Dancing Queen

Not sure, if you can tell from the pictures....but our little Mo is quite the twirler and dancer....

Once I get my video camera......I will post actual footage of Mo's dance recitals....they are a hoot. I tried to capture it with a a regular camera......check it...

Thanksgiving

Turkey Day, 2008 was a blast......we relaxed most of the day. Went for a walk....


Then went over to our friend's house to celebrate with some other couples. It was a small gathering, but just the right amount of people, and just the right amount of REALLY GOOD FOOD. It was a great hanging out with friends that we have known for a long time....

This is Scout bringing in all of Mo's accessories!!!!


T.J. and Michele...our lovely hosts....


Jay chilling after supper...


This is O.......Mo's first friend.....he is 4, and they are finally at a good age to play together...


O's mommy, Amy.....hanging in the kitchen!!!


The kids really played well together......by the end of the night, we turned on a movie, and this photo just cracks me up....talk about tuning in, and dropping out...

Brains vs. Brawn

So, most of you know we have two dogs......we often say that one got all the brains and the other has all the brawn......now, I won't say which dog is which, but perhaps this will give you a clue....

This is Percy.


This is Cricket.



If the pictures don't do it for you.......listen to this little anecdote....

The dogs get impatient to eat in the morning. They often will come into our bedroom and try to get us up by licking our hands, trying to crawl on the bed, etc....It doesn't work, we shoo them out.

This morning, I got up to go to the bathroom, and caught Cricket up on Mo's bed, standing over her, LICKING HER FACE! Cricket realizes that once Mo is up, so is everyone else....which results in dog food in her bowl! Now that I think about it, Mo has been waking up earlier than usual lately......

Damn Cricket......

Sicko

Mo has had a stuffy nose for the past few days. Nothing major, just copious amounts of snot running down her face at all times. It never bothered her....we just kept the tissues handy....

Last night, laying in bed, the coughing started. She was just occasionally was doing it, but at around 2:00 in the morning.....she broke out in a huge coughing fit, that lasted several hours. We brought her into bed with us, and tried to prop her up and make her comfortable....

She managed to get a few hours of sleep....and woke up in a decent mood.

My poor girl.....

(I secretly love when this happens, because I have an excuse to cuddle with her in our bed......shhh, don't tell anyone)

update.....

The past 2 mornings, we have left the house and everyone had clothes on.

I feel like I won the battle......but I have no illusions......Mo is winning the war......

....or else

Lately, Mo has been stalling in getting dressed in the morning. We are on a tight schedule, and it doesn't seem to matter if I wake her up early, lay her clothes out, or anything.......she just doesn't want to put her clothes on when I need her to....I have wrestled with her......threatened..... begged....bribed......nothing seems to work.

This morning, she was running around....she had taken off her PJs, but was refusing to put clothes on. I gave her 2 warnings......and she just gave me that sly smile (you know the one).......

I picked up her stuff and her and walked out the door.....and yes, she was butt-naked!!!!

I was hoping this would shock her and make an impression.....and it did....she thought this was hysterical. She kept laughing and saying...."I naked!!!"

On the way to school......she kept saying she was cold (I didn't turn up the heat in the car)....I told her too bad she didn't have clothes on...clothes keep you warm. I also mentioned how sad it was going to be that she wouldn't get to go to the park since you have to wear clothes at the park.

When we pulled up to our daycare....I opened her door, fully expecting to have to carry my naked child in.....and Mo looks at me and says.....

"I want my clothes on." She put them on right there in the van.....saving me from that walk of shame.

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.......

Sushi-Ville

Tonight, we tried a new sushi restaurant.......they had a salt water fish tank with all the fish from "Finding Nemo" in it......

Mo couldn't stop looking at the fish. She loved it......as she looks at the fish, she says....

"Hi, finding nemo.......you were in movie.....you in fish tank now?"

The Little Things.....

Mo : I loves you Mema.....

Mema: I love you too....

Mo: You nice...

Mema: Thank you....

Mo: You not bite me......you nice.....

Talking on the Phone

Mo loves the phone. She loves fake phones, real phones....it doesn't matter. But her favorite is to talk to people on the phone......here she is talking to Nana. She is very conversational......and sometimes, will even "show" the person on the line something by holding the phone up to it. She hasn't figured out it is a hearing only device!!!!

New Toy

Last week, our favorite babysitter, Evan came over to watch Mo for a little bit. He brought with him this book that folds out to make a dollhouse. Well, Mo can't get enough of it. She plays with it non-stop.......

Little does she know, Santa is bringing her a real doll house this Christmas!!!!

I didn't mean to.....

This is Mo's new catch phrase........."I didn't mean to.....I sorry."

She says this all the time.......

.......when she drops something
.......when she falls down
.......when she pulls all her books off her bookshelf
......when she turns her glass upside down to watch the milk spill out
......when she gives her dinner to the dogs.

"I didn't mean to......I sorry."

History has been made!

We just watched the results for the 2008 election. History was made tonight......Obama has been elected. There was part of me that was afraid to get too hopeful that the democrats could pull it off......but they did.

The previous 2 elections left me feeling empty and disenfranchised........a government based on fear, and intolerance. Especially, an intolerance for me and my family.

Now, there is a government of hope.....and that makes me pause for a second. It makes me realize that things can be different for Mo and the generation that she will grow up with.

I don't know how his presidency will go.....but for once....I believe there will be a cultural change in America. I hope it spreads like wildfire!!!!!

Only in Oregon

Last night, as we were trick-or-treating.....we went to about 10 houses. Not that many....we got the standard fun size candy bars, peanut butter cups, suckers, etc.....but a few things we got I didn't expect.....we got a fun size bag of animal crackers at...one house was giving away juice boxes....also a surprise.....

But the biggest surprise of all was the house that had apples, honey, and packets of Emergen-C. (a vitamin supplement)......Mo choose the honey stick......

Only in Oregon!