The Bottle Woes

So Molly is currently down to one bottle a day, which is given to her before she goes to bed. Then after her bottle we brush our teeth, say prayers, put on our music and go to bed. Well, she is now almost 15 months old, and Mommy is ready to say "bye-bye" to the bottle. I thought this would not be hard, because she did really well with giving up the bottle during the day. She drinks great from pretty much any cup that you give her. So I was ready - tonight was going to be the big night - I even told Molly throughout the day, "Big girls drink from big girl cups at night."
Well, it did not go as smoothly as I had predicted. We were at the regular routine. Molly had taken her shower, we had finished playing. I went to warm her milk (yes, we must drink warm milk before we go to bed) and put it in her big girl cup. I attempted to offer this to my little girl, and she put on a show like I've never seen before! The tears, the kicking, the screaming, the hyperventilating....oh poor little girl! She was so upset that she only wanted Daddy.
So RELUCTANTLY, I went for the only bottle we had.... (this is after 15 minutes of gut wrenching tears). But what I have to say next is the best part, yall. This is what makes my heart melt as only a child could do their mom - this is what makes Molly who she is, my little sweet pea. We are now in our rocking chair in her room, and she has finished her beloved bottle. She takes the bottle and hugs it to her face and kisses it, "muah" and turns to me and falls asleep in my arms ... (awww) - as if saying to her bottle, "don't ever leave me again like that"
Then now I start to think. She loves that bottle. She went crazy at the idea that someone would take that bottle away from her. Her comfort. Her rock. Her stability. Her routine. The bottle is what she knows. I would hope that my life would reflect that with the Lord (I know that this is a stretch for those reading it. I'm terrible with analogies, but try to follow me...) I pray that I would fight for MY comfort, rock, stability... that I would do anything to keep the Lord near me, and find comfort in Him the way that my daughter did with her bottle, and that I wouldn't allow anything to stop me from that.
Now, that doesn't mean that she gets to keep the bottle forever folks.... because Molly gets her strong will and stubborness from 2 very stubborn people, Mommy and Daddy. And like I said earlier, Mommy is ready for the bottle to go "bye-bye"
Good night yall and enjoy the pictures below!!

This was before the bottle drama..... she can push her baby in her stroller all day long. Here she is getting brave and will take a couple of steps on her own to the ottoman.

Again, with the bunny chair ...

Molly's House

OK, I have been dying to take some pictures of her playing in her "house". I found this Fisher Price house at a yard sale, so we bought it for like $15. Let me tell you, it was one of the best investments that we have ever made!! Molly loves the house ~ she runs around it, opens the doors and windows.

Here Daddy is showing Molly a Daddy-long-legs. ughhhhh. I could barely stand to take the picture because I was grossed out. Molly thought it was so cool and wanted to touch it. Of course, after Daddy gave the Science Lecture, Daddy stomped on it!
oooohh aahhhhh....

Daddy took this picture. Molly was reading me this book. She loves loves loves books.

Molly was playing with her bunny chair. She's always liked the chair, but recently she has a new found love for it. I also think that she has become braver, and will now try to climb, jump and fall off of the bunny without crying or getting scared. The bunny does a good job in entertaining our little wild one!

Hugging the bunny ....
Just being Molly

She looks like the pope here, doesn't she? This weekend I was vaccuumming & Molly would help me by sitting & watching me vaccuum in each room. Well, we were now in my room - and my room is a disaster...even more so because the bathroom is getting redone. so I was having a fit (I even told Molly' "mommy is having a fit") Well I look up, and there she was on my bed laughing at herself because she had put her Dora visor on her head. It was almost as she was saying, mom don't have a fit because it doesn't really matter. She just melts my heart & daily helps me put my priorities into perspective... so I laughed and of course got my camera to post this and to help me remember that the dust bunnies will be there tomorrow and to cherish moments like this below! NaNa De got her this chair and tea set this weekend - and she loves it! she puts her babies in the chair and she pretends to pour the tea and feeds it to whatever is there. She gets so into this, and can play with her "babies" for hours....well not real hours, but for like 30-40 minutes, which is like hours in the timeframe of a 14 month old. she will make the sound "yum yum yum" too when she feeds the babies. I just get a kick out of it to watch!

I have no pictures right now, just some good info. for any mom's or house cleaners!
See, once Molly became mobile & learned that drawers and cupboards opened, I wanted to make them baby safe. So my dear Co-worker Anne gave me these great recipes for cleaning supplies that work, and contain no bleach or any other weird chemicals - & I have to say they work great, things still smell clean (I used to bleach everything!), are cheaper in the long run, and it seems that the house stays cleaner longer!
Anyways, I thought I would share with the rest of you!

To Clean Mirrors: Use vinegar (undiluted)
To Clean Toilets: Use vinegar (undiluted)
To Clean the ring on the tub or spots on porcelin sinks: Use baking soda on a sponge
To Clean your floors: 1/2 cup of vinegar to 1/2 gallon of water
To Clean whatever: 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 gallon of warm water *mix in large bowl (foams at first) & put into spray bottle
Disinfectant: 2 cups of water, 3 tablespoons liquid soap, 20-30 drops of Tea Tree Oil *mix & put into spray bottle - you can use it on cutting boards and safe for kids!
Borax - deodorizes & boosts cleaning power of soap, prevents mold *great alternate to bleach


I thought that this was great, and I have truly saved money from this!!!!!!
I hope that others find this helpful, or who knows, maybe I was the last to find these tools out!

Molly likes to wear Daddy's socks. She thinks it's so funny, and then she won't take them off. I think she looks like she's ready to go and play soccer... I just get a kick out of her trying to walk and not slide on the floors!
MAJOR bedhead here ... Molly got up from her morning nap and I don't know what she is doing in her crib, but her hair is ALWAYS sticking every which way. Her hair has gotten so long, and it is becoming unruly - but she really won't let me do anything with it - hence this look below!
Playing outside. (she let me do pigtails) I wanted to take pictures in her playhouse but there was a spider that made a spider web ... so obviously we (Mommy) didn't touch the house with a 10 foot pole....you will just have to wait for those on another day!

This is what happens when you are busy talking to one of your close girlfriends on the phone and your dog decides to run in the briar patch looking for heaven only knows! Then I have to clean her before Joe gets home since Sophia just did this yesterday as well! Hence, it is safe to say that I am not a good dog watcher!

Some Summer Days

Above is where Molly and John-David when on the fish ride all by themselves at the boardwalk. Just so you know, Molly is a pro at this because Pop took her during the summer all of the time and let her go on rides all by herself (age appropriate of course). It was fun to watch the 2 of them!!



This was at Myrtle Beach. She is the bathing beach beauty - did not want to come out the sun, sand, or pool for anything. They had this great kiddie pool with different fountains and water things. Molly (and Daddy) loved it!