As April draws to a close

Much like exercising, it seems when I take a break from posting here, it’s hard to get started back up again. Not that I don’t want to, and don’t think about it frequently, but thinking and doing-not the same. I feel like things are simmering down every which way enough to say that I might be able to get back to at least a couple of posts a month, but life has a way of making me think that, and then abruptly planning something else.

Also, as Little S gets bigger, we just aren’t taking the volume of pictures we used to. Whether it’s forgetting the camera as we go out the door, or more likely, trying to contain her constant motion that doesn’t allow us a free hand for the camera, the volume has definitely subsided.

But, here we are, on the cusp of her 2nd birthday already. What an amazing and interesting age. The amount of development in the first two years is so astronomical. Where she was to where she is today is mind-blowing. So much so, that I often forget there’s so much more to go! I’ll see a kid activity that seems like it would be fun and have to stop myself to remember that she’s ONLY two, and not big enough for whatever it is yet.

A few weeks ago, this big girl looked downright SASSY all dressed for church.

 

She gets very excited when I cook. She asks for and attempts to drag her stepstool to her special place at the end of the counter where she can help Mommy put things in to the mixing bowl

and, I think she’s quickly going to learn that helping cook means sampling along the way (even if I am actively discouraging it)

The next few days hold several fun gatherings in store with her friends and my friends. I vow to bring the camera and try and actually use it!  As spring gives way to summer, the balance of fun to work will shift to more fun and more photo-worthy moments!

Easter 2010

Now that Little S is a walking, talking, comprehending machine, I thought we would try out a few Easter Egg hunts around town.

Saturday morning we biked up to the park by our friends Jim & Lisa’s house for their neighborhood egg hunt. I had no idea what to expect, and had visions of Little S being shoved out of the way by bigger kids with visions of chocolate in their sights. This was nothing like that. They had a great under age 3 area roped off. The eggs were going to be pretty hard to find:

I think it all might have been okay except the organizers mentioned that there were some multi-colored eggs that had coupons you could turn in for special prizes. So on the word “go” several parents just dragged their kids out as quick as they could to get those special eggs! (The prizes turned out to be dollar store type items. And the lessons those kids are learning from their parents? Priceless)

I wasn’t even sure Little S would quite get the concept of what to do. AND, this being our first Easter egg hunt, Mom left the house in a hurry and a little unprepared. So our Easter basket? We were winging it.

Yep. Mommy’s bike helmet buckled together to make a handle. I was pretty pleased with my improvisation. And Little S TOTALLY figured out what to do.

 

Her haul of four eggs was perfect. We had practiced finding an egg that morning with a plastic egg with M & M’s. I was worried she would want to open all of the eggs as she was finding them to get the M&M’s, but the spirit of competition must have been strong enough to drive her on! Like any good egg hunter she looked & looked for quite a while after they were clearly gone. And then we ate some candy and played on the crowded playground for about an hour. About the time we were biking back, the rain started up again, but had held off all morning. It also held off for a portion of the afternoon when we ventured to the Zoo for her second easter egg hunt of the day. She was so excited about her basket and the prospect of finding easter eggs that she got her basket in her hands, willingly left the house and wouldn’t let go of her basket for over an hour! That’s some kind of attention span record for her.

Here she’s checking out her haul at the zoo

She met the Easter Bunny as well. She was a little nervous, but the Bunny was great about offering a hand and getting her to not be scared. And by the time she was giving the bunny a hug-the batteries died on the camera!!!! I think we’re ready for next year though, she didn’t want to leave the bunny and kept asking about and trying to go back to the bunny.

Then the big day dawned for the egg hunt in her very own house. She quickly found the basket that the easter bunny left

And proceeded to stuff a Robin’s Egg in her mouth. And it was really too big, so she drooled blue drool all over as she looked for more eggs.

It was hard to convince her to keep looking for eggs because she kept wanting to eat all of the candy in her basket, AND open the eggs and eat whatever she could out of those.

After her fourth egg hunt of the weekend at church, Easter afternoon didn’t involve any more egg hunts. It did involve some new friends that adored Little S

 

Some music from a talented mandolin player (in the background of the photo)

 

Which she was attempting to clog to as he played. Having learned how to clog back in January at the Old Time Music Festival. One of our friends even commented “is she clogging to the music?” I guess when she hears bluegrass she knows she should be clogging! Add that to her list of dance lessons someday.

The force is strong with this one

Little S’ Easter 2010 was definitely a fun-filled one. And now everyone is ready for a good night’s candy fueled sleep.

Aunt A’s last visit

Last visit? Was it so horrible she’s never allowed back? Quite the opposite. Her spring break in Portland was the last time she’ll be visiting. Next time she touches the ground here she’ll be moving here! We’re very much looking forward to that this summer!

She hosted her own birthday party, tasking advantage of what would turn out to be the end of the nice weather.

   

Just as well so she doesn’t harbor any illusions about what winter here is like. In fact, it turned so wintry that Big S took a day to go skiing in what is rumored to be waist deep powder. On March 30, nonetheless. So Aunt A and I took Little S to her first gymnastics class! It was so much fun. We worked on front rolls

 

We played with the parachute

and many more fun games, including jumping on a trampoline that weren’t captured on film. She’s got at least three more weeks of this fun class that Dad gets to take her to. Maybe there will be some more photos soon.

Aunt A also took Little S to a fire truck that was just idling around the corner. She met three nice firefighters who gave her a Junior Firefighter sticker that she is very proud of

 

Spending time with your cool Aunt A means things that Mom & Dad might not let you do

  Like go all out on the face paints at the Children’s Museum. Guess who will also be sneaking her out to buy makeup before Mom & Dad say it’s okay???

“Hello, Aunt A? Mom won’t let me get a tattoo. Can you take me?”

 

Wonder where she will have learned about tattoos?

Little S definitely had a great week and can’t wait until Aunt A is not several states away, but hopefully only a few miles (or less) away!