Thursday, March 31, 2011
2 Nights
My birthday was on Monday. How uncharacteristic of me not to take out a full page ad! I'm normally a birthday princess with no shame about throwing myself a big party, but this year it felt right to be more low key. I went out to dinner with the girls Monday night and Jeff is taking me to Portland for the ENTIRE WEEKEND, starting tomorrow. WOOT!!! My parents are taking Edie for a 2 night sleepover and we are spending the weekend pretending that we remember how to sleep in. And how to walk around without a stroller. Or diaper bag. Or A KID. Edie will hopefully be a rock star at my parents' house and I will enjoy my first time spending 2 nights in a row without my Bubs snoring in the next room.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
19 Months
This month has really zoomed by, I can't believe I'm already sitting down and writing your monthly letter again. Your 19th month was filled with runny noses, airplane trips, sparkly sneakers, words, words and more words.
You're going through a big hugging phase this month. You love giving squeezy hugs for no reason, and every hug is referred to in the plural, "hugs". Whenever we talk about things (or people) you like, you always follow the word with "hugs". When I told you we were going to the zoo the other day, you said, "tiger" and then made an excited face and scrunched your fingers together like you couldn't wait and said, "hugs". At first I thought you wanted to hug a tiger, but I'm realizing now that this is just your way of saying that you love something or someone.
Speaking of things you love, you are totally and completely obsessed with 2 Sesame Street videos online right now. The first is Feist singing a revised version of 1234 with monsters, penguins and chickens. Just this week you started counting to 4 by yourself, repeating the lyrics of the song. The second is Elmo singing the ABCs with India Arie which has taught you to sing parts of the abc song by yourself and/or along with the video. If I sing the song now, you will try to sing the "now I know my abc's" by yourself by singing "Now I abc" almost in tune. Because I don't have any experience with young children I pretty much think this means you are a genius. But then again, you spent about 10 minutes the other day repeating to yourself, "tickle tickle poop." saying the "tickle tickle" part in a high pitch voice and then following it with a low and serious, "poop", which is maybe a little bit less than genius. But funny.
You are spending longer and longer periods of time talking yourself to sleep for your nap and bedtime. I hear you up there essentially repeating passages from the bedtime books we just read. My favorite is after reading "Olivia" when you say to yourself in the dark, "time out. bath. dinner. time out." over and over.
You had your first plane ride this month.
You and I took a plane to visit Katherine in LA and it was a big success.
You were the best flyer ever, which was either complete luck or a very good omen for any future travels we have. On the flight home you fell asleep in my lap while taxiing for take-off and slept the ENTIRE flight to Seattle, waking up only 5 minutes before landing. The man in the seat beside me could hardly believe his luck.
packing your plane snacks in your monkey back pack.
On the bummer side of this month, you're already on your second cold. You were sick at the start of the month (just a run of the mill drippy nose) and are now working on a cough that keeps you up at night. On the bright side, we were given the go ahead to try a reduced dose of children's Benadryl for night time and for the first time in ... EVER... you are sleeping through the night with a cold. I read the side indications to your Dad the first night with more than a hint of glee, "Marked drowsiness likely to occur!!!"
On the reading front, you are interested in reading longer books with real stories this month. Your favorites right now are the Flicka Ricka Dicka series from Sweden which I read to you like 5 bajillion times a day, The Five Star General (insisting on sporting your own star on your forehead to be more like the main character)
the Corduroy books (especially A Pocket for Corduroy), and Minnie's Rainbow. You have pieces of all of these books memorized and if I stop in the middle of a sentence when reading, you will usually say the next word without me prompting.
Your vocabulary is ever increasing and you crack me up on a daily basis with the things you repeat. Just today your Grandma said, "oh my goodness" and you repeated it back verbatim, sounding exactly like the nervous orphan in Annie. You have many 2, and some 3 word "sentences" and phrases, most of which are very bossy in nature - "take it", "find it" "fix it"... etc. Every night after I brush your teeth, I offer you a sip of water in a large glass. You always take one tiny sip and then push it towards the sink and say, "Dump it" in a super dismissive tone.
