Springtime

Marianne always takes time to stop and smell the flowers...

I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and bananas...

"Oh Mother dear, I really would enjoy having some applesauce." "Let's see if I can puncture the lid with my razor-sharp teeth..."
"APPLESAUCE!!!!!NOW!!!!!"

What am I supposed to do with this shovel???

We've been spending lots of time outside lately. Marianne loves to stomp through the yard picking up sticks, examining dog bones, and playing with the hose. Last night I gave her my trowel, and she tried to dig a hole!

Now if she'll only learn how to pick weeds...

I voted!

Marianne tried to vote in the NC Primary on Tuesday; after all, she is 18 months old! She mostly enjoyed the "I voted today!" sticker and wants her own "curbside voting" sign.

Marianne is working really hard on climbing up and down steps this week. She's just about mastered the steps to GaGa and PaPa's deck, and I think she would practice all afternoon if she could. She also started saying a few more words; two of my favorites are "apple" -- anything round with a stem is an apple these days -- and "supper" (sounds like "upper"). She picks up the dog bowl and says "supper", and also says it whenever Minnie is eating. Now she needs to learn how to say "Psych!" because poor Minnie perks up her ears everytime Marianne announces it's "upper" time!

"Upper! PSYCH!"

Dear Little Playmate...

"Dear little playmate,

Come out and play with me!

And bring your dollies three,

Climb up my apple tree.

Slide down my rain barrel

Into my cellar door,

And we'll be jolly friends

forever more!"

Jean Marie and Kathryn came to visit last weekend, and the girls had a blast! We spent lots of time outside in the back yard and at Camelot. After playing in the dirt, sliding down lawn chairs, drinking dog water, playing with sticks and pinecones, trying to eat the garden hose, and climbing, swinging, and sliding at the park they got pretty dirt so they were able to take baths together on Friday and Saturday night!

Playing in the dirt...

Sliding down the lawnchair...

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

We spent lots of time on the bridge this weekend!

Kat found a good hiding place.
Getting dirty in the backyard!

This was the last time Marianne will see Kathryn for a while, although we're crossing our fingers Jean Marie and Kat will fly back in August for some more play time. It was so nice to be able to spend time with one of my dearest friends; I will miss her so much when she's all the way out in Idaho! Let's hope they move back in a few years!