Erika and fashion

Erika has so much clothing it's crazy. Most all of it from gifts or the second hand store. Here, accessorized with a purse, Erika shows how to look good on a budget.

Blackberry fun

Today was also a good day to pick blackberries. Erika and I picked a rather large bowl during the twin's afternoon nap and we all had a blackberry snack after everyone woke up. Unfortunately, Catie and Miranda decided that the kitchen floor was a good place to express their berry crushing skills. So Mommy had them "help" clean up. The expressions were too cute that I wound up laughing and taking pictures.

Here is a wide angle of the berry stains and the girls with wet paper towels. Before this, they were imitating me and wiping the floor. However, Catie decided that the towel works better in her mouth and Miranda is distracted by something.



Catie still likes the towel in her mouth while Miranda exudes cuteness.



I dare you not to laugh at these next expressions. Just try not to crack a smile.
Catie has her tongue out and Miranda has the inscrutable expression.

Swinging

It was a beautiful summer day today and we enjoyed it by playing in the backyard. All three girls wanted to swing, but we have only one baby swing. I thought I would put one twin in that and swing with the other one on my lap. Well, Miranda wasn't having any of it. She insisted on swinging just like her big sister. When I tried to hold her in my lap, she cried and pointed to Erika. So here is Miranda's first day of swining like a big girl.



Miranda also copies Erika by going without clothes a lot.



Erika coached Miranda on swinging technique including how to pump legs and hang on. Here she demonstrates the correct technique.



Catie was happy to swing in the red chair. She pointed at a number of things including airplanes, and said wheeee. She also fell asleep in the swing. Naps are always better in the swing.

Helpful babies

15 months and they do not yet walk.
Yet, this is no impediment to their main activities which are mostly taking stuff out of containers/shelves etc.



And eating things found in the sofa.

Sprokets

And now ve dance . . . When the weather is too hot or rainy for the evening walk, we crank up the computer and dance. The current favorite is the Infected Mushroom channel on Pandora.

Erika shows Miranda how to dance on top of the bench. Miranda is not so sure about all of this.



Miranda starts to feel the beat as Catie enjoys the techno sounds.

Miranda finally smiles when she dances in Mommy's arms.

Finally, Erika and Catie show us all how it's done.

No monkeys were harmed in the making of this post.

August afternoons

Record for heat

I'm softening a bit on my hypothesis that the Northwest is temperate.
Our backyard themometer records an all-time low of 13.3F from the winter storm, and now the high of 110.3F
It has never been over 100F in Seattle, I guess. Ever. Until now. Unlike most of our neighbors, we had whole house A/C installed when we moved in. Note that we had just arrived from Texas and were scandalized that even new homes do not have A/C. People here say it's not worth it. Maybe they are right, but I'm 99% sure I would have lost the money in the stock market anyway, so I'm cool with it.

More Fun and Games

Erika lined up all of her stuffed animals on the stairs for an imaginary ride on a merry-go-round.


We also got a new couch delivered. Here Erika impatiently waits for the boxes to be unloaded so she can start playing in them.


Catie in the green, and Miranda in the white show their approval of the new couch by crawling and dancing to some of Mommy's 80s hits. In this case, "We've got the Beat"

Artistic expressions

Miranda shows off her Jackson Pollack phase



Catie shares a laugh with her favorite muse, DragonBoy.


And Erika dances in her ballet recital costume.

It's hot

While the rest of the country is having colder and wetter weather, we have been having a hot summer. How hot is it? It's been so hot that the pre-teens next door are offering to babysit to be in the AC. (Ahh AC, what a great thing to add to the house) Today it reached over 100 degrees. So here are some pictures of us trying to keep cool.


A big thanks to Aunt Kmi for the sprinkler ball. All three girls enjoy it.


Catie likes to catch the water in the air with her mouth.


Miranda just loves to shimmy and shake in the water.


And big sister Erika loves to dance around and collect the water in a bucket. The bucket is then dumped on various plants or her sisters.

Please send our rain back to us. We are just not used to this.

Miranda finds the sugar

Erika's new "doll"

Erika has long been fascinated with toys which show internal organs.
Finally, she talked us into this guy who has squishy stuff inside. You have to assemble him with toy forcepts if you want.
It's too advanced for her because it's hard to get stuff to fit, so we have to help.

I like the fact that she is interested in something that is not princess-based, but I find it rather much to demand an autopsy be performed before breakfast. Here she is holding up the lungs.

Tea Party and grandma Gladdy's visit.

Erika and Jackie attended a proper tea party. The girls learned etiquette, and crowns/tiaras were allowed.


grandma Gladdy came to visit!

June whatnot

Well, it's been a while since we have posted. Unfortunately it is not due to any fun things like family visits or dance classes. No, Catie and Miranda are in the throes of separation anxiety, crawling and cruising, and switching to one nap a day. Let's just say Jackie will be very happy when this phase has passed.


Catie plans her sleep protest while smiling.


Miranda is excited about the sleep protest and her newfound cruising abilities.



Here Catie, Miranda, and Erika show off their new bumble-bee PJs, courtesy of Grahms and Gramps. Erika found the same set in her size and wanted to look like the twins, so we bought them. Jackie hopes that all the PJs will inspire more sleep for the 4 and under set. (Erika and Catie are in the yellow tops)

First Ballet Recital

Erika is on the right. The far right.

She and her pals were flowers. Erika had no interest in clumping with the other flowers and did a surprisingly good job given the chaos of the situation.

The Fairy Strikes Again.

Catie suspects something.

First Birthday: Part 2

Now that Grandma Kathy and Grandpa Keith have arrived, we can complete the birthday event.

Catie was very serious this whole weekend.

She's saving her enthusiasm for the candle.

Miranda knows exactly what to do with the cake. I think she is starting to tell jokes actually. The centerpiece being that things on one's head are funny.