Love Story

A few week's ago my mom and I took Laney to see Taylor Swift. Now, I don't know how many 3 year olds have been to a real live concert (other than a kids show), but I can say mine has. And I cannot tell you how much joy that brought to my heart. It was worth every penny spent.
Laney loves Taylor's song Love Story (and a few others too)! She was so excited and couldn't wait for her to sing that song and when she did Laney sang as loud as she could and I felt so overwhelmed at the moment we were sharing as I was holding her and we were singing live with Taylor Swift.This photo captures that moment and the happiness on my face and the awe in her eye!

After Kelly Pickler sang and we were waiting on Taylor, Laney told us that she must still be getting dressed ... of course she was:) Before the concert Laney told me and mom that she wanted to Taylor how cute she looked (she was saying that she looked cute not Taylor) so I told her she could tell her that but she would have to be really loud. So, when Taylor came out Laney was yelling "Look how cute I look!" ... obviously Taylor didn't hear her and turned to me and said "She can't hear me!" I told her she might have heard her but that Taylor is busy singing but I was sure she would think Laney was the cutest!

But what a fabulous experience it was! I was just so teary eyed at the beginning because I was feeling so unbelievably blessed ... Thank you Lord!

What Laney said ...

2 cute things out of Laney's mouth in September (only 2 ... I must not have done a great job writing them down.)

Let me start this one by saying I LOVE reading Goodnight Moon to Laney, it is my favorite to read to her ... always has been ... she is getting smarter ... kind of made me sad though ...
"Houses don’t sleep, red balloons don’t sleep, that stuff doesn’t sleep, why are we telling it goodnight?”

Kevin: "Why did you make a mess?"
Laney: "Because Jesus said so."
Kevin: "Jesus said what?"
Laney: "He said to make a mess."
Let's just say Kevin didn't know what to say so he left it at that.

July & August ... out of Laney's mouth

I surely do have on a big dress.

Turn off the fan, it is blowing out my curls.

Mommy should have told you I don’t like dots. (telling Daddy when he was making breakfast and I was out of town)

I didn’t know birds talked.

I am big now. I want to eat salad.

Laney: "Everybody's getting ready for my party." Mommy: "Are you getting ready too?" Laney: "Yes." Mommy: "What are you doing to get ready?" Laney: "Fixing to eat cake."

Why does he do art in heaven? (While teaching her The Lord’s Prayer)

Birthday Weekend

It came and it couldn't have been better. Laney's 3rd birthday party was Saturday (August 15) at our house with the theme "The Wizard of Oz." It was so fun to decorate and prepare for it. Kevin and I both took off work on Friday so we could make sure that everything was perfect. The outside of our house is where the house landed on the Wicked Witch of the West and the beginning of the Land of Oz, which is Munckinland ... complete with the rainbow (that you had to go "over"), a yellow brick road, ruby red slippers and lollipops.


Inside was the flower field Dorothy, the Lion, the Tinman and the Scarecrow run through to get to the Emerald City.


The Emerald City began at the back doors which were covered with shiny green curtains and green balloons. The outside activities made up the Emerald City.


This birthday was so very fun. All the kids and parents had a blast. She is so blessed to have so many wonderful people in her life that cares about her. She got a lot of fabulous presents and lots of love.


On Sunday, her birthday, we went to Rod's Pizza for lunch then she and I went for her first Mani/Pedi's and she loved doing that. (She loves it when I do it too!) Then we went to the lake house and swam and ate a yummy dinner.


She is growing so quickly. But I am embracing all the changes and the phases that are ahead. I am not afraid of them I want to be ready for them, I want to be excited for them and I want to encourage them. It's what growing up is all about ... and Laney growing up (everyday) shows me what we have instilled in her ... we are shaping her into the woman she will one day be. We can't wait to see what she will become in the Lord.

Where oh where did my Laney go? Oh where oh where ...

