Of Pajama Walks and Alligators

Well, Fans, we made it out on a Pajama Walk.  It rained most of the weekend (or made like it was going to), but long about six o'clock, the sun came out and the air wrung itself out.  Julie returned from a bike ride to find Ted standing serenely beside a wailing Clara.  (It would seem Ted had guessed incorrectly how she wanted to take her medicine.  Or, she was having none of doing it his way.)  Once, when Clara and Joe were both being bearcats, Julie picked Clara up, marched her outside, and took her on a walk down the block.  So, she decided to do the same thing again, and Joe decided to come along--though, Fans, he had been weeding with Ted and was clearly worried about hurting Ted's feelings.  Joe said to Julie, "But I love Daddy."  Julie said "Well, sure, and he won't think you don't, going on a walk now with Mommy."  This seemed to settle it.

Once we were back, there was time for Julie to pretend to be an alligator and run snapping after the bambini.  The game stopped when Julie happened upon a caterpillar.  It was a well-timed piece of luck as the alligator was pretty tired, and it was time to head in and read some stories before bed.

It's all quiet now.  The bambini might actually already be asleep.

Bye!

So yes, yesterday evening was very exciting. . .the fashions, the Derby. . .and then, Ted and Julie announced that they were going out on a date which almost always means that one of Joe and Clara's idols, Sara or Emily, will be coming over.  AHHH!!!  The vibe Joe and Clara very much give off is don't-let-the-door-hit-you-on-the-way-out, but they can usually be counted on to watch us leave, wave and blow kisses. . or press a face up to the glass.

Ready (Or Not)

Birdie is a bit of a bearcat these days when her diaper or clothes are being changed, especially in the wake of bath time when she is tired from a full day of being Birdie.  What we've taken to doing when Birdie begins thrashing around and wailing or giggling, is to leave the room, telling her to let us know when she's ready.  This usually prompts her to get all serious for a moment and say, "I ready, I ready," before picking right back up where she'd left off.  (Clearly, we need a new strategy.)  We've not got that worked out yet, but last night, Julie told Clara that she (Julie) would let Clara know when she (again, Julie) was ready.  "So there!" Julie thought as she marched off to the kitchen to do the dishes.  A minute or two later she noticed Ted out of the corner of her eye, chuckling, and upon turning to look at him, noticed what he was laughing about: Birdie had dragged her changing pad from the bambini's room, down the hall, and into the kitchen, where she had flopped down, ready.  So there.

Birdie's Derby Duds

By the way, Clara was in this self-styled get-up for the Kentucky Derby.  (She elected not to top it with a fascinator or hat as would be traditional.)

When Grandma Connie was visiting, she and Julie went shopping for some summer clothes for the bambini and even though it seems like it has been raining here in Minnesota for forever, and will never stop, we keep the faith that the sun will reappear.  So, Julie spent some time this weekend going through Joe and Clara's clothes and getting rid of things that were for the wrong season, or too small, or stained, or stretched out of shape, or the victims of other forms of toddler and preschooler abuse, and then put away the things Grandma Connie had gotten for the bambini.  This whole process meant that for much of Sunday, there were various piles of clothes about the dining room table and the bambini's room.  Here we pause to note that both Joe and Clara are, apparently, mad for a bathing costume, if you will.  If there is a rash guard within arms reach, both of them will be whipping whatever shirt they are currently in, off, to don the rash guard.  Even better than Pajama Day at school for Joe is Beach Day.  It's only happened once, but oh boy.  What.  A.  Day.  Clara spied this set at some point and, not only was there a rash guard, there was also something that looked suspiciously like underwear!  Whee!!!!!

This Just In | Kentucky Derby

Ted has turned on the TV in the run up to the running of the Kentucky Derby.  When it went to commercial, Clara asked where the puppies go.