Evie's on the floor watching Yo Gabba Gabba.
I walk in dancing to the song.
[finger pointing beyond me], "Mahlk."
me: "Mahlk?"
Evie: "Mahlk." (still pointing and now furrowing brow).
me: "What? What 'mahlk'?"
Evie: "Mahlk." (growing stern).
me: "milk?"
Evie: "ok!"
I deliver the milk and ask for a 'thank-you.' I just got an affirmation as if I had finally begun to learn my first words correctly, "mahlk."
*sigh*, at least this beats her pulling on the fridge handle screaming since she refused to even try and say 'milk' at all. This is an improvement, right? [awkward laugh]
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Parrot
me: "What are you doing?"
{clunk, clunk} books spilling over the bookshelf...
Evie: "Oh no!"
me: "Stop! Just stop pulling down the books... you are stepping all over them... you're going to fall, stop."
Evie: "stop."
me: "Evie, stop repeating."
Evie: "peat."
me: "*groan*"
Evie: "*groan*"
me: "Evie!"
Evie: "Ebie."
{clunk, clunk} books spilling over the bookshelf...
Evie: "Oh no!"
me: "Stop! Just stop pulling down the books... you are stepping all over them... you're going to fall, stop."
Evie: "stop."
me: "Evie, stop repeating."
Evie: "peat."
me: "*groan*"
Evie: "*groan*"
me: "Evie!"
Evie: "Ebie."
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Everyday is fun but THIS {blog} is work!
I still have yet to post anything regarding our 5 night stay in Chicago, my 'mom's morning out strolling', the Greekfest and all the other cute/funny/amazing things Evie has done this past month. In fact, she turns 2 YEARS OLD in just one month (from today!)
The more active this kid gets the more work it is to entertain her and the more rewarding her reactions to that entertainment can be.
Tonight Evie *almost* mastered a spoon while eating cajun style Dirty Rice. She kept saying "hot" while eating it and yet it didn't slow her down one bit. This kid likes spicy!
Evie officially feeds Puck his breakfast and dinner. She is really good at getting all the food in the bowl and then yelling at Puck until he comes over and eats. She will then pat the water in his bowl to point out that he has "wa-wa", too.
Evie has officially learned what "please" means. Well, sort of. She knows it will get her what she wants. I gave her a bite of Baklava last night and, after walking all around the house to eat it, she came back with her mouth open. I asked her what she wanted. She pointed to the Baklava and said "pwease!"
For some reason Evie has begun adapting the word "baby" into all of her vocabulary. Its almost taking on a foreign language type of emphasis ... like how German adds "chen" to things to make them small and cute. Example: "'K-baby" is what Evie says for "yes". "Hi-baby" is also a one word response to our "good morning" salutations. Now Rob and I say it.. its catching on. Spread the word.
She knows how to put her shoes on and gets it on the correct feet 75% of the time. She always makes correct shoe matches and even knows where they should be put away. Getting mom and dad to put away THEIR shoes is another situation entirely.
Evie still grabs our cheeks in her chubby hands to turn our faces to hers when she wants our attention. Although incredibly rude, its also super cute. We both end up giggling when she does it.
She asks for "more!" or "one more!" when reading books, listening to a song or eating something sweet. Conversely, evie puts both arms up in the air and announces, "All gone!" to anything else.
Evie loves baths. She hates bubble baths and will cry if you put her in a tub full of bubbles.
The pacifier is a force that has yet to be dealt with... anytime we get in the car now she silently mutters "pap" and points to her lips. *sigh*
She will say "cheese!" when you take a picture but will not necessarily stop what she is ding to look at you nor will she forcibly smile.
Evie refused to eat her spaghetti stars by Gerber Meals for Toddlers the other night. However, she promptly ate spicy seasoned french fries and grilled zucchini when offered instead. What this means about her diet choices I have no idea.
Evie drank an entire Juicy Juice mini juice box (say that 10X's fast!) after dinner tonight for THE FIRST time without squeezing it all over herself. She then threw it away when prompted - sweet! Hi-five!
The more active this kid gets the more work it is to entertain her and the more rewarding her reactions to that entertainment can be.
