HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DADDY!!!

Happy Father's Day to the best Daddy my daughter could ask for and my partner in crime! 

This morning, Zoe went upstairs to wake up her Daddy, so we could start our very busy day...

"Happy Father's Day, DADDY!!!!!!!!!!  Can I tickle your boobies?"

Ah, yes...life with a 3 year old.  It's certainly comical!

What's inside?

There are short little shows between the shows on Nick Jr, and one is a kids' singer, Rachel Coleman who sings a song "Feelings".  One of the lines to her song is to tell her what's inside.

Zoe says, "FOOD!" every time. :)

You spin me right round....

We're getting ready to take Zoe's first trip to Disney World (and Z doesn't know, SHHHH!).  We've been giving her little hints and asking her questions about things for awhile now.  Today, driving home, I asked her if she'd go on the tea cups if we went to a carnival.  Yes, I'm fully aware that there are no tea cups at a carnival, but that's besides the point.  And, I'm fully aware that soon, Zoe is going to catch onto this line of questioning.  But, I'll use it until I can't anymore! :)

Anyway, so, I ask her that.  She said she'd go on that (but not a roller coaster because THOSE go up to the moon, apparently).  I said, well, they spin in circles, like the Chipmunks do here.  She immediately starts singing, "You spin me round round BABY round round like a RAH-KAH  baby."  She repeated that a number of times...getting sillier and sillier.  Oh, how I wish I had a video camera with me at that moment and wasn't driving.  :)

Ask her to sing that song to you.  It's quite humorous!

Is there a pause button??

The other day, I had to make a cake for my 8th graders who were moving onto the high school.  It's a special thing I've done the last couple of years, since I've had these guys for 3 years...

Anyway, I had Zoe help me out.  As we're doing this, the Electric Company is on tv in the background...she loves this show.  But she was VERY focused on stirring.  She told me that the show was on but she couldn't turn to look because she was busy.


Then....
'mommy, we'remakingacakeforyourstudentsatschool.Igettostiritall.Iwanttogotoyourschooltoseeyourkids,butIcan'trightnowbecausetherearenokidsandnoteacherstheresotheschoolisclosedrightnow.we'remakingthecakeinstead." 

Oh. My. Goodness. I'm not sure she took a breath.

THAT is how it's like with Zoe when she's excited for something.  Today, walking into Target, there was something similar.  I couldn't pick up nearly as many words, but somehow she was talking about dinosaurs, Father's Day gifts, and her friend Mason's birthday gift.  Woah..

Zoe-Speak

Zoe's got a great vocabulary, and knows how to say a lot of things--as you all know. However, there are times when she wants to say something but just doesn't know quite how to say it...

"Mommy, can you mark with me?" (she wants me to color with her using her dry erase markers)
"Mommy, can you art with me?" (She wanted me to make art projects with her with her stamps)
"I'm gonna beat you up!" (She really means she is going to beat us running up the stairs).

Zoe the Artiste...

Zoe wants to DESPERATELY learn to write her letters. So, today, at her art table, we got started. She wanted me to show her how to make an A--I did, and she traced it. Then, she wanted me to make others, and she was able to do it herself. Unprompted, and without a model, Zoe then wrote a T (she asked me to make a B, but decided SHE would write the T)....As Zoe says, "Check it out!"



Then, she had enough, and decided she wanted to draw people. Up until today, that meant WE would do the drawing and she would just scribble. I asked if she wanted me to show her how....I showed her a simple smiley face, and gave her the language "Draw a circle, make the eyes, nose, and mouth." Here's the proof...


This is me, apparently.


This is Peanut on the left, and "Peanut Daddy". If you look, you can see Peanut's ears on either side, and a tail. :)


This is the best...This is a picture of "A" at daycare. Anyone who knows her knows that she has a MOP of black hair--seriously, the most hair I've ever seen on an infant. I reminded Zoe to remember A's hair, and she said, as she was drawing, "I can't forget her ponytail". It's not too far off from the real kid. :)

So, Peanut's going nutty and crying and making all kinds of racket. (I personally think she needs her litter box changed--this is usually what it means). Anyway, Zoe's all concerned and can't get past it. I tell her she has to ignore it, and it'll stop soon. Then she stops and says, "You know, I think she's asking me to read to her. I can't do it now because I'm eating. When I'm done eating my dinner, I can read to her. Is that okay, mommy?"

Yes, Zoe, it sure is.

Mother's Day and other stuff...Last backtrack post.

