It's easy being green...

Dear Maya,

We've had some unbelievably warm weather for mid-March in these parts and the spring bulbs are shooting up all over the place. Everyone is thrilled to be spending time outdoors even after the mild winter we had, and you are no exception. We went to the park last week and yesterday you played in the yard barefoot. Yeah!

green grass

Of course it was also a green weekend because of St. Patrick's Day. Mommy dressed you in this funny little outfit complete with rainbow Babylegs and you ran around with your little jar of gumballs like a leprechaun with gold. Mommy made two kinds of corned beef and cabbage for dinner and you loved it.

green shirt

green shamrocks and a French 'leprechaun' in our entryway display

Yesterday we celebrated Auntie Rhi's birthday. While she was out you helped mommy decorate the kitchen--we went with yellow instead of green for her birthday to match the pretty flowers someone sent her (plus that's the color of the balloons and streamers we had leftover from your birthday). When she came home we gave her presents and had cupcakes and cookies. You loved your marbled cupcake and ginger snaps. Sorry you didn't get to eat any of the mint chocolate cupcakes, but that would've been sugar overload for you.

'green' party decor (manga pages cut in the shape of butterflies)

Mommy noticed that you have a new tooth on top towards the back. That explains why you've had your hand in your mouth so much lately, but you haven't been cranky. You've always taken teething in stride so it's not really surprising, but mommy thought the back ones would hurt more. So glad you're still your chipper self.

more green(ish) grass 

Continuing with last week's word recognition, you now know what "spin" means and start spinning around and around as soon as mommy says the word. The funny thing is that you don't seem to be able to stop (or maybe you don't want to) until you're about ready to fall down. Luckily you haven't hurt yourself, funny girl.

'green' play--you love your boxes as much as the toys that come in them

Well, good night my little munchkin. Mommy's going to bed with the window open a crack so she can hear the green frogs singing her to sleep. It's going to be a beautiful spring, my dear, just wait!

green peas

P.S. Another update on mommy's baby clothes obsession habit. As mentioned last week, ThredUp, the website through which we acquired the adorable patent leather shoes and denim skirt in the above photos, will sadly be ending the swapping side of their company in a couple days. Luckily mommy has found some suitable replacements. We will now be swapping clothes (and other items) with some great ladies on Swapmamas.com as well as buying and selling some consignment items via a couple groups called "Swap Closet" and "Everything BUT the Kitchen Sink" on Facebook. You are still going to be one economically but stylishly dressed little girl. Oh, and green, too!

Learning, loving, growing girl

Dear Maya,

Just a quick update post tonight as mommy's still trying to make up for the hour lost this weekend...


*We tested you with the most infamous foods from each of mommy and daddy's cultures this week. First you had a potato dish with liver in it (though the taste was very mild) and then you had daddy's homemade natto (fermented soy beans--an acquired taste but delicious to many and good for the brain). You loved them both.

Look at you eating your broccoli!

'Flossing' with the string to your Chinese lion puppet

*When it's time to get ready for bed, all mommy has to do is say the word "upstairs" and you run to the door at the bottom of the stairs. You enjoy crawling up the stairs (with us behind you) and are so proud of yourself when you get to the top. You've learned to open drawers, too, but that's not quite as endearing for us. ;)

I look at this picture and see you as a teenager--stop getting so big already!!!

Lots of scrapes from roughhousing lately, but not many tears--such a strong girl!

*You are continually interested in organizing, stacking and nesting things--Tupperware, baskets, colanders, you name it. Tonight Aunt Rhi and Uncle Matt gave you an early Easter present because they couldn't wait to watch you enjoy it--a stacking tower with holes for balls to funnel down through. You loved it!

It didn't take you long at all to figure it out-
then take it apart to make your own game out of it!

And you loved the box it came in, too!

Just a bit of mommy news tonight before signing off. This past week mommy spent a couple of days totally cleaning out your dresser and my own closet to recycle our unused clothes through the website I touted on this blog last week, ThredUp. Well, wouldn't you know it--the other day they announced the complete restructuring of their company: they will no longer include family to family clothes swapping, just overpriced consignment sales. Mommy was sad to hear it as so many of your cute outfits came from wonderful families through ThredUp. Luckily, mommy was able to send off 7(!) boxes of items to other moms and little girls who could use them and order some boxes for you, too, before the service shuts down later this month. Sigh...

Well, we've got a lot to look forward to this week--you sleeping until a reasonable hour thanks to Daylight Savings time, continued beautiful weather, St. Patrick's Day and Auntie Rhi's birthday. Oh, and have I mentioned how much mommy loves your new tendency to give me unprompted big wet kisses? I melt!

Love you!

This time last year

Dear Maya,

Last week Mommy mentioned how comical and musical you are, but we didn't have very good video evidence to back that up. Well, the other night while Daddy was getting you changed and ready for bed, Mommy was able to get some documentation of each aspect of your budding personality.

First, the comical one:

And now, the musical one:

This is a far cry (har har) from your vocal stylings this time last year:

Which brings Mommy to the theme for this post: This time last year vs. This week.

This time last year, Mommy got this adorable dress through the awesome clothing swap website ThredUp.

This week you've worn some of the adorable outfits Mommy got you from the thrift store last weekend.

This time last year Mommy made this little happi for you, and we can't believe it still sort of fits you now!

This week we celebrated the Japanese Festival of Dolls by displaying the set of dolls your grandparents sent.

 This time last year we put you in a t-shirt featuring an owl, your grandmother's favorite, for her birthday.

This week, we put a new owl t-shirt on you to send this photo greeting to her for her special day.

おばあちゃん、誕生日おめでどう！はやく会っていっしょにあそぼうね！ まや

Well, aside from your new tooth (#7!), new foods (Great-grandma's mac n' cheese and fried chicken!) and new tricks (walking backwards and spinning in circles!), that pretty much sums up your week. Maya, we love you yesterday, today and tomorrow, too (ala one of your fave books, "I Love You Through and Through)!