Sandy Eggo

Here we are in lovely San Diego. Weather couldn't be more perfect, nor apparently can Angelina. At least when she's with Nanny. The Dr. Jekel and Ms. Hyde *I* have the pleasure of knowing doesn't exist with Nanny. She's a perfect Angel Nanny says. Couldn't be more lovely. Eats all her food,puts on her sweater, HOLDS NANNY's HAND AS SHE WALKS ACROSS THE STREET!!! you get the idea. Mom almost didn't believe my stories til I returned from my meeting. ooops. Apparently my presence brings out Ms Hyde. When I appear, the tantrums start, the screaming, the grouchiness. I disappear, and she's all Miss Angelic Angelina.

Nanny did discover the pleasures of sand, however. Angelina and sand. Well, let's just say she's never seen sand she didn't want to cover herself in. Especially when combined with water. And there's the slide. How many times can one child go down a slide?! Apparently, the answer is infinite. And then, we have the Merry-go-round. Today Nanny took her to Seaport Village. First, my warnings to beware stores with nick-nacks as she'll take everything off the shelves which of course she NEVER did with Nanny, then Nanny spotted the Merry-go-Round. HAHAHA! Maman had the last laugh. I had called her earlier and all was well. I called her later, after the Merry-go-Round, and Round, and round, and ROUND. Mom answered saying "Get this child to STOP!" Four times on the Merry-go-round. I was impressed she managed to stop her at 4. Of course, Nanny almost puking must have done it....

(pictures to come)

Cousins! Nanny! Opa! Oh My!

Angelina is in HEAVEN! She is having so much fun.

I had to go to San Diego to present a paper at a conference, so took advantage of the time and location and brought Angelina along to visit her cousins. Oh my what fun she is having! Started with a horrendous flight (4 hour delay in Dallas, which meant a boarding time of MIDNIGHT), Angelina acted like it was just another party, as chipper and happy as can be. So really, it was only horrendous for Maman who just wanted to sleep. The other passengers were saying "If she can be so happy, I have no reason to complain!"

Then we spent Saturday with Cousins and More cousins! Well, first, it was get to know "Opa." She was tired when he picked us up and it took awhile for her to warm up to him, but after he'd dropped us off at 1:30 am local time and we finally were going to bed, she saw the door and said "Bye Opa! Have a good day!" And for the next 36 hours, whenever she'd see the door she'd say "Opa?" and look for him.

When we woke up Saturday morning far too early, she heard noises outside the room and said "I'm coming Papa!" I explained it wasn't Papa, he was home in Texas. So she said "I'm coming Opa!" I said no, it was Nanny! "I'm coming Nanny!"

On to the cousins. We met Camille, Kyle, Hannah, Martina, and Matthew at the park, and her entourage began. Let's just say there were arguments over who got to be with Angelina. Everywhere she walked, her cousins followed. She's going to be a little too used to this Princess thing. She charmed them all. Matthew had gotten some balloons for the girls (well, he took them from a birthday party which had already left). Angelina of course let go of her's. Her response? "Bye bye balloon!" as she waved it up into the sky.

She had a blast. Could not have been happier. There are of course her aunts and uncles, who also dote on her, but they just don't seem to have the same special something the cousins have.

But there are the bubbles. Aunt Loretta and Uncle Bruce had the jacuzzi on saturday night, tempting little Angelina (whose Maman did NOT want to go in). When we left, she said "Bye Bye Bubbles." and All. The. Way. Home. "Bye Bye Bubbles." Bubbles. Bye Bye. Bubbles. Bubbles. More Bubbles. I think she just likes to say "bubbles."

*pictures will have to wait til I return
** Her "Daddy" thing is getting funny. She was calling every man in the airport "Daddy!" The looks on their faces when they heard her were priceless.

Angelina Ballerina?

No, It's Angelina Astronaut!
She's getting ready to be just like Papa!




"Houston, We have a problem. Maman and Papa want me to go to bed!"





















As luck would have it, I happened into a Museum in Austin this weekend and saw this. Almost didn't get it but my colleague convinced me. Turns out it was a good choice. She loved it and wouldn't take it off. She put it on Sunday morning, and as that was the day we were headed to the IBEX launch party, it couldn't have been more appropriate.

The Onion

This is Angelina's site and I promise not to get political, despite the current election, but oh my Lord I can not stop laughing. I love The Onion (for those who don't know it, it's a satirical newspaper - equal opportunity satire). To see why I'm laughing, read here.

