Mama Turns 23

Frank had to be in London on my birthday, and of course I missed him very much - but that just gives me an excuse to celebrate twice.  Stay tuned for photos of my 2nd birthday party.  Ariana, Alexandra, and I went to Whole Foods and got a cute little birthday cake.  Poor Alexandra - too young to eat cake.  She was thrilled to have a half slice of whole wheat bread instead.  I wonder how long she'll consider that a "treat".  Ariana is looking forward to growing up like me so she can stay up late with me and clean the kitchen.  Yes - I'm putting that in writing for a reason.

Alexandra waiting for her bread....

Ariana, Alexandra, and Lion singing Happy Birthday.  

I love the conversations I have with Ariana at her age.  Although I might need to go back to school for another degree for some of our discussions.  A seminary degree would have been handy this week.

Ariana - "Mama, does God hear us all the time?"

Me - "Yes, baby, He does"

Ariana - "OK. (pause)  Except when he goes grocery shopping, right?"

Me - (Long Pause) "Um..  no baby... he even hears us when he's grocery shopping"

Did I get that right?

Here's Alexandra hamming it up.  It just wouldn't seem right for me to post without a neked photo of Alexandra.  Poor thing has been running a fever on and off for two days.  Tonight she didn't want much supper, so I picked her up out of her chair and held her.  She immediately put her head on my chest and fell right asleep.  So sweet.  Can this please last forever?

Do you think I raised you in a barn?

Alexandra must be double jointed.  She contorts her legs in all directions.  She puts them up on everything.  Everything I ever taught Ariana about manners is now out the window.

Here they are banging their cups on the table.  Alexandra starts it and looks at Ariana for a laugh and for her to join in.  I guess she's going to be the instigator.

We got a visit from Laura and Walker Hipps last week.  It was so much fun, even though Walker was really mad at us at first for waking him up from his car nap.  I don't blame him.  Laura looks great - 6 months pregnant - all baby - no lunch-lady arms, no big thighs.  She's one of "those" girls.  Walker and Ariana made a Picasso, or maybe a Pollock.

The first trick I ever taught Alexandra was how to "smell the flowers".  She crinkles up her nose and breathes quickly out of her nose.  It's so funny and so endearing to me because Zeb had the same trick when he was a baby and in my mind's eye I can still see him doing it now.  Here she is doing it - doesn't she look fierce?

I am obsessed with rock garden plants, but I don't have many places to grow them because I have a shade garden (thankfully).  Here are the few that I have found a place for...

I have two containers at the door with a variety of sedums and other stone crops.  I'll take a photo in Autumn when the tall upright sedum blooms.  She's called Neon and her blooms will be bright pink (just in time for some girly birthdays).  She's already turning violet on top.

Here are my Sempervivums glowing in the sun.  Ariana loves these because the big ones are called Hens and they have little babies that grow from them on the side called Chicks.  Great plant for kids.  I hear the squirrels like to eat them, so I'm sprinkling them with cayenne pepper.  Should be fine as long as I don't have any Cajun squirrels.

The little chartreuse one is sedum makinoi and the golden one is euphorbia, cushion spurge.  

We've had baby cardinals in the holly tree out the window by our table.  We've seen the mama and papa get food from the feeder and bring it to them.  Very sweet - now they are big enough to visit the feeder themselves.  I wonder if they get to stay up late to help clean up.

Congrats to "G" for winning the Biggest Loser contest between me, him, and Frank, which has been going on since January.  I guess he'll be showing it off in his designer 7's jeans this fall.  Truly, he deserves some serious bragging rights.

We all miss Frank - he'll be home in just 4 days!  Hooray!