Archive for August, 2009
We think she’s going to be either a librarian or a navigator when she grows up.
Librarian: She likes nothing better than to be read to or to grab a book (or 6) and sit down to ‘read’ with me. I usually have a book with me at all times so she constantly sees me reading – if not a book then the newspaper or the junk mail or the cereal box or whatever happens to be handy. (OT: I think this is as important as us reading to her since she sees that it’s something we ourselves do all the time.) In addition to reading her books she likes nothing better than un-shelving and (sometimes reluctantly) re-shelving them all.She has a LOT of books so this particularly activity can be quite time consuming sometimes.
While she loves all books she does have her favorites. One of which is…well, I won’t tell you, I’ll just show you. Parents of small children will recognize this book immediately, I’m sure.
We read this book a lot. So much, in fact, that she has it down pat and can pretty much recite the book from memory. As can I, which is helpful when she wants me to read it to her and I’m tied up with something else. Since it’s embedded in my brain for all eternity I can regurgitate it with absolutely no thought or effort while she turns the pages accordingly.
She insisted on reading it to me instead of fully participating in our monthly birthday photo shoot.
If I were more technically savvy or had the time to figure it out then I’d also let you hear an audio clip. It’s so freakin’ cute hearing her do this I’ve recorded it on my phone as a voice memo about 300 times. Maybe someday…
Navigator? Well, since she’s only now mostly forward facing in the carseat she’s suddenly decided that she can tell us which way to drive. It can be equally annoying and amusing. Amusing because you can turn it into a “Who’s on first” style skit if so inclined and annoying because she can get really, really mad if she thinks you didn’t go the right way. Since her directional skills seem to be exactly like her father’s (nonexistent) I hope someone makes a toddler GPS unit soon.
The growing ability to negotiate and reason is killing me (in a good way). I love seeing her little brain figure things out and it’s also nice to be able to finally be able to use if/then as a disciplinary tool. Although honestly, she requires very little discipline so far. An occasional trip to the corner generally does it – although there did seem to be a few more than normal this month due to her desire to fling dishes from the table. No biggie as the dogs are great at cleaning it up but it’s a behavior we’re trying to nip in the bud now.
Her feet are finally growing although she’s only just made it to a size 6 toddler shoe now. We’ve virtually worn out the 5′s since she’s been in them so long. I have a million pair of shoes for her that I’d bought (usually on sale) in anticipation of her feet growing as quickly as everyone said they would (they didn’t). She’s also starting to wear some 24 month and 2T clothes (shirts and dresses only). Pants are going to be a problem this year, I think. Time to break out the sewing machine. And to find someone to teach me how to use it.
She sings all the time. I mostly love this but I’m finding not everyone does. She nearly frightened a Tar.get checkout girl half to death when she burst into a rousing (and extremely loud) rendition of Baa, Baa Black Sheep while we were in line recently. I’m going to assume by the look we got from said checkout girl that she does not yet have children. No matter, I refuse to stifle Ava’s singing if there’s no need to – although we are diligently working on volume control. Not easy to teach them that, is it?
She’s also going to be great in a mosh pit. Her preferred method of dancing seems to be bouncing up and down in one place and occasionally slinging herself from side to side so she’s getting lots of practice in now. She clearly takes after me. J and I only rarely go to concerts together mainly because he wants to observe from the sidelines and I want to be in the middle of it all. Can’t wait to get her into a real dance class – only a few months to go before she can officially start ballet! And then, when she’s a little older (like 20) I’ll finally be able to go to concerts again. Just in time for a broken hip, probably.
After much begging and pleading Ava did consent to one (very cheesy and fake) smile while sitting on her chair.
So far, still loving the twos. We are having the time of our lives with this kid. She’s nothing short of miraculous and we are grateful every single day that she is ours
I swear, seems like all the pictures I post anymore are of wet baby. Guess that’s what happens when you’re surrounded by water. Seriously, the city we live in is an almost island with 3 sides water and only one main way into our (very small) city. Very nice except for those pesky Atlantic disturbances and the mega mosquitos that breed like bunnies here.
Sorry…I digress.
Another playdate at the local botanical gardens on a hot and super humid day. We went early and (shocker! really!) were on time and were even the first ones there. That never happens and we didn’t know quite what to do with ourselves so we took a walk around the gardens to check out the non-water features.
Ava found a playhouse with a broom inside. Big hit.
Then we found dirt. Dirt like dig for earthworms with a rake dirt. Also a big hit except she wanted to get in with the worms.
I said no.
She didn’t like this answer so she went all boneless when we told her it was time to leave.
And then got screamingly pissed off when we walked away.
Water made it all better, of course.
Isn’t this the most adorable mermaid tail you’ve ever seen?
And this, my friends, is what sheer delight looks like.
Almost as cute is what sheer exhaustion brought on by the hours of running around AND the 2 hours stuck in traffic looks like. She obviously didn’t mind but I should apologize to J now for my bad, I told you that you should have went the other way, attitude. I was irritable for something that wasn’t his fault and I’m sorry.
Oh, and after the beautiful, sunny (albeit VERY hot) morning we ended up with a quick but horrific thunderstorm only a few short hours later. I think we could have saved the frustration of the drive by skipping the water park and sending her out into the quasi swimming pool formerly known as our yard.
Thanks to Mom2My4 and Ellie’s mom for coming out to play. Abby’s mom came out too but Ava was tuckered out by the time they arrived so we had to leave. We were sorry to have missed hanging out with Abby – it’s been too long!
We have a fish. The fish formerly known as Green Fish. It’s a catfish (that’s green). It’s about 2 inches long and it’s at least 5 years old.
I’ve referred to it often as the fish that never dies. Over the years One Fish, Two Fish, and Red Fish have gone on to the big fish tank in the bathroom sky but Green Fish has remained, much to my occasional chagrin when I look at all the counter space and electrical outlets the aquarium takes up.
I looked in the tank recently and noticed GF acting a bit funny. I mentioned to J that I suspected the end might be near but I felt I owed GF a resuscitative effort so I dumped him out into a tupperware container and cleaned the tank. He didn’t do well and I thought euthanasia via toilet bowl was looming.
He perked up a bit – at least he was no longer floating on his side – so we put him back in the now clean aquarium where he promptly keeled over, sinking to the bottom and not even twitching a fin. J told me that I killed him and we both exited the kitchen proclaiming that the other would have to dump out the fish.
Good thing we’re lazy like that.
Imagine my surprise when I peeked in a couple of hours later while preparing to bury Green Fish at sea (sort of) only to bear witness to an amazing resurrection. GF was no longer in the spot we’d left him and was half-heartedly swimming around. He’s now miraculously recovered, is swimming and eating, and has a brand new biblical name.
Since we’ve had one miracle maybe another is in the cards. Like a CCAA speed up, maybe? (As if.)