Snow Day

We braced ourselves for snow storm that I'm sure every Minnesotan knew was coming. Besides the option of being able to go somewhere being taken away, being stuck at home because of snow isn't much different than any other day as a stay-at-home-mom. But for some reason I didn't want today be any other normal day. Maybe it was because I wasn't looking forward to the snowfall, or maybe it was because I knew Andy was going to be home all day and he's usually not in the middle of the week--whatever it was, I didn't want today just to be another Wednesday.

So we took a snow day.

Like lots of kids that woke up this morning and saw the massive amount of snow outside, Vienna was excited. She kept shouting "snow!" all morning and when we finally asked if she wanted to go outside she was all too anxious to get her snow gear on. This is the first significant amount of snowfall we've had all winter, which is uncommon for Minnesota, so it was fun to see Vienna trudge through it. At first she got really frustrated that she couldn't walk as fast as she normally could, fell down a lot, got stuck and had to hold onto our hands, but then she got a little more comfortable and found the hang of it on her own. She's played in the snow several times this winter, but there's a difference between playing in an inch or two of snow and playing in a foot of fluffy whiteness.

She loved it.

A snow day is not complete without coming in from the cold to a nice warm cup of hot cocoa. I made the most delicious homemade-sugar-free hot cocoa to date...at least Vienna sure thought so.

And what better thing to do on a snowy day inside than to bake? We indulged in a little cheat meal and I concocted some nutella brownies that I had seen on Pintrest. They were entirely drowned in sugar, and entirely divine--and I even got to sneak in an episode of Downton Abbey (which, thanks to my good friend Teri, I am entirely enthralled with) while I enjoyed a piece of the gooey goodness.

Not unlike any other day we did lots of playing, reading books, and dancing--but somehow it was different than normal. We all had fun and enjoyed our snow day together. And as a bonus, despite our relaxing approach to the day, I somehow managed to get my front rooms entirely cleaned, the floors washed, and a delicious roast dinner made complete with organic mashed potatoes, home-made gravy and broccoli.

It was a fun, relaxing, and an oddly productive day in our house...I guess maybe I wouldn't mind if snow days like this happened more often. :)

The Little Birthday Fairy

I have a two-year-old. How did that happen...? It was only yesterday she was learning how to walk...or so it seems...

I thought the first year of Vienna's life flew by, but this second year went even faster. Its amazing how time changes when you have a child. Before I had Vienna, two years seemed like an eternity...now I feel like I all did was blink and my daughter suddenly became a toddler.

She's a pretty great toddler though, I must say.

She looks different to me as a two-year-old, though is probably because she had a major growth spurt in the last month. Suddenly she just looks, and seems, so much older than see was a month ago. We bought her some new clothes for Christmas...yeah, they're already getting too small on her--she just shot up in height all of the sudden--she's getting so big! Though, I'm positive that in a year from now when I look back at her 2nd Birthday pictures I'm going to think she was so tiny!

We had a little party for her on her Birthday. We just had immediate family over for a little tinkerbell party (I just couldn't resist doing a little theme since Tinkerbell is Vienna's favorite...she calls her "Bell.") I had these adorable little fairy wings I wanted her to wear on her birthday...but Vienna refused to let me put them on her. Just the same...she was a beautiful little birthday fairy...

Ask her how old she is... she likes to hold up both of her index fingers and proclaim "two!" Then she follows it up with a little applause of herself and a big "yay!"

Vienna,

Daddy and I love you so very much,

you bring so much joy and love to life.

You are so beautiful and wonderful. We

simply can't get enough of you--we

delight in you, and we can never say

enough how special you are.

Day of Thanks :)

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving was already a week ago. The time since then has flown by--I wanted to blog about our fun Holiday before it got too late.

My sister and brother-in-law invited us to their house for Thanksgiving. They sort of have a tradition of hosting Thanksgiving in their home and I was excited to join them this year.

I've never participated so much in cooking a Thanksgiving dinner, it was super fun and everybody had a great time. Not everyone knew one another, but that didn't stop anyone from enjoying themselves and all of us pulling together to create a wonderful meal and experience together. I loved the sense of community to make sure everything got prepped and cooked, everyone had a hand in creating the meal and everyone fit right in--it was relaxing and super fun. And Vienna had an absolute blast playing with her only two girl cousins.

And the food. The food deserves it's own paragraph. I mean, it was delicious divine. I have never tasted food so good. Of course there was Turkey, but so tender and tasty. The green bean casserole made from scratch was addicting. Awesome mashed potatoes. I don't even like corn but the creamed corn was heaven. The stuffing was my contribution, gluten-free even, and for my first attempt it turned out pretty darn good. The sweet potato pie though, oh. my. goodness. I wanted to hide myself in a closet and hog the whole dish it was so good. Even the dang crescent rolls and cranberry sauce were awesome.

And don't forget dessert. Who would, right? I mean, it's dessert we're talking about here. My sister outdid herself in the mouth water apple-pie, and I don't even like fruit pie much! Pecan pie. Pumpkin pie. Can I say Mmmmm! I made a Baileys salted carmel chocolate pie (thanks to my sister and pintrest) and it was insanely good. I'm all about the chocolate dessert though so of course that was my top pick.

Am I making you hungry yet? Because I sure am. I could eat everything all over again.

Oh wait, I did. For leftovers. Twice. It was like having Thanksgiving three days in a row. Awesome.

It was a memorable time. One of the, if not the best, Thanksgivings I've ever had. Thanks Heidi and Steve!

:)

Cooking! This is my sister, Heidi. Isn't she pretty?

The ladies checking recipe ingredients

Watching football and discussing quantum physics--or something as equally hard to follow.

(Let me make note that the guys spent plenty of time in the kitchen helping cook and clean, despite the implication of this picture)

Deliciousness.

Enjoying the food and conversation

Thanksgiving dinner.

Gone.

Just a few little things

The biggest reason why I blog is to document things about my kid(s) that I want to remember. Someday, when she's older, I hope to print off all my little stories and give them to her--or even just to keep for myself...it's amazing how quickly we forget all the little moments in life. So yes, I write a lot about Vienna. And I'm writing about her again. :)

It's been super fun lately to see how Vienna's imagination is blossoming. I don't doubt her imagination was in the works long ago, but as of recently it's been so evident to see her little mind creating a story in her head as she goes about her playing. I started noticing her imagination when she would roam around the house loading up her "purse" (paper bag, bucket, whatever she can find with handles) with random objects and then, after making it a point to wave goodbye to me, dump her belongings in a pile and begin playing with them.

But lately it's gone to a whole new level and it's fun to watch. Probably my favorite thing to witness her imagination at work is when she plays with her dolls or stuffed animals. The other day I found her sitting on the couch, her doll propped next to her, and she was pretending to feed it food with a gigantic play spoon and giving it drinks from her sippy cup.

It's also incredibly cute to watch her surrounded herself with her stuffed animals, lay in her bed and pull the covers up around her and look at the room. I wish I knew what she was thinking. She was pretty fascinated doing this in my bed today, and brought all of her animals and made me lay down next to her--the best part is that she's extremely chatty when she does this and I only wish I knew what she was saying because she's so serious....I sort of feel like we're having a deep conversation, only, I have no idea what we're talking about.

When I think of Vienna the thing that sticks out most to me is simply that she just really enjoys life. When she's happy, she's really happy. And she's happy a lot. She really is happy doing whatever she is doing in the moment. Don't get me wrong, she has her moments, and tantrums, but most of the time she is simply content to be where she is, doing what she's doing. She is getting so big, sometimes I can hardly believe that my little girl is saying words, getting so tall, running, eating and drinking like a little kid, making us laugh on purpose, using the potty, pretending to do things that her minds thinks up ...she's even begun to attempt putting clothes on by herself--like today when I found her trying to put a pair of underwear on over her pants.

And the best part, I know all of this is just the beginning. :)

Mango Chicken Salad with Chipotle Mayo

I should be sleeping. But I'm not.

