January Snow Storm

We had a massive storm dump 14" on us in a matter of a couple days.  When it stopped snowing, we worked on snow removal.  I cleared out a path to and around Maylee's play structure.  Then I worked on building Maylee some sled runs in our backyard, while Kev worked on more important snow removal areas like our driveway and deck.  She had two tracks to choose from which merged then went into a bumper to prevent her from going too far down to the road.  She loved sledding!

 

We have two cute videos of her sledding, but I can't figure out how to add them to the blog.

Maylee's 1st Science Experiment

"Hot Snow"

Maylee loves eating snow! She is always picking it up to eat whenever she is outside.  On this particular evening, Kev was outside shoveling the deck and she was watching him.  Then she told me that she wanted to eat "hot snow."  I asked her, "How are we going to make it hot?"  She said, "Cook it Mom."

1) Together, we went to the cupboard and she chose a pan.  Then we opened the door for Kev to put clean, fresh snow in it.  Given she was hanging out in panties, she had to have her dad collect her sample.

 Can't cook it before taking a few bites of cold snow...

2) Next, Maylee told me to put it on the stove to cook it.

3) She watched the snow melt, which she didn't have the word "melt" in her vocabulary so she was saying "Look! It is going down!"  Then, when I poured it in a glass for her to see, she said "It's water!" 
4) Investigating the water...

January Stories and Moments

Sight Seeing
Kevin remembered that I needed to stop by school after church so when he approached the 4-way stop, he got in the right lane to go straight.  I asked him if he wanted to drop off the recycling while we are this close to it so then we don't have to come back this way when we go home after school.  He said, "Good idea.  I'm in the wrong lane so let me turn around."  As soon as we turn right (a street Maylee has never been on), Maylee says "Dad, are you sight seeing?"  Both of our mouths dropped, because we don't know where she learned that term but she used it in correct context.

"No way Hey Jose"
While we were waiting for Kev to set up his family fitness event, Maylee and I ate dinner in the teacher's lounge.  One of the custodians was talking to Maylee and used the expression, "No way Jose."  Since then, Maylee will use that expression during silly play but always adds "hey" before Jose.  I think it is too cute, so I don't correct her.

Maylee's Dinner Guest

Aunt Shelly and Uncle Kevin gave Maylee Mrs. Potato Head for her birthday.  On this particular day, Maylee was insist that Mrs. Potato Head sits beside her to eat her food too.

Dress Up Moments

Cousin Kati gave Maylee her old dress up clothes, which Maylee plays with weekly.

Puppy Time

Maylee has a collection of black lab stuffed animals.  She has a "dog bed" (basket) for them under her crib and they are all named "Cinder" or "Puppy."  In this picture, we were leaving the house and Maylee told Cinder to watch her puppy and for the puppy to go to sleep.

Technology

Maylee loves playing the educational toddler games I put on our iPad and Kindle Fire...

Children's Sermon
When we are at church, Maylee can't wait until we tell her, "Time for the kids."  She runs up to sit on the steps with the older kids and "listens" to the pastor's wife talk about the lesson, who does a great job connecting the lesson to something tangible the kids get to take back to their pews.  Most of the time it is food, such as Goldfish crackers for the lesson about the fishermen. 

I think Maylee knows if she sits nicely with the kids, then she gets a treat.
She also like to people watch and yell "Hi Mom! Hi Dad!" while waving to us.

Happy New Year 2012

New Year's Eve

Ammie and Papa hosted their annual New Year party.  Friends and family joined us and we played games, ate food, and visited until the crystal ball dropped in Times Square.

Cousins...

 Twin cousins Charlie & Tessa couldn't stay awake until midnight...

 Loves for Lily because she is going home to sleep...

Maylee was very perceptive and without prompting she told Lily "Bye, bye. I love you."

 Oh no...she is sucking her thumb and starting to get tired...

 But, she rallied and saw the ball drop!

 CHEERS...she loved giving everyone "Cheers!"

 She made it to midnight...here is proof...

Just for Kicks...here are the proof pictures that she made it to midnight previous years...

2011

 2010

Playing on Cinder, and then becoming more tired so she started cuddling...

New Year's Day

We were working on a puzzle, and Maylee said "Mom, where are my cousins?" 

So, we called and Emma and Sarah came over to play.

 Little Mermaid came out when I was in elementary school...

 Maylee is watching Sarah play games on the iPad...

Other Christmas Days

For us, Christmas is celebrated from Christmas Eve and the following three days, because of many family gatherings on both sides of the family.  Here are pictures during those days...

Emma and Sarah Time

 Kamiah Time

Nana Jo is smiling about her new Maylee book...

 Grandma Linda loves her new photos of Maylee...

I also made her some seasonal scrapbook pages of Maylee.
Now, she can pick a page for each season to display in a frame.

 Maylee is showing off her new pretties from Grandma Linda...

 Maylee loves her new puppy from Nana Jo and Papa Dean...

 Maylee is letting Cinder help her unwrap her BIG present from Nana Jo and Papa Dean...

 It was an AWESOME wooden doll bed!
It is handcrafted by the husband of one of Nana Jo's employees.

She is rocking and saying "Sh, sh, sh" to her puppy...

 Oops, she noticed Mom with the camera so then she said "Cheese."

 Maylee and Maddie...her mommy went to high school with Kev.

 Giving Cinder loves...

 Trying out her new baby doll in the new bed...
She loves this bed and it is so beautiful!!  Thank you!!

More Great-Grandma Linda and Maylee Time...

Christmas Day 2011

Christmas Morning

Maylee came up the stairs and ran straight for the Santa treats she left.  She noticed Santa ate her cookie and drank the milk.  She also noticed the Santa presents left in the same spot.

She wanted to open her stocking presents first.  There were little animals in them! 

Her favorite that she latched on to immediately was the polar bear.

Now, going for the BIG one!

She was so excited that Santa brought her a rocking horse!

Yee-haw!

Smirking...sooo happy!

Next, she opened her other large Santa gift.

It was a zoo for all the animals!  Santa must have heard the story about the polar bear who pooped in the water because in this zoo the polar bear slides down to the water.

Cinder loved her new toy from Maylee.  Maylee picked it out and helped wrap it.

She remembered exactly which present was Cinder's under the tree for two weeks and found it again under Ammie's tree when we brought our presents down, even though others were wrapped in the same paper and about the same size.  Cinder loves to bite at wrapping paper and pull it off packages.  We have to watch her so she doesn't take over and unwrap Maylee's gifts.

Ammie and Papa loved their new book about Maylee...

More presents...

Once she opened Dora pajamas from Ammie and Papa, she had to wear them right away.

Annual Christmas Day Extended Family Gathering at Connie and Gary's

Waiting for all the little cousins to find their gift to open...

 Maylee loves her "puppy purse" from Big Ammie...

 Maylee and Little Brittany are fascinated by Aunt Connie's moving pig...