Don't Laugh...

As I was rocking Livy in the chair before bed, she said she was thirsty so I called for Kyle to bring her up some milk.  Livy called down, "Dad, it's on the coffee table!"

When we got out of the car before Henry and Louisa's party, Livy cheered, "We made it to the city!  Yay!"

I asked Livy what she wanted to do at her birthday party.  She said, "Wanna wear a polka-dot dress!"

After we said bedtime prayers, Livy said, "I wanna come for a visit to Jesus.  When I get older?"

She is making a long mental list of things she wants to do when she gets older.  The amazing thing is how easy it is to appease her if we just say, "When you get older."  I was sucking on a lemon candy and she wanted it but I just said, "When you get older" and she said, "Okay!  When I get older I have lemon drops!"

Before she is about to do or say something funny, many times Livy gives the warning, "Don't laugh."  I think she is half talking to herself, like she doesn't want to laugh too soon and ruin the punch line.  She usually says, "Don't laugh" right when we park the car.  Then, when daddy or I go to the back seat to get her she asks, "Stay in car?!"  and pretends like she wants to stay in there.  We all end up laughing, especially because of the way she so seriously says, "Don't laugh."

An Unhappy St. Patrick's day

This year was a St. Patrick's day that I will never forget...but not for good reasons.  I got in a car accident driving Livy home from daycare.  Actually, it was right as we were pulling out of the daycare.  I don't feel like writing about the details, as I've gone over it so many times in my head and to other people already.  But, the main thing is we all walked out of it okay.  Livy and I were fine and the other driver just had a hurt knee (her car was totaled and our Jeep was beat up on the front driver's side).  It could have been much worse than it was, and I am so thankful that everyone is okay.  It was just another reminder of how much of life is beyond our human ability to control it.  I came close to one of my worst fears, but God protected us.  And in a way, I feel stronger as a mother knowing that I was able to deal with this terrible situation.    

Top O' the Mornin' to ya!

We went to the St. Patrick's Day parade in Morristown yesterday and had a great time.  Turns out Livy loves a parade! (she does have some strong genes from my dad's side of the family!).  They had lots of doggies there including several Jack Russell terriers that Livy got a real kick out of.  But if you ask her, she will probably tell you her favorite part was the "funny beer costume".  The sight of the giant Guinness walking around with hands sticking out seems to have made a big impression.  She also loved the dancing girls and would do her own little stiff-legged jig every time a band or dance troupe went by.  She was so cute that at times the people around us seemed more interested in watching Livy than watching the parade.  She also loved  corned beef!  She definitely seems to have a little bit o' Irish in her.

Watching the Weiner Dogs go by

The best view you can get.

Seeing eye dogs

Bagpipers

Livy climbed and jumped out of her crib twice last weekend so we decided it was time to convert her crib into a toddler bed.   She loves it and has slept well through the night for three nights even though she could get right down if she wanted to.  I was nervous about how the first night would go, but the next morning she was just playing quietly in her room when I went in to get her.  I think she was just excited the first day.  But the next two mornings she was still snuggling in her bed when we went to get her.  She still slept till about 8:30 this Saturday morning.  So far so good!

Livy has a funny habit of talking and jibber jabbering with her eyes half-closed right before I put her to bed at night.  Tonight as I was rocking her in my arms, she said something like, "When Livy get older Livy gonna have nuts.  And almonds too! Daddy have almonds.  Not for Olivia.  Those are Livy's favorite ones when Livy gets older."   

     

Say What?!

Here's some stuff Livy said this week:

Livy was so into watching The Sound of Music with her cousins that when daddy came home from work, she hugged him quickly while glancing back at the movie.  She told him,  "I no wanna miss Maria."

"Your make-up is not working." She must have heard me say something like this before.  I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it.  But still, in that moment, I actually felt strangely comforted knowing (just in case my mom and sisters ever stop being brutally honest about how I look) I will have a daughter who will be looking out for me in the future.

"Mommy, you look pretty."  Needless to say, I love it when she tells me this out of the blue.  

When she got out of the bath and came downstairs in her pj's, she told daddy,  "Gorgeous!"

"I no like mommy.  go away."  Boo hoo.

"I had a baaad poopy." (she's been having some tummy issues since she's been sick).

