Library

Here's Veronica, taking a break during a music parade last week at the Library. We really enjoy this story hour that we go to, and Veronica is leaning on Mike in this picture, and BOY are these girls going to miss him when he goes back to work next week. It's so much easier with two of us, we can 'get down', which is Maria's thing, but Veronica asked about it today, too. I'm trying to tell them that there's not going to be so much getting down once Daddy goes back to work, but it's not really taking, I bet.

Veronica had speech today, what can I say? She did just great, her sentences are long and involved and except for some pronunciation issues, which are typical for her age, she's just fine. That sentence is so much more exciting to me than it seems just sitting there on the page.

Now that I have another little baby, I have been thinking so much about when Veronica was a little wee thing. She was so screamy and cranky, and I was so worried about her. I sort of have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder when it comes to infants. Anthony was such a rough, rough baby and he turned out to have autism and I worry the whole time now, when I am pregnant and then when I have a little tiny baby who is screaming at me all day that it's the same thing all over again. It's a terrible feeling, to worry like that and even though I try not to, I can't. So I think about when Veronica was so little and screamy and then when she was bigger and not so screamy but still pretty crabby and then just poof! one day she got so sweet and turned into the Veevsy Voo that we all know and love.

But then she wasn't talking and I started to get worried again, I was glad to call First Steps and just find out whatever we had to and get to work on fixing whatever the problem was. I was so relieved when she did so well at the evaluation, but poorly enough that she felt like she needed services.

We have lucked out so much with her therapist, AND even with the therapist that took over when our Kristin went on Maternity Leave. She played a big part in Veronica's success, as did my mom. Stacie, the interim therapist, had a better, more objective look at what was happening with Maria running the show during her therapy, and she's the one who said "this is hard with this other one talking all the time, no WONDER Veronica isn't!". Then my mom took Maria every week so Veronica could have true one-on-one therapy and I think that made all the difference. Now Maria has been with Mike every week for the last six weeks and starting next week, we'll be all together again. But Veronica really knows who she is and she knows that this is HER speech therapy and she'll be just fine.

So. In short, Veronica's fine, and even though she had a rough start, she is doing great, thanks to her speech therapist, her interim speech therapist and my Mom. It takes a village, I guess!

Teenager

Whenever the lie on the floor like this, they look so much older than they are, right? Veronica was putting on her shoes today and I said 'do you want help?' and she said, 'I put on my own shoes. I a big girl!'. !! That's a lot of words, right? She is doing so great. We have her evaluation for speech therapy next month and I can only imagine that they're going to say that she doesn't qualify for more therapy, so that's wonderful, right? I'm so happy and proud of her.

Pensive Bumblebee

She was so cute for her first official trick or treating. Lord, my LORD, she was slow. We only went to like six houses because it was insane how slow she was moving. I had the baby in the sling and I STILL ended up carrying her for most of it. We wanted to trick or treat and hand out candy, as Mike was with Anthony at swimming, so we had to move it along. She was cute and she loves opening candy, even though she only really enjoys Kit Kats.

2.5

Next week - well, the week after that, she'll be two and a half years old! Go, Veronica, Go! At two and a half, she talks a lot. She sings a lot, she loves Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Broadway Baby. Of course, she really beats the heck out of them, I don't know if you'd know that's what she was singing if you weren't her mother. Her teacher told me that next month they're going to start doing little interviews with them for their "Tot Talk" feature, won't that be fun? We'll know her favorite things and people. Her teacher also told me how smart Veronica was, she said that she was quiet but she didn't miss a trick. It's so nice to hear, I am so hopeful that her speech therapy has done her well, but I'm sometimes afraid that I am in DENIAL because I'm so in love with her. Because I want her to be okay, I might be MAKING her okay in my MIND. But it's NOT just in my mind, I have PROFESSIONALS telling me she's okay too, so that's nice. She is funny, she and Maria get along - well, I was going to say they get along really well and it's not exactly true. They fight over every little thing but they also share a lot too and usually sleep together. This picture is from this morning, Mike was getting ready to take them to ballet. Veronica will be able to start soon, just a few months. Maria will be sad, she tells her every week 'YOU CAN'T GO, VEEVSY. YOU TOO LITTLE, JUST I CAN GO BALLET'. How we'll love it when Veronica can tell her to STICK IT and let her know that SHE IS GOING TOOOOOO. MEEEE TOOOO, she'll say, that's one of her favorite phrases. She's good with the baby, she loves her a lot. Today I raked leaves and she helped me put them in the bag. She's a good, sweet girl. It means more now to me than ever, because she was a rotten newborn and Felicity is shaping up to be rotten and fussy, so I'm glad to be reminded that it doesn't last forever.

