My Future's So Bright...

I can't possibly photograph it, but I want you to know that Naomi's in bed right now. Wearing her purple sunglasses.

Electric Slide!

Nana and I spent a gorgeous afternoon with the girls at the big playground. That's where Nana caught this amazing shot of Naomi generating enough energy to power a hybrid vehicle from here to Miami. Apparently the random woman standing next to them felt moved to snap this photo as well. Can't say I blame her.

The Three Musketeers.

How's this for idyllic?


(Photo credit to Nat)

I wish you could have seen these three little girls at the park, looping around this log slide as Amanda funneled them in from the top, they'd crash together in a pile of giggles at the bottom and stumble over each other to race around for the next run. I can't wait to see their friendship keep developing.

And this one, the impiest of the imps.

Garlic and rain and surprises.

Sometimes, when there are giant puddles in the driveway, you just have to give in and get the camera instead of trying to stop babies from stomping in the water. Even if they are wearing leather shoes.



And then you have to take them to a Garlic Festival.



There were definately not any vampires around. We missed out on the garlic ice cream, but reports from other festival-goers say that we didn't miss much.

Lillian planted the garlic bulb in the above picture for about 20 minutes. In the dirt, out. Then she sniffed it for a while. Then she tried to rub it on Naomi's head.

Naomi, meanwhile, was plotting.



In an interesting surprise, at day care pick-up last week, the teacher mentioned that Lillian was getting really good at her months of the year. "Oh, neat," I thought, not really getting it. That night, while the girls were helping me cook dinner, I asked her, "Can you say January?" Silence. "February?" More silence. I am not surprised. It would be silly for someone who is not quite two to know the months of the year, right?

"March?"
"Mach," says Lillian.
Me: "April?"
Lillian: "App-ill."
Me: "May?"
Lillian: "May."
Me (increasingly astounded): "June?"
Lillian: "Joo."
Me: "July?"
Lillian: "July."
Lillian: "Aaa-ust" (That's right. I didn't prompt her.)
Me (now dialing my mother on the phone to get a witness): "September?"
Lillian: "Mem-mer"
Me: "October?"
Lillian: gibberish. I am slightly relieved that she didn't just spit that one out, honestly.
Me: "November?"
Lillian: "Mo-mem-mem-mer"
Me: "December?"
Lillian: "Thember."
Me: (falls on floor.)
Lillian: (continues rattling measuring cups.)

So, yeah. Daycare's going well.

Labor Day, Workers in the Kitchen

Three weeks in and this is all starting to seem normal. The girls are happier each day and William reports that drop-off is smoother each time, with the girls now willingly going to the teacher instead of clinging and whining.

Naomi helped me make dinner the other night. We didn't have a chef's hat, so the strawberry had to suffice. She was a great help, handing me the spoon when it was time to stir the pot on the stove and banging her cups and bowls together. We are seeing them imitate a lot more "real-life" stuff and it's a hoot to watch.



Of course, we made them do the dishes afterwards. As a note to my future self and anyone else who it might help, do not put soap in the water, as it is impossible to stop them from trying to drink the water from the very cups they are supposed to be washing.


We've squeezed all kinds of fun out of summer's last hurrah, Labor Day weekend. I think I could very happily work for a living if I had three day weekends all the time.

We took the girls out to their second Camp Hamilton bash in Wadsworth. They loved it. Lots of firsts:

* As we arrived, Lillian took Nana's hand, then Naomi's and they marched up the driveway like that.

* William took each girl for their first ATV ride. No crazy off-roading, but they seemed to like it all the same.

* Lillian met her first tiny dog, by the name of 'Cupcake' and it was love at first sight. At least for Lillian. Cupcake isn't making any promises.

* Both girls shot their first hoops!



* Naomi tasted her first piece of driveway. Sugar Dale strikes again.



William swooped her up from the fall off the giraffe tricycle and headed to the house, her chin dripping with blood. By the time he was able to wet the washcloth in the bathroom, Naomi was jutting her chin towards the mirror, laughing at her quickly inflating lip. It was like you could see her thinking "You should see the other guy!" Her fearlessness both inspires and terrifies me.