Tour de Newton

We love fall, when it is cold enough that we've taken in the patio furniture but nice enough to play outside still.



We also love the iphone, which makes it so easy to take lots of videos of the kids. My only disappointment is the sound quality is not the best, so you have to listen extra hard to hear Noah's running commentary and motorcycle noises.

Old McPuzzle

One of the best things about having a preschooler is out of nowhere I'll turn around and he'll be doing something like this. It cracks me up.



And then I videotape it and post it to the internet.

Going for a drive

I don't see any way this could possibly end badly.

Blocks

Peek-a-boo, revisited

She's pretty much an expert now.

Vroom

Eva is a pretty good mimic, and careful observation of her big brother has taught her exactly what to do with toy cars.

Steps

Also, did I mention she is working on walking?

State of the Baby

Good god, it's been a while. Things here are nuts, and let's just say they are not going to change anytime soon. However, just because I have been too busy to blog does not mean Eva has stopped astonishing us about once an hour. For baby archival purposes I will swoop in here to post an update. And then a series of videos for the week.

Anyway, the update. Eva is astonishingly cute.

Duh, mom.

She is working hard on learning to communicate. She points at things she wants or at things in which she is interested. She says "mamama" when she sees me, and "dadadada" when she see Chad. She says "dat" when pointing at something. The other day she reached for her bottle and said "babababa."

She can do the signs for "more" and for "milk" and for "all-done," but really prefers pointing, smiling and crying to get her message across. She is still a great eater, but now requires to be eating the same food we are eating, preferably directly from our plates, preferably with her own utensil. We usually forget to give her a utensil, and then halfway through dinner she notices everyone else has a fork and she'll scream until we figure out that's what the problem is.

Speaking of the screaming, Eva is not a quiet baby. She makes her opinions known. She will be sleeping, and instead of waking and whimpering a bit before going back to sleep, she lays perfectly still and screams at the top of her lungs. Then goes back to sleep.

She and Noah are sharing a room now. In related news, Noah is a trooper.

Eva is totally fearless. In the bath, she'll put her face down and blow bubbles in the water (she started doing this all on her own). She crawls under the guest bed and through the tunnel and into the closet and into the cabinet. She loves to crawl around the playground structures, and would happily fling herself off the edge if given the chance.

Don't worry mom, I've got this.

She is super mobile, crawling and scooting and rolling. But now, her usual mode of transportation is a surprisingly effective bouncing knee walk:

She loves to play with toys, especially Noah's cars and trucks. She likes to put things into boxes. She likes to "draw" with chalk on the chalkboard. She loves books, and will chose one then knee bounce over to you waving the book. If you are busy reading another book, for example, to her brother, she will sit there and cry until you look at her book instead.

No idea where she learned that.

She is so capable. She can rock on a rocking horse. She can use the potty (when we get her all set and sit her on it). She can clap her hands and play peek-a-boo.

Basically, she is totally winning at babyhood.

Cooooooookies

When we were snowed in last weekend, I decided we'd spend some time making and decorating cookies.

I know, you're thinking: what a great idea! More sugar right before Halloween!!

Eh, whatever, we had a good time.

Also, Noah decorated the best cookie ever.

I know, a work of art. I was so proud, I mailed it to Grandma and Grandpa.

Happy Girl

Man, she is really cute.

Also happy.

And cute and toothy

And apparently eager to chew on the windowsill.

Snow!

We got a pre-halloween surprise in the form of about six inches of snow last weekend. It is hard to believe that we're already headed into Eva's second winter.

I know, I can't believe it either.

Noah, needless to say, was totally thrilled. He made a snowman with daddy.

We convinced him to wait long enough for us to take a picture

And then he kicked it over.

Also, Eva isn't crazy about standing in those boots.

Baby Down!!

First steps

That's right folks, she is working on it...



Time to hide the trains, Noah...

Forward bouncing

Some people think that soft, carpeted or padded floors are best for babies. Those people are totally wrong, hardwood floors are best because they allow for Eva's new favorite mode of transportation.



See? Hardwood is way better.