Narventures: November 2014

Halloween in our neighborhood is a BIG production! It starts on the saturday before the 31st, with a block party just on our cul de sac. The party doesn't start until 6pm so we knew we wouldn't be staying long with a tired (no nap that day) and cranky toddler. I had big plans to have a Sesame Street family costume theme with Davy in her Abby Cadabby costume, me in my Super Grover costume, and Aunt Rachel in her Cookie Monster costume. (Mike was in Atlanta for this day, so Elmo would join us for halloween night).
Davy loved her wand… but haaaaated the tutu. I got it up to her knees- and the screaming started. So I showed her her cupcake costume- no go. She then went to her closet and picked out her favorite dress, a ballet leotard hand me down from Cousin Maddie.
With all of the costume drama, I didn't have time to get dressed up. So Aunt Rachel was the only one in a Sesame Street costume, which was hilarious. (see pics below).
Bubba Zellie and Grandpa Howard were with us too, but no pictures of us all! Thank goodness they were with us too, we needed all hands on deck chasing after this toddler! She heard the music and was off and running!

Friday night we were ready for the big day! Last year Dayvia was asleep and in bed at 7pm on Halloween night. This year she was with us for all of it! We had our close friends Lia, Paul, and Roma (also 19 months) over for the festivities. We took the girls trick or treating- 3 houses- and then sat on the front porch to hand out candy. We had over 500 kids, so we were busy! I made a big pot of vegetable/bean soup, and we all took turns eating dinner and feeding the girls and handing out candy. At one time we were all outside on the front porch, passing out candy, holding the girls in our laps, talking with the kids who came up. So much fun!

I have never loved halloween as I HATE scary stuff. I hate haunted houses and scary movies. But I love halloween in our neighborhood!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hating this costume!

Mimi (no costume), Dayvia the ballerina, Aunt Rachel- cookie monster!!

She was running around and dancing so much at the block party that all of my pictures are blurry!

950 pieces of candy

She LOVED Daddy as "Elllmoooo"!!!

Super Grover, Elmo, and our little cupcake

I carved pumpkins! My first time ever, so fun!

This is a more realistic photo, ha!
Mimi, Dayvia, Lia, Roma

The "Owls" family
Lia, Paul, and Roma

Trick or treating for the first time!

A year and a half…..

A YEAR AND A HALF?!?!

How did that happen?? She is growing so fast, so TALL, so smart, so beautiful. We are basically obsessed with her.

FIRST CLEAR SENTENCES
"Whas dis?"- (what's this?)
"Mama? Where's da dada?" (da = the)
"Mo peeese"- (more please)

NEW WORDS
"Maddie" or sometimes "Manny" (cousin and her friend Maddie)
"knock knock"
"poo poo"- (when she has to go #2!)
"woah woah woah"
"wait wait wait"

ALL THE WORDS SHE SAYS (i'm probably forgetting a lot)
Mama, Dada, baby, Bubba, ball, book, pay (play), shoes, socks, onside (outside), mo (more), peeese (please), gahsahs (gracias), thank you, seep (sleep), oh no!, nana (banana), apoo (apple), pear, muk (milk), aqua, kakaw (cracker), feeesh (goldfish crackers), cheese, dooce (juice), pissa (pizza), fok (fork), Dash (her friend), Raydoo or Ach (aunt rachel), Elmo, sit, walk, gas (grass), eyes, nose, hair, teeth, ears, feet, toes, hands, knees, chin, mowwwse (mickey/minnie mouse), counting to 10

FAVORITE FOODS
Maccaroni and cheese
Pizza
Broccolini with lemon, garlic, and salt
Black bean soup

FAVORITE TOYS
Little figurine dolls. Specifially superman, wonder woman, mickey mouse, minnie mouse, Princess Sofia and her friends.

FAVORITE TV SHOWS
Princess Sofia
Sesame Street

FAVORITE BOOKS
Pajama Time
Goodnight Gorilla
Goodnight Moon
Dora Goes To The Beach

FAVORITE ACTIVITIES
Going to the park
RIE class
Mommy/Me at Temple Beth Hillel
MyGym
Playing outside in the backyard
Taking walks in the neighborhood

BEST FRIENDS
Dash Wanger (18 months)
Roma Bloom Willis (18 months)

DEVELOPMENTS
Counts to 10 in english! Can count to 10 in spanish with some assistance.
Dayvia loves to pretend. All she wants to play with are her dolls or anything kitchen related. She feeds her dolls, bathes them, covers them with a blanket. And then she whips something up for dinner with her bowl and whisk and pours lots and lots of drinks and "sips" them.

This month cousin Maddie came to spend the weekend with us! Maddie is a special kid. She is incredibly generous, compassionate, intelligent, and responsible. Sometimes she will be talking and I'll look at her and think, YOU'RE TEN! How are you so wise??!! AND- Maddie came up with the name Dayvia- so she's super creative and we owe her for picking the coolest most unique and beautiful name EVER!!! :)

Dayvia's due date was one day before Maddie's birthday, so one day I had this conversation with Mads.

Mimi: You know there is a possibility that the baby will be born on your birthday, how do you feel about that?
Maddie: Oh! It's great!!! That would be the best birthday present ever!! Plus… we'd save money on parties!

Maddie is always making us laugh with her quick comebacks and memorable one liners.
Two of my favorite moments from the weekend were these:

(saturday morning at breakfast)
We sat down at the table, Mike wiped down the high chair, I put the disposable place mat down, we wiped her hands, put on her bib, set her up with her toys while we waited to order.
Maddie- "so…yeah….this is a lot harder than I thought. I mean, I just thought… you sit down, you give her some food."

(saturday night, 10:30pm, Mike and I just got home from Erin & Mike's wedding.)
Maddie had stayed up with the babysitter and Dayvia who wasn't sleeping. We open the door and Maddie comes to greet us. Her hair is in a messy side bun, her eyes are half closed, she has the look of a new mother adjusting to lack of sleep. She says, "good. you're home. I'm going to bed."

We love you Maddie!!! Come stay with us anytime!!!!!

The month was full of fun times. Maddie, Bubba & Grandpa, some time with Aunt Rachel, play dates and lots of time outside.
We are enjoying the end of summer… although it is HOT and it feels like summer is here for a while longer!

Dayvia Hope- you are our joy!!