Looong Day

Sunday was the longest day ever.  Get very comfortable.

Mark got up first thing in the morning to go for a bike ride while I got ready for church.  When Mark got home from his ride, we reviewed everything we wanted to get done.  Church got scratched (next week!), and we headed to Northboro for... 

Strawberries!

It was early enough in the season that the plants were still full and the crowds were thin.  It was great.

Frances and Mark did most of the picking while I nursed Chandler while sitting on an irrigation pipe.  I have never been so at peace sitting on an irrigation pipe, but nursing one kid and watching the other pick strawberries is hard to beat.

Chandler did get to experience picking a little, but she did not enjoy it.  I'm assuming all that moving up and down with a full belly wasn't comfortable.

After picking, we headed over to the farm stand to mingle with the goats.  Frances had a great time picking grass for the best-looking goats you ever saw.  These goats have it good; kids feed them all day long.

Chandler didn't get to feed the goats, but she did watch her sister in earnest.

Sometimes she was less earnest than others.

After a hair cut for Mark, we headed to a local pond to throw rocks and....

...try out Frances's new bike!

She didn't just burn rubber, but she stayed upright and enjoyed herself, so I'm going to count it as a success.

Then we went home and some of us did this:

Finally, Mark and Frances made homemade strawberry shortcakes.

It was one of those days I was happy to be a Massachusetter living in the great state of Massachusetts!

Four Months of Baby Chandler

I had a hard time getting a picture of Chandler that wasn't blurry this month.  She's a mover, this kid.

Four Months Fun Facts

• Mobility: Chandler has rolled from her front to her back a few times, but mostly she just gets mad when we put her on her belly.  She can also get from her back to her side, but not all the way over to her front.  Somehow, she can wiggle almost 360 degrees if left on her back long enough.  It's impressive.
• Stats: She's 24.5 inches long and weighs 13 pounds.  Her weight percentile has dropped off slightly so her doctor gave us the green light to start solids.  I don't want to starve the kid, but I'm struggling with that a bit emotionally.  My baby is ready to start solids?!
• Socializing: Frances is the most entertaining thing around by a long shot.  Chandler thinks she's a hoot and has started laughing at her antics.  These early laughs are just heaven to hear.

Sixteen Weeks

This next picture isn't terribly flattering, but it demonstrates that a) Chandler really wants to roll over, and b) Chandler has learned she can explore everything with her mouth and she'd really like to give this blanket a try.

Mark and I specialize in blue eyes.  Hello, hello!

Forty-Three Months of Preschooler Frances

On Frances's forty-three months birthday (I am aware that this is ridiculous but I can't stop myself), Frances had her first play date sans parents.  Darby was a trooper; Frances was a pill.  I eventually realized she was exhausted and let her nap until 5:30.  She was asleep again by 8:30 - she was that tired.

In one of Frances's happier moments, the girls used the laundry baskets as cars and plastic plates as steering wheels.  Not too shabby.

Forty-Three Months Fun Facts

• Frances the student: I went to Frances's end of the year parent-teacher conference earlier this month.  Her "report card" says she is comfortable at school, willing to socialize, beginning to work in the teens, and contributing to group discussions.  The report card also says she "has [the] capacity to attend to group times when not close to a buddy."  Reading between the lines, I'd say that means she is squirrelly when she is next to a buddy.  Hmm...God bless those preschool teachers.
•  Biggest aspiration: The girl wants to have a sleep over, really badly.  During brave moments, I think "What could go wrong?"  And then I have some very sobering thoughts.

Thanks for the blocks, Mimi

Mimi, Frances's grandmother, gave Frances some cardboard blocks for Christmas.  I remember having almost the exact same blocks when I was little, but I don't remember using them the same way Frances does.  A couple weeks ago, Frances asked to watch television.  She was told no, poor thing.  She retaliated by building not one t.v., but three, plus two chairs to sit in while watching her t.v.s.  

A few days later, she decided her potty needed a sort of docking station.  I didn't do anything to provoke this creation.

The yoga pose is just a bonus.

You saw her here first!

Frances's school had an art show to raise funds for sprucing up the school's playground.  All the kids were very excited, though Frances did get into a screaming fight with another little girl about whether this counted as a "show" since there was neither movement nor a stage involved.  I tried to be sympathetic but it was difficult to express much sympathy through my laughter.  Luckily, the other little girl's mother held it together better and helped them sort out their artistic differences.

Eventually, the tears subsided and I got a picture of Frances, the artist, with her work.

Another Friday, another Mass Audubon site

A recent Friday found us at the Trailside Museum in Milton, MA.  Rumor has it that there are trails associated with the Trailside Museum, but we mostly use it as a place to throw rocks in streams...

...and learn about animals.

Here's Frances observing bees.

Some irrational thoughts went through this mother's head when her daughter was standing near hundreds of bees, let me tell you.

We were both big fans of this contraption that made frog noises.

Hearing those frogs instantly reminded me of trying to sleep without air conditioning on a summer's night in Arkansas - in a good way.

And Chandler hung out in her Bjorn. 

Then we came home and this happened:

Never a boring Friday.  Not around these parts anyway.

Fifteen Weeks

The Grandparents are here!

Mark's parents came to visit, but we kinda failed in the photo department.  Not sure how that happened, but I can report at least some of what we did.  

We hung out at the playground, but we didn't take any photos.

We drove to Plymouth to see Plymouth Rock.  Plymouth was lovely, I would move there in a heartbeat, but we didn't take any photos of the town.

This here is Plymouth Rock:

It's impossible to see in the picture, but "1620" is carved into the rock.  Chandler was so overwhelmed with excitement, she took a nap.

Grandma and Grandpa brought fairy wings for Frances.  They were a big hit.  She wore them everywhere.  We did get a photo of them.

We also saw the National Monument to the Forefathers in Plymouth.  A big photogenic monument, except we didn't take any photos of it.

We went to Newburyport and Plum Island.  Newburyport is arguably lovelier than Plymouth, we have considered moving there, but we didn't take any photos of it.

We did get a few pictures on the beach on Plum Island.

Chandler and I stayed in the car for Plum Island, so I don't even have one of my classic "And Chandler slept" photos.   

Most of the gang also spent a day driving around Boston and Harvard Square.  Photos?  Of course not.  Whoever saw anything photogenic in Boston or Harvard Square?

Please come again, Grandma and Grandpa.  We can not take photos all over again.

In the Merry Month of May

We've had a busy couple of months, with lots of visiting from friends and family.  I managed to miss my fifteenth college reunion (drat!) but some college friends showed up at our door anyway.  In theory, Haverford College, my alma mater, helps its frosh get acclimated by dividing them into Customs groups of about 20 students who live together freshman year.  In reality, these are your friends for life and they'll visit any old time.  First up was Fred who stopped in for dinner and ended up with a long trip to the playground with a couple of kids.

Very obliging, that Fred.

Next was Beka, my freshman year roommate.  She brought Frances her very own crown to make.  

Oh, the colors!

Frances was just a touch pleased.

Frances wanted everyone to get a chance to wear the crown, or at least a party hat.

Beka brought along her daughter Molly (or Amelia - take your pick).  She was a real pleasure.  She slept through the night and ate anything Beka put in front of her.  Where, oh where did we go wrong?

Frances did fairly well with the one year old, though she could use some more sharing practice before Chandler gets mobile and grabby.  Chandler, on the other hand, was blissfully oblivious.  I love that about wee bairns.

Now if we could just see them all again before too many years pass.