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.