First Day of School 2019

The is the first time the kids have the same first day of school and at the same school! SO HAPPY!

First day of Kindergarten! What a big girl!

First day of 3rd Grade! That's legit!

Adorableness

On the first day, most people walk over so we can stay for pictures and a little mini-parade into the school, so we ran into our neighborhood besties.

Sahasra is starting 2nd grade and Sohan is starting 4th!

Crazy blacktop chaos at school

This jazz band is always awesome!

Miranda made a new friend at the pre-Kindergarten playdates!

This is the first year James gets to start a class full of friends from a previous school year!

Going into Kindergarten!

It was a great first day!

Miranda's 5th Birthday and Interview 2019

Miranda is a pretty confident little preschooler. She's very different than James was at this age, she's still working on the letters of the alphabet and counting (though she's really interested in math) but she always knows what she wants and uses some of the biggest words to demand it.

She didn't have a party this year even though James did, in part, because James had to wait until he was 8 for a friends' party, so it seems fair that she wait until she's at least 6, and also in part because she won't be going to school with any of the kids in her preschool next year. So we promised her a party next year when she's in Kindergarten. She still got her very own cake, and a bunch of presents she wanted so she wasn't sad about it. She even got the Barbie camper she's been obsessed with for almost a year.

5 years complete!

Barbie Camper Joy!

Taking the new Barbie camper to the new Barbie supermarket

Birthday Interview, 2019
What's your name? Miranda.
Do you know how to spell it? M-i-r-a-n-a
What's my name? Ericka
What do you call me? Mama

What's my husband's name? Kevin
   What do you call him? Dada.
How old are you? Five.
How old do you think I am? Don't know.  (I am 40.)
How old is Dada? Eight. (He is 39.)
How old is Jame? 8. (Correct.)

What is your favorite animal? Panda bears
What is your favorite color? Rainbow

What is your favorite food? Tacos
    What's your favorite breakfast? Cereal
    What's your favorite lunch? Chocolate toast (toast with Nutella spread)
    What's your favorite dinner? Tacos.

What is your favorite book? They're all my favorite book. (I hear you! She seems to really like The Very Ugly Bug, The Monster at the End of this Book, and lately, Sneezy the Snowman.)
What is your favorite song? Heartbeats only happen. (She means Big Love, Small Moments by JJ Heller)
What is your favorite toy? I have more than one favorite. I think my Barbie camper. (It's probably her Barbies and drawing stuff. She uses both every single day.)
Do you sleep with any toys at night? Sometimes only.

What is your favorite show? Boss Baby (She's also been obsessed with this baking competition lately called Nailed It.)
Which is your favorite movie?  Boss Baby, and the Minions

Are you funny? Yes.
How do you know? Cuz you tell me that I'm funny.

Who is your best friend? Don't have one. (It's probably Sonya, Ava, Mollin, and Elle at PreK.)
Do you like school? Yes.
What do you like about school? I like that we make crafts together.
Who are your teachers? Miss Weaver, Miss Heidi, Miss Heather, I can't remember anybody else. 

Do you love me? Yes! 
Do you love Dada? Yes! 
Do you love James? Yes!

What does it mean that you love someone? It means that you like them and you take good care of them.
Do you want to get married one day? No.
Why not? I don't know.
Do you want have kids one day? No.
I thought you wanted to be a mama? I do, but I don't want to have kids, because kids are a lot of work.

What's your favorite thing about Grandma? She makes us treats and we go to the beach with her.

What do you want to want to be when you grow up? A scientist. I want to be an artist. I want to be everything.

How come? Scientists discover cool things, and I do a lot of art so it makes sense I should be an artist when I grow up and I also like art.
Do you know what's dada's job is? Writing books and being a dad.

What do you like better the park, the library, the Zoo, or the Children's Museum? Don't have one [I like better].
What do you like to do with Dada? Play with him.
What do you play with him? Barbies.
What do you like to do with Mama? Play with her.
What do you play with me? Barbies.

What else do you think I should ask? Nothing.
Tell me something about your ballet class. We do ballet there.
What do you like better, dance or swim class? Swimming.
Do you like Omaha? Yeah.

