Salt Dough Ornaments

Since we were already on a crafting kick, I got it in my head to make salt dough ornaments with Zoë. I remember having a few on the tree as a kid, but we never made them, despite my mother being Martha Stewart. Well, a kinder, gentler Martha Stewart. Anyway, I tracked down a recipe online and figured if Zoë likes to play with Play-Dough, she’ll love this. I was so right!



We gave the finished ornaments to everyone at our Christmas celebration. It's just too bad I couldn't seem to get pictures of the finished product . . .

2 Days until Christmas

. . . and all the wrapping is done.

Alleluia.

See & Spell

Okay, I know it's just rote memory, like learning to say, "Thank you, Momma."

But, Zoe can spell her name, now. Let me gloat on this a little bit. The scenario goes like this:

"Zoe - do you want to write your name?"

"Z!" (Momma writes a Z)

"What comes next?"

"O!" (Momma writes an O)

"What comes after the O?"

"E!" (Momma writes E)

Is this kid a hot shot or what? I think I'll have her auditioning for Wheel of Fortune by the time she's 3.

My Favorite Things

For a few months now I’ve wanted to add some other “feature” to this site. A regular update on some theme that would kind of serve as a snapshot of our lives even when I had nothing really to “say.” I just couldn’t come up with a good idea. Then dooce went and overhauled her site and added this nifty “Daily Style” section. And being a really good copycat, I thought, “That’s just what I’m looking for!” But, I don’t think I’m so surrounded by style, or even a strong aesthetic, that people are clamoring to see. That’s where holiday inspiration (and Oprah) came in – what about some of my favorite things? I could regularly post a photo of a “favorite thing” – something I bought, or made, or experienced, or use, or whatever. And while sometimes friends and family are interested in the coolness that is me, it is really a cool way to track who I am. After all, that’s what this website is about – logging who we are and what’s happening for posterity.
I can’t promise it will be daily. And, ideally, I won’t be posting here in my main content space. But, until I can get the new site to work, here are a few of my favorite things this week.

Arts and crafts time. Zoë is finally getting old enough to really enjoy craftiness. And while introducing a 20-month-old to bottles of glitter may be a mistake, she’s helped remind me how much I love these things that I long ago, foolishly, cast aside as “childish.”

My Santa advent calendar. We got this as a housewarming gift before our first Christmas as a married couple. I’ve always liked hanging the little ornaments each day, but, like most things these days, experiencing it through the eyes of my toddler makes it all the more magical.

Anyone who knows us knows that our Christmas tree is dominated by Hallmark’s collectible Star Wars ornaments. And the more lights and sounds they have, the better. This is one of this year’s additions. You have no idea how cool it is. It plays the Star Wars theme. Zoë thinks the whole tree is “neat” (her word), but she has to have me play this one daily.
I’m so excited about these necklaces. I was thrilled when I found the beads for them, even more stoked when I found these adorable toggle closures. But the finished product is even better than I expected. I look forward to giving them, but kind of wish I didn’t have to.

Social Graces

This weekend was quite a whirlwind – again – leaving BJ and I both feeling the need for a weekend to recover from our weekend.  Which, of course, was not about to happen.  Monday morning came as it always does.  But, amidst all the whirliness – the full-day belly dance workshop, the trip to urgent care, the water softener install – our daughter once again surprised us.  I’m just sorry that I didn’t witness it!

Saturday, while momma was away learning to do a “sneaky slide”, BJ was changing Zoë’s diaper.  Unusual, I know.  As she lay on the changing table, she said to him, “Nice to meet you,” held out her little hand, and said, “Shake hands.”

Are you kidding me?  First off, we have no idea where she learned this.  After a little investigation, I’ve determined it was not at school (of course they found it adorable, but wouldn’t take credit) and suspect she learned it from the Wonder Pets.  Secondly, she apparently understands that you shouldn’t let just anybody change your diaper / inspect your undercarriage.  You have to be acquainted first.

We all fall down

Zoë has recently become a big fan of Ring Around the Rosie.  She’ll grab my hands (or anyone’s, for that matter) and say, “Play Rosie!  Play Rosie!”  At the end of our circles around the foyer rug, she not only plops on her bottom but rolls backwards, sticking her feet in the air.  It’s a complete stitch to watch, but even funnier when you – as the adult – are doing the same thing.  We would hate to incite displeasure for not playing it properly.  Because, let me tell you, displeasure is an expression she’s recently mastered.  So, we all fall down.

Which, coincidentally, describes what happened to the Lippoldts over the Thanksgiving holiday, and why I’ve been remiss in posting (and screwed up my chances at winning NaBloPoMo! Grr).  Granted, we didn’t literally “all fall down.”  But our health sure as heck did.

S.I.C.K.  First it was me – I got home from work the Wednesday before Thanksgiving shivering with a fever.  I spent the next three days unable to eat, sleep through the night, or be more than 10 feet from the toilet.  Delightful.  On my last really miserable day (Saturday), Zoë woke up with a fever that only got worse, necessitating a trip to the ER on Sunday.  Four and a half hours later, we’re picking up her first prescription for Amoxicillin at Target to treat her first ever ear infection.  Are we having fun yet?

By the way, I’d love to have a closer Urgent care facility so we didn’t have to go to the ER.  Furthermore, it’d be nice if there was actually some triage going on over there.  Not a single person in that waiting room was anything but just sick* – you’d think that highly feverish little babies who haven’t slept in 3 nights with parents who haven’t slept in three nights might be treated a little more quickly.  There were a few other parents in there in our boat – most of them left because the wait was ridiculous.  *Another sign our area needs an Urgent Care.

So, I got nothing of my holiday prepping done at all during what is traditionally considered the first weekend of the Christmas season.  At least in our house.  I didn’t do any shopping on Black Friday.  We didn’t get our tree.  Not a single twinkling light or evergreen bough was hung.  And we’ve all spent the last week playing catch-up.

But, it snowed last night!  A beautiful, soft, white snow . . . and Zoë’s snow pants still fit.  Do not ask me how.