A new addition

Russell bought Riley and me a new car yesterday! We spent 5 grueling hours at the Honda dealership, and thanks to Russell's amazing negotiation skills and background as the ultimate salesman ('can't fool me, I work in advertising!'), we ended up with a great deal on a super-sweet kiwi green Honda Element. I have to say that he was a total trooper, being so patient for so long. And so was Riley... she played with her toys, colored, had lunch... not one negative word (or gesture, or tantrum, or anything) the entire day.

We all love the new car. Tangerine was our first choice, but there were none to be had in all of Northern California. Guess they're popular or something? My favorite thing about it? I've never seen a car seat sit so tight and secure in any other car. I feel like Riley is so safe, and sitting up high, that everything else about the car is secondary. Here we are with the new family member:





Some of my favorite things Riley says and does these days:

• 'down! down! down!' while we are going down a hill
• 'here you go, mommy' when she hands me something (heego, mommy)
• 'thank you, mommy' when I hand her something (sankoo, mommy)
• separating 'little' from 'big' things in life, and identifying them in her books
• she's started singing two notes, 'sea shells', from one of the songs from her music class
• she saw the front piece to her crib in the basement, and said, 'no more baby'
• she knows all of her colors, including gray, which she learned today
• she counts to 7 while walking down the stairs
• started singing two notes, 'clean up', from her zoo class, when we start cleaning things up (but she says 'cweem up')

This morning, while I was at Jenny Craig getting my good news (read next segment), Russell took Riley into the yard to hang out and have a dance party. She was very busy chomping on strawberries ('chawbees'):





And they found a new friend! Riley loves 'nails':



A note about me... still doing the Jenny thing, and lost 2-1/2 pounds this week to break my halfway point! Woo-hoo! Super exciting, and now I get to make my own meals for 2 days this week, instead of eating their food. I'm a bit nervous about that (I tend to cook extra flavorful and therefore fatty), but I bought their cookbook, so I should be OK... Congrats to Menz, by the way, who's also showing huge losses already on Jenny. Definitely worth the effort!

And these just in, some awesome shots of cousins Charlie and Quinn, who Riley calls quite often on her (play) cell phone. She runs around the house yelling their names over and over. Wish those kids could see each other more often! Too hard living across the country (in this case, even, in Toronto!):