Zoe loves to read

Zoe's Dad wants us to mention that he taught (much to Mom's protests) Zoe to take of "her confirmation socks" (really her baptism socks --from Mikah and Tice--, but Bruce isn't up on the finer points of Catholic Education). Also, that Zoe's other favorite toy is a credit card.

but I started this entry to comment on how much Zoe loves to be read to. Her current favorite books (the first two from her good friend Rachel Gold):

Jamberry

Babies

Goodnight moon

Brown Bear what do you see

usually we pick a book and read it three times in a row; she turns the pages herself.

Also, now that we finally have the contents of our house, Zoe has finally been able to ride facing forward in the stroller that Hila gave us.. she loves to finally be able to look forward. As soon as I get my act together, I'll take pictures.

Two steps!

Zoe walked two steps at a time, no holding, three different times today..she also did an in-place 360 degree step around holding nothing (about 4 steps)... always in the dining room at our new house.

Happy Mother's Day!

hey, continuity please..

The coolest thing (from the scientist in me).. there is this blue structure with a red button part in the center on Zoë's stroller, she was just checking it from both sides, trying to figure out why there wasn't a red button part on the inside... Looking at the outside, feeling it, looking at the inside, back and forth... she was looking for engineering continuity.. very smart girl ;) (proud mama moment).

dah!

Zoë has perfected mamamamamma and dadadadada, but today on the way to lunch I was walking out the door of our office building, up the ramp, her dad was at the top of the stairs, we passed him and took off down the path, she screamed "Dah!" "Dah!"... She was calling to him. It was the most distinct yet.

Zoë Lists: Favorite non-toy toys

I've been gathering a few lists about Zoë, and I just recorded a related video, so I'm listing the first one here,

Her favorite non-toy toys

1. Cliff bar wrappers*

2. Socks**

3. Wires***

4. newspaper and paper napkins ****

5. pens *****

6. phone ^

7. Remote Control

8. Keys #


* Cliff bar wrappers are nearly indestructible and put up with sucking, as well as make a lot of noise

** Luckily, she likes the socks that are not on her feet, usually the ones from the previous night that have not made it to the laundry; Dad tried to teach her to play with her socks on her feet.. Mom quickly curtailed that one!

*** Wires she doesn't get often, and not for long.. we aren't really bad parents, really



**** Really, anything that shreds and tears apart

*****(pictures from 03.27.07; Diaper wipes take off pen too!)

^ (well, ran out of stars) Of course one of her old favorites is mom's Motorola Pebl Cell phone (it is pink afterall), she used to teeth on it, but I had to stop that (yes, the phone died for some unconnected reason, or so I told Fido)

# yes, the actual metal, not the key chain...crazy

girly voice on record

Zoë has the cutest girly voice... two samples provided below.

animal lover

We were invited to dinner at Paul Lalonde and his wife Shawna's house; they have an enormous chocolate lab named Cailou (spelling may be off)... Zoë has always loved the dogs we passed in the park, and has a special scream for them, but this is the first one she's been able to chase and pet and talk to at length.. she loved it. The dog gave her lots of kisses, perhaps more than a mom would like, especially on the ears, and Zoë just went back for more.. it was hilarious. We were often pulling the two of them apart, which made Cailou talk back and that made Zoë laugh harder and longer than I've heard her laugh in a very long time. I'm really looking forward to having her around the dogs in Utah, it will be a treat to watch.

so this morning, after all of Zoë's animal interactions of last night, she and Mischief (our white cat) also had some interactions, for about 1 minute.. the longest yet.. Zoë pulled hair, Mischief put up with it (I think he thinks that since she has an aposable thumb, he might be able to get her to feed him). She is now so blazè about the cats, Molly always wants her attention and rarely gets it.

Also new on the Zoë can do list: feeding herself.. this morning she nearly mastered piping in the Cherios.. several methodologies were used... picking them up with thumb and forefinger, then using the other hand (left) to refine the placement... then there is the sticky method, where Cherios just start to stick and can be licked off fingers and palms.

babble, babble

Zoë has started to babble like a little girl.. she has this high pitched (very baby girly) voice.. it is adorable. I have yet to get it recorded, she doesn't do it very often. It sounds almost like a conversation.

We gave her a bath tonight, she's always loved sucking on the sponge (since she was old enough to sit up, ~March); but tonight, she stuffed it in as far as she could, then used both hands to gather up her toys.. I tried to get a pic, but she wanted out before I got the camera.

One other too cute thing, she's now just tall enough to peak over the side of the couch, reminds me of Jack Rutstein at just over a year old when he used to say "hi" out his window.