Once when David ate a big bite of food Gigi thought it was really funny and she said "big bite" in awe. This started the game of "big bite" and it helped her to eat better. Now every time someone takes a big bite, we celebrate by yelling out BIG BITE!!!
This is David bribing Gigi with a third piece of chocolate cream pie so he could capture her saying "big bite" on camera. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Butterfly Dance
A couple of nights ago in an effort to get Gigi into her pajamas I pointed out that there was a butterfly and a bird on her pajama top. I asked her if she wanted to be a bird and she decided that she wanted to put on her pajamas and be a butterfly.
The Butterfly Dance was born...
Feast your eyes on the world's most talented butterfly dancer :)
The Butterfly Dance was born...
Feast your eyes on the world's most talented butterfly dancer :)
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Chalk
Gigi's favorite activity for the last two days has been to draw on the sidewalk with chalk. Yesterday, we were doing this on our back patio, and the game became that she told me what to draw and in what color and I would give it a try. I'm not a very good artist, but my flower was good enough in a two year olds' imagination to be real. She tried to pick it up.
One of her favorite movie scenes (and maybe one of mine) is in Mary Poppins when Bert is a sidewalk chalk artist. They jump into the chalk drawing and everything comes to life. Our game was obviously not as fantastic, but it was exciting for me to draw things that she thought were real. I gave her a new pair of shoes, and she slipped them right on.
Her final request, after many others, was for daddy to draw Gigi. Faces are always difficult to draw, so I think I broke the spell with my last sketch.
She was sticking her tongue out while I made her pose.
One of her favorite movie scenes (and maybe one of mine) is in Mary Poppins when Bert is a sidewalk chalk artist. They jump into the chalk drawing and everything comes to life. Our game was obviously not as fantastic, but it was exciting for me to draw things that she thought were real. I gave her a new pair of shoes, and she slipped them right on.
Her final request, after many others, was for daddy to draw Gigi. Faces are always difficult to draw, so I think I broke the spell with my last sketch.
She was sticking her tongue out while I made her pose.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Swimming Pool Fiasco
We have 2 beautiful swimming pools here at Winfield Village. A kiddie pool that comes up to a child's knees and a regular size adult pool.
In the last 2 weeks Gigi and I have been to the pool practically every day. At first Gigi was a bit timid. She would mostly play around the pool, occasionally dipping her feet in, but now she is a real expert. She likes to "float" in the kiddie pool by getting in her pink innertube and letting her feet float to the top of the water. She loves to go to both the kiddie pool and the adult pool to add some variety to her luxurious life. She is always a delight there and never wants to go home.
Well today I thought it would be nice to invite some friends over to enjoy the pool with us. Gigi's good friend Ruby came over with her mom Angie, who incidentally is due any day with their 2nd child.
So this morning I told Gigi that Ruby was coming over after her nap. She was quite excited, but seemed to play normally. We had lunch and I put her down around 1pm, her usual nap time. Finally after an hour of talking to herself and occasionally yelling out "mommy, daddy" I realized that she was not going to take a nap. So I got her up.
I tried putting her in bed with me on the off chance that she might fall asleep with me holding her. I finally had to get her up after she had torn my gums to bits with her little fingernail (does anyone else's child like to poke and prod their faces when they sleep with them?). So anyway finally we "woke up" and tried to play for a bit. I called Angie to see if they could come over a bit earlier, but to no avail, Ruby was actually sleeping, argh. So to tide us over I turned on a movie.
I try not to turn on movies because Gigi seems to get really wound up whenever I put one on, but Annie went on anyway.
Eventually it was time to go to the pool so we both put on our suits and got lathered up with sunscreen (I really do need to buy some spray kind...oh well) and headed out to the pool with Ruby and her mom. When we arrived something awful happened. The kiddie pool was closed due to abnormal chemical levels.
I thought, no biggie, Gigi has her innertube and really likes both pools. Well, I thought wrong. Apparently the movie and lack of nap did affect Gigi because for the next hour she was a screaming mess. When she was in the pool she was crying. Then she would get out of the pool and run over to the gate where the kiddie pool is located and say over and over "open up, open up" followed by throwing herself on the floor bawling.
As a parent, I just love these moments. It seems like every eye is on you wondering why your child is so bizarre that they would break down over something like that and wondering how you will react to your child. I also felt SOO bad that I had invited my friend over only to have my girl throw a fit.
