Back to the Beach

Chloe: Yay, back at the beach!

Amber: Yay!

Chloe: The good people of Sea Isle City finished the new playground just in time for our arrival! New slides, new climbing things, new spinning things that all the Mommies hated and all the Daddies tried to ride themselves. It was so cool, don't you agree, Amber?

Amber?

Amber (snore).

Chloe: Wow. She can sleep anywhere. Amazing. It's lucky that she's asleep, actually. The only thing not finished was the area with the baby swings. Can you just picture the attitude if the ONE thing her size was unavailable? Sheesh. She did get to ride a bit, though. Because I refused to stay one side of the playground, Mommy had to keep dragging her around on that blanket.

Chloe: Besides, it gave me time to pose for the paparazzi.


Chloe: One of my favorite things about the beach (besides going in the ocean with Aunt Diane) is finding other kids to play with... sometimes, the big kids don't want to play with me, but that's only because they don't realize what an asset I can be! On Saturday, I finally found a great group of girls who welcomed me into the fold. I helped them make this awesome castle!

(Insert from Mommy: Attention, Nathan Brat Child: If you again try to take my kid's shark or ball with you up the beach after you repeatedly refused to share your toys OR play with her in any capacity, I will have no compunction at all about telling your mother that you are a BRAT. Leave my kid alone.)


Amber: I really like the beach, too. When Mommy isn't looking, I like to eat sand. Chloe usually is a good supplier. She tends to get sand EVERYWHERE. Sometimes she gets in trouble. But, hey. If you can't do the time, you shouldn't do the crime.

Chloe: Yeah, Friday afternoon wasn't great for the ol' Chloster. But, Mommy had forgiven me by dinnertime.

Amber: Yeah, she's pretty chill that way.


Chloe: Anyway, thank you Aunt Diane (and Uncle John)!

Amber: We had a great time! We love you!

I Deserve a Medal

TWO pictures in which BOTH children are smiling!!!

"It Matches"

Chloe's new thing is matching. When we went to the Cape May Zoo in May, she was wearing her "Turtley Cool" shirt and when we came upon the turtles, she tried to show them her shirt, "It matches!"

When we met the Low Rent Dora a couple of weekends ago, she was wearing a Dora shirt. "It matches!"

So, she was thrilled when I showed her these matching dresses from Grams and tried to immediately disrobe to put it on.

Happy Father's Day!

 Chloe: Yesterday, we had a lot of fun celebrating Father's Day at the City Tap House.

Amber: The food smelled really good, but no one would let me have any. 

Chloe: Don't feel bad.  Mommy wouldn't let me taste her drink.  And it looked really yummy!

Amber: Did you remind her that we share?

Chloe: Somehow, I don't think that would have helped my case.  But, we digress.

Amber: Yes.  What we really wanted to say was HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to Daddy and Pop-Pop...

Chloe: ...And Grampa and Uncle John (our Godfather).  Even though we didn't get to see Grampa and Uncle John yesterday, we were thinking of them and sent them cards.

Amber: I feel like I could have also sent them each an email if I could figure out how this thing works.

Chloe: Or maybe you would have just put it in your mouth.

Amber: Eh, you're probably right.

Low Rent Dora

Chloe: This is not how she looks on the TV.

Chloe: Hold me, Mommy!

Visiting Big Mommy

Chloe: Big Mommy, our Great Great Aunt is moving to Virginia soon, so on Saturday, we got all gussied up to go and see her!

Amber: I think she likes me best.

Chloe: She likes me, too! She gave me a cool pillow with animals on it... what did you get?

Amber: Keep up with that attitude and I'll be getting your pillow the next time you're in the corner.

Chloe (narrows eyes).

Hot Fun in the Summer Time

Amber: This is nice... cooling. I feel good... happy...

Amber: PAY ATTENTION, CRAZY MAN. WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?

Amber: Oh, ok, I will forgive you.

What Do You Get When Chloe and Aunt Diane Go Shopping Together?

Hot Pink Tutus.

These photos of Amber are off the topic of hot pink tutus, but look at her! Sitting up on her own and standing up like a big girl in the exersaucer! (And she is also wearing a dress from Aunt Diane.)

My Bedspread

Earlier, I posted about a bedspread that my Mom-Mom made for me which featured quilted scenes from my favorite books that we used to read together. I thought it would be fun to share each one because they are all so beautifully crafted.

