Visit with Jamma

I had a great visit with Jamma this week. After celebrating Christmas together on Sunday, we kept very busy while Mom & Dad were at work. It was cold and snowy so of course we spent some time outside- this is nothing to us Canadians!

We also spent a lot of time with my new baby doll. Most days she had to sit with us at the table, wear a bib, etc.!

Sometimes Jamma let me pick out my own outfits. And one day I changed out of my clothes into a fashionable swimmy diaper and nothing else. We kept very busy. We made homemade dog treats for Lily's stocking and read lots of books and played with just about every toy I own. I miss you, Jamma!

Guess Who I Met?

Santa Claus! I was excited to see him, but then when it was my turn to sit with him I wasn't so sure about it, so Dad sat down with me at first. After I got off his lap I was really excited about waving bye-bye and looking at him through the window. I got a free cookie afterwards so all in all it was a good time!

Jamma arrived yesterday and we've been having a terrific visit. We celebrated Christmas together tonight and opened gifts and Daddy cooked us a nice dinner. You can see from the pictures that Lily helped open the gifts, too! Jamma gave me my first doll ever and I was so excited. I kept shouting "My baby!" And then after we got it out of the box, I took it over in the corner and played with it by myself and ignored everything else. Once baby was ready for a nap I enjoyed opening my other gifts from Jamma, Suzie and Cousin Bates. Thanks everyone!

We're busy getting ready for Christmas here. I hope to bake some cookies this week. Oh, and one other little thing occurs in a few days . . . I turn TWO! I plan to have a celebration on Wednesday with Mom & Dad and Jamma. I will have another cake and everything!

Snow Girl

We got some snow this week and today I got a chance to go play in it. We weren't really prepared with clothes to play in the snow yet, so we tried on last year's snow gear. The snow pants were capri length on me, but by the time we tried them on I was anxious to get outside, so we made an attempt. It took about ten minutes to bundle me up and then once we got out side I got snow up my sleeve and in my sock, and Mom and Dad called it quits after about two minutes.

Instead we all went shopping for some snow pants and boots for me. And while we were out, I found a fabulous bath robe. We've been looking for one because after my bath I don't like to wear my hooded towel and I stand there naked and shivering while I brush my teeth. The robe we found was a kids extra small. I think I will be able to wear it for the next few years since it reaches my toes. Once we got home I had to wear it around the house like a little diva.

This weekend I also got my own Christmas tree for my room. I was really excited to hang my ornaments on it. I also have been working on giving Daddy backrubs, but sometimes I just give him back hugs. Poppy, you can help train me at Christmas!

I had a fever on Thursday and left school early. That night I watched Charlie Brown's Christmas with Mom for the first time (and have watched it five more times since). I like "Noopy." Of course, he doesn't bark as much as Lily, so he's very likeable. By Friday I was feeling better and was able to go to school for pajama party day. Jamma comes to visit on Friday! I can't wait. I bet I will show her my "buddy" which is my word for belly.

Practical Joke

I played my first practical joke today. I always take my socks and shoes off on our way to school and today when Mom went to replace my shoes and socks one of the socks was missing. Mommy was looking all over it and asking "Where is your sock?" I just sat there in my car seat with a straight face. Then Mommy remembered that out of the corner of her eye she had seen me take my hat off and put it back on. She lifted the hat and there was the missing sock, sitting on top of my head. I just laughed!

Song Bird

My favorite song this week is "If You're Happy and You Know It." Mom was singing it to me while I had my bath the other night and I enthusiastically clapped and stomped and then when it comes to the part of the song where it says "your face will surely show it" I put my pointer fingers on my cheeks and smile a big cheesey smile. (Mom then figured out that I must sing this song at school). Then Daddy remembered the last verse is "Shout Hurray." And boy do I like to shout hurray! I yell it and throw my hands over my head. After singing this Mom asked me what other songs I sing at school and I told her "ABC." When she asked how that song went I sang: "ABC, ABC, Mommy, Daddy, Mommy . . ."

I got my hair cut yesterday (for the second time) and liked it a little better that the first haircut. We spent most of the day getting our Christmas decorations up. I helped. I only broke one ornament in the process. I was very good at helping Mom put the little lights in the ceramic Christmas tree and am now pretty interested in it, so now Mom and Dad have to keep an even closer eye on me!

Today Mom went out to lunch and shopping with her friends Ricia and Joy, so Daddy and I had Silly Sunday together. You can see in the pictures that I helped dress myself, by pulling yesterday's red turtleneck from the hamper and adding it to my pink and green striped leggings. Pretty! Dad and I made cookies this afternoon as a surprise for Mom. We had a lot of fun and I was a good girl. There was only one little incident. He said I was sitting behind the big chair playing quietly when all of a sudden he heard "uh-oh" at which point he found that I had taken a little candle from the guest room smooshed my fingers into the wax and smeared it on the sliding door. You can't take your eyes off me for too long!

2nd Birthday Party

"Happy, Happy, Happy." That's what I woke up singing today after my fabulous birthday party yesterday. It was definitely one of my top two birthday celebrations ever. Let me tell you about my day . . .

I woke up after a great sleep and I was ready to go. I immediately wanted my hair bow in because now that I am almost two, I have to worry about these things.

Mom made my birthday cupcakes while everyone else helped with their assignments-- balloon buying, tidying, decorating, etc. Then I got to help decorate my cupcakes. It was like heaven! Mom kept saying something like "just a pinch of sprinkles." That means handful, right? I pretty much had sprinkles everywhere. I stuck my hand as far as I could into the tube of little colored sprinkles and they came pouring over the sides. Boppy & Poppy were very good sports about this!

