Happy Easter, little bunny

Dear Maya,

Mommy is tired out from all the potty-training, crayon-coloring, block-building, house-cleaning, Easter-bunnying, ham-cooking, and everything else the week has brought, so here is a summary of our last several days in pictures with no words. Pretty sure they're mostly self-explanatory...

 

Happy Easter!
Love you!

Potty training, Green kimono

Dear Maya,

Last weekend we had a small gathering at our house to celebrate both St. Patrick's Day and Auntie Rhi's birthday. Mommy thought you didn't have any green to wear until I remembered your new green boots and pulled this matching cardigan out of the drawer. So cute!

The calendar says that spring started this week, but it looks like someone forgot to remind the weather--we've still had snow flurries just about every day! Since we were going to be stuck in the house quite a bit anyway, we decided to use the time productively and start potty training you. You haven't had too many accidents overall and you're getting the idea pretty quickly, but it's trying for all of us to have you running around half naked all day, so mostly we've just been doing it until your naptime each day.

You've suddenly picked up a lot of new words and phrases, including less tangible ones like 'reach' and 'I'm stuck.' You really surprised daddy by reciting your numbers in Japanese after only practicing with mommy for a few minutes. You have a tendency to skip the number 5, but you're doing great!

The biggest surprise last week was when we went with Aunt Kelsie to an appointment. In the waiting room they had a big toy box and, among other things, it held foam puzzle pieces with letters on them. You really wowed mommy when you pulled one out, held it up to show me and said, "M!" And it was an M!!!

The only other thing we have to share this week is that we got a package from your grandparents in Japan. Inside it were the professional photos we had taken there. We're not surprised that you weren't smiling in any of them--you were quite cranky that day and we could barely get you to stand or sit still. Who could blame you, really, with such a complicated outfit, hairstyle and those shoes? When grandma decided to put you in the borrowed red kimono a couple days later at home you were much calmer. Oh, well...

Well, mommy is tired out from chasing you around with your training potty. Love you!

One, two, choo choo

Dear Maya,

Last Sunday we had a surprise baby shower for Aunt Kelsie. You had been napping and when you woke up and mommy took you downstairs to all those people in your space you weren't very pleased. After a while you warmed up and started playing with the other kids and the balloons. It was a lovely party!

 

 

Grandma, Poppa Stan and Aunt Bobbie had been visiting for the shower and then left on Sunday afternoon. That is probably why you were so very clingy and cranky over the next few days. It was almost like you were a newborn again, wanting to be in mommy's arms all. day. long! It was sweet but also trying at times.

Wednesday we went grocery shopping and then visited your great-grandparents. You were cranky and noisy in the stores but good at their house, of course. When we got home that night you were so overtired that it was hard to get you to bed. That almost never happens with you so we were surprised.

Thursday Auntie Clare came to visit from London! You had so much fun cooking 'pies' for her in your play kitchen. She stayed overnight with us and the next day when we took her to the station you were sad to see her go but impressed by the train. On our way home you even got a train book out from the library!

And, to end this post, mommy would like to brag about your new accomplishment--you are really counting now! For the last few months you've been able to say your numbers up to 12 (after that they usually all sound like "uhn-teen") but now you actually seem to realize that the numbers are used to count things. You even counted several small groupings of toys mommy showed you this morning without using your finger to point to them, instead just following them with your eyes! We were so impressed!

Love you, clever little girl!

P.S. Last month in order to keep you calm on all the airplanes, mommy and daddy reintroduced the pacifier. As you can see in the pictures in this post, due to jet lag and your head cold we still hadn't managed to break you of the habit again...until tonight! After dinner we made the trek out to the dumpster like we had in November and you threw away your 'binky' (or 'gwinky' as you call it) and said goodbye. Then we came inside and you ate a yummy cupcake and forgot all about it. You whined a little at bedtime but hopefully everything will go smoothly tomorrow...