Arwyn turned 20 months old this week, and totally amazed me with her skills! This week she learned how to put on her jacket all by herself! It's the same way Leia learned how, and it's really the coolest little trick. She lays the jacket on the floor in front of her, with the hood end closest to her body, puts the arms in the sleeves, and flips the whole thing over her head! I'll have to try to get a little video sometime. She also had a ton of new words, but the highlights are "Ju-Jee" for Jake Fruit, which is the prize in the morning for cooperating with sunscreen, "a poon, a poon!" when she wants a spoon, and "buh buh, buh buh" when she wants to play with the bubble maker. We've been on a good roll with going down easily and sleeping through the night for awhile now, but this week she's been fussing and crying at bedtime and waking up super early. Not sure if she's sick or teething or going through a sleep regression, but either way, no fun. We're also transitioning down to one nap most days, but unfortunately it's not turning out to be double the length like most other kids (i.e., two 1.5 hour naps vs. one 3 hour nap). Arwyn's just sticking with 1.5 hours for a nap no matter how many she gets, except on ski days when she's so exhausted she'll sleep over 3 hours! Poppy has given Arwyn a new nickname this week: Barnacle. She simply won't let go of me or leave my side. And she's started to forcefully grab my hand and pull me around wherever she goes. Well, I guess separation anxiety peaks now, so she's right on track (goes along with the bedtime crying too). Good things she's still pretty light, is fun to cuddle with, and still has those wonderfully soft kissable cheeks!
Leia has finally figured out that politeness really gets results. Her new favorite thing to say is, "No thank you, Mommy. I don't care for that." It applies to baths, food, chores, pretty much anything she doesn't want to do. And when she says it so nicely, I almost have to just comply! Or at least negotiate nicer terms for her. Her politeness definitely leads to a more win-win situation for all of us. I've been telling her to say it that way for quite awhile, but now she's finally catching on and doing it the first time on her own without me coercing her. Her new favorite game to play in the car is The Quiet Game. I introduced it one night when she was especially loud and overwhelming while we were heading home from school. Neither she nor Arwyn actually last very long being quiet, but then they just want to play again and again, so overall we end up with a more peaceful ride. I'd rather just have nice conversations with her, but if she's just yelling and whining, this is definitely the way to go, and she likes it too, so it's a win-win. After I screwed up the whole "quick to bed because of the yetis" routine, we got desperate again for a new routine with a quick exit strategy, and I decided to give Leia a headlamp to wear at night. She kept wanting to keep the light on to do stuff, but I said no, it's bedtime, you need to stay in bed. But the headlamp was perfect because she could stay in bed and still see her pages. She's been loving using the headlamp every night to work diligently on her sticker books, which she loves. And when she's tired, she just turns off the light, lies down, and goes to sleep. Hallelujah! We'll see how long this one lasts. Leia seems to be in a very social phase right now, where she's desperate for outside company. Every day she wants to go out and find someone to play with from the neighborhood. I don't really mind because it gets us out, burns energy, and they are more well behaved. It's just a problem when there's no one to find or if I don't actually want to leave. This week we walked up to play with Jody, Emmett (but he was sick), Hanna & Adrian, Grandma to Hanna and Adrian when they weren't home, and Echo next door. We had a lot of extra time for all these visits each day because there was no ski school this week and Leia chose not to ski with me. It was nice to have a week off and relax a little.
Leia has finally figured out that politeness really gets results. Her new favorite thing to say is, "No thank you, Mommy. I don't care for that." It applies to baths, food, chores, pretty much anything she doesn't want to do. And when she says it so nicely, I almost have to just comply! Or at least negotiate nicer terms for her. Her politeness definitely leads to a more win-win situation for all of us. I've been telling her to say it that way for quite awhile, but now she's finally catching on and doing it the first time on her own without me coercing her. Her new favorite game to play in the car is The Quiet Game. I introduced it one night when she was especially loud and overwhelming while we were heading home from school. Neither she nor Arwyn actually last very long being quiet, but then they just want to play again and again, so overall we end up with a more peaceful ride. I'd rather just have nice conversations with her, but if she's just yelling and whining, this is definitely the way to go, and she likes it too, so it's a win-win. After I screwed up the whole "quick to bed because of the yetis" routine, we got desperate again for a new routine with a quick exit strategy, and I decided to give Leia a headlamp to wear at night. She kept wanting to keep the light on to do stuff, but I said no, it's bedtime, you need to stay in bed. But the headlamp was perfect because she could stay in bed and still see her pages. She's been loving using the headlamp every night to work diligently on her sticker books, which she loves. And when she's tired, she just turns off the light, lies down, and goes to sleep. Hallelujah! We'll see how long this one lasts. Leia seems to be in a very social phase right now, where she's desperate for outside company. Every day she wants to go out and find someone to play with from the neighborhood. I don't really mind because it gets us out, burns energy, and they are more well behaved. It's just a problem when there's no one to find or if I don't actually want to leave. This week we walked up to play with Jody, Emmett (but he was sick), Hanna & Adrian, Grandma to Hanna and Adrian when they weren't home, and Echo next door. We had a lot of extra time for all these visits each day because there was no ski school this week and Leia chose not to ski with me. It was nice to have a week off and relax a little.
