A Busy First Week of the Year

 It hasn't even been a full week since New Years and it feels like it was a month ago.

a few days before New Years eve I caught Piper's cold.

Now I understand better how the poor kid felt.

Oy Vey

But we still managed to make it to the Annual Shumei Brunch

 Piper had a blast.

Between loooovvviinngg Japanese food (Thats my girl!)

and all the kids

She was in heaven.

 And very taken with Masanori

 Who was diggin' on her curls

 Look at her in there with the other kids!

 Baby Authur is getting bigger! Piper size last year. Hard to believe, isn't it?

 She's getting much better at sharing. Especially when its not her toy.

 

 Here she is pretending to call her Dad, who is standing over her by the way.

We've had a few art-y days.

Bitter cold outside and still nursing coughs so it was time to find some new indoor activities

 Taking a break from her art adventures to read National Geographic

It was three degrees this morning.

Balmy!

We dreamt of future camping trips, hiking and decided to get the 

greenhouse room cleared out for spring starts.

Normally I'm not into the Mother- Daughter matchy matchy thing. But seriously? Oshgosh?

 there must be exceptions for Oshgosh.

She found one of my sculptures and was even more into the whole gardening thing.

 As if dirt and sun wasn't enough to captivate her.

 Speaking of captivating...

While we're not pushing the whole potty thing at the moment, Piper does have some undies.

And was really trying to figure them out this week.

 Once she put it together she insisted on wearing them

Among other "accessories" 

BIG project at our house this weekend.

 

I have hated this red wall since the day it went up.

Yes, yes, it was my idea in the first place - not one of my better ones. 

Piper has been playing on her own a lot these days.

 So we thought we'd give it a go...

Honestly she spent most of the day playing in the living room.

I'm still in shock we painted a wall with her.

I cleaned, Dad painted and she played.

 How rad is that?

You know what else is rad?

counting

Yep - "Unn..Eww...Eeee"

She's also pointing out "Pur-pull" 

And when she sees words she starts calling out letters.

They're not the right letters mind you, but she's getting a couple of them. 

Watch out world!

Christmas Karma

This is the face of one sick kid.

Nose won't stop running, yummy sounding cough.

I don't know what this poor kid did to deserve her only two Christmases sick...

but it just ain't fair.

She's got that look of, "just make it stop or put me out of my misery." She's in that place of needing sleep, but can't because she can't breath and when she lays down it triggers the coughing.

So we've taken a lot of deep breaths and spent a bit of time in this position.

And time playing with all the crafts she did with Grammy last weekend.

Oh and the stickers her Grandma Les sent too.

 Her Aunties are very patient women. Aunt Amy and Aunt Charlie made PJs for everyone, 

and in a brilliant move (she's good for that) 

Aunt Amy realized the scrap flannel would be perfect handkerchiefs. 

So we've miraculously been able to keep her nose wiped and not red so far. 

oh ya...and lots of TV

I've come to peace with it.

 Because she only half watches anyway.

Aunt Sandi made Piper a kitchen platform.

 I'm pleased to report she is in and out of it ALL DAY

and we had a successful dinner making experience with help and giggles, 

through the snot and coughing of course

Don't worry - no one was over for dinner tonight - just sharing germs amongst ourselves. 

 A common Christmas scene this year. Matching PJs and snot rags included.

 Assessing her "poons" with the fairy quilt Grandma Sally sent.

"Poons" that go with her new kitchen.

Thanks Aunt Amy for taking time off work to pick it up for us - 

she's been making us boiled bananas and "pamato" sandwiches

As Aunt Charlie said, the kid woke up Christmas morning talking. And talking a lot.

"Well what is this Mom?" When someone says "Where's Piper?" she says "That's me!"

And although she's sick, she still finds the energy to pop up and dance and run around the house for a moment before pitching a fit and covering us in snot.