Jane's Stats (and Hannah's too)

Jane had her two-year appointment. Here's how she measures up:

Weight: 24 pounds - 15th percentile
Height: 35 inches - 75th percentile

I guess she is taller than I thought.
She had a rough appointment. The doc decided to flush out her ears because of all the junk in them, and she howled in pain. It was sad to watch, so sad, but at least I got to hold her.

We thought we'd figure out where Hannah is at, just for fun.

Weight: 32 pounds - at the 42nd percentile
Height: 42 inches - above the 97th percentile

We knew she was tall but it's strange to see how tall. That girl is going to be taller than me by age eight- not fair.

••••••••

On a slightly unrelated topic...
Every time I walk to the pediatrician's office, I see this office sign and I laugh:

Maybe Jack (A.K.A. "L" Kevorkian) has moved on to euthanasia via laughing gas.

Another one I see from time to time is Dr. Rotman, Dentist.
I wonder if either of them have lost potential patients because of their names...

Jane's birthday, the play-by-play

Note: below may contain info and photo overload. Be prepared.

"Good Morning, Jane! Happy Birthday!"
I was more excited about Jane's birthday than anyone, I think.
I wasn't so excited about Jane turning two as much as I was about the potential fun to be had for the day.
We started early, our schedule running on zoo-opening hours. But we looked outside.
Oh, oh- It might rain. We better hurry.
Hey, let's open one of Jane's presents!
Jane got her very own Hello Kitty umbrella. She acted as if she has waited her entire life for her very own umbrella.
We had to test it out immediately... in the non-existent rain.

Jane kept pointing to the kitty, "Kitty, kitty, kitty... " She was so proud. Ah, the joy! (Thanks, mom!)

Before leaving, I asked Dan to take a birthday photo of Jane with me and Hannah.

Yes, isn't that sweet. What can't be shown, is how wet and mad I was two minutes after this snapshot was taken, when Hannah sprayed me and the camera down with a hose.

Time-out for Hannah and then for myself to go get me and the camera dried off.

After picking up Jane's friend, Caitlyn, (and apologizing to Hannah) we were off.
We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...



This was an exciting new feature. Don't my little chicks look excited?
The Queens Zoo is small, quiet, picturesque and perfect for two-year olds with little to no attention span. We breezed through most parts. The highlights, as much as I can surmise from the little ones' P.O.V., were:
the sea lion feeding, and the barking
the alligator
snack time
the flowers
the "do not cross" cables that are so fun to cross
petting the coyote skin that the zoo youth educators had
watching ME feed the sheep

I think their favorite part of the zoo trip was riding on the carousel, which really had nothing to do with the zoo. That's always a sure thing for everyone's entertainment.


Except maybe for Dan's. Cheer up, Dan!


That's better.
Right as they got off the ride, BOOM... CRACK and then the rain.
Good timing.

Hours later, after a wicked storm with a sky dark as night, we headed to the subway for a downtown trip. Our destination?
Ellen's Stardust Diner.
Our friend is a singing waiter there on occasion, and as it was his last shift before he and his family leave our ward and move to Wyoming, we thought we'd pay him a visit.
The food is as good as to be expected for a diner, but not as good as the prices suggest. Nonetheless, the atmosphere was fun and entertaining. The girls loved watching the train go 'round and 'round the track up above. Dan and I loved watching our friend belt out show tunes and golden oldies. We had no idea he could sing so well! Actually, all the waiters had amazing talent.
At one point, one singing waiter sat down by Jane to serenade her. At first she looked right at him with a "may I help you?" look, then she looked at me as if to say, "who is this guy?"

Don't worry- she's not about to cry.
See her full mouth and that brown goo under her lip? That's Tootsie Roll juice, an appetizer before her fried meal. We're such good parents.
With all the loud singing, the place seemed like some off-Broadway theater which featured dining room seating and a strange medley of songs. We had a great time.

Home again, and time for the good stuff, at least the stuff that matters to Hannah- presents and cake!

