MOO COW!!

**Gretchen got a Cow flashlight........ the other night I heard her pressing the button and moooo and then the light would come on......well she decided the cow needed to be put under her bed---I think she was playing with the light. She left it under there and when I put her to bed she says Goodnight Cow. I asked her a couple days later where her cow was--she says under my bed in my bedroom! I don't know why she kept it there--but maybe she may need it if the lights go out--ha (like she understands that concept)
**I could not find my purse last Sunday---G decide to help me--looking behind a couple plants and shaking her head saying nope not behind there--nope not there! She opened our closet under the stairs and jumps up and down I found I found mommy's purse!! I never remember putting it in there--what a smart girl!!
**Friday before we went to the cabin --I took Gretchen to Safeway to buy our Christmas ham!! I was very focused on what I was buying and I hear her say Look Look--baby boogie!! Baby boogie is our music class we go to on WED. I said to her we will go next week. No mommy look--so way across the meat dept I see Jonah and Simeon's mom. She was right?!!
She then says Let's go talk to the baby's mom! Now I had to laugh--she is quite reserved when we meet people in public so I said are you going to be friendly and talk---she didn't talk but was pretty proud of herself for spotting them!!
** Tonight at dinner we had chilli and toasted cheese ---Gretchen finished her scoop of chilli scoots her bowl across the table and says can I have more please------ahhhhh!! What a doll--- I know she is mine--but I melt each time she uses her manners so well. Also mommy and daddy's names got chopped to mom and dad tonight--what gives!!
** bewind my video please!! No idea she knew what REWIND WAS!!!
**Goodbye I am going to the store and See ya tomorrow!!
**Maybe I can ride the big car at the store. (Superone has car carts she loves---and I try to avoid them as much as possible) But they do have a sale soooowe will see)

TEA PARTY THURSDAY!!

Yesterday--Gretchen was so into her two new videos we got at the library. According to her we buy them. They were of course Winnie the Pooh ABC's and Springtime with Roo. All afternoon I tried coaxing her to play with something instead of popping her videos in----------Today was better and she played so good this morning with her new soft tea set-from Uncle Roger and Aunt Alison. Notice in the photos she had her dolls lined up and invited puppy again to the tea party!! It was so cute to watch I tried to sit and listen but she wanted mommy to play tooo (how could I resist--I had waited so long to play tea party with my baby girl)!!! This afternoon the toy of choice was her Little People airplane and of course she was going to Guatemala. She also found some money rolls that were empty and put them in a Christmas gift bag carried them around--she said LET's go shopping. I think she thought it was real money--I asked what are you going to buy-----Well....I am buying Cole a present and Aunt Sheila and Austin (cousin). Tooo cute! Wonder what happened to mommy and daddy! teehhee!! We ran to Wmart tonight after dinner--she usually does not get to go out after dinner. She loves looking at the live lobsters in the tank and always wants daddy to hold her and open the window to look at the bubbles!! G also wanted daddy to take her to the bathroom ---I did take her and while she was in the stall -- she neatly put the paper down on the seat , tries to go and nothing and then explains---thats it and I want to wash my hands now!! She then points to the hand dryer and says oooh scarey and goes over to the paper towels and pulls one off. Gretchen has gone potty Sunday in the nursery (they have a minature toliet--she likes) and twice at Aunt Sheila's. Yeah--three times in public this week so far!! Ok--these small steps are very exciting for mommy but she is still not completely trained -still having accidents when she is busy and forgets---like yesterday when she had an accident five steps in front of the potty chair--and the potty chair was in the livingroom! Oh she knew I was upset---and said sorry mommy! But then turns around the next time and closes the bathroom door and says I do byself and pulls her pants down sits on her chair , goes and then dumps it and yells I DID IT!!! Smartie pants!!! Four stickas today!! So maybe soon!!!

Stocking Stuffers......

