Happy New Year 2009

What is everybody yelling about?

What I’m reading (over and over again)

I have two new favorite books now.  One is an illustrated version of an old childrens’ song, Ten in the Bed illustrated by Penny Dale.  I like the rhythm of the story (I sometimes swing back and forth while Mommy reads it), the repetition, and the sound effects that come as each stuffed animal is rolled out of bed.  It reminds me of my bed and all the stuffed animals that sleep with me every night: Frogger, Teddy, Turtle, my dog Blue, and Tony the pony.

I had been reading this book at home several times a night for several weeks when to my sheer delight, a copy showed up at daycare too!  Now I can read it day and night!

My other favorite book to read right now is one I have been having Mommy read over and over again for several months and which reflects my fascination with my own Momma: Mama, Where Are You? I actually ask for this book by its title and the only reason she reads it to me over and over again willingly is because I am so cute when I say, “Mama” on each page- just like the baby animals in the book do.  But Momma trys to keep it interesting.  Sometimes she says “Mama, where are you?” in a different voice for each baby animal.  And lately we’ve been adding some actions.  For example, I now know that skunks are stinky and I hold my nose when I see the skunk.

Homemade Play-dough

Momma and I made some “play-dough” today.  She got the recipe from my teachers.  I like to use the cookie-cutters.  Daddy showed me how to use the rolling pin.

This recipe makes a lot, so you may want to divide it before adding food coloring.

2 cups water
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
4 tsp cream of tartar
3 tbsp oil
food coloring

Mix in a pan and cook until thickened over medium-high heat.  Knead until cool.  Store in a ziplock bag.

Iron Horse, Fiberglass Horse, Real Horse

Today was Saturday.  We needed to get our family act together and get out some Christmas cards, so we headed to the arboretum to do some location photography of your’s truly being cute in the winter for the card photo.  Well, that part was easily done- but it happened that there was a holiday model train exhibit, so we checked it out.

I was already familiar with trains due to my bathtub toys.  I can summon a respectable “choo choo”.  Seeing the trains and the little town and ice skaters was neat.  I watched for a long time as the trains went round and round.  Then Momma got the idea to follow-up with lunch at the diner in town that serves up your meal via a train that goes round the restaurant on tracks.  While we were waiting for a booth, Daddy popped a quarter in the horse ride and I went for a slow trot.  That was fun!

Then… when we walked outside there was a horse-drawn carraige on the street with two REAL horses.  They let me pet thier noses, and I hoped they would make some horse noises.  They were big!  Much bigger than Tony the Pony.

Christmas Wishlist

Momma and Daddy are busy putting together their Christmas wishlists.  Momma even put a few things on hers that are really for me, including a potty seat.  She’s got high hopes it seems!

Momma asked me to put my list together and post it here so that she could try out a feature of WordPress.  So here is my preliminary wishlist.  Remember that she is a wierdo and doesn’t want me to have any highly commercialized toys like Elmo or American Girl that might turn me into a fanatic.  No videos either.  Certainly no toy guns!

Liza’s Christmas List