The Circus

Last year when we went to the circus Etta spent the entire two hours asleep in the sling. This year was a bit different.

Seriously studying the action.



Half-time entertainment. It is so great that she is at the age where just walking around on the football field is fun enough.



Watching the little horses from a distance.



Dragging daddy around. I don't think that there is anything in the world that can make your heart melt as much as seeing this from up in the stands. [With your own special little one of course!]

Random Pics

Here are a last few pictures that I couldn't fit in anywhere else.

Getting used to grass.



Playing the Wii. I believe they were boxing.



Hunting Rabbids.



The tuba is going to eat you!



Look over there (while I escape!)

Icicle Creek Music Center

...is what I think the place we went for a walk was called. It is a beautiful area and made for a pleasant stroll.

Neat ornaments in the tree



Close up



Enjoying a snack



Following the Chalmers'



One of the fish sculptures. "You know Bob. I am going to put that on the blog."

More fun on the farm

With so many pictures it's hard not to do another post!

C'mon mom. Let's go see some animals!



Petting a goat.



What's down there?



Pretty peacock. Etta was very into all of the animals at the farm. While she was watching the peacocks with their spectacular plumage [this picture] one of them decided to "call out" to another. It is quite an intense sound. When it was finished with its part of the conversation there was a split second of quiet and then Etta let out with a cry of her own. She was no longer as excited about all of the animals.



Post-peacock rest. To distract her from the terror that she calls "peacock" I took Etta on a horse ride. It seemed to work alright.



Caption included



2 1/2 feet tall!



Been farmin' long?



Look mom, I can touch that animal!



Taking my dad for a ride.



Hip girl.

New friends and old friends

Earlier in the week Bob, Etta and I traveled to Cashmere, WA to visit our "old" friends Kent and Annie. They have Baby Brooke who was born 08/09/08. We have seen them a couple of times in the first year of the girls' lives, but they have just been quick contact while attending something else. It was super nice to visit them and actually get to just hang out, relax and watch the babies interact. They did very well together. I am excited to watch them grow!

The "big" baby in the Exersaucer and the "little" baby walking over to greet her. Etta was able to re-introduce Brooke to some of her "boring" toys.



Watchin' some animals.



A riding break in the shade.



Let's go plow something!



Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!



Baby jail during dinner.



Uncle Casey. You know, he's a Boy Scout.



Parallel play. They did pretty well together. Just a couple of eye pokes and take downs.



Piano duet time.



Barefoot Brass Quintet. Plus 8 years. I think that we still look pretty good!

Fountain Wading

At Pioneer Park (near our house) the city crew spent the spring fixing up a fountain. The new one is very nice. There are jets of water that shoot up, the entire thing is flat and the water is about an inch deep at its "deepest". On Thursday we went to the playground and Christine and the boys just happened to be at the fountain. We decided to join them for some "wading".

What is this thing, mommy?



I guess we can walk over here. [Notice that NEITHER of Jonah's feet are touching the ground.]



See B Etta? Wading in the water is fun!

Meeting Benny

When we traveled to Europe during the summer of 2006 we found a store during a layover at a train station that sold very life-like puppets. It was Bob's "splurge" for that trip. When he was packing up his classroom for the summer last week he brought home "Benny". Benny Hauptbahnhof. The name "Benny" came with the puppet. We were trying to think of a last name and nothing seemed to fit. I finally suggested "Hauptbahnhof". His name literally means "Benny from the train station". Etta seemed to find him fascinating and I'm sure that he'll come out and play more often this summer.

Hi, my name is Etta. What's your name?



Is that your nose?



That's my nose!



I can give kisses. Let me show you.



Mwwwwwaaaaaaaaaa.

Walking...almost...

Etta is finally to the stage that everyone has been talking about for months. The "leading-mommy-(or-daddy)-around-by-the-hands-until-they-start-to-go-a-little-crazy" stage. These pictures were taken soon after I returned from my 18-mile run with Christine last weekend.

This way mommy!



No, this way! More!! More!!!



Come on baby Etta, can't you tell that mommy is tired?

Par-tay

aka: Jonah and Noah's Birthday Bash!

Last Friday Jonah turned three and Noah turned two. How does that work with twins you ask? I really don't know. You'd need to ask Jonah. Anyway, they had a big birthday bash and we were invited. Swimming, goodies, a pinata, everything you could wish for in a good ol' birthday bash. Except for good pictures. Just got a few - and not many of the birthday boys. I'll have to work on that!

Can Etta share in a birthday dip?



Getting used to the water.



A fine lookin' bathing beauty on the move.



A swing break



Whew! I need some water after all that birthday bashing!