April FlowersOne day early in April, Daddy and Mattaya came home with some flowers for Mommy.
Thanks for the dress, Gramma Pam & Grampa Gary!
"Hey, I know you!"
"Daddy, I'm READY TO GO."
She just needed to see what else was on her dress...
Num yummy! We ALL liked the day Karisa turned 27.Thanks for the cake, Gramma Julie!
Even Mattaya got a piece of the yummy goodness. She was very much into "koking" (poking) it with her fork.
She's FAIRLY coordinated with a utensil...but things would go much more smoothly if she'd give up the underhand grasp. (Cindy, don't get your hopes up--she usually wields utensils with her RIGHT hand.) ;)
What would a family celebration be without a little rough-housing?
*sigh*
Enough!
Spin, spin, spin!
"Uncle Luke, you stop taking pictures."(Luke had our camera that day...and took 5 million pictures of Mattaya...it's a miracle she wasn't permanently blinded by all the flashing.)
"Seriously. It's enough."
She thinks she loves water bottles and is constantly asking to drink from them. But she doesn't understand that you don't put the whole opening in your mouth...and that you don't put your tongue into the bottle. She's always mystified and annoyed that she didn't actually get a drink.
Mattaya's "I'm being picked up by my hair" look.
Mommy thought it was time to start belly comparisons, but Grampa Dave (aka Boppa) didn't think there was an actual "comparison"...so Mattaya was obliging. Who wins?
Always excited to "wok oat" (translation: walk outside). She doesn't care where she's going or when she's coming back.
She's very much "into" the camera...in a literal sense.
The tu-tu Easter basket came from Indiana, and Mattaya enjoyed it very much.
It contained a variety of "akes" (eggs) and "hockit" (chocolate).
AND it came with a present...
A book! And oh how we loooooove books.
Rocking in Mommy's old mini rocker.
Still loves brushing her teeth (even moreso when she's teething).
Easter morning, she was treated to ANOTHER Easter basket: book, bath crayons, bubbles, and bath toys. (Don't laugh at her part--SO her mommy's fault! But honestly, it looked straight when I was doing it...she must have had her head slightly turned or something.)
Turns out corn on the cob is BETTER than candy. She goes NUTS for it now!
And so begins the parade of swimsuits....
It was soooo cute!
"Where did my hoot go?
"Who cares! Now I have a hat!"
Breaking out.
"Seriously. It's enough."
She thinks she loves water bottles and is constantly asking to drink from them. But she doesn't understand that you don't put the whole opening in your mouth...and that you don't put your tongue into the bottle. She's always mystified and annoyed that she didn't actually get a drink.
Mattaya's "I'm being picked up by my hair" look.
Mommy thought it was time to start belly comparisons, but Grampa Dave (aka Boppa) didn't think there was an actual "comparison"...so Mattaya was obliging. Who wins?
Always excited to "wok oat" (translation: walk outside). She doesn't care where she's going or when she's coming back.
She's very much "into" the camera...in a literal sense.
The tu-tu Easter basket came from Indiana, and Mattaya enjoyed it very much.
It contained a variety of "akes" (eggs) and "hockit" (chocolate).
AND it came with a present...
A book! And oh how we loooooove books.
Rocking in Mommy's old mini rocker.
Still loves brushing her teeth (even moreso when she's teething).
Easter morning, she was treated to ANOTHER Easter basket: book, bath crayons, bubbles, and bath toys. (Don't laugh at her part--SO her mommy's fault! But honestly, it looked straight when I was doing it...she must have had her head slightly turned or something.)
Turns out corn on the cob is BETTER than candy. She goes NUTS for it now!
And so begins the parade of swimsuits....We signed Mattaya up for swim lessons again. I had picked up this suit a WHILE ago assuming it would fit (a 4T), but it was too tight. However, Mattaya fell in love with the feeling of the "hoot" (swimsuit) and was more than happy to try on some more. :)
It was soooo cute!
"Where did my hoot go?
"Who cares! Now I have a hat!"
Breaking out.(What possessed her to do this we'll never know.)
This chocolate bunny came with the tu-tu basket.
This chocolate bunny came with the tu-tu basket.She didn't care too much...
...until Mommy started peeling the foil away.
"Hello, Hockit Bunny, I'm going to eat you now."
"Mmmm, bunnies taste GOOD."
