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We are dressed as the zookeeper, his wife and Gorilla from Peggy Rathmann’s book Goodnight, Gorilla.
Ezri is showing off the keys that Gorilla uses to unlock the other cages at the zoo.

We had a great time with Coral at the Denver Children’s Museum’s event – Trick or Treat Street.
More photos of the trip soon.
Grandma Liz crafted the hats for this costume and they look good.

As a warning sometimes Gorilla is fierce! (Not really, but is this face great or what? I believe she was asked to make the noise that dinosaurs make after seeing a kid in a dino costume)

Yes, she’s learned the word “tattoo.” Ezri is proudly showing me her first temporary tattoo. It’s a sunflower & ladybug from the DuPage Forest Preserve given to her by the nice volunteer who also let her pet Tank, the rabbit.

She also observed yesterday that grapes have bellybuttons.

These two are books about toddlers who love their books.

Maybe a Bear Ate It by Robie Harris illustrated by Michael Emberly
In this book a little monster is imagining all the things that might have happened to his missing book. Maybe a bear ate it. Maybe a shark swallowed it. Maybe a bat flew away with it. Since he can’t sleep without it, he decides to look for his book. After searching the house, he finds his book under his bed. He gives his book a hug and says he loves it. Then he curls up and goes to sleep with his book. The illustrations show that the little monster’s stuffed animals are the animals he imagines doing away with his book. I’ve referred to the little monster as “he,” though no gender is assigned. No name or species is given either. Just a little critter talking about his/her book. The bibliophile in me loved this title and Ezri asked for it AGAIN.

Book! by Kristine O’Connell George illustrated by Maggie Smith
In this book a young boy (I think no gender is given in the text) is given a wrapped book as a present. Then he explains how he likes to open it and close it and put it on a shelf. He likes to wear it as a hat and read it to his cat. Ezri has been trying to read books and magazines to Sushi a lot lately, so she relates to this. The cat in the illustrations is seal-pointed grey like one of our cats, so she really likes finding the cat on each page. This is not a hard game as the cat is not hidden, but he is a part of each illustration. The boy, toy elephant and book are also in each spread. The illustrator did a nice job with this simple text. In the last page where the boy has fallen asleep with his book the eyes of the cat, toy elephant and rabbit on the cover of the book are also closed. I liked this touch that everyone was now napping. The boy also takes his book on a wagon ride to his secret place hiding under a table and takes his book to a lap so he will be read to before his nap. Yes this was a perfect pre-nap read.

Sushi has decided since we took the side of Ezri’s crib that it is a perfect place to nap. In this photo Ezri and Sushi are happily sharing the crib. Sadly, Sushi being in the crib makes it WAY TOO EXCITING a place for Ezri to sleep. She must be evicted at nap and bed time or Ezri will not sleep.

It took a little while to get going as soon as I buckled her in Ezri said,”Monkey.” We went back into the house. Then as soon as she and Monkey settled and we were rolling westward she said, “Sunglasses.” Back into the house we went. The third time was the charm and we made it all the way to the park.

“Drive!” is a lot of fun these days. Though, it is still Ezri’s preference to get to play in the driver’s seat of a real parked car. She knows just how to turn on the hazard lights and they make a great clicking sound.

I didn’t know about wearing purple to show we’re against bullying gay teens (really, I’m against bullying full stop) and in remembrance of teens who committed suicide after homophobic bullying until later in the day, but Ezri and I changed after nap for our trip to the park.

Also, there’s something sweet about my girl falling asleep with her arm still in her cat puppet.

Nature has made up for that earlier bee sting by providing Ezri with leaves, a perfect fall plaything.

Ezri took piggy to the park to play.
Here are some photos with Ezri quotes.

“Ezri Push. Swing high sweet piggy”

“Piggy drinking fountain.”

“Piggy slide.”

“Piggy nap.”

“Piggy chase.”

This is the face you get when you ask Ezri to “say cheese.”

I thought I would mention some things she says now that I know I’ll miss as she grows out of them.

I liked “nani” for banana, but it has become “nana” and I’m sure will be “banana” some enough.

I smile every time she points at the fridge and says, “maggots!” She is just ready to play with her magnets. I do not keep maggots in the fridge.

I like the phrase “inga inga” which still appears when she really wants you to put something in her fingers and was early Ezri-speak for fingers. She can say finger now, but still says “inga inga” as she reaches towards a highly desired item (play dough, cookie, somesuch).

She still says all Vs as Ws. “Womit” is the most commonly spoken word.
Vrroom in Ezri-speak is “Wuh-rooom.”

She currently refers to herself in third person.
Ezri pasta. = I would like pasta.
Ezri stroller walk. = Take me out in the stroller please.
She will learn the word “I,” but it is very fun to have her sliding at the park saying, “Ezri slide. Weeeee!”

Her talking is also helping us predict and often deflect her bad ideas.
While running down a path at the Wildlife Center she said, “Ezri swim pond,” and I knew I needed to get in front of her before she got to the pond.

Often these bad ideas involve the cats. Ezri holding her brush and saying, “Ezri brush Sushi.” A nice idea that would probably involve
whacking the cat in the face with a brush. And might be followed by her saying the phrase, “Sushi scratch.”
Sushi is very good with the toddler, but sometimes when pushed she defends herself.
When she said, “Ezri bring Sushi.” I knew she was going to try to pick-up the cat.

When she said, “Ezri lick dada pants,” it let us know she was interested in licking Eric’s pants and that it was time to explain to her that licking others and their clothing is not acceptable.

She also uses “nipples” for bra which led to a cute moment of her running towards the underwear section of Target yelling “nipples!” It’s a fun word to say.

Hearing her speak her mind is a wonderful thing.

I am feeling guilty for encouraging Ezri to smell flowers.
She was stung by a bee on her left pointer finger.
“Bug ouch finger. Mama, bug, bug,” said Ezri.
She doesn’t seem to hold it against me, but I can’t help but feel like my flower smelling idea is to blame.
The flowers did smell very nice.

The honey bee will now die and the mama-bear part of me feels it got what it deserved for messing with my kid. I know it was just doing its thing when the hand reached in to bring a flower close for smelling.

Watch out if you’re playing in the fall flowers!

Once you’ve put away your toys, why not pick-up yourself and tuck yourself up on the shelf too?
Thanks for helping, Ezri.