Sunday Routine {348}

Dear Miss Dinah,

Thank you for adding joy to every morning we wake up.

Our morning routine tends to go a little something like this:

We hear your little voice from the other room. If you sound content and fairly quiet, we let you be for a little while. Then Mamma or Daddy comes in and says hello. Typically you respond by handing us a toy or book from your crib as a bribe to let you out -- as if you need one! Once you're out, we commence with a diaper change. Same thing every morning, and you're still not keen on it :)

Then you play for a while, till Mamma makes you some breakfast. Lately it's been yogee (yoghurt) with fruit and your snack cup full of cereal.

This morning church met at Mr. Tom's house. I'm so thankful for our church family here, they really do feel like family. Mr. John, our friend and pastor, is in Kyrgyzstan, so Mr. Tom led a lesson and discussion. We ended with sharing of the miracles we've seen God perform in our own lives. Mr. Jovan took you little ones down the street to Mr. John and Ms. Reagan's house for your lesson.

We came home and ate a fast lunch because you were very tired.

After lunch and nap, we went shopping. One thing we got was a big plastic tub. We'll try and fill it up so you can take baths since showers can be a little tricky. Oh, we also found a Christmas stocking for Daddy on sale for $2.50 :)

You and I came back and started cooking dinner while Daddy went to talk business with some friends. We had potato soup with sun-dried tomatoes (your fav) and cheese. We read stories and drank juice. You love to be teased. I'd act like I was going to give you a drink, and then take it out of your mouth really fast and you would just laugh and laugh.  

Next we brush teeth and I sing you to sleep. Actually I sing till you get drowsy and still. And then you read books to your crib friends till you fall asleep.

As I sat down to type out this letter tonight, I realized I'd neglected to take any pictures today. I think about it many times, but never grab the camera. So, Daddy said, run in and take one now! So here you go :)

As I took this, you half-woke up, pointed at something, and went back to sleep.

I love you,

Mamma <3

Life Skills Update {347}

Dear Miss Dinah,

You color with your left hand and eat with your right.
Sometimes you use two hands for both those activities.

After dinner, I was clipping my nails. You grabbed the small pink clippers, and began to imitate me. And then my camera turned green. Very strange.

And then you tried to clip my toes.

 

At a year and a half old you are 2'4.5" tall and a little over 21 lbs.

You like to do a little wiggle of a dance whenever music comes on. And generally, you like music with a beat, like your Mamma.

You go get jackets and shoes when you think it's time to go outside. And when inside, you inside Daddy and I take jackets off.

You love it when Daddy and I hug, and you always want to come be a part of it.

Car carts are the only way to get around the grocery store, even at Ray's Apple Market where the steering wheels are broken off.

You like to fall down to a sitting position (over and over) when you are playing, especially on Mamma's lap, or Daddy's tummy. He makes a grunt like you are knocking the wind out of him and you just laugh and laugh.

I love you,

Mamma <3

Icy, Snowy Pooh {346}

Dear Miss Dinah,

In the morning when we rise... and everyone finally makes there way out of bed,

we start on breakfast.

You are becoming more and more adept at using the spoon to feed yourself.
And we just ignore the mess it makes on the face, the floor, and our clothes sometimes   :)

 

The quest for the truly leak free sippy cup has taken us far. And I think we have actually found one. This morning it had juice in it. 

You just awoke from a nap and are watching Mr. Jovan and Daddy install lights.

I don't know how in the world this photo got imported, but it's Daddy's screen on his phone. Maybe an accidental screen shot got taken?

"Make mine a double!" I imagine this is what you are saying about the delicious smoothie we've made. 

Getting out every last morsel.

 

What to do with all that energy? How about clean! We swept, mopped, then polished the floors. We might have done too good of a job as you had a few slips later on. Oops!

Mamma's little helper.

Look, ma! Two hands!

I gave you a shower (no bathtub here, but you are reluctantly getting used to the shower) and we resumed our afternoon walk around the half-block after your hair dried. It was a different experience, much more adventurous, tromping through the snow. When we got to the corner, you wanted to cut across the corner yard so we could walk in deeper snow. We did, and instead of continuing on down the alley, you turned around and went back in the opposite direction so we could go back and cut across the yard again! Once more we did, and then I insisted we continue on. Further down the alley something yellow caught your eye, buried in the ice and snow. It was a tiny little Whinnie the Pooh figurine. It was missing one ear and covered in snow but you wanted to take it home. Every few steps you would use him to scoop up a little snow and try and put it in your mouth and eat it! I'm sure the cold snow was nice and refreshing on your teething teeth! We got home and washed Pooh off. 

