All tagged Melody

Gymnastics Fall 2021

Gymnastics Fall 2021

Brittany Payne
Kids

We had such a good experience with gymnastics this summer, we wanted to give it a go full time. We waited about a week too late and were waitlisted for the fall, but by October they had found us a spot. Melody still wanted to try it out for the year, so we signed up. I have really enjoyed seeing her progress with a full semester worth of gymnastics and not just a few classes in the summer. She has definitely become braver and is more willing to try things. Here are a few pictures from our time this fall.

Simplified Monthly Planner - Keeping up with Melody

Simplified Monthly Planner - Keeping up with Melody

Brittany Payne
Household, Kids

Back in April, Simplified released monthly planners. Ironically a few months prior, I started keep my own monthly calendars with all of my household tasks. I plan to speak to that later however. When they were released, I decide to buy a couple. I bought one for the household tasks I was already doing. Then I bought two for back to school teacher gifts. I was not sure if Melody would have just one teacher or a teacher aid/assistant too. Once school began, we found out Melody only had the one teacher. So I had an extra monthly planner. I went back and forth and in many different directions on how to use this extra planner. I already had a meal planner, and I didn’t think a workout planner would be useful. After talking with my best friend, Emily, I decided to make it a planner all about Melody. It can help me just keep track of all the things going on with Melody beyond just going to school. Check it out below.

Back to School Pictures

Back to School Pictures

Brittany Payne
Kids

As part of a school fundraiser, a local photographer took back to school pictures at the lake at Melody’s elementary school. I loved how these pictures turned out. The photographer was so sweet and did such a great job. And I love having this little piece of her childhood documented.

Melody starts Kindergarten

Melody starts Kindergarten

Brittany Payne
Kids

As hard as is it for me to believe, Melody started kindergarten last week. It was so bittersweet. I am so excited to see her blossom and grown, and she absolutely loves school. But I can’t help to think about all the things we will now be missing out on with her in elementary school. Then to add fuel to the fire of my sadness, we basically lost a year of getting to go places and do things while we could. I am also going to miss spending more time with that baby of mine. Someone else gets to now experience so many of her new firsts for those 7 hours each day. So much sadness and happiness all rolled into one!

Rainbow Ranger's Birthday Party

Rainbow Ranger's Birthday Party

Brittany Payne
Parties

For Melody’s 5th birthday, she wanted a Rainbow Ranger themed party. Well actually, about a month before she changed her mind to Doc McStuffins, but mommy had already bought Rainbow Rangers, so maybe Doc next year, ha. Anyhow, Rainbow Ranger itself was hard to find, but we did find lots of rainbow things we used along with toys we already had. Melody was specific and had to approve most things because she wanted everything to be in true rainbow order (aka ROYGBIV). The party itself turned out cute, and she loved it.

Melody's Preschool Graduation

Melody's Preschool Graduation

Brittany Payne
Kids

Melody graduated from her preschool a few weeks ago. It was super emotional leading up to it, but the night of I didn’t cry as much as I expected. I absolutely loved her preschool, and I am most sad to be leaving it versus her simply going to kindergarten. I am excited to see her grow and continue on at her new school, but I will really miss her teachers and small school for sure!

Melody is 5!

Melody is 5!

Brittany Payne
Parties

Our little baby who I felt like just came home from the hospital last week turned 5 on Tuesday. It really got here quick. People always tell you time flies with kids. And I do agree, and I always have. But it still blows me away. We had a fun day celebrating all things Melody!

Melody's Big Girl Bed

Melody's Big Girl Bed

Brittany Payne
Kids

After Melody outgrew her crib, we converted her crib into a toddler bed. We intentionally asked for this crib because of its conversion abilities. She would have this crib forever basically. We bought the full size bed conversion kit when we got the crib so that we knew we would have it when the time came to transition her. While we were having no issues with her in her toddler bed, we knew it was a matter of time until she would outgrow it. So in early November, we decide to take the plunge and convert it to a full size bed.

