Easter Candy Will Never Be the Same....

The other day, Vivian officially identified her nether regions.

I came home from work and whisked Viv upstairs to give Daddy a much needed break and to change into running clothes. I tossed the babe on the bed, as I normally do and started to peel off my work clothes.

Off came the shirt, followed by the bra.

“Boobs!” she said and correctly pointed to my chest.

Slightly embarrassed (as I’m the modest one in this nudie household) I said “Yes, Vivian, these are mommy’s boobs” and quickly yanked on my sport’s bra.

As I pulled off my pants, she slid herself off the bed ran over to me and tapped me on my – ahem, down there – and said “peep!”

I paused, laughed uncomfortably for a minute (by now I’m thoroughly embarrassed) and asked, “What?”

She again, pointed to my crotch and very matter-of-factly said “Peep!”

“Where’s Vivi’s peep?” I asked, double checking to see if she understood what she was pointing at.

She grabbed the crotch of her underwear, looked down and said “Right dere!”

“And where’s your bum?” I asked.

Grinning, she gave her little round bottom a few spanks, and dashed out of the room.

So there you have it. Henceforth, down there shall be known as ‘peep’ and ‘bum’ in the Wood house.

Parenting Baby....

We were on our way out to the car, headed to help Miss Karen make cupcakes for her sister’s birthday. I let Ladybird walk to her seat, like I always do because she’s a big girl now, you know.

We’re working on what babies can and can’t touch out in the garage, so on her way to her seat she pointed to the litter box and said “kiki’s (her word for kitty)... Maaaooowww!”

“Yes, baby, that’s Lola’s. NOT for baby’s”

Then, she pointed to Lola’s food and water “Muss!” (mess)

“That’s right! Mess!”

I had gotten ahead of her to unlock the car and set the diaper bag inside and turned around just in time to watch the Bird shove her hand through the wheel of Daniel’s car and pull it out a greasy mess.

“Uh oh, mama”

“Vivi! No!”

In two strides I grabbed her hand before she could smear it on her adorable new outfit or across her face. I held her tiny grubby hand in mine out where she could see it, pointed at the tire and said “No Vivi. Mess! See? Ack! Now we have to wash hands! No! No! No! No! No! No!”

We went back inside and washed the greasy mess off her hands as she oohed and ahhed over the soap bubbles in the sink.

When I set her back down to try the walk out to the car again, because big girls get second chances, I held her hand this time to keep her from the tire.

As we walked past daddy’s car, Vivi stopped, pointed at the tire and said “No! No! No! No! No! No! No!”

Starting to feel a little bad, but happy she got the message, I said “That’s right, NOT for babies.”

Once she was strapped in, Vivi requested her baby, who we just call Baby.

“Hold you?” Vivi said to baby, as she pulled her in for a squeeze. “Awwww.”

As I pulled on to the freeway, about 5 minutes from the house, Vivi’s quiet voice from the back seat emerged with “Mama, baby cwying.”

“Oh no, Vivi! Hold the baby! Kiss the baby! Make the baby feel better!”

Vivi did as I said, and as I watched in my rear-view mirror, my heart started to warm. But just as quickly, Vivi yanked baby out from her chest, grabbed baby by the hand and, dangling the baby in front of her said,  “No! Mess! Ack! No! No! No! No! No! No!”

And then, there it was again....

“Mama, Baby cwying….”

I.Was.Horrified.

Vivian: A Cliff’s Note’s version (12 Mos)

 

December- 12 mos
Daddy is supposed to come home this month. You can say dada but you can’t, or won't say mama yet, but I can’t wait to hear you call out for me. You do say “hi, baby!” though, because that’s what I say to you. You say “Hi, baby!” to everyone and it’s adorable. 

