Hello, gentle reader! After several years, we are back, with a new look, new attitude, and lots of learning under our belts.

To quickly catch you up, Aurora is heading into 6th grade in two weeks. She turned 11 this summer. She now has her own phone, her own laptop, a retainer, and her own (very strong) will.

I apologize for the terrible picture quality, but my phone camera glass is broken.

Sushi was the order of the day after Aurora turned 11, a previously shunned food  that she suddenly decided she might like after all.

And she did!

Her tastes have expanded from rice cereal and bottles full of milk to peanut butter and tuna, and now to steak, sushi, cowboy cookies, and iceberg lettuce. (We are not so fond of healthy vegetables, she and I.)

Publishing this on June 2, 2020, although it was written in July 2019.

I love best about my new baby is how sweet and adorable she is. How innocent. How she doesn't (yet) have a naughty bone in her body. As in, I can do whatever I want to her and those little hands are ineffective at pushing me away.

Sloppy wet kisses on her head? Many times a day. Warming my cold nose on her warm face when we're sleeping together? Nightly. Laughing at her unintended and uncontrolled facial expressions?
Initiating the startle response? I'm not really that cruel. Or am I?

My mom put it best when I was describing how much I like this phase and she added, "and helpless!"

More Dentist Shots and a Giveaway

Here are two more photos of Aurora from yesterday, enjoying the dentist's chair in the special dentist's room.

Even more exciting, she didn't have any milk last night after going to sleep! We'll see how long I can hold out. . . Cross your fingers that it lasts!

In other news, I'm having a giveaway for a $20 credit to CSN stores on my other blog, What the H! Head over and comment for a chance to win.

Brush those Teeth

Today was Aurora's first dentist appointment with Dr Badger. She did a great job. It definitely helped that we went to a pediatric dentist whose waiting room was full of toys with a kids' movie playing.

She also loved the little kids' potty in the bathroom and getting to pick out her own princess toothbrush. And the bribes! Little toys! And the shades! It was kind of like going to disneyland, complete with disney posters on the walls.

I hope they don't charge an arm and a leg but it'll be worth it if I do have to pay a little extra. Here she is, ready to get her teeth brushed from the tech.

Aurora-isms

Here are some things Aurora's said lately:

As I was driving, getting riled up by some other drivers: "Why you say 'bitches', Mommy?"

After excitedly calling me into the bathroom to show me the pages of her book while on the toilet: "You go now. Wowa have privacy."

Bringing me an empty baby bottle I'd accidentally tossed into the trash in my room: "In garbage. Someone threw it. Maybe YOU?" After I began laughing and confessed, she said, "Not diaper, bottle."

Last night she held a sock between her legs and said, "Look mommy, sock penis!" Arlo thought that was mighty funny.

After I told her several stories, I figured it was her turn. "You tell me a story now," I suggested. "No, Wowa too tired," she replied, throwing my favorite excuse neatly back into my face.

While riding with Aurora and my mom: "Oh, look at that dog!" I said to them. They both looked and my mom said, "Where?" "YOU missed it," Aurora told her casually, unconcerned for my mom's disappointment.

Sing out!

Aurora has been singing like crazy lately, ever since we enrolled her in a singing class.

"Blinkle blinkle widdle scar, wonder, wonder, wonder ... youare!"

she also enjoys The Farmer in the Dell, although I can't translate her lyrics.

Mustachioed

I got Demitri (Aurora's daycare brother) some mustaches a few months ago and to my delight, photos were taken and posted at Sarah's blog.

What a cutie!

Giveaway at What the H!

Hey peeps, I am having a giveaway at my other blog, What The H!


Head on over and comment for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to CSNstores.com.





And here's a photo of Aurora for your viewing enjoyment. She's licking the gravy ladle. Yum yum!

Seaside Mini-Vacation

Sorry, peeps, layoffs and new job duties have rendered my time at work actual WORK time (psh!) so I've had less time to blog.

Here are Aurora and Gary at Taco Shark in Seaside, enjoying "dips" (Aurora's word for chips) and salsa.

