Mud Pies

A little tropical depression that later turned into Hurricane Kyle kept us inside most of the weekend. The rain came down in buckets and the wind was worse than that actual hurricane that blew through the area a few weeks ago. I'm convinced the term "cooped up" was coined by somebody with a toddler in the house. As soon as we had a momentary break in the weather we were all racing outside - mud boots on - to play in the puddles. Sunday we went berry bogging at the Westmoreland Berry Farm . I was amazed by how gentle Sawyer was picking the ripe raspberries, although he wasn't much into eating them. Add 'Seeded Berries' to the list of things this picky toddler refuses to eat.

A little skeleton

It's time to let a certain skeleton out of the closet. While other toddlers are watching the Backyardigans, Dora and whatever the heck else is on the Disney Channel at 10 am, Sawyer is obsessed with musicals. One musical in particular: Hairspray. During a weekend at Mimi and Pop Pop's house when Arden was born, Sawyer was looking for something to watch among a dirth of options - the Horatio Hornblower boxset, some history channel specials. So, they put in Hairspray, the movie where John Travolta plays an overweight woman. Sawyer was transfixed. He would stand in front of the TV, shake his little booty and watch the thing from beginning to end. My parents often talked about his love for this movie in the months that followed, and I eventually had to watch it myself. While there's nothing outright unacceptable about the movie, the 60s-era racial tension at the plot's surface seemed a little inappropriate for a two-year-old. I suggested that if he likes musicals so much, perhaps we should try something more classic.

My mom took this mission to heart and started ordering them all: Annie, Oliver, Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, The Music Man and Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang. (She ordered Grease too, but I've 'top-shelved' that one due to all the smoking and drinking.) The absolute winner with Sawyer and the rest of Pierce-ville is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. It starts off with an exciting car crash and delivers with cute kids and catchy tunes the rest of the way through and, like any good Disney musical, it stars Dick Van Dyke. We've watched it no less than 50 times, and I never get sick of it. (I can't say the same for Pixar's CARS). What's not to love about a movie that uses the word "uncategorical" and has a floating/flying car that travels to an imaginary country called "Vulgaria" where children are outlawed? And how COULD anyone forget Truly Scrumptious?

Not every musical is a winner, at least not int the toddler category. Oliver is rather dark (wouldn't recommend it) and Sound of Music, as much as I love it, is pretty slow if you're 2-years-old. Mary Poppins and Annie are enjoyable but haven't hit the top of the charts yet in Pierce-ville. (Sawyer can say "Annie," which I find incredibly cute). We don't have TV, so movies are our sole source of hands-free entertainment. I am a bit leery of how this watching the same movie over and over will scar him down the road, especially when I see a scene like this:

Mud - good. Rocks - good. Bike - good. Beads around the neck - highly suspect.

Oh dear, don't let your pretty necklaces dangle in the mud!

Return of the Blogger

Sorry it's been so long folks - I can't even get into what all has been going on here - at least not yet, although I do promise a full update this week. Let's just say that my mind's been elsewhere - and NO, I'm not pregnant, just in case THAT thought crossed your mind. Scott and I have a goalie on a 5-year-contract to any possibility of THAT.

Last week signaled the end of our supplement season and a major lightening of my work load. We had a wonderful family weekend and I spent some time catching up on my blogging and taking lots of photos, so check back for updates every day this week!

Metamorphosis

Found this time lapse video of a black swallowtail turning into a chrysalis - starts out slow then BAM! What a finale. And to think that all this occurred in my kitchen while we slept.

Tribute

Because I'm a little bit weepy today:



This commercial ran as a tribute to 911 for one day only. Promise to have an uplifting post next time.

Now I lay me down to sleep

Sawyer and I have recently started saying a little bedtime prayer. It's a nice way to sum up the day and transition from fun books to get into your bed and go to sleep. But I've been feeling awkward about the only bedtime prayer a know. It seems so GRIM.

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
And if I die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

I was looking for something a little more uplifting when I came across this website and the Today show segment posted below.
It's one of those things that I found simultaneously horrifying and fascinating, and it made me stop to appreciate just how blessed I am to have two healthy, beautiful babies. Just a warning - the link and video are very sad. But, I was so moved, I had to share.

By the way - I did find a version of the prayer that I like better:

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
Guide me through the starry night,
Wake me when the sun shines bright.

Shelter From the Storm

Arden sleeps soundly in her daddy's arms Saturday.

Oh Hanna!

All's well. As far as these things go it was benign. No trees down. No flooding. I've seen worse thunderstorms to be honest. Thing is, we were all prepared for this one. It's the one's that you don't see coming that really pack a wallop. Holding my breath for those people in the way of Ike.

Because you may not know my brother

Ross and Niki are only 4 weeks into the parenthood experience and they've already posted one of the funniest blog entries I've ever read. Read it here.

Oh Hanna!

If you follow that black line through Va - where it goes off the white land and meets the blue Chesapeake Bay - That's my house. Wish me luck!!

1:30

That is how long this video is - 1 minute 30 seconds. Even with the big build-up by Scott, this video is in the running for the DULLEST baby video EVER. Aren't you just dying to watch it now?



Funny, looking back (that was about two months ago, it was the best eating Arden has ever done. Now we have to open her mouth with a crow bar to get the baby food in and it still comes back out like that, or she sticks her fingers in after it. Really I just like this video cause I think my baby is friggin beautiful.

Happy 8 Months Arden!!

Thank you for playing

This entire video is worth it for the last line.



Did you note that Arden is sporting a softer, more feminine version of the Mohawk? It's so fuzzy that people just want to touch it when they walk by. I was looking back to photos and videos from last winter and I can't believe how much Sawyer's hair has grown in recently.

While we are there

Video week continues at Pierceville:
While we are beaching it, here's a little short bit of Justin skim boarding.

Surf's up!

Today I am going to take you back to the beach - which is where you would rather be anyway after a holiday weekend. As you may recall, Sawyer was absolutely terrified of the water and sand for the entire week we were on vacation. On the last day, he wandered into the surf and then . . . .



Scott is a grew up surfing in California, so he was possibly the happiest dad in America at this moment.

Singalong

Guess What? It's your lucky week. This is VIDEO WEEK at Pierce•ville. I've been busy this weekend pulling half-a-year's worth of videos off the recorder and so check back every day for something new and exciting. To warm you up, here is a lovely bit with a diaper clad Sawyer singing along to Bob the Builder. We don't have TV - which is a good thing - but we do watch videos and Bob is one of Sawyer's favs. Think he's seen it too many times? Check out how he knows what Bob is going to say at the very end of the video (when he's done jamming).



PS - WHY - WHY - WHY do kid songs have to be SO dang catchy? If I was ever deserted on a desert island I'd go mad with the soundtrack to Bob the Builder repeating over and over in my head.