Daycare performance

You had your first show! It was at your daycare, where you get a music lesson twice a week from a lady that comes over with an accordion.

At first you were very afraid of Santa, since he came into the house at the very beginning of the show, but then you loosened up a bit and started dancing and playing the instruments. It was pretty cute. You were one of the few kids who didn't constantly need one of her parents by her side, although at first you saw grandma and started crying so that she would come sit with you on the chair. There were a few Russian songs that I recognized, of course you didn't sing any of them, but you hummed, clapped and danced and since you love the drum you drummed as much as you could. Some of the time you would even stand all by yourself in the middle of the room. You received your first gift from Santa. It was an exciting evening!

Clapping to a song

Drumming away
Who is that scary guy dressed in a Santa Suit?
Quick! Get my present and run!

2 Years old - Happy Birthday little munchkin!

I have stopped thinking about time, there is really no point in dwelling on it. Yes, these 2 years have flown by and you are now a 2 year old! It makes me a little bit sad, but I am also so thankful because we've had so many fun memories and such great times in the last 2 years.

We took you to Disneyland for your 2nd Birthday!

The first few rides were a bit scary for you, especially Pinoccio, it was a bit dark and loud, you screamed a bunch of times and I felt really bad... we should have started out with something more mellow. Peter Pan ride was a bit better, although you still cried a little bit. Then we started making our way to "It's a small world" when I had the biggest surprise ever. As we made our way to the ride I saw familiar faces standing and kneeling all with t-shirts spelled out "Happy 30th Birthday Anna! We Love you!" I nearly fell over when I saw my family, Jeromey's family, cousin Sarah from Florida and lots of our friends all smiling and saying "happy birthday!" So since my birthday was only 5 days before yours I guess daddy decided he could just trick me into thinking we're just going for you, so I had no idea he was putting this huge surprise together. To say that I was overwhelmed, is probably an understatement, I couldn't even finish reading the t-shirts. There were people taking pictures of the group, wondering what in the world is going on?
In the evening everyone met up again at a restaurant where we celebrated! When a little cake was brought out for you, everyone sang happy birthday and you seemed to enjoy it and not get scared off by all the people and noise, you even blew out the candle all by yourself! We ended up going back to the park to enjoy a few more rides and then watch the Fantasmic show, you seemed to really be captivated by it all. What a fun day!

Your new accomplishments:
If you're in the mood, you are very chatty, and you started forming 3 word sentences like "I have poopoos" or "Daddy has it", or ... a bunch of others that I just don't understand. :) You are such a little person now, so playful and so adorable, with opinions and all!

You almost always let us know if your diaper is dirty, and you have asked to go on the potty a few times, but you've actually sat down on it without the diaper once. You have been picking out your clothes, and if there is something you don't want to wear you let us know, and you start taking it off, and basically throwing a fit, which is not fun. You've also started to hit, sometimes when we're in bed and you will just look at us and then you get that playful look in your eyes and you start smacking, that gets you in big trouble!

At your 2 year appointment here were your stats:
weight - 23.5 lbs - 10%
height - 34.5 inches - 75%
head circ. -18 inches - 8%

You're a skinny tall little munchkin!

Bed time has been ok. Some nights are better than others, you are still getting up and leaving your bed, we still have to hold the door, sometimes you get upset. Lately if I walk in to put you back in the bed, you start crying for daddy, you seem to not want to see me at all! You are definitely such a daddy's girl!

So far you've had 2 colds, it's never a good time when you're sick or have a fever. The first one seemed to be pretty mild, but after the 2nd one the cough is still lingering. I guess it's inevitable since most of the kids in the day care all got sick too. Hopefully the rest of the winter season will not be bad and filled with sicknesses.

Your first trip to Disneyland!

Everyone at Disneyland! Spelling out "Happy 30th Birthday Anna! We <3>

Blowing kisses to Mickey

Your first time seeing Mickey with our friends

Happy Birthday Sascha! We love you!

Thanksgiving in Fresno

Well first of all I have to say that you survived the 10 hour ride to Fresno which was supposed to be a 5 and half hour drive. What a little trooper you were. The DVD's helped of course as well as having my mom and either me or daddy in the back seat with you. Needless to say we will not be traveling by car through LA the day before thankgiving. The good news is that we got there safe and had a wonderful time in Fresno. I was amazed at all the colors of the trees, it was almost like New England in fall, so beautiful. We spend all the time hanging out with family, played tennis, basketball and had a delicious feast at Amy and Michaels new home. It was their first Thanksgiving there after they've completely rebuilt it. There were nearly 30 people there, 9 kids including Sascha. Edna and her family came from Connecticut so we got to see them as well. You played with all the kids, Katie always wanted to take care of you and show you around. You loved playing with all their toys. It was nice to have my parents there to help out as well, so we got to relax a little bit as well and they really enjoyed spending extra time with you!

