I think….

…she's got this nebulizer thing down pat!

Friday Hi

Coffee table cutie!

Feeling Better

Miss Penny slept throughout this morning (we were woken but the alarm and not her) and I was greeted with a smile when I went in to get her. She drank almost all her milk on the way to Daycare, and was so excited to go to Ana's. Her eyes lit up when I mentioned Ana and Mimi to her :). It's boring home with Mommy.

And I got this photo from Ana this morning:

[caption id="attachment_5832" align="alignnone" width="560"] That's our girl, sitting (if you can call it that) on the bookshelf.[/caption]

I think she's feeling better.

Sickie: February 2014 Edition

[caption id="attachment_5826" align="alignnone" width="480"] Keeping it fancy at her doctors appointment.[/caption]

Poor Penny has been sick the past couple of days. It started on Monday evening, with a slight temp but other than the number on the thermometer she seemed fine. She has had a cough on and off for the whole winter and it has ramped up.

She woke up crying around 6 on Tuesday morning which is unusual as she usually stays in bed until average 7:30, and it is not accompanied by tears. We could tell she was definitely not right so we decided I would stay home and we'd get her in to see the doctor.

While at home before the doctors, appointment she actually feel asleep on my while we were watching TV. That is a sign that she is not well. She has also been eager to go down for her naps, answering "uh huh" when she's asked if she wants one.

The doctor listened to her chest and said she heard a slight wheezing, but not enough to get a chest X-ray (apparently pneumonia is going around, too). So she's back on the nebulizer 3 times a day. Should also help with her cough because I think that is a lot of what is upsetting Penny.

[caption id="attachment_5827" align="alignnone" width="480"] Supergirl sticker from the doctor.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5825" align="alignnone" width="480"] Blurry, boogie Supergirl.[/caption]

Gabe took morning duty today with her at home while I went to the office, and then we switched in the afternoon. She seemed a bit better when I arrived and we even had a bath, which I am sure made her feel better too.

[caption id="attachment_5828" align="alignnone" width="480"] Feeling better?[/caption]

We're hoping she's on her way to a recovery. Winter cold and flu season is no fun :(.

Future Architect?

Penny built this all be herself:


It's her first solo build- quite impressive, I'd say.

Home Movies

When we saw my Dad in Maryland over Christmas he gave to me the home movies we have on VHS. My plan is to convert them to DVD, but in the meantime I'm glad we still have my old VHS player in our bedroom, because Monday morning (Gabe was home due to President's Day) we all hung out on our bed and watched some of them.

[caption id="attachment_5815" align="alignnone" width="480"] Baby Mommy[/caption]

It was amazing to see the resemblance between Penny and me as a baby. Not to mention the striking similarities between my mom and myself. I'm so glad we have these so Gabe can also see my mom in action and not just photos. I need to get the few more recent ones Dad has that have sound…. now that will be something special.

[caption id="attachment_5816" align="alignnone" width="480"] Baby Mommy and 5 Year Old Aunt Jen.[/caption]

I'm sure Penny doesn't understand that these are from when her Mommy was her age but I hope when she gets older she'll want to watch with us (unlike me when I was a kid, "sorry Dad").

New Furniture Before and Afters

Over the past few weeks we've made some home improvements in the way of new furniture purchases. The first is a new console for our living room. The old one had definitely served it's purpose. I bought it when I first moved into my Brooklyn apartment in 1998 so for many years it dependably held my TV.

[caption id="attachment_5795" align="alignnone" width="480"] In my Brooklyn apartment.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5796" align="alignnone" width="560"] Look at all that stuff, not to mention that old tube TV.[/caption]

It had a paint job and traveled across the country:

[caption id="attachment_5797" align="alignnone" width="480"] In my first apartment in San Francisco, circa 2007.[/caption]

And then made its way to our current apartment and stayed there for almost 4 years. Our inspiration for getting a new one was one little miss named Penelope. A favorite pastime had become touching (i.e hitting, smudging, licking) the TV as well as pressing the power and function buttons on the side. We decided a taller unit would remedy this, for a while anyway. Plus we felt the living room was in need of a refresher.

BEFORE:


[caption id="attachment_5794" align="alignnone" width="560"] Caught in the button-pressing act. The sunglasses do make it a little cuter.[/caption]

And AFTER:


[caption id="attachment_5792" align="alignnone" width="560"] Even stepping on the pillow she can't reach (yet).[/caption]

Another room we felt needed a lift was the kitchen. We always talked about getting a larger table, but felt there wasn't enough room with all the items we had around. These included 3 bar stools that were not being used other than to place mail or bags on. By removing those and relocating a cabinet we were able to make room for our newest addition.

