Maya Mc-Drool-ins

I think another tooth is on its way. You might notice giant ring of drool on Maya's chin and clothes, the likes of which we haven't seen since Maya was 6 months old. While I wish she wasn't so drooly and putting everything in her mouth, I am excited for her bottom row to have some friends on top. I'll keep you posted.

Anyway, yesterday was beautiful. It was 60 degrees here, so we met Nash, Margot, and Brooke at Starbucks for a morning of patio fun. It was so nice out, that when it was time to leave, Brooke and I stood at our cars chatting for a long time before we actually got inside, because neither of us wanted to get in the car and out of the sun. It was a fairly low key day though, and Maya slept a lot, drooled a lot, and played with her new favorite friend - the dishwasher. For some reason, she is positively enamoured with it. As a new venture, she is working on actually climbing onto the dishwasher door while it's open. I'm guessing this is not safe for either the baby or the dishwasher. So far, she hasn't been successful. I guess it's a good thing we don't have stairs in our house...

"Mommy, I'm heading to the dishwasher."

"I love this thing! It's endless enjoyment for me!"

"Look at my tongue. Oh, and also, look at my lovely wet shirt."

"Mommy, when we put our house on the market, don't forget to mention our awesome dishwasher."

"Brooke, you're always fun at Starbucks. Thanks for making me laugh!"

A Messy Video

Lately, Maya always wants more food. At dinnertime, we load up her plate with veggies, some kind of meat or bean, and pasta or some other grainy food. It always seems like a lot of food, but she enjoys it when we put more on her plate, even if she isn't finished yet. Most of the time, she finishes her meal with a handful of raisins. She adores the sweetness of raisins, and is constantly whining for more, so we taught her how to sign "more," instead of whining and squealing when she's ready for a refill. Please note that this is at the end of a meal, so she's kind of a mess, and we were just trying to keep her entertained while we cleaned the kitchen. Our little "raspberry fight" is probably not particularly good table manners, but sometimes I can't help myself!

Almost there...

Well, we officially have a "cruiser." Maya is currently walking along the coffee table, with her walker, and holding onto my legs. The good thing about this is that it's a step closer to walking. The bad thing about this, is that it seems like everywhere I walk, Maya is clinging to either the back or the front of my legs (see below). It's awfully sweet though. I wonder if this means she is close to walking on her own. I'm not sure. Anyway, we've had a busy morning, and now Maya is napping, and I'm relaxing, since she has been a little fussy today. I sometimes wish she could just say, "Mommy, I have a headache, and I need some Tylenol." Unfortunately, it's always a guessing game. Is she getting sick? Why won't she eat? Is it her teeth? Is she just bored of the food I'm feeding her? Did she just get up in the wrong side of the crib? Hmph. I guess I have a couple more years of guessing, before she can come to me and tell me exactly what's wrong. Oh well. Hopefully she'll wake up happy from her nap... Wish us luck!

"Daddy, watch me walk with Mommy!"

"This is my disheveled look. Hey, it's close to bedtime - what do you expect?"

"Sometimes I hold on tight, sometimes I don't. Depends on my mood."

"Daddy! See me peeking out from behind Mommy's legs??!"


"This doesn't seem right. Usually I shower with Daddy, but now I'm showering with Mommy. What's going on? You take turns now? I think this is Daddy's job."

Maya has a Message for You!

Hello everyone! I wanted to tell you that one of my friends has a handbag business. She designs gorgeous handbags, and is currently running a contest on her website. Please take a look and give her some ideas. If your idea wins, you might get a prize (and who doesn't like prizes???)! Check it out:

veneziebags.blogspot.com

Love,
Maya

Happy James Day!

"Nice decor, Brook!"

"What's up, birthday boy?"

We spent this morning at James's second birthday party! I can't believe he's already 2! In just a few days, it'll be Maya's birth month, which is just absolutely unreal. Anyway, we had a great time playing with James and Keira's toys, because toys that belong to someone else are always better than our own, right? Right. Brook and Ben had done a great job decorating their house for the party, and they served giant cupcakes and yummy fruit as a morning snack. Maya really wore herself out, and couldn't even stay awake for the 5 minute ride home from their house. You always know it was a good party, when the guests fall asleep right after it's over! Happy birthday, James!
"Mommy, can I have a cupcake? Please? Okay, well, I'll just settle for a pille of corn then."

