Trip to Portland

We went up to Portland (for a conference) and Washington state (to visit Granny). We had lots of adventures so this will be several posts. This post is just about getting to Portland and visiting Portland.

I'm a big girl. I have my own suitcase.

At the airport -- that's my airplane out the window - it's "a big airplane"

Say cheese!

Coloring on the airplane

At the children's museum.

Feeding the dino. Want to eat this? Okay? Do you like it? Yes? Okay? Want two? (she's pretending to feed the dino its own eggs from its nest. Maybe she thought the nest was a foodbowl)

Roar! Dinos sound a lot like lions.

Brushing the alligator's teeth

At the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Building with blocks.

Hi Vivi

Water

With Vivi, everything is an adventure -- including just trying to leave the hotel. Vivi had been playing with the safe when we first got there. We didn't notice until we left that she had apparently set a 4-digit code, closed the door and then pushed the "lock" button.  This would have been fine since we weren't planning on using the safe, except that the straps to the suitcase placed on top of the safe was safely locked inside (see picture). Security had to come up and open the safe before we could leave.

Always check all the drawers to make sure you haven't forgotten anything or anyone. 

The next post will be all about Washington.

ViviANA

We discovered recently that Vivi knows that her name is "Viviana" when asked what her name is, she now says, "ViviANA" - though when asked who she is, she says "Vivi."

Today I asked her what my name is, she said, "MommyANA" and Daddy's name... "DaddyANA."

Saturday

A better way to ride on grocery carts

The things you need to make "cupcakes" (blueberry muffins)....

"I'm ready to go"

We got Vivi her own suitcase. Last night, she packed it with 1 diaper, 1 shirt, 1 crayon (a green one), 3 legos, 3 stuffed animals, 1 plate and 1 cup and yelled "I'm ready to go. I have my ishes (shoes) on." She was very disappointed that we weren't actually going on an airplane right away.

Vivi is ready to go "to work"

This morning, she pulled her suitcase around and declared that she was "going to work." What does Vivi do at work, you might ask. Ends up she "goes bowling at work."
  

Helping Mommy with work - GoldieBlox and Cubelets

Mommy's job involves fun science and engineering toys. Sometimes I get to help test them out with her.

GoldieBlox were designed by a Stanford Engineer who made a toy that combined engineering with a story book about a girl who wants to design a spinning machine for her dog. I like doggies and I like to spin so I thought that was a pretty good idea. I put the pegs in the board and the spools on the pegs.

Check out the great video advertising GoldieBlox -
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyTQDX-ItiM



Cubelets - these are modular pieces that you can use to make little robots. Some of the pieces do things (outputs) and others sense things (inputs) and some are logic blocks. They all stick together with magnets.

 I made a robot. When I put my hand near it, the robot moves away and lights up!

Nana came to visit

Nana brought me some hats!

We built a car at Home Depot

I ate a burrito

We went bowling

Sea urchins - here is its mouth

Sea cucumber

CarrotsI

I harvested a carrot at school!

Happy 4th of July!

I wore the same dress last year!

All dressed up and with my monkey

I got to wash a pretend horse

drive a tractor

drive another tractor

Eat pizza -- I ate 4 slices!

All ready to go see fireworks.

Blurry but very happy Vivi cheering for fireworks.

Drawing Elmo -

Yesterday Vivi was drawing. She drew a lot of circles and called them "Elmos"

There is one circle that looks like it might be a face - right in the middle - but this was an accident.

Then she started trying to draw Elmos intentionally. Here's the result. Notice most have the nose below the mouth (we know this because she narrated her drawing). This was last night - just before bed.

This morning, she started drawing as soon as she woke up. This is what she drew...

"Blue Elmo with a big nose"

"one yellow elmo and two red elmos"

and the videos....

Slumber party!

My friend from preschool got to stay at my house! We had so much fun!

We love to jump!

"boom boom boom"

I went to a party and wore my fancy dress

We might look like we're playing music, but we're launching little people with the keys.

Another friend!