Vera is Two!

Oops- I forgot to mention that our little Dumpling turned TWO last weekend on December 12th! It was a super fun day. Mike stayed up till 1:30 the morning before assembling a play kitchen, which she loves loves loves. We had banana pancakes with whip cream for breakfast, she played in her new kitchen all day long-cooking up yummy "Hot Soup" for us all, Grampa Tom came up the mountain for a visit, and we had a delicious dinner with Grampa Tom and her beloved "Uncle Antny". We felt so grateful to have our awesome family here to celebrate with us. It was a truly fun day. We're looking forward to an exciting year!
-

Jesse

Sicky Sick But Still Singin'

Poor Vera is home sick today. She's just got a bad cold, but it's been a messy one with an awful lot of coughing. It is snowing buckets outside- the biggest storm we've had in years, so we've just been bundled up, playing and dancing and drinking lots of fluids all morning. She's been breaking out into spontaneous song a lot lately and being sick hasn't seemed to dampen her spirits much. It took me a couple listens to realize her latest tune is actually Jingle Bells. I didn't catch on till she shouted "Hey!" Here's a picture and a quick video from lunch today. She's enjoying a strawberry popsicle after a bowl of "noodle soup". She loved the popsicle, but it made her "too cold"...thus the hat. Enjoy- and stay warm!

Love, Jesse

Vera stayed home sick from school today- nothing serious, just the end of a nasty cold virus. It turned out to be a nice, restful play day for us both. She's been playing a lot of "night night" lately, putting just about anything that'll hold still to bed, tucking it in and kissing it night night. She likes to line up her little snoozers in a long line and then walk by them patting them all on the back, pulling back the covers to check on them and then tucking them in again. I was doing some work on the laptop, when I turned around and saw she'd tucked in a bottle of glue "Glue-baby", the baby Jesus, and one of her favorite dolls. She asked me to go get her Ipod, so we could play night night music for them, and yep, she thought to give them all pacifiers.

Hope everyone is doing well and staying warm!

Love, Jesse and Vera

A Day Off

Vera and I were both in serious need of a day off. Conveniently enough both the Library and her Daycare are closed today for Veterans' Day. And since it's pouring rain outside, we decided to just take it easy all day. These are some shots of Vera on the couch this morning during our early AM Pajama/Elmo Show Fest. And, yep..she's wearing an Elmo hat. She's a big fan. I was sitting beside her in my pajamas finishing a great book...but I didn't look nearly as cute. :)

Happy Veterans' Day to all.

Love, Jesse

Shots - Ouch- All Done!

After a series of shots this Fall- Vera has become an expert on the situation. She'll tell you the following: "Doctor- shots, ouch!-all done-yay!" ..in that order. She's found an old Fisher Price doctor's kit and will give shots to anything or anyone that holds still. And if you don't hold still, she'll still manage to get you, she sneaks up on you like a little toddler shot ninja. Poor Sabine- Vera's been chasing her round the house with the plastic syringe "Come here doggie! Shots! Ouch! All Done!"

So if you're visiting anytime soon...watch yourself, she's packin.

We're Back!

We're baaaack. Many many apologies for the five month hiatus! It was an incredible Summer and its been a fantastic Fall so far. Vera is talking up a storm, completely amazing us with her toddler conversations and observations. She is currently fascinated with: babies, poop, apples, bears, doggies and families of all shapes and sizes. She is funny funny funny, and we are having a ball. And some of the most excting news- we've got a sibling on the way! Vera's new baby brother, or sister (we find out Nov. 13th) is due on April 20th. Vera is currently baby-crazy. She "helps" with the babies at her daycare, talking to them, sharing toys with them, or just sitting quietly and watching. When we talk about going to daycare she says "help babies?"

She is very eager to help with just about everything going on around her. When its time to feed the dog, or unload the dishwasher, she comes running across the room calling "helping? helping?" Right now we're working on her getting her own clothes off and on by herself, which I think will be a huge help once the baby arrives. She does a great job, but can't seem to get her pants up over her bottom in the back. She gets them mostly pulled up and then looks back over her shoulder at her diapered bum and laughs hysterically. Growing up isn't easy. She's doing a great job and we are so proud!

Love to all! Please check back soon, I'll be a better blogger, I promise.

Love love love,

jesse

Vera has a Potty Chair!

Yes, it's true.

Vera is the proud owner of a potty chair. Ok, yes..it is green and shaped like a frog, and that creeps me out a bit, but she picked it out herself and she loves it. Today she spent literally almost a half hour sitting on it fully clothed, bopping clumsily up and down to retrieve toys from around the house, and pausing now and again to wipe her fully clothed bottom with toilet paper. She has been running to it all day, and since she's able to pick it up, she's twice carried it over to be closer to the adults in the room. Once she picked it up and carried it over to her mini frisbee golf game so she could sit on the potty, sip on her sippy cup, and leisurely flip mini frisbees into the basket. She's nuts over the thing.

We are all still giddy from our recent trip to Iowa. It was such an awesome way to start the Summer off. We had so much fun with our family celebrating Matt and Bethany's wedding and Vera had an exceptionally great time. She is a rockstar and a super traveller. A rockstar super traveller toddler extraordinaire. With a potty. A green potty shaped like a frog.

I love this age that Vera is right now. She is so busy and so delighted to be so busy. Such a busy busy worker bee, flitting from one activity to the next, taking each one so seriously, but pausing to giggle and dance and smile a toothy grin before running away full speed. She keeps us on our toes, and cracks us up constantly.

We feel so lucky to have her in our lives.

Love to all,

Jesse