The Beans.

I hope you have enjoyed all of the photos lately - here's a little update as to what Beans is up to, lifewise.

-We continue with the swimming lessons, in preparation for an entire summer spent at Jeff Thiel's underwater academy. She has really calmed down in the water, after screaming during back float time all winter. Not quite to floating on her own, but close. She glad puts her face in the water to blow bubbles, and goes underwater happily and comes up with an enormous smile. She will also splash and kick on command.

-She has a memory like a steel trap, which means that she continues to bring up the fact that I spilled a soda on Sunday. No spill is beyond her purview, and she doesn't seem to comprehend that once everything is cleaned up, it's okay to let it go. Nope. All day long it's "mama agua kaboom!" or "baby La hat kaboom." 

-Is back to playing with her babies nonstop. Now she can fit three dolls in her arms, and so will carry them all around the house

-She's finally starting to count to three. A week ago, everything more than one was two, but now three is actually three. However, she will usually say two, and then I'll ask "how many babies?" and then it's three. Sometimes when we are counting, she'll count along with us, which is sort of unbelievable to me.

-She's also getting slightly better about sitting in her high chair for meals. Yogurt is still her favorite food, but she also loves fruit (strawberries and blackberries in particular) and some vegetables (edamame and peas are big favorites.) Chicken, turkey, cheese, all delicious to her, as is bread. She is very much my child. 

-Always picking up new words, and also, beginning to use words instead of sounds (example: for months she has called dogs "woof woofs." This morning on our walk, she was saying "puppy dog.")

-Adores her friends, Baby La, Baby Claire, Baby P, Baby Jax. She also has her friend Elizabeth, who she calls "Baby Issbith." But of course, if you ask Elizabeth Rosemarie her name, it's still Itty Bitty.

Do Whatever You Want, Kid.

I'm a sign, not a cop.

People Let me Tell you 'Bout my Best Friend.

People let me tell you 'bout my best friend
She's a warm hearted person who will love me til the end

Cause she's my best friend
Yeah my best friend

 (Ellie and Lexi, post music-class.)

It's been a busy 24 hours. Today we had Mimi join us at music class, which was very fun, even if E was being a stinker and refusing to sit in Mimi's lap. Mimi did get to experience first hand how Ellie loves the songs, even if she sits the entire time being wide eyed and frightened looking (though that's not totally true, she was very interested in getting up and drumming.) We had some coffee and a lovely lunch date, and then there was some book reading before Ellie went down for a nap.

I am about to take me a nap too - we were up late and then up again early because Thor spent the night at the emergency vet. We came home from Taco Tuesday last night to find piles of barf in the house, and Thor laying in the dining room panting and wailing and obviously in distress. So off to the vet we went (which only distressed him more.) At first they thought it might be a liver problem, but additional bloodwork revealed that his levels had normalled out. As far as the vet can guess, Thor may have been bitten or stung by something, and hence the sickness and the liver reaction. Thankfully though, it's nothing serious and we don't need to follow up. Thor still had to spend the night getting fluids and antibiotics, and I picked him up at 7am, smelling of the vet, and with a hot pink bandage covering where they'd shaved his leg for the IV. The vet and the nurses were incredibly nice to our sweet, stupid boy, but we're happy to have him back this morning. I am ESPECIALLY happy that even though he smelled weird, Lulu did not freak out on him (nor did he freak out on her.) Life is back to normal, except for Thor's weird shaved leg (and my sad pocketbook.) We did find out that his hips are showing signs of arthritis. He always seems like such a young cat man, but he's already 7, and fully into mid-life. He needs to get him a damn job!

Tuesday Morning

Don't worry, we went and found Lulu.

Balls and Babies.

We've had another fabulously busy weekend. Yesterday we played outside for a good portion of the day, both in our backyard, and at Gigi's house. Ellie's new favorite thing is balls, especially when she can chuck the ball down Gigi's driveway and then yell "no ball ball street! No street!" while one of us runs after the ball for her.

In response to this terrorist action, Gigi decided to pen Ellie in, like the small savage she is.

 

She is especially pleased when she gets to hold both balls in her fat little arms.

She also liked when her daddy helped her play "swish."

She did not enjoy when I tried  to take her picture with the flowers on the side yard. It must be like getting murdered. She also hates when Gigi tries to get her to call flowers by the proper name - she is all about calling them shells.

Today we had our friends Bob and Nancy over for lunch, with their baby Amelia, who is about two months old. She is just the sweetest little thing, and Nancy and Bob make great parents. Ellie was a little slow to warm up to the crowd (we had a couple more college friends over as well, and good ol' Jacob) but she loved "Baby Mie" from the start. I was holding Amelia so her parents could eat, and Ellie insisted she be held as well, so that she could take Amelia's hand. Looks like I am going to be a good mom of two someday.

 By the time everyone cleared out, E was desperately ready for a nap. I just wanted one quick picture of the boys with their girls, but Ellie wanted exactly NONE of it. Of course.

Etiquette Lesson.

Table Manners Edition.

Sequined Party.

I think this tells you just about all you need to know about how Becca's recent visit to the Southland was. Everybody loves sequins!

Not pictured: the way that Bec and I yap nonstop at top speed, ALL THE TIME. Our boyfriends are saints.