Zoey's pirate birthday party

Hot Out

So, Athena's baby bathtub thermometer says the pool temperature is 92.3 degrees today. Not sure how hot the air is, but probably hotter.

Quote of the day

Today's quote is brought to you by the 1950's:  "I'm in love with Samson. I'm going to marry him. He is going to be a jet pilot and I'm going to have dinner on the table when he gets home." Ummm, not quite the message we mean to be sending!

Peacocks at Dawn!

Climbed my stairs this morning to a particularly loud peacock noise and saw this staring at itself in the window.  He sure is proud...or something.

Video Star Music Video

Leila made a music video last week. Yes, that's an electronic fly swatter (without batteries) that she is using as a guitar. That girl has lots of energy to burn!

100th Day of Violin!

Leila did it! She practiced her violin 100 days in a row starting all the way back in February! Some days are better than others, but she hates the idea of "breaking the chain" of practice days. Today she played all the songs she knows for us, and Athena was a perfect audience.

100 out of Legos

After her violin practice and some pool time, Zoey & Elise came over for a Memorial Day dinner: Brats, hot dogs, mac & cheese, and homemade ice cream for dessert. Mmmm. Oh, and that's Leila's new pet turtle in the box on the table that she is pointing at.

Pool Surprise

Tortue-D2, meet the floating turtle

They seemed to like each other well enough...

New Amphibious Friends

Erica found this little guy walking down the road yesterday and brought it home for Leila. Turns out there are turtles in Ouagadougou as well as tortoises.

New chair day

And then, this.

Camel in the street.

Lego Wedding Party

Leila creation

The Peacock is Becoming a Fixture of Everyday Life

For better and worse.

Post Pool Bath

We really should be doing this everyday.  She likes it usually, and she's usually covered in spit-up by mid-afternoon.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE! THE TINY PEOPLE!

Athena's First Fun Pool Outing

We took Athena back into the pool on a beautiful, dry, 100 and something degree day...and she enjoyed herself!  Now we just need to teach her how to float.

Even Babies Love Frozen

Athena apparently wants to be best friends with Elsa from Frozen.  We don't have the heart to tell her it's not real.

Phineas and Ferb and Legos

After getting hooked on Phineas and Ferb cartoons Leila created her own figures using Legos. Definitely the most artistic thing she's done with the Legos so far. I'm a very proud dad!

Winner!

My Mother's Day present

So Leila saw this idea for a Mother's Day present in a magazine more than a month ago and has been working on it since then. She had Jason help her with the cardboard frame, but the rest she did herself. She even kept it hidden and didn't tell me about it, which is not easy for a little kid. She was so proud. Love that girl!

Athena rolling over

And now, without further ado, what all you grandparents out there have been waiting for: