The real birthday post

violet is growing at a ridiculous rate. and we don't mean just in girth, although she now fits a size 4 in shirts and 3 in pants. compare that to nika who, on her 10th birthday, could still fit into size 6 if she really really tried. violet rarely seems to eat or sleep, but gets progressively smarter and chubbier every day. we haven't yet figured out her energy source.

violet's main strength is language, especially in expressing her sense of humour and personality. she's now speaking in full 7-10 word sentences, with correct grammar and interesting little ideas. it's a bit unnerving to realize that you're having a completely normal conversation with a 2-year old. she regularly joins our conversations, piping in with relevant and witty comments.

her other strength is empathy. she's a really caring, loving baby and is constantly cuddling, kissing and hugging all of us. her new favourite activity is ballroom dancing with someone around the living room. play a song conducive to waltzing, and she's right there beside you, twirling around, reaching for your hand.

oh, and re: potty-training. a firm "no" from violet. we truly believe that she will be ivy-league educated one day and end up running the world, however she insists on doing so in diapers.

basically, violet is growing into an amazing little girl and is pretty near perfect. our only wish for the future is that she finally get the memo that human beings need sleep...

(pictures will be added throughout the day.)

violet 2.5 years old ~ post 1

yikes! violet is 2 1/2 in two days. this non-blogging must be rectified. we promise to post a special birthday blog post by this weekend. until then, a few pics of violet over the past 6 months:

with her favourite pal, bunny (not to be confused with "other bunny")

putting bunny to bed

reading with tony

with shi-shu and betty

on the swing, with judy

big girl cup

autumn squash violet

singing into her toothbrush

camo violet

with shi-shu, and pumpkin

autumn violet

Violet IS 2 (and a month or so)!

Violet is now 2. and our blog updating skills for those of you far away have gotten crappier by the month. so, in a nutshell, here's violet as a toddler/almost-big-girl ~

* she sleeps through the night. after two years of several 2-hour naps per day, david and i were at the point that we were about to be committed. luckily, a friend of ours took pity on us and gave us the book that conquered queen violet ("healthy sleep habits, happy baby" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth, who - by the way - deserves the nobel prize for tricking babies into sleeping).

* violet is in daycare a couple of days per week. she thinks she's going to school like her big sister, and each day that she attends, she gets up, gets dressed and proudly announces that she's going to hang out with "my kids", as she struts up the block.

* V knows all of her animal names, can count to 10, knows about half the alphabet (although in no discernable order) and thinks everything should be "pink!!".

* V is attached to dolls, although only if they're naked, but for a diaper. it's a bit weird...

* speaking of which, she's still in diapers and has no interest in the potty unless it's to sit on it, fully clothed and laugh hysterically at the idea of actually using it...

* she thinks she's 10 and tries to climb trees, ride bikes and act like a pre-teen like her sister. she has nothing but disdain for "babies" as she calls any child under the age of 5.

* as you can see from the pictures, she's no longer bald and is now rocking a mullet.



her fave place ~ in the sink.



after a tough day at "school"



unimpressed that she's being forced to sit in a baby-stroller



trying to jump off playground equipment





loving naan



laughing hysterically at life, as usual



cottage, froggy-violet





at the zoo, for her birthday



her uniform: no clothes, weather-inappropriate footwear



puzzling violet



sweet V



rocking out

Violet is almost 2!

so, we have been terrible blog parents the past 6 months. those of you who know us well know that it has been a less than ideal 6 months, but things are starting to turn a corner and we are finding the time to properly capture growing violet.

first up will be pictures, check back in the next day or so for a written update.


tropical violet in dominican republic
















cottage violet



violet would play this game forever if she could, every time daddy put her down she asked "again????"




going for a walk with her ladies




chilly violet




hanging out in her bucket





playing at the table



with judy, pretending to behave


brunch violet



violet becomes a mad chemist when we go out, obsessed with titration and moving liquids from one container to another and back again







crazy, everyday violet




artistic vi



pretty, well-behaved vi







copying her sister






crawling into sister's bed





look at all that hair!



washing the couch...



deep in conversation



brushing her teeth in her dental uniform ~ one sock and diaper



door-baby



playing at the park



her usual dinner spot - on the table



breakfast V