4th of July

We took a long road trip (some 355 miles) on July 3 to visit relatives. Little RR managed pretty well during the trip, helped by having D.G. at her elbow the whole way. A few more relatives dropped by on July 4th, and RR greatly enjoyed playing with T's cousin G, see photo at right. Generally speaking it seems she likes bouncing around, either by herself or with some help! I think she'll do quite well at gymnastics, if she keeps up this kind of activity.

This week one of T's co-workers gave us a pair of "duck glasses" with rims in the shape of ducks. This was an immediate hit and RR wanted to wear them all day, either on her face or up in her hair. She enjoys putting them on T as well. She is becoming more particular about her clothing, and helped pick out the last pair of shoes, showing them off proudly at daycare.

Next week she will start transitioning from the "Toddler" room into "Preschool 1" (sounds very advanced for a 2 year old!) and they asked us for a family photo. At first all of my photos of RR were pretty much candid shots. Some months ago, the teachers at her daycare taught her to say "cheese", so I started to get a lot of rather odd-looking smiles in photos. Recently she has managed some better smiles, and appears to actually enjoy the process. "Again, Daddy!" she said after I took a shot today. "Again! ...Again!" I don't know how long this camera enthusiasm will last, but it is certainly welcome as long as it does.

Private Investigations

Little RR is two years old! She is more actively exploring in all directions- she has recently discovered flashlights, and enjoys looking under the sofa, and across the floor, and just waving it around a lot. One discovery has taken awhile: for the past two years, she's been sleeping in a "sleep sack" (real sheets being more dangerous for toddlers, we're told). On morning recently, she woke up patting the outside of the sleep sack with a worried expression and said "No pockets! Oh no!"

She is learning more songs, and the alphabet, and days of the week, although sometimes they get mixed up a bit.

RR: A, B, C, D...
Mommy: That's very good! What comes next?
RR: Tuesday!

Conversation Piece

When I dropped my cell phone a few weeks ago, it fell apart permanently. I got a very basic replacement phone, which does little more than make calls, but the screen lights up when you press a key and it is clearly an important toy that needs frequent attention. Little RR understands such things. She calls my phone the "Daddy widget".

Tonight while trying to put her to sleep, I was pleased to see how she has started to move from single words into a little conversation of sorts.

RR: Daddy. Daddy. Daddy.
Me: Sweetie!
RR: Daddy widget.
Me: I'm sorry sweetie, I don't have it right now.
RR: (sadly) No widget.
Me: You can play with it tomorrow, ok?
RR: Oh, no! (...sigh) (...eventually, goes to sleep)

A Bit of Rain

It's been a bit rainy here this past month, but little RR enjoys wearing her raincoat and boots. Actually she enjoys boots and shoes of all kinds, and finding them, and picking them up, and carrying them singly or in pairs from place to place. Lest this seem disorganized, she does her best to help out in the mornings, rushing to my nightstand and handing me the contents: Daddy wallet! Daddy semsum (cell phone)! Daddy glasses! -and sometimes, if she finds them: Daddy shoes! She has been careful to note all these items as present and accounted for when I come home from work, also.

Her numbers have now moved beyond two. I pointed out two buttons on my shirt and she said "three", prompting me to realize that shirt indeed had a third button under the collar, which I'd forgotten. However, as she looked at a book she counted the boxes on the page "One, Two... Something... Ten, Eleven.. Eight, Seven... "