Tonight Evie *almost* mastered a spoon while eating cajun style Dirty Rice. She kept saying "hot" while eating it and yet it didn't slow her down one bit. This kid likes spicy!
Evie officially feeds Puck his breakfast and dinner. She is really good at getting all the food in the bowl and then yelling at Puck until he comes over and eats. She will then pat the water in his bowl to point out that he has "wa-wa", too.
Evie has officially learned what "please" means. Well, sort of. She knows it will get her what she wants. I gave her a bite of Baklava last night and, after walking all around the house to eat it, she came back with her mouth open. I asked her what she wanted. She pointed to the Baklava and said "pwease!"
For some reason Evie has begun adapting the word "baby" into all of her vocabulary. Its almost taking on a foreign language type of emphasis ... like how German adds "chen" to things to make them small and cute. Example: "'K-baby" is what Evie says for "yes". "Hi-baby" is also a one word response to our "good morning" salutations. Now Rob and I say it.. its catching on. Spread the word.
She knows how to put her shoes on and gets it on the correct feet 75% of the time. She always makes correct shoe matches and even knows where they should be put away. Getting mom and dad to put away THEIR shoes is another situation entirely.
Evie still grabs our cheeks in her chubby hands to turn our faces to hers when she wants our attention. Although incredibly rude, its also super cute. We both end up giggling when she does it.
She asks for "more!" or "one more!" when reading books, listening to a song or eating something sweet. Conversely, evie puts both arms up in the air and announces, "All gone!" to anything else.
Evie loves baths. She hates bubble baths and will cry if you put her in a tub full of bubbles.
The pacifier is a force that has yet to be dealt with... anytime we get in the car now she silently mutters "pap" and points to her lips. *sigh*
She will say "cheese!" when you take a picture but will not necessarily stop what she is ding to look at you nor will she forcibly smile.
Evie refused to eat her spaghetti stars by Gerber Meals for Toddlers the other night. However, she promptly ate spicy seasoned french fries and grilled zucchini when offered instead. What this means about her diet choices I have no idea.
Evie drank an entire Juicy Juice mini juice box (say that 10X's fast!) after dinner tonight for THE FIRST time without squeezing it all over herself. She then threw it away when prompted - sweet! Hi-five!
Friday, May 29, 2009
Ah, sh*t! Its a blow-out.
We were talking to LaLa and Pop-Pop (my mother and father) on Skype when Evie decided to sit on the floor opposite of me. We had the laptop on the coffee table so I could fully capture her antics as she danced, walked, ran, and just plain fidgeted during the phone call.
Suddenly, "Pbbbllrpt!" Evie farted and gasped, "Oh no!"
I look at her, start laughing and reply, "Yeah, that was YOU. YOU farted!"
She started to return my smiled but still looked startled.
A few minutes later (amidst hugs from behind, little hands clasping my neck), I smell something strangely unfamiliar and unpleasant... its sh*t.
I look at Evie's pants and before it even registers in my brain what's going on, I see her shorts are darker in color (wet) and they look a little brown (they were royal blue).
I swoop her up (upside down in an airplane style - a style appropriate for a poopy toddler) and whisk her out of the room yelling behind me at the computer screen, "Bye! I gotta go! Signing off!"
As I left the room I could her my mom and dad discussing what she saw... Evie had sh*t running down her legs!
I put her on the changing table, belly-side down, before deciding to stand her up to pull things off. Where do you begin when your kid has poop covering every possible area you could put them down on? Legs, butt, bottoms of feet... she was covered in drippy poop!
I scooped (yes SCOOPED) things off of her and briskly cleaned up what I could with wipes before throwing her in the tub for a rigorous under carriage cleaning. I threw clothes in the sink, the changing pad cover in the wash and noticed the spots all over the living room rug. Ugh, poop prints, ...er... foot prints.
Evie grabbed a paper towel off the spool I placed on the floor and began to settle down next to an obvious spot. She had seen me clean up Puck's puke before so she grabbed the Resolve (also on the floor) without hesitation. She didn't have the dexterity to squirt the bottle but did help me blot up the freshly lathered spots I created. When Evie realized her cleaning limitations, she stood there wanting to help out. I gave her hand fulls of towels and told her "trash." She ran off to the kitchen, threw them away and came back for more.