Before putting Livy to bed, Kyle accidentally asked, "Okay, You ready to get in your crate now?"  Livy answered, Yea..aah...that's not a crate."

"I no wanna go home.  I wanna go to restaurant!"

She keeps saying, "What do you want?"  She doesn't care what we want...this is her prompt she's giving us to ask her what she wants. lol.  If we don't respond, she will answer herself.  "What do you want?  Ketchup!"

Livy's always asking questions like, "What's Livy got?"  She will especially ask this to draw attention when she's doing something she knows she's not supposed to do.  Again, this is very convenient if I happen to be in the other room.  I heard her say, "What's Livy doing?  Puttin' dog food in her mouth!?"

Ohio Trip!

We had a great trip to Ohio for a four day weekend over President's Day.  We left after dinner on Friday and Livy slept pretty much the whole way to Becky and Mark's house.  Every once in a while, she would wake up though, and ask in a meek little voice, "What's so funny?" or "What you talking about?" Then she would fall right back to sleep.  I thought we were being pretty quiet, but I guess not.  

It was so nice to see Becky, Mark and Grandma.  There really is something special about them and their house that makes it feel like Christmas no matter what time of year you go there.  It's all about family, fun, relaxation and pets!  Livy was especially excited about seeing Hallie doggie, but there were other fun Shelties to see as well, and Minky kitty too, of course.  

We left after lunch and Livy slept the whole way to Em and Logan's house.  She was so happy to see them when we got there.  She had a great time playing with Drew.  It is cute how she interacts with him, and copies what he is doing sometimes.  Like, when he started banging a drum with a block, Livy just had to do it too.  They had all kinds of fun together.  One popular activity for the weekend was shoulder back rides from Logan and Kyle.  Drew just loved it and Livy couldn't get enough of it either.    Drew is very good at sharing, and shared his cars and even his teething toys with Livy (we had to make sure it was a true Furler germ swap.)

Meg, Mike and Milo came for a visit on Sunday afternoon.  So great to see them, too!  Milo and Livy are both gentle spirits (though Livy is a bit more into the terrible twos).   They took a little while warming up but enjoyed some shy, awkward conversation followed by a nice bath together.  lol.  Yes, I can see how Meg and I will probably be really embarrassing moms someday!

Livy didn't want to cooperate for a group picture, but 2 out of 3 ain't bad!   On this trip, she might have gotten a C- in picture posing,  but she made up for it with her A+ in traveling.  We drove all the way home on Tuesday and Livy was pretty much a perfect angel the whole way, even though she wasn't feeling well.  I didn't even sit by her.  She just entertained herself reading books, coloring and eating snacks.   Plus, she talked about all the fun people we saw and things that we did.  I'm so glad Livy got to spend time with these special people.

Health Update:  Livy had a runny nose and upset tummy most of the trip that has since turned into a nasty cough and fever.  (Poor baby Drew has a fever now too.)

Snow and Crab Cakes

A couple weeks ago we decided to head down to Cape May with Grandpa while Grandma was still in Ohio.  Though it was only a high of about 38 degrees, it still felt like a vacation from the snow and ice covered streets of our town.  We all crammed into the Jeep and Grandpa sat next to Livy while Kyle drove and I sat in the passenger seat with Scooter on my lap.  Turns out a Grandpa is a very useful travel companion! Livy was perfectly content the whole way, while Grandpa read her the entire National Geographic Little Kids magazine aloud.  He read all about the different types of wild parrots, how a pond freezes, etc.  You really had to be there, but just ask Kyle, it was pretty hilarious hearing his loud, informative voice reading from the back seat.  Livy was hanging on his every word.  And Grandpa was very proud of his own ability to find the matching objects in an eye spy type of game!   Grandpa also did a pretty good job of convincing Livy to keep her socks and shoes on during car trips.  This has made our morning routine a little easier, as I haven't had to search for as many thrown socks and shoes in the back of the car before we get out.

We had a nice weekend with lots of good food.  The beach was freezing and there was snow on it, but Grandpa couldn't resist climbing to the top of the new sand dune that they are constructing.  Later, Kyle and I had a nice date night at the Mad Batter while Grandpa babysat.  The weekend was a nice little reprieve from our routine of work-sickness-work-snow and a good reminder of what we have to look forward to this summer if we can just make it through the winter.