We're only halfway done opening presents. To be continued today.

Happy birthday!

Dorothy woke up and said she didn't feel 7 this morning.  Still, it's her birthday.  It's also "International Dot Day" (coincidence!) and the kids at school are celebrating by wearing polka dots.

Final day of 6!

My greatest joy lately is when Dorothy asks me what words mean, like "asap."

The Sunday Funny

In the library, Dorothy pointed to a set of books on the shelf.  "We have these at school," she said.  "Oh, you have encyclopedias at school?" I asked.  "No," she answered.  "We have World Books."

If you bring it*, they will come (*a bucket of dolls to the playground)

Reunion with Willa--straight to heels and lipstick

Tons of pictures from the weekend (in no particular order)

 

Getting ready to bake a birthday cake

Baby Lizzie

Baby Lizzie

Cousins at Grand Bay

Andrew & Dorothy

Family at the swamp

Piano concert

Happy mama, Valerie

Alina and all those little fingers and toes

Baby Maddux

Where's Baby Maddux?

Just over 3 weeks old

Big sister

The remains of the cake

Birthday crown

Party for 7

Tasty

Uncle Brian

Cake art by Dorothy

Busy parents (Joe & Caroline)

Cake-making

Dressed to bake

Maddux awake

And sleepy

Meeting Baby Lizzie (Joe & Caroline)

The Sunday Funnies

By now you've all heard of my Fiestaware score.  I have completed the collection with the addition of a few teacups that round-out the "standard eleven" colors.  In the case of ivory, I already had a saucer, and I ordered a teacup online.  When it arrived, I unboxed it, walked to the cupboard, and placed it gently on the the saucer's circle. Dorothy watched all of this happen, and as the teacup and saucer united, she gasped with excitement and announced, "It's a perfect fit!"

Dorothy has had a year-long quest to learn to cross the monkey bars.  She has been coming home since kindergarten with a report of how many bars she crossed successfully.  Recently, she proudly told me that she crossed seven bars.  I offered mild enthusiasm.  Later, she repeated this accomplishment to Brian.  "How many bars are on the whole set?" Brian smartly asked.  "Seven!" Dorothy answered.

Dorothy informed me that the kids at school were supposed to wear a shirt of their favorite football team on Friday.  "But, Mom," Dorothy complained, "usually kids don't have opinions on that kind of stuff.  They just do what their parents like."

Meeting Maddux Lasseter (Daniel and Valerie)

Football Fan Friday (with her leprechaun)

Piano is part of our daily routine now

Something's afoot...

 

AM build, PM game

The Sunday Funny

 I asked Dorothy why she didn't eat her yogurt at school, and she told me that she couldn't get it open.  "Maybe use your scissors," I suggested.  "Oh yeah, your scissors are your friends.  I forgot about that.  That's what Ms. Hattrich says," she answered.

Bunk beds

Dorothy asked about Medium Green, Mama about fainted with love

 

50 pounds now

Shelling peas, high heels

Old McDonald for the win

 Video:  https://youtu.be/LGNm1NN8cUw

Poolside selfie

Dorothy is obsessed with the idea of cutting hair

First day, asynchronous online

Piano Week Two

 Video:  https://youtu.be/aBu2mnC2WgM

Dorothy's page in her class scrapbook

This is her brainchild.  She especially liked how she covered her own head with the family portrait ("It's cute") and insisted on dating each photo.

Gone fishin'

Stuffed accessory

Welcome, Maddux!

Maddux joined my brother Daniel, sister-in-law Valerie, and his siblings Alina and Andrew yesterday!

Fruit by the Foot

Video:  https://youtu.be/6yHykkUgSSQ

Birthday PSA

Every day, Dorothy asks Google how many days there are until her birthday.  Today, the answer is 35.

I thought I would offer a public service announcement, take it or leave it!

Dorothy seems to have outgrown LOLs.  Now she is totally focused on 18" fashion dolls, and wants to have a doll-themed birthday party.  American Girl is the outrageous brand, but she is just as excited by any other to-scale items, like the Our Generation toys at Target or the My Life As toys at Wal-Mart.  She has one doll already, and another in my closet that she will receive in said 35 days, but the trinkets and outfits are up her alley.

Just sayin'.

To celebrate the beginning of school, Dorothy requested a beach visit