Big Sister

It's hard to believe, right? Veronica is going to be a big sister. VERONICA! Our little baby! She is sitting next to me right now, glued to my side as she has been for the last month, singing "Broadway Baby". LORD she is cute and just leaping, vocabulary and talking wise. This was her first two day week at school and it went super great. I think it was her first week, now I'm feeling like I talked about it but I can't check. Veronica is hanging off my right arm, which makes it difficult to type but impossible to click away and check, so I will just go with what I remember, which is nothing these days.

She is very particular about the clothes that she wears in a way that of course Anthony has never been, and Maria wasn't, at this age, but I'm sure from here on in, she will just pick up what Maria does. She doesn't seem to be interested AT ALL in the potty but I assume it will come. Maybe we will be able to make some progress at school, maybe not. I am withholding all judgment until after I come home with the baby.

Two Days

Veronica has started to go to preschool on Mondays, too, as of this week.  I just have to say - everyone loves this child!  Maria was going on and ON this morning about how SHE was going to school but 'not you, Veevsy!'.  I said, um, Veronica IS going to go now on Mondays, you can both go and then we'll forget Veronica and we'll do something just Mommy and Maria.  Maria INSISTS on saying we 'forgot' Veevsy if she has to leave at 12 and Veronica doesn't leave until 2 and I have just given in on it.  Once Maria gets a hold of a phrase, forget it.  Trust me, it's easier to make strangers think I have forgotten Veronica than to fight her on it.

Aaaaanyway, back to V, it's her blog.  So I took her to her classroom today and she was thrilled.  She never even says goodbye or anything.  When we 'remembered' Veronica at 2:00, we went back and the teacher, her name is Judy, sort of had her head tilted to one side, smiling, talking about her.  She said "oh, this is going to be so good for her!  There are only three other kids and this is where we can really get to know them".  She sort of sighed, like we all do when we talk about sweet Veronica Lucy.  Then I picked her up and we said goodbye.  We were walking down the hall and she was hugging me and hugging me, crawling up me closer and closer like she does.  I said "did you have a good day at school?" and she said "yes!".  I said, "I missed you Veevsy, did you miss me?" and she said, right in my ear, "I missed you too, Mama".  Hoo boy.  I am kind of crying thinking about it.  She is so sweet and now she combines this sweetness with WORDS like 'missed' and 'mama' and it's so, so sweet and cute.  Like her!

Language Explosion

Veronica's speech therapist wrote on her note last week that "Veronica is having a language explosion!", which is incredibly exciting to me. Poor Veronica, I feel like a lot of the things I waited for with Anthony at first are coming true with her. "Language explosion!" is something you hear about a lot with speech therapy, or at least I do, and let's face it - I may never get one from Anthony, not in the way I *thought* I would. The way I thought it would go, at the beginning, is the way it is actually going with Veronica, and even THAT feels like a long time. Veronica's speech therapist also said "jeez, if she keeps going this way, I won't even be seeing her much longer". THAT sort of killed me, too, because it has been such a great experience. She really loves Veronica and Veronica loves her and it's nice to be in a room where everyone is succeeding, even if I'm not directly involved, ha!

She is doing so well in school, I just love it - some of the kids in her class are maybe a little weepier or needier and I just told Mike tonight, because of that, I never get to talk to her teachers, but I am FINE with that. This morning I took her in and her teacher, Judy said "Veronica!" and Veronica jumped out of my arms and into hers and never looked back. Then when I went to get her, she was all warm and sweet from a nap and she was super excited to see me and that was cute, too. She is really getting to be her own person and I love it.

We went for a walk tonight and my sweet LORD she is slow! But we had a good time, we made it all the way around the block with no stroller and I just had to carry her a little. She and Maria held hands quite a bit of the way, which is nice. If she and Maria could have a relationship with each other like I have with my sister, it would be great for them - beyond great, it would be the best gift ever. It would make it worth it that they are so close in age and that they fight a lot and can be super noisy and crazy. And who wouldn't want MARIA as a sister? I never have to worry about anyone giving Veevsy Voo any guff, anyway. There's that!

Tot Talk

Veronica gets a little write up of how she did at her preschool, jeez, it's all beyond cute, in my opinion.  Here's her Tot Talk from her second week:

My favorite play today was with the:  BALL MAZE
I ate most of my lunch today LOVED MY WATERMELON!
I napped today.  (She has napped both times she's gone, this is apparently odd, as it takes some kids a while to settle down.  Funnily enough, she won't really nap at HOME anymore.  I don't know if that's how it's supposed to work, but whatever).

