Boot Chewing!

Ali's favorite toy is this neat, space-themed activity rattle that my mom bought when she sold Discovery Toys years ago. Ali LOVES this thing, and Riley knows to bring it to her, whenever possible. The toy goes in the swing, stroller and car.

But, Ali's second favorite thing?! No doubt, it's her feet. Here she rolling around, chomping on her leather boots. She started playing with her feet over a month ago and she still isn't tired of them!

Poor Sick Baby

Just in time for her "5-month-birthday", Alison gets really sick. She has had such a rough time and I think she broke some blood vessels around her eye, from the all-night-vomiting-marathons.

She still tries to be cheery and smile whenever possible. But you can just tell...

Carmel by the Snooge

So Riley has really been enjoying her mini-vacation, a weekend away with her buddy Charlie. We headed to the Monterey aquarium today and enjoyed seeing a sea of sardines, beautiful jelly fish and she and Charlie enjoyed playing in the kids' exhibits. We also sat and watched the sea otters swim, Ri relaxed and watched with rapt interest for over an hour.
All of this was exhausting, but Riley was absolutely charming through the action and was still having fun when we trekked down to the ocean in Carmel. Our timing was fortuitous to enjoy a small break from the unrelenting rain.

Choc-lifting

We took a quick trip to the Co-op and while I was taking a look at the chocolate selection, Riley picked out her own chocolate bar, a 70% chocolate orange bar. She preceded to open it and had eaten 2/3 of the the bar, by the time we reached the check out. (she was also chagrined to have her photo taken with the chocolate bar, feeling guilty maybe?)

Saturday Ramblings

Today was a gorgeous, warm and sunny, almost-spring day. It was also a day dominated by sad and ominous news. A college friend passed away and headlines loom about nuclear meltdowns in the wake of terrible tsunamis.

It's days like these when I'm feeling the weight of unanswerable questions: what will the world be like for my kids when they're my age? Is the environment going to cause terrible cancers for them in their lives? Will they make good choices and have the right people to surround them once I'm gone?!" (and the list goes on...)

Then Alison breaks the introspective tension by falling asleep after an evening bath, with the most adorable mohawk.

Three Happy Saturday Night Girls

The girls were all together on a Saturday night, and guess what? They were ALL in a good mood.

Riley obliged when I asked her to get in the photo with the "b'dahs" . I think it's so cute how the little cousins are doing similar things with their hands.

In the first pic, Ali looks like she's summoning me to pick her up, and in the second I think she's doing the "bus driver". Then predictably her hands and Hannah's go in the mouth.

Laughing at Grandma's Dog

So grandma found out that when her really tiny and extremely fluffy dog puts her head out the car window, the visual of the fur in the wind are really, very funny to a two-year-old. She was laughing even more, before I turned on my phone to video her delight.

Big Sister Soup!

When Alison was overdue, I was taking advantage of a luxury that was about to end: sleeping in. I rolled out of bed, late and groggy, on October 26 and found Riley and Matt in the bathroom. He was helping her spell words with the bath magnets in the tub. Matt had written "Big Sister Soon?" but Riley changed two letters and the message on the bath tiles was "Big Sister Soup".


Since then Riley has relished her role as "Big Sister Soup". Who wouldn't want their very own baby doll? A baby who can be rolled around, flopped into your arms and whose face and head you can mush, mold and smother with kisses and finger pokes.

Ahhh, the life of a little sister. It's not easy and it requires so much patience.

Ali, I'm hoping that one day she'll dispense great advice and be your best friend! Until then, we are trying to watch out for you, good luck baby girl!