How do you tell your daughter…

…that the dog does not have opposable thumbs?

After completing the morning ritual of packing her Princes Toad bag to the hilt with all her Bunnies and carrying it downstairs; Stella told the dog that she should carry the bag and proceeded to lift Holly up and force the bag’s handle into the dogs paw.

Didn’t quite work,
At least she hasn’t tried to put her in a dress yet.
Our dog has a lot of patience!

Pregnancy Alzheimer's

Come babe it’s time to go.

Put your Jacket on – Check

Hat – Check

Warm pants too - Check

Blanket, bunnies, snacks –Check

Change of clothes – Check

Drink – Check

Okay, lets go.

As mommy’s unlocking the car, Stella stops at the door step.

“Mommy, do you want me to stay in my slippers?”

Chalk another one up to pregnancy Alzheimer’s.

Upgrade part two

Hurrah!

Bravo!

Yeah!

Yippee!

This was the response that ensued from our daughter as Daddy put together her new big girl bed.

Now the baby can have his crib.

Wordless Wednesday

Toolin' around Lübeck

Simple said

Dinner at Oma & Opa’s house.

Stella is finished crawls under the table

Where Holly is peacefully laying in the dog bed.

Conversation up top continues.

A loud squeak as a brown streak bolts out the room.

Mommy leans under the table and asks Stella what she did to the dog.

Looking mommy straight in the eyes

All matter of innocence

Raising two fists as if grabbing Pippi Longstocking’s pigtails

Matter of factly says “so”

Simultaneously pulling her fists outwards in one swift motion

Facial expression of incomprehension as to what went wrong.

Bursting with laughter inside, Mommy managed to hold herself together long enough to explain that you can’t pull the dogs ears,

That hurts!

Before leaning back over the table, out of sight and cracking up.

Reprise

Was it something I said?

Did she know I wrote about her tantrums?

Did the steam run out?

Are the batteries recharging?

Or did a growth spurt just end? (It was tough squeezing into a pair of shoes today)

Yesterday was a string of wonderful events that made us proud.

That showed us that deep down, she really is a sweetheart.

Mommy has been in some pain the last few days. She exclaimed “ow” as they were walking up the hill. Stella turns to mommy and asks if she should give her a hug, then proceeds to do so.

When done she asked mommy if the “ow” is better now.

Later in the day, she randomly asked mommy for a kiss.

That evening when I gave her something she had asked for, she answered in full sentence “thank you wonderful daddy”

Mommy was handing me boxes to put into the attic, Stella jumped in and lifted a box to hand to mommy.

She helped daddy dry Holly after a bath.

This I am sure, is not the aliens!

Meltdown…

What do Tinkerbell, the Wicked Witch of the West, Pippi Longstocking, Hannibal Lector, Liza Manelli and Albert Einstein have in common?

They all reside within the body of my 2.5 year old.

Is it too early to diagnose schizophrenia?

It’s amazing how fast this little tot can change gears.

The sweetest little thing one minute and an absolute terror the next.

Stubborn is without a doubt, her middle name.

Above and beyond the typical toddler games.

At the slightest hint of anything not going her way, shoulders arch in, bury scowling face in hands, light sniffels, watch out here it comes…BOOM!

Absolute Meltdown!

Simple things like changing clothes make my last post to the child welfare system look like a cake walk.

Mental note: Gotta add some sound dampening insulation to the house. Good thing it’s getting cold and the windows are closed.

This reaction, is it pain?

Is the overwhelming fast paced realization of the world around her?

Each day she can do more, understands more, her brain has to be ready to burst.

Does the brain just misfire, go haywire in these moments?

I know she’s on overdrive!

Once the steam is let go then she returns back to earth as our sweet little child?

She gets it
She gets a lot
She surprises us
A lot

The other day I backed my car into the driveway.
Stella told us that daddy parked the wrong way.

We were reading the Dr. Zuess “Foot Book”.
We turned the page, I read the left side, and Stella finished the sentence on the right.
She remembers small details from the day before.

Eyes like a hawk - As we brush past the window she tells us there is a deer in the field…200 yards away.

Details that adults filter out.

She really is
Remarkable
Headstrong
Observant
A wonder!

Semi Wordless Wednesday

I’m gonna steal an idea I saw on another blog and try to at least post a picture every Wednesday. Unfortunately I can’t remember which blog it was to give the guy his due.