A few weeks ago we were at the library on a rainy morning. You saw another Mom sitting on the floor of the children's room, reading a story to her child and I watched you - without hesitation - walk up to her, push her arm out of the way and sit in her lap so you could hear the story. You are SO funny these days.
Sometimes I look at your little nude rump and distended belly after a bath and I'm torn equally between the desire to pick you up and squeeze your adorable guts out and needing to pick up my time-freeze gun and make you stay this age FOREVER and EVER.
Because really, I think this might be my favorite age so far; the last few months have been hilarious and awesome and I'm worried they will go away too soon.
xoxo
Mom
You're going through a big hugging phase this month. You love giving squeezy hugs for no reason, and every hug is referred to in the plural, "hugs". Whenever we talk about things (or people) you like, you always follow the word with "hugs". When I told you we were going to the zoo the other day, you said, "tiger" and then made an excited face and scrunched your fingers together like you couldn't wait and said, "hugs". At first I thought you wanted to hug a tiger, but I'm realizing now that this is just your way of saying that you love something or someone.
Speaking of things you love, you are totally and completely obsessed with 2 Sesame Street videos online right now. The first is Feist singing a revised version of 1234 with monsters, penguins and chickens. Just this week you started counting to 4 by yourself, repeating the lyrics of the song. The second is Elmo singing the ABCs with India Arie which has taught you to sing parts of the abc song by yourself and/or along with the video. If I sing the song now, you will try to sing the "now I know my abc's" by yourself by singing "Now I abc" almost in tune. Because I don't have any experience with young children I pretty much think this means you are a genius. But then again, you spent about 10 minutes the other day repeating to yourself, "tickle tickle poop." saying the "tickle tickle" part in a high pitch voice and then following it with a low and serious, "poop", which is maybe a little bit less than genius. But funny.
You are spending longer and longer periods of time talking yourself to sleep for your nap and bedtime. I hear you up there essentially repeating passages from the bedtime books we just read. My favorite is after reading "Olivia" when you say to yourself in the dark, "time out. bath. dinner. time out." over and over.You had your first plane ride this month.
You and I took a plane to visit Katherine in LA and it was a big success.
You were the best flyer ever, which was either complete luck or a very good omen for any future travels we have. On the flight home you fell asleep in my lap while taxiing for take-off and slept the ENTIRE flight to Seattle, waking up only 5 minutes before landing. The man in the seat beside me could hardly believe his luck.
packing your plane snacks in your monkey back pack.
On the reading front, you are interested in reading longer books with real stories this month. Your favorites right now are the Flicka Ricka Dicka series from Sweden which I read to you like 5 bajillion times a day, The Five Star General (insisting on sporting your own star on your forehead to be more like the main character)
the Corduroy books (especially A Pocket for Corduroy), and Minnie's Rainbow. You have pieces of all of these books memorized and if I stop in the middle of a sentence when reading, you will usually say the next word without me prompting.Your vocabulary is ever increasing and you crack me up on a daily basis with the things you repeat. Just today your Grandma said, "oh my goodness" and you repeated it back verbatim, sounding exactly like the nervous orphan in Annie. You have many 2, and some 3 word "sentences" and phrases, most of which are very bossy in nature - "take it", "find it" "fix it"... etc. Every night after I brush your teeth, I offer you a sip of water in a large glass. You always take one tiny sip and then push it towards the sink and say, "Dump it" in a super dismissive tone.
A few weeks ago we were at the library on a rainy morning. You saw another Mom sitting on the floor of the children's room, reading a story to her child and I watched you - without hesitation - walk up to her, push her arm out of the way and sit in her lap so you could hear the story. You are SO funny these days.
Sometimes I look at your little nude rump and distended belly after a bath and I'm torn equally between the desire to pick you up and squeeze your adorable guts out and needing to pick up my time-freeze gun and make you stay this age FOREVER and EVER.
Because really, I think this might be my favorite age so far; the last few months have been hilarious and awesome and I'm worried they will go away too soon.xoxo
Mom
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Busy Bee
Hi there. Apologies for the infrequent posting of late. Work is picking up and with limited child care (hi Mom!), Edie's naps these days are filled with more frantic email catch-up sessions and less blog writing. The good news is that I like working again, and I think I may have found a viable daycare option for Edie one day per week, which will free up more of my time to make more money. I'll post more about this once it's a reality, but for now, I'm plugging away trying to finish Edie's 19 month letter on time. Until then...
