oh yit

Yep - I've joined the ranks of potty-mouths worldwide with my 'yit' ($hit) proclamation at dinner tonight. Mama and daddy will need to watch their mouths from now on, I suppose.

Redmond was fun. I slept, while M&D lived it up out on the town, bike riding, playing tennis, etc. I had a great time with Koka, Tutu, Grandma G, Grandma B, Gary, and all the other random people that Tutu showed me off to around town. And K&T have these fancy doorknobs that beckon passing toddlers to reach up and open, so I was able to open many doors of opportunity on our trip...literally.

But, we've returned to our normal, rainy PDX life. Stuck indoors, papa and I came up with a great new game called vacuum cleaner vs. tractor that's pretty fun. Other than that, I'm just hanging out, waiting for my next haircut and the sun to come out (it is summer, right???)

Toodles,
HS

Sweet Sixteen

I'm 16 months old today! We celebrated with a smoothie lunch and pizza dinner. Then, I sang along during my nightly wind-down dance (the only part I knew was baaaaby...baaaaby). Mama had a loooooong day and has a lot to do before our Redmond trip, so I must go help her. A toddler's help is always appreciated!

nigh-nigh babies everywhere!
HS

Escape to Redmond

Guess what. I've been informed that I get to visit Tutu and Koka on Thursday - whenever that is. As soon as mommy told me that we'll be visiting said Tutu and Koka, I ran to the door and screamed. Uh-huh...next time mommy will probably wait right before we leave to reveal her surprise.

This grand day I got to frolic amongst the grass blades with the Burk girls. Well, two of them at least. Abby had a recital, and Cecelia went to cheer her on. But I did have Lael and Maryanna all to myself (although I ignored them most of the time. Toddlers can be fickle). I also got to hang out with Grandma Debby Burk and Big Grandpa Bill Burk. Big G. B. Burk is the one who announced to Tutu and Koka that I was in mommy's tummy before mommy and daddy got a chance to. He got in big trouble for that one...

It's been pretty here, but a little bit hot and sticky. I'm glad to hear our nice drizzly Portland weather is supposed to return tommorrow. I miss the puddles.

Stay cool,
HS

Monster with pants

Monster with pants
Originally uploaded by melmelmel.

Yes, I am sometimes a monster and I most certainly do wear the pants in this family, but the title of today's blog does not refer to me. It's mama's dedication to our very own resident papa (although my daddy doesn't have pants quite this cool).

We had a pretty fun farter's day today...bbq'd at unka & auntie's house and wrestled with Jett and my new buddy, Luca. Daddy got a very appropriate and much needed daddy gift (new electric shaver) and got to go on a big long fun bike ride up mt. tabor and rocky butt. Aside from getting egged on the way back home from his ride, he had a pretty swell day.

Happy daddy's day, daddy! You are the bestest buddy a little toddler could ever have!!!

xo,
HS

Did you miss me?

Sorry, Blog. I have neglected you (5 whole days without a post!) But I've been the busiest of bee's...oh where do I begin??

Well, my dear Tutu has come and gone (at least I think she's gone - tuu-tuuu? Are you hiding somewhere with kitty??) We had a great visit, and I had her allllll to myself today while M&D went and dug weeds out of someone else's yard and poured concrete in someone else's basement (I question their sanity sometimes).

Tomorrow is papa's day!! So I plan on being extra super sweet to daddy and to give him the greatest gift of...myself!! This apparently is his second papa's day. I think I slept right through the first one, oops! I'll be sure to make up for it by finding him extra treasures on our neighborhood crusades tomorrow!

Hmm, what else? Well, M&D are going nuts over all the new words I'm trying out on them. It seems like every day I come up with something new and it's gush gush gush (they really need to get out more). Mama was especially fond of my new favorite word, 'no-nooo.' But I think after the 300th time, it's beginning to lose its charm (and effectiveness). I'm moving on to 'pees?' (please) which I'm finding gets me pretty much anything in the world that I want.

Ooh, I can't resist one tiny little bit of gossip - we just found out that M&D's good friends, E&J will be having a baby in January! This means that I'll have a new playmate very soon, and that M&D won't be the only ones that have to leave parties by 9pm to get to sleepies on time :-)

HeeHee!
HS

Rock On

Rock On
Originally uploaded by melmelmel.

