What better way to spend a rainy day...

...then curled up at home with a bowl of popcorn, listening to Christmas music and the rain coming down.

With our drought, we really need this rain. Although I feel for U. who had to drive in the rain to the office.

It was Astrid's first time seeing & eating popcorn. "Popcorn for Astrid?" she asked. She loved it. I just had to make sure she didn't eat any unpopped kernels at the bottom of the bowl. She told me something was stuck in her teeth, and once she got out it "I got it mommy!" (she wouldn't let me help her) she showed it to me and asked me what it was. Pretty entertaining to watch my kid experience popcorn for the first time.

She looks like a Christmas Angel

A lady at Trader Joe's she saw Astrid and said, "How adorable! She looks like a Christmas angel!"

Astrid plays with her old friend Gabriela in gymnastics class

Gabriela is a friend of Astrid's from the old gymnastics class. She stopped going to gymnastics months ago and we haven't seen her since, until today when she reappeared in class. Both girls were happy to see each other and play together.Here they're sharing and putting the clown face puzzle pieces together.Gabriela would hand the pieces to Astrid, and Astrid would put them together on the stand.Teamwork!Gabriela didn't mind sharing with Astrid, but she did not want to share with the older girl Lindsay. Lindsay kept asking for cones but Gabriela kept hoarding them to herself. So I asked Astrid to share her cones with Lindsay. What did Astrid do? She took a handful of cones from Gabriela's stack and handed them to Lindsay. All 3 girls were happy. My daughter the peace keeper.

Astrid's friends in gymnastics class

This past month we had a small group of kids (friends) for Astrid: 1) Dylan (Astrid treats him like a doll and loves playing with his older sister Lindsay who has her gymnastics class at the same time with another teacher), 2) Sebrina (the little Korean girl), 3) Pilar (Astrid also loves playing with her older brother and sister after class), and 4) her old friend Gabriela (who is taking a break from gymnastics class and is just auditing the class this week).
The kids waiting for Ms. Iris to hand out stickers at the end of gymnastics class.

Astrid's 1st Flu Shot

Astrid had her first flu shot today.

Last year U. and I decided to forgo giving Astrid a flu shot because we were worried about her being so young, but this year they are recommending flu shots for children 2 years and up, and we decided it's better to get the shot than worry about her coming down with the flu that could be deadly.

Astrid did really well. She cried of course, but after the Band-Aid was put on her arm, she pretty much stopped. It helped that I was able to explain to her what was going on and why we were doing it - and she's old enough to understand now.

Afterwards she said, "I get shot so no get sick."

I called U. up to let him know how it went and Astrid told him over the phone, "Papa I have sticker." She did get a sticker on the way out, but she was referring to her Band-Aid .

She also said, "I cry a little bit. Sorry." I responded, "It's okay. Everybody cries a little bit sometimes. You did really well. Mommy's proud of you."

We have to go back in a month for another shot. Kids under 9 years of age get a 1/2 dose the first time and have the next 1/2 dose a month later.

Riding her pony

Astrid can now climb up and down from her pony and rock it back and forth all by herself.

Things she says at 2 1/2 years old

kay-cakes (pancakes - U. makes homemade German pancakes with jam which Astrid loves.)

I wake up already. (It's funny when she she says it hours after she's woken up; as if it took her that long to fully wake up. Not so funny when she says it to mean she doesn't want to go to sleep.)

Astrid's house. (I remind her that it's "our" house, to which she responds - "Our house? Mama, Papa, Astrid?" But then minutes later she's back to announcing that it's "Astrid's house.")

Neighbors sleeping? In crib? (One night I was explaining to her that it was dark outside which meant it was sleep time, and she asked me if the neighbors were sleeping too. Our next door neighbor is 95 years old, so it's not a stretch to think that she's probably in bed by 7:30 or 8:00 every night. So I said, "Yes, the neighbors are sleeping." Then Astrid asked me if they were sleeping in their crib. I had to chuckle picturing our adult neighbors curled up in the fetal position in cribs like the Cheech & Chong movie. But I knew what she meant so I said, "Yes, they're sleeping in their beds.")

Mama's gym clothes (She likes to point out when I'm wearing my workout outfit.)

This one okay. (We allow Astrid to watch Sesame Street in the morning, but occasionally it'll be too early for Sesame Street, or on the weekends it's in Spanish and we have to search around for another kid appropriate show. She'll let us know when there's one she wants to watch by announcing "This one okay!" Rude awakening when we say "No, this one's not okay".)

Mama tired? Astrid tired too! (Usually followed by a yawn. It does no good to say it, but I say it anyway - "You should sleep longer and then you wouldn't be tired.")

So cute. (She uses it to describe baby animals, dolls, and babies in general. Today she kissed a baby boy's foot and said "So cute!")