What do you think the meaning of life is? Meaning? I don't know what that means.
I mean, what do you think the point of life is? To stay alive.

Miranda Lost Her First Tooth 2019

My baby girl lost her first tooth! She's only 4.5 years old! She's been super excited to lose her first tooth because she's witnessed the tooth fairy visit James 8 times, but never her. When her tooth got wiggly, she couldn't leave it alone, and last Sunday, the same day we adopted Chekhov- she finally lost her tooth! Big day! She said she was a little sad because it was her favorite tooth, but she was so excited to have the tooth fairy finally visit her.

There it is

And here's the gap.

Miranda's Dance Class 2018-19

I thought getting Miranda signed up for dance class asap would help her keep some continuity after moving to Nebraska. At first, she insisted that it wouldn't be the same as her old dance class but once she actually went to her first class, she had a blast. Her class is amazing! Way more active than her last class and they're learning the real ballet and tap steps without any pressure to be perfect. I love it!

Her little ballet class of 8.

Miranda's Recital 2018

I took too many photos of this cuteness. I couldn't handle it. Miranda had a superhero costume for her first dance performance complete with a gold cape. The performance was at the very professional Stony Brook University Staller Center. She performed to three numbers, two with her age group only, and one large finale with the older girls. I took video too, let me know if you want to see that.

Posed strong photos

Showing me some of her moves

At the Staller Center. She's not nervous!

Dad walking her.

The first performance was about the costume theme. The girls danced to Megan Nicole's "Get Your Cape On!" and then JoJo Siwa's "Every Girl's A Super Girl."

 

 

 The second number to the song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun":

 

Third number with the big girls:

She's hard to find in this one.

Cna you see her now? Peekaboo!

With mom

With our family's superhero

Miranda's 3rd Birthday Interview 2017

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Interview, 4/24/17
What's your name? Miranda Clou-fer
What's my name? Mama
What's my husband's name? Dada. 

How old are you? Um, two.
Aren't you three? Oh, free, I think.
How old do you think I am? Um, I don't know.
How old is Dada? Um, I don't know. Is he two? 
I'm 38, and Dada is 37. How old Jame is? 
6. How old Grandma is? 
Hey, are you interviewing me now? How old great-grandma is?
93!

What is your favorite food? My favorite food is oatmeal. (But I asked again later and she said, I think yogurt.)
What's your favorite breakfast? I think oatmeal I said.
What's your favorite lunch? Just carrots.
What? Are you a bunny? I don't eat bunnies! Yuck!
Don't you like sandwiches for lunch? Peanut butter sandwich but not cheese in it. (Peanut butter & jelly sandwich, not a cheese sandwich)
What's your favorite dinner? I think, orange juice, I think. Actually, I think I like milk for dinner. (Usually does not cooperate with eating dinner unless it's mac n' cheese or pizza, but we make her eat a lot of chicken.)

Helping herself to clementines.

What is your favorite animal? I think Lambie.
What is your favorite color? Um, I think, pink!
What is your favorite book? Um, I think Caterpillars ones. (She makes me read Doc McStuffins books almost every night.)

What is your favorite song? I know which one, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star one.
What is your favorite toy? I think Lambie.
Do you sleep with any toys at night? Well, I think Doc McStuffins and Lambie. (Toys she sleeps with rotate. But she did recently sleep with them.) 
What is your favorite game? I think naked run!
What's your favorite sport? Find eggs outside. (Egg hunt with grandma.)
Well, do you like t-ball, soccer, running, or swimming? I think I like swimming most.

Maybe she'll come around on t-ball because she's got a great arm.

What is your favorite show? I think Doc McStuffins. 
Which is your favorite movie?  I like Doc McStuffins ones. (There is no Doc McStuffins movie. She likes Room on the Broom and the original Ghostbusters best.)

Are you funny? No, you are funny.
How do you know? Cuz you are. Cuz you are silly I think.

She is funny. 

Who is your best friend? Grandma is.

With her bestie.

Do you love me? Yes! 
Do you love Dada? Yes! 
Do you love James? Yes!

What do you think love means? I think love means, I love you.
Do you want to get married one day? Yes.
What do you think the person that you marry should be like? Um, I don't know.