But first, a flashback to Gabe's last SF apartment:


[caption id="attachment_5799" align="alignnone" width="560"] Many a dinner was shared by us at that table.[/caption]

Current apartment BEFORE:


And AFTER:


We love it and the fact that we can easily seat 6 with room for 8 if we rotate the table and add the leaf. And this weekend we are spraying the older birch chairs completely white for what we think will be a great pop and contrast to the walnut table and end chairs.

But saying goodbye to our old table was bittersweet. It's hard not to get a little sentimental when you let go of something that has many memories associated with it. This table goes back to Gabe's apartment in Brooklyn, not to mention the many hours Penny spent at it, either in her highchair or Bumbo seat:


or lamby chair:


But we know we'll make great memories at this new table…. homework, holiday dinners, art projects (with a mat under us, of course :)).

Skinny Jeans

Modeling her new pair:


They're a bit bigger than these.

Friday Hi

More blurry baby:


And a photo bomb from Dada:

Where's Dinner?

I think she forgot she just relocated her meal...


Maybe we'll scoot her back from the table a bit more now that those arms are longer (and the table is new) :).

Happy Valentine's Day

I've never really had a bad Valentine's Day, they were neither here nor there, just another day, maybe an excuse to go out to dinner with some friends. But since being with Gabe, and now, having our family with Penny, Valentine's Days are so much more fun. This is how we celebrated 2014's.

It started a day early as it was also Penny's 19 month birthday so we thought we'd combine her celebration. Gabe bought her an adorable Hello Kitty card -  meowm!


She got from me, her balloon…


…and books. Elmo and a Little People flap book:


Then she enjoyed her Valentine's Day cupcake (Gabe and I finished most of it the following evening, had she eaten the whole thing we would have never gotten her to bed :)).

[gallery type="square" ids="5754,5757,5755,5756,5753,5758"]

Mommy and Penny also EACH received a dozen roses from Gabe. Coral ones for me and pink for Penny.


When I had gone to buy Penny her balloon I also picked one up for Mimi:


I left it on Xenia's chair with the above note. (Penny and Macin call each other Mimi now).

Well the next day Penny got her Valentine from Mimi in the form of a cupcake:

(yes, Gabe and I helped her with this one too ;)

For Valentine's dinner on Friday Gabe and I exchanged our cards and then ordered in food from Parma. We ate after Penelope went to bed. It was a delicious dinner and the last one we would have at that table as our new one was arriving the next morning (post to come).


We had a lovely dinner which was the topper to a great Valentine's celebration in our little family.

[caption id="attachment_5763" align="alignnone" width="560"] Quite a card collection, including one from Aunt Jen :).[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5767" align="alignnone" width="560"] Mmmwaah![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5768" align="alignnone" width="560"] Mmmwaah![/caption]

Brave®

Penny was given this wonderful onsie by our dear friends Sal and Xenia (Mimi's parents). Sal works at Pixar and on the movie Brave. He thought the Merida onsie was perfect for our girl.

We are so glad she can now fit into it. We think it's perfect, too.

Art: Play Doh Style

Yesterday the 3 of us had a play doh session. Gabe and I created some masterpieces--

[caption id="attachment_5737" align="alignnone" width="480"] My hamburger…[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5738" align="alignnone" width="480"] …and hot dog.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5739" align="alignnone" width="560"] Gabe's pizza and $5 foot long.[/caption]

To give you an idea of size, the hamburger bun is about the size of my thumbnail. Small masterpieces, indeed. Well, we got a kick out of them. :).

Scratchy Kitty

Dad and Jen, this one's for you:


Penny has her own scratchy kitty!

Friday Hi

Happy Valentine's Day!


I'm excited!

19 Months Old

[caption id="attachment_5699" align="alignnone" width="480"] She looks like such a big girl in this pose.[/caption]

Some new words are:
• Weeboa (Weebles)
• Hatttt (emphasis on the "T")
• Boobies
• Deese (keys)
• Hey woah (hello)
• Book
• Awawa (umbrella)
• Moooooon (and points to it if prompted)
• Oh my
• Boopa (group hug)
• Who-WHA (If you're happy and you know it shout 'Hurray')

She is still repeating so much. And her voice is just the sweetest sound.

