Gettin' the Party Started

Today, Eva and I danced to her Party Mix CD (I made a cd of poppy dance songs from 2005 and 2006 that she loved when she was a baby and toddler). The sun was shining in our bedrooms and we were all smiles. We had a fun little pre-New Year's Eve rock out party. 

In the above video, the first song is a clean version of Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani (Eva calls it "the banana song"), followed by SexyBack by Justin Timberlake.

Happy New Year!

Happenings

In addition to losing her first teeth and starting Kindergarten, Eva has moved up to a booster seat in the car and got a new big girl bed. So much happening.

I found this beautiful solid pine junior loft bed on Craigslist. The standard twin mattress is about 3 feet off the ground. She and I went shopping for new sheets and she chose these grape-colored ones. The rainbow pillow case was a find at the thrift store.

What makes this bed so awesome (aside from the gorgeous pine and solid construction) is that it has a free-standing storage cabinet (below, in pic) and free-standing 3-drawer dresser that also fits under the bed. The bookcase pulls out to reveal a 3 1/2-foot long desktop. Behind the cabinet and bookcase is a wonderful hiding place (or room for storage). You can see a pillow through the ladder. It's a fantastically efficient piece of furniture.

Eva has spent a LOT of time playing in her room with her new bed and all of its stuff. Every time we go in her room she exclaims, "I have a new bed! Oh! Look at my new bed!" She tells everyone who will listen about her new bed. She's happy; I'm happy.

Some kids love to walk in the rain with an umbrella or stomp in puddles. Eva loves to sweep puddles.

Wearing her cute ladybug rain boots. She does stomp in puddles, but when she does it, she's stomp/tap dancing and clapping rhythms.

Soaking wet and happy!

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Wow, we've been busy. No wonder I'm a cross between excited and tired. Here's a rundown of our recent activities.

Nothing like a game of Chase Daddy Around the Driveway with a floppy 4-foot sapling to start a morning off with giggles.

"Tickle tickle, Daddy!!"

Running running running!

Eva's school hosted a Special Olympics Play Date for the littler kids. Eva is dancing to music at the Scarf Station; in her happy place.

Another station involved throwing a Nerf football to hit the targets on the wall. Eva has a great arm and hit every target from several feet away. Yay, Eva!

Eva and her good friend, Colin, enjoy some time in a park by our house.

Eva finished another session of gymnastics. She is playing hide-and-seek with me after the class' final performance.

There are often chair cushions and pillows on the floor as Eva constructs her own gym at home. She is practicing a somersault here. Going up...

...and over! Whee!

Every year, we try to get to Seattle for the Folklife Festival. Lots of music and lots of people to watch. And, of course, the massive fountain at the Seattle Center (that doesn't look so big from this perspective, but look closely at the size of the people in the background).

The NW Junior Pipe Band performed. They recently went to a worldwide pipe band competition in Scotland and placed fifth!

Eva cheers, "YAY BAGPIPES!!" She lives and dreams bagpipes.

But she also enjoys dancing and grooving to a stand up bass and fiddle duo. One of the many many musicians Eva stopped to listen to (and talk to and smile and applaud).

Just hanging out in the play set at home, being happy and silly.

Happy Spring, Everyone!!

If it's not Scottish...it's crrrrap!

We enjoyed a wonderful day at the Scottish Highland Games in Ferndale yesterday. Our friend's band, Maggie's Fury played a few sets and Eva was thrilled (and tireless) to dance and sing and clap with the band in her official Maggie's Fury t-shirt and kilt. We all enjoyed the bagpipe and drum bands. Eva couldn't get enough of the BAGPIPES! and DRUMS! Jerry and I took turns wandering around listening to the bands practice before performing for the judges. In fact, "BAGPIPES!" was the last thing she said to us last night and the first thing she said upon waking up this morning. Since her first Highland Games at age 16 months, she has LOVED bagpipes, which is great for me because I do, too.

