At 21 months Annabelle, is turning out to be a lot of things, most of which are entirely endearing. At this point, one thing our days are most certainly, would be um...anything, and I mean anything but dull.

• For instance, when you find a half a roll of wadded up toilet paper stuffed in the bottom of her potty chair which remains vacant, except for those few occasions when she sticks "hoppy" her favorite stuffed bunny, on it. That being said, the "potty train" is the new big thing around here right now. And her little potty chair sits ceremoniously. like a royal throne in the smack-dab middle of our living room floor. She is more than happy to run around naked, as she wants to be like her big cousin Jesse who's just started riding the "potty train." So we sing this silly song. And watch her like a hawk, to make sure we don't end up with a puddle or worse on the floor. Occasionaly we bribe her with chocolate. Is that awful of us? Because it works. Just the other night, after her third try, she was promptly rewarded. That's some serious motivation if you ask me.
  
• She learned to say pistachio yesterday. Well, sort of. It's something reminiscent to a cross between pea soup and statue. And if she'd been able to crack the shells open by herself, I fear the entire bag would have been *poof* gone in one sitting.
  
• We were in the car yesterday when out of the clear blue, totally uncoaxed she counted to six. Well, she might have skipped four or something but I was floored. I really have no idea where she learned to count like that. Certainly not from me. I am still trying to get her to say A...B....C...D instead of A...B...C...X.
  
• So with a stack of Christmas Cards, just waiting to be addressed. My address book went missing. Not good. And I had the most sinking feeling about it in the pit of my stomach, as I have pulled out earrings, toothbrushes and books from the bathroom garbage can. What a relief it was then yesterday, thinking the worst had happened when I found it stashed in the bottom basket of her changing table, under a pile of diapers.
  
• maybe the #1 piece of advice I have for people about to be responsible for a 21 month old, would be: Never take your eye off of them. Not even for five seconds. They are fast. Really fast. 21 months will be out the door and down the drive way, lickety split, in under 7 seconds. Or another example would be David and I, laughing about something at the dinner table, absorbed in the humor of the moment, while she sits across the table from us happily chugging away at the bottle of soy sauce. Our reaction to the s.s. incident : wide eyed horror. Hers, " mmmm...salt...num, num! "
  
• and of course there are those times all I want to do is sit down and cry, but no matter how rough the day has been.. I can't help but feel supreme joy. Especially with my hubs coming home to find his home a disaster area, his wife down-trodden and frazzled, in spite of which he says things like: "Why do you think I married you?" Then answering his own question with a " so I could cuddle with you every night."

Her eyes twinkle with mischief. And wonder. And magic. And laughter. And affection. And curiosity. And fun. And all I want is for mine to always twinkle back at her in unconditional love

 

We had a weekend not unlike a winter fairytale.
Friday night David and I kicked it off in styel with a date that included lots of smooching and hand holding , as we enjoyed the undivided attention we were able to give each other. We even squeezed in a little Christmas shopping and then on our way home, stopped to pick out a Christmas Tree to surprise the sweet girly-kins with. The entire evening left me refreshed, and romanced. And I must have had stars in my eyes that evening because I could feel them. The minute I opened the door, Annabelle Lucy slipped down from Aunt Lynne's lap, face beaming and seriously raced, squealing across the room, and into my arms. Let me tell you, my heart skipped a beat. Who wouldn't love to come home to that? To her. And David gets to do it 5 days a week. No wonder it's his favorite time of the day. :)

Saturday morning we woke up to find snow falling outside our window, it felt like a gift, sent especially to us in honor of it very first day of December. So David and Annabelle played in the fluffy falling flakes and stacked fire wood , while I watched out the window and grinned at them, busy at the kitchen table, with my " Project Christmas Money, " going great guns. The snow stopped eventually but the fun didn't as we brought in the Christmas tree, poured big mugs of egg nog and strung and hung to our, well maybe more like my, hearts content. Annabelle was full of delight over the whole process. "Yites" and "balls" and "snowmens" and most importantly of course,"tandy-tanes." My tree is missing three of it's Candy Canes this year so far, thanks to Anniebelles and her sweet tooth of a Daddy. Oh well, I suppose maybe I can overlook it, just this once.


I am predicting that the best thing about Christmas this year going to be continuing to watch our little girl discover and delight in life.

The following are some little vingettes taken from the day to day life of a happy 20 month old. Mine, to be exact. As well as a list I have been keeping of the cute things she says and how she says them. This is my favorite age so far.


Sometimes she calls me " Mommy-Chelle"
ocean ( osh-oon )
jacket
home
yes, yeah & yep
puzzle
pumpkin
ready
thirsty
eat!"
"come !"
She'll say, " No, mommy, no! "
And after we've dealt with her on it , in a pitiful little voice, " sorry, Mommy, sorry "
high five- " high tive"
"see _____" she's always wanting us look at something
" dancing, dancing "
band-aid, owie, bonk-o ( for bonk)
play - "pay!"
a flower is a - " flowery "
"running, running"
kick
" lets read this "
heart
apron
crocs
bottom - " bummey "
purse
love you- luuuvv-oooo
" daddy's truck "
balloon "boon"
knock-knock
jammies
beautiful is"boo-ti-full"
pants
dress
she knows the names of all her body parts
music is " moo-sic"

She calls herself " baby." I love that, oh I love that!

When she sees a baby smaller than herself she squeals with delight and proudly explains to me: " baby! tiny."

Because she can't make the s sound in Nelson (beloved boy cousin of hers) , insert a sound like you are blowing your nose here between the Nel and on ( her daddy gets the biggest kick out of this) Also, she knows the names of all her grandparents, auntie's, uncles and cousins. And that is quite the acommplishment since there are over 30!


