Some updates on our favorite girl

She looks happy with her sneakers in this picture, but if you saw us in front of the toy store in Wellesley Center last Thursday, you would have not recognized her from the hysterical screaming two year old kicking at her feet trying to get them off.  “I DON’T WANNA WEAR DEM!!!  I DON’T WANNA WEAR DEM!!!”  And you would have felt sorry for me.

If you say Hip! Hip!, Clara responds with, “Pooray!!”

She started using the word “actually” as in, “This pancake is actually hot.” “This swing is actually light blue.”  (It was actually Royal Blue, I’m just sayin’.)

She points finger to ear and whispers, “I hear something!  . . . Whatever could it be??”

Playing on the computer at the Wellesley Library, she turned to Vicky and said, “You gotta be quiet, Vicky.  I’m workin’.  I’m on a call.”  When asked where she works, she replied, “Yahoo.”

Her latest obsession is Cherry Chapstick.  She puts it on about twenty times a day.  And she still pines for Little Bear.

She says, “I have a great idea!” and “I have a big idea!”  But then doesn’t share what that idea is. . .

She can sing You Are My Sunshine, ABCs, the welcome song to Family Music Makers, and a few others without missing any of the lyrics.  (Has been doing this for a couple months, but I haven’t updated her in a couple months).

We joined the Audubon Society a few months ago, and her favorite place to visit is Drumlin Farm.  “Let’s go to Drumlin Farms and see the rooster poop!”

She LOOOOOVES Indian Food, shovels it in like nothing else.  That makes her sound like she’ll eat anything, but lately she won’t even eat spaghetti with red sauce.  Olive oil and parm is as much as we can do right now.

At her two year old appt, she weighed in at a whopping 22 lbs (4th %ile) and 33 inches (20th %ile) and her head was 60th %ile.

Thanks for tuning in, until next time!

xoxox

Reading with my Girl

Stu is really good at playing toys, especially trains, with Clara.  They also like to play hide and seek, running the loop from the kitchen, through the dining room, living room and foyer, back into the kitchen.  My specialty with Clara (besides getting her to eat) is reading stories.  We like to hang in the living room in front of the tree and read book after book.  Her favorites at the moment include: Green Eggs and Ham, Fancy Nancy, and Madeline.  It’s fun now that her attention span allows for more than just board books–although she still loves those too.

In Fancy Nancy, she CRACKS up at the part that goes, “I trip! I slip! The tray does a double flip!”  I re-read it a bunch of times, and it gets her every time!

Clara and I took these pictures with my new iPhone–not bad for not very good lighting. Her cheeks are deliciously huge in the last one!

Terrible Twos

Clara has exhibited recently typical behavior of a two year old.  Even though she’s only “almost two”, the Terrible Twos are in full force.  Some examples:

Sudden hatred of having to put on her coat, especially if we’re leaving somewhere fun, like the Air and Space Museum in Dulles, VA.  The not wanting to leave somewhere fun part I get.  It’s the crying, while SIMULTANEOUSLY laughing that kills me.  How does she do it, readers? How?

She doesn’t like to eat anything  except sabagee (spaghetti) and mac n cheese.  Since I only makes these things a couple time a week, she only eats a big meal a couple times a week.  From what I read, this is totally normal, so I am not alarmed.  I’m not making her special meals.   (Don’t worry, Jesse, she’s not starving.  She still eats a good breakfast, and lots of stupid snacks).

Two days in a row she decided she didn’t want to see me when I came home from work.  “No! Go to Dada,” she said.

Last night she smacked Sissy in the face. Not hard, but still.

Last night she put a sticker in her mouth, came into the kitchen to find Sissy, and looked up at her, with just the teeny corner of the sticker peeking out of her mouth.  Wendy laughed so hard she snorted, and had to turn her head away.   I put a dish towel over my head so she wouldn’t see me laughing.

She does the back arch screaming thing when you try and put her in her stroller.  Then she’ll stop on a dime to sweetly ask, Paci?

Other cute funny things:

Stu put a dum dum lollipop in his pocket when we were traveling to DC for T-day.  She happened to see.  Now as soon as he picks her up, she immediately digs for the lollipop, which isn’t even there anymore.

She loves Mary Poppins, and can sing along with Spoonful of Sugar.

She was looking through a Hannah Anderson catalog yesterday and said, Abigal and Eyi (Ellie)!  There were two little girls that really did look (and dress) like them!  How funny!

