Indoor exercise

"Mommy, I'm going for a little run, 'kay?" 

Here's Gemma in her selected outfit: running pants, running shirt, running shoes, and assorted necklaces, including one wrapped around her head which she calls her "ear muffs" (i.e. ear phones). She then takes off running from one end of the house to the other - from her bedroom, down the hall, through our bedroom, through the living room, through the kitchen to Timo's closet, turn around and go back.

Action shot!

Meanwhile Timo plays with his cool new toy (from Auntie Rachel), grinning away and look quite chubby (hand-me-down from Hayden Felske) and very focused on the task at hand.

Pizza and ice cream

Recently, I (Jim) had the urge to make homemade pizza. It had been too long - and homemade pizza is so good! The pizza turned out well: an aromatic sauce topped with chicken sausage, peppadews (that's the official name of this small, red, sweet pepper, and in fact a South African "invention." It is usually known in the States as piquante peppers), feta, caramelized onions, mozzarella, and a few shavings of romano. Yum!

Later, we took Gemma out for a big treat: an ice cream cone at McDonald's. She earned it by doing a really good job of potty training so far (stays dry all day although still wakes up with a wet bed...) and filling up her potty chart with stickers.

"How does it taste, Gemma?"

"It's cold and sweet!"

She was a very careful, patient ice cream cone eater.

"Baby Play" in action

Now that Timo is getting more interactive - making eye contact and 'talking' in response - one of his favorite things to do is watch & listen to his older sister. And of course that is a very exciting development for Gemma, who loves to dance and sing and entertain AND who has been waiting and waiting for her brother to start participating in the activities of Baby Play. This book (a gift from Nonna when Gemma was a baby) is filled with game ideas for infants 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months, and 9-12 months. Gemma has spent many happy hours engrossed in this book (even before Timo was born), staring at the babies and the games they are playing.

On a recent rainy morning I asked Gemma, "Well, should we get out Baby Play and look for a game that Timo would enjoy doing with you?" She slowly paged through the book until she found a picture of a baby building a tower, and then she got out her blocks to show Timo how it is done. 

He was totally attentive and loved it, too.

"Like this!"

note: yes, Gemma is wearing her tutu under her dress...

Gemma's new love: ballet and Tanya

Thanks to Tanya and the Red Shoes, currently Gemma's favorite book (from the library), along with Gemma's new-found interest in ballet, we are daily witnessing the budding of our young dancer. We are also witnessing her remarkable abilities (like most kids) to remember stories and memorize them word-for-word.

Here's the daily scene: Gemma with book open on the couch (while Timo observes and slobbers on his blankie), dancing around the living room working on ballet moves and simultaneously reciting lines from the book:

"She whirls and whirls and flies in a leap that I've never seen her do before. Ah that is the magic, she flies my sister."

"You're too young for toe shoes, my teacher says. One day perhaps. ...One day is just too far way."

"And the dancer is me!"

Usually she is wearing her tutu or leotard (or both) or tights or other creative outfit - although right now the leotard is taking a hiatus in these early underwear-learning days. But the pink ballet slippers are always present. She will play this 'game' throughout the day, and even pop out with lines from the book at random times. Tonight at dinner she suddenly looked up and said, "I have danced with my friends, boys and girls, to music that we love." She will also correct us when we ask her, "Gemma, do you..." by saying, "No, I'm Tanya!" Oh, and then we refer to her as Tanya.

Driveway fun for Gemma

"Come on, Daddy, let's go for a little run!"

Top of the driveway: ready, set, go! (Gemma giving directions)