Autumn in NY

Anya wandering in the field at our friends' wedding outside Cooperstown, NY, croquet mallet in hand.

First Day of Preschool

I can't believe we're here already. The first day of preschool. I snapped this picture right before we grabbed our jackets (yes, it's still summer here, not that the weather has been noticing the calendar) and headed out the door. Anya was super excited....until about 5 blocks from school, where she commanded me to turn the car around and get elephant. Of course I couldn't, so there were big tears, which continued well inside the school building. After several unsuccessful attempts at consoling her, I had to literally pry her off me and leave. Ugh. Doing that just tears at my heart.

As expected, she got over it within a few minutes of my leaving and had a grand time. Her little report from the teachers said her mood was "curious, fun, and eager" and she was very cheerful when I came to pick her up. She played with Eva (her good friend Eva is attending the same preschool) and said she made a new friend Ella. She was a chatterbox on the drive home and wanted to tell me aaaalllll about her morning. So that's a good sign.

We're looking forward to her next class on Thursday. And we won't forget elephant this time.

summer

early summer. Feeding the "Willawong parrots" with Andrea.

zooming down the street at Grandma and Grandpa Lodwig's house

post-haircut cupcake happiness (as with probably half of north Seattle, this is one of our little mother-daughter traditions)

later summer. By now, an old pro at feeding the birds

Anya just kissed the bird statue on the tip of the beak and finds this hysterical :)

Dad and daughter riding the carousel at the Evergreen State Fair

Now that summer seems to have come to a screeching halt (at least weatherwise), time for a little recap. While we stayed in town, Anya had a good, full summer. Lots of quality time with Grandma and Grandpa Lodwig. We went to the playground often, took many walks, played in the sprinklers, had many a playdate. There were plenty of parties and social events to keep us occupied as well.

She had a great summer nannyshare on Wednesdays and Thursdays with her buddy Cora and Cora's neighbor, Lauren. The girls had a wonderful time with Leslie (the sitter) and it gave me a chance to get things done around the house sans kid as well as do some running training.

We also had summer roommates at the house -- yes, plural. One was my best friend Andrea and the other was a dog park friend, Becky (plus their pets). It was certainly a full house, but Anya loved having them around. Now that Andrea is in Hawaii (not fair!) and Becky has moved on, the house is quiet again.

Anya starts preschool on Tuesday - I can't believe it's here already. And then fall is in full swing with all sorts of things on the schedule. One more day and bye bye summer.

Reader's Digest of Funny Kid Quotes

Here is a progression of Kid Quotes of the Day from Facebook posts over the last couple of months.

29-May - [After hearing me get very annoyed that the car wash was not working after I'd bought a wash] Daddy, sometimes car washes don't work. Because people use them. And then they run out. Maybe we can go buy some more and fix the car wash.

12-Jun
Anya: Can I give Laika a treat?
Dad: Sure! But you need to tell Laika to do something before you give her a treat.
Anya: Why?
Dad: Because, the whole reason we give dogs treats is to teach them how to behave, how to be good dogs.
Anya: I get Jelly Beans when I go potty.

24-Jun - I'm chewing on a jelly bean AND a teething ring. Is that the right idea?

14-Jul - (This one left me a bit dumbfounded) Swiper-Fox is going to come and swipe my legs and eat them like a sandwich. Haraump! haraump! (those are munching sounds by the way)

23-Jul - (After I get home from work I like to sit Anya down and ask her questions about her day)
Dad: Anya, what made you smile today?
Anya: You daddy!

31-Jul - Anya: Laika (the dog) always plays duck-duck-goose with me. I do duck on her head and she roars.
(Incidentally, Laika has never so much as growled let alone roared at Anya)

2-Aug - (Anya and Dad at Safeway)
Anya: I want a gumball. (Incidentally, to my knowledge she has NEVER had a gumball)
Dad: We don't have any change.
Anya: [pointing at a stranger] That man would give me change!

10-Aug - (after getting a time out for hitting mom when mom tried to stop her from messing with poor Laika-dog)
Mom: Why did you hit mom?
Anya: Ummm because I was coloring Laika (with markers) and then I suddenly moved my arm very fast.

11-Aug - (Anya being caught sneaking out of her room after bed time)
Dad: Hey, what are you doing?
Anya: I'm going to sleep in YOUR bed
Dad: Uh, well, I want to sleep in my bed.
Anya: You're not sleeping in your bed. I'll sleep in your bed. You go sleep on the couch.
(Incidentally, I don't think I've every slept on the couch)

19-Aug - Anya has started reading. She just sounded out (with a fair amount of help) "Anya Lodwig" Then literally ran off saying. "Did you see my hair!? It was so blonde!" Giving me one of those my-kid-is brilliant-my-kid-is-going-to-be-a-cheerleader moments.

22-Aug - (I asked Anya to leave alone a bunch of dusty blackberries at the dog park):
"I feel like I have to touch them" she also pointed out that, "They look like they want to be eaten"

24-Aug - One time ago, I broke my mosquito bite.

27-Aug - (Anya loves to watch Rikki-Tikki-Tavi on my iPhone. This conversation took place maybe an hour or so after watching Riki-tikki-tavi but otherwise apropos of nothing)
Anya: Cobras don't talk over here!
Dad: Over where honey?
Anya: In the world! That's just silly, Daddy.


28-Aug - I'm not a toddler, I'm a human!

28-Aug - (Watching Dora the Explorer after her nap)
Dora: Are you going to help the baby?!
Anya: [To Dora] I'M NOT ON TV!

4-Sep - This morning for breakfast the kid took Jungle Book out of the cd player and put in Modest Mouse. :-) when "Bukowski" came on she excused herself saying, "I've got to dance". Her Bukowski dance involved a lot of falling over, which is probably her first accurate interpretive dance.

How Anya Deals with Cats...

Miraculously, neither of our cats have ever scratched, bit, or otherwise harmed Anya.

We have very patient cats

is it wrong of me to wish the cats were just a wee bit less patient with Anya? I'd like her to learn this lesson without too much trauma if/when it happens.