We had half a day (Friday) of clear weather, where we enjoyed seafood, playing in the sand (Gary and Aurora), a prestolog fire and going to bed early.

Saturday it rained but we went out for fun and games in the morning, visiting the carousel, a toy store, and the Seaside Aquarium. I'd never been to the Seaside Aquarium before and it was pretty neat. We ended up buying 5 little trays of fish for the seals and we all enjoyed throwing the seals fish and getting splashed by the impatient seal. (Aurora didn't like getting water in her eyes, though.)

Sunday Aurora and I went to the beach and found lots of jellyfish to look at and touch (gently!) and then came back to the motel for a nice hot bath. Then we came home.

Ding Dong

Here is Aurora, frolicking underneath the Criterion School bell at the State Fair last weekend. Unfortunately, we couldn't ring it but Aurora enjoyed posing well enough.

Aurora at School

We visited the Criterion Schoolhouse at the fair and this year Aurora was big enough to sit at a desk and do some schoolwork.

She colored two pictures and we hung one up on the board before we left.

And she didn't even get her hair dunked in an inkwell.

Nutty Baby

Aurora, Granny and I went to the State Fair this past Sunday, as is our family tradition.

Granny purchased Aurora some glasses to shield her from the "lun," which she cries piteously about whenever it shines in her face.

Here they were sharing a nut bar on the grass, as you can see by the chocolate on Aurora's chin.

Shopping is so boringzzzzz

Aurora was so tired the other night she fell asleep on the way to the mall, so I carried her into Sears and plopped her into a shopping cart. Then I enjoyed 30 minutes of quiet shopping. Ahhh. Then she woke up crying. D-oh.

Baby Pup Tent

Here's Aurora, watching her Mickey Mouse from (slightly) inside her new tent.

And there's my missing laundry! I folded it and couldn't figure out where it went, until I looked in the tent and noticed a whole lot more STUFF. Aurora had taken the sheets and towels and padded her tent for more comfort.

Gravy Baby

Aurora barely ate any dinner on Thursday but my mom cleverly offered her the gravy ladle to lick so at least she got some gravy in her.

I try to eat my 8 cups of gravy daily but it doesn't always work out. . .

Saturday Night Bath

My mom filled this bucket the other day (after scrubbing it, of course- she's very tidy) and Aurora enjoyed an after-dinner soak before stretching out in the big pool.

Hair Raising Photos

Aurora and I went to the playground yesterday while Gary and Arlo went to Krispy Kreme and the video game store. For some reason the twisty slide was particularly staticky and I got a couple of pictures of Aurora.

White! White!

Aurora enjoys running around half-naked, and we let her because it means she's more inclined to use the potty by herself without being asked.

Last night she announced that she had to go potty and ran upstairs to do her business. After coming down to high praise, I asked her if she had wiped (she says white instead of wipe.) Instead of answering, she ran over to the stairs and began the trip again. A few minutes later I heard her descending, and turning my head, got a snoutful of toilet paper. Good girl! Can you please put it in the garbage now and not in Mommy's face? Stairs again so she could put it in its proper place. She got a good workout!

The next time I went upstairs, I found hard evidence that she did indeed wipe. At least Mittens hadn't found it and clawed it up! Back into the bathroom it went.

Another Fair

Here's Aurora walking on the lawn at the Multnomah County Fair in May. She hates to sit still so my mom and I gobbled our food down (Aurora wasn't hungry, as usual) before Aurora got too antsy and had to explore.

I see a lot of the back of her head since she's so often running away from me.

Bok! Bok!

Every time we drive by any amount of trees, Aurora lets us know that she wants to stop and play. "Bok! Bok!" she cries, alerting us to a park in the vicinity and the potential for fun to be had.

We went to Mt Tabor last weekend for a short play. The playground by the off-leash area is old school with only a merry go round, slide, and swings.


Gary and Aurora went down the slide about 50 times, always being careful to tuck Aurora's arms and legs in so they wouldn't get caught on the side and broken (not kidding) while I tickled her tummy from the side as they slid down.

Then Gary and I sat on the merry go round while Aurora pushed us. She is such a good little helper since she doesn't know much about the drudgeries of Work yet.