nerd to be

Happy Birthday Daddy! What a lovely day in the gardens — we even got “pretend summer” for the day!

"I think you might be right about Buckminister, Popop."

A wonderful visit to Chicago as part of the ongoing 3.0 celebration. Thanks to Popop (I am bending his ear here) and Babba! Thanks to Daddy too, this hat belongs on my head, forever, seriously! Oh, and thanks to Mum for the documentation stuff!

Originally uploaded by nathaniel s.
see more of my latest pix here.

More Plotting?

Three three year-olds plotting to get their party favors in the air (and, if that doesn’t work to drag them along the ground stylishly) at the Sidonie Kites and Cupcakes Party/Picnic (alongside the Kite Festival on the Lake). Much fun was had by all.

Originally uploaded by nathaniel s.
see more of my latest pix here.

Short video of Nonie, the future home run hitter for the Brewers! Swing batter batter batter batter, swing!!!!! (Note to South African viewers: file size could potentially be a bit of a drag; but we’ll try to compress the cricket playing video better, when we make one.)

Shiny Delight

Much to my delight and my parents bewilderment, I am almost THREE. And, might I add, not a day too soon … I am a big girl now (although I am still - and will always be - a grandbaby) and as I have taken to saying, “I love you all bigger and bigger, and you all love me too.” Thanks to Ouma Harriet for getting the Birthday extravaganza (of course) off to a great start. One of my wishes was that you (or, “ya” as I now pronounce it in my Sconie accent) could be here. But as that cannot be, enjoy the photo-feast here and to follow.

Originally uploaded by nathaniel s.
see more of my latest pix here.

Great Portrait 1

Godmother Nancy came for a fabulous visit and took a whole heap of great photos of me with her new camera. Even the weather was delighted by her visit and we got to see SUN (for a day). I have found that waiting for Mummy to plant the herbs that I am to water makes me very pensive and introspective and a little loony …

Originally uploaded by nathaniel s.
see more of my latest pix here.

Grand ‘Rents Brave the Cold

Babba and Popop came to visit and Mummy even made matzoh balls (not pictured here) and we all braved the spring weather to wake on the beach.

Originally uploaded by nathaniel s.
see more of my latest pix here.

I graduated top of my class …

Originally uploaded by nathaniel s.
see more of my latest pix here.

click to play

Click to play. holiday08

Pirates Growl

Pirates of the Caribbean

What fun in Fl-aaaaaar-ida and beyond! See more photos from Florida+Bahamas 2008-9 via flickr or in the slideshow below.

Present Unwrapping by Nonie: 1. Climb Up

Present Unwrapping by Nonie: 1. Climb Up

2. Lie Down and Roll Around

2. Lie Down and Roll Around

3. Jump for Joy

3. Jump for Joy

What fun! See more photos from Christmakkah 2008 via flickr or in the slideshow below.

My first sledding advanture, and my first snowman. At home, anyway. But my daddy and I were cold, so we kind of just sledded in front of the house, and made a baby Frosty. This was our 6th snow of the season (and it’s not even Christmas!) adding another 16 inches to the already large sum of white stuff from the sky - until it all freezes into ice tomorrow when it is 20 below (F, which is more than 30 below in C - granted this includes the wind chill, but STILL). But it does make for pretty photos and hot cocoa in front of the fire!

sledding, weeee!

baby Frosty

pooped (snow angels)

See more snowy photos here.

Sid-a-Nonie Ridgway Stern - 2 1/2 years old.

Nonie’s favourite things:

Tapping my forehead like Pooh and saying, “fink, fink!” Oh, and speaking of Pooh, I love Lumpy (the baby Heffalump - which is kind of like an Elephant - in the new movies).

Telling stories (I always begin with, “One little time” and end with “the end”.)

Halloween (dressing up, trick or treating, going to parties).

I ride so well I can do it in a tutu now.

Obama (yah! and it makes Daddy smile, a lot.)

Yay, we won, we won, we won.

Singing (especially Old Mac Donald, Frosty the Snowman and Rock-a-bye Baby).

Puppets (sock, finger, and my “just pretend” hand puppet, “Bobbie”).

Bathing (”I big, I swim”).

Making houses and having tea parties.

My house, come in, please.

Friends (at Lifeways — my creche — and Isaac — who I spent Thanksgiving with. We also had a make-Christmas-cookies playdate. We like “hanging out” and “chillin” — Daddy is teaching me a lot of American slang).

Hide and seek (most especially when we run into the closet, taking “tiny, little tiger” to hide from “big bad tiger, he huge”).

Snow (we’ve had five snows so far and although it can be “so cold” and I wish it was “too warmer,” I like it a lot and cope better than Daddy and Mummy.)

Dancing (to everything, with everyone, but especially to “They Might be Giants” … see video post below).

Food (broccoli and olives, and Parmesan and Asagio, and chickpeas and cumin, and marshmallows. Did I mention marshmallows? More, please).

Having my ow-ies (real and imagined) kissed a lot (and bandaids, I like them a lot).

Saying, “I don’t like it.”

Holding up a finger in a rather schoolmarmish way and saying, “I’ll be right back”, “Just a minute”, “Not do it that way”.

Going to parades.

Christmas Parade, Downtown Milwaukee

Putting up our Christmakkah Tree and opening my chocolate advent calendar.

Having my haircut in a salon!

I love this look!

Running, jumping, laughing, teasing, tickling and being tickled. Reading, and playing with my toys, and talking (a lot) and helping with the dishes and vacuuming.

Oh, and of course, cards and presents.

Happy holidays one and all. Love and Hugs!

More pics here or as a slideshow here.

horsies, dancing and bicycles - click for a quicktime movie

Fun with Nonie, video captured on our mobile phones!
Video from the zoo, at home, and out in front of our house (pre-snow, so a few weeks ago) in Milwaukee.

Nonie and Abrianna went trick or treating at the Zoo! See pi and a slideshow below….

I’m a butterfly!

Boo!