Milk and Cookies

An amazing step in Nina's development is that we can now do some real activities together. Last weekend we made cookies! She helped with every aspect. I measured the ingredients, and she poured them in the bowl. I rolled out the dough and she attacked it with the cookie cutter. I was actually really surprise at how engaged she was and for how long it held her attention. Next time we'll have to get some sprinkles to decorate them!





Thanks Aunt Andrea for the super-fun animal cookie cutters!

Camping

Over Labor Day weekend, we took Nina on her first camping adventure! We went to Big Basin Redwood State Park, a previous favorite of ours for long hiking and backpacking weekends. It is also ideal for a family trip because it has several back country camp sites that are just a couple of miles from the parking area (entrance on Highway 1 at Rancho del Oso) with a trail suitable for the jogging stroller.

Here we are just starting our adventure. Gear on our backs and of course Nina would much rather push the stroller than ride in it. She carried all of her own essential gear in her "ba-pak" - baby doll, baby blanket and shovel.

Nina was game to hike for a bit, stopping frequently to pick up rocks.

But of course that didn't last too long.

Here we are setting up our new family sized tent. Great fun for little explorers!

Once we got our camp set up, we were free to explore the Redwoods. First up, find some sticks and poke at the underbrush.

Banana slug!!

Back at our campsite relaxing in the evening.

The monkey in her natural habitat.

The next morning. "Arg! Where's my coffee?!"

Hiking around the second day and inspecting a dead snake on the side of the trail. Nina brought her water bottle to fill with rocks.

Quite a few horses on the trail. Nina really enjoyed seeing them. "More orsies!" This lady was extremely nice to stop and give us a closer look.

"Ssshhh, baby seep-ping"

Second morning at another camp site. Time to pack up and head out!

Finally a family shot! Overall the trip was a complete success. We weren't too sure how everything would go, but Nina really took it all in stride. We look forward to next summer for bigger and better adventures!

Gammie!

Grandma Vicky (or as Nina calls her "Gammie!") came to visit for a week toward the end of July. I think Nina really enjoyed having her here. She woke up early each morning very excited to start the day by banging on Grandma's door. Grandma and Nina filled the weekdays with trips to the park and pool and walks around the neighborhood.

Heading off to the farmer's market on Sunday. Nina loves her new sandals!

Gammie style lunch. Safety first!

Snack in the park. "Fishies!"

Mandatory trip to the mall

On Friday, the girls headed over to the coast. Yep, a foggy summer day at Miramar beach, but the temperatures were actually rather pleasant.

Nina was fairly apprehensive of the water. As well she should be... bbbbrrrrr!

Making sand castles

There is a crack of blue sky! Better put on my sunglasses.

Last few shots before heading to the airport.

Bye-bye Gammie! We miss you! Hugs and kisses!

Last Hurrah

Happy Labor Day!

Bye-bye summer.

Shopping

"Bye-bye! bye-bye!"

"Where are you going, Nina?", we ask as she gathers her purse, hat and shoes (mind you - diaper, no pants, no shirt) and heads for the door.

"SHOP-PING!"

"Nina goes shopping?"

"Yeah"

Of course, real shopping trips look more like this....

Nina is looking fabulous wearing Baka Dragica's 2008 summer collection.

Transitions

On July 15, Nina said goodbye to her teachers and friends in the CIP2 classroom at daycare. She had been in that room for two weeks short of a year. Nina was usually the baby to arrive in the classroom and she developed a special bond with the early morning teacher, Mary Dada. Mary welcomed her each day with music and dancing. But it wasn't all fun and games as Mary was also quick to put her to work - cleaning up the toys or helping to take care of the little babies by bringing bottles or blankets.

Nina and Mary Dada

The Vivacious Patti

The transition into the Teeny Kids Place (TKP) was a little rough. Big tears in the morning during drop-off and really big tears if she saw any of the teachers from her old classroom. A month later she is definitely in the swing of things! She loves being with the older kids and doing all the new activities. Yesterday, I had to drag her home kicking and screaming because she was so enjoying coloring with markers on the picnic table under the shade of the big tree in the play yard.