Instead, I'm sharing another recipe. (Go me!) I've been wanting to share this for awhile, it's one of our favorites. It is simply so so good, you must try it.

Promise me you'll try it.

I discovered it on Sarah Fragoso website (the author of "Everday Paleo") and since then Andy and I have been eating it probably once a week for lunch! (Though it works just as well for dinner too!)

Mango Chicken Salad with Chipotle Mayo

4-5 bacon strips, diced

½ cup red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely diced

3 cups already cooked chicken, diced (I used leftover grilled chicken breasts)

1 cup mango, diced

1/2 cup homemade paleo mayo - mix in chipotle powder to taste (this stuff is spicy so start with a small amount and work your way up from there)

Sliced almonds as a garnish

Shredded romaine lettuce leaves

1) In a medium sized skillet cook the bacon until almost crisp.

2) Add the diced red pepper and diced jalapeno and cook until the peppers are soft and the bacon is completely crisped.

3) Add the chicken and cook until warmed through (if you are using raw chicken, cook until the chicken is not longer pink in the middle)

4) Add the diced mango and cook until warmed through, about another 2 minutes.

5) Serve each plate with a pile of romaine, a scoop of the chicken mixture, and a drizzle of the chipotle mayo. Top with sliced almonds if desired.

A variation to the recipe could be not to cook the red pepper and mango and just add it to the salad raw. But I must stress that the mayo is a must. Don't be afraid to try it (click on the link for the recipe!) I promise it is so easy, and it makes the salad complete. (I cut the mayo recipe in half and had quite a bit leftover...but good news is that it stays good in the fridge for quite awhile!)

You should try it.

Really. You should.

Oh, and one last thing. Thanks for all the input about my last and now-history blog look! I appreciate all the comments and hope that this one is much more pleasing to the eye! Let me know if it's not. :)

Critique This

I need help. As you can tell I've updated the look of my blog. I want your input! As my readers, I want it to look appealing to you, not an eyesore. So could you be kind enough to give me a critique? Have you ever tried so many different things that when you finally settle on something you totally question it...that's what I'm doing. I looked at so many backgrounds and pictures and had several different ideas that they all sort of got jumbled into this. I like it, I'm just not totally sure I love it. And I don't know if it's just because everything else that I'd been toying with is still fresh in my mind or if something is simply off. So I need your input. What needs improvement? Colors...header...background...

Thoughts?

Little Miss Peacock

The little miss is a peacock for halloween this year. When I was trying to decide her costume, (as I realized that this would probably be the last time I'd get to decide it for her), I tried to think of something that she liked. The first thing that came to mind was a bird. Not only does Vienna love birds (Rio) but ever since she could make noise she has reminded me of a little birdie. If you've ever been around her you would know what I mean. She likes to squeal, at all different pitches, and though birds don't really squeal, she sure sounds a lot like one when she does.

So I bought some tulle and made her into a little peacock princess.

She thought it was pretty cool to put the tutu on. :) And from the look on her face it was like she was immediately transported into a different world of fairies and princesses...and peacocks...

And apparently even princesses like to play with tools...

A Cute Subject

I got a new camera. Pretty excited about that. Like, really excited. You have no idea. I'm tempted to go on to explain why I'm so excited, how long I'd been wanting a nice camera, blah blah blah...but really, it's just an excuse to share a few cute pictures I took of Vienna.

We went on a little walk down a trail near our house so I could play with my new toy and hopefully get a few good fall pictures of V. Unfortunately about 4 days before I got my camera we had 45mph winds that blew all the colorful leaves off the trees, so I had to settle for bare trees and crusty leaves...but the subject sure was cute :)

Finally...a Recipe

Okay. So several people have asked for recipes or ideas ever since I mentioned the change in our diet, and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to share anything! I've cooked several meals that I've thought about sharing on my blog, but I seem to never get around to it! I should get on that.

This recipe isn't something new since starting the change in our diet, but we had them today as part of our lunch and I thought, I must share these! They're just too good not to. They have become a popular snack in our house or side to a meal.

