Recent trip to the Norfolk Zoo

Hugs from K, a playgroup pal

K and her mommy C at the zoo

Congrats Daddy!

Congrats to Chris on getting his commercial helicopter license!

More playing with Daddy...

Punchy before bed

Accessorizing.

Playing before bed.

With Aria's favorite Mommy's helper, A

...conking her head against the wall.

Crying about it. Hitting your head on the wall hurts!

All better! Giving hugs.

Recent photos

Sentences...

It is hard to believe how Aria's speech has taken off...she say "Washing hands", "Dadda running" "I love you" and of course "More cookie, please, k" She loves to count and sing and watch Elmo and Maisey the mouse videos we got from our neighbor. She delights in naming things and people these days and is particularly fond of her mothers helper, A and the my friend Susan (Thuthan) and her son David. She loves her play mates Jacob, Jeffery and Katie and will hug them and pat their backs. Everything is someones, "Mommy's" glasses, "Daddy's" pizza and of course we're starting to hear the dreaded "MINE".

She is LOADS of fun these days. Loves to be tickled and snuggled and I think she is just about the most amazing little girl on earth. With this newfound ability to communicate, she is so awesome to be with ;) We've been having a great time.

Poo poo on the potty!

I'll spare you the details, but Aria has been going in her little potty this week (not with 100% consistency). IMHO it is because she gets a cookie reward. What wouldn't you do for a Girl Scout Cookie ;)

We are pretty excited that she seems to get 1/2 of the potty training thing...

So Many Words!

Aria's vocabulary is expanding by leaps and bounds!! She now gives commands "Chee Chee" or "Chee-see" 'mere! (Casey come here!) "Dadda see you!" (Dadda I want to see you) she says working, walking, outside, running, names colors and shapes and counts from 1-10 (she occasionally forgets 9). Aria has started to enjoy reading more. Any books with Elmo, by Boynton or with colors and shapes are favorites. Her #1 is "Go Dog Go".

This morning we did a free class at "Ocean Tumblers" a gymnasium with trampolines, bars, foam pit, balance beam...she had a blast. Lately she loves hanging from things...and swinging, always swinging ("winga winga")

We are having a great time despite the cold weather with play groups, play grounds and play dates. We're both having a great time :)

Christmas Bear from Grandma S

The bear says the entire "Night Before Christmas" and his mouth moves...amazing!

Bad cold...

Coughing, congestion, fever has struck. So far Aria is the only one suffering but we were planning (sans Chris) to go to Northern VA this week and have decided to cancel :(
We'll be up in late Feb...More pictures coming soon.

Christmas morning!

Aria, Rachel and Santa

Apparently Aria will be 6' as an adult

So a friend told me that her pediatrician told her that to get adult height for girls double the 18 month height. Chris did the math and tells me she will be 5'11"/6' ;) For boys, double the 24 month height.

Aria's 18 month well child and 'Arney!!

Aria is in the 99th percentile for height at 35 1/2 inches and the 98th percentile for weight at 30 lbs. Doc says she is still perfectly proportioned. A perfectly proportioned giantess!

She says new words constantly, especially since the advent of our "mother's helper" an 11 year old neighbor Ashley who loves to teach her new words and read to her. Ashley is a very experienced big sister, having two younger sisters and a real help for an hour once a week. Aria's favorite thing in the world right now is " 'Arney! (Barney) Elmo is a close second. I'm trying to limit 'Arney to 20 min twice a day but it is HARD!

Ay yi yi!

Another cold? Same cold? I've lost track. Aria has been sick, we have too, since before Thanksgiving. These back to back viruses are terrible!! An abysmal attempt to see Santa (Aria would not let go of me, refused to sit on his lap) ended in Rachel and Aria on Santa's lap. No one wants to see THAT! We are having a great time and I know Chris is getting more excited by the day about Aria opening her gifts.

I will try to get a photo of the amazing Christmas light display Chris put up this year on our front porch...

More from the photo shoot...

Christmas photo shoot

This is my favorite picture. I'm blowing bubbles and Aria is fascinated. She loves bubbles...

These didn't make the Christmas card cut...

Our scary tree....which we replaced with a real tree...

Our trip to the tree farm was not successful as you can see. Replacement tree purchase the next day. Hideous tree offered for free on Craigslist...I've had two takers who never showed up and 35 emails thanking me for the laugh!

http://norfolk.craigslist.org/zip/949822755.html