One Saturday in March

At least one day each weekend is dedicated to running errands and getting things done. This past Saturday, Cairo was up with the sun... that is, she was up at 5:45 am on the one day that I get to sleep in. Lucky for Cairo, sleeping in the horizontal was no longer comfortable and her soon-to-be-brother was kicking me very hard in the bladder (over and over again). So, Cairo and I got up, had some "milt" (Cairo doesn't say hard "k"s yet) while cuddling on the couch and, then, made a nice big cup of hot coco for mommy. Cairo loves to help, so she poured the coco into the hot milk (and on the counter) and stirred it for me. There is no better way to start the day than lumpy coco, made with love, by your 20 month old daughter!

While I was drinking my coco, Cairo got out her tea and coco set and made herself her own pretend hot chocolate. We sipped our chocolate together for a while and then decided it was time to get to work. Cairo and I folded some laundry and then took Sienna for a walk to the school down the street. Cairo and I threw the ball for Sienna for about a half hour in between trips down the slide on the playground. After a while, our stomachs were rumbling. Though we left a household of sleeping people, we came home to cooked bacon and biscuits. Great timing Grammy! Before we started to eat breakfast, we went in and jumped on daddy... afterall, there can be no sleeping in until 8am when a warm breakfast and chores are waiting. We had to go back and jump on daddy again a few times before he dragged himself out of bed.

The completion of breakfast brought on a few hours of cleaning and laundry followed by a quick outing to recycle household hazardous waste. Cairo made sure to help take apart the computer before it was sent off to be recycled. Uncle Danny would be so proud!



That wasn't enough to keep our busy little bee busy. Cairo insisted on going out and fixing Daddy's surf board. "Cairo do it," as Cairo says constantly. Cairo put on her safety goggles and got to work.



By the time Cairo finished working on Daddy's board, she decided it was time for some entertainment and lunch. While Mommy fed her lunch, Daddy entertained Cairo with Guitar Hero on the wii.




Lunch was followed by a nap... by both an exhausted Cairo and an exhausted mommy. We both woke up crabby from our naps and decided that shopping was just the thing we needed. So, Cairo, Erik, and I took a trip to Target enjoyed some popcorn and an icee as we shopped. While shopping we picked up a bubble maker and a few other odds and ends. Once we got home, Cairo all but tore the wrapping off the bubble maker. We took the bubble maker outside and played with the bubbles until dark. As much as Cairo loved the bubbles, I think that Sienna loved them even more!



Bubbles were followed by dinner and bed. What a fun and full day!

Daddy's Girl

Cairo loves her daddy. Erik is lucky enough to spend the entire day, each and everyday, with our baby girl. He is an amazing Stay-at-Home-Dad. Not only does he make Cairo yummy meals throughout the day (like "wapples" or pan fried tofu) but he also takes her and Xander on hour long walks each day, constantly plays in Cairo's tent and on the floor with her, takes her to play group, takes her to the park to go "weeeee" (aka play on the slide), does art projects, goes for adventures looking for "balls" (aka rolly pollies), reads books, sings songs... and that is all before nap time! Television is almost unheard of with Cairo, as is junk food. Without a doubt, Erik and Cairo are forming a special bond based on hours and hours of constant one-on-one and one-on-two (Xander included) time together. There is no one Cairo likes to give kisses to and raspberries to more than Erik. Cairo especially loves to help daddy with everything and anything she can. Here is Cairo helping her daddy look for spiders under her bed.

Tubby Time

Cairo loves the bath tub. In fact, she loves it so much that when it is time to get out she absolutely refuses to do so. Instead, she will just sit in the empty bathtub and continue to play. One would think that she's get cool enough to want a towel, but she just pushes it off and says her favorite word- "no!" By the time we finally take her, kicking and screaming, from the tub (or when we can think of a good enough bribe to get her out) she is dry. Cairo always insists on bubbles and, lately, she has really been enjoying her bath body paints.



The other night a fussy Xander joined in on the tubby fun (he loves baths, too). Cairo and Xander seemed to have a lot of fun splashing each other in the face. Let the water wars begin... I am sure that they will be a lot more fun when the two of them get bigger and more ruthless (though, if Xander continues this trend of having his Mama's personality he is going to be a non-aggressive, sweet little lamb... but he shows promising form in the attached video).

Super Bowl Sunday

Last Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday. While most were glued to their TVs and yummy snacks (or just glued to their yummy snacks), Erik, Cairo, and I enjoyed our warm, beautiful, sunny Sunday outside.

First, Cairo helped us wash the car (something that was long over due). It was good timing on our part, it rained this week. Who'd have guessed, being that we live in Southern California and all. While Erik washed the roof, I washed the sides, and Cairo got everything down low. To keep from getting her nice leather shoes wet, she wore her rain boots (looks cute with her saggy-butt shorts and tank top). Unfortunately, when Cairo was using the hose she managed to fill up both boots with water. It was entertaining hearing the sloshing sound that came with each step... as well as the trail of water she left behind. It took a little convincing to get her to take her boots off so that we could drain out the water.