Ah, *sigh*. I know this is just the first of many poopy chapters yet to come (especially with potty training on the horizon).
Suddenly, "Pbbbllrpt!" Evie farted and gasped, "Oh no!"
I look at her, start laughing and reply, "Yeah, that was YOU. YOU farted!"
She started to return my smiled but still looked startled.
A few minutes later (amidst hugs from behind, little hands clasping my neck), I smell something strangely unfamiliar and unpleasant... its sh*t.
I look at Evie's pants and before it even registers in my brain what's going on, I see her shorts are darker in color (wet) and they look a little brown (they were royal blue).
I swoop her up (upside down in an airplane style - a style appropriate for a poopy toddler) and whisk her out of the room yelling behind me at the computer screen, "Bye! I gotta go! Signing off!"
As I left the room I could her my mom and dad discussing what she saw... Evie had sh*t running down her legs!
I put her on the changing table, belly-side down, before deciding to stand her up to pull things off. Where do you begin when your kid has poop covering every possible area you could put them down on? Legs, butt, bottoms of feet... she was covered in drippy poop!
I scooped (yes SCOOPED) things off of her and briskly cleaned up what I could with wipes before throwing her in the tub for a rigorous under carriage cleaning. I threw clothes in the sink, the changing pad cover in the wash and noticed the spots all over the living room rug. Ugh, poop prints, ...er... foot prints.
Evie grabbed a paper towel off the spool I placed on the floor and began to settle down next to an obvious spot. She had seen me clean up Puck's puke before so she grabbed the Resolve (also on the floor) without hesitation. She didn't have the dexterity to squirt the bottle but did help me blot up the freshly lathered spots I created. When Evie realized her cleaning limitations, she stood there wanting to help out. I gave her hand fulls of towels and told her "trash." She ran off to the kitchen, threw them away and came back for more.
Ah, *sigh*. I know this is just the first of many poopy chapters yet to come (especially with potty training on the horizon).
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Baby's First Plane Ride
April 28th-May 2nd.
Since Rob's folks couldn't come out our way this spring (financial tough these days), Rob decided to bring Evie to them. What sounded like a good idea on paper quickly became a stressful plan: what do we pack? Will she scream on the whole plane ride? Will she freak-out without mommy (that's right folks, this was a dady-n-me only trip...)?
It turns out... it was a great idea and couldn't have gone any smoother. Evie crashed out 5 minutes into the plane ride and slept the whole way curled up on daddy's lap.
A playdate with Ivy proved to be fun for both dads and girls.
Evie enjoyed gathering pine cones from grandma's yard (I thought they were turds when Rob first showed me this pic!)
Evie played with her 3 cousins. I think she, too, is wondering why the hell the 15-month old walks around in a bib...
She caught up on family hugs. Here she is making her way around the room starting with Aunt Nicole...
And finally, she learned the terms "unexpected delays," "overhead bin," and "turbulance." Actually, according to dad, the flight back was just as picture-perfect as the one on the way up. She slept like a rock all curled up on dad's lap. she still wasn't quite awake when dad strolled her out of the terminal all hot, sweaty and rubbing her eyes. She looked at me like I was a mirage at first and then quickly held up her arms for me to pick her up. She sleepily laid on my shoulder all the way out the airport...
Coming up in one month, the family flight to Chicago! Stay tuned...
Since Rob's folks couldn't come out our way this spring (financial tough these days), Rob decided to bring Evie to them. What sounded like a good idea on paper quickly became a stressful plan: what do we pack? Will she scream on the whole plane ride? Will she freak-out without mommy (that's right folks, this was a dady-n-me only trip...)?
It turns out... it was a great idea and couldn't have gone any smoother. Evie crashed out 5 minutes into the plane ride and slept the whole way curled up on daddy's lap.
A playdate with Ivy proved to be fun for both dads and girls.
Evie enjoyed gathering pine cones from grandma's yard (I thought they were turds when Rob first showed me this pic!)
