Panasonic Lumix DCM-FH20

I got my new camera today!!! Before Anabelle came around my favorite subject was much harrier, my 1st baby Morgan the kitty cat. Today he was being particularly cute and cuddly sitting on the couch with me while I took the time to read the manual (shocking I know) and play around a bit with my new toy. So here are just a few pictures of our little fur ball.

"Morgan don't lick my new camera!"

When it rains, it pours...

I wish I was talking about the weather, but sadly I am not.

Last week my camera broke. I went to turn it on and it had a weird display, and wouldn't take pictures. I tried to reset everything, I tried to clean it, but nothing worked. I survived for a few days using my old and crappy camera, which only takes pictures, no video. Of course as soon as you no longer have the option to take video, everywhere around you are scenes that must be committed to video. After asking around and looking online we were able to find a new camera that was pretty reasonably priced on Amazon. I get it tomorrow, and I CAN'T WAIT!! It is definitely an upgrade from the camera I had, and has HD video, so hopefully you'll be able to feel like you are right in the room with Anabelle =)

A few days ago my netbook stopped being able to charge, therefore making it unusable once the battery died. My computer-knowledge-blessed brother took a look at it and determined that I needed a new power cord. So John found one online and ordered it, I will get it on Monday. Hopefully when I get the new power cord, my laptop will be able to charge and work properly again.

So now I am looking at my phone and hoping that nothing goes wrong with it too.

You may be wondering how I am blogging if I don't have my computer? Well, John has a laptop that I have been using. While I am thankful that I can use his computer, I miss mine. I have all my pictures on my computer, and all my different blogs and websites bookmarked on my computer. So I will be very happy when I get my computer back up and running. Until then, blogging will be on hiatus-sorry. If you are looking for something fun to do in the meantime go through the archives and look at old video of Anabelle, it is amazing how much she has changed!

On a positive note, I am much more productive without my computer and camera for distraction.

Umm... yea so we got some snow, but just a little bit

It was late Tuesday night and the wind was howling and snow was blowing all over. We were in the middle of a blizzard and were expected to get anywhere between 15-20 inches of snow. The kid in me wanted to stay up and look out the window watching the snow whirl around while drinking hot chocolate. The adult in me thought about my little girl and how early she was going to wake me up in the morning, so off to bed I went. After hearing that my brother was out of power I got out the extra candles and put a flashlight on my nightstand and hoped for the best.

Around 7:30 I woke up to a world covered in fluffy white snow, and a lot of it! I think we got about 18 inches of snow, but the wind blew so much that there are a lot of snow drifts. Some of them are up to your waist. I can't remember ever getting this much snow before, even though I'm sure we have. I think John said it was the 4th biggest snow storm in history for our area. After breakfast and play time Anabelle and I decided to get bundled up and head outside with Daddy. Here is what we saw...

Trying to open the back door

John digging a path to the garage

I don't think Anabelle is too sure about the snow

Path to the garage

Thank goodness we got a snow blower this year!

I tried to pull Anabelle around in the sled, but it was difficult. I had a hard time walking in the snow, and the sled kept sinking and tipping over. We decided to walk around a bit and after about 25 minutes Anabelle's cheeks were cold and we went inside, leaving Daddy to finish the driveway.

Back inside with red rosey cheeks

How do I get these snow pants off?

Ooh I can watch Daddy from inside where it's warm.

After about an hour and a half John was finally done and came inside to warm up and relax. Anabelle had some lunch and before heading off for a nap I snapped some pictures of her in the front of the house next to the snow.

So we are surviving the great blizzard of 2011, and I bet we'll be out playing in the snow over the next few days. Here's hoping that we don't have snow on the ground for too long, and that when it melts we don't have a flooded basement.

Bananas and Bagels

It's been a few days now that we've been on the one nap a day schedule. Anabelle is doing ok with it. She is definitely most cranky around 11 am and 5 pm, and wants nothing but to be held and carried around. It helps to get out of the house and plan activities to keep us busy. Here she is on Saturday morning, she decided to wake me up at 7:00, which is early for her. Bananas and bagels for breakfast that day-yum!

