Barrette Party

Greatest Show On Earth

I helped some but Mel ate most of the bag of cotton candy.
Max was still confused by it all. He had just woken from a nap in the car.


We had seats right behind the orchestra. They were close but we kinda watched the circus from behind!





Musician reading Vanity Fair between sets.


No shortage of stimulus.


Eyebrows indicate level of bewilderment.

Boy Throws Stick

Testing New Camera

We finally replaced our broken camera. I've been tinkering with our new one. I'm still learning all its features and quirks. Most of these are of Max b/c Mel was in preschool today. Her turn is coming.

Curly

I don't know how this curl on his head formed but I couldn't get enough of it.

Webkittenz

That's not a typo. Mel calls them Webkittenz. Rather than create her new dog's room on the website she chose to do the real thing. This is his work area. He also has a bed on the floor.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Tim's birthday is actually tomorrow but since he teaches in the evening we decided to celebrate with the kids a day early.

The making of the cake. We hardly had any icing to write with so instead of "Happy Birthday Daddy" all it said was "TIM". We didn't have enough for "Daddy". But there was no shortage of sprinkles.

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The final result. She worked on this for a loooong time. Max was asleep so didn't get to help but that's probably a good thing.


Thank you grandma for the birthday presents! We all got something! Here are Max and Mel holding their toys. Our old hamper is almost kaput (on left) so good timing!
We had videos but the camera is dead so they didn't come out. Off to buy a camera online.

Lovin' on Big Sis

This is how they watched The Muppet Show. Max likes to climb on her and tries to kiss her.

Hide and Seek

This turned out to be a good place to hide. Her head is hidden among the counter clutter. Her feet give her away.

HPEH

Mel drew this in MS Paint. They are fireworks. She tried to write "Happy Holidays". She wrote "happy" phonetically as "HPE" and started on "holidays" but gave up after the "H", hence the "HPEH".

Telling Time

Tim asked Mel to see what time it is. Off of the oven timer she read "One, one, one, zero. It's eleven ten, daddy."

Flirting with Disaster

No bib, no high chair, blueberries in yogurt, still shaky with the spoon. Overall he did great and so did everything in his vicinity.

Abstract Art by Melina

A cat in upper right.


Self-portrait. Those spiny things at the end of her arms are hands.

After the Fall

Melina warms up Max on her lap with a blanket. He fell into a stream hiking and went right to a bath.

Salamander Hunt

Snot, dirty hands, squirmy bugs...It's good to be 3 years old.



Melina knows grandpa would appreciate the salamander she found.



This salamander miraculously survived her clutches.

Big Boy Chair

He insists on eating at the table. No falls...yet.

Boy in the Box

If there is a container of any sort it must be tested for comfort.

Playgroup Snacktime

You Talkin' To Me?

After 16 months of showing no interest in saying a word Max decides it's time.




I just looked at this post and realized it came only a few days after the post below where I talk about him not having any words. It happened in the blink of an eye!

Sign Language Turns on Max

Max has hardly any words and resorts to crying, yelling, whining, hitting when he wants something. It is really frustrating for him. This is where sign language has been a huge help. We taught Max several signs so he has a way of speaking with his hands. It really works.

We were on a family outting when he started signing by stroking his hand on his cheek for his blankie and patting the palm of his hand on his mouth for his binkie, both of which we left at home. Thankfully we were on the way home so I reassured him (as much as I could) that he'll get them soon.

Not liking the response he reiterated his request...stroke stroke on cheek, pat pat on mouth. I reassured him again. Not the right answer. Harder strokes on cheek, harder pats on mouth now with some whining. Sorry, Max, they're at home. And again but this time a serious slap slap on face and slap slap on mouth as if "yelling" at us. That hurt so now he's crying. But he still wants his vices so slap slap, slap slap and even more crying.

This vicious cycle repeated itself all the way home while I, holding back laughter, tried to preoccupy his hands with the "If You're Happy Then You Know It Clap Your Hands" song. It was a long ride home.

Max Meltdowns

Binky is out of reach under sofa. Or he's just upset at the dirty floor.


Refusing to hike any further.

New Haircuts

Sofa Tent

Fun in two-chamber tent.

More fun.


Fun over. Yelling at Max for breaking tent begins.

Plane Navigation

Mel helps Max get around the house.

Happy Birthday Tota Janna!!

In case you didn't feel like a grandmother already...

Love, all of us.

Random Shots

Singing in the rain.


Technical difficulty.


Striking a pose


Morning juice


When blankie's on head I am invisible.


Buche de Noel


Bebe de Noel

Tents Revival

This is the first time they really played together and without fighting over toys.