Cabin fever...

...because we couldn't stay inside one more minute, regardless of how cold it was.





Simon was a good sport in the hiking backpack.

Ready to go.

Dorothy is a girl who likes to go places. Here, with breakfast residue still lingering on her cheeks and wearing footie pajamas, she is ready to GO in a fabulous wool hat.




In this picture, she is not ready to go, even though technically she is. Here was one instance of true parental cruelty. She wanted to be able to see her cute "shirt with flowers ON it!", aka she did not want to wear anything other than her "shirt with flowers ON it!". It was -15 degrees Farenheit outside. You can guess the rest. She stood in place voicing her disapproval like this for a while. I took full advantage and took a picture.


Another and much warmer day, perfect for the khaki pea coat. Aaaaah, the khaki pea coat. A favorite for it's buttons and flowers on the inside. But how to button it?


Hmmmm, not working.


Maybe it's just best to let it all hang out.


I hope you all are going places and doing wonderful things! We've had a blissful Christmas at home, with lots of down time and yummy food. We miss and love you, wonderful family and friends!

A lesson in popcorn-eating efficiency.

Excuse me...

I think the phrase "excuse me" is about the cutest thing a toddler can say. My sister Angie as a little girl was famous for saying something that sounded like "Ooo-ska-me!" (with a big, long emphasis on the Ooo part).

Dorothy has started. Excuse me from her sounds like "Goosy!"
Now, when I'm in her way, "Goosy! Goosy Mama! Goosy goosy goosy..." until she gets noticed. So cute, huh?

Morning sticker fun. It's the latest craze at the Lewis residence.

She even decorated some of Simon's cloth diapers. Lucky kid, his diapers were beautifully embellished with such sayings as "Good Job!", "You're a Star!" and smiley faces. Yes, I bought a big cheapo pack of teacher stickers.

Have a happy, happy Sunday, dear blogosphere!

TWO years old

Dorothy is TWO!!!! It's gone so fast. If you had asked me that when she was two months old and waking up five times a night, I would have said that it was not going fast enough, but from where I'm standing now, it seems like she was just a baby yesterday.

Dallin was SO nice and gave me a break, in honor of birthing Dorothy two years ago. He took her out while I worked on some homemade Christmas presents (I'm still not done!!!!).

This is my favorite two-year-old tradition. My grandma Carol made us a doll. I still have mine, and she sits in a place of honor in our living room. She made one for Dorothy. Look at them side by side! That's even the same fabric for the dress, though it's pretty hard to tell after all the lovin' my dolly got. Amazing, huh?


Her baby needed to be rocked and read to almost immediately.



Grandma Dorothy also knitted her a baby doll blanket and gave her a book. It is being well used, and some special dolls are being read to kept very warm.


From Mom and Scott, dress-ups and "Fancy Nancy".



She loved those dress-ups SO MUCH that she threw an absolute fit when we tried to take them off for breakfast, so we thought, what the heck? It's her birthday. We layered lots of bibs and towells and she ate her waffles looking fabulous.
It was a very low key birthday on our part. She had a lovely afternoon of playing with her toys, chatting with Grandma and Grandpa "Lewlis", and eating her favorite dinner and cake. We're putting so much into Dorothy's Christmas present that we're combining her Christmas and birthday, so we didn't give her anything except diaper changes : ). She didn't seem to notice.

On a side not, here's some of our Christmas decorations.


We're not allowed to have a real tree in our apartment, and I'm not a huge fan of the fake ones. (You can say I'm a snob, I know it.) Here's our solution! Dorothy and I went out on adventure and collected pretty sticks, bits of evergreen branches, and pine cones. We put them all in our huge vase, hung the ornaments on them, and put the pine cones around the bottom. In the end I think it turned out lovely. It's not as expensive or as much of a hassle as a tree, and it made for a REALLY fun afternoon with Miss Dorothy. She has since developed an acute skill for locating stray sticks and pointing them out.

With the Fam in Oregon

Uncle Clark


My Mom and Grandpa Allen. He very patiently read that book to her about 5 times in a row.



No explanation needed...


Lewis grandparents! (More funny pics from that afternoon coming.)



And finally, Dorothy and Dorothy.

Portland Kid Chaos Center...

...or better known as the Children's Museum on a Saturday. We went with lots and lots of cousins, and Grandma and Grandpa Hansen.

Part of the cute crowd.


Grandma Cathy and Lola were buddies the whole weekend.


Who do you think is more into the clay sculptures, Elise and Dallin or Dorothy?


Dorothy is sad because I didn't wrap up her baby just right, I'm feigning sadness to make her feel more comfortable, but at least Grandma is happy!


As always, she takes parenting very seriously.


Fish. Insert Dorothy making lots of kissing noises, just like what a fish clearly says.



Just like parenting, grocery shopping is very serious.


Aunt Elise and Dorothy.

The Lost Hallowen Pictures

Unbridled candy devouring.


But at least she enjoys sharing.




By far the highlight of the evening-- the petting zoo, complete with a goat that liked to eat leaves (and Dorothy's tutu). She would run up to give it a leaf, and if she got too excited, she would run away laughing before the poor goat got a bite.


How the evening ended.