Tickley Tovina

Last night after work, Michael got to spend some quality time with Tovina and her very ticklish bear.

As is often the case, a longer version can be found on YouTube.

Trying to read

Michael found picture cards with Chinese and English words and Tovina can't get enough.

Here Tovina is caught on video trying to teach herself to read. She is pointing to the pictures on each flap and then thoughtfully considering her word options.



There are a couple of longer videos over on YouTube if you want to see more of Tovina's study session. While I didn't capture the whole thing, she sat there for almost 15 minutes studying these cards.

Baby's mother

Today I was recognized by an apartment staff member as Tovina's mother, again. Both times I have been in the elevator and had someone else come in, surreptitiously look at me a little bit, and then ask, 'where is your daughter?'

The first time the question was in Chinese but it was still pretty darn clear what the maintenance man was asking.

I knew she was popular but I had no idea that it could spill over to encompass other members of the family. I had thought that I could anonymously hide behind her smile but apparently the bearer of the empress is also noteworthy, if only as the harbinger of good news.

Climbing

Another new trick from Saturday is the climbing of stairs. Tovina encountered her first stairs on Friday night at services when she tried to steal the show from Arthur who led the d'var torah (torah discussion).
Then on Saturday she saw stairs for the second time in her mobile stage of life and pretty much thought they were the coolest thing ever. Or at least a close forth behind milk and pacifiers and Cheerios.

And here are some action shots from TWO DIFFERENT VIEWS! (so exciting we know.)
(while there is almost a minute of video, you'll get the idea after about 10 seconds if you have other things you want to do.)

Turn turn turn

One of the fun things about this stage of Tovina's development is that she seems to learn a new trick every day.
Yesterday's was how to use a Sit 'n Spin... but without the actual toy.

She likes to just turn and turn and turn.

She has also taken to opening some of her books up on her lap and 'reading' to herself.
Most adorable (though I may be biased)

Check out this video of her demonstrating her trick.

May Birth group get together

Our birth group had another get together. It was great seeing how all of our little people are growing.

Here are most of us. Unfortunately Carolyn, Josh, and Sophia couldn't make it.
Michael, Cara, Tovina, Gabby (baby), Cara, Travis, Gus, Anna, Justin
and here are all the daddy's with their respective babies.

Back in the house, there were the kids and (the other) Cara. Notice how well Gabby, the oldest in our group, is standing on her own. Even random toys strewn in her path were no obstacle.

And here is Travis reading to Tovina . Travis does great voices and Tovina was very impressed.

New foods for new people

Tovina is getting to eat more and more foods. As of today she has tried chicken curry with matzah balls, papaya which she likes to have after her morning oatmeal, mangosteins, mangos, brown rice, broccoli, green beans, snap peas, sweet potatoes, egg yolks, bananas (often mixed with the egg yoks), and today we added dragon fruit. We've included a picture of dragon fruit here at the left.


One of the bizarre optical illusions that occurred during this eating session was how the very tiny dragon fruit seeds became so large once they were stuck to Tovina's face.

Tovina also thinks optical illusions are funny

Kiddie, Kitty, and Kitty toy

Not quite up to writing much so instead will leave you with another photo set.

All the young creatures in the house are sharing so nicely.

While we don't have a picture of it, letting Tovina play with the kitty toy is a little dangerous as she does try to bite it the same way Cyrano likes to.

Friends with cameras

Thanks to Josh and Carolyn and Sophia for sharing photos.

Sleep Interrupted (updated)

One of the things that is rather common around our apartment these days is something of a shortage of sleep. So we all need to catch, um..., cat naps whenever we can.

Roxanne found a particularly comfortable box just the other afternoon in which she was able to enjoy a bit of late day sun.

Michael and I had never realized just how comfortable sleeping squashed up in a plastic box in the sun could be, although, to be fair, neither of us had ever tried it.

But wait! What is this?

Alas! The Sleep Disturber! She strikes again!

Clearly she was very contrite about the whole thing.