Blogging: It's like Newsies for the 21st Century

Extra!  Extra!  Read all about ME!  Blogging is sort of like my own personal newspaper, where I can tell all my beloved fans about my life.  There are many weeks where my front page is a bit boring, same old, nothing new.  But then there are exciting weeks!  Where I go places and see people and pet kitties!  After a month of lazy afternoons at the local slide (awesome, but not exacting thrilling material), I had the most exciting weekend!

Mom and Dad took me to New York City!  We got up early Saturday morning, packed up the car, and hopped on 95.  A few hours and a nap later, we were pulling into a sweet parking spot on West 95th Street and walking into an apartment full of friendship, hugs and kitties.  I was just getting settled in when - POOF! - Mom and Dad were GONE.  They were off to Broadway to catch a show.

Well, I had a few obligatory tears.  I'm two, so it's legally required that I fuss a little when left.  But I wiped my eyes pretty quickly and fell to business.  Those kitties needed serious terrorizing petting, and my friends Mandy and Reid had dropped the S-word a few times - SLIDES!  We hopped in my stroller and rode off to Central Park, where I had a full day of slides and (get this) hippos!

I had so much fun playing with Mandy and Reid all afternoon.  We had snacks, and stroller rides, and hundreds of trips down the slide.  It was fantastic!  After a few hours, we met back up with Mom and Dad at a really yummy sushi restaurant for dinner.  They filled me in on their afternoon, which I will attempt to interpret here:

As I mentioned above, Mom and Dad left me to catch a show on Broadway.  They went with Grandma, Pop-pop, Liz, Vin, Andy, Cassidy, Maria, Jarrett, and some of Vin's family to see Newsies!  They took up a whole row in the balcony of the theatre, and loved their seats.  They were so excited for the curtain to go up with Jack Kelley singing "Santa Fe," which is Grandma's favorite (they may have seen the movie a few hundred times before).  The show was fantastic, from all accounts. 

Mommy was most impressed with the tap number in "Once and For All," and now has dreams of me taking ballet and tap lessons.  She was also really impressed with the set design, and use of a real, live printing press on the stage.

Daddy says it's the first musical he'll be remembering more for the choreography than for the music - the dancing really was that superb.  He really liked that they even added a few dance numbers between scenes to give the dancers more opportunites to shine (and to liven up the stage during set moves).  He says everyone did a great job.

Mommy and Daddy are both really glad they had the chance to see the show!  So, a few thank yous for this weekend.  Thanks to Auntie Liz, for arranging the tickets!  Thanks to Mandy and Reid, for playing with me during the show!  Thanks to the weather, for only raining during the car ride so I could play on the slides!

Big Girl Bed!!

In case you were unaware, I am a big girl!  You want proof?

BOOM.  Big girl bed.

 I have been flat out begging for a bed for weeks now.  My mom and dad have let me sleep in the big guest bed a few times to appease me (since I flat out screamed in the cribby), but were a bit slow to get me my own bed.  Something about "rearranging the upstairs" and "no time to move tons of furniture" and "no mattress for the bedframe."  Excuses if you ask me! 

Mom and Dad finally decided on a layout, moved everything around, and put together my new bed!!  Here is a shot of my side of the room I'll be sharing with Gavin in a few weeks:

 Here is Gavin's side of the room:

It's a tight squeeze, to be sure.  But we'll make it work!  I couldn't wait to get to bed last night.  I started asking for my milk at 6:30 while my mom was taking these pictures.  By 8pm, I was in pajamas and up the stairs for bed.  I slept like a baby!

February Recap: Mom's Version

Laura started you off with a great recap of our fun adventures this month.  I'm here to fill in some of the hilarious and cute things she's said and done every day.

On the way to school, Laura was talking about names. She said "Waura's name Waura. Mommy's name Cai-tin. Daddy's name Nate. Waura's name... Dow-soo-see!" This has since been modified to "Dow-see."

