1 year old

This will not be a very wordy update, but I want to put up a few pictures and videos before I get too far behind. Maija turned one, and we had a joint birthday party with some friends whose daughter was turning six on the same day. The CSA we belong to allows members to use their farm for parties, free of charge, and to come fish, or go for hikes, etc anytime. So we and about a dozen 6-year olds had a great time at the farm. It's a great place, without any services, just the farm itself. They even have a barn owl nest in one of the barns, complete with giant fluffy babies that stare down at you when you walk under.

Anja looks very serious here. She was hunting ladybugs.

Anja is still very much into her dresses, and looking like a princess, in her words.

Maija and the other birthday girl and their respective cakes.

Maija and her great baby belly, cruising around the farm.

Anja and cake fingers.

This is one of the best videos ever of Anja. It cuts out a few seconds before the end, but it shows Anja putting her animals to sleep at night, complete with the following for each one: a kiss on each cheek, a hug, and the reading of "the words", which to her means the little plaque above her bed about a butterfly kiss, a ladybug hug, and sleeping like a bug in a rug. Thank Great Aunt Lois for that one! Anja is so loving with her little animal world, and has been for some time. I hope she does not grow out of this phase soon.

Beautiful baby. Her blue eyes are developing some hazel flecks in them, like her dad, and her hair is lighter now than it was a few months ago.

And she loves her sister. They are really very good together. Anja is helping us lately by "watching Maija" and she is very good at noticing if Maija is doing something she shouldn't, "No, Maija, NO! You will get HURT!" And then when we get Maija, "Whew, that was a close one!" She is genuinely concerned that something might happen to Maija.

Point Reyes is amazing.

I run here.

Maija loves shoes. Really really loves them.

For the 4th of July, our little block has a pretty good display of non-scary fireworks, perfect for little kids, so we didn't even go downtown for the big fireworks. There were about 10 kids total, all running around like crazy animals, eating snacks and playing games. It was really fun. And it was even a rare warm evening for us, so perfect.

When Anja hears music, she will often do this, a sort of hybrid tai-chi, ballet dance.

Here is Anja on our neighbor's lap during fireworks.

Jay and I actually did a training run together. We are running a marathon together next week, the 5th anniversary of the first time we ran it, the morning of our wedding. So it was really nice to get to run together a few weeks ago for a long run. Usually we have to take turns while one of us is with the kids.

Brushing teeth is pretty high on Maija's list, just below wearing shoes.

Maija doesn't have too many words, but she sure likes to say cheese.

Spittooey!

Many comments from the kids:

Me: In a few minutes we’re going to the store to get a secret surprise for Daddy.

Anja: It’s even better than a dinosaur?!

Me: Yup.

Anja: What is it? An alligator?!

Me: Nope.

Anja: A horsie?!

Me: Nope.

Anja: A spinosaurus?!

Me: Nope.

Anja: What is it? I’ve tried everything!

(then about five minutes later:)

Anja: I know a good present for Daddy. Daddy likes dinosaurs! Daddy, do you like dinosaurs!?

Me: Auntie Heather is leaving, did you say bye?

Anja: Bye Auntie Heather!!! Don't hit your head on anything!!!

Heather: Okay, I won't hit my head on anything.

Anja: (holding her brachiosaurus) This guy is eating pinkets.

Me: Oooh. What do pinkets look like?

Anja: They are squares. Little round squares. They are kind of like shapes.

Anja: Mommy, you know what animals eat sorny plants?

Me: Sorny plants?

Anja: No, SORny plants!

Me: Sorny plants?

Anja: NO! SOOOORNY plants!

Me: Sorny plants? Forny plants? Oh. Thorny plants!

Anja: Yeah! That’s right! Sorny plants.

Me: What animals eat thorny plants?

Anja: Camels eat sorny plants!

Anja: (to me) When you were a baby and I was your mommy, I took you to the library and got you a movie! And you ran away. Ha ha ha ha. You were a silly baby! Ha ha ha ha. And you climbed a tree ha ha ha ha ha! And I climbed up and got you! Ha ha ha ha ha.

Anja: (holding up a new pair of underwear) These are from my brother. My brother gave these to me.

Me: Oh, your brother? What is your brother’s name?

Anja: I don’t know. These are from my brother. He lives… he lives… I don’t know where my brother lives. He lives in Meesmeezana. And he gave me these! For my birthday. And I said thank you. That was nice of him. And he gave me a bobcat! And I named him Bobcat.

Anja: (to Jay on his way out the door to go running) BYE DADDY! Don’t get hurt!... and don’t forget to bring us some flowers!!!

Anja: (while driving down the road) Mommy! I just saw a porcupine eating a hotdog!

Me: Wow. Hey, I see a porcupine eating a hotdog over there!

Anja: Yeah! There’s another porcupine eating a hotdog on the edge over there!

Jay: I see a badger eating a donut!

Anja: A donut???? Badgers don’t eat donuts!!!

Anja: Daddy, we don’t have an attic.

Jay: That’s right.

Anja: But everybody else has an attic. Tigers have attics. Tigers attics are up in the trees. Tigers live outside.

Anja: Mo-om. Did you know that tigers poop?

Me: Mmm-hmm

Anja: And lions poop. Lions, tigers and hair!

Me: But hair does not poop.

Anja: Nope. Did you know that food goes down, down, down into our bellybutton. And then stays there for a long time with our food friends. And then comes out as poop!

Anja: (while we are at a busy road, waiting to cross the street) Rocky isn’t feeling good, his tummy hurts.

Me: (Rocky is her toy gecko) Maybe Rocky should drink some cold water, or some cranberry juice.

Anja: I don’t have any of that. Here, he can just drink from my breast (lifts up her shirt and proceeds to breastfeed her lizard in front of all the cars driving by).

The explanation for this next one is longer than the quote. During potty training, we tried using a “poop wand” for Anja, which is a magical fairy wand that she was supposed to hold while on the potty, to help the poop come out. Now whenever we go to the toy store near the costume section we get this:

Anja: Look Mom, a POOP WAND! (holds up a fairy princess wand)

Maija: Scheeeeee! (cheese)