Holiday Rules: Get Some asleep

I've seen so many people today express a 'good riddance' attitude about the closing year. 2013 wasn't completely kind to us but it wasn't totally unkind either. 

We won some and we lost some. 

Perhaps, as they say, all's well that ends well. That being the case,

 I am off to bed, for surely there is no better way to end a year! 

To sleep, perchance to dream! 

Food Rules: Bring a friend

I had dinner with two lovely ladies tonight. 

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Jo got this doll for Christmas. I'm thinking of naming her Harriet. She's quickly become a VIP around here. Jo brought her to dinner - quite the little socialite is Harriet! 

Jo's also been spied singing to her in the rocking chair, reading to her in Jo's chair and putting her (more like dropping her -over the railings) into the crib for naps. As Mr Bogart said 'I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.'

Holiday Rules: Celebrate, Good Times!

 Jo wishes young and old a Merry Christmas.

Or she would if she could say that.
I choose to believe.

Holiday Rules: Jingle All the Way

More evidence of why unchecked parental authority may be a bad idea..

In my defense she did seem to think it was funny. As much as a 19 month old thinks anything is funny..

Jo Rules: Books are the Best

Jo loves books. She's a little obsessive. In the mornings she gets dressed first and I will often put her on my bed with several books to entertain her while I throw on some clothes.
This morning was one of those days.

She will happily 'read' aloud for quite some time. Once she is done with any particular book it gets launched across the bed in favour of the next. Most of the time the books are now the right way up. It was darling when she used to read them upside down.
She will transport books around the house in order to get you to read them to her. She will follow you, book in hand and she can be persistent. We literally have her books in every single one of our 5 rooms. Sometimes, if your reading isn't satisfactory, she will wrench the book from you and begin the process herself.
One of her favourite books at the moment is "Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb." We can recite it without even opening the book. She calls it the 'dum dum' book because of the drumming involved in its pages. She also really likes "Time for Bed" and requests it by saying 'mouse' over and over because the first characters to appear are the mouse and they are also featured on the back cover.
All books are called "a book" and they are frequently the first thing requested upon waking up in the morning or from a nap.
She also really likes the advent books we are working through. I've had to take measures to secure the bag they are kept in because she will go and help herself to a new book whenever she feels like it throughout the day.
I hope the love sticks. She does have readers on both sides of her family so I'm optimistic. The wonderful world of books awaits! I am looking forward to a day when they will either stay in, or at very least return to, her room.

Baby Rules: Small Things Rule

Jo has been loving chairs that are small enough for her to climb into lately. We were at Ikea today and she was thrilled with all the couches that were at her level. She has a chair from there that she loves to get into and read to her bear in. It's also become a handy tool for her to get to things on my desk. Not my personal favourite...

Here she's trying to squish herself into her chair with a book and a bear who is clearly too big.

But this is my favourite. The 'mushroom' chair at Irene's house. She looks calm and collected in this picture but it doesn't convey the hilarious (to me) 10 minutes before when she was trying to get out of the chair. It was just a little too deep to facilitate an easy escape. The acrobatics she resorted to were second to none. She finally gave up and settled for just being right side up.

Hilarious enough to make me want to buy one for our house. Almost. Some people in attendance thought I was being unnecessarily cruel as I let her struggle to figure out the chair. I say - character building! 

Picture Rule #?: Take too many

I think you know you are taking too many pictures if your 18 month old looks at you like this:

Or she may just have been tired? 

Christmas Rule #1: Get Them Something They Want

Pretty sure it's time to get Jo a doll.
Last week she had been quiet for some time and I went into her room to find her cleaning her bear's bum and trying to put a diaper on it. A lot of wipes were used.
I've had to dress the bear several times this week. I keep finding that the bear has been put into bed for a nap.

Plus look at the love on this little face for a doll she found at Auntie Kate's house.

Orem Rules #1: I don't even know what to think

When we walk to story time at the library we pass this sign on a fence down the street.
This has to be a joke, right?
I choose to believe this is someone from the city with an excellent sense of humour.

Because if it's not, I can't allow my tax dollars to be spent in this manner.

This might be an outrage.

Summer Rules: Farmers Market!

We finally went to the farmers market in Salt Lake as part of our Summer Bucket List. Jo was fairly smitten with the guitarist you can just see on the left of this picture.

I was quite smitten with how cute she was walking around with her Auntie. 

This was an impressive farmers market. If we'd had more money I'm sure we would have spent it. I had the distinct feeling I've been missing out. As it was we ate some delicious baked goods and carried on with our day.
And not just any old baked goods either. 

