Mel the Mail Lady

We love our mail lady.  Her name is Mel.  It may be Melinda... or maybe Melanie.  I'm not sure.  But she is beloved in our neighborhood.



Almost every day, the kids (or at least Elliot) run outside to meet her.  They run to our neighbor's house so that when she gets to their mailbox, she will race my kids back to our mailbox.  They love it, and she lets them win every single time.  Thanks to postcards from Papa addressed individually to each kid, she knows their names and hands them their postcards and/or mail stacks individually.  It's adorable.



They are out there with her, rain or shine.

Playing in the Rain

This week we had a truly a nature-filled day. 




We started with a walk in the cool of the morning, cooled off with a swim in the heat of the day, and then enjoyed a splash-fest in a thunderstorm! 



In fact, the thunder began while we were still swimming, and the goggle lines hadn't fully faded from their faces when they began splashing in the rain. 




Elliot was not a fan of the thunder.  Nobody was, actually -- but Elliot is our ear-plugger. 



If he gets a little scared, the hands go over the ears right away.  Oliver did it for the first time the other day in a public restroom.  It was so cute.  I thought he was too young, but I guess not. 



"Watch me jump, mom!"





Oliver took a little spill in the puddle and got mud all over him.  Oops.



Elliot has turned into a screaming terrorist everyday at about 1pm.  It is absolutely miserable. 



This has to be what people meant when they (whoever they is) coined the term, "terrible twos".  It is truly just awful. 



It lasts until he's allowed up from his "rest time..." or sometimes just a bit longer.  Sometimes all day.  I am hoping that whatever has rocked his world soon settles down inside him and allows him to be a little more emotionally steady. 



He must feel like he's on a roller coaster.  It sure seems that way from the outside.  He vacilates between giving sweet kisses and saying I love you to looking us full in the face and screaming that he wanted to (fill in the blank here).  It's so draining.  I hope 3 is better.


Oliver has been much more communicative, which has been helpful. 


 He is still our little screech-owl and still screams shrilly sometimes when he is unhappy or wants attention. 
 

But he is eager to sign, if he can, to get what he wants. 
 

And if I ask him--for example--"What?  Do you want a drink?"  He'll immediately sign please.  That is a huge improvement.     



Lucy and I are plugging away at reading. 
 

She enjoys her little reading lessons, though I'm struggling to find a time to do them, now that Elliot made nap time more difficult.



I love her freckles.



"Mommy, now me!  Lemme see my boo eyes!" (said Elliot)



 Guess we need to get Oliver some rain boots. 



Although he did fine, barefoot with no rain coat.  It was actually in the 80's... so not cold, at all. 


 But we still enjoyed some hot cocoa after coming in and getting bathed, dried off, and dressed.

Splashing in Puddles

 

One of the photography groups I'm in challenged us to post photos of "reflections" (of our kids) in the puddles created by our spring storms. 



I love photography challenges. 



They help me think more critically while holding the camera, and often they create really fun situations for play that I wouldn't otherwise think of. 



So yesterday, between the morning mild thunderstorm and the afternoon severe (tornados sighted) thunderstorm, the kids and I got outside to play in the puddles. 


 
They were a little weirded out, at first...



...but pretty soon they both were having a grand time, running back and forth on the sidewalk, splashing. 



Lucy is in love with "Ring Around the Rosie" and was teaching Elliot how to play it. 



You have to sit down!  Sit down, Elliot!

(shaking his head): "Uh uh!" 



But then he decided to join her, after all.  And they both sat in the puddle and laughed. 



Ashes, ashes, we all fall DOWN!



I couldn't tell if they were admiring their reflections... or just enamored of the water. 



Probably the latter. 



I found it difficult to capture a really interesting reflection in this tiny, shallow little puddle. 

 

I'm curious to see what the other moms in the group got. 



I see a garbage truck!!!  (highlight of our play time outside)



11 days until my medical renewal exam.  It's going to be fine.  Baby #3 due in 3 1/2 weeks.  Can't wait!

Rain Storms Just Got A Little Nicer

I love rain storms in the spring.  Love them.  I love how the air smells, and how it sounds outside, and how everything gets a little cooler. 

 
 

Turns out rain storms make Elliot very clingy and cuddly.  He is like a puppy. 



When it starts raining hard, there is no where he'd rather be than in my arms, with head down, snuggled close. 
 



I mean... I didn't think I could enjoy rain storms any more, but yes--this makes them even nicer.