TODAY WAS A SPECIAL DAY FOR ME BECAUSE:
Today I made animal sponge prints and put balls in the ball maze.  I used a feather duster on the toys and used a hammer on the shelf.  I pretended to eat food in the kitchen and played in the house outside.

Isn't that adorable?  I'm so happy she's doing so well.  Have I mentioned that I had to bring in $6 and a disposable camera (which they still sell!) and they will give us a photo book of her first year of preschool?  Isn't that cute?  I think it's all super cute, obvs, and I just love the idea of her puttering around the classroom, doing her own thing.

To say that she is talking a lot would be a big understatement.  It's beyond exciting, it's such a relief and ... well, it's just great.  I can't talk about it too much.  She's doing well, here at 28 months old, I hope the baby doesn't throw her for too much of a loop but so far her fall is going just great.

Sunday

Veronica.  How she has turned on me.  She is so bad at church, we can't go anymore.  She is becoming willful as anything, she makes me think of Oprah in the Color Purple?  Sophia, is her name?  Let me see if I can find a link.  Here it is, the Miss Sophia part starts at around 2:30, but it's a great scene anyway.

That's how Veronica is now, in any case.  She is back!  She is EATING what she wants and DAMN THE FOOL that will take anything from her!  I'm so happy, in a way.  She is going to be great at school, she just marched in and met her teacher this week.  They painted her hand to make her handprint and she was all, that's cool, whatever.

She's going to love school, I hope.  I hope we start doing some toilet training there.  There is the cutest little toilet and when I saw it, I thought, maybe that's it!  Maybe she is afraid of falling in the toilet, with her skinny little bottom all wet.  She did fall through one time, up in our bathroom, so maybe this will help the healing begin.

So.  Starting school - she'll go from 9-2 on Tuesdays, she's supposed to nap there, we shall see.  We're moving her into a twin bed if my BROTHER ever comes to visit from TEXAS and will help me move the Queen sized bed over from my parents' house so Anthony can have it, then I'll give Veronica his bed and then maybe everyone will go to sleep when they are supposed to and stay in their beds all night.  Ha ha ha boo hoo, I hope it comes true.

Gross

She's gross but cute. She recently got her canine teeeth, look how hard she is teething on her toe! A friend of mine pointed out how her finger is WHITE from how hard she is pressing it. She's secretly intense, this one.

She's been doing fine, I think we are going to move her to a twin bed here soon. I think she is fine, size-wise, in her toddler bed (that she is been in for all of TWO months) but she is hella jella of Maria and Anthony's beds. Yesterday she wouldn't nap in her bed but I went in to get her, because Maria was sleeping, and she put her arms up and I carried her out and put her in my bed. I had to go to the bathroom, probably because five minutes had passed from the last time I went to the bathroom - Lord, the peeing that goes on in the third trimester is INSANE. Anyways, I went in to the bathroom and came right back out and she was fast asleep in my bed.

So. We're going to move Anthony to a queen sized bed that my parents have available, move Veronica into Anthony's bed, and then we'll just put the toddler bed away for the next one. Oh, boo hoo, how can Veronica be moving to a twin sized bed? Where has my baby gone? What will I do when she goes to school full time? *

*Ha ha ha just kidding.

See This Here? This is a COW!

She's so cute. Our little farmer. We went to the Fair yesterday and she did great, she wasn't really scared of anything! Maria was a lot more nervous last year than Veronica was this year, which is always nice. I like when they surprise me. Mike and my sister Laura and the girls and I went and it was fun, it was a beautiful day. Ha, we were trying to find this building that had rabbits and chickens in it, and we had to walk by the MIDWAY where all the RIDES are to get there and then girls were going insane, both pointing and shouting from their stroller, ha! We skipped it, they're not tall enough for most of them anyways and Mike wants them to get through their whole childhoods without realizing there is a Midway there. We'll see!

Too Bad She's So Hideous

Ha! She's not. She's gorgeous, right? Thank God, this week. She has been VILE. HORRIBLE. BUT we won't focus on the past, will we? She was great yesterday, we had a nice day, mostly it was just the two of us. We also didn't go anywhere, which helps. I am about to take Maria and her to the store, God only knows what will happen, but I'll probably have to leave in shame, but what can you do? I have one that starts demanding to go somewhere upon waking, and one that is guaranteed to be horrible and awful out in public. This is what the experts call a paradox, I guess.

