Taking A Break

The Beanie family is heading out for a few days to enjoy Beanie Uncle's wedding and to hang out with family. Enjoy the Labor Day Weekend and the end of Summer. Football season starts here's a photo of the newest Virginia Hoo.

Good luck Cavs in your season opener against USC on Saturday. I think that you're going to need all that you can get.

Chalk

The last couple of days have yielded amazing weather here in Central Virginia. We have left the windows open and have maintained a lower temp in the house than if we were running the air conditioner. I'm not sure that would have ever been possible in Big City, Texas, especially this time of year.

So, even though we adore the warm sunshine and all of the great activities we can do, playing outside is a tad bit more bearable when it's a little bit cooler.

One of JB's fave things to do outside is color with her sidewalk chalk. We spent a lot of time giving the sidewalk and driveway a touch of color yesterday afternoon. It is also a great natural way for Beanie Mommy to introduce the ABC's, 123's, colors and shapes to Beanie without her feeling like I'm actually "teaching" her something.

It's pretty fun to watch JB concentrate (as much as a 16-month-old concentrates) when I recite the alphabet to her. She hears the letters all of the time through song but to actually see that there are symbols for those words is starting to register. I scrawled all of the letters out across the sidewalk and pointed to each one as I sang the song. Afterward she would scoot down the line and point to most letters and vocalize something that she probably thought was what I was saying. Then she moved on to scribble something else with her blue chalk.

Baby Sale

Baby Style has a nice little Labor Day sale going on right now with 40 percent off of a lot of goodies. And to make it even better, you can get free shipping if you spend $49 by simply typing in FREESHIP49 when y0u finalize your purchase.

Also, Hanna Andersson's pre-season outer wear sale is taking place. This one is especially exciting for me since we now live where there is a need for good outer wear. This is such a cute look:

Torture

Childhood can be so traumatic. This is JB getting her hair cut for the first time a few weeks ago. She looks terrified, doesn't she? So imagine how she looked today at the doctor's office. She went in for her 15-month immunizations (even though she's 16 months old) and it was not pretty. I don't think that the shots bothered her as much as being in the exam room.

She was excited, though, by the brightly colored bandages the nurse put on her legs. They fascinated her most of the morning until she finally peeled them off.

Other than having to be poked three times, the visit went well. She weighs 23 pounds and measured 34-inches long. It's hard to imagine that when she first entered this world she weighed a wee 6 pounds and was only 18-inches long. My baby is growing up!

Happy Monday

Happy Monday everyone. The Beanie family had a nice, relaxing weekend that was highlighted by a fabulous Saturday evening with friends.

I met a woman a couple of months ago and she and her husband have a nearly three-year-old little boy. JB and I have met them at the pool a couple of times and both families have met out for the Fridays after Five at the Downtown Pavilion. On Saturday we took the next step in this new friendship - went to their home for dinner. Much like dating, you usually know that there is a good chance that a new relationship has potential when you actually go to the other person's dwelling.

We had a fabulous time - great conversation and wonderful food. The home was beautiful and set up perfectly for entertaining - I'd kill to have their screened back patio. JB had a blast as well. I'm not really sure how Beanie Buddy had felt about hanging with a little girl in our previous meetings but she proved that she could run with him and they took to each other very well. We didn't leave until nearly 11 p.m. and as much as JB could have gone on and on and on, she was so pooped and fell asleep before we backed out of their driveway.

Resale Redux

I have decided not to place items in the Lollipop Shop sale because they require all first time consigners to include a large item, which I don't have. I think that it's better this way because the Here Wee Grow Again sale is going to be great and they dish out a better return - 65 percent. Their proceeds go toward the church's missions.



So, here's my PSA for any and all C'ville moms wanting to make some cash: If you want to get in on the Here Wee Grow Again sale act fast. I was told this afternoon that they already have 96 consigners and are stopping at 125. Not too shabby for a first sale.

The sale dates are Tuesday, October 7, through Saturday, October 11, at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1500 East Rio Road.

Consigners must register through their site to get a number and items may be dropped off Sunday, October 5 or Monday, October 6.