Evie played with her 3 cousins. I think she, too, is wondering why the hell the 15-month old walks around in a bib...
She caught up on family hugs. Here she is making her way around the room starting with Aunt Nicole...
And finally, she learned the terms "unexpected delays," "overhead bin," and "turbulance." Actually, according to dad, the flight back was just as picture-perfect as the one on the way up. She slept like a rock all curled up on dad's lap. she still wasn't quite awake when dad strolled her out of the terminal all hot, sweaty and rubbing her eyes. She looked at me like I was a mirage at first and then quickly held up her arms for me to pick her up. She sleepily laid on my shoulder all the way out the airport...
Coming up in one month, the family flight to Chicago! Stay tuned...
Home again, home again jiggity-jog...
I have some older posts to back blog... but I'll get around to that later.
Today, Rob and Evie come back home!
I'm excited.... and then not-so excited. :-)
Leaving Rob and Evie at the airport security gate was grueling. After holding her throughout the terminal.... smelling her hair and squeezing her hands in my anxiety of the pending good-bye's... I thought this time "off" would just be unbearable. Fortunately, the plan ride was outstanding. the new of Evie sleeping on Rob's lap the entire trip was music to my ears. I relaxed a wee bit.
The day they left I spent the morning at the coffee shop doing some work. After I dropped them off, I switched cars to give my car a wash, oil change and new headlights. I worked on my laptop at the garage and realized I'd never get through the HUGE and daunting list of things I thought I would accomplish while they were gone.
Dinner was leftovers (which stinks) and I ate it on the couch with no dirty little fingers trying to swipe something off the edge of my plate (which was awesome). I put my thinly stemmed wine glass on the coffee table... worry-free. I put toys away... and they stayed there. I watched the nightly news (in its entirety!) without missing one word (I didn't even need to turn on the closed-capture to hear over whining). And, after 8PM, I realized I could turn up the volume and all the lights since there was no fear of waking up a kid. It was all rather liberating. The simple things that made me a sane person were all back in my possession again... and it was FABULOUS!
I then painted the front door red (after wanting to do this for 5 years) and called it a night by leaving the paint supplies out. After all, no one would get into them the next morning!
Wednesday was leisurely getting ready for work since there was just me in the bathroom and no one to help with a breakfast waffle. After work, a drink with an old co-worker at a new bar.
Thursday, running late for work since I decided to really push it and hit snooze for half an hour. A post-work met-up with 3 gal-pals for seafood dinner and bottles of wine out at a great restaraunt. I then coaxed one of the girls to join me on the screened-in porch for another glass of wine before calling it a night.
Friday, my morning routine is like it was 10 years ago with me taking too long to get ready with little time to utilize. After work, mad errand running ensues: finally selling jeans to Plato's Closet, going to the mall to get a friend a gift certificate at Anne Taylor's The Loft (and me dashing through the sale items to find black pants and 2 shirts, score!), going to a wood furniture store and finding a pub set I want for our kitchen, and TJMaxx where I buy things I don't need but really want and finding a pretty scarf for a co-worker currently fighting breast cancer (she's in chemo and had to shave her head, awful, I know). Evie would NEVER have kept up with me without throwing a fit and I would have never accomplished all that in the 2 hours it took me. Who-hoo! There is nothing like an unchained mom to max out her free-time and to do it all amazingly well. We so rarely get these moments that we are masters at staying on target when the time calls.
I then quickly raced home to let out the dog, change clothes and drove to an old co-workers' house for taco night and wine. I stayed till midnight (a mom would never do this knowing she had to get up the next morning to deal with a very active toddler who doesn't understand the need for periodic quiet-times).
So, here we are to today. Saturday. I haven't even looked at the itinerary for the flight's arrival yet. I know they leave Ohio at 1PM so I have until then to look at it, *wink*. Until then, Beastie Boys will be playing while I rifle through the entire house for a yard sale next weekend. I hope this takes me 1/3 the time I have allotted (cause, again, my time tables are all inflated to include an active kid reaching for my finger to go read in the corner with her). I'm planning on eating something out for lunch... some place Rob would never agree to go to... before heading to the airport for my life to return to normal.