Some things I do as a mommy give me so much pride. Sometimes its little things and sometimes big things. This week I made a mad dash home at lunch. I knew I had to stop at the store for black elastic first. I did that ate a quick lunch then got to sewing. Laney started dance class this week and her tap shoes needed to be attached with elastic ... that just won't do for my honey. I had to add some pink and black zebra print ribbon to the elastic. Sewing that up gave me so much happiness as a mommy. I never thought I would be so excited to do something so small for my daughter.
I have to say how very excited I am about her dancing. It was always such a passion of mine and I hope she finds the joy in it that I did and still do (just in a different way). Me and Kevin were so proud of her at her class we both went, watched and took pictures. She is growing so fast, but I love the changes and phases.

IT WAS AWFUL! She hated it! She didn't mind, she cried ... let me rephrase she screamed! She was NOT my child, I promise, I am not just saying that, but seriously she didn't act like my child. I made her stay in there crying and having a horrible time. Kevin was so embarrassed he went and waited in the car. Thank goodness that came and went quickly ... and it's funny looking at the above pics you wouldn't have known what kind of experience we really had!

So, here we are and last night was our 3rd class and she loves it. She did get moved to different class with more kids (which I am glad for) and she is really learning, she can tell you and demonstrate a plié, relevé and tendu. I thank Jesus he gave me MY CHILD back! I love her in dance and love that it is one of the many things we can share. I am constantly going over the terms and demonstrating them for her ... thank you for Jesus for my knowledge.

Interview with my Daughter

This was a cute idea one of my facebook friends did with their son so I decided to do it and put it on here!

Interview with Laney Nicole Bryant 2 yrs. old ... but almost 3 yrs. old.

1. What is something mom always says to you? No, no

2. What makes mom happy? Clean up my play room

3. What makes mom sad? Don't clean up my play room

4. How does your mom make you laugh? Tickel me

5. What was your mom like as a child? A little boy

6. How old is your mom? I don’t know

7. How tall is your mom? Like bigger

8. What is her favorite thing to do? Make me happy

9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Make me happy

11. What is your mom really good at? Good at daddy

12. What is your mom not very good at? Making me sad

13. What does your mom do for her job? Eat lunch

14. What's your mom's favorite food? Salad

15. What makes you proud of your mom? Just because I love you

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Nothing

17. What do you and your mom do together? Play play dough

18. How are you and your mom the same? We both wear dresses

19. How are you and your mom different? We’re pretty

20. How do you know your mom loves you? I love you too

I spend my life preparing

I am currently supposed to be cleaning the house (while Kevin is cleaning outside) however I had a urge to write, so here I am. I spend so much of my life preparing ... its one of the things that makes me me (and thank goodness my family is okay with it), spend weeks or days preparing for things ... small and large things, trips, grocery store trips, weekends, holiday's. Speaking of holiday's ... we are fast approaching one of my very favorites ... LANEY'S BIRTHDAY! I love it, I do turn it into a holiday. Preparation for this particular holiday have been in full swing since June. Yes, that's right June ... I know I know she is only three and won't remember ... I don't really care if she will remember ... the look and excitement on her face will be so gratifying that two and a half months of preparation will be so worth it. It's so very hard to believe that just 3 short years ago I was preparing for her birth (that was definitely a 9 month preparation) ... had her room ready, the living room ready, the kitchen ready everything was waiting patiently for her arrival ... us too ... we waited and waited and waited, even the day she was born we waited all day and then at about 6:00 p.m. she was born into our world at a
fabulous 20 1/2 inches and 8 lbs and 11 oz. Once she was born I cried as I watch Kevin hold her (I do not regret letting him be the first to hold her one bit) ... I was so beside myself and overcome with joy that all I could do was watch and then after I gained my composure I held that beautiful baby girl that was already the center of my world. I can't even explain the love I have for her and how much it grows daily. She is everything I could have ever asked for in a sweet baby angel girl. She is already my best girlfriend and I know as we continue our journey together my love for her will grow stronger and our bond tighter. So, for her third birthday I am prepared to give her everything she has asked for ... a Wizard of Oz birthday party, complete with a yellow brick road, a witch under a house, lollipops and poppies ... and a PINK GUITAR. I am so very excited for her party and she is too (she is crossing the days off a calendar) and can't wait to see her face and her excitement next Saturday. Preparation is so worth it everytime!

