Too good to be 2

What a day! A trip to the zoo is a great family experience and the fastest way to a toddler's heart. After making her Birthday crown all week (and secretly fearing she wouldn't let it go near her head once she saw it) I gave it to her that morning. She warmed up to the idea, and was happy to rock that crown all day. We voted, and were off to the zoo. Lots of gifts and the discovery of actually opening something that's hers was fun. She still sings the birthday song, and I just don't have the heart to tell her it's not that ultra fun, once-a-year-day anymore.

Chatty Addie

Well, Adelle is approaching her 2nd birthday. It's hard to believe...I know, I know! She's such a joy in our lives, I don't even know where to begin. Her fiesty spirit right from the start indicated to us a strong willed child, and that she is. Especially at 2. The most fun thing we do right now is talk. She has her own language I call "Addie-eese". It's hard for most to understand but, I can pretty much make out the words because I'm around her so much. Her excitement over clothes (dwess(dress)! soose(shoes)! jweens(jeans)! horts(shorts)!) is one of my favorites. She loves identifying what she's wearing.

She has become quite independent and and willing to challenge - often in times of discipline...which I often find myself holding back hysterical laughter - even to the point of covering my mouth and turning away and somtimes blowing it completely. She hangs with her playgroup on Tuesdays trying to play, pretend, and eat as many of the other kids snack goldfish as humanly possible in an hour and a half. The library sing-a-long is her rock concert for the week. We pretty much have all the songs and dance moves down by now. The library is her stage on Wednesdays. And of course, we are forever on the hunt for the perfect playground slide/swings combination. Ahh the life of a toddler :) Halloween was the most fun this year! Seeing it through a child's eyes that has never before experienced it was priceless. Our Halloween party with the playgroup was Wednesday and we were cowgirls - yeeehaww! Addie could have cared less because there was a slide on their porch that she insisted on taking over with little patience. She needed to maximize her slide time, and that she did. Halloween night Chris insisted on taking her trick-or-treating. So she got all cowgirled up and off we went. It was so much fun! She loved every minute of it. We have a unique neighborhood street with lots of kids and parents that really make it a great, safe experience. Addie loved her "tweets" even though she had no idea what they were. She screamed, laughed and danced in the street, and she was fascinated with all the kids. What an amazing night for her (and us)!

Song and Dance

Thanks to Desiree's amazing technical skills, I bring to you, my moonwalking daughter:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5244850888560336952&hl=en

Summer Lovin'

It's been a great summer...and a long time since a real update.

We are so excited to welcome my little niece "Camille" into the fam. She's so awesome, and I LOVE being an Aunt!!!

Chris has been working hard, and filling in where needed at the office and catching some waves on the weekends when he gets a spare hour. Addie and I will go down and watch him. She's now figured out that's her Daddy out there and yells, and dances around when he gets on a wave, and really loves it when he gets buried in one! It's too cute.

We had ISR for almost 2 months, and love watching Addie in the pool. Lots of family visits and stuff to do at the beaches have kept us going. Family story time at the library is the highlight of her week (a real social hour for toddlers), an these days just don't end right without a bike ride.

Addie is quite the Conversationalist. She's counting, saying ABC's (some) and loving any new words. Although the word "no" is between almost every sentence, and "mine" has officially surfaced...with a little attitude! We are constantly working with that one :)

I'm loving being able to work mostly from home...basically during naps! It's worked so far, so we'll see. Marketing a chiropractic office and wellness center can be tricky, but I'm having fun.

Save The Mole

Love the show...if you haven't watched, it's awesome. I'm a reality TV junkie and this is one of my faves. Keep it going...maybe I can be the mole someday (I'm serious)!!!

www.savethemole.com

Always Order Water

Mother's Day this year was one of the most perfect days we've had at the beach so far. We really had a chance to relax. We rode our bikes down to this Cafe for the Sunday brunch. My super-hot-used-beach cruiser (that I'm dying to paint bright yellow) is my new favorite ride - notice the cup holder...yep!. We are on it almost daily. Addie loves it - and we now have some of the best "conversations" (really just pointing out random things we see) on the road! Anyways, we order the fabulous food and try to juggle the juice (absolutely incredible fresh carrot/fruit juice), sippy, coffee, tea, napkins, wiggly toddler, against unusual huge gusts of wind outside. We got it. Chris comes around with the juice cup in his MOUTH - bad idea. It lands all over me/her the table. Yes, that was carrot base juice! We ruin the tablecloth, clean up, and carry on.

