So, so tired today. Took a late-afternoon walk and the kids explored. I talked with my sister- Selah is doing well, and sleeping like a newborn. Not much else to say. Jack remains happily inside, and I don't really expect him until around Bowden's birthday on the tenth. I am just tired.Lucy loves her Daddy.
Bowden found a catepillar, and Lisa, being the excellent aunt that she is, watched with interest, and cautioned gentleness.

Just a little preview of the birthday boy...I sewed some fringe on his bear-costume pants...strangely appropriate.

The camp pool gets scrubbed and repainted every three years or so, and this is the first year we've been around for it. There is a point where the shallow end is about half a foot deep, and the water is perfect wading level...but only for a couple days. We took the opportunity of a not-too-busy day and a bright sun to go in.
The bathing suits.
Lucy had to have her hat most of the time. She tried to throw it in over and over, but I managed to keep it mostly dry.
The farther from the steps you go, the deeper it is. Still, it never got too deep for Bowden to walk in.
Lucy went in happily right away, and walked like she was on dry ground, and promptly fell down- I didn't let her go under, but it was enough to keep her holding my hand for the majority of the time.

Bowden just splashed himself, and found it good.

Lucy camped out on the stairs a lot, too.

She got a little braver when witnessing the fun her brother was having, and by the end would carefully walk to get the ball she had tossed down the stairs.

Once we were done we had to take the obligatory sun-bathe to warm up.
Lucy pretends to sleep, then shoots up- "I wake up!!"
It is, oh, so amusing.

We were down in the desert, and decided to eat at Ruby's Diner- I had no idea they had such fun children's menus. Lucy was practicing some modeling skills.

Bowden ordered a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He ate it, too.
Outside of Ruby's there is a fountain- almost every place in Palm Springs has a fountain. It was close to ninety degrees down there, while at home it was sixty-three. The fountain smells like chlorine, but still, public water is gross.

Not gross enough to keep me from letting my kids play in it.
Bowden's pose of the month. If you look at Lisa's blog, you'll notice his dad does the same thing sometimes.

Why spend so much time where it is hot, hot, and more hot?
At 38 weeks I have an appointment at my OB's every week. There's baby Jack!

It's an Indian party! We'd love it if you could come! We're going to have a deer hunt!

We had a shockingly good time at the Awana Grand Prix this Saturday. While my friends Nicole and Steve were getting married in Pennsylvania, I busied myself with work and this lovely event. It was really, really FUN. First off, they had rented one of those bounce houses, and Bowden and Lucy made their way in as soon as they could. Lucy does more falling than bouncing, but she obviously loved it.
There was also free face-painting. Bowden waited and then asked for a rattlesnake. The lady painting his face looked at me and said, "Is that okay?" and I said yes.
She was very fast, and Bowden was very patient.

He took the whole thing very seriously.

Before he saw the snake, he had his "very still" face on.

Then we asked him to smile...

...and finally he saw it. His first face was so very excited and thrilled.
Then we had him pose one too many times before letting him back in the jumping room.
We made our way inside for the race...Bowden was excited, but sad to learn that he couldn't make the cars race on his own. Label this disappointment #1.

The track tells how fast each car went and who won.

He's talking to his Cubbie's teacher, Mrs. Irene, who told me he was her favorite. It's very nice, but I don't think it's great for Bowden. He loves her tons, though, and I guess I know why.
Waiting for the race.

Disappointment #2- the car did not make it to the finish line. Bowden watched, and then decided he wanted a snack, even though it was the second heat in fourteen.
So we went outside. The ate half a hot dog each and some goldfish, and then I rewarded them with a ring pop. They jumped some more, and I watched some more races.

We went back in for the rewards ceremony, and I was ready for disappointment #3- nothin' but a ribbon. (which would be fine, and probably teach him more than anything else...)
He kept telling Mrs. Leih that he didn't want a ribbon, he wanted a trophy. I kept saying, "Bowden!" All the other children were polite and well-mannered.
He did get excited and show me his ribbon, and then made me hold it.

And surprise, surprise! He won second place for design. Really, the widjiwats painted his rattlesnake, but he painted both his and Lucy's cars red and pink, and put his own stickers on.

He couldn't let go of his ring pop.

Lucy was oblivious to the races and cars and trophies. She just loved her some "candy-binky."

The trophy and ribbons and cars.

Bowden wanted a rattlesnake.
And Lucy has her fireflies. And that was that.