Never Say Never

Evil has entered our home and its name is ELMO.
Pre-Beanie I had always said that I would not allow my child to have an Elmo toy because they're incredibly annoying. Imagine how I felt when someone (I don't remember who) gave JB an Elmo doll for Christmas. At least it was a stuffed Elmo and not one of those that talks. Thankfully at that time she wasn't interested in dolls so I placed Elmo on the top shelf of her closet. It was kind of funny because he always seemed to be peeking down at us each time we opened the door and Jillian would wave to him.

Well, I finally broke down one day a few weeks ago and let her have him. She gave him a huge bear hug and carried him around with her the entire day.

I have our DVR set up to record Sesame Street each day and turn it on to give Beanie something to do/distract her when it's time for me to start dinner. The last part of the show is Elmo's World and as soon as it comes on, JB runs to get Elmo and sits down to watch it with him (the only part of the show that she actually sits and watches). I usually take a break from kitchen duties to watch Elmo with her and I have to admit that he is cute. I am a bit annoyed that he refers to himself in third person, but I suppose he's geared toward babies more so than bigger kids. And as much as I have come to appreciate Elmo and the happiness he seems to bring to my child, one doll in the house is enough.

SAHM Fashion

One good thing about being a SAHM is that I don't have to buy clothes for working outside the home. No more suits, pencil skirts, fewer pairs of shoes, etc. One bad thing about being a SAHM is that I don't get to buy those clothes.

JB and I went out for a while this afternoon and stopped in at Banana Republic. This dress was on a mannequin in the window and I'm still trying to figure out how to justify buying it:
Sure, I could wear it to church or out to dinner, but it doesn't seem to make sense at this point in time. But as Fall approaches I find myself thinking about what to put in my closet that is practical for my new role but that doesn't give the impression that I don't care about fashion. I had a SAHM neighbor who only wore denim short overalls and I always swore that I wouldn't get to that place.

I am a big fan of the TLC show What Not to Wear. I'd give anything to go on the show if only to have the chance to blow $5,000 on new clothes. Sadly, I'm not that BIG of a fashion disaster to go on but I was tempted to have Jason turn me in after JB was born. I had three pair of maternity pants that I didn't want to give up. They were awesome - one pair from Gap, and two pair of Noppies. And I wasn't wearing them because nothing else fit, I wore them because I thought that they looked fine and they were so dad-gummed comfy. Anyway, I recently saw a rerun where they helped a SAHM of two and PTA prez whose wardrobe centered around "lounge" pants and t-shirts. It was great to see what they suggested for her that made sense for the whole staying-at-home side of her life but also made her presentable.

Then we get into the whole budget issue. I know Beanie Dad wants me to look nice and feel good about how I look, but you have to be super careful with the budget when you're only living on one income. Thankfully my Real Simple magazine came in the mail today and its cover story is "Modern Classics: wardrobe upgrades for every budget." I look forward to hunkering down once JB is in bed and getting a few ideas.

Dirt

Is it just JillyBean or do all girls love to play with rocks? We can't go for a walk across the street, much less down to the playground, without Beanie stopping to inspect each rock, pebble, stone or broken piece of concrete that she sees.

Wednesday was a lovely day - low 80s - so we took Beanie Dog out for a walk down to the park. We never made it. Beanie decided that she wanted to plop herself down in the middle of a gravel pile and poke around a bit. I'm sure a lot of moms would have discouraged such "discovery" because of all the messiness that ensues when playing in dirt, but I think that it's great that Beanie loves the outdoors and loves to discover everything it has to offer.

With all of the anti-bacterial cleaning products out there these days and the strive to make sure our children are injected with every vaccine pharmaceutical companies can create, a little dirt, no strike that, a LOT of dirt is necessary. It's also important for moms and dads to get down in the dirt with the kiddos because what looks like a bunch of broken asphalt to you is a completely different world at their level.

There are two great books that are next on my "must read" list: The Dirt on Dirt and I Love Dirt: 52 Projects to Help You and Your Kids Get Outside, Get Dirty, and Enjoy Nature.
I Love Dirt will come in handy this fall. One of the advantages to living in Central Virginia as opposed to Big City, Texas, is that we're surrounded by so many natural resources. It is much easier to get out and explore nature here on a daily basis. The Shenandoah National Park is just up the interstate from us and Fall will be a great time to visit and see all of the leaves change color.