Towards the end, Addie is restless. We are throwing any kind of food at her at this point, just to stay a little longer, knowing time is ticking away into her naptime. What to I do? Pull a classic "Lisa" and take my coffee with me as I'm leaning towards Addie trying to shove one last kiwi into her mouth. Once again, covered.

So, a long time ago, when I had an infant swatting at my cup on the table at the restaurant eventually filling my lap with my drink, and now having a toddler ready to do the same (but way faster). I know better. You always order water...or get ready to replace a lot of your clothes. I should know this by now!

It was perfect :)

Coot Cose, and Bee Shoo

Our first two word phrase...yep, "Coot Cose" is what she said to me in Target when I said, "Addie, look at the cute clothes". I couldn't believe it. I laughed, so she kept repeating it. Later that night, Chris was getting her ready for bed, and I held up the shirt I got that day and she says "coot cose" just like that! Chris's response, "No Way!". I had to laugh.


This is her shopping at a friend's house...she LOVED the shopping cart!



Ok, and I'm fighting this sinus thing last week and I'm sneezing like crazy, and after one of my sneezes, she says "bee shoo".





Laughter again.


I love it! So every time I or anyone sneezes we hear this cute little "bee shoo" coming from her.



This is so fun :)

Plllleeeeeaaaase!

This is to beg our Aunt Jill to update her blog...ahem...it's been way too long! Share the good news, girl!

It's baby time! Congrats to Desiree & Erik with little Crosby (I was so lucky to be there ;)), and Emily and Steve with little Parker, the leapling! And Maggie and Mark with baby Lucas! Love all these babies...what's up with all these boys?!

Up next...little baby Putty - can't wait to meet my little niece!

Mmmmmwwwaaaaahhhh!

Part of our nightly routine...potty and some singing before bath! She is learning how to sign, so at the end she mixes it up with some sign language. Chris and I are spelling out words now. It was almost over night when we realized she knew everything we were saying. So b-a-n-a-n-a was our first hidden word (she freaks over them!) and so on. Watching her learn sign language is one of the coolest things...I'll be sure to put some video of that, too!

I have my moments...

You know, where you stop those Mom thoughts that sprint through your mind to really think about what's going on with me. Wow, what a concept. I'm having some moments because yes, I am staring right at the 3-0. Age doesn't really bother me, but for some reason I'm thinking more about it these days. So I bought the sunscreen, I'm on the anti-wrinkle cream crusade, and now can't resist buying a good sun hat (what?) and rediculously huge sunglasses. Yep, no turning back.

My days are filled with incredible moments mostly given to me by Adelle and Chris. Our life is so busy, but we really work hard to have some down time with just us three. I feel so lucky to be here. Chris is working at two different offices not just getting his feet wet in this profession, but diving right in. What an experience...and enough stories for another blog (don't get me started!).

Adelle is so cool. We do all kinds of activities and watching her learn is priceless. She LOVES books and is constantly handing them to me and turning around to sit in my lap to read to her. She's still on a great schedule and taking 2 naps a day like clockwork. Her appetite is huge, I can barely keep up! Since the menu is A-La-Holloway, I'm busy. I make just about everything we eat. I've got it down to cooking all her meals for the day in the morning. We've come a long way since breastfeeding for a year, pureed food in ice cube trays, and discovering bananas (of which I have to hide now!). She's a whopping 18lbs, tiny little kid with curly hair, but healthy as can be! We visited the Pediatrition last week for her 15mo checkup. It was fun, and we learned that you stick nothing in her mouth - she hated that tool with the bright light heading towards her mouth (just like the hair dryer we discovered the other day...she hates it!).

Thirty is not so daunting...I'm excited, in fact. I'm going to be an aunt this year. I can't wait to meet my little niece in June. We're really enjoying all the other babies and kids around us - ahhh has life changed for us all!

Adelle is this great little person that talks to me all day long - how cool is that! I'm so entertained. I'm not working like I used to, running like I was, and certainly don't look like I did, but I'm very happy!

Cheers to SPF30!!!!!!!