Hannah had requested cow pies for Jane's birthday dessert, but after I suggested a cupcake cake, she changed her mind. Maybe it was the double "cake" that sold her. We'll have to talk to her about cow pies later.



Jane went nuts on the frosting, kind of like last year.


Just like last year, that's all she ate- the frosting.
Presents this year, including the aforementioned umbrella, were:
a raincoat, (thanks again, mom),
Dora DVD,
baby doll stroller, could be the winning gift this year, and
lots of books, three of which are about sheep and lambs- her favorite.

Our DVD player provided the girls' entertainment for the remainder of the evening, and I didn't feel an iota of guilt.
Looking back on the day, I can say it will be a memorable birthday of our little Jane O.
She may not remember it, but some day, she'll know about it.

"Mary had a little lamb"

That's what Dan said when Jane came into our room this morning with her blanket draped over her head and holding her Lamby.
She usually wraps her blanket around herself, after removing all of her clothing, and sometimes her blanket makes it onto her head.

There's something endearing about a child literally wrapped up in her own little bit of comfort and security. This blanket is special because Grandma made it. And then there's Lamby. I really love that thing, mostly because Jane loves it so much. A few days ago, I thought Lamby was gone and I was genuinely sad (Monica, knows what I'm talking about. I still have hope for Mino). I thought I should take more photos of Lamby, just in case.

<

"These girls..."

That's what I said tonight when I saw Hannah and Jane after coming home from a meeting.
I saw them and I thought, "Ah, these are my girls, and they are... amazing!"
I practically smothered them until lights out,
and then I smothered them a little more.
Hannah just took it like she had no will. I think she loved it.

Jane cracked me up when she starting crying to have the roll of duct tape with her in bed. She has certainly grown fond of the stuff since it became a necessary component of diaper changing.


Hannah really isn't this bad at smiling. She happened to be showing me a "teeth smile."

These girls...
<

Hannah and her sister

Hannah is such a nurturing big sister. She is almost always concerned about Jane and trying to take care of her.
Today, after I put Jane down for her nap and without me knowing, Hannah had gone in their room to cover Jane up with Hannah's "special blanket" and put some stuffed animals under her arm, one of which is Jane's Lamby. I went in to make sure it was cool enough and found her like this.
I felt my heart warm a little, took a picture and then pulled the blanket down as it happens to be the warmest quilt we own. She was surely roasting. I just hope Hannah doesn't go back in there to see her good intentions disregarded.

*******

We have been doing other things, mostly Summer related- BBQs, swimming, eating ice cream, playing in parks, etc. Unfortunately, however, our computer is getting fixed and the photos I have taken remain on my camera (the above photo was taken with Dan's).
We should be up and blogging in no time.

Out of our mouths

Hannah was asleep on the floor one night while we were at Cannon Beach. She started to stir, waking me up, then she moaned and she yelled out,
"Grumpy Old Troll!!!"

(Those of you who know Dora know who I'm talking about)

•••••

Also at Cannon Beach, we visited the ward in Seaside for Fast and Testimony meeting. We sat way in the back and even though we couldn't see a thing, Hannah was listening. A woman was crying and sniffling through her testimony. Hannah, with a mixed look of angst and boredom said,

"This is kinda sad."

I just wish I had a picture.


•••••

Jane makes this funny sound at random.
She very quickly sticks her tongue out and back in with a "bulub"
She'll do it when the elevator door opens, or she'll do it after I've given her a snack, etc. Sometimes she laughs at herself after she's done it.
I have know idea where she got that one.

Home again

We've been home now for two days. We had a lot of traveling to do with plane rides and car rides, but the whole week at the beach was worth it. The weather was a bit more favorable last year, but that didn't keep us from having fun. There were some warm sunny days that got us in our bathing suits.
Some of the most memorable moments were our hike to Short Sands, our evening in Seaside, the Cannon Beach Cook-off (our family version of Iron Chef), seeing our friends Wyatt and Brittany who paid us a visit, and well, pretty much everything else we did. The girls loved being so free, as did we, and seeing their cousins, aunts and uncles, and of course, grandma and papa.