On the last day we went on a hike on a lake about 20 mins outside the city and everyone did so well! It was a challenge to get 5 kids out the door for Amy and Michael but they did it, and most of them even walked half of the trail. You were in the backpack as usual, enjoying the view from above. On our way back, you fell asleep right in there, you must have gotten very tired or it was the fresh air, because you don't usually just fall asleep on the spot like that.

After the hike we all went to have an early dinner and afterwards it was time for us to drive back to San Diego, the drive back was so much better than the drive up, we hardly hit any traffic at all, and were home in no time.

At the long dinner table 9 kids and 14 adults

Fun times playing tennis with the boys

Our hike around the lake

You decided to fall asleep for the last part of the hike

23 Months

Your vocabulary is growing so much. There are a few books which are your favorites with letters and pictures of different things and animals on them, and you name so many of them that it surprises me every time. Also we are making progress on learning letters as well as counting. You at least attempt to count, even if it isn't always right. You are very good at repeating them when we ask you to. You answer yes and no to so many things that we ask you. To food it's usually a "no", unless it's something you really like, and to going outside, or park or to see a friend you usually say "yes". Big surprise there.

You love just about every activity that we take you on. We've gone to the Little gym in Poway a few times which is a gymnastics place and you get so excited when you see that we are there. You're super brave on things that they have you try out there and every time you see me try to help you in any way, you say "Sama" which means "by myself", you want to do it all on your own, which can be a bit scary since you don't know your limits very well yet. At times on the playground when I pick you up and place you somewhere, you will say the same thing and deliberately go back to the place where I picked you up and climb up on your own, you're pretty stubborn about it already. The other things you enjoy are still your swim class, we've skipped a few because you were a bit under the weather but when we returned you were so excited to get into the pool. We still have a few sessions left in your music class. Last week, we didn't get the message in time about a cancellation and took you there anyways and there was no class so we had to leave. You were so upset when daddy had to take you back and you couldn't understand why you were leaving without participating in class, it was so sad. Your favorite instrument seems to be "baraban" - the drum... you get so excited when you see it.

The bed situation is much better, it no longer takes us hours to get you to stay in your room and bed, some nights are better than others of course.
You did get your first cold of the season last week which was really no fun. We actually all got a mild version of it, but you actually had a fever for a few nights and still have the lingering cough, and you seem to wake up a few times a night and start crying until one of us comes over to pat you on the back... usually you go right back to sleep.

You are still a pretty picky eater, but now you really don't like when we attempt to feed you. Sometimes you get mad if I take the spoon, although I am only helping you get some food on the spoon, you will still get upset at times. You are definitely getting very independent.

Tooth brushing is going well. You actually got another molar in the back, and I finally got a Crayola automatic toothbrush and I feel like it's way better than when I am trying to scrub your teeth. We even floss now, at least the couple of teeth that are close together which the dentist recommended that we floss.

Next month you are going to be 2 years old, I honestly feel like the last 2 years have gone by in the blink of an eye! I am already looking at older pictures of you when you were a tiny little infant and can't believe you are growing up to be such a lovely and beautiful little girl. I am so excited to see what is in store for us next year, but also a little bit sad that you're growing up so fast, sometimes I wish I could slow down the time, so I can enjoy it for just a little longer. I am really looking forward to the holiday time when I am planning on taking some time off and have some more fun together. Did I mention that we're taking you to Disneyland for your 2nd Birthday? It's going to be so much fun!

Pumpkin Patch and Halloween

I am so behind on posts, but trying to catch up.
Pumpkin Patch was fun this year, except for the day we picked to go, it was 90+ degrees which definitely did not feel like fall. Instead of hanging out there for a while like we planned, we only stayed for a few hours. We did the hay ride, picked out a pumpkin, took pictures, and were on our way back.