Oh good Lord

What has happened to my little Veronica?  She is a demon, a DEMON.  This picture is from last night, she was mad because I wouldn't give her any more grapes until she said 'grapes'.  We just left the mall, IN SHAME, because she was so bad.  I am not joking when I say that a woman with ONE LEG had to help me with her.  

What the hell, world?  She is my third and I don't know one freaking thing more about dealing with a jerk like this now than I did in 2005.  I have NEVER, EVER been kicked out of anywhere.  I have never had to LEAVE somewhere because of BEHAVIOR.  Yet now, because I am the mother of these JERKSTORES, I have to leave the mall, all ashamed and red faced, CARRYING the biggest jerk of all, while I hold the hand of the other, crying one, and walk in the 1000 degree heat to the car, where I have to STRAP them into their SEATS like they are some kind of ROYALTY or something.  

I don't know.  I'm sure this is a chuckle, chuckle, ho ho ho situation, isn't it so funny when kids are so bad but I don't like it.  I wish I could ... I'm not even going to say what I wish I could.  I wish they were better.  Not perfect, not GOOD, just better.  I mean, we were playing!  Then Veronica said EAT so I took them and got them lunch.  We shared everything, I did everything, everything was FINE.  So...how does it happen?  How does it go from that to THAT, so quickly?  Um, I think Veronica wanted to take her drink into the playplace which is not allowed.  So I didn't let her.  So she ran and ran from me and then when I caught up (which takes a while, I am 30 weeks pregnant, IN CASE I FORGOT TO MENTION), she dropped to the ground AS I was getting the drink and it spilled everywhere.  So.  Then I got to do some janitorial work too.  AWESOME.  

I don't even know what to say.  Maybe she's getting teeth but MY GOD.  I do every single thing I can do all day every day of my life so that these bastards are happy and they are almost never happy.  It's the worst paradox I've ever been involved in in my LIFE.  

Otherwise, though, everything is AWESOME.  We are BLESSED and I LOVE BEING A STAY AT HOME MOMMY!  

AWESOME!

Sunday

Soooo, catching up.  Veronica has been sleeping in Maria's room for two weeks.  Or three.  Maybe we just finished two weeks, I'm not sure.  It was going okay but then Maria starting climbing in Veronica's crib and screaming for me to come get her and let her out.  She would throw V's pillow, baby doll and blanket out, too.  So I decided I'd put Maria in the twin bed, the bottom part of the bunk beds that I got from my friend Gloria, and move Veronica to Maria's toddler bed.  But then I couldn't do that, because I don't have twin mattresses yet for the bunk beds and I don't know that Maria is really ready for that anyways.  SO.  I was going to get Veronica in another kind of toddler bed, I didn't know what to do, but then it occurred to me that I could just lower her mattress and take the side off of her crib.  So I did that, which foiled Maria for jumping in the crib, but it screwed us because Veronica started to climb out and wreak havoc on that room of theirs, as well as their formerly early bedtime.

It's hard - they are both not really interested in napping, which is probably early for Veronica, but it's hard because she is very interested in what Maria is doing. So now if Maria doesn't want to nap, we don't nap.  If either of them fall asleep for 10 seconds in the car, we don't nap.  And sometimes, even if Maria DOES nap, but Veronica has fallen asleep for 10 seconds in the car, Veronica won't nap.  I have already said nap way too much in this post, I can't think about it too much because soon I will have a little baby who won't nap and then I will really go nuts so I guess I should save it.

BUT if they don't nap, they at least go to sleep early.  There were three nights in a row last week when Veronica was up past TEN o'clock!  This never, ever happens.  Also, one night she fell out of that crib and BOOM bit her lip and did she cry and scream?  Yes.  Yes, she did and it was 2:00 and boy was it hard to get back to sleep.  Anyways.  It has sucked but hopefully it's getting better.  Last night I checked on them and Veronica was fast asleep on the floor.  Maybe if I got a twin they could sleep in it together?

I took Veronica for her two year checkup this week, I almost forgot!  She weights 26 lbs., and I forget how tall she is, I have the paperwork somewhere.  She is in the 25th percentile for height and weight, perfectly proportioned, she said.  She did very well, but I owe a lot of that to her sister.  Maria was SO good about standing on the scale first, getting measured, getting her shot, etc.  It was really amazing.  Veronica was good, too, we had practiced so she said AHHHHH to the doctor, he was charmed by them both.  He asked me if she was potty training and I said no, she has never gone on the potty and he said 'well it sounds like you should keep her in diapers for a while, then'.  He is very easygoing.  They are still seeing the ped on the other side of town but I figure he'll retire someday and then I'll switch.  I like him too much to change just because we've moved, we just don't go that often.

