Partying onstage at Mississippi Pizza

VK makes a new friend

Dad and VK at the kids JAM-boree at Mississippi Pizza.

Checking herself out.

So embarrasing!

Little Mermaid

Not ready for crayons

Swing

Swing

Swing

Every Picture Has A Story.

It looks like something out of the Blair Witch Project . . . but really it is a picture snapped using my new camera phone. The situation: The weather was nice enough to wash the dogs, so Andrea set out to scrub them up in the driveway, VK was getting a little restless so a change of scenery was in order so I popped a hat on her head and strapped her in the stroller and set her in the driveway to watch Andrea torture VK's dogs with water in late January. I had my new phone with me, and VK was looking cute if not a little concerned for the wellbeing of the dogs so I snapped a few and emailed them to myself. This one was particularly nice because aside from the fact the she is just darn cute and concerned you can see that her hair is long enough to poke out of her tomato hat.

Still I imagine shaky handheld video with some sort of spooky whispered narrative . . .

There is nothing like a comfy couch and a good friend.

VK and Tula the big pink bear learn about numbers from the comfort of the Sesame Street couch.

Out of focus but fabulous nonetheless!

We got toys! Lots of them.

Sensing that our daughter is growing up, and that she has become bored with her current toys we decided to inject some new toys (well . . . new to VK) and get some of the old ones either out, or hidden.

Enter Ebay. Andrea found an auction for a bunch of toys for sale by a woman in Albany. Opening bid was $1.00. When it was all said and done we became the winners of a long list of toys including a popping lawn mower, a fancy play vacuum, a Sesame Street toddler futon, and a ton of other perfectly useable toys. All of this for $10.50 and 3 hours of driving.

VK is blessed with a resourceful mother who wishes to keep her child engaged and boredom free. She also happens to be frugal. Thank goodness.

Now how to manage the complacency issue. 1st we have to get the baby toys outta here. . . in many cases they will just get sent back to their rightful owners who loaned them to us in the first place, in other cases they will be sent to entertain those newly arrived or soon to arrive babies of friends, and if there are any exceptions. . . they will be donated.

2nd we will probably start some sort of toy rotation to take some of the toys out of circulation. I think that a 1 year old's memory is short and that if a toy is out of sight for a few weeks it is probably as good as new when it resurfaces. Plus. . . less for me to trip over.

Bathtime!

Mom got VK a new Scooter

Little Drummer Girl

Gifts from Uncle Steve and Elizabeth!

The nice UPS man arrived with Uncle Steve and Elizabeth's Christmas gifts for VK and she had a great time opening them. All the practice at Christmas paid off and she seemed to know what she was doing.

She loves her gifts (as documented in the photos below), and thanks Steve and Elizabeth.

"Let's see what's in here. . . "

"What's this?!?!"

"I love him! Thank's Uncle Steve and Elizabeth!"

"Wow! Look at this cool book made just for me!"

Grandpa and VK on the drum kit