Tea Party

This morning David, Carly, and I had a tea party this morning. While this was not our family's first "tea party," but it was our first "virtual" tea party. David is still in China, so while we were chatting through the computer Carly went and got her plastic stacking cups. She handed out the three smallest cups to us. She got the smallest, I got the middle sized, and David got the largest. After all three of us took a drink she was off to get us more water from the sink and facet in her play kitchen. Once our cups were all filled up, we all took sips again. One day our tea parties will look more like a tea party with a tea pot and small little cups, but I really enjoyed our virtual pretend water party today. :-)

Sorting

Carly, her Aunt Julia, and I have been working on Carly's 2nd birthday party over these past few days. One of the tasks we needed to accomplish was the sorting of red, green, and white pom-poms. Thankfully, Carly was very interested in this task and sorted two large bags for us!

Waiting!

This is how Carly waits for her daddy to call...

Five Days Down...

Carly and I returned this morning from spending a few days with my parents. We arrived around lunch time on Friday and spent the remainder of our day playing and exploring.

Saturday began with meeting Robert out for breakfast and then a trip to a local toy store. My goal was to find a few items Carly really liked to spend my two Groupon certificates on and call it a morning. Unfortunately, Carly had alternative plans. She spotted the baby doll section immediately, shouted "BABY," and promptly began playing. Over the next hour she fed the babies, pushed them in strollers, carried a bucket style carrier/carseat around, and had an absolute ball. I purchased an item with my coupon, my mom purchased one with her coupon, and we had a strategy for spending the remaining coupon we were both in possession of. Unfortunately, our desire to leave did not match Carly's. She genuinely had her first, public kicking and screaming tantrum right there on the floor in the middle of the baby doll section. Over my shoulder she went and out the door we went. It really broke my heart to see her so upset, especially since two of her favorite items had been purchased, wrapped, and were on the way home with us. She had also managed to play right up until her normal lunch time, so I knew in addition to not wanting to leave she was also hungry and tired - not a good combination.

Sunday, thankfully, was much more low key. With the exciting time coming after dinner when my family cooked s'mores.

Yummy!

Grandpa, Please hold my s'more please, but don't eat it!

Telling Grandpa all about something.

I need a paper towel.

Carly and I are now settled back in Cornelius, with our heat turned on (it was 64 degrees in our home when we got back today), and anxiously awaiting Aunt Julia's arrival tomorrow. Five days down, and 11 more to go!!

You Would Have Never Thought...

that Carly is not an avid eater based on her performance tonight.

Our dinner plans evolved (aka changed) throughout the day. At first we had planned on grilling, but then changed to spaghetti in hopes of being more accommodating of David's schedule as he prepares to leave for China. Well then, I did a mid afternoon email check and found a recipe from Kraft for Sicilian Sausage & Peppers Rigatoni. For some reason, this recipe hit the spot in my mind and Spaghetti and Meatballs were not going to cut it for dinner. So, at 4:45pm Carly and I headed off to the grocery store to buy the necessary ingredients.

When David got home a few moments after 6, I had the dish in the oven for the 2nd time and was very excited (and slightly nervous about my dinner... based on the photograph I had HIGH expectations for this dish). David inquired about when I planned to start dinner, so I explained our change of plans. At this point I was starting to question what Carly was going to eat. She is a fan of turkey sausage and cheese; however, she refuses bell peppers, pasta, and spaghetti sauce. When dinner was finished, about 20 minutes after we normally sit down to eat, I served her up a cut noodle, a few pieces of sausage, and a cut up strip of bell pepper. She tacked the sausage first, then ventured over to the rigatoni piece. She continued to sign for "more" rigatoni and would accept more sausage on occasion, but she never did touch the bell pepper.

I will not be holding my breath that she will be willing to eat a rigatoni noodle tomorrow, but maybe by Christmas she won't be quite so picky of an eater!

WARNING!!

WARNING: LOCK YOUR DEADBOLTS if Carly comes to visit you. Over the past few days she has been working on opening doors all by herself. In the beginning she would be about 1 for 4 in attempts, now if the door opens to her then she is fully successful. This has been slightly nerve-racking today since both our back door and side door into our garage open towards her and allow her a free escape. The deadbolt has stopped her; however, she understands the concept of the deadbolt and enjoys using it. Unfortunately for her, she forgets which way she needs to turn it prior to messing with the door knob. I am off tomorrow to get door knob covers for both of these doors; however, I've heard they aren't affective long term.

Whee!!

A new slide Carly tried today while at a Teddy Bear picnic to celebrate National Teddy Bear Day!!