Toddler Tuesday!

Eliza loves her Uncle Adam!  She got to spend time with him twice and August and she loved it!

Snuggling at home

Chicago visit

"Uncle Adam wear the headband"

Looks so nice!

mmm, ice cream

Silly, Uncle Adam!

Toddler Tuesday: a budding singer?

I wanted to share two videos of Eliza singing over the weekend.  She has been singing her ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle non-stop lately!  She really shocked us with a rendition in her Cookie Monster voice!

Enjoy!

Toddler Tuesday: Funny Faces!

Angry!

Happy!

Surprised!

Showing her teeth!

Supposed to be sad, but she started giggling!

Toddler Tuesday: First Gymnastics Class!

First, this is our LAST Toddler Tuesday post about our one-year-old.  Yep, in one week Eliza will be a two-year-old.  Please say a prayer for Gary and I that we don't lose our minds over this fact!  :)

Second, we have begun a new Tuesday activity:  Tiny Twinklers gymnastics class!  This is another parent-toddler class that I will mainly participate with Eliza in, but Gary will take some turns as well.  We had a great time tonight at our first class!  We did some floor activities, beam work, bar work, and fun in the pit (a sunken foam pit--for lack of a better description).  She loved it and we did some handstands/headstands and forward rolls when we got home, too.  Well, not "we", Eliza did!  ;)  Here are some pictures and a video!

Let me in!!

Stretching

Waving to Daddy!

On the wide beam

On the high beam like a big girl

Taking in the bars

Listening to instructions

Hanging out in the pit

Receiving a coloring sheet after class

Toddler Tuesday

Here are some shots we've posted on Instagram lately!

Playing piano with her toes

Taking a shopping break at Target

In her sunnies

Our beauty

Big grin while swinging with Granna

Sorry for not sharing brand new pictures this week!  I'll be back with a cruise post soon!

Toddler Tuesday

Today I visited Eliza (like Gary and I normally do several times a week) at daycare.  We run in the hallway, play in the recreation area, and Eliza likes to rock.  We also usually read books either in the classroom with all the kids or just Eliza in a little nook the houses the center's lending library.  Then we go back to the classroom for lunchtime and say our goodbyes!  Today was just like most other days, except Daddy is in Arkansas at a work conference, so just Mommy came.  I sent these pictures to Gary so he could see what we were up to!  We miss him!

Running!

Jumping on and off the bug mats

It really was fun, I promise!

A brief rocking break

Lunchtime!  Eating her sandwich.

Toddler Tuesday

What happens when you go to a restaurant that lacks a changing table in the bathroom and your car backseat is a disaster zone?  You improvise!

Trunk as changing station actually worked really well!  Eliza didn't seem to mind, either.  :)

Toddler Tuesday: First Haircut

On Monday, we took Eliza to Cookie Cutters, a specialty place for kids haircuts.  While I've been trimming up her bangs from time to time, as well as some long stragglers in the back once, Eliza had never had a "real" haircut.  We chose to go to a kids place so there was plenty of distraction.  She really liked the carousel horse, but ultimately, she sat in the little race car the spins (much more stability!).  Each chair also has a tv/dvd player and there is a wide selection of videos.  We went with a San Diego Zoo video narrated by animated animals.  It was a hit!  She sat mostly very still and did a great job.  The next time she needs an all-over haircut, we'll probably just take her to my salon--but we are glad we had this experience for the first time.

Before

Taking a spin

Sitting still

I'm not so sure about this!

She's thinking, "Don't block the TV!"

Bang trim

Unwrapping her celebratory sucker

Can't tear her eyes away from the video to smile with Mommy!

It made me a little sad to see the length go away, but it will grow back and probably look nicer!  It looks very nice and we are happy.

