M.I.A.

Perhaps you're asking yourself where we've been. The truth is, we're all happy and healthy and having fun (busy busy busy), but I just haven't been taking many pictures this last couple of weeks.

This is kind of a lame post, as I just have one picture to share. Here is Vita and Ernie at the County Fair. We had a good time, but Vita really didn't like getting close to the sheep, goats and pigs. She clutched on to us tightly, and repeated "no more sheep!" and "dirty! messy!". Actually, she's right. They really were pretty dirty and I can't blame her for not wanting to pet them. However, the people watching is always spectacular at the Fair, and there was a fun puppet show that we watched as well. Also, I was amazed how many animals Vita was able to accurately name.

In other news, Vita is really mastering some of the play structures at the local parks. She is climbing ladders, swinging, heading down slides, and having more and more social interactions with other kids. It's really fun to watch!

Before I sign off, I just have to admit that working, being a mom, and other distractions are getting in the way of my blogging. Originally, I had planned on keeping this blog until Vita turned one year old but when her birthday came and went I kept on going. However, the blog has just about run it's course now. I will continue to blog intermittently (not every Sunday) until her second birthday. When Vita turns two, I will retire this blog, but I will open a flicker account so you will you still be able to see the latest and greatest Vita pictures online. In fact, the only thing you won't have is my witty commentary, and I doubt anyone will miss that!

Labor Day with Aunt Mary

This weekend, Vita's Aunt Mary came up for a visit. We took a walk in the redwoods, we played in the backyard, and had lots of fun. For our walk in the redwoods, Vita wore a really cute new fall outfit, including a tweed skirt, cable knit tights, and mary jane shoes. It was so cute we had to do a little photo shoot. "OK Vita, let's do a nice studious back to school picture." "Good, now how about a sassy little twirl. Perfect!" But since it's not technically autumn yet, when the weather warmed up Vita wore this cute summer sundress and hat for some more outdoor fun.

Good Clean Fun

This weekend, Vita's Grandma Victoria came up for a visit. Despite the heat wave, we had lots of fun. There's a reason that Vita is looking at the ground in front of her, with an expression of concern. Look what popped out of the ground RIGHT in front of us! This park had a couple of bold gophers who made repeated appearances. Vita watched with amazement. Vita swings so high!

Vita's froggy pool broke just in time for the heat wave. We played in the shade in the backyard with Vita's sand and water table for a while... until Vita decided to sit in the bucket of water and smear wet sand into her arms, legs, belly, neck, armpits, hair, etc.

She's been getting so dirty when she plays outside. Here's a picture from last weekend that didn't make it to the blog. This picture was taken in the middle of an outdoor tea party where Vita made "coffee" out of mud.

Later, on Sunday afternoon, Vita loaded up all of her stuffed animals in the bed.

Vita loves her baths, but when she's having fun playing she doesn't want to be interrupted. "No No NO!"

And this is how our nightly games of hide and seek begin.

This weekend, Vita also broke the toddler concentration world record. Grandma Victoria brought up a handmade diorama and Vita simply couldn't get enough of it. She played with it for over an hour, just labeling all of the things inside and exploring every inch. When it was time to go to bed, Vita hugged it, and said good night and "I love you" to everything inside the diorama. It was sooooooo sweet, and it is her new favorite thing. I don't have any still photos (yet) but I do have some video. Unfortunately youtube is not wanting to upload my video so I might have to add that later on.

SF Zoo

This weekend, Vita had her first visit to the zoo! We had such a fun day. I was really impressed by how many animals Vita was able to name. In fact, when we were watching the lions someone walking by mistakenly referred to it as a tiger and Vita pointed and said lion. Also, Vita roared at the lions. The lions were unimpressed, but I thought it was pretty cute. I think Vita's favorite animal was the giraffe. The only thing Vita did NOT like was the petting zoo. She was interested in looking at the goats and sheep from afar, and imitating their noises... but she did NOT want to touch them. I can't really blame her.

This is by far the best picture of the day. Hey Vita, what sound does a grisly bear make? GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

Clean Air

Yesterday we headed south to Monterey to escape the smoke from the Lockheed Fire and breathe some clean air. We had a great day on the beach! Vita loved playing in the giant sandbox and got to watch lots of boats, birds, and dogs... and even collect a pail of rocks. She's still unsure of the water at the beach, and clings to us very very tightly even when we just put our toes in the water. When it got too cold and windy at the beach, we went to Dennis the Menace Park to play in the playground and have a picnic lunch in the company of several geese. Lately, Vita has been more outgoing at the local parks. Typically, even with lots of kids around, she does her own thing... and maybe just watches some of the older kids. However, this weekend Vita approached older kids at the park and joined them in their play. She was so engaged in playing with and watching the other kids, she never even looked back to see if we were close by. It's so much fun watching her discover the ability to socialize!

E.L.M.O.

This weekend the weather was PERFECT. We had a lovely lazy weekend... so lazy that I did not take any pictures. Ooops. Since I have no pictures, I offer you this news about what's going on in Vita's world. Vita loves Elmo, and I am pretty strong in resisting many children's characters but I am no match for Elmo. First of all, I don't even know how Vita learned about Elmo. We never had any Elmo stuff, nor had Vita ever seen any Sesame Street in her entire life. One day, in Target, Vita points and screams ELMO! I asked around at her daycare and they didn't introduce Elmo either. Where on earth did she learn about Elmo? I'm convinced they put something in the prenatal vitamins that programs children to be drawn to Elmo. Now that she knows and loves Elmo, he's everywhere. You can't get down any aisle at Target without encountering him. There are Elmo clothes, Elmo toothbrushes, Elmo crackers, etc. Ernie and I started to give in a couple of months ago, and we now have an Elmo puppet, some books, etc. But any time we talk about something that Vita will want right away (like bubbles, grapes, and other fun stuff) we use the age old method of spelling things out. Here's where the evil genius of the Sesame Street marketing team knocked me off my feet. I asked Ernie where the E. L. M. O. book was, spelling out the word... and Vita looked up and shouted ELMO! At first I thought Vita had perhaps already memorized the spelling of that word... but then I realized that when you spell Elmo, it sounds the same as saying Elmo, especially if you spell it quickly. (Try it, you'll see.) Wow - the Sesame Street marketing team is so much smarter than me, I am completely out of my league, but I will not surrender. I'm fighting back against Elmo by bringing back some of the classics from my pre-Elmo childhood like good old fashioned wooden toys, and charactors that don't refer to themselves in the third person (like the Muppets). Take that!

August Heat

The weather was finally warm enough to play in the kiddie pool. Vita couldn't even wait for me to inflate it. She was in there playing while I blew it up. Hurry up, mom! Splash! Vita was so happy she even stood up to give the froggy pool a kiss.

Vita likes to play a game called "sneak up on mom and pour water on her back". This is loads of fun, even though Vita has a thing or to she still needs to learn about being sneaky. Anyway, Vita will fill up her little sandbox shovel with water, and "sneak" over to where I am in the yard. By the time she gets to me, most of the water has sloshed out.

However, when Vita succeeds in coming up behind me and pouring some water on my back (or feet), and I shriek with surprise, Vita laughs hysterically.

Moooooommmmm, quit it - I want to run around and play!