Sunday, December 2, 2012

2 years 10 months

Josie is definitely growing up. It's sad in a way and I miss her as a baby. I do love watching her grow and mature and it's great having real conversations with her. This past month she's been very interested in cutting with scissors. She wants to cut everything. It does get a little messy. She pretty much sticks to cutting her own papers and catalogs we give her. She's getting more opinionated about what she wears. In the video at the end you'll see her in tights and a skirt she picked out. I wouldn't have put her in that combination but it looks pretty cute. She did have a bright green t-shirt over her pink shirt that I made her take off. She's still at 29 lbs and now 37 inches (last month she was 35 3/4 so maybe my crude measurements against the wall are a little off).

A few funny things she's said this month. 
  • "Mommy, more Brussels sprouts please." She actually liked them roasted. It was the first time I've every cooked them. We ate left over roasted veggies the next night and she said, " More onions and mushrooms please." (Is this my kid?)
  • After putting her in her car seat and putting a pony tail in her hair I got in my seat. "Mom, usually when you shut my door I have my buckle on and when you drive away I don't fall out." I looked in my rear view mirror and sure enough I forgot to buckle her in. Luckily I hadn't driven away yet.
  • At dinner one night she said to us, "Can I have a kitty for my birthday?" What would you name your kitty? "Bunco". 
  • After decorating our tree yesterday, out of the blue she asked, "Mommy do we celebrate Chanukah? Are we Jewish?"
  • Josie what do you want for dinner? "A sandwich." What kind? "A Grandpa Anderson sandwich." When my family is all together we enjoy making delicious steak sandwiches that were a specialty of my Grandpa Anderson. 
  • For months she's been talking about her birthday and how she wants to have a skateboard and lollipop party. Here's a recent conversation. "Mom, remember I'm going to have a lollipop and skateboard party?" Yes I remember. What do you do at a skateboard party? "Mom, I don't know how to skateboard. What other things can you do?" (I didn't have a good answer for her.A couple days later she said, "Mom, I'm going to have a lollipop and bike party."
  • I asked to her get down from the Christmas storage bins she climbed on top of that were next to the couch. "Mommy, I want to be higher. How can I get up higher?" Standing on the couch wasn't high enough. One day I found her inside her closet. She had climbed on the shelf using her stool and was sitting inside a big basket. This girl likes to climb and be on top of everything. She loves to climb up the drawers and sit on the kitchen counter. She often asks to climb on the roof like daddy. 
  •  An un-funny thing she's been unfortunately saying quite a bit. "I don't want to go potty!"
  • Last night when she was stalling, b/c as usual she wasn't tired and didn't want to go to bed, she said she needed another hug and kiss. As I was going out after that she said, "Don't leave, I need to say I love you a bunch of times."

She also likes taping and pasting things as well as fixing things. She saw our broken chair and she said she's a good "fixer" just like daddy. She ran and got her tool box. 

Cousin Paige turned 3 on Nov 5. It was fun to see some "old fashioned" games with a new twist. Hot potato is now hot crown and pin the tail on the donkey is put the crown on the princess which Josie was no good at. At least we were assured she wasn't peaking. She had to be directed to stay on the poster or probably would have walked out the door. Other games were bean bag toss and they had a princess pinata. 

This is a first for Josie, falling asleep at the table. I was already cleaning up the kitchen and had just given her a tangerine and then I looked over and her head was bobbing. Poor thing was all tuckered out at 7pm. It was Sunday and we'd been at the park for about 90 min. before dinner. After a couple min. (while mom was documenting the moment) she turned sideways to rest her head. I wiped her face and hands and carried her to bed. She woke up and asked if we could snuggle on the couch. As much as I wanted to have her sleep in my arms on the couch I thought it would be better for her to get a good night sleep.

We went to Aunt Gaylynne's and Uncle Bill's to skype with cousin Sophia in Spain. Josie was mostly jumping around but on and off she sat down to talk to Sophia.
 

Then we headed out to the chicken coop to pick some eggs.
 
 Just as Gaylynne was handing over the chicken it laid it's egg. We were so surprised to see an egg pop out. It landed on the ground but didn't crack. The eggs were delicious.