I ate my lunch and had my nap and while I was sleeping our guests arrived. When I woke up Uncle Glenn and Aunt Ellen were there from Michigan and Aunt Sharon and Cousin Kristin had arrived. It was my first time meeting Kristin who was visiting from Florida and I haven't seen Glenn and Ellen since I was just a few days old.

First we had cupcakes and ice cream. They were delicious- especially the ones I decorated. I ate two of them and I wasn't shy with the second one. I just shoved it right in! Then we opened presents. Boy, there were a lot of them. I actually did a present dance I was so excited. Boppy brought out a big one and I instinctively knew that I should open it first. I got lots of nice clothes, books and toys. I kept getting distracted and wanted to stop and play with things, but I persevered and got all the gifts open! Then we watched my "year in review" birthday slide show and I did a little dancing to the songs. After our guests left I tried on all of my clothes in some interesting combinations and wandered around like a little bag lady. I also danced around with my balloons and dragged them around the house.

Then we got our favorite pizza for dinner to cap off the day. I slept for 13 hours last night and was glad to wake up and hear that the Irish had pulled out the needed victory over Stanford. Maybe that's why I was singing "Happy, happy, happy."

Happy Turkey Day

I was a little suspicious of this turkey guy, but I enjoyed Thanksgiving and my trip to Boppy & Poppy's house. We all had a great weekend eating and playing. My favorite Thanksgiving food was rolls with butter, with pumpkin pie being a close second. I also ate some turkey and liked dipping my roll in mashed potatoes- I think that's called the carb lovers delight!

I did lots of coloring, including making some hand turkeys. I liked to draw and then run and hand my drawings out to everyone and give them crayons. Jen & Billy played with me a lot and helped keep track of me as I found all sorts of things to play with in the living room. Boppy had some hidden toys to keep me entertained and Poppy brought out Boppy's old rocking chair which was just perfect for me to sit in and watch my favorite show- JoJo's Circus.

Hope all you Americans had a Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for my family, including Lily, mandarin oranges, legos, my favorite stuffed animal Blue Puppy . . . and of course, butter.

No Winter Yet

It got really cold here last week, but fall weather was back for the weekend. We did the usual stuff. Saturday I went to the grocery with Dad and scored popcorn chicken at the deli and a powdered sugar donut at the bakery, in addition to the stickers I get at the checkout. In the afternoon we watched football and then went out for a family dinner.

I am really interested in drinking out of a big kid cup and/or bottle of water. In fact, this is just about the only way I will drink water, otherwise I plead for "juice . .. more juice . . . apple juice"

This afternoon I had a long nap and then we played outside with Lily. Sometimes I am jealous of her when she sits next to Mom or Dad, but I like giving her treats and watching her run and play.

We're busy getting ready for Thanksgiving! I can't wait for turkey and pumpkin pie.

School Pictures

I just got my school pictures back. Daddy says I look like a little girl! Mommy can't believe they got me to pose like this!

More Fall

Hi! We had a pretty calm weekend, but kept busy. Mom took Friday afternoon off to do some shopping in preparation for my birthday party, which is going to be Thanksgiving weekend at Boppy and Poppy's house. Then she picked me up early from school and we played on the deck. In this photo I am telling her to sit next to me.

Yesterday we did some of our usual Saturday stuff. I went to the grocery store with Mom and at Dad's suggestion we tried one of the "car" carts, so I could play driver. Mom quickly discovered that they carts are twice the size with half the steering control. We kept getting stuck on the shelves and then I would knock a bunch of cans into our cart while Mom was trying to get us unstuck. It was pretty funny!

Last night we had a new babysitter- one of my teachers from school. I was so excited to see her that I did a dance when she came in. Mom and Dad went out for dinner and a movie.

Today we got up and went out to a state park, but the weather wasn't nice enough to go for a walk in the woods and we were cold so we decided to go to our favorite ice cream place out there and have one last ice cream cone- thankfully they were still serving pumpkin ice cream. I love that stuff . . . and Mommy does, too!
Later today we played in the leaves and took a little walk. I was Daddy's girl most of the day. I watched some football and we looked at pictures on the computer together. My "I love yous" have evolved into "I you." Jen and Billy, please don't think I am cheering for your college team! Also, when I want to know where Mommy is, I say "Mommy, are you?" as I walk around the house.

I'll write more soon. Until then: "I you!"

Halloween Continues

Halloween week continues here. My school had a Fall Festival to raise money for charity on Friday night, so I got to wear my costume again. And now that I got the hang of this trick or treat thing I was better prepared to collect the goodies! Mom and Dad thought it was funny because I literally tried to walk out the door with three pumpkins and a bucket!

I had a terrific time at the Fall Fest. I saw my teachers and a lot of my friends. I played all of the games-- and some of them twice. I got my face painted and out of all the choices they showed, I picked the football! In my excitment I ran from one side of the gym to the other and kept Mom & Dad busy. I was terrific at bobbing for apples. I got two. And, the lady who runs the daycare voted my costume her favorite!

Yesterday I had a lot of Daddy time which was very fun and funny. We went to the grocery store and to his office. And we watched the ND football game together.
I like to carry my pumpkins around as purses as I take my pig for a walk. We also played outside a little this afternoon and collected some leaves. I helped Mom lay them out on wax paper and she ironed it. Then I carried it around for a few minutes, crumpled it in a ball, and threw it in the trash. So that was a great project . . .

Tonight I ate one of my apples (that I bobbed for) and thought it was delicious. I had never eaten an apple like this, so it was pretty fun. I sat on the cedar chest in Mom & Dad's room and just ate and ate.

Aside from this, I started saying my name. I know all the basic colors, including "mean" which is how I pronouce green. I said "love you" the other day ("shoe shoe"). And, Mom is so happy because I figured out her clothes sorter and started picking Dad's clothes up off his chair/floor and putting them in the whites or darks compartments- and I got it right most of the time!