Monday, October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween!
Jadyn was excited to help carve a pumpkin this year...
...and she was very quick to dress in her costume -- a lovely red and yellow dress she liked at a local store with a cute hat. A bohemian fairy? We're not sure. She was very into the whole evening, though.
Hope you had a very Happy Halloween!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Way Overdue
Sadly, the summer is winding down, and the days are getting shorter. In early September, we had one week straight of temperatures over 80 degrees, which was really nice. But it's back to crisp mornings, some gray days, and we even had some steady rain over the weekend. It hadn't rained much in the past 6 weeks, so it was almost a welcome change. Almost.
Jadyn has gotten even more strong-willed, more verbal, and more physically active -- nearly fearless, very curious, and a little faster at times than her parents are comfortable with. She likes playing with her babies a lot, often choosing one to take with her in the car for the ride to and from school or in the stroller for a trip to the coffee shop. She talks about how they are tired, hungry, sleeping, or need a diaper change. Occasionally, she puts her diapers on the babies, a task that is less frustrating with a parent's help.
Jadyn likes to use her kid-safe scissors to cut up magazines, newspapers, and pictures she's drawn. She loves drawing with "Mommy's pencils" (= pens and markers used to grade students' work) and is trying to write names, letters, numbers. She has gotten really patient with a pen and paper, drawing small little circles she sometimes calls bubbles, sometimes calls smiley faces. Most of her drawings include several different colors; both small detail work and larger, more sweeping objects; and something she dubs a "sign" or signature. She can spell her name out loud, recognizes many letters of the alphabet in various contexts, and is learning to identify numbers, too. After a month in the new classroom at school, she is more relaxed there and is enjoying the challenges of the new teachers and playthings. And water play is still a huge hit. The two most reliable ways to occupy her for 45 minutes with only minor supervision: the Sesame Street website and running water at the kitchen sink. Obviously, both have their drawbacks, and we try not to overdo either of these.
Ironically, the first of these cute pictures are of her sleeping, which she does just enough of to gear up for the next day. Her sleeping issues at night are minor these days, and she still naps, around an hour and a half early each afternoon. (On weekends, sometimes Mom and/or Dad nap at the same time, and ONE TIME this summer she napped in the parental bed.)
Dessert on Labor Day weekend was cupcakes with blue frosting, which she chose at the store. Subsequently, we found out that blue food coloring turns her poop a neon green color. (We are grateful for the internet, so we were able to avoid a trip to the emergency room.) Jadyn liked looking at her blue tongue in a mirror.
We went to the Seattle Tilth Harvest Fair during the stretch of hot weather, and she preferred playing on the playground equipment over most of the fair activities.
We have been researching tile for a kitchen backsplash, and Jadyn has her own ideas about how things should lay out. She peeled the stickers off the back of the liners and put most of them on the pieces of field tile, along the short edges.
And lastly, we share this video, which serves as evidence that you don't need any expensive toys to entertain a toddler. Just pile some plastic grocery bags on the floor (once she is past the stage where she'd try to eat one or pull one over her head, of course).
Jadyn has gotten even more strong-willed, more verbal, and more physically active -- nearly fearless, very curious, and a little faster at times than her parents are comfortable with. She likes playing with her babies a lot, often choosing one to take with her in the car for the ride to and from school or in the stroller for a trip to the coffee shop. She talks about how they are tired, hungry, sleeping, or need a diaper change. Occasionally, she puts her diapers on the babies, a task that is less frustrating with a parent's help.
Jadyn likes to use her kid-safe scissors to cut up magazines, newspapers, and pictures she's drawn. She loves drawing with "Mommy's pencils" (= pens and markers used to grade students' work) and is trying to write names, letters, numbers. She has gotten really patient with a pen and paper, drawing small little circles she sometimes calls bubbles, sometimes calls smiley faces. Most of her drawings include several different colors; both small detail work and larger, more sweeping objects; and something she dubs a "sign" or signature. She can spell her name out loud, recognizes many letters of the alphabet in various contexts, and is learning to identify numbers, too. After a month in the new classroom at school, she is more relaxed there and is enjoying the challenges of the new teachers and playthings. And water play is still a huge hit. The two most reliable ways to occupy her for 45 minutes with only minor supervision: the Sesame Street website and running water at the kitchen sink. Obviously, both have their drawbacks, and we try not to overdo either of these.
Ironically, the first of these cute pictures are of her sleeping, which she does just enough of to gear up for the next day. Her sleeping issues at night are minor these days, and she still naps, around an hour and a half early each afternoon. (On weekends, sometimes Mom and/or Dad nap at the same time, and ONE TIME this summer she napped in the parental bed.)
