spring chick

So excited to be outside on the deck!

chugga chugga

Sunday night we were driving home, and had to stop the car for a train crossing. It made quite an impression on Amelie, and she was talking about it for the next 2 days. When she found out that some trains carry people, she practically begged us to ride a train. So... Tuesday night (about 8pm) we drove up to the Mall of America and redeemed some free transit passes to ride the Lightrail to Minneapolis. Here's Amelie waiting for the train to leave the mall:







We rode the whole stretch, which isn't that far, up to downtown Minneapolis for some pizza at the Downtown Diner. The pizza's nothing to speak of, but the whole experience was totally worth it. Here we are just after pizza, the Diner in the background:





We all had so much fun on Amelie's first train ride. We plan to do it again soon, but during the day so we can actually see what's going on outside!

easter

Easter was good for the kid. She woke up and found her Easter basket in bed with us. First she attacked the 2 small pieces of chocolate, then moved immediately to the handful of jelly beans (all the candy was organic, with natural colors, of course). Her suckers and honey stick were saved for after breakfast. After the candy attack, she realized there was more in the basket: a green silk scarf for "grass", a half dozen wooden eggs in a carton, her favorite bubble bath, and a new mallet for her xylophone. The mallet was her favorite part.

Unfortunately, refined sugar makes Amelie... a typical toddler. Usually, the kid is so easy and fun, but add high fructose corn syrup to the mix, and you get a high strung and distracted two year-old. We've stopped with artificial colors, as they make her just plain unbearable. But the HFCS! That may be the next to go. I blame HFCS for the mishaps with the cat yesterday. Amelie was "playing" with CooCoo, by laying on her and ignoring her meows to stop, not to mention my warnings of "get off her, she's asking you to stop... she'll scratch you." CooCoo did scratch her (mildly). On 2 occasions. Before noon. Amelie's learning, but I really blame the HFCS for the slow learning.

We had fun at Grandpa's house, and Amelie loved hanging out with all the relatives. The car ride to church afterwards was nice an quiet, as the sugar had worn off, and naptime was long overdue. Church itself was pretty good, although I didn't feel like participating on any level (so-o-o tired!), and now I wish I had. We stayed pretty late and visited, rounding off the night with a couple games of Mafia.

SmallFry got kicked in the face by SmallerFry the other day. It was the first time she'd felt the baby kick at all, and she loved it!

this week

Amelie had her first ice cream cone! So exciting.






Showing CooCoo who's boss. A couple days ago, however, Amelie got schooled by CooCoo. The cat was sitting on the edge of the tub, like she usually does at some point during Amelie's baths. Amelie then decided CooCoo should get in with her (which, like most things with cats, should only be done when it's the cat's idea!), and proceeded to pull her in the tub. I'll spare you the details (I get woozy thinking about them!), and just tell you that there were claws and crying involved. To CooCoo's credit, though, it was obvious that she wasn't attacking Amelie, just trying frantically to get out of the tub. Since then, Amelie has loved caring for her wounds. She cleans them with an alcohol swab and puts calendula cream on them while recounting how she got them, and the important lesson learned.

we had fun yesterday

big kid

Amelie is growing up so fast, and I wish I'd done a better job at recording it here for the last 6 months or so. This is what I'll be using someday as reference when I finally make the poor kid a baby book...

The biggest news is that Amelie pretty much never wears diapers anymore. The potty learning process was effortless, for the most part, and seemed to fly by. All of a sudden, about a week ago, I realized that she only wears dipes to sleep. Yay!

Another interesting development, which happened quite by accident, is that Amelie can now fall asleep by herself. About 5 days ago, I was frustrated with Amelie for squirming around and trying to play while I was laying down with her for bed. I told her good night, and I'll be back later (along with "I love you"s and a little more prep). I never heard another peep from her that night. Every nap and bedtime since, I've left the room after tucking her in and laying with her for awhile, and she just falls asleep without a sound!

Funny in hindsight: about 2 weeks ago, Amelie and I were in the playroom having a picnic snack when she decided she had to go downstairs for something. A minute later, I heard a few thumps, praying she was throwing something downstairs. Then she started wailing. I ran to find her sprawled on the wood floor, crying. She was scared to death and hardly hurt. She did end up with a strange reddish mark on her collarbone and some rugburn from the middle of her forehead to the tip of her nose (you can see some of it in the hoodie pic)! She still talks about the fall, especially when she's walking down the stairs.

Just plain funny: When we went to the store about 3 weeks ago, we were almost to the car when Chris let out a yelp of sorts, and hurried me into the car. He needed a napkin or tissue, and fast. He said a bird pooped on him. I could hardly stop laughing enough to ask him, "where? On your head? your shirt? Where?" but he wouldn't answer, he was just frantic to get the napkin... when he got it, he started wiping his FACE. Apparently, just as he was coming up to the car, a bird pooped on the roof of the car, right above the door, and splashed onto Chris' face. I can't even type this without laughing about it!

love from the camera part 2

Amelie got her "beautiful dancer skirt" from a local dance shop when we went to visit a friend who worked there. About a week later, we found a matching one at the pet store for her cat. CooCoo loves it! And she better. I'm sure Amelie is going to dress her up a few more times in the future. (29m)






So "si-ged" about her new finger paints! (29m)






She actually loves her new hoodie. She's just being goofy. Right after taking this pic, she put her hands in her pockets, and marched into her playroom like a big kid. (30m)






Who sleeps like this, really? (30m)

love from our camera

"Washing Corduroy" (her answer when I foolishly asked, "what are you DOING?") (26m)






(27m)






Ever since she could be trusted to not put them in her mouth, sorting buttons has been one of Amelie's favorite things to do. (27m)







Sometime around Christmas (27m)






Potty learning (28m)






Tea with CooCoo, Amelie's cat. The cat chose her, by the way. I've never heard of a cat loving a child like CooCoo (Amelie's pet name for Squeaker) does. She's been that way since Amelie was born. She even gets in the tub with Amelie. (28m)






Can't wait for the finished product! (28m)






Cuddling with the most tolerant of cats, Lefty. (28m)






Loving being at the park with Daddy! (28m)