Snow Days, Part 2: Videos!

Snow Days, Part 1

We have been snowed in! We've been inundated with snow, ice, rain, snow, ice... We've played in the snow, sledded in the snow, fallen in the snow, and cried about the snow. We've been drinking LOTS of coffee (and maybe a couple of glasses of wine here and there), and Eliza has been drinking LOTS of milk. That kid is a milk addict! We've really been enjoying ourselves and this other-world existence. Reality and our work-lives aren't even entering our minds right now and we are loving it!

I know eventually that we will have to get back to the grind, but in the meantime, we are enjoying our time together in this winter wonderland!

 I've even been getting crafty! I've made Eliza two dresses and the third is on the way!

Today we've been hit with an ice storm. Although it is a bit slippery out there, it sure is beautiful!

Eliza has been up since 6 and playing non-stop. She loves getting wrapped up in blankets too!

Christmas, Part 2

Eliza hasn't been feeling too well at night because she has some teeth coming in. It's caused lots of saliva and post-nasal drip, which has been really uncomfortable for her. However, she's plugged along, showing all of us what a little trooper she is. Her spirits have been high and she has played and played and played!

Eliza with her Santa purse
Eliza got some hand-me down boots from her cousin Ruby. She wasn't sure about them at first.

Eliza doesn't quite "get" Christmas yet. She doesn't fully understand the act of unwrapping a gift, but she knows when something is for her! She also loves Santa (fake ones), especially the dancing Santa.

When we got home from Aunt Nat's, Eliza was exhausted. But, she woke up and rallied. Eliza has had a really fun 2nd Christmas!

Eliza granted Mommy and Daddy the best Christmas gift ever: Sleeping in till 8! Wow, sleep is a beautiful thing! We had fun playing in the snow today and wearing our new Christmas clothes!

Montana, Part 1

We had a rather uneventful trip to Montana on Monday. We woke up at our usual time (6 a.m.), ate breakfast, and hit the road. Eliza was expecting to be dropped off at daycare, but was pleasantly surprised when we kept going. Security was fairly easy and we arrived at our gate with an hour and thirty minutes to spare. That whole time was spent running in circles with Eliza, as she entertained fellow airport passengers with her style and verve. Mommy got a nice workout! We boarded the plane, found our seats, and as soon as the engines turned on, Eliza fell asleep and stayed that way for the whole trip. Nice!

I didn't sleep well my first night

She didn't sleep too well that first night, so we were pretty tired on Tuesday. We just spent a lot of time playing with Mommy's old cabbage patch dolls, eating and going for walks.

On Wednesday, we finally got to see Santa! The best part of the South Gate Mall at 11 am? No line! Eliza was definitely bewildered, but she didn't cry. It also snowed, so she got to go on her first sled ride. It was a hit!

Cherub Baby

Yeah, I would say we are having a pretty nice time!

Dinner Date

Last night Eliza met up with her friend, Noah, who is 2. Eliza was really excited and we spent quite a bit of time picking out her clothes. I was sad when I discovered that her strawberry hat had been left at daycare for the next two weeks. Luckily, her friend Megan had given her a very nice knitted owl hat that matches everything. We did a photo shoot (but of course!) before we left for the evening. It was such a nice day and the temp reached 50 degrees!

We met up with Noah and his family at Azteca, a Mexican restaurant. Noah was pretty shy at first, and wouldn't face anyone at the table. Luckily, as the night wore on, Noah warmed up and soon he was laughing hysterically, making silly faces, and telling "the baby to go away." It was quite funny and the two of them were well matched. After a dinner filled with a couple of screams, a faux diaper change (Noah tricked his mommy), and copious amount of food thrown on the floor, we headed down the road in search of lights: The Bellevue Botanical Gardens!

However, when we arrived, we were dismayed to learn that it cost money and the line was enormous. At this point, it was getting way too close to bedtime for the mini-humans. We made the executive decision to hang out in a corner and let the kids run free. A mighty time was had by all.

Next year, we'll hit it up early when it's free. We made it home at around 8:30, just in time for bath, milk, a brushing-of-the-teeth fiasco, and bedtime. Up next? Travel to Montana!

A look back at our week

Eliza started her week off with an early Christmas present: a baby doll and a stroller. She is ALL ABOUT her baby doll right now. She wraps her up in a blanket, flings her over her shoulder, pats her rather furiously on the back, and if she gets angry... tosses her across the room. Poor baby doll.

Eliza has also been feeling the Christmas spirit. She dressed in a holiday "theme" for daycare all week. The people at daycare? They think I'm a little crazy. But I can tell that they secretly enjoy it. 

Unfortunately when Tuesday rolled around, I noticed that Eliza wasn't quite herself. She barely ate any breakfast and wouldn't really play. When I picked her up from daycare that evening, I noticed that she had only eaten half her lunch. She was extremely quiet on the car ride home, which was really disconcerting and sad. She picked at her dinner and just wanted to cuddle on the couch with her blanket and pacifier, which she only uses when she is teething. 

Cutest little girl ever!

She perked up a little as the week went on, but she definitely wasn't herself. I think her teeth were really bugging her. I can't wait until they pop. When I picked her up on Thursday, the daycare people said that it was a good thing I hadn't arrived 10 minutes ago. "Uh-oh," I thought. I noticed she was in her "Pat" outfit again, not a good sign. Apparently she'd had a major blowout, with poop running out her pant legs, on her shoes, everywhere. They gave her a bath in the sink, God bless them. 

Wes and I made the decision not to send her to daycare on Friday... so she spent a day in "Dut" (her new word for him) daycare. This means she stayed in her PJ's all day, had food crusted on her face and in her hair, and apparently took a 45 minute nap with her blanket and pacifier on the carpet. That's right, on the floor. According to Dut, he "didn't want to disturb her." Also, one of the dogs kept sniffing her. You know, to make sure she was okay. Great. Well, mama-mama (my name) came home in the afternoon and saved the day! Ha! No, Dut Daycare is the best, really...

I love Dut Daycare!

Saturday has dawned bright and clear. We spent the morning at the park with the dogs enjoying the Spring-like weather we are having right now. And the agenda tonight? Dinner with friends and a walk through the Bellevue Botanical Gardens Christmas Light Extravaganza!