For Roxanna, Because You Asked

We've been keeping really busy this month. That may change now that we're done with Story Time and Tumbling, but we do begin Story Time again in January, along with Dance and Soccer! (We're taking a break from Tumbling because someone whose name rhymes with "hill" was not behaving herself and taking it as an opportunity to show off and disrupt. Since we've been doing for 9 straight months without any change to the routine, I thought she might be bored. We're doing "Parent and Me Dance" for which I'm crossing my fingers in hopes that it's not too heavy on parents dancing. We'll see. I'm looking forward to "Jill Dances By Herself at Age 3.") Jill is going to do soccer every Saturday with Steve. She gets to do it in the Sounders' practice facility, which is a beautiful sports complex not too far from home.

Anyway, here's what we've been doing to fill our time.

We decorated for Christmas. I always think this will be fun for her, and it's...not. It's heavy on adult only things and takes a long time and then there is the whole "look but don't touch" rule. Silly. She does like the decorations, but I'm unable to put any presents under the tree because she wants to open all of them now. I guess I'll be up all night on Christmas Eve wrapping them.




Then we took Steve to the Children's Museum. He loved it. Jill loved it. Then we went to Dick's for Jill's first fast food/milkshake experience. We all loved it. Don't let her face fool you. She DEVOURED that stuff!









We have done LOTS of art projects. I need to get photos of them. We've also done a fair amount of playing outside in between the weeks of rain we're getting.

look at those big brown eyes on that girl!

Strawberry Shortcake watercolors

bike riding

examining with the magnifying glass

happy scientist

my favorite picture of her lately

On Tuesday we picked up some T.oys for T.ots and donated them at Station 37. Jill was a champion shopper and donater...just don't ask about the tantrum she threw in Tar.get when we told her she had to ride in the cart or how she told us before we left home, "I not going! I staying home! Dey not need toys!" Niiiiiiice.

checking out the babies...incidentally, every time the camera flashed, those creepy Ba.by Ali.ve dolls would all start moving and yammering.

donating

That brings us up to today. Today was a big day around here. For weeks now Jill has been talking about how she's going to give her pacifier (chupo, at our house) to Santa to she can give to a baby who needs it. (Jannica, in this case the baby in need is Baby Ah-mee-yi-ah.) She told Santa in her letter to him, that she wanted him to leave her a teddy bear to hold instead of her chupo, because she's a big girl now and doesn't need it. I thought it would be fun to make a Bu.ild-a-Be.ar, so we talked to Santa and he sent me an email saying he thought that was a good idea. So, today we went and made Mimi the ballerina kitty. We had SO MUCH FUN! Then we went to Pt. Defia.nce to see the animals. It was one of the most fun days we've had in a long time.

with the kitty skin

warming the heart

making a wish

Mimi and Jill

riding the carousel

shark teeth

lemon shark

tiger cub

walrus snuggling

Up tomorrow is our visit with Santa, or as Jill says, Santa's helper because she's already questioned how there are so many santas in so many locations. To watch her message from Santa, click the link below:

http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/Acuy6SBQ3XEDr1PKqFzJrQ