JW Tumbles

On Sunday, Rory celebrated Dahlia's birthday with a party at J.W. Tumbles. Rory spent most of the party upside down.
Our little gymnist!

Rory shows no fear when it comes to tricks like this one.
Rory rides the teeter-totter with her friend Greta.
The highlight of the party was the zip wire!

Avenator

Aven and her Daddy.
Aven and her Mommy.

The Mosh Pit

It's not unusual for our daughter to be the lone dancer in the toddler mosh pit.
Although, she is typically able to convince at least one of her friends to join the party.
On Saturday, Rory took her parents to hear the folk stylings of a pair of local singers.
As is her want, Rory grabbed a boy (her friend Ian) and headed towards the stage.
Here, the kids find a dance perch with a better view.

Those dancers needed a water break after grooving in the hot summer sun.

Potty Time, Rory!

In time for Father's Day, Rory learned to pee in the kiddie potty!
Potty training took some work, starting on Friday, June 19th. Wearing the "big girl undies" was a big part of her motivation.
And when else do you get to make Rice Krispie Treats with Grandma in your undies?!
Rory points to her accomplish- ments on her Potty Chart. Every tenth success earns Rory a special gift.
At press time, we're at 13 pees and poops in the potty in a row! One successful night and one field trip under our belt.

Aven poses for the camera

Aven, Rory, Blanket

Aven Takes a Look See

One morning, Aven mounted her Daddy's belly for a look see.
She saw her Mommy taking pictures, while her big sister danced in the background.
The sights made Aven so happy, she cooed.
Just chilling. Thank you.

Rocknocerous in the Park

"Hi, Rory here. I'm reporting live from Burke Lake where, rumor has it, Rocknocerous will be performing."
"I am not just a reporter, but a Super Fan!"
"See, I know all the Rocknocerous dance moves and ..."
"Oh wait, what do I hear? The music is starting, I've got to ..."
"Rush the stage! Let's dance in the kiddie mosh pit! Come on everybody! Join me!"
"That's better! We'll be dancing every Saturday to sounds of my favorite band."

"Aven wishes she could dance with me. Maybe when she's older."

Sisters, Part 3

Fairfax Festival 2009

Yes, the fair had it's share of ducks and goats and sheep. But the main attraction ...
... fair rides! Rory enjoyed the carousel with Mommy and ...
... Daddy.
The alligator ride was a hit.
Although the "frog hopper" gave both Rory and her parents a little anxiety.
The race track (with an escort) was a little more our style.
The train ride made a loud "choo choo" that prompted a funny face on Rory.
But the main attraction (for Rory) was Rocknocerous, her favorite band (she has all of their albums).
The tunes might have even made a fan of Aven, pictured here stretching her hands toward the band.

Stop! Put Your Hands in the Air!

You're under arrest!

Aven: A Week in the Life

Our little Aven has started to give us longer stretches of active time, punctuated by startingly mature behavior ...
... such as reading the A section of the newspaper. She was very interested in Obama's speech in Cairo.
Yet, sleep is her default setting. She's pictured here in the same swing that gave Rory so much comfort.
Occassionally, Pippin challenges Aven to a "sleep off" (and rarely winning), sensing a kindred spirit perhaps.

Rory, Almost Three

At two years and ten months of age, Rory is blossoming into quite a special person. Listed below are just a few of the things that her Mommy and Daddy wish to never forget about Rory at this age:

• Rory rarely eats a meal without "dippy dippy" as an accompaniment. Just this weekend, she ate her Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich with Thousand Island Dressing, and she dipped her watermelon in ketchup.
• Rory has three imaginary friends, Coco, Nene, and Willybob. She regularly "reads books" to them, and they routinely help Rory bake brownies with her play kitchen.
• Rory loves to dance, especially to classical music while wearing one of her two pink tutus. She loves to sing; her favorite sonds are 7 Days in the Week, I'm a Little Teapot, Old McDonald, and the ABC song.
• Rory watched very little TV in the first 2.5 years of her life, but since moving into our new home, we've allowed her to watch 30 minutes every morning. Her favorite shows are Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse, Handy Manny, and Special Agent Osso.
• Rory learned the use of the word "actually" at an early age, which gives her a very mature air when she is correcting someone, as in: "Actually Daddy, I am not done with my food yet."
• She also loves the phrase "Tell me about it" when she wants to hear the whole story, as in: "Daddy, I see your booboo on your hand. Tell me about it."
• When we ask Rory to tell us about her life, her stories almost always revolve around a monster of some sort. She loves monsters, especially when Daddy Monster or Mommy Monster chase her upstairs for her shower.
• Oh, and she prefers a shower now instead of a bath ever since we switched to showers in order to avoid soaking her stiches (per the doctor's orders).
• Rory always like to know the type of day that she has in store, asking us each morning whether it is a "Rory and Mommy" day (meaning a day that she stays home from school with Mommy) or a "Rory and Mommy and Daddy" day (meaning a weekend). With so many relatives in town recently, the list of characters in her day has lengthened. Rory: "Actually, today is a Mommy, Aven, Nonna, and Grandma Day ... but not Daddy."
• After Rory has established the type of day, she likes to know the day's line-up of events, asking "And, what we do after that?" (fairly incessantly).
• Daddy has begun teaching Rory some math; she now knows 1+1, 1+2, 1+3, 1+4, 1+5, and 1+6. We end each session with a rousing shout: "Gooooooo Math!" (which ends in a fist bump).
• And while I'm bragging, Rory knows all of her letters by sight, and she can spell her name. We're currently working on Aven's name.
• Finally, Rory's negotiation skills leave a little to be desired. Mommy: "I want to see you eat three more carrots before you get dessert." Rory: "Actually, Mommy, I think it will be four carrots." Mommy: "Fine, you win." Rory: Smiling, triumphantly, and eating four carrots.