What I have learned from having a curious toddler is that you don't have to go far to make exciting discoveries. Taking the dog for a walk through the neighborhood offers many opportunities to grow and learn about the world - even if you never make it to your planned destination.

Lil Fish

You may not be able to tell too well in this photo but Beanie got a bit burned today at the pool. That's what you get after chillin' for 4 hours in the baby pool. She wore her sun hat most of the day but took it off and Beanie Mom didn't think about applying the 50+ SPF. She's OK and the red on her nose and cheeks really makes her eyes shine.

We typically go to the water park at ACAC because they have a primo kid area. The "baby" pool is a zero-entry pool so little swimmers can ease their way into the water. Plus, there is a great squirt park that Beanie loves to run through. But today one of Beanie's buddies called to ask if we wanted to meet them at the Boar's Head Sports Club so we hung out there instead.

I don't know what we're going to do beginning Sept. 1. The pools will close down their weekday operation and I can't imagine what other activity we can do that will keep Beanie occupied for as long as the pool. We're going to have to be a bit creative this Fall and Winter.

Recycling

The old adage that everything old is new again is never truer than when you're trying to clear out closet space or when you need a good deal. C'ville moms who need to get rid of kiddos' clothes to make room for new stuff, earn a bit of cash, or who are looking for good fall clothing deals are in luck.
The Lollipop Shop opens for business September 13 through September 28. Consignment drop-off days are Tuesday, Sept. 2, through Saturday, Sept. 6, at 127 Seminole Court (the same location as the Spring sale).

This is something that we'll be taking advantage of this year. Getting rid of JB's clothes has been a bit of an emotional ride for me. I have two large crates crammed with clothes sized preemie through 12 months. I have weeded some items out the past several months - donating some items to people I know who really need clothes - and selling a few items online. It's hard to let go of a lot of things because it reminds me of the iddy biddy baby that I used to have. I remember how adorable she looked in certain outfits and I'm not ready to let go. But I'm getting better thanks to the limited space we have in this place.

I recently sent a big batch of Fall clothes to Nana to place in a consignment store near her place since I have yet to find anything around here. I guess that I should have held on to them a bit longer because I'll only get 45 percent of the sales there whereas The Lollipop Shop gives you 55 percent of the sale price.

Then, as luck would have it, I have learned about a new sale that is taking place Oct. 6 through Oct. 11 at Aldersgate united Methodist Church. The Here Wee Grow Again! sale pays out 65 percent of sales. Like the Lollipop Shop, Here Wee Grow Again will take place twice a year - Fall and Spring.
After checking out both sites, Here Wee Grow Again has a super easy tagging process. You simply enter all of the information for the items you plan to sell on their site and then print the tags out all together. With the Lollipop Shop you have to create labels to place on index cards then attach to your items. It might be worth placing items in the Lollipop Shop sale first and whatever doesn't sell can go to Here Wee Grow Again since it's new and may not generate as many customers the first time out of the gate.

Fair Days

It seems odd to me that county fairs are taking place during the Dog Days of Summer. I always equate the fair with fall and cooler weather. We always had a day off of school when I was a kid to attend the state fair, and the State Fair of Texas is always the setting for the Texas-OU showdown.

We missed the Albemarle County Fair a couple of weeks ago so instead decided to head over to Greene County for their fair on Saturday. JB had a blast.
She took to the petting zoo pretty quickly where she followed around and got to love on sheep, goats, pigs, a calf and a donkey.


We considered letting her get her face painted but didn't think she'd like someone that close to her, so we had a butterfly painted on her hand.
She enjoyed sitting on the grass with Dad listening to music and watching the cloggers. She even did her best clogging imitation, which entertained the folks sitting around us.
And to round out the experience, JB rode the merry-go-round with Mom and a worm ride with Dad.
And to repay us for all of the fun she had, JB slept until nearly 8 a.m. Sunday.

Superstar

We were so lucky to find an amazing photographer here. Dominique Attaway shot some photos of JillyBean in the Spring - just before Easter - and we could not have been more pleased with them. I received a card in the mail from her promoting a fall special so I ventured onto her site again and low and behold Miss Bean is on there not once but twice. She's under "little people" and is featured in the 3rd and 21st pictures. Dominique's blog is fun to browse through as well.