For Mother's Day, I got flowers...My first dandelion bouquet. Zoe said that the flowers are for each of us, in order from left to right, Noah, Zoe, and me...her words, not mine.


rare shot of Momma and Zoe :)


Zoe and Daddy fooling around :)

Phew, and that should be it!

Backtracking Post #7, big girl bed!

Zoe is officially in a big girl bed. We converted her crib into a toddler bed, and she LOVES it. We've had no issues of her getting out of bed when she's not supposed to. In fact, in the morning, she's allowed to get out of bed and get a book/toys from her room and play quietly. But, she won't. She insists on hanging in her bed until we tell her it's okay! :)

Backtracking Post #6, Easter

All dressed up and ready to go...




This is my personal favorite. :)


hunting for eggs...


The only pic where both Zoe and Brody were facing the same direction..:)




Zoe dyed more eggs with Auntie Darcy while Brody...


stole Zoe's hat. :)

Backtracking Post #5, Just like Daddy...

Backtracking Post #4, Artist in Residence

(BTW, those oil crayons are terrible...they get all over every.thing.you.touch.and.then.some. So, we replaced them with dry erase markers)...




Contemplating her next creation. :)

Backtracking Post #3, princess Zoe

We all know Zoe loves to dance and pretend to be a princess....what a better thing to do than combine the two??


That's actually not, "wait a second", she's counting to start her dancing with the ballerina DVD.


Ah yes..such a polite princess. So discreet.


Doing her own thing...

Backtracking Post #2, playing around

How we spend a vacation day...Taking care of babies.


Very serious stuff...




Noah fooling with my remote for the camera...it works. :)


Love this girl!

Backtracking Post #1, Zoe's birthday...

Okay, I stink, I know. It's May 14, 3 months after Zoe's birthday, and I'm just NOW posting pics. Whatever. :P

The festivities started when Gaga, Papa, and Uncle G came over to deliver Zoe's doll house, something Auntie Darcy played with as a kid. This was also so that Uncle G could spend time with Z for her birthday, since he had to work on the actual day of the party...


Think she likes it??


Love this pic!


This was the cake for our little princess this year....

Then it was time for some fun at Imajine That with friends and family...

Zoe with Morgan, our neighbor.


cousin Brody


cousin Emma


Mason patiently waiting for juice and pizza


cousin Jacob--he was a bit pooped from all that playing.


Zoe's friend Logan from daycare


Opening gifts, with a little help from Morgan and Victoria


Friend hugs with Victoria


Opening gifts ON her birthday from Mommy and Daddy


Apparently Tinker Bell had enough and was hitting the wine bottles...I just had to post this because it's so funny.

So, as you can see, Zoe had a VERY nice birthday, and a very belated THANK YOU to all who came. :)

drive by...

Z: I don't want this pop anymore...I want another.

me: That's the only pop you get. If you don't like it, put it on the counter.

Z: I'll keep licking it to be sure.

**Yes, I know I'm long overdue. Big post coming with lots of pics and updates. :)

Anyone have an application to Harvard??

So, this morning, Zoe was in the kitchen with Noah getting something from the fridge. On the floor next to it, we have some bottles of soda and juice.

Zoe: Look, there is a LOT of drinks! 1, 2, 3, 4 drinks!!

Us: yes, Z, very good!

Zoe: Aaaaand, if you take one away, you have THREE!!!

Um, wow.

Zoe Philosophy 101

"If something itchy itches you, it's itchy."

What a sneak...

Today, being Valentine's Day, Zoe got a small gift bag for the day (yes, in addition to her birthday gifts). Inside was about 10 chocolates, and of course, she wanted some...at 6am. Noah told her no, because it was too early. He apparently dozed off on the couch for a few minutes, and the next thing he knows, he wakes up and sees *5* wrappers on the floor.

Zoe told me, later in the afternoon, when she saw the remaining chocolates way up on the counter, "Daddy wouldn't let me eat my chocolates," while hanging her head with a pout that said, 'I'm going to look cute and maybe Mommy will give me them!!'. I saw that there had been some missing, but didn't know why.

And no, I didn't give them to her. :) She still needed to eat dinner!

Happy 3rd Birthday!!!

Happy 3rd birthday to the happiest, most energetic, lovable, empathic, fun-loving, smart, beautiful little girl I know. She has brought us more joy than we could imagine. She taught us love that we never knew existed. We love you Zoe...you're the best thing that's happened to your Mommy and Daddy.