Will

This week we demonstrated the will to succeed -- Tracy: to keep my new year's resolution to "be on time" and Drew: to finish the AWC West website, new business cards, etc. I may even use the MLK holiday to begin to tackle our garage which is still filled with empty boxes from the move. It would be nice to use the garage for cars -- not that any of our neighbors do......

And now I am truly beginning to see Oola's will -- to climb the stairs (no problem) or hurl herself headfirst down them (this will be a problem), to watch every Elmo video in existence -- in fact, I learned at Babies R Us this afternoon that every computer monitor is seen as a portal to the magic "Elmo" videos on youtube. She truly cannot seem to get enough of them. Five is my limit and then I tell her "Elmo is asleep" prompting me to wonder why I ever started -- it was so fun at first watching Schoolhouse Rock and old Sesame Street interstitials, like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr8vUTm64h0

She wants to walk on her own, explore everything dirty and dangerously sharp and pointed and definitely wants to run with "sticks." My mother is laughing right now. And, so is my mother-in-law. Wise women.

Here's a couple pics after our Kindermusik class -- which after one I'm ready to swap it out for tumbling or gymnastics.

Are you watching me?



Of course, I can get wet

Fun

Happy

Happy New Year - 2009

Hello - again! Drew set up this site which is truly genius though I never got into the swing of 'blogging.' So now I'm back, inspired by an old friend who is a pro at this (and a very gifted writer - -which is why strangers follow her site) and I hope to make this part of regular life.

A lot has happened over the past several months so I will devote this post to catching up. The holidays were great fun -- celebrated with new friends and family. Over the past month I have spent some of Oola's weekend nap time actually reading a book on my new Kindle (a birthday present from my darling husband) -- the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo -- an intriguing murder mystery, set in Sweden, spanning generations (I love a book with a family tree in the beginning) but there was a sick serial killer subplot that kind of ruined it -- not recommended for the faint of heart.

Anyway, Halloween was a lot of fun. Claudia, Angel, Manny and Abba all came over to help take Oola around the neighborhood. She was 14 months old and spent the day impersonating a ladybug. She liked playing with the candy and opening the door and even went to a few houses though I'm not sure she understood what was going on.

The last time wrapped candy will be fun

How sad she only wore this one day!!!

Then in early November there were terrible fires south of Santa Clarita -- Drew anxiously watched the reports ready to get on the roof with a hose and Oola was blissfully unaware.

Taken from the In n' Out Parking Lot off the 5 Freeway

Taken from the same place -- no one had In n' Out

A couple of weeks later for Thanksgiving (and my birthday) we were graciously invited to Claudia's house for cake and later on to our friends', Ashaki and Paul's, house for a Thanksgiving Feast. After a huge pancake breakfast, courtesy of Chef Drew -- we got ready

Before

After

Oola loves visiting with all the kids and especially loves Manny's guitar.

Sadly, we have no pictures from Ashaki and Paul's house......where we had a wonderful time -- a fantastic dinner -- and Oola literally bounced off the walls until she collapsed around 8pm.

We vistited the Getty with Shye and Charlie one weekend. Oola loved the gardens and the children's area of the museum. Other than "Elmo," Oola had begun to say "apple" and luckily there are several apple still life pictures at the Getty so she appeared to be a brilliant art appreciater. Check out the video:

http://animoto.com/play/Q0uDaDS4hvFi9EI99CuPyg

Then came the holidays. I was off the week of Christmas and New Year's. We were so lucky to have all of our parents visit --Toni came the week before Christmas, Roger and Vicki came New Year's Eve -- it was really great to have a house full of family. As usual, my father brought awful weather with him so it was very cold (30's and 40's) -- but we bundled up and played at the park and went shopping and enjoyed all of our gifts from the holidays.

The grandparents have the majority of the pictures -- I promise to upload the best I have here shortly!

[under construction]

It was quiet after New Year's when everyone was gone -- so Oola and I decided to explore Travel Town -- a train museum adjacent to Griffith Park.

Someone has learned how to "smile" and "say cheese"

Working on the railroad

2008 was a great year --

Oola is no longer a baby and continues to be a delightful child. She is good-humored, curious, persistent and loving.

Oola is a ham.

Oola is a good eater.

Oola is friendly and beautiful and smart*. And we love her very much. Best wishes for a wonderful 2009 to all of our friends and family! Love Tracy and Andrew

* Word Count as of 1/9/09 - not that I'm keeping track....we did it for fun one night. I am not that obsessive.

Spoken - >25

Mama, Papa, Claudia, Abba, Angel, Manny, OReilly, Obama, Elmo, more, moon, apple, ball, nyeh (meow for cat), broccoli, arbor (tree), banana, up, bye bye, cold, nino/nina (boy/girl), car, book, angel, kangaroo, elmo, agua (water)

Signs ->30

more, ball, arbor, bye bye, cold, car, book, elmo, pumpkin, hat, star, kiss, fish, please, thank you, milk, cup/drink, owl, keys, train, music, red, monster, bubbles, pancakes, gorilla, duck, bird, frog, tiger, elephant, eat