Jett's the true rock star. I'm just trying out his sunglasses and practicing my rock star pose.

Guess what. My very own Tutu is coming to see me on Wednesday! I'm already planning our time together - first I will lead her around the house and show her all the fun new trouble we can get into (eating kitty's food, setting off bean's car alarm via the remote, etc.). Then I'll take her outside and show her the world of trouble to be had out there (hiding under the 'can't get me' tree, picking up age-encrusted slugs and scaring mommy with them, etc.). She thinks she's leaving Saturday afternoon, but I've conspired a sneaky tutu-napping strategy and plan on having her live in my room with me...do you think Koka will notice she's gone?

Mua, haha,
HS

Mr. Messy Pants

IMGP3718
Originally uploaded by melmelmel.

Curses to NPR for their story on sudoku, and curses to whomever thought this crazy game up because mama is addicted! So, aside from this little skirted, bow-headed felt girl monster she made for my buddy Willow (sorry the picture is crap) mama hasn't been very crafty lately.

I, however, have been quite crafty. At OMSI yesterday, I played with (and taste tested) playdough and colored my fingers with PENS when mommy wasn't looking. I also sat on a bunch of crayons and rainbow-colored my pants...NOW I understand all the fun mommy gets to have in her craft room!

Daddy's been pretty crafty, too and is almost done hot-mudding the basement and we'll soon be ready to paint. This means LOTS of fun paint samples at home for me to play with. I'll have daddy post pics soon so you can see his progress. For now, here is a picture of DADDY after sanding this afternoon. You can see who I inherited the 'make-a-mess-of-myself' gene!

Crafty dreams!
HS

Check out my new duds!

IMGP3717
Originally uploaded by melmelmel.

Here are my brand-spankingly newly updated onesies. Aren't they cute? Mama iron-on transferred these 'borrowed' images from the web. I'm soooo excited to wear them, especially the mommy heart one with my flame shoes. Can you say H-O-T?

Good News! We'll be getting a brand new Bean very soon, curtesy of the insurance company. For those of you that don't know, we were involved in a car accident the day before my #1 bday, and totalled our 2-month old Sienna (AKA 'Bean'). We were all fine, but even after undergoing extensive repair, Bean was just never the same. So, he's off to the glue factory and we're getting a newly improved 'Bean2.' I hope mommy and daddy opt for the dvd player in this one (not holding my breath).

Off to do whatever it is a toddler does...
HS

Zerbert Me

IMGP3714
Originally uploaded by melmelmel.

Feeling MUCH better today, as this photo proves. Although I've decided that strawberries are much more fun to poke, stack, drop from the highchair and squish in my fingers than to eat. I like to keep mama on her toes, and the best way to do it is daily and dramatic changes in my food preferences.

So, the beginning of the end of nursing may be in sight. Instead of nursing before nigh-nigh this evening, I decided to have a little fun and give mama zerberts instead. It was quite hilarious (even if I was the only one laughing) and an appropriate farewell to what was once my favorite pasttime. All great things must come to an end (except zerberts, they will always be around!).

If mommy were more on the ball, you'd be looking at a picture of me, Jett and Quinn in a rare photo op when we were all within 2 feet proximity of each other (our parents had to corral us into the pack-n-play). We were quite content sitting on each other and throwing each other's favorite toys outside for all of 5 minutes, so they siezed the opportunity and took a cute pic. But somehow mama lost her picture, so here's a quick linkie to the pics that Unka John took instead.

Off to bed I toddle...zerberts to all!
HS

Towers of Tofu

IMGP3706
Originally uploaded by melmelmel.

Today at lunch, I found a great new use for my tofu and carrots. Instead of eating them, I lovingly and painstakingly stacked them into little miniature towers. It was quite entertaining and a great lunchtime diversion since I've decided that eating is passe.

OK so eating isn't that bad...I've just been sick the past couple days and along with a decrease in appetite, have all the other miseries that the icky sickies bring on. Aside from enduring the pokes and prods from our pediatrician, I then had to tolerate the indignity of the temperature-taking experience and down some sickeningly sweet anti-bionic medicine. At least I got yummy baby drugs afterwards(and mommy was happy that the cute man pediatrician was on duty - at least SOMEONE benefitted from my pain!).

