Mirror, Mirror

Ada is becoming increasingly interested in dressing herself, particularly with accessories like necklaces, bracelets, purses, sunglasses, and her favorite, hats.

She's been using our glass fireplace front to check out her selections. I felt we could do a little bit better for her. So I found a frilly shatterproof princess mirror for her to admire herself in.

Sadly, I didn't get the camera out fast enough to snap her with her beads, a ring, AND sunglasses.

There's all kinds of developmental stuff that mirrors are good for: speech, movement, etc. But it's REALLY good for checking out your beads.

I put a box of pretties by the mirror for her to put on.

Giving herself kisses. Dahling, youlookMAHVELOUS.

Prescott Zoo

The Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary, a name that is larger that the zoo, is a great place to spend the morning with a toddler. The animals are in enclosures that might make an animal sympathizer upset, but that really makes it possible for the kids to see the animals. Most of the animals are local specimens that have been trapped for our viewing pleasure: raccoons, javelina, puma mountain lion, owls, a raven named Ed who says, "Hello Ed!", hawks, several peacocks, and many species of snake and spider.

They also have a few non natives like their tiger, the cutest tamarins ever, etc.

We even got to see them feed the bear his breakfast!

One of the things that the zoo does very well is accommodate little kids. They have several play areas for the kids to blow off some steam while you admire the llama. This includes as splash pad for some water fun and also several spots with picnic benches where you are welcome to enjoy lunch.

Overall, it is a perfect space for kids. Jeffrey, Ada and I had a blast with my friend Cody and her daughter Zoe. Zoe is three weeks older than Ada, about the same height, and about a million pounds lighter (Ok, 5 pounds, but it is remarkable what a difference five pounds can feel like.)

This is the bear we watched eat. He is huge.

Ada Spider!

This is Zoe. She never looks super excited. She makes excellent growling noises at bears.

"I'll get in your shower and drop down while you rinse your shampoo

!"

This is a Harris Hawk. There are two of them and they are very wild and are here after being found with injuries. That is a dead mouse he's got pinned down. They flopped it in there for them to "catch."

Zoe and Cody

Alpacas!

Kisses! It looks like Zoe isn't into it but really she started it.

Z and a giant bucket in the sand pit. Happiest I've ever seen her.

Riding the bee in the sand yard. The girls kept switching hats.

 The splash pad is pretty much the best thing ever. The girls really enjoyed it and Ada just kept giggling and squealing with joy. We didn't have the videoing device. Maybe next time...

"Hey you! Hold still and smile!"

Ada and I made pumpkin bread today. I tried to take her picture while she was totally covered in flour, but she kept wiggling. Finally I just yelled at her to hold still and smile. She held still and gave me her ham smile as shown here with the rapid fire shutter.

15-month-old ready for Sumo:

Ada had her checkup today and she is heavy, tall, and has a big head. Sounds terrible, but I think for babies that's OK.

After eating all the cheese off of her pizza (and not by picking it off but rather by holding up the slice and gnawing it off), she had a little root beer. This is her "Ahhh! That's a heady foam" face. Sometimes it is just fun to give kids some new mouth sensory experience. Root beer is a fun one. She loved it, but was surprised each time at the fizziness.

Having an emo day, Ada plays some tunes on the guitar while dressed like Eddie Vedder circa 1990.

Here are her stats:
Weight: 24.3 pounds (87%)
Height: 31 inches (64%)
Head circumference: 46.5 cm (72%)

1-year-old
Nine months
Six months
Four months
Two months


She is understandable saying the following words:
Dadda
Lily
hat
shoe
Ada (dayda)
baby (bebe)
uh-oh

Yesterday we got her to say chocolate and when I asked her if she wanted to get down, she clearly said yesh but that might have been a fluke. She also says mama, but not about me or anything in particular.

She said uh-oh after flinging things off the deck and having them hit the ground. I was inside working and I would hear the object hit the ground and her say, "UHooooooh."

Ada has become quite a little helper. After reading a book, if you ask her to put it back on the shelf, she'll take it over and reshelve it. She also puts her plate in the dishwasher and closes the door. She's big on opening and shutting doors for everyone all the time, enjoys "cleaning" with a rag and dusting with a Swiffer duster.

One of our new favorite games is putting pom poms in a container at one end of the room, placing a container at the other, and running relays between the two while transferring the pom poms. Is this the most boring game ever? Maybe. But it sure is quieter than yell-in-the-face.

Some other neat tricks she has learned recently is holding out her index finger to indicate that she is one. She also does this when we count things during story time. She emphatically held up her finger while counting some apple cutouts on the wall. So not only does she do it as a reflex to the question, "How old are you?" She correlates it to the number one. Pretty cool! Also, she can sort of roll on the floor and delights in "steamrolling" anyone next to her. She claps, sings nonsense, hums, and spins. Her hokey pokey is coming along nicely and is ready for video. I need to get some of this stuff on video, actually, before she quits helping and wanting to be around us!

Rainy Days

Prescott offers up a wonderful wet season at the end of the summer.

Just when you don't think you want another sunny, hot afternoon, the thunder clouds roll in and you get to enjoy a little cool drizzle.

This whole week has had afternoon thunderstorms, which were welcome after such hot days in Tucson. Last night the thunderclaps were intense. It was as if the sky was clapping its hands right above our roof. It woke Jeffrey and I up. Ada didn't even stir. I guess they still aren't a part of her world.

The storm was swift and moved along fairly quickly.

Today the morning has brought us a cool, overcast day where everything is slightly damp and scrubbed clean.

I took this picture a few weeks ago. It looks like this now.

 One of the nice things about Prescott is that it has seasons. The chill creeps in slowly in the mornings, blossoms into a warm day, then comes back in the evenings for pleasant walks. Fall is coming!

Today is a bit rainy and I'll be alternating my coffee with hot chocolate and later Ada and I will go jump in puddles then maybe she'll hold still long enough to wrap her in a blanket on the couch and watch a movie with me: though it might just be the poodle and I snuggled in as Ada isn't much for sitting still rainy day or not!

Her Equitation is Poor

Ada's first ride at four-months-old.

Second ride at nine-months-old.

Reins? Who need reins? I use my legs and my mind. Ada at 14-months-old.

At least now she helps out with the grooming. Though her ability to identify a hoof needs work.

Then and Now

It's easy to remember things when they happen on holidays. For example, I know Ada first found her feet on Labor Day of last year because it was Labor Day.

Finds her feet.

Has the beat.