Next we picked some pomegranates. Very delicious as well.

We headed to the barn to feed the horses. What a view the horses have. 
 



Josie and I haven't been to My Gym in a long time. She did a great job on the climbing wall and wanted to do a flip on the bar.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

 We went on an adventure to cut down our tree and when we got to the tree farm Josie said, "Where's the snow?" Unfortunately it was raining and not snowing. With a little help from PicMonkey photo editor it looks a little like snow. :)

On a hunt for the perfect tree. Yes it was raining but it was only a drizzle and we were the only ones there. We actually started driving when there was a break in the rain and the sun came out but by the time we got up to Skyline it started to rain again. It ended by the time we got home. We had fun.
 

We found the perfect tree. Thirty min beautiful drive to Skyline and in and out in about 10 minutes.



 Happy with our prize and yes, it's snowing again.

Now comes the fun of decorating the tree and our home. Josie is so excited this year. She loves looking at all the lights on people's homes. 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Santa Barbara weekend

On the Friday before Thanksgiving we drove down to Santa Barbara with Shirley & Rich. My parents needed a new heater and Rich kindly made the trip to bring a new heater and he and Eric installed it. 

Josie enjoying the rocks on the porch. She brought in a few handfuls and I'm sure she tucked them away in secret spots around Gram and Papa's house. 

Gram & Gahaus relaxing while the guys work. 

Papa having fun with the girls while the guys work.

Josie & Katie relaxing in the tub.

 Reading before bed

Saturday afternoon after Josie and Katie were with their grandmas we went rock climbing. First we watched Katie zip up to the top in no time. 

Josie wanted to try. 

You're how old and about to climb???

Here she goes and she is a rock star.

Katie showing Josie the ropes. 

Climbing with Uncle Luke.

Saturday night dinner at Karen & Luke's and watching a great Stanford football game.


Gram knitting with a little helper on her lap.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving at Shirley & Rich's along with 19 others. We had a nice afternoon of great food and fellowship. Unfortunately I didn't take many pics. The tables were elegantly set up in the nicest garage I've ever seen (that's still a working garage). Eric, Josie, and I shared a table with Uncle Hank and our neighbors Shuli & Satoshi.

Josie and cousin Paige having fun playing ring a round the rosie and then spinning. After dinner they ran around in the garage and under the tables and then relaxed watching a show.

On Friday we drove to Andy & Kay's in Hughson about 1:45 min drive. We had a nice relaxing lunch and then checked out the huge shop. 

Climbing a kiwi vine.

Picking kiwi. Delicious, fresh kiwi.

Josie & Grandma Kay

 Daddy and Josie driving the tractor.

Family tractor ride.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Goodbye to summer weather

Our friends and neighbors, Justin, Brigit, & Kaira, invited us to Gilroy Gardens with them last Sunday 11/4. What a gorgeous, sunny, hot day. We continued to have warm sunny weather for a few more days but it was basically our last summer-like weekend. What a great way to enjoy the great weather and great company. It's about an hour from home and we arrived at 11:00 right when it opened with lots of other people who had the same great idea. Kaira and Josie had fun the on the rides and enjoyed an ice cream treat. What a lovely place with pretty gardens all around. Here are some initial pics and more are coming.

 







 

 
This lively girl fell asleep as soon as we hit the freeway.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Coyote Point Oct 27 & 28

It was a gorgeous summer/fall day so Josie and I headed to the beach at Coyote Point. There was a baptism going on when we arrived and then we pretty much had the place to ourselves. We probably saw 30 or more planes flying above on the way to SFO. We also had a great view of SF - which is often rare to see so clearly.


mommy daughter pics on the iPhone.  
 

 Josie wanted to be elbow to elbow instead of cheek to cheek.
 

Josie stirring up her witch's brew.


We had so much fun we went back on Sunday. 
We couldn't get past the parking booth until 12 using our free pass and it was 11 so we went to downtown Burlingame and went to the Farmer's Market for tomatoes and spent a few minutes at the park. Back to Coyote Pt at noon. 


Insisted on carrying her towel and bucket with shoes inside on the way to the car. Slightly worn out from all her playing. We all took a family nap in our bed and then went to church for our evening service.