Today I got to spend lots more time outside with our little "coldy" Annie. Here is a new little game we created called "Tickle-leaf." : ) She makes the same face as when the bath squirters squirt her. : ) It really was a beautiful fall day today with temperatures in the low seventies all day . . .
. . . But I'm afraid it wasn't a very good day for a swim lesson. Here's Leia at her lesson with Carrie (and Daddy). There's no one in the pool because it was freezing cold. Leia was a bit cryey again today.
When she got in the car she wanted to be bundled up (she would later tell me that she felt like a bee larva), . . . and when she got home she got right into a warm bath.
You see, today, Leia Rose wanted to begin "The Dinosaur Stories." Grandma had given Leia Rose this cool make-your-own-hardcover-book set. Leia wanted to get started right away. I was amazed that she could create this intricate story right off the bat! I took it down shorthand and then later wrote it in the actual book. (I felt like Leia Rose could handle writing one word per page, . . . there's about 15 pages.) It's absolutely precious to hear her own words! Leia began by drawing the first picture (the earth) above the first page caption. She's got lots to go yet, . . . and I'll be sure to blog about it when it's done. : )
Later in the day Leia Rose heard Bailey and Colin outside and she wanted to go over and play with them. Brian took her over and, considering that both parents were outside supervising, and I was on our back deck listening out for Annie, we agreed! This enters us into a new era: that of Leia knocking on doors and saying, "Can so-and-so come out and play?" Leia LOVED it. She loved it so much that she stayed over there five hours. That was a long time for me to sit on our deck relaxing! (But in the meantime I saw, and actually heard the hum of, quite a few hummingbirds!) Hey, I'm not going to complain! : ) Leia, Bailey, and Colin jumped on the trampoline. They played "royal castle" on the huge rocks in the woods. (And flicked the ticks off of their clothes as a result.) I got to hear all of it from a distance. Eventually, Leia rose came home with a sleeping beauty dress and a fairy wand, . . . but only after Brian had to go over to get her. Meanwhile, Bailey ruined our birthday surprise when she said, "So have you ridden my Barbie Jeep yet? I see it here under this blanket." I heard her say this and ran outside and simply said, "Bailey, please stop talking and come here." She felt so badly. I didn't mean to scare her, but she was ruining everything! The plan was to save it for both girls (for Leia to drive and Annie to ride) for a birthday present. We stored it safely in the garage, . . . and we thought we were safe. Suddenly, Leia Rose comes over and sadly says, "but am I going to get it?" I told her that there were certain birthday surprises that we weren't going to talk about right now, but not to worry about it. I couldn't believe that wishy-washy answer worked. : ) (I'm not as good at thinking on my feet about stuff like this, . . . Laura, you're my hero on that front.)
Anyway, this new era brings up all of the issues of safety while your child is out of your reach. Outside the home of some "kinda-knows" who we spend some neighborly times with, but who we aren't exactly friends with. Hmmmmm. I suppose one must make the leap at some point, . . . or keep our child locked up forever. It's probably just a good idea to reiterate all of those important "safe-side" facts with Leia, . . . and perhaps let her watch that fabulous DVD again. You know, . . . don't go anywhere alone with a "kinda-know" adult without your own "safe-side" adult. Great stuff. Then my mind wanders to, "When will Leia be able to walk alone to Heidi's house? (Four houses away.) At five years old? At six? Not sure. I wonder what the Safe Side Super Chick would say about that? In the very least, I feel blessed to live in a neighborhood safe enough and friendly enough to feel secure with the future thought of my child being able to knock on the door of a friend and say, "Can Heidi come out and play?"
Just one last little funny tidbit about Leia Rose. We went out to dinner tonight at On the Border and Leia ordered a very "Sallyesque," "Rumble-in-the-Junglesque," high maintenance, strawberry kids sundae. "I would like vanilla ice cream topped with strawberry syrup and" the server completed "with whipped cream and a cherry on top?" Leia was amazed! So amazed that when the server left the table, Leia said, "He's so quick!" Ha!
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