Two Smiles

I am on an eternal quest to get a picture of both girls smiling at the same time. I might even be satisfied if I could get a picture where neither is acting goofy. I am hoping to accomplish this sometime soon, but think possibly I might acheive my goal in 5 years. Here are some attempts at a trio self portrait. I had the girls on my lap and the camera so I thought I would give it a try.

It is impossible to get both girls to smile at the same time. I was hoping to get a good picture to use for a holiday card over the past month. I had absolutely no luck. I am hoping I can catch a special moment and send out Happy New Year cards. Hopefully we don't have to wait until Valentines for simultaneous smiles.

Christmas Pictures

When Edith opened her new pajamas she grabbed them into a big hug for a snuggle. She hugged them for for about 10 minutes. She loves soft things. She also enjoys getting in boxes. She is enjoying the box for the new cutting food. Addie modelling her new bath robe.

Brian opening a gift.

Me helping Edith open a gift.

A Christmas Wish Granted

Hurrah. At just shy of 14 months old Edith's first tooth has finally poked through yesterday morning. She had been teething for months. Of course now she wants something different from Santa, a toothbrush.

Snow Snow Snow

The snow has been falling since Friday. It is beautiful and fluffy. The perfect snow for playing in (and to shovel). The snow is almost as tall as Edith and definitely towers over Mabel. Addie has been loving going outside and playing in it. She had a great time while Dad shovelled. I got Edith all dressed up and she got to experience snow for the first time. She was adorable wearing her bear suit from last winter. She is such a tiny girl to be able to fit in something sized 3-6 months! I am glad it fit her because I have looked everywhere for Addie's old snow pants with no luck.

Spicy...cookies and blocks

Edith's favorite thing to do when we are downstairs is to empty out the spice cupboard. She carries the spices around and scatters them around the house. Her favorite spice is sage. Occasionally she might even put one back. I am hoping one of Brian's weekend projects will be childproofing the kitchen cupboards.

.......................................................................................

Today Addie and I made cookies. I didn't have any colored sugar to decorate with so I made my own. I just used a bit of icing coloring with a quarter teaspoon of water to dissolve in a random amount of sugar in a custard cup. It worked well although the colors are super bright neon. Addie had a lot of fun making the sugar on top almost as thick as the cookies themselves. Then she took a surprise plate up to Dad so he could have a cookie break. This was quite exciting for her as she was allowed to carry the cookies up the whole way and visit Dad during working hours. I think the picture shows a star, some pigs, a church, and a tree or two.

....................................................................................................

While I put Edith to bed, Addie has quiet time. She usually spends this time building with blocks. Some nights Addie has to go to bed before I come back down to view her creations. Tonight when I went to upload pictures I noticed that her block fortress had been photographed so I wouldn't miss it. A cute surprise to find on my camera. I am always amazed at the versatility of her architectural designs. She makes buildings in all varieties. The top picture is last night's "kitty house" The bottom is tonight's creation.

Holiday Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Gingerbread Houses

Today Addie and Trekker had a lot of fun helping Gramma make a gingerbread house. Addie tried so hard to put the candy on the house instead of in her mouth. She was pretty pleased when she was allowed to finally eat some of the candy.

We finally have power again. There was an ice storm and we lost power Thursday night. We finally got it back Sunday evening. Although we had no heat, it felt luxurious (for a power outage) because we still had hot water and could cook because we have propane. This was a step up from our house in Issaquah when we would have no water of any kind during a power outage. Hot showers in the dark are not so bad. One challenge we faced was dressing Edith for sleep. She hates pajamas with feet, hates wearing socks to bed, and hates blankets. So for bed I put her in leg warmers and fleece pajamas. Then we add the finishing touch of Brian's ski socks. They were cozy and she couldn't get them off. She looked silly, but she stayed warm.

A contest celebrating Etsy

If you have never shopped at etsy.com before now would be a nice time to try. It is like a giant store of people selling their own handmade items. I always have a great time browsing. Here is a sampling.


