Rousing game of Clue!

Lauren's absolute favorite thing to do is play games - computer, board - she doesn't really care! What can I say, she comes by it honestly - Dave and I like to play games too. Last Sunday she asked if we could play games and we told her to pick what she wanted to play and she picked Clue! She loves a good mystery so she and her Dad teamed up and we all played Clue. She thinks it is so much fun moving into the different rooms and trying to guess who did it and with what! She and her Dad won the first game and I won the second game. This is how Lauren looks when she is the winner.


"Team Dad"


Moving pieces around the board.


Happy because they were able to beat me!

Then we decided to play another game we have that Lauren likes, Gulo Gulo (Dave bought it for himself for his last birthday but it is also pretty easy for kids to play too).

We usually go pretty easy on Lauren and help her out a little and most of the time she wins. Well, this time I was a little to competitive and I ended up winning the game and Lauren was NOT happy about this turn of events!


What she looked like right after loosing the game! I know - I probably should have just let my 4 year old win the game but I really didn't think she was going to cry.


Then Dad started to get her to smile a little bit and realize it is not such a big deal to lose once in awhile.


A little happier.


There we go - she is now laughing more than she is crying!


And finally back to her normal happy self.

All in all a fun game night. We are always looking for fun games to play together so if you have a family favorite, please pass it along! (We can usually be found playing Hungry Hungry Hippo, Go Fish, Old Maid, Hi Ho Cherry'O, Chutes and Ladders. and Memory Games). I think Santa is bringing some new games for Christmas so that will be fun!

My Little Poser!

So today we woke up to temperatures in the 60's (what happened - it was in the 80's yesterday) and I realized that I am ill prepared clothing wise for the colder weather! I found one of the few pair of pants that are still long enough for Lauren from last winter and had her wear them to preschool today (but I completely forgot to put her in a jacket). So after preschool I picked her up and we went on a shopping trip to the mall.

I decided we needed to get some new tennis shoes (since we have no close toed shoes that I can squish her feet into anymore) so our first stop was at Payless. I had no idea that my 4 year old was so dang opinionated about her foot wear! A worker came and measured her foot and it was decided she is now a size 10 so we set off for the isle with the size 10 shoes. She immediately fell in love with a cute pair of shoes that were pink/white with silver stars. Great - I don't really care that much. But I was kind of hoping to get a pair a little bigger so they would last longer (please tell me I am not the only one who does that) so I start looking in the 10 1/2 sizes and they don't have that exact shoe in a 10 1/2 but they have another cute shoe that is pink/white so I convince her to try it on. The following conversation then took place:

Me: Lauren, I just want you to try this shoe on and see how it fits.
Lauren: Mom, I not like that shoe. I LOVE these shoes.
Me: Lauren, I just want you to try this shoe on and see how it fits. Look, it is pink and white too.
Lauren: Mom, I not like that shoe. I LOVE these shoes. I not want to buy those shoes.
Me: Okay - look at all these shoes that are 10 1/2, which one do you like? I want you to try one on.
Lauren: I like zero of those mom! I like these shoes.
- I finally get her to try the shoe on.
Me: How does that feel? Will you stand up and walk in them for me?
Lauren: Ouch, ouch - they are hurting my foot so much! Hurry, take them off!
Me: Nice try - these shoes are bigger than the shoes you want - they are not hurting your foot.
Lauren: Yes, they hurt right here (points to the heel).
- So we try the shoe she wants on again.
Me: So how do those feel?
Lauren: These shoes feel GREAT Mom. They are great for walking in!

So - needless to say, she got the shoes she wanted. We also found some tap shoes for her tap/ballet class that starts this month. Then we were off to Old Navy to find some pants. Of course nothing was on sale except summer clothes so I found some pants for us to try on and off we went to the dressing room to see what size would work for this girl. She is only 4 but she is kind of tall so if I buy her size 4, they will be high waters by the time it is really cold in Jan. But if I buy size 5 they are sometimes way too long (luckily most Old Navy pants have the adjustable waist in them so I can make them fit her little waist). I used to just go and buy her pants and come home but after having to make too many returns because they were too long or too big in the waist I now just take her with me. I had no idea this daughter of mine was so into fashion. As soon as we put that first pair of jeans on she immediately started turning round in front of the mirror and sticking out her bum with her hand on her hip and saying things like - How do these look? These pants make my booty look good. I swear to you she did not learn that from watching me try on clothes! I had my camera in my purse and I almost whipped it out and took a pict. of her posing in front of the mirror but decided not to encourage her vain behavior! Luckily our shopping was a success and we left with two new pair of pants! I remember when a complete outfit for her would only cost me $5 at Carters. Now I am spending $15 on just the pants! Kids - why can't they just stay little forever??