21 Months, Week 2

We just had the pleasure of a four day weekend.  It's always nice to get to spend some extra time with our girly and this weekend was no exception!

 














Grandpa Al (or PaPa as Livi has started calling him) came to visit us last weekend while Grandma Sue is down in Florida visiting great Grandma and Great Grandpa Pigg. It's always nice to have an extra set of hands to help (especially while we were redoing our dining room).  Grandpa is always willing to help with diaper changes and Livi now LOVES telling us when she needs to be changed.  She will usually grab a clean diaper and wipes and yell "Diapy!"  She's so helpful!



Livi also has a new favorite game/song.  At first, I was a little nervous because I thought she was saying a certain four letter word that starts with "sh".  Then, she started to sing the word "Ashes, Ashes" over and over and then it dawned on me.  She thinks it pretty hilarious when you are sitting on the ground at the end while she is still standing up.

On Monday, we headed to Conner Prairie.  Even though it was 60 degrees out (seriously, 60 degrees in Indiana in February?!?), we stuck to the indoor parts of the museum.  She had a great time coloring, doing puzzles, having tea, running the cash register, and making new friends.

On Tuesday, Josh had to head back to work so we met him for a lunch date.  We also stopped over at daycare so I could meet some of the ladies who take such great care of her each day and Livi's friends.  Apparently, all that excitement wears a girl out!

My big helper also helped me whip me a very yummy dinner for our family.  She loves to help in any way she can.  It's also been really neat to watch how quickly her vocab and speech is growing.  She starting to put words together and change her intonation of certain words.  It cracks us when you ask her, "Livi, do you want..." and she says, "YeAH!"  But, I think our favorite is when you ask her a wh question like, "Livi, where is Daddy?"  She will stretch out her arms, shrug her shoulders, and say, "I dunno!"  It is so funny!    

21 Months, Week 1

Love is in the air this week!  Livi has found a new way to show love...she has started to tickle people!  It's so funny to watch her move little her fingers under your chin and say, "Tickle, tickle!"  Her other favorite game to play is grabbing family pictures and then naming all the people in the picture.  She's so proud of herself that she knows so many people.

Grammy and Grampy stopped by last weekend for a visit and to bring us some valentine treats.  Livi had fun showing off her kitchen and cooking up some tasty treats.

Great Uncle Jimmy also stopped by later in the week to bring Livi some princess treats and a card she could card.  She loved both!

On Valentine's Day, I had the cutest delivery person around bring me some beautiful tulips to school. She also doubles as an assistant.  I wonder if I can get her to write some reports or score some protocols...

 Since she was so sweet to give us such nice presents, it was only fair to return the favor.  I'm sure there will come a time when socks, bubbles, and new plates won't cut it any more but this year they were a big hit!  She also loved her "magic" flower that blooms with the push of a button.  If only real gardening was that easy.

Going out for Valentine's Day is one of the many things that changes once you have a toddler.  After Gymboree, we went to Mark Pi's for Chinese food.  Their food really is very yummy and I think Josh and I were both thrilled to not be the ones cooking dinner!

And when Olivia is ready to go, she's always willing to help carry things to the car.  At home when she's decided she has been in the house too long, she'll often grab my purse and head for the garage door.  I really didn't think I'd have to worry about her borrowing my purses quite yet, but what can I say.  This girl has excellent style!

20 Months, Week 4 Continued

Oh to be inside the head of a toddler...I imagine it goes something like this, "Check me out!  I can jump up and down and watch myself in the mirror.  I'm very good at multitasking."  Olivia is getting very good at things that involve routines.  She knows when she comes in the house she is supposed to take off her shoes, hang up her jacket, and then head for the bathroom to wash her hands.  I'm not saying it goes perfectly or that she doesn't need some reminders, but she usually has a pretty good memory.  Since she also likes to be a helper, when it's nap time at daycare she not only sets her shoes neatly next to her cot but also her classmates' (who could care less about where their shoes end up) as well.

Although, Sassy-Pants sometimes disapproves of the shoe choice I have made for and will promptly tell me, "No!" as she's taking them off and grabbing a different pair. Good thing she can also put her shoes on by herself (and 9 times out of ten gets them on the correct feet). 

Grandpa Al came to visit us while Grandma Sue is in Florida with Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Pigg. He volunteered to baby-sit (which Josh and I eagerly took him up on!) and he and Olivia whipped up some very tasty cookies!  From looking at the pictures, I'm not sure who had more fun!  I think it's best to just call it a tie.

Strike a pose!  During their night in, Grandpa also snapped some pics of Olivia modeling her very cute night gown made by Auntie Mary Ann.  It cracks me up when she grabs a phone and says, "'lo?"  She is still loving having stories read to her.  She especially likes picture books where you ask her to either find something or label the picture.  She is also lucky to have a spunky role model named "Olivia" in books and on TV.  After a long day out, she will often grab the remote and shout "Yivya?" as she tries to climb on the couch.  She doesn't watch for too long, but she gets so excited when the theme song plays.  But then again, what child wouldn't be excited to hear a whole song in which the only words are their name?

20 Months, Week 4

That's Miss Sassy Pants to you! Sassy seems to be the best way to describe Olivia these days.  She has picked up what I can only describe as an "evil laugh" that she typically uses when she is being told not to do something.  I also walked in my room the other morning and found her putting on my rings and watch (I then added some necklaces and bracelets).  It's a good thing she's cute!

 My how going out to dinner has changed. First of all, there has to be a minimum noise level so we don't stand out. Second, if there's more than a 10 minute wait we are probably going to have to go some where else. And third you have to be on the look out for a cute little hand stealing your French fries!

It looks like I'm not only one whose closet Olivia likes to raid!  It's no easy to feat to walk around in shoes/slippers that are three times bigger than your foot but Olivia makes it work.  Even if that means wearing the shoe backward!