ChildrenThis and That - $20 gift cardRed Pajamas - Little Man's Tie ($8)Baby Luv Gifts - Cute Custom Beanie ($15)Baby Bears - $25 gift cardMy Custom Baby Boutique - $25 gift cardBaby Goin Places - PocketChanger Diaper Changing Pad ($25)Layla Legs - $15 gift card & free shippingSecond Story Window - $10 gift cardInspiring Color Tie Dye - Youth pullover hoodie rainbow diagonal or swirl ($30)Baby Peas - boy or girl cloth play blocks- set of 4 ($18)Abby Chase Designs - Lotus Hair Flower ($13.50)Tadpoles and Tutus - $20 gift cardMake it and Love It - onesie/bootie set of choice (14.99)
PiggyTails Boutique - Christmas tutu and snowman wand with a matching personalized bow ($26)

JewelryFour Dog Day - Cute Pink Key Ring ($8)Jupita - $20 gift cardZeba - Coin Pearl Earrings ($20)Jodi Horgan - $25 gift cardOne of a Kind Custom Jewelry - $20 gift cardAcross The Pond - choice of any vintage button ring ($14)Kerstin Hanson - $20 gift card

Yummy TreatsA Sugar Affair - $10 gift cardCakebox Cookies - $20 gift cardA Thyme 2 B Comforted - $25 gift cardDouble Dipped Sweets - $20 gift cardKE Cookies - One dozen chocolate chip cookies ($8)AngelPie Cookies and Cakes - One dozen decorated sugar cookies ($18)Meg's Creations - 2 pack of cookie and brownie mix ($24 including shipping)Cookie Art by Sarah - One dozen sugar cookie snowflakes and $25 gift certificate ($53)

Paper CraftsPaper Treasures 4 U - 2 page 12''x12'' Christmas layout ($9)Inkspot Workshop - 1 Set of 6 Snowman Gift Enclosures 1 Set of 6 Tree Bird Gift Enclosures ($12)Take Note - 1 set of personalized notecards ($15)Articulations - 6 lunchbox love mini cards ($5)

Bath and BodyKrug's Eco-Logic - $15 gift cardIndulgent Creations - Soy candle travel tin, soap and lotion ($16.50)koko candles - holiday brownie cupcake candles ($25)Dazzle Dott - $20 gift certificate
Especially for MomMary Zoom - Pink Polka Dot Glam Cleaning Gloves ($10)Maggie Sue Designs -A cup cozy and coordinating set of Tame Your Mane ponytail holders ($12)Gaia Conceptions - "My Everything" piece (clothing, $40)BoojiBoo - apron of winners choice (only ones in stock, $28.75)
Stones of Healing - $20 gift certificate

This is all a part of a contest seen on this http://www.busy-mommy.com/2008/12/etsy-christmas-contest-over-75000-in.html blog. Fun. Hope I win and can share all the goodies.

Here are my favorites from each category.
Children: Layla Legs--these look wonderful for potty training
Jewelry: Zeba--I am a sucker for pearls and there are lots in her jewelry
Bath and Body: Dazzle Dott--check out the yummy looking body frosting
Especially for Mom: Maggie Sure Designs---these cup cozies are too cute
Yummy Treats: A Sugar Affair--well I am drooling after looking at all the candy barks and sweets
Paper Crafts: Inkspot Workshop--I love her bold colors and designs

Words

So Edith has been "talking" for some time now. She has convinced me that her vocabulary has increased in the past couple of days. She has a limited amount of phonemes at her disposal. So here are the words that she says that I can remember. The actual pronunciation in parenthesis.

I am just happy she said "Mama" before "shoes" unlike my other little lady.

old words:
Mama (mama)
more (ma)
nurse (na)
Mabel (bull)
ball (ba)
book (bo)
bottle (baba)


new words:
Grampa (bapa)
popcorn (papa)
banana (nana)

Thanksgiving and Family Pictures

We had a peaceful Thanksgiving at my parents yesterday along with my mom's good friend Sheila. Edith packed away an amazing amount of squash and pie. I was pleased that my cornbread and cranberry stuffing came out well because I am always skeptical of magazine recipes. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get a good family picture. Seeing the results I like Brian's idea of each of us posing separately and then photoshopping to get a group pose. Check out these fabulous shots not to be seen on any Christmas cards.

First Simile

I am always noticing particular words or phrases that Addie adds to her vocabulary. Today she was practicing "wide", "fritatta" (guess what we had for dinner), and "oohh, man"(apparently I say this phrase frequently). She also told me "Mom, you were as quiet as a mouse when you put Edith for her nap and I was upstairs." I thought, "cool her first simile." I guess I am a nerd.