Laneyism's-June

Here are a few cute things Laney had to say in June:

Mommy: “Laney, do you want to go to bedtime stories at the library tonight?”
Laney: “Um, I want to go to the dollar store.”
***
Mommy: “Are you good and rested this morning?”
Laney: “Yes, like the Tin Man.”
It took me a second to figure out she thought I said rusted. So I took this opportunity to explain the difference, I was even sounding out the different vowel sounds and she was repeating me. So I asked again.
Mommy: “Are you rested this morning?”
Laney: “Like the Tin Man? What about the Scarecrow? What does Laney have to eat?”
The conversation was obviously over, and I must not have explained the difference between rest and rust very good.
***
Daddy: “Do you want to go on a boat ride?”
Laney:”No, I want to go swimming.”
Daddy: “Mommy and Daddy want to go on a boat ride. Don’t you want to go with us?”

Laney: “Ya’ll can go on a boat ride and I’ll stay here and swim.”
***
Laney: “Daddy go change clothes. Do you not know where your bathroom is?”
***
Mommy: “Stop messing with your tutee.”
Laney: “There’s something in there.”
Mommy: “What?”
Laney: “Sprinkles.”
***
Laney: “Turn this song off, I don’t like this song.”
At the Colbie Caillat concert
***
Laney: “I'm getting a pig for Christmas. A pink one. And its going to scare my doggies.”

***

Dora Dora Dora the Explorer

Laney love live production ... she has been to 1) Doodlebops 2) Sesame Street Live 3) Dora Live & 4) Miss Arkansas. She is so good during them and is in ahh and just I can't even tell you how excited she gets about them. We are planning on taking her to Wizard of Oz at the pocket theater (local group) in October then maybe to see it at the Orpheum in Memphis in December (don't think I'm bad that she will be scared ... she LOVES Oz ... its her birthday party theme ... and quite possibly her favorite movie). Here are some pictures of her at Dora ... no cameras please!

She also just got one of her birthday presents from us ... a slide with pool. We gave it to her early so she could get some good play time on it and because we are going to let the kids use it at her party.

To splint or not to splint ... Miss Arkansas

First let me update you on my still hurting thumb! Doc said no broken bones ... well I knew that. Just some probable torn ligaments and tendons ... here were this splint (that is making my thumb hurt in a totally different way) and put ice on it every night and take Advil regularly. If its not better by next Wednesday you will need to see an Ortho doc. Okay fine. I do have to say the splint has made what was hurting go away, but there is a whole new pain, whatever, I don't know what's better .... the spilt or none. I think today I'm going to go without and see what happens. I hate it for one, look at me trying to put lipstick on Laney that she so desperately wanted before we went to the Miss Arkansas Pageant.

So, the Miss Arkansas pageant was fantastic. Laney loved it and stuck it out for 2.5 hours before she was ready to leave. I wasn't sure if she would even like it. Our tickets were really good on the aisle and she could see great. All week she has been talking about seeing the "princesses and dancing girls." As soon as we got home from work/school she asked if she could pick out a crown to wear, so we did, then she asked if she could pick out her dress, so we did, then she asked if she could pick out my dress, so we did. We just had to wait like 3 hours to go. She was such a comedian commenting on the girls ... the lady in front of us told me at intermission that Laney was cracking her up!! Lots and lots of people commented on how cute Laney was and ohhed and ahhed over her and of course I LOVE that! First was swimsuit (Laney kept asking me if they were going swimming:) then was talent which Laney loved, most of them danced and there was some good dancing ... that's my favorite talent I guess because I actually know what they are doing and what is hard. It was obviously Laney's favorite too, because about 6 into evening gown she said she was ready to leave because the girls aren't dancing anymore. I think she would have lasted through the whole thing if they weren't asking each contestant a question ... I think Laney got bored with that. I will have to look at the paper today to see who won last night's preliminary. Tonight is the actual pageant for the top 10 but me and Kevin have a date so we couldn't go tonight. Next year though I will take her to the top 10. I am so glad she had a good time! My mom and I used to make it a girls trip and come to Hot Springs for the final night. I am so blessed to live in Hot Springs so we can just hop over there and watch whenever we like ...

