Monday, March 31, 2008

Potty Pooping

I am still working on the whole pooping in the potty concept with Daphne.

I feel kind of like it is an uphill battle, but that is how potty training is.

After my recent announcement about pooping in the potty, she promptly gave up and decided that she was no longer interested in doing it, and when I knew she was going to poop, I would put her up there and nothing would happen. Apparently, she doesn't like to be disturbed when she is pooping.

I was just about to give up until 2 days ago, when I caught her just at the right time, and I really did get a poop in the potty. I was excited.

Needless to say, yesterday was the same old routine with her deciding not to go when I put her on the potty.

I know she will not go to college in diapers. That is what I keep telling myself. The steps between here and there are not entirely clear.

HI

Daphne is working on the word, "Hi."

She will go up to the dog when he is paying attention to her, and he will make sure that he gets a good, "Hi"for paying her the attention she needs.

She will also wander in to the chicken in their bathtub and give them a hardy, "Hi."

She will also say, "Hi" on the phone when she can get a hold of it whether someone is there or not.

She discovered the stainless steel garbage cans today, and she found out that you could look in them and see two of yourself, which is better than only seeing one of yourself in the mirror. Each reflection got a, "Hi."

I love how defined the words are. She is cute.

More About Daphne

When I was making my annual book of Daphne during Christmas this year, I was looking for stories about her on the blog, and I didn't have as many as I would like.

My mom kept a journal from the moment she went into labor with me through the day that she died. I appreciate now 20 years later having the opportunity to look into what my life with her was like. I think that parents should hand down information about them. My method of keeping a journal and sharing that information is by keeping a journal of sorts online with Daphne's progress. The bonus to doing it this way rather than a little book kept under my bed with a lock on it is the fact that anyone who is interested gets to read what is going on.

I am doing Blog 365, and I am still on track. I have done 4 months now of posting every day. That means I am 1/3 done!

I have a new rule about blogging is that I plan to blog at least one thing every day about Daphne unless I really have nothing to say. All I can say, is who wouldn't have something to say?

Stay tuned.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Milking a Goat with a Baby

Today, I went up to get some goat milk. It was really muddy and Daphne had to sit on my back in the Ergo while I did it, so I ended up with my head on the side of the goat with Daphne level with the back of the goat trying to milk her.

It was a funny sight in real life if it is not a funny sight in your mind!

Many People in One House

Today we had two friends come over. Julie came over with her two kids and Robin and James came over with Satori.

Everyone was running around the house doing stuff, and we were all in the back room trying to sew. It was a blast. I want to host more parties like this.

I taught Robin to make a diaper, and I (sort of) helped Julie cut out enough diapers to finish the diapers we are making for a friend.

I am off to finish making some wipes for Jared and some for Daphne. After that, I need to make some kitchen strainers.

Saturday, March 29, 2008

MaaaaMa

I have a short post today because I am tired after a long days work.

Today, Jared, Daphne and I were driving in the car, and I finally got my Ma-ma out of her. She says Ma-ma. I don't know if she has connected up the idea that that word refers to me, but I am happy that we are going into the ma-ma land because da-da gets so much attention.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Tag Team

The other day, Daphne and the dog had disappeared from the room, and the rest of the house was awful quiet. Those of you that have had kids know that this is a very, very bad sign, and it almost always means trouble.

After a few minutes enjoying the silence, I went to see what was amok.

Daphne had taken the dog into the back bathroom, and had opened up the shower so that he could go in and lick up the shower water from the shower I had just taken.

Talk about a team. Those two are going to get into a lot of trouble when they are older if you ask me.

The funny thing is that the dog has always had a preference for drinking the water from the bath tub or from the shower even when he has a bowl of perfectly good dog water around. Silly dog... Silly girl.

Open the Door

Daphne has got the knocing thing down. She will go up to a door and knock on it if you close it on her and she wants in.

However, she has a slightly altered meaning for knocking than us adults do.

If she wants something to open, she knocks on it. This means that closed doors that no one is behind are equally eligible as kitchen cupboards. She does like to knock on the door when we are in the bathroom. It is cute.

MMMMom

Daphne is picking up more and more words each day, and so we have been trying to emphasize the ones that would be useful to her as well as the ones that she is picking up on naturally.

Dad, Hi, Flaff, Eye, Bye... all these words have made it on the list, but she refuses to say, "mom."

I just don't know what to think. I guess she will get it one day, but I am feeling sad that it is moving further and further down the list.

Garbage Driver

Daphne has taken up a new hobby that Jared and I think are absolutely hilarious.

She has taken up driving the garbage cans in the office.

The garbage cans have never been safe from her taking things out of them and eating them, so we always kept them relatively clean, but she has just recently discovered that they are wonderful to drive.

She puts the things in the garbage can she wants to take with her, and she pushes it around the house using it like a little walker to keep her steadily on track. I think it is just adorable.

Jared thinks it is so funny, and we almost always laugh when we see her doing it. Needless to say, what is in the garbage can isn't always garbage!

We got it on video, Thank God!

It's Raining, It's SNOWING

The weather is pretty mild over here in Western Oregon, and we don't get much snow. Sometimes it will snow once or twice during the winter, but it almost never sticks.

