Entries from November 2010 ↓

This photo is exceptional because Ezri is playing happily with all the cats present and untormented.
Ezri is giving Sushi crayons. “Here, Sushi!” and “This one.”
Sushi isn’t so interested in the game, but she’s happy enough.

Check out those matching grey sweatshirts. Looking good, father and daughter.

We took a walk around the block and, while she was carried for some portion, Ezri walked much of the distance on her own two feet.

Things about my little girl that are new.
1) Past Tense
I am hearing more past tense. It’s still new but she knows that verbs ending in -ed mean things have already happened.
2) Doorknobs.
She can open the door to her bedroom and she is getting out of her bed on her own. Now, instead of calling “mama” from her crib. She is standing knocking on the door to her room calling for one or both of her parents. Maybe someday we’ll wake up before she does. Then again, maybe not.
3) Doll Play
She had Eric do the entire bedtime routine with stories in the rocking chair and songs for her baby doll last night at her direction. She also will say, “Baby up,” and pick up a baby doll. Then pat its back saying, “it’s okay. it’s okay.”
4) Manners?
Every once in awhile unprompted she says, “please” or “thank you” or most endearingly, “thank you, mama.”

Ezri is learning her colors. She really likes to say the word “purple.” The double “p” sound is just fun. There are plenty of books about colors, but here are two we’ve enjoyed recently.

Carlo Likes Colors by Jessica Spanyol
Carlo, a young Giraffe, sees different colors in the places he goes. Each two page spread shows Carlo in a picture dominated by a particular color. “Carlo sees blue at the pool.” There is then the opportunity to point at all of the blue items in the picture. “Carlo sees purple in the garden.” It’s time to point at eggplants, plums, and flowers. After Carlo has seen all the colors, he’s shown in a room decorated with childlike artwork in all the colors. The final page informs the reader that Carlo also likes to beep and shows Carlo in a toy car saying “beep beep.” This ending is perfect.

Will you wear a blue hat?
This Rookie book just stays fun as the boy gets dressed for cold weather in primary-colored clothing. I have used it as inspiration to sing the “Will you wear your x-color clothing item?” as Ezri gets dressed in the morning.

Reading with friends is even more fun.

Things Ezri loved about our long weekend in Denver:

1) The speed bumps in the parking garage for Coral’s apt.
There were two speed bumps so she could say, “bump-bump” followed by “again” and then we’d go over the second one. She seemed to know at this point saying “again” a second time would be fruitless.

2) Crashing Blue the dog’s 3rd birthday party –
which got her an opportunity to see 6 dogs running around, be given a balloon and a cupcake. Blue’s party was at the school where Jason teaches and he was showing us around. Ezri said, “Dogs running. Ball! Ball!” This tour also included a playground and freshly picked apples from fruit trees on the grounds. Score!

3) Running up and down the halls in the apt. building and being called a little stomper by Coral. She would stomp-stomp-stomp and then copy Coral saying, “Hey, little stomper” while Coral and I followed.

4) Chasing, petting and attempting to play with the household cats, Sugar and Smack.
She was so excited about the cats (and a bit congested) that she would start breathing heavily like a mini-darth and bouncing and stomping when she saw them. All of which made the cats VERY nervous.

5) Shower Curtain Peek-a-boo
Aunt Coral came up with a whole new fun game.

6) Finding and playing with the two toys in the house that made noise
A kitten and a pig puppet.

7) Hugging Curious George
A large costumed character george was at the Trick or Treat Street event and Ezri hugged him. Then she demanded that Mama hug George. When we went past George a second time she asked for another hug. Later that night she used past tense for the first time I recall when asked what she did today and said, “Ezri hugged George.” Thanks to whomever was in that costume for humoring Ezri and giving good hugs.

8 ) Firetruck
In the Denver Children’s Museum they have a firetruck display that let’s you climb up in a firetruck. The stuff of Ezri’s dreams.

9) The Megamind display of happy meal toys in the local McDonald’s

10) Play Dough
Coral and Jason bought Ezri a play dough set. Which she requested several times during the visit saying, “Ezri squish” and pointing at the box. I was impressed with her imagination as she made a dough ring and called it “bagel.” She also called one of my dough roll-ups “paper towels” and I had to admit it was rolled up just like paper towels.

11) Corn Maze Bubbles
A windy day means you just have to hold up the wand and bubbles come out.

12) Dancing in the living room with assorted adults and demanding various songs “again”

13) The Poster of Einstein sticking his tongue out at the Red Robin Restaurant

14) The cookie from the coffee shop at the Tattered Cover Bookstore

15) Flipping through Coral’s photos

16) Climbing up on Coral & Jason’s bed for tickling and pretending to nap.

17) Trying on the shoes of various adults from high heels to boots to sneakers and clomping around.

18) Wearing her monkey backpack which has a tail that doubles as a tether. It was great in the busy airport and she loves to put it on. Note she’s wearing it with her pajamas in one photo.

19) The gift of a doll with open/shut eyes who also is wearing glasses was a big hit.

20) I think 19 things is enough though I am sure I am leaving out some of the Ezri highlights.

It was a great trip. The little one had a blast and Eric and I got to spend time with close-to-my-heart friends who are too far away most of the time.

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)