What's your favorite thing about Grandma? I think I love her.
But what do you like about her? When she gets my toys.
What's your favorite thing about Nana? I like when she visits. She justs puts makeup on me. (Took me a long time to understand her word for "visit.")
What about Bob? What I like about Bob, I like when he visits.

Nana and Miranda's new makeup set

What do you like to do with Dada? Play games with him.
What do you like to do with Mama? Love you and play checkers with you. (I have never played checkers with her. Though we have done some Candyland.)
What do you like to play with James? I play with him.
But what do you play? Cuz I don't want to play Castle of Illusion, just doctor. (Castle of Illusion is a Kindle Disney game.)

Good buddies.

What do you like to play with Grandma? Play doctors.
What do you like to play with Nana? I don't know. 
What about makeup? Oh, I like to do makeup but Nana puts the makeup on me.

What do you like to play with Bob? I don't know. 
What about the tent? Did Bob go in the tent? I don't know about that.

Bob playing with Miranda in the tents

What do you want to want to be when you grow up? I think, a doctor I think.
How come? Cuz, I want to help everyone, I guess.
Do you know what Dada's job is? What? (I explained. Maybe she'll know next year.)

What do you like better the beach, the library, the aquarium, or the playground? I think the playground.
How come? Cuz, I love to be out there.

What else do you think I should ask? Oh, what? Why Grandma gets toys for me?
Okay, why do you think Grandma gets toys for you? Cuz she loves me.

Okay last one, what do you think the meaning of life is? What do you think life is for? For rescuing someone.

The little one is a wise and I love her so much.

Miranda's 2nd Birthday Interview 2016

James's 3rd Birthday Interview 2014

Miranda in a Toddler Bed!- March 2017

Miranda never escaped her crib and though it is seemed liked a good idea to keep her in the crib as long as possible, lifting her in and out was getting a little tough. I've often regretted that drop-side cribs are no longer considered safe or legal.

I was expecting her to try to abuse her new freedom, and I figured it might be a two-parent job to keep bringing her back to bed at night. Kevin has Spring Break this week so it was this week or when his classes were over in May. But since we'll travel in May, this seemed like the smarter week. Also, it was the beginning of Daylight Savings this weekend so we could kill two birds with one stone.

Converted the crib to a toddler bed on Saturday

Lots of stuffed animal friends and dolls

She loved her bed and didn't attempt to escape on the first night at all, but she did greet us in in the morning in our bedroom for the first time ever. The second night went less smoothly as she got up by accident, confused about what time it was and was scared that it was dark and she couldn't see anyone, but I brought her back to bed and she went back to sleep. Surprisingly, it's been pretty smooth sailing since then. It's been easier than I remember the toddler bed transition with James, though James did it about 8 months earlier in his toddler career because he escaped.

Testing it out.

She keeps asking me, "I a big girl now?" Almost, baby girl. Almost.

Miranda is Two Years Old- and Interview- 2016

Miranda is two years old! She loves books and cartoons. Her favorite books are about Team Oomie Zoomie or Dinosaurs, or in one case, both. Her favorite cartoons are Minnie Mouse, Team Oomie Zoomie, Bubble Guppies, Big Big Friend, and Paw Patrol.

Miranda, a week before his second birthday

A year ago, Miranda turned a year old, and we had her first birthday party as a joint 4th birthday party with James.  I compiled a picture from each of the first 12 months of Miranda's life. Two weeks later, Uncle Andrew moved to Japan!

 
Miranda at her first birthday


Sayonara Uncle Andrew!

Miranda turned 13 months old  and said about 5 words: dada, tickle-tickle-tickle, mama, go, and yesh (yes). (At this age, James said mama, dada, no, and leche).

James at 13 Months, May 23

When Miranda turned 14-months one of her favorite books was "Dinosaur Versus the Library," and she still loves dinosaurs.

Miranda at almost 14 months, June 19- James's Nursery Graduation

Miranda turned 15 months old, and was already over half my height. She could say about 8 words. She started insisting on using a spoon or fork to eat her food. Miranda was sort of the ring leader back then, and James would follow her around imitating her.

