Waltzing on Boxing Day

what she can do

Harper loves her jack-n-the-box. She is enthusiatically scaling the toilet every day and getting into things she shouldn't. She feeds her lunch to the dog. She can climb the ladder at the playground, but wants to hold hands to slide down. She cries every morning when Merriwether goes to school. She cares not to sleep on her own. She can say "baby" and sing the tune of the alphabet. She waves to helicopters and birds. She just had a bath in this picture. Otherwise you can count on her hair being enormous.

Future Rockettes?

One of the few events that is worth the planning needed to get a family out the door is Baltimore's Washington Monument Lighting. It is always a beautiful night in Mt Vernon square. It doesn't hurt that we have a friend with a FABULOUS historic apartment on the square and he hosts an amazing party every year. So after we have had enough of the park and the music we head upstairs and watch the whole event from Stephen's warm apartment (with a full bar and bartender). The only thing that is missing in this picture is Harper's substantial little legs in her mini Santa dress.

Tennis Anyone?

There is Merriwether and if you look super carefully you can see Serena Williams and Elena Dementiava in the background. You should notice that Merriwether is up waaaaaaaay past her bedtime AND has "balley-balls" in her hair just like a big girl. She started tennis lessons the very next day. Of course she has a pink racquet.

Harper's "vocabulary"

Mommy!: There is something missing here. I am hungry/tired/cross/bored/thirsty/frustrated. I should say this word until my staff figures out what I want.

Dada!: I am excited about something, like hearing the Theme to Blue's Clues!

Gaga!: I hear a door opening.

Heidi!: Let's go outside. I like to stand on the porch and call the dog.

Thank you: I have got something in my hand.

NO! NO! NO!: Random conversation. Can also mean "yes."

Bye-Bye: People think I am cute when I say this.

Half Marathon

13.1 miles in 3 hours and 2 minutes. It was brutal but I jogged the whole thing. I didn't walk. I'd like to thank all the good citizens of Baltimore who kept me going by standing on the race route and giving out gummi bears.

We Love a Parade!

We went to the Parade of Champions in Towson today. Merriwether REALLY wanted to see Michael Phelps and his gold medals. We put on our red, white, and blue and waved some flags. Great weather, great lunch at Uncle Brookie's, and lots of fun at the parade. Harper liked sseing the big mascots but then the excitement got the better of her...

September Already?

So Merriwether has started Pre-K. Harper and I are beginning another year at home together. I am running to train for the Baltimore Running Festival Half-Marathon and still working online during odd hours.

The new camera charger will be here this week, so I can stop using the webcam and the phone pics to keep you updated. Life is a good blur, but the blog doesn't have to be.

Happy Birthday Harper

One candle on Harper's cake. Life is good.

So Close to Walking!

We are making the all important transition from walking for recreation to walking for transportation.

One week later...

And we still can't seem to shake the birthday excitement. I know what you are thinking, "Where can I get my toddler a fabulous nightgown like that?" Well never fear, you don't have to go to Gaborwear.com. Amy will be happy to buy purple satin nightwear for your child too.

We're back!

Merriwether Scout is 4 years old! She had a beach party complete with buckets of sand (ice cream cups with graham cracker crumbs on top) for dessert. All her little friends from the neighborhood were here for splashing and fun. It is good to be 4.

Where did she go?

too hot to type...stay tuned!

A Career in Millinery?

Merriwether made this hat at school today. She told me that her friend Felix made one too and the big joke was that they all called him Mary Poppins. She was happily climbing on the monkey bars (and wearing the hat) when I came to pick her up today.

On the way home. I could hear her softly chanting to herself in the back of the car,

"I love school. I love school."

A Harbinger of Summer

Perhaps you are tired of pictures of my children covered in food.

Too bad!

Nothing says, "It's summer, Hon!" like a baby wearing only a diaper and gnawing on a corn cob.

like a broken record...like a broken record...

We all need more of this around here. Between the teething, and the early morning classes in a different time zone, and the late night jobs, and the pre-schooler's nutty nighttime wanderings - sleep has been in short supply.

Tonight we were not messing around. Both girls were in the bathtub at 6:30. They had a relaxing warm bath (Harper kept trying to crawl/drown in the water, Merriwether had a long conversation with the soap about it's ovalness), a nice rubdown with lotion (cue the screaming), clean jammies ("but I want the other ballerina ones!"), Goodnight Moon for Harper, Eloise for Merriwether, hot bottle for Harper, the usual weird made-up lullabies for Merriwether...

fussing, rocking, complaining, rocking....

7:23 zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Wish us luck.

Midnight Milestones

Harper can clap her hands. I know this because I was hanging over her crib at 4am begging her to go to sleep and she was gleefully practicing her clapping. I picked her up to hush her and she began furiously waving at me. I finally get her to doze off. I gently lower us into my bed and she sits bolt upright and sticks her finger in my ear. Over and over again.

I am trying to think of a witty ending for this...sadly I think I need more coffee first.

teething hurts

Thank goodness Gaga has a never ending supply of cold soda cans.

so cute

if I do say so myself...I love her to pieces!

Haircut

Once a year, whether she needs it or not, Merriwether gets her hair cut.

She has proclaimed it "fluffy."

OUCH!

Harper is cutting her four top teeth, simultaneously.

Good times....good times...

Sweet Dreams

Lately, Merriwether has been talking in her sleep. Most of the time she is defending herself in Sleepytown. We have overheard the following protests...

"I don't want to play with table toys!"

and

"I want a cupcake WITH ICING!"

She has a tough life. Maybe she will be a lawyer. Dessert lovers have rights too.

Come out of Your Shell...

Here's Merriwether playing in the turtle shells at the Maryland Zoo. She liked seeing the polar bears swimming and brushing the goats. She loved the duck with the blue bill. She did not care for the bat exhibit in the dark cave though.

Harper, on the other hand, puts the zzzzzzzzzzzzz in zzzzzzzzzzzzzzoo!

cruising!

Down on the Farm

Mimi has the best yard toys. Harper is working on her disco remix of "Ring My Bell" kickin' it farmer-style.

Only my child...

Could eat a cookie with such gusto that it ends up all over her socks. No wonder I am proud.

Whatever the Weather

Playing in the rain :)

Harper and I watched from the front porch. The "bumpings and thumpings" of the clouds set us back in quickly.

Howdy Pardner!

I wish I had thought of this idea myself. Thanks to this trusty cowpoke Merriwether is much easier to get along with these days. According to Merrriwether, Cowboy gets very upset about the same things that bother her. He doesn't like to wear a coat, have his hat brushed, or find his shoes. He screams and cries when he feels frustrated and then he has to go "sit on the step" until he has calmed down and can apologize. Merriwether thoroughly enjoys marching Cowboy to time-out, but she hasn't had a tantrum in days.

I love that Cowboy!

We've been too busy to blog.

I have almost mastered Fog Hat's "Slow Ride."

I know...you're impressed!

Jammies!

Now isn't she cute?

Hmm....

Yes, upon first glance she is quite adorable in her little pjs. Alas, we cannot wear our pajamas all day. And that is where the wild rumpus begins...

"But MAMA! I don't want to get dressed! I want to wear new jammies. It makes me VERY VERY SAD to get dressed. These pants are giving me a wedgie. I want a shirt with NOTHING on it. NOT WITH A TURTLE NECK!!!!! Do I have to wear my purple coat today?"

She's finally dressed. Now it's time to brush her hair...

Where's Harper?

Peek-a-boo!

Again!

Spring!

Harper wasn't sure about the swing at first.

And then she started to like it!