When Daddy got back from running some errands, we went to the store to get our Friday night pizza. We came home to eat, started a movie (Life of Pi) and you crashed. 

I love you, 

Mamma <3

Fish With Whiskers {345}

Dear Miss Dinah,

It's funny that after all our traveling and all the fun toys you had a chance to play with on the road, how completely happy you seems with the familiar gidgets and gadgets of home...

You love playing with the knobs and buttons of these heater (not plugged in).

You love pushing around your laundry basket full of 'stuff.' There is, golf balls, sippy cup, snack cup, cars and a few other transferable items. If you like it, you claim it, and in the basket it goes.

It's hard to tell but you are using a basketball for a seat in this photo. We are getting ready to go for a walk so you have your new puppy dog hat on.

We did some shopping and stopped by the pet store for fun. You watched the fish for a long while. There were four tanks in a row and you'd run from one to the next. We saw tiny little fish, neon colored fish, and even fish with whiskers!

Back home it was business as usual. This time using a multi-colored plush cube (game) Sisi got you for Christmas as a seat.

Oh, today we also danced to loud music and giggled a lot.

And helping Mamma with the many Christmas cards left to be sent out :)

 

Today you had many toddler injuries. This morning you slipped off the couch and bit your tongue, it bled a little. Later you banged your cheek on the ground. Oh and before that you excitedly went for a dog and a friends house and the dog got spooked -- and really spooked you back!

We were there eating dinner with those friends and Daddy stayed to watch the bowl game. We came home tuckered out, and you went promptly to sleep.

I love you,

Mamma <3

Chalkboards {344}

Dear Miss Dinah,

This morning we woke up at your Grandpa's house. He got out some chalk for you and you doodled away on the little chalkboard he has in the basement.

One fun memory I have of being a little girl is waking up on my birthday, and my Daddy (your Grandpa) had drawn and intricate chalk drawing on my chalk board of the 'America Man,' (We Want YOU!) and changed the words to: Happy Birthday to YOU!

Chalkboards have always been a fun memory for me :)

Oh, and what's funny is that he used the same (30 year old) can of chalkboard paint to paint this new chalkboard as he did the old! He was very proud that it still worked.

Soon we went to Sisi's and picked up a few Christmas presents we had left behind - giant chair and giant sock monkey. Once we managed to stuff everything into the car, we were on our way home. You slept nearly the whole 2 hours.

We arrived a few hours later, and unpacked the car. It's still snowy here, and cold, but not near as cold as Wisconsin! You and I did some grocery shopping to restock the fridge and Daddy went to take some friends to see 'The Hobbit,' again.

Looking forward to some 'boring days' for a while. So much activity and travel can be fun...but draining!

 

 One thing in these photos moves, one does not...

I love you,

Mamma <3

Are We There Yet? {343}

Dear Miss Dinah,

It was early.
So early.

We were packing,
said our goodbyes.

We will miss our dear friends but it is time to load up our little family and head on.

Stopped for lunch at a funny little joint called 'Beefaroo.'
Despite the questionable name, it was delicious. "Famously delicious" actually.

Car rides are better with chocolate. I might have sneaked you some :)
Not that it was really a secret or anything :P

Staying at Grandpa's house tonight. It's after 11pm and you are still a chatterbox in bed. You ran around for a while when we got here and took a bath. Maybe you will sleep in?  :)

I love you,

Mamma <3

Dear Little Deer {342}

Dear Miss Dinah,

Tonight we learned that Dinah means 'deer' in Italian.
So in Italian my blog would be, 'Dear Little Deer...' :)

Playing at the childrens' play place in the mall:

We walked around the mall for a while, running some errands that Ms. Carrissa had. We stopped by a photo vender while Ms. Carrissa put little Leo in the sling to be fed and this poster caught my eye:

It says, "We must be willing to let go of the life have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us." 

It's an interesting thought...

You and Auggie brushing your teeth, a favorite pastime:

Out to dinner this evening. Wonderful food, but a long wait time, so we bought bouncy balls and hung out in the entryway. Lots of giggling, bouncing, and fun. You didn't really nap today and were so tired that you fell asleep on the way to the restaurant. You ate a big meal though, and fell immediately to sleep in the car. You wouldn't even wake up as Daddy carried you in the house, and remained a sleeping little rag doll as we put your PJ's on. Get some rest, little one. We have a long trip tomorrow -- although I suppose you can sleep all day in the car if you like :)

I love you,

Mamma <3