Medley of Favorites

Here is Amelia singing a medley of her favorite songs... in case you can't understand her they are:

Bare Necessities
ABCs
Baa Baa Black Sheep

Just Because...

Since I use this blog as a journal of sorts, I wanted to post a few things Amelia has done in the past few weeks that are cute/funny/sweet/annoying/lovely.

• Amelia is obsessed with candy. I really wish grocery stores would move the candy away from the check-out aisle, because it makes it very difficult to pay and get out of the store without a big tantrum. While we are in the check-out line my standard routine is to try and occupy Amelia with pretty much anything, except the candy. If she does see and touch the candy, I try and quietly explain that we aren't buying any candy today. While we do have to go over this EVERY time we go to any store with candy, I think it's sinking in. The other day we were at a store, and I picked up a package of chocolate covered marshmallows...Amelia gave me a very disapproving look (I am sure it is the same one I give her), and said, "Don't touch that Mommy. Put it back...put it back." She then grabbed it from my hands, and put it back in its rightful place. See - I think she is catching on...just to the wrong thing. She is totally learning how to be bossy...not how to "not touch" the candy...
• Amelia has started coloring and drawing up a storm. So far her favorite subjects are Big Bird, Ashley & Bryan, Mommy & Daddy, and "writing" her name.
• Amelia loves to talk about the baby boy coming to our family. She knows that the baby is in my tummy and wants him to "Come out!" She plans on holding him, reading him stories and playing with him.
• Amelia's favorite songs to sing include The Alphabet Song, Baa Baa Black Sheep and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star...as you can see she prefers songs with the same tune.
• Occasionally Amelia will spit out a complete sentence which always amazes me. Today, she was sitting on Chris' shoulders on our walk home from the park. As she ran her fingers through his hair, she said, "I'm messin' up my daddy's hair!"
  
• And she has started joking with us. I told Chris I would never blog about this, but it is slightly funny, so I will. Everytime Amelia is poopy or has gas, and Chris is home, it is their little joke to pretend that Mommy is also poopy. Amelia will ask Chris, "Is Mommy poopy?" to which Chris replies very seriously, "Yes, Mommy's poopy." Then, they both laugh and laugh. (Something about this "joke" always reminds me of Chris' dad's sense of humor with children...like father, like son)
  
• And for the best update...Amelia has played happily in nursery the past two weeks for the entire two hours...yes I said hours, not minutes. I think it must be the time change to 9:00 church. We are in HEAVEN. Just in time to start wandering the halls with a newborn in a few months.
  

Amelia's New Bed

For several weeks Amelia has been sleeping on a mattress on the floor, waiting for me to finish her new bed (the one I carried in from the dumpster outside our apartment a few months ago). After several hours of sanding, priming and painting I finally finished it yesterday and Amelia got to enjoy her new bed last night. I think it turned out beautifully and suits Amelia very well. I do need to apologize to the baby boy on the way, who is going to be sleeping in a VERY girly room for the first year of his life.

I also need to apologize for the weird camera angle...I was trying to capture as much of the room as I could for the full affect...just turn your head 20 degrees to the left and things will look much better.


Amelia loves her new bed. She loves sleeping on it, reading on it, coloring on it, and jumping on it of course (she is excellent at keeping the "no shoes while jumping" rule). Every time I went to check on her today she was sitting in her bed completely engrossed in an activity, which means that I also LOVE this bed.

Here are a few pictures of her enjoying her new bed.

The Snow White Dress

Amelia received a darling snow white dress for Christmas from Emma & Cate (her cousins). Until now, she wouldn't wear it but would talk about it all the time, look at it, talk about emma and cate giving it to her, and generally just appreciate it from afar. Then, this week I talked her into wearing it...and you can see that she is very happy with her decision to finally wear the dress.

What's His Name?

We're working on a response to Amelia regarding our baby boy's name. Whenever I think about the names I like I always picture this...

Wignall Baby #2 Is a ...

BOY! We are thrilled! We think he is already looking very handsome...and very much like his big sister. Amelia keeps asking what his name is.

Warning...12 new posts

Yep, that's right! I hope that I have saturated all your desires to see more Amelia pictures...don't forget to keep scrolling and scrolling and scrolling to read all 12 new posts.

Happy New Year!

I could go on and on about all the many reasons we are lucky to live in San Diego...but this might be one of my favorite.

Watching this....

With them...

After spending the morning at the zoo...and then an hour doing this...
It's going to be a wonderful 2008 indeed.

Sadie & Amelia

Wanted: A 4 Year old to live with Chris & Emily Wignall. Must be able to happily entertain their almost-2-year-old daughter for hours. Must be able to take care of Amelia's basic needs (playing at the park, playing in her room, helping her eat snacks and watch movies). Must not mind if Amelia doesn't share with you, or gets mad at you, or unintentionally hurts you.

