One Leaf, Moving Water

It sounds like an American Indian name, but it's not.

Moving water.




One leaf.

Hope Deferred

Susannah kept running to whatever place she saw the greatest rush. Several times, I foiled her plans to walk chest-deep and higher.



I sometimes wonder what sort of snapshots I'll be able to take when I'm not snapping away with one hand, the other laden with baby or, in this case, one hand constantly holding baby back from certain death.



I like to tell myself they'll be snapshots of a higher quality, but what on earth will I take pictures of once the girls are grown?

Run Aground

I stashed her here so that I could take a picture of the big girls at play. She was less than thrilled at first.

Rock Toss

She soon found that throwing rocks large enough to douse her with their splashes was almost as fun.

A Fisher

Millie was so pleased to find this fishing pole already complete with a line.




However, Annika was sorely jealous and kept pestering me for "her fisher." I provided her with a large piece of lumber which she happily used to snag silvery gleams.

Puddleducks

Millie first found the puddle. When it passed her rigorous inspection with approval,




Susannah approached,





inspected, and then bid Annika to join her.



They jumped.




and jumped,



behind the squinty eyes in the back of my head.

Pit Stop

It's a blurry, blurry picture, but look at that face! I hope that when I'm old and feeble, I remember how happy I felt when she looked at me like that.




Oh, yeah. Here's the pit stop-- a tire ride before we walked home.

Prodigal Returned

Please don't worry that we're not flourishing in all that warmth and sun. Things are feeling normal again, and the girls are eating quite well, though the Wren doesn't know quite what she thinks of the white stuff's taste.

New Twins

Someone got a new beebee from Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas.






She loves her, and feeds her candy on the sly. (For real. I have to keep washing sticky spots off from around beebee's mouth.)



She will also, without warning, rush up with a look of greatest concern on her face and say, "'Tinky! 'Tinky!" pointing to Beebee. We then have to take Beebee to the bathroom and sit her on the toilet, where Susannah will peer into the toilet with satisfaction, assured that her Beebee has done the job before she vigorously rubs the cloth bottom with toilet paper. I am sorry that I have no pictures of this; I'm always busy making sure that Beebee doesn't teeter into the toilet water.

Solitaire

She's grown big enough to enjoy tea parties her sisters have abandoned. (And, Titi, not-so-subtle brainwashing is successful. Millie now calls her "Piggly Wiggly" of her own accord.)

Making the Grimms Less Grim

Another of their new favorites is to act out the tale of Snow White, with a few minor improvements. For instance, after I (as the stepmother disguised) give Snow White the poisoned apple, a passing mermaid swims to rescue her. Then Snow White, revived and seeking revenge, brings the apple back to me. I bite into it and, with guttural shrieks, die in paroxysms. It's really something to watch, I'm sure.