Little Girl No More

Tori tries to do everything he brother does and for the most part, she keeps up. She's started expanding her horizons by playing by herself and watching shows on her own. She still likes playing with Ollie, but she isn't always interested in everything he does. She still watches Dora and Cailliou more than he does. She'll even watch it in separate rooms and she's even become protective of a few things like her arm chair rest. Ollie tries to put his head on it, but she gets mad when he does and throws a fit.

She is advancing verbally and in her wants. She wants regular cups to drink out of, but is still a messy drinker. Especially when she spits the drink out on purpose! She'll dip her hand in her food (yogurt, ice cream) and rub it on her face because she can't work the spoon well. She's trying more adult foods like Pizza without it being chopped into a million pieces. It won't be too much longer and she'll be less messy.

We are starting to potty train her. She'll sit on the potty before each bath, but she doesn't understand what to do. Its a game to her and that's fine for now, but I hope she's easier to train than her brother, who still doesn't make it every time. I guess we'll see soon enough.

She's Got Personality

Tori is coming into her own these days. She is very playful, almost too playful, and strong-willed (no surprise there). She is gutsy and loud. She also talks a mile a minute (doesn't matter to her if you are watching TV). She has become such a hoot that Huts and I are thinking that it would be great to have another boy (yes, we are still hopeful). Tori is way more involved than Ollie ever was. I always heard that girls were harder, and now I believe it.

Soo Cute

Tori scrunched up her nose and smiled for the camera big time this weekend. She sat on Dad's lap, on the ladder and under the ladder. She was so much better this time than last. Her reward was Wish Bear (light green). She carried him around for a while but then went back to her fuzzy pink Care Bear that Aunt Annie got her. She loves that bear, and you can tell by how worn it is. She also likes the yellow blanket my aunt Rhonda made her and the stuffed horse and cat Uncle TJ got her. Guess all of those will go into her keepsake box.

After pictures, shopping, food and playtime at home, Tori took a nap and then jumped on Daddy. She climbed on the ottomans and fell into her dad's lap, while Ollie jumped from the second ottoman onto the couch. This lasted for a while, and then it was time to play bowling with the billiards balls. At some point, they also got out the ping pong stuff and hit around a few balls. Two very active children with two tired parents. Nothing unusual about that.

Fit

Tori threw a fit every time we gave out candy. She did not like the fact that "her" candy was being given away. Ooh, did she ever get mad and throw a nasty fit. Ollie kept trying to show her the candy they had collected, but she wouldn't hear of it. I thought she might want to put some candy into the kids' bags, but all she did was try to shut the front door on them! Haircuts tonight—wish us luck. Tori has to go first, or another fit will ensue.

Horsey Ride

Tori spent 45 minutes at the orchard riding the ponies. She cried hard every time she had to get off and wit another turn in line. Her dad had to take her to another part of the play area to get her away from the ponies. She played just as hard as Ollie and fell asleep on the way home. She got up happy and played some more outside.

Daddy seems to be her pick. She likes hanging out with him, always has. Daddy's girl, and although Huts might not admit it, he likes that fact that she is a daddy's girl. He took to her from the very moment she was born. I will never forget passing the nursery and seeing him cuddling Tori in a rocking chair. The look of contentment on his face made up for the fact that he was nowhere to be found while I was in recovery (Daddy's note, they never told me she was in recovery so I could see her!).

Mimic

Tori pretty much talks now. She also mimics positions and conversation. She serves as Ollie's echo and likes to stand, sit and eat like all of us. She is getting better about sleeping. In fact, I mistook an owl outside this morning for her moaning. Silly Mama. This morning, Tori talked all about Kylie who comes to the babysitter's in pajamas. No wonder Tori doesn't want her pajamas removed in the morning! She wants to go to Sharon's just like Kylie does.

Huts and I are going to do the Christmas shopping for the kids next weekend. Wish us luck. We are getting each of them seven presents, and Tori's list is short. She doesn't get fixated on anything. Just moves from one toy to the next in the store, making it difficult to pin down any gifts she might like. She is starting to develop an interest in dolls, though, so a stroller and baby doll are on the list.

The Mimic

Look out, world, Tori is our new parrot. Whatever you can do, she can do better. Stand in the shower with your feet crossed, and she can do it too. Scratch your chin and demand ice cream, and she can do it too. Sit on the couch and watch TV, and she can do it to. She repeats nearly everything, including Daddy's slip-up with a nasty word. She's a great mimic.