Later in the day, Erik, Cairo, Sienna, and I took a nice walk to Bradoaks (the school down the street that I went to for K-5) and played on the playground. While I was throwing the ball for Sienna, Erik and Cairo explored the fun playground. This playground is really nice (and we were the only ones there!). The floor is covered in a rubber mat, the slides are fast, and there is a large variety of other things to play on. To name a few- a zip line, a mini rock-climbing wall, a tunnel, and, of course, swings. Cairo had a great time. She seems to be a bit of a daredevil and is constantly saying, "weeeeeeee!"

Spending a beautiful Sunday with your family beats watching the Super Bowl any day!

Biking with Daddy

A few months ago the VP at my school handed down to me his old kid-towing trailer for his bike. His girls are now too big for it... but it fits Cairo just right. Erik and Cairo went for their first outing in it yesterday. Cairo seemed to enjoy it, but was a little cautious. Cairo wasn't crazy about her helmet, but she will get used to it with time. This will be a great addition to Erik and Cairo's outdoor activities. The bike trail a few blocks away leads to a park were they have "weeees" (aka slides)... now we just need a good day to do it.

All about Cairo at 19 months

Cairo is over a year and a half now. Boy how time flies! With baby #2 on the way (a little boy this time- due in about 18 weeks) I have found myself sitting and reflecting on the path Erik, Cairo, and I have traveled these past 19 months as we became our own little family. Today, as I was pulling out all the newborn clothes I saved from when Cairo was a baby I held one sleeper up next to her and it looked like clothes that her doll would fit into... this particular sleeper was big on Cairo when she was born. Cairo is no longer a baby, but a big girl. I never thought that I would think that my of 19 month old, but she has a mind of her own, definite opinions, likes, and dislikes, and has lost all but a little pudge in her cheeks.

Here is a view of Cairo at 19 weeks-

Cairo is loud. There are times she likes to yell and scream just because you tell her not to. Cairo has the same independent streak that both Erik and I had at her age. She likes to help and do things on her own. She will ask for help, but not before she has frustrated herself trying to get it done on her own. Her vocabulary is huge and she picks up on words from everywhere. We've now entered the realm of spelling certain words out like N-A-P, B-E-D, G-R-A-M-M-Y, and C-O-O-K-I-E. Cairo's pediatrician said that the two favorite words for most toddlers Cairo age are "no" and "mine" or "my". Cairo is no different, though she mostly uses "my" when she and I are arguing over whose daddy Erik is.

Of all her new words, "no" is the one that drives me the most crazy. She is constantly saying "no" or "nope." We have been working on our "no, thank you" and our "yes, mommy" but we still have some work to do. I have now started to try and phrase my questions in to ones that can not be answered with a yes or a no or I have been giving her options... anything to get away from a "no" response.

Cairo cooking food-

In the last few weeks Cairo has started using many more polite words. It started around Christmas with "excuse me." My legs were up on the coffee table and she wanted to get by so she said, "Excuse me, Mommy." That was a shocker because I had no idea she knew that term. Upon reflection, Erik does say it a lot around her during the day and she must have picked up on it. Now she uses "excuse me" all the time. Excuse me baby, excuse me chair, excuse me pillow, excuse me to anything that is in her way. Now her polite words have grown to "please" (especially when "cookies" are around), thank you, and sorry. She has to be prompted to say sorry and thank you, but she does use them.

On occasion, Cairo is stubborn and/or naughty and needs a time-out. If you heard her during one of her time-outs you would think that we were beating her, she makes so much noise. Who needs to spank her when making her sit in a corner, facing the wall, by herself is so much more effective? She will stay where she is put and we let her cry and sob for a minute before coming and talking to her. Most time-outs are given after warnings and giving her a chance to make the right choice. In the end, she cuddles close and we reassure her that we still love her... and all is fixed.

Taking her baby on a grocery shopping tripCairo is a little mama. She loves to help Erik watch baby Xander during the day. The moment he gets here in the mornings she yells "baby", runs to take all his toys and blankets off of him in the carseat, tries to unhook him, grabs his bottle from Heather, and sticks it in his face. She is always ready to run into the bedroom and grab him a bib or a burp cloth. Many times she will get the task done before you can even ask her. Once, she even sniffed Xander's bottom to check for poo-poos, she reported, correctly that "nope" there weren't any. Though her and Xander are separated by a little over a year, physically they are less than five pounds and five inches apart. Despite this, Cairo still attempts to pick him up. When Xander isn't around, Cairo has two baby dolls she likes to take care of. She rocks them one at a time on her rocking chair, feeds them their baby ba-bas, gives them baths (complete with bubbles), makes sure they eat their applesauce, and takes them for long walks around the house in their little stroller. Once in a while she bashed their heads against the corner of furniture (on accident)... we just need to work with her spatial awareness and baby holding technique.

Feeding Xander the minute he gets into the house.
Taking care of her baby.


