Cooler Weather At Last!

When the average temperature has been over 100 degrees I dare say the mid 80's feels really cool!!  We have enjoyed the days by spending lots of time outside.  And what makes being outside even more fun?  A brand new red wagon!  Bella has been eyeing every other kid's riding car, wagon, etc since before we even left California.  I finally got her one and she LOVES it. 

She loves to do the buckle herself and thinks it is so cool that she has a spot to put her snacks and drink.  We have been all over our apartment complex, across an outdoor mall in Austin, and through the park with it in the 4 days we have had it!  What makes this purchase even better is the fact that the box it came in is the best playhouse ever!! David was about to pitch the box and I told him to cut a door in it and it is now her "telephone booth"!  She loves running in and out, poking her head through the windows, and hiding things in the house.  I tried to get her to "decorate" it but she knows we only draw on paper so she didn't seem too keen on the idea!

We spent this past weekend in Austin to visit David's family and walked an outdoor mall with our new wagon.  Bella and her cousin, McKenzie, are really starting to play so well together and it is so sweet seeing them interact.  They were really big into holding hands this trip-in the car, riding in the wagon, in the house, etc. 

Today was exceptionally cool so Bella and I ran to the park for some playground fun and to feed the ducks.  She cracks me up, she sees me do something once and then becomes my little mimic.  After feeding the ducks, and stepping in mud, I took a stick to clean out the bottom of her shoes.  Back at the playground I turn around and what is she doing? You got it....cleaning out her shoes!

She is starting her terrible 2's a little early and has entered a hitting phase.  She KNOWS she is not supposed to hit....she constantly talks to herself and says, "no hit mommy" but it's as if she cannot suppress the impulse to do it anyway.  As we were leaving the park she was singing "this is the way we wash our hands" and then makes up her own verse "this is the way we hit the mommy"....um, really?!!!  She is also back in the full swing of separation anxiety.  We get to church and she announces, "no crying.  Mommy always come back." And yet yesterday I go to get her from the nursery and she is crying so hard she throws up all over me.  But most of the time she is still sweet as pie and keeps me laughing with her gibber jabber.  Her new phrases are "oh my goodness" and "goodness gracious".  She also announces EVERYTHING she is about to do and then says "watch me".  How can you resist this sweet little face?

She Thinks She Can Read

We are in a phase where Bella wants me to sing every song or read every story an infinite number of times until she has it memorized.  Hence she knows every nursery rhyme I ever learned and is steadily memorizing all of her books.  Half the time I lay my head back, close my eyes, and "read" to her from a half napping state....I am inundated with Dr. Seuss!!  Here is a video (sorry it's so long) of her taking a turn "reading".

My Little Dancing Queen

I am certainly not blessed with any athletic ability but I did do dance all through high school and loved it.  As a way to try and meet people I signed Bella up for a Mommy & Me dance class.  There are 5 precious little girls in the class all about age two.  We have been three weeks in a row now and Bella has the routine for our dance day memorized.  If I tell her we are going to dance with Miss Melinda she will say "eat smoothie and egg?" because she knows that's our get out of the house quick breakfast!  She then knows it's time for her 'princess shoes', as she calls them, and tutu.  As soon as we get to the studio she can't contain her excitement, "ask Miss Winda dance now?" and of course once we finally start class Bella asks for the parachute or beanie bags or whatever activity SHE wants to do.  She has a blast jumping up and down, dancing, running in circles, pretending she's an airplane, and watching herself in the mirror.  I just can't help but laugh at her cuteness!  Of course there is no dance technique what so ever but that's not what the class is for.  It's about having a good time and what I like about it is someone else is giving her instructions that she has to follow.  She has to stay on her mat, freeze, and follow what Miss Melinda is doing.  Although David is convinced Bella is going to be a little soccer player, I think we have a little dancer on our hands!!

