Yesterday’s Snooze

As many of you know (or can tell from the bags that Beni and I carry under our eyes), Olivia and sleep are like oil and water. But exceptions have occurred, and last night happened to be one of them. For the first time away from home and only the seventh time in her life, Sporadically Sleeping Beauty got through the night without interruption. She even carried over some of her restfulness to a late morning stroll.

Minor League Baseball, Major League Fun

The town in which I grew up and where Beni and I first became acquainted while in high school – and where my mom and dad still reside – apparently hit a grand slam by playing home to a minor league baseball outfit. In this inaugural season, attendance at Loons games – the team name, by the way, is an homage to a type of bird found in the area and is not a commentary on the mental state of the townsfolk or the ballplayers – has outpaced preseason projections. On this day, Olivia and company root, root, rooted for the home team.

Putting the S-H-O-W in Shower

Olivia did just that after her bathing ritual this evening.

When Dr. Sears writes about raising an expressive child, I’m fairly certain that he’s not urging parents to nurture their child’s ability to make faces, but I’m also pretty sure that he’d be okay with such encouragement and practice because facial expressions often serve as windows to our emotions. We’re thankful – and admittedly, sometimes challenged – to have a child who’s not afraid to show and express to us how she’s feeling.

To (Butter)Fly in the Face of

Olivia bucked convention on this day when she allowed an adult who was not her mom or dad to touch her face. The face painter metamorphosed our very hungry caterpillar (see following post) into a baby butterfly. Olivia absolutely loved the design and batted her wings in appreciation, an action which altered weather patterns around the globe and rational thought patterns around her brain (we’re still not sure how or why she ended up in the box that contained her new potty clad only in a diaper).

Tough Cookie

This event was literally and idiomatically not a cakewalk – the kids were competing for cookies, elusive cookies at that. Undeterred by the challenge, Olivia put on her game face and competed against a horde of ravenous children to eventually claim her sugary prize.

Roll Reversal

At first, Olivia followed suit – she rolled her suitcase behind her the way she’s seen her parents and most members of the populace tote their wheeled luggage. After deliberating on a second thought, she decided instead to follow suitcase – finding pushing preferable to pulling.

Say Cheese (Sandwich)!

Q: What is it called when your child, when sitting on a bench in the downtown area of a southern Tennessee city, takes a couple of bites of her lunch and declares herself full?
A: The Chattanooga Two-Chew

Like Water off a Dad’s Back

Our little mermaid braved the contrastive environs of our hotel’s mind-numbingly cold pool and bubbling cauldron/hot tub. As you can see, her megawatt smile was unaffected by the extremes in water temperature.

Tender Loving Carousel

Of all the clearly identifiable animals that are a part of the Nashville Zoo’s winsome merry-go-round, Olivia selected a creature of ambiguous title. I pushed the sea otter and Beni suggested the giraffe; Olivia chose the leopard/cougar/puma/jaguar/mountain lion/panther.

Kids and Make Up

Beni’s mug became the target of an impromptu toddler cosmetology party.

Not Made for TV

Olivia and a friend discovered why PBS opted for the telegenic Barney over his fierce and homely twin.

If at First You Don’t Succeed,…

…try (the) tricycle again. After a failed first attempt, Olivia remounted and was rewarded for her persistence.