Mad Crazy Times

Fans, here we are at the day's kick off. We give you this uncensored shot so you can get the full flavor of what days right now tend to be like: Clara, rocking the mad crazy 'do and just lovin' life; Joe, listening to about 25% of what is said to him; and Julie (as herself, and proxy for Ted), bravely smiling, but looking--let's call it like it is--a little tired, and maybe in need of a shower, if only because it occurs in the one room of the house where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy (read: the door can be shut with good reason).

The challenge we have been having is this: Clara will do something goofy, Joe--who knows better--will nevertheless follow suit and show her how to step it up a notch--and then Clara will step it up a notch. One can attempt to discipline Joe, and one has to go big or go home, because Clara will keep doing whatever it is she'd begun and Joe had continued, and Joe will just pick it right back up again.

On the one hand, it's great to see them get on so. Clearly, they are already a gang, and they are already laughing at us (and this last, in some ways, is wonderful). On the other hand, they scream. A lot. Their favorite thing to do right now is chase each other, screaming. Especially after dinner on through bath, right up until they are both in their pajamas. By the time it's over, Julie and Ted don't want to chase each other, but they do want to scream.

So tomorrow we are going to do the whole lay-down-the-law-consequences thing so don't turn that dial, Fans, because this promises to be some choice programming.

(The other thing to say about this picture is this: in it, Julie is reading We're Going On A Bear Hunt for about the twelfth time in two days. Joe is suddenly nuts for it. He overheard Julie reading it to Clara, and now, he cannot get enough of it.)