*last one

We spent the latter half of the week at my brother's.  I will say it again that I LOVE watching Vera have fun with all our family - especially the cousins.  It was so nice to have her disappear with them, off playing who knows what.  They were so patient and fun with her - really the best kids ever.  I loved seeing Vera greet Uncle George too when he'd come home from work, tell him about her new (hand-me-down) umbrella or whatnot. And of course she loved Gegi - I don't know anyone that doesn't :)  The highlight was taking the girls to the bus stop in the morning and picking them up again in the afternoon - soooo 'citing!

cute cousins 

Only picture of Tyler!  He's 13 now - for those of you who remember me visiting them in college - I can't wrap my head around it.  Jamesen is 9 and Marie almost 6!!

Johnny and Nikki Anderson's oldest boy Brock on the left, Marie on the right.  I thought I got a picture of Vera and their middle boy, Cody - she dressed way up in this Hanna Montana/cheerleader/princess outfit and got him to put on gloves and a coat.  She kept dancing in front of him - trying to get him to dance with her Cinderella-style.

The last day she wore her backpack too :)

And here's a video of her trying to jump rope - a great example of her cousins' patience with her 2 year old ways :)

*parte 2

We got to see the Freises - so glad it worked out as they are moving to Chicago this week.  Eva and Vera clashed a bit at first [Vera's used to her mostly-passive friend Stella :)], but were fine by the end of a walk and even better when we hung out the next day.  I can imagine what kind of fun they'd have if we lived close and could play every day.  We will miss you next time we're in Seattle!!  

Seriously, isn't this the cutest picture?

We got to see Erin and itty bitty adorable Eliana too!

We also got to see the Franklins and finally meet Ella and Quinn!!  Their family blog was the second one that I became addicted to checking [the first being the Delgado's :)] and it was so neat to finally see the girls in person!  Vera and Ella seemed to get along really well - sweetly taking turns here with some glitter glue.  

*el viaje - parte 1

Home from our big annual trip up to the Seattle area!  We first stayed a few days with my cousin and her family.  Vera behaved fairly well, though she seemed to forget her manners a lot which surprised me - she's usually good with pleases/thank-yous with people she doesn't know well.  There was also one epic-like fit on our way to the children's museum that left me a little ragged - sorry cousins :/  It's really hard to manage those situations when you're with other people and not at home!  

Anyway it's been so fun to see Vera and Pierce change and grow with each visit!  Vera took a day or so to warm up, but they were soon playing together like old friends, running around in circles, falling down, laughing, etc.  It was fun to see her relate to little Paige too (15 mos) - as she doesn't have experience with real little ones.  I loved getting to just sit and spend time with my cousin while the kiddies played amongst themselves :)   

Cute little buddies:

It rained a lot:

Purple sand at the Olympia children's museum.  I thought this museum was so amazing and filled with such creative, fun things!!  Salt Lake's might be fancier, but this was so much more fun:

Trying to make Paige play "set the table and eat with me":

Teaching Pierce the bad habit of throwing cushions and jumping on furniture:

Cutie pie Paige trying her best to join the aerobics class:

The foam pit at Pierce's gymnastics class.  I can't imagine anything more fun:

Of course there was only one picture taken of the grownups:

*un recuerdo

Jamesen, Marie, Vera and I were at the register paying for our books [The Poky Little Puppy and The Elegance of the Hedgehog which I highly recommend!].  Vera is usually pretty obedient about these things, but moments after telling her not to touch the precariously tall display, I heard a big CRASH.  A large bucket perched on top of the stand, filled with dried beans holding up lolly-pops had fallen 4 feet and spilled loudly all across the floor as we stood stunned and embarrassed.  Anyway, this charmingly weird fuzzy $18 gnome piggy bank was on the bottom of the display and, well, you break it you buy it.  

*familia

I've been laying (lying?) in bed for over an hour [it's 5 now]and finally just decided to get up and post some pictures.  We've had a great time with my mom here all last week and my dad this weekend!  We love to see Vera spend time with her family, developing those precious memories and relationships :)

Red Butte Gardens:

Sewing together.  Vera: a cardboard pig; my mom: Vera's baptism slip [embroidering the  name/date] that I've been avoiding for 2.5 years.

Grandma Sheila giving Bun a new face:

puzzles with Papa Sam - should have got it on video:

Happy Birthday Ben!!  Love you soooo much :)

 

 

off to Seattle for the next week!!!! 

*in the backyard today

apple blossoms:

little picnic:

getting gorda:

  [I'm embarrassed to have gained so much at just 15 weeks - you probably won't see another picture until 3 months after baby is born]

*abuela

My mom is arriving this afternoon!  I saved all the cleaning for this morning, which made it for a busy one - whew.  Thankfully I had a helper who mopped about 3 sq.ft. of the kitchen and put away 2 pairs of shoes.

*afuera!