A cronut, folks! We ate a cronut! It was so good it may be its own item on next years summer bucket list. 

Ride your bike rule #1: Bring a spare

I decided this week that I wanted to start riding my bike more. We have a bike trailer. Jo's old enough that I'm not as worried about the bumps and her poor little head. I decided to start with something small. A trip to Costco. We were out of toilet paper. If you are thinking that a Costco trip might not be the most practical idea on a bike, in hindsight I concur, but not for the reasons you might think.

Yesterday I loaded Jo up in the trailer and we headed out. This was her first trip sitting in the bike stroller itself instead of in her car seat installed in the bike trailer. Epic mistake. She had to wear her helmet and screamed about it the whole time she was wearing it. She's usually such a sweet baby and seems to endure the bike trailer well. Not today.  And we set out after her morning nap. Around 11. Also not wise. She was hot and sweaty and grumpy about the helmet situation. Despite the grumbling from the back seat I determined to soldier on - stiff upper lip and all that.

I had to stop several times to try and convince Jo that she wasn't going to die because of her helmet. And to readjust it when it slid into her face from her attempts to remove it.  She really was screaming bloody murder. After another one of my unsuccessful attempts to calm my hysterical child I got back on my bike and started off again. Soon thereafter I heard a pop and a whoosh and my tire went completely flat.

I was halfway between Costco and my house. And there's a bike store if you keep going past Costco. So that's what we did. I rolled us all the way there with a flat tire but luckily Jo gave up screaming because I took her helmet off. I then had to convince her that not everything in the store was for her.

She really wanted this...

The bike store quickly got us on our way. But there was nowhere to park our bike at Costco. Don't get me wrong - there is a bike rack at our Costco - it was just full! 

The good news is that you can fit a Costco amount of toilet paper, two containers of strawberries, one container of raspberries and a 14 month old in our bike trailer. Just for future reference.

International Trip Rule #3: Get some gear

Now that everyone in our household has a current passport from the nation of their choosing,  I have my shiny new bank card from my UK account (with its whole £7) and all our important documents are stored safely on the internets, we can think about gear.
Several items of gear arrived this week.

Jo's backpack that doubles as a harness. There are few things cuter, I submit. Also, it's a ladybird. It was incredibly hard to capture a picture of this, FYI.

A fancy new-to-us, folds up teeny tiny, weighs only 9lbs pack and play. Hallelujah for portable crib solutions. It's like a tent crossed with a crib. Thank you Phil & Ted, thank you.

And most importantly, Jo and I sorted our monies!

Perhaps premature, but enjoyable nonetheless.

International Trip Rule #2: Receive your passport

On the same day that we mailed Adam's passport renewal, we got Jo's brand new passport in the mail. That was pretty speedy - they tell you it will take 6-8 weeks and Jo's was almost exactly 2. I took a picture of her with her brand new official travel document. I told her it was a book about her. She seemed pretty pleased with it.

And we'll be doing this all again in 5 years time....

Baby Hair Rule #2: Do what feels right.

Sometimes I wonder if anyone should have the sort of unchecked power being a parent bestows.

Exhibit A:

I did this to Jo's hair and there was very little she could do about it. 

Now, for some reason when I put Jo's hair in pigtails it is quite the battle. Struggle against this hilarity? Not so much. Later in the day when she caught sight of it in the mirror she put her hand up to it but spared it the usual speedy yank that would have ended its existence. Then she laughed. I'm taking that as a good sign.

As Jennie said though, she's probably missing the mohawk days.

Baby Rule #4: Hug Your Bear

Jo carries this bear around whenever she finds him. He's got all sorts of stuff stuck to his poor self. His face is a pretty good indication of what the last meal was. Sometimes I find him abandoned in kitchen cupboards (he was in with the mixer last time that happened) and sometimes Jo tries to add him to my shower. However this bear also gets lots of love. He is kissed and cuddled and then passed to an adult to repeat the process. Once the chosen adult has repeated the affection he is claimed by his rightful owner, usually for a repeat of the process. Kisses then cuddles. Sometimes he gets kisses from his rabbit friend.

And sometimes Jo bites his face.