Dancing with Heather and Colin to Maggie's Fury

Taking a bow between songs. Eva really hammed it up for the audience and periodically took a break to sit in a chair in the front row and chat with whoever was next to her.

My goodies: a leather cuff and wooden bead bracelet.

Sunny San Diego

The three of us and Jerry's parents spent a long weekend at a gorgeous resort in San Diego. It felt sooooo good to be in the warm sunshine and to go outside with just a t-shirt on! We went to Sea World two of the days. Eva loved to see all the animals (and run around and play with other kids). If you ask her, she'll sign whale and tell you that the whales go "big spwash!!" She told me as soon as we got into Sea World that she wanted to see starfish. Though she loved the orca whales, dolphins and all the fish, her favorite thing to see were the starfish.

Eva and her Papa splashing in puddles.

Jerry, Eva and Papa doing "1, 2, 3, whee!" There was a LOT of this game on the trip. To the point where two people couldn't hold her hands without her kicking her knees up and dangling from our arms.

Quick-moving kid in a tunnel at Sea World.

Eva loved being able to run around and play with other kids.

A very friendly older girl helped Eva touch a beloved starfish! Oh, it was so exciting! And yes, she actually touched it!

Snow Day!

"Ack, Mama! It's snowing and I can't see!"

We've had snow all week. At times, though, the temps have been so low and the wind so fierce that we couldn't go out to play. We managed a couple of times and Eva and I had fun. I'm glad I can still feel the wonder of the snowfall as a child does. The way it transforms my otherwise ordinary yard, my street, my world. I'm glad I appreciate it when it's here, before it goes away and my world becomes ordinary again.

Eva was too busy uncovering her sandbox to look at the camera.

It's serious work. No distractions, please.

My snow fairy. I went first to show her how. She thought it was very silly!

She did a snow fairy, too. But she didn't want to lay on her back, so it's a reclined snow fairy.

Family Day

We took a drive out to Baker Lake today, had a picnic and enjoyed the humming quiet. It started off a little rainy, but after lunch, the sun came out a bit and it was quite lovely.

Eva spent A LOT of time throwing rocks into the lake. "Wooooo! Haha."

My Summer Vacation...by Eva (as told to Mommy)

Well, now that the weather has turned soggy and dark and I'm back in school again, it's time to reminisce about my summer vacation...

Mommy and I spent several days visiting Uncle Tommy at the beach. It was like a big sandbox and I loved to play in it and watch the waves...I helped Mommy tend to her roses...and rode my bike in the driveway... I took my very first sailboat ride. I liked it pretty well and want to go again...I was very busy helping Mommy cook in the kitchen with my "stand up" chair...We had our yearly visit with a lot of family from my Grandpa Moen's side. Mommy's cousin and kids came all the way from China! My Great Uncle Allen is a lot sillier than people think he is...Mommy and Daddy took me to watch a softball game. That was the greatest thing ever! I LOVE sports!! Oh! And the Olympics were on TV! I LOVED the Olympics--especially swimming and diving...Mommy bought me a new flower sprinkler so I conducted many physics experiments with it in my pool...Mommy and I had a picnic at Hovander Park...and she taught me how to use the camera. See? Daddy and I went with Mommy to get another tattoo...I figured out how to use my stool to reach the light switch!And I played at the park with my friends; visited my Papa, Lala, Grandma, Eric, Uncle Brent, Aunt Caasi, Cousin Porter; learned how to say my name and my Mom and Dad's names; and learned thousands of little things about the world. AND, most exciting, I am walking all by myself! My record is 13 steps, unassisted. I still prefer to scoot, but I can stand up from the ground and walk and can creep around furniture. I'm still a little nervous about it all, but everyone gets really excited when I do it, so I guess I'll keep doing it!

I'm a busy little girl and I had a busy, fun summer. Now I'm back in school and I'm a constant chatterbox and curious little girl. I hope you had a fun summer, too!