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Wants
Spring is finally here! At least this week. It may take a leave of absence next week (or even tomorrow) but for now we are spending as much time outside as humanly possible. Edie is dominating the city playgrounds and I am having tiny heart attacks as she climbs tall things and slides down slides all by herself. Which reminds me that I keep meaning to write a post about the awkward public parenting that goes on at playgrounds. Note to self - write this post!
Anyways, I mowed the lawn today while Edie napped (which she is still doing) and I don't know if it's all the sunshine, but suddenly my things are looking shabbier than ever. Spring is giving me a bad case of "The Wants". My formerly black yoga pants are faded and dingy, my gardening gloves are crusty and gross, my pruning sheers are rusty (pretty sure this is Edie's fault), my gardening shoes are cracked and leaky. And those are just the things I noticed outside while mowing the lawn! Inside, my sheets are looking yellowed and old, all my clothes seem to be riddled with stains I didn't see during the dark winter months, my robe needs the use of an entire stain stick, and my bath towels are down right depressing (will I never stop paying the price for experimenting with Proactiv 5 years ago!?). I want cheerful stripey towels like Soule Mama (thanks for nothing Amy for turning me onto this blog! Now I want to go antiquing as well as buy new towels.), a new plush throw to nap under, comfy but flattering tops to wear with new pants that end just at my ankles and donned with brand new ballet flats in bright colors. Greedy greedy GREEDY!!!
Please make me feel better - is there something you're coveting right now? What is it?
Anyways, I mowed the lawn today while Edie napped (which she is still doing) and I don't know if it's all the sunshine, but suddenly my things are looking shabbier than ever. Spring is giving me a bad case of "The Wants". My formerly black yoga pants are faded and dingy, my gardening gloves are crusty and gross, my pruning sheers are rusty (pretty sure this is Edie's fault), my gardening shoes are cracked and leaky. And those are just the things I noticed outside while mowing the lawn! Inside, my sheets are looking yellowed and old, all my clothes seem to be riddled with stains I didn't see during the dark winter months, my robe needs the use of an entire stain stick, and my bath towels are down right depressing (will I never stop paying the price for experimenting with Proactiv 5 years ago!?). I want cheerful stripey towels like Soule Mama (thanks for nothing Amy for turning me onto this blog! Now I want to go antiquing as well as buy new towels.), a new plush throw to nap under, comfy but flattering tops to wear with new pants that end just at my ankles and donned with brand new ballet flats in bright colors. Greedy greedy GREEDY!!!
Please make me feel better - is there something you're coveting right now? What is it?
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Talkasaurous Rex
Edie has recently gone from mostly speaking with single words to more and more phrases and sentences. Among others, we now have the following phrases and bossy "sentences":
Take it
Get it
Fix it
Do it (which, hilariously, she directs at herself when doing something difficult.)
Love you
Fancy shoes (her sparkly converse)
Reid's house
Chloe's seat
In general, she's mostly repeating the last two words of everything I say rather than just the very last word like used to be more common. She also has some ridiculously adult words and uses and pronounces them correctly. Like lipstick, email, chocolate, corner, genius (I told her yesterday that I was impressed with her words and she replied matter of factly, "genius"), stomach, forehead, eyeball and dark blue. And I realize I'm bragging at this point, but she really does amaze me. The doctor was even surprised by her verbal skills at our appointment this week and since Edie doesn't have an ounce of shy in her, she also shows them off to strangers all the time. A week or two ago we were at the vet picking up Maurice's food when Edie started a one sided conversation with the assistant there - pointing at her shoes and seriously telling her, "shoes" then at the street and saying "school bus", etc. The assistant said to me, "She's obviously very shy and will probably have a very difficult time making friends."
Well, she just might if she keeps using this line: "See ya, wouldn't want to be ya." See video below for proof:
Hilarious, right? This kid SLAYS ME.
Take it
Get it
Fix it
Do it (which, hilariously, she directs at herself when doing something difficult.)