Having my old life back again was like a head trip down memory lane (and very fun doing all the things I never have the complete freedom to do anymore!) but I do miss story time and getting tight hugs around my neck.
Today, Rob and Evie come back home!
I'm excited.... and then not-so excited. :-)
Leaving Rob and Evie at the airport security gate was grueling. After holding her throughout the terminal.... smelling her hair and squeezing her hands in my anxiety of the pending good-bye's... I thought this time "off" would just be unbearable. Fortunately, the plan ride was outstanding. the new of Evie sleeping on Rob's lap the entire trip was music to my ears. I relaxed a wee bit.
The day they left I spent the morning at the coffee shop doing some work. After I dropped them off, I switched cars to give my car a wash, oil change and new headlights. I worked on my laptop at the garage and realized I'd never get through the HUGE and daunting list of things I thought I would accomplish while they were gone.
Dinner was leftovers (which stinks) and I ate it on the couch with no dirty little fingers trying to swipe something off the edge of my plate (which was awesome). I put my thinly stemmed wine glass on the coffee table... worry-free. I put toys away... and they stayed there. I watched the nightly news (in its entirety!) without missing one word (I didn't even need to turn on the closed-capture to hear over whining). And, after 8PM, I realized I could turn up the volume and all the lights since there was no fear of waking up a kid. It was all rather liberating. The simple things that made me a sane person were all back in my possession again... and it was FABULOUS!
I then painted the front door red (after wanting to do this for 5 years) and called it a night by leaving the paint supplies out. After all, no one would get into them the next morning!
Wednesday was leisurely getting ready for work since there was just me in the bathroom and no one to help with a breakfast waffle. After work, a drink with an old co-worker at a new bar.
Thursday, running late for work since I decided to really push it and hit snooze for half an hour. A post-work met-up with 3 gal-pals for seafood dinner and bottles of wine out at a great restaraunt. I then coaxed one of the girls to join me on the screened-in porch for another glass of wine before calling it a night.
Friday, my morning routine is like it was 10 years ago with me taking too long to get ready with little time to utilize. After work, mad errand running ensues: finally selling jeans to Plato's Closet, going to the mall to get a friend a gift certificate at Anne Taylor's The Loft (and me dashing through the sale items to find black pants and 2 shirts, score!), going to a wood furniture store and finding a pub set I want for our kitchen, and TJMaxx where I buy things I don't need but really want and finding a pretty scarf for a co-worker currently fighting breast cancer (she's in chemo and had to shave her head, awful, I know). Evie would NEVER have kept up with me without throwing a fit and I would have never accomplished all that in the 2 hours it took me. Who-hoo! There is nothing like an unchained mom to max out her free-time and to do it all amazingly well. We so rarely get these moments that we are masters at staying on target when the time calls.
I then quickly raced home to let out the dog, change clothes and drove to an old co-workers' house for taco night and wine. I stayed till midnight (a mom would never do this knowing she had to get up the next morning to deal with a very active toddler who doesn't understand the need for periodic quiet-times).
So, here we are to today. Saturday. I haven't even looked at the itinerary for the flight's arrival yet. I know they leave Ohio at 1PM so I have until then to look at it, *wink*. Until then, Beastie Boys will be playing while I rifle through the entire house for a yard sale next weekend. I hope this takes me 1/3 the time I have allotted (cause, again, my time tables are all inflated to include an active kid reaching for my finger to go read in the corner with her). I'm planning on eating something out for lunch... some place Rob would never agree to go to... before heading to the airport for my life to return to normal.
Having my old life back again was like a head trip down memory lane (and very fun doing all the things I never have the complete freedom to do anymore!) but I do miss story time and getting tight hugs around my neck.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Splish-Splash: Hot Day (& Free!) Fun
We went to this mall end-of-year last year, but Evie was still a master scooter and not quite a walker. This year she ran up to and away from all the water spurts until finally warming up to the idea. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and completely wiped herself out (read: 2.5 hr nap!)
Hopeful neighborhood friends?