Her favorite snack: " pretzie's " (pretzels)
Her favorite book: ' I love you Through and Through '
Her favorite word as of today: " Hoooray! "
Her favorite article of clothing: Red Crocs, I can hardly get her to wear anything else but she'll sleep in her crocs
Her favorite toy: her purse and dollies
Her favorite thing to do: play outside, and dance


I tell her something ONE TIME and she'll remember it days later. For
example, pulling up a chair next to the sink and having her "help" me do the dishes, which she's crazy about. Well one day last week I put her little apron on her and everyday since then have forgot about it's very existance. Today when I asked her if she wanted to help me wash the dishes, she ran over to where the aprons are hanging and pulled on hers until I realized she wasn't going to "help" me wash dishes without it.

She has taken it upon herself to make sure the cat behaves. Poor George. He's the official bottom of the family pecking order. And he's always being told "down tat!" ( she can't say her C's ), " no tat! "or "out tat!"


While we were on holiday at the "osh-oon" she also learned how to say the two big C. Which of course come out sounding like "tandy" and "tookie."

The other night in the car, as we were coming home from a weekend with our best friends in Colville WA, and listening to my new favorite CD, we hear this sweet little voice floating from her carseat in the back, and with her own little angle voice she started to try and sing, for the first time. " Halleluiah...halleluiah, halleluiah..."( or her baby version of it) and as soon as the song would end she we'd here this quiet little" again?" One if the top ten most frequently used words in her growing vocabulary. So we listened, Again and Again. And she sang along. For almost and hour.

While my parents were here we showed them the DVD of the slide show from David's Dad's memorial service. Of course David and I can't watch it without getting teared up. When Annabelle noticed her Daddy's tears, she reached up for him and with the most concerned little look said, " Sorry Daddy, Sorry."



Wednesday night at dinner she suprised us by saying: " broccoli." What suprised us even more than that is that she just loves eating it.


On the way home from our date at Coldstone where I enjoyed on of these decedant treats absolutely Free for my birthday , David was goofing off in the car, just being a total ham. She looks at him with this major twinkle in her eye and says: " Daddy...funny!"

She goes around the house, on the tippiest of toes chanting this line,
over and over: " happy, happy, happy, happy! "


Yesterday she learned the motions to the song, " If your happy and you know it..." and by far her favorite part is shouting "hoooooray!"

She does not allow the wearing of jackets without the "hat" (hood).

When she sits down to "read" a book you hear: " ABC...ABC's..."

And so she continues to steal our hearts. All bit more every single day.

 

 

Warning: I have a feeling this about to be one heck of a long post, and even though i am not going out of my way to try and make up for lost time, I do apologize in advance.

 

 

 

Notes From A Cottage Garden comes to you from the camera and keyboard of

my very own Mother-Dear who has just recently joined the ranks of Blog-land to share the delights of her oh so lovely garden...Everytime I go for a visit I get a color rush...and I promise you will be enchanted and inspired by her beauty and expertise.

You can tell her I sent you and that I said, she is way too wonderful to keep all to myself.

Lately I have gotten into the habit of using my bisques mix when whipping up a batch of waffles, usually to save on time, either because have slept waaaaay and I have to hurry and get breakfast on the table before it's lunchtime, or we are about to be late to church. Last Sat. morning convinced me that the extra 5 minutes it takes to make waffles from scratch is more than worth it. Instead of the usual gulping down of the dry/ bland bisquickies with a glass of milk and half a bottle of syrup...the waffles were moist and tasted good even without butter and syrup. Fresh strawberries and whip cream didn't seem to hurth though. David and I just couldn't stop " mmmm-ing " over them. . In fact I was impressed enough that I haven't forgotten (and it's Thursday) how much I want share this recipe with you:

Waffles From Scratch-
(from The Taste of Home Cookbook)                 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted

1) In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Combine egg yolks, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

2) In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form; gently fold into batter

3) Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown. Top with confectioners' sugar and fruit or serve with syrup.

Yield: 4 waffles(about 6 inches)

 

Happy May Day!

 

...and she's officially walking.

Got an email from my Dad this afternoon, that read :

 

Her Favorite Things Right Now:

Playing peek-a-boo. Which consists of her yelling out "boooh" when she hides her face only to very quickly peek back at us with a huge grin, often accompanied by squeals. She is so very proud of herself for being so tricky!

And we of course laugh and laugh because we can't help it.

The other big thing that she's into right now is playing the bellybutton game. You really should try it sometime. The object is to lift your shirt ( or even your "team-mates" shirt if you'd rather) or look down your( or your "team-mates") shirt.

Once you've finally spotted the sought after b.b. (we have shortened it to "bee-boo") you burst out into a giggle of glee

 and then proceed to tickle yourself or your "team-mate" with gusto.
You repeat this pattern over and over until you get distracted by something like, the cat for instance.

Words She is saying:

Hi there!
mom-mom-mom-mom-mom-mom
happy! (this is my favorite word that she says)
num-num
baaa
moo

boo ( boooh)
tweet
thank you ( we tell her, " say please' so she says " tane-choo")
walk-walk
side (outside)
pretty (this is my other favorite word that she says...

usually either in response to someone's earrings or a flower we've stopped to smell)

one ( if you ask her " how old is baby")

that (dat) she say to everthing as she points with her chubby little baby finger

snack (sna)

and drink (dink)

So aside from the occasional poop in the bath-tub, refusal to nap or eat her peas, emptying of the contents of every bottom drawer in our house, and the kind of fit that is accompanied by throwing oneself down on the floor, much wailing and kicking of the feet...being her mommy is pure bliss.