Laura is very interested in the source of her things: "Mommy gib it ta me." She picked out a book to read that Uncle Taylor had given her for Christmas. When she showed it to me, she said "Tay-er gib it ta me!" I couldn't believe she remembered that far back!


Laura and I had a lot of fun making "Balens" (Valentines) for her classmates.  We glued doilies to colorful construction paper, and then covered them with stickers!

I asked Laura a yes or no question, and she answered (appropriately) with "Pwobabwee!"

Laura is starting to attempt r's in her speech: this is mostly apparent when she talked about her BFF Audawee (instead of Auddy).

Laura is really playing pretend. She went "shopping" for coats in one corner of the room, came back and showed me the coat she bought:  she held her hand open to "show me."  She's also pouring invisible foods into her saucepans while she plays in her toy kitchen (newly reinstalled in the family room)! 

We have watched a LOT of Lady and the Tramp this month.  It's been a welcome break from Dora!  Here are some of our cuter Lady and the Tramp moments:

• Compared Jock (a Scottie) to Pippi (a Westie)
• Calls the chihuahua in the pound a "choo-choo-Waura"
• Has been singing Darling's lullabye to all her babies "Wa-wa-wu"
• Laughs about the "naughty cats" and has started calling our house her domicile
• She really likes the part where Jock and Trusty use their noses to sniff out the wagon.  She asked why they were sniffing, which led to a great discussion on how people look for things and how dogs look for things.  I wasn’t sure how much of our conversation sunk in until a car ride home from school.  Laura threw her typical we’re-halfway-home-on-our-normal-route tantrum.  I asked Laura to look at the window and tell me when she saw our house.  Laura looks out the window and starts wildly sniffing.  I asked if she was ok, and she answered “I sniffin’ Waura’s house wike a puppy!”  She sniffed the whole ride home!  

A shadow passed over Laura's face in the car. She started blowing and shouting "Cloud on my face! Go way cloud!"

I sometimes call Laura "Chicken Little;" the other day she responded with "OK, Chicken Mommy!"

Laura found a plastic wand. She has been waving it around her head saying "dabwa dwabwa!" Then turning herself (or Ries) into a bird. "I a bird! Tweet! Tweet!" Nate has picked her up (in bird form) to "fly" around the room, and she tweets and says "Wook at me!" the whole time.

When Ries stole some of her toast, she brandished her finger at Ries and said "You scavenger!"

Loves identifying animals in books, on the iPad, and on the fridge magnets. The peacock on the fridge is a little hard to identify, and Laura calls it the "Christmas." It does look a bit like a Christmas tree! The Rhino is also a "nonocerous"



In the car, Laura asked me "What's my puppy's name?" I answered Ries. She said, "No, Puppy!" She asked again, I said Ries again, and once again it was Puppy. She asked a third time, so I answered "Puppy!" Laura dissolved into laughter and said, "No! Ries!" Laura told a joke!


Has been saying "Sgetti" for spaghetti.



Has been saying "Toastcard" for postcard. She loves receiving them! Thanks Bimpy and Miss Sue, for all the great toastcards in the mail!

February Catch-up

Wow, has my mom been slacking with the picture uploading!  I haven't been able to write a proper post in weeks.  It has been a whole month since my 2nd birthday, and I haven't blogged about a single thing I've been up to!

On the first week of February:
I took my dad up to Philadelphia to hang out with Aunt Liz and Uncle Vin.  We left Mom at home so she could clean the basement with her friend (looks great, Mom & Becca!). 

My Vinny

I absolutely adore Uncle Vin.  Vin, Liz and Daddy took me to the Please Touch Museum on Saturday, which was a lot of fun.  I loved playing in all the exhibits.  Here are some cute pictures of me:

Concert Pianist in training

 I especially loved dressing up as a doctor and checking the doll's heartbeat.

