Then, finally, I picked up some of the real thing at the grocery store and we put some plastic down in the basement to contain any spills. We even mixed our primary colors to create some purple and orange too! Will liked watching that.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Painting
Ever since our "handprint Santa" project where I painted his hand white to make Santa's beard, Will has been asking me if we can paint. I didn't happen to have any washable paints on hand so instead I tried to honor his request with some food-colored yogurt to finger paint with on a large white canvas (a.k.a. a dinner plate). He loves the sensory stuff that goes along with getting his hands dirty and refreshing the "canvas" is simple - just rinse and repeat! The finished product is pretty tasty too!
Then, finally, I picked up some of the real thing at the grocery store and we put some plastic down in the basement to contain any spills. We even mixed our primary colors to create some purple and orange too! Will liked watching that.
Then, finally, I picked up some of the real thing at the grocery store and we put some plastic down in the basement to contain any spills. We even mixed our primary colors to create some purple and orange too! Will liked watching that.
No Comment
A few people brought to my attention that comments were somehow disabled below my posts. I'm not sure how that happened but I had been messing with my settings a little bit about a week ago and I am definitely not the most computer literate person in the world. So my appologies... and I think I have repaired that. So thanks for the heads up and feel free to comment to your hearts content. LOL :)
Now my new dilemma is figuring out how to post pictures without using Photobucket because I somehow downloaded a huge virus from visiting that site! That is just creepy and very violating! Thankfully, my husband is a genius and managed to do a complete overhaul of our computer. So that's fixed too. Casey, when you have time, can you to show me how you post pictures?
Now my new dilemma is figuring out how to post pictures without using Photobucket because I somehow downloaded a huge virus from visiting that site! That is just creepy and very violating! Thankfully, my husband is a genius and managed to do a complete overhaul of our computer. So that's fixed too. Casey, when you have time, can you to show me how you post pictures?
Monday, January 25, 2010
How I REALLY feel about having a daughter... NOW.
In a word: EXCITED!!!
Check out the prequel to this post: http://arae-ashley.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-i-really-feel-about-having-daughter.html. This new post should more appropriately have been written on December 5th, exactly one year after finding out we were expecting a baby girl. On that day, despite my feeling that another boy would just be easier and "comfortable", I let myself realize that deep down feeling of excitement. After our 20 week ultrasound, I remember going to the restroom at the doctors office (they make you drink lots of water and hold a full bladder for the ultrasound!) and looking in the mirror and just smiling to myself. I WAS HAVING A DAUGHTER!! Throughout the pregnancy, I didn't feel the same connection that I did with Will - (when he was born, I felt I had already known him) - probably because I had a toddler at home and didn't have the time to just stare at my belly and wonder about this new little person. But in that moment after the ultrasound, I suddenly knew that I wanted this baby girl so badly. True, without her, I wouldn't have known what I was missing! I would have just gone on blissfully with my house full of boys. I have always felt that I understood boys better and that I was destined to be a mom to BOYS. (I even secretly prayed for a boy when I was pregnant with Will.) At first I was most definitely intimidated by the idea of mothering a girl. But she has truly completed our family and I am indescribably grateful for this blessing.
Excited! I can't think of a better word to describe each day with her. You know that feeling when your heart just seems to have skipped and you get this rush of happiness? Like the day I claimed the high school mile record, or passed my boards for dietetics, or got engaged, or saw that second pink line on the pregnancy test. Even now as I'm typing this, my heart just feels like it's swelling with happiness over the thought of my baby girl.
In the beginning, as I was struggling to get acclimated to life with two kids and Sophie seemed to be a rather colicky baby, I felt frustrated with myself and worried that I wasn't doing a good job. But when I looked at her, I saw a small piece of myself and I knew that she needed me to help her through this time. She needed to learn how to trust that she would be taken care of and that her new world was a safe and happy place. I also felt very protective of her towards other people that assumed she was just unpleasant and fussy all the time. Sophie often seemed tense and rigid (with clenched fists) during that time and I wondered if it was something I had done to make this poor baby so scared. Will was never this way so it was all new to me. I just pressed on, doing my best to meet her needs promptly, hold her close to me often (she basically lived in the Moby Wrap for awhile), and show her lots of love and affection. I remember thinking to myself that I had to "figure her out".
