Ten on Tuesday.

1. We now have a gallery of Alla's art hung by clothespins on a length of yarn between two bannisters. Sometimes she walks by and says oh wow.

2. We have reached the point of actually needing at least ten items at Costco. Might be a scary trip. And yes, dried cranberries and a whole box of mangos for myself are absolute needs.

3. I desperately need a manicure.

4. Tomorrow will be the first trip with Alla where we've actually purchased a seat for her on the plane.

5. You should see the trees here, all covered with thick blankets of snow. So so pretty. Hard to remember green grass.

6. I am sucking at my New Year's resolution of going to bed earlier. Seriously not enough free time in a day for vegging out, working out, blogging, editing, scrapbooking, spending a few minutes with my husband, and reading.

7. Speaking of which, Andrea, I am also sucking at Saving Fish From Drowning. But I'm plugging away. At this rate I might be finished in time for the new Harry Potter.

8. Wishing we were with Catie and Randy on a sandy beach right now.

9. On Sunday the big dig-out was a neighborhood effort. Everyone helped everyone with extra shovels and snowblowers, and our next-door neighbor suppled everyone with homemade chai. Our neighborhood is awesome. I think there's a need for a block party. When it warms up.

10. Anyone else super excited that spring forward happens way early this year?

Twenty-two months.

I remember this date last year, being kind of overwhelmed that in two months she'd be one. In some ways it's no different this year, and now I would guess that every year you kind of sit back and say where has the time gone and how is she this old and on and on.

I remember walking with her to the park that Sunday for her ten month pictures, her carried on my hip in the sling, how she went with me everywhere, and now, one year later, I have a child with whom I converse all day long. It's hard to remember what I said all those long days before she said things back. It's hard to imagine she wasn't always telling me I lub you Mommy and Mommy kiss it and Mommy pick-a up you.

And what's even harder is to imagine where she'll be next year when I won't believe she'll be, well, another year older. I really can't say it just yet.

The Big Snow Weekend.

The weekend starts on Friday, does it not? And how do you make a little girl's Friday? It's really very simple:

Go to Leigha's for breakfast.

Go with Leigha and her mommy to the Children's Museum where you can paint your face.

Come home to find a heart bunny card from Gramma and Grampa.

Pizza Friday.

Add to that a weekend of fingerpainting, play-doh, a fun dinner at friends who have a cute dog, dressing up in her swimsuit, and tons of snow today, and you really get one super happy girl.

Visits from Nana & Pappi are always FUN.

Honestly the world is a cruel place when you don't live near any of your three sets of parents, meaning Alla has no grandparents even remotely close to us. Well I suppose that just makes visits from them all the more special. I have never seen this girl leap out of bed for anyone or anything, but when Pappi came up the stairs Saturday morning you'd have thought I was chopped liver, cause she just could not scoot past me fast enough! That made me very happy - every time they come to visit she 'gets it' more and more and the true nature of grandparenting comes out for them, all the spoiling, all the attention. She loves it. Can't you see it here?

I mean that is most definitely a what-all-can-I-get-away-with face, isn't it?

She gets away with plenty. But most of all she gets all the love and squeezes and attention she deserves all weekend long. Lots of play toys and play trains and read books and play blocks and draw happy face right there, draw big one happy face right here!

Here's my favorite thing she said all weekend: Careful, Nana, don't hurt yourself on the grapefruit. Oh. My. I could have made a whole Ten on Tuesday with all the new little sayings she came up with this weekend (and repeated once she discovered how cute we thought they all were).

A new one today when I was cutting grapes for her lunch: Too sharp knife, only for grown-ups. How is it that she's almost two, when two years ago seems so short, two years ago I was still months away from holding her? The reality of two is setting in, and I am indeed starting to get sentimental about it.

Why?

Because of those curls. A wonderfully perfect curlies day always warrants a quick photo shoot.

Happy Friday!