I can take absolutely NO CREDIT for these because I am not a talented enough cook to think of something so simple yet so delish. I first heard of them from a friend, Anna, who has been an inspiration to me in several ways, including, but not limited to, the way that we eat. So thanks, Anna!

Kale Chips

1 bunch of Organic Kale

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Raw Salt

Tear Kale into 1-inch pieces, toss with olive oil and salt and roast in oven at 350-400 for aprox. 10 minutes.

Simple. Easy. And super tasty. Vienna saw these in the oven today and started going nuts when she realized what they were. She gobbled them up so fast and made a huge mess, but...I'm fine with messy eating when it's vegetables!

And I'll try to be better about sharing more recipes!

Fall. Family. And a poem.

I love fall. Really. Truly. Love it. There's something about stepping outside into the perfect temperature. Seeing all the beautiful colors. The smell in the air. The feeling of a hot drink in your hands. The comfy boots. The crisp leaves. Everything.

I'm not sure if I just love it because it's simply so wonderful. Or if I love it because its simply so short (in Minnesota anyway). The reality of winter is tapping at the door and fall is like one last chance to get out and soak up nature before the cold and snow settles in for far, far, far too long.

Either way. I'll take it.

This weekend we headed north to spend some family time together and enjoy the scenery. We hiked along Lake Superior's shore, enjoyed the rapidly changing fall colors, took Vienna to the waterfalls, threw rocks in the water, and watched her squeal in excitement at the big waves crashing against the rocks.

It was fun. Just us three. A perfect, relaxing day together.

And, I got to borrow a nice camera so I got some great pictures too. :)

As I was driving home this evening the car was quiet and I had the chance to let my mind unwind. I love moments like that. Somehow or another (and I really have no idea how...) it created this little poem. It's kind of silly--I know, it has been years since I've written poetry and I think I may have lost my touch. But, it was spontaneous and fun, and I feel like sharing :)

"Give me the land.

And color me the shades of fall.

I'll capture and hang them on my wall.

For when all the windows are closed

From the cold and its woes,

I'll be able to remember how it feels

To walk in autumn's fields."

-K.M. Ward

Learning

When Vienna was only a few weeks old, a salesman stopped at our door in attempt to sell us some educational books for children. With a fresh brand new baby in our arms, it wasn't hard to convince us. Now we just laugh about it because it was totally an unnecessary, impulsive buy, but...oh well.

But despite our spur of the moment splurge, it seems to be paying off. Vienna is especially benefiting from one of the books specifically...awhile ago she suddenly became interested in this specific book- because of the animal pictures. At first she only wanted to look at the animal page and then would be done. However, now she'll read the whole thing as we describe all the pictures, and sometimes she just likes flip through it by herself. I thought these pictures were just too cute not to share. :)

She gets really excited about animals. She's learning to say their names but already knowns several sounds that they make. My favorite is her duck "quack" and her horse "neigh." I ask her all the time what certain animals sound like just because it's so cute to hear her version of them. :)

20 months old and soaking things up like a sponge. I've said it before, but I'm going to say it again, it really is awesome to watch her learn and experience life.

Foooood

Call me crazy. You may, I get it. But Andy and I have recently made a major change in our life, something we've been considering for awhile...we've cut out gluten and processed foods from our diet!

I can hear the silence...the long pause....

I get it...

Because you're probably asking...what the heck for?

Well. Over the course of our marriage we have tried to to be health concious about what we eat, and we've had spurts of improvement and spurts of downfalls. But in the last year and a half we have really taken it several steps further and the more I explore, the more I realize I can continually improve the fuel I put into my body. I've realized that it's not normal to feel sluggish, bloated, heavy and moody all the time. I lived with feeling that way for so long that it took me awhile to get a taste of how I'm really suppose to feel, and I want more! I've been wanting to do this for awhile, but have been too scared of the question you're probably asking me right now..."What will I eat?" Andy hadn't really been fully on board until recently and so when we both finally decided it was a good idea, we dove in head first.

