Let the Good Times Roll

Margot got an exciting new thing today!

(In the last post this video was messed up.  Trying it again.)

We Have a Skater

Margot had her first skating lesson on Wednesday. By a minute in, she was balancing and moving around. Her favorite part was when the teacher made them fall down on purpose and then get back up. She decided that Daddy would benefit from this, so she invited him to skate with her this weekend so that she could teach him what she had learned.

Margot had been out skating with Daddy before, but she had always borrowed Daddy's balance and momentum. This time was so different! After doing a few laps with Daddy, she wanted to skate all by herself.



It was so wonderful to see how happy Daddy and Margot were skating together.



Isla and Mommy even had fun watching them and dancing to the music.

Delayed Halowe'en

Much better weather last night, as re-scheduled, than a week ago during the snow storm.

For some reason, the "before" pictures ended up with back views as the clear ones...

Just before heading out to actually beg candy . . . with Will and Henry who invited us over to their neighborhood.

Tired and heading home... still counting the loot.

Sisters (Weekend)

Some shots of the girls...

Crazy great hair (requires a unique angle - or lots of gel?)

Isla's suddenly gotten all roly-poly and likes to spend time on her tummy interacting with things. She's getting really good at pushing up to get a look at the action, and even trying to work her legs into the act as well. It's now quite possible to find that she's not still where you put her down . . .

I'm really psyched with the idea of the girls being able to play together. It's not all there quite yet, but they can now really interact with the same thing or with each other. Margot's always been great with Isla, but we're getting close to some mutuality. I figure I'd better enjoy it now, before they team up and turn on me.

Hard to tell at first, but this is basically Margot dancing in circles to amuse Isla, and Isla eating it up.

Closing Ceremony

Margot's "Bears" class had their "closing ceremony" today for the first year of pre-school. It was a relatively low-key deal with parents and some grandparents and a short program including a bit of the kids' usual "movement" and music activities and a chance to say thanks to the teachers and staff.

First Time On Skates

Margot has two desires in life (three if you count wanting to be a princess). She wants to play ice hockey like Daddy and do ballet. We gave her a leg up on the first dream by finally taking her ice skating.

The first surprise came when she let Daddy put the skates on and didn't complain once about how tight they were. This was a big issue when we bought the skates.



Oddly, getting the helmet on was a bit of a challenge, but then she was safe to go out on the ice.



And they were off. There was some falling over and some holding on to the wall.







When Margot came off, she was so happy and excited. She laughed when she told me about falling over and how not-very-bad it was.





Isla slept most of the time and woke up to celebrate her big sister's accomplishment.



Next year Margot will be old enough to take lessons. None of us can wait!

Merry Xmas

Isla, Day Five

Not Quite Right

Christi and Margot were making muffins this morning - with Daphne the doll observing. Christi asked Margot to move Daphne out of the way so she wouldn't get messy... and a solution was reached.

Advanced Bookfacing

I don't want this to become an entirely specialized blog, but I did want to share that Margot's developed her bookfacing technique to a "post-modern" level where the book need not even technically reach the face.

First, I assure you that she's been asleep for some time in this one . . . but the book remains prime should she awake and need it:

Second, keeping a hand on things to make sure that one of her favorites doesn't get away, even when a-slumber:

Return of the Bookface

So - I have to say, Margot has lately developed a whole new technique of falling-asleep-with-a-book. A combination of reading some bigger books and tending to lie on her side more with the book propped next to her has led to a series of tableau with the book standing next to her thoroughly slumbering form. Tonight's is of the same ilk, but she's got her face well enough buried in there that I'm counting it as one of the old, if also one of the new.

(The hand stranded on top of the book is typical of the form...)

As long as we're at it, here are a couple more bonus shots (non-book-facey) since it's been a while.

Helping make ice-cream cake for Mommy's birthday:

Pigtails!

Chilly Fall Morning

It was cold overnight and still quite chilly (and a bit grey) this morning when we went for a dog-walk (gloves to push the stroller) and to the Farmer's Market.

Margot wore her long jacket:

... even though she probably didn't need the hood.

Off She Goes!

The first morning of pre-school is underway!

Ready to Go:

Out the door:

(and yes, we're doing some paint work in front.)

Walking over:

Happy Birthday to Margot!

We'll try to get to posting more soon, but suffice it to say that after some wonderful chaos, there was one tired little girl in bed (with some of her presents) at the end of the day:

I just like this one...

I dunno who taught her Harley-Davidson posture, but with her hair blowing back and the mean-but-determined expression I'm diggin' it.

Totally Unacceptable

Dear Whoever is Supposed to be Posting Here:

I've noticed that NOTHING AT ALL IS GETTING POSTED HERE! Who is supposed to be posting something? Do it!

Oh wait right, that's me... here's something from last weekend. I'll try to fill in the gaps separately.

Since you asked...

On the phone before bedtime, Grandma Lisa asked Margot, "Are you going to go put a book on your face and go to sleep?". Margot got this BIIIIG smile and said (of course), "noooo, that's re-dik-ee-less". As she does.

So, since you asked, fast forward approximately 45 minutes:

Overheard Last Night

Daddy: Do you want to sing with me?

Margot: I can't sing.
Daddy: Yes, you can. Why not?
Margot: I can't sing ... without my guitar!

(... and runs across the room to get the Rock Band guitar we've assigned to her.)

Book-Face Update (For) Two

Margot has continued to indulge in her book-faced sleeping habits, and has even drawn others into her patterns. Last week, Snuggle Bear succumbed:Actually, not all sleep-ins involve book-facing. A certain monkey came to visit this weekend, and ended up doing as he saw, perhaps:

OK, I posed his arm just a little bit. Still...

Fashion Shoot

Mama wanted some pics to share of Margot STILL fitting in the dress a friend made for her ages ago. This is Margot's best pose-for-a-picture pose, or at least her favorite one on this particular evening.

During the photo shoot we captured spinning...

... dancing ...

... and some form of pondering. Although, it might just be trying to recover from excessive spinning.