Two month shots.

Really tire you out.

Official stats: 15 pounds, 2 ounces. 25 inches.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. What did you do this Memorial Day weekend? Alla and I planted our garden, or most of it. And, er, she didn't do so much planting as digging for beetles and worms. There is a bit of space left that I think will be taken up by either peas if we get seeds, or edamame, if we could find a place to order it online but in quantities of less than 1300 seeds, or a zucchini plant from a neighbor. Last year I thought zucchini would be great (zucchini bread!) and then I got pregnant and that sounded filthy, so this year I might be back on the zucchini. We will see.

2. A few of the wormy friends that she just carried around for like half an hour, showing them the garden and 'the whole world,' as she says.
3. Our wonderful neighbor Renee turned 50, and since she loves flamingos, she woke up to a sea of fifty flamingos in her front yard on birthday morning. I thought that was the sweetest.

4. This is the real picture of Ron's birthday cake. He suggested that she might love it even more than he does. I mean, she licks her plate. Literally.

5. I believe there was a birthday three years ago where he held a three-week-old Alla in his arms like this. Gotta find that shot...6. Ah, yes. Here it is. And there is Megan with her famous chocolate cake! 7. Speaking of Megan, have I mentioned that she (and the whole family!!!) is coming to visit on Sunday!?!! Next Ten on Tuesday might have to be a Stahr-Killins Super Ten. Those kiddos are going to have so.much.fun.

8. I was reading in one of my magazines this weekend about unofficial signs of summer. I think this might be it for our family: Mama gets out the shoe basket. We have strict no-shoes-in-the-house rules here, which is pretty obvious for half the year when the weather outside is clearly not what you'd want on your floors inside. But it gets tricky in the warmer months when we're going out front door back door garage door and your shoes aren't always right there. So hopefully with a closet at the front and this basket at the back, everyone can stow one pair of flip flops in each and we'll be mud-free on the inside.
9. I rearranged some of Alla's toys. You know, just moved things around to provide new interest. I put this table up by the front window with a 'jelly jar' (what she calls it) full of colored pencils and a new sketch book on top, thinking she'll sit right down and be so inspired by the view of her tree that she'll just start drawing it. Ha! Within half an hour of her endless thanks for putting her table there, the 'jelly jar,' which is actually just an empty cannister from Trader Joe's chai, became a home for her baby ocean animals. She's all about the containers for things. Better just start getting her neat little containers for her collections.
10. Fisher's two month appointment is today. Stay tuned for a height and weight update.

Ten on Tuesday: the almost-Thursday edition.

1. This little guy turned two months old on Monday. Seriously.
2. Alla has been a complete dear lately. Ok, I mean, I guess I shouldn't go overboard or anything, I mean she gets out of bed like three times before actually going to sleep, and then often once at night gets up for a hug. But she's been Mama's super helper during the day, and that's made the days so nice.
3. She loves this bubble maker:)
4. Great outside fun.

5. The poor kid. I don't have any two month stats for him. His appointment got rescheduled for next Tuesday. So missing Bright Beginnings, for those of you who know what I mean. Walking a mile with baby in stroller just to get weighed on.the.exact.anniversary.of.birth. Ah, well. You're heavy, Fish. I'll tell you that much.
6. See what this is here? Mm-hmmmm, that's the Ron Killins smirk on the little guy. Already.
7. Speaking of that smirk, Dada's got a birthday coming up tomorrow.

8. This was the day when she made up the "It's a beautiful day" song. And those are the only lyrics and it just repeat repeat repeats. And there's a dance to go with it, too. You are missing out.9. Another good song to sing is "Is This Love" by Bob Marley. I mentioned previously how Fisher is incredibly soothed by the reggae tunes, so it's in heavy rotation here, meaning Alla is learning the lyrics, or, rather, her version of them. So instead of is this love is this love is this love is this love that i'm feeling, we get oh this love is this love is this love is this love is a beaver. Yes you read that right. Sing it to yourself. I bet you cannot stop cracking up.

10. Been doing some much needed garage spring cleaning, and that means getting rid of like 6 years of Cooking Light. Seriously. Can one person even cook that many recipes in a lifetime? So I've been tearing out stuff I want to try or that I dog-eared ages ago, and we've tried half a dozen new recipes lately that have been big hits. Tonight, to go alongside our grilled chicken, we had this yummy risotto.

Happy Tuesday, er, Wednesay, er, pretty much Thursday all!

Last day of school.

