We're on a posting hiatus...

Should be back soon! We have your Doda Talia and cousin Adi visiting so I have no time to post. I'll try to recap your week sometime this weekend.

But trust me, you're as adorable as ever!!

Art Attack!

Painting and coloring are becoming a favorite pastime. Every morning you ask if we can paint. We started a few nights ago painting in the backyard and you really got into it, though you seem to like painting your body more than the paper!! So we try to reserve the activity until just before bath time, and you can see why by this picture! But every morning you ask me to paint, and I tell you that when Daddy comes home we will. I am really excited that you are enjoying this and hope you really get into art! Just like Mummy! :)

In fact, for your birthday I am buying you an easel so that we can get even more into doing artsy things. I want art to be something you know about and are inspired to do and create. You know, I never knew that I was into art until I actually decided to go into art school. It kind of just popped up on me and surprised me. But my mum, your Nana, said that at age 4 or 5 when I went to nursery I was drawing houses, with paths, and flowers and people. And all the other kids were supposedly still drawing lines and abstract works. Pretty funny since I turned out to be an abstract artist! But regardless I just want you to get into it and enjoy it and creative expression.

In the meantime Dad asked if your composition is good and if we can start eBaying your work in a few years to make millions! Ha!! I certainly think your composition is good, but then again you can smear peas and corn across your face and I would think you did a brilliant job at color mixing. Yup, I'm that blinded by love.

Open for Business!

We went to the park yesterday morning,though it got too hot too fast and we couldn't even use the swings. But you walked over to the little counter at Monticello park (your favorite park) and started serving up some bark treats! Dad says when he takes you to this park he always orders the 'Bark and Sand mix soup with a side of leaf.' Haha, your Dad is a funny man, and he sure knows how to play with you. He even told me he pretend pays you and counts fake coins into your hands and counts them out for you. You get a big kick out of counting anything these days.

It's really interesting how differently we each play with you. Sometimes, to be quite honest, I'm jealous of how easy play comes for you and Dad. I guess since you and I spend so much time together every day we don't quite make the most of it like you do with your 1.5 hours with Daddy each night. I need to try and change that. We should be making the most of 'it' every day. New lesson learned starting now, all because of delicious bark and sand treats :)

It's been a fun week...

And although I haven't been writing much, that's not to say you haven't been impacting me in so many amazing ways. Sometimes I am so overcome with love for you, I just have to look around to see where it snuck up on me from. Other times, well, to put it lightly, I could certainly use a break. But overall I realize just how lucky we are. I mean, how lucky are we to spend the days together? And have precious friends? And a husband/father who adores us? We have some serious fun together, and life should be about fun.

I've been reading a book about a man whose life has been beyond trying, from childhood through adolescence and early adulthood. He never had love in his life and never knew what a true family is 'supposed' to feel like. He is turning his life around at the part of the book I'm reading, and although I haven't made it past his twenties yet, I hope he turns out OK. Life is simply too short to not make it sweet. You sweeten my every day and my every night.

So needless to say, it's been a fun week. Filled with big stuff like zoo time, park time, shopping mall playtown time, friends time, outdoor fairs time, and the best, some rare snuggle time. Now those fleeting moments are precious. But it's all about the little stuff. Like how you remember the names of the cats in your silly cat book (and I really don't like cats!), or how you learned to (kind of) say the number thirteen this week, or how you love to bite the end of your Kiwi doll's nose and how you stand on the scale and it reads E for error and you joyfully yell "E!!!" How in the world will I remember all the amazing little stuff................

Here are some snapshots of our week my little monkey.

Baking Time!

Last night we baked cheese muffins together! I always thought you were way too young to be baking, and guess what, you kind of are! :) That is, if the baking is supposed to go smoothly and as planned. Instead we had one great big cheese muffin alongside many other somewhat less cheesy muffins! It was pretty funny! We scooped the batter into the tins (well, I did, you just swirled your spoon around the mixing bowl and made a bit of a mess!). Then I gave you the grated cheese to help me sprinkle on top of the muffins and you sure did follow those directions well! It had Dad and I cracking up.

It was also a great opportunity to teach you about the oven, and that it is hot and that we don't touch it. You totally seem to get it! You would sign and say "Hot", point to the oven, then say "bake" and "eat!" Sure seems like you understand the process! The best part........? You LOVED the muffins.

Playtime with Abby

The other day you and Abby got together for some power playing! You too seriously crack me up. I love that you have this great little friend (and so do I in her mommy!) and you so love Abby. Even though you two sometimes have minor tiffs. Yes, two year olds can have tiffs! But you guys always make up. We have a book at home that was customized with your name in the story that we received as a gift over a year ago. It includes some of your friends names in it, although Abby's name isn't in it. Every time I read you the book before bed I start to read the line "And Princess Finley invites all her friends to the castle ..." and I list the three names in the book and you immediately yell out "ABBY! EMELLAY!!" and I nod and say yes, they are your friends too, and they will come to the castle too. And you smile and relax back in my arms. So sweet.

Abby is always on your mind.

I'll try to post a video of you and Abby playing. It was lots of fun.

First Swim of the Season

Yesterday we finally braved all the gear that goes along with living in the desert and having bathing suit season upon us in early April! I asked you in the morning if you wanted to go swimming with your friends and you repeatedly told me no. I was actually surprised, since you seem to really enjoy playing with water. But I shouldn't have been very surprised because it's a new activity that we haven't done it months and I suspect it's nerve wracking to you to go on new adventures. But you did really great!