Monday, August 22, 2011
Catching Up
Though we haven't been out of town on any big trips this summer, we always manage to keep plenty busy. Here are a few photos of our adventures over the past few weeks.
One night our friend Madeline came over to hang out while her parents went out for a birthday dinner. The girls had a great time together.
Jadyn attended a wedding at a park in Seattle on a beautiful, sunny, Saturday afternoon. Upon returning home, still all dressed up, she wanted to ride her Skuut bike.
Sleeping through the night has been a challenge on and off since mid-April, but we think things have finally worked themselves out and are returning to "normal." (We haven't been able to identify a single cause; it appears there were many factors at play. New molars, longer daylight hours, a challenging developmental stage, transition to a new classroom at school, and do not underestimate the power of an iron will hell-bent on manipulating parents....) We instituted a sticker program to motivate Jadyn to stay in her own bed ALL NIGHT LONG. Everyone in the house loves when THIS happens in the morning!
We were lucky to have a gorgeous day for our outing to the Seattle Aquarium with a couple of friends. We even rode the bus, which was super fun!
Jadyn has been spending time now and then sorting and organizing her things. Here the flowers are placed in neat rows before they get restacked on the spindles.
And, oh, the fascination with videos! Kipper and other kids' music videos on YouTube and the Sesame Street website are some of her favorites. She is scary good at working a mouse and clicking her way through a website. She has even mastered closing pop-up ads that occasionally appear in kids' videos on YouTube. An idle computer isn't idle long with this one around!
It has taken a couple of years, but Cosmo finally understands that Jadyn can be a gentle and loving source of affection, and they do have cuddle time together pretty much every day. She is very good with him, and he seems to flinch only when she squeals with sheer excitement about being close to him. She particular likes petting him with her feet. (You can see that Cosmo likes it, too.)
There are a few weeks of summer left, and we'll keep the camera handy.
One night our friend Madeline came over to hang out while her parents went out for a birthday dinner. The girls had a great time together.
Jadyn attended a wedding at a park in Seattle on a beautiful, sunny, Saturday afternoon. Upon returning home, still all dressed up, she wanted to ride her Skuut bike.
Sleeping through the night has been a challenge on and off since mid-April, but we think things have finally worked themselves out and are returning to "normal." (We haven't been able to identify a single cause; it appears there were many factors at play. New molars, longer daylight hours, a challenging developmental stage, transition to a new classroom at school, and do not underestimate the power of an iron will hell-bent on manipulating parents....) We instituted a sticker program to motivate Jadyn to stay in her own bed ALL NIGHT LONG. Everyone in the house loves when THIS happens in the morning!
We were lucky to have a gorgeous day for our outing to the Seattle Aquarium with a couple of friends. We even rode the bus, which was super fun!
Jadyn has been spending time now and then sorting and organizing her things. Here the flowers are placed in neat rows before they get restacked on the spindles.
And, oh, the fascination with videos! Kipper and other kids' music videos on YouTube and the Sesame Street website are some of her favorites. She is scary good at working a mouse and clicking her way through a website. She has even mastered closing pop-up ads that occasionally appear in kids' videos on YouTube. An idle computer isn't idle long with this one around!
It has taken a couple of years, but Cosmo finally understands that Jadyn can be a gentle and loving source of affection, and they do have cuddle time together pretty much every day. She is very good with him, and he seems to flinch only when she squeals with sheer excitement about being close to him. She particular likes petting him with her feet. (You can see that Cosmo likes it, too.)
There are a few weeks of summer left, and we'll keep the camera handy.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
'Summer' Marches On
A cooler and grayer summer marches on in Seattle. While the rest of the country sweats through heat wave after humid heat wave, we regularly have to decide whether to don shorts or jeans. A big change from Jadyn's first summer in Seattle, which was hot hot hot and seemingly wall-to-wall sunshine! Does this faze Jadyn? Absolutely not. In fact, when riding in the car with the sun shining across her face, she frequently whines that it's too bright and then requests her sunglasses. A true Seattle-ite!
Just a few recent pictures posted below. Here you can see that she set up a "table" near her kitchen. "Mommy, this is my restaurant!"
She loves her frog umbrella from Grandma Jeanne. However, it is stored on top of the refrigerator, because she tends to gesture grandly with it and nearly injures herself and others. One of these days, we'll use it to walk in the rain (there is enough of that around this summer, unfortunately).
Our friend Pita brought some gifts back from a trip to Canada for our Jadyn. She loves the cupcake hat, and she refused to remove the Banff t-shirt; she slept in it that night, and the following day cried when she was told she couldn't wear it to school after she slept in it. Oh, what terribly irrational and unfair parents she has!
Jadyn is quite a helper around the house. She enjoys cleaning the appliances and scrubbing the sink after doing dishes. (Now, if we could just get her to do her own laundry!)
