*

We had a really nice, slow day - going to the library in the morning and then an afternoon of contented playing inside and out. She was especially loving - lots of heartfelt, unprompted I love you Mamas and hugs [tho' when I asked why she colored on her table, she said "because I love you Mama" - hm, doesn't work]. After her picnic here on the hottest spot of the driveway - in her fleece - she finally consented to join me in the shade. She sat quietly with Bunny and Monkey on her lap listening to birds and the breeze in the trees while I read my book. One of those days I realize over and over that I am in love with this child.

*mi niña

Sometimes I worry Vera seems so "secular" and consumer-minded - as in she loves princesses, all-pink clothes, the Pottery Barn kids catalogue, the first thing she tells you is "I got a new __scooter, sunglasses, etc.__!" and she's always telling me we should "buy/get one of those." I know it's just her personality though, and most of it is probably my self-consciousness about not her not being a 100% little nature child with artistic tastes [not that I'd want her all that way! maybe just a little bit more. she does hold worms now, right? and she loves to read.].
Anyway, I'll see her doing something along these lines and think wow, this is so not-Soulemama. I often mentally categorize snapshots of our day into yes or no-Soulemama moments. Like digging in the garden - yes. Looking for baby animals burrows on a hike - yes. Disney princesses - no. Hello Kitty paraphernalia - no. Terrible of me, I know! Kind of funny though - Ben joins in sometimes too.

Here is one [there was a similar shot I had but she was wearing a hot pink Hello Kitty tutu - how S-Mama is that??] from the other day. She was playing with her [awful, hand-me-downed] My Little Ponies, singing a funny made-up tune something along the lines of: "I need make-up, make-up, make-up on my faaaace! I need make-up on my boooo-dy, on my boooottom.. lalalala" Oh my, this is my little girl :)



*if you're unfamiliar with SouleMama, she's like the quintessential natural living, forest galavanting, un-schooling, cloth-diapering hippie Mama. I hope I don't get people googling her critics, ending up here...

*Wewa and Desta

Today was Stella's last day with us!! Even if I was up to watching her again in the Fall, it looks like they are moving far far away. Sad! Can't believe it's been two years watching these 2 little friends/sisters grow up. We'll really miss having you a part of our days, Stella!

her first day - September '08:

last day - May '10:

*disney

I always swore I wouldn't let my daughter wear Disney princess clothes, or have them decorating really anything in our house. I'm not against Disney at all - I love all those movies and can't wait to share watching them with her [most are too scary for her still] - I just don't like characters on anything and would rather have things plain [how do I express why I don't like it?]. So how Vera became so obsessed is beyond me. It all started with a mere toddler plate set that she uses when we go to my brother, Tom's. She didn't even know what a princess was, and within a very short time could point them out on a backpack or a greeting card a mile away. She's only even seen Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast just once, but knows all their names. So far I have successfully avoided any princess labeled clothing, but she does have a watering can, an umbrella, toothpaste and a scooter all feeding the obsession. The other day I saw this suitcase at a consignment shop and bought it for her. I can't believe I did it!!! I justified it in that it was paid for with credit I already had, she'll be able to use it on our summer trips, and well because it made her SO.HAPPY. What's next, Anne?

She's been pretending to go off to the airport and Lake Tahoe or California ever since.

*flores

I don't remember these flowers growing up in Nevada, but they are abundant here in Springtime. I love how big and dramatic and cute they are!

*unas cositas

Some things about Vera at about 2 months short of 3 years old!

::She gets real self-conscious around older boys . She'll stick out her tongue and make awkward baby noises if they make any acknowledgement of her. It's pretty funny.

::She is starting some what I imagine to be 3 year old attitude - lots of contrariness, a bit of defiance and lots of stomping [I was a stomper]. An example from a ride in the car yesterday:

me: I wonder when the Farmer's Market starts? I think pretty soon.

vera: It's NOT soon! no, it's NOT SOON.

me: Ok, we're done with everything, let's go home now.

vera: I do NOT WANT to go home!

me: oh wait, we have to go to the store and then we'll go home.

vera: I want to go home NOW. RIGHT NOW!

me: Vera, you're just being contrary.

vera: No I'm NOT. I'm NOT!

::She's real conscious about pronunciation and likes to point out, "Now I can say ______. When I am a baby I say _______." Like now she says building and not bounding. I also want to remember how expressive her tone and voice is and always has been. I wish I could capture our conversations on video!! I often try to recreate them, but it's never the same.

::She talks and sings to herself a lot [she needs this sibling!]. In the car she'll make her hands or feet talk to each other - bicker with each other actually: No my turn! No my turn! Well you're in time out! :)

::Her favorite things to do are ride her scooter and trike, look for worms and roly polies, jump on the couch and make forts with the cushions, play doctor, pretend to go to school, do puzzles, help me cook, dress up and play with Bunny. She pretty much ignores the nice, expensive Corolle baby doll I bought for her 2nd birthday - Bunny is it.

added later... other things I want to record for baby book if I ever make one:

*completely potty-trained as of a couple months ago! nighttime too - no accidents yet.

