Me

Today Henni changed her outfit five times; none of the outfit changes were because the clothes were dirty.  Today Henni wore a total of four pairs of shoes (if you count the adult shoes she attempted to run off with the total rises to eleven).  Henni loves clothes.  Henni loves shoes.  Henni loves Henni.  Ah yes, one of Henn's preferred activities is absconding with an Apple device and looking at photos and videos of herself.  Apple device in hand, Henni will sit happily for an obscene amount of time looking at the images and muttering "Me! Me! Me!..." 

Desperate to ride the kite into the sky

The Lake

Growing up my summers were spent on the lake.  We would arrive at the lake when school got out and would remain there for the majority of the summer.  We would eat on paper plates shoved into wicker plate holders, we would eat on one, two or three picnic tables - depending on how many people were around.  We would sleep in beautiful old metal beds painted blue, and we'd listen to the sound of rain on the metal little camp roof.  We'd race across the lawn to the big camp when there was a thunder storm - so we could all cuddle and watch the storm move across the lake.  We'd spend hours water skiing.  We'd pick strawberries until our hands turned red.  We'd explore Grampie's tool shed, we'd spend hours getting the well to work.  We'd watch for Great Grammie to drive down the road, knowing she'd have pies, cookies and other treats.  We'd swim with Grammie and raid her dishwasher (which was never used to watch a dis, but was used to store cookies and other treats which were usually off limits). We'd play in the grove, we'd catch salamanders, we'd swing, play space  monster, climb on turtle rock, we'd play any and all games we'd find stacked on the shelves next to the incredible stone fireplace... My childhood summers were a dream.

We don't have a lake house, or the dreamy summer days (work just seems to get in the way), but I hope we can make Oliver and Henni's childhood summers memorable.  One way of doing so is traditions.  For the past several years we've visited the Stockwell's at the compound for a weekend.  It is a weekend we all look forward to and treasure.  It is a time for the kids to play, the grown ups to catch up, and a time to - gasp - relax.  A weekend together makes it so we can talk, play, and breathe.  A weekend together is also refreshing -- a dose of reality that we (parents) are in the same boat.

Thank you to the Stockwell's for having us - for putting up with the boat hoarder, the spilled drinks, and Luna stalking.  We had an incredible weekend and we look forward to more time together.

The Big Apple, Part II

I spent over two hours with the geniuses at Apple's Genius bar in an attempt to salvage my pictures from our trip to the big city.  Unfortunately after working with five different people, being able to see the wonderful photos, being oh so close but yet not quite there...I was told by the geniuses to go home and pray for my photos to appear.  Not impressed by said geniuses.

My sister sent me a few pictures which help to capture the spirit of the event.  It really was so wonderful as there were so many people there to support Davis.  I wish I had pictures of everyone who cheered Davis on and who were there to support him.  Davis' mom was there, as were Jayme and Alice, Jayme's mom, the whole Starr-Feinman group (7 all told), Elizabeth and Kevin, Jon and Marisa, my parents, Tim, Carolyn, and Alex and Catie.  And of course Andrew was there.

Thank you so much to everyone who made the trek to New York.  And a special thank you to Andrew and Tim.  Andrew has been with Davis on all of his swims and has spent numerous (early morning) hours swimming with Davis.  And Tim - Tim traveled with us to England and was on the boat across the English Channel and then again on the boat in New York.  Without Andrew and Tim Davis would not have been fed or given water.  Knowing Andrew and Tim were on the boats with Davis made feel comfortable - they made me feel that Davis was in good hands.

Oliver and Alice

Henni in a fountain

At the Natural History Museum

Tuckered out

Also tuckered out

Davis and other swimmers

Waiting at the finish

The boys at the finish

Our ride

Pardon me, Henni's ride

Three, again

On Oliver's birthday-eve he awoke from a deep sleep and announced that he was not interested in turning four and that he was going to stay three - forever.  He also announced that he would still like to have candles and cake, but would like us to sing "happy third birthday, a second time rather than happy fourth birthday."  He then when right back to sleep.  Isn't this a request that begins when one turns 40 or 50 or something?

Since one can not argue with logic (?!) yesterday we celebrated Oliver's third birthday a second time rather than celebrate his fourth birthday.  Also per his request, rather than have a birthday party we had his good friends Maggie, Tommy, Sam and Henry over for dinner - "no crazy birthday stuff" (again, isn't this a request for someone turning something with double digits?).

As usual Oliver placed a tall order for his birthday cake.  This year he requested cupcakes which had both a "colossal squid and a king cobra with his hood up" on them.  Oliver desperately wanted both the squid and the cobra on each cupcake, but I was able to dissuade him - with the promise that he could eat two cupcakes - one squid and one cobra.

Henni had no complaints with the cupcakes.

 

 

Prior to Oliver's "real" birthday we celebrated his "pretend" birthday in Maine.  He chose lobster for his dinner.  Until recently we had thought Henni was allergic to lobster and had kept it far away from her.  Since we now know it is safe for her to eat we gave her one.  She was utterly perplexed as to how to eat it - a spoon and fork proved unsuccessful.

 

Oliver's love for snakes was pervasive - at his pretend celebration he had ice cream cookies sandwiches which were guarded by a snake.

 

In the months leading up to Oliver's birthday he generated quite a list:

Green sneakers

New light up Pumas

Toy mouse

Turtle eating salad (a model turtle with seaweed in his mouth)

Scuba diver

Daddy and baby penguin

Bubble mower (Oliver' s comment on this: Elizabeth, you gave me a mower before.  I would like a new mower, but this time could you get me one that is more durable; the last one you gave me broke.  I think you can find one that is more durable.)

Big turtle

Beluga whale

Spiny lobster

Candy Land

Chutes and Ladders

A net to catch bugs

Toy lizard

Dogwood tree (They are just so beautiful.)

Roller skates

Another big turtle

A few of Oliver's requests

 While Oliver loved each and ever present he got, his favorite present, much to his surprise ("Mommy, I think this is my favorite and it wasn't even on my list!") was a model Blue Angels plane which our neighbors gave to him.  In fact, Oliver was so impressed by both the model and the actual Blue Angels (thanks to YouTube) he has decided he is going to join the Blue Angels when he grows up (but that he will always remain 3) and that all of the birthday money he received will go towards buying a real Blue Angels plane.

Oliver never ceases to amaze me - I am no longer surprised by what he does or says - just amazed.  His little brain is so jammed packed with information I have no doubt he knows more than me - and that he can accomplish anything -- and that he can somehow convince people on his 100th birthday to call it his third.

At Oliver's doctor's appointment he was 40 pounds and also 40 inches.