Right around two months of age, Sophie turned a big corner with her feeling of security (and probably just maturity) and suddenly started responding to my attention in a way that let me know she trusted me. Finally! Four to five weeks of colic seemed like an eternity at the time and suddenly I felt like I was really starting to "get" her. Baby steps had added up to a lot more trust and peace between us and I finally believed that she loved me back. She started sleeping better, smiling often and just appearing happier and calmer overall. We had come through that rough patch together and our bond was stronger because of it.
Pretty soon she was smiling CONSTANTLY and her smiles were contagious! It looked like she was silently laughing at something very funny. Like she wanted to smile bigger than physically possible and did so using her whole body. They were electric and they warmed my heart. My baby was happy! And that made me SO happy too.
Not that I ever didn't love her before, but seeing her blossom so beautifully into this happy, smiley, little girl made my love for her grow 10-fold. She was so strong and determined with all of her developments and actions and she excelled very quickly. She started playing happily on her own for longer periods and became much more accepting of the attention of others. I just felt so proud of each of her successes and I can't explain it, but I fell madly in love with my daughter.
So that pretty much brings us to now: Sophie continuing to grow and develop as a happy, little girl and me loving each day that I'm lucky enough to spend with her. I thought of writing this post as I was planning to write a letter to Sophie in her baby book. I wrote a letter to Will when he was a baby and wanted to do the same for Sophie.
Prior to getting to know my daughter, I had an image of what it would be like to mother a girl: worried all the time about "messing her up", scoffing at most of the "girly" stuff that girls are into, unsuccessfully trying to instill self-confidence and a value of self-worth, etc. etc. I have no idea why I had these concerns, but it was just in my head that girls were difficult and boys were easier. At the same time, I have a wonderful relationship with MY mother and a whole lifetime of memories that I would one day like to experience with my own daughter. That, I'm sure, was the part of me that smiled in the mirror back in December of 2008. Knowing that one day I might get to break out my American Girl doll again, or put pig-tails in my little girl's hair, or take her to get a dress for her first dance, or listen as she excitedly dishes about her first crush, or pass down the hankerchief that my grandmother monogrammed for me on my wedding day, or help her clean and move into her first house. My mom is amazing and I want to have the honor of being that same supportive person in my own daughter's life.
I no longer care if she wants to play teacher or have tea parties instead of throw around a ball. I will support whatever interests and hobbies she is passionate about no matter how girly or tomboy-ish they are. I no longer worry about my ability to give her a strong foundation and more love than she knows what to do with so that she may know the value of herself. And no matter where she goes in life, I will always be there for her.
Of course, life isn't perfect and I certainly don't expect a perfect relationship without disagreements and disappointments. And I'm also still not in a rush to get to the teenage years- with either of my children! But I am certain that my life (and my heart!) will be fuller with Sophia in it. And I'm so glad that God chose me to be her mommy.
Check out the prequel to this post: http://arae-ashley.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-i-really-feel-about-having-daughter.html. This new post should more appropriately have been written on December 5th, exactly one year after finding out we were expecting a baby girl. On that day, despite my feeling that another boy would just be easier and "comfortable", I let myself realize that deep down feeling of excitement. After our 20 week ultrasound, I remember going to the restroom at the doctors office (they make you drink lots of water and hold a full bladder for the ultrasound!) and looking in the mirror and just smiling to myself. I WAS HAVING A DAUGHTER!! Throughout the pregnancy, I didn't feel the same connection that I did with Will - (when he was born, I felt I had already known him) - probably because I had a toddler at home and didn't have the time to just stare at my belly and wonder about this new little person. But in that moment after the ultrasound, I suddenly knew that I wanted this baby girl so badly. True, without her, I wouldn't have known what I was missing! I would have just gone on blissfully with my house full of boys. I have always felt that I understood boys better and that I was destined to be a mom to BOYS. (I even secretly prayed for a boy when I was pregnant with Will.) At first I was most definitely intimidated by the idea of mothering a girl. But she has truly completed our family and I am indescribably grateful for this blessing.
Excited! I can't think of a better word to describe each day with her. You know that feeling when your heart just seems to have skipped and you get this rush of happiness? Like the day I claimed the high school mile record, or passed my boards for dietetics, or got engaged, or saw that second pink line on the pregnancy test. Even now as I'm typing this, my heart just feels like it's swelling with happiness over the thought of my baby girl.
