Surf's Up

Almost every evening now, Gi expects Daddy to take a dip in the pool with her after dinner. She doesn't even stick around for me to put a suit on her anymore. She takes her own diaper off, hands it to me and waits for Daddy by the pool steps. You see, Daddy is the fun swim partner. Mommy is not as adventurous as Daddy. Case in point...tonight Gi got to float around on Daddy's 20 plus year old surf board. She was super excited but a bit unsure at the same time. Munch also loves the noodle, kicking her little feet with all her might. Hubs says that the nightly dip is like a pre-rinse for Gi before her nightly shower especially after a dinner of spaghetti with meat sauce (pasta all over baby, table, chair and floor).

Two Words

Munch had just finished fingerpainting and had her chest cleaned with a baby wipe when I decided to snap this picture of her yet-to-be-cleaned face. Maybe I can threaten to show this picture to potential boyfriends if she decides to date before she turns thirty.

Within the last couple of weeks, we have noticed that Gi has started to use two-word sentences. Of course, no no no, is still her favorite. We have been praising her like crazy whenever we catch her answering or asking with two or more words. Some examples include Gigi mine, comb air (hair), dada pee-ew (when hubs passes gas), ma jus (more juice), Gigi jim (swim) and dada go. She now calls the Wheels on the Bus song round round round and can repeat the first three letters of the ABC song. Munch absolutely adores the Disco Baby cd that Vovo sent her from Brazil. We have to listen to that at least once a day. When we listen to this catchy cd, all adults in the same room with Gi must shake their booty with her or she will hound you relentlessly. And the pool...my munch can't get enough of it. We have been going in twice a day since last month. Markers, paint and books are still huge hits. The girl still adores her toddler bed and continues to fall asleep in it relatively easily. As her second birthday approaches, I wonder what other acts of toddlerhood she will amaze me with. Life is good.

Daddy Day

Daddy and daughter on Gotcha Day (July 23, 2007)

more recent photo of Daddy and daughter

Well, I want to wish all the fathers and fathers-to-be that I know and love a wonderful day tomorrow. Gi and I are taking hubs, along with my parents, to dim sum tomorrow. Hubs looooves dim sum and is salivating right now just anticipating tomorrow's outing. Since marrying me (or as he likes to joke that my father gave him a huge dowry), hubs has become quite adapt at the ole chopsticks and familiar with Chinese cusine. Come this July 23, hubs will have been doing this daddy thing for a whole year! Happy Father's Day, my love.

Lost in Translation

So I'm setting the dinner table last week and I decide to solicit the help of my Munch. I hand her two place mats for the table. Munch gets on her tippy toes kinda wobbling back and forth and with one swift motion flings the mats onto the table. The mats land somewhere in the middle of the table nowhere near where hubs and I usually sit to eat. Next I hand her the spoons and asks her what they are. She proudly replies, "boons." Good enough for me. I don't hand her the knives but asks her what they are. Again, Munch beams that they are "knite." I am so proud of her that I enthusiastically proceed to lavish her with sugary praises. Riding on the crest of parental pride, I whip out the forks and asks her the same question. Gi's pronunciation is right on...uh, but not for the word, F - O - R - K. With a toothy smile, Gi looks up at me and confidently tells me that they are F ** C - K. You know which four letter word I'm referring to. Without hesitation, I correct her and repeat "fork." She complies and repeats "f **ck." I think I am clever so I change my strategy. I tell her to say "ork." By this time, she has lost almost all interest in helping me and says "uck" probably in the hopes of getting me off her back for a silly word that she is sure she has mastered many moons ago. Since that night, hubs and I have exploited many opportunities in which we get Gi to name all the utensils. We're not proud of this but we do get a mighty good chuckle.

Night Night

Gi snoozing during one of her naps

Munch happy about her "new" bed

Guess who is enamored with sleeping now? Ever since hubs and I converted Gi's crib into a toddler bed, Munch has been unusually enthusiastic about taking her nap and going down for the night. She doesn't necessarily sleep longer but seems to sleep happier. She climbs into bed shouting "night night" repeatedly with her peanut head buried in her pillow. Hubs and I read to her. Then she puckers her lips indicating that she is ready for her night night kisses from mommy and daddy. We leave the room, she chatters to herself for a bit (again loudly shouting "night night") and then zonks out. So far so good. Naturally, hubs and I are estatic about this but we're not completely relieved yet. We know toddlers love to throw curve balls at their parents just to keep them on their feet.

Artiste

Munch has really taken to using crayons, markers and paint. I'm sure most moms know this already but I just learned this recently...strap your tot in a highchair to paint or color if you don't want paint and color all over your house and always buy the washable colors. I learned this the hard way when I discovered that Munch had used my cabinet doors and white futon mattress as a blank canvas using a nonwashable bright orange crayon. Thanks, Dr. L, for the highchair tip. Now Gi does all her artistic creations in her highchair shirtless. Oh and also make sure that the highchair is not positioned within reaching distance of any walls. Munch baptized one of the walls in the house with her fingerpainting when I placed her highchair too close it. I'm learning.

I'm a Big Girl Now

Well, the conversion of Gi's crib into a toddler's bed went without a glitch. Gi was most excited with this change spending an unusual amount of time getting on and off her "new" bed. She literally jumped for joy when the crib was converted. Sleeping in it was another matter, though. As usual I had to take the lead in re-Ferberizing Gi to her new set-up. I'm the meanie mommy in the family. Hubs is the softie who usually falls for Gi's arsenal of parental manipulations. Munch promptly snoozed away at 8:15 last night and did not call for me until 6:00 a.m. this morning. Thank you, slumber god, for that merciful act.