Best Dad Trophy

Best Dad Trophy

Brittany Payne
Crafts

When I asked Melody what craft she wanted to make for Brad for his birthday, she asked to make him a trophy. While that would be a perfect thing for Brad to make using his 3D printer, my Silhouette was going to be tricky. I did come up with a design to make one from paper that would stand up, but it failed. But I did keep the trophy itself I made and it is now just a paper one. And Melody (and Brad) still loved it.

September Fun

September Fun

Brittany Payne
Randomness

September has been busy! It is our first FULL month of school, dance, and occupational therapy! We have done some projects around the house, we traveled to see my niece’s baptism, and college football finally started in the SEC. Overall it has been a productive and fun month!

A Day at the Lake

A Day at the Lake

Brittany Payne
Randomness, Kids

About a month ago, my parents bought a pontoon boat. It is a work in progress, but they wanted to buy one so that Melody could experience river/lake/boat life. We had a boat growing up, and I have so many fun memories on the river with my family. So I am really excited for Melody to experience something similar. A few Saturdays ago, we decided to head down to Smith Lake to take a ride on the boat for the first time.

Melody's First Day of Preschool

Melody's First Day of Preschool

Brittany Payne
Randomness, Kids

So this year is Melody’s third and final year of preschool. I remember first signing her up for preschool and crying after dropping her off for her first day. Last year was complete chaos because we had just moved, and it of course ended just as chaotically. She goes to school the morning of March 13, and we never went back except to pick up her belongings in May. This year we have high hopes on a really great year. There are some changes this year, but we are looking forward to getting back into a routine and getting Melody back to school to learn and socialize.

Food Play

Food Play

Brittany Payne
Kids

Recently Melody has started food therapy by seeing an Occupational Therapist. When she first started solid food, she did fairly well. She would eat almost anything we offered her. However over the last few years she has become a lot more picky. She has started giving up foods she once ate often, and now she is becoming even more particular about the foods she does eat. So we finally gave in and started food therapy after her 4 year old well visit.

Melody's First Haircut

Melody's First Haircut

Brittany Payne
Kids

Melody has been in desperate need for a haircut for quite sometime. I sort of thought about doing it at Disney back in February last year, but it wasn’t quite long enough for me to part with. We thought we would have a trip to Disney in September, but with COVID that is looking more and more like it will not happen. So we decided to just go ahead and find somewhere local to get her hair cut. It was becoming to hard to brush and full of tangles.

Super Hero Tumbling Camp

Super Hero Tumbling Camp

Brittany Payne
Kids

Back before COVID-19 ruined a lot of our plans, I intended to sign Melody up for gymnastics this summer, and we were going to skip dance this summer. I know she loves dance, but we have struggled to get her to enjoy gymnastics. My assumption from the last two years of summer gymnastics is that she didn’t enjoy it because it was a mommy and me style class. This summer was the chance for her to do it alone. But we just didn’t feel entirely comfortable sending her with COVID still prevalent. Also, dance lasted through a good portion of June. So we actually figured we would not join anything this summer. Dance starts back early August. Then I read about a tumbling camp offered by her dance studio. It was a 3 day camp lasting 3 hours a day. I loved the idea of it being a longer day, and it offered tumbling and fun. And I really trusted their attention to detail when it came to COVID. So I jumped at the chance to sign her up!

Watermelon Matching Game

Watermelon Matching Game

Brittany Payne
Crafts, Kids

During all of our homeschooling due to COVID-19, we had to get creative with our crafts. Crafts are Melody’s favorite. I found this one on Crayola’s website. It was a really easy craft to make, and we continue to play with it even today. Melody doesn’t follow instructions 100%, but your child may, ha!

Calendar Time at Home

Calendar Time at Home

Brittany Payne
Kids

Back in March when school was closed, and we had to start homeschooling due to COVID-19, we had to get creative about learning at home. One of the things I wanted to continue while at home was calendar time. I decided to make my own calendar at home. I laminated everything so that I could use a dry erase marker on it and reuse it throughout the year.

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