What else.  She is saying more and more and MORE words.  She says Mommy and Daddy, Pop, No, Bye, oh, lots of things.  She is a sweet thing, even when she is being bad!  My mom and dad babysat one night last week and my Dad told me that he was v. stern with her when she got out of her bed, he said "stay in that bed, Veronica!" and she sort of SWEPT her hand away, pointing him out the door.  She is certainly no wallflower anymore, but she is as sweet as ever.  It's hard for me to believe she'll be someone's big sister here soon.  Little Veevsy Voo, a big sister!  Can you imagine?

Pretty

In an old dress of Maria's. It's hard for me to believe I could have a sweeter baby than Veronica. But I'm going to try, ha!

Ice Cream

Let me assure you that she has two feet. I have my portrait lens on my camera, because I prefer it, but sometimes I can't get far enough back to take their whole body picture. This is why I am not a professional!

She has now finished half of her summer camp children's day in and it's going so great. I'm so happy that she is thriving, despite her quietness. She is a crazy girl, last night she was up until almost NINE, jabbering away in her crib. She is proof to me that they are all their own little selves, from the very beginning. I'm going to miss her being my baby but I'm looking forward to seeing her as a big sister, for once! Ha!

She has been eating that ice cream cone for like an hour, it's a MESS, but she will not give it up. I figure it's just ice cream, I'm glad she's finishing it, but man. She will eat no ice cream before it's time, and that time is about 90 minutes per cone.

Dancing, with Spoon

She is so funny. The girls got their haircut yesterday and Veronica did better than she has done, but she still does not love it! We had her last speech therapy with her interim therapist. She really grew to love Veronica and Veronica really loved her, but I bet she'll be happy to see her original therapist this week when she comes back from maternity leave.

She is talking more and making more sound but I wouldn't exactly call her chatty and I wouldn't say we've had any kind of language explosion or anything. I am trying to patient and, as usual, NOT succeeding. :)

Pretty

Bossy

She is getting v. bossy. I don't know if it's better that she's talking or not talking, considering how often she is ORDERING me AROUND. We took Maria to her swimming lessons today for the first time and it was a h0t, HOT mess for poor Veronica. She cried and yelled and screamed and tried to take off her shoes and dress 1,000 times in 30 minutes. It was hard - I felt terrible for her but also for me, a little, as I would have like to have seen Maria. I just thank God that Maria did so well because I had no time to tend to her at all. SO from now on, I'm going to take Veronica to the child watch and she might cry but at least she will be in a playroom full of other kids and not tempting fate by screaming and trying to throw herself in the pool.

New skirt

We bought that for V at Costco, Maria was actually into it so I got one for her and V, too. I am learning, slowly, to just get two of the exact same thing with some things. It makes my life easier and I am ALL for that. Anyway, she put it on and then wanted the tiara too, she had a whole idea of her look. Then she went to the mirror in the hallway and twirled, and curtsied and bowed, she was adorably thrilled with herself.

Super Genius

Veronica, reading on a Saturday morning. That dress is cute, right? I remember Maria wearing it and we got it as a hand-me-down from my friend Marita's friend Colleen, who has two daughters, so maybe it's the FOURTH child that's worn it. Take that, Baby Gap! Ha!

Veronica was on her own for speech therapy for the first time this week and it went very, VERY well. She made all kinds of new sounds, signs, and words. I feel like a giant jerk for not switching it up before and getting rid of Maria but I didn't, so we'll just start now. I figure Maria can continue to go to my parent's house during speech for the rest of the summer and then maybe if she still can't keep her nose out of it in the fall, I'll change Veronica's therapy to when Maria is in preschool.

She starts at her summer camp on Tuesday. Oh, I hope it goes well and I hope that she has a great six weeks. I hope she understands and has fun and learns to talk a little bit. A lot of people have commented to me that their brother or sister or kid who was later in the family didn't talk for a while and I'm hoping that's it.

She has started to get CRAZY about going to sleep. Maria is so great about it and Veronica is like the worst sleeper ever. Last night, I was telling them a story and Veronica was DEMANDING to take her pajamas off, then her diaper and then she wanted to get dressed! Like, for the day! Loon! I put her in a nightgown, thinking it would appease her but she was yelling so much I couldn't even tell my damned story to Maria so I chucked her into her crib. After I put Maria to bed, I went in and she pointed miserably toward the door. I said, no, it's time to go to sleep and I held her for a while. She calmed down and then mournfully pointed toward the crib and I put her down and she went to sleep. I am hoping, of course, that this is a VERY short phase.

