The Bike Gang

We are developing quite a little bike gang around here these days, with biking going on nearly every day along the sidewalks of our street. With Olivia's promotion to a "big girl bike", Malia has chosen to upgrade from her little plastic buggy to Livy's old tricycle. With my face and body in a nearly constant cringe, I watch my daughters "ride" their bikes.

Liv has taken to her new bike so quickly and is now zooming back and forth along the sidewalk and gaining confidence (and speed) by the day. I love getting on my bike and riding along with her, it reminds me of all the bike riding I did as a kid and is there truly a better memory from childhood?

Malia is also gaining confidence, however it is not built upon her ability to ride the tricycle, but in my ability to steer her around and catch her if she decides to let go of the handlebars. Needless to say, bike riding is exercise for all of us.

Livy's Book Club

Last month was my turn to host book club, with eight friends from my mom's group coming over to discuss the epistolary novel, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I had mentioned the book club throughout the day, mostly in forms such as "Please don't take out every single game" and with reminders that we would only play outside for a little while as we had to eat early due to book club. So Olivia was fairly inundated with the idea of "book club" throughout her day.

After dinner I began setting up a few snacks and refreshments, as well as moving some of our dining room chairs around to accomodate all the book club attendees. After putting Malia to bed, I came out of her room to find an extra chair placed amongst the dining chairs; it was one of the chairs from Livy's little table. She had decided that she was going to join us for book club and would need her own chair. Within the first half hour of book club, Liv came in to join us twice, both times shyly entering the room and hiding on my lap. Needless to say, she did not remain a book clubber long as the crowd was a bit bigger than she imagined.

However, the following day was filled with questions and comments about book club. Her first question upon waking was, "Are your book club friends still here?" Throughout the day she discussed how "noisy" my book club was and that we were "shouting" at each other. (Hmm...not exactly a controversial book, nor an argumentative group, but when you gather a bunch of moms, add good conversation and some wine, we get pretty loud apparently.) That night when Grandma came over for her weekly visit, she was asked to participate in Liv's book club and was handed a book to read and discuss.

Livy wouldn't allow me to photograph her during our book club; she takes this very seriously.

We've had book clubs numerous times over the past weeks, and every time Liv drags her chair in along with a number of books of which her "friends" (her stuffed animals) and I must read and discuss. She's also held a book club with the little girl across the street which she held in the front yard and included a fantastic retelling of Pinkalicious. I love that she's latched on to such an adult concept and made it her own and I'd love to help her create her own book club in the coming years. Looks like I'll be needing some more little chairs...

Her Daddy's Fashion Sense

Given that she wears this dress as soon as it's made it through the wash, we have the same conversation multiple times a week.

"Mommy, could you unbutton my button?"

"Liv, I think you mean 'button my button', and are you sure you want it buttoned all the way up? Mommy and Daddy leave the top button open."

"No, I want it closed and I can't get it! Unbutton it PLEASE!"


Sigh. Someday she'll be telling me that I dress uncool, so I guess that'll be my payback.

Malia's "happy place"

Malia knows a good thing when she sees it...so when she saw the Ergo (backpack) sitting in the family room during her pre-dinner fussy period, she knew exactly what to do. She picked it up and carried it into the kitchen where I was prepping dinner and talking with Livy, and proceeded to hand it to me. Once she had handed it over, she thrust her arms up at me and whined until I put the pack on my front and put her inside. And then? She snuggled up, all became blissfully quiet and I think we both sighed contentedly. Honestly, I think a cozy baby pressed against you must lower one's blood pressure...or maybe my blood pressure drops because there's one less person whining and fussing at me...

I adore the Ergo: I love wearing my babies, it has made life with two kids undeniably easier, and obviously Malia takes comfort in being close to me. Think I can wrap her up close to me when she's thirteen and mad because I won't let her attend a boy-girl party? I need to find the Moby/Ergo for teenagers I think...

Can It Be Summer All Year Long?

There is nothing like having a kid to remind you how fun it is to be a kid. This summer has been insanely fun; we've been outside for hours each day spending lots of time in the yard, at the beach, walking downtown, eating Sunday dinners down at Surfer's Point...I'm not sure who enjoyed summer more, me or my kids. And yes, my husband is incredibly jealous and I am incredibly lucky to be able to do all this fun stuff with my kids any day of the week. It's not fair, and I totally agree.

Boogie board time...even more fun at the beach than on the grass at home...

Anyone else see trouble in the making with four girl cousins within four years of each other?

The chalk 'stache...all the rage this summer.

Also the rage: the exfoliating sand scrub featured at only the most chic salons. Please note: requires one long, cold rinse in the ocean which might result in one very angry, screaming preschooler. Results may vary and include such side effects as multiple hair washings, knots in hair and sand spread throughout home, carseat and bed.

Rowdy pool days at the Seay's. Watch out for the one in the purple shoulder pads.

Indoctrinating the girls into our annual fair ritual (which began with both girls in utero).

Destructor (a.k.a. Malia) taking apart my beach set-up as swiftly as she destroys the Tubberware cabinet at home, albeit with a lot less clean up on my part.