Death by Potty Training

Playing Catch Up & Death by Potty Training

 

It has been quite awhile since my last post, so I will now play catch up.

I have changed jobs and I can say it was a right and positive move for me and my family. I get to see Maci more often, I have less stress and I can focus on one thing. Hooray!

Travis and I both turned 25 in the past couple months but boy do we feel much older!

 

 

 

We are still in the process of potty training, and I think it might just be the death of me. She does great at school using pull-ups, but put a pair of panies (sp?) on this girl and she can't seem to hold it! I am praying for patience and guidance to see me through.

 

 

One thing is for sure, Maci just seems to be getting bigger and smarter everyday. I wish I could slow down time so I can keep her a baby forever. But with each new stage, it brings something funny, interesting, and adorable to her personality. It even brings more sassiness, which I didn't think was possible, but God laughed at me for thinking so.

 

 

Stay tuned for more from The Balchin Bunch, and hopefully it won't take me so long to post this time.

 

 

Young Love

It's days like today that reassure me even more of the reason I married Travis Balchin. Whenever I have a no good, rotten day that doesn't go my way or things out of my control go get crazy - he is there. All I have to say is, "its been a bad day", or "I don't feel good" and he hugs me, kisses me and says I'm sorry honey, I'll fix dinner- or ill give Maci a bath you go lay down. What guy does that? My husband :)

I feel I have done nothing to deserve him, and I thank god continuously for the day I met Travis. My love for him grows daily, and through the good and the bad-he is my rock, my partner, my confidant. He makes me laugh, he loves to dance, he reads me like a book, and calls me out when needed. I couldn't have dreamed up a better guy to be by my side forever. (Not to mention he cooks and cleans!)

 

On top of ALL of that, he is the best father to our daughter.
They are best friends, and she is definitely a daddy's girl.
He has always done anything for her without hesitation-
diapers, feedings, dress up, playing with dolls, doing
 her hair, picking out her clothes, playing out side for as
long as she wants, and laying with her everynight until
she falls asleep.

He is my everything and it brings tears to my eyes how much I love this man. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world.:)



Dance Class and Other Adventures

There's a First Time for Everything.......

 

This past month has been a whirl wind of fun first times for our little princess. Since Maci has been about 10 months old (when she could first stand up), she had always been able to keep a good beat, shake her caboose, and sway to the music. Well now that she is a bit older I thought it would be fun to sign her up for dance class and try (keyword here is TRY) to follow instructions.

After the first 10 minutes of class, which consisted of crying, saying NO loudly, and holding on for dear life to her daddy's shirt- she started to warm up! After hopping around and actually staying in line with her fellow classmates (all are 3 years old and up) they announced that it was now time for the tap portion of the class. Well being the awesome, attentive mom that I am, I had not bought her tap shoes because I didn't know it was a mixed class. So that was that, and now we will return next week, a little wiser, better prepared, and will leave distracting daddy at home.

 

First Day of K-2

 

Now that summer is over, of course that means back to school time! Even though Maci goes to a church daycare, they focus on shapes, colors, bible verses, and using everyday as a learning experience. So each week, they get a new one of each to learn about and focus on. Maci comes home talking about her teachers ("i love miss Allie") and her new and old friends (Carter and Corbin--both boys :/) and what they did that day. I love listening to her tell me about how they played outside, sangs songs or colored pictures. Watching her learn and grow is so awesome and a little sad- i want her to stay a baby as long a possible.

 

 

First Tailgate/Football Game

 

Maci loves hanging with her new buddy Brady, and it works out that we also love hanging with his mommy and daddy :). We took Maci to her first ever football game, and boy did she do great! I thought we were bound for a meltdown, or tantrum but she really did better than I could have hoped for. The only problem was--fireworks. She has been talking about them ever since she saw them a couple weeks ago while leaving the Drive game. Its understandable, a lot of kids don't like loud noises, but every time she hears them she bursts out in tears. Bless her heart, hopefully she will learn to love them as she gets older.

 

Riding the Train at Heritage Park

 

 As much as Maci loves watching her show, Chuggington, and she REALLY loved getting to ride the train at the park with her BFF Amelia. They sat side by side taking in the view and occasionally shouting CHOO CHOO or I like this etc. As an added bonus, they have suckers waiting for every kid at the end of each ride. Who wouldn't love that??

 

 

Seeing Maci try all of these new things and adapt and learn really makes me see how big she is getting right before my eyes. Every day she repeats something we didn't know she knew, says something funny, or surprises us with her faces. The saying, "There's a first time for everything" really is the case when you are two years old. I just feel so blessed to be able to hold her hand and teach her about the world I know. Everyday with Maci is a gift and I am trying to cherish every "first" with her that I can.

I Prefer Strong Willed

She isn't bad, just strong willed.

I feel like I have read a good number of parenting books lately, and what is confusing is they all tell you to do different things! I could be worrying too much about Maci's behavior: should I let her do that, should I spank, is time out really working, is she just testing me, or am I doing the best job? Or am I just being a good parent?

There is a fine line between me acting like a helicopter mom and not disciplining my child it seems. So, as much as I hate to admit it- we spank. And it really is the most effective. Now, pretty much all we have to do is threaten it and she straightens up. However, its a different story at school (daycare) and her grandparents house. I don't want to have the naughty kid in class ya know? But I cant spank her after school, 4 hours after something happened that day or at Nana's house. So lately I have been praying that the rules we set at our house will instill some values and respect for other authority figures in her life. I'll let you know how that goes.

She has her days when she can be a real stinker.......


Rawww



My comedian

                                                                                  


Text from my sister....

But sometimes I can't help but laugh! She is hilarious, spunky, and has such a personality! I am thankful for my little surprise, she saved my life in so many ways. She is the reason I am on the earth, to be her mother and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Its Official

My First Balchin Bunch Blog Post

As I was debating back and forth on whether or not to start my own blog, the big idea thought came to me - instead of blasting Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with photos, statuses, videos etc of my life events and current happenings, I should just write about it! And add on those other elements to explain more in depth the day-to-day excitement of The Balchin Bunch.

My opinion is, if you get tired seeing and hearing about my adorable child on all of  the social media that I participate in, then please, by all means unfriend me, and unfollow me, BUT- if you want to see and hear more--read my blog :).

Maci Julianna Balchin is by far, the best thing to ever happen to Travis and I. She amazes me everyday, with her sassy comebacks, impeccable memory, and angelic smile. As she grows and learns new things, my heart aches for her to stay a baby just a little bit longer but then again I am enthralled by the idea of watching her grow in to a smart young woman. As I tell her my usually, "you're my favorite," every night before she goes to bed, I wonder, "How long can I keep telling her that before we decide to have another baby and I will have to omit that statement?"

So now, as I have Baby Balchin #2 on the brain, I go through my daily rituals with a tiny voice in the back of my head asking, "Would I be able to do this with two?, How much more is daycare for two instead of one?, Would it be cheaper if I had another girl? How do families decide when its time to have another child? etc.

The baby talk doesnt just stay in my head, it usually waterfalls out of my mouth to any mother I talk to, or co-worker, or client, or cashier at Publix--you get the gist. I HAVE BABY FEVER.

In conclusion, we can't decide. To have another or to wait. Maci would have a playmate, but can we juggle our careers, home life, and extracuriculiars with four instead of three??? --Stay tuned for more from The Balchin Bunch......................