A famous Alla swinging picture.

Susie suggested that I might have a famous Alla swinging picture to go with little man's from yesterday. Indeed I do. Seems that my kids love to swing. What kid doesn't, though?

And boy am I glad that I'm paying a bit more attention to things like, oh, SHARPNESS, in my photos since then!

Ten on Tuesday.

1. It's like a facebook revolution around here.

2. Fisher has now snuggled all of but one of his grandparents. Thanks for coming, Grampa! We missed you, Gramma.3. Reading Gorgeously Green. Jeez, all that's doing for me is making me wonder about every.single.ingredient in our bathroom. And realize there is no perfect lotion. And wonder if it's all a hype. And think that I might have to come to terms with what I can find at Target, lest I waste our retirement on so-called good for me ingredients.

4. He's a big fan of the tree swing. And it works wonders on a baby with a cold who also had to have shots. 5. For dinner tonight: Jambalaya and Sweet Corn Bread. Both favorites.

6. Nana + Pappi visited this weekend. Fisher has changed a lot since they were here in April!

7. We made a trip to the zoo to see what we could see, and lo and behold we saw something new, a butterfly exhibit. Like a huge tent (read: gorgeous, diffused light) with tame beautiful butterflies just a-flying around. This one was cerulean inside those brown spotted wings.
8. See how lovely?! It was our favorite part of the trip. 9. I got to run today. Short but sweet.

10. Did you know Labor Day is MONDAY? MONDAY! I can't believe it's unofficially the end of summer. It is, however, State Fair time, ladies and gentlemen. Stay tuned.

Pure joy.

These sunflowers out our back windows make me smile several times a day. I think that's their sole purpose, and why they made a repeat appearance in our garden this year...pure joy. As Alla says, everything in our garden is a miracle.

Ten on Tuesday: The Five Months Edition.

1. First of all, what on earth? My son is five months old? Really? I mean yesterday he was five weeks and it was Alla's birthday and still cold and he was teensy weensy.

2. He loves to be held. What baby doesn't?! The gymini, so-so, maybe 10 minutes. The bouncer, so-so, maybe 5-7 minutes. The saucer, likes it slightly better, maybe 12 minutes if he's in a good mood. The real winner is the crib/mobile set-up, which is a good 20 minute activity for him. Unless he gets his foot stuck in the crib. Then it's over.

3. He's a professional roller.

4. Loves to sleep on his right side, curled up to his lovey, with his two fingers in his mouth.

5. Also sleeps on his belly comfortably, most of the time, that is.

6. Super cuddly.

7. So ticklish: thighs, sides, ribs, under-arm-baby-flab, elbows.

8. Loves to swing. Nope we didn't wait til five months. Hey, we've got winter on the horizon here, better use it while we can.

9. Hates the bottle, don't even remember the last time we tried.

10. Cooperated with Mama for a five-month picture:)

We love you, little man. Now don't go getting bigger. I was all emotional when Alla turned six months old and I don't think I can go through that again.

Nicknames - She & He.

She: Al, Alla-Balla, Al-Bal, Al Rees, Alla Rees-y Piece-y, Sugarlump, Babe, Honey, Love.

He: Fish, Fish Bo-Bish, Sugs, Babe, Love. I'm sure he'll earn more as he grows.

Now those are all nicknames that we've given them. But something special happens between siblings: nicknames they give each other. So far that's completely one-sided, obviously, but I'm thinking it will be adorable to see what pours out of his mouth in admiration of his big sis. So far, she's come up with two for him:

Bud-dy. Pronounced BuTTy.

And Fishy. I really cannot stand that last one, coming from anyone else, but from her, it's super sweet and love-filled and just her special special name for him. So it can stay.

See how our garden grows.

It grows wild. I'm sure there's a more precise, methodical way to plant, but I just sort of guesstimate how far apart these veggies should be and have at it. That's the view from the back of the yard looking toward the house.The sunflowers absolutely delight Alla. She peeks out her window each morning and checks on them. This morning I heard several times Oh my god! Oh my god! and then pitter patter to my room to tell me we better get ready for Sunflower Day. It's as if they know they delight her, too, cause they open their faces toward her window.That basil I planted in front was what I had leftover from a live herb plant purchase at Target. I figured it had roots and dirt so I could plant it. It's doing splendidly and I do believe I'll make pesto this year.My favorite, the tomatoes. One cherry (Super Sweet 100's) and two grape (Moby grape, I think), and they are just providing us with tons and tons of yum. There's cucumber out there, too, so with a little lettuce, we're having nice salads around here.The harvest. Love this. Gardens are wonderful things. I kinda wish for another bed. Hm. Maybe next year.

