Playing with Friends

Liv has this terrific cardboard cottage and we invited a couple friends over to help decorate with water colors, chalk, or crayons.

The most fun! Three little 2 year olds and every one of them with a baby sister. (well, Klaudia's will be here soon.)

decorating. It's an ongoing process. :)

Playing at the park earlier today.

oh, and this next guy isn't a friend.

He came to visit as a very UNwelcome guest.

Over 4' long, and 12 years old, this diamondback rattlesnake was in MY backyard. Not cool. I was home alone with the babies, and in a near panic with the thought of this guy prowling around. One has to destroy them like zombies: beheading is really the only way. But you really only get one shot at something like that, and you risk really ticking them offf by coming after them with a shovel - anyway, I stalked it with one of the landscapers shovels in hand as it slithered around the patio - but couldn't quite commit to the attack.  Instead, I trapped it under a cardboard box, weighted the box, and called the landscapers to please come back and kill it for me. I felt like such a coward, until I saw what it actually took to kill the snake. I'm pretty sure I couldn't have done it by myself - and was left wondering if I was a fool for even considering it.  

At one point Liv and I watched it (from INSIDE) and I was able to teach her to recognize it and that she needs to "run away and tell mommy" if she ever sees one. We are all on high alert! How scary!!!

Yard Work

For now, it's someone else doing the work!

We're finally making real progress on the landscaping. The guys have been "planting" boulders today; we'll have a lovely dry creek bed here, and a soft green lawn in the back. I'm so excited! 

Play Date

Liv and her friend, K, got together to play today

(and Mom had a lovely visit and some adult conversation!)

a fabulous snack. mmm, mmm, mmm!

negotiating terms of play (taking turns)

silly, silly little girls!

Toddler Days

Liv is embracing all things toddler -

...except for being the world's fussiest eater, as some toddlers can be. Liv is actually pretty good about trying new things, she doesn't freak out if her food "touches," or eat nothing but french fries for a week. She of course has her favorites (and meatballs are def. on the list!).  

But I get this face with some frequency:

...and she pouts, and giggles, and jumps, and runs, and imagines climbing a ladder to paint the clouds pink at sunset, or to go visit the cresent moon. "It's right there. It's all alone. I'll climb up there and sit." ... from a recent bedtime conversation that utterly melted my heart.

and every once in a while, if I'm lucky, she wears herself right out:

Camila Luna at 3 Months

Nearly three months old, and so much more engaged with her world,

Luna brings a great deal of joy to my days.

She rolled over for the first time today. I thought it was perhaps a fluke, but she repeated the stunt two more times - and with witnesses. :)

This beautiful sweater is a lovely gift, handmade by Mrs. O. Thank you so much!

No, I don't always dress her in this much pink - even if she does look pretty cute in it!

Ring Around the Rosie

This isn't Liv's best version, but the best I have on video.

She also does a very cute "itsy bitsy spider"!

I'll try to capture that to share with you.

We have not fallen off the face of the earth

So I've gotten a few comments... we're still here. All is well. I just haven't been taking pictures - sorry!

Here's Liv working on what she calls her "(s)ticker project"

is that a hint of the "mayberry tongue"?  :)

Little Luna is starting to reach and grasp and play with toys.

Liv was such an incredibly "mellow" baby; I'm still surprised by how fast Luna is to laugh or cry.

It's fun to watch this relationship develop.

love to all.