Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Wordless Wednesday





Saturday, October 23, 2010

Chugga Chugga Chew Chew!

Ever since we stayed in San Clemente last May Amelia has loved trains. There the tracks follow the sand's edge and engines run all day and through the night. It actually gets a little annoying but if you're newly two and just discovering the marvel of rail transportation, it's pretty exciting to see real trains like that.
Ever since that vacation, she'll turn herself inside out to catch a glimpse of a train. And every time she sees one she yells "Look Mama, I see a train over there! CHOO CHOOOOOOO!"

So we decided she needed to ride on a train. Or the closest, most accessible likeness of a train--Light Rail. We took it into another part of town to have lunch.

I could tell she was excited because she wasn't saying a single word and was very serious.




And I couldn't take a great pic because she was in my lap and with a death grip on both my hands. "We're going really, really fast!"


After lunch, we caught the train headed home and by then, she was a pro. She even sat on her own seat.



But still held Daddy's hands.


And her ticket!

Hey Amelia, do you like the train?



It was a fun, cheap adventure and she loved it. "I ride on the train Mama! Let's ride the train AGAIN!"
I think more trains are in her future.







- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Fall-ish Tales

It was just another week in the life of Amelia.

There was preschool . . .

running 

This is what she does as soon as she’s released from the car. I’m pretty sure if they had curb-side service at her preschool, she’d prefer to get passed through the window, throw me the peace sign, and be on her way.

 

DSCN2574 She’s totally got the whole photo-shoot-before-school-routine. I tried to get her with a different background, but she’s all about this tree. And I wanted you to see her shirt, but she’s a tree-hugger like that. “The witch on my shirt matches the witch on my skirt” ((pointing))

On Thursday, I took her to MY school before dropping her off at her school. It was amazing—she walked right up to my work friends and talked like her little cheery self. The last time I took her to work, she hid behind my legs and refused to speak and I had to say things like, “I swear she’s a great talker.” Preschool is doing her wonders already. It’s so great to see her coming out of her shell.

Between our school days, we made a park run.

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And by ‘we’ I meant Amelia, Minnie, and me. We really should just get the Babychild a doll. Minnie is her little pal, with whom she acts like me, and says in her best mama voice, “You can sit right here, Minnie. I’ll buckle you in and we’ll have a lot of fun at the park, okay? Oh, you’re so cute Minnie. I love you.”

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And like all good Californians, we hit the beach for a beautiful fall day on Friday. We went with our friends Megan and Molly and had a pretty great day of firsts. It was the first time Amelia was in the car with another kid, the first road trip as a mom/daughter/friend day, and the first time Molly slept better than another child, I *think.*

That’s right. Even the tough sleepers got nothin on Amelia. She’ll go all day on a loooong road trip, playing her heart out at the beach, and NOT nap on the way home. . . even as it got past her bedtime. She’s gangsta like that. I’ve long said that Amelia doesn’t sleep anywhere but her crib. She’s not the kid who will just pass out when she’s tired. She just doesn’t. And I felt completely validated in this assertion on Friday. For better or worse. At least I know my kid—even when all the rules, books, and others say otherwise. ha

BUT, she did have a 2-hour meltdown on the way home, so there was THAT. I am pretty sure she felt betrayed by Molly’s blissful slumber. She kept glaring at M and saying, ‘Molly WAKE UP!” Once Molly woke up (I’m pretty sure due to Amelia’s screaming), A was just fine.

((shaking head))

Still it was a pretty rad day.

DSCN2578 This is the closest they got to each other at the beach for a picture. I’m pretty sure it’s easier to photograph our dogs together.

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Megan tried too.

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There was lots of sand play.

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The weather was perfect. Could not have asked for better.

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It was super fab to be with another mama and little girl. It felt communal taking care of each others’ kids and refreshing to have another mom around to laugh with and have conversation. It’s a rare mama friend who can share your day and not judge/compare/compete.

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And who will take your kid to the potty.

 

On the way home, I had to smile as I remembered how lucky we are to live right next to the coast.

 

California Gurls.

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And fall in NorCal wouldn’t be complete without a nod to Game Day.

goniners 

She may be a California Girl, but she’s also her Dad’s football buddy.

Amelia’s well-rounded like that.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Back in Action

Amelia missed school again last Thursday. The cold that appeared to linger turned into a whole other illness that made the whole family sick. Holy hell. Preschool is some seriously germ infested shit. The doctor put her on antibiotics for the mystery illness that lingered and/or reappeared and/or disappeared and made room for another—largely because she’d been coughing for three weeks and hadn’t slept through the night for two.

Perhaps it’s this loss of sleep that led to mom and dad falling vulnerable to said illness? Either way, the medicated kid is doing much better than her parents today since we haven’t had the time to take ourselves to the doctor. Isn’t that how it always goes?

In any case, as of last week, Amelia had attended the same number of days as she had been absent from preschool in 3 weeks. Not awesome.

Last Tuesday

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Blurry, partially-sick-probably-shouldn’t-be-in-school-Bug.

She was so upset to miss school on Thursday. I sat her down and said, '’Sweetie, Daddy’s going to come home and stay with you. I don’t think you should go to school today because you’re not feeling very well.” To which she replied, “No. I go to preschool today mama. I’m not sick. I go to school. Sound good to you? Sounds good to me!”

Mmhmm. It was like that.

When she woke up this morning, I asked her where she was going today and she said “PRESCHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!” And then later, ‘Come ON mama! I’m all ready to go to preschool today!”

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Today’s stats: no accidents AND a nap. Yes.

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Doesn’t she look excited? About 1 second after I took this picture, she said, “Let’s go INSIDE mama!” Ok, ok.

When I picked her up today, she just a little happy girl. She has such a happy energy since starting preschool. She looks like a little ragamuffin by the end of the day but she’s as happy as a little bug. She does run up and wrap herself around  my legs, but she does not run out to the car to go home. Instead she gives me a hug and then runs back to the activity at hand or the snack on the table or to her friends. It’s a great feeling to know that she’s happy there. We were forced to move her to preschool when our *^$#! nanny quit unexpectedly, but it’s making her so very happy.

Oh but the illness sucks big time.

Still worth it.

On the way home, Amelia informed me that “When I get home, I’m putting my jammies back on.” To which I said, “But aren’t your clothes super comfy?” “No I put my jammies on at home. Super cozy mama.”

I laughed it off. And then we got home and as she walked in the door, she ran and grabbed the jammies she WOKE UP in and put them on.

And wore them all evening and then to bed tonight.

Awesome.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Sew ready for Halloween!

Somebody has a new, festive skirt! It only took me a couple of afternoons (including the standard array of interruptions) and was pretty fun to put together.

She loves to ‘wiggle wiggle’ in it, which means twirl and hip-shake. And she can tell you what is on every patch.

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Meh. She needs a better top to go with, right?

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See my new skirt?!

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Yeah, she is that long.

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She likey.

And she’ll be able to wear it all month to any/all Halloween functions or just about town (read: preschool). LOVE it! (pink fig pattern)

 

Nooooow, let’s just see if the actual costume comes together as well. eek.