Happy 2nd Birthday Galina

My Goose.

We celebrated with Aunt Mimi and Julius on July 1st.

Spongebob. He makes you happy.

He makes your belly happy too.

Enjoying her birthday present. Coolest ever.

Sporting the apron.

"Surprise!" Thanks, Aunt Mimi, the cake was awesome!

It's amazing what Molly can do with one batch of frosting, a pack of food coloring and ziploc bags with tips (Thanks to Gaga for all of those Wilton tips you gave me when Brian and I got married!). Molly's pretty much an artist. She could make big bucks. Do it...do it...do it...

But today, since it really is Galina's birthday, we're celebrating in a smaller way.

McDonald's for lunch, with chocolate milk. I know her water cup is there. She likes water.

And a FREE vanilla cone, because we're reading a LOT of books this summer.

Yummy!

We'll see what the rest of the day has in store.

I also just need to add, for myself, that Galina is a fantastic girl. Brian and I love her SO much, it's impossible. We love her, love her, love her. She's certainly not perfect. But she's certainly FUN. Very habitual. Loves food. Loves playing. Loves reading. Loves Sesame Street (in fact we've had to take her hospital door Kermit off the bookshelf and de-Hawaiianize him so that he can be in the crib with her - her orders). Loves to talk on the phone. Loves Pop Pop, Granny, Pa Pa and Gaga. A LOT. All of your ears should be ringing everyday. Loves airplanes. And Helicopters. Says the funniest things. We were all playing on the bed yesterday, Brian and I had our heads on our pillows, while Galina stands up and lets herself fall backwards. But at one point she landed, was sitting there facing me and Brian and said, "Daddy boogers." Then, "Mommy boogers." Now, you can read my writing, but we can't always understand what she's saying. Once we figured it out though - we laughed pretty hard because she was just sitting there looking up our noses. Perfect vantage point.

The things she must have to look at from 3 ft.

When Galina is ready to sleep, she's ready to sleep. After lunch today, we came home and changed her diaper and clothes (chocolate milk and vanilla icecream) and then I said, "Are you ready for a nap?" She stood up, turned around to look at Brian and said, "Nigh, night Daddy!" Then walked off down the hall towards her bedroom. Rarely, and it does happen sometimes, but rarely do I have to fight with her to get her to go to sleep. For the most part, she welcomes it. I need to get rid of the pacifier, she still has her favorite yellow blanket, but to tell you the truth, she loves the paci so much and leaves it in the bed... I may just not. We'll see...

She's JUST started saying, "Hey boys" when we go in to get her from bedtime or naptime, instead of "Get!" or "No!" or "Go!" But, don't get me wrong, those are still common phrases around here. Galina tries to push limits sometimes, she'll say, "Stupid dogs." Which, granted, she hears me say very often. But I've told her that we don't talk that way, and I try not to say it around her. So now, when she says, "Stupid dogs." It's always followed by a reprimand of, "Galina! Nice!" She reprimands herself.

If I ask Galina how old she is, she says, "Toof." I love it.

She also likes to laugh like Ernie (khee hee hee) on Sesame Street and then she'll say, "Ernie" - so you know who she's talking about.

She LOVES and I mean LOVES to watch 'Hercules' - the musical that I choreographed here. It's sometimes the only thing that will pacify her, if we feel like trying to pacify her. Yesterday she actually had her first real tantrum. Lasted for quite some time. I must say, I think she's very stubborn. That should be fun here in a few years. What am I saying? It's no fun now!

Galina is learning her colors - we're still working on memorization, but it's blossoming into realization. For awhile I would ask her what color the sky was, she'd say, "Blue sky". Then I'd sing the song. I could ask her red, and clue her by saying, "Just like Elmo." But in the past week or so, she's been bringing things to Brian and I, like her plastic silverware, and telling us what color it is. Green plate. Yellow fork. Blue cup. At dinner last night, she was looking at the birthday card that Great-Grandma Baldwin sent, and she said, "Orange kitty." And, yep, there was an orange cat on the front. I love it!

She knows her name is Galina. But says it more like, "Ga-ee-na" and pretty fast too. She's getting better about talking to people, and not crying at them, but this morning...I was at the base gymnastics place, trying to sign her up (FIASCO) and a very broad-shouldered and tall man walked into the room. He was quiet, coming from behind me, I didn't even see him until she ran to stand infront of me to hide from him. She started crying, and the guy walked through the room saying, "Sorry, I guess I scared her." Some other lady, that watched it all said, "Did that man scare you?" Well, all the way home, Galina said, "Man. Scared you."

Well, I'm not sure what the rest of the day will hold for Galina, except I know we're going to make a trip to Yogurt Mama's for some yumminess. She loves that place. Me too, so I won't complain. Other than that, not much. Tomorrow: Beach. Fun!

Happy Birthday Galina!

Love you!