What's New, Kitty-hat?

Kitty-hat, Kitty-hat, you're so thrilling
and I'm so willing to care for you
so come and squint up your cute little kitty-hat eyes
Kitty-hat, Kitty-hat, I love you
yes, I do!*



*nod to lyricist Hal David

Up, Up and Away

Today Superboy's Thursday playgroup met at the (Hot Air) Balloon Museum instead of at the park. If I were a photographer, I could really have fun with this place. We haven't yet been to the Balloon Fiesta, but I'm told it's really something. You have to be there around 5 a.m. to catch the Dawn Patrol, and Mass Ascensions are at 8:00. We have trouble getting all of us out of here and anywhere before 10:00! Better work on that before the next Fiesta...

In my home town, Garcia's Pizza sponsored a hot-air balloon shaped like a giant tomato, with a big green stem and flappy leaves adorning the top. When I was a little girl, the Garcia's Flying Tomato Brothers once landed that balloon in the street in front of the house next door. I'll never forget it. But, you know, I never realized how dangerous hot-air balloons can be. This last year there were several accidents during the Fiesta, one of them tragically fatal. What were those tomato brothers thinking, risking their lives to sell pizza?

Hmmm...

Let's see, let's see, where did I put that pattern for cabled cashmere knickers knit in the round?

"Spring Is Here..

...a-suh-puh-ring is here..." This outing was Superboy's idea, and I say, what better way to celebrate mild temperatures and a relative and temporary lack of wind than a lovely Saturday afternoon at the Rio Grande zoo? Choo choo!

I've slipped another photo of A. into the blog. He doesn't like being published, but hey, he's gotta be in it sometimes! Here are A. and Superboy taking a sun-dappled breather after some hard zoo-trekking.

And of course, when visiting the zoo, one must fit some good rolling down of hills into the schedule. All-in-all, we had a pretty good day yesterday. Hope you all did the same!

Haute Couture

Supergirl has pudged out of every diaper cover we have except for one, so when a friend passed along a pattern for a fleece soaker (a.k.a. "diaper cover"), I thought I'd give it a try. You can barely make out my first attempt in the photo in the previous post (modeled by the Girl). Here you see soaker #2 modeled for us by Superboy--entirely his idea, I swear! As soon as I finished it, he swooped over, swiped the soaker, put it on his head, and began prancing around our (please ignore the mess) living room. I was gonna call this post "Diaper Head", but somehow that didn't strike quite the tone we strive for in our family. Ahem.

Haiku

Determination
eluding all obstacles
busted once again

Housekeeping

Things have been dragging a bit here as both kiddos recover from a nasty respiratory bug; we've been sticking pretty close to home. Bleah. Supergirl has been feeling more than well enough to want to "help" with the housework, however. She has a particular fascination with the vacuum cord. When she hears me start up the machine, she'll come slithering after me at top speed (which is actually pretty fast) to try to nab the cord when I'm not looking. And then gnaw on it. Soooooo...we try to vacuum together now. You can see this strategy has a convenient side effect!

One-Man Band

Do you think we have the next Dick Van Dyke on our hands? Okay, I know that question dates me. Does anyone else remember "Mary Poppins"? I've got to get the Boy one of those harmonica holders you wear around your neck...and maybe some knee-cymbals...and a bulb horn or two to squeeze under his arms...

"Down Diggety-Dog"

We were given false hope by our recent 70 degree temperatures. Last night it snowed, and the wind is back. Drat. The winds here can be brutal, so when it's cold AND windy outside, we'd rather be in. But what to do? What to do? What to do with an active preschooler and a baby who's full o' beans?

Superboy found a favorite Yoga DVD at the library, so here he is doing the "Downward Dog" much better than I could ever dream of doing. In the next shot, he's focusing on belly breathing, assisted by the rising and falling of his faithful companion, the lovely-if-grimy Puppy Dog. Supergirl was in on the action, too, until I heard the Boy calling, "MOM! Supergirl's eating the yoga mat!" So, into the exersaucer she went. Luckily, she doesn't seem to mind.

Boy the Builder

The construction project in our backyard continues. I've been wondering how it will turn out, but it's been a year and a half of waiting, and it's still not completed. I wouldn't dream of hiring another builder, however. I know we got the best there is.

You can tell the weather is warm this day because the Boy is wearing his warm weather construction vest, custom-made for him by Grandma C. last summer. Be on the lookout for the cool weather construction vest someday!