Baby Rimes

So here’s some more of the same pictures we took at the zoo in Battle Creek, only in really groovy, flashy movie-style. Thanks Animoto!

You just got to love the Binder Park Zoo. Not only is it a zoo and you get to see all the monkeys you can handle, but you can also feed the giraffes.

Yes, you heard me, feed the giraffes.

Just look at that tongue!

That’s a giraffe cracker, specially made for giraffes.  So please don’t feed them regular grahams.  Even if you have one with you.  Please.

How can you resist that face?

Thanks to Elijah for bringing his parents along to keep us all company.  We had a great time at the zoo!

So, I made a mistake.  A very cute, huge mistake.  Every now and then, I call my husband “Daddy-man.”  As in, “hey there Daddy-man.”
Guess what 2 year olds do?  Yup.  They are little parrots.  So now, Baby R has taken to calling her daddy, Daddy-Man.  While I find it completely funny (how could it not?) Daddy has other ideas.

“That’s MY Daddy-Man.”  is much worse in his opinion than, “Hi big orange big Daddy.” (which was her last title for Daddy)

Personally, I’m just glad that she started calling me Mom, and I don’t have to go through “Little Mommy” anymore.  Don’t get me wrong, being “Little Mommy” was absolutely adorable for, like, the first 10 times.  Then it just got old.  Fast.

Now we’re onto Mom.  Just Mom.  Only Mom. She was so darn proud of herself when she discovered she could call me Mom, too.  She started with, “Mommy?  Mom?” and when I answered to both, it turned into, “Mommy!  Mom!”   And she was just so slick with that little lip curl that was trying to hide a smile when she thought she was so clever for coming up with my new epithet.

Don’t worry Daddy-Man, your day is coming.  And then you will be Dad and you will miss all those cute names your 2 year old used to call you.

Hooray! I actually finished my Sock Pal’s socks on time (which was about 2 weeks ago).  But, like I said before, I’ve been slow to post lately.

Want to see some socks?

This is a Trekking yarn.  It didn’t really have a name, but I named it “Neopolitan” because it reminded me of ice cream.  It was a hoot to work with.  I thought they were much too big, but then I put them on for the photo shoot and they seemed to be ok.  I sure hope they fit my sock pal!  Molly, I hope you are enjoying your socks.

These are only my second pair of completed socks, and I do think I’m getting much better at this whole sock thing.  Plus, I’m getting a little faster.  These only took me just over 2 months to finish.   I loved how they came out not matching with the stripes.  I don’t know why, but I just love when homemade socks are similar, but not quite match.

My sock pal sent me the most beautiful pair of socks.  They are simply delightful, thank you!  I ended up sick the week I got them, and I wore them all around while my fever was raging and my toes were freezing.  I haven’t gotten any action shots of my socks yet, but you can visit the esotericknitter.com to check out my socks. Thanks Jennie!  I really have to learn how to cable!

ok, it’s really late.  I know.  I’m sorry.  I will try and play catch up with the blog in the next few days.

First!  Let’s talk cake!

Our little munchkin has turned 2!  With much fanfare and pink cupcakes, we had a little party that included a lot of play-doh, kitchen and accessories, and a green big wheel.

And now that she’s 2, she is officially “terrible.”  Ok, not really, she just won’t stop talking!  It’s constant!  And she likes to call everyone big, or little.  “Little Mommy, need applejuice!”  “Big Daddy come back.”  And so on.  It was seriously cute at first, but now, I’d really like to be just Mommy again.  Oh well.  I should remember these moments because one day soon I will just be that lady that lives at home and makes dinner.  Love the little people.

I LOVE living on the beach.   It was one of those deal breakers when my husband told me we were moving.  I said, where?  He said, how about my hometown?  I said “AWESOME!!!”

Being a girl who has lived in numerous locations (including a dairy farm in upstate NY, a summer camping retreat-also in upstate NY, and the middle of the suburbs surrounding Detroit, MI) and never once on a BIG lake (ok, so the camping thing in NY had a lake, but it was really more of a reservoir) I immediately said, “OK!”

Now, seeing as my hubby grew up on said BIG lake, he doesn’t find it nearly as fascinating as I do.  If I wasn’t a red head with too many freckles already, I’d be there every day.  So this year, what with the little person and all, I have some how convinced Daddy to take us to the beach more times than he has probably been there in the last 3 years.

Here are some pics from our latest excursion…

  Here  we are testing the waters.

  A very artistic shot.

And one very happy beach baby.

She loves the water almost as much as her mommy.

One of the blogs I read is Art/Quilts. Yesterday she posted an interesting little bit about the first 3 commenters getting a little handmade something or other as long as they post the same deal on their blog for their readers.

So here it is. For the first 3 comments to this post, I will send you a little home made something. I’m going to leave the “something” part up to your imagination and surprise you with it. The only stipulation is that you post the same thing on your website.

Don’t you just love getting surprises in the mail? Leave me a comment and your email address and I’ll contact you to get your mailing information. Oh, and leave a link for your site so I can visit.

EDIT: Ok, so seriously, the only person who commented was Rhonda to get my address.  No one wants any cool home made goodies?  You could get a quilt, a batch of cookies, some yummy bread, a beanie chicken…ANYTHING.  I’m thinking I’m a little bummed out here you all.

there’s this new Greek restaurant two doors down from where Daddy works in the summer.  Daddy has discovered this little place and eats there quite regularly.  So it was only inevitable that he would take Baby R in there on one occasion to check out the afternoon snack options.

And there, behind the glass, was some very lovely pistachio baklava.  They tried it.  They LOVED it.  So now, any time we walk past the greek restaurant, we hear a very loud and very pronounced, “Bak-ah-ah?” And how could you resist such a sweet sounding request?

That kid has eaten more “bak-ah-ah” in the last week, than I’ve eaten in 10 years.  Thank goodness she has the metabolism of a 2 year old.

Mommy and Baby decided to prepare a yummy dinner the other night.  Of course, no dinner is complete without a bit of dessert.  Here’s where baby comes in…

First, you must prepare.  Apron? check. Stool to stand on? check.  Mommy’s shoes? check. Juice? check.

Next, you must make sure you have all the ingredients.  Milk and pudding mix.  Got it.  Stir it all together with a nice big wooden spoon.  (Mommy was busy panicking-glass bowl and all, so sorry no pictures of this one.)

After stirring for what seems an eternity in Toddler Time, you get to check the results.   This may take a few minutes…

I think you missed some…

I’m not quite done yet, Mommy.

MmmmMMMMmmmmmmm.

And that is how you make chocolate pudding.

mommy likes socks.

Baby R likes to play with mommy’s socks.

Baby R actually let mommy knit up these socks for Gramma.

And it only took 6 months!

They knit up wonderfully (even though the one on the right is a wee bit smaller than the one on the left.  shhhh, don’t tell) and I had such a good time that I went and signed up for Sockapalooza 4.  YIKES!