TKP2 play yard with the incredibly sweet and impeccably coiffed teacher Alla

Another added bonus in the new classroom is that she has been reunited with Christopher (blond boy standing). Those two are peas in a pod! They chase each other around the room, and on a couple of occasions, I have seen Nina just randomly go and give him massively big hugs. That's my girl!

Interactive Mode

There have been so many changes in Nina in the past month or so, I hardly know where to begin. The best I can come up with is that she has now switched into interactive mode. For the past year and a half, we have been trying to figure out what she needs and when she needs it. But now all of a sudden, she can communicate with us. I suppose that this has been happening relatively slowly over the past six months, but somehow it all came together very recently and our relationship feels massively changed. She can tell us what shoes she wants to wear ('cocies' - Crocs), what book she wants us to read ('maket' - Mother Goose book featuring To Market, To Market), when she want to brush her teeth (which is all the time - 'paste, paste' - the dentist is going to love this kid). Also of course, she can tell us what she doesn't want ('no, mama!!', 'no daddy!!'). 'No!' is undoubtedly the favorite word of the moment possible followed by 'mine!'. But on the other hand, she can come over to you, wrap her little arms around your neck and give you the best hug in the entire universe! So completely fabulous!

And look at that smile.....

These are from our annual trip to the Los Altos Art and Wine Fair (last year). Nina was mostly interested in the horse bench in front of the equestrian store (yes, there is an equestrian store in Los Altos).

The space alien with her robot dog.

Finally, here is something else that Nina started doing last weekend. We're super excited about it (NOT!). On the one hand, you've got to give her credit for figuring it out, on the other hand, we are back to square one on the sleep situation. Doh!!

Click to watch the movie complete with Nina's theme song

Bye-bye Ba-ba

It appears that Nina has inherited the sleeping gene from her father. One Saturday, I was already up drinking my coffee, relaxing. I kept checking the clock .... 8, 8:30, 9:00 ... not a peep from the bedroom. Finally, I walk in and this is what I see....

So hilarious, I just couldn't resist with the camera. A few minutes later .....


And here is perhaps the last known picture of Nina with her precious ba-ba.

Since then, all of the bottles have been officially packed away. We started giving her only cups a week or two ago. I thought it would be a major trauma as she has been very attached to her bottle. But no, now she just shouts for "cup! cup!" in the middle of the night instead of "baba!".

Wordle

http://wordle.net/

3 Words

Ok, I have three words for you - "Nini fix bi-see". Subject verb object. Amazing! If you need a translation that is "Nina fixes bicycle". We kept telling her that her daddy was fixing the bicycle, but of course she picked up a tool and ran over to the bike to lend hand.

We had a lovely long holiday weekend. We attended the 4th of July concert (New Orleans Jazz Orchestra) at the outdoor amplitheater at Stanford. Picnic and music - boy, that is what summer is all about!


Nina's favorite buddy Hannah has her birthday on 4th of July (imagine fireworks every year just for you!). Last weekend she hosted a party in the park and of course Nina was there to help her celebrate.



Finally, picking daisies......

Earrings

Wow! Has it really been a month since the last update? Time flies. Nina has been up to all sorts of adventures these days. One of her favorite things lately is to wear my earrings. We hook them over the top of her ears and then she gently shakes her head so she can feel them jiggle. She thinks she is fabulous! Sometimes she wants the necklace and bracelet too. Although lest you think she is a complete girly-girl, her second favorite thing to play with these days is rocks!


But really the massive change in the past month has been in her talking. She can say an absolute ton of words (of course, you mostly still need a translator as her pronunciation is not quite there yet). Sometimes she just wants you to go around naming things so she can try to repeat the word. Even more exciting is that she is starting to put words together - like "mama shoes", "bye-bye daddy". Yesterday when I dropped her at daycare, I set her up at the toddler sized breakfast table and gave her a banana. She replied "tank oo, mama". Melted my heart.

Her first real sentence came a couple of weeks ago. She is really in to dancing and always wants us to put on music ("moosi! moosi! moosi!" - boy it took me a long time to figure out what she was saying with that one). So we were holding hands in a circle and then she wanted the baby doll to join in. "Baby dancy!", she says. We were floored!