We visited Malibu Creek State Park on Saturday.  I’m getting smarter about bringing both balls and shovels & pails where-ever we go, and so the kids had plenty to occupy themselves.  Actually, with her pail and shovel, DD is more of a menace to all walking.  And with two pails, she had twice the amount of rocks and pebbles to collect.

The visitors’ center had some awesome docents who eagerly pointed us in the direction of all the things the kids could touch and pick up.  We were just about to walk out when one of them asked if DD just might be old enough to understand animal tracks.  Boy, would she.  She points out the horse shoe prints in  Madeline and the Gypsies every time we read it.

We had fun looking for alligators in the river bed, throwing her first rock collection into the water rock-by-rock, and smelling different leaves.

Apparently, she wants to be more like mommy and use the porta-potty instead of the potty we brought along for her — which if you know my husband, was about as likely as a Beatles reunion tour (it’s a germ thing).  So she wildly ran around playing dodge-the-parent as she tried to get into  the porta-potty door without being caught.  Who knew that using the stinky things was a rite of passage?

We also attempted THE FAMILY PHOTO, hence the matching outfits.  If the goal was to get the kids to look cute and charming, we failed.   Here’s how we did.

So, if we don’t do any better in the near future, that may be in a Christmas card soon…assuming I get them done this year.

As we were leaving, we had to stop every twenty feet for Miss Gravel Collector USA to do her thing.

Finally, we made her get into the stroller, which made her so hopping mad (we’d hiked through her nap) that she started to bludgeon her sibling with her plastic shovel.  Turns out that DS has had enough of such behavior and — being armed with the other shovel– whacked her back a few times before all shovels were confiscated.  Was I wrong to be proud of him?

The  whole family was getting in touch with their inner Madeline.

I have just two photos to share.  All wordy posts are going to have to wait until I meet a couple deadlines.

Here’s the Birthday boy getting a kiss from his big sister.

Little Boo had fun playing with her cousins.

Being a sibling is growing on her.

Last month, we met up with Sis and the nieces to go to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.  The hit of the morning was their new Street Lamp exhibit.

Sis was explaining the Rodin statue to the whippersnappers.  I think if I was a better sister, I would have gotten all of her in the photo.  Oooops.  That’s C holding Little Boo’s hand.

Later, we saw part of the Pompeii exhibit.  Little Boo wanted to do the audio tour.  It was really fun to watch J tutor her in the workings of the audio player.  The nieces seemed to get a lot out of it.  The biggest connection I could make for Little Boo was to explain that the statue of Aphrodite was Aphroducky (sorry, she adores her Ducktales).  Sis is REALLY good at explaining art to kids.  I could easily see her being a docent for school tours.

The Alligator’s name is Hollywood.  He’s three years old.  (And yes, I should have used a flash.   I’m hoping that if I find my other camera there will be some flash photos in there.  Maybe it’s hiding with my deodorant. )

July, 2006

July, 2007  

  July, 2008

July, 2009

 I love giving sink baths. DS(1)  has been getting them for a while.  But this weekend, DD wanted to join in the fun.   

On the communication front…  For about three weeks now, DS  has been shaking his head “no” and nodding his head “yes”in response to questions.  He’s always talking gibberish and is possibly going to be more of a communicator than DD.  I don’t think it’s an issue of  language confusion from exposure to Russian (he’s had very little), but a matter of personality.

Other Silly Firsts: 

On July 3rd, DD had her first Happy Meal and saw her first film in a movie theater (an IMAX Under the Sea type of film).  I was thankful that the Mc Death was located in the California Science Center so that she’s not likely to recognize one when we drive by.    Once more, Yipee!

Kate’s favorite dress right now is M’s old girl scout t-shirt. 

Charm and decorum are things we encourage and actively cultivate around here.

I have no idea how she took this, but I like it.

He’s …

Mr. Kissilicious, Mr. Snugglicious, Sir Poopsalot, My Growly Bear

 Photos by Kate.