Suspicion

Maria has been really into dresses lately, so Veronica has too. She loves this dress and almost always requests it, it's just like Maria's favorite. They are both from Mike's friend Candie, she has given us a LOT of clothes. We had kind of a rough speech therapy this week. Veronica *left the room* a few times, with her arms folded, and gave us (Maria) the evil death stare from the foyer. She's mad and I don't blame her - she can't have even her own speech therapy to herself! I don't blame Maria, she is only three years old, what can she do? She talks a lot and Stacy is there to get SOMEONE to talk, so Maria does it. Anyways, I have been wracking my brain, trying to figure out what we can do, and I think Mike is going to take Maria with him when he takes Anthony to school and then drop her off at my parents' house. Then I'll either go get her or they can bring her back or something. Or maybe she can just stay there until the NEXT week. Ha!

I am hoping that once Veronica has some 'one on one' time, as the therapist calls it, maybe we'll see some progress. There is NO actual reason that she shouldn't be talking. She communicates better than - well, better than Anthony, she communicates just fine. I suppose it's selfish, I would just like TWO of my children to freaking talk to me. I know she can do it, she can say some words, she answers yes or no to questions, she - she makes herself abundantly clear, she just has to use English. So anyway. Hopefully it will start to go better now that she can have a whole hour of therapy to herself. Also, maybe once she is around kids her age, either she will start to talk more or maybe I will realize that it's not that unusual and we can both relax.

People ask me about who knows what about the baby coming. Maria is very clear about it, there is a baby, coming in October, in Mommy's belly but she can't see it yet, etc. I asked Veronica this morning if she knew there was going to be a new baby and she said, looking all innocent, "uh-uh", while shaking her head. So surprised! I said, oh, it will be great, you'll be such a good big sister! I know she will.

My goals for this summer, as far as V is concerned, are to move her to Maria's room and to her crib. To get her to talk a little more. To enjoy her little summer camp. To stay my sweet Veevsy Voo. See? She's got that last one down already, check!

Charmed, I'm Sure

Ha! I brought this chaise out from the garage and laid it down and V jumped right on it. She didn't just wake up after a hard night, but she totally looks like it here, right?

Birthday Party

We just had a small party for Veronica on her birthday. The weather has been HORRIBLE since Saturday, I am so grateful that the rain and freezing temps held off so we could celebrate her outside. We had such a nice time, she really liked it. She got some great gifts, as I said, and she was really more into it than either of the other two have been at two. She's so funny - so advanced in so many ways, and still a little bit behind in speech. I was just filling out her forms for her little summer camp she's doing, you're supposed to give them information about likes and dislikes. I said that she's not much of a talker, but she'll answer any Yes or No question you can pose to her. I said she is very cuddly, which I hope wasn't weird, but sometimes she's such a hugger that it feels a little alarming or something when she first wraps her arms around you. She starts the first Tuesday in June - or maybe the second? It's the 7th, whatever that is, I think that's the first one. I cannot believe how often I have NO idea not only what day it is, but what month. Anyways. My sweet Aunt Joan sent me an email for Veronica's birthday and I was just looking at it tonight and it reminded me I never put up these pictures. I think I took the one of her eating her cupcake but my friend Marita, who is Veronica's Godmother, took the one of the two of us. I really, REALLY love it.

Gifts for a Two Year Old

Veronica got lovely, perfect gifts for her birthday and I am going to send thank you notes but I thought I would write about them here.  People are always asking what are good gifts for kids at specific ages, so I figured I'll put them here and this way I can think about the gifts for my notes, and remember them for the future and also maybe it will help someone in a bind.

These are in no particular order, I am actually looking around the room as I write and seeing whatever I see first.  I'll start with our gifts, as they were the best, ha!  Kidding!  We love them all equally!

Melissa and Doug Sound Puzzle - Farm Animals 

This is super cute, Mike found it for V at Mass Ave. Toys.  When you put the puzzle pieces in, it makes the (realistic but not terrifying) animal sound.

Baby on the Go 

Super cute little baby doll, with yarn hair and a diaper that you can change, who comes in her little backpack.  The backpack holds keys, a little sippy cup and bottle, and a little dish for eating.  It has a spoon and fork and it has lots of buttons and velcro that you can work.  Veronica loves it, we've all been feeding the baby and changing diapers, etc.  It's also a small doll so it doesn't take up too much room, which we like.  She fits perfectly in the little high chair that's on the end of her little toy bassinet.

