The Dive-In Movie

Get it? Dive In Movie.

The Y put a movie up near the pool and everyone came for swimming and a movie and pizza.

What a wonderful combination of sights and sounds for toddlers/pre-schoolers.

I don't have the stories because I had to miss this outing, but something happened to Benjamin's swim suit. So Patric strapped him in a swim diaper and he was off.

And Aunt Cynthia was there to help everyone enjoy the water.

And I hear that Elaine even warmed up after sufficient time to be skeptical.

And Alida. Well, Alida is a bit more daring.

And she is a vision in her brother's shoes.

Summer=Flavor Ice

I don't remember it being so messy...

The Definition of Stupidity

Fresh peaches from the side of the road and a recipe from Nancy that includes a gingersnap cookie crust.

Top it with sugary goodness.

And watch the table clear.

That's not even Alida; that's Elaine.

And she asked for more ketchup.

Patric did not even make it through his 3 desserts I served him.

Now, if I want to clear the table at the end of a meal, bring out dessert.

If I keep trying to give the dessert and actually expect them to stay and eat it, I have the definition of stupidity.

Misery

Prelude to chaos.

The cusp of joy.

The most important and wonderful work of my life.

(Jen is right--faces don't look so good in the drawing mode on Photobucket, but big, round bellies are perfect.)

Way back at their two-year well visit, we discussed the boys' language with the pediatrician since they weren't really talking much. There was mention of a speech pathologist. Since we already had a dermatologist, allergist, pulmonologist, and, actually, a speech pathologist for other problems, we nodded our heads and never mentioned it again. How many -ists could we visit really?

Last night's conversation:

Nicholas (to the opening scene of Nemo): That is a bad shark. I would spank that shark's bottom.

Benjamin: Nickel, sharks don't have a bottom.

Nicholas: Yes they do.

Benjamin: No, no they don't

Nicholas: Then I would swim down there and put a bottom on him and spank it.

Benjamin: Well Nickel, you would need a wetsuit.

Nicholas: No I wouldn't.

Benjamin: Yes you would, Nickel. You can't just swim down in the ocean without a wetsuit.

Nicholas: Yes I can. I would swim naked.

Benjamin (considering): You could. (pause) You could. (pause). Yes. You could. (with a nod)

Super-Duper-Man

Had he more bits of cloth and baby blanket, I would still be tying them together.

Chokit Milk Is Her Name

That's my girl Alida, don't let a dress hinder your comfort.

When Aunt Lori got us the yellow dress with the pink accent, I'm pretty sure she intended it for Elaine, since there was a lovely halter dress in all yellow in the package as well for, we're assuming, Alida. It would go with our general dressing scheme: Some pink=Elaine; Anything else goes=Alida. What a fabulous find to get a yellow dress with a touch of pink.

But then they went and started showing a preference for things. And I think Elaine is sick of pink.

This morning Elaine would have nothing to do with pink. Since we were headed to church where they get a nifty sticker with their picture and name, no big deal. Church doesn't even really know the pink rule.

Nicholas doesn't even know the pink rule either.
Mostly I just get, "Mommy. Is this Lie-la?"
To Benjamin, they are both "baby."
To Aunt Cynthia, Alida wears pink because of the "i" in each word. (I know Elaine has an 'i' as well, but it doesn't SOUND like an 'i'. You see? So then she has to mentally flip what she intuitively thinks is right each time she sees them together. And that makes me tired.)
To their dad, they are both "baby girl."



To me, well we've spent many a weekend glued together now. I have them on sight.

So if you're ever wondering now days, don't count on the color because Alida chose the pink shirt this morning and I'm not going to battle it.

Just ask them if they want apple juice or chocolate milk.

Because Apple Juice=Elaine

and Chokit Milk=Alida

At least that is how it will go for awhile anyway.

Randomness: Vacation

The vacation slides are endless...

Each morning they would just run out in their pajamas and played until they got dirty. Then we would roll up the pant legs until they were caked with mud. Then sometime around lunch, they'd get dressed. Seemed to work.

The report on the ladies when we snuck away for the night was fabulous. Then they all said when we returned, "We were just saying you could have stayed away another night!"

Um, we had phones on us. You could have called. Really.

Cousins watching Scooby Doo.

Uncle Curt teaching my children fire safety.

Silly people. They gave the kids each their own ice cream on the train to take back to our room.

The Sears Tower from beneath the street, which is currently torn apart to be fixed.

I think this plant grew twice as big while we were gone. I don't think it is supposed to get that big.

And something happened because the day after we got back, Alida smiled for a picture in a dress.

Thanks for the dresses grandma.

We've Come A Long Way

August 2006

July 2008

August 2009

And tonight I watched as you dealt with a very fussy Elaine (teething again? Is that possible?) You got her smiling as you played "I'm going to find your belly" and it really helped me to have a minute of quiet to plan the next course of our evening.

Thanks Benjamin. When you are a peach, you're a peach.

I Often Think

The phone is going to start ringing for them at our house far sooner than I'd like.

And then sometimes, I don't think so much.

Something In the Water Up There

Ben didn't quite fall asleep on the tractor ride, but it was close.

Long after it was over though,

An hour after it was over in fact,

We still knew where this guy was.

And when we finally arrived home.

And later that afternoon.

And then Ben knocked out at last.

Here Alida fell asleep in the stroller, slept through the red cap ride through Union Station, and all the way up to and back from the Untouchables picture op.

Nicholas after his first inner tube ride off the back of a boat.

And again on the water.

Wind blowing through Elaine's little bits of hair.

And on the last night on the train I woke up twice to thuds, once because Elaine had fallen off the bunk and had slipped under the bench--still asleep--and the second time because Alida had fallen off the bunk in a heap--still asleep.

And when we finally arrived home, Patric and I snuck a bit of a nap ourselves on the couch as the children ran around and stuck stickers all over the walls of the house...it was so worth it.