Fun with an 18 month old

Wow! Sometimes it just feels crazy to think that I am the mother of an 18 month old! Myra is definitely wanting to try more and more things on her own. :D

She has started climbing onto things like our coffee table and recently figured out how to manage the big plastic climber that we have in the basement. It makes me nervous every time, but she can climb up the vertical ladder about 5 steps, transfer herself horizontally to the platform and then proceed to slide down the slide. She's so smart! :D

Her vocabulary, though usually indiscernible, is expanding daily. Lately I've noticed a lot of "clicks" in her vocalizations.... it's very interesting. One of her favorite games is to pull the door of one of the bedrooms closed (making sure either Tim or I are inside) and then she knocks and knocks. We say "Hello, come on in!" and then she comes in and shakes her own hands together. :D

Myra has always loved talking on the phone and nothing has changed in that regard. Yesterday when the phone rang, I answered it and simultaneously Myra quickly grabbed a pen, put it up to ear, and started "talking".

I've noticed that Myra likes the feeling of having her eyes closed while wandering around the room and running into things - makes her burst into giggles - sometimes she'll take the tea towel hanging from the stove and put it over her head first just to spice things up. She also likes to turn around and around in circles until she falls cause she's so dizzy. - crazy kid!

Myra just learned to like fresh tomatoes and apples in the past 2 weeks. Mealtimes are definitely more successful if I let her feed herself. As you can see - it can get quite messy. ....and who needs a spoon when your thumb works so well?





I love it!

Happy Reunion!

We are so lucky and excited to have Marty and Hannah and Kai spend the weekend with us! :D I feel especially excited for Myra to have a playmate.

Myra and Kai "sharing" the boat - I put them on the seat side by side...





Myra determined to sit in the boat even if it means sitting on top of Kai....





I, of course, had to digitally capture the moment before resuming the lesson on "sharing" :D

Fun with Colors

Myra likes to study with daddy. Last night, Myra found Tim's books and mechanical pencil on the bed and promptly took the book, opened the cover and moved the pencil across the page just like she sees her daddy do. It was so cute!
On this particular day, Myra found a box that she could wear as a hat - apparently it was daddy's turn to wear it.

Finding new ways to use a strainer....



I burst into laughter when I walked upon this scene...Myra, proudly sitting in the stroller meant for her dolls and happy as can be.



"Cheese!"





Myra just started saying "cheese" to the camera today - so funny! And it cracks me up that if she knows the sound to something, then that sound equals how you say the word. For some reason every time I ask Myra to say "water" she lowers her voice to a whisper and lately each meal time Myra will point to her cupboard and say "cup" then I have to give her a cup and lid for her to play with while she eats. She's been practicing the twisting motion of twisting lids on and off. :D Oh! I just love her to bits!

Looking so cute - I just had to take some pictures. She's actually posing in the first two shots which surprised me....I mean I did say "hey Myra, turn around and smile so mommy can take a picture" but I didn't expect her to actually do that and then to hold the poses until I was done. :D

Another long one...

On Monday we headed out to Ohio to see our good friends Marty, Hannah and their son Kai. It was so great to share the same space for a few days!

We arrived in time for supper on Monday .....mmmm ribs and yummy potato casserole and blueberry desert - it was so yummy! After putting the kids to bed, we chatted and chatted and chatted, catching up on all the happenings of life since summer.

Tuesday morning we decided to go for a walk/hike in a local park. The weather was sunny and warm - perfect for a walk outdoors.

Here's Myra enjoying a little freedom before being set in the stroller. She fell asleep almost immediately and slept for the duration of our walk.



Cute, cute Kai! He finally surrendered to sleep in the last 5 minutes of our walk but of course woke up the moment we got in the car - :D





We came home for lunch and naps and then when the kids were awake we packed up for another fun adventure in a nearby water park.













After changing back into dry clothes, we drove into Columbus and had the best Greek food and later ice cream that Tim and I have ever had. It was delicious!

The next day we enjoyed a yummy breakfast out, did some shopping for picnic goodies, had lunch and naps and then packed up to go on a tour of a famous Ohio Cavern. Being in the cavern was kind of cool but mostly I was distracted trying to keep a curious, independent toddler from walking and touching everything. Needless to say there was a lot of frustrated crying and squirming coming from Myra's direction making the 45 minute tour feel VERY long. At least we got some good pictures :D







Then after enjoying our yummy picnic in a nearby park, we said good bye to our friends and drove home. :(

Now, it might be an unfortunate coincidence but I think enjoying water parks equals catching a bad cold. At the end of the summer in BC, Myra caught a cold (her only cold while we were there). The three days prior to this we had enjoyed a water park or sprinkler or something each day. This week on Friday, Myra suddenly started sneezing and oozing rivers of snot in the process - we were in water parks on Sunday and Tuesday, and on Wednesday Myra played in a small stream in the park. So I'm not sure but it seems that 3 days of outdoor water fun, specifically water park fun, results in Myra being sick. Poor kid - this one is a doozy! She tries to drink but has to keep taking breaks to breathe cause her nose is all plugged up. Same with sucking her soother - I feel so sorry for her when I know all she wants to do is relax and sleep but she can't breathe normally and then has a coughing fit and wakes herself up. I also think her eye teeth are making their way up adding to fun.

So this morning Myra and I went for a breakfast date to Panera's to celebrate the lack of sleep and the inevitable sharing of germs. :-) Hoping my symptoms will be mild and that the Advil will help her out and not make her hyper in the process.

And finally, a random picture of Myra cuddling her doll - just cause she's cute. :D



Hope you have an enjoyable Sunday however you choose to spend it :D
Until next time....