Meteorology

Have you ever wanted to know what happens when a high-pressure system hits a low-pressure system? Well, here's your chance to find out.

The Good Brother

Lately Cody has been having...let's just say a rough time being a big brother. It hasn't been easy the past 15 months couple of weeks. Little sisters, it turns out, have a way of interfering with your routine, your stuff, your, well, your life. So we've had some mighty struggles, but last night marked progress. (In the one step forward, three steps back kind of way.)

The Incredible Hulk Needs a Hug

Belated Birthday

This is part II of an extended hugfest between Granny and Cordelia-bird. As soon as we arrived in NJ, Birdie flew into Granny's arms, put her head down, and stayed in that position for about a half hour. I've never seen anything like it. It was incredibly sweet...and a great birthday present!

NJ Trip

We had a great, if brief, trip to NJ for Mom's birthday. Cody had some quality time at Rainbow Lake with Aunt Cheryl, whom I like to think of as the Toddler Whisperer. They talked about all sorts of things, and then fed Cody's snack goldfish to the actual fish in the lake. Cody was, of course, very tentative about putting his feet in the lake, making sure to check first. Cordelia rushed headlong down the path and nearly threw herself in the water.



But the best part may have been...swinging with Pop-Pop!

Added bonus: getting to see Godbrother Dylan at Denville Dairy...

Yes, I Know I am WAYYY Behind

So let this sweetness tide you over. Been a crazy week.

Happy Belated Independence Crackerfireworks Day!

As promised, here are some of the highlights from July Fourth (only a little behind, oops). It was, as Cody likes to say, "a scorcher!" What better time for their first CONES of ice cream?? : )

(We came prepared.)

Classy pose, kiddo.

Then, we woke Cody up for the real excitement. Cordelia woke up on her own and I brought her outside, but it was too much for her. She started shaking and screaming, so that experiment didn't last too long. I was actually kind of surprised she didn't take off in search of a lighter and start setting them off herself.

These were, as you can tell, Serious Fireworks. Not the legal kind, if you know what I mean. Cody had mixed feelings at first...

...but soon came around.

Crib Conversations

JVL reported yesterday that Cody slept til almost six yesterday -- miracle of miracles! -- and that upon waking up, he launched into a long set piece, featuring himself, Patches, Bidi, and Tippy--who herself was playing the part of a snapping turtle--with Cody supplying all the voices. It went something like this:

Cody: Now Tippy, there is no biting! OH! TIPPY!

Cody/Patches: Tippy! Do not bite me! Tippy bit me!

Cody: Snapper! Stop that! No biting!

Cody/Bidi: TIPPY! Do not bite me either! Tippy bit me!

Cody/Tippy: I am sorry! I will not bite anymore.

Cody: Good apologizing. No more biting.

Cody/Patches: Tippy! Ouch! Snapper bit me again!

Cody: Snapper! Stop that. Oh, snapper, we are going to have to take you to St. Matthew's to get you baptized.

I think all of this was inspired by his sister, who took a hunk out of his shoulder in the bath last week, and whom he now refers to as "Scarlet Jaws."

Cody's Tribulations

Here's the conversation I had with Cody when he woke up from his nap today, after hearing from his babysitter that he was, let's just say, not on his best behavior today.

CJP: Hi Mommy! Thank you for coming home! Well, next time I will do a better job for Miss Emily.

Me: Hi Cody! Did you have a bit of a rough day?

CJP: Mom, I don't really want to talk about it. I'm not going to tell you about my tribulations.

Me: I already heard about your tribulations from Miss Emily. Do you want to tell me yourself?

CJP: I actually don't.

Me: I understand. But I think it would be good if you told me about them anyway. What happened?

CJP: Well...what happened was, as soon as Miss Emily got here, I just went on a tear.

Me: You did?

CJP: Yes. I went on a real tear, Mom. I just kept going and going. And the problem was, I didn't know how to get off the tear. I didn't know how to make it go bye-bye.

Me: Oh dear. Well, why don't we reset right now? Let's just start a brand new day

CJP: I will not do that. I am not going to do any cooperating. Or sharing.

Me: Oh dear. Do you want to talk about why not?

CJP: Well, I do not have any of those things left in me. I wasted them. So they are all gone for today. That is just the way it is, Mom.

You cannot, cannot make this stuff up. And you know what? I get that. There are days when I just don't have a whole lot of cooperation, sharing, or good behavior left in me, either.