If you've read Dan's or my blog, you already know that our computer died while we were in Oregon, so I couldn't unload my camera. However, I have loads of photos of my niece and nephew, of which I will be posting soon. Until then, here is a photo that has nothing to do with Cannon Beach. It's simply called "lunch at the water park".

Jane these days

It has been four whole days without posting. We are not out of town. We are not in any sort of dire circumstances. It just so happens that there isn't much going on this week.
Let me take this opportunity to talk about my favorite little near-two-year old.
Lately, Jane has been speaking real words with greater ease. She tries to put words together to form sentences and puts a long pause between each word. It's unbearably cute! Her improved communication has made life easier for everyone.

Jane likes... no she loves to say she's sorry. Yesterday, she lightly slapped my face three times. After each time, she would smile big and say, "Sahwee!" and give me a hug and kiss. I endured two more slaps just so she would apologize in her loving way. Once she even responded for me saying, "owww!" in a high-pitched voice. After all the "fun", I chastised her and told her not to hit.
This morning she kicked me while I was changing her diaper. I told her not to kick, and she immediately grabbed my neck and said, "Sahwee!" I don't know how much more abuse I can take, but I need to be more proactive about it. At least she knows what to do when she has inflicted pain on someone.

Something that gives me a good laugh about Jane lately is how she mimics me talking and walking. She gets behind the stroller to push with one hand (we have a second, lower seat behind the front so it's just her height) and she holds up her other hand making gestures while she starts babbling and making serious facial expressions. It's hard to describe (I wish I had video). Just imagine me talking with my hands the way I do, but in Jane form. Anyway, she did it today on the big kid play set. I was walking with her down the narrow corridor/bridge and she just started a conversation with me, while using her hands, like we were friends discussing the current events at the public school. I laugh every time but she just keeps talking... like an adult.

The last new thing Jane is doing is calling me Minna, although it sounds more like "Mlala"- definitely distinct from "mama". I remember thinking how cute it was when Hannah did it, but after a while, I had to enforce Mama again. We'll give Jane another week or two.

Jane, you are a monkey but you're my monkey and I'm completely nuts over you!

Janes and trains

"Choo choo. Choo choo."


Oh my, here it comes! How exciting!


OK, it's getting really close. Am I ready for this?


And there it goes, right under my feet- amazing!

It never ceases to amaze me how much our girls love the trains. We see them, hear them all day, all night, and yet when they pass, it's as if they are having a first encounter. I'm glad we have something so close to entertain them.

Man's best friend? Duct tape.

Dan and my dad were getting Jane dressed after her bath last night. Apparently, Jane's diaper tab ripped off so the men did the most logical thing- they grabbed the duct tape.

This is what I saw when I entered the room. I didn't say anything. I just got the camera.


Of course, it did the trick. I had a really hard time changing that thing this morning.
I guess we'll know what to do now if Jane tries to take her diaper off again.

Redeem me, please!

I realize I wasn't being very fair to Jane in the previous post. I also realize that I probably won't be able to find anyone to watch my children in the near future.
Jane really can be a sweet little ball of joy when she wants to be. She is full of spunk and vitality and that's what we love about her.
Jane can give us a good laugh. Dan has recently taught her to give daps (props, knuckles, what have you) followed by a downward thrust of the elbow, fist intact, and a resounding "Yes!". Although, from Jane, it sounds like "Wes!".
Audiences love it. She entertained a row of single adults sitting behind us at church by first shaking hands, then giving a high five, then daps. Sure, it was a bit disruptive but oh so funny.

What does a Jane say?