This last summer I'd come to the realization that I had a gluten-intolerance. Not an allergy, let me make that clear. Just an intolerance. I was noticing how downright yucky I was feeling when I ate it, which was frequently because it's in most foods. So I started to explore the subject and realized how bad it is for my body. And after realizing that, I began to realize that I didn't want to just substitute everything I was eating for a different form of it...because half of those forms still weren't any better to eat...I wanted to change what I was eating all together.

So we took it a step further. And we decided not to start of slow because we'd be more tempted to give up, plus we sort of just operate well in that cold-turkey method anyway. So one night we purged our house. Gave away all of our processed food...threw things in the trash...my cupboards were bare. But it was refreshing and I was excited. And the next day we dove into a new world of food. We've been planning our meals and following a basic principle of eating good fats, carbs and protein involving whole, fresh food. Meat, vegetables and fruit, and nuts, good oils, etc. that are full of good fat. And I never would've thought that eating this way was so tasty, but it is! Vienna is loving it too, she's chowing down the food I give her without complaint.

I'm still currently and will continually educate myself on nutrition; I'm loving the information I am getting, I'm finding it very interesting the way food really affects our bodies and what our bodies should get to function healthily. The more and more I have explored healthy eating the more I come to the realization of how important it is to eat good. Food fuels us, just like sleep...we need it to survive. Food affects our mood and behavior. It affect our functionality, the way we feel, it even affects the way we think.

We are only on day 15 of our new way of eating, but I am shocked at how much I am really enjoying it. I'm not only feeling good about the things I am feeding my family, but I am loving the way that I feel. Within the first week I noticed how I wasn't feeling bloated after I ate. I have noticed how light I feel, and good. Not sluggish and heavy and irritable. I feel satisfied after eating, I have little cravings, and I have more energy and feel like my emotions are more leveled. I'm enjoying the food, trying new things to eat in ways I've never thought of before. It's kinda fun. :)

Now. I'm not going on to say that I will never eat gluten or processed food again...because, that's just not true. I do hope to make better choices when I go out to eat with friends, but in situations like that I will likely cheat. And also when we visit people. I've talked to a couple of people recently about our change and that it probably my biggest cause for writing this blog, because I really don't want people to feel like they have to worry about what they feed us when they invite us over for supper, or when we spend the weekend somewhere. Nope. I will cheat in those cases too. :) We just wanted to change the way we eat 95% of the time, at home. Our everyday routine. And probably by doing this I will make better choices when I do go out, and learn to bring more food to share!

I do have a starting off goal though that I am trying to keep. And that is to not to have any gluten for 30 days, to give my body time to adjust--just because of the sensitivity I was having to it before. I am curious to know how I will feel after eating it again.

I hope to explore more about eating and nutrition and continue to learn more and try new things and improve the things I fuel my body with. If anybody has any awesome tips or recipes to share, please do!

And please, don't let this alarm you from coming over to my house... :) I promise I'll give you tasty things to eat. :)

Exceptionally Cute

Have you ever had those moments where you are struct with the cuteness of your own child and think they are absolutely the most adorable thing on the face of this earth? Of course you have--if you're a parent.

I've had several of those moments today. Which I find kind of strange because the day started off terrible and only got worse. Vienna woke up earlier than normal, fussed all morning, spilt her orange juice all over the kitchen (and when I mean all over, I mean...on the floor, all over her chair, onto the wall, on the kitchen curtain and somehow managed to even get it on the window.) Peed her pants, fussed some more, and then some more. Nap time couldn't come soon enough today and mommy took advantage of a nap herself. But after nap things didn't improve much and I knew I was getting frustrated, which in turn, only made her more fussy. She told me she had to pee so I put her on the potty, took a deep breath and sat down on the floor facing her, waiting. She just began chatting away as I watched her little face tell me some unknown story about daddy, pat-a-cake, shoes and several other things that I didn't understand. I wish I knew what she was saying. But her face just lit up and she kept watching me for a reaction. I poured my attention into her and watched as she kept jabbering away. I couldn't get over how exceptionally cute she was.

