*Dad-o

Happy Father's Day Ben! You're an amazingly devoted dad and I love how much Vera lights up when you come home, how she loves to play with you and laugh and just be with you. My favorite recent memory is when you arrived later to a neighbor's bbq and she couldn't stop hugging you and exclaiming, my daddy! it's MY dadddy! my daaaaaaaadddy! - looking around all the while to see if everyone else was as ecstatic as she was that you were there.  I love how she calls you her *best boy* and says that, "my prince's name is my Dad."  She sure loves her Dad-o.

*dressing up

"Here comes a prin-cess!!"

A little more recorded conversation as the she was heading out the door, including my current favorites - "what been you doing?" and "I don't know!" :

"Bye darling, I'm going to class and a fancy restaurant!"

*Dr. Grandpop

Ben's dad visited over the weekend and we had a great time as usual. He brought his stethoscope which was really fun. Playing doctor is one of her faavorite things to do and she tells me at least every day that she doesn't feel good and needs to "go at the doctor." I usually just tell her we'll call Dr. Grandpop to see what he thinks.

We also visited the dinosaur museum which was really amazing!! As girly and princessy as she is, she also loves dinosaurs. She was even able to point out a few different species - which we can thank Dinosaur Train on PBS for :)

Modeling a gift from Lola while we watched World Cup:

*little foodie

I regret not having more video of Vera's stages of talking - I've already forgotten what she sounded like a year ago! I recorded this little conversation yesterday. She had the idea to put her babies to bed and then come sit up on the couch to read a magazine. It's definitely long and probably boring to anyone else, but I'm glad I have it. Maybe she'll be a successful food writer someday [aren't our kids supposed to fulfill our dreams?] and we can show her this :)

*check!

I had a burst of productivity in the last few weeks and am excited to keep checking things off the list of things to get done. Getting to publish it to the blog is like checking it off twice :)

First I FINALLY put photos in our wedding album!!! I felt this huge pressure about it because it's a wedding album and should be perfect and a friend had given us this beautiful book, but I wasn't pleased with hardly any of our pictures [have shed more than a few tears over this]. It's not perfect and some of my spacing is off, but it is done and feels so good!

it keeps rotating my picture the wrong way!

I also finished these placemats that were supposed to be a Christmas gift for my parents. It took me forever to go to the store [JoAnn's is like 20 minutes away - way too far], then it took me forever to cut it all out and piece together the sides. Then I ironed it all [oops, wrong order] and discovered they were all like 2 inches different on all sides. So it took me forever to iron all the seams, and sew them together. I finally set a goal of doing just one a day and miraculously all 10 are now finished!

Next on my list to finish before July:

*two frameable birthday gifts [have to be vague]

*some more gifts involving fabric from this most amazingly wonderful store.

*Vera's baby book - bought the blank album finally!

*figure out how to not get further screwed by my crappy insurance and finally call them.

*something else I can't remember....

*fin de semana

...Various moments from the weekend...

At the community pool with Daddy:

In the middle of all the big kids singing at church. I love to just watch her:

A push-up (that's what it's called right?) at the church picnic:

Me in a futile attempt to keep her shirt clean. the neon colors in those popsicles scare me:

This big girl got completely dressed and made her own bed today!

Teaching bunny to color:

playing in the water with her little neighbor friend (8 years old):

a good old-fashioned summer weekend.

now if it would just stay this temperature! no hotter please.

*V for VERA

Vera has long been obsessed with the letter V and finds it all over the place - not just in words, but the intersection of twigs, lines in the pavement: you name it. I found this letter-writing practice the other day on the blackboard - I didn't know she could do it on her own!

*

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.