Cockadoodledoo.

Twelve on Tuesday: The Tagged Edition.

I'm using Erin's game of tag to squeeze in two more blurbs today.

6 Things That Make Me Weird:

1. I don't like Oreos.

2. When I make Alla pasta (mac n cheese), I like to go through the pot and eat all the shells that have gathered all that cheesey goodness in their holes.

3. Thanks to Ron (who is also weird), I now tuck my socks into my pajama pants at night to keep warm. (Thanks to Ron in two ways - it is he who keeps the heat so low, and he who taught me about this valuable but weird little method.)

4. Have I mentioned my marshmallow obsession?

5. I've resorted to working out twice a day, mostly for the warmth factor.

6. Ron caught me under the table in the last sun patch of the day on Saturday afternoon. Who am I, the cat?

6 Things That Make Me Happy:

1. All things morning: her in bed with me, exercise, coffee, long breakfast, my red bowl full of yogurt a la granola, sunshine.

2. The sound of Ron opening the door in the evening.

3. Grey's. Is there anyone left not watching this show?

4. Elizabeth Mitchell, John Mayer, & Jack Johnson.

5. A new issue of Real Simple.

6. Looking forward to date night this weekend.

**I tag Megan and Aaron!

Just Monday.

We didn't go to school today cause Alla is still battling a cold. I like to think of myself as a relatively respectful parent who doesn't want other parents worrying like I was yesterday about their sick, completely out-of-it child. So we stayed in. Alla has gotten a ton of sleep lately, so I think she's on the mend. Good thing, cause I miss her spunk.

Don't you love when you turn the camera around and you get what you felt right there in that lovely warm afternoon sun shining in your window while Alla shielded her eyes and repeated too bright over and over?

Here's the thing about Baby: we got her at Target over the summer, in response to how much she loved Ashby's baby. Baby has been her favorite ever since, with or without clothing. We have now and again asked her what Baby's name is, and she'll just say, Alla, to which we respond, No, that's your name. But recently the conversation changed.

What is Baby's name?

[Alla puts on her most pensive face.]

Rolla

Rolla. That's Baby's name. Rolla and Baby are interchangeable, but still. We have a name. And the name sticks. For a few days now. So there you have it, Baby Rolla.

And Valentine's began today when Nana & Pappi's valentine arrived. Yay stickers! They later ended up on her belly...

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Just caught up last night on Grey's from last week. Holy jeez I'm so happy that Kristina has become a human and decided to marry Burke.

2. I am completely obsessed with dark chocolate chips (thanks Tara) and marshmallows. This is a divine combination. We got a new bag on Saturday, and I'm finishing it tonight. With very little help from Alla.

3. My super husband has me hooked up with a wireless workstation now.

4. Alla's art project today: shaving cream all over the bathroom mirror. 5. IT warmed up to 4 degrees today. Above zero.

6. Have you visited 3191? Serious beauty happening over there. I check in once daily. Ok, I check in a few times, just to get my fill. I hope those ladies are considering a book of these beautiful photographic musings at year's end. I'm in for a copy.

7. Another cool website: kiddley, for all things kids + crafts.

8. Monday nights are big TV nights here with 24 and Heroes. Ron catches Prison Break, too. Well, we record them all and watch them at our leisure:)

9. The good thing about it being 4 degrees is that the milk in our outside fridge get so nice and slushy, just the way I like it.

10. Every now and then, Ron gets extra credit for capturing things like this.

Just so you know.

It's 5 below. And that's a warm up from the 19 below it was when we woke up this morning. Yes, we Californians are freezing our you-know-whats off, but we're out and about like normal. No hibernating for us! The sun is shining and we are trying to absorb as much vitamin D as we can! We do have loads of fun indoor things to do, though. Take, for example, Alla's first experience with fingerpainting. I have to thank Amanda for posting her pics of Grace's mess - they encouraged me to get Alla into her own mess!