favorite part of the day

I went to the Bookstore today to pick up my robes for graduation. Yes, I'm getting a PhD. As we were walking through the store to the pick-up desk, an employee called to us. She told us she noticed my little girl, and had to prepare this:

Yes, a balloon of her very own. Kiddo was ecstatic. She is fascinated by balloons in stories, and now she had one. By the way, mom, don't touch. She held tight to it all through the store, and the walk to dad's work, and back to the car - except when she saw the exotic fish tank or the puddle. So it was mostly a high point of the day.

As I uploaded the pictures for this post though, I noticed other pictures, so perhaps she had two high points. She was pretty thrilled when her dad pulled out my old school phone for his interview. Here she is talking to no one in particular, but thoroughly enjoying her little talk.

searching for employment

To add to the excitement of me finishing my degree this year, we expect that my husband will too. Which means that he is looking for a job, to support us once our savings dry up. There is a government job he interviewed for, and we would like, and most of the other job hunting has been on hold with the idea: we'll have more information in July.

It is now July, and this is what we know: We'll have more information in August.

There are two pieces of information that are allowing me not scream from the insanity. One: my husband had a phone interview today with a school, so at least there is some progress. And more importantly:

I am sure that Heavenly Father is monitoring this, and has and will continue to guide us as decisions must be made. Sure, I have no idea what the plan is. But I am confident that there is a plan, and that it is still working. There are still a number of paths in front of us, but I am sure that whichever we ultimately take will work for our good. So I have yet to scream or cry from the uncertainty, which is not to say I haven't wanted to. But hope continues to prevail.

not just a pretty face

Kiddo and I just returned from Utah, and visiting much family. (Which was great, and which I intend to chronicle soon.) While there she decided that she is a talker, in the 18-month old fashion, meaning that she follows all rules for talking except you don't know what she's saying. She makes eye contact, has cadence and rhythm, sentences and exclamations, except she's using nonsense syllables. (Or is it me that is using the nonsense syllables, and she is thinking "I wish I knew what mom was saying"?)

At any rate. As is my routine, we were one of the last people to get on the plane. There was a flight attendent behind us, who saw Kiddo and exclaimed at how adorable she is (true story). Kiddo smiled at her, and let forth a big sentence of her words, which seemed clearly a response to the attendent's comment to her. The lady in front of us laughed, and said "She wants you to like her for her brains, not just her good looks."

Good thought.

long and lean

We took Kiddo to the doctor yesterday for her 18 month check-up. She is not fond of the doctor. It was fine while he sat in his chair, and she sat in my lap. But when he came closer, the crying started... Okay, honestly the crying started when she had to be measured on the table. And it didn't really stop until the nurse left. And, to retake up the story, as soon as the doctor came close she started sobbing again. I'm not sure he was able to hear her breathing, because she was making so much noise.

But, for the first time in a while, there were no ominous warnings at this visit. No benign heart murmurs, no low weights, no concern over her language development, just a well-baby. Who is, as he phrased it, long and lean (34 inches, 22 1/2 lbs).

The positive side to the crying, which we had calmed down after the doctor left, and started up when the nurse came back in, was that she was so upset by the whole experience that she missed the shot. Oh, they gave it to her, she just didn't notice. And a few moments later, when we were out of the doctor's office, all was well again.

As for her language development, she is now (sort of) saying "sit" and "kiss." Clearly we tell her to "sit" often because when we say it now she starts to parrot: "sih. sih. sih." And when she kisses her stuffed animals, or dolls, or books, or characters on TV, or the unsuspecting child at the park, she often labels: "tisss."

honkin' big nap

The last two days Kiddo has gone down for her nap about 2 hours after she wakes up, which is totally normal. Then she just sleeps and sleeps and sleeps. Yesterday it was over three hours. Today we are approaching 2 1/2, and I have yet to hear a peep from her.

Is this a strange blessing so I can finish my revisions? Is she super tired? Are we transitioning to one nap? I don't know, but I do appreciate the time to work.

And if this continues once the dissertation is in... what a crazy fun block of time that will be to fill with what I want to do?!

photo documentation

I'm sure that after reading the last two posts you thought: shouldn't there be pictures? Yes, there should be.

This is Michael making her laugh. She pulls his face towards her belly or neck to be tickled by him. Clearly she loves it.

A funny face she makes.

Joy unbounded for the squeaky sheep. She picked this book out herself at the used book sale, and loves it.

Finally, me the day I defended. That's my first picture as a doctor.

3/2 years old

Today Kiddo is 18 months old. Which means she went to nursery at church. While it is odd for me to have 2 hours of her life unaccounted for, it was exciting to listen to the lessons, and actually think about what was being taught. According to my friends who help in nursery, she was a smooth transition. They're not sure she knew or cared that I was gone, she was too busy having fun. (There was the water incident though. The sippy cups were not there, so the cups had no lids. Our daughter knows just what to do with a cup of water - dump it on her lap.)

Of course this means reflection, and there are things I do not want to forget about her at this age. Some that I will share:
1) When she wants to read a book, she walks backward towards you, so that it is easier to sit down. Sometimes she walk backwards for many feet to get to the appropriate lap.
2) If she is not willing to eat the food that is being presented to her, we bring out her pink rubber duck. First she feeds duck, then she will almost always feed herself. As duck eats she announces: "num-num." Duck almost always needs a drink as well. Kiddo make appropriate slurping noises.
3) She can say about six words, when she feels like it. Mama and Dada are two. There is also num-num (if that counts as a word). The rest are "b" words: "ba" (ball), "babee" (baby), and "bow" as in "take a bow." We see where her priorities are.
4) She can recognize the number 4, and when she sees it, she would like to sing a song by Leslie Feist "One, Two, Three, Four."
5) She loves all her animals and dolls. She gives them frequent kisses, plus cradles them in her arms, and pats their backs. Occasionally, she will also kiss mom and dad.
6) She loves going outside. She will stand at the door and push on it until we finally let her go. She knows exactly how to get to the park.

I have always loved her. But recently I have been surprised by the depth of this love. Like a testimony, some days you find suddenly that it is deeper and richer. I recently realized this about my love for her. It is so much fun to help her grow up.