A Widdow Bit of Sydney

Sydney enjoys the feel of warm water on the back of her head.

Surprise! I updated the blog! Sit down, if you're not already! I've been spending more time on Facebook, so there are inevitably more pictures there, although less stories about them. So that's the way it goes, Grandma and Grandpa Joe.

I know it's been a month since you last heard anything. Sydney is now 32 months old (or as Brian may say, 2.667 years old), still growing (about 35 inches tall and 26 lbs.) and adding to her word bank, rapidly. I told a friend recently that I wish I could have a permanent video camera mounted to my head to capture the cuteness at any given time. Seems like we never have it available when we need it.

This doesn't begin to show our bumper crop of tomatoes this year! We had bowls and bowls of them and gave lots away too, all from just three plants. Sydney loves the cherry ones!

Fall has fallen for sure. The weather has changed and the days are shorter. We like the crispness in the air, the talk of Halloween (Sydney wants to be the tiger from Ni Hao, Kai Lan, at least today), and establishing our weekday routine of going to Grammy and Grandpa's, walking Ellie, warm baths, stories and earlier bedtime. Sydney has also been gravitating to our bed in the middle of the night, often unbeknownst to us. We sometimes will feel the bumps of little stuffed animals she's brought with her, along with her Pooh blanket.

Of course, we still try to get in some exercise whenever possible!

Back in August, we took a day trip to Timberline Lodge up near Mt. Hood, Oregon. Here's a couple of shots of Sydney there, where "The Shining" with Jack Nicholson was filmed. We found out later that they only filmed exterior shots of the lodge, but we took our own version of the freaky child in the hallway.

Standing on the huge hearth of the lodge's fireplace.

Here's a small sampling of the kinds of things Sydney has been saying lately.
Some Sydneyisms:

"Stop skeezing my wayg!" (Followed by a request to actually squeeze her leg, which I love to do.)

"And bigger and bigger and bigger and then can do dis!" (I've told her many times that when she gets bigger she can have gum or Dad's mints or reach the upper car door handle.)

"It happens." (When something unfavorable happens, she'll sometimes say this.)

"I can do it!" or "No can do it!" followed by "I need help!"

"I want cheese." (Every morning she seems to state this.)

"You nevuh know!" (This is the warning at the dog park when walking and trying to avoid poop.)

"Dat's okay, just water." (Or just milk, or whatever happened to spill.)

"My dog Ewwie" (Ellie - those Ls are tough!)

"I sowwy I do dat." (Followed by specifics of things like "bug Ewwie", "kick Mom", etc. - often days after the offense has happened.)

"Widdow bit" or "Widdow bit I did."(Said after being denied a treat or anything she may want at the moment, for example. Also said when told she didn't bug Ellie or kick Mom just now but is apologizing anyway.)
"Tuff cookie" (Said after falling or bumping head or getting an owie.)

"Okay" (Used by itself, or at the end of statements. Made me realize that I say it a lot to Sydney which is where she picked it up, okay?)

Here are some more random photos I thought you'd all enjoy.

A visit to our friends Denise, Pat, Erin and Megan Boyle yielded this shot of Sydney with their beagle Daisy, who didn't mind sharing her bed for a while.

Honestly, one night all our silverware was in the dishwasher so we used chopsticks.

No problem!

And last but not least, here's a widdow bit of Sydney a few months ago this summer, after swimming in her pool and then stripping off her swimsuit. Nothing like the feeling of naked!