Toads-in-the-Hole

As all in Toadsland might be quick to guess, Marmee, D, and Erin are vacationing with us and have brought with them scads of smiles, plenty of that can-do spirit (e.g., our garden is weeded, the lawn is mowed, and the screen doors fixed), determination to puzzle through our newly acquired Nintendo DS games, and lots of snuggles for the wee ones. Still they're technically on vacation, so we're trying to spice up all the housework and parenting with little day trips, good food, good booze, and hearty laughs. Today, for example, after a tranquil sojourn to Amana for the express purpose of buying some homemade jam and old-fashioned saltwater taffy, everyone is presently tucked into a pretty serious game of Yahtzee. Last night, we stayed up too late after a decadent birthday supper for Big D laughing hysterically at Joel's cool find of the day (It's a good thing our second year resident is finding time to help the helpless at work).

But we always love it when people come from far and wide to visit, there's something about these guys that makes everyone's face light up.

I am positively, absolutely thankful that the Grands are here this week, especially to weather the storm of Adelaide's First Swimming Lessons. On Monday things started out serendipitously enough when we met one of Adelaide's schoolmates, Helenipa, at the pool, signed up for the same swimming lessons as Adelaide!

Just minutes after that happy photo was snapped, Adelaide realized that she was to go into the pool alone. Despite the presence of her friend, Adelaide seemed so upset that not a single one of her familial supporters was going to join her in the water. Her nerve was tested all week long as she was overwhelmed by her sudden singularness, but eventually the fun of bobbing up and down, leaping from the side, and blowing bubbles won her over. We're still working on that whole dunking-under idea.

Posted by Aimee at 9:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Men seldom make passes
at girls who wear glasses.

Unless you're Big D and Adelaide ...

Happy Birthday, D!

Posted by Aimee at 8:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

How is it at our house? This is how it sometimes is, lately.

Aimee: [Sitting on the couch, calling upstairs] Joel? Can you help me?

Joel: [In the bathroom, calling downstairs] Adelaide's painting my toes, what do you need?

Aimee: I'm nursing Henry and I can't reach my book.

Adelaide: [Also in the bathroom, calling downstairs] I'm giving papa's toes some Cinderella paint!

Aimee: Can you just hand me my book?

Joel: Could you just take a moment to savor the special connection you're sharing with Henry, a bond the likes of which I'll never be able to experience?

Aimee: [pause] Well, I'll just pick at his head.

Posted by Joel at 9:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

We love our library. Today our author-in-residence, Jack Gantos of Rotten Ralph fame, hosted a special storytime for the preschool set. After Mr. Gantos read to us from Not So Rotten Ralph, the real Rotten Ralph stopped by to shake hands, give hugs and high fives, and encouraged the kids to read. When the big red cat entered the room, Adelaide jumped up and did a labrador-like whole body wave in greeting. When it came time to actually shake hands a little later, Adelaide was a bit shy, but we had a great time anyway!

Posted by Aimee at 4:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Yesterday, Henry had his two-month check-up, and I am proud to announce that he finally passed his hearing test!

When Henry was born, we snuck out of the hospital without getting the requisite hearing screen from the audiology staff and have been paying the karmic price ever since. I have lugged Henry up to the Otolaryngology offices to sit and wait for our turn in the soundproof room no less than four times in his short little life. Henry had always passed in his right ear, but his left always refused to play along and assure us of his ability to hear. I had no suspicions that his hearing was in anyway defunct, especially with his latest sensitivity to slamming doors and noisy Adelaides, but still, we needed a pass for the record-book. Yesterday, the audiologist - who didn't speak above a whisper in my presence, but jokingly said that she spent most of her day shouting - wanted to try a new screening method, and so attached all kinds of electrodes to Henry's head and gently placed cute baby-sized earphones over his ears. After some minor technical difficulties with the fancy equipment, Henry lay there and almost immediately passed his test while the audiologist and I discussed the wolf at the hospital's door in hushed tones.

In other news, Henry weighed in at 10 pounds, 9 ounces, stretched out at 23 inches, and if you're thinking of buying him a hat, make sure it's at least 40 inches in diameter.

Posted by Aimee at 9:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

When you're a kid, summertime is a grand old season of raspberry lemonade, barefeet, sandy hairdos, ice cream sandwiches, farmer's market cucumbers, sun-kissed cheeks, summer reading lists, brilliant thunder-and-lightening storms, bat sightings, late bedtimes, and afternoon picnics.

As Adelaide said just yesterday as we were breezing toward Downtown and the public library in car, windows agape inviting in the bugs and sunshined-warmed air, "Outside is everywhere."

Adelaide spins at City Park's outdoor Old Time Amusement Park. Of racing horses, pouncing tigers, and prancing bears, Adelaide chose the humble burro for her carousel ride.

A little Hawkeye-colored train gave Adelaide and I a fun tour of City Park's lower parkland. Chuga-chuga-chuga-woo-woo!

Ah, the deafening sounds of the splash pad and the comfort of the car seat ... Henry just chillin' poolside in Coralville.

Adelaide is caught running from one adventure to the next at the Aquatic Center. Swimming lessons for this small fry start soon!

Posted by Aimee at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)