpa visit

And Easter egg hunting

Seeing Red

This week we've been busy "seeing red."

Mayson sported her red dress.

Creatively used red stickers.

Made a red collage.

Sorted red toys.

And painted a red masterpiece.

(almost) Wordless Wednesday

Snoop Dog

A little bling

And a "gently used" dog for sale!!!

Just a few snapshots of life with a toddler.

Fisher Price Little People

She might just be a little obsessed!

Toddler bed

We decided to go ahead and take the plunge and move Mayson out of her crib and into a "big girl bed." I originally had planned to try and transition her at 18 months but she's such a good sleeper and goes to bed every night without complaint so I figured we should take advantage of that! 

She enjoyed playing in her bed all saturday afternoon and when we put her to bed that night we explained to her that when the light in her room was off that meant night night time. 

Of course not one minute later she's up and peeking out the door.

I quietly laid her back down, covered her up and left the room.

A few minutes go by and she's peeking out the door again.

I lay her down again and we repeat this scenario one more time.

On the fourth time up she closes her door instead of opening it. 

So now she's alone, in her room, in the dark and she can't let herself out.

I decided to wait and see her reaction. 

Seconds go by and I don't hear a peep. Then I see her on the monitor, climbing up into her bed, snuggling with Snoop and going to sleep!! 

All in all it was less than fifteen tearless minutes before she was settled and sound asleep. Plus she slept through the night and woke up at her usual time.

She got up once and tried to play with her toys before her first toddler bed nap but since then she's went to sleep no problem.

Honestly I expected more of a fight. Or a few sleepless nights. At the very least some tears.

But Mayson seemed to love her "big girl bed" from the start.

If only every transition and milestone could be this easy!!