One of Cairo's favorite past times (aside from her babies) is taking a bath or shower. She is always ready to strip off her clothes and do the naked baby dance. When bath time comes, it is her job to pull out all her tubby toys, throw them into the tub, take out the bubbles, unscrew the lid, and hand them to mommy. There is nothing she likes better than those bubbles. Cairo loves being in the water and doesn't mind being splashed or getting her face wet. The other day she and I practiced her swim strokes and kicking technique in the tub. She has started to take a more helpful role in cleaning herself. The only problem we run into is when tubby time is over. Cairo DOES NOT want to get out. I will pull the plug on the tub, the water will drain, and she will just sit there- refusing a towel and refusing to get out. Once we finally convince her to get out, then the fight to get a diaper and clothes on her begins. I can't wait to remind her when she's older how much she once loved to be naked.
Cairo refusing to put clothes on.
Cairo finally being persuaded to put something on- her pretty turquoise tutu.


Like all toddlers, Cairo is constantly taking little tumbles. I think most of it has to do with trying to do two things at once. Like walking and anything else. She especially enjoys walking backwards without looking behind her which is something her parents don't find quite as funny. We keep telling her that she will have to wear a helmet full time if she doesn't learn how to tame her reckless streak. Despite all the tumbles, Cairo is a tough girl. She has a high pain tolerance (other than when she's tired) and quickly recovers from bumps and bruises.

For Cairo, anything and everything is a phone. Today she walked into the room with the charger for Danny's iPod up to her ear saying "hello" followed by some baby gibberish and some "mommys" and "daddys." Last weekend, she did the same thing with a handheld poker game at my Nana and Papa's house. A lot of the time Cairo really does have a phone, though. She is tall enough that she can reach up and take the portable phone off the charging stand, or she reaches into Grammy's purse and pulls a cell phone out, or grabs either Erik or my phone off the night stand. The rest of the time she looks at Heather, says "picture", and Heather hands Cairo her phone. Cairo then takes it around clicking pictures. We have started to keep a gallery of her better photos.

Cairo showing Xander her pictures.

Gallery a la Cairo- the world from 2 feet 6 1/2 inches:

Legs
Legs
Baby
Living Room
Floor
Legs
Baby
Lap
Face
Legs

Technically, Cairo is not a picky eater. She loves all sorts of foods. She just isn't willing to always eat those foods. For example, one day she'll eat a whole banana and the next day she wants nothing to do with it. One day she will gobble down broccoli and the next day she spits it out as soon and it hits her tongue. Some of her all time favorite foods consistently are applesauce, bagels and cream cheese, waffles (aka wapples), blueberries, and graham crackers. Overall, though, she isn't a big eater.

Cairo ends each day with the same routine, brushing her teeth and saying goodnight to snoopy. Sometimes Cairo is great about brushing her teeth, other times I have to hold her tight to keep her from squirming. Luckily, when she doesn't want her teeth brushed she yells and screams instead of clenching her mouth tight. So, during her protest I am able to shove her toothbrush in there and brush. For the past few nights I have been using a different strategy. I tell her we need to get the bugs out. Then I brush a little, look for bugs, tell her there are more, brush a little more and eventually it is all done. Then we rinse her toothbrush and say bye to the buggies. Hopefully, she buys into this for at least the next few weeks... until I can think of something new. After teeth brushing, we go and give everyone hugs and kisses and then Erik and I tuck her into bed- sometimes with a book, sometimes with just hugs and kisses, but always with her snoopy. She won't settle unless both Erik and I have properly said goodnight to snoopy. We have to hug him, kiss him, and rub noses with him. The we hand him back and she cuddles in. Lights are out between 7 and 7:20 or so.

Each day she has a new surprise for us. I am trying to cherish these moments as much as I can. On a daily basis I am reminded of what happens to them in another 12 years or so and I know that I will face many new challenges then. At least now she's little, cuddly, and thinks that Erik and I are the most fabulous people in the world.

Girly Girl

(We hope to have pictures to compliment this blog entry tomorrow)

I have created a girly-girl and I am not sure how. We have not pushed gender onto Cairo, rather we have let her discover her own likes and dislikes. Currently her likes follow the trend of if it's pink, frilly, jewelery, make-up, purse paraphernalia, or baby gear then she LOVES it. Her new favorite item to wear is a pink nightgown with ruffled sleeves and Disney Princesses on it. The other day she wouldn't stop saying princess until I put the nightgown on her.

Keeping with the Princess trend,yesterday she wore a knee-length turquoise tutu that she loved because she was a princess in it. She refused to get dressed until I asked her if she wanted to wear her princess skirt. Once dressed I told her "go show Daddy your Princess skirt." She ran to Erik, swished her skirt back and forth, fluffed it for him to see, and said "princess."

Cairo also loves to be apart of Grammy's morning routine. Cairo, just like Grammy, loves to have her hair brushed and blow dried, her deodorant put on, her "lip-lip" put on, her eye brows penciled in, and then she smiles at her self in the mirror and says, "oooh, pretty." (Side note- the cap remains on all toiletries and at not REALLY applies... come on, she's only a year and a half)