Expanding Vocabulary

These are some new words Aimee has picked up over the last two weeks.

Apple (for apple sauce)
Pretty
Diaper
Daddy (it's what she calls the phone because whenever it rings I yell, "IT'S DADDY!")
Mom (What she calls everyone)
Mami (What she calls me)
A, B (working on C-Z)
1, 2, 3 (working on 4-10)
Juice
Duck
Bird
Belly and Button used interchangeably. (Used to describe any part of the body that is usually covered with a onesie or diaper).
Nose
Shoe
Hot

She also hums a song I made up that I've been singing to her since she was a week old. Brian and I sing it to her before we lay her down in her crib for bed at night.

The Cuteness!

I was babysitting my friend's 11 month old, Colin, the other day. Aimee loves that kid so much, she follows him around and shows him all her cool toys all day long. I was getting the kids ready to go to my friend's house for a play date. I had their coats on. The hats and the baby carrier were sitting on the sofa. The baby carrier is made of fabric and it has straps. It kind of ties the baby to me so that I can carry him without any hands. I was in the kitchen getting the diaper bags ready. I walked into the living room and Aimee had put Colin's hat on his head (correctly too!) and had wrapped the carrier around his body. It was the cuteness!

Giving you what you REALLY came here for...

I know that the reason most of you come here is to hear about Aimee. It seems like it's been a while since I've written about the cute things she's doing now, here's an update.

She's learning how to count. All day she walks around counting. She mostly counts her steps as she walks, but she'll also count toys, magnets, or she'll just randomly start reciting. she confidently goes up to three, dares to go four every now and then, when she's REALLY concentrating, she'll babble on, past four, into the realm of unknown numbers hoping that maybe she'll accidently get five-ten right.


She doesn't freak out at the grocery store anymore. She used to scream for mercy whenever I'd lower her into the grocery store cart seat, as if it burned her butt to sit in one of those things. Since receiving her own grocery store cart that she carefully sits her babies on, she's decided that grocery store carts must really not be that bad afterall. So, as far as Christmas presents go, I'm going to rate the baby grocery store cart as one of my personal favorites (It also serves a portable toy box).


This next update is also store related. Perhaps another reason that she doesn't mind the grocery store anymore is because it gives her access to strangers that havn't seen all the things she can do now. She's become quite the show off and loves to count for people, sing her favorite part of Twinkle Twinkle, and offer up her toys. The check out is her favorite place. She'll start of with a quiet "Hi". If the stranger politely ignores her, she will raise her volume until she is practically jumping out of her seat to get closer to the stranger's face, yelling, "HI! HI! HI!".


Aimee has entered the social stage of toddlerhood. She likes playing with other kids, instead of playing around them, or worse, using smaller ones as toys. Taking her anywhere is so much easier and fun. We went to a friend's house for dinner this weekend, and she had so much fun playing with our friend's two kids. It was 2 hours past her bedtime when we finally put her in her carseat to go home. She was exhausted and happy. She babbled and sang the entire way home, in that "I just spent the day at six flags and got on every roller coaster" kind of way. Sleepy, pink cheeked, and happy.

More updates to come.

Christmas Bounty

After a long day of opening presents, she takes a few minutes to take a drink and look over her newly acquired wealth.

Everything but the dog...

You see all that stuff in the background? It all sits in every free space we could find all over our house. See the unwrapped gifts? Yeah, those too. We left the dog, but she would have liked to bring him home as well.

The sweetest part of my day...

is first thing in the morning when she says "Thank You!" to me for taking her out of her crib.

Accept that it sounds more like, "Tay too!"

On the go go go, I love you so!

After Sunday's dance performance for the family, Aimee has rediscovered her love for her Baby Sesame Street video. The difference is that this time, she can ask me to play it for her. We are probably on the 30th time we've watched it since Sunday. (I'm not even exaggerating). She grabs my hand and walks me to the living room and hands me the DVD remote. If I don't put it on, she stands in front of the tv and whines.

Ahh..the joys of toddlerhood.

Santa Claus 2005

Santa Claus 2006

Aimee had an upset stomach for a few days this week. After spending lots of time and cleaning products trying to clean the van, we are learning that vomit is not an easy odor to get rid of.

She was feeling better today so her Grandma Carol and I got her all dressed up for her pictures with Santa. I combed her hair in ponytails that even my mother would be proud of, and we ventured to the mall to meet up with Brian and see the Old Man in Red.

Last year, the photo was taken right before she blessed Santa with her little baby vomit, so this year, I wasn't taking any chances. Last night, I called on my friend Melody, doctor extraordinare, to guide me as to how I could avoid a repeat. I followed all of her feeding instructions for 36 hours.

When we got to the mall, I gave Aimee a pep talk about not crying. I told her that I was going to sit her on his lap, and walk away for a minute while Mrs. Santa took the picture, but I wouldn't leave her. That Mommy, Daddy, and Grandma would be there the whole time and we wouldn't walk away. I told her that one day she would be excited to see him. Finally, I told her that if she wasn't going to smile, to go ahead and cry. But not a wimpy cry. To really give it her all and go all drama queen on him.

The result was priceless.

Mom! Mom!

Now she calls me when she's about to do something she knows she's not supposed to do.

It's the cuteness!

Cute things Aimee is doing as a toddler:

• Quietly and gently lays herself down on the floor, makes sure she's not going to hit anything, and then has a kicking and screaming tantrum. How can I not laugh at that?
• Talks in her sleep
• She's learning to put on and take off her clothes.
• Is growing more attached to her baby and her blankie. She wouldn't go into Target without them.
• Sits still long enough for me to "Chiquea" her. (That mean's to "cuddle" her in Stephie language).
• Has her own dance moves.

Dear Aimee. Re: Thanksgiving weekend.

Dear Aimee,

How can I put this nicely? Thank you for a .... memorable Thanksgiving weekend.

To my family and friends that don't have young children at home, I have something to tell you:

The Terrible Two's. They don't wait until your child turns two.

Halloween Pics

I just posted a bunch of pics of Aimee in her costume on her picture blog. Enjoy!

Sunshine

It makes my heart ache.

Visit to the Pumpkin farm

Today we visited Sonny Acres with Grandma Carol and Nancy, a family friend. Sonny Acres is about 10 minutes from my inlaws and Brian went there every year growing up. It was really fun (and exhausting). There will be more pics of our visit on her picture blog. 

Like Mommy, Like Baby

Go to Aimee's Picture blog to see more pics. Here she is, pretending she's me. Today was a challanging day because Aimee wouldn't let me put her down for even a second. During one of the few moments where she let me put her down, she picked up her baby and cuddled with it. 

Like Father, Like Son

Brian and His dad put our new floors down this weekend. Lots of excitement was had around the Wroblewski household. For more pics go to Aimee's album. 

Dancing

Aimee and Mommy Dancing with Elmo.  

Today was our first day of class at the Park District.  

Here's a picture of Aimee's first day at Tot Rock Class. She was very timid at first. It took her a while to work up the nerve to walk up to the keyboard, then she had to get comfortable before she'd touch the keys. Here she is just before she gave in and started playing with the keyboard.
The theme was Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and her favorite part of the class was when the teacher took out the Doggie Puppet (named Rock-It) and played Peek a Boo with each child.
Aimee, who we've already established was a bit timid at first, shot up right off of my lap, let out her signature "doggie yelp" and ran right up to the teacher and followed Rock-It for the entire game of Peek a Boo.
Being a stay at home mom just keeps getting better.