It's Snow Joke

Today was George's big day - he completed the Snow Joke 1/2 marathon today - all freezing cold 13 miles of it.

Bea, Ollie & I went along to Seeley Lake to cheer on Big Daddy G. It was like the Tour de Seelee. Bea, Ollie & I drove the support car behind, along side and in front of George to lend moral support. (But only after Bea and I had coffee, hot chocolate and breakfast in the very warm Little Bird cafe.)

George did so great, he knocked 10 min off his time. We were so proud of him. At the starting line Bea was hollering at the top of her lungs "I love you Daddy!! I love you Daddy!!! Good Wuck Daddy!!!"

At the Starting Line

Then as we were driving the support car de Erickson, Bea was looking out the window wistfully saying, "Is that one my daddy...noooo. Is that one my daddy...noooo." Then I hear her say, "I want to be a runner tooooo." She clearly was very enamored with her Big Daddy and his performance.

Keeping warm at the Little Bird Cafe

10 miles down, 3 to go!!! Yea Babes!!

Fini!

Post-race Relaxation

After we got back to Missoula, George & Bea went swimming and soaking at the gym, while Frau and I napped. Because driving the support car was exhausting.

We then went out for a post-race-celebratory dinner at The Old Post Pub, whereupon Bea ate like she raced a 1/2 marathon. Soup, bread, black beans, quesadilla and....Shirley Temple.

Then finished up the evening at the Griz basketball game. Since we despise the Griz, and UM fans in general, we dressed Bea up in her Gonzaga outfit, complete with red bow. I know this is waaaay snotty, but since George & I are bonafide Bulldogs, we know what real basketball is. We find Griz basketball....yawn...boring. At any rate, since Donna (Bea's Norweigian surrogate grandma) gave us the tickets we put them to good use. Bea was thrilled, delighted, overjoyed, you name it to see Monte Bear. The little zepplin with the Griz logo that flies around the gym out of control at half time scared the shit out of her. George kept insisting it was going to fly over our heads and poop out treats, but it didn't. It just wobbled around and almost dive bombed into the half time entertainment: 12 year old Helena hip hop girl group, gyrating in sync to Justin Timberlake and mouthing the words, "I'm bringin' SexyBack..."

Move over Cupid

You got bonafide competition boy.
Now, who ever saw such a sweet face?
Sure, I'll toot my own horn again...I've got the sweetest Valentines this year:
Big Daddy, Bea and of course, my main man, Ollie.

We had a family breakfast: poached eggs on Birdman a la Big Daddy G.
I went to yoga and came back to a card from Bea (who clearly had been eating chocolate when she licked the envelope...sealed with a chocolate kiss!) and an assorment of truffles from Chocolat - my favorite!
Then we all went for a long walk along the Clarkfork on the Kim Williams trail.

Our romantic Valentine's dinner was enjoyed at the Mo Club with Bea. Cheeseburgers, Bud Light, Shirley Temple, peanuts and pinball. You could feel the love radiating from our window seat.

mmmmmm..."Mo Twub Burgers!"

Barnelopet

We trekked to Lubrecht forest, up Highway 200. You, me and Ollie. Silly singing, drive past Bonner, Milltown, twisted Blackfoot river foggy and heavy. We laugh, Oliver snores. Wet snow sliding down our windows. But we traveled, the three of us, tiny skis on the roof of the car.

You understood you were going to be skiing today. With the kids, you said. And the kids will be nice to me. They will help me ski.

Yes, babe, they will help you ski. We are going to the Lubrecht forest. Where you will put on your tiny skis and you will stare wide-eyed, frosted-cheeked, with no words, marvel at all the little kids around you on their skis too.

The Sons of Norway created this to show you how you must come out to glide and breathe in the familiar sting of cold. And to let you feel how much you love it. To let you safely "race" with the other kids. To let you feel like the meadow loop is far too long for you to really make it. But you did, with your mommy at your side.

And you went, glide, glide, glide, glide, glide, right across the finish line. A strong, tiny, little girl, only 2 years we've known, but there you were: smiling at the cowbells that rang out for your finish. And the medal went around your neck. Your little "stem" I always think, because it is delicate and soft and liste. And now it holds your medal.

I took off your skis, like you were my little Olympian. Carried your skis behind, let you parade through the snow crested path to the bonfire. You sat, still admiring the kids, sipped your hot chocolate, ate cookies made for you by those proud Norweigan grandmas.

You, every little thing about you, pushes my love and pride so far, my eyes sting.

My strong, sweet, confident, silly, brave, joyous little Beatrice.

