Hiatus

I can't believe how much time has passed since my last post. I didn't mean for that to happen. In the last two months, Sonia has started pulling herself up and she now crawls very quickly. She is into everything and everything goes into her mouth if it fits.. she'll try for a while even if it doesn't fit. She's eating a wide variety of foods -- I have stopped breastfeeding too. Jack is now using the potty. It's so awesome! We talked about it for a few weeks and tried underwear every now and then but he did not seem to get it or be interested at all. Then one day he was interested and we haven't had any need for diapers since. Jack got into a preschool near our house (his current school was only for one year) and he'll start going 3 days a week in September. It will be a big shift but I am hoping it will make his transition to fulltime school easier once I start graduate school next summer. There is no transition plan for Sonia. I rarely leave her with anyone (unlike Jack when he was her age) and she gets very upset if I leave the room when people come over to visit. I have a year to work that out.

We are still doing all the same things: lots of time at home while Sonia sleeps. Jack seems to like her more now. When she wakes up from her afternoon nap, he runs into her room and jumps into her crib with her. She thinks he is very funny. Jack is more and more talkative. He sings a lot. He prefers to watch a variety of videos on youtube (on my phone) instead of the Dora videos he used to watch on the portable dvd player. He got bored with Dora I guess. Now he loves Madeline and the Eiffel Tower. I liked those books too but as an adult, I find them a little dark.

We started a new ritual -- once a week the three of us take the bus to the neighborhood library. We get some books then get back on the bus. This is really a thrill for Jack. Every time we take the bus Jack says 'hello bus driver!' and starts to tell him or her where we are going. The bus drivers are always so happy to see Jack -- it's very sweet. How many people are that enthusiastic to ride the bus?

Jack and I have also started taking solo excursions to the Seattle Center. We ride the bus to the monorail. Then we go on some rides, ooh and ahh at the space needle, and visit the science center. Jack loves the dinosaurs and the mercury capsule. We watch the space shuttle on youtube a lot. I hear the museum of flight is trying to acquire one of the space shuttles to put on display. If that happens, we'll be at the MOF all the time.

We are out and about in the neighborhood a lot -- hanging out and watching all of the construction. Our neighbors are building a retaining wall which is now quite a spectacle too.

Time is just flying by.

On our way to the trampoline


At the zoo with friends


With dad


After nap


Making cookies of J's favorite things during Sonia's nap