In the beginning, as I was struggling to get acclimated to life with two kids and Sophie seemed to be a rather colicky baby, I felt frustrated with myself and worried that I wasn't doing a good job. But when I looked at her, I saw a small piece of myself and I knew that she needed me to help her through this time. She needed to learn how to trust that she would be taken care of and that her new world was a safe and happy place. I also felt very protective of her towards other people that assumed she was just unpleasant and fussy all the time. Sophie often seemed tense and rigid (with clenched fists) during that time and I wondered if it was something I had done to make this poor baby so scared. Will was never this way so it was all new to me. I just pressed on, doing my best to meet her needs promptly, hold her close to me often (she basically lived in the Moby Wrap for awhile), and show her lots of love and affection. I remember thinking to myself that I had to "figure her out".
Right around two months of age, Sophie turned a big corner with her feeling of security (and probably just maturity) and suddenly started responding to my attention in a way that let me know she trusted me. Finally! Four to five weeks of colic seemed like an eternity at the time and suddenly I felt like I was really starting to "get" her. Baby steps had added up to a lot more trust and peace between us and I finally believed that she loved me back. She started sleeping better, smiling often and just appearing happier and calmer overall. We had come through that rough patch together and our bond was stronger because of it.
Pretty soon she was smiling CONSTANTLY and her smiles were contagious! It looked like she was silently laughing at something very funny. Like she wanted to smile bigger than physically possible and did so using her whole body. They were electric and they warmed my heart. My baby was happy! And that made me SO happy too.
Not that I ever didn't love her before, but seeing her blossom so beautifully into this happy, smiley, little girl made my love for her grow 10-fold. She was so strong and determined with all of her developments and actions and she excelled very quickly. She started playing happily on her own for longer periods and became much more accepting of the attention of others. I just felt so proud of each of her successes and I can't explain it, but I fell madly in love with my daughter.
So that pretty much brings us to now: Sophie continuing to grow and develop as a happy, little girl and me loving each day that I'm lucky enough to spend with her. I thought of writing this post as I was planning to write a letter to Sophie in her baby book. I wrote a letter to Will when he was a baby and wanted to do the same for Sophie.
Prior to getting to know my daughter, I had an image of what it would be like to mother a girl: worried all the time about "messing her up", scoffing at most of the "girly" stuff that girls are into, unsuccessfully trying to instill self-confidence and a value of self-worth, etc. etc. I have no idea why I had these concerns, but it was just in my head that girls were difficult and boys were easier. At the same time, I have a wonderful relationship with MY mother and a whole lifetime of memories that I would one day like to experience with my own daughter. That, I'm sure, was the part of me that smiled in the mirror back in December of 2008. Knowing that one day I might get to break out my American Girl doll again, or put pig-tails in my little girl's hair, or take her to get a dress for her first dance, or listen as she excitedly dishes about her first crush, or pass down the hankerchief that my grandmother monogrammed for me on my wedding day, or help her clean and move into her first house. My mom is amazing and I want to have the honor of being that same supportive person in my own daughter's life.
I no longer care if she wants to play teacher or have tea parties instead of throw around a ball. I will support whatever interests and hobbies she is passionate about no matter how girly or tomboy-ish they are. I no longer worry about my ability to give her a strong foundation and more love than she knows what to do with so that she may know the value of herself. And no matter where she goes in life, I will always be there for her.
Of course, life isn't perfect and I certainly don't expect a perfect relationship without disagreements and disappointments. And I'm also still not in a rush to get to the teenage years- with either of my children! But I am certain that my life (and my heart!) will be fuller with Sophia in it. And I'm so glad that God chose me to be her mommy.
What's For Dinner? Week 4
Let's talk about finger foods! This is such an exciting stage for babies because they get to be in control and explore new textures. It's also a helpful stage to parents because the whole process of finger feeding is very entertaining to babies and allows for a little self-sufficiency so that parents get to actually eat their own meal during dinner time too. Before this stage, it is usually a mad scramble to juggle spoon feeding baby while simultaneously managing to consume anything off your own plate. When it was just Will, we never ate all together. He'd get fed and completely taken care of and off to bed before we even bothered eating ourselves. Now with two kids, we are keeping family meal time all together, but often getting up multiple times during the meal for one reason or another (i.e. refilling Will's cup, grabbing washcloths to clean little hands and faces) and eating very quickly amidst the chaos. But hey, we're a family and that's how meal time goes with little ones.