I remember all my friends came from where I grew up, namely, the neighborhood. Many enemies came from that same location... but let's focus on the positive, shall we? Will Anna be Evie's childhood chum?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
No Touch!
Evie's latest (and greatest? Not so much...) phrase is yelling, "No touch!"
I haven't a clue where she picked this up. She puffs out her lips when pointing at your face in a scoulding mannerism, "No touch!"
She doesn't seem to 'know' what it means so much as she knows its something you yell when you are frustrated or displaying your anger at something. If Puck barks out the front door (at another dog), if I tell her to sit on her butt in her chair... if I ask for a hug? This is getting out of hand. Who taught her this an how do I break it? I miss my mute baby.
I haven't a clue where she picked this up. She puffs out her lips when pointing at your face in a scoulding mannerism, "No touch!"
She doesn't seem to 'know' what it means so much as she knows its something you yell when you are frustrated or displaying your anger at something. If Puck barks out the front door (at another dog), if I tell her to sit on her butt in her chair... if I ask for a hug? This is getting out of hand. Who taught her this an how do I break it? I miss my mute baby.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Baby Chou-Chou
So K and M bought Evie (well, ME) this baby doll as a joke since she GROWS TEETH and I found Evie's first teeth such a fascinating topic on my blog. Evie has recently taken a liking to Baby Chou-Chou and will feed her, pat her head, throw her on the floor and give her hugs. Ah, a great future mommy in the making.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy Easter!
Evie woke-up with MANY, MANY "Wow's!" of excitement to her Easter basket. Each and every item was removed with the reception of "Wow!". After an M&M snack-pak breakfast and an energetic display of running in circles grunting... we decided to put up the basket and have sausage & eggs.
We got dressed late and headed in the backyard for Evie's first egg hunt. Grandma La-La and I made it rather easy not knowing how absolutely eagle-eye this kid is. After 5 minutes... we decided to turn her around and do another egg hunt with more tricky hiding places. She got all those, too. This apple didn't fall too far from THIS tree, apparently.
All are currently enjoying naps (the author here is enjoying a Bloody Mary after finishing up her Mimosa's from breakfast. Ah, holiday's the way my family always celebrated them. Drunk.)
Up next: A 12lb ham lunch followed by the Easter Parade on Monument Avenue?
Stay tuned...
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Our first conversation...
While driving to Lowe's tonight, I heard some backseat exclamatory gibberish.
I returned the enthusiasm, "Did you see the doggies, Evie?"
{pause}
"Nooooo...." she replied (Evie has this really cute and funny way of furrowing her brow and slowly saying"no").
"You didn't see the dogs? Right there [pointing]. Look out the window!"
"Dawgs?" she asked while leaning forward to see.
"Yeah!"
She sat back. Obviously, she missed them.
"Evie, did we just have our first conversation?"
{pause}
"Noooooo...."
I returned the enthusiasm, "Did you see the doggies, Evie?"
{pause}
"Nooooo...." she replied (Evie has this really cute and funny way of furrowing her brow and slowly saying"no").
"You didn't see the dogs? Right there [pointing]. Look out the window!"
"Dawgs?" she asked while leaning forward to see.
"Yeah!"
She sat back. Obviously, she missed them.
"Evie, did we just have our first conversation?"
{pause}
"Noooooo...."
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Pretend
I was giving Evie a bath last night when she suddenly (and quickly) reached into the water, shoved her fingers in her mouth and began to much on something.
I asked her (as if she'd answer the question, "What are you eating?"
She had her lips pursed tightly. We looked at each other for an extended second before she hummed in response, "MMmmmm!"
I thought, "Is she eating a hair? Gross! Did she find a floating hair or... lint?!. What is it? what is she eating?"
I wasn't worried... more curious.
She reached into the water again with her thumb and forefinger. She pinched something and quickly returned her fingers to her lips, "Mmmm!"
Did she just pick something out of the water? Did she just eat a pretend food?
She did it again.
I did it, too.
She did it again.
We began to mimic each other back and forth and laughing at the silliness of it all.
Did we just share a pretend snack? How cool.
I asked her (as if she'd answer the question, "What are you eating?"
