I a Pwincess!

I have been way into princesses lately.  It makes sense, since I am a princess!  I just can't fathom going anywhere without a tutu, crown and beads.  I especially love wearing princess shoes whenever I can borrow them from my mom.  Can you believe it, there are days Mom chooses to NOT wear her princess shoes!

So sometimes I wear them for her:

Fluffy crown, Mardi Gras beads, Tutu outfit, and Mom's shoes

I managed to wear a tutu every day last week.  Even to school!  My mom just made sure I had shorts on underneath.  So obviously, I made a point of wearing my best tutu and crown to play soccer with my dad on Saturday!

Fluffy crown, Panda sweater, Nightgown, Tutu,
Disney Princess sneakers a size too large, and soccer ball

Last night, I changed out of my jeans and t-shirt to slip into something a little more becoming of my station.  A party dress, obviously.  What you can't see in this picture is that I have an extra tutu on under the dress, as well as Mom's princess shoes.  I was really cry-ey when I had to take my dress off to go to bed.  I shouted, "How can I be a princess without my pretty dress on?"  Mom and Dad tried to assure me that I am a princess even in my jammies, but I remain skeptical.

Sparkly crown, Mardi Gras beads, Party dress, Tutu, and Mom's shoes

I love being a princess, don't you?  I just need to convince Mom and Dad to let me sleep in my tutus (and crown and beads) at night!  Jammies are for commoners.

Rolling!

Gavin is so proud of himself!

Much as Laura was at the same age, two and a half years ago!

Take Us Out to the Ballgame

Laura has been to a few baseball games, but yesterday afternoon was my first!  Mommy and Daddy (following a great weekend celebrating at Mandy and Reid's wedding) took Laura, Grandma, Grandpa and me to the Orioles game!  It was perfect weather for a little guy like me to be out and about - nice and sunny, but not very hot. 

Laura was very excited to see her favorite part again - the escalator!  She loved riding up the escalator all by herself (with a little hand from Daddy getting on and off).  My favorite part was... everything except the noisy cheering early in the game.  After the Orioles started to lose, the crowd died down a bit and I enjoyed the game a lot more.  The cheering early on was a little scary for me!  But you wouldn't know it from this picture:

I am just one happy dude, so pleased to have been included in this excursion.  Let's go O's!

And just for the record, here's a few pictures from Mommy and Daddy's weekend in CT:



Laura: August Recap



I wasn't the best at noting all the adorable things Laura said and did this month.  I swear, I need to install a webcam for the backseat of the car to just record everything she says back there.  When Laura is in the car, she doesn't stop talking for a minute. 

Laura's most discussed point in the car during August (and September so far) has been poor road quality.  She doesn't like how she gets bumped in her seat.  I told her that the roads are bad, because they were made cheaply, so now she is focused on spending "The Monies" from her piggy bank to fix them. During one really long diatribe, Laura expounded on how bad the roads were, then discussed how she would fix them, then offered up the monies, and finished with "that's my idea!"  Politician in the making?  

Laura also:

talked about waterpillars this month,

told me "I very nice at sharing"

announced "I wanna be a bannerina!" (ballerina)

and sang many rounds of "Pocket and a rosie, rosie, rosie!"  (which is continued with "asses, asses, we all fall down!")

My Little Reader

I distinctly remember sitting on the love seat in our house in Florida.  The pastel blue and pink plaid one.  The one where Bear was lost under a cushion for three whole weeks – an eternity.

I remember sitting on that couch on my dad’s lap reading my favorite story for the bazillionth time.  Ferdinand.  I remember turning the pages to my favorite illustration: the one with the lovely ladies with flowers in their hair.  I remember reciting memorized passages.  And suddenly!  A word on a page.  No longer individual letters, stark and black on a white paper.  But a drawn word.  A picture I could read. 

F-E-R-D-I-N-A-N-D

And now I sit on a recliner sofa in our house in Maryland.  The green leather one.  The one that Ries started to eat as a puppy seven whole years ago – an eternity.

I sit on that couch with Laura on my lap reading her favorite story for the bazillionth time.  Ferdinand.  She turns the pages to her favorite illustrations: the one with the men in funny hats, and the one with Ferdinand peeking out into the bull ring.  Laura recites memorized passages.  And suddenly!  A word on a page.  No longer individual letters, stark and black on a white paper.  But a drawn word.  A picture she can read.

F-E-R-D-I-N-A-N-D

In my two and a half years as a mother, I am not sure I have ever been so proud of Laura as I was last night when she found every "Ferdinand" in her favorite book.  Pride in part because my daughter is one smart cookie.  But mostly pride in her love of books and ready.  I hope Laura’s love only grows throughout her life.