Maria, Maria - what do you see?

Maria has really gotten into 'reading' lately. Her latest favorite is "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" and the other versions including polar bears, panda bears, and mother bears. I'll find her in a corner or on the couch reciting books we've recently read along to the brown bear pattern. I've tried repeatedly to capture this on camera to no avail. But yesterday I began a covert mission to get it on tape! Excuse the blue couch in the shot - it's the only way I could get the video without her knowing!

If you need a translation, let me know!

July - August 2008

Here we are again. A few weeks behind! It was exactly 5 weeks ago that I went back to work, and it's been exactly 5 weeks since I've posted. You get the picture.

Our summer has been fantastic. It has been so much fun to experience everything with Maria this summer, rather than rushing home between the 2 naps of last summer. She has really enjoyed the pool, and I'm hopeful that we'll have an independent swimmer next summer! She wants to follow the big kids wherever we go. She idolizes all kids above the age of 5! She has spent a lot of time with family members this summer, as Nonni and Nickio are constants, and having grandma off for the summer was a blast!

Since I last posted, we visited a fair in downtown St.Charles where Maria rode her first carnival ride (the purple car, of course.) We did lots of swimming at the local pool. We hit the Magic House and Zoo a few more times, and played with many friends.

Thanks to my other blogging friends for leading the way with the Picassa albums! Here is our first one: