1.31.2012

nelno. alla. and tata.

today was an unseasonably warm winter day and we enjoyed it by going to the central park zoo and nearby playground. since we had only abt 10 minutes at the zoo before closing, sophia ate her snack while watching the sea lions jumping, diving and eating their own meal. then we walked over to the playground, met up with sophia's good friend and played some more. it was a good day.

sophia is nearly 21 months. she is communicating a lot more - still less verbal and more gestural/sign language. each morning she wakes up, calls for mama or baba (sometimes maba, and sometimes tata, who is jungles, her bestest monkey friend or nelno, aka elmo), nurses, goes on the potty (whether she pees or not is her choice and always a surprise to us), reads a few books (usually an alla, aka dora, book), brushes her teeth, eats breakfast and then is ready for the day. each day has an activity or two which helps provide some structure for her and sanity for me.

recently i've been working on the alphabet with her. she knows "O" and will find it and tell me where she sees it. i started playing a game with her that goes, "A" is for audrey, your very good friend. "B" is for baba, who loves you very much. "C" is for cyrus, you saw him today. "D" is for dora, she goes on fun adventures, "E" is for elmo, oh, how you love him, etc... (all the while singing the alphabet tune). it's amazing how she remembers things when she's 'connected' to them. now she will point out E for elmo, J for jungles, S for sophia, O, M for mama, B for baba, D for doo-chi (belly button) or dora.

during naptime and nighttime sleep, sophia always asks for nelno or tata. even though she knows she can't ever take nelno with her (cuz she plays with him too much by banging his plastic eyeballs against the crib) she will still ask each time. thankfully she quickly gives him a kiss and doesn't put up a fight when i say she can't take him. then she asks for tata. she loves tata so much. it's really adorable. her eyes light up and she makes me play this game she's been enjoying where tata's long arms cover his eyes, only to slowly come undone and jiggle towards her. she gets such a laugh from it.

ten things i love about you, my sweet SP.
{1} the way your eyes light up when you find something funny
{2} you doughy legs and chubby feet
{3} watching you sleep
{4} hearing you call 'mama' (over and over and over and over and over again)
{5} your big smile and loud chortle laugh
{6} the way your little legs (and arms) move so fast when you're running
{7} your love for YI
{8} your baobao (hugs) and ching ching (kisses)
{9} nursing time
{10} seeing you become gentler and kinder with your friends

and a proper blog entry isn't complete without some recent photos....