The Hilarity Continues...

Ok, I know I just posted about Vivi's amazing fall outer-wear, but check this out.  It's a furry pink hippo hat.  I mean, who THINKS OF THIS STUFF?

 

Don't worry.  Viv represents Hippo Nation with style, flair, and attitude.  What.  You talkin' to me?

Hippo-Girl with Daddy!

And here, Hippo-Girl munches calmly on the remote while enjoying a quick "pink-hat twin" photo with Mommy!

I would like to add that it was 75 degrees here yesterday.  We did not care.  So Hippo, so Fabulous!

Sometimes it's hard to be a superfan...

Evidence that the pressure of helping cheer the Hawks to victory, week after week, can be emotionally draining...especially if you're only 15 months old.

The pressure can be hellish.

Waddle waddle

It's getting colder here in Nebraska.

Fortunately, Vivi has her super stylish penguin jacket to keep her warm and cozy on these chilly mornings!

It cracks me up, especially since Vivi is just learning to walk, and is perfecting a really nice waddle.  And it's funny to have two sets of eyes glaring at me in the morning as I'm trying to get us ready to go.

Rock-tober!

Holy hell!  

My apologies, blogger nation.  September was one busy month, and I have been remiss in relating the amazing things that have happened in our lives.  In September...

Russ and I went to a wedding in St Louis, and were away for Vivi for the longest time ever.  It was really hard, but... we knew Vivi was having a great time with Grandma Otto.  And we had a blast wishing Serds and Breezy a happy wedding day!

We came back, hung out for a week, and then...the very next weekend, Todd (Vivi's Godfather) married the amazing and wonderful Miss Michelle!  And Vivi's Grandma Otto came back to hang out for the weekend so Mommy and Daddy could enjoy the festivities!  It was such a beautiful, wonderful day, and we are so grateful to Grandma Susie for making the trip so we could celebrate.

Oh.  And Vivi mastered walking.  And talking.  She's up to over 50 words now, and can ask (ahem, demand) for things, properly tell off the dogs when they are (nah-tee) and cajole the kitty who lives next door to come out and play with her when we are on the drive way playing (kee-tee!  mow, mow mow!).

And, on the last day of September, Aunt Kate turned 28.  Hurrah!  In order for Aunt Kate to PROPERLY CELEBRATE, Cousin Noah stayed the night with us.  Heh heh heh.  Vivi LOVES her cousin Noah, and is very interested in every thing he does when he is with us...like putting on hair bows.

So Fabulous! 

But, as he is three, sometimes Cousin Noah is "nah-tee."  No worries--Vivi totally knows what to do with naughty individuals in this house...we kennel them.

Um...awkward!  But Noah didn't seem to mind.  We had pancakes with syrup for breakfast.  I think he'll come back.  Maybe.

If Vivi's not home.

Why buy expensive toys?

...when clearly, all you need is a box?  Several months ago, I re-purposed a memory chest into a toy box for Vivi.  She's quite liked it (well, she mostly likes digging things out of it and making a mess, but there you are).  This evening, however, Vivi re-purposed the box herself.  

Yes, that's right.  She climbed inside of it.  

A castle?  A pirate ship?  A rocket?  Who knows what form the box took in our little lady's mind?  

Her activities did not necessarily lend a clue.  We found her...

Throwing a ball from the box.

Enjoying a tasty snack in the box.

 

At any rate.  She was having a great time!  Who knows what was going on in her head, but she was very, very happy to find out she fits in her toybox.

Are you ready?

Guess who's getting ready for the big game on Saturday???

LOS OTTOS!!!

Oh.  Were you expecting something about the Husker game?  Not in this house, friends.

Now.  Last year, Vivi was INSTRUMENTAL in the Hawkeyes victorious season.  We found that if she vomited on her Hawkeye onsie during the game, THEY WON.  Fabulous!  Sadly, she has outgrown said onsie (not so sadly, she has also stopped vomiting on herself.  thank you, lord, for your attention to this matter).  So what will be the hallmark by which victory will be ascertained?  Only time will tell...

I'm thinking one oreo per game.  Chocolate crusted face=victory.

Vivi is a proud supporter of this plan.  Go Hawks!

Hippies

Sometimes, I feel like a total hippie parent.  And I like it.

Tonight, we got a really nice rainstorm, and instead of watching it from the inside, we took Vivi out onto the porch (my theory is that if she is around rain, she will not be scared of thunder, lightning, etc.  We'll see).  However, she wanted to get off the porch and into the rain.  Some parents might have discouraged...we were excited to let her play in the raindrops!

At first she was hesitant.

"This rain is very wet, Mom.  What the heck is wrong with the sky?"

"Never mind.  I'm going to drag Dad out here and get him soaked, too."

Sadly, the rain is hell on one's hair.  Que exhausting!