New Holiday Pics

Santa Got His Picture Taken With Nia Today

My Little Girls

I will dance to this at my girls weddings...

She's Got The Music In Her

Hey Soul Sister

DISCLAIMER: This is a pretty heavy rant and not about rainbows and butterflies, but the blog is also for Gillian and Nia to be able to see later so...

For the past 11 years the holidays haven't been my favorite time of the year. I can solely attribute it to not having Gillian here. (She lives in Connecticut with her Mother)

No matter what, there's never enough time with her. When Nia came along I was so happy to welcome her into the world, but it was bittersweet because Gillian wasn't here to be a part of it. No child can replace another child, and each one is different and at no time did I think having Nia around would somehow patch any missing holes in my heart. Gillian is turning into an amazing young lady. She's going to be a teenager in 2011, hard to believe. I can't even begin to explain the heaviness of the guilt I feel being so far away and separated from her. She is a part of me and lately I have been so overwhelmed with it that I've found myself being distant because she has a wonderful family where she is including a step-dad that loves her and is always there for her and I don't know what I can do or where to fit in anymore. I know Gillian loves me, but I don't know how to be part of her life in a meaningful way 500 miles away when all I want to do is be with her, and I take much of the blame for it.

Every time I look at Nia and all the things she is doing and the time I spend with her it gets overshadowed with the guilt I feel about Gillian not being here. Everytime Gillian is sick, or sad, or needs help, or has a gymnastics or soccer meet all I can do is tell her how much I wish I could be there and it takes a piece of me every time. I don't get to help her with homework or go to parent teacher conferences, and even when I see her there's never enough time to fit everything in.

Probably one of the hardest parts for me is Nia not having Gillian around to be the big sister. They are literally 2 peas in a pod. Similer personalities and mannerisms with enough of an age difference to never have to worry about one stealing the others boyfriends. Two of the most perfect examples of "amazing" I have ever seen. With the holiday season here, I know I can't give them what I want to, but I can only promise to do better at making sure the two of them stay connected. Which is one of the main reasons for this blog. I'd love to be able to give Gillian a phone, and to have a webcam as well. Never know, holiday miracles happen all the time.

Whats In A Name?

Out for a stroll with mom and dad...


It's very cute, lately whenever Nia says goodbye shes does "Bye Bye" followed by whatever she thinks your name is. Sometimes its right on, other times if your name is Mike you might get "Bye Bye CeeCee", if it's Chris or Kristine then she likes to use "Chris" that so you're good. She's starting to use 3 word sentences like "Here it is" or "I don't know", and other times its pure Niaspeak.

It is nothing short of amazing to watch a 1 1/2 year old start to "get" things. If you had a device that could measure invisible light bulbs there would be dozens popping up around Nia's noggin at any given time.

She's also really taken up singing.

Nia Does A Magic Trick

I was playing the game where you take a quarter and pretend to grab it and hide it in the other hand (Uncle Andy is great at this) and she always knew it was in the other hand. So she asked for the quarters and proceeded to do her own magic trick. She took the quarter, hid it under her arm, and when we asked her where it was, she actually shrugged her shoulders and said "I don't know"? We hoped she would do it again when we got the video on, and this time when she hid it and after saying "I don't know?", the quarter fell out and she said "Here It is"!

She officially turns 18 months old on Wednesday! It's our Chanukkah treat.

Summersaults

Nia has been trying to do summersaults ever since she learned them at Baby Gymnastics with Stephanie at My Little Outback. Now I really wish her big sister was here (she's a champion gymnast).

Some pics of Gillian in action:

Niaspeak

It seems everyday Nia is saying more and more words. She already has a really broad comprehension. We can ask her almost anything within reason and she understands. And lately she's even taken the initiative with putting things away such as trash and toys. Nias dictionary update:

