Detour

On the way home from a recent trip to the library, Hazel insisted on stopping for a reading break.

She was delighted to sit on the sidewalk and read--especially when there were cars in her book and cars on the road. ("Car-car. Car-car! Car-car!")

After about 10 minutes, I convinced her to start walking again. Initially she thought this was a terrible idea, but once she realized she could hold on to her books, she was willing to head on home.

Quotable Day

 It's always fun to listen to what Juniper and Violet have to say, but today was an even better day than most.


Violet: My favorite bird is a hummingbird.
Aaron: Why?
Violet: Because they are small and pretty.
Aaron: What about you, Juniper. What's your favorite bird?
Juniper: Vultures. Because they eat dead things and are good for the earth and the environment.

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Juniper (pointing to two cartoon bees): I'm a mix of this one and this one. I'm a cross breed.

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Violet (quickly spinning a globe on its stand): It must be getting dizzy because my hands are getting dizzy.

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Juniper: How much do you love me?
Violet: More than I can say.
J: All the way to the edge of the universe?
V: No, more than I can say. That means so much you can't say it.
J: All the way through a zillion universes, and all the way to one more?
V: More than that. That means more than anyone can say.
J: I love you all the way through a zillion, billion, million, zillion universes and into a whole new universe.
V: I love you more than that, because it's more than anyone can say.

Fun and squishy

One day we will learn that toddlers don't get the concept of wading. Hazel had a terrific time on this recent walk around the Decatur Cemetery, until it was time to leave and everything was all bad.

Is that what I think it is?

Why, yes, in fact, it is Juniper petting a baby kangaroo in a pouch. (Thank you, Fernbank Museum, for being such a great place for kids.)

Choppin'

Hazel has discovered the joy of helping in the kitchen. When we're cooking, she'll drag a chair up to the counter, wailing "Make! Make!" until she gets herself into position. She loves to stir, chop, and dump ingredients into a bowl, but she gets very upset when we take "her" food away to move on to the next step in the meal prep. I will admit to sometimes giving her a banana to chop or some rice to stir, just so that we can handle the real food and get dinner on the table.

Hazel is definitely her own kid, with a personality that's very distinct from her big sister's, but I think any child growing up in this house would be interested in cooking. Juniper was doing much the same thing at this age (though she was much older before we discovered these fantastic kid-safe choppers).

Look, Daddy!