A Little Video: Trip to the Zoo

Waiting for the train to leave the station. Ingrid was so excited she started to look worried.

Mark my words, one of these days I will hold my phone correctly/the other way. 

Happy Wednesday!

Weekend Recap: St. Patrick's Day

Happy Monday! Spring might be technically beginning this week but right now, we're seeing snow. That's what you get in Wisconsin. This weekend we had a great time celebrating my girlfriend's 30th birthday, visiting The Waxwing - a little shop that's featuring Dan's artwork this week and toasting Irish coffees in honor of St. Patrick.

Here are some of my favorite moments:

Dancing along to the live band at The Waxwing:

And here's part two:

Dancing can't compete with shiny rings.

Ingrid went from a dancing fool on Sunday morning: 

 

To a sad, sick little patient in the evening:

 

She watched movies while I folded laundry and enjoyed the New Glarus sampler pack (I love this mix of light and dark brews!).

Seriously, I'm a little obsessed with the site SkinnyTaste. I made the Corned Beef and Cabage soup and Skinny(er) Shamrock Shakes yesterday. Dan couldn't stop talking about how good the soup smelled - and tasted - while Ingrid sipped her little shake happily.

I'm not sure if Ingrid's not feeling well or if, like the rest of us, the gloomy weather is finally getting to her. We haven't been able to play outside very long and on Saturday morning she cried during our walk when I told we couldn't go to the park because it was too cold (and too long of a walk). I'm with you Ingrid - bring on the sun!

Play Dough

Last week we made some homemade play-dough. It was incredibly simple to make and Ingrid went bananas. After searching around on Pinterest and realizing we didn't have any Cream of Tarter, here's what I did:

1 Cup Flour

1/2 Cup Salt

1/2 Tablespoon Oil

1 Cup Water

Food coloring

Mix everything in a sauce pan (except the food coloring) until it forms into dough over medium heat. Wait for it to cool. Throw it on wax paper. Mix in some food coloring. Play with play dough. If you store playdough in leftover sour cream containers. Don't mistake playdough container for sour cream. 

I was disappointed when I opened up the "sour cream" to find playdough inside. Here's a video of Ingrid playing with the colorful dough: 

Three things:
1. Sorry about the camera cropping!
2. Dinosaurs are no laughing matter.
3. I'm having a love/hate moment with that completely unnecessary ponytail.

Weekend Recap + Monday Morning Happiness

This weekend was just what the doctor ordered. Dan got over a weird head cold. Laundry was attended to. We looked at some houses that looked promising online. Then, we treated ourselves to the best corned beef hash and Bloody Marys in town because, the houses were not promising, at all.

Ingrid enjoyed some quality time with her Aunt Lauren and was thrilled to watch movies this weekend. She getting a little bug (from Dan, we think) but that little trooper can barrel through it all. I think she has a higher pain tolerance than most and she needs reminders to slow down. Or, are all toddlers this way?

This morning, I stumbled upon this gem of a video, The Scared it Scared. I love it. You'll love it too.


the Scared is scared from Bianca Giaever on Vimeo.

A Smooch Before Dinner

It's nearly impossible to take pictures of Ingrid these days. When she spots a camera, she'll drop everything to rush over to look at the screen (as she likes to put it: "PITCHERS! ME?")

Ingrid finds herself to be pretty awesome and I don't really blame her. 

Ugh, did I really say "Ready Freddy?" Classic Mom move. 

17 Months

In late August, my friend and I were walking around the park. She with her dog and me with Ingrid. Ingrid noticed a group of kids playing a game of faux-baseball and asked to get out of her stroller to "walk" and said "ball". My friend turned to me and said "When did she become a little kid?"

Last month, Ingrid turned into a little kid (sort of). She's taller, more stable on her feet and loves to talk. 

With each passing month, I like Ingrid more and more. I know I'd mentioned that before and it sounds weird but, it's true. Her personality is warm, she loves kisses and books and above all things, the moon. 

She's starting to join words together, as in "buh-bye Hahpah" and "read book." I know that sounds like small potatoes, but after listening to a year of cooing, signing, babbling and single words, getting a glimpse into Ingrid's thoughts through verbal communication is wonderful. 

It's like listening to a song and understanding the verse, when yesterday you could only make out the refrain. 

16ish Months

When did my baby start playing with babies?

Everything is now a baby. The Glow Worm and stuffed animals are wrapped up in a blanket like a baby. Even the sippy cup gets the swaddle treatment.

We've entered the land of Toddlerville. It's hilarious, weird and taxing.

Last summer, I would hold all fifteen pounds of her and try to imagine how life would be in a year. She would have little thoughts. I would be able to hear her budding voice. Understand her quirks. Know her favorite foods. Plan her sweet little outfits.

12 months later, her thoughts center around Harper, pictures of her cousin Wayne, babies, yogurt, slides, plastic cupcakes and - as embarrassing at it is - Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

Her little voice is slowly perfecting her favorite words. Harper responds to "Hahpa" and I'm thankful she proclaims "EAT" when she's ready to eat.

My favorite Ingrid word, hands down, is "Wayne":

 


(Try not to get too jealous of that cutting-edge phone.) 

Least favorites words include: "No", and "Buh-bye!" as I'm leaving for work.

She loves to sleep with her over-sized stuffed unicorn and is afraid of the vacuum. She gets a kick out of sweeping alongside of us in the kitchen. She helps to get dinner on the table by working in her little kitchen (I know, I know, must not perpetuate gender roles...).

She's becoming a little kid who grow out of her 18-24 month clothes and understand that purpose of the toilet in the near future.

I don't think there's been enough distance between the baby stage and toddler stage to fully appreciate how wonderfully snuggly those short precious baby moments truly are - because I'm so loving her as a bubbly little 16ish month old.

Even though I'm so tired at the end of the day that I might accidentally slam my head on the keyboard if I don't go to bed soon.