So anyway after going to the pool we came back and got her ready for bed, but lucky us the night wasn't over because I was smart enough to invite a neighbor over to dinner tonight. It was pretty much spent with David running back and forth with Gigi and me trying to apologize for Gigi and entertain our guest by myself.
I sure am grateful that these kind of afternoons aren't everyday occurrences.
Whew!
In the last 2 weeks Gigi and I have been to the pool practically every day. At first Gigi was a bit timid. She would mostly play around the pool, occasionally dipping her feet in, but now she is a real expert. She likes to "float" in the kiddie pool by getting in her pink innertube and letting her feet float to the top of the water. She loves to go to both the kiddie pool and the adult pool to add some variety to her luxurious life. She is always a delight there and never wants to go home.
Well today I thought it would be nice to invite some friends over to enjoy the pool with us. Gigi's good friend Ruby came over with her mom Angie, who incidentally is due any day with their 2nd child.
So this morning I told Gigi that Ruby was coming over after her nap. She was quite excited, but seemed to play normally. We had lunch and I put her down around 1pm, her usual nap time. Finally after an hour of talking to herself and occasionally yelling out "mommy, daddy" I realized that she was not going to take a nap. So I got her up.
I tried putting her in bed with me on the off chance that she might fall asleep with me holding her. I finally had to get her up after she had torn my gums to bits with her little fingernail (does anyone else's child like to poke and prod their faces when they sleep with them?). So anyway finally we "woke up" and tried to play for a bit. I called Angie to see if they could come over a bit earlier, but to no avail, Ruby was actually sleeping, argh. So to tide us over I turned on a movie.
I try not to turn on movies because Gigi seems to get really wound up whenever I put one on, but Annie went on anyway.
Eventually it was time to go to the pool so we both put on our suits and got lathered up with sunscreen (I really do need to buy some spray kind...oh well) and headed out to the pool with Ruby and her mom. When we arrived something awful happened. The kiddie pool was closed due to abnormal chemical levels.
I thought, no biggie, Gigi has her innertube and really likes both pools. Well, I thought wrong. Apparently the movie and lack of nap did affect Gigi because for the next hour she was a screaming mess. When she was in the pool she was crying. Then she would get out of the pool and run over to the gate where the kiddie pool is located and say over and over "open up, open up" followed by throwing herself on the floor bawling.
As a parent, I just love these moments. It seems like every eye is on you wondering why your child is so bizarre that they would break down over something like that and wondering how you will react to your child. I also felt SOO bad that I had invited my friend over only to have my girl throw a fit.
So anyway after going to the pool we came back and got her ready for bed, but lucky us the night wasn't over because I was smart enough to invite a neighbor over to dinner tonight. It was pretty much spent with David running back and forth with Gigi and me trying to apologize for Gigi and entertain our guest by myself.
I sure am grateful that these kind of afternoons aren't everyday occurrences.
Whew!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
A tribute to Candy
Just about all that I am I owe to my wonderful sister Candy.
Ever since I was born she has been much more than a sister to me. We are 12 years apart and are the only girls in our family so we have always been close.
When I was a little girl she would let me snuggle in bed with her. We would go on shopping trips together and she would always buy me ice-cream cones when we would go to the grocery store.
My mom went back to school when I was really little and so Candy became a mother figure for me. She would get me ready for school and drive me there. She would protect me from my brothers. She would listen to my kid issues and never act like they didn't matter. She always helped me to feel loved.
When I got a bit older she left to go on a mission. I missed her so much that I remember coming home from school, taking a picture of her and crawling into bed crying because I felt so alone. When she returned I remember writing a little song for her.
When she was in college she would bring guys home and still loved me after I would embarrass her to no end.
She instilled a love for Italy in me, which would later lead to me finding David.
In high school she would help me with my papers, all of which would win me an A.
She has never been too busy for me. She always takes time to listen to me and to show me love.
She is even goofy like me and subsequently doesn't laugh too much when I dance funny or make another lamo joke.
She is my best friend and I wouldn't be who I am without her.
She is beautiful, talented, clever, spiritual, patient, a genius, loving, caring....aren't I lucky to have her as my one and only sister?
She is so good to my daughter. In fact right after she was born she helped me get some precious hours of sleep by staying up with Gigi all night so that David and I could sleep.
She does all that she does with a smile and never has a negative word to say.
Now it is obvious why I am jumping up and down with excitement about moving close to her, my one and only sister.
Candy I LOVE YOU!!!!!
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