*can draw people and balloons and the letter V. tries her best to color in the lines and does a pretty good job

*sleeping in her own bed all night most of the time. with us maybe once a week or less.

*gets real embarrassed when you bring attention to things she does

*can put on all her own clothes - even buckle her sandals and zip up most of her sweatshirts and get into her footie pjs.

*still no 2 year molars

*learned how to use speed dial on my phone and calls Daddy and Grandmas a lot

*coloreando

I'm going to color something for your friend, Sarah.  This is a real big ball, and that's a little one.  I like to color balls, them are real cool.  I like to color pink ones because I looooooooove pink!  Are you happy?  Yes I'm very happy.  'Cause you can't look in my bag. [I wouldn't let her go through my purse earlier] Ok let's send this to Sarah. No, It's for Jenny.  You said it's for Sarah [sorry, Sarah]. I will tell her what them are. Them are balls, not skunks or bugs.

Look at this sweet little ponytail and sweet little round cheeks - my little cutie:

*¡otra nenita!

It's a girl!!

  

The ultrasound [this is the second I've got to see b/c of problems at 12 weeks] is such a fascinating experience.  She was so cute, wiggling around the whole time, putting her little hands behind her head and crossing her little ankles.  I didn't believe the technician and had her check the parts a second time.  

Hope little sister has the same tastes as big sister:

*

We bought this little scooter at our neighbor's garage sale Saturday and she is soooo excited about it!  The outfit she chose here seemed real middle-schooler to me - baggy shirt, flip-flops and a cute belt, riding her little scooter.  Sigh... she's such a kid now, I can't get over it.

*una siesta

Vera took a nap in her bed today - the first time since December 25!!  I hardly knew what to do with myself.  I'm glad she got the rest, but to be honest I've kind of liked that she doesn't nap anymore.  I can count on at least an hour quiet time from her every day and she doesn't get up from it weepy and sensitive and needing to recover.  She can have the quiet time whenever, so I don't have to rush home to get her down at any certain hour and it's nice to know she's good and tired when bedtime rolls around [lately she sleeps 8:00pm-7:30am].  I would highly recommend to anyone that you continue to enforce a quiet time - it really recharges her for the rest of the day and I need/love that bit of time to myself.  I pile a bunch of books on her bed, give some milk and have her little potty in her room.  I set the timer and she knows to "wait for the ding" and gets stern scolding if she doesn't.  I hear her sometimes run fast across the room for something and then run back - I think she's scared to even get off her bed before the ding :)

A bit grumpy and needy afterwards.  Chocolate graham crackers, strawberries and a bit of Thomas the train and she was back to herself.  

*juguetes viejos

I think I'm an especially nostalgic person [maybe we all are?] and love to be reminded of my childhood - which I think was a pretty good one.  The other day I searched vintage toys [as in '80s] and had so much fun remembering how much I loved certain ones. I went back just now to buy the record player and it's gone!  Here's a few that I remember having [or maybe I remember wishing I had it?] ... anyone else?

I got this barn sans the animals for Vera at an antique store. Remember how it moos when you open the door?  She isn't as enthralled as I'd hoped :)

*playdough man

Vera and Ben made this little guy today and she named him Guido :)  

*flores

Vera picked me this bunch of dandelions today and said "I'm so proud from you, Mama."

*amigos

3 little birdies sitting and chirping on a nest they drew with chalk:

and then some tumbling in the yard:

*dia de la madre

We had a lovely day yesterday!  I have a hard time sleeping late, so I got up early and snuggled on the couch watching cartoons with Vera - a perfect start to my day kissing her sweet, messy little head every minute or so.  Then I went back to bed and slept an hour or two while Ben cleaned the kitchen - not bad :)

It was a beautiful, warm day so we headed up to Park City and went for a nice walk.  We've always thought this big white barn was so beautiful and it was great to see it up close.  Vera was such a good girl that we went out for ice cream afterwards.  I got a kiddie size [biggest showing of self-control ever] because I was excited to get home for dinner!  Ever since having lunch with Julie and Erin on Queen Anne, I've had crepes with ham and gruyere on the mind.  I'd bought some fancy ingredients at Caputos on Saturday and made just what I wanted for dinner.  We ate it too fast to get a picture.  

A perfectly normal, lovely day as a family!  I really love being a mom and hope to grow this next year as I think about the kind of mothers Ben and I had: joyful, selfless, creative, energy-filled [or at least pretended to be], motivated, capable in so many house-wiferly ways and utterly committed to God and prayer.

*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.