What a Week.............Gretchen's Christmas lasted all week...we opened stocking gifts WED 26th THURS 27th FRI 28th after Christmas 3 small gifts a night "after dinner." Wednesday night poor baby was on overload from no nap----she fell asleep in my lap (I was sitting on the floor) reading a new book from Aunt Janny and Uncle Jeff. daddy came home minutes later and I woke her up. She opened a book #1 and Hello kitty pink hair holders and plastic fruit with candy powder which I dumped the powder out!!! Gretchen loves to pretend giving grapes or apples to others. These were cute at the dollar store--but probably not the best kid friendly toy--she puts them in her mouth and they are soft so they sink inwards. The caps pop on and she has not figured it out YET!! Guess for one dollar--I can't complain she can use them for tea parties!! Thursday was a day at home playing with all her new toys. She was so cute helping me "sweep" and "mop" and she "washed her trike" with the squirt bottle and we scrubbed the tires!!! HA!! Thurs. night she opened another book #2 and marshmellow candycanes--yummy!! She also got DORA barrettes. She also went under the tree and wanted to open the air pump we had bought for her "jumpy house". Which we had decided not to give to her quite yet!! Friday was storytime at the library--she was sooo excited--she came running to the van .(see pic) She played hard with Jonah and was not much interested in the New played Years Hat we made today for craft---in fact I forgot to even staple it into a hat---maybe for a pic later this week. Friday night she opened book #3 #4 and DORA underoo set--toooo cute!
She loved running around in her hot pink Dora big kid set!!!! I am also posting a couple pictures of playing tea (not new toys) with bear and puppy. AND a couple cute pictures when we went to mall Thurs before Christmas shopping with daddy. She is the little shopper and we had a fun day!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

New Years Eve was a normal evening at our home---with a two year old-ha ha!! Gretchen was asleep by 8:05 pm!! YEAH!! We stayed up and rang in the new year--the fireworks outside started right at midnight and I just sat and waited for her to wake up---two nights before we had WIND so bad that she woke up twice and refused to go back to bed at 3 am!! She definitly HEARS EVERY SOUND!! So a little after midnight I hear her door open--I went upstairs and said let me hold you---OK she says and then exclaims in the cutest voice MOMMY WHATS THAT NOISE??? I HEAR A NOISE--Lets go see!! Daddy showed her the smoke from the hill in our neighborhood. I never did see colored fireworks----She went back to bed good--whew!! In the morning daddy decided it was clear and blue skies we could go to the park---now it was still 32 degrees and very cold--but a fun memory!! In fact........."G" had ice on the back of her jeans from sliding down the slide!! Aunt Sheila called and invited us over that afternoon in Walla Walla (one hour) so after the park G asked to take a nap at 11:20 am --so I put her down and she fell asleep--she barely slept an hour but then we were able to drive over earlier----by 2 ish!! We had a great day --G played with cousin Cole and friend Justin ! I was so impressed two ten year old boys played so good with her and she loved it!! She was so worn out and red cheecked from playing so hard! Then about 6 went over to Papa and Nanas to play--and boy did our girl pour on all the charm she had left in her little body!! She found this wand and was using as a microphone and singing with daddy.("I LOVE YOU BABY") Then she was looking at the JCpenny catalog and licking her fingers to turn the pages (but she was licking her whole hand)---SHE WAS EXAUSTED BY THE TIME WE SAID GOODBYE AT 8:30 pm!!!

WHO NEEDS TOYS FOR CHRISTMAS??

Gretchen played with the box of jello we bought for daddy's lunches forever Sunday night. Look what $2.50 of entertainment can do for a two year old~~

Monday we took the tree down!! It took most of the day---I finally vaccuumed and it was starting to look back to normal --when G decided to decorate the tree we had last year (and let me say its still alive after ONE YEAR!!!) Notice how cute the replacement bulbs were neatly put around the base of the pot and the pom pom balls were placed on the branches!! AHHHHH!! She thought she was helping me. She even had to see the big tree out on the deck and say goodbye to it!! We had popcorn and pine needles EVERYWHERE!!!

Snowy Mountain Playtime!

SNOWTIME FUN IN THE MOUNTAINS!!!

More Cabin Photos 2007

I just had to post more photos of our weekend

at Wallowa Lake cabin. The pictures show the fun we had!