Found!: my cousin, Sadie Andersen, 4

Sadie you are hired

Amelia loved spending the afternoon and evening watching my cousin Sadie, while her parents cheered on Arizona State at the Holiday Bowl. She was a delight, and Amelia adored her. And the cutest part was that Sadie, though much older, isn't much bigger than Amelia. They were so cute together.

Christmas #2

Now, this was definitely a good year for Emily and Christmas...I got to have 2 Christmas celebrations in one year. And, for me, the more the merrier!

Christmas #2 was spent with my parents and extended family.

Amelia is more and more delightful with my family as she gets older and older. Here she is with Grandma Gaylene having a grand time!

Here she is with my siblings on Christmas. She loves each of them differently, but all the equally (though they all would exclaim unhappily that Tori is the favorite).
Here she is playing with my cousin Ryan on Christmas Day at my Grandparents house.
Here she is with two of her favorite things...juice from Santa Clause (aka Grandma & Grandpa Andersen) and red shoes also from Santa.

It was a perfect Christmas...even though we didn't get home until midnight!

The Wignall Family Holiday Party

I decided to throw a last-minute holiday party the weekend before Christmas for a few friends who were still in town.

Lessons Learned:
Homemade mini-pizza's & cinnamon rolls...huge hit!
Homemade Marshmallows...huge hit - especially if you are younger than 5.
Hot Chocolate...not a hit...too time consuming!
Singing Christmas Carols with all our good friends...huge hit!
Amelia sharing her toys with her friends...not a hit.
Not putting anyone in charge to take pictures...not a hit...sorry for the lame-o pics!

Amelia Gets Over Fear of Dogs

Amelia always seems to come home with new tricks after spending time with her cousins...and I know her cousins are the same way (sorry Nat!). Some are bad...but some are really good. Amelia will now touch dogs. If Emma and Cate can touch Brooke, well then by golly, so can she. And she hasn't been afraid since.

Thank you Brooke for being gentle to Amelia even when she didn't return the favor.

Snow Adventures

It was soooo cold in Utah during our visit. Many people visit Utah just to see the snow. We, however, try to remain as dry and cozy as possible, and so we rarely ventured out. Here are pictures from the few times we actually came in contact with the snow.

Adventure #1: Coming home from dinner in SLC.

Adventure #2: Temple Square

Adventure #3: Oh, that's right...we didn't have any other snow adventures. You can tell we are San Diego folk...

Amelia Loves This Girl

I want to wrap this moment up, and remember it forever.

Perhaps its the pregnancy hormones,
but I can't look at these two girls wrapped in each others arms without crying.

Ice-Cream Eating Cousins

There is a reason that the week after you visit a grandparents house (any grandparents house) is called detox week. Ask the parents of any young child or toddler and they will tell you...

Amelia loved her grandparents house for many reasons, especially the unlimited supply of candy from Grandpa, movies, ice cream, more candy, soda, juice, etc., etc.

While we as parents moan at the thought of the detoxing to come every time one of the grandparents suggests another treat, the kids just squeal with delight. Amelia, Emma & Cate are no exception...they loved every minute of it!

Dancing, Singing, Playing, Fighting, Hugging, Kissing Cousins

Earlier in December we visited Chris' family for a week. We all had such a great time, though it was soooooo cold. We obviously spent a lot of time indoors. One of Amelia and her cousins favorite things to do (other than watch Jungle Book) was to dance. Here are a few highlights:

Here is everyone dancing with Aunt Jenny to Whitney Houston...a favorite that week.

Now, dancing with each other, and uncle Chris.

I've Got My New Shoes On...

"And suddenly everything is right,

I said, hey, I put some new shoes on and everybody's smiling,
It so inviting,
Oh, short on money,
But long on time,
Slowly strolling in the sweet sunshine,
And I'm running late,
And I don't need an excuse,
'cause I'm wearing my brand new shoes."

Amelia LOVES shoes.
Especially these black shoes from Great-Grandma Shirley.
She danced around the house all evening in them.
And, as you can see, had a wonderful time.

Christmas Lights

At the beginning of December I decided that I would do an advent calendar. So, I made cute little paper mittens and strung them across one of the windows in our living room. Then, I made a list of things I wanted to do, sing, read, see, etc. with Amelia during December. Then, I was suppose to write them all on slips of paper and put them in the mittens and then we would take one out everyday...but I never got this far. However, I stuck to my list, and we had a holiday treat everyday.

Early in the month we visited the temple to see the lights, and listen to a Methodist Bell Choir. Amelia loved the "oh, so pretty lights!" and was entranced by the bell choir...she kept mimicking them. It was a great way to start the holidays.

Apologies

Seriously...this is embarassing. I have no excuses. I haven't blogged in an entire month. I'll bet you can guess what one of my new years resolutions is. So, you're in for a treat...here are a myriad of posts from December. What a fantastic month!