This is one of my new favorite places to hang out and play. I also found it necessary for this to be my poopin' spot today. Fun times (Mommy was grossed out). Perhaps you can also notice in the picture that she finally cut my bangs. I was very good the whole time, and wasn't squirmy at all. However, she still can't manage to cut a straight line. It's not too bad (better than the last time), but it will probably need a touch up at some point. In the meantime, at least I can see!

Cooking

While Mommy was cooking away yesterday, she let me wear my apron and "help". By "helping", I mean she put some flour and water in a mixing bowl for me and gave me a spoon to stir it with. I was okay with that, but I really wanted to put all the good stuff in it (but since she didn't have enough to begin with, I didn't get to this time). So when I asked for more ingredients, she gave me a dash of salt. Mmm. I stirred for awhile...then I went and got bunny and brought it into the kitchen. I tried feeding bunny my mixture. It was very cute. Then I tried my mixture. NOT CUTE AT ALL. I was trying to scrape my tongue and get the taste out (remember the goat cheese paka and grammy - it was like that). Mommy kept getting me to try to drink something, but I was too disturbed by the HORRIBLE taste in my mouth to drink anything. Finally, it passed. Alas, there are no pictures, but trust me, we had a great "bonding" time.

Fact

My head is only 3 inches smaller in circumference than Mommy's... who reigns supreme as the biggest head in the house - 1/2 inch ahead of Daddy.

Picture

Friday I found it unneccessary to nap. Finally, I fell asleep on the couch. A too-short while later, I woke up. Medea then decided to nap on me.

Old-School

I'm going to try going old-school for awhile. We've been running short on inserts vs. shells with the cloth diapers, and as Mommy looks ahead to a new baby and cloth diapering it, and the options, etc... we're giving the old-school a try for awhile. Mainly as an insert for my existing shells, but we did pick up diaper pins and vinyl pants with the cloth diapers tonight at babies r' us. And for $1 a piece, we hope it works. No promises though. Mommy was also excited to see that they have the training pants that are essentially the old school cloth diapers in panty form. Daddy convinced her to hold off on that. Again... we'll see how this goes.

Potty Training

You know, there are days with this whole potty training thing that Mommy wishes we didn't have a two-story house, or rather, that we had a bathroom on the first floor. I ask to go to the potty ALL THE TIME. That's great. Mommy wants to encourage it. But seriously, she's a wimp! Oh well.

In potty related news, Daddy took me to the potty last night and I "made him proud". :) Go me. Mommy was glad that Daddy got to experience the "joy" of the moment, but wishes I was slightly more productive on my million trips to the potty with her :)

*the thought occurs to me that someday I'm going to grow up and read this, and be EXTREMELY HORRIFIED!!!

Today

I'm in a much better mood today. It's a good thing.

In other news, Mommy pulled out a new toy for me. She got it for free sometime ago, and I was too young for it till now. Look how happy I am to play with it!



Last night, I pooped a little more on the potty. Mommy was super excited that this occurred on the regular toilet. Happy days.

To-Do List

On today's to-do list.

1. wake up - quiet play time in crib
a. throw tantrum
2. eat breakfast
a. throw tantrum
3. play upstairs in room
a. throw tantrum
4. cuddle with mommy
a. throw tantrum
5. play downstairs
a. throw tantrum
6. eat lunch
7. nap

Or something close to that. I got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, that's for sure. So far, Mommy's doing pretty well with me. Taking it in stride, not getting stressed out, not selling me to a traveling circus. We'll see how it goes after lunch. Which, may I add, is my favorite - ramen noodles with frozen peas and grapes. I'm mildly placated for the present.

Snow Adventures

The explorer heads into the frozen wasteland. There's nothing to do except lick the snow off the benches. It's a short adventure. Plus the camera crew was feeling a little ucky.

Cold Weather

We're all so happy it's finally cold. But really, Mommy's aim at frugality is reaching new lows - look how bundled up I am indoors!





