Getting Closer

Today we had our home birth run through.

(In case you hadn't heard, apparently I'm pregnant and will give birth in the next month.)

The run through just made sure we had all the stuff we need and that we had time to ask questions and talk through different scenarios.

Its pretty exciting. Or maybe it is just that I am pretty excited. Michael too. So is Tovina for that matter though she is mostly excited about the idea of a baby, not so interested in the birth itself. I feel confident in saying this because her biggest thrill today was showing one of the midwives the bamboo plant that she was watering.

Speaking of her interest in the baby, when I come home from work Tovina gives me a hug and kiss and then my belly a hug and kiss. Might just be my favorite moment of the day. Tonight when I was giving Tovina her final cuddle before sleep, she asked me to move a little closer so she could cuddle me and the ShamrockJew baby at the same time.

So tired...

This is how I feel right now. I need my paci(fier) and want to go to bed.

Back in State College, the girls tried to catch a nap in the middle of the day by sneaking off with their pacifiers and finding an abandoned couch in a quiet room. Unluckily for them, we caught them at it, forced them to look cute, took pictures, and then revved them back up.
Notice that Tovina has 1 soother in her mouth, 1 in one each hand. 3 is a magic number.

More of the Bobbsy Twins

There was some mighty impressive sharing between the two girls.

Followed by some more spinning of the heads.

Luckily, though both girls had consumed at least 10 cookies a piece by the time these photos were taken, the head twirling only led to more giggles.

Matched set

Tovina renewed an aquaintance at a Christmas Eve party we went to in State College. These little blond twins were quite the pair.

And they quickly bonded over some heartfelt spinning and fistfuls of cookies.

Luckily the children found themselves almost as amusing as the adults found them.

Beach time.

It was 40's (F) outside yesterday. That's why T decided she needed her Daddy's earmuffs. Then she asked about other clothes. I told her she could get some pants if she wanted to put over her leggings. She was very excited and took off.

She came back with this swimsuit half on exclaiming excitedly about going to the beach.

Creative child.

Exploding pigtails

Pigtails: Exploded configuration
Pigtails: Non-exploded configuration
And Tovina is actually happy in that first picture, she was just making faces. I even have a picture to prove it - I wasn't going to share it because it is blurry you see... or don't as the case may be.

Chopsticks

Tonight Michael made curried chicken (it was suppose to be chicken vindaloo but it wasn't quite spicy enough but ohhhh was it good.) Michael used a fork to eat from his bowl. I was eating my portion with chopsticks. Tovina told us she wasn't hungry. Then she came to the table, looked around, and decided that not only did she want food, she also wanted chopsticks with which to eat it. She's asked for chopsticks before. Her desire to use them usually lasts about 20 seconds at which point she reverts to fingers. But this time, Michael found her 2 short metal chopsticks. They came in a little traveling case where the top and bottom of the chopsticks unscrew so they are easier to carry around. Tovina was given just the bottom half - more her size.
Then, much to our surprise, she started eating with them.
She found the potatoes difficult but the chicken quite straight forward.
Here is a video of her happily eating away.

Just let me pack this bag first

Tovina has developed a bit of a regular post-dinner routine - we go for a plane ride. She packs her sheep backpack and her small carry-on that she got from Japan Airline and she takes her 'ticket' and then we get on the plane. We check the number on her ticket and she takes the appropriate seat (her rocking chair) and then she puts her bags under the coffee table or her chair depending on her mood. I get to sit in the big rocking chair in front of her and then we fly. Yesterday and today we flew to see Grandpop to wish him happy birthday (its not actually in case you were wondering.) A few times while we're in the air T and I switch seats (its not easy getting my tush into her rocking chair) and she flies for a while. She is quite a good pilot. When we land, she takes out all her bags and her ticket and then I get to chase her around the house until it is time to get into her pajamas.
It makes for a pretty good night.

Popcorn Ball

One of T's fav wins from the evening. (It was only distributed to the really cool kids in the neighborhood.)

Halloween

Arrayed before you are a Southern Belle (why do people keep asking if I'm Scarlett O'Hara?), Tinkerbell, Luke Skywalker, and Cindy Lou Who (from How the Grinch Stole Christmas).


Its hard to see, but Max does in fact have an antler tied to the top of his head. Tovina's antenna might only have lasted the first half of the evening, but she had fun the whole night through! Really loved the whole getting candy thing!

What did you bring to the party?

Michael learned this question and its special answer from (I sorry to admit) one of my cousins while we were in Canada in August. Ever since then he has been trying to train Tovina in the proper answer. Unfortunately, he has succeeded.

If you haven't made out the answer, Tovina is saying, "2 guns and a 6 pack." This would be in reference to her 2 might guns (or biceps as some people call them) which she holds up for all to see and her impressive 6-pack abs which she then points to.

After all, what else do you really need for a good party?

In the name of full disclosure, she actually only has 2 pack abs. No picture of this, you'll just have to trust us on this one.

Darn those tricky caps

Tovina is a big fan of chapstick. She loves putting it on (on her lips, cheeks, nose, chin) and taking on and off the cap. But those caps are rather small and can be hard for little hands to grip and pull. Right now, T's favorite chapstick is an old fruit flavored one of Sheila's. Apparently that one lonely chapstick was not important enough in the scheme of all the other boxes of things in Sheila's life to make the cut for the move to Sheila's new house. However, that chapstick need not worry over which was the case for it has found true acceptance with Tovina.