Sophia is definitely not exclusively eating finger foods. I'm pretty sure it would take her FOREVER to consume enough to meet her needs. Instead we balance it out with about 2/3 spoon feeding and 1/3 finger foods. Obviously that proportion will change as she becomes more adept at finger foods. Spoon feeding is fast, fairly clean and condensed so that baby can consume a significant amount in a short time with little mess. Nice! Finger foods are generally messier and time consuming. But the beauty of this "mixed plate" is that she still gets a substantial meal out of purees/grinds AND gets to practice her hand at pincer-grasping lots of new things while mom and dad eat too.
Some people worry about choking and/or baby "not having enough teeth". Baby won't likely have those molars until well after the first birthday... and you're certainly not going to wait until then to introduce table foods. Instead, they're able to use saliva and strong gums to mash foods appropriately. The key is size and texture. Right now I'm sticking to "pea-sized" food pieces and soft textures. Some ideas include:
-any soft or steamed fruit, i.e. avocado and banana pieces (could be rolled in cheerio crumbs or oatmeal cereal for easier pick up), blueberries, diced pear, apple, mango, cantaloupe, peaches, etc.; same goes for any soft cooked veggie like peas, dices of carrots, squash, green beans, etc.
-grains such as cereals (cheerios, etc.), tiny pasta varieties such as orzo or ditallini work well, bits of toast, rice
-proteins such as hard-cooked egg yolk bits, shreds of cooked meat/poultry, diced tofu, canned or cooked dry beans
-dairy such as bits or shreds of cheese, cottage cheese, cheerios mixed heavily in yogurt so that yogurt can essentially be "picked up"
Banana pieces... So focused! - LOL It's pure entertainment!
Cheese bits. Love the little, open, birdy-mouth.
Steamed blueberries (make SURE to plan this right before bath time!)
Don't you just wonder what she's thinking? Such a new experience to feel this stuff all over your fingers! Almost all kids eat better when allowed to get their hands dirty. :)
She loved the tropical fruits last week. Now this week, I'm thinking we'll probably do red and green bell peppers, maybe diced and sauteed and then added to scrambled egg yolk for a "baby omelet". Then maybe broccoli - not sure I want to puree this so we may just do a small chop and steam for another finger food. I'm also going to dice up some pear and steam for finger food. You can dice, steam and freeze-in-a-single-layer-on-a-cookie-sheet just about anything! Then once frozen, scoop off into a freezer bag for future use in whatever portion you desire. I continued doing that for Will well after his first birthday. It was just so handy!
Speaking of Will... we're patiently waiting for another big snow so we can sled and build snowmen again. In the meantime... we'll settle for a snowman grilled cheese.
This week for dinner, I'm looking forward to a hassle free week. I did ALL the meal prep in advance. On the menu this week:
1)Chicken noodle soup and sandwiches. Tyler's recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-noodle-soup-recipe/index.html
It's in the stock pot ready to go for tonight. Just going to pop it on the stove top, add noodles, and simmer.
2)Chipotle Tamale Pie. Cracks me up that this sassy Latino lady on Food Network is named Ingrid Hoffman! Isn't that German? Here's her recipe - I've done this one many times: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ingrid-hoffmann/chipotle-tamale-pie-recipe/index.html
It's a pretty healthy casserole type meal - ground turkey, pinto beans, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, etc. topped with a boxed cornbread "crust". Easy to make ahead and just top with the crust before baking.
3)Meijer had those pork loin roasts on sale again this week and I have leftovers of that marinade I used last time. So I made the roast last night along with some cheesy mashed potatoes and bacon green beans. Will got a mashed potato snowman:
And one last shot of him eating up those dried fruit and nut granola bars I made last week. That has been a lunch staple along with a cheese stick and some raw veggies and fruit.
Sophia is definitely not exclusively eating finger foods. I'm pretty sure it would take her FOREVER to consume enough to meet her needs. Instead we balance it out with about 2/3 spoon feeding and 1/3 finger foods. Obviously that proportion will change as she becomes more adept at finger foods. Spoon feeding is fast, fairly clean and condensed so that baby can consume a significant amount in a short time with little mess. Nice! Finger foods are generally messier and time consuming. But the beauty of this "mixed plate" is that she still gets a substantial meal out of purees/grinds AND gets to practice her hand at pincer-grasping lots of new things while mom and dad eat too.