She had her lips pursed tightly. We looked at each other for an extended second before she hummed in response, "MMmmmm!"
I thought, "Is she eating a hair? Gross! Did she find a floating hair or... lint?!. What is it? what is she eating?"
I wasn't worried... more curious.
She reached into the water again with her thumb and forefinger. She pinched something and quickly returned her fingers to her lips, "Mmmm!"
Did she just pick something out of the water? Did she just eat a pretend food?
She did it again.
I did it, too.
She did it again.
We began to mimic each other back and forth and laughing at the silliness of it all.
Did we just share a pretend snack? How cool.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Evie 21-month interview
Evie talks. A LOT. Unfortunately, a lot of it is just ramblings accentuated with mimicked facial expressions, gestures and tones. She whispers. She yells. She asks questions and gives us a battery of demands. All of it... in non-sensical gibberish.
But, she does know some things and here is what she does know (and how it sounds) cause every day she gets a wee bit better, the vocabulary expands and these days of babytalk are going to fade away...
Enjoy!
But, she does know some things and here is what she does know (and how it sounds) cause every day she gets a wee bit better, the vocabulary expands and these days of babytalk are going to fade away...
Enjoy!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Do you want to go brush your teeth?
This wasn't really a question.
It was really a listing off of tasks that needed completion before going to bed.
I don't know why I said it in the form of a question.
Evie stands up leaning heavily into dad's lap as he sat watching the news. She rolls around on her shoulder blades against his knees. Moo-Cow in one hand, pacifier in mouth with her electric pink PJ's on... basically ready for bedtime to commence.
Evie looks up at me while arching her back against dad's lap, "Mmmmmm..... no."
Did that just happen?
It was really a listing off of tasks that needed completion before going to bed.
I don't know why I said it in the form of a question.
Evie stands up leaning heavily into dad's lap as he sat watching the news. She rolls around on her shoulder blades against his knees. Moo-Cow in one hand, pacifier in mouth with her electric pink PJ's on... basically ready for bedtime to commence.
Evie looks up at me while arching her back against dad's lap, "Mmmmmm..... no."
Did that just happen?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
An evening with a toddler
I'm really digging Evie's ingenuity lately. Maybe that's not the best word for it. I'm not very strong at articulating what I am thinking & feeling...
I'm enjoying Evie's boldness, her communication development, her creativity in conveying her message and her remarkable ways to resolving issues that sometimes seem way too big for a 20-month-old to problem solve.
Its also her brevity. Her way of walking up to me (as soon as I walk in through the front door after work), taking my first finger in her hand and leading me into the dining room where da-da is currently occupying one chair at her mini play table for two. Da-da looks at me, pained (this cute, directness Evie has recently adapted can also turn into demanding persistence that we sit with her at the little table until she releases us... which is never). "Deep be bah bah, da!" she points to the table. I sit. Evie furrows her brow, obviously I have misunderstood her very clear and articulate directions (how dare I?). I pull her onto my lap. Also not the response she wanted. I get up and put her on my seat. This is OK, for now... until dad sees an opportunity to escape. Evie is again unhappy until I quickly move in to the now vacant guest chair. All is, again, temporarily, right with the world.
To break up the chatter-chatter of Evie's nonsense, I make suggestions of what we could do at the table. She stands up and points to the wall (through it is a direct line to her bedroom), "Bah bah bleee kah kah? [furrowed brow again] Kah, KOW?!." I'm not understanding what a Kah-kow is so I suggest, "Do you want to color at your table?"
"Tay!" Off she scampers.
Evie has VERY recently developed this "Tay!" word. Rob and I think its her way of saying "OK!", as in "K!" but it comes out, "Tay!" She will understand nearly everything you say to her and respond in the affirmative, "Tay!" if it is something she wants.
"Do you want to help Mommy clean up your bath toys?" "Do you want to go brush your teeth?" "Go pick out some books to read." "Go give daddy a hug."
"Tay!" "Tay!" "Tay!" "Tay!"
Its all pretty spectacular.
Makes my heart melt and sing at the same time.