"Go James, go!"

"Keira, you and your daddy are so sweet together!"

"See Keira? We both love our daddies!"

"I'm so tired..."

Open Action Room

This morning, Maya and I decided to go to a "Parents as Teachers" event at our local Early Childhood Center. Some of you may remember us going to an event for Valentine's Day a couple of weeks ago. This was the same idea, but a different type of event. It was a school gym, totally set up for kids, ages birth-3. They had all different things to climb on and over, balls, toys, walkers, mats, blocks, things to jump on and in, and lots of space to crawl and run. It happened to be right during Maya's nap time, so we didn't stay for all that long, but she had a great time. She crawled all over the place and played like crazy. She really wore herself out, and is now fast asleep, while I relax with my brand new Snuggie (thanks Grampy)!

"I'm having a blast!"

"I've never gone through a tunnel before, but this one looks awesome!"

"Mommy, can you help me walk over to those colored things? No? Okay. I'll try to do it myself..."

"I really worked off a lot of the massive dinner I ate last night!"

Just me and my Fries!

Apparently Red Robin is a great place to relax with a basket of steak fries... Right?

I'm not sure what to do here...

How will Maya react to this giant red birdie?

A Giant Red Robin

Well, first of all, I apologize for our absence. Maya and I have been spending the week with Grammy and Grampy, and it's been very difficult to blog with them here. I admit, it's definitely my fault, but we were having so much fun, there really wasn't time to download photos. Anyway, we alternated between Red Robin and Sweet Tomatoes this week for dinner, and it was such a treat! Maya loves Sweet Tomatoes, but she doesn't seem too sure about Red Robin. She enjoyed the fries though. While we were there, the big Red Robin mascot was walking around. Maya did fine with the Disney Characters while we were in Florida, but she was a little scared of the big bird. Stay tuned for some videos of her reaction.
"Grammy and Grampy bought me this beautiful dress, but we had to return it, because we think it'll be too small in the summer. Boo. I'm growing way too fast, you know?"

"I'm double fisting the french fries. Did you know they give a bottomless bowl of fries at Red Robin? Score!"

"That bird is so creepy. I'm fine with looking at it, but I won't be touching it any time soon..."

"You know, fried and burgers are good, but there will always be a special place in my heart for peas."

Grammy and Grampy Make a Comeback!

Auntie Nora has kindly reminded me that I haven't updated the blog in a whopping 3 days. I do apologize, but confess that I've been busy playing with Grammy and Grampy, who arrived on Sunday afternoon. In the past 3 days, we've gone to Cooperella, Costco, the mall, and Sweet Tomatoes. Maya has been a super baby through all of our travels. She's really getting used to Grammy and Grampy, and has been playing with them like crazy. I know she loves the attention. I'm sure she can't wait to be with them all the time, once we're back in the Northeast. We can't wait!
"Mommy lets me play in the play area at the mall now. I'm a pro."

"Peek-a-boo!"

"This is me at Sweet Tomatoes. Grammy said it was the messiest she's ever seen me! I'm very proud of that."

"This dinner is delicious, no matter how messy it looks!"

"Grampy, this hat looks good on you, but it's really not my style."

R.I.P. Cooperella Play Area

So, as I mentioned, we met Brook, James, and Keira at Cooperella for a quick drink and playdate this afternoon. It was a really nice way to break up the day, especially since Kevin won't be home tonight (he's on call). Anyway, there was a big sign on the wall, saying that Cooperella, a coffee house which normally has a separate room with a play area for kids, is under new ownership, and will soon change the play area into an art gallery. I am really bummed about this, since it is a really popular place for kids, and it attracts a ton of mommies and babies. Oh well. We'll have to scope out other kid friendly hotspots... Let me know if you know of any (um, don't forget that we live in St. Louis).
"This is what Mommy calls 'sharing.'"