Toddler Tuesday: Sensory Fun

Now that Eliza is a full-on toddler (though we're still in a little bit of denial*), we've realized we need more fun and development-minded activities for weekends.  Especially for ones where it's nasty outside!  While the video I'm sharing today doesn't include a great idea for sensory play time, it got the job done in a pinch.  Eliza had a great time on Sunday playing at first with millet and then dried lentils.  A little too much fun!

* Even though Eliza is nearly 22 months old, she is of course, still our "baby."  Lately she has started referring to herself in the third person as "baby."  For example, at daycare last week while we were visiting, Eliza was waiting in line to wash her hands.  She was getting impatient and started saying "Baby's turn, baby's turn!!"  :)

Toddler Tuesday

I'm very biased, but I think Eliza stays remarkably in tune for an almost-two-year-old!  So happy to have a little singer.  :) 

Please pardon our living room that has a toddler-tornado problem.  ;)

Toddler Tuesday!

This video was taken from the front seat to the backseat of our car, while moving.  It makes me wonder if we tell Eliza "no" too much!  Fair warning, it's a shaky video! 

Toddler Tuesday!

We took this video last night and I just love it. 

We had a great vacation last week on the Oasis of the Seas!  It'll probably take us awhile to sort through our pictures and compose posts.  So hopefully we can start sharing next week!

Toddler Friday: Videos

As we head south for our cruise, we thought we would leave you with some videos.  The first is Eliza's attempt to help a friend to a good night.

Dance class.  What is Daddy dong with the camera?

Shakin' it.

Eliza singin' one of her favorite songs.

Toddler Tuesday!

Check out our little ballerina practicing at home!  :)

Toddler Tuesday: Ponytail Girl!

Eliza is obsessed with ponies!  She loves to have her hair done this way, even though she despises having an actual hairbow in her hair (even on top of a pony--much to my chagrin).  Here are a couple stories and pictures about Eliza and her ponies.

A month or so ago, I was working in Eliza's closet.  We keep the pack of 1000 hair ties (thanks, Granna!) in a gallon ziploc baggie on top of the rubbermaid drawers in the closet.  At the time of this event, Eliza couldn't quite reach it yet.  She was whimpering and reaching for something on top of the drawers and I finally realized it was the baggie!  So I gave it to her and said, "do you want a pony?"  She got really excited so I went and sat down on the floor and she backed up to sit in my lap.  Well, ok then, baby girl!  

She's still not so sure about the back pony, though.
This was awhile ago, and her hair is so much longer now!

Last week I wanted desperately to put a bow in Eliza's hair.  So I said, "look, Eliza!  You can have a pony if I put this in your hair!"  She kept swatting my hands away and scrambling at my closed bedroom door.  Thinking she wanted to find her Daddy, I opened the door and she made a beeline for her bedroom.  About a minute later, she strolled back up to me holding the ziploc baggie of hair ties!  She'd gone into her closet (she can reach now), grabbed the bag, and brought it to me!

Since then, We only have to say, "Eliza, want a pony?" and she'll go straight to her closet to get the baggie.  She happily and calmly sits in my lap until I say "all done!"  No matter how long.  It's incredibly cute and I love it!  Now I just have to get her to keep those darn bows in!  :)

Toddler Thursday: Cheese!

Granna Joy (my mom) is watching Eliza now on Thursdays & Fridays until a fulltime spot opens up in our new daycare.  She sent me this gem of a video this morning and I knew it was perfect to share!  Eliza is helping clean up in the video, but also showing off one of her new tricks, which is saying "Cheese!" to the camera.  :)  So cute!  Enjoy :)

Toddler Tuesday: Recent photos

We thought we'd use today's post to some random pictures that don't really warrant their own special post.  We have so many of these that I'm double-posting!  I'm trying to post in chronological order and the earliest are from late-October.

Our beautiful girl

Fun on a fall day

Helping Mommy with her "I Voted" sticker

Tutu Cute

Loving the under-construction basement

Weeeee!

<3

Big girl pony!!!  

Chocolate Chip Cookie Face!  sweet treat for a sweet girl :)