Bumbo

Last night, while we were lounging outside before dinner, Julie decided to bring out the Bumbo seat for Clara and see if she was big enough for it. You can see no--she is still a little floppy for it, but she did like being able to see things like the colorful ball. Meanwhile, Joe was smitten with a new elephant that Julie bought him while out and about with Kendra and her daughter Courtney, and granddaughter Mia, on Thursday. (Joe's favorite book right now is My Elephant that he and Julie got at the library on the day he was out with pink eye; see the Library post of July 29). He also will gladly tell you that an elephant makes a "biiiiiiiiiig poop!" (which he learned in Everyone Poops). So each child was occupied with a new treasure. And Ted couldn't help taking advantage of that little round head perched just so!

Father Daughter Day

Every Saturday morning this summer, Julie has met up with Sara for a Joe and Graham play date (it's faux Little Gym/music classes!). Until this weekend, she had also taken Clara with her--partly because she loves to have Clara with her, and partly because Ted would use that time to mow the lawn or paint the windows. Now that the windows are done (thank the Lord) and Clara is starting to sort a morning nap, Ted was put in charge of the Baby Bird for the morning, as well as for a short time this afternoon when Julie ran out to the bookstore and Whole Foods. Ted and Bird's first activity of the morning was reading a book, which of course Raleigh wanted to listen to as well. Later they tried out the Exersaucer, which Clara seemed to like but was still too floppy to truly enjoy. The afternoon was spent napping on the bed because Joe was taking his nap and we didn't want to risk waking either child up. All in all, it was a nice day for father and daughter--cooing, smiles, and burping by both!

*Julie is told by her parents that she used to sleep as Clara does--on her tummy with her butt in the air!

Tour de Target

This evening, we took the family to Target. Last week, Ted revealed to Joe that at Target one could get a free cookie from the bakery so now Joe says "Go Target get coookie?!" The free cookie is acquired at the end of the trip and lasts through checkout. As an extra bonus at checkout this week, we found a pair of promotional sunglasses sitting in the corner of the cart. Our guess is they were a give away at the Tour de Tonka bike race today (classy sounding isn't it?). Joe had great fun putting on the sunglasses. Julie and Ted were reminded of Sanne's very cool yellow sunglasses and thought she would be proud of our boy. And yes, those are cookie crumbs on his mouth--calorie loading before his big race.

The Battle of the Blanket

Tonight, Joe yapped to himself for a good hour after we put him down, before falling asleep. When Julie went in as usual to pet each child on the head and say "I love you Joseph Trump Ekkers/Clara Jane Ekkers," we found that Joe had waged an especially arduous battle tonight. Tough to say who won: Boy or Blanket. The Bird, meanwhile, slept on in just the position she had fallen asleep in.

Svelte Joe

We had planned to go for a walk in the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden after Joe woke up from his nap, but we got so hot and sticky while we were out in the yard during his nap that we decided to save it for another day. Instead, we dragged out the water table and set the sprinkler to going. Now it's not your every two-year-old young man that pull off this look, but ours can, we think.