Sometimes, I wonder whether I am raising a child or training a wild animal.
Jane has been displaying many subhuman behaviors lately.
One of the most frustrating of these is that over the past few days, she won't wear a diaper. If she is at all aware of it, she will take it off, leaving us to chase her, tackle her to the ground, and cover her before something messy happens. This morning however, we couldn't get to her in time. She had taken off her diaper and as if she knew exactly which buttons of mine to push on a Sunday morning, she squatted and peed on our carpet right in front of me. She had no shame.
Jane has an aversion to clothing in general, except for dresses. We've had no fun trying to outfit her lately. I say we because it takes two of use to dress her as she kicks, screams and hollers (note the photo above). Unfortunately for her, we can't let it be. Tonight, Dan prepared a list of household rules of behavior for the girls. One of the things on the list was:
"Little girls must wear underwear, diapers and clothes at all times."
The rule was mostly for Jane even though I'm not sure it took. The second part to that rule was for Hannah.
"Girls must wear shoes outside"
This is not a problem for Jane. She loves shoes. So give Jane any shoe, a flowy dress and let her run free and natural underneath it all. She'd be a happy little monkey.

Something else Jane refuses to do is use a spoon while eating her cereal. She'll use her hand to scoop up as much milk and as many soggy Cheerios that her little hand will hold. She stuffs what she can in her mouth, but most of it dribbles down her chin and neck. We are looking for ways to make breakfast a tidier and more civilized experience.

Jane also likes to scream and climb and run amain in all matters and circumstances. Sometimes, I think she is just crazy- so does Hannah.
I know in most cases our little Jane is indeed not a animal, but just a child...
maybe a feral child.

Cheering up the flowers

One of Jane's favorite books is about Dora and a Valentine adventure. At one point in the book, the flowers in Isa's garden are sad because they didn't get their Valentine's Day mail. Dora asks her reader to cheer up the flowers by making funny faces. Jane delivers...

Click Here

NOTE: The box above doesn't seem to work in Gmail Reader. Sorry. You'll just have to visit our actual blog if you want to see it.

Unconditional love

This happened last week...

We have had a hard time getting Jane down to bed since we decided to put her in one. Naps are the worst.
I was quite frustrated after trying for about 45 minutes to get her to bed. I first showed my frustration by giving her less and less loving and cuddly moments. Eventually, I had reached my limit and said very firmly, "Jane, no! It's bedtime! You need to stay in bed!"
Well, that little girl... she just looked at me with those big eyes and made her hand sign for "I love you" along with her sweet word I long for most, "wuhboo" (love you).
Crushed!!!
I almost lost it. I just patted her on her back, kissed her scrumptious cheeks and calmed WAY down, until I fell asleep right along with her.
It's amazing how much love children can give, even when it isn't shown to them.
Thank you, Jane. You teach me how to be a better mom.

(Hannah's hands shown here)

Sick

Our sweet "baby" is sick today. You might be wondering why I was taking photos of her instead of holding and comforting her. I think she was wondering the same thing. But it just so happens that this little ball of energy is next to impossible to take pictures of, even with the fastest shutter. So when I see her still for more than a millisecond, I grab my camera.
Even better than getting a snapshot of her, is that I get to hold her and she lets me. I love that part!

Restless night

It's amazing how one of your kids can keep you up all night by crying and screaming, not able to be pacified in any way, shape or form, while you are frustrated and fatigued to the point of apathy. Yet you wake up in the morning crazy about them.

Yes, we are talking about you, Jane!

Gifts from the Heart

I love homemade gifts any time of the year, but I wanted to share some of the great gifts I received for Christmas that were truly from the heart because of the thoughtfulness and hard work that went into them.
My sister Rachel made this delicious box full of homemade goods- Savory Parmesan Shortbread Rounds, Brownie Thins, Spicy Nuts and two different rubs for meat, Adobo Rub and Chimichurri Rub, along with recipes for them. Yummy!

My sis-in-law, Kerianne, just sent us a great timeless gift that displays one of her many talents. The word is that some of you have not received this wonderful treasure yet so I have to keep my mouth shut about this one. Maybe I can share it soon!

My mom is an expert quilter, but this is her first try at this style of quilt, which is done with one piece of material. She did an amazing job with this wall hanging.

My favorite gift from the heart this year came from my husband. I have been wanting to have some edited home video of Jane for quite some time now (approximately 16 months). Hannah has about 5 feature length films so far, but we have nothing for poor Jane. Dan has finally created a short and very sweet little viewing of her early months- Introducing Jane Opal's first movie (if you have 5 minutes).

Bubble Bath