Anyway, I'm feeling a little better today, and mommy was happy that my temperature came down (it was 103.2! My all time record!!!).

Sweet dreams,
HS

For the Love of Fava

The older and more agile I get, the more mama feels like the little dog that constantly rescues Mr. Magoo from impending doom. I'm just SO curious about stuff, I don't really see the danger in playing at the top of an escalator or grabbing a big, fluffy bumble bee. It's all just fun and games to me, but I've noticed mama getting more and more grey hairs every day.

Today I chose to ignore Pythagoras and delve headfirst into the world of fava beans. We went to farmers market in hopes of sighting the first of the little green sweeties and were delighted to find one sole bin full of them. Mama and I enjoyed waking them from their fuzzy little pod beds, giving them a warm, soothing bath, then removing their bright emerald bodies from their little jackets. What yummy little creatures they are. Mama was so relieved that I too share her fondness for them and promised to craft me a little fuzzy fava family soon. But the most wonderful of the fava experience is knowing that their appearance means SPRING is HERE!! Now if only the weather would cooperate...

I met my unka David today. He's a pretty cool guy. I tried out my brand new tickeling skill on him and got a pretty good belly laugh. I think I'll ask mommy if Unka David, Aunt Misty, cousin Quinn and cousin baby Logan can all live in my room with me.

Happy fava dreams,
HS

The Sky's the Limit

IMGP3668
Originally uploaded by melmelmel.

This is a picture of the new pillow mama made me (pillie, meant to accompany taggie and blankie). The *plan* is for me to lay my sweet, tired head on it at the end of the day and slumber peacefully away. So far, I've totally ignored it but mama and daddy are eternally optimistic so we're keeping it around (it's pretty cute, too).

Mama's started a great new game recently called "setting limits." It's quite fun and goes something like this:
I commit a wayward deed which results in

1. The dreaded "mommy look" or
2. Mama's face getting all scrunched up and her voice reaching a higher octive.

If the exploit is especially ruinous, I get the grand show of all three. Then, mama says some words and we start all over again.

I think we've made some progress, mostly consisting of compromises. For example: I am free to toddle in the grocery store if I hold a finger or push the cart (our own cart must be explicitly specified, otherwise I am free to grab onto a passerby's cart of my choice); I will gladly eat the last few bites of my oatmeal if I know a yogurty reward awaits me; And I will willingly succumb to a car seat voyage if I can help fasten the buckle and secure the seatbelt thingies. Very simple demands, but vital to my contentment. Occasionally, I give in and throw them a bone or two, like wearing a hat outdoors, tolerating a bib at meals and ceasing to throw my food from the high chair. They work so hard, and it's important to keep your staff cheerful.

That's all for now. Off to my pillow-free crib for sleepies...
HS

Fuzzy Fam

IMGP3673
Originally uploaded by melmelmel.

What A Day! Today was a whirlwind of new faces and non-stop playing. First, mommy's friend Michelle and her cute family came to visit us. I played light saber vs. shopping cart with Mason and poked at cute little Lucas while mommy and daddy made plans to tour Italy with Michelle and Bobby someday. I would get to go, too if we can convince a grandparent or two to come along and play nanny (and accompany me on the 15-hour plane ride, riiiiight). Then, I got to meet my cousin Quinn, new baby cousin Logan and aunt Misty for the very first time. They drove all the way up from the Bay Area to visit ME (well, me, mommy, daddy, unka john, aunt gigi, jett, etc...).

Mommy made the boy froggy in the picture for Mason, baby froggy for Lucas and girl fuzzy for Quinn. Poor baby Logan got a boring old changing table cover. I didn't even wince when I handed each fuzzy over to its new owner...ok, I winced a little...ok, I cried and screamed until mama promised to make me my very own fuzzy creature family.

So, that was our big day. Yesterday was pretty noteworthy, too as I reached a very important milestone: I learned to take off my pants. Now, this may not seem like a big deal, but to a toddler, this is quite a momentous occasion. Having the ability to strip away the clothes that bind me frees my creative energy and allows me to truly express myself. Now if I could only figure out these stupid onesie snaps, I could take on the world!!

Sweet dreams,

HS

(PS - I woke up yesterday morning with the sniffles, hence my sleepless night. So I got special yummy baby drugs before sleepies tonight...gotta love baby ibuprofen!)