Into the Forest

Ida's had a desire to go to a deep dark forest (as has Baby Matthew),


so we took a shortcut and climbed up Powell Butte...


Up on top, it was sunny; if you ever need someone to put "baby rocks" in your pocket, look for this girl.


Was Miki on the scene?


Heck yeah.


Ida and I played a "gorilla game" with Baby M, out in the tall grass.


Miki went for the fancy backpack on the descent.


(NB DKV: had to trim back the beard due to feeling I was eating everything through a birdnest. But there's a lot of winter to come.)

Incident at Tumbleweeds

Some believe that sisters have special empathetic powers, and can tell when something is afoot. The other day at Tumbleweeds, Miki became alerted to something happening outside.


Elsie was trying to bury Ida alive!


Fortunately, Kaito saved the day.

Ida vs. Hugh

Monsieur Hochman came by to eat some of that salmon. He's an old friend of Ida's. Check it out, 22 months or so ago:



A return to the archives yielded this yet earlier photo:



And I checked the comments, where I was rightly questioned bout the rapid onset aging these young girls have visited upon me. It's true. Suddenly I am in my mid-fifties. LIke most men similarly afflicted, I've fled to growing facial hair (a "different," not an "older" look) and doing interminable ab exercises.

A chance encounter

This weekend we rode over to Woodstock Park where we saw old TIH alum Rachel!


Miki didn't really remember her, but Ida did. They hung out in the little plastic house...


And then moved over to the tall slide


Rachel's kind of a thrillseeker


and Ida's not to be outdone


"I'm at the park!" she said, at this moment, "I'm scounding around in the park!"


Thanks to Erik Tonkin, Ella now has a new bike set up and can use the bike seat!


See ya.

Miki vs. Rice Cereal

She's so big and sleeps so ill, we just decided to start feeding her some rice cereal.


Months before recommended?


Ella says this video doesn't make her look too smart. But she is. Really smart.

Wishing you had a new photo of Miki with Elsie?

Giant Salmon vs. Whining Tendencies

Around these parts Daddy Pete has gone AWOL on occasion, in order to consort with sportswear giants and to travel in a fancy bus to the Lewis River and capture this twenty-five pound King Salmon; we'll be eating its smoked flesh, soon...


...meanwhile, Mom "Ewa Vine" has been doing it ALL. Miki's been up to eating all night, and Ida's been busting out some whining. Here in our house, we can't even hear this tone of voice, but maybe someone can explain what she's talking about.



(Also I thought it might be good to cut down on the non-stop cuteness, which is kind of annoying and might suggest that there aren't moments of Testing.)

Miki Frances Rock=4 month check up

Miki! Her sister doesn't readily cede the spotlight, it's true, but this post is all Miki, Miki, Miki.


Today was her 4 month check up. She's very healthy indeed. 16 lbs. 11 oz. and 26 inches long.


She's big. But within reason. That's 95th percentile for weight and height! Her head is over fiftieth percentile; which means she won't struggle like Ida with head size and shape,


though her arms do seem kind of short.


Miki! Way to go!


Here's some rare footage of Miki talking and looking at herself in the mirror of a Free Exerciser we got at a yard sale.

Finally, it's reported that Miki took her shots and rotavirus shake like a man.

Strange Visitors

Surprise! Ida and Miki's Great Aunt Ann and Uncle Carroll (Jim's brother/Pete's side) swung by after an Exotic Alaskan Adventure. We went up to Powell Butte and Ida outraced them:


Some can't believe that Carroll is older than Jim. And many--Carroll included--have commented on his legs being his best feature. Ida likes him. He tried to steal my wallet, though, and then claimed it just happened to be in his pocket, with his, and that he sometimes "traveled double-wallet."


Then we headed down to the Milwaukie Farmer's market for some action. We even saw Elsie and Maggie, there, and almost broken various fragile things.


Matthew came.


What about Miki? OH, readers! We have some treats in store for you. For one, her four month check-up is tomorrow. Update=soon.

Ida Vs. Cannon Beach

(Warning to people who aren't grandparents: this is kind of long, but it's also kind of artistic. It moves in a straight and incremental fashion through Time.)

Facing all Labor Day vacationers, Tuesday we went out to Cannon Beach...


...we prepared by bringing a lot of arctic clothing, very little swimming equipment...


...but this unlikely Oregon Coast action got a little warm and Ida got a little wild in it.


She's quick.


And began shedding clothes at an alarming rate.


Soon she took off running.


Ella thought I didn't go after her fast enough. Instead, I was taking pictures. Can you see Ida in this picture? She ran for about two miles, saying something about white shells and seagulls.


Finally I caught up to her.


That was funny.


Then she got turned around and ran all the way back to Mama. In this video you can kind of see what I'm talking about; mind you, she was really slowing down, as she'd already run two miles.



And soon she got interested in feathers.


She built this ornate installation of hundreds of feathers. "Here's another good one, Mama!"


What do you think of that?

The End of Summer?

Ida says no.

MIki likes to soar.


Check out how quickly Ida picks things up:


I am lucky


even if I am old. Ida says, "I need some cake! Please. It's cheesy!"


And soon, a return of these scallywags...

They're the SAME sugar muffins!

Sometimes we get some fast-paced action and sisterly bonding if Ida falls asleep on the car on the way home from the zoo and we take the ill-advised step of trying to move her, thus causing the no-nap day, which is painful for everyone. But here's some energetic baking begun right after Ida busted out of her room without napping.



Miki is very observant and worshipful. She thought that the sugar muffins might be different merely because they were different colors. Oh, no, Miki, they are many beautiful colors, but....