Baby Rule #3: Toys from the Library

I love to check out toys from the library. I think Jo likes it too... And she definitely enjoys pulling things off the shelves there though she isn't fussy what she pulls off this shelf, and she rarely remains committed to whatever she pulls. There are so many things to pull off the shelf, she most thoroughly enjoys that. Our last toy trip to the library was definitely a success. Jo loves music, especially anything with a solid beat. She dances in her chair to the snippets of music between news stories on the radio. She was rocking out when we went to Syd's dance recital. It's hilarious stuff. Recently she has been dancing to her favourite book - Farmyard Beat, which doesn't even have a tune, just a beat created by the pattern of the words in the book. But the most recent toy I grabbed from the library was a music set. It has a little tambourine, a triangle, some bells but most importantly to Jo, it has maracas. She LOVES the maracas. She will walk around the house with both of them just shaking them silly. She will bump her little bum to their rhythm if you shake them in time. They're a major redirection tool.

She will also try to drum up breakfast with them in the morning.

It wasn't working as you can see from the facial expression. I was too busy taking pictures of her. She's most displeased.

Summer Rules #3: Shave Ice Testing

In accordance with the Summer Rules Bucket List (SRBL) we have been trying out shave ice locations. Jo and I tested this location one day after a trip to the library. As you can tell from the pictures Jo was enthusiastic about this particular offering. (She's throwing her head back with her mouth open in the first shot, her way of announcing she would like more. Completely unprompted.) I can't say that I blame her, it was definitely yummy. Tiger's blood with ice cream in the bottom.  Having only eaten shave ice once while actually in Hawaii, I don't know that I am truly qualified in this matter, but from what I recall of said experience, this shave ice was great. No beans though. Next time I am in Hawaii I really want to try the beans. Someone remind me.

This sugary food colouring high was brought to you by North Shore Hawaiian Shave Ice at 1304 North State Street in Orem.

Holiday Rule #1: Take pictures (or pray that someone else does)

Yesterday was one of my favorite Fourth of July celebrations ever. I'm no rookie - I've been doing this for 12 years now in a variety of locations with a splendid selection of folks. But holidays with Jo are really ridiculously better. And yesterday was no exception. Cousins, BBQ, swimming, fireworks. Good times, good times.

Such good times in fact that I completely forgot to take a single picture. Thank goodness for Hannah capturing our two visual memories for the day.

International Trip Rule #1: Get a passport

As I am sure you're aware, you have to get yourself a passport to travel internationally. Even if you are one.

Passports require pictures.

I took so many pictures today.

And not one of them will work. Though if I could I would use row 1 picture 2 or row 3 picture 4.

Hopefully Adam's pictures will be easier?

Summer Rules #2: Make Ice Cream

It wasn't on the Summer Rules Bucket List. But it definitely should have been.
Summer calls for ice cream. If you make it yourself, so much the better.

Proudly presenting, the first ice cream of the summer season:

Lemon Buttermilk Sherbet

All and sundry agree it was delicious. 

Rule #7: No sleep 'till Richmond (subsection a)

The original Rule #7 was a post that happened quite a while ago. This week I had a similar instance. Also quite hilarious.

Jo and I have been going to Mummy and Me swimming class for the last two weeks (check that off the summer to-do list! Yeah!)

If Jo had her way, this is all she would do for class. 

There's a lot of singing involved in the class. And crying babies. And it forced me to learn about swim diapers. And buy a second swim suit (for Jo - I'm still getting by on the suits I bought for Duck in 2010. At least I think it was 2010....). It's been a good couple of weeks. I have the best tan I've had since my summer as a camp counselor - don't get me wrong, I"m still pretty pasty compared to most.

Back to class and the singing. So, there's a song for everything - we do a washing machine song, we sing a modified version of "Ring-a-rosies," we also sing the wheels on the bus (am I the only one who sings that the wheel on the bus go all day long, not all through the town?) etc. Then there was a song I just couldn't figure out. For some reason they were singing about an Indian. I was lost. So for almost two weeks I am listening to this song (I didn't sing it - I was so perturbed by it) thinking to myself "Are we really singing about a 'red Injin'? This sounds so bad. ..." I couldn't for the life of me figure out what this Native American or inhabitant of India had to do with swimming, or why they were calling them a "red injin" with such a twang. Now, one of the side effects of class is that I am constantly singing the songs in my head (Who wouldn't be?). Yesterday as I was showering (where all great revelation strikes, I might add) the "Red Injin" song popped back into my head.
And lightning struck.
"Chugg, chugg went the little red ENGINE."

I am dying.

P.S. How can I brainwash Jo into saying "Mummy" instead of "Mommy"? Would that be confusing for her?

