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.