"Reading"

She's only just started to learn a couple of letters, but that's not going to keep Cindy Lou from reading. I wish I'd gotten footage of her just before this, when she was "reading" every page. I was afraid to move into a better position and distract her into quitting. Unfortunately the Wizard spotted my attention shift and had lots of things to tell me.

Easter Weekend Pics

Saturday morning there was an Easter egg hunt in the Primary President's giant backyard. It was chilly but not too wet, so we went. Unfortunately, because of Newton's swimming lesson, we were late, and so the hostess and cousin Miss Pea went ahead of the two little kids "hiding" eggs for them to find. Grandpa Artsy-Fartsy, who was visiting, helped the Wizard:


And Newton helped Cindy Lou. Wandering around outside + chocolate to drool down the front of her jacket = one of her favorite days ever.


Helpful egg hider Miss Pea.


Between church and changing clothes for lunch, we tried to get a good picture of the kids in their Easter finery. Yeah, right. We had to settle for having three sets of eyes on the camera.


Cindy Lou showed impressive focus and fine-motor skills in carefully peeling the foil off her Lindor eggs. Unlike every kid in my own family of origin, she did not attempt to eat any half-peeled pieces of candy. I am amazed and grateful.


The boys showing off their bunnies (amazingly, mid-week now, still intact).


Easter dinner was at J&J's, and Cindy Lou basically disappeared to play with the "big kids" as soon as we got there. Goodness she's getting more and more independent!


Cindy Lou also had her first day of nursery on Sunday, and had what the nursery leaders would probably term the best first day of nursery ever. She didn't even look up from her puzzle when Mavis left after dropping her off, and as far as we know she didn't give anyone a speck of trouble for the whole nearly two hours she was in their care. Way to go, girlie! She also said her first complete sentence this week: "I don't like it," when I gave her a bite of egg salad (after she spit it out). Grunts, whines and points are dwindling as they are replaced by words. Awesome.

I'm Still Here

Just haven't been blogging, as you can tell. Got into Facebook in January (it's all MWR's fault!!), and then for the last month I was swamped with getting ready for the Enrichment birthday dinner, leaving on a 9-day vacation the next day, and then having a 10-day houseguest shortly after our return. Oy. Just this last weekend, Mavis turned 40 and Cindy Lou turned 18 months, plus it was Easter. Baseball season has started for Newton, and I'm gearing up for a performance next month with the small choir I joined in January. I couldn't be much busier. So food has been of the tried-and-true variety, though I've been trying to incorporate new seasonal stuff from the farmers' market (it opened on March 21!), and last night we had Columbia River spring Chinook salmon!

So, I resolve to post new content soon, and leave you with pictures of the kids from our vacation (captured by my sister the Laundry Queen in my parents' backyard on one of the few non-snowy days of our spring break):

Baby De Luxe

Cindy Lou is turning into a toddler instead of a baby (though of course she's at least a preschooler in her own mind). She now walks, still a bit unsteadily but with enthusiasm, and she is quite verbal. She's my first kid who has been willing or able to parrot things back (like I remember doing with my younger siblings), and it's great fun. She's mostly sticking to single-syllable words still, but the increasing ease of communication with her is GREAT.

Here are a bunch of recent shots in a couple of my favorite outfits for her (and one shot with her siblings).

The Squinchies

So, lately Cindy Lou has been "smiling" for the camera. You can see it a little in the chocolatey pictures below, but it's getting worse:



She'll grow out of it, right?

Here's one of all three kids looking adorable, if I do say so myself. Cindy Lou is modeling Newton's new basketball shoes. She'll put on whichever pair is closest (though she gets frustrated at how quickly her brother's flip-flops fall off her feet).


Here's a closeup of Cindy Lou's rock n' roll tshirt (a handmedown from the Wizard):


Here's where you'll find me and Newton almost every night after the little kids are in bed. Right now we're in book 10 of Lemony Snicket. Wonder what we'll attack next? Possibly the rest of the Chronicles of Narnia. Or maybe it's time to start The Lord of the Rings (we've already read all the Harry Potters).


And finally, a long-ish video of what Cindy Lou acts like these days. You get to see her walk, babble, and even get a little bit upset, plus you get commentary and coughing from the ailing, feverish Wizard. She's the best baby ever. But I might be a little biased.

Choco-Lovelies

Well, actually, the Wizard wouldn't try the fancy desserts. Cindy Lou, however, LOVED them, as she does everything else involving chocolate. This week we've had some leftover small discs of dark chocolate sitting in a bowl on the counter, and she asks for them by name. Something like "Tchalk-kot."

Here's what they looked like this morning in their Sunday best. Cindy Lou, in cashmere and velvet (I know, I know), felt as good as she looked.


Eating dessert with a few friends, she was in hog heaven (as you can tell by the chocolate all over her face, and her general posture and attitude). The Wizard was just loving mugging for the camera.

Do I Need to Clean My Ears?

Just overheard from the Wizard, to his father: "What the heck is that?!?"

Must say that's a locution I didn't think he had mastered.

Edited to add: today I heard him say to his little sister, "Don't do that, you idiot!" Guess who mimics his big brother? It's time for another "no stupid people, only stupid things" talk with Newton.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

So, we had our first Christmas in our own house, and it was great! We maintained some of the family traditions I grew up with, like NOT getting up early, getting dressed before breakfast, having a blanket over the living room doorway to hide loot, eating breakfast together, doing the dishes, and then walking in youngest first. We didn't have the set menu I grew up with (frozen peaches, bran muffins and cheesy scrambled eggs), instead opting for sourdough waffles with buttermilk syrup (we did still have frozen peaches because I had some on hand). The kids got up at their normal time, between 7:30 and 7:45, and we went in to start opening presents around 9 am. Those of you with predawn gift-opening traditions may shake your heads, but I LOVE this tradition and love even more that Newton wants to keep it.

As I mentioned, our presents from Mavis's parents usually come from the countries they have visited each year, and this time the handicrafts of Mongolia, Kazakhstan and El Salvador were best-represented.

Newton's Santa presents were mostly sports-related.


Cindy Lou got wooden stacking rings.


Grandma Rhino checking out Newton's new basketball shoes (practice starts January 20!).


Cindy Lou liked Newton's new basketball better than most of her own presents.



I got a really awesome present from Mavis.


Loot.


Cindy Lou's new purse from Grandpa Artsy-Fartsy & the Rev Running Nut, with dolls from Kazakhstan and El Salvador from Grandma Rhino.


The Wizard working with Grandma Rhino on his new puzzle (100 pieces is just right!).


The Wizard got an easel from Santa. Judging from how much time he's spent with it since, it's his favorite present.


This cap from Kazakhstan was a gift from Grandma Rhino to Mavis. It fits me and Newton, but looks cutest on the Wizard.

Merry Christmas 2008

We're having weather-related difficulty in getting our Christmas cards out, so here is the picture some of you will be receiving in the mail at an as-yet-undetermined future date: