Back from a getaway!

I can't exactly call it a vacation, since there was little rest and relaxation, which is what is usually associated with vacations! But we sure had a great time! We went to Tacoma to see your Mimi and Grand Daddy Sam and family, and then to Vancouver, BC to a wedding and my friends and your Doda Talia!

You had a great time, even though the day before we left we spent the afternoon at the hospital ER for your wickedly huge split lip! Oh, and then while in Vancouver you took another big fall and fell on your chin into a metal ladder. Ouch. But amidst the scrapes, bruises (and splinters from playing hours on end at Mimi's dock) you had a terrific time!

We had many firsts, including the first time ever you slept in a bed with us (let's just say it was a bit of a achallnge for all involved but Daddy!), and the first time you stayed up until 10:30 pm, oh, and the first time you stayed up until 1:00 am! Ha, that was DEFINITELY a first! Plus the first time you went three consecutive days without napping. And the first time you insisted on wearing sunglasses! The list goes on an on. A vacation full of firsts that I am a bit tired to remember it all right now but I'll try to add pictures of our week all this week and snippets and stories. In the meantime hereis a sweet picture taken a Point Defiance Zoo.

Well, I may as well make it official...

Because I guess you are officially on the potty train. Choo Choo baby! It's been a little over a week that you actively started using your potty and today we hit the 'piece de resistance' milestone. It was a beautiful moment.

To backtrack a little, we've been doing potty training by you simply sitting on the potty before we leave the house, and before naps and bedtime. You've been wearing just your underwear at home, and diapers during sleep time and outside of the house time. It's been working great (you pee 95% of the times you try), but you hadn't really expressed a need to use the potty on your own volition, as opposed to me just telling you when to use it, and use it you did!

You did a great job and of course it helped that every successful trip got a sticker for your hand, another for your potty (which now has 34 stickers on it!) and a small dollar store gift.

Well, today we were at an event at the library, and you said to me "pee pee potty mummy" and I kind of looked around not knowing what to do! We had never tried in a public restroom before! Well, good thing I had you in a dress (that's all you are wearing from now on baby!!) because we went there, I put you on the potty, and it was a success!! We did the potty dance and got a sticker for you and man, I was so proud of you!! You knew, even though you were in diapers, to stop what we were doing and take care of business!

I have no idea if this will all keep happening, or if it will be over in a week, but I have to say I am totally proud and impressed, since a little over week ago you wouldn't even sit on the thing. :)

We are traveling all next week so hopefully that doesn't ruin things...but I must say you are my little super star once again. Thanks sweet 'pee'. Oh man, I'm soooo lame!! :)

Letter Love

You got these letters the other day as an 'incentive' gift. It turned out to be a hit! As soon as you got them you wanted to take a bath. It was 11 in the afternoon! But a bath you had. Then another one that night, and the next morning, and the next night.... You get the point- the letters are a good gift :)

Now if we could only get you to figure out that an 8 is not a B and a V and Y have a slight difference to them, then these letters will be a massive success!

But fun was had, and that's all that counts.

Cheers to Good Friends

You've got a lot of good friends. I think that's one of the best things that happened since moving to the Desert while I was pregnant. See, had we stayed home in Jackson Hole, you might have had a few friends, since several of my friends there have kids about your age...but instead we moved to California, and it forced me to meet new people, new mothers specifically, to find support, friendship, and to keep us busy!! You never liked staying home...not as an infant, and not as a toddler either...

Turns out as luck would have it I not only made incredible friends, but so did you!! Most of your little friends are anywhere from a week to 3 months age difference with you. How crazy is that? You have quiet friends, and curious friends, you have smart friends and even a friend that you treat like a sibling (means you love her, but you guys get into fights. Yes, a 2 year old gets into tiffs with her buddies!). You basically have friends whom you feel good hanging with, and can learn things from, and show off in front of, and just be your plain kooky self; and they love you. It's pretty awesome.


Here are some photos from a little impromptu dance party you and your friends decided to have. Dad and I have a thing where for ten seconds every night, we have to DANCE! Like fools, to no music...but just get up out of our chairs at any random moment, and dance hard! Perhaps we'll do that with you every day. You are the dancing superstar in this family after all.

The lost blogger...

But I promise you, not the lost mother! I know I've been missing out on blogging about all the fun and sweet and loving things that you do over the last few months, but I want you to know that although I've been busy dear Finley, I have not deserted you! I am still the same stay at home mum who relishes in seeing your face every morning and misses you if I have to go run errands while Daddy is home.

I have been busier than usual lately, but that's because I am starting a new business. I wonder if you're older and reading this you'll know the business and everything about it, because it became super successful and wildly influential...or maybe you'll say "you did what?" because it was just barely a blip on the radar. I hope the former but this isn't the place for me to talk about business, unless the business of raising my little girl!

Well, you've been a busy little girl too. We've been seeing your friends lots, and we went to Santa Monica and LA for a few days to see all your family from New Zealand and you got to meet cousin Asher. You haven't stopped talking about him since! And Uncle Grant and David, and Auntie Britt. And Uncle Jack & Auntie Maureen too! All the NZ family was on a layover in LA so we went to meet them for two days. I am so happy you got to meet more of your family.

We also had your 2 year well visit. You are 29 pounds and 35 inches tall! That's nearly 3 feet! Everything looks great and your doctor was very impressed with your vocabulary, especially when she took out her stethoscope and placed it on you and you said "heart beat". Smarty pants. :)

We talked about your anxiety with the doctor. You have a lot of fear of new people, anxiety over crowded places, loud noises or unexpected noises (we don't ever think of handing you a doll that has any form of noise/electronic voice or whatever!). You get really scared and your shoulders raise all the way up practically past your ears and your hands shake in front of you said "no! no!" Dr. Go said that about 30% of kids your age have some form of anxiety and that though yours may be a higher level we have to keep doing what we are doing...which is exposing you to things in these situations and setting you up to anticipate them. We're working on it! But we're lucky we have super understanding friends who are always careful about handing you the right type of doll!! :)

Oh, we also discovered I can fit in your crib! This is a new thing you like for us to do after every nap. You get me in there with all your dollies and play. I love it! You also taught yourself how to put on pants this week. Though you were already wearing a pair of shorts at the time but...whatever! :)

Well, that's our highlight. I won't promise yet that I'll be writing more, but please know that I will try. I do want you to have all these memories one day. xoxox.