We moved to her room and spent the better part of an hour playing together. I let go of everything I wanted to get done and gave her 100% of my attention. We chased, tickled, played with toys, read books and just had fun. She was so giddy, running around, giggling, smiling with a look of complete happiness on her face...and I thought, "Wow, she is so incredibly and exceptionally cute." Her behavior, her face, her little tip-toe running and her messy hair. So adorable. I love her. She is so much love and joy wrapped in this tiny little body and she just needed some mommy and daughter time to nourish her soul. And it soothed mine too. I think sometimes I just forget what is really important.

18-Month Update

It seems like just yesterday I was holding my fresh, new, squirmy little newborn for the first time...then I blinked and she grew out of her newborn/0-3 month clothes--I remember the packing away of those little outfits to be a bit of an emotional task for me and I wondered how on earth did she possibly grow so fast? Then I blinked again and the next thing I know is she's already 18 months old. 18 months seemed so old a year ago, it used to seem so far away...yet here we are. My baby is not a baby, she's a toddler and I'm still wondering where the time went.

18 months seems like a pretty monumental mark, just like 6 months was when she started sitting up...and when she turned 12 months-old old and got her first taste of birthday cake. So I wanted to jot down all her current stats, likes and personality traits now that she is one-and-a-half. Geeze--saying it that way makes her seem so much older...I think I'll stick with "18 months."

V's 18 months stats:

-Teeth: she has a whopping total of 15...currently working on #16, her last "eye" tooth.

-Vocabulary: I lost count of how many words she knows--she's really starting to randomly repeat words that we say. Her most common words that she uses daily (besides "Mommy" & "Daddy"): "Pa" (potty), "Ball," "'ick" (quick), "tickle," "E" (eat), "Si" (outside), "No," and "thank you." She also tries to count to 3, but it sounds more like "two...two...tee..."

-Signs: I didn't/haven't taught her as many signs as I would've liked...but the ones we've taught her she uses as much (if not more) than her words. My favorite sign that she does is "help." She also uses "please," "potty," "eat," "more," and "all done."

-Percentile stats: I don't know yet...I haven't gotten her in for her check-up yet...

At 18 months Vienna is running, not walking, around everywhere. Climbing everything. Sleeping in toddler bed. Using the potty 95% of the time. Napping for usually 2 hrs in the afternoon. Goes to bed at seven...wakes up between six-seven. Really likes food (eats most of her vegetables). Loves music...and loves to dance. Is still attached to her blankie and is starting to really like a certain little stuffed bunny. She could play on the beach for hours but hates deep water. She particularly likes dirt, pine cones and flowers. She loves running to the window to watch daddy leave for work. She loves trying on shoes...regardless of whose they are. She loves helping with laundry and gets upset if I don't let her throw the clothes in the dryer and press the buttons. She runs to the bathroom if she knows mommy is putting on make-up because she likes to pretend she's putting some on too (oh boy). When she does walk she does so on her tiptoes. She loves to help mama vacuum and unload the dishwasher. She loves animals and likes to copy dogs barking and kitties meowing. She likes to give kisses and lots of hugs. And she loves to snuggle and watch Tangled.

Over the past 18months I have loved getting to know Vienna and the little person that she is, it has been amazing to see her personality blossom. If I've discovered one thing about her, it is that she is very independent. She likes things her way, in her time, and she likes to do things herself. (I wonder where she gets that from?) ;) I'm not quite sure if I would classify it as strong-willed (yet) but definitely independent. She is very transparent (she gets that from daddy) :) and absolutely loves people. She loves to laugh and make people laugh. She is smart and learns fast. She is cautious when it comes to "dangerous" things, but when she figures out how to do something herself then there's no stopping how adventurous she's going to be with it. I can already tell that she doesn't like when someone is upset with her (she gets that from mommy too) if I scold her or give her a time out, you can tell how much it hurts her feelings and it breaks my heart. Good side to that though is that she usually learns her lesson the first time. She's definitely girlie and feminine...right down to the way she walks and her little run. She loves dresses, dolls and dancing and one her favorite things to do is carry around a bag/purse in the crook of her arm and put things in it.