Her interest in babies has waxed and waned over time; she is currently in a waxing phase with babies. Here she is tucking a couple in for bed while she is gearing up for bed herself. (Thanks, Cassandra, for the super cute sundress. She loves it!)
Jadyn and mosquito bites are a sad combination. Here you see what happens when she gets bit, unfortunately, this time, on her eyelid while she slept. She endured this pretty well for as uncomfortable as she looks here.
And out of nowhere, the Skuut is totally "in", and Jadyn now chooses it over a tricycle when venturing out in the neighborhood. It took just a couple of outings going "around the block" (more like 3-5 blocks) and she began to lift her feet and coast. She seems to have has a knack for wheeled transport -- we love seeing her enjoy her Skuut!
Jadyn has been recognizing letters that begin her friends' names at school, and through various made-up verses of B-I-N-G-O that we sing around the house, she is learning how to spell her own name, Cosmo (our cat), and various friends and pets around the neighborhood. She will be moving up to the oldest toddler classroom at her school starting next week, and she is ready for new challenges and experiences there. Stay tuned for more adventures!
Just a few recent pictures posted below. Here you can see that she set up a "table" near her kitchen. "Mommy, this is my restaurant!"
She loves her frog umbrella from Grandma Jeanne. However, it is stored on top of the refrigerator, because she tends to gesture grandly with it and nearly injures herself and others. One of these days, we'll use it to walk in the rain (there is enough of that around this summer, unfortunately).
Our friend Pita brought some gifts back from a trip to Canada for our Jadyn. She loves the cupcake hat, and she refused to remove the Banff t-shirt; she slept in it that night, and the following day cried when she was told she couldn't wear it to school after she slept in it. Oh, what terribly irrational and unfair parents she has!
Jadyn is quite a helper around the house. She enjoys cleaning the appliances and scrubbing the sink after doing dishes. (Now, if we could just get her to do her own laundry!)
Her interest in babies has waxed and waned over time; she is currently in a waxing phase with babies. Here she is tucking a couple in for bed while she is gearing up for bed herself. (Thanks, Cassandra, for the super cute sundress. She loves it!)
Jadyn and mosquito bites are a sad combination. Here you see what happens when she gets bit, unfortunately, this time, on her eyelid while she slept. She endured this pretty well for as uncomfortable as she looks here.
And out of nowhere, the Skuut is totally "in", and Jadyn now chooses it over a tricycle when venturing out in the neighborhood. It took just a couple of outings going "around the block" (more like 3-5 blocks) and she began to lift her feet and coast. She seems to have has a knack for wheeled transport -- we love seeing her enjoy her Skuut!
Jadyn has been recognizing letters that begin her friends' names at school, and through various made-up verses of B-I-N-G-O that we sing around the house, she is learning how to spell her own name, Cosmo (our cat), and various friends and pets around the neighborhood. She will be moving up to the oldest toddler classroom at her school starting next week, and she is ready for new challenges and experiences there. Stay tuned for more adventures!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
S'mores and Fireworks
So, we're a little behind in posting....
The Fremont Solstice Parade was a few weeks ago. Jadyn really enjoyed it. She saw some of it from the shoulders of our friends, Doug and David. She also tasted an elephant ear (didn't go over super big).
Jadyn and Daddy had non-Mommy time when she went to a conference in late-June. Upon Mom's return, we documented Jadyn wearing stickers
sporting little pigtails
and organizing the beer bottles to be recycled.
Turns out Jadyn LOVES s'mores. She tried them with neighbors a few weeks ago...
And then talked about them for days before our 4th of July BBQ with the neighbors.
We actually had perfect weather for the 4th -- upper 70's and sunny. Jadyn also obsessed about the fireworks, so we got her ready for bed, and walked about 10 blocks for a better view. She rallied to watch them, but fell asleep against Mommy on the way home.
We hope you all had a fun-filled 4th, too!
The Fremont Solstice Parade was a few weeks ago. Jadyn really enjoyed it. She saw some of it from the shoulders of our friends, Doug and David. She also tasted an elephant ear (didn't go over super big).
Jadyn and Daddy had non-Mommy time when she went to a conference in late-June. Upon Mom's return, we documented Jadyn wearing stickers
sporting little pigtails
and organizing the beer bottles to be recycled.
Turns out Jadyn LOVES s'mores. She tried them with neighbors a few weeks ago...
And then talked about them for days before our 4th of July BBQ with the neighbors.
We actually had perfect weather for the 4th -- upper 70's and sunny. Jadyn also obsessed about the fireworks, so we got her ready for bed, and walked about 10 blocks for a better view. She rallied to watch them, but fell asleep against Mommy on the way home.
We hope you all had a fun-filled 4th, too!
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