Almost. got. it. July 16 (Old house)

Shortly after Miranda turned 15 months, we moved to our first house!!

First day at the new house- no furniture yet, July 31

At 16 months Miranda started having typical toddler tantrums. She also fell madly in love with books. Her favorites were Potty, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, Dora and the Rainy Day, the Belly Button, and ¿Dónde está el ombliguito?

Pretending to read out loud, August 12


At our local beach, September 6

By the time Miranda turned 17 months she had started chatting quite a bit and understood most of what we said to her. She demanded to sit at the dinner table without the baby chair. She yelled at James to "Go back!" one day when she wanted him to get back and not take her toy.

With her favorite ladies, September 12... almost 17 months

October 10

Shortly after she turned 18 months, she celebrated her first Halloween. At 18 months she said: Dada, James, milk, no, yes, stuck, up (to be picked up), go!, book, ball.... Mama (infrequently). She repeated a lot more words than that.

Back when they were twinsies, October 21

Miranda's 2nd Halloween at 18 months old

 

Being pet by Olivia at Mommy N' Me.

Shortly after Miranda turned 19 months old, we celebrated our first Thanksgiving in our own house!

Thanksgiving 2015, Miranda is 19 month

Miranda turned 20 months old and we spent Noche Buena and Christmas morning on Long Island with my mom and Bob, and some days after Christmas with Kevin's family in Cape Cod. And we celebrated New Years Eve together.

Christmas Eve at home, Miranda is 20 months old

Being tickled by Nana


Opening presents with James


Grandma Ruth reading Miranda stories


New Years Eve

Miranda turned 21 months old and started saying two or three words together at a time.  We celebrated Valentine's Day and Kevin's 36th birthday.

Pointing out the birds in our feeder


With Aunt Melanie and Uncle David


Snow storm Juno!

Valentine's Day with Grandma 2016

On February 20, she turned 22 months old. We celebrated my 37th birthday, then St. Patrick's Day.

My 37th birthday

At 23 months old, we celebrated Easter on Cape Cod with Kevin's family. Miranda got her first real haircut. She also went to her first (primary) election.

James, Great Grandma Ruth and Miranda at Easter

First haircut at 23 months

She turned two years old and celebrated her joint birthday with her brother. She's such a smart funny girl. We love you so much, Miranda!

Miranda's 2nd birthday party with family

Rocking her new raincoat.

Miranda Interview, 4/27/16

What's your name? No.

Who's that? James.

Who am I? Mama.

Who is that? Dada. 

Who are you? Me. I am me.

How old are you? Do you know? No. (Two)

What is your favorite color? One.

That's a number. What's your favorite color? Pink.

What is your favorite animal? Sheep.

What is your favorite food? Prepes. (Pretzles.)

    What's your favorite breakfast? Dedios. (Cheerios.)

    What's your favorite lunch? Pretzles. (Usually wants peanut butter and jelly every day.)

    What's your favorite dinner? Pasta. Chee. (Pasta and cheese?)

Do you love me? Yeah.

Do you love Dada? Yep.

Do you love James? Yeah.

Do you love Grandma? Yeah.

Do you love Nana? Yep.

What is your favorite book? ...

Do you like books? Yep!

What is your favorite song? Itsy Spida. (Itsy Bitsy Spider)

What is your favorite toy? Itsy Spida.

Do you sleep with anything? Yeah.

What do you sleep with? Bed.

What toy do you sleep with? Pig. (Sleeps with a pink bunny that she calls Bunny. Has no pig toy.)

What is your favorite show? Big Big. 

Big Big Friend? Yeah.

I thought you liked Team Oomie Zoomie the best? No, Big Big Friend. (Starts singing song.)*

Are you funny? Noooo.

Who is your best friend? James is.

What do you want to want to be when you grow up? You.

You want to be me when you grow up? No.

What do you like better the beach, the library, the Aquarium, or the playground? Beach!

What do you think the meaning of life is? Cheese! Hot chocolate.

Is there something else I should ask you? Nope.

Caught "reading" in her room, April 21

* Obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins (musical cartoon), Team Oomie Zoomie (math cartoon), and Bubble Guppies