"There are a lot of toys here. I'm sort of mesmerized."

"James is more coordinated than me - I admit it. He's almost 2 though, so he's got a few months on me."

"Mommy, why did you put strawberries on the table, and then leave Keira and me to stare at them? Please put them in my mouth. Now."

"Hi."

Taking a Walk(er).

Well, Brooke has recently been encouraging me to try letting Maya walk with a walker (a toy with a handle and wheels, so the baby can hold on and push). I assumed she was too young for this, since the one we have has wheels, and I think if she pushes it, it'll go so fast, she'll immediately fall on her face. This afternoon, I was at Cooperella Cafe with Brook, James, and Keira, and I decided to let Maya take a stab at using the walker. I held onto it, so it didn't go too fast. For a first timer, I think she did pretty well!

Happy Nash Day!

"Nash, don't let your mom blow out your candles! Hurry up and blow!"

"Where is Margot's cupcake?"

Tomorrow is Nash's second birthday! This morning we went to his house for a birthday celebration of cupcakes and playtime. Brooke had made dinosaur shaped Rice Krispy treats, a make-your-own-cupcake spread, and lots of fun snacks for the kids. Maya is a new lover of dried cranberries, so she was thrilled about the buffet! Actually, I should mention that Maya was not in a particularly playful mood this morning. She might have been overwhelmed, but she was very quiet and observant, as opposed to her typical outgoing self. After eating a bunch of treats, she loosened up a bit, and managed to squeeze out some playtime. Anyway, the important thing is, Nash had a fun time, and enjoyed his cake and cupcakes like a champ. I can't believe he is 2! It almost seems like he's an adult now! What's next? His Bar Mitzvah?

"Am I holding this microphone the right way? It's not working..."

"I can't believe we are having all these snacks, and it's not even lunchtime yet! I got to have a cupcake, peas, chicken, and dried cranberries! What a spread!"

"I like your party hat, James!"

"Keira, I know you think that's a guitar, but it's really a pan. Whatever. You have a big imagination, right?"

"I'm happy and I know it, so I'm clapping my hands - just like the song!"

A Valentine's Day Playdate.

This morning we went to our district early childhood center for a Valentine's Day celebration. There were a lot of kids there - probably about 50. There were all different tables, organized for little activities, like V-Day card making, place mat making, sensory activities, decorating graham crackers, matching and sorting games, and a little baby area for the wee ones. Maya spent most of her time on the mats, playing with the other babies, but she also made a card for Daddy. We had a great time. One of the best parts was our first ride in the new, big girl car seat! Maya seems really comfy in her new seat, and I think it'll be much easier than lugging that giant pumpkin seat in and out of the car. I will miss being able to take her in and out as one big package though. Oh well. I guess it all comes with growing up!

"My new friend, Sebastian, and I are playing on the mats. He's cute, huh?"

"What's in here?"

"Look at this Valentine's Day card! Isn't it silly?"

"Like my new car seat?"

"Daddy got these roses for Mommy. They accidentally came 4 days before Valentine's Day, but I can tell Mommy doesn't mind."

Hump Day!

Maya and I have had a relatively busy week so far. On Monday we went to visit Kevin at work in the morning, and then we babysat for Charlie in the afternoon. We had a great time playing with Charlie. He is getting so big - he weighs as much as Maya, but he is half her age! On Tuesday, we went to the zoo with Brie and Alex. It was supposed to be 70 degrees yesterday, but that didn't happen until the afternoon. The morning was quite brisk, but we had a great time anyway, and it was so nice to be outside. Kevin got home early, so we got to take a nice, sunny walk. It feels like spring these days! Sadly, it's going to drop into the 40's again for the weekend, just in time for Grammy and Grampy to visit. Boo on winter!

"It's just like spring outside! Let's go play!"

"I'm delighted. Can you tell?"

"Let's hold hands, Charlie. Am I touching you inappropriately? I didn't mean to..."

"Alex and I are snacking at the zoo. You can't really tell, but there are giraffes behind us. Alex likes the animals, but I'm too young to care. Maybe next time. I'm more interested in Alex."

"Peas - the snack of champions."