Heading out on a sled adventure, but there wasn't actually enough snow on the street to go anywhere.
20 Month Photo Shoot...fussing about wanting to take off the diaper!
These photo shoots are getting harder and harder, you'd think as she got older she'd get more cooperative, not less. But alas, distraction with one of her favorite books was my only solution.
There's a cute foot!
And there's a great laugh!
Decided to put the bandages on herself rather than in the book.
She's getting so tall!
Turning into a tea party queen.
New favorite TV show, "She-a" (aka She-Ra), but she only pays attention for a few minutes then finds something more fun to do.
I love this little cutie!
Chewbacca slippers and fairy wings...quite the contrast.
Fun afternoon playing and painting with Anya Leunig.
Arwyn's master piece on the bottom, Anya's on the top.
Leia's painting of a Mermaid.
This one was more abstract.
Here's a very good looking flower by Leia.
All set with her antique Speak 'n Spell and her paper/pens...so studious!
This one really likes to mix up her genres...Chewbacca slippers, Princess Sofia Dress, and an Indian Belly Dancing Hat in her Queens Throne making lists...can you tell who's in charge around our house?
Our little tea party hostess with the mostess!
Password = Arwyn
With Leia out of the room, Arwyn is happy to finally be the Tea Party Master! She brews a mean cup of tea, let me tell you!
We have quite the spread when it comes to tea parties!
It's fun to run in the rain!
Here comes the Parade of the Princesses!
Monkey See, Monkey Do...all of a sudden it is so much fun to walk all the way home backwards!
Pretty dextrous with her feet, as far as going backwards without tripping and falling, but she did keep running into the snowbank on the side of the road.
Who needs lunch when there's so much good snow to eat?!
Love love love this big ol' laughing smile!
It really is fun walking around the neighborhood with these two, just don't try to be in a hurry!
Towers and Link 'n Logs with our friends Hanna and Adrian!
Password = Arwyn
Who knew that Peek-a-Boo behind a wet wash cloth could be so hilarious?!
Big tree fell down in the storm this week, and the plow pushed it from down the road into our driveway! Thanks Uncle John for helping us cut it down and throw it out of the way!
Lots of snow and rain, lots of wind...it's getting crazy around here!
Making colors out of spices at school.
She's been dieing for a Rapunzel dress to round out her collection of princess dresses...and look what came in the mail today!
Big big smile for my little Rapunzel!
Matching rainbow tutu skirts also make these kids smile! Thanks Grandma!
Before they were the boot ballerinas, now they are the Rainbow Ballerinas!
My little snow princesses! Fashion over function, the snow doesn't slow them down!!
Fun burst of color in our world of white!
Leia just has the greatest smile!
Our little actress Arwyn feigning sleep! So many great faces she makes these days.
Leia is impressed with Little Sister's sleep act.
Now everyone is sleeping...except Mommy, the one who actually wants to!
Password = Arwyn
Arwyn is turning into a great little actress. Here she shows us her sleep impersonation on command, complete with sleep sounds and all.
I really like how Leia colored all the different parts of the car different colors, and she stayed inside the lines pretty well too.
A is for Arwyn!
Arwyn's rendition of the fireworks we saw on New Years!
Leia's new signature includes all the right letters, just not quite in the right order. She's also created this cool capital 'A' and capital 'E' combo symbol!
Another painting day masterpiece by Leia.
Can you tell this was Arwyn's? I guess she can't reach the top of the easel yet!
The jagged lines across the top are actually Leia version of a long sentence of writing. She told me it says, "Dear Mommy, I'm writing to you..." and I forget the rest. Hopefully I'll learn to read this language soon.
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