Gardening again

OH man, spring is kind of upon us...





ONe commentator noted Miki's similarity to Pete Rose; which is fair enough; we've stopped giving her tobacco to chew, though, and are hoping to turn things around.


The swinging movie is gold, but thought I'd best post all this now while Miki and I are at home and Ella and Ida are at the emergency room!


Ida hit her forehead on a chair and might need stitches!

Sisterly Pleasures at Swings & Seesaws

(This short film captured by Ella, using cellular phone technology.)

Final Four

Okay, after the cavalcade of cousins we've gotten back to our routine. The four girls are doing just fine; here's some attractive pictures of them, mostly taken by DKV. Let me re-introduce you to the Players:

THEODOTIA AMORY BRADFORD: "Mine!" Her new trick is filling her diaper at the sight of the white moving van coming to take her to school. It's quite Pavlovian and creates an unpopular delay.


MIKI FRANCES ROCK: "Da-da!" Sleeps for half an hour, twice in every 24 hour period. Eats incessantly. Is unpopular with her mother at various times.

(this is not an attractive picture of Mik, nor was it taken by DKV)

ELSIE ASAYO BRADFORD: "Coop has a penis and is a boy; he's a tiny baby, and if you cough around him he'll die."


IDA AKIKO ROCK: "Bay-buh, Bay-buh, Bay-buh! Cat Stevens is singing a song like 'Wild World' and 'Here Comes My Baby' together!"

Canadians!

We're all about cousins, over Spring Break. A revolving door. What if these hosers came to your house, though?


Probably you'd see if they were as big as a Sun Bear.


or you'd take Matthew and flee to a polar bear's cave!


If that failed, you could take them to see your old friends the African pygmy goats.




Or why not more swinging?




This is an impressive house that Lillian made out of a tree. For a time she allowed Ida to help her with the beds.

D. Hawk, Ascendant

Okay, Hawk is feeling stronger. Here he and Ida are transfixed by "ice Age," outside?


Miki was curious.


It is a very interesting show with talking animals in it.


Dan Kanju has made a fire in the outside fireplace 4 times a day since he arrived.


Miki tried to escape the flames!

Advent of the Hawk vs. Naked Craziness vs. Puppet Show

Cousin Danny Hawkins came to visit from the East Coast! With some presents!


Later, Hawk wasn't feeling 100%; in protest, everyone started taking off their clothes!





Later, there was a puppet show!

Conversations and Provocations

The other morning in the moving van, Ida and Miki and I drove peacefully up to Martins St. to get Theo and Elsie. Upon being locked into their seats, Elsie started calling for a hat and Theo began to hoot (for a hat?). So we had to get them some hats. Then Ida said she wanted mittens and I dug around in the bag and had to admit we had no mittens. Crying ensued. I put on Cat Stevens and began to drive...



...three minutes later, as Ida began to calm down, Elsie asked her "Did you want mittens, Ida?" "Yes." "Well, you can't have any. There aren't any in the bag, Ida." Loud tantrum ensues.



As it finally tapers off, two songs later--we're passing the "JESUS LIGHT OF THE WORLD" church--Elsie pipes in with, "Ida, there aren't any mittens in the bag. Pete looked in the bag and...there...are...NO MITTENS!"

At which point Ida erupts, Miki drops her ball and I have to pull over to get it for her, since she's crying, and Theo is shouting imprecations in some kind of Esperanto. Can't even hear Cat Stevens.



Finally, after distracting the girls with the rabbits in the cage (@Duke and 69th) and the purple house, things begin to calm down. WE're closing in on Tumbleweeds when Ida says, "Daddy, will you put my favorite song on?"
"What's your favorite, Ida?" Elsie asks.
"Elsie," Ida says, "I'm not talking to you right now. I'm talking to my Daddy."
"Is it Bitterblue?" Elsie says.
"I was only talking to my Daddy," Ida says. "I wasn't talking to you, Elsie."
Elsie begins to cry...

Limited Cousin Action

Watch this Bradford/Vining jumping action:



We're waiting on a serious cousin cavalcade in the next week or so. Beware. But meanwhile, since Arthur has been in California ("partying hearty, waking and bakin, you know what I'm saying?" in his own words) we've seen a lot of our good local cousins. At the zoo:



Running wild in Washington Park:



MAV = super strong


Sometimes the older girls will be too cool to sit with the rest of us while we're picnicking; in case anyone comes by and sees us together, I guess. (I had to use the zoom to capture this.)


MOre troubled running:

Miki Grows

At Miki's 9/10 month check up (at which Dr. Dwyer was forced to examine Baby Matthew as much as Miki), it was determined that she is losing a percentile or two, while still being the second coming of Elsie. Theo's record-setting measurements are safe. Untouchable.

29 inches long--78th percentile (down from 90th at 6 months)

21+ lbs--76th percentile (down from 92nd)

18 inch head circumference--88th percentile (up from 75th)

This giant brain action is due to Ella. The general slippage of size is all genetics, though; Miki could not eat more.

pictures vs. 1,000 words

Miki is Friendly and Enthusiastic

(Don't worry, beneath that blue sweatshirt she's wearing a very tight glow in the dark skeleton shirt.)

Various Adjustments and New Skills on Nehalem St.

So Ida's hair was getting out of control again. Mostly the length in the front + a disdain for hair bands and/or barrettes made the front of her hair often full of food and/or snot (which often stuck her hair to her face. It looked like this, at best:


It could also be a hassle, as this short film demonstrates:



So, a quick haircut. "I look kind of like Elsie, but like me."


Meanwhile, here's a new triumphant skill that Miki's picked up. Like a champion, proud of herself.


Not to be outdone:


See ya later...