Terrible Terrible

I have been terrible about updating this thing. What is wrong with me? How is it I remember to do EVERYTHING else I need to do but this? I need to put it on my calendar. I just get so busy living life and loving every minute of it that I totally forget. And it is really bad when I say to myself or Kevin I have to blog about this ... and then never do. This one has to be quick because there is no need to type while my thumb is throbbing unless it is for work. So, I jammed my thumb ... crazy funny story: 4th of July weekend, contest with some family running around the "pirate ship," I slid into Kevin, my arm went under him and my thumb got jammed ... and it is still hurting ... I can't turn on the car the normal way, peel fruit, pick Laney up, type ... nothing that needs to be done with the 2nd joint on my thumb without it hurting. DOCTOR I'm coming to see you tomorrow morning. FIX my thumb. I really didn't even realize how much of a necessity a thumb is until now. I even teared up putting Laney into her car seat on Saturday ... she was sad for me and put (imaginary, and the best kind) of sticky tape on it in the car so it would feel better ... funny how that tape at that particular time did make it feel better --- I must say this wouldn't have happened if the car next to us didn't park TOO close to us at Wal-Mart, ugh! Everyone else is great at our house. I love Kevin and Laney very much and love just spending time with them. They are both comedians so they keep me laughing. Okay, that's all for now, I will let you all know about my thumb tomorrow!

Laneyism's

Here are a few cute things Laney had to say in May.

Breezie: "Laney, what are a few of your favorite things?"
Laney: "Flowers and princesses and towers too."
***
Laney: “I want some pudding.”
Daddy: “We don’t have any pudding.”
Laney: “We do too, you need to learn what we have.”
***
Laney: “I don’t want to wear those shoes, they are yuck! I want to wear shoes with sparkles.”
***
Mommy: “Do you want bananas in your cereal?”
Laney: “That’s not what you put in cereal. You put milk in cereal.”

***
Laney: “I have to go pee pee.”
Mommy: “You just went you don’t really have to go.”
Laney: “Uh-huh, it’s coming out.”
Mommy: “No it’s not, I don’t see it.”
Laney: “It’s in my tutee right now.”

***

The Best Day

Dear Laney,

You are at an age where you really are a little girl. You are opinionated, strong, bossy, independent, loving, sweet, generous and beautiful. Actually, you are a mini-me. Looking at you and seeing your reactions and actions I feel so blessed to be such a huge part of your life. Laney you are growing up too fast, I love this age and wish I could freeze it just a little longer, but I can’t so I have to take every minute I have and hold it close to my heart. You are so girly and I love that. You want your toes and fingernails to always be painted and you are quick to tell me they need to be touched up. That is one thing I love to do … manicures and pedicures with you and I love to take you to pick out new polish, it always intrigues me when you make your choice. Honey, you think that you have to wear a dress and that they make you a princess and beautiful. This is not something I want you to believe in and I am working on that with you. Dresses, necklaces, bracelets, crowns, none of that make you beautiful, I want you to understand that you are beautiful with or without them and that you can look like a ragamuffin and still be beautiful. This weekend I noticed you saying “I can’t do it very good.” All I could think was who taught you that? I quickly corrected and told you that you absolutely can do it very good, just try and you can. I hate those negative thoughts in your beautiful head. I want don’t want you to know “can’t do it very good!” Laney, you can do it because I know you can!!