Yesterday, I woke up, and there was snow on the ground, it was awful weird. By the end of the day, we were sitting outside playing .

Today, it was nice and sunny, so I put the chicks outside in their run to plan, and 10 minutes later, they were being snowed on. As soon as I brought them back in, the sun came back out.

Needless to say, when I went and got them at 7 this evening, they were cold and huddled in the corner. I don't blame them, they were COLD. It is cold here.

I don't know where these global warming freaks are getting their data, but it certainly isn't coming from over here.

I was told that this is the latest that it has EVER snowed here in recorded history.

I think the groundhog needs to look for different employment because it has been 6 weeks, and I don't see any spring.

Kisses

Daphne has had over a billion kisses in her lifetime. I guarantee that that is on the low end. I am always kissing her on the neck and on the cheek and pretty much anywhere that you can kiss a baby.

Today, when I was kissing her, she puckered her lips up like a fish and makes a kissing noise.

I can't describe how cute it is. She will bend over toward the person she is trying to kiss, and she puckers her lips and makes the kissing sound.

It seriously melts my heart. The first and second time that she did it, I laughed so hard until I cried, and she insisted on doing it every time I asked for the rest of the afternoon.

I don't know why there are not more kids in the world. This is too much fun.

The Hi Hug

Every morning, Daphne and I wake up and we go in to wake her daddy up. She then climbs up on the bed, and she puts her head on her dad, and she says, "Hi." It is really adorable when she does this.

Now, when she meets other people that she knows well, she will walk up to them, and she will hug them and say, "Hi."

I personally think it is the best greeting in the world, and I am glad that I get several of them each day.

Eye

Daphne learned the word "eye" today. She was sitting playing with her dad, and he said eye while she was trying to rip his eye out, and she repeated him. Now, she uses the word constantly. She knows the proper physical object that goes with the word, because if you point to her eye, she will say, "Eye."

I like that she is improving like this. How much fun is she?

Relief

I have just discovered, to my great relief that my last semester of school is officially over!

I looked up my final grades, and that means that they are final.

I got two A's and a B. It is worse than I expected, but still better than nothing. My GPA is still 3.83, so I have a bit of wiggle room. At this point, I am just trying to complete the degree so that I can graduate. It will be so wonderful to have a college degree.

And now, on to the next semester. I am taking 14 credits this semester, which is crazy. I only have to take 12, but one of the classes is 6 credits long, so I had no choice but to take it. It is what is called the Capstone, and it is the last major class I need to take as a senior before I get to do "whatever" I want. After this semester, I only need 19 more credits of "whatever" to graduate. I was hoping to be done with school by Christmas, but that may be a long shot unless I do some magic tricks in the summer, which, I may pull off.

I am still trekking along. At least I know better at the beginning of this new term what I have left to complete. I feel closer and closer to the end every day now.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

More Maternity Photos








This is another session that I really enjoyed. I like how these came out.

Maternity Photos




I did some maternity photos for a friend, and they came out well.

New Artistic Photos








Every once in a while, I set up a session with Daphne and take some photos with her. I actually had my apprentices help with this shoot, and they took many of these photos.

These are some of my favorites.

Mysterious Writing


Neither Jared or I wrote this. Who did it? We can't figure it out, but until further notice, we will assume Daphne knows how to write her name.

Our Bridge


Daphne and I figured out how to build a bridge out of foam. Here it is.

OMSI






Daphne and I went to play at OMSI while we were waiting for Jared to get done at the hospital one day. It was such a cool museum to spend time in.

Daphne enjoyed the play place, especially the chairs. See her clapping in the second photo?

Carseat Babe


For a while we had folded down the front seat, and I was sitting in the back with Daphne to keep her awake. I like this photo.

Swimming



Daphne loves to swim with me. Jared came along the last time with the camera, so we have lots of photos.

I like how happy she looks in the first one. The bottom one is a photo of her floating on her back in the pool. She really likes to do that. I think it is amazing that she is so relaxed in the pool.

Brunch


We went out and had a little brunch with friends to celebrate Daphne's Birthday. Here is a photo of her opening a present from the brunch!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Easter Egg Hunt







Jared took these photos of Daphne and I during the Easter Egg hunt. It was a lot of fun. The Easter bunny even flew in on a helicopter!

Daphne and her Chick



Daphne really is an animal lover. Look at how much she likes this chick!

Playpen Baby



Daphne often likes to play in her playpen now while I try to print something or do another baby friendly activity. I really liked when the balloons were in there!

Rice Crispy Monster


Here she is eating the spoon. I will never get to turn back.

Printer Elf


I found the printer elf.

The Chick


This is a photo of the chick that died. Ironically, she is the only one I took photos of.

Grandma's Presents



We did a little present opening with Daphne's grandma. I am glad I took some photos.

She is so cute when opening up presents.

Daphne and Grandpa




Daphne likes her grandpa. It is so nice when he comes to visit.

Closing Doors


Daphne likes to open and close doors. Can you tell?

Dog Bed


Daphne likes to sit in the dogs bed in the morning.

Daphne Likes Balloons







We blew up these balloons on Daphne's birthday. She really likes them, as you can see.