You got a really bad diaper rash that turned into a yeast infection that kept you up crying until 3am. We drove around with Auntie Audge and looked at Christmas lights in the hopes you’d fall asleep…. It didn’t work. You were just too uncomfortable. And we were both miserable. I was a crying mess and Audrey, I'm sure, was regretting her visit.  Finally you fell asleep with Auntie Audge at about the time I had to go to work. I’m ready for Daddy to come home. So READY.

We picked your Daddy up from the airport on the 19^th. Just in time for Christmas! It was really, really good to see him.  He teared up when he saw you and how big you’d gotten. He hugged you and kissed you and took big gulpy sniffs of your neck. For you, it was like no time had passed. You grabbed his nose and let him hold you for as long as he wanted.

I don’t think he’ll let go of you for quite awhile. It’s good to have him home. 

 

Great Grandpa on the Farm (Nana’s daddy) and Grandma Beth came to visit from Kansas to meet you for the first time over Christmas, you had a great time playing with them and they came to dinner for your birthday and had cupcakes. 

Vivian: A Cliff’s Note’s version (Months 10&11)

October- 10 months
We’re walking up a storm, practicing and looking like a drunken sailor. Mama and Daddy plan a Halloween costume, because when you have a baby as tiny as Miss Vivi that’s walking, you take it Trick or Treating! We decide on Han Solo, Leia and Yoda. Vivi is a really good sport and walks to all the houses in 2 neighborhoods, but instead of grabbing the candy, she really just wants to re organize it for them, or give them her candy. She’s not quite clear on the concept, but it’s adorable nonetheless.

November- 11 months

We are brave girls and say goodbye to daddy at the beginning of the month for a career move that takes him to New York for awhile (ends up being 7 ½ weeks) it’s hard but it’s what’s best for our family at the time. 

 We go to Apple Hill for your first visit and you have an apple donut. You’re teething like crazy and are quite fussy. Even though you’re walking and mobile, you want to be carried and strapped to Mama’s chest in the Moby when you’re teething and hurt. That’s how I know you don’t feel well. This month you started crawling up the stairs for bath time by yourself. I still carry you downstairs, but your little naked butt going upstairs is the highlight of these long, lonely nights. We Skype with daddy most nights, and it’s hard for him to be away from you. Sometimes he’ll call to sing you to sleep, but it’s not the same for him or for you…..so we don’t do that very often.You’re changing so much. When he left you only had 4 teeth, now you have 6-8. You can blow kisses. I sent him a video of you blowing him a kiss. I also sent him a box with a photo of you and me inside. It’s one of my favorites…

Vivian: A Cliff's Note's Version 7-9 Months

Because her baby book is severely lacking in the “write cute stuff the kid does __ here___” and because this kid does some seriously  cute stuff. I mean, most kids do, but this kid? Takes. The. Cake.

I mean, seriously.

Let’s catch up!

July- 7 months
Still just a tiny squirt, but sitting up unassisted and trying super hard to crawl. Loves to blow raspberries and loves water. Had her first fourth of July and slept right through the fireworks. Papa and Nana took us to Frosty Freeze in auburn and she had her first taste of ice cream cone.
WE LOVE THAT STUFF! Face plant right into it. Yum!

August- 8 Months
Started crawling….. well,  a military crawl. We get really frustrated when we put our hands down and the bottoms of our feet on the floor with our bottom straight up in the air and our forehead on the floor and can’t move anywhere because we just don’t have the strength yet to stand up. We can stand up against furniture, and can walk a few steps that way, so why can’t we walk on our own?! This month mama caught video of us pushing a half full laundry basket around the living room….. holy smokes!

September- 9 Months
At the beginning of the month, we started crawling for reals! Our favorite thing to do is crawl to the bookcases with the DVDs on them and pull out all the DVDs…. Super fun and messy!

But wait…..

At the end of the month, Daddy’s at home watching the State of the Union, and Vivi crawls over to the DVD bookcase, stands to the second shelf, grabs Shaun of the Dead, turns around and walks back to him. The best part? He caught it on tape for mama to see!

WE’RE WALKING!!!