I want you to always look to me for comfort and that place where you can be at peace with yourself, that place where it really doesn’t matter what you’re doing or what your look like, where you can 100% be yourself and have no worries about what will be thought of you. Believe me you do it now, you don’t care if you have snot on your forehead and tears streaming down your check when I’m around and I am honestly glad that you don’t hold back with me, it would hurt my feelings if you did.

I get so very excited about days alone with you because I swear at 2 ½ years old you are my best girlfriend. This Saturday your Daddy had to work so it was just you and me kiddo. On Saturday morning you woke up in the best most loving mood. We watched Mickey Mouse and I made Banana Nut muffins. We had a shower and then got dressed and headed out to the mall. We spent 3 hours at the mall, just two best friends hanging out. You were even suggesting stores to go in. We didn’t need anything but we did buy a little. We just walked through the mall holding hands, talking, sharing and browsing. As we were headed back to the lake you told me you were tired but you wanted to go out on a boat ride with me. So we packed up an ice chest, towels, sunscreen and the dogs and headed out onto the lake. We rode and talked for a then the sandman got you and you napped.

There on the lake where we rode around for about 2 hours all I could think about was you and the best day we just had and I had to say, thank You, Jesus, for blessing my life more than I could have ever asked, thank You for the honest and real relationship I already have with Laney, I know it is only going to get better and thank You for my mama who taught me how to have a honest and real relationship with my precious, angel, baby daughter.

Love, Love, Love You-
Mama

Catching Up

It feels like I haven't blogged in forever ... but I have, it has just been a really busy last two weeks. To start it off my better half made the turn into adult-hood ... yes he turned 30. He actually didn't have an issue with it and for that I was thankful, but I just can't help but think dang he's not in his twenties anymore. I mean I really don't mind getting older, however I can't imagine not marking boxes on forms that don't start with a 2 ... I mean seriously I forget how old I am sometimes when filling that kind of thing out and mark like the 24-26 box and stuff ... hello ... not that age anymore. And I wonder just because I am having these thoughts now, will they go away or intensify by September 2010. I hope go away ... I know age is just a number and by no means do I feel my age (hence marking the wrong box) thankfully! Anyway, so for my wonderful hubby his birthday present from me was a 3 day trip to St. Louis to see Cardinals Opening Day. It was a fab time and its nice to get away just the two of us to reconnect and be able to enjoy just simply, each other's company. While we lived in The Lou (which ironically is also Laney's nickname) we never went to an opening day, just the festivities so we were super pumped and knew we were taking a gamble with what the weather would be like. But as you can see, it was HELLO Freezing the day of the game ... and yes that's right folks it was snowing ... but we had so much fun, very memorable.















When we got back on Tuesday we met her and Gigi (Kevin's Mom) in Caddo Valley then we got home to Hot Springs around 5:30 and got ourselves ready for the rest of the week ... Laney was getting tubes in her ears on Thursday. She just started having ear infections around October ... never had them as a baby so she was just know getting tubes (Tristan also got tubes this week ... goodness). Pics are from that day. And let me tell you what a trooper we have, she was fabulous, didn't have to sleep it off or anything and felt fine. Now the ear drops we had to give her well, it was Wrestle Mania in our house the first few times and the first time we put ear plugs in for bath ... I really think the neighbors think I was murdering her, but finally (thank the Good Lord) she calmed down. I hope it gets better, we are at the lake all summer and she is a water baby and is going to have to wear those every time she swims till they fall out. She has always been weird about her ears. She has never wanted me to mess with them, all before tubes or ear infections.


























Then on Thursday family began making their way to the Spa City for the Arkansas Derby and Easter. Saturday was beautiful and Sunday, um not so much. We hunted eggs in the house. It was a good time.

Thought I would leave you with these 2 pictures that have nothing to do with anything I've written about.

Has anyone ever heard of a Golden Retriever loving a Rocker Recliner ... Minnie loves it here.