Some things she says that we haven't been able to decipher:
• By, ca-by, da-by
• Bob-bee bob-bee bob-bee

And the new favorite word: "No". If we ask her if she wants something and she doesn't it's "no" accompanied with a fast head shake. If we ask her to do (or not do) something and she doesn't want to, it's "NO!". Usually repeated a few times.
It has begun. :)

Penny has gotten better with brushing of the teeth. I think we are about 30/70, crying/no crying. She's not a fan but will let Gabe get in there and do it. We wants the Goodnight song the we DVR'd and I name all the characters while Gabe does his thing. She does get antsy halfway through but Gabe hasn't lost a finger yet.

She will do "honk honk" on your nose (she say hoh hoh)

Gabe taught her to say a very emphatic "Yeah!" accompanied by a fist pump.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODYAL2Gzq2g?rel=0&w=480&h=360&rel=0]

She LOVES Nina and Star from The Goodnight Show on Sprout. Every time she sees a star (pronounced "Doh"), anywhere, she says "Nee-na". We were in the market and she saw a Heineken package… "Nee-na". All the time "Nee-na". She doesn't quite understand that Nina is only on it the evenings, and only in-between Sprout's programming. She hands the remote to me and says "Nee-na" to get her on the screen.

Nina does a nightly 'Sprout Stretch' and Penny joins in:
"I'm a little Sprout now, but just watch me grow. Up, up, up I go", Penny crouches down and then 'grows' with Nina and says "up up up". It's quite adorable and she gets very excited to do it.

She loves to climb on or over us, on the floor and on the couch. If I am laying on the floor she will throw herself on me and laugh. We also play a game where I am sitting in the floor and she comes up and pushes me (gently, of course) and I say "Woah!" and grab her and we fall backwards. Giddy giggles ensue.

Where I used to be able to hold her, she is now Miss Independent and wants to walk. When we arrive at Ana's and we take her out of the car, she holds our hands and walks to the front door. She now insists on crawling up the stairs to our apartment. It takes a bit longer than me carrying her, but I have an extra arm for groceries or whatnot

Penny loves to play with her crayons and markers and stickers. She will color a bit but she is more into gathering them up and putting them into a container, or lining them up. She has even gone into the tupperware drawer to get a container to place them in. We keep the markers, crayons and stickers in a plastic bin in the kitchen. On average, once a day she pulls it out and wants to play with it.

She's discovered the oil paint tubes I keep in a drawer in the video game/guest bedroom (glad someone is getting use out of them) and those have become a source of entertainment as well. She gathers them up or takes them and lines them up on the coffee table. Or maybe on a chair in the kitchen. Similar to what she does with the Fisher Price family.

She plays peekaboo with a dish towel. She'll throw it over her head and I say "oh no, where's Penny? Oh my, she's missing" and then she whips off the towel and I say "oh good, I thought you were gone". Over and over she'll do this.

[caption id="attachment_5704" align="alignnone" width="480"] The prep...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5705" align="alignnone" width="480"] "Where's Penny? Oh goodness, she's missing, where'd she go?"[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_5706" align="alignnone" width="480"] "Oh good, there she is! I got nervous, I thought you were gone."[/caption]

Penny is much more expressive these days. She shows frustration with pouts. Her eyes get wide when emphasizing something. When she's really frustrated and not getting her way, she stiffens herself, shoved her arms down by her sides, eyes get big and she grunts. It's a challenge not to laugh at that (don't want to encourage it).

She is starting to show recognition of shapes and repeats colors names. She will also repeat some of the alphabet. I think her and Gabe have gotten up to "D" :)

It's all Mimi, all the time. "Mimi, Mimi, Mimi". Ana gets thrown in there a lot too, "Ana-mimi-ana-mimi-ana-mimi-ana-mimi". Much to Gabe's chagrin, I think Penny has a boyfriend :).

Penny makes nice. She lightly strokes your face and says "nigh". So sweet.

She is just a sweet girl. Affectionate with hugs and kisses. What else could you ask for?

Watching this little girl grown and blossom is the greatest gift. Happy 19 months, sweet girl!

[caption id="attachment_5708" align="alignnone" width="480"] That face![/caption]

And finally a video that sums up this kiddo's personality:
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHT2JkklKFM?rel=0&w=640&h=360&rel=0]