Stegosaurus Eating Grass

We're finding drawings of dinosaurs and animals all over the house these days as well as various renderings of Stella's name. Most of her signatures include all the letters - sometimes in the correct order but also randomly placed - and some have just a few. As an English teacher, I can't tell you how thrilling it is to see these first concrete signs of literacy emerge. So so very cool.

(And yes. We think she's brilliant.)

Papa

Brian and I had a moment this weekend where we realized we're actually creating the life we want to live as we speak. Teaching our girls to savor the small but hefty pleasures in life - baking bread, planting veggie gardens, asking questions, taking hikes, playing hard, reading and reading and reading some more, drawing pictures for people we love - it's all just a super intense, distilled reality of the life we want... and have. And I can't imagine creating this life with anyone but Brian. To steal a perfect line: He's the butter to my bread and the breath to my life, and I love him. What lucky, lucky girls to have such a beautiful Papa.

Happy Father's Day to all our beloveds.

(Check out that wind up. Rock kerplunking takes vigor and vim, man.)

Quiet Moments

I love these quiet moments with Phoebe. As Stella naps, Phoebe and I snuggle, we read, we play, we smile (and smile and smile...). And often, I just stare. And sigh. Oh, the love.

Vanna & Her Dinosaurs

Now that summer has hit, we're enjoying long evenings outside after dinner. Stella can't get enough of roaming the neighborhood, looking for her big kid friends and digging in the dirt. And the sidewalk chalk is always a surefire hit. On any given night, I lock up the house only to see a parade of prehistoric pals lining our walkway and sometimes heading all the way up the block. The other night, Stella requested I take pictures of her dinosaurs. She made sure to explain who was who with each shot and then gave a full breakdown of their dietary habits.

(Here she's chuckling to herself that "The Saltasaurus likes to put salt on her plants because she's a plant eater." I'm not kidding.)

(Okay, so Brian helped out with these drawings - she's not that cool - but I can assure you she maintained full artistic direction. This girl knows where a head crest or frill belongs.)

Grandmas Rock

My girls have a good life. I know it, and I hope they feel it. Part of all that goodness stems from their amazingly generous and big-hearted grandmas. The other day, Stella went to our local feed store with Grandma Jannie to help pick up bird seed and came home with a whole slew of dinosaurs. Mere moments after saying goodbye (and thank you!) to Grandma Jannie, Stella and Phoebe received mail from Grandma Carol - two brightly colored plastic fish carrying special treasures inside. (See Stella making the triceratops and fish embrace? That's my girl.) And while the material treats were and are a blast, it's the attention and thoughtfulness that totally rocks. Both Grandmas love Stella for who she is - a creative, intelligent and curious kid with a hilarious sense of humor. Thank you, wonderful Grandmas, for giving so warmly and for loving so deeply.

Bathing Beauty

(I have a new theory that my recent bout of migraines is due to severe smiling. I'm actually sort of serious. My jaw literally hurts at night due to all of Phoebe's smiles.)

Guess Who Vinnie's Best Friend Is?

Yup. She who feeds him.