Get More Happy!

Working It

Conversations with Charlotte #92

As of this week, we are a one car family.  Well, we were a one car family all summer but this is our first run at it now that Emily and I are back to work.  It has been pretty nice for the last three days because it means we end up driving together a lot as family to daycare and commuting to work.  

This has been especially nice for Charlotte because after I pick up her and Happy we head to Emily's work.  This means Charlotte gets to see tons of airplanes resting, taking off, and landing at the airport, the lightrail train (she is particularly fond of automatic gates), and lots of trucks.  Also, Cirque du Soleil is at Mall of America so we drive by the tents in the MoA parking lot.  Charlotte was talking about them quite a bit and then as we got closer wanted to know if they were camping tents.

Me: No.  There is a circus is in there.

Charlotte:  Ooooooo.  I want to go in those tents.

Me: We can't.  We have to have tickets.

Charlotte: Daddy has to buy the tickets.

Me:  No I don't.  They cost too much money.

Charlotte:  Daddy has to buy money.

Me: No I don't.  Then I'd have to pay interest.

Charlotte:  Ooooo.  I like interest.

Me:  Hmmmm. That would work only if you were a banker.

Charlotte: Daddy's a teacher.  Mommy's a scientist.  Charlotte's a banker.

Crazy Hair

At daycare, they say she looks like a woodpecker.

3 months

Here are a couple of beautiful photos of Happy that Ben took recently.   Hard to believe she is already 3 months old! 

So Happy!

My estimates put her at 24 1/2 inches and about 12 pounds.  Definitely outgrowing her clothes in length!   Last week she started going to the Montessori daycare/preschool  that Charlotte attends.  She's adjusting well there, there are only two other babies so she gets lots of attention.  Some days she doesn't sleep much, but that's no different than when she is at home.  We are very fortunate to have a good nighttime sleeper - typically about 9pm to 6:30am.  Happy is now reaching for toys and bringing things to her mouth.  She also likes to watch Charlotte play and listen to her talk.   

Worst Book Ever

Tonight at dinner we were talking about our day and I asked Charlotte what story they read at school today.  Charlotte gave the following summary.

Charlotte: It was about a guy... who went into a sock store.

Me: I'm sorry, did you say sock store?

Charlotte: Yeah a sock store.  He's a funny guy.

Me: What else was in the story?

Charlotte: And then.... a fishy came in.

Me: A fish came in the sock store?

Charlotte: Yeah.

Me: Anything else?

Charlotte: No.

Me: So the whole story was about a guy in a sock store and then a fish comes in.

Charlotte: Yeah.  Funny guy.

Seriously, this has to be the worst book ever written.  No context, plot, depth of character...  Awful.  Truly awful, this book.  And I'm sorry Charlotte, but the guy shopping for socks doesn't seem like a funny guy at all.  He seems like a cautionary tale against doing hallucinogens before going out in public to buy socks.  Tragic and/or depressing.  Not funny.

Charlotte's First Race!

Charlotte ran in the fun run at Victory races this morning.  It's Mike's favorite race  - it's fast, flat, and a fun family event.  Aunt Jessie and the cousins ran too!  Charlotte had a blast, she was smiling the whole time.  Happy had a very pretty miserable time, it was cold and I left her pacifier in the car.  Poor thing.

photo credit Gene Niemi for Down the Backstretch

Post-race hot dog