Family Photo Album

A few weeks ago we met Nona and Poppy in upstate NY to spend some time with the great grandparents. It was a mini family reunion.

Mommy also has a bunch of cousins upstate, many of whom have kids of  their own. Here are just a few of the many cousins' kids.

Just Pretendin'

My new favorite game is "Pretend." I pretend anything and everything. It basically means I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, because well, "I'm just pretendin'." I pretend I'm a doctor. I pretend to play school. I take pretend naps and I pretend to go to bed. I pretend I'm a princess, a swimmer, and a mommy. I pretend to go on picnics, pretend I'm on a train, and pretend to go potty. I make up pretend names and pretend words to go along with my pretend stories.

Daddy and I were pretendin' to play "Restaurant House," where my bedroom is a cozy bedroom and a restaurant all in one. There's always a bedtime story before we pretend to go to bed. That's how this conversation started anyway...

The $75 Haircut

Mommy decided it was time to trim Aiyana's wispy ends. I didn't have my first haircut until I was about twenty months old, but Aiyana's straighter locks needed a shape up at just 

fifteen months old.

Here's a before shot.

Mommy thought she'd be squirmy and feisty, but she was actually calm and very cooperative.

Aiyana was rewarded with a balloon, which made her very happy.

The hair cuttery is in a toy store, so on the way out Mommy had Aiyana try on a cute backpack. When Aiyana refused to take it off, Mommy decided to buy it (she had been looking for a little backpack for Aiyana for a while now anyway!) 

And it wouldn't be fair if they came back with a prize for Aiyana and nothing for me, so I got some new dress-up gloves. 

I guess Aiyana's first haircut set Mommy and Daddy back a few dollars. But Aiyana is one happy baby with one adorable haircut, so it was worth every penny.

2-Year-Old Logic

Zadia: Mommy, is his name Jude? Or Uncle Jude?
Mommy: Well, it's Uncle Jude to you, but I call him Jude.

Zadia: Oh, because he has all that hair. That's why he's Uncle Jude.

As an afterthought...

Zadia: If he didn't have all that hair, he'd just be Jude.

Army of Love

Army of Love. Or so my shirt says. 

Who cares about the shirt. Mommy says, "Look at that face!"

One In the Hand

A lamb in the mouth is worth two on the shelf.

Babies Bathing Babies

Rubber dolly, you're the one. You make bath time lots of fun. Rubber dolly, we're awfully fond of you!

Stroller Strides

We took our babies out for some fresh air and got ourselves a little exercise.

Mommy was noticing how adorable we look walking our babies together. 
(And how tall I've gotten in relation to my stroller.)

 Aiyana insisted on carrying her snack cup at all times, so she got a little taste of (the very difficult) one-handed steering.

Oh look! An adorable picture of me hugging Aiyana, right? 
Nope. Just me making sure my little sister doesn't take my stroller.

Cabin Fever

We hosted school at our house last week, and then three of the four of us were sick over the weekend. And school was canceled for Tuesday and Wednesday this week. So we've been stuck inside a bit. I don't mind much; I usually prefer to stay indoors, especially in the afternoons.

Aiyana, on the other hand, always prefers to get out. She brings Mommy her boots, puts her hat on, grabs Mommy by the hand and walks her to the door. It's very cute, actually. And sometimes a little sad.

With one baby wanting to get out and one big girl wanting to stay in, someone always ends up unhappy. So Mommy took Aiyana out on the balcony, which seemed to satisfy her.

 But then it was time to come in, which didn't go over as well.

Poor baby Aiyana. Mommy promises that one day soon the two of you are going to head out and just walk around Brooklyn all day long!

Dress Up Backpack

My dress up backpack is overflowing. I'll need a suitcase soon!

Princess Zadia + Potty Time = Princess Potty

Sometimes I'm a "baby doctor," sometimes I'm a "kid doctor," sometimes I'm a "grown-up doctor," and on this day I was an "animal doctor."

 

Thanks Aunt Kacey and Uncle Cory. I love my new construction gear!

 The Princess and the Pea.

Adorable little jailbird.

Zadia's Host Week

Yay! School was at my house again! I get my Mommy, my DogBunny, my teacher, my sister, and my friends all at the same time. No wonder I love school at my house best!

Shopping for snacks for school.

Yummy, Veggie Booty. "Mom, can I get two?"

Circle time with Teacher Vickie and Princess Zadia.

Play dough, an old standby.

Aiyana enjoys play dough too (when she's not eating it.)

Collage with paper and glue.

Joining the circus?

Princess Scissorhands.

Mad scientists with their eye droppers.

We love Teacher Vickie.

Grandmas Are a Girl's Best Friend

Aiyana and Mommy and I all have coughs and runny noses, but between tissues and snot-suckers and boogie-wipes, I managed to get some play time in with Grandma Marcia!
Who knew that Grandmas could fit under couches just like little girls?

"I see you Grandma Marcia!"

And after all that playing, we still managed to get in a post-nap snuggle. I like Grandma Marcia on the couch even better than under the couch!