Something Old, Something New

You'd think when a child has been in a crib for several hours, the first thing she'd want you to do when you open the door is get her out as fast as possible. Well, not this little girl.

She'd rather stay inside and indicate which toys you are to load in with her. She doesn't actually play with them - she just likes having a couple dozen in there with her. Hey, whatever floats your little boat, Joy.

As Joy continually learns new (and sometimes unfathomable) games, some things remain the same. For example, she still loves holding random objects in her hands while she goes on walks. They may be a rattle and a Kleenex packet (gleefully modeled above), or just sticks and pebbles she finds while she's exploring. Funny little girl.

Life Lessons at the Park

We were feeling a tiny bit adventurous this evening, so we decided to go to the park as a family.

Here Daddy gives Little Girl her first driving lesson at the playground. Don't forget to signal when you turn, Joy.

As a bonus, Daddy also demonstrated how to go down a slide with gusto. Truly a man of many talents. :)

Going Around in Circles

Joy and I joined some friends at Griffith Park today.

Our first stop was the historic merry-go-round, which they claim inspired Walt Disney to create Disneyland.

Here are Kerry, Robin, and Joy's buddies astride their mighty steeds.

And here are a couple other girls you might know.

After our carousel ride, we went just over the hill to the universal access playground called Shane's Inspiration. It has lots of ramps, uniquely shaped swings, and other features so that even kids with handicaps can have a great time there. Joy thought the swings were really cool, and kept coming back to them for yet another ride.

First Picture of Second Baby

I had my first baby-doctor appointment today. In addition to being poked, prodded, and having a staggering amount of blood drawn for the usual round of tests, I found out that my due date is in late February. And I'm NOT having twins. :)

Here's our first baby picture of Cherub #2. The baby posed very nicely for the photo, facing us with the head pointing down and to the right. You can see both arms and both legs (one arm can be seen as a little bump along the right side). The big circle at the baby's upper left is the yolk sack. I'm looking forward to learning our baby's gender in a couple months, but in the meantime I love having this little peek at the newest member of our family.

Semi-Natural Wonders

I love free day at the Arboretum.

You might also call it "Mommy and Me Day," since so many moms from church brought their kids to enjoy the sights.

Kerri suggested we meet at the Catawampus, a couple of funky structures woven from living saplings. Joy and I had fun exploring the rooms and passageways, and we even played a little hide and seek, though I never left her in much doubt where I had hidden.

Speaking of semi-natural wonders, I thought the waterfall was pretty cool, but Joy was more interested in the stairs next to it.

I also liked seeing the little, organic herb garden . . .

. . . and the big (non-organic?) herb garden.

Back home in our own little arboretum, the beans are blooming. Aren't they cute?

Five Rectangles and a Sphere

What do photographs and Earth's natural satellite have in common? Our toddler currently finds them rather fascinating.

Joy loves having us sit down and tell her about the family pictures on our display table. They're actually a nice summary of what is important to us: our little family, both extended families, the temple, etc. I've considered adding a picture of Jesus so she gets to know Him, too, but then she might think He's her uncle and that could cause serious headaches for future Sunday school teachers.

Joy absolutely loves finding the Moon in the sky. Any time it's visible you can ask her where it is and her face will light up as she points it out to you. She even recognizes it in her picture books no matter what shape it is, which I find pretty impressive.

Duckies, Daddy Tricks, and Dough

Ah, the simple pleasures of life.

Happiness is having a bran muffin and a pink rubber ducky. What more does a little girl need?

How about a daddy who can hold up four toy balls - with no hands. He actually got up to six before they fell.

Joy's also excited to have a mommy who can't eat cookie dough for a while (for an explanation and further details, see my Bluestocking blog).

Local Produce

Ever wondered what a potato flower looks like?

Now you know.

And speaking of produce . . .

Joy has decided she likes apples. A lot. If I hadn't cut the core out, she would have eaten that, too.

Birthday BBQ

Grandpa S and Uncle Robbie had their birthdays this week, and where else could we go to celebrate but . . .

. . . Lucille's BBQ! Mmmm . . . tri tip, peanut slaw, and biscuits, oh my!

Joy likes any party that involves Daddy. And french fries.

Back at the ranch we sang the traditional super-long birthday song then savored Grandpa's favorite kind of pie: rhubarb. My brother sure is photogenic, isn't he?

Happy Fourth!

It's Independence Day, and like any red-blooded, American, LDS family we kicked things off by attending the scouts' pancake breakfast at the chapel. Joy loved the scrambled eggs and deigned to sample a bite of sausage, but she stubbornly refused to let even a crumb of pancake into her mouth. When we finally slipped some syrupy goodness past her defenses, thbbp!--it came right back out. There is truly no accounting for taste.

After the breakfast we headed to the Hendrickson homestead for additional festivities.

A good book makes any car ride go faster, right? Like mother like daughter.

After a nap for Joy and a game of hearts for the grown-ups (I actually shot the moon! Huzzah!), Little Girl and I enjoyed some fresh air out front . . .

. . . while Daddy instructed Aunt Laura in the fine art of grilling burgers.

You know, I've eaten plenty of All-American food today, but I don't feel like I've said, thought, or felt anything particularly patriotic so far. I think it's hard for Americans to fully appreciate our liberties when we've never known anything different, or to appreciate the enormous sacrifices that earned them when we've had to sacrifice so little to maintain them.

America, for all its flaws, stands for so many good things: the principle that every person is important, the opportunity to choose your own destiny, the freedom to speak your mind. While we certainly have room for improvement, there is no better place on earth to live. I hope we'll live up to the legacy of faith, hard work, and good character that have made this country what it is today.