Camel Songs and Evil Laughs

Today we were happily singing "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes" in the car. Addie requested that we sing it faster and then real slow. Then she said "lets sing it like a camel." Well I told her I didn't know how camels sing and she would have to teach me how. She then sang the song like a camel which is half normal and half with weird made up words. So now you know what to do if someone asks you to sing like a camel.

Edith is in the wonderful stage of laughter. If she hears anyone laughing she laughs. Brian likes to give a hearty evil laugh. Edith echoes this laugh. Then both Brian and I laugh for real because there isn't much funnier than a baby doing an evil cackle.

Last week we helped celebrate my sister's birthday by eating chocolate mousse. Yummy. Here she is being cheesy because my camera was too slow to get her blowing out her candles for real. Addie was really ogling her presents.

Little Helper and Big Walker

So I decided that I should unpack another box or two. I chose the box labelled crayons. As I was taking things out I noticed a cup. It was one of Addie's snack cups snuggled in neatly in with the crayons. The funny thing is that there was still a snack in it, oyster crackers. Apparently I had a little helper while I was packing up this box.

Edith is officially walking. Really walking. She can circle the room, start, stop, bend over and pick things up and other amazing feats. It is so much fun to watch her and even more fun to catch her when she comes toddling up for a hug.

More Ice Cream

Addie absolutely loves ice cream. She frequently asks for it for every meal. I got a Ben and Jerry's ice cream cookbook for my birthday. Addie has had me read from it as "stories" and this morning we finally got to make some. Afterall there isn't much else to do at 6:30 in the morning.

We enjoyed the fruits of our labor after lunch, Heath Bar Crunch. Addie loved it so much she ate with two spoons at once!

Happy Birthday Adelaide

Happy 3rd Birthday Adelaide

Addie will proudly tell you she is three years old. She started her day off with ice cream for breakfast, because her Great Aunt Lynn told her you get ice cream for breaskfast on your birthday. Then she went to gymnastics with Grandma. After a nap and swimming with her cousins she came home for her birthday dinner of macaroni and cheese and broccoli. After an ice cream cake she was ready for bed. An exhausting day especially with the time change.

Year of Edith

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Halloween

Happy Halloween Everyone

We had a great day with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. Addie enjoyed her duck costume and first trick or treating experience. She remembered to say both "trick or treat" and "thank you" at the majority of houses. When we got back home she proclaimed excitedly "I got more than one!" We then counted and she got 13 pieces of candy! Wowsers. Edith hated her bunny ears so she was not very convincing in her bunny costume. She loved walking outside in the night. She was roaring and laughing the whole time clutching a kitkat in each hand. All the cousins had a great time playing with all the candy once we got back home.

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY EDITH

Happy Birthday Edith.

Edith enjoyed her special meal with many of her favorites foods: pancakes, fruit salad, and scrambled eggs (and bacon for the people with teeth). She was very excited about her cake although somewhat confused about the candle. She managed to rip a few presents open and was very excited about her new shoes and water bottle. She just loves shoes. It was very hard for Addie not to rip open all the presents. Addie was very cute though when she repeatedly told Edith, "say thank you, say thank you." Hopefully Addie will practice what she preaches in a few days.

Starting Early

Well Addie doesn't go to school yet, but she has already started faking sick. Yesterday she says, "I have the coughs" and then coughs pathetically three times. "Can I watch a movie?" She cracks me up. Addie doesn't watch TV or movies regularly, but we usually put a movie on for her when she is sick. I guess maybe we could let her watch a movie when she is well as well.

The Butler birthday bonanza has started as well. I enjoyed and am still enjoying 3 cakes and a batch of cookies that I got for my birthday. They should be finished off by Tuesday which is Edith's big day. Next comes Halloween and then Addie's birthday. Our sugar rush should last us until at least Thanksgiving.

Growing and growing

Little Edith is now 11 months old. Only a few more weeks until she hits the big 1. Well she has gone from mellow and agreeable to very opinionated. She has mastered the art of the forceful no head shake if she does not want something. Today she had a very successful tug of war with Trekker over his shoes. She has mastered a few signs (more, all done) but only uses them sporadically. She takes 1 to 3 steps at a time so I imagine she will be full out walking very soon. She also loves climbing. It is hard to carry her up the stairs because she does a special eel move to get me to put her down so she can crawl up herself. Watch out, Edith is on the move and she is after your shoes (or your crayons or your papers or your socks, etc).