I am sorry to say that I don't have any pictures of T licking her new favorite the chapstick but I do have pictures of Tovina impressing Aunt Mari with her great cap removal abilities.


Once again, these are photos are from Turkey. There are 2 reasons for that.
1) These are some really fun photos and I wanted an excuse to share them.
2) Our regular camera is off enjoying a holiday in Hawaii. We are hoping it will be willing to share some very exciting pictures with us when it gets back.

Sleeping in the big bed

T is sleeping in the big bed full time is now. All tents, pack-n-plays, and other such sleep options have left her room. She's generally pretty happy with this but tonight she decided it was not quite right.

An hour after Daddy finished reading Tovina her nightly book, turned off the lights, and left the room, T started calling for Mommy or Daddy. (Either one of us was sufficient.) Daddy checked first but on the repeat request, I decided to give her a listen. There were a variety of issues that started with wanting a drink of water, then help finding her pacifiers, and then the real issue.

"Pillow Mommy. Lay down." Tovina has decided she would rather not sleep alone.

On one hand this is fine. We both love holding her and she'll only be small enough for really serious snuggling for a while.
On the other hand, she moves constantly at night and has a tendency to kick. Hence the answer, "Mommy is going to give you a kiss and then see you in the morning."

As I leaned over her for the promised kiss, Tovina wrapped her arms around my neck to give me a hug. While holding me, I heard, in her very sweetest voice, "Pleeeaaase Mommy. Pillow." Her tiny hand patted the spare pillow on her bed. "Cuddle please.  Mommy cuddle Tonina" While she kept her voice sweet and magically prevented herself from whining, tears started leaking down her cheeks. I could feel them wet on my skin.

Wow.
That kid is good.
Needless to say, I stayed a few minutes longer than I planned.

Ice cream - revisited

In going through some old photos and videos, ('Watch baby?' asked Tovina. 'Of course' I said), we came across this gem from this past spring when the family was traveling through Cappadocia, Turkey.

Tovina is eating Mari's goat-milk ice cream. Michael was a huge fan of the stuff and we tried it a few times during the trip. Here we are buying it for the first time. The salesman is scooping it out of the container with a long handled (2.5 ft) metal spatula. The stuff was so thick that the ice cream and the cone stuck to the spatula when held upside down.

To quote Michael, "Turkish ice cream is unlike any other ice cream I've tried; it's made from goat milk instead of cow milk. The result is a transcendent treat whereby ice cream takes on the texture of a silky-smooth taffy. Yummmmm."

Spaghetti dinner

When we all met up in Indianapolis we went out for dinner at Buca Di Beppo‎. Among the many dishes we ordered was a small spaghetti and meatballs. Tovina (who is a big fan of noooodles) discovered that forks and spoons just weren't cutting it for her and that hands, or really fists, were the best tools for eating spaghetti.


Effective was one phrase that came to mind.

Caring cousins

When we were in Indianapolis Saturday night we ended up staying pretty late. Before heading home Tovina got some special attention from Emma.
Emma told us that she gets back rubs from her Mommy and they make her feel good when she is tired, so she thought T might enjoy it also.
Emma was definitely correct.

Grandpa and Aunt Kerri

Aunt Kerri found a mystery writer conference to attend in Indianapolis and Grandpa decided to attend with her. Before heading out for the evening we managed to catch a few family photos.
Here is the crew.
Notice how Kerri showed Brendan a new trick. (Okay, maybe he already knew how to do this.) Well Tovina is a quick learner too... or at least she almost is.

I thought I might have a better shot at getting a good shot if I slimmed it down to just the grand kids and Grandpa. But then some aunt to the side asked them to smile..

Still a pretty cute group though!

Sounding the Shofar

When we were in synagogue for Rosh Hashanah (a couple weeks back), I was with Tovina in the way back corner of the sanctuary while she was playing with some toys when the shofar (ram's horn) was blown. (Blowing the shofar is one of the big events at Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.) Tovina has heard a shofar before, but since she was only 1 year old at the time, apparently she didn't remember.

Her head whipped around as she tried to figure out what that noise was and where it might be coming from. She excitedly pulled me to the center aisle so she could have a good view and then pointed and stared very intently. Her eyes got big and she had a big smile. The shofar was blown a few times, when it was time, I'd pick her up so she could see better. Such an enraptured expression! Since the shofar is suppose to be a joyous sound we considered this a BIG SUCCESS!

Tovina also started imitating a shofar noise and pretended to keep blowing it as she walked around for a bit. It seemed most appropriate.

Giddy up!

While visiting a friend's house (actually, the friend's parent's house) Tovina found an old toy horse. She quickly understood the purpose of such a toy and rode for a looonnngggg time.
Below is just a few seconds of that afternoon. Giddy up horsey! is what she is saying. There are longer videos on you tube (link to teh right of this page).

High fashion

Tovina is developing some pretty definite opinions about her own clothing. Sometimes it is as simple as wanting certain shoes. Sometimes it has to do with certain socks and the fact that she likes them pulled up to her knees. We're hoping she grows out of this habit.