B

Last night I was feeling guilty for having lost patience with #1 earlier in the afternoon, so I laid in her bed with her a few extra moments so assuage my mother-guilt. She laid in my arms and I sang quietly to her. Then, as I moved to get up she curiously reached over and poked my chest. And by chest I mean Chest.

"You shouldn't do that #1."

"Why not"

"Because they are private."

"Are mine private?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because someday you are going to have Chests (of course I used the real term), and you need to be in a habit of treating them privately."

#1 was still for a moment, processing the information.

"So is my stomach going to look like yours too?"

Feeling a little defensive, I replied, "Like what?!"

"You know, like this" She proceeded to draw a round shapes in the air.

Still trying to act confused, I said, "What do you mean, like that?"

"You know. From the side you look like a capital 'b'."

B

Nice.

missing teeth and growing up

Six.

The best year of your life.

The perfect combination of independence and dependence.

Still sheltered from and ignorant of the ugly things in life; still confident that you are talented and worthy to be loved.

Not baby, not pre-teen.

Easy to please; eager to please.

Warning: life isn't ever going to be as carefree and simple as it is right now. The teeth that will shoot out of those gaps will be ugly looking, too big for your little face. Then your face and body will spend all your energy trying to catch up in size to those mature incisors. Tough years.

Resolution: to capture on heart, in mind and on film as much of this goofy, toothless grin as will fit. It is the end of an era for us both.

(un)Labor Day

What is Labor Day anyway? I just read an article on pbs.org about it's history and I'm still befuddled. From what I gathered there was serious restlessness in the labor movement around the 1890's due to an economic depression. Grover Cleveland, who was up for re-election, had gotten himself mixed up in a large labor strike, calling out the national guard to break it up and unfortunately it became violent and even a few people died. From pbs, "In an attempt to appease the nation's workers, Labor Day {was} born." President Cleveland rushed a bill through congress (6 days) and viola, Labor Day. Too bad Grover Cleveland lost the election anyway. And too bad we are still celebrating something that was a total political maneuver has very little relevance in today's world.

It's not that I don't love the day off. As you will see by the following photos, we certainly aren't about to take a principled stand against the 'holiday.' But I just wonder if it isn't time we retire the old politics and commemorate something more meaningful and significant to Americans today. Just for starters, how about 9/11?

So anyways.....

We had a great Labor Day. Upon the recommendation of a friend we tested the cold waters at Beaver Creek. Sadly, my camera's battery died before I could document any of the real action like the kids 'cliff jumping' from 4 foot red-rock ledges or #2 accidentally mortally wounding the poor lizard he caught. But I did catch a few gems, taken after the kids had totally soaked through their regular clothes and before they had gotten their swimsuits wet.





And what would a family outing be if it didn't end on a high note like discovering a flat tire and then having your cheap jack break?

But really it did end on a high note. #2, who has been distressed and saddened by his involvement in the lizard homicide, prayed tonight that, "the little lizard can find his mommy and get a kiss." awwww.