*don't worry paka and grammy - it's not really that cold. i'm fine. really. (shiver)

Sunday Stories

In potty news, I got a small potty seat that goes on top of the big toilet. I really like it, and mommy likes that I can't get up and down so easy - I was really starting to get into the naked roaming with the other potty. I love sitting on the potty, and ask to do it often. We haven't had another poop miracle (due to circumstances beyond my control), but Mommy's hoping it won't be long.

Today was my first day in the toddler class at church. I rocked it out. Mommy's evaluation is that I'm ready to be in there, but I'm not ready to be alone in there. I'm the youngest kid, and due to my unfettered play at home, I need a little guidance as to how do things at certain times. It is genius, pure genius, that Mrs. Liles gives us our snack during lesson time. I was very quiet during the lesson :)

Today in church, I also learned to play "ring around the rosie" (yes, nothing like a good rhyme about the bubonic plague to get me interested). I LOVED it. especially the falling down part, which I caught onto right away. Tonight, I played with Mommy and Daddy. They weren't so thrilled - 3 people doesn't make a good ring around the rosie circle, particularly when 2 of the people are way taller. They tried other ways, but I wasn't having any of it - they had to be standing and holding hands. Plus, Mommy's tired and uncoordinated. Hmph. But we had a good time. I even started "singing" along, and saying something close to pocket. (which I already knew) Mommy would like to point out my musical genius that I knew when to take pauses in the song, etc...

The other thing I learned today (other than sharing is NOT so much fun, especially with 3 yr old boys) was the song "I'm in the Lord's Army". It's great - you get to march and do hand motions and all sorts of active things. Again, I relished this. Mommy did not. She was very tired by the end of the 1st service... I was revved and ready to go.

Mommy taught me the itsy bitsy spider. It's okay, but I prefer crooning with the ABC's.

On the way home from church, we had to wait for the train. I said "choo choo" very distinctly, and Mommy threw a big party in the car for me. She figures encouragement can't hurt when it comes to learning to communicate.

My last bit of news for now is that I'm finally cutting a tooth - it's been threatening for awhile, but Mommy can actually see it now. Good times... well, not really, but the end result will be good times (that would be the having of the teeth)

Miracle of Miracles!!!!!

To preface my story... I've sat on the potty many times, with nothing ever really happening. A little tinkle once, but not really a full bathroom visit, if you know what I mean.

Tonight, I pointed at my diaper and said poo, so Mommy took me upstairs to change my diaper. I had not pooped however, so she sat me on the potty in my room just for grins. I sat there for about 10 minutes. We sang the ABC's several times. Mommy kept asking if I was all done, and I would say no. At one point, I pointed at my tummy and said poo. So Mommy kept waiting, and we kept singing ABC's.

Suddenly, I stop singing, some physiological things happen which I will spare you, and then BEHOLD - I'M POOPING ON THE POTTY.

If I may, HOLY CRAP.

:)

I still tell Mommy I'm not done, so we sing some more ABC's, and then it happens again - I stop singing, etc... MORE POOPING ON THE POTTY.

Finally I'm all done. Mommy wipes me up (very tidy, this pooping in the potty versus my pants), and puts me in the crib. We say "bye bye poop", and she goes to flush it.

(Mommy would like to interject that despite her efforts to keep a smiley face and encouragment facade during this whole thing, she actually found it VERY gross and gagged a few times. She looks forward to me pooping on a regular toilet.)

Mommy sang me a special song to let me know how great this was. It went "Willow pooped on the potty" and she sang it over and over and over. She must be really excited about this whole thing. To me, it was no big deal.

Dinner

When we have occassion to sit down to dinner together as a family, I've started sitting at the table - no high chair, no booster seat, just me on a big chair. I'm still a little on the short side, but my manners are good. Here I am tonight at dinner. I enjoyed a lovely salad of tomato, cucumber, orange, grape, mozzarella, and goddess dressing (mommy will tell you more about that at her site). Mommy likes that she can feed me these foods, and I'll eat them, and enjoy them.

