From the Mouth of Babes

It's been really hot in Houston lately. The adults cope with the heat by staying indoors, but the kids are willing to endure the weather to play outside. The other day my five-year-old niece Annie came in from a stint of outdoor play. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair was sweaty and matted to her face. So I said, "Annie, you look really hot." Annie sighed and answered in her little baritone voice, "Thanks."

Traveling

Ella has always been a good traveller. So on the way to the Salt Lake City airport on Tuesday morning, I wasn't surprised that she didn't make much noise in the back of the car. But I was surprised when I heard an inexplicable splashing noise eminating from the back. I turned around to see vomit spewing from her mouth. In between bouts of throwing up she sputtered pathetically "I spitting up." There was really nothing we could do about it. We just kept driving until we arrived at the curb. Then we pulled our girl out, took off her clothes, wiped her down with some wet-wipes and dressed her in her backup outfit. The poor kid didn't complain, except when we arrived in Houston and she had to sit in her wet and smelly carseat again for the ride home. At least there were no more incidents of illness on the way home. I'm chalking it up to car-sickness since there was no fever.

From a Few Weeks Back

It takes me a little longer to get to posting, now that I have to make hard choices like whether to sleep, shower, run an errand, do my hair, or blog, and because the laptop I use is excruciatingly slow sometimes. But here are some neglected pictures from a few weeks ago.

Ella loved Abby and Emma's ballet recital. She paid close attention for about an hour, which is pretty good for a two year old. By the end of the 2.5 hour event, she and Andrew were both having trouble holding still.

This is how Annie and Abby were amusing themselves a few Sundays ago. I can't remember all the rules of this particular game, but they seemed to enjoy it.

Through all the chaos, Claire remains mostly calm.

Rodi

To help assuage the pain of losing her only child status, Julie gave Ella a bouncing/riding Rody. It is bright pink and Ella fell in love with it at first sight. She's been bouncing around the house, doing all kinds of "fancy rody moves" all week. She especially likes giving her stuffed animals and blankies rides on Rody. Ella often tells me "I have to do some wodying"

Meal times

Ella really likes eating with her cousins. She especially likes it whenever they laugh at something she says or does. She repeats whatever it is over and over. Somehow she found out that making a loud, foghorn noise produced laughter, so it's one of her favorite dinnertime tricks. I couldn't help capturing it on film. I have to admit, there is something really funny about it, the first ten times.

Make Up

Abby and Emma had their big ballet recital on Saturday. Ella was very excited to attend, especially when Mare helped her put makeup on to get ready.

She's practicing her sassy/pouty model face in this shot.

She especially like having so many "farkles"

Happy 30th, Mare!

There are a lot of birthdays in our family this month, so I'm a little late posting about my little sister, MaryAnn's 30th, which was June 3, the day we brought Claire (June 1 birthday) home from the hospital. But just because I'm late doesn't mean I don't have ten things to tell you that I like about Mare:
10. She once told me, "There are starters and there are finishers. I'm a starter."
9. She has endless energy (yet can sleep almost anywhere)
8. She always makes everyone feel welcome, even if they're staying at her house for indeterminant periods of time with newborn babies and toddlers in tow.
7. She loves trying new things.
6. She loves being the primary chorister, which, from what I've observed, looks like a calling I hope I never get.
5. She is loyal
4. She is smart and good at sports
3. She is always positive, and rarely complains
2. She likes to have fun.
1. She does a great Sprockets impersonation

Happy Birthday, Mare.

New Baby

Claire's first ten minutes.
Meeting Daddy.

Hi mom.

Claire and Dr. Bharksuwan.

So far she seems to like sleeping.

She's cuter in non-hospital-issue clothing.

The cousins come to visit.

"She so soft"

First meeting.