It's so amazing watching Peep learn to talk...

Some of the words she puts her own interesting twist on:
Milk - molk, molko, MOLKOOOOOO
Snack - nack, nacko
Pumpkin - pumpball
Nana - papa, mom-o, nani
Dog - dado, dawg
Cousin - E-hee, E, E-an
J Cousins and J aunt, uncle - Geegee
Tractor - dracdoor

She says a bunch of other words and in the last few weeks has started repeating words we say, what a little character.

Some funny stories of late.

This a.m. I go in to Peep's room to get her up and instead of her usual speech (daddy, papa, booboo, baby, etc.), she says, "Uh oh."  I take a closer look and she'd pulled one of her arms out of her pajamas.  I went and got the camera and she smiled really big for a picture. haha!

Yesterday I was in the kitchen writing a grocery list and Peep runs up, hands me her diaper and says, "I take this off."  Then runs away.  I had to chase her around and around before I finally caught the naked little character.

I took her downstairs at my folks over Christmas and changed her diaper and took off her pajamas. She got away from my mom and I and went all the way upstairs by herself.  Once she got up there she started running up and down the house giggling and shrieking.  She loves putting one over on her Mommy.  :D

Good reads of 2010

I love to read...  When I was a kid my mom would take me to the library and I'd get a big pile of books.  A few days later when I'd read them all, I'd beg her to take me back.  I'm still reading, and thought I'd share some faves.  Here's 2009's list, and here's my 2010 list.  Enjoy!!!

Such a Pretty Face and Henry's Sisters by Cathy Lamb, she's SO good.

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

Bread Alone by Judith R. Hendricks

True Colors by Kristin Hannah

The Apothecary's Daughter by Julie Klassen

The Reluctant Heiress by Eva Ibbotson

The Thing about Jane Spring by Sharon Krum

Merry Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

My what a difference a year makes.  Peep has changed SO much it's hard to believe.  This is her, last Christmas, click here.

Now she is talking saying new words every day.  She is walking, running, climbing.  She has been walking around with her afghan on her head.  She comes up and hugs me and pats me on the back looking like Cousin It.  She's been sleeping through the night since July.  Loves dogs, babies, kids, people, horses, and on and on.  Talks about her Papa (which I've learned she calls Nana too, so it's grandparent encompassing) and cousin K* all the time, along with our dog and the neighbors dog.  She loves for her daddy to hide under a blanket sitting on the couch, she pulls the blanket off and he chases her snorting and growling.  She laughs her head off and the minute he stops she says and signs "more?".

To add to our joy, we are expecting baby #2.  We're excited and nervous...  I'm not sure how I will corral two munchkins and get them out of the house, it'll be interesting!

Safe travels everyone!  See you next year!

Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer!

Just saw a cute article on wrapping ideas for the holidays on Etsy:
http://www.etsy.com/storque/how-to/how-tuesday-last-minute-packaging-round-up-11450/?ref=nf

Hard to believe that it's winter, let alone Christmas...  And the new year, 2011 (holy crap!!), is just around the corner. I remember hearing the adults at family get togethers talk about how fast time went and I thought they were crazy! Time dragged waiting for Christmas, draaaagged waiting for summer, draaaaagged waiting for my birthday, draaaaaaaaaaaaagged waiting to grow up.  Wow, how that has changed!

Who knows what the new year will bring for us! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Painting painting painting!

Flutterby 11x14" Acrylic on canvas

Commissioned piece just finished!  I hope the commissioner (?) likes it.  She requested a butterfly and left it to me to sort out the style and doing so has sent me on a bug kick, so expect to see more bug paintings coming up!

I used real acrylics rather than craft acrylics on this and I must say I have been converted.  They are SO much nicer than craft acrylics!!!  I thought they'd be a lot more expensive, but they aren't, especially if you catch them on sale. 

You know...  it takes me longer to finish a painting with a small one to chase and wrangle, but it's as satisfying as ever.