Cookie Baking

We all did some holiday cookie baking yesterday. Andrea came over to take pictures, I mean help, and Heather and Connor showed up as well. It was quite the scene.

Here are Eliza and Connor helping to mix some cookie dough... Connor decided it was also a good time for some smooching.

Here Eliza returns the favor.
Post nap, Eliza worked on her rolling skills.
Then she cut out some shapes. I'll admit, she didn't quite get the whole just push down on the cookie cutter part, so most of the cookies have little finger prints in them for that extra special homemade touch!
And then there was this moment. I could explain it. But it wouldn't make any sense. So why bother? Just enjoy the insane picture.

Young Love

I'm so far behind in posting anything that I've given up trying to do it in a coherent or linear fashion. Instead, here is a paean to best friends and young love. Also to summer, since it's now cold and gray here in Chicago!

This is from Labor Day weekend in Michigan. Eliza and Connor LOVED the fountain (here they just got sprayed in the face...special thanks to Jamie for all the awesome pics):

Well, I said it was young love, didn't I?

Can't you just picture them 60 years from now still rocking on the porch?
The happy couple contemplates the view.
And in case you think it's just a summer romance, fear not...love knows no weather.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

The Endorsement

Forget the New York Times or the Washington Post or even the Chicago Tribune. THIS is the political endorsement everyone has been waiting for. Please also appreciate Eliza's brief homage to Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford (could her Tina Fey/Sarah Palin impersonation be far behind?).

Also, as a footnote, we just got back from the doctor, which is why she has stickers and Band-Aids that must be talked about.

Eliza, Where's Your Head?

One of the favorite activities among Eliza and her cronies these days is watching home videos of themselves and others they know on the computer (blogs are highly useful for this). So in keeping with that and in honor of Eliza's upcoming 2nd birthday, here is some video from her 1st birthday. Enjoy!

Eliza on Parade

Just a few photos of this 'n' that b/c it's been a while...

First up, Miss E. has been teething on and off and when she is, it's hard for her to eat. So nothing makes her happier than when Daddy makes Jello (I won't touch the stuff, yuck!). And where else to eat Jello than on the floor?

Also in the kitchen, Eliza has discovered the fun of making cookies (she "stirs" the dry ingredients and helps hold the mixer for the wet) and the even greater fun of eating the cookie dough. Note the two fisted technique. (And for the egg wary among you, these cookies were made with applesauce replacing the eggs)Next up, we have our fashion show. Eliza has become very particular about what she wears and it often takes everything I have to persuade her than one cannot wear flannel lined jeans when it is 80 degrees outside. Sadly, I didn't get a picture the day she picked out striped capri pants, her way too big Williams t-shirt with none of the colors of the pants in it, and her frog boots. It was special.

One of her very favorite outfits is this Elmo track suit that we found. We call this look "ZaZa from the block."

This might be some sort of hip hop move. I'm not sure.

She also got this adorable dress from some friends in Michigan. I think she likes it.
Why, yes, I am cute, thanks for asking.

Needing a fix

I got an email from Aunt Mary imploring me to post something b/c she was jonesin' for some Eliza...so you can all thank her for reminding me that I had pictures on the camera to download and share with you all.

And speaking of fixes, Eliza has a new hard-core addiction. It's called water. It started with a trip to Foster Beach here at home. She was in heaven.



Then we left for Michigan where she spent nearly all of every day asking to "pay wawer" (for those not fluent in Za Za speak, "play water." It also sometimes sounds like "wadder" or "wahwah."). So we went to the beach a lot where she also threw rocks (about three inches) and swung in the "yewoh swing." If there had been a purkle swing, no doubt that would have been the one, but we were with her - the pink swings were lame.

The other great discovery, though, was the redone waterfront downtown, which included the world's most fabulous fountain. The first time we went was by accident so we were completely unprepared - i.e. no camera, no towel, no change of clothes. But we're no dummies, so here is visit number two.

She starts out dry...
Then does things like this...
Getting wetter...
There's the good stuff!
This is living!!!
It was actually hard to get photos of her as she was usually running away from me to the water. But I did shoot some video that, while it doesn't record any of her beyond delighted shrieking, hopefully captures some of the exuberant joy.