These pictures were taken at her Grampa's birthday party last week.

Dance Moves: Part 2

Well we know how awesome Addie dances. Here is your chance to see how much she has improved. She also has upgraded her dancing costume to PJ's and an eye patch.


Edith has decided to join the dance circuit as well. The best dancing location is under the piano near the speakers. If she really gets excited she hits her head on the piano and just laughs.

Barrettes

Addie does not like having her hair brushed. How I convince her to allow me to brush it is simple: I say I am the hairdresser and talk in a funny hairdresser voice and call her "dearie". (Same trick for teeth brushing with a special dentist chair (pillow) and dentist voice) Well today the hairdresser was instructed that Addie needed to wear all of her barrettes. I thought she might run out of head space, but the hairdresser is quite talented in squeezing them all in. She was the talk of the playgroup with her fancy do. she even took her nap with them all in. It wasn't until evening that she complained that they were uncomfortable. Impressive.
We can't forget the little one. Here she is being tired but refusing to sleep. She might miss something interesting after all.

Roller Skating

I had heard about the local roller rink's stroller skating on Thursday mornings. It sounded like fun so away we went. We went inside and there was not another person there. I decided that was okay and the guy working there started up the music and got us our skates. We enjoyed having the place entirely to ourselves after overcoming the initial eeriness of the situation. I figured we wouldn't have to worry about any crashes with other people this way. Addie fell numerous times and refused to let go of my hand. Then the skate guy brought over some other skates. These were fantastic as the wheels were tightened so that they barely rolled at all. Addie could happily walk around without any more falls. She enjoyed pushing Edith around and watching her imaginary friend Caroline skate. Edith loved dancing to the music and having me push her in the stroller really fast. I had a really fun time. I hadn't roller skating in many years and it was a blast. Even better, when I went to pay as we left I was informed there was no charge. Maybe we'll bring a friend next time.

Addie was really sweet when I was taking pictures of her. She wanted to make sure there was a picture of Mom roller skating too. So here is the most flattering picture she took of me.

Pooquet

Addie has been wanting to try and play croquet ever since she saw Grampa bring it in the house. We finally tried to set it up, but unfortunately the yard is rock hard so we can't get the wickets in. Nevertheless Addie has enjoyed playing croquet, or pooquet as she likes to call it because it makes us laugh.

Ice Cream

One of my favorite things about New England is the summer ice cream stands. They remind me of the Pacific Northwest's drive through coffee places but there are not quite the plethora of them. At the stands, most offer homemade ice cream in numerous flavors. There is nothing better on a hot summer day. So far my favorite flavor is black raspberry oreo. Addie also enjoys this tradition, but you have to be patient because it can take her a long, long, long time to finish her ice cream. She savors every bite and enjoys people watching. Usually her ice cream is completely melted by the time she finishes as you can see in the picture. Sometimes I am impatient and I just bring her leftovers home so she can finish it the next day. Ah ice cream. Yummy, yum.

Little Edith

Well Edith is now 10 months old! She constantly wants to pull up and walk, even in her sleep. This means lots of night waking again. She also loves to eat, eat, eat. She has yet to have any teeth, but wants to feed herself. This is a bit of a dilemma as there are not many things I feel comfortable giving her. She gets frustrated after just a few bites of baby food. So the girl eats lots and lots of cheerios and peas. Have no fear, the left over baby food is not wasted. Addie always begs for Edith's leftovers. Here are some pictures of the girl. Please click on the last blog listed to the right to see the rest, they are all wonderful.

New England Wildflower Garden

This week for our weekly "Trekker Day" we visited the New England Wildflower Garden. They had a special Big Bug exhibit. The bugs were huge wooden sculptures crafted from found wood. They were absolutely gorgeous. I recommend this exhibit. The walk was a perfect length for the kiddos and the bugs were enjoyed by everyone. The scent of the woods was absolutely lovely as well.

Vermont

We spent a nice long weekend visiting Nate and Casey along with Brian's parents. We had a nice hike up snake mountain listening to Addie talk the entire way (about 3 hours). Of course we shared it with numerous mosquitoes. The poor girls each had over 50 bug bites apiece when I counted them the next day. This was Addie's last ride in the backpack. Brian said his shoulders were sore and she is only a pound or two shy of the weight limit. Its too bad because she loves riding.