Just a few shots

its getting warm outside....  so warm that this outfit on naia seems... unseasonal...   but it was actually only last week.  Anyway, here are some of what she does best.

i love this last one... Here, my VERY good girl is resisting the powerful urge to drink from this puddle. (thank you!!)

The most recent attempt at story time with grandma

thank goodness we have the library!!

more of 1 and a half

that last blog was long winded (i'm still recovering...)
so here are just some pics of the half festivities

one and a half

Our little baby is 1.5, 18 months, 1 1/2 yrs old... And yes, i know she's not technically a baby but i will always think of her as that and, at times, can't handle her growing up so fast. So, i've decided i will refer to her a baby (occassionally) until she's out of diapers. its easier for me that way. Besides, what's the rush?

It is time for a big, fat, update list. So, at 18 months, Naia...

holds up her pointer finger (for "one") and a smile when you ask her how old she is (another six months til we have to update this one).

says thank you, at the appropriate time, and without being asked (usually). I'm quite proud of this one. She also says "please", with conviction, and it sounds like PEESS

Says "bye bye" to food she wants nothing to do with. This is big and has taken some work. She used to throw things she didn't want. it has made my life as a maid a lot easier.
(come to think of it, she says bye bye to almost anything she doesn't want at the time)

She knows the letter "n", for naia, "e" for elmo and eca (as in, aunt erica), and "b" for baby, and a couple others, and can recognize her name and say "naia" when she sees it written. She's also working on her colors.

LOVES being outside

Still loves looking in the mirror, kissing herself in it, and seeing her outfit. Now when she walks away from the mirror, she says "bye bye baby".

Likes Bees.... i have no idea why (mama is scared of them).

Stops and smells the roses.... or whatever flower is around. also smells flowers she sees in books.

Has real life friends but also very much enjoys Elmo, Ernie, Abby, and of course, George.

Has been taking Swim classes at the YMCA for a few months now and LOVES it. Has gone "UNDER" twice now but has recently decided, she'd prefer to stay above... and in the water, what Naia wants, Naia gets.

Conincidently, when Naia started loving swimming classes, she started HATING baths. riddle me that. So bathing is a struggle, and we keep trying to figure out new creative ways to change her mind... so far, no luck.

Calls milk "Moe" and Water "minima"

Has AWESOME hair. It grows a lot faster and longer in the front though, so i've cut her "bangs" a few times to keep them out of her eyes. When there is length, there is a curl!! As far as the back goes, i have pony tail holders ready and plan to try that any day now. I could literally comb/brush it all day. She knows her hair is red =)

Loves reading. Good night moon, the itsy bitsy spider, anything sesame street, and the corduroy books are among her favorites.

Loves stickers and puts them on you (to show affection) and the cat and herself.

Likes babseball. no, i'm not just saying that. When she sees baseball on TV or a baseball field in real life, she says "PAPI" (as in big papi)

Likewise when she shes celtics things, basketballs, b ball courts, she says bittaba (Naiaese for basketball).

has started eating. really. enough to count as caloric intake. its pretty exciting. and any time ice cream is offered, its a big fun, sticky, success.

likes to push the shopping cart, and her stroller, and anything with wheels.

enjoys coloring. a lot. we have many ongoing art projects around the house and i am eternally grateful for washable markers and crayons.

Calls chester "meow" and can't get enough of him. Chester definitely CAN get enough of her and has figured out that sometimes its best to just walk away and find a new place to sleep. (you CAN teach an old cat new tricks)

Brushes her teeth. Well, and often. sometimes i have to say no to brushing her teeth. i dont want her to wear away her enamel...

can pretty much blow her own nose... there's been a lot of practice lately...

is so mature and smart that we have to remind ourselves and others that she's only ONE and A HALF!

here's where i'd give you the height and weight stats but we don't go to the doc for her 18 month appointment til next week... i know the suspense is killing you- me too. i'll keep you posted.

Happy Half Birthday Sweet Naia

Brother Josh comes to town

and while you wouldn't know it from the pictures in this blog, we showed him things other than fenway park. He got to hang out with his neices (and the rest of us), see where we live and yadda yadda yadda... but i guess i knew the baseball game would be the highlight, since this seems to be the only time i pulled out the camera... gotta work on that.

Fenway is a magical place, i LOVE the red sox, AND my whole immediate family was together in one place. This was a big deal. We had so much fun, it was a great game, and the boys in white and red pulled it together and won one for us, complete with a homerun from Tek. It was as you'd expect from team fleming: singing, dancing, and of course making friends with everyone in the vicinity. As a wise old someone once said, "We're no ordinary family. We're the Flemings."

BW Gibson Blog

Just wanted to let you all know about the other blog i just started. hoping to keep up with it and promote our photography. Have a lovely, flower filled day!



the link: www.bwgibson.blogspot.com

I would love

to tell you all, in detail, about the many things naia has been doing lately. Unfortunately, this time in my life seems not to be one with room for text. so, i'll just caption some of the highlights.

a hill and a cousin = fun


the hawaii seal, at a museum


one of the first sketches of oscar the grouch (at said museum)


on the ninja ropes course at a ninja birthday party (yes, as awesome as it sounds)


with her little buddy at that ninja party


we went to a park on opening day (also easter) before the game... this is the only picture i have of her in her red sox outfit i think


yes, she's eating butter (at least she's eating something).


she's showing lots of interest in coloring lately. here, with one of her best fans and collectors, great aunt mary jane, who proudly displays her masterpieces on her fridge.


with her friend fione after swim class. =)


and the following three are some easter leftovers=):