Doctor in training

On the second week of February:
The next weekend, I gathered The Gang (my Goucher BFF's) for a trip to the Baltimore Aquarium.  Mom and Dad were really excited to show me the fish.  I was more excited to run up and down the ramps, and dance with my friends.  Fish... might not be my biggest interest in life.  Here are some pictures!

In the Rainforest - the one exhibit I did like!

RUNNING!

Lookin' at fish with J & J

Dancing!

The next day, I jaunted over to the birthday party for my BFF from school.  I had so much fun, I threw a tantrum when it was time to leave.

On the third week of February:
The following weekend, Daddy flew down to Jacksonville, FL with his BFF's and my Uncle Parke.  Mom and I stayed home, had a playdate with one of my buddies, and watched Lady and the Tramp and Cars several times.  No pictures from my weekend experience, but here are some of Daddy and his silly friends:

Parke, Chris, Dad, Luke & Greg

Daddy with Uncle Parke

The whole gang at the Daytona Budweiser Shootout!  I watched Cars in their honor.

On the fourth week of February:
What an exciting end to the month - Grammy flew down for another visit!  She says there will be a drought of visits till April sometime, so she had to get her cuddles in while she could.  We had a LOT of fun playing and watching Lady and the Tramp (my current favorite thing on TV).  On Saturday, Daddy got me dressed in a most ridiculous outfit.  Mommy was cringing, but I didn't feel like changing.  We weren't going out in public, so it stayed on!  Mommy got her hair done in the morning, and then we all worked on rearranging the upstairs to make room for Gavin in the afternoon.

Sunday was way more fun!  Mommy had to work for a few hours at her museum, so Daddy, Grammy and I tagged along!  We spent some time at Postal Museum before heading over to the National Building Museum.  What a fun place!!  I loved playing with the legos, running through the HUGE columns, and chilling in the playhouse.  Here are some photos of what I did:

HUGE columns!

Playhouse

Star Route Truck, back at Mommy's museum

 
Phew!  What an update!  I'm sure Mommy will be back in the next few days to give a recap on my cuteness during the month.  You know, less about my adventures, but more of my really cute actions and conversations.  It's all good stuff!

Happy birthday, Laura!

TWO!

I kept waiting for my mom to do one of her typical sappy "MOM" posts about how much I've grown and how fabulous I am.  I guess she's been pretty busy at work though, so I'm stepping in on her behalf.

I am TWO!  And what a two-year-old I am!

I continued the birthday festivities through the week of my actual birthday.  My Grammy arrived on Wednesday after school to spend a few days with me.  Dad was "werkin' in a plane wif da stars" all week, so Mom was really looking forward to some "adult" company, whatever that is.  Grammy and I played and read and colored and played all week. 

My Bimpy showed up Friday morning as a real treat.  He did a little work and took a few naps, but mostly played with me.  Grammy and I took a few hours in the afternoon to bake and frost some cupcakes for my birthday.  I got to leak the beaters from the frosting!  What fun!  Friday night, I had the grandparents to myself.  Mom disappeared for a few hours in a pretty dress and got home (with Dad!) after I was in bed. 

I was elated to see my Dad when I awoke Saturday morning.  He was finally back from the werk in da plane wif da stars!  Took him long enough!  So I got to catch up with Dad in the morning, then ran some errands with Mom, Grammy and Bimpy, and then...

It was time for my party!!!  All of my grandparents were there, as were Taylor & Julia, Liz & Vin, Andy & Cassidy, and Maria.  What fun!!  Everyone played with me, watched me open presents, and ate the yummy cupcakes I made.  I got lots of great presents from my family, including a piano (!!), bike, a princess outfit (with wings!), play food for my kitchen, doll clothes, books, and a horse trailer.  I have had so much fun playing with all my new toys!

So here are some of the more "technical" details of me being two:

I weigh 23 pounds, 12 ounces

I'm 33 inches tall

I just moved into the Two's class at school - and I love it!  I'm still getting used to the different meal times and nap protocol, but I really like Miss Bekah and my new friends.