Splash Around Dora

This is super cute - it's a Dora doll, she's wearing a bathing suit, and she comes with flippers and the Super Babies, which are her little sister and brother.  Veronica loves them, and Maria calls the new baby Super Baby so I figure the more LOVE we have for Super Babies the better.

Plushalicious Bear - Sprinkles

This is a plush, kind of fleecey bear that has cupcakes all over it.  Maria was losing her mind over it, she was all, "cupcakes!  hearts!  I love it!".  Veronica, of course, says less about it but she loves it just the same.  It's so soft and it's just a little bit shorter than her.  It's sweet and soft.

Blabla Plush Doll

Ooh-wee, this is cute.  It's a knitted doll in nice colors and with a sweet face.  It's kind of like a weeble, in that it has only arms and no legs, it's so soft, I can't even tell you.  It's nice for Veronica to have her own little animals and dolls.  She's getting v. proprietary about them, ha!

Lauri Tall Stacker

This is fantastic, and I don't mind rating it because Mike got it.  :)  Veronica has actually played with these during her speech therapy and she likes it a lot.  She is v. serious about making TALL stacks, it's super cute.

Dream Dazzlers Fun Princess Phone

Oh, this phone.  It's so cute and funny.  Veronica really likes the phone, but she doesn't expect too much, so this is perfect.  I mean, she knows to yap into a phone but she doesn't demand exact PHONE SERVICE the way that her sister might.  It's so pretty, she's played with it every day since Saturday, for quite a while.

Drum Set

This is adorable and V liked it right away, knew what it was for, and demanded I open it so she could start drumming and shaking that tambourine!  Anthony and Maria like it too.  It's great looking, it has big pieces that her little hands can easily hold, and everything stores back in the drum, which I love.  It also has a strap so you can march with it, which every single person in this house has enjoyed doing.

Leapfrog Scribble and Write

We just got this tonight, from the mailman, so we haven't done much with it.  But it's maybe a little advanced for Veronica - and maybe for Maria too, if I'm being honest.  But they both really like it, it has the cute Leapfrog voice to guide you through tracing letters, shapes, and numbers.

Sit and Spin

SUPER cute.  None of my kids have ever had one, they all three like it, although Anthony is way too big.  It's a classic toy, right?  Who wouldn't like it?

Stride Rite Shoes

Veronica got these exact shoes and she's worn them every day.  They are so nice and they go with everything.  I am mean, I suppose, I can't see the point of 10 pairs of shoes for each kid, so I just buy them one pair of shoes at a time.  Veronica has recently gone from a 5 to a 6 so I mentioned it to my mom and she got these cute shoes.

I think that's it, although I'm going to check my list - I made a list and now of course I can't find it.  Ugh, this house.  It's been so great for Veronica, she has no stuff of her own, or I should say she didn't.  Maria is having a hard time with it, kind of, but since she gets every damned thing she wants, I am not too worried.

Pocoyo Dolls

These dolls are SUPER cute.  Veronica love Pocoyo, it's just a little show on Nick Jr. that's on in between longer shows and Veronica has always cracked up at him. I mean, like, CRACKED up, she really belly laughs at them all.  These are for the bath, I mean, they're rubber or something like that and we've been having a lot of fun with it.  It makes me want to get her a little Pocoyo DVD, but I'm afraid she might loser her mind with happiness.

To Veronica, on her Second Birthday

Dear Veronica,

Happy Birthday! Two years old! We sang happy birthday to you before and you were NOT thrilled! When we ask you how old you are today, you hold up two fingers and Maria says "two!" for you. You are some team, you and your sister. Oh, Veronica. We love you so much. Whenever I get nervous or scared about having another baby, I think of how surprised I was that I was having you when Maria was still so little. And then you were born and you were so sweet and good and smart - I remember how hard it was for you to learn to nurse after being in the Constant Care Nursery for two days but you did it and then you were so good at it, you never wanted to stop - and I really, really believe in the joy and happiness a little person can bring to your life. I didn't think you'd be a big sister, I thought you'd always be my little baby, but here you are, going to be a big sister! I think you'll be great at it. We all love you so much, Veronica, we wouldn't be our family without you. I hope you have a great second year and 150 more. With love from Mommy and Daddy, Anthony and Maria

Saturday

This was actually taken on ... Thursday, I think. Now that I look at it, it was Thursday, because I remember when they asked me at the Y "what was Veronica wearing?" I told them, she has on a cute white shirt, with little people around her neck. The woman next to me, who was also waiting for her kids, said "that's comforting, isn't it?". We laughed but it's a pain, that Childwatch at the Y is good but I just keep thinking there has to be a better pickup procedure. Since I don't know what that is, or really anything about it, I can't complain. Anyways, she is great at the Y now, she is doing well with her interim speech therapist. This was our first week of therapy with Maria here and ... well, it's hard. I just want Veronica to be able to get the whole hour and in order for that to happen, I have to practically sit on Maria. But the therapist is really nice about it and we are trying to use Maria's powers for good, for Veronica's good and I think overall it's working.

