Reading, reading, reading

This is kind of a disjointed post. Sorry about that! I realized I hadn't updated in a few weeks, though, so I wanted to put some new pics up.

We had the girls' parent-teacher conferences a week or so ago. As expected, they're both doing great in school. Maisie, it turns out, is now reading at about a third-grade level. She reads all the time! She reads over my shoulder when I'm at the computer or on my phone. She reads words I didn't know that she knew. She gets her nose stuck in a book in the morning and I have to promise her she can take it on the bus, or she won't get ready for school! We love it and more importantly, she loves it too.

The library has been a great source of books for us. Maisie has her own library card, and has now for a while. But one other way it's keeping us in new reading material is the ongoing book sale!

The organization Friends of the Hennepin County Library operates a little bookstore at the downtown library. They sell books that the library is getting rid of, along with books that other people have donated. It's a super source for inexpensive books! They usually cost a dollar or two, but last week they were running a sale where all books were a quarter. These are some of the books I picked up there for Maisie, all of which she's really enjoying. She reads Babymouse in bed at night, when she is supposed to be sleeping. :)

This weekend the weather was really, really nice out. It was a great change from the cold gray fall we've been having. It was still brisk, but warm.

To get outside on Saturday afternoon, the girls and I walked around the neighborhood on an impromptu scavenger hunt. I wrote the list for Maisie...

And she added to it as the walk went on.

I did Ella's list in pictures. It was a fun little activity and a nice way to get outside and enjoy the warm fall sunshine.

Sunday we went to a corn maze with Dylan and Auntie Laura! That was super fun, kind of nuts, and merits its own post. Probably tomorrow.

Hanging at the East Lake Library

Maisie begs to go to the "liberry" - she loves to get new books. A girl after our own hearts!

Reading together

Aaron and Ella, reading together... a favorite activity.

Sent from my Windows Phone

Story time

At our house, we all like to read. (Big surprise, eh?)

Last weekend, first Dylan read a story to me and Maisie. Go Dylan!


Then Grandma Liisa read Ella a story...


looks like it was a pretty good one!


Then, Maisie wanted to take a turn. She can't read yet, so we all paid attention while she told us a story.


Maisie was actually so cute in telling her story, that my mom and I kept dissolving into fits of giggles, which Maisie did NOT appreciate. She kept saying "Please be quiet. Please give me your attention. Please listen now. Thank you." I think I know what she hears at school from the guides in her children's house!

18 months

Can you believe Maisie is 18 months old already? Our baby isn't a baby any longer! She can kick a ball, talk in three-word phrases, dress and undress herself... and even walk in her mommy's shoes.

The milestones are passing so quickly now! She is becoming a sweet, affectionate kid, although a very strong-willed one. She won't hesitate to let you know if she's unhappy!

This weekend we did lots of fun things, aside from walking around in my shoes and chasing the cat around.

Maisie discovered that she can actually see through one of the hats that Grandma Jo made her, and hijinks ensued. She pulled it down over her face and ran around, chasing me and Aaron and the cats and laughing like a loon. It was so funny!

On Sunday, we went to check out the May Day celebration at Powderhorn Park. Maisie napped right through the parade, but we took a look at the floats parked in the park.

Her favorite was the Hare Krishna float, because of the balloons. But right as I was going to take her picture, she got distracted by the butterfly person walking by in the background.

Today was also my and Aaron's 8-year date-a-versary. Or, as Aaron said, it's our eight-a-versary! We hired a babysitter and went out to dinner. It was a lovely evening.

So, I'll leave you with a good picture of Maisie, since the above are all somewhat covered up of her! This is Maisie reading one of her favorite books, "Brown Bear Brown Bear," to Spiderman. This was on Saturday, shortly after the chasing-in-hat incident.

Maybe she was trying to make it up to him.

Happy March!

Rabbit, rabbit!

Believe it or not, we did not go to the children's museum today!! (we went yesterday.) Instead, we spent the day in a variety of midwestern almost-spring activities.

This morning, we sat around in our jammies and read books on the couch. As you can see, those of us who are teething wear bibs with our jammies, though we do not wear them to bed.

Speaking of teething - I discovered today that Maisie has her first molar, in the back on the lower right! I guess that explains the copious drool and the fussy nights. I am surprised, though - she still only has two teeth in front on the bottom. You'd think she'd get eyeteeth before molars.

Anyway...

Then we got dressed and went to the Mall of America, where we played with the Duplos at Legoland, watched the rides at the Nickelodeon Universe f/k/a The Park At MOA f/k/a Camp Snoopy, and ran up and down the aisles at DSW where Aaron bought new shoes.

That was exhausting, so when we got home, Maisie took a good long nap.

When she woke up, it was relatively nice out (above freezing! spring is on the way!) so we bundled up and went for a walk.

It didn't end up being a very long walk thanks to some freezing rain that started to fall shortly after we set out. But we felt good about actually getting outside today for more than walking to or from the car!

Book shopping

We all knew that Maisie likes books. But today she discovered the joys of book shopping.

We went to BookSmart today, a great new & used book store in uptown Minneapolis. Maisie first browsed in the Food/Food Writing section, showing some interest particularly in Anthony Bourdain. She then moved on to music. She tried to read the copy of Heavy Metal you can see in this picture, but it was shrink-wrapped so she couldn't open it.

We stopped her when she got to first editions & collectables, though!

Books

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone reading this blog that Aaron and I both love to read. We definitely hoped to pass our love of reading on to Maisie, and are happy to see that it seems to be taking!

We've made a real effort to read to her often, and we leave books scattered about with her toys. In the past she would show us a book she wanted us to read to her - most often it was "Yellow Bird" which was a gift from her Auntie Clare. But as you can see here, as she intently analyzes Sandra Boynton's "Not the Hippopotamus," recently she's started "reading" her books by herself - she will sit with them and very seriously flip through the pages and look at the pictures. She isn't interested in help, and will actually get a little angry if you take the book from her to read it aloud. Excuse me, but Maisie was reading that... thank you!

We're hoping it's the beginning of a life-long love of books!

Guess how much I love you?

This picture reminds me of a moment in Guess How Much I Love You, by Sam McBratney. That book is a staple of our bedtime routine around here. If you're not familiar with it, the storyline is pretty much Little Nutbrown Hare trying to tell his father how much he loves him, but Big Nutbrown Hare always manages to one-up his son. It's cute and funny, and if I'm especially overtired or emotional, it can make me cry with its sweetness.

"I love you as high as I can reach," said Little Nutbrown Hare.

"I love you as high as I can reach," said Big Nutbrown Hare.
That is very high, thought Little Nutbrown Hare.
I wish I had arms like that.