Love you
Fancy shoes (her sparkly converse)
Reid's house
Chloe's seat
In general, she's mostly repeating the last two words of everything I say rather than just the very last word like used to be more common. She also has some ridiculously adult words and uses and pronounces them correctly. Like lipstick, email, chocolate, corner, genius (I told her yesterday that I was impressed with her words and she replied matter of factly, "genius"), stomach, forehead, eyeball and dark blue. And I realize I'm bragging at this point, but she really does amaze me. The doctor was even surprised by her verbal skills at our appointment this week and since Edie doesn't have an ounce of shy in her, she also shows them off to strangers all the time. A week or two ago we were at the vet picking up Maurice's food when Edie started a one sided conversation with the assistant there - pointing at her shoes and seriously telling her, "shoes" then at the street and saying "school bus", etc. The assistant said to me, "She's obviously very shy and will probably have a very difficult time making friends."
Well, she just might if she keeps using this line: "See ya, wouldn't want to be ya." See video below for proof:
Hilarious, right? This kid SLAYS ME.
Friday, March 18, 2011
These Cookies Will Change Your Life
I have finally found THE chocolate chip cookie recipe for me. They are just a touch cakey, which makes them very substantial, perfectly chewy, super chocolaty and they hold up for days longer than other, similar recipes (but they also freeze well). I even over-cooked one batch by way too many minutes while changing a diaper and they were STILL delicious!
I just made this recipe for the second time this week:
Into the mixer go:
1/2 Cup white sugar
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1 Cup butter
Add:
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
Stir in:
2 1/4 Cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 Cups chocolate chips
The dough will be thick. Form them into balls just slightly smaller than golf balls (heaping Tablespoons) and bake them for 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees.
Here are two essential tricks that make these cookies extra tasty:
1. Whether you roll the balls of dough or heap them a bit more organically on the pan, it's better to lean in the direction of flat. The dough doesn't spread very much during baking, so if you make the balls too tall, they will more or less stay that way.
2. Before you pop them in the oven, sprinkle the dough balls with a bit of course sea salt. It compliments the richness of the chocolate chips perfectly. Try it!
I just made this recipe for the second time this week:
Into the mixer go:
1/2 Cup white sugar
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1 Cup butter
Add:
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
Stir in:
2 1/4 Cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 Cups chocolate chips
The dough will be thick. Form them into balls just slightly smaller than golf balls (heaping Tablespoons) and bake them for 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees.
Here are two essential tricks that make these cookies extra tasty:
1. Whether you roll the balls of dough or heap them a bit more organically on the pan, it's better to lean in the direction of flat. The dough doesn't spread very much during baking, so if you make the balls too tall, they will more or less stay that way.
2. Before you pop them in the oven, sprinkle the dough balls with a bit of course sea salt. It compliments the richness of the chocolate chips perfectly. Try it!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
California Part The Last
I miss Los Angeles. And not just because our Seattle neighborhood park is flooded with over a foot of water right now. In four short days Edie and I both became very accustomed to our Cali routine. Wake up to gorgeous sunshine streaming through the windows, have Aunt Katherine bake us something delicious for breakfast, enjoy a poky morning with Kait, receive a midmorning visit from friend and downstairs neighbor Nicole, pal around with Maryanne during the day, and have playdates and dinner with other, new (but fast) friends. Edie still asks about all her friends from LA.
Here are some final photos of us just hanging out and spending time with friends:
Nicole reading to Edie before we left.
Hanging out with our friend AC Slater at The Grove (he was filming Extra).
We also miss our friend Sunshine - note the temperature at 11:28am: 84 degrees.
Playdate/dance party with Sammy.
Just because.
Kait and Edie reading Go Dog Go.
Lunch with Mary Anne.
Edie and Monkey Boy, who she still talks about.
Aunt Katherine and Edie at the beach.
Here are some final photos of us just hanging out and spending time with friends:
Nicole reading to Edie before we left.
Hanging out with our friend AC Slater at The Grove (he was filming Extra).
We also miss our friend Sunshine - note the temperature at 11:28am: 84 degrees.
Playdate/dance party with Sammy.
Just because.
Kait and Edie reading Go Dog Go.
Lunch with Mary Anne.