Ten on Tuesday: The Six-Year Anniversary Edition.

1. Ron and I celebrated six years of wedded bliss on Sunday, eleven of togetherness. That's a mighty long time, a third of our lives now have been shared with each other. To mark the occasion we loaded up the kiddos and went down to St. Paul to have coffee and the most decadent cream cheese croissants you can imagine. Really, that did it for me right there, just that two-dollar amazing buttery-flakey-creamy goodness topped off with good coffee. Happy Anniversary, babe, let's do it again next year:)

2. OK, though that was the highlight of the day probably for both of us grown folk, we did do a little sightseeing afterward, since we were already out and all. Anniversaries are a different ballgame once you have kids, I tell you.

3. Alla was just excited that we let her bring along her babydoll stroller. Loaded up with two doggies and two Monchichis. Hello, 1985. Yes she's been digging instead of napping. But the question isn't "Why won't she nap?" - it's more like, "Why do I still have Monchichi's??"

4. After the yummy croissants (of which we do NOT have photos because they were absolutely inhaled), we ventured toward Minnehaha Falls, so we could cross that off our to-do list, and stopped at a new park along the way.

5. Maybe this was the best part for the little girl. New stuff to navigate. 6. A photo-op with my littlest love, a fave part of the day for me. 7. We did find the Falls, after some circling and the saving grace of the iPhone. Very lovely. And then we wandered around and just took our time strolling before we loaded up the kiddos in the car to nap on the twenty minute ride home. I'm pretty sure Alla here was telling us about getting in that water with a boat. She had a plan.8. Don't you love how they love you? Unconditionally. Just love love love.9. Fisher didn't have too high an opinion of the Falls.

10. Anniversaries are a different thing with kids, I tell you again. At least with babies. One of these years we're heading on an anniversary vacation again, but for now, it seems to be celebration enough just to head out in general, to eat something new, see something new, and celebrate together as a family.

That doesn't mean we won't be doing our own thing in a few weeks when Nana+Pappi come visit:)

Dad + son.

I kind of forgot how much time I spent with Alla that first year, or, rather, how much time Ron didn't spend with her. And not for lack of desire. Or love. Or interest. Or ability. It's just that that first year is pretty much mama+baby all.the.time. Sometimes, with Alla, it's still like that around here.

But now that she's three, Daddy and Alla have forged a bond and a Daddy-daughter relationship that I hope stands firm even when she hates her parents for grounding her.

You almost expect the new baby to need Daddy and Mommy equally, like Alla does now. Until you realize that he doesn't. He needs Mama all.the.time. Just like she did.

So it's nice when I see this. Daddy and his son, that he loves fiercely, who is another child of ours but who is a boy and so he's just a different breed, and we're seeing how Alla is blooming now; we can't wait to see how this boy will do the same. In his own way.

And, Fish, you can bet your Dada will be first in line to see all the amazing things you'll do. Because he is the most wonderful Daddy. You really scored, little man.

Teeny feet are my favorite.

Midnight feasts.

I know I've mentioned the imagination on this kid before but I just really love to watch it unfold each day. It's like she wakes up in the morning with a plan and goes to work on it. Right after breakfast, that is, because if Mama doesn't eat within fifteen minutes of rising from slumber, then you pretty much have to call the paramedics. I believe the concept of the midnight feast came from Word World, though it certainly could have been done under any other name, as the girl uses her kitchen and play food more than any other toy. On this day it was done with pieces of play doh (it was even Word World play doh) that she tore apart for at least an hour and separated into bowls and plates and mugs and spread out the napkins for our lovely morning midnight feast.

Midnight is pronounced mi-night. Look at her being very particular about where it all goes.
And pointing out what each food item is.
And being so proud of herself for making something so lovely for Mommy. I really loved it, Al. And the thirty other midnight feasts we've had this week. Love you.