Memorial Day Weekend

Della has been watching Little Mermaid, which she calls Mermaid Daddy because she thinks it’s a movie about King Triton. The plot is basically, “Mermaid Daddy is mad.” And then what? “Shark!” 

We were looking at pictures of King Triton on Ebay and she started singing, “God our Father, God our Father…”

We only let her watch it once a day.

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Pool’s open. We went Sunday. More cousin action. Some fighting over a fairy, kicking on mermaid kick boards, falling in the skimmer, pretend leaf blowing, snacking, shivering, etc., etc.

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Camped in the backyard Saturday night. We set up all the tents.

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If you hear Della talking about her “friends,” she’s probably referring to these animals: A-roo, Duckie, Hello Kitty, Zebra, Bunny, and Elmo, in that order.  If you’re carrying Della to or from her crib, you’re also carrying these six. 

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We fed George pureed mac and cheese and peas and bacon. He ate so much he slept through the night and wasn’t hungry the next morning. So it’s obviously a good meal for babies.

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Della calls our neighbors Rob and Laura “Robin and Lola.” She is always trying to get us to go say hi to Robin, who plays the horn and who I think she confuses with the bird robin, which she is learning about at school. We stopped by Robin and Lola’s yesterday and Della fed the fish and peed on a rock.

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We’re eating out a lot. I mean outside, not going anywhere. That’s part of our potty training program. Steve said today he was proud that there hadn’t been any poop accidents. I said what about the deck, the bathroom floor, the swing set, the plastic pool, and my flip-flop. He said he meant carpet and upholstery. I said that’s true. 

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Annie Birthday

Annie turned 3 years old, and Della learned about how birthdays aren’t always her own. My pictures of the event are limited to mostly the ball pit because soon after Della asked to be taken inside so she wouldn’t have to witness the tragedy of so many presents going to somebody not her.

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The balls were only one layer deep, but the kids didn’t seem to notice.

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Here is Della hanging out in a plastic car, not even having any fun, just trying to gain squatters rights.

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I have this feeling that George and Annie are going to have a special thing.

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Happy birthday, Annie! Thanks for being such a sweet and powerful girl.

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Soon Now Paul

Paul was here, for sure. Get ready for a lot of pitchers.

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We went to Huntley Meadows. Della ate a pear on a fork.

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We saw a ‘nake (snake), a muskrat, a turtle, and some Canada Geese (not Canadian). We heard a lot of frogs, and Della found a girl to copy. She also wore herself out running away from Paul and me.

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Later that same day, we went to the legendary Clemyjontri, a playground so fun it ought to be unhealthy. But it isn’t.

Daddy! He was in Los Gatos for the wedding of this man (who seven years ago married the two of us). I heard from Steve that one of the guests bit her boyfriend and had to go jail. All weddings are bittersweet.

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Back in Northern Virginia, there was a lot of hanging out and skill-building.

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Synchronized drinking!

DSC_0281Paul and I had some opportunities after kid bedtimes to talk about grown-up things like his adventurous, scientist girlfriend and home renovations. Paul has been cleaning out Bappa Lou’s house and moving in. Among many, many other equally fascinating and disturbing things, Paul found this in Bappa’s garage. 

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On Saturday we went to Ikea. We were there from 5 to 7 p.m. and it was crazy. 

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There was a lot of running away/screaming/crying/lying face down on the floor/watching Frozen on a display couch. 

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In the end, George got a high chair.

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The next day we behaved more sensibly and did things like bike riding, pool playing, and picnic blanketing. 

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That same day – oh it was Mother’s Day! – we went to Conn and Linda’s for London broil on the deck and ice cream on the couch.

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Cousin picnic: Hot dogs and goldfish. Blueberries. San Pellegrino Aranciata. Internet.

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Already Paul is gone, and already Della is saying, “Paul coming soon.” I tell her no, not soon. “Soon,” she says, affirmatively. So kind of like the Easter Bunny.

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Fifths and Six

Della caught Fifths Disease! George turned six months!

By all accounts, George is turning into a nice baby with a big head (99%), a stout body (96%), and a long length (91%). He is rolling and creeping and can sit for a few seconds on his own. He hums and makes dinosaur noises. When he’s grumpy, it’s not that he’s in a bad mood, it’s that you’re not looking deep into his soul and talking to him. If you do that he stops being grumpy usually. He doesn’t like to be alone or go to bed.

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Some serious portraits in honor of six months on the outside.

DSC_0052 DSC_0089The way he is:

Della, meanwhile, has been sick all week. Fifths Disease. It’s not serious! And it’s over now except that she is extremely mean and ungrateful. Here she is on her sick days sleeping in the stroller near the duck pond with Ama and eating chicken McNuggets at McDonald’s with Steve.

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We look forward to getting along with you soon!

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