Winter Photo Shoot

We did an impromptu winter photo shoot in early December in order to try and get a decent Holiday Cart shot. Jeff's parents were passing through Seattle and had time to stop by for 20 minutes, so we recruited them as photographers. Many of these will be familiar to those who got a holiday card (we didn't send many out, so don't have hurt feelers if you didn't get one - you were in the majority). All photos were taken in our backyard or on our block.

Taking a breath

I'm always encouraging Edie to "take a breath" when she gets frustrated, hoping it might help distract/center/calm her. Just now, she was eating hummus and pita chips and asked me, "Mom, do you LIKE this?" and shows me her hand, which is COVERED in hummus. Like she dipped it in the bowl of hummus and then squeezed a quarter cup of the hummus in her fist. I looked horrified I think and said, "Um, no I don't like that." and she said to me, "Mom - take a breath."

Thanksgiving 2011 part the second

The Wednesday we left town for the ferry dock, Edie made a turkey using clay and colored tongue depressers at daycare. She clutched that thing the entire way and since the clay hadn't dried all the way, it's head took on an (even more) deformed look. I had to super glue the googley eyes and "feathers" back on before storing it away when we got home.I remember thinking that if you didn't know it was November, you'd see this sunset from the ferry and think it was June.
Cabin fort.
Don't let this photo fool you, she was NOT a fan of the big waves crashing on the beach.


Great Aunt Wendy reading some of Jeff's old Richard Scary books to Edie.
Feeding the deer.
Thanksgiving dinner is at Jeff's Grandpa's old house (which is now his uncle's house). Here is Edie at the dinner table with her "cousin" (Jeff's cousin's daughter) Sophie. Sophie and Edie always have a good time together.


Sophie's Dad (Jeff's cousin) reading bedtime stories to the girls. I have no explanation for Brian's hair in this photo.

Playing in the sunshine the next morning.

Uncle Javi brought a craft project that involved decorating a tiny piggy bank with stickers and glitter paint.

Then Javi baked bread - including a mini loaf with cinnamon and sugar on it for Edie Bee.

Kathleen drew these awesome animals onto beach rocks using a Sharpie. Cool, right?
Turkey for Thanksgiving!
We also celebrated Aunt Kathleen's birthday that weekend and Edie - as always - managed to insert herself into the present opening process.
And the cake process.
And there you have it - Thanksgiving 2011. Only 3 months late.

Thanksgiving 2011 part the first

Photos from our two Thanksgivings - first with my family at my brother and sister in law's house (the week before Thanksgiving).

Below my Mom and Aunt do some puzzling with Edie.
It's a family tradition to do a puzzle while dinner cooks - Edie again with my cousin Lisa on the left and SIL Emily on the right. Edie was ridiculously into puzzling - which is awesome and makes me realize that we don't have enough puzzle type activities at our house.

Edie puts her feet up between courses.
Fast forward a week to the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when we popped into my parents' new cottage in Birch Bay for dinner and a sleep over.
I wish I had more photos from this

Foaming at the mouth

My child just threw such a fierce (and long) temper tantrum that she foamed at the mouth. LITERALLY- foam was coming out of her mouth.

Drink the juice Shelby, just drink the juice

I just dropped Maurice off for some kitty kidney dialysis. Poor dude.

And if you don't understand the post title, look it up and pretend you knew all along. Because otherwise, we're breaking up.

Seriously

Lately, bedtime is becoming a bit of an ordeal around here. Like I'm pretty sure that the video parody "Go the F*ck to Sleep" was written about my house. Tonight, instead of feeling like bashing my head against the wall over it, Jeff and I are snickering.

After tucking her in twice, she climbed out of bed a third time, ran to the gate in her bedroom doorway and playfully called for me a few times. I stayed downstairs and ignored her at first. Then, in a phony desperate tone, she yells, "Mom! Get Minnie!" And we surmise that she has chucked her Minnie Mouse doll (her sleeping lovie) into the hall and is using her as bait for me to come up. Oh, very clever little one, very clever. But three can play that game. And two of us are bigger and smarter. Bwahahahaha!!

I decided to see her manipulative move and raise her one. I sent Jeff up instead of going myself; both of us knowing full well it would royally piss her off. Because after dark, Mom is the ONLY acceptable answer to any problem Edie has. When she heard his footsteps on the stairs instead of mine, she screamed "NOOO!" bloody murder and did a little rage-dance in her doorway. This is what I heard from downstairs:

Edie: NO! I wanted M0-om!

Jeff: Well, she's not coming, it's ME. (he hands Minnie back to Edie)

Edie: NO! (she throws Minnie back into the hallway)

Jeff: Alright, well, here's Minnie. (he throws her deeper into the back of her room and walks back downstairs)

Edie: (screams the house down in fury)

Jeff came downstairs and we had an evil little laugh over the whole thing.

Fighting fire with fire.

Crib Manual

Jeff has requested that I update the blog to say that he found the manual for Edie's crib in approximately 30 seconds.

NERD. ALERT.

Just now

Me: Can we please disassemble Edie's crib tonight?

Jeff: Yeah, I'll see if I can find the manual for it.

Me: Where would you find THAT?

Jeff: In my "Manual File"

Me: You have a MANUAL FILE?

Jeff: Do you know how many manuals we have for this house? I have a manual file for each ROOM!

long pause

Me: I married you.

The many faces of Edie - November

Misc shots of Edie in November:



These are from the week before Thanksgiving when we made mashed sweet potatoes and on and since she was being SUCH a helper, I decided we should make one just for her and sprinkle marshmallows on top. Seriously - she was SO PROUD.

These "balloon shots" were taken after Edie went to her friend Penny's 2nd birthday party. Each child got to take home a giant balloon and Edie was psyched. We particularly liked the static electricity in her hair.