As she CHOWED it down, I mentioned to Matt that this was a LOT of chocolate for her to eat all in one sitting and proposed the idea that it MIGHT give her a tummy-ache. Daddy immediately became concerned and tried to devise a way to distract the toddler and take the bunny away. Think she might have been hip to his intent? ;)
"Hey, Ingrid & Ilsa, recognize this dress?"
"I think these shoes would go GREAT with the dress."
...until Mommy started peeling the foil away.
"Hello, Hockit Bunny, I'm going to eat you now."
"Mmmm, bunnies taste GOOD."
As she CHOWED it down, I mentioned to Matt that this was a LOT of chocolate for her to eat all in one sitting and proposed the idea that it MIGHT give her a tummy-ache. Daddy immediately became concerned and tried to devise a way to distract the toddler and take the bunny away. Think she might have been hip to his intent? ;)
"Hey, Ingrid & Ilsa, recognize this dress?"
"I think these shoes would go GREAT with the dress."Unfortunately, Daddy would probably agree...he's pretty sure those shoes go with EVERYTHING. ;)
And then spring sprang! We were so excited to get outside and play! Mattaya LOVES this uber-fun yellow ball and takes it on ALL her "woks".
We're blessed to have a playground just a few houses down from us. She climbs the steps, crosses the bridge, and goes down the slide with a "ready, set, go" all by herself.
Again, and again, and again...
And there's a swing at the park, too!
"Wheeee!"
Daddy was eager to get out the stroller/jogger/bike trailer.
Mattaya enjoys a stroller ride that involves toys and snacks and drinks!
"Hoot" #2
And then spring sprang! We were so excited to get outside and play! Mattaya LOVES this uber-fun yellow ball and takes it on ALL her "woks".
We're blessed to have a playground just a few houses down from us. She climbs the steps, crosses the bridge, and goes down the slide with a "ready, set, go" all by herself.
Again, and again, and again...
And there's a swing at the park, too!
"Wheeee!"
Daddy was eager to get out the stroller/jogger/bike trailer.
Mattaya enjoys a stroller ride that involves toys and snacks and drinks!
"Hoot" #2How can a 4 be too small and a 5 be ridiculously big?!
Couldn't keep the thing on to save her life.
Not so much a keeper.
This 5 was CLOSER to fitting, but it was STILL too big. Mattaya LOVED having a new "hoot" to try on every night. After Matt would take her out of the highchair and undress her, she'd come running and asking for a "hoot". Sad was the day when Mommy DIDN'T have another swimsuit.
So a little while ago, Boppa received an Employee of the Month award. More recently, he was voted "Civilian of the Mission". When Mom told me on the phone, I chuckled and said I thought she should make him a sash for all these "pageants" he was winning (totally not self-nominated, of course, but STILL). She just laughed. BUT...Matt was headed to town that evening, so he humored me by delivering this toilet paper sash and taking a picture. Apparently, Dad totally got into it. :)
Lee-Lee (aka Gramma Julie...sometimes Lee-Lee-Ah) helped us out by picking up a size 4 in this hoot, and IT FIT! (Well...it's a little big...which seems ridiculous since the other 4 was quite small.) Here's Mattaya and Daddy on the first day of swim lessons...poor babe was tired even before she got in the water.
The water was even more freezing than usual, but she was a trooper!
She was really excited about participating and was kicking all on her own.
This is for you, Melonie... 
Great-Auntie Cindy sent a mini backpack.
We looked inside...
...and found a book!
Then Mattaya realized I was taking pictures and became VERY interested in the camera (again).
Mommy thought rain boots would be a good idea since we still had a lot of mud but snow boots were getting kind of small and really hot. These were a little too big, but there was no taking them back. She spotted the "wogs" (frogs) when she came down for breakfast and was entertained for a good long while.
She'd have to stop and comment on their eyes and tell me again they were "wogs" and would try to kiss them (as she does all "living" things she loves so dearly).
They're entirely appropriate for every occasion (much like Daddy's Keenes).
And they are a LITTLE too big...
This was another one of those experiences when Mattaya was having snack whilst I was frantically throwing dinner together. She suddenly started being very insistent that she needed something I had. On the counter, I had sour cream, ranch dressing, bacon, and parsley. First, I asked her what she wanted. "Deet" (which means "dip" which would be the ranch). Problem solved. I put a dab on her tray. She ate it with her fingers then demanded something else from the counter (the "deet" had been put away to prevent her from asking for more). I had just finished with the sour cream and asked her if she wanted my spatula. "Ah-tee" (translated "yes, please"). I gave it to her. She licked it clean and asked for more. My child, the condiment queen.