Summer Rules #1

As yesterday was officially the first day of summer, and as I have been working on creating it for at least two weeks now, here is my official Summer 2013 bucket list:


Camping
Grilling
Cascade Springs
Stewart Falls
Late night Sonic run
Campfire
Smores
Tinfoil Dinners
Pick your own produce
Parade
Zoo
Splash Pad
Pineview Reservoir or Willard Bay (or both!)
Snow Cones (As suggested by Hannah - we are on a hunt for the most Hawaiian ones we can find)
Hanna
Carnival/Fair
Drive In
Eat Breakfast Out
Sunday Picnic
Farmers Market
Swimming lessons
Sports game
Fireworks
Hike the Y
Ice Cream Truck
Tubing
Paddling Pool
Feed the ducks
Hot Air Balloons (so excited about this!)

I love a good list. And some accountability.....

Birthday Rule #2: Jo is one

Where did that year go?

Oh how we love this girl!

Picture Rule #?: Make the Baby Happy

Jo really likes smart phones and especially likes to see herself on the screen. Instant redirection tool! Turn the camera on and let her look at herself.  As a result there are lots of 'selfies' on my phone.

Here is a sampling of just the last two months.

Mind you, these are only some of them. Personal favourite - bottom row second from the left.

Pictures Don't Rule: The Quest

While we were up at Hanna last weekend for Easter I continued the elusive quest for a family picture I like. There are lots of good pictures of Jo. Plenty of good pictures of Adam and Jo. A few good pictures of Jo and me. Good pictures of all three of us together? Unheard of!
Here are some examples.

Jo and me:

Jo:

Adam and Jo:

I should make it clear he was throwing her in the air, this is not a Lion King moment...

All three? This is as good as it gets:

Lots of shadows, a grumpy baby and do I have my eyes closed? Probably. <Sigh>

Holiday Rule #3: Get Away

Is Easter technically a holiday?
I've just consulted the dictionary and according to the fourth definition option, Easter is a holiday.

4. a religious feast day; holy day, especially any of several usually commemorative holy days observed in Judaism.

Check, check and not so much. 2 out of 3 ain't bad I suppose.

Well, for this particular holiday we escaped to Hanna and spent the weekend. Jo did an egg hunt on Saturday. It was cold outside and Jo doesn't move around much so her egg hunt was indoors. Around the couches in the living room. With lots of help.

Human and Canine help.

House Rules: Buy Yourself One!

Jo's Auntie bought a new house.
I thought it was a perfect time for a photo shoot.

Cat Rules: Make Your Own Rules

What?
(He seemed to say)
This isn't a seat for cats?
(incredulous)
I'll just pretend I didn't hear you
(and he carried on that way - even after we added the baby to the stroller. He's a determined cat, I'll give him that)

Baby Rules: Drink the Water

I left Jo playing with her toys at the table you see in the foreground and came back to find her engaged in this diabolical thievery!
So naturally I took a picture.

Glad it's only water in the bottle - nothing stronger. 

Soda or anything. Of course. 

Baby Rule: Whatever Works

Since Jo has started to enjoy standing upright while holding onto something while also pulling things off shelves, I thought we might try a variation on a theme and see what she thought of the kitchen drawer. Since these are old school hand build drawers they don't go anywhere without some real force. Perfect for an investigative baby type. This was in an effort to keep her happy long enough for me to achieve something. I think I was trying to do the dishes? Of course the method fails if you spend so much time taking pictures of her that you don't complete the task.

We started out with "Why are you taking pictures of me?"

And proceeded on to reckless abandon! 

Park Rules: Take Your Baby

We took Jo to the park for the first time last week.
I thought she would really dig the slide. I suppose I should have known better. The swings were a much bigger hit. Not surprising as she had such a deluxe swing early in her life:

You see an Aunt, Baby sees a swing

Step one:

Get your shoes on. Make sure they are rocking. 

All stars preferred. 

Step Two:
Corral your audience.
Canines preferred.

Step Three:
Practice your modelling pose.
Blue Steel preferred.

Step Four:
Start to enjoy yourself
Belly laughs preferred.

Step Five:
Try the slides
Indifference Preferred

Step Six:
Check out the sand
Oral testing preferred

Step Seven:
Announce that it is time to leave
Any method preferred

Poor Jo.

Clothing Rules: Use What You've Got

Don't you have a pair of massive fuzzy socks that you put on your baby to act as leg warmers?
No?

Huh.
That's strange.

Dogs Rule: Teaching Responsibility

Don't people get dogs to help teach their kids responsibility?

We're starting them young here at the Bliss house.

I think Jo was just pleased someone else was in her tiny bathtub. 

Ted on the other hand was not thrilled. 

But he's really cute when he's wet - almost as cute as Jo. Almost.