Catchin up with our Starr

I have no idea what Alexiss was trying to do. It made me chuckle enough to want to share...

A typical play day with tiles. I'm so glad I bought these things!

Playing ootside

Being silly in the tub

Alexiss's expanded vocabulary and translations

Bow - Cat. Okay, this one takes a little explanation. There's a cat down the street called Meow Meow... see connection yet?

Cheese - Surprising!

pad-pad (as she taps the couch) - iPad. Now Mark wants another one for his birthday because Alexiss seems to think the family one is hers. heh.

ba - Ball, Bath or Bed..oh yeah.. or bum. It's usually pretty easy to tell which is which

oot  - Outside

Shhhh - telling Rex to stop barking or the cat to stop meowing.

and of course, No. She's getting the hang of Yes too.

She's done the odd repeating thing too, where she repeats and then doesn't say it again, kinda like her not remembering how she said it. The most recent was flower, but she's been doing it for months.

Her comprehension is far beyond though. She knows everything we say and what it means, and she points out things in books easily.

We had a great morning playing in the dirt and around the yard.

A lil shnack outside

My mother's day present, thanks to Alexiss and help from Olive!

Alexiss is getting quite the tan... on her hands. I swear, it's not dirt and she usually wears long sleeves. heheheheh

Rita, Bev's daughter, (Bev is the Wed day care lady) thought it would be cute to put pig tails in Alexiss's hair. She was right! It was super CUTE and Alexiss loved them. So, of course, I had to go get elastics!

Mark came home with a box from his grandmother for Alexiss's collection. I'll have to get them together again and take a picture! Thanks Grandma! We're still thinking of you everyday!

New videos are being uploaded as I type, hopefully they'll be ready for you all this weekend.

Dear Alexiss

Dear Alexiss,

I have a secret to tell you. I hog you at bedtime! It's the most relaxing part of my day, most times, and when it's not, we get some alone time to poke my nose or snuggle, sometimes you even sneak in kisses and say "bed" back and forth. And then SOMETIMES you just won't go to sleep. Those are tough nights because you won't settle in on me so I put you in your crib.. and you cry as I leave the room. You usually settle again pretty quick and play on your own or drift off quickly, but it's still hard on a Momma.

And SOMETIMES when you're drifting off, we meditate. I'd like to think you're with me, because in my mind you are. We walk along a beach or sit near a bonfire in the forest as quiet as mice smiling at each other and enjoying the moment.

And ALL THE TIME when you're drifting off, I protect you. I seal off your room from everything outside the door and window, and it's just us. Me and you. Safe and free from outside vibrations. When you get older, I'll give that key to you, but for now I use the reasoning that, as the parent, I own the house..... and so I keep you safe.

Love you!
Momma

Ahhh, good morning!

It's been a tough few weeks, Alexiss hasn't been herself and hasn't been sleeping well. Last Wednesday we found out why, poor lil girl was sick. It's been a year since her and I had that horrible stomach flu so I guess we were due. Mark also caught a touch of it and I've been fighting something off. Let me tell ya, though, our little girl was such a trouper and now she's bounced back and is full of vim and vigor!

The sweetest thing she did was one night while I was trying to put her down to sleep for the night. She took my hand and rubbed her head with it.. of course I took the hint and soothed her as she drifted off.

She's trying to talk again too, mind you ball and bath sound much the same at this point, but it's a start. Sometimes she comes out with some wild sentences that sound like she knows what she's saying, it makes me wonder. A few months ago, on a weekend, I woke up and Mark said "look who's up", I swear she repeated him... and hasn't said it since. She's starting to mimic me for simple words, so it becomes a game of her and I saying things like "bum" and "bed" back and forth as she smirks. Come to think of it "ball", "bath", "bum" and "bed" all sound a lot alike. lol

What a smile on her when she's up to no good, it starts at her mouth but her eyes! they literally shine with her thoughts and I can almost hear her say "watch THIS Momma... I know you're not gonna like it, but I sure am!".

Mark is away in Ontario this weekend, visiting with his terminally ill grandmother. I fought with the feeling that we should all go, but Alexiss is such a little ball of energy and Mark's grandmother is already weakening, I can't imagine adding the stress having Alexiss's non-stop action in the house. Mark comes home on Sunday, and Oma and Opa (Mark's parents) are coming through today and staying a week. It's going to be a houseful since Olive will still be coming to care for Lauren and Mark has Monday off.

Well, it's happened, our little girl is growing up. She's made the transition herself of going to bed in her crib. I still cuddle her and rock her, but she can't get comfy. Some of the best cuddles and conversations happy when she's squirming around, she even stops squirming, looks at me and plants a kiss on my lips. I usually take that as an indication that she's ready for her crib. She still cries a bit when I leave the room, but not for long.

Well, she's up and calling for someone to come get her. Our day starts!

As she sleeps

More videos!

Alexiss is growing and learning more and more everyday!

Dancing with a partner



Downtime on the iPad



Being silly (you can hear my Mom laughing through Skype)

A handful!

Alexiss has been more clingy since returning home from my short trip alone to Ontario, Mark, try as he may, cannot lure her away from wanting to be with me. She's so cute, smiling more and more everyday, and its' getting easier and easier to play and make her laugh. I swear she's on the verge of talking, it seems more and more she's showing that she understands what I ask her and mimics short words back.

We took a few videos and pictures to send to Gramma to help her feel better while eating, cuz that's the only time she stays still, and while out at a nearby out of the way run-down park with a geocache in it!

A handful of laundry. Boy will this video come in handy one day!



A handful of food and a big smile.



on the way to geocaching...



A handful of a geocache container wandering around a nearby out-of-the-way run-down park.



Some random pics, the other little girl is Lauren who comes to our house for care with Olive on Mon, Tues, Thurs and Fridays.








Sorry John, she wasn't super picky on the doughnut and chose a cookie instead. We tried.. and hey, I finally got a chance to upload the pics for you!

Hello out there!? I'm still here.

I'm still here, are you still there?


We've had a crazy few weeks. A missing cat, a returned cat, a day of rest, then a travel day to Ontario to help out Gramma and Papa. Mom is doing much better and our lil Alexiss and Mark did amazing without me, a dare-say they had fun together!

Two weekends ago, Alexiss and I were treated to sighting of a deer tromping through the back yard! What a sight!

K, I'm going to get myself situated for a day of home life with Alexiss. Love to you all!