We met up with your buddies and got the swim suits on, the towels out, the sunscreen slathered and we waded around. You mostly wanted to have me walk around the shallow end holding you so that no water even touched you, but eventually you got into walking around on the very shallow beach entry yourself. You even stumbled once and fell to your side and I caught you before your head went underwater and although you were slightly startled you ended up replaying that moment all day long! It was pretty cute. You would scrunch up your face and start rubbing your eyes and say "EYE!!" and then rub rub rub and then say "Wawwu!" to let me know that water got in your eyes when we were swimming. You are quite the drama queen ;-) For you though best part of swim was snack time afterwards.


But today I signed you up for swim lessons so hopefully you'll get more and more comfortable with the idea of swimming and this summer we can spend every afternoon in our pool! That should be fun!

So I guess it's finally time to admit...

You like Elmo. Yup, I said it. I've been avoiding this moment for 2 years. I don't know why. Some kind of romantic notion that you, my darling child, need not be entertained by floppy red muppets and plastic licensed characters. But heck, those things sell by the millions for a reason I guess! Kids LOVE them! And you my dear are no exception.

You've gotten into Elmo for a few months now and although you aren't really into watching Sesame Street you do adore the musical movie phenomenon CinderElmo, based of course on Elmo playing the role of Cinderella. There is a particular song that gets you grooving and you just have such a blast. Who am I to deny you of that!! Here is a video of that special piece of choreography.

So there you have it. Elmo is officially part of our daily vocabulary now. I've been defeated by the fluffy red monster. :)

Happy Birthday to BA

'Ba' would be Finley Speak for Benjamin, who turned two today! It was a lovely party, and let me know for sure that you are in no way ready for Disneyland! There were some people dressed in Ernie and Cookie Monster costumes and they terrified you. So did the puppet show. You seriously have something against soft toys that make noise! They always freak you out. You're entitled to be quirky! I wouldn't want you any other way. :) But it was certainly hard for us to avoid the Sesame Street Mascots and that resulted in a lot of "NO!! NO!!" from you.

But we had a great time with our friends and you've been napping pretty much ever since! Here's a photo of you hugging the birthday boy.

All's Well that Ends Well

Yesterday started off kind of bad but ended up great! We were en route to see all your friends at the park and were having a lovely drive and watching some horses from the car when my car started to act funny and then had an urgent transmission message! We were lucky Daddy was able to come meet us, put your car seat in his car and then we waited for the tow truck! Long story short it ended up being a little bit more difficult than planned, but ended well.

Then after nap we were going to Bubby and Zaydie's house so that I could help them pick a paint color for their home. Dad met us there when he finished work and you, Dad and Zaydie went out on the golf course and you had a BLAST! You sure must be Daddy's little girl, since you picked up the game so fast! You totally understood that the ball had to go in the hole and you kept taking the balls just as Zaydie was about to putt them and ran them to the hole and cheered and danced like mad each time they went in! Zaydie even putted a shot right between your legs right into the hole and we all got a good giggle. You just loved the wide open spaces and seemed so comfortable there. Usually it takes you longer to warm up to any new location but this being without any stimulation seemed to put you at ease immediately.

It was a lot of fun and I suspect Dad and Zaydie (both incredible golfers), saw a little golf star in the making. :) It was a great end to the day.

A Moment with Mummy

Two nights ago at 11:45pm you started to yell "Mummy! Mummy!" in your crib. You never wake in the middle of the night, and I wasn't sure what woke you. But after 8 minutes of that I went to your room and you immediately asked me to read you a book. I kept the lights out and held you in my arms, played your lullaby CD, and recited your favorite ABC book (which I know off by heart!) and when we got to Z you knew it was the end, you pointed to your crib, signed 'bed' and I asked you "You want to go back to bed?" and you nodded your head yes and that was all done. You went to bed and were a silent baby right away.

When I went to bed I thought of two things. The first was that I hadn't been home that evening for bath and bedtime and perhaps you woke for a moment in the middle of the night and remembered you hadn't seen your Mummy right before bed, and that's why you called for me. Because you really seemed so calmed by just having a moment with me. Like you needed reassurance that I was there and would be there to kiss you goodnight. It made me feel wonderful to have that moment with you where you lay in my arms and you shut your eyes listening to me tell you a story. You never sleep in my arms, so this was nice.

The second thought that I had was that you somehow had Toddler ESP and you knew my birthday started at midnight and you wanted to be the first to wish me a happy birthday. Hey, a mother can dream, right? ;-)

Whatever it was, it was a great moment together. Just don't do it too often ;-)

Anyhow, so yesterday we spent a wonderful birthday together as a family. We all had breakfast together and went for a hike in the morning and had a ton of fun. When you finally wanted out of the backpack you wanted to walk on your own. That consisted of picking up rocks and dirt every second step. It was very cute.

There's no picture yet because Daddy bought me a new camera for my birthday and I don't now how to upload the photos yet! I'll figure it out at nap time and get one up there from yesterday's hike. You were so cute!! Thanks for a wonderful day!

Oh SEW fun!

So I've been learning how to sew. And you my dear, are my guinea pig! We've had some successes, and also our misses! Here is a two part success and miss! The shirt works, the pants do not!! :) I've been really enjoying making some clothes for you, and you seem to really enjoy seeing the new outfits and trying them on. There is nothing more satisfying than a big "WOOOOOW!" from you when I show you one of my handy creations! :)

Nothing too much exciting these days as we've just recovered from our colds. Today is April Fools and I will need to learn from your Nana how to make good jokes on you when you get older. She is the greatest at them and already got me good this morning (saying she is coming to visit when Doda Talia an Cousin Adi come at the end of the month!). Well, she hasn't confirmed it was an April Fool's joke, so hopefully your dear mama hasn't offended her!

Gotta run, you just woke up. I love you, you are saying"Animals" over and over in your crib. You must be remembering our trip to the pet store yesterday afternoon.