My little Irish girl

I have to say, I'm really happy with the little Irish dress I made for Mya.  I've been trying really hard not to spend money on anything besides necessities due to our new budget, and I'm finding creative ways to be satisfied.  I had these scrap pieces of fabric from the tree I made for Mya's room, and made up the pattern just by looking at some dresses for size and google for ideas on the look I wanted she already had.  It ended up only taking me a few days and I learned more about sewing in the process.  I snapped these pics a few days before St. Patrick's day in our Apt. complex.  Unfortunately Mya came down with croup (a nasty contagious cough for little kids) the night before our St. Patty's festivities so she never got to wear it more than this half hour... I hope it still fits next year!

Fountain Fun! from March

This video's quality is not good- I have a hard time transferring my videos to YouTube- but you get the idea :)  Mya had a BLAST playing in the fountain near where we live.  We were just passing through to feed the ducks at the pond, but as you can see, this girl found her own kind of fun.  She has no fear and is not shy!  There was quite an audience and Mya was soaking it in... literally:)

 

She just couldn't pass up this fountain on the way to the car... she was already drenched so why not!

 

March equals spring around here... first half of March

We've been so blessed with beautiful weather this March.  I hear about all the snow and frigid weather back in WI and am glad it's been warm enough for me to go outside with Mya a lot.  AND it hasn't even rained that much!  Of course now that I've finally gotten around to posting, the rain has started up again... but I am grateful my first weeks home with Mya was an easy transition due to lovely opportunities outdoors :)

Mya is such an outdoorsy girl.  I love how adventurous she is... she really keeps me busy and active.  We typically have a morning and afternoon outing, and since we don't have a car, that means lots of walks and just wandering around- picking up rocks mostly.  The only populated place within walking distance is a strip mall, which fortunately includes our grocery store, credit union, drug store, our doctors office, a small library, and a little pond.  Mya loves to walk around the pond and watch the fountains and ducks in it.  Unfortunately signs strictly forbid feeding the ducks, but we enjoy spending time there. 

Mya was watching the ducks, and when the moved behind a bush, she did her sign for "more."  I didn't teach her many sign language signs, but this one has been very helpful.  She started really just using it for food type things, but it's been so cute to see her apply it to other things, like if we're playing a game or song she likes.

Mya loves playing with pots and pans- luckily for me!  It keeps her pretty busy while I'm cooking (or I should say we're cooking).  She likes to think that she's helping so I have to play along and include her in my meal preparation.  Now she always insists on stirring whatever I'm making- she get's so excited and looks at me with a big smile :)

Another picture with her friend, Kinsey.  They are doing this silly thing Mya often does for Kinsey's mom, where Mya clinches her fists and stresses her face, "grrrrrr..."

Mya spent a few day span walking around with a mirror in front of her face.  I have no idea why- she would trip and fall and run into things... such a goofball.

I filled a container with dried beans for Mya to scoop and play around with since she loves gravel and rocks... it's been keeping her busy to scoop and dump.  She also loves to get in the box, but always needs help getting up.

Chalk, pigtails, and bubbles... my little baby is growing up.  She just barely has enough hair now for me to put in little pigtails... though she fights me so hard she usually wins.  She still wants to be outside all the time and will grab her chalk and go to the door... I sure don't mind when it's nice out, and will just bundle us up if it's not.  Outside time is a daily "must."  Mya LOVES bubbles.  She brings the bottle to me so I can blow bubbles over and over- so much so that I'm pretty sure our carpeting is super soapy :P

Concluding February

To pick up where I left off in February, Mya is demonstrating her daredevil tendencies more and more lately.  I can't really trust to turn my back for an instant because I keep catching her climbing things or standing on things.  She likes to sit by herself in her rocking chair and will often go to her room, shutting the door behind her and spend some quality alone time rocking in her chair.  However, I have gone in on numerous occasions to find her standing on the chair- without holding onto anything- and swaying almost like she's surfing.  She knows she's busted when I catch her and definitely pouts and gives me the eye when I take her off the chair. 

She also likes to do flips and rough-house with daddy.  She will do this over and over again; I just caught them at the tail end of their routine:

Mya loves dancing!  We have lots of dance parties during the day with Pandora.  Usually we listen the the Kid's Worship channel, or Disney, or something like Monsters of Men- anything we can find upbeat and she goes nuts:  running around arms flailing, stomping her feet, and she loves when I pick her up and dance with her flying through the air.  We will be out in public and if she hears a song she likes, she will stop and just start dancing :)

She has been insisting on eating with a utensil now- no matter how messy! Yogurt is still one of her all-time favorites she won't ever turn down.  I have to say, I really love this bib!

Here is Mya with her best friend, Kinsey.  I met her mom about a year ago at a children's shop and,  through casual conversation, discovered our daughters were born just a few days apart at the same hospital.  We started getting the girls together occasionally and have all really become great friends. It has been so fun to see the two of them growing up at the same time and watch their unique qualities emerge.  Kinsey is so sweet and gentle- much more cautious and quieter than Mya.  I think they compliment each other well and I am so happy Mya has such a great friend already.

 Here (below) is Mya with her first friend, Audriana.  Her mom was the excellent child care provider who watched Mya from three months to about one year old and her daughter was such a sweet friend to her as well. She is about nine months older than Mya.

Alright, time to wrap up February even though I'm leaving  things out... I need to get on to current times though so it will have to do.