Gwennie update

Sweet, brilliant, combative Gwendolyn is a thrill to be with because she is in such a dynamic stage of life. It's not easy to be a nine year old, apparently, but she throws herself into things she loves with great abandon. If it's not cats (in written, drawn, or pretend form), it's leading her brothers in games of creative wildness, whether they want to participate or not. I love this time of potential, her moments of stormy feeling, inventiveness, and disarming generosity.

that tongue

Have we mentioned that this little girl can entertain herself with nothing more than her own tongue? It's the funniest thing.

schoolroom update

The other foray we'd planned for Houston was to go to Ikea, where Jen had decided to invest in a wall cubby to outfit the schoolroom. After the visit (and the near-miraculous placement of four large boxes into our van), we returned home for a complete re-imagining of the school space. The cubbies hold Jen's curriculum binders, school supplies, and other needed storage. As you can see from Linee's enthusiasm, the children are nearly as excited as their mother about the changes to the room and their educational routine.

Hula Consert!

Gwennie spent today at a stake activity day girls event in which she and her friends were taught about some of the cultural practices of Pacific islanders, including an introduction to hula dance. After she returned home, we found this notice on our classroom chalkboard, and were treated to an improvised recital (featuring not only Gwennie, but her brothers as well).

Houstontown

We recently felt that we were in need of a family vacation, so we decided to drive back to Houston for a day at some of our old haunts. We began at the Houston zoo, which had changed during the past four years, but not so much that we didn't have old friends to revisit. One new highlight was the "swap shop," where we traded some of our natural history finds (petrified wood, snakeskin, and a paper wasp nest) for other interesting objects (a porcupine quill for Linus, some angora rabbit fur for the others). We also drove past our old home at Casper's request, and got to see the 13th century byzantine frescoes at the Menil complex before they were shipped back to Cyprus. All that, plus a visit to Mai's Restaurant for my favorite dish, their tofu with chili and lemongrass!

action battle

Some of you know that over the past several months, Gwennie and I have been working on a card game based on her current-favorite series of books, Erin Hunter's Warriors. As we worked on the game, producing cards with attributes for characters from the first two series of books, we started to feel that the gameplay needed another dimension to increase its complexity and excitement. So we've developed Action Battle, a new game which introduces a second deck of cards. These cards are played in addition to the attribute cards during the course of the match, and add a great deal of variation and surprise. (When we introduced our prototype to some friends who are great game players, they were amazed that individual hands could extend for five minutes or beyond.) I hope that we'll get a chance to play the new game with all interested parties soon.

meditation

I just like the way that Greta appears to be stroking Gwennie's chin here, as if they're contemplating some great mystery together.

a third of our lives

Jennifer says that given the number of hours she's spent over the past ten years sleeping with babies, she's surprised and dismayed to have so few photographs of the act. (I mention that as a preemptive defense, lest any reader think that I took these pictures as some kind of mean-spirited joke.)

delicious!

Casper (after dinner): I'm still hungry.
Mama: Then let's get you some fruit.
C: I can't have any more fruit -- my fruit-hole is full!

Casper (referring to Cinnamon Toasters, the regional off-brand sugar cereal we occasionally buy as a treat): What if we had Cinnamon Grossters? They'd be gross, right?

pair of portraits

appendage

This little girl is fascinated by her hands. I know it's a stage every infant goes through, but it's always a joy watch a baby completely captivated by something so simple.

intentionally

Mama: You did such a good job on your talk, Casper -- you spoke clearly, and reverently --
Casper: And intentionally?

Casper: Is it almost Fall? In the Fall do I get to go to Shining Star?
[Our boy, always fearful of being left out, poignantly wondering whether he would get to attend the same school his sister did at three. Sorry, my lad, I'm not going to make that two-hour commute every day.]

dandelion

Linus, asking about the name of our town: Was it called Afghanistan first?
Mama: Where did you get that? From the radio?
L: No, from you!

let's "bee" friends

sis

daddy's girl

sweethearts

what's a synonym for "scamp"?

Casper (to Mama, who was attempting to get him moving off to bed by way of a countdown): If you count one more, I'm going to burst into crying and wake everybody up.

Casper: What's the 25th of December?
Mama: It's somebody's birthday.
C: Whose birthday?
M: Jesus's. It's Jesus's birthday.
C, confused: What cheese?

Casper, while playing Transformers with Linus, talking for his Transformer, Bumblebee: Wheeljack, it's so much fun to have my robot legs!

time for a change

Come here often?

collaboration in rivalry

Our two eldest have an interesting and complex relationship built on closeness, consideration, antagonism, jealousy, and love -- like any other sibling interaction, I suppose. They can pivot from being at one another's throats to being the most sympathetic, attentive friends anyone could hope for. The other day, they were squabbling about who owned some miniscule toy, practially clawing at one another's eyes; when I turned around, they were giggling in a play fort they'd built together. Their moments of joy and support outweigh their darker times, and will continue to push in that direction, I hope.

let us never speak of it again

This morning, Linus asked me about the outcome of yesterday's big game: Who won the game, the Giants or the Pedestrians?

sunny

well, there's bound to be some splashback

Mama: What's wrong, Linus?
Linus, exasperated: My juice box keeps backfiring on me!

culinary arts

Gwennie, immediately after waking: What's for breakfast?
Daddy: Cheerios or Rice Chex.
G: Hmm . . . how about ice cream?
D: No -- but nice try.
G: [little smile].

embattled

Casper: Why can't we watch Star Wars 1 and 2?
Linus: Because they're in the Restricted Section in [Daddy's] Library.

Casper, looking at a picture of himself and Linus: Look, Linus -- it's you and me. Aren't we cuties?

what a babe!

object of affection

four monthday

Greta at four months: what a charmer.

(Jen here). Four months is my all time favorite age and life does not get any better than baby Margaret at four months! Though she hasn't established a good sleep routine yet (She's a terrible napper, but she's great at night, always giving me at least one 6-hour stretch, so I shouldn't even be complaining...), she's easy to put down for bed or naps and always exceptionally cheerful when she wakes up. She is so smiley these days and laughs when being kissed or tickled (and occasionally, she will laugh at the antics of her siblings, which they think is the greatest). She is getting good at grabbing toys and passing them from hand to hand. She's a good nurser and toped the scales at 14 pounds when we went in for her check-up. She's rolled over a few times, but isn't a pro yet. It goes without saying that we are all madly in love with her.

quartet

Mr. Tact

Casper: Mama, you almost look like you're not pregnant anymore!

C, being handed a shirt with a "9" on the front: This shirt has a "6" on it!
Mama: Actually, bud, that's a "9."
Casper: Yeah . . . sixes are pretty complicated.

C: My blood sugar's low. It's all the way down to my fingernails.

duo

These two remain the best of friends. Linus is forever asking to hold his baby sister, and she gets nearly as excited to see him as she does her Mama. (I'm not sure I'm even in the running.) I can't wait to see their interactions as she grows older.