My Little Chatterbox

There are times when having an early talker can be quite a challenge.  Lets just say I have had an opinionated child on my hand for many months now! But most of the time the talking has me laughing. 

She thinks it is really funny that mommy and daddy have names and likes to remind us, "that mommy Ayse.  That daddy David."

I'll ask her if she knows mommy loves her and she says yes.  I ask her if Jesus loves her and she says yes.  When I ask her how does she know Jesus loves her?  She responds "Bible tells me so" (and here I thought she was just mindlessly repeating words to songs!)

She is so big into pretend play and is always going shopping.  If you ask her where she is going she will tell you Target and always asks for "coupons" and "money" and you have to pretend to put them in her hand....YIKES!

Listening to my little chatterbox is actually a great way to me accountable for what I say and how I say it because she repeats it all in the exact manner that I do.  The funniest is when she has conversations I would have with her with herself.  This usually happens the minute she wakes up in the morning or after a nap.  I mean she literally goes from being fast asleep, slingshots up to her feet, and begins her imitation of me:

"Good morning.  Good dreams?  All done sleeping.  Play toys"

or my new favorite

"Uh-oh.  What happened?  It's ok.  Try again.  Good job"

"Mommy hold you.  Daddy no hold you.  Why?  Ooooo-K, daddy hold you too"

"Go church.  No crying.  Mommy come back.  Good girl"

The last conversation we have had a lot recently.  I do a women's bible study Tuesday mornings which means I have to put Bella in the nursery.  The first week I took her she cried hysterically for an hour before they finally came and got me and by that time she was dry-heaving she was so upset.  I think it was because the room for her age group is tiny and only has a few things to play with that are intended for babies.  So today I asked if she could join the 2-4 year olds and she had a BLAST.  Apparently the theme for the day was firetrucks and so she had colored a picture of a firetruck and they even had the Belton fire department out there so the kids could actually see a fire engine!! I was told she did shed a tear when they put on the siren, but who can blame the kid! She talked about it all day and was so excited about the sticker the fireman gave her and kept reminding me that it was "so fun" and "mommy came back"!  Aw, I kind of feel like I sent her off to school without knowing what I was doing!  But how awesome that the activities are that structured just for the two hours I drop her off!  She's such a big girl and she will tell you what a big girl she is.....(excuse the runny nose):

I know she's thinking "when are we going to Disney, mommy?!"

 My little Texas girl

 My little shadow!

 She washes up very thoroughly!

David-The Godfather!

A few weekends back David's niece, McKenzie, was baptised in Austin.  David was asked to be the Godfather.  It was a wonderful celebration in which David's Dad and step mom were also able to attend all the way from Florida.  My parents also joined us so it was the first time Bella got to be with all her Grandparents at one time!  We were honored to be a part of McKenzie's special day.

Allison (McK mommy), Jeremy (McK daddy), David, and Charlotte (godmother)

Opening baptism presents before our lunch

Bella and McKenzie dancing away

It was also David's 34th birthday and my dad's birthday so it was so great being able to celebrate all together.  Bella must have sang happy birthday about 100 times and still to this day sings happy birthday at least 2 or 3 times a day and inserts the name of whatever she is playing with..."Happy birthday to choo-choo train"!!

Our Move to Texas....and a 20 month old!

I am 2 months behind on blogging....yikes.  I keep telling David Bella is changing on what seems to be a weekly basis and I am doing a horrible job of documenting it all.  My excuse is our big move from California back to Texas. 

The week after our Alaskan cruise we were scheduled to move back.  Unlike our move to California, our move back home included packers and movers...huge thumbs up! Besides spending a lot of time getting our apartment in perfect move out condition, having movers allowed us time to enjoy our last few days in Cali.  My sweet girl friends threw me a little goodbye party and Bella and I spent endless hours enjoying the last of our park days. 