Toast. This was new today. She pointed to the bread and then said "toast" and wanted me to put it in the toaster.
Ka Ka. When her diaper needs to be changed or she sees something dirty she says this.
Up. When she wants to be picked up.
Baby. She loves other babies, but she also said it to a guy in Target so were worried.
Mmmmmmm. Accompanied by tummy rubbing.
Hot. Followed by a "tssssssssssss".
Cold. Sometimes accompanied by her attempt at "brrrrr" and shaking
On/Off. She is fascinated with turning things on and off, especially light switches.
OH TOO DOH! When she watches Micky Mouse Clubhouse they yell for Toodles by saying "OH TOODLES!"
All done. Sometimes she throws her hands up, sometimes no.
Piz. For Pizza
Ca. For Car.
Beep beep. Learned it from wheels on the bus.
Row row row. When she wants to do "Row Row Row Your Boat"
Ah Fa Dn. When she wants to do "Ring Around the Rosie"
Shoes.
Ni Ni. For night night.
Keen Up. For clean up
Tank Ooh. For thank you
Peez. For please.
Juice. Unfortunately since most of her liquids are in a sippy cup, she still calls everything juice including water. But she knows "Milk" in sign language, but that's when she wants the boob.
This/That.
Yes/No. She uses them right pretty much all the time.
More. She knows this verbally and in sign language.
Apple. Duh. The all mighty and powerful fruit.
No no no no no, etc... Yeah, it's THAT time. The "no's" are sometimes followed by "mine".
Come. In conjunction with either a hand gesture or the recent hand grab and pull.
I do. Miss independent.
Dance. And boy does she love to. Put on a good song and she'll shake it.
Ball. For ball or balloon
Slide. Duh.
Shoe. Now she is starting to have a preference which ones she wants you to put on and will bring them to you.
Mama and Dada. Actually uses them correctly now.
Ball. Self explanatory, although this can also refer to a balloon.
Ice. Loooooves ice.
Mine. Recently expanded from "My". Pretty much everything is "Mine" but she shares great.
Book. She love's books, especially Todd Parr books.
Hi and Bye Bye. Now accompanied by a wave or a blown kiss. She loves to give hugs & kisses
Here. If you walk away she will start saying "here" in a cascading level of volume until you come back. She's also not above throwing herself on the floor if you refuse to come "here" when she asks.
Uh Oh. Accidental or not.
Eyes, Nose, Mouf, Foot, Hand, Hair.
Still not totally on ball with the animal sounds but she does make them. She's really good at "Grrrr" and "Baaaaaa".

And her sign language words: "More", "Milk", "Diaper", "Me", "Eat", "Finished", "Love" and "Thank You"

Nia's New Hat

We bought her a new winter hat and mittens from The Gap. And if I do say so myself, she looks darn cute in it... She likes to play with the tossles.

The Bibs

One day, Nia went into her room and took out a bib. She asked me to put it on. I obliged. Then she went back into her room, brought out another bib and did the same thing. I thought "this is cute". This went on until I had put every bib she had on her.

Party Girl

One of my good friends had a Birthday party for his daughter and Nia had a blast.

Word Up

Last night, we had one of our first actual frustrating conversations with Nia. Well, let me explain. Nia was speaking Tenglish (toddler English). Half of what she was saying was actual words and the rest was Niaspeak. She was playing with her baby, and kept saying the same thing, but when we would say something she would be "No no nooooo Dada!" Finally she said "shoes" and we realized she wanted us to put her babies shoes on (we moved the box with the rest of the babys clothes and she couldn't find it). When we did that, she shook her head yes and went on her business. At the end of the night, she put her baby in her bouncer, kissed her head, said "nite nite", motioned to turn the light off and walked out of the room. You could melt.

Between the daily increasing vocabulary, her sign language and physical gestures we're actually finding it easy to understand her and communicate. She has now even started requesting songs be played again.

If You're Happy & You Know It...

Nia has started shouting "hurray!". Wait for the last one...

New Nia Pics November Round-Up

Fun hair day...


Hanging on the boom box


Out for a walk...


Nia loves her belly button...


Domestic goddess & Wonder Nia

Oh Toodles!

This morning we were watching Micky Mouse Clubhouse and when they yelled out for Toodles by shouting "Oh Toodles!" Nia yelled "OH TOO DOH!"

The other day I was on the couch and Nia was sitting next to me, I had just finished a drink and said "all done" to which Nia took the bottle, walked from the living room to the kitchen and put the bottle in the recycling. I did it again and video taped her but it wasn't as cute as the first time.

Baby I Love Your Way

Last week Nia discovered baby dolls at Little Outback, so we wondered if maybe she was ready for a baby doll. We got one at Target and were going to give it to her for Hanukkah but when she was sick she seemed so sad we figured we had nothing to lose by maybe giving her a diversion. She instantly started smiling, hugged the baby and began pushing the stroller around the apartment. Now she puts the baby in her crib and puts the blanket over her and puts her giraffe next to her. It's beyond precious and shows she has compassion and a kind heart.

Cuteness Has A Name...

The hair, LOVE the hair.


Nia was not sure what to wear...

An Apple A Day Didn't Keep The Doctor Away

Nia's been a sick boo boo all weekend and today. Slight fever and congestion. Definately wasn't feeling like herself.

New Pics November

Nia put the sunglasses on herself. Apparently she knows shes "Cool".


Writing checks


Doing some light housework



I love love love this hoodie sweater from Old Navy.