Some people worry about choking and/or baby "not having enough teeth". Baby won't likely have those molars until well after the first birthday... and you're certainly not going to wait until then to introduce table foods. Instead, they're able to use saliva and strong gums to mash foods appropriately. The key is size and texture. Right now I'm sticking to "pea-sized" food pieces and soft textures. Some ideas include:
-any soft or steamed fruit, i.e. avocado and banana pieces (could be rolled in cheerio crumbs or oatmeal cereal for easier pick up), blueberries, diced pear, apple, mango, cantaloupe, peaches, etc.; same goes for any soft cooked veggie like peas, dices of carrots, squash, green beans, etc.
-grains such as cereals (cheerios, etc.), tiny pasta varieties such as orzo or ditallini work well, bits of toast, rice
-proteins such as hard-cooked egg yolk bits, shreds of cooked meat/poultry, diced tofu, canned or cooked dry beans
-dairy such as bits or shreds of cheese, cottage cheese, cheerios mixed heavily in yogurt so that yogurt can essentially be "picked up"
Banana pieces... So focused! - LOL It's pure entertainment!
Cheese bits. Love the little, open, birdy-mouth.
Steamed blueberries (make SURE to plan this right before bath time!)
Don't you just wonder what she's thinking? Such a new experience to feel this stuff all over your fingers! Almost all kids eat better when allowed to get their hands dirty. :)
She loved the tropical fruits last week. Now this week, I'm thinking we'll probably do red and green bell peppers, maybe diced and sauteed and then added to scrambled egg yolk for a "baby omelet". Then maybe broccoli - not sure I want to puree this so we may just do a small chop and steam for another finger food. I'm also going to dice up some pear and steam for finger food. You can dice, steam and freeze-in-a-single-layer-on-a-cookie-sheet just about anything! Then once frozen, scoop off into a freezer bag for future use in whatever portion you desire. I continued doing that for Will well after his first birthday. It was just so handy!
Speaking of Will... we're patiently waiting for another big snow so we can sled and build snowmen again. In the meantime... we'll settle for a snowman grilled cheese.
This week for dinner, I'm looking forward to a hassle free week. I did ALL the meal prep in advance. On the menu this week:
1)Chicken noodle soup and sandwiches. Tyler's recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-noodle-soup-recipe/index.html
It's in the stock pot ready to go for tonight. Just going to pop it on the stove top, add noodles, and simmer.
2)Chipotle Tamale Pie. Cracks me up that this sassy Latino lady on Food Network is named Ingrid Hoffman! Isn't that German? Here's her recipe - I've done this one many times: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ingrid-hoffmann/chipotle-tamale-pie-recipe/index.html
It's a pretty healthy casserole type meal - ground turkey, pinto beans, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, etc. topped with a boxed cornbread "crust". Easy to make ahead and just top with the crust before baking.
3)Meijer had those pork loin roasts on sale again this week and I have leftovers of that marinade I used last time. So I made the roast last night along with some cheesy mashed potatoes and bacon green beans. Will got a mashed potato snowman:
And one last shot of him eating up those dried fruit and nut granola bars I made last week. That has been a lunch staple along with a cheese stick and some raw veggies and fruit.
A Visitor at Bath Time
Just a few cute pictures from bath time last week.
Will gets an unexpected visitor while playing in his bubble bath... Can you guess who it is?
Hi Sophia!
He's looking at me like "Is she really allowed to do this?"
Sharing some bubbles with Sophie
Will gets an unexpected visitor while playing in his bubble bath... Can you guess who it is?
Hi Sophia!
He's looking at me like "Is she really allowed to do this?"
Sharing some bubbles with Sophie
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Birthday Weekend
Saturday was my 29th birthday! Earlier in the week on Monday, Craig told Will it was my "birthweek" and that he should sing to me every day this week. Will singing Happy Birthday is definitely one of the cutest things I've ever heard. He sings:
"1, 2, 3...
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to mommy,
Happy Birthday to you.
Any morrrrrre..." (And many more... LOL)
At this age, kids put their whole heart into singing and he was just so cute and sweet about it. You can tell a child is aware of being "on stage" when they have a silly grin and have to sway/dance while singing. Several of the encores began with "Mommy, I wanna' tell you something! Happy Birthday to you..."