Tori Dance-a-Thon

I have gotten sucked into the TV show Dancing with the Stars, and Tori enjoys putting on a dress and dancing with Mama. She loves being swung around, scooped up, tossed low and so forth. She also likes watching the dancers on TV and demands we dance with them. Sometimes I get lucky and the action stays on the ground. Most of the time, I'm swinging Tori all around or giving her a piggyback ride when I can't take it anymore. Maybe Tori will take dance like her aunt Lucy.

Dad the Ottoman

Tori seems to be getting her 2 year molars in, but they are in no hurry to come in completely. I say 'seems to be' be cause we really can't tell. She won't open her mouth long enough for us to look and if we try to stick our fingers in to feel them, they come out like a gnarled piece of jerky.

Last night was a bad night for her. She woke in the middle of the night and slept with me in our bed while her Mama took her bed. She tossed and turned and couldn't get comfortable even after medicine. She stuck to me like Velcro for most of the night. At one point, she made me into an Ottoman. She was thrashing about and she ended up perpendicular to my chest with her feet on top of my chest. Apparently that wasn't too comfortable because she quickly moved. A few times I had to tell her to settle down and go to sleep. I also had to try her drink, no drink, straightening her in bed, pillow, no pillow, anything I could think of to get her comfortable enough to sleep. She finally settled down around 4 or 5, just in time for us to get up for the day. She's like dad, more of a night person, so she was a wee bit crabby getting up. She was fine once she got to the sitters. Maybe tonight will be a good night in the cycle. She's definitely getting medicine before she goes to La La land tonight.

Tori the Chatterbox

We have a loud chatterbox in our midst and she likes to stick around when we are watching TV and tell us all about the world. She spends the night telling us what is going on and checking on Ollie and talking with him. She speaks in full sentences now and knows everyone's names. Soon she will telling us that we are wrong, just like Ollie does.

Crab Cake

Tori appears to be getting molars and sticks close to the sitter and her parents. She wants to be held a lot and to sleep with us. If we give her medicine at the right time, we can usually avoid some of the crabiness. She has moved tot he bigger car seat now and is very happy with that. Unfortunately, she would rather be sitting where Ollie does behind the passenger seat. Doesn't like sitting behind Daddy. The fights are increasing in number and Tori is no stranger to yelling and crying about them. She does not like to share and gets into serious trouble for that. We finally found a costume for her, of a pink fairy. She enjoyed playing in it this weekend. Huts should be posting that photo soon.

Daddy Mine

Tori is a Daddy's girl. She always goes to Daddy first, and when Mommy embraces Daddy, she comes running to break it up. "My Daddy," she tells me, Last night she snuggled into his arms, and every time I tried to hug Huts, she would embrace him too and push me away. Daddy, it's all about Daddy.

Tori has also been using the words, "Mama" and "Daddy" a lot lately. It is strange to hear her say them. "Hi, Mama." she always says to me after work. "Daddy, this, Daddy, that." Chatterbox #2.

Tori the Sourpuss

Tori did not fare as well as Ollie at Grandma Vickie's. She didn't sleep well at all at night and her naps got cut short. She also wasn't too keen on Mom and Dad holding the twins. i had to give up Alivia once to hold Tori. When she was in a good mood, she ate well and played somewhat with the kids. She got a bit upset when Amber for using the swing. Oh well, it was Amber's swing.

Anyway, the weekend is over and Tori can now relax and get back into the swing of things.

Familial Visit

Grandma and Grandpa Erickson came for a visit this weekend. They brought along Great-Grandpa Dean. Tori was a bit shy in the beginning, but as soon as the gifts came out, she was over her shyness. She was immediately attracted to a pink sweat suit and had to put it on right away. It was a bit big for her yet, but it fit right over her jean shorts she was wearing. Her shirt came off and she had to have it zipped up. Luckily, she didn't try to run or she might've tripped over the legs. She'll grow into most of the winter clothes this year.

Once everyone got up from their nap (grandparents included), we went out to eat at Logans Steakhouse. Tori got to sit at the head of the table and ate a lot of her macaroni, but didn't come out too messy. After her bath Tori played several games with grandma, like hide and seek grandma's jewelry. She also showed her Grandparents what kind of monster she could be by imitating a hideous growl.

She tried camping out with her big brother, but didn't make it through the night and ended up sleeping with her dad in her bed. Sunday we went to the family reunion, which was at the former elementary school in McLean. There was plenty of play equipment for Tori to play. She was a bit shy around all the people, but once lunch started she was ready to eat. After lunch she played more and was ready to head home. She was a bit crabby the rest of the night because her nap was cut short. She had a good time though and seems to be ready to go on our trip this weekend to see the twins her Mama's cousin just had.