Even though those pictures hang on our wall, it's crazy looking at them online. She looks so different now, just five months older.

And while I'm doing photo plugs, check out Beanie Auntie's site. It's sad that we aren't close enough to Nashville to take advantage of April's marvelous work but she has done fabulous photos of JB and we can't wait for more (the photo you see here is one she took of Jilly in April when we celebrated her first birthday). April is about to celebrate her studio's first anniversary and is expecting to offer some exciting opportunities for her clients in Nashville.

Back to School Clothing Discount

I love this time of year when all of the ads center around back-to-school shopping. And even though no one here is going to school this year, it's still fun to do a bit of cyber shopping. Plus, we finally live where Fall is more than a couple of days in February.

Gymboree was nice enough to send us a card that gives 30 percent off entire purchase from August 21-24. So, if you're in need of new school clothes or fall clothes for the kiddo, just use the code CFFRIEND when you check out.

Jilly's picks for girls:

And for boys:

Jilly was also excited to see the new preppy line at Gap. She's really digging argyle and plaid for the fall:

And for the well-dressed little man:

The End of Music Class

Today was the last week of Kindermusik. It was a great summer session where JB learned new songs, played with some new instruments and made a couple of new friends.

I became familiar with Kindermusik by a friend who taught classes in Memphis. I wanted to get JB involved with the program for a couple of reasons: first to give us a planned outing each week, and second to keep her around other kids. She hit a very annoying separation anxiety/shy stage in May and has yet to get out of it. I wanted to expose her to something similar to a classroom setting so that she won't freak out each time we leave her with a babysitter or in the nursery at church. I'm not sure if it worked but we had a good time anyway.

The biggest change that I have witnessed in JB since taking the classes is her love of music. She points to the stereo each morning when she comes downstairs for breakfast or after she has had breakfast and says "dance." It's her way of telling me to put in the CD that has all of the songs on it from class. There is a peek-a-boo song and she immediately begins doing the hand motions for peek-a-boo. There is a Caribbean-styled song and she has her little dance steps that she shows me: a few steps forward then back; side to side; bounce, bounce; repeat. And while it's very entertaining and cute, I am getting a bit tired of the music.

A new class begins in September and I am sure that we will enroll. It's been a fun way for us to bond through music and to meet other moms along the way.

Summer Reflections

The end of summer is nearing and it is really a sad time. This has been one of the greatest summers that I can remember and it's so memorable because I decided to be a stay-at-home-mom.

I won't lie and say that it was an easy decision. Many people believe that when you become a SAHM the biggest fear is lack of adult interaction. That was not the case with me. It's easy to pick up the phone or shoot off an e-mail to a friend and get caught up on the latest news or share opinions about the current political climate. My biggest fear was how to create an environment for my daughter that would help her grow, learn and prepare for the big world that awaits her. I feared that I wasn't equipped to teach her to count, learn her ABCs, learn her colors, words and all of the other things that she was on the road to discovering at her daycare. But then a very good friend stepped up to let me know that she will do just fine. Giving her the gift of my time and love is something that she will remember her entire life. There is no need for me to create pseudo lesson plans and create constructive play. She learns from everyday life. She learns from the moments that we sit on the floor and play with blocks. She learns from the stories that we read throughout the day and when Beanie Daddy puts her to bed each night. She learns about the world from our long, leisurely walks. She learns from the example we set for her in our daily life.

We have played with blocks for countless hours; we have gone to KinderMusik classes; we have gone swimming; we have had a blast this summer.

I am truly blessed to have this opportunity to spend with JillyBean. It is a gift that I will treasure forever and one that I am sure that she will too.

Welcome

Welcome to JillyBean's new blog. For all of our loyal followers, we're making the switch over here from the other site because we want to be a bit more creative. Also, since JB is about to hit that 18-month mark and Mom is now at home with her, there are a lot of things that we want to chronicle and discuss that didn't really fit the old place.

Our goal is to update each day, with exception of the weekends. We hope you enjoy our new digs and visit us often!