California Girl

I was very excited for the first snowfall of the winter.  I couldn't wait to take pictures of Esme playing in the snow.  Sledding, snowballs, snowman.  So when we got a foot of snow on Saturday, I was ready to head outside and play.  Someone forgot to tell her that this was going to be fun.

It all started out good.  She was looking out the window, pointing and babbling.  She says "bye, bye" when she wants to go outside and she kept saying it over and over again.  She wanted to go outside!!!

She didn't really like getting all bundled up.  It took way too much time.  There were a few tears, but then finally a little bit of a smile when she knew we were about to go out.

The hardest part about dressing like a marshmallow is that if you fall down, you can't really get up.  Esme took about 3 seconds to fall down once she was standing in the snow.  She was kind of like a turtle on it's back and it was pretty funny (in a cute way).  Funny for the person who's watching anyway, but that was the end of the fun for her.  She refused to walk, or even move.  She just wanted to be carried and refused to be put down on the ground. 

Sledding distracted her from her misery for a few seconds, but mostly Esme looked like this.

This was her face most of the time we were outside.

She would not be dissuaded though.  As soon as we went back inside, Esme was asking to go out again.  "Bye, bye", "bye, bye".  She was not about to be bundled up though, she just wanted to go outside!  It was cold and wet out, but we thought maybe if we let her go outside without her snowsuit maybe she would figure it out.

I'm not sure if it worked or not.  She only made it a few feet out on the deck before she got cold and headed back to the warmth of the house.  But even after she got inside, she still kept asking to go out.  I think what she was really trying to say is that she wants it the way it was last week.  She wants to just go outside and play like she used to.  This winter stuff is for the birds!


Aaron and I agreed that as soon as she's old enough to do so, she's probably going to move to a much warmer location.  Oh well, at least she should enjoy our Hawaiian vacation in January!

On a side note, Kaiser and Cricket loved the snow!

On the trail of something good!

Kaiser loving the weather!

Straw

Esme learned how to drink out of a straw today.  The straw has been her nemesis for awhile now.  She would always chew on it or just hold it in her mouth waiting for something to happen.  But today we went out to dinner and she figured it out.  The look on her face was priceless! :)

Progress: Tears and Cheers

No pictures today, just a story.

Esme has been HATING baths lately.  We've tried everything.  I got in the tub with her - that worked as long as she could sit on my lap and not actually touch the water.  I've showered with her, Aaron's showered with her.  Again, fine as long as she's not actually in the water.  She even plays with the water with her hands, but as soon as we try to get her wet, she screams.   That "my world is ending" kind of scream with crocodile tears. 

Last night we were trying to decide what to do because it was that time again, she needed to be clean.  We hadn't tried a bath for a few times, so we agreed on that.  We tried putting her in and she screamed.  So we slowed down.  First she stood outside the tub and played with the water with her hands.  Then we tried to put her in - no go.  So we had her sit on the edge of the tub and dangle her feet in the water.  She did that for quite awhile and then FINALLY, she got in!  She even played in the water for quite awhile.  We did use soap and wash her up, but we didn't wash her hair.  We figured it was more important for her to be comfortable in the water than to have perfectly clean hair.  But I wet her hair with my hands and she didn't seem to mind so much.  Yaayyy!  Success!  Hopefully, next time it will go as well or even better!

Backing up a bit.  We put a potty chair in the bathroom and she always sits on it right before she gets in the tub or shower.  Nothing ever happens, but she's getting used to the idea of sitting on a chair with a big hole in the middle.  Last night when she stood up, she had actually gone potty!!!  We cheered and clapped our hands and she did too, but I'm pretty sure she had no idea why. :)

Progress...

Disco with snacks!

Esme has discovered light switches.  She likes to turn them off and on - over and over and over again! :)  I feel a little bit like I'm living in a disco-tech!

After working hard on the lighting system it was time to sit down with a snack.  It's always best to share.

And yes, she does have her shoes on with her pajamas.  She insisted...

Tree moving

Aaron and I planted a tree the weekend of our wedding.

We were living in my townhouse at the time, so we planted it in Dan and Barb's front yard.  This weekend we decided to move it to our back yard.

Even Esme and baby helped!

Here's the tree in it's new home.

These shoes were made for walking...

Ok, so admittedly this isn't uber exciting.  But this is one of my all time favorite pictures of Esme so it gets to be on the blog...

We've had a great fall this year.  It's been really warm.  This means lots of walks.  Our pace has slowed down quite a bit though because Esme is more interested in actually walking than riding in the stroller.

Soon it will be cold, but for now we'll keep on walking!

Halloween

This year for Halloween, Esme was a Rainbow Caterpillar again.  That's what she was last year too, but this year she actually fit into her costume!  Remember 2009?

All ready to go!

On my way!!!

First door of the night.