Breakthroughs

I consider this weekend a huge breakthrough in my oldest daughter's communication skills.  She will be two years and three months old soon, and as of this weekend, other people can understand and communicate with her.  Namely, my older sister and niece.  Before, when she did manage to try and speak around them, they needed a translator.  I heard a lot of "I don't speak two year old".  I think most of the time I don't either, I'm just a good guesser, spending so much time with her daily.

I feel that in the past two weeks specifically, her vocabulary as exploded.  She's not only using two and three and four word sentences all of the sudden, but she can also repeat (or try to repeat) just about anything you can say.  Sure, there are lots of letter sounds she doesn't do, but it's huge progress, and relieves some big worries.  I guess deep down I always figured she would be fine.  I just kept telling everyone that she's saving her words up for a special occasion. 

She can't say her sister's name, but she can say part of it, so she calls her Ia, pronouces (eee-uh).  She's also named the baby doll her cousin got her Ia.  She sings the songs we sing to her sister, to the doll also. 

I couldn't be happier that those two love each other so much. 

In an astronomy-related note, there is an event I am thinking of taking the baby along to, since she still refuses her bottle. I promise this is a children's, family friendly, event, and not a particle physics lecture, like last time.

That is all.

Astronomy Makes Me Hungry

I was reading an article on the Lobster Nebula, that came up in my news feed recently.  It made me realize just how many astronomical objects make me hungry.  I'm a huge fan of seafood in general, and I don't always get much time to eat, so chances are I'm hungry at any given point during the day. So, here is a list.

Lobster Nebula-pretty obvious, sea food, McCormick & Schmick, Red Lobster, Sushi

Crab Nebula-yep, crab, particularly crab cakes, which remind me of salmon cakes, so those too

Milky Way Galaxy (our galaxy in case you didn't know)- so many yummy chocolate bars

Sombrero Galaxy-Mexican food, particularly chimichangas

Ring Nebula- Donuts, though I don't eat them often

Horsehead Nebula...I'm just joking, seriously, I don't eat horse, it would make my neighbor very cross with me.

You can stop reading now.  And go bring me some candy bars and sushi.

My kid is awesome

Emily just ran up to me shouting "happy apple!"  I thought she was just happy to be eating it until she turned it around and showed me this. 

Hooray for another two word combo!

Holiday Spirit

Yes, I really did this to my poor children.  And I don't even like Valentine's Day. Look how much she adores big sister.

This child of mine

My youngest is 5 months old.  She refuses to use a bottle.  It's like an epic war movie when I try to give her one.  It's not like I'm forcing formula on the child yet.  It's fresh pumped breast milk.  This is my third type of bottle nipple, and it's met a hair's width more success than the others. 

It's not as if I want to abandon her for weeks at a time.  I just want a few moments to myself, have a glass of wine, or actually attend one of the astronomical society meetings or events.  I don't think I've been to anything in a year.  They probably think I died and didn't leave them my telescope.  I'm not sure they even know tiny astronomer #2 is here.

Still no luck teaching my toddler to say Quasar.  She did, however, use three words in a row this week, and I've never been so thrilled.

Contemplating the Crazy

The other day I received a notice via listserv for an upcoming lecture at the astronomical society on particle physics and the Higgs Boson.  I'm a huge fan of particle physics, because it's insane, and nobody really understands any of it.  Any physicist who tells you they do is lying, or too stupid to understand how small and lost we are in the universe.

Anyways, I really wanted to go see the lecture, but I'm still breastfeeding my 5 month old.  Which brings up my question of the month.  Can you bring a baby to a particle physics lecture?  I didn't, I simply wasn't the brave pioneer I wanted to be, knowing I'm one of the minority being there even without the baby.  Female and under 50.  I wish now, that I had gone, and maybe next time I will.

I was thinking this morning about the crazy that is everyday life with these two girls.  I love the little things they do that nobody else might notice.  My toddler insists on having the stem pulled off of the apple before she will eat it. 

I thought I had won the naked battle this morning.  She's been naked for two days.  So, I started turning the house down one degree at a time until she was cold enough to redress.  No fuss, no screaming, no peeing on the floor.  I got cocky and turned the house back up.  Now she's naked on the couch again.  Does that mean I lose?  Or are we 1-1?

Bringing back more happiness

I feel like 2012 was a rough year on my family.  Parents, Siblings, in-laws, their in-laws.  Family stress, lots of expenses, death, two stressful pregnancies and births.  My dearest youngest daughter and her scares (yes, plural) during deliver, and injury recovery afterward.  Those were some awful sentences there, just a thought.

But 2013 looks promising. 

A year of less expenses, I mean we've practically replaced the whole house and half the appliances in the last 3 years.  Since getting married it was a big garage out back, paying off my car, a new roof, new siding, new garage door on the attached garage, a new washer and dryer, and an addition.  Wow.  That noise?  That was the bank accounts crying out in terror.

A year of less sorrow. There were 4 big deaths in the family in recent years, and that's never an easy thing to heal from.  I see happy, healthy people in the family.  I hope it stays that way.  I hope we all have many happy years left to drive each other insane.

A year of getting more done.  Being pregnant for most of last year was rough.  It was harder than the first time, and scarier.  My youngest was definitely a stressful experience.  But it's a new year, she's growing like crazy, and dealing with two little ones isn't as bad as I expected.  I'm getting more done.  I will get more done.  I'm going to try and write more.  I'm already running again, although slowly for now.  I hope to teach my eldest more things, to read and use the potty and grow things in the garden.  I plan to teach my youngest to sit, and eat solids, and use a bottle someday, and walk. 

We're also all very excited to hear of my brother's engagement.  I feel like he's had a lot of down in his life, and I'm hoping for many happy years of up.  Since he's off being busy and important, we don't get to see him much.  I just want to know he's safe and happy.  We're are all already planning and saving up for the wedding coming spring/summer 2014.  It means I have to fly.  On a plane. 

Looks like 2013 will be a year of overcoming phobias.