Roll Out Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Well, it's about time I got caught up!  June has come and gone, but I'll not apologize.

This summer is not lazy--though June was a bit hazy and crazy at times.

Houston's typical June forecast:
sunny and hot with a 40% chance of afternoon thunderstorms.

A Bucket List Moment

Cecilia got to check one of the items off
her bucket list--the ballet  Swan Lake.

After the ballet in the Green Room at Wortham Center,
C had her moment with a prince and his lovely swan, Odette.

The evil Baron Redbeard (Rothbart) got lots of boo's during curtain calls.
Cecilia apologized, and the Baron replied,
"That's the way I know I did a good job!'

Daniel and I planted beans and corn
to watch the roots and plants grow.

 Summer Science


So fascinating, right?!




Easy to grow!
A clear plastic container with lid, lots of cotton balls on the bottom,
folded paper towel around the inside, and corn or bean seeds
between the towel and container.
Saturate the cotton so that the towel stays wet,
put the lid on, and place in a bright window.
When roots grow and sprouts show green,
remove the lid and watch!

Paper plates make good clouds and suns.
D helped make the sunshine with cut straws
on the pipe cleaner rays.

We talked a lot about the weather.  Outside we looked at
white fluffy clouds and dark rumbly clouds.
Cecilia told me that one day during a storm D asked,
"Mamae, can you turn down the thunder?  It's too loud."



Summer Sports     

 VoVo Dora sent these havaianas from Brasil.

Daniel got into the drama of the FIFA World Cup hosted by Brazil.  One weekend we ate at a sports grill while the US played.  He'd start chanting "USA! USA!"  During one of the Brazilian matches, he kicked his futbol and then fell to the ground on his face.  Don't know if he was celebrating a goal or trying to draw a foul . . .!

He got into the spirit of Brazil.




Water Therapy

There are docks and boats on the man-made lakes in our neighborhood.
We have to stop and check them out sometimes.

We see turtles swimming in the water.



And of course, we have to splash a little.
Whenever possible D likes to go pe pelado.
That's 'barefoot' for all you gringos.

More pe pelado at GiGiHeyYea's house.

My suggestion to wear crocs
fell on deaf ears.

Until D learned how hot the sidewalk was.

How heavy is that bucket of water?  It's doable
when His Twoness is determined, which is most all the time.

Our homemade water wall helps cool things down.

Kind of a spa experience . . .

Summer Bugs

This is part of the second crop of Black Swallowtail caterpillars
to enjoy my dill this summer.

Daniel was on caterpillar watch.
Then there was the day they all disappeared . . .

. . .  and a week or so later,
this was the best shot I could get
of a flitty young Swallowtail and his reflection.

Too Hot to Be Outside



Early in the day--before 10 or so--the park is fun.
This is a new park and there's no shade.
But there's an awesome "lion motorcycle!"

And swings for "Higher, GiGi!"

But we always have to retreat to GiGiHeyYea's house
for "cool agua" and lots of wheels.
Our neighbors came by with a sack of trucks that their
grandchildren no longer needed.

There are books to read about pirates . . .

. . . or, take a guess--TRUCKS!



After lunch and a good nap,
D likes to catch up on Curious George.



One post-nap time
we monkeyed around with two "soccer pa's."

In the Front Ard

Late in the afternoon there's shade in front of our house ("the front ard"), so we go out to play in the hose and watch for Mamae or Papai to come.

Reunion time!

Who can resist a wet swimsuit hug?

Well, this is a typical summer day with GiGi and HeyYea.  Now that Mother's Day Out is out for summer, we get to enjoy Daniel at least two days each week.  The privilege of easy access is such a blessing to me; and the blessing is never lost on me either.  Part of the reason I keep this blog is to share some of Daniel's life with his grandmother and family who are a hemisphere away in Brazil.  As nice as Skype is, I can only imagine how their arms must ache for Daniel, Cecilia, and Will sometimes. 

He's a bright little chatterbox.  He speaks complete sentences (including adjectives and proper verb tense) in English with HeyYea and me; and when with Cecilia and Will, he speaks Brazilian Portuguese with them (even when we're all together). 

His brain is a sponge, you know?  He used to scan books for vocabulary only--he wanted to know the names for everything.  Now he enjoys listening to a whole story--sometimes repeated two or three times.  When I'm driving, I can hear him in his car seat 'reading' a book pretty much word-for-word.

The car obsession continues!  Sometimes I wonder if you might see a picture of Daniel playing with his cars if you look in the dictionary under OCD--he always keeps them lined up very carefully as he plays.  So interesting and fun to watch him order his little world.

Though, for the most part, he's happy and social, Little Man has his TWO moments.  Sometimes we take a breath and remember that this is an appropriate developmental milestone, and thank the Lord he's exceptionally normal.  Cecilia and Will are doing a wonderful job steering him through all those tough concepts--sharing, waiting and patience, listening, obedience, kindness, respect.

Well, to keep from boring you into an afternoon daze, I'll sign off for now.

Next blog post?  Photographs from a Short Boy.