Signing Time with Elizabeth

Some of Elizabeth's favorite signs:


"Grandma"




"Grandpa"




"Baby"




"GIMME THAT!!!"

Happy Birthday, Dear Mom, Emily, Dan, Clare, Lisa, Jared, Aaron, Angie, Skylar, and Lael. . .

(. . .Whew! Did I forget anybody?)

Now that we've got so many birthdays to celebrate on the Olson side, we've started consolidating the celebrations into quarterly events. Last week we celebrated the first quarter (January, February, and March) birthdays. Those of us who are watching what we eat are very grateful for this new tradition. . .otherwise we'd be eating cake and ice cream twice a week until April!

Forget the Superbowl playoffs. . .

What has Elizabeth so entralled, you ask? One word: "DA!" To those of you who don't speak Elizabethian, that's "dog". :) On Sunday we went to Aunt Amy's and Uncle Aaron's place to watch the agility trials, a sport in which dogs run through an obstacle course, competing for the fastest time. Border collies, of course, dominate in this event--as they are the fastest, the smartest, and the most agile creature ever to grace this planet. ;) (Although Chuck Norris does run a close second. . .)

Shhh. . .Elizabeth is reading. . .

On your mark. . .get set. . .GO!

Elizabeth is officially walking! She took a few steps shortly after her first birthday, thanks to some coercion from Kellie and her boyfriend Joseph--but try as we might, we couldn't elicit a repeat performance from her in the following days and weeks. Then just this past Sunday Elizabeth surprised us by deciding she could walk after all. . .she just stood up and started toddling around the living room!

Aside from the walking, Elizabeth is learning other new things too--she has a few new words (well, at least *we* call them words--"Zhee" for zebra, "Pbbb" for pig, "Ba" for ball, "Tu" for duck) and a bunch of new signs (bird, elephant, shoes, ball, water, Grandma, bear, up, hurt). It's amazing how quickly they learn and grow at this age! She still loves books--right now her favorite is Where is Coco Going? She likes to dance to any and all music, watch home movies of herself and Poppa's dog Nina, bounce in her crib, give kisses, and try all sorts of new food (broccoli with Parmesan and mandarin oranges are two of her current favorites). Her favorite toy right now is probably the cardboard box from Daddy's new tool chest:

Mom cut some doors and windows in it so Elizabeth can crawl in and out, open and shut the flaps, and play Peekaboo with us. . .She thinks it's especially hilarious when Daddy climbs in there to try and hide!

Babies all around!

Brandon, Brittiny, and Brooklyn came to visit just after Christmas. Elizabeth especially enjoyed meeting cousin Brooklyn for the first time! While they were here Elizabeth got a double dose of babies one day when Holly babysat her friend Angela's little guy Jovin. Babies everywhere--Elizabeth couldn't have been more thrilled!


Elizabeth, sizing up the competition. . .


Poppa and Baby Brooklyn (quite easily the best-dressed baby in the nation)


Poppa and Elizabeth (quite easily the squirmiest baby in the nation)


"Hey, Jovin, you don't really want that binky, do you?"

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Many of you already know of Holly's unnatural love for all things storage-related. . .tubs, baskets, bins, totes, etc. Well, it seems that Elizabeth has inherited the same trait--While Holly was unpacking some clothes Elizabeth had grown into, Elizabeth climbed right into the empty tub. . .and howled when Mom tried to take her out again.