Teresa announced yesterday that she wanted to go visit President Obama. We haven't talked about "Our Leader" in ages. (She brought a photo of Barack and Michelle to preschool last January for "L" week.)

Today she decided Obama needed a snuggie to be cozy, a quilt to keep his legs warm in case his blanket is too short, and a life jacket for when he is fishing -- so when the large wave sweeps over the boat and sinks it, he will be OK. Oh and she wants to talk to him about the trees, too many are cut down. we need to make sure baby trees are planted and seeds are saved for in case people forget to plant trees, we can do it for them.

Where does this come from?

Teresa has upgraded to a new, bigger bike. I'm not sure we could keep up with her now if she really wanted to GO. Ms. Confident!

A chat with a dear friend about the kids...

Rebecca: Jamie remembers T as well. He remembers her informing him that she was a girl and had a vagina, and he was a boy and had a penis...

Teresa blew up her first party balloon today! red cheeked with effort and glittering happy eyes.

Teresa had her first swim lesson today. Cousin Allison and another young girl are her classmates. At the end of the lesson Teresa was the only one with dry hair. She did deign to blow a quick bubble, but clearly her comfort/confidence is not at the same level as the other girls. Teresa is excited for more lessons tomorrow and continues to tell me that she will jump off the diving board and swim swim swim very fast. I kindly noted that she would need to get her face and head wet if she would accomplish that... we'll see!

The age of experimentation...in the past couple weeks:
Cut her own hair
Tore a library book to pieces (I liked the sound she says)
Emptied complete rolls of TP into both toilets
Threw rocks at a friend's home (I looove throwing rocks)

Time to lock up everything? or just her?

And real cartwheels! straight arms, no head on ground, all the way over real cartwheels!

Teresa's first haircut... by Teresa. Oh, she's had a few haircuts from Mama, but I guess my job isn't sufficient. Today for "quiet time" Teresa grabbed scissors from the office and proceeded to trim her locks, mostly off the top, leaving her with a pixie/crewcut.

Ah well. Another milestone checked off!

Last weekend was Owen's first trip to the snow and Teresa's first since she was 1. Both delighted in the cold stuff.

Teresa tried out her new skis and snowshoes and did a great job on both. She says she will ski more when she's bigger. I guess we need to save our pennies. She loved making and tossing snowballs, especially making them go plop in the street.

Owen found icy puddles to break the surface of and submerge his feet in with great stomping splashes. Rides on the sleds brought beaming smiles with glittery eyes.

Big Big girl bed!

Mama and Teresa found Thomas the train sheets last week at a good price so ever since Teresa has been anxious for a twin size bed onto which the sheets would fit.

Today we acquired the new bed for her - sans mattress - but naptime was successfully held in her new big Thomas bed. Next to get the actual mattress, until then it's a mix of couch pillows, blankets and her toddler mattress filling up the space.

We also need to acquire more sheets and a big duvet and other bits needed for a big bed, but we're started! Owen will soon get her old bed.

Teresa
37.125 inches
26lb

COMPLETELY DIAPER FREE! Gave up the largely useless nighttime diapers - were always dry so what's the point? Now to consider when to move to a big girl (twin) bed!

Teresa has made the transition from an digital world to an analog one quite well..
At naptime today, Teresa came out at 3:45 and announced to mama that naptime was over....

Teresa: The short hand is on the 4...
Mama: and where is the big hand? Is it on the 12?

(Teresa pads down the hall...)

(15 minutes later Teresa pads up the hall...)

Teresa: The long hand is on the 12!
Mama and where is the little hand?
Teresa: It's on the 4!!!!

Mama got a box of clothes via UPS today. When I put on a skirt to see how it fit, Teresa says, " you look like a lady." keeper. Skirt and daughter.

Speaking of alarm clocks - Teresa reports to me some afternoons that, "there's a 4 on my clock, quiet time is over." She says Daddy told her she could get up when there was a 4.

Now there are a few problems with this -
First, she does not concern herself with which position on the clock the 4 is in - thus it could read 2:14 and she professes it has a 4 and quiet time is over.
Second, she knows how to change the numbers displayed on the clock so at any given moment she can change the clock to have a 4 in the readout and thus make it "end of quiet time."
Third, as an artifact of the second problem listed above, the displayed time on the clock has no basis in reality!

Fortunately GramMary got her an analog clock for Christmas which we need to install and learn to read.

Sound sleeper

Teresa's little digital alarm clock just went off. In the LR it was insanely loud. Daddy darted off to turn it off and comes back to report Teresa will never awaken for a smoke alarm... she never stirred with the alarm clock bleeping a yard away.

snuggies!

Grammary made snuggies for mommy and daddy for christmas!

"Teresa, what is on your wish list for Santa to bring to you?"
"I wish that Santa will bring you and Daddy snuggies"

jigsaw puzzles - doing 50 pieces puzzles in her sleep, we're moving up to 60 and 100 pieces.
headstands - can now do in middle of room - no wall needed for support.

Scooter!

While Daddy and Teresa were away on the weekend celebrating Great Nana's 90th birthday, Owen and I were able to wander some garage sales. One of our finds was a little pink scooter for free!

Teresa noticed it and asked if it was for her - and when she could ride it. So today after preschool she found her helmet and gave her scooter a try. The first couple pushes netted her a forward movement of half an inch... but within a minute she was zipping across the driveway with good pushes and balance and gleeful glitters in her eyes.