Christmas tree

Tree Farm

Mission accomplished!
After walking around the Douglas Firs with our saw and measuring stick, we settled for a precut Noble Fir from Oregon. They’re supposed to be sturdier.
Eve even built up the courage to ride a pony called Jet.

Static electricity

We are on our way to a tree farm to get a Christmas tree!

Me hurt

Eve’s “me hurt” has turned into “it really hurt me” within a few weeks. She is practicing expressing her emotions. Another one is “Scary… Scary” to say that she is scared (like when Erik hides from her in the apartment… Yes, it doesn’t take much). We are often amazed at how she is becoming a full member of the family. Not that she wasn’t before; just that she expresses her opinions and ideas more and more. The other day for instance we were in the car and I yawned. Then we heard a little voice “You tired, Maman?”

Potty update

I can’t help but writing an update about this because I’m so excited. Eve has been wearing mostly underwear for the past day and a half. We took the jump on Sunday afternoon since Eve wanted to wear some underwear and she had been pretty good asking for the potty the few times she was off diaper. It went really well on Sunday even though we went to Target and a play date. It went pretty well yesterday at daycare eve though she wore a diaper outside (poop doesn’t yet make it to the potty) and peed in her undies right before I picked her up. All in all, I’m super proud of her. Could this really be our goodbye to daytime diapers?

Nov 23 update:
Eve has been pretty much dry since this post except she reverted to wearing pull-ups again. She’s still working on getting to the potty on time for pooping so it probably reassures her to have the diaper as back-up (she had a couple of messy days at daycare last week). She still needs a diaper for nap and at night but overall is doing really well!

(Eve helping herself to some milk in the fridge)

Halloween 2011

For Halloween, we went to the Piedmont parade like we did 2 years ago. Eve was a little intimidated by the crowd but we managed to go into a few stores for trick or treating. Eve liked accumulating all the candy and made a point of trying all of it, although she didn’t like most of it. Mini Milky Ways are pretty much the only ones she didn’t spit out. In the afternoon we went to Eve’s daycare party and brought Meredith with us. Jax was also there. Eve had a great time. It was so warm that the monkey costume had to stay home. On Monday night, we went trick or treating on Russell Street in Berkeley, a street where all the houses are decorated. Eve loved going to each of them and ask for candy. It was packed though and the decorations were a little too much for us: smoke, lights, giant plastic characters. Eve ran into the Easter Bunny and Santa. Scared at first, she warmed up to them when the Bunny handed her some candy before disappearing into the crowd. Eve kept looking for “Lapin” and “Grandpa” afterwards…

Big Love

Yesterday was historic in my Mom life. Eve said “I love you” to me for the first time. Several times in fact, running into my legs or holding me close while falling asleep. My heart just liquifies every time. More please!
It’s just amazing how a little two-year old can grasp the concept of love. What’s interesting is that Erik and I don’t say “I love you” to Eve since we speak French to her. So she really transferred the concept from when she hears Annie use it with the kids to us.
That said, I wasn’t the first one she said this to. Yesterday at lunch, Annie said, Eve told Jax “Jackson, I love you.” (pronounce: “I wove you”)

We now have a family membership at the YMCA. I’ve gained so much weight since I started working sitting at a desk all day and driving everywhere, it’s not even funny. And we signed up for swimming lessons for Eve and me that start next week. Eve was fascinated by the pool.

October miscellaneous

Eve is talking more and more. It’s so much fun! Her “I do it” from a few weeks ago has now become “I wanna do it myself.” English comes first often but we do our best to introduce French equivalents and get her to repeat in French. I haven’t tried not responding when she speaks in English but maybe I should. Yesterday she said “cars” to me and I didn’t understand so she eventually said “voiture”… Some of her favorite phrases: “I did it!” “I’m ready” “Look!” “I found it” “I can’t find it”. She’s still working on her please and thank you… They don’t come up very often.

Eve knows how to count to 10 in English and French, although nine often gets forgotten in both for some reason.

Eve has been going on the toilet regularly (“I did it!”). Whenever she doesn’t wear a diaper, she’s pretty good about knowing when she needs to pee. We haven’t tried it with bottoms on yet, though.

Eve’s passion for Caillou is going strong. Eve had croup last week and spent a lot of time watching Caillou while resting and while Erik or I tried to get some work done at home. We discovered the added challenge of each having to take more than one day off in a week which was interesting. She is fine now but all her playmates got croup after her. Sorry guys!

Eve has assimilated the concept of big stomach = baby in the tummy. She asked me if I had a baby in my stomach a few times (yes I have indeed put on a few pounds since I started working at a desk and driving everywhere). She also asked Erik.

“Punkins” are fun

We went to the pumpkin patch yesterday. It was a beautiful hot day in the Bay Area.

There was also a small corm maze where Eve loved running with us.

We never found the exit. After getting completely lost for 20 minutes, we gave up and used the google satellite view to see where we were in the maze! And we eventually made our way out through the entrance…

New friend

Jax’s little sister Raima was born last week. A new friend for them to play with in a few months! Welcome to the world, Raima!