Freeze-Frame: Chatter. Marsupials. God According to a Two Year Old.

Tadhg, upon seeing me come downstairs with Marnie in the baby wrap, asked very seriously, "Mom, why didn't God give you a kangaroo pouch?"

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We went to a friend's baptism today. As I was having my nighttime chat and snuggle with Pippin, we talked about our day.

"Went to Lachley's house!" he said.

"Yes," I replied. "And we got to see our friend Dennis get baptized in the water. He wants to follow God and obey Him, doesn't he?"

Thoughtful pause.

"I obey God," murmured Pip.

More thoughtful silence and searching for words.

"God not monster."

I agreed that God is not a monster and that He's very good.

MORE thoughtful silence and word-wrangling.

"God...God...my blanket!"

"God gave you your blanket? Yes, it's very cozy and comfy, isn't it? Do you want to thank God for your blanket?"

Vigorous nod. 

And so we did.

Seven Months with Our Marnie

Marnie is even sweeter now than she was last month. 

She watches intently. She has her own little language made up almost entirely of a sound that's really hard to describe--almost like a really exaggerated gasp, but with vocal cord sounds behind it and not just air. It's a regular soundtrack to our lives these days. She loves food (though she's a bird-boned little thing and you wouldn't know it). She gets visibly excited when we read her books; arms and legs start flailing and it's the loudest she ever gets. She's learned how to sit up for prolonged periods all by herself, if you get her in the right position first--bravo, baby! She grabs Mama's face and manhandles it to give on-purpose slobbery mouth-kisses. And she's beginning, just beginning, mind you, to find the world an interesting place when I put her down on her belly to explore it.

It's a big world, Marnie-girl, and you're taking up just a bit more space in it month by month.

And to cap it all off, another classic scrunch-your-whole-face-into-the-wrinkliest-self-engulfing-grin-you-can-manage. (I'll miss it if she ever stops giving me these.)

Life in Black and White: June Edition

New Shoes

He was so proud. 

Woke up the next morning wearing nothing but his skivvies and wanted to put his shoes on immediately.

Mr. Pip got some new-to-him crocs, too, and he was just as pleased. (And only slightly more dressed.)

The Most Official Singing Show

One of my friends from church has a particularly precocious daughter who invited most of the females in the church over to participate in a singing competition at her house. Invitations were made and handed out even  before her mom knew about the whole shebang, but she is a gracious soul and went along with the plans. 

Formal attire was required. 

Marnie was loaned a crown for the occasion. 

The Most Official Singing Show needs the Most Official Judge.

By the time I had to take my sleepy crew home, I'm pretty sure the singing competition had evolved into a fashion show. 

What a night on the town.

Sunday Afternoon Naps

The Creek

The boys are fortunate that their grandparents' house has such a fine, fine creek behind it. And that they have such a fine, fine Cadie to take them tromping in it. And such fine, fine friends from church to play with.

(Pip is missing in these photos because he was napping, but rest assured that he gets his fair share of the fun.)

Ridin' in the Car-Car

This is a typical reflection found in my rearview mirror. 

The boys both have small books, one an actual pocket New Testament and the other a pocket dictionary which stands in for a Bible. I often hear them theologizing in the back while I drive--lots of "chapters" and "Babel" and "salvation" with an occasion misplaced "Sally Jane" thrown in from a favorite Mercer Mayer book.