By Any Other Name...

We were driving in the car to my Mom's house today to drop Lucas off on my way to work and he asked me, "Sometimes I call you Anna and sometimes I call you Mom, right"? And I spent a few minutes explaining to him that no, you really shouldn't call me Anna unless you are introducing me to a friend or asking a police officer for help, in which case you tell him you are Lucas Benjamin Lastname and that your mom's name is Anna Ellen Lastname (both of which he already knows.) And then the conversation took a hard left he started sputtering that that was the most ridiculous name he ever heard, and wouldn't Fish-paste be a better choice...for both of us. Dude...I don't even like fish, so I'm thinking Anna Ellen Fish-paste doesn't have quite the right ring to it...don't think I'll switch my checks over just yet. And also, what on earth? Thank heavens I poured over baby books and accepted hundreds of helpful suggestions (imagine helpful suggestions in air quotes) to find just the right name for my child, one that he could be proud of for decades to come. And he'd rather be Fish-paste. Ingrate.

Our Trip to the Science Center

Ugh! I want to pinch that little booty every time it spins around!

My Last Week Off...

We're baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Well, that's it. I have just finished my fifth and final week off for the summer. We spent this past week at the fair, which used to seem so sparkly and exciting, but now seems much more like a place in need of a good scrubbing. My good friend Pam gave us passes, so going to the fair was free! And not budget busting! Like I thought it would be!

We really did have a great time, and my little scaredy cat boy was really coming out of his shell and trying out the rides...

Awwww...good times.

This sand sculpture made Lucas decide that he wanted to be a banana, no a pirate, no a gorilla holding a banana, no a banana, no Spiderman, no Batman for Halloween. Needless to say, I won't start sewing anything until the night before Halloween...less time for him to change his mind.

The kid-sized roller coaster he wouldn't get on...

(Taken with my cell phone.) This apron wants to be mine, but I refuse to pay $38 bucks when I know I could make it for so much less...even if it did win a yellow ribbon.

This little fella greeted us on the steps. He's lucky he didn't get stepped on.

Perfect Day

Oh, this sweet boy does tug at the old heart strings, sitting there in the sunshine.
( I seriously need to do something about his hair.)
The view from my lawn chair at my friend Wendy's house. What's not in the picture is her BEAUTIFUL and GIANT aqua blue pool where I am trying my best to invite myself over every day teach Lucas to swim. This swimming business is no easy task, let me tell you. You would think that such a delightfully squishy boy might be a bit more buoyant, but alas, it's not to be. He sinks like a stone...like all other four year olds that have not yet mastered the art of swimming...but still. He is just, just, just tall enough to step off the stairs and still keep his smiling face above the water. Just tall enough unless someone jumps into the deep end and the ripple of waves makes it's way over to where he is precariously tip toeing back and forth before the stairs. I fished him out and guided him to the steps, but I will be perfectly honest here and admit that I was laughing at him, poor little drowned cat. At the same time howling about the injustice of getting wet (shock! you're in a pool!) while also asking me over and over if I'm proud of his courage, and proud of his bravery in the water. And if anyone is wondering, the answer is YES! I couldn't be more proud of his courage or of his bravery. He is my brave little toaster. (And he hates it when I tell him that.)

He also asked me today if my pedicure was flawless, so clearly his vocabulary is coming right along, as is the "swimming".
This would be the toad that tried to make me pee my pants by jumping across my bare foot on the way to the car.

Why...It's Practically on SALE!

Making the Houseboy Earn His Keep

And for the record, yes, that is a disco ball he's polishing...it's been hanging there since a housewarming party six years ago. Ha.

How to Pass the Day Without Leaving the Couch

Luckily we have a very large couch, which means I don't have to get up from my sprawled out position on the other end in order for him to play trains.