Attack on Sauvie

Another bright day in PDX, so we all packed it up and went up to Sauvie Island to hike around. Lots of hi-jinks in the parking lot:


Miki liked it.


The hike involved a lot of people saying "Is it all right if I hide and scare you?" and then a lot of people leaping out of bushes and shouting and running away. Terrifying. We saw a bunny, two snakes, and one lone boot (I told Ida someone had been scared right out of his boots and she keeps wondering about that boot). Anyway, once we got to the picnic tables, it was time to eat. Here, a series of photos of people with mouths full of food.





Ida kept straying to other tables, harassing other people and fishermen, mostly trying to get a clear path to the water.


Here is a fine film that documents Elsie and Ida having a serious discussion. I'll title it "The Negotiation."

Moral: No one wants to be the baby tiger. The medium sister, maybe.

Ida + Miki vs. Mount Hood

Went up to find some snow. Ida is into it. (She eats all colors.)


So is Miki; she wants you to see her teeth.


Wilderness! O Wilderness!


Varying reports of the success of small snowshoes; much falling. Much desire to head down into a deep and dangerous crevasse, toward a river. Ida was very cheerful about it, however.


And getting down was much easier and quicker than going up...

roses out, blueberries in

"I don't want anyone down here."

If one goes hiking with Ida to a place like Powell Butte, she often heads off on her own to have an adventure, letting her parents, cousins and relatives, as well as any passersby know that she does not want any company where she's going. That's her, a speck on the horizon.



After a period of time, however, she'll begin to shout, "I'm wonely! I'm wonely! I'm all awone!"

Miki vs. Theo

Dear Theo,

Why did you have to attack me when I was strapped into my car seat and couldn't get away? It really hurt my face.

Love from your cousin,

Miki

The Girls are Growing Right UP

Over at Tumbleweeds (where, fortunately, they're taking more pictures than we are), Miki is working hard on her pincer grasp. She's a regular lobster, and loves to eat...


Here at home she drags herself along under the table, battling Ichi for table scraps.


Ida has been very busy at TW, as well:


I have been training her with my many Wilderness and Survival manuals, and she is becoming adept at building shelters and identifying edible insects.


Meanwhile, I've been spending a fair amount of time in the basement, involved in various scenarios with Ida (and Matthew, Big Baby, Hazel, Teddy Bear, and Pooki). One of her favorites is "airport," where we have to ride the airplane, and we are designated as the pilot (Ida), co-pilot (sometimes me), "Alligator" (navigator) (usually Miki, sometimes Matthew, sometimes Ella), and passenger (everyone else). There's a lot of variation and bossiness involved. Here's an example of a recent conversation:

Ida: Daddy, do you want to ride the elevator or the es-cavator?

Pete: It's an escalator. Or an excavator.

I: It's an escavator!

P: Okay.

I: Do you want to ride the elevator or the escavator?

P: Should I ride the elevator or the escavator, do you think?

I: You susside!!!

P: Okay. I'll ride the escavator, I guess; I've never ridden one.

I: We-e-e-ll . . . the escavator's broken today, so you have to ride the elevator.

One Hundred Dollars vs. Theo's Eye Color

UPDATE: Ella has finally conceded that Theo's eyes aren't blue. Having lost the bet, she's paid $100 to Maggie. Several witnesses saw the crisp bills change hands.

Speaking of Theo, here's documentation of an encounter she had at Multnomah Falls on Sunday's excursion:

Hecticity

I know, Dad, I know. We've been okay, just getting back to all the jobs and trying to find a rhythm and routine. We are persevering. Here's how Ida and Miki are looking today.



They're pretty nice. Perhaps Ida is recovering from days of fury (ear ache?); perhaps MIki will learn to sleep for more than two hours at a stretch. She likes to eat bread. Here's what that looks if it were a movie:

Miki vs. Rice

"Don't Do EnnyFing!"

Some of us don't get quite enough kisses and hugs from Mama before she goes to work.

Ida and Mama, cooking through the ages: a photo essay

2007:


2008:


1/2010

adjustments

We and the Vining/Bradfords have been awaiting the time when we can have a quiet dinner while the girls play together. And perhaps we're getting closer to that. Right now we're at the stage where the girls will play with each other for a while, but they're liable to do a large amount of damage if not kept under some observation. The other night we had a delicious meal--cooked by Ella out of the leftovers of the Thanksgiving turkey--and could hear the girls playing down the hallway in Ida's room. The above is what I saw when I crept down there and shouted "What's going on here?" at them. (Already, Ida is explaining it to me.)

Theo is unloading Ida's closet, while Ida wears three pairs of underwear over her pants. Elsie is getting Baby Matthew dressed. Miki is out in the hallway, grunting, trying to drag her way into the bedroom.

Last Snow of 2009

Back in 2009, we had a surprise snowstorm, and the girls leapt right into it:


ERV wanted to get a snowman started STAT!


And she is one artistic lady.


The snow stuck around for about a day. Here is the next day, at Tumbleweeds!


Soon: returning to 2010, and the return of Elsie/Theo!

Miki Frances in 2010

Miki, in her quest to eat more solid food, has begun to sit in the highchair. She's very proud.


The question of whether Ida is ready to completely give up the chair, which had its tray off and had become her seat of choice, remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Miki is going to act as if it's decided.

Christmas, part II / finale

Once we opened all the presents at Jim and Grambees, we headed over to the home of the Holladay Rocks to check out how seriously they scored. Check it out:

(This was right before [Grandpa] Jim poured water on Bonnie Kate's head; this watering was unpopular, but was a consequence of Bonnie pouring water on Margo, I hear.)

Matthew let Ella and Ida play with his cool cars. Also, many people really like this "Mighty Mutts" shirt that Ella wears so well.


They kind of played a trick on us and brought the dogs out after we'd been there a while. "Are they real?" Grambee said.

Again, they're not our dogs. They're named Bode and Killy (misspelled in earlier post), after skiers.


Miki really likes her Uncle Jim.

She even caught the Xmas spirit and warmed up to Jim himself!


This is the only time you'll catch Uncle Jim wearing his new Panama hat. He's quickly getting away. ANd wearing sunglasses not just because he's so cool but because of the Lasik.


A couple pretty photos of Ella and MIki:



Actually, Grambee thinks this photo of her is "all right."


Okay, on to 2010!