Future Doctor?

Poor Abigail has another cold. It started over the weekend with a cough and a very, very runny nose. Sunday she said, "Ear doctor" a few times while holding or pointing to her ear. She wasn't overly fussy, didn't have a temperature and aside from the cough and nose-like-a-faucet, she seemed fine. I didn't think much of it. Yesterday she was the same, but her runny nose was more yellow and she said the "Ear doctor" comment another couple of times. I called the advice nurse, honestly thinking her ear comments had to be random. Well, we went in this morning and as you've probably guessed, the kid indeed had an ear infection! It's just in the beginning stages but wow-wee...a 19-month-old who self-diagnoses is something else!

Hurry, Hurry, Monsters!

This is the funniest sentence I've heard lately from my 19-month-old as she plays with her big brother. "Hur-wy, Hur-wy, Mon-ter" followed by infectious baby giggles and then running baby feet...so cute! Even cuter is after they've "chased" the monster, Nathan will then say, "Hurry" and it's as if Abigail totally forgot the game they were playing and gets a look of actual surprise/fear on her face before she remembers the game.

...oh and this game is also usually played in one of two wardrobe options: just diapers or totally naked (of course they prefer option 2). "Naked" is another of Abby's latest words that causes her to laugh and giggle.

Abigail

Abigail is 19 months old and since the kids are just 15 months apart, it's sometimes hard to remember what Nathan was doing at a certain age. We really try not to compare them since they are so different, but it's interesting sometimes to see how one's development compares to the other's.

Abby is quite the chatterbox, probably partly because she's a girl and partly because her older brother talks non-stop all.day.long. It's so funny how she's picked up words or phrases even though I'm 100% certain she has no idea what she's saying. She's already full-on in the "Why??" phase. She always uses it at the correct time and whatever little explanation you might give her always seems to satisfy (even the lamest "because I said so"). If you ask her a question, chances are she'll answer with a very pensive, "Ummm..." and then she proceeds to look like she's thinking before she answers. So cute!

She's quite the little mommy, always helping with chores or helping others. She'll often try to wipe Nathan's mouth after he's eaten. She regularly brings his favorite animal, Petu (Peter), when they're snuggling up for bedtime. She knows where his clothes are kept in his dresser and often will bring him socks or pajamas.

She's outgoing most of the time. At our weekly multi-age music class, she jumps right in with the older kids to help collect or pass out instruments. She warms up to new people quickly and loves going to the childcare at church. At music class or in a large group setting, she becomes pretty clingy. When it's time to dance and sing at music, she insists on being held. I guess she just feels a bit overwhelmed with all the people moving around...she doesn't want to lose sight of me. Just today at music I tried to get her to dance with us and when I walked two steps away from her, she completely fell into a heap of sobs on the floor. Poor baby!

She's also known to be quite the fashion bug. From early on, she's preferred some clothes to others. When friends have sent clothes to her in the mail, she insisted on wearing them right away. She often chooses her fancy dress shoes to wear to the playground, usually with sweat pants or some other less-than-fancy outfit. Costco had the most adorable zebra-print coat for little girls around Thanksgiving. We saw it and I searched for her size, without luck. She was devastated when we left empty-handed. When we went back a few weeks later, they had her size and she clutched it throughout our shopping, only handing it over to the cashier to be scanned before she gripped it again. She is absolutely adorable in it, even if I am a bit biased. I wish they made the coat in my size, but somehow I don't think zebra-print on someone 5'10" would have the same effect.

She's a happy, happy girl and adores her brother, "Nay-nay", and her daddy. She is a total joy!

"It's not time to play, Daddy...

...we're flying on a helicopter!"

Said with such a tone of disbelief and almost disgust that Daddy would dare suggest we "play" at a time when clearly the helicopter was about to take off!

(Please disregard the passenger on Nathan's helicopter...she wasn't prepared for a photo shoot today!)