Winnie-the-Pooh

Peter Rabbit, caught in Mr. MacGregor's garden

I don't really remember this. I remember that there was a book about a doggie who wore a bandage, but was he hurt? Blind? Related to Bret Michaels? I have no idea. When I saw this one (prominently displayed in the middle of the quilt), I got a flash of a memory of Mom-Mom reading this book and of her enjoying reading it to me... but the same flash made me think that I had feigned interest in it because she liked it so much. I'm thinking that maybe the dog WAS hurt and that's why I was lukewarm for the story. But, my memory may be failing me on this one.

The Wombles

No idea on this one. A flash of a book with this ghost, but only a flash.

This is from the Grover book from when Grover is trying to hide, but he can't and he asks the reader to just SAY he was hidden so he can win hide and seek. This book was in the same box as the bedspread, so Chloe and I have been reading it. She sort of gets that she's supposed to say she doesn't see Grover, but not really.

Clearly, this was a book about ducks. Or the ocean. Or Noah's Ark. I've got nothing.

I think we all know this one! The Very Hungry Caterpillar

I *loved* this book. And after searching Amazon, I found that it was called Mousekin's Golden House. Sadly, out of print. :-(

Snoopy & Woodstock

I vaguely remember this... another Mousekin book? (There was a series.) Or Santa Mouse?

I've got nothing on this one. Nada.

***

Isn't this hella cool? I should learn to quilt.

Chloe and Amber Post: The Beach!

Chloe: One thing we can agree on - we love going to the beach to visit Aunt Diane and Uncle John!

Amber: That's true - we had such a fun time!

Chloe: I didn't want to go home.

Amber: I know, but I don't think they are quite prepared for a full on Chloe experience without Mommy there.

Chloe: Sigh. And we were getting on so well, Amber.

Amber: Fair enough.

Chloe: I was SO ready to go to the beach on Saturday and everyone was taking too long to get ready! I was just sure I could pull this wagon down there myself. If only I could get the angle right...

Amber: Yeah, I'm sure that the right angle was all you needed.


Amber: Here we are with Mommy!

Chloe: Doesn't she look so happy?

Amber: Mommy said she felt so relaxed and happy to be at the beach with her two beautiful girls.


Chloe: Hey, what's that? I didn't have one of those!

Amber: It's my SuperBrella. It's awesome.

Chloe: When I was your age, I had this stupid tent that Mommy kept trying to open and close and keep in one place and it was a mess. This is way cooler.

Amber (beams).

Chloe: Well, good for you. I mean, you're not old enough to go in the ocean with Aunt Diane (like me) or dig in the sand (like me) or go shopping on the promenade (like me) or eat one of Aunt Diane's yummy sandwiches (like me) so I'm glad you have that SuperBrella.

Amber (glares).

Amber: ANYWAY.

Chloe: When Mommy and I were shopping, we bought these cool matching Sea Isle City sweatshirts for us. I picked out the dolphin ones for us, Amber. Do you like them?

Amber: What was the other option?

Chloe: Flowers.

Amber: There are no flowers on the beach!

Chloe: That's why I got the dolphins.

Amber: Smart move.

Chloe (beams).

Amber: Don't let it go to your head.

Chloe: This was really fun, too! Aunt Diane and I love the slides!

Amber: That woman is insane. Very fun, but crazy.

Chloe: Just like me!

Amber: That's for sure.

Amber (snickers).

Chloe: Here I am, helping Uncle John. We were gardening. He bought a LOT of mulch. I'm not really clear on what mulch is.

Amber: Yeah, it smelled funny. I stayed away.

Chloe: That wasn't the mulch, it was your diaper. Ha!

Amber: WOW. Now, I know you guys are crazy!!

Chloe: I know. It *was* a little scary, but I was trying to be brave. Some of the other rides really scared me and I was trying to be big. I really want to be big and not be afraid!

Amber: You are brave. You're my big sister. I love you.

Chloe (sniffles): I love you, too, Amber.

Amber: Don't worry about those other rides... by next summer, you'll be helping me be brave on them, right?

Chloe: Yeah. Yeah, I will. Thanks.

Memorial Day

The girls' blog typist had a VERY busy week last week between a shortened week, the possibility of pink eye (negative) and leaving for the shore... so here are some shots from last week's Memorial Day block party... beach shots up tomorrow. With fun commentary. I promise.