Family op

I loved this one, because it looks like you and Matty are having a deep conversation

Going for a ride

I bought your Halloween costume which was supposed to be a monkey a few weeks ago, however you refused to put it on. We tried a few times and you would start crying really loud as soon as we attempted to put on any part of it on. I did get you to pet it... and you recognized that it's a monkey, and would point to it and call it monkey while it was hanging. So we had to trade it in, your buddy Matthew ended us wearing it on his 1st birthday party. Instead you acquired a Panda bear costume. This time I didn't try to put it on you or introduce you to it ahead of time. The day before Halloween, your day care was going to have a celebration so I dropped you off and your costume so that you can get changed into it. Later I found out, you once again refused, all the kids were dressed up in costumes but not you. The following day was Halloween and daddy took you next door with you where the neighbor said she would attempt to help you get into a costume, they actually had 3 other ones to try, a lady bug, a princess and another one, you ran away each time they tried to put it on you and once again refused. I have pretty must accepted the fact that you weren't going to wear your costume, but before we left to go to Matty's bday party, I decided to try one last time, somehow we were able to distract you and even thought you fussed a little bit, it was no big deal, you wore your costume, and even the head piece part. Yay!
So that allowed us to take you trick or treating this year for the first time, you had such a fun time. We met us with Kingston and Herbie who both dressed up as pirates and you went into the houses to get candy, you wouldn't let go of your basket either. We all had a great time, and you enjoyed the candy as well. Here are a few pictures from that day.

Cutest Panda bear ever

Hanging out with Matty the Monkey @ his 1 Year Birthday Party

Enjoying a juice box

Getting ready for your first trick or treating experience

Off you go!

I forgot to mention that when we got home that night, you were sad when I took the panda hat off you, and wanted it back on. Also in a few more days after I have washed the costume and was putting some laundry away before your nap time, you found the hat and decided to put it on, I went to take it off, and you started crying... so I let you have it, you napped in your panda hat that day, so funny!

From Crib to Little Bed

As I mentioned in the previous post, you've been attempting to climb out of the crib. Last night you succeeded. It happened right in front of me, I just couldn't believe it. You swung you leg over, pushed up with your arms and out you went, I just couldn't get there in time to catch you. Luckily, you didn't hurt yourself. We've just moved your little area rug and you landed right on it, with your back and butt first and then your head hit the side of the crib but it was already after you were on the ground so no damage caused. You definitely got scared and started to cry a little bit, but it wasn't "I got hurt" kind of a cry, you were just spooked.

So it's time to say goodbye to your crib, and hello to your bed. I must say I am a little bit sad to let the crib go... but I guess the baby stage is officially over and now it's time to embrace yet another stage of you growing up. I had a hard time deciding if we should get a twin bed for you or not, especially since we have a queen bed in the guest room that's not being used, but would be way too huge for you for now, so we decided to have a temporary solution with this very inexpensive toddler bed we got on craiglist, until I figure out the bed, room, furniture situation.

We took apart the crib and put the bed in its place and it's so so cute! You saw us putting everything in place and once we were done you seemed happy and you even went down and laid on it for a few seconds, but I had no idea what to anticipate for our first night with you in your new "big little girl bed".

Here is the scoop on the first night. We did the usual bedtime routine, read a few stories, brushed your teeth, changed into PJs and I laid you down, you immediately started to get up. I put you back down, attempted to sing "twinkle twinkle little star" and back on the bed you went. Once again you got up. After 5 or so times I left the room, and as soon as you came out, I would put you back into bed without saying anything. Then after feeling bad that you seemed to be having a hard time getting used to your bed, I thought may be I'll just stay in the room with you and wait till you fall asleep, that didn't work, you still got up, wanted to climb with me on the chair, then you wouldn't stay put there either. Every time you saw me coming in, you'd turn around and start running for the bed, you started laughing and were thinking this is a game that we play, I got tired after 10 times of going back and forth, and called daddy. He did the same thing 40 times! Then he needed a break, it was my turn once again, and I probably lasted another 20 times of you coming out and putting you back in bed. I even tried holding the door shut, which sounds terrible and I really didn't think I would have to do that, but I was running out of ideas and got frustrated. It didn't work, you started getting into the baskets with toys. Daddy came back to the rescue once again and we went back and forth 30 more times. Towards the end you were getting pretty mad and screamed and cried, but finally you got exhausted, and stayed in bed. I thought there would be no end to it. Over 100 times!!! 100 times it took to make you stay in bed. We exhausted ourselves! Our lower backs ached but we were happy that you were finally asleep. You didn't get up on your own this morning, but woke up pretty cranky and crying a little. I'll am hoping that the 2nd night will go better than the first, but we'll see.

Last night in the crib

Trying out your new bed on the first night... such a big girl already!