Another great birthday gift I received was SLEEP! Craig got up with the kids both mornings. Of course, I have to feed Sophie when she wakes at 7-ish, but then I went right back to sleep. SO NICE!!! Craig also got me some new Nike+ running shoes and the little chip that goes in the shoe for compatibility with the iPod: http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/ Sweet! I'm psyched to be able to get out running again and plan to use it on the treadmill in the meantime.
My mom came over on my birthday morning with doughnuts for all of us. Will had one with us for the occasion. He looked ridiculous trying to eat something that huge and only made it through about a quarter of it.
My grandma, dad and brothers also stopped by to wish me a happy birthday and the rest of SaturDAY was just hanging out at home. I worked out again and showered during nap time and mostly just played with the kids while Craig took care of stuff I normally do like fixing lunch, doing dishes and a little ironing. What a good man!
We did lots of puzzles...
Hehe - she was just deciding which piece to chew on.
And Will's new 51 piece floor puzzle of the United States (from Christmas).
Here's that get-down move I was talking about for Sophie. It's not nearly as funny when you're not watching it in person. :)
In the evening we went out with friends to Blue Pacific for dinner.
Jill, Casey, me, Kelly and Julie (the respective husbands were all there too).
Afterward, we saw Lovely Bones. Not bad, but in the end I wished we'd seen It's Complicated instead. Lovely Bones was kind of depressing and it's always better to see a funny movie for birthdays.
Today, after getting Will down for an early nap, Sophie and I played and got prepared for our little outing in the afternoon. She LOVES mirrors (as do most babies, right?)...
Then she "hung around" in the Johnny Jump Up while I emptied the dishwasher, cooked her lunch and packed some snacks in the diaper bag.
When Will woke up, we got dressed and headed out to Toledo Zoo for "Frozentoesen" - a winter schedule of activities the zoo organizes each weekend to boost admissions such as ice carvings, animal feeding demonstrations, various little shows, etc. We're getting a jump start on our new membership! It got up to 50 degrees today so despite the wet grounds, it was a pretty good day for the zoo. Today there were puppet and magic shows (eh, nothing real exciting), a bounce house (just one little jumpy toy but Will had fun with it), and a "wild encounter" with a rather large reptile. Okay, so the zoo is much cooler in the summer... but we still had a good time.
Here's Daddy helping Will with his shoes before we headed out.
My guys are just too cute!
He's telling me "Will and daddy are number ONE!"
Daddy's trying to help him hold up TWO fingers for his age. He's going to be 3 before he gets that down.
Will LOVES the gas station for some reason! He gets so excited when we stop. Daddy even cleaned Will's window for him and Will found that quite amusing.
Here we are! At the zoo entrance.
Daddy asked Will if he was picking the elephant's trunk - LOL.
Inside the zoo, we headed to check out the shows and bounce house.
As usual, he took a good five minutes or so once inside the jumpy toy to get acclimated with the other kids and get up the nerve to actually jump. I think if he'd been alone, he would have gotten right to it. But Will always has to observe other kids for a bit before he gets comfortable.
Darn it!! At the last minute, we'd decided to take Craig's Jeep so he could get gas and I forgot to put my Ergo carrier in it for Sophie. Instead she hung out in the stroller.
On over to the aquarium where daddy and Will check out the real sharks.
And the fake ones...
Cheese!
This fish is called an "Old Wife"... seriously. Personally, I think she looks quite lovely.
Making our way to Nature's Neighborhood for the "Wild Encounter".
Daddy has an elephant head!
Will gets up close and personal with Monty - a 102# python.
At 27, Monty is just two years younger than mommy!
Back outside, there were actually quite a few animals out to see.
Poor Soph. This is her nap time and she might have slept in the carrier, but instead she looks like a zombie in the stroller. She was so good and quiet the whole time though - sweet baby. You can see the tiger on the perch behind us.
Penguins
Back at home, after a little rest, Soph peeks through the dining room door while I make dinner. We put that door there to corral the dog in the kitchen while we're away. But while I'm cooking, it comes in handy to prevent Sophie from snooping around by the dog food bowls and steps.
I had a very nice birthday with my family and friends this year. As always, I feel blessed to have such a great people in my life.
"1, 2, 3...
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to mommy,
Happy Birthday to you.