Edie and Monkey Boy, who she still talks about.
Aunt Katherine and Edie at the beach.
California Part 5
The Queen of Culver City rests before her big photo shoot. Or maybe this was after her photo shoot? Either way, it's tiring being the Queen.
So here's the deal. The afternoon of our last day was devoted to a photo shoot that went slightly off target. The original plan? Buy a crown and make Edie pose in front of signs that say Culver City. Because Edie Culver is the Queen of Culver City- get it? Not that complicated. Anyways, things went a little off base when we went to the party store and got sucked in by Mardi Gras gear - who can resist a tiny gold top hat? No one I call friend. Then we drove by the police department and got the idea that it would be funny for her to pose naked in front of it. With mardi gras beads. And the tiny hat. Anyways, please enjoy these photos of Edie and I ruling our city with class and grace.
Look closely peoples because that's Culver Boulevard up there. And that's Edies adorable back and my pasty calves walking towards it.
Um. I'm sorry?
So here's the deal. The afternoon of our last day was devoted to a photo shoot that went slightly off target. The original plan? Buy a crown and make Edie pose in front of signs that say Culver City. Because Edie Culver is the Queen of Culver City- get it? Not that complicated. Anyways, things went a little off base when we went to the party store and got sucked in by Mardi Gras gear - who can resist a tiny gold top hat? No one I call friend. Then we drove by the police department and got the idea that it would be funny for her to pose naked in front of it. With mardi gras beads. And the tiny hat. Anyways, please enjoy these photos of Edie and I ruling our city with class and grace.
Look closely peoples because that's Culver Boulevard up there. And that's Edies adorable back and my pasty calves walking towards it.
Um. I'm sorry?
Monday, March 14, 2011
California Part 4
The ladies hit up the beach at Malibu and Edie has her first vacation romance with a boy we met on the beach.
And if you're one of those killjoys that doesn't approve of babies wearing bikinis, then.... I don't want to hear it because Edie in a bikini is HILARIOUS and ADORABLE.
And if you're one of those killjoys that doesn't approve of babies wearing bikinis, then.... I don't want to hear it because Edie in a bikini is HILARIOUS and ADORABLE.
It's Official
We had Edie's 18 month check-up today. She is still pretty thin at 22 pounds and 1 ounce - 25th percentile for her age. She measured 32 inches tall, which is in roughly the 60th percentile (I think? Maybe he said 65th?) and officially more than half my height. I am (barely) 63 inches tall. When kids reach 2 years of age, you can safely estimate their adult height by doubling their current height. Which means that Edie is DEFINITELY going to be taller than me. Even if she doesn't grow at all in the next 6 months, she'll still be an inch taller than me. And since children are like weeds, I think we all know this isn't going to happen.
More California photos tonight. Patience Mom.
More California photos tonight. Patience Mom.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
California Part 3
The afternoon of our second full day we drove to Long Beach. Edie took her midday nap in the car during the drive and woke up just as we got to the Aquarium. I wasn't sure how long she'd stay interested, but she LOVED it and we stayed until closing. Much of the displays are outdoors and it was in the mid 70's, so the temperature was perfect for watching Edie explore.
Here she is at the very first display - she launched herself out of her stroller and ran to this window giggling and yelling, "FISHIES!!!"
Trying to climb into the seal exhibit.
With Aunt Katherine watching the sea lions. I heart this picture.
Touch tanks and giant fish "fountains".
We stayed in Long Beach for dinner and ate with an old friend of ours (Mike) who lives there. While waiting for our table, we wandered the pier, Edie took a spin with Elmo and "Zita" (Rosita - who is seated behind Elmo), and took advantage of a photo booth.
Here she is at the very first display - she launched herself out of her stroller and ran to this window giggling and yelling, "FISHIES!!!"
Trying to climb into the seal exhibit.
With Aunt Katherine watching the sea lions. I heart this picture.
Touch tanks and giant fish "fountains".
We stayed in Long Beach for dinner and ate with an old friend of ours (Mike) who lives there. While waiting for our table, we wandered the pier, Edie took a spin with Elmo and "Zita" (Rosita - who is seated behind Elmo), and took advantage of a photo booth.
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