Holiday blast off

Christmas this year is a whole new experience for us. Anya knows that Santa says ho ho ho and wants to touch every pretty decoration and light in our house. Last year she was an adorable barely mobile little baby and now we have a laughing, crying, speaking, running, "in to everything" toddler. I have to admit- the toddler phase is so far my favorite. I know the terrible twos are coming but right now she is amazing. Everyday she picks up more vocabulary and she actually understands almost everything we say to her, whether she decides to do as we ask is another matter entirely.

We have been gifted an amazing computer advent calendar and Anya is bonkers for it. Every morning she wakes up signing she wants to watch her calendar. Everyday we get to open a new animated village scene and it is a Jacquie Lawson creation so it's filled with beautiful music and wonderful dog and teddy bear characters. It is just as fun for us as for her- I highly recommend it to anyone that has children. I plan to buy it for all my friends next year.

Backing up a bit- Thanksgiving. We spent the four day weekend up at Hood Canal cabin with my parents and brother and sister in law. It was a wonderful holiday- very relaxed. Natalie put Anya's hair in pig tails for the first time and she has her hair "put up" everyday now because they are so stinkin' cute on her. She also came away from the weekend saying everyones name- Nana (my mom), Ba ba (my dad), Cott (Scott), and Nat (Natalie)- and her favorite "person" of all T (Tess- my brother's dog that allows Anya to lay on her and bug as much as she wants).

Prior to Thanksgiving we had an unusually early snow storm in the Seattle area. It was snowy for several days and very cold. We were able to get a couple great pictures of Anya in the snow wearing her boots and coat that were a few sizes too big for her.

We visited Santa yesterday and it went incredibly well. I wasn't sure if Anya would be frightened of the big man in the red suit but she was enamored with him. In fact they asked her to sit on his lap for a couple minutes while the line caught up and she was happy as a clam snuggling up to Santa. What a great experience! My dad swears we will have "Beelzebub" the next time we decide to add a family member, but I'm convinced Anya's easy going temperament is all just a reflection on our fantastic parenting (ha ha- who am I kidding!)

We plan to go to the botanical gardens to look at the lights as well as hit snowflake lane and see how she handles the intense music and larger then life dancing soldiers, bears, and princesses. Christmas Eve is going to be quiet and we are having Christmas morning for the first time ever in our house to open gifts.

Hula babies- part deux

Anya has endured quite a change this past month. We recently returned from sunny, warm Hawaii and just had a major snow storm with frigid temperatures back home. In Hawaii we played outside all day, rain or shine. Back at home it is a bit more of a process to get outside then once we are out she gets cold so fast in the 20 degree temperatures we end up back inside within a matter of minutes.

The Hawaii trip was interesting to say the least. I traveled with Anya solo- no Myles. That was a challenge but I feel that we both we handled it fairly well. Luckily we shared the plane ride (and an extra seat) with Jinny and Lucy our Hawaiian companions.

The weather was really rainy the first 3-4 days. I mean we are talking no sunscreen, sunglasses or even a thought of a bathing suit. We took the girls out on the beach and to the park despite the torrential downpours. Being wet in Hawaii is almost a gift since the humidity is high and the temperatures are mild.

Lucy is 1 month older than Anya so the girls had a blast together. The funniest part (which I'm sure you can see in the pictures) is the difference in size. Lucy is off the charts in height where Anya is off the chart as well (just at the other end of the chart!). We lovingly referred to them as 'Mutt and Jeff" but the size difference was never an issue- thankfully Lucy is a gentle soul and didn't pound on Anya!

Once we got some sunny days the girls spent a lot of time in the yard playing in the "splash pad" and at the foot bath water faucet. The ocean was gorgeous and calmed down enough for us to swim the girls several times.

Daddy missed his little girl terribly. We were able to Skype so that helped but I know he was so happy to have us home.

Elephants on Parade

Halloween is a wonderful holiday full of spooks and goblins, but this year Anya (well me really) decided she wanted to be an elephant. What an adorable costume I thought as I purchased it never really thinking through the process of my 16 month old willful toddler wearing a full elephant head piece.

Yeah- she didn't like the ears or the trunk. Even after weeks of encouragement- "look, mommy's wearing the ears, ooooh, daddy is an elephant.... hey look Boone even likes it...."

Nope, the second those ears came near her head it was no and run away. So we have very few pictures of our little darling elephant, but the ones we have are precious of course.

The best of all was our PEPS Halloween party. You might recall last year I posted a video of all of our babies in costume crying... (see below)

Well this year we have the same group a year later and much more defiant screaming and lurching off the couch..... (see below)

We are wonderful parents to torture our kids this way.

Myles and I got in the Halloween spirit this year and dressed up with our Aussie friends (Harry's parents) and went to my dad's band party. We had a blast- (we are smurfs if you can't tell)

Tropical Storm North Carolina

Well- we survived.

