Summer's end

Clutier (IA) Days - can't wait for the parade to start.

Littles sifting for coins ("Moneys!!") in tons of sawdust.





Ahhh! Nothing like a cone to cool a girl off
after a tough day of small town Iowa festivities.





OKOBOJI 2010!!!

Helen and cousin Chelsea about to do some boating on East Lake.





Photographic evidence of Helen...





enjoying the boat! Super YAY!

(There'd been some, ummm, difficulties in the past.)





First day of Ballet Class - September 2010


(A little anxious at first, but came around quickly.)
Is there anything cuter than a tiny tot in ballet garb?

Rest of May, June and some of July - SURPRISE!

May wedding in Ames - dance TONIGHT!

Fred & Tom's new backyard - loverly.

First day of summer preschool with bestest friend, Giancarlo

(he, with the Donny Osmond smile).

Helen and Paige, Round One, taffy.

Helen and Paige, Round Two, DQ Dilly Bar.

Families with Children from Asia

2010 Dragon Boat team

Photo Finish - we won (!) and placed 8th overall.

FCA! FCA! FCA!

MN Zoo last weekend with our travel group.

(We missed you AGAIN, Texas!)

Averie and Helen, included because H is smiling here...

...but not here with Mary Ellen and Averie, our travel group buddies.
Not sure what that face is about but my guess = hot and tired.

Spring has sprung

Knows a thing or two re: personal style.

For your entertainment...and BOOM, right into the svc door!

Florida, you may not be as beautiful as California, but we love you anyhoo

Having arrived in Tampa, the Navigators check the map while the Captain secures the vehicle.

First morning in Tampa - there's chewing going on here.

Looking about 8 years old, no?

Getting ready for the pool - practicing (WITH goggles, of course) her stroke.

Busch Gardens photo op.

Hard to say if this girl could love her dad more.

First time, EVER, willing to ride alone...

...and digging it!

Helen was an inch too short for the Rhino Rally so

we satisfied our sense of adventure with this photo op.

First evening on Anna Maria Island - Helen and me scoping out the beautiful beach.

Perfecting jumping on one foot - she REALLY gets that other leg up there.

Sunset and about to scout for sand dollars.

The whole gang! 

(S/S/S  - back by popular demand!)

Contemplating world peace or what to have for a snack ?

Couple of days before Easter, Helen and her dad built this sweet bunny on the beach.

If anyone is interested in helping us finance the purchase of the house in the background...

call me, ok? 

Always working her look!

All heading down to the beach for our last sunset together.

Had a great time, Anna Maria!  Thanks for the memories, see ya soon.

This is what Helen does...or a day in the life of a 3 yr old

...makes the best of a cold snowy day...

...models a super cute fleece hat making craft at FCC Chinese New Year...

...visits the Midtown Global Market for Wee Wednesday events...

...hangs with BFF Lily...

...and mugs for mom's cellphone camera!

  

7:30 am  Wakes up, I go in her room to open the shades, say "good morning" - that kind of thing. 

Says, "I wanted Daddy to come get me."

8:00 am  Asks "Where are we going today?"   I tell her, replies "That sounds like a good plan."

10:00 am  Playground or open gym, screams "Don't look at me KID!!!!!" at every kid who looks in her direction.

12:00 am  I bonk my elbow on the car door, gives me a tight hug to "heal" me.

12:30 pm  Picks her nose and wipes the booger on my shirt.

12:45 pm  Steals my napkin and throws it on the floor.  Eats all of my Mandarin orange slices. 

1:30 pm  Snuggles in the comfy chair with me for books before naptime, LOTS of kisses. I pretend I'm chomping on her neck, says "Why am I SO delicious?!"

3:30 pm  Everytime I say "she", yells "HE!!!". 

Everytime I say "her", yells "HIM!!! 

Everytime I say "Helen", yells "I'm not Helen, I'm Quincy (or Pablo, or Annie, or...)!!!"

4:30 pm  Says "You are my heart, my life, Mommy"

5:00 - 7:15 pm  Yells "HE!!!", "HIM!!!", and "I'm not Helen!!!" some more.  Refuses to eat dinner.

7:30 pm  Jumps around on her bed and giggles before getting changed into jammies, having "Naked Time!!!"

8:00 pm  Family group hug with various stuffed animals, says "Thanks for a nice day, Mommy."

It's a pretty wonderful, hilariously aggrivating, awesome way to spend the day.  I feel so blessed every minute of the time we spend together - even when I'm answering "WHY?" for the 100th time or wiping boogers off my shirt.  Thank you, Helen, for a nice day. 

Baby, it's cold outside.

   

Best Snowman in town, yeah?!

 

Perfect consistency for a big WALL O' SNOW.

...and CRASH! 

Perhaps some flying buttresses next time?

Too cool for school.

Everybody, ready?  CHEESE!

Ni Hao, Kai-lan with Helen at the Mall of America last weekend -

Happy Chinese New Year!

Last night after dinner

Jazz Hands - YEAH!

Recorded at Julie Andrews Fan Club HQ...our kitchen.

Thanksgiving, Birthdays and Christmas - oh my!

Thanksgiving 2009

Cousins Hunter and Chelsea (my sister's kids) with Helen.

I swear, if you don't hurry up and cut this cake soon I'm gonna...

...chomp!


A moment - sharing birthdays and birthday cake.


(Whoa - haircut girl!)
Opening a birthday gift that came in the mail.
Can you believe she's THREE?!



Helen digging her bracelet and cute sweater.


She likes her sled so much she'll nap on it, thanks Santa!

Hey, yeah hello, a little help here?

Christmas 2009

Pokorny kids with Grandpa at the farm.

Where did the time go? Wasn't it just Halloween?

I got a gentle nudge in my Inbox from a friend so I thought I better post some Nov-Dec pix by Monday morning or there might be some trouble!

So glad we were able to make it to IA to spend the holidays with our families. The weather was iffy and had to be worked around but we made it, no problems.

Helen is talking SO much. She's got a lot to say (like her mom, right?) and most of it, bless her heart, is hilarious, smart and sweet. Current favorites:

"That's CRAZY!"

"Thanks to, mommy and daddy, for a nice day."

"You're goofiest and I'm goofier."

Oh, and did I mention she's been insisting we call her Julie Andrews (star of stage and screen) going on two months now. It was funny and cute the first week. See, when we're running late and I say,

"Helen, get your coat and boots on, quick, quick! We need to go!"

My very passionate three year-old yells,

"I'm Julie Andrews!!!", and a little spot behind my eye starts to pinchpinchpinch.

"Okaaaaay. Whatever! JULIE - get your coat and boots on, now!"

She never lets it slide. She is Julie Andrews and there's absolutely no talking her out of it. The parenting books don't discuss this. Imaginary friends, check.

Not a word on acute FrauleinMaria/MaryPoppins-itis? I want to sit her down, explain that it took her dad and me YEARS to agree on her beautiful name, and that to insist 100 times a day I call her something else not only drives me crazy but it also breaks my heart a little bit each time. I want to tell her that if she really were Julie Andrews, instead of a 3-yr old kid, she'd understand what I was saying and...

Best to all in 2010! I've got a good feeling about it. I don't know anything specific or what have you, I'm just saying.