Weekend Wrap-Up

This weekend was blissfully not busy.

We basked in the ability to stay at home.  To play.  To watch movies.

At least on Friday night, when we had a Care Bears and popcorn party.

"Stop bugging me, Mommy, I'm trying to watch Care Bears!"

Then came Saturday morning.  We'll call it Crabby morning.  Or Toe-Nail-Clipping-Battle morning.  Or Drama Queen morning.  It was slightly rough on everyone involved.

So we went to get coffee (for me) and a muffin (for the drama queen) and shopped at Target.  Then I solicited some help carrying in the groceries.

"Look Mommy!  I help!"

After a 3 hour nap (THANK GOODNESS) we headed to Southdale to ride on the choo-choo.

Holding tight to her choo choo ticket

This morning was MUCH better.  We played with all of the animals.

So many friends!

And then we had brunch.

It's Daddy!

And another three hour nap (THANK GOODNESS).  Then we went to visit Auntie Cat at her new house.

Housewarming gift...toys for Callie

Playing Cat's 'tar

Finally, we headed to the evening church service where Callie proceeded to talk really loudly during all the quiet parts, including things like "Church Done!"  And "Boom!  Flute!"

This two-year-old stuff is kind of crazy.  Her ability to understand what we say and communicate her needs is awesome.  She is so smart and learning new things every day.  I love it. 

And yet, her ability (desire?) to actually listen to what we say and follow directions at times is...less than awesome.  So we're working on it. 

Melt My Heart

It has been a rough transition going back to work.  For me because I have to get used to spending full days away again.  For Cal because we're back to the wake-up-early-rushed-crazy-frantic morning routine.  This morning she threw gigantic fits about wanting to eat her cereola and then NOT wanting to eat her cereola.  And then wanting to eat it.  And then not wanting to eat it.  In and out of the high chair.  Lots of screaming.

So much drama...that apparently she saves for her Mama, because (thankfully) she is lovely and adorable with Gma, Gpa and Boom. :)

But despite the 2-year-old behavior, I've missed her these past few days.  Like crazy.

So while Chris is out tonight, I decided to stay in and do a "movie night" with my little toddler.

And just now- mid movie and totally unsolicited- she leaned over, hugged me, and said "Love you Mommy."

As you can imagine, my heart just melted.

I'm glad it is the weekend.

Bye Bye Winter Break

Sigh.

Two lovely weeks are coming to an end.  It has been fabulous, as you probably guessed from previous blog posts. 

So to wrap it up, here is what we've been up to the past few days:

Cuddling with Alison and Sydney

Pre-Haircut

Post-Haircut

Hanging out with Ciri and Gianni

Dinner with Bops

So I go back to work tomorrow and I'm going to miss my little Punkin Head like crazy.  It is going to be a bummer to have to wake up to an alarm clock instead of toddler noises.   

Happy New Year!!

We rang in the new year with a some playing

some playing it cool an then some hugging

some dancing


some great friends

and some staying up really late.

And then a certain toddler woke up this morning, late for her but VERY early for us, excited to ring in the new year.

Thanks, Daddy, for getting up with her early and napping on the couch later.

Bring on 2012!!!

2011 Favorites

Last year I wrapped up the year like this.

That was fun, but I wanted to do something different for 2011.  This year has been a year of our little one turning from a baby into a full-blown toddler.  So to show that transformation, I decided to wrap up the year with (what else?) pictures.

My initial plan was to pick out one picture from each month that was either a favorite actual picture, or a favorite moment in time.  As I was going, of course, I couldn't just pick one.  So I picked two.

Here we go...24 of my 2011 favorites:

January

  

February

March

April

    

May

 June

                                           July

August

September

 

October

November

December

HAPPY  NEW YEAR!

Thanks for being such loyal blog readers.  We hope everyone has a wonderful start to 2012!

Winter Break Happenings

Besides the birthday and Christmas activities, we've managed to do some other fun things over break.

Hanging out in the new play nook...a lot!

Playing with Daddy and Brent

Playing cards with Great-Grandma

Going to the zoo with Kylie and Calvin

Waiting for the bird show

Always on the run

Underwater Adventures with Grandma and Grandpa!

Look at those sharks!

Fun with Grandma

While Gma, Gpa and Cal were at Underwater Adventures, Cathleen and I took a sewing lesson!

Playing with Sydney

Doctor's Check-up

Callie had her 2-year doctor's check-up this morning.  She did great...even impressing the doctor by saying "I want my Elmo book" right at the same time the doctor was asking us about how many words she knows.  Words schmords!  She's talking in sentences!

Here are her stats:
Weight: 26 pounds 10 ounces (49.71%ile)
Height: 2 pounds 10 inches (55.19%ile)
Head Circumference: 19.88 inches (holding steady at 98.59%ile)

She had to get a finger prick so they could do a lead test, and she didn't even flinch.  Didn't even make a peep.  She was a champ.

But we were told that the passy has to go..sometime in the near future.  Sigh.  I love the passy.  It is something still baby-ish about my increasingly independent toddler.

But more than I love the passy, I hate the thought of going through the actual process of getting RID of the passy.  Fun times to come I'm sure...