Flying with a 16 month old is a challenge. We flew with Anya when she was 6 months, and again at a year. Both times were OK- not horrible, not great. This time it was a different story. At 16 months she is VERY active and also does not sleep well out of her crib. So needless to say flying to NC was an adventure. On the way over we had a 5 hour flight and then a connection with an additional 2 hour flight. She eventually fell asleep for the last 30 minutes of our second flight. THAT WAS IT. The rest of the time she whined, moaned, wiggled, screamed, cried and maybe smiled twice.

FUN!!!!

What's in NC you might ask- well the Outer Banks and our extended family. My Dad's sister and husband (aunt and uncle). their two boys (cousins) with their wives and kids. In total our group was made up of 12 adults and 3 kids- Morgan (4), Mia (13 mo), and Anya (15 mo).

The house we rented was AMAZING! It had 4 floors, an elevator, 9 bedrooms, a media room, game room, pool and hot-tub. The Atlantic ocean is very warm, however we were unable to spend much time swimming. Thunderstorms were scheduled for the week so we weren't anticipating the best weather, but a tropical storm ended up blowing through which really confined us to the house. Anya and I swam in the heated pool in the pouring rain one day but the poor little thing got cold from the wind and rain. We played on the beach between rain squalls and visited the aquarium.

We tried to make the best of the weather and thankfully the kids had each other to entertain. Mia and Anya had a great time playing with each other's toys and books. Morgan loved "the babies" as he referred to the girls but was a little disappointed they weren't older..

The flight home was a little better than the flight out. Our game plan was to entertain her more and try not to force her to sleep even though she gets really tired. We used Baby Einstein to keep her distracted for some of the flight. Scott and Natalie flew all legs with us so they witnessed our successes and failures. Conveniently Mom and Dad (gramma and grampa) weren't on a single flight with us..... suspicious yes?

Walks, talks, and eats

Anya is thriving. She talks incessantly, walks proficiently, and eats like a horse, but according to the height/weight charts the doctors use she isn't even on it for her weight category. We had her 15 month check up today and she was hilarious in the doctors office. Hamming it up and entertaining both the doctor and the nurse. So much so, the doctor informed me that she was unusual for most kids her age (in a good way). Her lack of fear of strangers could pose a problem in large crowds but generally she is willing to go to just about anyone and lay a fat juicy kiss on them with very little prompting. Poor Harry, her partner in crime that spends so much time with her, is generally the recipient of Anya's affection. In true boy style, he will often push her off, or shove her away when she becomes too amorous for his liking. This escape maneuver doesn't phase her, she just catches him when he least expects it next time.

So her stats at the doctor today were 18 lbs 2 oz (below 0%- if there is such a thing), 29 inches tall (10%), and 18 inches (50%) for her head circumference. She is a sprite as our pediatrician phrased it.

This age is so much fun. She loves to make others laugh- and at her is perfectly acceptable. She sleeps well, eats well, and is generally a joy to be around. Of course, like any toddler she has her moments, but 90% of the time she is actually pleasant company.

BOOKS!!! She loves to read (look at books) and be read too. She will sit on your lap for as long as you are willing to sit there and read to her, never getting bored as long as you switch up the reading material. In fact the other day, I caught her sitting crossed legged on the floor thumbing through a Reader's Digest- it was a classic moment.

TALKS!!!!! OMG- the girl NEVER shuts up. In the car it is like a babbling brook in the seat behind me. She loves her hand me down cell phone and has long conversations with whomever she imagines might be on the other line (usually if you ask her it is Dada). The doctor asked me how many words she said and I couldn't tell him because there are so many.... here are a few-
Mama, Dada, Oma, quack quack, all done, banana, avocado, cracker, car, ball, book.......etc. She is beginning to say Tess (Scott and Natalie's dog) and even said Tess when I pointed to a picture of my brother. So, sorry Scott, but for now you will be referred to as your dog's name not your own.

In two weeks we head back east to North Carolina for a beach vacation on the Outer Banks with our Aunt (Dad's sister), Uncle, cousins, and second cousins. There will be 12 adults and three kids in an 8 bedroom beach house with a pool, media room, hot tub, game room, etc. Sure to be an awesome time and we are all looking forward to it. We just have to make it through the plane ride........

Canada or bust

Armed with her crisp passport, Anya and I took the ferry from Anacortes to Sidney, B.C. We met my parents on their boat and stayed aboard for a week. After nearly a month and half of no baby time, my parents were thrilled to cuddle up with Anya and spoil her rotten.

Myles met up with us for a long weekend and it was a blast. I was a bit nervous about the sleeping arrangements since her pack and play would not fit on the boat. We made a "nest" for her on the side of the bed in the aft cabin and she took to it immediately. Unfortunately we had to oust the grandparents from their master suite to the lowely forward cabin, but both claimed they enjoyed their bunks up there too. Anya did take some afternoon naps on both her grandpa and grandma as seen in the pictures. I'm sure they hated every minute of it.... yeah right!

Bath time on the boat was interesting. Anya took showers with us, as well as a bath in the sink. Her favorite was her bucket in the shower though- she never wanted to get out of it.
The weather was beautiful- a bit cold, but that seems to be the norm for this summer anyway. We spent most the time in ports on dock but did spend two nights at Tumbo and Cabbage island crabbing, fishing, hiking, and playing on the beach. Anya didn't fall over board, nor did she tumble down either set of stairs from the main salon to the kitchen or bedroom so I think the trip was a success. She roamed around in circles wobbling with the boat rocking and crashing from time to time. I actually think her walking skills improved after having the extra balance challenge of being aboard the boat for a while.

