Toddlerhood

Well, she's officially a Toddler this week -- at least according to our day care center, where she was "promoted" from the infant room to the toddler room.

It's true. She's much more toddler than baby anymore.

She said the word "peach" for the first time today. Her vocabulary is coming so fast now, it's hard to keep track of the new words.

And, today we did our first "dry run" when she walked into the bathroom and squealed "PEE-PEE!" Well, at least she's thinking about it. :-)

Good Dog

While I’ve always read that boxers are good dogs with children, I am often surprised at our dog’s patience with Princess Pea. In their 15 months together, he has been subjected to a lot, and only once has he expressed any displeasure at her (and at that moment she was sitting on his head – I think I would have been a bit upset, too.)

Here’s a snapshot taken a few days ago that demonstrates just how understanding a dog can be when it comes to the little people.

Princess Pea had pulled up the blanket he was laying on (I guess to tuck him in) and then decided that he needed a napkin on his head, too.

Wild Thing

Hello, all. I thought I would try to post a video here. This is a clip of Princess Pea dancing to the song "Wild Thing." She received this toy for Valentines' Day from her Nana, and it is a big favorite. Please forgive Mom's singing on the audio!

The Relocator, Part 2...

...or, "Flushing Money Down the Toilet"

We have a very nice woman who comes to the house and helps with all manner of household things and babysitting. She has been a lifesaver in this past year when I have been making the transition to mommyhood.

Well, yesterday, she greeted me upon my return to the house with a smile on her face and a chuckle. Princess Pea was napping when I left the house, and Nanny had decided that she would clean the guest bathroom to kill some time.

Imagine her surprise when she found a $5 bill floating in the toilet bowl. She (being the resourceful and quick-thinking domestic diva that I am not) threw it in the washing machine with a load of clothes. Good as new!

Retirement for Scottie

I always get a little choked up when I put on one of my girlie's "Sunday Outfits" and realize that it's probably the last time she will wear it. I know that it's crazy to think that she'll stay in it forever, but in my heart I'm wishing that I could keep her just the way she is today for just a while longer.

So, this week we bid farewell to the cutest little red jumper with the black scottie dogs on it. Little girs are so much fun!

Wild Kingdom

After a tough morning of eating, playing, and being toted about in the backpack, Princess Pea is working on a 3.5 hour nap. I’ll have to get her up here shortly, or bedtime will be in jeopardy!

I snapped this photo this week when Princess Pea and I were playing together. We were given these masks at a Seoul restaurant on a recent visit. I was the lion and she was the zebra. This gives the game of “Getcha!” a new dimension as I chase her down the hall.

The favorite pastime with the mask is simply to put it on and take it off in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom – over and over again. It’s funny that if she gets a hold of anything new, she has to take it to the bedroom so that she can admire it in the mirror. Princess Pea is enamored of her own reflection!

Spacebar Found!

Woo Hoo!

I just discovered the space bar. It was under the couch cushions with a baby-food spoon!

The Relocator

Princess Pea has a new nickname at our house: "The Relocator" (People who know us know that dad has a talent for nickname propagation. The dog, for example, has been give a long list of aliases: Stinky, Mr. Stinky, Stinky McGee, Commander PooPoo...)

It started one week ago today when I was at the store picking up a few groceries. I reached into my purse to pay for my items at the express lane and was shocked to find the TV Remote! (This elicited wild laughter from the cashier.)

Since then, Princess Pea has been moving items to places all over the house. I think that she gets this from her Dad, who also "puts things away" in places that I would never choose myself. This week's "relocations" also included:

* My wallet into the Lego (Quatros) Bin
* My cell phone into a cubby in the coffee table
* My keys onto the DVD shelf
* Dad's comb under the couch
* Legos (Quatros) EVERYWHERE
* And, the "Double Hide:" Princess Pea's hairbrush in one of my shoes, in the entry closet.

The most recent relocation has been the spacebar off of my laptop (removed during a video call with Princess Pea's Grandparents). I have been trying to find it for days, and finally needed to just post anyway.

Needless to say, many things have been placed up much higher (and hopefully out of reach) this week.

Christmas Bounty

Princess Pea got sooooo many toys for Christmas! It also has something to do with her birthday being one week before Christmas, too. But her Nana and Papa sent 7 boxes of stuff. Of course, some of that was for Mom and Dad, too.

We put about half of what she received for her birthday and Christmas into a box and hid it in her closet. It will be Christmas again in March and again in July!

Here's Princess Pea playing with her very own cordless phone. Unfortunately, the debut of this phone hasn't diminished her affinity for the real thing!

The toy in the background that looks like part of the set of the movie "Moonraker" is another favorite. (It's also one of Dad's favorites). It has a bunch of buttons which play music and sing when pressed, or spun, or scooted. The tunes are all very jazzy - which explains why it is one of Dad's favorites. Mom appreciates the departure from the typical child music, too. I don't know how many toys we have that will sing the alphabet song, or "The Wheels on the Bus."

Princess Pea's Reading List - January 2006

Princess Pea is at a point where she's not sure if she still needs a morning nap. So, in the past several weeks, we have instituted "Milk Time" in the morning -- a time when she is placed in the crib with some warm milk and 2-3 of her favorite books. About two days a week, "Milk Time" turns into nap time. The remaining days she reads her books until she is tired of being by herself, and then starts calling to me to come get her.

Generally, I'll read a book to her to get her started with "Milk Time," and today's book was How do I Love You? This book is a short poem with vividly-colored pictures to accompany the lyric:

"How do I love you? Let me count the ways
I love you on the very best (picture of boy bringing breakfast in bed)
and very worst of days...(picture of boy coloring on the wall)"

This has become a favorite book, but truth be told, Princess Pea loves any kind of reading material -- books, magazines, newspapers, catalogs -- anything that has pages that can be turned by little fingers. She's a little tough on pages yet. She's shredded countless newspapers and magazines, but has yet to destroy any of our adult books.

Another recent favorite is Snowmen at Night. This book has a lot of appeal for me, too, particularly for the artwork. The artist's use of color for depicting the night scenes is beautiful. Plus, they made the art fun for kids, hiding images in the pictures (a bunny in the snow, a T. Rex in the clouds). There's also a snowman who has a pickle for a nose instead of a carrot. When Princess Pea gets a little older, we can make a game out of finding him among his carrot-nosed buddies on each page.

It's not exactly the New York Times Best Seller List, but it is what's popular here at our home!

p.s. In case you're wondering - today, we took a nap. Looks like I'll have time to take that shower after all!

Hello Everyone!

Mom's gotten so confident about the blogosphere that she's decided to launch a website dedicated to me alone!

This will be the place that she'll post updates and photos about what's going on in my oh-so-busy life.

Please check back with us soon for more good stuff -- all about Me!