We arrived in Austin July 16th and walk out of the airport and the first thing Bella says is "hot"!  Man, is it HOT!  I miss wearing jeans and a light jacket every day!  We stayed with David's mom in Austin until our stuff arrived and then we moved into our townhouse in our new home town of Belton.  Our place is brand new and really nice but Belton is a much smaller town than I have ever lived in so I have been having a hard time adjusting.  The closest mall is 40 minutes away and there is just not a lot for me to do with Bella (the park is obviously way too hot).  I have been looking for a Gymboree or something but they don't even have that.  I have found a mother's bible study I will do on Tuesdays so at least I am meeting a few people. 

David starts work September 6th...it has been so nice having him home to help us get settled.  We have actually spent a lot of time down in Conroe at my parents house (it always feels like a vacation down there and Bella loves it).  Once he starts work I will be without a car until mid October (my car is on order-so excited!) so I might just go stir crazy!!

Anyway, onto the little cutie-patootie! She is now 20 months old and talking like a two year old.  I had a girls reunion with my old Houston bible study 2 weeks ago and in the two days I was away from her I felt like she learned how to talk in paragraphs!  When we first arrived in TX she was having a hard time transitioning (or maybe she just sensed my stress)-sleeping was off, she would scream in any confined space (high-chair, car seat, etc)-but has since been doing awesome.  Probably didn't help that she just got four canines!  Pardon me if the following is boring but my baby book stops at a year so really this blog is for my memory sake.  Here are a few of my favorite things she says:

-Onjen (orange.  She used to say ono)

-Boobies (blueberries-although she just started to say it correctly now)

-Golgies (goldfish-she says this one correctly now too)

-Keputch (ketchup)

-Knuckles (she wants you to give her knuckles and 'blow it up'!)

-Betty (how she refers to herself!  She can't say her "L's"!!)

-I getchoo (I'm gonna get you)

-blesh you Betty (she blesses herself every time she sneezes or coughs!)

-Mmmmm, tastes good.  Like it. More bite (she says it with ANYTHING David and I are eating!)

-Betty turn, K? (she likes to tell me it is her turn but then politely asks 'ok?'!)

-member zebra round n round.  Lady token.  Listen bell.  (we went to the Woodlands mall where they have a carousel so now Bella daily asks me if I remember that she rode the zebra that went round and round. And that we had to give the lady our token and listen for the bell for the ride to start.  Like I said, the kid is talking in paragraphs!)

-No nite nite. Later.  (any time she even thinks I might be getting ready to put her down for a nap she starts negotiating!)

-5 minutes (if I tell her we have to go soon she will put up her hand and give me the 5 minute warning!)

-1,2,3 crash (she loves to stand on the bed and then count to three and fall down). She can count to 15 and then skips to 20.

-she is a singing machine.  She can sing her ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle, Old McDonald, Wheels on the bus, This Little Light of Mine, Bingo, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Yankee Doodle.

-She can tell you her name is Betty Clark (we have got to work on those L's!) and that she is one and a half.  Although half the time she tells you she's 18!

-She is starting to use her pronouns appropriately-I, me, you, him, her.  And really understands boy and girl/lady and man. 

Such a happy girl

 We ran into a Hello Kitty at the mall.  Bella LOVES big characters so I am trying to convince David we need to go to Disney again!!

 Playing house

 She can unlock and play all the games on my phone and would do so all day if I let her...yikes!

 Trying on hats at Academy

 Her first Popsicle (mommy was on her girl's weekend!)

 The forever famous zebra!

 Loving time with Grandpa!

When she first learned Yankee Doodle

Able to sing all her ABC's and soooo proud of herself!

Alaska 2011

I thrive on vacation planning.  Once one vacation is over I am day dreaming about the next.  An Alaskan cruise has been a dream of ours for awhile and what better way to cruise than with our favorite fellow cruisers-my parents, and brother/his family.  David finished his ENT fellowship June 30th and July 3rd we set sail.  I have to say I was quite nervous about a 7 day cruise with an 18 month old but besides trying to get her to sit for the 1 1/2 hour long dinners she did awesome (who can blame her!).  This was David and my 5th cruise together (our second with Holland America cruise: the Oosterdam) and we splurged for a nice cabin with a balcony which was great to sit out on while Bella was napping.