I really like eating car-yots, bock-o-wee, and geem beams.

I named one of my newer dolls "Babers" - which is just what Daddy calls me!

I love playing my piano while I sing and dance.

I'm sad that my birthday is over for a whole year.  Sometimes I cry about this.

I decided it was Baa's birthday, as well.  He is also two now.

I really love helping my mom cook.  I pull my stool over to the counter and everything!

I love reading stories.  I have a few favorite books sort of memorized.  I especially like reading to  my dolls.

I got some new outfits for my Bitty Baby, which I love having Mom put on her.  Baby has to wear her tutu whenever it's time to dance.  Because obviously.

My Birfday! My Party!

Turning two is a really big deal.  Two means I am twice as old as I was when I was born.  And that is a lot.  My mom and dad are even older - I can't imagine what that must be like!  I decided to turn two in style, with some fun decorations, yummy food and great friends.

First I chose a theme: Polar Bear Arctic Adventure.  This was in part because I wanted to wear my awesome Uggs.  Mom said "Eskimo" wasn't PC (no Mom, I didn't think it was a compooter), and that "Inuit" was too PC (I still don't see how Inuits are compooters, Mom).  But who can find fault with cute Polar Bears?!

So from there, I began to direct my mom in the decorations:

A wreath to welcome my Arctic Explorer friends to the party!

I also directed my mom in the snacks.  White cupcakes with polar bear and Alaskan Salmon sugar cookies!

Powder sugar donuts are really snowballs, in case you were wondering

And of course I had to have cake pops!  I love my pops! 

Mom humored me, and even made the pops look like a statue!

After the house was decorated and the food was made, it was time to get dressed!  Here's the outfit I picked out.

Uggs!

Finally, my friends arrived and the party started.  We had so much fun!

Joo-we-ah (Julia) brought me balloons!

I am still not sure why my mom set my birfday cake on fire.  Not cool, Mom.  But I persevered and blew out the candles.  And then ate one bite of cake before insisting on pops instead.

I even got a birfday kiss from my boyfriend. 

After the party, I relaxed with my balloons and reflected on an excellent party.

Thanks to all my friends for coming!  I actually turn two this coming Sunday, and am really looking forward to a birfday party with my aunts, uncles and grandparents this weekend.  More details on that party (and life as a two year old) to come!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Years, everyone!  Raise your sippy of sparkling cider, and let's have a toast to 2011 and welcome in 2012!

2011 was a pretty great year.  I started to walk and turned one within a few weeks of the new year.  I played with friends as much as possible.  I visited family in many states.  I really started to show off the silly side of my personality (it's a big side!).  I swam.  I dressed up.  I was an absolutely adorable flower girl.  I went to the movies.  I watched fireworks (and tried to grab them out of the sky).  I survived a hurricane.  I went to parties.  I got my first cousin.  I picked pumpkins and dressed up for Halloween.  I found out I was going to be a big sister.  I cheered at a marathon.  I slept through Thanksgiving dinner.  I lived Christmas to the max.  I baked.  I met Santa... a few times.  And I totally loved every minute!

To celebrate such a great year, I took Mom and Dad to my friend Danny's house for New Year's Eve.  It was a blast!  I got to dress up in a pretty dress and play with friends.  Does it get better?

I took a quick nap around 9pm, so I'd be ready for the ball to drop.  I might have been a little sleepier than I imagined... because I was not thrilled when my dad came to get me just before midnight!

Thanks, 2011, for the great memories!  Can't wait to see what 2012 has to bring!

December Recap (23 months)

Laura is talking up a storm around here.  The conversations we have are hilarious.  I love listening to what she has to say!  Christmas was especially exciting for Laura, as she really experienced the holiday for the first time this year.  She loved watching the whole house (and neighborhood!) transform.

