"goose, goose, GOOSE"

Had to share this...

So, I taught Nora how to play Duck, Duck, Goose a couple of weeks ago, or at least, introduced it to her. Then, we tried to play with her friends 2 weekends ago. On Sunday, we tried again with my mom after a several rounds of Ring around the Rosie.
Tonight, however was a riot! We went to pick her up at my parents' house after work and she made all of us do a few rounds of Ring around the Rosie. I said, "let's do duck duck goose". So, she didn't even wait for an example! She just started hitting everyone's head and said "Goose, Goose, Goose, Goose", and the start running. Although she said the same thing each time, she knew exactly what she was doing. She would start running to the kitchen after she said "goose" to whomever she wanted to chase her. No one else got a turn to be the runner, but we didn't mind. :)

She needs to learn a few of the game techniques still, but she is catching on! Love watching her learn!
Hopefully, I will get a video of it soon!

a weekend away

We had a really great long weekend with friends in Wisconsin Dells. I have lived in Chicago most of my life and have only been to the Dells once (as a teenager with a friend). Apparently, that is unheard of for many Chicago natives. :) So, we headed there this past weekend. We had such a great time.

This was not planned, I promise...all girls showed up wearing the EXACT same outfit! How funny/cute is that? They waisted no time getting to some serious playing and running around!

Matching toddlers and Anne.
Nora is quite comfortable around her friends. She obviously felt very comfortable tackling Tony while Lila was climbing on him. Sorry Tony.
But Lila took to T.J. quite well too. She is so darn cute and has the sweetest little voice.
We took the girls to a water park. The Dells is known for the hundreds of water parks and amusement type things for families. Nora LOVED it!!! TJ took her down a couple slides, I took her down the lazy river (in which, she kept asking for more while turning a little blue from being cold), and she splashed and splashed.

Posing with Adeline and wearing Adeline's bathing suit-thanks for that!

Cute pictures Anne took. Nora enjoying the water park and....

Nora looking mmmm not so thrilled.

Bath time at the end of a very long day.

We had such a wonderful time and enjoyed many long conversations, yummy food, watching the girls play and being able to relax away from home. The only super annoying thing was that TJ and I had to listen to a 3 hour long talk about a time share---grrrr. I am still angry about it. Thankfully, Anne and Tony watched Nora.

Just a fun extra picture of Nora enjoying her "ort" (fort) She wanted us to pull her little chair inside of it. Such a stinker.

PEE PEE IN THE POTTY!!!!!!!!!!!!

SHE DID IT!!!!!!!! I'M NOT KIDDING! 20 months old yesterday, and Nora went PEE PEE IN THE POTTY!!!!!!!!
So crazy. And, I realize many of you may think this is gross that I am posting this, but I don't care. Writing this down in her baby book simply won't have the same effect as this picture will 10 or 20 years from now.
After Nora's bath tonight, I asked her if she wanted to sit on the toilet just as I have been the last few nights. She said "yea" and I held her on the toilet, sure as heck, she actually went pee pee. I think I actually frightened her a little with my jubilant reaction. But, a moment later, she pointed to the toilet again and said "butt". I asked if she wanted to go on and again and she said "yea". No pee pee the second time, but that is fine with me.
Now, I am not an idiot. I know this is quite a fluke. But, it is a step in the right direction. I always wondered what it would be like when Nora went pee pee the first time on the toilet. I am just as excited as I pictured I would be.
She is such a BIG girl!!!! a picture of her very first pee pee in the potty. She had to wipe too you know. So proud!!!

I have to add these little stories too since I want to remember them.
I was already so proud of her in the bath tonight that the pee pee was just a whopping amount of icing on top.
While taking a bath tonight, Nora was pretending to trim my nails like I do hers. It was so out of the blue. She took my hand and took my thumb and put her little nail under mine and pulled. Then, she said "one mo" (one more) and moved onto the pointer finger. She did the same thing for each finger on that hand. I thought that was so funny because it is exactly what I say while trimming hers.
The second thing in the bath...She loves blowing bubbles in the water (what child doesn't); however, she often likes me to join her. Well, I do. I bend over the side of the tub and blow bubbles. I would hate if anyone other then family ever walked in on me.
Anyway, she sat up and wiped her nose with a wash cloth. She saw that my nose was wet, and wiped it. Then she said "betta?" (better) I was so shocked because it was such an appropriate thing to say and a question.
What a night!

Happy New Year and Merry Christmas Again...in Chicago!

Happy New Year!!!! 2010 was a great year, blessed with family, friends, and good health!
We kicked off 2011 with some friends at our house for "play time" and home made pizza! TJ and I even made it to east coast New Year and fell asleep shortly after. :0
Here's a picture of the girls making pizza. The two younger ones weren't as into it, but they did enjoy eating it!
Nora made a New Year's resolution to torment Bailey I think.
But it's all out of LOVE! (poor dog)
My New Year's Resolutions...
1. Be more "Green" (recycle, reuse more; use less energy, and not waste so much)
2. Do more for others
3. Spend less time reading Facebook posts.

Now, some pictures from New Years Day...

We spent New Year's Day hanging out and exchanging Christmas gifts with The Bosko side of the family.
This picture is not the best quality, but Nora was cracking us up because she was trying to say "cheese" and pull them both really close for the picture. It was just really funny.
The Bosko kids and Nora, again not the best quality picture, but we did the best we could since nobody but Nora really wanted to take the picture.
Nora dancing for Uncle Charlie. And....a present she was very excited about...
Wow! A Kitchen set!!!!!!!! My mom and dad mentioned they may get this for Nora for Christmas. I warned them, we really have a small house, I'm not sure where we would put it. Needless to say, my comment went out the window and they bought her a kitchen set. Turns out...she REALLY loves the thing!
Her aunt and uncles were in on the whole thing too and bought her pots and pans and food and a grocery cart and an adorable apron to go with it. You know, I suppose in a family of Italians and 2 chefs, what did I expect?
As adorable as it is...I still don't know where the hell we are going to put it.