Too spicy (Either posed as a question before she tries something new, or a statement in which case she'll spit it out and refuse to eat it. Tonight however she had curry for the first time, which I diluted to make it less spicy for her. After tasting it she announced "Not too spicy. Yummy.")

I close my eyes little bit. (Sometimes said when we're driving back from my parents' place and she wants me to know that she's going to close her eyes and get a cat nap in.)

I wanna see Mama. (After she wakes up in the morning, she comes to my room and watches Sesame Street while lying with me in bed. That way I can get a few winks in. She doesn't mind me closing my eyes, but she wants me facing her so she can see my face. If I get uncomfortable lying on my right side for too long and turn over she'll tap me on my back and say "I wanna see Mama!" so that I'll turn back around. Although the other day after lying with my back towards her for awhile, I turned back over thinking that she'd want to see my face and she said, "It's okay mom. Turn over and close eyes. Go sleep.")

Where Astrid glasses? (Astrid sees me wearing glasses and wants to know where hers are. I remind her that she has sunglasses, but she knows they're not the same as the ones I wear inside the house. When I get out of bed in the morning the first thing I do is reach for my glasses on my nightstand - but being fascinated with my glasses - she'll run over and get them for me - and she's always trying to snake them off the bathroom counter to play with. I have to make sure they're always out of reach. I don't understand the fascination with them, and also with my contact lens case, but I just hope she never has to wear glasses.)

Honey! (When calling for U. Obviously it's because she's heard me calling U. honey, but it's still hilarious.)

I'm okay now. (Said after any fall. I love this about her - that she'll pick herself up, dust herself off, and move on. Sometimes I still have to make sure she's really okay because she's so quick to announce that she's okay. Also said after she's been cleaned up, after a scare, and when she has everything she needs.)

Parental Empathy

"It's not the temper tantrums that get to me, it's the whining." This was said by U. after spending 4 days at home with Astrid over the Thanksgiving holiday.

U. is a devoted father and he works a lot. The most common phrase Astrid uses when talking about her dad is "Papa go work" or "Papa working". So to be home for 4 straight days over the Thanksgiving holiday was a real treat. Both father and daughter got to spend a lot of one on one time together.

And now U. has a better understanding of what it's like to spend 24/7 with a 2 1/2 year old - all the joys and tribulations. =)

Shopping and found a furry funny hat

This morning I had to take my car in for a scheduled maintenance, and since it's close to Glendale Galleria, Astrid and I did some shopping while our car was getting serviced.

The children's clothing dept. was turned upside down by the Christmas shoppers and there was stuff lying on the floor which Astrid would pick through and look at - including this funny hat.

Astrid and I laughed and laughed and laughed. Is it a bear's head? Beats me what it was doing in the children's section but it was so ridiculous that I had to take a photo of it.

LADWP Light Festival in Griffith Park - a pedestrian only evening

Ice Skating with Mama & Papa

Today we went back to to Pershing Square for more ice skating, and this time U. was able to join us. Such a cute pic of us standing together on the ice. Too bad Astrid's eyes are closed.

This time around with U. there, it made it so much easier to ice skate around the rink with Astrid. He would hold her one hand and I'd hold the other, to keep her balanced and standing upright.Astrid helping Papa with his ice skate.

Astrid would get tired and wanted to get off the ice (only to return a few minutes later) so U. and I took turns leaving the rink with her so the other one could skate around. Eventually U. left with Astrid so that I could take advantage of the full hour we paid for, since I'm the better skater of the two of us."Skate at your own risk is right!" U. was holding Astrid when she started kicking - with her ice skates on - and the sharp end went right into his knee cap full force, like an ice pick. Note to self: never hold a child wearing ice skates.

I give him credit for not using any bad expletives. Not even under his breath. He just took it like a man and walked it off. After ice skating, again we walked around the Pershing Square fountain. (Astrid loves fountains.)It's a nice fountain, but there are many homeless people who like to sit around it and hang out. I used to go there sometimes on my lunch break (for their concerts in the park) when I worked downtown, but with a kid I feel much more protective. Especially after my coworker told me about how one homeless man with a large dirty blanket stood next to him at the corner, waiting for the light to turn so they could cross, and when the man opened his blanket a gust of wind blew right into his face carrying with it whatever was in the man's blanket. When he got back to the office my friend went to the restroom to wash up and noticed a single lice in his eyebrow. Good thing he was almost bald!
Whoa check out the fountain's water mommy!A beautiful, sunny LA winter day.Security approached us shortly after this photo was taken and told us we were not allowed to walk on the fountain's rocks. Um..okay. First time I've heard that, but maybe it was just because we got too close to the water.

Thanksgiving Evening (walk before dinner & candles)

We decided to get out of the house and take a walk before dinner.
U. lights up the house beautifully with candles on Thanksgiving (and Christmas).

Thanksgiving - Turkey time!

*Yawn* - Is the turkey done yet?