And cat makes 5

Our semi-neurotic cat, Karly, has been on "vacation" at my mom's house since a few months before Abigail was born. We loved Karly but just thought that having two babies and a cat might be a bit much for awhile. A few months turned into more and then we moved...and our current house didn't allow pets. When it came time to renew our lease last month, I made a pitch to the management company in the off-chance the owners might change their minds. Much to our surprise, the owners agreed to a cat!

The day to bring Karly home has been much-anticipated by one Nathan Ko. "Karly's coming to my house?" "We need to buy her food to eat at the store." "She needs a bowl for her food." "I want to show Karly my toys." And on and on it's gone! Sunday we woke up and decided that bringing Karly home would be a good thing to do...and that unleashed Nathan's excitement! We set about making a list of things we'd need to buy at the pet store. He, of course, was thrilled to sit down with his own pen and paper and "write" his list. So cute...

We drove to Sacramento, stopped at Target (the cool, independent pet shop down here is closed on Sundays, darnit), and then spent the afternoon at my mom's before putting Karly in her carrier and loading her into the car.

Now normally, Karly H.A.T.E.S. to travel, so you can imagine the return trip both John and I were anticipating. But instead, picture two little people bundled up in their jammies, snuggled with their animals and blankies for the trip home. Nestled ever-so-securely between their car seats sat one elderly cat in her purple carrier. Atop that carrier lay two pudgy toddler hands, one each from Nathan and Abigail, both gently patting the carrier and saying in the sweetest voices, "Hi Karly" and "It's okay, Karly." The usual panicky meowing was so much calmer and eventually all three went to sleep...Abigail with her hand still outstretched to comfort the kitty she so desperately wants to squeeze.

Conversations of the Day

(Discussing what to have for lunch while driving in the car)

Me: How about ABC soup and peanut butter and jelly?

N: Yeah, that sounds good. (Thinking...) How about Cars soup (noodles shaped like Cars characters...total gimmick)? I don't like ABC soup...it has 'eewww' stuffs in it.

Me: What is 'eeww' stuff?

N: Vegetables...Cars soup doesn't have vegetables in it.

Me: (Trying sooo hard not to crack up and wondering what happened to my "all foods are delicious, even the healthy ones" boy...guess he's really growing up!)

Later in the afternoon, while pretending to be a fireman...

(Carrying bicycle pump around) Look Mommy, this is my hose!

I know, I need my jacket! (Runs off to get fireman raincoat).

Can you help me put it on, Mommy? (I help so he can put his arms into the sleeves and I pull the hood on...I purposefully leave the clasping to him because he always wants to do that himself)

Looks at me "Mommy, help me with the seat belts!" (love it!!)

Uses his bike pump/fire hose a few times and then exclaims, "I need a mask!"

(Me thinking on my feet)I grab a paper cup, some yarn, and voila! A real fireman! He worked on figuring out some sort of air tank next, but we never did come up with anything...he was happy enough with his get-up though...so fun!

Life in Snippets

Yes, it's been ages. Yes, there is sooo much to share. No, I don't have time for that right now. But it did occur to me one day this week that posting my news on Facebook is fun and all...but will I have access to all of it later? Since my life right now is one of constant doing/cleaning/cooking/running/folding/playing.... I'm not all that consistent with chronicling my children's baby- and toddlerhoods. Yeah, I know everyone says they have that problem when the second kid comes along, but literally...Nathan hardly has any photos in an album, Abigail has almost no photos of herself printed (there are photos, don't worry), and I fear that I'll turn around and they'll be off to college and I'll have nothing documented (or worse, that my mommy-brain will be permanent and irreversible so I won't even remember that I raised them!)! So, snippets it is for now...

Sweet Boy

It was bedtime and I was talking with Nathan about the upcoming events of Reno Grandpa's memorial service, in the best 2-year-old language I could. Since the kids will stay home while we go to the memorial service itself, I focused on the luncheon afterward. I told him we were having a big party to celebrate that Grandpa is in heaven now with God. His little face lit up and he said with such excitement, "Is God coming to my house??" May he always love parties this much, may he always remember his Grandpa, and may he always always always want God to come to his house.