NanniePappy Experience

Nope, not a typo in the title of this post. Often times Bea refers to my parents as one entity, one word: NanniePappy. Really, her use of "NanniePappy" is actually an adjective, not a proper noun. Really, she's not calling them by their names, rather it is her description of an experience. So technically, it is a noun. The "NanniePappy Experience."

Definition:

Nah-neePah-pee ik-spir-e-ehnz: n. 1. The apprehension of fun, excitement, attention and indulgence with Tim and Elaine Meeks through the senses or mind. 2. Active participation in events or activities, such as a weekend visit with Tim and Elaine Meeks, leading to the accumulation of knowledge or skill.

History:

Derived from the language of 2 a year old, Beatrice Erickson, also known as BeaSpeak. The usage of the term arose from a weekend stay with her grandparents, Nannie and Pappy. They took her to the Come On Inn in Missoula, selecting a room overlooking the courtyard, which was complete with hottubs and a waterfall. The mini-fridge was stocked with chocolate milk. The grandparents brought her new books. Nannie and Pappy swam with Bea, read her books, poured her chocolate milk. They took the young child out to dinner at one of her favorite dining establishments, MacKenzie River Pizza. Whereupon they ordered little Bea her own pizza. Much to Bea's pleasure, her cousin Gabriel, also 2, joined them for dinner with his grandparents, Lollie and Pop. After dinner, back at the hotel, Bea got to sleep in a big bed with her Nannie, while her Pappy snored logs next to them in the other big bed. At 5:00 am, her Pappy made a trip to get her neccessities at a drugstore, cough syrup and most presumably, chocolate milk. At 6:00 am her Pappy made her waffles at the continental breakfast, then her Nannie took her swimming again in the wee hours of the morning whilst all the other people in the Inn were fast asleep. Integreal to the NanniePappy Experience is riding in the back of "Nannie's Caddy."

Based on Bea's active participation in these events and activities, after her grandparents' departure, she pined for the NanniePappy Experience.

Bea's sheer delight at discovering the mini-fridge is stocked with "chotwit milt!!"

The NanniePappy Experience will be visited again over1 President's Day weekend when Mommy, Bea, Nannie and Pappy jump in Nannie's Caddy and head to Seattle to visit Untle Al and Sasha!!! Roadtrip!!!

Hangin with my Little Man Nant

It's actually Grant. Grant Henry to be exact, but Bea has called him Nant since she could speak his name.

Hurshes came over for a universal dinner, meaning the main dish was appealing to both parent & child: Homemade Mac & Cheese. Plain for the kiddies, adorned with Hot and Spicy Chili Relish for the parentals. It was good but here's the down and dirty truth, the recipe called for 14 tablespoons of sweet cream butter. (yes, f-o-u-r-t-e-e-n) Kelly & I have been faithfully going to the gym together on Tu and Th at 5:40 am; however my modest serving most certainly canceled out an entire weeks' worth of early morning gym calls.

Anyway, Grant is surely one of Bea's good, if not her best, peep.

Here she is dishing out her big sisterly love to her little man.

Little Miss Sunshine

I am well aware by now that Bea is most certainly not the average little 2 1/2 year old girl.
She prefers sushi to fruit roll ups; she'd rather go for a hike "up the big hill" (Mount Sentinel) than play with dolls, actually she doensn't play with dolls; and considers one of her best friends to be Frau.

As evidence of her intelligence, wit and charm, Bea has deemed her all time favorite movie to be....Little Miss Sunshine. http://www.foxsearchlight.com/site/littlemisssunshine/

For some time Curious George was the front runner, until she saw Little Miss Sunshine on Christmas Day. From the moment she laid eyes on Olive, it was love at first sight. Bea sat through the entire movie: sexual innuendoes, swear words, Nieztche references and all, not once, but three times, just to see Olive.

Then last week George and I were watching the SAG Awards while Bea was cooking us bacon and eggs at her kitchen (from Nannie & Pappy) when Abigail Breslin (aka Olive) was nominated for her role in Little Miss Sunshine. Bea ran to the TV to see Olive and the love affair again resumed.

At dinner Bea politely, but convincingly, informed George & I that, "I'm not B'trice, I'm Olive." "Hah-hah, isn't she cute. So Bea, what should we order you for dinner?"
"I'm Olive, not B'trice."

Yesterday I heard her digging through my bathroom items. She emerges with a pair of my old glasses on her face proclaiming she is "Olive."

At any rate, now I can blame the movie for her use of this sentence the other day: "Jesus, where is my futing cell phone?!" Ouch. Back to Curious George it is.