Lately Anabelle has been getting attached to items and carrying them around the house. If you give her something to hold, or she finds something, she will carry it around with her for quite some time. If it is something that you don't want her to have and try to take it away, you are in for a fight. Where she used to be easy going, she now cries like it is the end of the word. So if it's not going to hurt her, or break the item I usually let her have it. You know, pick your battles. Today after a trip to the grocery store she carried around a package of tortillas for about 25 minutes and then finally decided she should put them in the fridge.

We are set to get some serious snow around here over the next few days, even a blizzard watch for tomorrow. So today we went to the grocery store to stock up, filled up the car with gas, and this afternoon we are off to the post office. Trying to get all the errands done so we don't have to leave the house if we don't want to. Hopefully we'll be able to get out and play in the fluffy white stuff.

Goodbye morning nap, I'll miss you!

John and I have been going back and forth for the last month about whether or not we should drop Anabelle's morning nap. It has been a busy month with travel and visitors and some illness thrown in for good measure. Every time we thought we would try, it just wasn't the right time. Last week she seemed like she might finally be ready, so this week we started. Her new schedule is:

wake up around 7:30

eat breakfast get dressed and play

get out of the house and do something fun!

12:00 home for lunch

12:30 nap

hopefully sleep till 3:30

eat a snack

play, go outside, or run errands

5:00 home to cook dinner (this is the hardest part of our day, Anabelle is tired and clings to my legs while I attempt to cook dinner and entertain her. Usually she only wants to be held and that's hard to do while cooking)

6:10 Daddy's home -Yay!!!

6:30 Dinner

7:00 bath or playtime

7:30 bed

So here is a picture from the 1st day. She had a bit of a hard time in the morning around 9:30 and was attempting to sleep everywhere, but standing up- wouldn't lay down . It was like she just wouldn't give up, but tried to lean on everything. Here she is leaning on the couch in her classic "I'm tired" pose.

Overall the new nap routine is going well, Anabelle seems to be adapting well. It does make the day longer for both of us, by bedtime I am exhausted too. On the upside we can now do more socializing. Most toddler activities (storytime, playdates, etc.) take place around 9 or 10 o'clock and so we would often miss them because of morning nap. Yesterday we were able to go to the library to see a puppet show. Anabelle did pretty well sitting through about 20 minutes before letting me know she was ready to go by getting chatty.

Later in the day we went outside to get some fresh air. It had snowed about 2 inches during nap time and since the temps were a little warmer (about 28) than they had been earlier in the week we thought we better get out and enjoy it.

Trying to eat the snow

Anabelle is getting better at walking around in full snow gear, but she still falls a lot and it is pretty frustrating for her.

As you can see in the video, she is getting better at communicating her wants and needs. Lately she shakes her head "no" at everything, even though sometimes I don't think she quite understands that she is saying no.

While Daddy's away...

Ooh Daddy left his bag here, let's see what's inside...

Head phones, I'll save these for later when I rock out with my ipod

Some coupons for when I order a pizza later

Here's the menu, I wonder if they have hot wings?

There has got to be something better in here

JACKPOT!!! Daddy's Kindle, now I can finish reading War and Peace

Lately Anabelle has been sitting on the bottom step of our staircases. She backs up slowly to it and just sits and bops her head to some "imaginary" music, and kicks her little feet. It's pretty cute. It makes for a good opportunity to take a picture of her since she is sitting still, which rarely happens.

How is it that toddlers can stand in the "hover" position for so long? They must have amazing muscles in their legs! Anabelle plays in this position most of the time. As if she is afraid to sit down because that will mean she is committed to playing with something for more than 1 minute.

Toddler Ownership Rules

Cleaning out my desk today I came across these rules; I acquired them while teaching at Loyola University Preschool and found them to be not only true, but pretty funny.

Toddler Ownership Rules

1. If I like it, it's mine.

2. If it's in my hand, it's mine.

3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.

4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.

5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.

6. If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.

7. If it looks like mine, it's mine.

8. If I think it's mine, it's mine.

9. If it's your and I steal it, it's mine.

10. If it's broken it's yours-maybe.

And just in case you were missing your favorite little girl, here she is wearing her Bears gear for the last time of the season (wah, wah insert sad pouty face).