Photos of Tatiana outside the Opera House

This is outside the Winspear Opera House in Dallas after seeing her first Opera, Bastien and Bastienne.   One of the professional photographers that brought people there for photos, took some photos of Tatiana playing in the reflecting pool.   When the pro first asked if she could take photos of "my girls", I said she could but only the one in the pink polka-dots was mine.   Tatiana had been playing with another girl.   The photographer said, "She was the one I really wanted."   The photographer just e-mailed me the photos.

Tatiana reading to herself

We spent the weekend at home.  Tatiana likes to just play with us at home so we had a home weekend.  Lately, Tatiana has been fascinated by turning on the heated mattress pad on the mommy-daddy bed and then coming later and tucking her legs under the covers.  On Saturday, she wanted to play connect-four in the bed.  She did pretty good.  I think she won about half, because it seemed that we took turns winning.   I didn't give her any help except sometimes acting excited when my next turn would win to give her a clue to look for where I could win.

Later we did the Kiwi crate which was making equipment for a magic show.   Then she gave me some magic shows.  It was sooooo adorable.   The first trick is to take the clear solid plastic 'magic' wand and rub the end with a piece of thick felt to charge it.   Then use the wand to pick little pieces of confetti.    She explains that she is rubbing the wand because "It gets so dirty".  

Sunday evening, we were in the living room.   I was working on the new HTPC computer, Scotland was on the floor putting together Lego and Tatiana was on the couch looking at her Flip-Flap Body book, and reading to herself. It was sooooo adorable.   Warmed a mommies heart.   At one point she said, "Neat, the ear is attached to the brain"  

Later on Sunday, she took a bath.  I asked her what her favorite part of the weekend was, and she pointed to me.

Long Words

Between Tumbling and Dance class, Tatiana usually goes to the park to play with Samuel and Taylor.   A couple of days lately Samuel wasn't allowed because he had demerits at school.   He couldn't go last week, or this week.   Tatiana told Samuel that it is too bad he wasn't there, because "They had tremendous fun."  The adults that heard thought that her use of the long word tremendous was cute. 

At bedtime I am reading from a story book with fairy/folk tales.   We read the story "The Determined Frog."  She asked what determined meant.  I told her it was when you really wanted to do something and you'd keep working on it even with obstacles.   Then I said, "For example, you are determined to go to the Easter Egg Hunt at the Elk's".    She loved that.  In fact, she had to go potty and she took a detour to tell her daddy that she was Determined to go to the Easter Egg Hunt. 

Right now, Tatiana and Scotland are at the Dallas Zoo with Candace and her kids.  They came by the house.  Candace went on about how much her daughter loves to play with Tatiana.  The little girl has declared Tatiana her best friend.  Candace talked about how Macy can play with Tatiana the way she'd like to play but can't with other girls.   Macy likes to pretend and doesn't need toys all the time.  She has tried to play pretend with other girls and they look at her oddly.   But, Tatiana and Macy play pretend all the time. 

A couple of days ago Tatiana and I were on the Trampoline.   I should backup.  Pre-trampoline when I allowed Tatiana to jump on our bed I'd sing this simple song while she jumped and whenever she landed on her butt I'd interrupt with "Mommy Loves You".   She loved that.   When we were on the Trampoline I tried jumping, landing on my butt and then standing up while on the bounce.   When I did that, Tatiana said, "Tatiana Loves You."  We both had lots of giggles at that. 

Last night, I was leaving her bedroom at bedtime she said, "OK, Daddy, Gram, I mean Mommy."  

Scotland always loves it when she gets back from visiting her Gram and Grandpa.   She always sleeps later.  DST extended that out some.