• Ooh! Pity, mommy! Lights pity! (as I put lights up on the Christmas tree)
• Oh, boy. (said like oh man or oh geez, said with great frequency)
• Laura is currently singing Twinkle Twinkle, Jingle Bells, and Rockabye Baby.  The singing is near constant.  Love it!
• She loves to wear her Baindeer yammies (reindeer jammies)
• Oh yeah! (said both as a statement like woohoo, and in recognition like alright)
• Laura learned about Baby Jesus and talks about him a lot.
• I showed Laura the Christmas card from her cousin Elizabeth and asked who it was.  Laura got all excited with a look on her face like I know this, and answered "Baby Jesus!!" Even weeks later, she says the picture is Baby Jesus every time, and then whispers "Coh-san Bit" immediately after.
• We heard a lot of "don wan is" this month, which means I don't want this (or that's not what I want)
• Laura has started calling me Cate-tin!  I think she partly does it to test out the concept of names, and partly because she sees how flustered I get.  She says "Nate" instead of "Daddy" sometimes too, but not nearly as frequently as she uses "Cate-tin" for me!
• Really likes "Soo-man" (snowmen), and wears her soo-man sweatshirt whenever she can.
• Says goodnight to the huge mural of Sesame Street's Count Von Count at school every night.  Except she says "Goodnight One!" when I correct and say his name is Count Von Count, she starts to "count" her way: two, three, two!
• At Grammy & Grampy's after Christmas, Laura took to "shopping" with her "droller" (stroller) filled with babies, purses and toys.  At one point, she looked at Grammy and said "I go shopping."  Oh, for groceries? asked Grammy.  "No." For clothes? asked Grammy. "Yes." What kind? "I don't know!" Maybe some mittens? suggested Grammy. "Yes! Bye Mammy! I love you! [blows kisses] be safe!"  She walked down the hall, then came back.  "I'm back!" What did you get? asked Grammy.  "Mittens!!"  She has been an avid shopper ever since.
• Every shopping trip involves a long series of goodbyes with Laura and every friend loaded up in the stroller.  It takes her forever to get out the door, and then she's back for another round of shopping and goodbyes! 
• Leaving Grammy and Grampy's house, Laura had a very serious goodbye with Grammy.  "I lub you, Mammy. I phone."  I phone!?  I have no idea where she gets this stuff!
• Current favorite books: The Belly Button Book (Boynton), The Little Grey Snail (a little French book), Angelina Ice Skates (Holabird), I Love You, Stinky Face (not my favorite!), and anything about a dinosaur.

I have been trying to keep a running list of Laura's hilariousness on my phone.  But I got caught up in Christmas the last week and a half of December, and have probably missed some really great words, phrases and antics.  C'est la vie!  She is keeping us on our toes, in all the best ways.

Christmas Extravaganza!

Wow. I really, really, really like Christmas.  Baby Jesus is pretty awesome.  Party dresses are pretty awesome.  Christmas trees with twinkly lights are pretty awesome.  Presents are pretty awesome.  Wrapping paper is really, really, really awesome! 

I was so lucky to see all my grandparents, aunts and uncles this Christmas.  We started in PA with that group, and then drove north to see the other group.  A lot of driving for Mom and Dad, but I was comfy in the back with Ries!  Here are some pictures from the wonderfulness that is Christmas:

LOTS of presents at Grandma and Grandpa's house!  Dad thinks nearly 200!

Showing Grandma the handprint Christmas tree I made for her.

This big one is for me!

A really BIG Catty!  Mommy Catty!

Uncle Aaron needed help with that wrapping paper.

I LOVE WRAPPING PAPER!

SANTA!!

Santa brought me the "Dora and Laura the Explorers" book!  I save Boots the Monkey!

 Here are some pictures from my Grammy and Grampy's up north:


Uncle Taylor and Julia gave me a xylophone!



Grampy (and Grammy too) read me lots of stories

TRAINS!

I love my Baby.

I'm a concert pianist in the making.

Pushing two babies in my new "droller"!

 I had so, so much fun celebrating Baby Jesus's birthday. Is it time for my birthday yet??