ZaZa and the Purkle Crayon

No, it's not destined to become the next classic in children's literature, but it certainly does describe life around here lately!

To start, Eliza has learned to say her name. Sort of. For a while, she would actually say "Eliza" - except that it took about five minutes to get out and she had to be coached on each syllable (E. pause, pause, pause. Li. pause, pause, pause. ZA!). Now she has discovered that it's both easier and much more fun to refer to herself as ZaZa (insert your own joke about punching cops here).

Next, she has become obsessed with coloring in her coloring book. She's pretty good about not coloring anywhere else, i.e. the walls or the floor. Only a couple of mishaps. Her favorite color, by far, is purple...or as she calls it "purkle." That crayon is worn down far more than the others and you'll notice in these pictures that the majority of the scribbles are, indeed, purkle.
Daddy helps along.
You may have also noticed that she has a real little girl hairdo! She finally started letting me put it in pigtails as we wait for the various lengths to even out. I had to demonstrate on myself first and then she got so much praise from various people that every day she now requests for her hair to be "pretty."

Lastly, way back last October, Eliza's Aunt Mary gave her some fabulous boots for her birthday. At the time they seemed HUGE, being a size 6 and all. Now, however, they fit just fine and Eliza and her daddy took them out for some serious fun during the very heavy rain last weekend. This was before. After was just a big wet mess and they both had to change all their clothes.
We're off to Michigan next week. Hope you are all having a wonderful summer!

Millennium Park Madness!

Last week, we met up with some other playgroup pals for Wiggleworms at Millennium Park. Lots of fun, which we'd like to share with you here.

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands,
...blow a kiss,
...touch your nose,

...or give a hug!
After the music (and after Eliza and Connor tore around the lawn for a while), we all went down to the fabulous fountain to play.
Eliza and Connor were mystified by the shower of water.Run, run, run! Splash, splash, splash!

Rachel knows what it's all about!
Can we come back here every week???

Water babies

Every Sunday, Eliza and Mac go to the YMCA for swim class. There are several positives about this: Eliza gets comfortable with the water; she and Mac get some daddy/daughter time; and I get a much needed 90 minute break each week. However, this past Sunday was the last day of the session, which meant I could come along and take pictures. So here they are (btw, it's really hard to take pictures of moving children in a pool. These are the least blurry of the bunch).


They work on many skills, including jumping off the side of the pool:chasing after balls:
floating on backs:

and generally having a good time.


And because it was the last day of class, Eliza got a gift from the instructors. Yet another rubber duckie for her collection. It's the same gift each session, but this time she got a PRINCESS DUCK!

10 things Eliza has taught me

I didn't think it was fair to keep depriving the world of these pearls of wisdom, so here you go:

• That furry red monster is called "Melmo," NOT "Elmo," as I'm sure many of you thought. Consider yourself corrected.
  
• Peas are an excellent lunchtime food. They are, however, completely unacceptable at dinner time.
• It is impolite to acknowledge one's own poop. Therefore, if asked if you have pooped, the answer is always "no," even when odor and diaper size indicate otherwise.
• As a corollary, it is imperative to point out all other poop, whether in a potty book or a grownup going into our bathrooms or every dog in Chicago.
• Similarly, grownups are woefully ignorant of all water in Chicago and, like poop, it must be pointed out at every turn. Puddles, sinks, fountains, lake.
  
• A book's meaning isn't truly gleaned until you've read it at least ten times in a row. Ditto with songs.
• When one is sick, Jell-O, ice cream, and Motrin are their own food groups. Actually, you probably already knew that.
• Child proof is a misnomer. Child resistant is perhaps a better term. Where there's a will, there's a way.
• Drawers are for standing in.
  
• It's never too soon to start wearing a bra (bikini tops also count).
  

I'm sure there are more than 10, but these will do for now. I hope you are able to learn as I have and apply these teachings to your own lives, which will surely be better for doing so.

Famous Names

This doesn't really have anything to do with us and I know I owe you all a real post (with pictures, yes, Mary), but I did help make this happen for my friend, Kerri, mother to Eliza's friend, Libby. Plus if you're a name nerd like I am, it's interesting:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/136270

And okay, here's a picture to placate the masses. Come on, who among us doesn't like to sit in a rocking chair with a hairbrush and just a diaper on?