And I just love this ... I love them both more than I could ever convey. They are both the be all that ends all!

March Laneyism's

Here are a few cute things Laney had to say in March.

Laney: “Let me take your picture.”
Mommy: “Okay.”
She takes the pretend picture on her play cell phone that has a picture of Cinderella on the face. She looks at the picture.
Laney: “That is a very nice picture.”

***

Laney: “It’s okay baby.”
To Tristan when he started to fuss when she was smothering him with kisses.

***

Laney: “I don’t think he needs his paci anymore.”
Tristan was crying and then after he got his paci he stopped and she thought he was done with it.

***

Laney: “He’s being ugly.”
Laney told me very loudly at the library about a kid we didn’t know who was pestering his sister. Everyone including the parents laughed.

***

“That was a little one. That was a big one. Let me look at my big poop. I just peeped on my poop, let me look.”
While she was potting she was providing a play-by-play.

***

Laney: “Um, that's good pudding!”
Daddy: “How do you know you haven’t even eaten it yet?”
Laney: “I like pudding ... And I like applesauce.”

***

Mommy: “Dear Jesus, make Laney a better woman than me.”
Laney: “I’m not gonna be a woman. I’m a big girl.”

***

Laney: “I have on a dress. I don’t think you can wear flip flops with a dress, because it’s a dress.”

Our Little Star

Singing her favorite song! Look out American Idol ... here comes Laney Bryant give or take 13 years.

St. Patty's Day, Hot Springs National Park Style

While in most cities St. Patrick's Day is just another day to wear green and pinch people for not wearing in ... however, Hot Springs National Park, AR has the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade and each year it gets shorter. We have a celebrity Grand Marshall and all kinds of quirky fun things in the parade and during the festivities ... like a kissing contest on the Hot Springs Blarney Stone (which Laney entered this year, but didn't win, but had fun ... and is now wanting to kiss big rocks every where we see one:) Here is something our local paper had to say about Laney the day after Green Day ...

Another contestant, Laney Bryant, 2, of Hot Springs, dressed in a green dress and donning shamrock antennae, had to have her mother, Amanda Bryant, show her the ropes, and eventually snuck in a second kiss.~The Sentinel-Record, March 18, 2009

It's A Love Story

Laney's favorite song is Love Story by Taylor Swift, however, she calls it Juliet. When it comes on she automatically says "that's my favorite!" And when it's over she says "I wanna hear Juliet again!" And we turn it back on. We are both very thankful that we like the song ... she could've picked a favorite song that we didn't like, so we don't mind listening to it over and over, it makes her happy.

Introducing her first musical performance. There are 2 videos ... enjoy!!!

Love Story, by Taylor Swift & Laney Bryant

Dancing, Dancing, Dancing, Dancing Machine!

Weekend of Fun

This weekend we started out on Friday night going to the Sun Belt Pep Band Spectacular and we had so much fun. Laney loved the music the bands played and danced up a storm. She liked the mascots from a distance. When the ULM bird (mascot) got me up to dance she didn't like that at all and started crying and got into her Daddy's lap. She said that the bird scared her and thought it was going to get me.

Laney eating her yummy hot dogs. They gave away free hot dogs, popcorn and drinks!

Laney dancing! Sorry its the wrong way I was caught up in the moment:)

On Saturday we started our day at the Garland County Library. It was our first time to go and Laney loved it. It was a hard decision when it came time to checking out books. She ended up with a Dora book, a book about bugs, a Curious George book and a Care Bears (she calls them color bears) DVD. We have read them all and watched our DVD already.

Laney getting her library card.

She loves books and loves to read so she was in heaven.

Then after the library we went to the Horse Races to visit Nana in the Jockey Club. Laney did good picking the ponies and seemed to always pick the #7 horse which happened to wear an orange blanket (that's her favorite color).

And then on Sunday we had a visit with Uncle Pompie, Aunt J & Tristan.

Laney loved on Tristan for a long time and gave him lots of hugs and kisses.