Arwyn had a really big week with some exciting developments. Her vocabulary has progressed past simple words and onto 3-4 word sentences! She loves to chat on one of her many phones, and she'll put the phone to her ear and say, "Hello, how are you?" Also, the other morning when I went to get her up out of bed, she had been playing happily by herself in the bed, and when I walked in, the first thing she did was say "I ha a pook" while lifting up and showing me the book she was holding. Then she proceeded to hand me her penguin while saying "pen-win" and her monkey while saying "money." She's so cute how she says "bot-uhl," and the other morning when Josh let her keep her water bottle in bed, she was playing and drinking out of it in the morning rather than crying for us. And when she was ready to get up, she actually called out "mommy" and "daddy" very calmly to get our attention! Such a great new skill, but it doesn't happen every day. What does happen every day is Arwyn being such a good little helper. She was at it again this week, helping me clean up Leia's room by putting toys away in the basket and dirty clothes in the hamper, as well as helping with the laundry by putting everything I hand her into the dryer, pulling it out from the dryer, or letting her hand me stuff to put into the washer. It is so great because then she's still doing something she enjoys, I'm spending time with her, AND I'm getting stuff done around the house. Leia has never in her life been interested in doing stuff like this. They are definitely two very different little girls. On the other hand, just like her sister, Arwyn is starting to have very strong opinions about what she wants to do, and when we went to play at the Kids Zone museum, she was grabbing my arm and dragging me to do those things. She was not at all interested in doing the exact same thing as Leia while we were there, which made it difficult for me to be watching two kids in different places at the same time! Her favorite Kids Zone activity this week was trying to walk up and down the very steep ramp up to the castle towers. Unfortunately it was too steep and tricky for her to do herself so I had to help her along, but that didn't stop her from wanting to do it over and over. We went to see Santa at the girls' school this weekend, which meant that we had to leave really fast after Leia's swim lesson, so no playing in the pool for Arwyn. She was so patient and cooperative, siting and watching Leia's whole lesson and not even putting up a fuss when we flew out at the end. Of course, she wasn't too happy about the whole Santa thing, but the rest of the activities were fun. I even let her try to decorate a cookie, but she just kept eating the little candy decorations before they even got near the cookie!
Leia, on the other hand, was so excited about seeing Santa this year. I gave her the option to stay and swim longer or go see Santa, and she chose Santa. Before we left she picked out a whole special outfit to wear for Santa and packed it in a special bag to take to put on after swimming (different from the outfit she wore to swimming). And she gave me total cooperation after swim class because we only had a few minutes to rush over to catch the Santa breakfast before it ended. Of course, when we did see him she got totally nervous and quiet...so funny. She did some really great floating at her swim class this week. Kicking, floating (front and back), and rocket ships. Leia's been trying to draw gingerbread houses all week. She was trying to imitate mine, and the very first one she did was great. Then she tried to do a larger version of the same thing, and she kept getting so frustrated that she wasn't doing the outline of the house exactly like she was envisioning. She would yell out that it was all wrong, throw it on the ground with a grunt, and start over. She went back for fresh pieces of paper to start over many many times, but each time she would draw the exact same thing that she had just been pissed about and get pissed all over again! Clearly she had some other idea in her mind but wasn't able to get it out on the paper. Leia's favorite activities this week are cowboy and ballet parties. She's been insisting on wearing my high heal cowboy boots everyday, but then the says it's time for ballet class, and drags us into Arwyn's room, has us take off our shoes and leave them to the side, and then she leads a ballet dance class. It's so funny. She also has gotten really into laying out her clothes each night that she wants to wear the next day. Sometimes she just picks them out and leaves them ready to put on, but other times she likes to lay them out as if they were on a mannequin. It's actually a great thing because it makes the morning process go so much faster when I'm in a hurry, and the best part is, it was all her idea!
