Music Theory Nerd in the Making

Yesterday we were listening to Beethoven's 5th Symphony in the car. Avery loves Fantasia 2000 and the first selection on that dvd is the first movement of Beethoven's 5th. Plus she loves all the Baby Einsteins & Little Einsteins and recognizes the classical music on them as well. I'll be the first to admit that PJ is the driving force behind exposing our children to classical music. He puts it on in the house and the car much more often than I do. But I digress....

As we were listening to the 4th movement, Avery said, "That's the recapitulation. It's like the beginning." WHAAA? I had no idea she knew what a recapitulation was---and she said it just as the recap was starting----she was RIGHT! I shouldn't be so shocked, since PJ has been dancing around with her to Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Gershwin, Mozart, etc. since she was a week old, describing every moment of the music to her in music theory terms.

Anyone who knows Avery will readily attest to the fact that she LOVES music and especially SINGING. She's like a little human radio that's constantly tuned to the baby classical music station. Also, if you put anything in a song, she'll learn it---like the 50 states or all the verses of Primary songs or sacrament hymns. I guess that's what you get with two musical parents combined with Baby and Little Einsteins, and a tradition of singing church music to her before naps and bedtime. Lately we've been trying to round out her repertoire by playing ABBA, REM, some Village People and Queen. It's great fun to warp our kids!!

Big Girl Bed

For the past several months PJ has assured me that Avery is ready to move from her crib to a "big girl bed." I have been reluctant to make the move because it means she can get out or play with the drawers and such in her room, and I have to start the "go back to bed" routine at naptime and bedtime. So I determined to wait until she could climb out or otherwise endanger herself before succombing.

Well, PJ's wish was granted yesterday at naptime. Avy's crib is positioned about 6 inches from her dresser, in hopes that she wouldn't be able to reach and open the drawers from within bed. About an hour into her nap I heard her saying, "Can I get some help? Can somebody help Avery?" I went in the room and found that she had climbed up on the dresser, and was STRADDLING the void between the crib and dresser, with one foot on each. "I can't get down," she told me. I freaked out a bit, but remained calm until I could get her safely back in bed.

That did it. Last night at bedtime we took her crib mattress and put it on the floor. I have yet to get a toddler bed....we'll see about that later. We set up a couple of rules, like once she's down for a nap or nighttime, she can play in her bed all she wants, but can't get out. The clock needs to say 7 before getting out of bed in the morning, etc. I was really worried about how last night would go, but it was AWESOME. I listened at the door and heard her talking to her bear about the rules, and just having a great time in her "new" bed. She never once got out. I'm sure the novelty will wear off soon and I'll encounter that battle, but for now it's great.

We took some photos of her during her first night in the bed. PJ is really adorable and sentimental about it---he reminds me of this commercial I saw years ago where a mom and dad are standing in the doorway of their daughter's room, watching her sleep. The dad says, "Look at her in her big girl bed! Soon she'll be all grown up." and the daughter says, "Dad, I'm only three!" I keep quoting that to him.

Mr. Alex and Flying Fruit

We call our little guy "Mr. Alex" after what the lemur calls the lion on Madagascar. For Christmas he received a stuffed "Alex the Lion" animal. It cracks me up to see him playing with it because it's almost as big as he is.

Here are my three favorite people in the world!

Avy Davy Doo pretending to sleep (including snoring noises) on our bed.
This is PJ's favorite game to play with the kids at this age: he blows plastic fruit out of his mouth at them. Alex is cracking up in his subdued way. Thank goodness his cry is that soft too.

No more Pacie

I often wondered how I was going to break the pacifier habit in my kids. I personally prefer pacifiers over thumb sucking simply because you can't cut the kid's thumb off, right? We've gradually been weaning Avery off hers. For the past year or so Avery has only used a pacifier at naptime and nighttime, and has a habit of chewing her pacies to pieces. We've been telling her for months that after this current pacifier she's finished.

Well, she decided a few days ago that she was a big girl and didn't need a pacifier anymore. So we took it to the trash after her nap and she threw it away. Just like that. She whimpered about it a little at bedtime, but she still has her other comfort objects (bear and blanket), so she was okay. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by her quick adjustment because she quit nursing in a day without a fuss and went straight to sippy cups, and potty training was *relatively* smooth. I pray all my other children make these transitions as easily.

Double Stroller of Love

We've kicked around the idea of a double stroller ever since our second baby was born in July. I can't decide what kind would be best. But recently I discovered the Bumbleride Indie Twin stroller, and it has caught my attention. A friend of mine here in LA has one, and it seems perfect. I love the fact that it works for all ages and stages: carseat, infant, child; and especially the room underneath and the relatively compact design. It seems sturdy enough to take outdoors and the colors work for both boys and girls.

There's a giveaway going on right now at http://inevergrewup.net/giveaway-25-bumbleride-indie-stroller/ and I'm blogging about the stroller in the attempt to maybe win it. Now that our apartment is possibly big enough to house a double stroller, it sure would be nice to have.

The Deal is Sealed

After weeks of debating and weighing pros and cons, we have decided to move into a larger apartment.

It is only three blocks away, so it is still in our ward, and still in this wonderful Burbank neighborhood. It is ~1300 sq. ft., which is MUCH larger than our current 800 sq. ft. apartment.

The pictures in this posting are from our CURRENT place. I'll get photos of the new place after we move in.

The new apartment is a two bed/ two bath on the ground floor with a separate family room in the front, grass!!! right outside the kitchen/dining area, a small porch, and many more closets.

It's a bit more expensive, of course, and there's no washer/dryer in the unit (which I absolutely LOVE about my current place), but there is one in the building, just around the back.

We decided we wanted the place before Christmas, but had to find someone to take over our lease here. I posted our apartment on craigslist, and got a few bites over the holiday while we were out of town. The day we returned, I showed the apartment to a couple, and another girl the next day.

They both wanted it, but the couple was able to get the application and financial documents to me sooner, so they're taking it.

PJ signed over the lease this afternoon. Then he went to our new place and signed the lease there. So, we're paying double rent this month (grrrr) but we figured it was pretty unavoidable.

Now we definitely have room for visitors, so feel free to come on over! We'd love to have a house right now....but it's out of our budget here in pricey LA. That's okay. The best things come to those who wait, right?

Christmas and Cousins

More pictures.....I'm posting a lot today, but I guess I need to catch up somehow.

At our Annual Christmas Musical Open House in Houston


Cute Matching Cousins


Reading books


More Cousins in San Antonio