No matter which way your politics go, you have to admit it's funny. And in my case, oh so true :)

"Daddy!"

Just for the record, Fredo is called "Papa," not "Daddy," so there's no confusion. "Daddy" is Rick's name. Rick, our next door neighbor, aka Wiley and Felice's Daddy. I guess she figures his name is Daddy since that's what they call him, so Daddy it is. It is too sweet. I think Rick likes it too :)

However, he may not be alone. The other day at Bubblehead, she was happily playing with Albert, one of the owners and a new Dad himself. Just as we were leaving she said "Bye Daddy!" I think he almost shed a tear.

As for Mommy - I am both "Mommy" and "Maman." I think I heard her call Angela (Wiley and Felice's Mommy) "Mommy" recently. I don't mind too much, since I figure as far as she's concerned we just have the same name. But she seemed to hesitate just after she said it, like that didn't sound right and I haven't heard her do it again.

Well, we do believe It Takes a Village. Too bad I can't share Mommy duties when she's screaming at 2am....

No More Dresses for Awhile....

Today Angelina was in one of her many cute dresses. When I picked her up from daycare she was in pants and a top. Usually that means she's had a blow-out poop.

Not today. The babysitter said she had to change her because she wouldn't leave her dress down. She kept lifting it up and twirling around, and when she sat, she'd pull it all the way up.

Not unusual behaviour in a 2 yr old, but she said her refusal to stop along with the other kids all making a fuss, and well, she'd rather Angelina didn't wear dresses for awhile.....

Why am I not surprised? She can't leave her clothes on as it is.

"There Are No Strangers, Only New Friends"

I am convinced that is Angelina's motto. She takes her "Social Butterfly" tendency to a new art level. This kid has no hesitation whatsoever to walk up to new people - kids or adults, take their hand, show them around, and within 2 minutes make them laugh and smile. They're usually so enamored of her they can't leave.

A couple of weeks ago we went to an outdoor diner place. As we sat with the grownups, she saw some kids playing. Boys, about 8-10 yrs old. She walked up, "caught" the nerf football they were throwing and threw it back. Now, I'd have expected boys that age to get annoyed by this little squirt interrupting their game. Nope! They included her right in. Then another kid joined, and another. Credit to the boys for being so wonderful and sweet. And when the boys went off to eat, she just grabbed the nearest adult and started playing.

I'm thrilled she's so friendly.

And also a bit terrified.

I have to watch her like a hawk, because she'll go off with anyone, provided she thinks it'll be fun. I'm not sure she'd understand the concept of "Stranger Danger." I'm not sure I want to teach her that concept. I love that she sees all people as friends. Somehow I have to find a happy medium - teach her she can't go off with everyone, but she can be nice to everyone.....

She has this amazing ability to be the life of the party, without demanding the center of attention (most of the time). I don't exactly know how she does it. She's just herself. I mean, she seems ok if you're not looking at her, as long as you're having fun. But if you're not, she'll pull you into the fray. Happy, laughing, singing. She doesn't seem to have that "Look at ME!" attitude (well, she does with Maman and Papa, but not in a group). Rather, it's more along the lines of "Come join us, let's have some FUN!"

Where'd she get this? And will she be the same with with a sibling?!

[I usually start off apologizing to the older kids or the adults whose play she interrupts, but 9 times out of 10, they're happy to have her. She doesn't need to be the center of attention, she just wants to be there with them. To be one of them. To be part of the party. Occasionally there's a kid not so interested in playing with her, and that's the hardest. But more for me than for her. She generally just keeps playing and being sweet. I hope she never loses that]

Sac à dos, Sac à dos

I think maybe she's channeling Star Trek with the head gear....

I was trying to find something to hold Angelina's very fine hair back. Nothing worked, but she found this head band and refused to take it off. As you can see, she has an interesting way of wearing it.





Her other new favourite - "Sac à dos, Sac à dos" That's what Dora sings in French...something about her backpack. Since we're going on a trip soon, I decided to get Angelina her own backpack. Alas, we tried this on, it was too big. Fat chance getting it off her (you should have seen me running around the store chasing her. Dang she's fast!). So I figured she'll have to live with it too big. She walks around with it all day saying "Backpack!"

Oh yeah, I got sick of Caillou (PBS show) - she has a thing for 5 yr old boys...so I got a Dora DVD. Now it's all about "Dora! Babouche!" She watches Dora in French.