"Babys are Better" by Satvinder

(Click on image to see a bigger view)

Birthday Party Glimpses

3 Snow Princesses: Satvinder and two of her new friends from school, Piper (L) and Sophia Rose (R). Befriending these two has helped her school outlook a lot.

Sukhjot and baby friend, Narayan. I think she was longingly eying the keys he had in hand. (Sukhjot's outfit was picked by Satvinder months ago - it was requested that she wear a white dress and kitty ears. And so she did.)

Making bookmarks - they got books as party favors. Because we are book people around here.

Lining up for the snow ball hunt - it was hard to get pictures of the actual event because the kids were moving so fast to find the snow balls. The finding of the snowballs was over in a flash - most of them scooped up in 60 seconds. But then the kids got to unwrap all their snow balls and see the little presents they got. And that seemed to be a hit. (YAY!)

Pin the hat on the snowman.

Satvinder receiving her birthday song. She told me later that she felt a little weird - not sure what to do while everybody sang to her (explains the expression.) She is not a fan of cake so we did ice cream with toppings.

Kids getting their toppings. One of our favorite dessert places is Yogurtology - where you self serve your yogurt and toppings, getting as much or as little as you want and picking exactly what is to your liking. So we aimed for the same idea here.

Success: A fun day with lots of great people and a happy birthday girl!

Winter Wonderlanding

Today has been for "winter-wonderlanding" our house - making it ready for Satvinder's Winter Wonderland birthday party, which is tomorrow. I was burning up and sweating as I taped snow flakes around the back yard and hung the "pin the hat on the snowman" poster.

Even so, this poem by Robert Frost has come to mind:

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

At this point, I am very much relating to those last three lines. Still so much to do. And, with or without a party, there are always so many miles to go before I ever get to sleep. (Sukhjot wakes up more frequently than a newborn these days and sleep deprivation is just a part of life now.)

I keep meaning to write on here about the funny things Satvinder says or the cute things Sukhjot does. What was it Satvinder said? See, now I'm sitting here, ready to type and I've forgotten.

Oh, one thing recently was: "Oh for goodness sake, Sukhjot! How are you so cute?" And one of her favorite words has become "asinine," which is funny to me. Asinine! Everything is asinine now.

And Sukhjot has recently gotten into pointing. Her little pointer finger is busy pointing at so many interesting things in this world.

Satvinder reading and hooping - because it is not enough to do just one.

Baby

Sixty-something snow ball presents (they look like snow balls, right? Please say yes or, at least, sort of.) This is for a snow ball hunt - same idea as an Easter egg hunt but with little gifts wrapped in tissue paper. Hopefully it will amuse the kids for five minutes - it took me hours to make. haha.

11 Months

The happy-maker turns 11 months old today! Everywhere we go, people bubble with joy just at the sight of her. She is like magic. Magic!

That doesn't mean she has any hesitation to yell at us when she doesn't approve of what we are doing. No, she is has no problem speaking her mind - even if it is in munchkin speak. Baby gates...oh, you are gonna get it! Fishing the precious bits out of her mouth that she has managed to pick off the floor (even after I've just swept!)...there will be words had. Sister restraining her as they disagree over the proper possession of a toy...you get the idea.

But she's funny and bright and adorable. And she still has her little gummy baby smile - no teeth yet.

Gnawing on a pizza crust - she doesn't ingest much (with the not having teeth) but she really likes to gum it.