Any morrrrrre..." (And many more... LOL)
At this age, kids put their whole heart into singing and he was just so cute and sweet about it. You can tell a child is aware of being "on stage" when they have a silly grin and have to sway/dance while singing. Several of the encores began with "Mommy, I wanna' tell you something! Happy Birthday to you..."
Another great birthday gift I received was SLEEP! Craig got up with the kids both mornings. Of course, I have to feed Sophie when she wakes at 7-ish, but then I went right back to sleep. SO NICE!!! Craig also got me some new Nike+ running shoes and the little chip that goes in the shoe for compatibility with the iPod: http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/ Sweet! I'm psyched to be able to get out running again and plan to use it on the treadmill in the meantime.
My mom came over on my birthday morning with doughnuts for all of us. Will had one with us for the occasion. He looked ridiculous trying to eat something that huge and only made it through about a quarter of it.
My grandma, dad and brothers also stopped by to wish me a happy birthday and the rest of SaturDAY was just hanging out at home. I worked out again and showered during nap time and mostly just played with the kids while Craig took care of stuff I normally do like fixing lunch, doing dishes and a little ironing. What a good man!
We did lots of puzzles...
Hehe - she was just deciding which piece to chew on.
And Will's new 51 piece floor puzzle of the United States (from Christmas).
Here's that get-down move I was talking about for Sophie. It's not nearly as funny when you're not watching it in person. :)
In the evening we went out with friends to Blue Pacific for dinner.
Jill, Casey, me, Kelly and Julie (the respective husbands were all there too).
Afterward, we saw Lovely Bones. Not bad, but in the end I wished we'd seen It's Complicated instead. Lovely Bones was kind of depressing and it's always better to see a funny movie for birthdays.
Today, after getting Will down for an early nap, Sophie and I played and got prepared for our little outing in the afternoon. She LOVES mirrors (as do most babies, right?)...
Then she "hung around" in the Johnny Jump Up while I emptied the dishwasher, cooked her lunch and packed some snacks in the diaper bag.
When Will woke up, we got dressed and headed out to Toledo Zoo for "Frozentoesen" - a winter schedule of activities the zoo organizes each weekend to boost admissions such as ice carvings, animal feeding demonstrations, various little shows, etc. We're getting a jump start on our new membership! It got up to 50 degrees today so despite the wet grounds, it was a pretty good day for the zoo. Today there were puppet and magic shows (eh, nothing real exciting), a bounce house (just one little jumpy toy but Will had fun with it), and a "wild encounter" with a rather large reptile. Okay, so the zoo is much cooler in the summer... but we still had a good time.
Here's Daddy helping Will with his shoes before we headed out.
My guys are just too cute!
He's telling me "Will and daddy are number ONE!"
Daddy's trying to help him hold up TWO fingers for his age. He's going to be 3 before he gets that down.
Will LOVES the gas station for some reason! He gets so excited when we stop. Daddy even cleaned Will's window for him and Will found that quite amusing.
Here we are! At the zoo entrance.
Daddy asked Will if he was picking the elephant's trunk - LOL.
Inside the zoo, we headed to check out the shows and bounce house.
As usual, he took a good five minutes or so once inside the jumpy toy to get acclimated with the other kids and get up the nerve to actually jump. I think if he'd been alone, he would have gotten right to it. But Will always has to observe other kids for a bit before he gets comfortable.
Darn it!! At the last minute, we'd decided to take Craig's Jeep so he could get gas and I forgot to put my Ergo carrier in it for Sophie. Instead she hung out in the stroller.
On over to the aquarium where daddy and Will check out the real sharks.
And the fake ones...
Cheese!
This fish is called an "Old Wife"... seriously. Personally, I think she looks quite lovely.
Making our way to Nature's Neighborhood for the "Wild Encounter".
Daddy has an elephant head!
Will gets up close and personal with Monty - a 102# python.
At 27, Monty is just two years younger than mommy!
Back outside, there were actually quite a few animals out to see.
Poor Soph. This is her nap time and she might have slept in the carrier, but instead she looks like a zombie in the stroller. She was so good and quiet the whole time though - sweet baby. You can see the tiger on the perch behind us.
Penguins
Back at home, after a little rest, Soph peeks through the dining room door while I make dinner. We put that door there to corral the dog in the kitchen while we're away. But while I'm cooking, it comes in handy to prevent Sophie from snooping around by the dog food bowls and steps.
I had a very nice birthday with my family and friends this year. As always, I feel blessed to have such a great people in my life.
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