September

September has been busy (too busy) with work, and with family vacation. I traveled every single week in September, except for this one!  Chicago (love), Dallas (eh), Outer Banks, NC (gorgeous) and NJ for Cousin Rob’s wedding to Andrea (v. fun).  Here are some cute pics I have on my phone of Clara taken this past month:

Commuting with Lucy Lekites:

These two pictures were taken at music class –my darling friend Marissa and her daughter Jane (age 1) go too, so between Marissa and Vicky, I got two pics from today’s class!  Please note Clara’s pony tail–Vicky loves doing her hair, the other day we came home and she had one on the top, and two in the back. 

I don’t even know what to say about this one:

Clara also has been attending Open Gym, which she LOVES.  When we get home from work she just repeats Opengym! Opengym! She also goes to Story Hour, and is hopefully starting to make some friends in the neighborhood. 

This Saturday we are taking Clara apple picking, which she is excited about.  I’ve been reading a hand me down book from the Sherwood Family called, “We All Fall For Apples” and she seems to understand that’s what we’re going to be doing.  She is definitely excited about the hayride and the BIG tractor we’re going to see.  I am excited about the cider donuts, but that’s another post.

Temper, Temper

Someone is only 18 months but is already embracing her Terrible Twos.  This video is a classic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFXgcf7yAT4

Home with the Beaner

This week Clara’s nanny is in St. Lucia–I have had the pleasure of spending the week with her!  We’ve had lots of fun, “Soooo much!” as Clara says.  She’s really growing up–saying lots of words, and now saying two words together.  “Bye bye Dada!”  “Morning Mama!” “Hiiii, Sissy!”  “Bye Choo choo!”  She’s also working on her action words: “Goes!!” or “Comes!” when she sees the green line coming over the bridge from Cambridge.  “Do it!” when she wants something done. etc etc.

Last weekend while Stu did a Sprint Triathalon, Clara, Aunt Nancy (visiting from Boca) and I headed down to Pwovidence, to hit up “Swimkonk” (Seekonk Swim Club).  Swimkonk is phenomenal–super casual, really nice pool, great snack bar/grill.  Ab and Ellie simply LOVE Clara and are totally cute with her.  Ab did a good job (mostly) resisting picking her up.  The highlights were definitely of the girls singing/performing their Wheeler Camp Songs.  I’ll upload to YouTube and let y’all know when it’s up!

Jr. Babysitter Abigail, age 8:

The Chaffees hosted Aunt Nancy Wed-Sun of last week, we had a BALL with her, especially Clara.

Clara LOVES pretending to be on the phone and wearing my sunglasses.  “Cool” she says.  And when she’s on the phone she says “Ummm. . . Sooo.” and makes this hilarious noise with her tongue that I don’t really know how to type.

I finally tied her paci to a string and attached it to her seat belt.  She gets her paci in her crib and car seat only.  She’s like a crack addict with it.  She calls it her “paci” or her “fier” and ONCE for Aunt Nahn-sthsee she called it a PACIFIER.

“Ummm, tht.  Sooo . . . “

Also this week we got a surprise visit from my mom’s twin brother, Uncle Bob.   Stu, Coco and I had a few beers before he had to take off for a fancy schmancy dinner at Abe & Louie’s.  He is one foot taller than my mom and is handsomer than he looks in this picture!  Also he is hilarious and fun, and wish we could have hung out much longer. Inside joke for Unlce Bob: Remember when you slipped the waitress a $50?  That was funny.

Till next time, loyal readers,

Dana

And we’re back

Sorry folks, it’s been a while.  But hey, I never made any promises about weekly posts, or even monthly.  Sowhatwhokeyz!  Work has been SUPER busy, and in a good way, but when work is busy, everything else suffers for it.  Hey, I’m just a working mom trying to make it in this world.

Here are some pictures of Bossy Boots herself.  If you haven’t seen her lately, she talks.  A LOT.  And will say anything you say, so watch out.

Two weekends ago we went to see the Landis Family in CT–we took a few shots on the way down using my new iPhone app, Hipstomatic.  Cool, huh?

Sissy and Clara Bear:

She’s a girl on the go:

Ugh–she’s such a squirmer these days!

You should  have seen the ridiculous dance Sissy had to do to elicit this reaction:

Family Shot:

Party Dress

Yellow dress from Grammie.  And she has a barrette in her hair.

Summer begins

Ice cream sandwich, pool all day, and no diaper.  Life is very good.

Hummus

Hummus face.