OMG!

This little girl is going to be FOUR tomorrow!

Sunday Faces

Crazy Hair Day 2010

The Dude Speaks!

He's a little Dude of few words, but he's getting there. At this age, Zoe had over 50 words and was speaking in full sentences and I remember Athena also communicating constantly, but this Dude is taking his time with his language skills - in a very dude-like fashion. Right now his everyday vocabulary consists of:

"Mama" - the baby "Aloha" which means many things besides just "Mommy" - depending on the inflection and hand motions, it can also mean: I'm hungry, I'm tired, I'm awake, I want milk, Pick me up, Where are you? Give me that right away! Please? and Why won't you do what I ask of you!
"Dada" - Chris
"Nye-Nye" - or "Night-Night" probably his first official word outside of "Mama" and "Dada" - the Dude likes his naps
"Ba-bay" - said while waving "Goodbye"
"Nah" - usually said repeatedly in response to the question "Are you ready to get out of the bath?"
"Go!" - As in "Let's go!" usually said while running to the garage door and trying to open it
"Baw" - usually said while throwing a ball at your head or reaching for the wall of balls at Walmart (although we try to avoid that aisle).
"Cah" - said in reference to one of the many Hot Wheels found on the floor, in the pantry, under the couch or in the couch cushions.
"Me" - said when pointing to himself when he wants to have something, but can also sometimes mean "milk"
"Bay-baw" - he has less than ten words and one of them is "baseball" - he has said this word several times now, usually while pointing at a Giants game on t.v. (causing his father's heart to swell with pride)

Take Two

And this is how my little sweetie went to school today!

School Pictures are in

Okay, so I admit to completely forgetting about school pictures and sending my oldest to school in uniform with not so perfect hair while all of her friends were totally bedazzled, but is this really the best they could do? Weren't there any pictures where she was smiling or at least looking a little less unprepared? I mean, she's still adorable, but really? I have like 50 copies of this picture!

Luckily, the picture packet came with a little note that said: "If you are unhappy with the portraits, please return them, and your child will have their picture retaken on October 12th!"

Why yesssss, I believe I will take them up on that offer!

(Edited to say, when Athena saw the pictures she said "I wasn't very happy to have my picture taken.")

Our Favorite Fundraiser

Today was 'Via Arte' the sidewalk chalk fundraiser for the local art museum - our favorite fundraiser and the third year we've participated (check out 2009 and 2008)!
It's become a tradition, I suppose. We certainly do love it.

Here's our day in technicolor pictures.
(And can I just say one more time how much I love my new camera).

Zoe decided that after they finished their drawings, they should hold hands and jump into them (like in Mary Poppins). Not sure what they were expecting to happen, but it was pretty cute.

While all that "arte" was happening, my guys hung on a patch of grass enjoying an awesome latino Beatles cover band celebrate John Lennon's 70th birthday.

Aren't they cute too?

Luminous Spirit

When I ask Zoe to get her pajamas on and she returns with a tiara, flower lei and princess dress fashioned into wings and then swoops through the room like a weird magical bluebird, my heart sighs a little.

County Fair

Mimi loves county fairs. She's also one of those people who enjoy the smell of horse poo. So when I realized she would be visiting on the last day of our local county fair, we just had to go.

Athena had already been there with her class earlier this week so she gave us the guided tour:
"The pigs just lay down and they have flies all over them" (it was true).

The girls opted for facepainting over pony rides.

The Dude sort of liked the toy tractor and corn pit but was a little too fastidious to really dig in.

He preferred the art area or "creation station" better.


The mini-circus was lame but Athena enjoyed loudly telling us what the magician and juggler were just about to do.

It was hot, it was dusty, but it was a great day. We're so happy to have our Mimi back on the West Coast from such a loooong trip in New York. She left in June and in little people time that is forever. They did not want to leave her side for a minute today and Athena kept saying
"Today is a celebration, Mimi's home!"

October brings...

Pumpkin painting,

the return of our beloved Mimi to the West Coast,

clouds (a welcome sight after months of blaring hot sun),

a purple paper countdown to Zoe's 4th birthday,

and Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
Happy October everyone!