Not to go all Hallmark-moment on you - but this really is THAT moment in time you will later tell your kid about when she is 16 and just doesn't 'get it' when you want to know why she won't hug you g'night anymore.
So, Evie goes into her bedroom and closes the door. She has to then open the closet door that is directly behind it (old homes = bad layout). I can hear all kinds of noises from the dining room doorway watching her closed bedroom door. Its like listening to a muppet show in there - all these exaggerated noises. *scrap, drag-drag-drag* Evie must now be pulling out her plastic bin (She has a clear 1 1/2ft. tall case with lid that contains coloring books, crayons, markers, paper, etc. Its honestly pretty hefty for someone about 2 1/2 ft. tall). *grunt* [pause] *drag* *grunt* [pause] *c-r-e-e-k!* [that was the closet door closing] *grunt* *drag-scrap* [bedroom door flies open and slightly klonks the closet door behind it]. Evie emerges holding the case up against her chest. *huff! huff!*, she takes 2 steps and puts down the case. [pause] *grunt!* Evie picks up the case and takes 2 more steps before dropping it again. I finally break my gaze and lean forward to take the case from her.
"Ba-kah be blah bloh."
"Yup, that's right. We'll color."
I'm enjoying Evie's boldness, her communication development, her creativity in conveying her message and her remarkable ways to resolving issues that sometimes seem way too big for a 20-month-old to problem solve.
Its also her brevity. Her way of walking up to me (as soon as I walk in through the front door after work), taking my first finger in her hand and leading me into the dining room where da-da is currently occupying one chair at her mini play table for two. Da-da looks at me, pained (this cute, directness Evie has recently adapted can also turn into demanding persistence that we sit with her at the little table until she releases us... which is never). "Deep be bah bah, da!" she points to the table. I sit. Evie furrows her brow, obviously I have misunderstood her very clear and articulate directions (how dare I?). I pull her onto my lap. Also not the response she wanted. I get up and put her on my seat. This is OK, for now... until dad sees an opportunity to escape. Evie is again unhappy until I quickly move in to the now vacant guest chair. All is, again, temporarily, right with the world.
To break up the chatter-chatter of Evie's nonsense, I make suggestions of what we could do at the table. She stands up and points to the wall (through it is a direct line to her bedroom), "Bah bah bleee kah kah? [furrowed brow again] Kah, KOW?!." I'm not understanding what a Kah-kow is so I suggest, "Do you want to color at your table?"
"Tay!" Off she scampers.
Evie has VERY recently developed this "Tay!" word. Rob and I think its her way of saying "OK!", as in "K!" but it comes out, "Tay!" She will understand nearly everything you say to her and respond in the affirmative, "Tay!" if it is something she wants.
"Do you want to help Mommy clean up your bath toys?" "Do you want to go brush your teeth?" "Go pick out some books to read." "Go give daddy a hug."
"Tay!" "Tay!" "Tay!" "Tay!"
Its all pretty spectacular.
Makes my heart melt and sing at the same time.
Not to go all Hallmark-moment on you - but this really is THAT moment in time you will later tell your kid about when she is 16 and just doesn't 'get it' when you want to know why she won't hug you g'night anymore.
So, Evie goes into her bedroom and closes the door. She has to then open the closet door that is directly behind it (old homes = bad layout). I can hear all kinds of noises from the dining room doorway watching her closed bedroom door. Its like listening to a muppet show in there - all these exaggerated noises. *scrap, drag-drag-drag* Evie must now be pulling out her plastic bin (She has a clear 1 1/2ft. tall case with lid that contains coloring books, crayons, markers, paper, etc. Its honestly pretty hefty for someone about 2 1/2 ft. tall). *grunt* [pause] *drag* *grunt* [pause] *c-r-e-e-k!* [that was the closet door closing] *grunt* *drag-scrap* [bedroom door flies open and slightly klonks the closet door behind it]. Evie emerges holding the case up against her chest. *huff! huff!*, she takes 2 steps and puts down the case. [pause] *grunt!* Evie picks up the case and takes 2 more steps before dropping it again. I finally break my gaze and lean forward to take the case from her.
"Ba-kah be blah bloh."
"Yup, that's right. We'll color."
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