I can't believe she'll be two years old a week from today! She is a sweet thing, I know I say it all the time but it's true. Sweet Veronica.

Dr.

I know this is blurry, but she was SO cute with this stethescope. She kept putting it on my wrist, VERY solemnly, and nodding her head up and down.

Almost Two

Here's Veronica's posters I had made of her first 52 weeks. I only ended up with 45 pictures, somehow. What can I say, it was a long year? I suppose I'll be lucky to end up with 30 of the new baby. I took the posters to Michael's to have them framed and it was super, super expensive. This is my third one of doing these pictures and I am still shocked every time, by something. Usually I have been shocked at how hard it is to put them damned things together but this time I was definitely shocked by the price. Oh well, I am hoping it will look really nice and it really is a once in a lifetime thing. I never get their pictures taken at a place or anything, so that is how I'm justifying it. They were 60% off, so that's good too. I am desperately trying to justify spending $275 on this, can you tell? Maybe I won't get her a birthday present, ha! What does she know?

We have our second appointment with the new therapist tomorrow, she seems very nice. Mike was off from work last week so he took Maria when Veronica had her first appointment. Tomorrow will be our first appointment with two of them, I imagine it will be pretty rough. This girl seems very nice and she has two kids, also close in age, so I'm hoping it works out. Oh, Veronica, why won't you just talk more, already? Why do we have to do this stupid therapy over and over?

I'm not always this impatient, but as she turns two, I would really just like some more talking from her and LESS from her sister. She is such a sweet thing, so loving and cuddly and smart, I just wish - I wish I wish.

Museum

Mike is home this week and we took the girls to the Children's Museum this morning. Veronica was great and seemed to have a really good time. She was SPRINTING around the place.

Friday

I still have no camera but I am trying to do an update on everyone's blog at least weekly.  Veronica is doing well, she is bounding through speech therapy.  She is also getting really terrible, just in time for her terrible twos!  She cracks us up, when she gets mad, folding her arms over her chest like she sees Maria do.  It's hilarious because she's not that great at it, so she just looks like maybe she is getting ready to dance and not like she's full of anger.

She is sleeping well (shhh!) and eating well and doing well in speech therapy.  Her therapist went on maternity leave this week and we will miss her for the next two months.  I'm hopeful that Veronica will do well with her replacement.

She has been so great at the Y in the childwatch, two weeks in a row, she has gone into it with absolutely no problems and this past week, we had NO tears at all, even when I went to pick her up, which is a first.  I would like to publicly thank everyone who told me to just keep taking her because it has really worked and I love being able to get to this class and just not think for one hour.

We are all hoping for some better weather here soon, the rain and cold is just ridiculous.  I think we've had maybe five nice days since the beginning of the year and that's just not enough.  It's hard for me to take, but it's really hard for the kids.  It's going to rain from now until next THURSDAY or something but at least it's supposed to warm up, I might just take them out in the rain as long as it's warm.  Our rugs are ruined from the mud already but I don't care.  I would just like for us all to be happier and I think getting outside would do wonders to help.

So pretty

Isn't she just the most? She had her haircut this week and she did NOT like it. Ha, she reminded me of Anthony, he used to do this too, just STAND UP while the girl is cutting, just like "thanks, that'll do, Pig, I'm OUT!". She was up before 6:00 today, which stinks, but at least she took a nap. Wednesday and Thursday she took no nap and I love her as much as anyone but that is too much time to spend with a small child! Plus there is no opportunity for me to eat or clean or go to the stupid bathroom and it makes me super cranky. She has not been sleeping well, she either cries like crazy before she falls asleep, wakes up in the night, or won't nap. I think she is getting her canine teeth, she chomps the heck out of her hands and FEET, and she seems unhappy about it, but come on, already! It's been quite a while that we have thought she was teething. Otherwise, she is as sweet as ever, she is moving along in speech therapy, things are fine. She is gorgeous and sweet and healthy, what more could we want?