woodpecker

just when i think i've failed as a parent, and zoey never listens to me, something like this happens: she just drove the van of doll house people back to the dollhouse, stoped at the door and said, "shhhhh. there's a woodpecker!"

to explain: earlier today we went on a walk and saw a small bird we called a woodpecker. we didn't think she could see it and she walked toward the branch to "see it" so we said, "don't go close! we don't want to scare it!" and she said, "then it would scream." which was hilarious to me, because can you picture a bird screaming like a human? like ned screamed when he saw purple drapes in that simpson's episode? anyway, it was a normal interaction like thousands we have during every day, so i figured it didn't sink in...but then 3 hours later, there it was.

of course, i think she has eric's photographic memory, so....what do i know?

uncle paul's

feed mama, photograph babies

two headed goat

LOOK OUT!

christian, the super swing rider!

feeding acorns...they make a delicious crunchy sound

contemplating a pumalo

i know i take more pictures of animals than people...

great swing

smile christian {my cousin mary's 3 year old}

for you, makili, with love

lots and lots and lots and lots of strawberries live near uncle paul

lots

christian and uncle paul (his grandpa, whom he calls poopa, too cute)

chill

don't touch!

hours of entertainment, turning each other in the giant swiveling arm chair

my mom's brother paul lives about 45 minutes away in a town north of tampa which is filled with strawberry farms and large bouts of flat land or orange groves. zoey loved playing with christian on the giant trampoline, the climbing structure thingy and the awesome swing uncle paul put in a huge tree. he also has some goats we got to feed and admire. two were babies only a couple weeks old. my cousin mary picked one up for us to pet and i couldn't believe how loudly it maaaaa-ed. it knows what to do when it needs to get back to mama! thanks for the fun uncle paul, mary and christian!

snow

blurry middle

nuts

chocolate teddy grahams

sweet ride

another sweet ride

and another

climber

smile

old

they WERE actually having fun

bowling snacks

ready

tree

polar express display with santa (who zoey waved to, but wouldn't sit on)

snow! (fake and got stuck in all my curls and eric's ears and zoey's everything!)

sweet uncle mike deals well with zoey's moods

zoey's new bed at home

she refuses to let me put a non-matching blanket on top. i didn't buy the quilt to match because i want to make her one myself. if i try and put another blanket on in the meantime she gets really upset and pulls it off, throws it on the floor, making sure it's not right next to the bed, but at least 3 feet away. she's so like me...

8 days in florida

techno kid-blues clues made it an uneventful flight hooray!

mimi made her a special "nest" out of a kiddie pool, but she was a little too tall for it, and i didn't like trying to get up out of it after putting her to sleep.
but she loved it for playing in.

i think she looks like me here

talking silly

tree beads

pensive at the playground

throwing "dinner" into the air with jocelyn and joel (my cousin's kids)

joel

mom with the kids

super fun rocking seat!

then onto sunset beach in tarpon springs

winter body + summer swimsuit = ...no, i always look like this in a bathing suit hehe

she was really into snorting like a pig

getting cozy

major fog rolled in a created cool pictures

mikey being sportish

isaac being studly

hers and mine and seagull's

booboo kiddie knees

fun

i found this rock!

showing my cousin alicia the rock

showing uncle mike the rock

back at the house playing ping pong

we're having lots of fun with my family down here. we really miss eric a lot but he's coming tomorrow! the weather has been beautiful, yet i'm surprised to realize i miss new england. i'm feeling a little homesick.

brrr cold

forget halloween, although she was an adorable gingerbread girl, and thanksgiving has flown by, enjoyable and yummy. now onto the present...we are in florida visiting my mom and brothers and extended family. we = zoey and i. eric will join us wednesday.

i am LOVING being with my mom and both brothers who all live in one place! although the boys got a dose of zoey being a "brat" today, they pulled through alive and well, they have been awesome with her. she loves them both. her favorite has to be mimi however, who provides endless entertainment with stories, hugs, walks, a giant awesome dollhouse!, and other fun toys.

here is a picture isaac took today. the weather was very nice today...mostly sunny and 72 or so degrees. i told zoey we could feel the pool with our toes, which we did. she then decided she wanted to go swimming, and i, who used to always swim in the ocean in maine/nh couldn't deal with the cold temperature...(probably around 60-65 degrees).

october wrapped up

makeshift table in our new kitchen which now has a real table

i stopped the car to take this picture

vegan thai restaurant shrine (is it called a shrine?) zoey said, "mommy look! christmas!"

i've been trying to remember what these fluffy thing are called since my friend ben told me about them about 10 years ago...they take over the swamps, are not native to the us, and kill all the cattails, but they look pretty to me.

left alone with finger paint. not too bad.

yay!

a trip to the beach on a getting over being sick day

beach berries

cousins

cozy

i came around the corner because i heard silence

so here are some pictures from october to hold you over. i'm trying!

in zoey's life lately...there is much "i want!" and "read this to me" and "nooooooo!!!!!!!!" and when i looked back at videos from a half a year ago, or even longer, when she couldn't talk, she seemed so much happier. i think it is a grass is greener type of deal though. she's happy still, just ornery! the "terrible twos" and approaching "terrible threes" have sneaked upon us in full force.

one thing i really enjoy about her age is her growing interest and ability with games. this is something i like to do too! also, she's starting to sing songs she remembers the words too. she hasn't quite got the right tune but has the rhythm down which is really cool. she's very cuddle with me (sometimes daddy too, but never anyone else) after nap time. oh, and she still takes naps pretty regularly for an hour midday, which is a great break for me.

she wants to be read stories most of the time, and is getting braver with strangers, and with family members or friends she was always shy with. i brought her over to her friend henry's house the other day. the visit before that, henry's dad john was home because it was the weekend. so on this visit the other day, we walked up the steps to the door and knocked, and zoey said, "john is not here. john is not home. he's away." i replied, "actually, henry's daddy john is here today, he got to stay home from work today!" in a super cheery voice. her demeanor instantly changed from excited to play with henry, to; something is going to jump out at me from every possible unseen spot in this house and i must be prepared, so i will freeze in this position and try to disappear mode. she was okay to play after i came in with her and she saw john was in the other room on the computer. of course, when i came back after an hour and was playing with her, she nearly screeched to a halt when running to a toy that was close to john. the funniest part is that, although john is tall and has facial hair, he is such a sweet, quiet and cool guy.

sometimes i think maybe she is read too many stories because a lot of the time she'll say things like, "mommy! i'm in the bedroom! i shouted!" or "i'm going to draw. i said" it's cute and funny. i'm sure i laugh hardest at many things she does, when some people are wondering what's so funny. maybe.

i'm tired, i must go to bed.