relevant videos

Wilder's first joke

Wilder likes to ask to go outside all the time, saying 'outside' (and perhaps shoving his or your shoes into your hand). However, he also knows that bathtime is the end of the day and bed follows. So one day this week when he was in the bath I asked him if he wanted to go outside, and he looked confused, then he laughed as I said 'that's so silly' and now he laughs everytime you say 'outside' while he is in the bath, and says 'outside' himself while he is in the bath, and then waits for you to laugh and joins in. It is very funny.

8 years old

Last Wednesday Bluet had a birthday, which as Bluet informed us now means she has been around the sun 8 times. Bluet and Ilona were both very excited for the day - Ilona drew lots of pictures as presents, and wanted to be involved in the preparation - she asked to be woken up at 5AM to make sure she had time to prepare - we did not do this. We did however bake a cake, which upon Bluet's request was a strawberry cake with pink icing. It was pretty delicious. She had been preparing her birthday wishes for months in advance so it took her a second to prepare to blow out the candles on her cake, to make sure all the wishes were in order, then they were out in one blow. Our neighbours with 2 girls the same ages as ours came over to help us celebrate, and everyone had a good time. Yesterday Bluet told me that she was used to being 8 at last.

For the record, this is the last picture I have of Bluet, aged 7. We went for lunch the day before in the nearby town of Bethel.

We bought Bluet a CD player for her birthday, and one CD (Bowie's greatest hits). Since then we have heard a lot of Bowie from Bluet's room, played at maximum volume.

Ilona eating a pickle

Missouri

Then here are some things we did in Missouri

Dinner after a walk at an abandoned town

The world's fastest snake

Wayne has built a tree house at the cabin. One day the kids will sleep up here

Mr B's favourite position for breakfast

We set a big pile of brush on fire, here are the kids watching from the back of the pick up

Doggy....huh huh huh

On the brush pile before it went on fire

Some actual Bluets, the first time Bluet ever saw them

Ilona driving

PJs in the tree house

Atlanta

We just returned from our family trip to Atlanta and Missouri. We went because Emily had a meeting in Altanta, so thought it would be nice to have a brief family holiday too.

Here, Ilona takes some pictures of flowers, a brief walk from where we stayed in Atlanta

There were two parks nearby - this is the fire engine at Piedmont Park, which was more similar to Central Park (NYC) than Central Park Atlanta is to Central Park NYC.

Bluet and Ilona loved these swings that are all over Atlanta (or at least in the parks, and as you can see below, at the house we stayed in.

Eating Ice cream at the end of a long day

Ilona the rabbit

This is Central Park

Then we drove to Missouri........