What Will She Be?

Like any mom I often wonder what my daughter will be when she grows up.  A doctor?  A vet?  Maybe a crazy mad scientist?  Well what about a good 'ol handyman...er..woman?

Well, this stool looks level!

Let me check it from this position...just to be safe.

 Gotta put my tools up...keep 'em working well.

Oh wait, forgot about this cabinet.

Looks level to me, Mom.  Go ahead and put my thousands of books riiiight here.

But wait....maybe I want to be a doctor.  Yeah I know Mom, this is actually part of your screwdriver, but it looks just like that ear-light-magnifying glass-thingy at the doctor's office!!!

Does my ear look good?  Huh?? Can you tell?

Wait, what about now?  Can you see?

I realize that E could just be randomly sticking that thing in her ear, but I'm kinda doubting it.  Her right ear is the last one to have an infection and she flipped her lid for the first time when the doctor stuck that otoscope  in there.  After she calmed down, she was all up in it, trying to steal it from the doctor who then tried to look in her throat...big mistake.  Kids do the darnedest things.

Just Hangin

At least someone is using it...

 And I mean, really...what else does a gal need in life??

Other than some soft TP and jewelry cleaner??

Disclaimer:  No I do not let my daughter play with harmful, smelly chemicals...most of the time.  But she is allowed to get in the cabinets in the bathroom and remove god knows what from the depths of the darkness that I call my bathroom storage.  And I made sure it was screwed on tight.  However, she is starting to figure out how to UNscrew things.  Hmmm...may have to rethink this.

Bunnies

 We love our bunnies around here.  Ella will ask to wear her bunnies when she wakes up ("Bunnees, Bunnees, BUNNEES!!!).  Especially on a cool, rainy day when we are tempted to stay in our pjs and watch TV all day.  Which we kinda did.

A Makeup Post

 

Our little girl is talking like a 2 year old.  Really, intruly.  At her parent-teacher conference, I was told her language skills are at an 18-24  month level.  It's so cute and a bit scary.  Up, down, please and thank you, Cheerio, outside, light, Murphy, Grandma, airplane, bird, What's That?, bye-bye, Molli, Maggie, Tia, Sassy, Poppy, hi, fishie, August and Mia (kids in her class), eat, more, bee, shoe, sock, stop (complete with a dramatic signing of STOP), bottle, eye, mouth, toes, feet, me (while pointing at herself), water, juice, simple sentances like "Hi Daddy",   But all these are said clearly with comprehension.  She doesn't just repeat, she says "please, fishie" to get Goldfish as she points to her mouth and then says eat.  When you ask her where her toes are, she points at her feet.

She can walk up and down stairs without a hand, got into a scuffle at school over a ball, loves to be read to, can turn on an iphone/ipad (as in push the button then slide with her finger), gives kisses and hugs on her own, blows kisses, will go get things like her shoes and take them to whomever you tell her to, picks up my purse and heads to the door while waving and saying bye bye, tells people and cars bye bye when they go away, likes to talk on the phone (she actually goes off by herself and "talks" on the phone).  

Along with all this independence comes some stubborness. We see lots of pouting when you tell her no, especially when it comes from Daddy.  And she doesn't really get tantrum-y unless both Mommy and Daddy are present.  It appears that she has already learned to play us against each other.  Shaun kept saying how I spoil her but I told him that she really only acts out when he's here!

There has been so much that has happened over the last month, but just not enough time.  So more to slowly come!

I Have a Toddler

Not a newborn. Not an infant. Not even a baby anymore. I have a toddler. A running, talking, screaming, laughing toddler. That's a word I haven't gotten used to saying.

I have a toddler who is officially bilingual. She points and says "Cow" when the longhorns pass by or just out to the pasture where she knows they live. But she also calls them "Vaca", Spanish for cow.

I have a toddler who said "Octopuh" last night in the tub. She has a bathtime book with pictures of sea creatures that she will point to then look at me and wait for me to tell her what exactly it is she is looking at. She loves that darn octopus and I about fell off my stool when she repeated it after me.

I have a toddler that has overcome the flu. It nearly caused us both to run headfirst into a tree, moving vehicle or very large, angry, hungry ape...your choice.

I have a toddler that talks on the phone to herself and her Dada and Sassy, brushes her hair (and Mommy's), puts your sunglasses on your face and puts the headband she just yanked off your head back where it belongs.

I have a toddler who is obsessed with herself. When she sees herself in a mirror... "Ella!" When she sees a picture of herself on the computer screensaver... "Ella!" When she steals your phone and sees her picture on it... "Ella!" When you say her name with that menacing-sohelpmechild-before-I-come-over-there-and-smackyourbottom tone...."Ella!"

I have a toddler than throws a small tantrum every.single.day.

I have a toddler that wears sparkly Converse Chuck Taylors.

I have a 13 month old toddler that is the silliest, adorable-est, most difficult, trying, kissing, hugging light of my life.

Gruuuunnntt

Ugh...bending over to pick up rocks is such hard work people

Austin Children's Museum

I have long awaited the day when I could take my child to the coolest kid's place on the face of the planet. As a nanny in high school I took my preschool age kiddos to the Austin Children's Museum and I think I had more fun than they did! Since E is so adventurous I knew she would have a blast too. They have a section meant perfectly for crawlers and early walkers, so no big kids flying around knocking wee ones on their bums.

Going up the slide...because what else are you supposed to do on a slide? I mean really people, c'mon.

Playing with the chickens and listening to all the farm animal sounds. She would press the button, an animal would sound and she would turn around and look at me with a smile and a look of amazement in her eyes. I wish I had gotten a picture but I had to put the camera down and enjoy that little moment.

She soon got bored with the baby stuff and out we headed to be among big boys running at break-neck speeds and big girls screaming and throwing feathers and blocks.

Playing with blocks

This was the part I remember most from my first visit. They have a play cafe and grocery store. Soooo wish they had this when I was a kid.

Have you ever tried a pretzel and a pickle? No? Well you are missing out buddy!

We love our fruits and veggies! (Noooot.)

"From the Dairy Farm to You: The Story of Buttercup"

Awwww.....Buttercup

Her favorite part of the museum...the fishies

The cutest toddler was showing Ella how to work this toy

But the best part was banging the golf balls together

The best part of this whole day was when Ella was approached by another little girl. They each had one golf ball in hand. The story went like this:

Other girl tries to grab E's ball

Other girl's mommy tells other girl No Ma'am!

Other little girl starts crying

Ella stands there looking bewildered

Other girl starts screaming

Ella looks at other girl and starts screaming too

Two mommies start laughing hysterically at our crying girls

Hands down one of the funniest things that I've seen since becoming a mommy