appliances

Last weekend we bought a food processor, but we didn't use it. Last night we watched the hour and 15 minute dvd that came with it - my friend told me it was very informative and we should watch it, and so we did and now we are informed. And also inspired. They made peanut butter in the dvd, and it was really really easy, so we bought cashews at Costco today and made cashew nut butter, and it was really really easy, and it is really really delicious. We were eating it out of the bowl, and my idea is now to roll it into a log, freeze it, and then cut coins off and dip them in melted chocolate. It's so delicious I can't think of anything else to do but make candy out of it. Charli thinks it's mighty tasty, too.

Brian also used it to slice some zucchini - it was so fast I missed it entirely. The slicing disc is adjustable - it will make slices from 1mm to 6mm thick! Isn't that cool? And Dad, you will be happy to know that I will never, ever buy pre-shredded cheese again. It's also got a dough blade, and at some point when I'm feeling ambitious, we're going to try making pizza. It's very exciting. :)

Two weekends ago, I bought a vacuum cleaner. I used to have a vacuum cleaner, but we never used it for 2 reasons: 1, it doesn't work very well, and 2, Flavia comes every other week with a vacuum cleaner that works and vacuums for me. So, when Sam moved into her place and was perfectly happy to have a free vacuum cleaner that didn't work very well, I gave her ours. Of course, not very long after that I got Charli a blanket that shed everywhere, and I really really wanted a vacuum cleaner, but we suffered through a few weeks of that and the blanket stopped shedding. I decided we needed something for light duty (not that we had ever used our old vacuum cleaner even for light duty), and I got a dustbuster that I was very happy with for a couple of weeks, but it really didn't work well for long either. So two weekends ago I was at Costco and for some reason they had an aisle of vacuum cleaners that weekend, and I bought one. It's a light duty, cordless upright, and it's AWESOME. I never thought I would love a vacuum cleaner, but I love this vacuum cleaner. The battery lasts a week, and we vacuum with it multiple times a day. It's gotten to the point where I don't try to wipe things up off the table after dinner anymore - I just wipe everything onto the floor and then we vacuum it up. Seriously, I love this vacuum cleaner. I would like to name it, but I'm having trouble coming up with something suitable. Suggestions?

fibonacci

Charli counts in a modified fibonacci sequence now: one, two, three, five, eight, nine, SIX!

ding ding

Charli loves ringing the bell! This is actually the second time Charli's been bike riding. Brian snuck off the first time while I was out with Sam, so I don't have any video of that. Charli doesn't look particularly thrilled in this video, but she definitely likes biking. She often says, "go hiking?" and tries to put on her helmet. Why she calls it 'hiking' I don't know; she says 'bike' just fine. Kids! I just don't understand them!

high (shiny) fashion

Tonight for dinner we ordered takeout from the Vietnamese place right around the corner (you know, "benamee"), where we often order takeout from. I mean REALLY often - after Charli was born, we showed up there one night and the owner had a gift for Charli. It was so sweet, but I felt a little bad because, well... I don't even know this woman's name.

When Brian came home with our takeout, he had an extra bag. Benamee owner bought Charli another gift! I'm so embarrassed! I still don't know her name! Charli, however, loves the jacket. We pulled it out of the bag, and Charli gasped, and put it on after dinner and wore it around the house for the rest of the evening. If the pictures are not big enough for you to tell, it's an A-line jacket with bell sleeves, and on the back there is a bow with a sparkly thing hanging down. O yes, and it's made out of shiny fake fur, with twinkle stars and big shiny buttons. What's that? You could tell that part? I know, but I had to say it anyway...

happy birthday to you

For some reason, this arrangement of bowls means "happy birthday to you". Charli gets out these bowls, sets them up in an arc on the floor, and then dances around them madly, singing "happy birthday to you" the whole time. I have no idea what the significance is.

baby exchange

Nina and I tried out a babysitting exchange thing - she watched Charli last weekend while Brian and I had lovely dinner with Daisy and Jim, and we watched Bella last night while Nina and Dex went out. It was great! Charli and Bella had a terrific time, and they were so adorable together. I am very envious that Nina does this all the time, although I suppose the experience might pale if I did it too often...


Badespasse (bath fun - see how much my German is improving?)






Charli loves the playhouse now - she's finally grown into it. Bella is a big fan, too!







BFF

pee!

Charli just peed on the toilet! Twice! I am in shock!

Charli has been sitting on the toilet for a while now. She uses it 1) as a delaying tactic, and 2) right after she's taken a dump in her diaper. She likes to sit on there for a while, often with a blanket and a book, and produce nothing. So today she came back with her nanny, Carolina, and said she wanted to sit on the toilet like she always does, and I told Carolina that she does this all the time and nothing happens, and immediately she peed on her little toilet. I was flabbergasted. Then she wanted to sit on the big toilet (which has a little seat on it for her), and she peed again there. I was floored.

I am still in shock.