We left out of Seattle and our first day was spent wandering the ship and eating, of course.  The fourth of July was our day at sea-we played Bingo, trivia, did a galley tour and got all dressed up for formal night. I will say I was highly disappointed in the lack of Fourth of July festivities, especially since we usually cruise over some sort of holiday and the ships always do something exciting. 

At the top of the ship for sail away (brother Ilhan, sister in law Clare, niece Emily with Bella, me and my mom)

Dinner the first night

The only "mention" of 4th of July!

Formal night

The next day was spent cruising the inside passage which is a narrow path up to the glaciers.  We started to spot some whales, puffins, bald eagles and of course the glaciers.  It was spectacular to see these massive ice structures and it was even more amazing when they would calve (a piece breaks off)-it literally sounds like thunder booming. 

Passing time by playing chess. Cruising to the glaciers.

Strolling along the deck

Dad with his girls at high tea

Gorgeous glaciers

The picture doesn't do justice to the size and beauty of these things!

Our first port day was in Juneau.  In the morning we took a tram up a mountain for some beautiful views and some hiking.  The weather our whole trip was supposed to be rainy but this was the only morning it rained!! In the afternoon we went on a whale watching tour.  We saw some seals, a bunch of humpbacks and even a few orcas.  At the end of our tour we came upon a group of orcas trying to kill a seal...it was so sad but there was a moment in which one of the orca's jumped up and onto it's back to try and drown the seal and it was truly a National Geographic moment (we left after awhile so I am not sure of the fate of the seal but am hoping he survived!).

In port in Juneau

Mount Roberts tram

At the top of the tram was a talking goat which Bella kept saying "Hi, goat" to!

Hiking along the top of the mountian.  The view was gorgeous!

Whale watching tour

Awaiting whales at the front of our private boat

Bella was not a happy girl this trip but Doritos made it somewhat better!

Shamu!

This was the whale attempting to drown the seal.  Imagine being on one of those two boats!

Our next port day was Sitka.  We walked through the town up to the Raptor Center.  This is a place where they rehabilitate birds of prey.  We then hiked through the national park where you can see all the totem poles.

Sailing into Sitka.  There were a bunch of little islands leading up to the mainland.

At the Raptor Center

Bald Eagle demonstration

Totem poles at the Sitka National Park

A view of our ship (and David being a ham!)

Grandpa and Bella taking a break in the grass.

Back on the ship for our second formal night

The next day we were in Ketchikan.  David had a deep sea fishing trip (where he caught a bunch of Salmon), I went zip lining with my brother and his family, and my parents watched Bella.  We all met up in the afternoon to walk a cute little area with shops along a creek, appropriately called Creek Street.

Gearing up for zip lining...a little nervous!!

 There I go!

 We also got to cross a few suspension bridges

 David's fishing trip

 Bella and Grandma exploring the shops

 Creek Street

Our last day we were in Victoria, British Columbia.  We booked an excursion to go to Butchart Gardens.  It was amazing.  The whole park had a very British feel which I just loved and there were flowers I had never seen before and millions of them.  The flowers are changed out 4 times a year!  That evening was a firework show which Bella loved...she kept saying "light go boom!".

 Look, a big hummingbird!

 The gardens were SPECTACULAR!  Like a Thomas Kinkade painting

 The gang!

 A pointless attempt at getting Bella to go to bed in the Ergo...look at that grin!

What a perfect way to end our evening!

And thus ends another great vacation; one we had dreamed of for such a long time!  The next day we arrived back in Seattle and headed back to California to prepare for our next adventure...moving back to Texas!