A Mid-June Posting

The top of this entry may be dated July 3, but this is really our mid-June posting. Why? Well, I started writing this entry in mid-June, got as far as choosing some photos, saving them as smaller versions, and giving them all the base name "Mid-June 2006", but then something happened. I don't remember any more what it was exactly, but likely the kids woke up from their naps, or dinner was ready, or Nathan wasn't able to handle two at once anymore.

Anyhow, let's see what we were up to in mid June:

Ben and our helper Somany were playing in the foyer. The kids think helium balloons are the world's coolest objects.

Ellie found the coloring book and watercolors that we had originally bought for the plane trip back to the US but never used. She loved them, managed not to paint herself, and used up all of the paint on just two sheets.

Ellie, our cat burglar in training, can now crawl into Ben's crib without assistance. Unfortunately for her, she has not yet figured out how to get out on her own. (And since you're no doubt wondering, the dome isn't mosquito netting, we zip it up so Ben can't crawl out or throw his toys out and then demand having them back.)

She and Ben think that playing together in his crib is just about the funnest thing around. Here Ben is doing his best Bono impression. (And yes, we know that 16 month olds shouldn't be playing with pencils, but this was a birthday party favor that took us until bed time to "lose".)

They also love to play together in the tub.

Ellie threw a fit over some dictatorial parenting decision I made--I think it was when I took away a toy that she and Ben were fighting over. However, she thought that photographing herself while upset was a great idea, and it led to an interesting mood of "I was angry but now I'm fascinated by this idea but I want to still be angry so I can see how I look when angry"

...and here she is sulking a few moments later...

...and here's a self-portrait from about 20 minutes later when she was in a better mood.