Halloween Snapshots

Say hello to Princess Halloween!

Every kid got to pick and decorate a pumpkin. And yes, we forgot to take a picture of hers.

It was amazing how they transformed the cafeteria into a Halloween haven, complete with a mad scientist stirring a cauldron full of dry ice and wonderfully frightening witches. Wicked fun!

Not forgetting Chicken Man who obviously ruffled Kayla's feathers.

Mike's office or what some call "controlled chaos."

Pixie power! Bitten by the dressup bug, she's been wearing her Tinkerbell costume on and off all week and going "Don't forget your wings Tinkerbell."

Pretty in Purple

Last year she was a clueless bumble bee. This year, she declared herself "Princess Halloween" after staring at herself in the mirror in her purple princess costume which Grandma bought for her last year. We also got her a little tiara (actually not so little, it's supposed to be for a 6-year-old but was snug on her head) and I think that extra touch really made her feel extra special.

Instead of going trick or treating at church this year, we went to a Halloween party at Mike's workplace. Kayla had a blast at the party. She decorated her own pumpkin with stickers, rubbed shoulders with a witch and a man in a chicken suit, and had lots of mini corn dogs. Plus she got to hang out at Daddy's surprisingly unmessy workspace!

I know, picture speak a thousand words, but those pictures happen to be trapped in the camera (We used our old Nikon and I'm not sure I rem where the attachment to download the pictures is!). But I promise I'll put them up the minute I lay my hands on them. :)

Wise Words

Update on the video situation: It's disappeared into nowhere...and we've tried everything. :(

But here's something that never fails to cheer me up.

Background: Inspired by a library book we got from the library "Guess who?", I started playing a silly little game with Kayla where I ask her if she's a "make-up-any-occupation-that-ends-with-maker."

Here's what she spouted:
Me: Are you a shoemaker?
Kayla: No...
Me: Are you a dressmaker?
Kayla: No...
Me: Are you a poopie-maker?
Kayla: No..
Me: Then what are you?
Kayla: I'm a troublemaker!
Me: Collapse into laughter.

Background: We picked up this "cleanup" song from her classes in Gymboree from way back. It goes something like "Clean up, clean up, everybody do your part/clean up clean up everybody do your part."

Here's what happened this morning:
Me: Kayla, let's clean up.
Kayla: (Breaks into song) Clean up, clean up, everybody do your part...
Then she pauses and looks at me and says: "It's not my part yet."

Tell me if I should laugh or cry.

Wiped Out

I was just about to upload more videos... of Kayla at the pumpkin patch, of Kayla belting out Amazing Grace, of Kayla doing her nighttime crazies when I discovered that all the videos have been mysteriously wiped out!

I'm thankful I uploaded the ones I did last week, but I'm really hoping we find the ones we lost. Sigh.

The Sequel

As promised, here are more videos of the little miss kayla.

Sep 30: This is one of our favorite parks, Del Rey Park, adjacent to the public elementary school Kayla's supposed to attend and a very pleasant15-min stroll away from home. There're usually lots of babies and tots at this park, but this was a particularly serene afternoon. Didn't bother Kayla one bit- she was content just scooping and pouring and scooping and pouring her sand.

Oct 1: Another of her favorite activities - painting in the backyard. I've basically turned this tiny concrete patch in our yard into a creativity center of sorts (in short, she can wreck it and I won't care). It's where she does her chalk drawings, finger paintings and all manners of messy experiments. :)

Fresh Footage

Well, actually not so fresh. I haven't had much time lately to download or edit the videos so these are a wee bit old (mostly August), but still as enjoyable.

Sit back, relax and bring out the popcorn.

Kayla at her summer art class on Aug 2. She still loves getting her hands dirty.

More mess in the name of "art"

Munchkin at her music class. She loves loves loves "Wheels on the Bus."

... Stay tuned. There's more to come. It's getting late and it's taking way too long to upload these vids!

What? Are you kidding me?

That's what our precocious 22-month-old spouted out of the blue recently. Don't ask me who she learned it from -- I'm guessing I might have said that once (okay, maybe twice) but I always thought it was out earshot. Nevertheless, it was hilarious hearing it from her.

More and more precious remarks are falling from her precious lips every day and I wish I coupld pen them all down or remember them all. Off the top of my head: She's darling when she wags her little finger, shakes her head and declares "It's not my bedtime yet." or says "Must tell mommy before I go poop in the diaper!" She's endearing when she rocks her little doll to sleep the way I hold her in my arms, when she pulls a blankie over her doll and tells me "ssshhh" because her dolly's sleeping, when she conducts imaginary conversations with her Fisher Price Little People, and the list goes on...

And of late, she's gone off her diet of porridge. "I don't like chok anymore," she announced sometime last week and has just been eating what we've been eating. I'm a little concerned about her not getting as well-rounded a meal as she has been with her porridge. Hopefully that'll change with her growing ability to chew various meats and veggies. Cooking for kids, I have to say, is an art and of late, I've rounded up even more bento box sites. If only I had more time....

What I can only aspire towards:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cuteobento/

http://flickr.com/photos/kitsa_sakurako/sets/72157594570556057/?page=3

What's might actually be feasible:
http://adventuresinbentomaking.com/

http://www.cookingcute.com/gallery.htm