The Garden of Delights

Cody and I have been able to pick our very own tomatoes to eat almost every day...some of the plants are much taller than he is!

It was an especially juicy one. :)

Daddy's Little Girl

Happy Birthday, Granny!

Nothing says "Happy Birthday!" like Denville Dairy before dinner. Unfortunately, Mom lost her cone about 3 minutes after this was snapped -- first to Cody, who then lost it to Cordelia. Happy birthday anyway, Mom!

Cuteness Itself

I am horrifyingly behind. But let this hold you over, faithful six readers, for a massive blogfest, once I can download and post. This week is crazy with work and more work, but I will get there! In the meantime, feast your eyes on this. Yes, she stole his cap right out of his sweet little hands.

Just what Adams and Jefferson envisioned

Here's yesterday morning, where July 4 was "cracker-fire day" and the idea of fireworks were of secondary importance to (a) swinging and (b) stories about Bidi and bears and surfing.

But once night fell, we woke Cody up, as promised, for the neighborhood fireworks display. Illegal fireworks, beer, small children--what could possibly go wrong?

Double Thumbs Up

This morning, I suggested we make "Fireworks Pancakes" for breakfast. Cody immediately asked, "Do they shoot out flames?" I said, well, no, but they look pretty. (I just covered them in multicolored sprinkles -- big hit.) Anyway, while he was eating, he asked Jonathan if he had finished his book while he was away writing this weekend.

JVL: Well, no, best buddy. It will still be awhile before I finish it all the way. But I got a lot done. I did some good work on it.

CJP: Dad. That's amazing. That is awesome. Really awesome. Let me give you a double thumbs up, Dad.

I remember when he couldn't even find his own thumb. : )

Scorcher!

CJP: Mom, can I please have your cell-o-phone? I need to check the weather with the meteorologist.

SLL: Sure. What does he say?

CJP, bellowing: MOM! He sa-ays, it's going to be a SCORCHER!!!

SLL: A scorcher! Are you sure?

CJP: I AM POSITIVE!

Cooling Off

On Monday, we took a little afternoon trip to the local pool. Cordelia didn't much like the water, but enjoyed splashing, watching Cody play, and, of course, snacking. And she looked awfully cute.




Check out the scraped, bruised, skinned knees of my little daredevil. Yep, that's blood.

Fava Beans with a Nice Chianti

That's our girl.

First Trip to the Zoo

Cody's first trip to the zoo was a roaring success. Aunt Kelly, THANK YOU!



We started with the otters. And truth be told, we could have ended there. Because once he saw them, that was all he wanted. Until he saw the otter statues...

He nearly passed them, then looked back...

...hugged them, whispered sweet nothings to them...

...and was the happiest boy in the zoo.

Until, that is, he saw the giant tortoises. And the painted turtles. And the other turtles, whose names I don't remember. Thank goodness we had Official Tour Guide Aunt Kelly there!

He would have stayed all day by the turtle pond with Aunt Kelly.

That is, until he saw Daddy Tian Tian. (He has started referring to Jonathan as "Tian Tian" and me as "Mei Xiang" and himself as "Tai Shan." Every morning he says, "Good morning Mommy Mei Xiang! I love you Mommy Mei Xiang!")

My favorite part, though was when he spotted the Zoo golf carts. He immediately asked what they were. Aunt Kelly, thinking on her feet, replied, "That's a Zoomobile." Cody said, "Is it a John Deere zoomobile?" It was. Of course. He flagged one down and started chatting up the driver:

CJP: Hello! My name is Cody! What is your name?

Curtis: Hello! My name is Curtis.

CJP: It's nice to meet you Curtis! Is that your John Deere Zoomobile?

Curtis: It is! Wish I could give you a ride!

CJP: Okay, thank you!

Curtis, chagrined, because he really can't drive small children around in an open zoomobile:"Oh, um...would you like to sit in it?"

CJP: I would love to do that! What is that you are holding?

Curtis: It's a walkie talkie. Would you like to hold it?

CJP: Oh absolutely! Thank you Curtis! You are so kind to let me hold it! Have a great weekend!

Naturally, at the end of the trip, he was allowed to choose a zoo friend to take home. Naturally, he chose his very own panda. But how to choose?

A bear just knows the right bear.

And here, for your viewing pleasure, is a little snapshot of the Awesome that was our day at the zoo. ; ) I know it's long, but I promise it's worth it.