New web album

Sorry it has been a while since I posted a new web album. Since I have been picking a few of my favorite pictures to add to blog posts, I have been less on top of posting big batches of pictures. Some may be repeats, but enjoy all the same!

Will roll for spoon

Some dogs do tricks to get snacks. Homeless people say they will work for food. My Etta decided to do her first back-to-tummy roll in order to grab a spoon. Think she is trying to give me a hint that she is ready for food? I was going to wait until her half birthday. My resolve is wavering.

The other day at Safeway a few people commented on Etta's rosy chubby cheeks. Then an oddly dressed lady started engaging me in conversation. When she learned that Etta was 5 months old, she assumed I was giving her food already. When I said that I was waiting until she was 6 months, the lady tried to educate me on how "they" are now saying that you can start giving babies food at 4 months. Maybe you can. But does that mean it is best? I say breast is best! As you can see from this picture, she is clearly wasting away & in desperate need of more nutrition than my milk can offer!

Translate please

Since toddler-speak needs an interpreter and since each toddler has their own unique verbage, here is a sampling of Addie's language quirks:

Water used to be "aw-wa" (sounds sort of like "agua" or like "wa-wa" reversed) but is now "ah-ter".

Words with a "s" at the beginning get the "s" put on the end (almost pig latin style) Soap is "oaps". Spoon is "oops". Sleep is "eeps".

She can not say her "L's" (I could not for quite a while either & was, lovingly, teased).

"Na-na" can mean napkin or banana or a few other things. "Ni-ni" could mean night or

Computer sounds like "puh-tu-tu-tu-tu-ter"

Yogurt is "ohn-gert"

"Daddy Matt" is pretty clear. Except for that daddy and doggy sound the exact same.
"Mommy Leah" becomes "Mommy eh-dee-ah" (sounds like "idea" or "idiot" depending on who is translating!)
She says "Etta" and "Addie" quite clearly!

One word that she says pretty clearly, which cracks me up because most people do not expect it, is edamame. She says it more like "edda-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-may" because it is so much fun to draw out.

Addie picks up new words every day and is quite good at putting sentences together. I have been working on teaching her the "a b c d's" as she calls them and her numbers. She, understandably, gets 6 and 9 mixed up. Her favorite number is 2 - both because it is so simple to understand (2 arms, 2 legs, etc) and because that is how old she is.

No picture to go with this post- I am fighting a cold & want to go lay down while the girls are both napping!

Recipe: Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie


2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
8 oz cool whip (thawed)
4 oz cream cheese (room temp)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
baked graham cracker pie shell (or chocolate pie shell) cooled

Soften cream cheese with beater, then mix in peanut butter, cool whip & sugar until well blended. Spoon into crust. Freeze for a few hours to overnight. Then move to fridge an hour or two before serving. Top with cool whip or whipped cream, chopped peanuts, chocolate sauce, or whatever your heart desires.

Notes:
I bought a graham cracker pie shell, brushed it with milk (you could also use egg whites) and cooked it for 5 minutes at 350 or so. You can easily make your own crust if you have the crackers in your cupboard.

Cool whip is one of those foods (along with things like velveeta, cream of --- soup and french fried onions) that remind me of my childhood. Comfort foods in their own unhealthy, super-processed way!

Pajama Time!

The moon is up.
It's getting late.
Let's get ready to celebrate.
It's pajama time!

Pull on the bottoms.
Put on the top.
Get yourself set to pajama-dee-bop - it's pajama time!

We can all pajammy in whatever we've got.
It's pajama time!

Ooooo yes, it's pajama time!

Pee pee in the potty

We have been having Addie practice using the potty. No formal training yet, but we have a little potty for her plus a potty seat that goes on the big toilet. We also have underwear for if she wants to wear them (which are always paired with a pair of babylegs for fashion & warmth purposes). Currently we have been enticing her to go pee with the promise of a stamp (rubber) on her hand or other body part, and a jelly bean if she goes poop. She has had quite a few stamps on her body the last few days, but the package of jelly beans has been sitting unopened for a week.

Last night both girls were naked before bath. Addie tried sitting on the big potty. Then we decided Etta should have a turn. I held her on the potty while Addie watched & grinned. Etta enjoyed her nakedness & listened to the sound of water as Matt filled up the tub. And then... tinkle, tinkle... Etta went pee in the potty! She got a stamp on her foot for that of course. I am not sure what I would have done if she did a poop!

Mommy talk more Addie baby

"Mommy talk more Addie baby" translated into "Mommy, tell me more about when I was a baby" has become a very popular request at our  house lately. Addie loves hearing about messes she used to make (spit-ups, blow-outs, food messes, etc) and things she used to do. Often this is prompted by something Etta is doing.

Addie picks out Etta's clothes almost every morning, and since 90% of her clothes are hand-me-downs (twice-over actually since most were given to us used - thanks Kelly!) I often say "Addie, I remember when you wore this outfit when you were a baby." Sometimes we can go on the computer and show her pictures of her in the same outfit.

Here a couple of comparison pictures (the ones of Addie were taken in May 2008 so she was almost 5 months old. The ones of Etta are from Jan & Feb)

Etta's 4 month stats

14 lbs 8 oz (75%)
25in tall (80%)
17in around her head (91%) - (big brain!)

And of course she got compliments on her cute chubby cheeks and head of hair!

And a picture of the sisters