Bye Bye Binky

In August when I moved to my new "big girl" classroom (The Dolphins) at school I was told two things:

1.  Dolphins go potty in the big girl potty (that's another post coming soon)
2.  Dolphins don't have binkies

I wasn't too sure of this at first but then I realized I was a big girl and I didn't need my binky any more.  Mama told me I could give my binkies to the new babies at the hospital.  When I decided that was what I wanted to do we made a box for them so we could take them to the new babies.

Uncle Jake was in St Louis and since he is the best artist I know it was fun having him help me decorate my box. On Saturday morning we took my box to the nearest hospital and I told my binkies bye bye.  I was a very big girl and handed them over to the nurse right away!! Then Daddy, Mama and Uncle Jake took me to Target to get a new toy.  I told them I wanted a baby doll but found a V-tech letter tracer that I liked instead.  

I cried at nap time that day and bedtime for 2 nights for my binky but after that I haven't even thought about it!!  Mama and Daddy remind me all of the time that they are so proud of me and can't believe what a big girl I am now!!

Beach Baby

Wow, it has been a while since I posted anything...probably because we have been so busy raising a 2 year old...no one warned me about how that would be :)  It is a blast 99% of the time, the other 1% is very trying of my patience!!

In August we spent a week on the beach in Pensacola Beach, Florida.  It was a very relaxing week all about Tori and lots of memories were made.  We will definitely do another family vacation like this again and hopefully Bubby can join us next time.  Being a high school-er now he has a lot going on so he wasn't able to come with us this year.

 

Making memories 2012

 Tori was an angel in the car..7 hrs a day for 2 days down there and 2 days back..she never whined one time!!

 Yummy dinner outside at Crabs

 this is zoomed almost as far as my camera would but this is a real dolphin fin..there were 3 of them swimming pretty close one morning..Tori was SO excited!

 view from our balcony

 one of the finished castles Tori and Daddy made

 We stayed right by this ferris wheel, it was HUGE, Tori told us about a 1000 times "I love that ferris wheel"

 going up up up

 playing with Samarah, we met some old neighbors of ours for dinner one night, they happen to be on vacation near us the same week!

 Nashville TN on our way home

Tori's first honkey tonk, she loved Jenae Cherry and even wanted her picture taken and got her autograph, she was just a sweetheart to take time out for Tori

 listening to Jenae Cherry 

 yee-haw

 all of sudden while walking down 5th St Tori stopped and wanted her picture taken with every statue there was..quite the street entertainer

 had to stop for an ice cream cone at the candy shop

 Tori and Daddy filled a Minnie Mouse lunch box with salt water taffy - isn't he cute!

The Gripka's - Pensacola Beach Florida - August 2012