Snowmen and Babies

Snowmen and babies are both round.

Skipped off to Picture People last week to redeem another coupon from the mail (free sitting and 8x10). The photo session lasted only 20 minutes; the photographer's over-enthusiasm in an attempt to get them both to smile (simultaneously, of course) caused David to cry. I told him I understood; I think I would have cried if somebody had been laughing like an idiot and shaking a feather duster at me, too. We did get one other decent photo out of the session, and another that quite accurately reflected how they felt about the whole situation. While David clung to my shirt, we took a couple of photos of Carmen before she crawled off the dropcloth. I have more than the photos as a souvenir of this particular adventure. Carmen learned to imitate the photographer's syrupy imitation baby-laughing and amuses herself with the sound of it while riding in the car.

On the way home from the Picture People we spotted Santa in his chair, and no line to wait in for a visit. I decided to swing by to say hello (as if C&D hadn't enough of picture-taking, already, but . . .). He was a most lovely Santa, with a real beard and an East Texas accent (you know Santa winters here, don't you?). I placed Carmen on his lap and despite his best and most gentle cuddles, she dissolved into a puddle of tears. David, riding along with Fiona, saw Carmen cry and decided the morning had been so traumatic that he should start crying, too, loud and wailing like a fire truck. Or a baby who has just been scared out of his wits. So I apologized to Santa, wished him a Merry Christmas, and went on our way with two bona-fide North Pole candy canes, the cellophane wrap of which entertained the babies all the way to the car. Then Fiona and I confiscated and ate the candies.

Another highlight from this week: Carmen discovered bubble wrap. Because the babies would rather stand and stare out the window then sit down to use the potty or, worse, lie down for a diaper change, I brought out a sheet of crinkly bubble wrap to keep them occupied long enough to let us take care of business. The sheet drifted down onto the floor last night while Matt was working with David, and Carmen crawled over to it. While she was leaning on it she burst an air sac. A minute later we watched her kneel over the bubble wrap as high as she could, then forcefully fall on to it, popping an air sac with the heel of her hands. She laughed. And did it again.

Now, before we sign off, please enjoy a picture of David on our behalf.
I like to eat, eat eat eat, I like to eat, eat, Oatmeal and Molasses . . . (did you know that O's stick to your face if it's covered in molasses?).

Every now and then we meet a meal that simply must be applied to our faces, stuffed in our shirt sleeves, or, as in the case of this week's amaranth, stuffed in our diapers (no wonder we thought David ate so much!). Three cheers for the bathtub! Hip, hip, hurray!