Leia, on the other hand, was so excited about seeing Santa this year. I gave her the option to stay and swim longer or go see Santa, and she chose Santa. Before we left she picked out a whole special outfit to wear for Santa and packed it in a special bag to take to put on after swimming (different from the outfit she wore to swimming). And she gave me total cooperation after swim class because we only had a few minutes to rush over to catch the Santa breakfast before it ended. Of course, when we did see him she got totally nervous and quiet...so funny. She did some really great floating at her swim class this week. Kicking, floating (front and back), and rocket ships. Leia's been trying to draw gingerbread houses all week. She was trying to imitate mine, and the very first one she did was great. Then she tried to do a larger version of the same thing, and she kept getting so frustrated that she wasn't doing the outline of the house exactly like she was envisioning. She would yell out that it was all wrong, throw it on the ground with a grunt, and start over. She went back for fresh pieces of paper to start over many many times, but each time she would draw the exact same thing that she had just been pissed about and get pissed all over again! Clearly she had some other idea in her mind but wasn't able to get it out on the paper. Leia's favorite activities this week are cowboy and ballet parties. She's been insisting on wearing my high heal cowboy boots everyday, but then the says it's time for ballet class, and drags us into Arwyn's room, has us take off our shoes and leave them to the side, and then she leads a ballet dance class. It's so funny. She also has gotten really into laying out her clothes each night that she wants to wear the next day. Sometimes she just picks them out and leaves them ready to put on, but other times she likes to lay them out as if they were on a mannequin. It's actually a great thing because it makes the morning process go so much faster when I'm in a hurry, and the best part is, it was all her idea!
I love seeing the progression of Leia's coloring-in skills.
Always watching and learning from the big sister...may lead to big trouble!!!
My two favorite little goofs!
Swim lessons!
Arwyn is so great, patiently sitting and watching her sister's swim lessons without a peep for a whole half hour!
Ok, she didn't want to sit in the wagon the whole time, but all she wanted was to sit in my lap, then she was happy and patient again.
Password = Leia
Leia's getting better at kicking and floating!
Nervously approaching the Great One.
Awed by his great presence...this is serious business!
"Don't touch me you creepy old man!"
"Where's my Mommy? And why does everyone think this guy is so great?"
"Ok, I found my Mom. And now that I'm at a safe distance, let's see what this guy is all about..."
Ok, this is probably the last year that Mom will have to be in the picture too. Well, maybe one more...
Decorating Christmas cookies is the best!
Looking to the right to try and throw me off, while sneaking cooking decorations into her mouth from off to the left...such a Ninja!
Beautiful cookie Leia!
The perfect gingerbread house takes just the right touch...
Ta-da!
A little distracted from her work by all the Christmas excitement...
"My bot-uhls!"
Yep, she's definitely sweet!
So much for winter...the rain and flooding is back with a vengeance!
It's a cowboy Christmas!
Our tree.
Damsel in distress?
So fun seeing all the kids dress up in the old time costumes...yeah Kids Zone Museum!
Arwyn checking out Repunzel's tower.
In the future, princesses double as castle guards.
Ahoy Captain Arwyn!
That's a fine looking ship you've got there matey!
Damsel on a swing.
Arwyn loves watching the wind tunnels!
But it sure is hard getting the handkerchiefs inside (even for Mommys)!
"Hey PopPop, check out the big fish I just caught!"
The artists...
A very critical eye evaluating her own work.
Such a great big sister, always admiring her little sister's great art.
Arwyn the Musketeer!
Hey there guard, show me those guns!
Leia, the Princess Warrior!
Flower wreath by Leia.
Gingerbread house.
Arwyn likes to delve in the abstract...
Well, technically so does Leia, but I imagine this is actually something tangible...
Multimedia Gingerbread House.
So sad to have to wait for lays beyond that door...
Nice tower Arwyn!
It's a Leia manequin! Now you all know what tomorrow will bring.
Happy to be entrusted with delivering milk to her big sister!
"I'm singing in the rain!"
Everyday life requires a costume.
Star Wars Rogue One birthday celebration...special pre-screening show!
The force is with me and I am one with the force!
Scary Daddy (aka Darth Vader, Leia's Father) got a new Light Saber for his belated birthday!
The view at night...
Playing with camera effects...
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