She napped well, ate well, and slept well at night. We had a few early mornings once she realized she could stand up and peer over the bed at me trying to sleep in until at least 6am. This was my vacation for god's sake- doesn't she understand that? Ha ha.


This is most definitely a fun age. I am trying to enjoy her as much as possible. She is saying new words everyday, starting to run a little and generally getting much more stable on her two legs, and she loves to laugh and be silly. It is so fun to play with her and be ridiculous. Myles is getting in on the crazy stuff too- we end up laughing at each other most the time which of course elicits a cackle from Anya. We haven't hit the "naughty" stage yet; she will definitely test her boundaries and look for reactions, but generally she is pretty good.
I love this picture of her trying to push Myles's sled with a big weight on it. You go girl!

Pictures

Anya is walking but progress has slowed due to illness. YES- she is sick AGAIN! We are a week into battling a fever which turned to croup, which is now a sinus infection... lord help us. Anya has been nice enough to share this most recent illness with her parents. Both Myles and I are ill so our house looks like a Kleenex factory blew up and the drug store might want to think about re-stocking their shelves. Aside from being miserably tired and sick we are all hanging in there.

We were able to go out on the boat several times in the past few weeks which was nice. A week ago we invited the Youngs out for a evening sail. Being the crazy people we are we had two 14 month olds on board. It went reasonably well considering Harry had skipped his afternoon nap and unbeknownst to us Anya was coming down with a fever. We had planned to BBQ on board but the propane was out so instead with hiked the food home, put the kids to bed and ate outside in the backyard chatting until nearly 10. Being adults and having conversations is much easier when the little ones are sleeping peacefully.

Grandma and Grandpa are out on their boat so I have been relying on Belinda (Harry's mom), family, and friends to help watch Anya while I teach. Oma is coming up this week to stay a few nights and help with Anya- Momma needs a little break so I'm very much looking forward to it. She is easy when she is well but sick Anya and sick Mama make a miserable cranky pair. Just ask Myles! :)

We also spent a beautiful sunny Saturday down in Gig Harbor at Oma and Opa's house. Anya played all day with cousin Chloe and they both got very dirty but had a blast. I have added a video of Anya on the beach and she decided to taste a fist full of mud while I am taping- couldn't have planned it better.



Boone is really starting to love Anya. She feeds him snacks all the time and he is tolerating her "loves" (hugging him- or generally laying on him).

Terror on the loose

Something wonderful happened but now our lives as we know are over. She started walking, well really I should say running. As soon as she figured out how to do it she kept at it running around the yard. We had to block her from falling into the bushes, the deck, the cement sport court, and the sharp rose trunks. It was exhilarating to see her start walking but our smiles quickly turned to concerned scowls as we realized how dangerous she had become. Flailing herself any which way with crazy abandon isn't the best way to walk but apparently it is how she plans to learn. I now fully understand why parents gate stairways. While crawling she will stop herself and turn around to go down the stairs. However when she walks she would run right of the top landing without a second thought. I'm sure over time she will gain more control but right now it is just hilarious and frightening to watch her.


She got her feet measured at Stride Right yesterday and wears a measly 3. They don't even make kids walking shoes until size 4, so she is wearing "prewalkers" but whatever, I'm sure they work the same. She has also gotten a mouth full of teeth. She had three top teeth all come through in one week.


Her favorite thing to do is play outside. She has her splash pad and water table for the days when it is hot enough to get wet. She enjoys walking around the yard smelling the flowers and occasionally ripping the blooms off the plants. She digs in the dirt and throws it over her shoulders. I never realized how many airplanes fly over our house but Anya is an eagle eye at hearing and then spying all the planes overhead. She is really ticklish and her laugh is contagious. Of course I laugh at just about anything so I'm not a tough critic in the laugh department.


Her sign language is really coming along. She signs for milk, drink, bath, eat, please, thank you, and more. If you ask her to blow a kiss, she will put her hand to her mouth and make a clicking noise that resembles the sound adults make when you blow a kiss. She understands almost anything you say to her and uses a few words but we still aren't sure what she is saying all the time. She also gives "loves". She will hug and love stuffed animals and people without provocation. It is very sweet when she hugs and pats the stuffed animals and just adorable when she crawls over to me and decides I need a hug too. Those are some of the moments that make being a mom amazing.

Eating is important to our little imp. She LOVES to eat and she eats a ton of food. While shopping at Nordstrom yesterday she ate an entire banana within 2 minutes. This was one of many snacks in between her large meals. She must have her father's metabolism because I really don't know where all the food goes.She and Harry know each other now and really like to "parallel play". It is fun to see the two of them together; Harry steals anything Anya has- a toy, her water, a rock- doesn't matter, if she has it he wants it. Fortunately Anya easily parts with the objects and Harry is only amused by his new find until Anya picks something else up.