Oh my goodness, it is so beautiful outside!!  We've been spending a lot of time digging around the garden, looking for worms and rolley polleys (sp?), making the backyard look nice, etc.  Everything finally looks + feels like Spring - it's glorious!

*la vecina

Tia and Vera's thing is painting nails.  Today Vera walked in their house, went straight to get her special pink chair and then pointed out that she had old polish on.  They have a cute little routine between the two of them, that I'm not even all that familiar with: Vera retrieving the supplies and shaking the bottles up good, choosing her colors.  I'm always surprised when she asks at home where our cotton balls and remover is [I have probably worn polish less than 10 times in my life]. Anyway, today Tia let Vera paint her thumbs.  It was real cute - Vera was concentrating so hard and kept telling Tia to be still and don't move!

*

Our double stroller [tho' I am thankful to have it, friend who lent it!] is like 15 years old and a real pain - I literally get a full body workout pushing them.  I've had some pregnancy issues and a full body workout isn't recommended.  The bike was a nice smooth easy ride - and they were so cute side by side in it, chatting away on our ride to the library.

*update

1 crown in the last 4 days.  It's really so hard to be firm at 3am!  I bring her to bed before I even know what I'm doing. ayayay

*princesas y coronas

We've long been in the habit of letting Vera sleep with us if she wakes in the middle of the night.  Since she's been in her toddler bed, she often wakes up to go to the bathroom and 50% of the time we can take her back to her room, sing a couple songs and she'll go back to sleep.  But often she calls out again after 15 minutes - the other parent goes in and repeats the songs etc. and leaves.  Then if she calls out again we just give in and let her sleep with us.  As much as I love seeing her sweet face sleeping next to me, I really want her to be able to fall back asleep on her own in her own bed.  So I made a little sticker chart where she gets to put a crown on a princess every morning she wakes up in her own bed.  I don't know if it was coincidence, but we never even had the chance to talk about it in the middle of the night - she's slept all the way through without even going to the bathroom for 7 nights!  This next one I'll draw the princesses smaller so I can fit more on the page :)

*

Wanted to write this down while it's fresh in my memory.  I keep trying to get Vera to pray on her own, and tonight we got close as she had Bunny pray out loud.  Ben and I listened quietly - it was such a sweet little prayer, especially the first bit:

Dear Jesus, thank you for loving us, thank you for going to church and Vera go to Someday School, thank you for my Mom read stories to me, thank you my Mom make my backpack, thank you for my animal shirt and my shoes and my 'frigerator.  [Then Bunny says to me]  I have a pink 'frigerator! and a pink sink! with butterflies on it!  Vera, what do we say when we're done praying?  Amen.

*feliz!

Happy Birthday Sam and Amelia!!!!  

We had such a fun time at the perfect toddler party yesterday - trains, new playdough, rocking in the boat, delicious cupcakes and then a real train ride.  Great company for the adults too :)

on the train: Vera how happy are you? can you show me the biggest smile ever??

{{and HAPpy BIRthDAY! to Jack too :) }}

*flores

a week late, but thank you Ben!!

...tulips are in the top 5 things that make me happiest...

other top things include but aren't limited to baby bunnies,

latin dancing, el español, triple cream cheeses and Lake Tahoe

*tortillas frescas

A week or two ago I realized we didn't have the tortillas we needed for dinner.  I really hate going to the store lately - and especially for just one thing.  So... I decided to make them!  I knew it was supposed to be really easy and I am trying, like I've said before, to get past my procrastinating and laziness and just do things.  I found a real easy recipe here on epicurious and it took no time at all.  Then this last week I doubled the recipe and kept the dough in the fridge, every day rolling out a couple for lunch.  They were so yummy!  It's frustrating how every commercial tortilla has so many preservatives and non-identifiable ingredients [except for Whole Foods' not-so-cheap-and-not-that-tasty ones], so I will be really happy if I can make this a habit.  Only thing is I should probably add in some whole wheat flour ... and have enough discipline to not eat 3 quesadillas in one sitting.

Bun [that's what I call her, Mom, Bun] is a real good helper too.

Mom, you want me to poke holes in yours?  no thanks, sweetie.

*la Pascua

We had a great day yesterday despite waking up to snow.  It stayed pretty cold all day, so I stuck inside after church and the quick afternoon egg hunt in the backyard.  We did the first hunt inside.  Next year I will plan better and eat breakfast before she opens 20 treat-filled eggs.

Indoor egg hunt.  She would be really bad in a race - she sat down to slowly open and eat her treat after each find.  I used Annie's bunny snacks which were hopefully a little healthier than jelly beans?  Plus one large chocolate bunny that was eaten in about 30 seconds.

have you ever had panqueques con dulce de leche???

yummyyy

she had fun spreading it on the crepe but then would only eat it off the knife

more sugar.... 

family photo - only real shot of her Easter outfit I got.  She looked so sweet!!

and dinner: Jamie Oliver's Asparagus Lemon Mint Risotto.  I added a lot less lemon than the recipe said and it was sooooo good!!!  Also I love my fancy china and silver :)