She is such a delightful 18-month-old :)

Big-Girl Bed

As of last week we've officially moved Vienna to a big girl bed. Taking apart her crib today made it final, and made me realize, yet again, how big she's getting.

I didn't particularly want to upgrade her bed so soon, but she was days away from climbing out of her crib so I started keeping my open on craigslist for a bed, because I just really didn't want to spend the money on a brand new one. When I found one that was too cute to pass up, and too good of a deal, I jumped on it and once it was in our house it was hard not to put it together and give it a try. I guess I don't have any patience.

I have to pause for a minute to say how much I like craigslist. I like the fact that I can buy things, like a toddler bed, for less than half of what it costs brand new. People get rid of stuff they don't want and I save money. :) Win. Win.

Anyways. Vienna helped me put the bed together, I was actually surprised at how into it she was, she never left the bed until it was finished...pretending to put screws in and helping me hold things together. She had fun and a part of me thinks she knew that the bed was for her right from the start.

She felt pretty special climbing into her new bed.

I was so nervous about putting her in a big girl bed. Not only for the possibility that she could roll out, but I was afraid she wouldn't stay in it--that she would just go nuts with her new freedom.

To my surprise the first night was uneventful. The first morning however, the minute she got up she was out of bed and by the door, pounding on it to be let out. Naptime was a little bit more of a challenge, but she only got out once. She wasn't too happy about staying in the bed but she learned her lesson after one try and eventually fell asleep. She's stayed in her big girl bed since then. It's been six days and we've had zero issues. Besides that first morning she has stayed in her bed, period--while falling asleep and when she gets up. I'm shocked. I've watched her through the crack in the door and when she gets up in the morning or from naptime she sits up in bed, plays with her stuffed animals and scoots around talking to herself/telling me she's ready to get up...and waits for me to come into the room before trying to get out of bed. Most of the time she just stands up and waits for me to pick her up. I'm honestly very surprised she responded so well and it wasn't more of a battle to get her to stay in bed. Maybe she was just so used to staying in her crib that it wasn't such a hard transition...so in that sense I'm glad I didn't wait until she figured out how to climb out of her crib!

She's such a good girl. :)

Bathtub & Rainy Days

What do you do with your kids on rainy days?

Well. Let me tell you what we did. Vienna asked to play in the bathtub this morning...so I let her, for a really long time. Just to play, that's it.

I tried to tell her she took a bath last night and that we didn't need to take another one this morning, but she kept asking so nicely. First she took all of her toys out of the bathtub and brought them to me...signing "please." Then she took my hand and brought me to the bathtub...signing "please." She tried to take off her clothes, got a little mad that she couldn't, but kept signing "please." Then tried to climb in by herself.

She was pretty irresistible so I filled up the ol' tub with bubbles and let her play. No timeline, no washing routine...just playtime, until she was ready to get out. She LOVED it and had a blast and spent nearly two hours in there.

She's like a fish.

Heck...it's raining outside, what else are we going to do?

Coloring

Have I mentioned how much I love this age? I do. In all the years I've been around children, this age (age 1) until they're about three is my absolute favorite. I love how they discover to do so many new things, hearing their little voice talk....and let's just face it, they're just so stinkin' cute.

As always, I notice Vienna changing nearly weekly. Sometimes in big things, sometimes in small things. Two weeks ago we tackled a big change in potty training (just a quick update: she's doing awesome--we've managed to go through a couple days with 0 accidents, some days are better than others but we're learning and she's doing so good!) This week, it's a small little discovery called coloring. Vienna noticed the box of crayons and coloring pages I'd left out for my nephews over the weekend and she was pretty insistent about playing with them. I was wary just because I knew she only just liked to stick the crayons in her mouth...kids menu's + crayons in restaurants have proven that, and then she'd toss them on the floor and be done. But I set her down on the chair anyway and suddenly she decided she liked to color. Not just one little scribble and we're done, nope--actually interested enough to spend a significant amount of time picking crayons out of the box and scratching them on the paper. We've colored everyday since then, and I admit, it's a nice little distraction.

Yet another discovery in this great big world.