What about a ballpoint pen?

Beatrice's teacher told me that today when he asked all his students how they were feeling, Beatrice answered "Like a pencil."

On the drive home from school I asked Beatrice what she meant. 

Summer: How do you feel?
Beatrice: Like a pencil.  How do you feel?
Summer: Very happy.
Beatrice: Like a crayon.
Summer: A crayon feels very happy? Then how does a pencil feel?
Beatrice: Curious.
Summer: So you felt curious today?
Beatrice: I feel curious in the classroom because of learning.

The Slumble Bee

For several months now Beatrice has been talking about having a "bumble bee party." I wasn't sure what she meant though it seemed to involve her cousin Rosemary. 

Finally today it clicked - Beatrice kept begging for a "bumble bee party with Arthur" until she finally explained that what she wanted was a slumber party, like when she and Rosemary had shared a room at our house and later in Austn.  Apparently she believes there is an animal called a Slumble Bee and when you sleep together in the same room you're having a Slumble Bee Party.

Arthur, Month Twelve

We have walking! So far he can only cover about ten feet before he falls down again, but he's walking all the same.

Walking was by far the biggest news of the month, but Arthur did also add a few new words and also said his first phrase, "Hi Dad!"

His favorite food is bananas and whenever he's in his high chair, in the grocery store, or any other place where food is present, he will shout "NANA! NANA!" at the top of his voice until you give him one.  Then he bolts it down and shouts "NANA!" again.

Arthur also started his first swimming class, the same one Beatrice did for the last two summers (before graduating to preschool swimming).  Like his sister, he really enjoys the class, but where Beatrice would swim around grinning from ear to ear, kicking and shrieking and splashing, Arthur seems to be concentrating as hard as he can on figuring out how to get it right.

Sadly he isn't smiling in many of his swimming photos, but he really does like it - he's just very serious about it.

Finally smiling - because a pretty lady was clapping for him

Also this month Arthur had his first haircut! It was a much less dramatic change than the one his sister experienced with her first haircut, but it was a nice pre-birthday touch-up.

In fact, he loved getting his hair cut (or more likely, he loved the adoring attention of all the hairdressers) and cried when it was over.

I forgot to take a proper "before" photo, but here's a recent shot that shows him getting a little scruffy:

And here he is now:

And last but not least, his first juice box! Not a very major milestone to most people, but it's one of the things that makes him suddenly seem so much more grown up to me, closer to a toddler than an infant.  He had this juice box at his friend David's third birthday party, and let me tell you, he gave the preschoolers a run for their money: he ate an entire slice of pizza, drank some juice, played on every toy in the indoor playground, and generally had a wonderful time being a "big kid."

Also this month he's discovered books for the first time - he still won't sit still long enough to be read to, but he likes to flip through the pages of books, point to things that interest him, and exclaim "book!" or "hey! book!"

This was the first month in probably half a year that Arthur didn't have a cold and it showed in his happy, cheerful mood - plus I think figuring out walking has made him pretty proud of himself, he's been all smiles lately.  To his many regular favorites, from airplanes to tablecloths, he's added a new one: he loves singing along to music, especially She&Him.  I hope that means he'll enjoy his upcoming music class.

So there you have it - Arthur finished out his first year with a bang! Walking, talking, singing - I can't wait to see all the excitement next year brings.

Happy Birthday, Arthur!

Happy first birthday, Arthur!

We celebrated Arthur's first trip around the sun with a trip to Ventura Beach followed by a small family party complete with cupcakes and presents - and a big joint party with his sister is still to come.

 

Arthur's favorite present was the baseball bat he got from his sister.

Happy Birthday, Arthur! You are one handsome and charming little man.

Terrarium Fever

That sounds like an actual tropical disease, doesn't it? 

Happily it just refers to the fact that I've gotten really into making terrariums lately (I know, I know, they're very trendy, but I still love them).

Next I want to make some mini ones in tiny spice bottles to give as gifts and maybe a dry one with succulents, or maybe a tiny fir tree one for Christmas...

If you're interested in making one, here's a good introduction.

A Visit from the Kumars and a Trip to Big Bear

Last month Suzan and Naresh (Nani and Nana) came to visit.  Unfortunately we took hardly any photos (these photos of Arthur at the baby gym and Beatrice standing in a thicket of bamboo at the Arboretum are the only ones we have) but we had a wonderful time nonetheless.

Dev's parents accompanied us to our regular activities, like ballet class and the baby gym, and we also went out for a lovely Hungarian dinner for Dev's birthday (including an unexpected floor show perfomed by a voice class practicing their performance skills).

Also while they were visiting, I was able to get away for two nights for this year's girls' trip, this time to a cabin in Big Bear. (See the first and second trips.) 

 Amy T. leading us in geocaching.

 The theme of this tea room was not minimalism.

 Saying "prune" - apparently a modeling trick for getting the "perfect pout."

Amy Robb, Amy Turner, Summer St. Pierre, Stephanie Spehar, and I enjoyed a very full weekend of cooking, eating, hiking, geocaching, shopping, and having tea -  not to mention spending four consecutive hours in a jacuzzi.

Thank you, Amy and Amy, for planning this year's getaway!  I really think this was our best trip yet, and I can't wait for next year.

P.S. - I forgot whose photos were whose, but all of these great Big Bear photos are from either Amy Robb or Amy Turner.

Big Bear City on Dwellable

Dance Class

Last winter we were looking for a fun weekend activity to replace swimming classes during the off-season so we signed Beatrice up for a dance class through Burbank Parks and Recreation.

The class wasn't quite what I had expected. I assumed a dance class for 2-4 year olds would consist of an instructor playing recorded music to a room full of giddy toddlers hopping and twirling around as they pleased, but instead the teacher is a rather severe woman who runs a real dance class, complete with stretches and steps and foot positions and professional photographers and the totally misplaced belief that two-year-olds can tell their right from their left, all culminating in a recital with ridiculous patriotic costumes.

The teacher, very obnoxiously, refuses to allow photography in her classroom, so I took a few pictures of Beatrice outside of the rec center wearing her ballet clothes.

I was going to look for a different, less structured class, but Beatrice seemed to like it - and now on June 2, she will face the culmination of her rigorous six months of training, the dance recital*.  And the best part of all? It's a parent-child class, which means she will be dancing in the recital with Dev, her class dancing partner.

 Beatrice and Dev in line to be photographed

 Three older girls wait their turn for professional photos

Modeling her recital costume

Now that swimming season is back I don't think we'll continue with dancing, at least for now, but it did make for a fun new experience for Beatrice - and for Dev.

*And I defy anyone to try and stop me from taking photos and videos of Dev dancing with Beatrice in a ballet recital.