The Downside? No Nap. The Upside? Video!

Mia's Other Mother

Most people aren't aware, but Mia actually has a second mother: Brigette, who is the mother of playgroup member Dailey. When Brigette is around, I play second fiddle. Today, for example, Mia refused to leave Brigette's side and became very upset when I suggested she might need a break (the bottom lip started to tremble and waterworks commenced!). Thankfully, Brigette is a very good sport about spreading her maternal affection, as is Dailey, who is kind enough not to get too jealous. Here is the photo of the three of them from the playground today.

Down and Dirty

Rolling around and getting her hands dirty en route to see some fish, penguins, and the albino alligator, Mia had a fun (if a bit messy) holiday.

The Little Engine Playing With Little Engines

Sharing Smiles and a Step

Mia and her buddy, Riley, spent some time together two weeks ago at Stow Lake in Golden Gate Park. We fed the ducks and geese, chased some squirrels and even smelled some flowers. I suppose they share some fond memories of the afternoon (as I do), because they happily exchanged hugs today at playgroup.

Gone Fishing

Singing, Dancing & Drinking

The last bit is Mia attempting to drink water from the fountain at Fairyland in Oakland. She finally figured out how to get inside the lion's head, a task far less difficult at the San Francisco Zoo.

1, 2, 3, Go!

Watch Out Ansel Adams

Mia loves pushing buttons, as all toddlers do, and the camera button is no exception. Here, she takes aim at her beloved Otter. Quite the artist, don't you think?

In other news, Mia is cooperating when I put clips (butterflies, of course) in her hair, eliminating the need for a haircut for now.

My Little Cookie

Story Time

More fiddling with the Flip. Here is Mia "reading" her potty book.

Happy Mother's Day Indeed

I had a great Mother's Day today. David woke up with Mia so that I could sleep in a little and go for a run. After a family lunch, we headed to Tilden Park where we visited the steam train, the Little Farm and the merry-go-round. Mia and David also gave me a lovely new Flip, which will let me capture some on-the-go moments when our SuperCamcorder is too big to tote. Here are some snippets from today's fun. As you might hear, Mia -- well-known lover of trains -- was very scared of actually being on the train today. The whistle was apparently too much to handle, so you'll hear her screaming. Despite the fact the ride seemed like her worst nightmare (when she wasn't telling us "All Done!", she was clinging to me like her life depended on it), she announced she wanted to go again as soon as we were finished. Oh, the complexities of a toddler.

The Flip is high-definition, but the video clip is clearly not -- still figuring out the settings for YouTube so that it shows up properly. To be continued... [Update: click on the "HQ" button on the YouTube toolbar along the bottom of the clip and you'll get it in much better quality.]

A (Brief) Return to Order

Mia's hair is pretty out of control these days, so I was delighted when she let me put it up in pigtails today after her nonnap (she is counting and singing in her crib these days instead of sleeping -- another story). She checked it out in the mirror and showed her approval by letting me take a few photos.

Yo-Yo Mama

A trip to the shoe store revealed that Mia has grown a full size since our last purchase! Here she is modeling two new pairs that will hopefully get us through the summer. Because Mia politely said "thank you" to the saleslady, she was given a pink balloon (from the saleslady) and a yo-yo (from her mama).

It's in the Bag

Here is Mia's latest fashion accessory. Tres chic. (Poor little thing has a bruise on her cheek after a tumble on the playground slide!)

Party Time

Today we celebrated Ryan and Cooper's first birthday, so Mia put on her party dress (no photos of her matching purse, I'm afraid). We also had to kill some time during an open house, so included are some ... random, to say the least, shots of David and Otter.