Being cooped up with a toddler makes for moments of madness as well as heart melting highlights of tenderness like when she was so tired (yet fighting it off physically by banging her head on me) that she layed her head in my lap and fell asleep standing up. Or her reinacting her timeout by using her Cabbage Patch kid as a role-play stand-in for herself propped up in her booster seat with an emphatic finger waving and "no....NO!". Or her announcement of "bath!" for the first time and running in to the bathroom to bang on the side of the bath tub with her favorite block. (My excitement was replaced with horror when I realized she had poop seeping through her pj's above, below, and to the sides of her diaper on her back half.)
Her favorite colors are red and pink. She can say "red" and "green" but not pink yet. She loves red or pink shoes (especially the colors together) and she picks out every red or pink toy she has and shows them to you. I think this is the pre-verbal toddler version of illustrating her Christmas list. We broke down and took her to Ikea to do something for free that would wear her out (it also allowed us the chance to sit at moments depending on the displays that were handy) and we discovered a free play area, the kids department. Now mind you, they provide a well labeled shortcut from the living room and kitchen displays to this area (clever bastards). She discovered the kitchen playset. We took turns sitting on stuffed animals and watching her cook for a good 45 minutes.
She has the most wonderful laugh...ever. I wish I could capture it on video but it would take someone videoing us together and that doesn't happen. Maybe I'll ask Grandma to do this for us (hmmm?). She loves being tickled and runs from you to jump on her bed. Remember the days as a kid when you had a favorite safe spot, a "home base"? I can't remember having one but I do remember loving to sit inside the forts we would build, especially the indoor ones. Nothing like taking a nap under the canopy of a blanket surrounded by pillows.
Her favorite word is still "hi" and she loves to run up and give kisses (now with a decidedly loud pucker noise), leans her head out towards you for a kiss as well, hugs you around your knees if you're standing and lays her head in your lap if you're sitting. I love seeing her face light up as she sees me, runs towards me, and puckers up for a kiss at the last moment.
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| I stand at the top of the stairs and people watch as the students walk by. I also like to say "hi" to the crows and howl at them. (Please note she picked out her outfit. She's very particular.) |
She doesn't like to hold your hand when you're walking but she will to cross the street. She runs to us if something is scary and cocks her head in wariness if she doesn't like the sound of something. She thinks squirrels are small dogs. Insects don't scare her, dogs amuse her, cats bore her (she has those at home), and she loves rocks. I've learned to check her pockets before doing the wash.
Water is awesome. Freezing, warm, bubbly, salty - all forms are a delight to her. Her favorite spot in OMSI is the water play area in the science playground. It's the last stop on the way out before we commence the dance of the resistant toddler getting out of wet clothes, into a dry diaper and outfit, and strapped into her carseat. She's normally asleep before we exit the parking lot.
This video was taken at the fountain in front of the Water Resource Center in Vancouver, WA, in early September.
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| Nora chasing her boyfriend, Rowan. It's always the boys we like that we end up chasing...so it begins. |
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| No, she did not fall in...she did poop her pants though. |
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