Swim lesson #2
Couldn't keep the thing on to save her life.
Not so much a keeper.
This 5 was CLOSER to fitting, but it was STILL too big. Mattaya LOVED having a new "hoot" to try on every night. After Matt would take her out of the highchair and undress her, she'd come running and asking for a "hoot". Sad was the day when Mommy DIDN'T have another swimsuit.
So a little while ago, Boppa received an Employee of the Month award. More recently, he was voted "Civilian of the Mission". When Mom told me on the phone, I chuckled and said I thought she should make him a sash for all these "pageants" he was winning (totally not self-nominated, of course, but STILL). She just laughed. BUT...Matt was headed to town that evening, so he humored me by delivering this toilet paper sash and taking a picture. Apparently, Dad totally got into it. :)
Lee-Lee (aka Gramma Julie...sometimes Lee-Lee-Ah) helped us out by picking up a size 4 in this hoot, and IT FIT! (Well...it's a little big...which seems ridiculous since the other 4 was quite small.) Here's Mattaya and Daddy on the first day of swim lessons...poor babe was tired even before she got in the water.
The water was even more freezing than usual, but she was a trooper!
She was really excited about participating and was kicking all on her own.Unfortunately, my memory card was too full, so I didn't get to take any more pictures. Thanks a lot, Wook (i.e., Uncle Luke).
This is for you, Melonie...Mattaya up close.
(And blurry...sorry 'bout that.)
Great-Auntie Cindy sent a mini backpack.
We looked inside...
...and found a book!
Then Mattaya realized I was taking pictures and became VERY interested in the camera (again).
Mommy thought rain boots would be a good idea since we still had a lot of mud but snow boots were getting kind of small and really hot. These were a little too big, but there was no taking them back. She spotted the "wogs" (frogs) when she came down for breakfast and was entertained for a good long while.
She'd have to stop and comment on their eyes and tell me again they were "wogs" and would try to kiss them (as she does all "living" things she loves so dearly).
They're entirely appropriate for every occasion (much like Daddy's Keenes).
And they are a LITTLE too big...
This was another one of those experiences when Mattaya was having snack whilst I was frantically throwing dinner together. She suddenly started being very insistent that she needed something I had. On the counter, I had sour cream, ranch dressing, bacon, and parsley. First, I asked her what she wanted. "Deet" (which means "dip" which would be the ranch). Problem solved. I put a dab on her tray. She ate it with her fingers then demanded something else from the counter (the "deet" had been put away to prevent her from asking for more). I had just finished with the sour cream and asked her if she wanted my spatula. "Ah-tee" (translated "yes, please"). I gave it to her. She licked it clean and asked for more. My child, the condiment queen.
Swim lesson #2Yes, ANOTHER suit. After such a COLD experience (it took her HOURS to warm up the previous week), we thought we'd go for the SPF top with the cloth diaper with some water shoes (courtesy of Lee-Lee). Because she'd been allowed to play outside before heading to swim class, she was all played out before lessons started. Again.
But she was ready and RARING to go!
And as "luck" would have it, the water was warmer than ever that week! Whatever--it was a blessing. :) She was excited to get in and start splashing.
This rousing game of "chase the duck" was so much fun! And she's kicking all on her own!
"Caughtcha!"
"Kick, kick, kick"
She likes to splash with her hands, but she doesn't love receiving the splash in her face.
Mommy: "Mattaya, it's time to come out."
But she was ready and RARING to go!
And as "luck" would have it, the water was warmer than ever that week! Whatever--it was a blessing. :) She was excited to get in and start splashing.
This rousing game of "chase the duck" was so much fun! And she's kicking all on her own!
"Caughtcha!"
"Kick, kick, kick"
She likes to splash with her hands, but she doesn't love receiving the splash in her face.
Mommy: "Mattaya, it's time to come out."Mattaya: "Say WHAAAAT?"
And she's all about the jumping in (one last time before getting out...).
Lee-Lee got some sidewalk chalk at her house now, too!
However, the chalk doesn't work so well on the gravel driveway...
And she's all about the jumping in (one last time before getting out...).
Lee-Lee got some sidewalk chalk at her house now, too!
However, the chalk doesn't work so well on the gravel driveway...