Words

I'm really getting into this whole trying to talk thing.

Words that have magically come out of my mouth more than once, but not on demand in the last few days... (and I mean actually understandable words)...

football
diaper
purse
elbow
apple
dog
medea

words that I use a lot, but have my own sounds for...

grape = buh
mommy you're bothering me = AAAHHHHH
fish = this
shoe = this
sock = ot
afton = ot
purse = puh (getting close on this one)

There are others in both categories, but these immediately come to mind.

A picture

Here's Mommy and I hanging out playing text twist and taking pictures of ourselves. Mommy looks weird - that's because she's trying to smile and look pleasant. Poor mommy - she doesn't have my natural talent for the camera.



I had a fun play date with Grace yesterday - I even said "gracie" at one point rather clearly.

The countdown begins - in 1 week I get to go to the toddler sunday school class - very exciting!!!

Posing

So here I am with that "purse" I mentioned...







Now that Mommy's feeling better, I'm back in cloth diapers and feelin' good!

Victory

So lately, I've been in the bad habit of chewing things up and spitting them out - normally at snack time, and normally onto the floor. Mommy does NOT appreciate this. So, through great diligence some things have been learned...

1. I was spitting out grapes onto the floor - Mommy initially thought I was doing this to be naughty and to cause her great distress in life, and generally to make her life more difficult. However, she realized it was because the grape skins are sometimes hard for me to chew up after the rest of the grape is gone.

2. I have learned to hand over said grape skins to Mommy or Daddy.

3. We are all happier for it.


In other news, I'm really into carrying my little purse around. It's really a jewelry box shaped like a butterfly (with a handle), but whatever - I'm styling. I like to push baby around in the stroller as if I'm shopping. Fun times. I'm such a girl sometimes.

Fairies

I discovered the fairies in the fairy cage in my bedroom today (I'm finally tall enough to see them). Daddy found them for me, and I admired them for a few minutes uninterrupted.

This picture is from before he found the fairies, but you get the idea.

Holy Crap!

Pardon my french, but I've just turned my first somersault. No one taught me how - it just happened. As a result, I've been rolling around the floor all day trying to do it again. I was a little surprised when it happened, but everyone cheered, so I figure it's a good thing.

My cold's getting better, but my ornery germ is still going strong.

Sweet

I'm really digging Sesame Street now. Good stuff, man.

The Yucks

Here I am feeling pitiful and cuddling with Granny. I'm on the mend now, and as a result, a tad extra ornery... but we'll survive it. Well, I will... I don't know about Mommy. Granny leaves tomorrow and she's all mine - MUAHAHA!!!

A City Adventure

Granny, Mommy, and I went into the city yesterday via public transportation. For the most part, I enjoyed it. What I did NOT enjoy was making all the stops on the trolley and subway, and not getting off myself. As a result, many fits were pitched, and we almost had a remake titled "throw 'baby' from the train". All in all, it was great. We went to Macy's and heard the big organ...and we went to Reading Terminal Market and walked around. We had some VERY delicious Mediterranean food for lunch. Mommy really wants to go back and explore some more as we were in a bit of a time crunch at the time.

Here I am waiting for the trolley. Granny showed me how to put my hands in my pockets to keep them warm. Not pictured - Mommy trying to teach me to spit out my phlegm after coughing. She showed me how to do it, and then I tried, but as you can imagine, all that was accomplished was spitting on myself. Fun.



And here I am on the subway with Mommy. Don't we look "fabulous"?!

New Duds

Here's the new bathrobe Granny crocheted for me. When I wear it with the hood up, I kind of look like a medieval knight... (if medieval knights wore crocheted yarn instead of chainmail...you get the idea)