We're both a little sad around here. For our separate reasons, Alla and I both *heart* Thursdays. But it seems this good thing must come to an end. That is, until preschool starts in the fall! I know one little boy who won't be sad about the end of the school year, though. No more waking him up to drag him there!

It is such a bummer that I had to snap this so fast that it's blurry. Ah well. This is how I catch him sleeping sometimes.

This is Kelli, Alla's main teacher, whom she adores along with Kathy, Jane, and Jill. Thank you all for being wonderful teachers and caretakers of my daughter all year.

There is a giant hill outside that door number five that is just a huge temptation everyday when the kids are released. Particularly fun on warm days and snowy days. We are usually just trying to get into the car, but today Fisher was fast asleep in the car waiting for us, so Alla got to take off running for the dandelions. What is it about that, well, weed, that the kids just love? She calls them sunflowers sometimes, and she brings them to me. We're trying to rid the yard of them, and she's bringing me handfuls to put in water. I love her. I'm so proud of you, Alla. Next year it's onto the big time: preschool!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. Ron's grandma passed away this weekend...here she is in a four generation picture from September of 2005. We wish she could have held her newest great grandson, but at least she got to spend some time with Alla.

2. Ron made me Mother's Day breakfast in bed. I hope he meant to start this tradition three years ago because it's WONDERFUL and I absolutely look forward to eating, drinking, and reading the paper in bed. I got at least 45 minutes of peace this year, which is amazing considering that we have a crazy toddler and a newborn:) I love you, babe.

3. Super excited about my new CD: She & Him, Volume One.

4. Super excited about my other new CD: Elizabeth Mitchell, You are My Sunshine. I think we have almost all of hers now.

5. OK, one more thing I'm super super excited about: Creative Family is here! If you haven't checked out her blog, it's here. Thanks, Mom, for all the treats!

6. This is Alla's last week of school. I'm kind of sad, not only just that I'll be losing my one morning of peace, but that she won't have that outlet for awhile. And man she's ready for preschool, so this program for the past two years has been wonderful.

7. Fisher loves him some Bob Marley.

8. I love a nap on a rainy afternoon. Especially when it lasts an hour and a half.

9. This is my favorite son.

10. This is my favorite daughter.

Happy Mother's Day!

when she held out her arms

the world itself

wrapped around me

and held me tight

-brian andreas

Mom, you did this for me. I hope that my own children already feel this in my arms everyday. Happy Mother's Day, Mom. I love you! And Happy Mama Day to all of my wonderful mama friends who make doing this everyday a little more fun and a little bit easier. I love you all.

This is what 50 days looks like.

A shar-pei head, all wrinkly cute.

Sleeping in the sling as we get Alla's playtime outside. Her activity of choice? Using the neighbor's broom to try and knock down the lightpost. Smiley-smiley. A super content, mostly mellow baby. A-d-o-r-a-b-l-e baby feet. Super happy just to lay on the changing table with no clothes on. Seems to love the diaper change. Mama's littlest love.

Ten on Tuesday.

1. I learned this weekend that it is somewhat difficult to zest a lime while toting a babe in a sling.

2. Ronald snapped this one of Mama and Fish.

3. And this one...I'm giving him a mwah! kiss.

4. I need a good buttermilk-using recipe to use up the other half a carton of buttermilk we have in the fridge from making blue cheese dressing.

5. I cooked! Yes, on Saturday and Monday, two new meals. I was growing very tired of our own frozen stuff. Eager for something fresh-tasting.

6. If you scroll back through some of my Flashback Fridays in Jan/Feb, there is a pic similar to those above, just with me and Alla. Except my hair wasn't stripey.

7. I ran! Yes, twice so far! Twenty minutes each! No stopping!

8. The Stahr's are coming to visit in less than a month!

9. May is a big month, with Mama's Day and lots of birthdays to celebrate.

10. Alla wore shorts today for the first time this year. So dang cute. Now we have to get her some summer shoes. Trying to solve that dilemma, which goes something like this: something protective she can wear everyday to the park or to play outside running the block with her friends, something to keep her cool in the hot hot summer, something that won't be ruined when she steps into her pool in them. Is there a one-shoe-fits-all here or am I looking at several pairs?

Her best smile.

Well, the boy turned six weeks old this week. Again, without permission.

So I took about a zillion pictures that day and now I'm seeing that she gets in on the action unless she's sleeping.

And when I got to them yesterday and saw what I'd captured, I was just moved. Because it seems that she saves her best smile for him. This is absolutely my most favoritest picture I've taken of her in a long, long time.