Missouri/St Louis

Here in Missouri Bluet was reunited with her sister (she even told her she missed her), and we went to the Zoo in St Louis, along with the Missouri cousins.



And playing in their cousins' garden


Then onto the farm, where they have been learning to drive



Proudly wearing their new raincoats



Carving 'punkins' at the cabin

Visitors/Visitors/Baby

Hello again, we've been rather busy in the 4 weeks since Wilder was born - Veronika has been away for the last 3 weeks, so we had first Gran Helen, and then Andrew and Maria come and help with the big kids. So first, here are some of the things we got up to with Gran Helen


This is Wilder after his first bath. He wasn't that impressed. He has had several more since then, but I don't think his attitude has changed




This is the photo we used so Gran Helen could pick Ilona up from her Kinder Kripe, where she now goes 3 mornings a week



While Gran Helen was here we took the opportunity to go out for Lunch with some friends, and without Bluet and Ilona; as their kids also weren't there we were able to have adult conversations. i.e. Wilder's first visit to a restaurant



We also went to the zoo - the kids prefered the slide to the animals


(Without Wilder)

More cousins, St Louis, Ozarks and the Zoo

Some more days with Nate and Lila


We had some time for another trip to the cabin in the Ozarks, for a canoe trip with Lila and Nate (not pictured)


Here is Bluet eating honey nut cheerios, just like every other day of the trip



Bluet also invented a rope jumping game



After the farms, we went up to St Louis to go to the Zoo and the baseball

(Ilona and Bluet went up with Abatha, Scott, Nate and Lila a day early so we could pack up in peace. Here are the pictures we were sent to assure us they were ok)




  

Wonderful, cold weather

Finally some nice weather is here. We can wear jumpers and sleep without air conditioning. It is wonderful. To celebrate, this weekend we did very little.

On Saturday we had pizza for lunch and Bluet amused herself by dipping her hands in a nearby fountain, then making hand prints. And on Sunday we took a walk to the Zoo, where after visiting the reptile house and seeing the tigers, Bluet practiced sitting cross-legged and wearing sunglasses because 'my eyes hurt'.

Conversation #1 & 2

Conversation #1

Did you go to the Zoo?

"Yes"

What did you see at the Zoo?

"I press the bobcat"

What did the bobcat say?

"Roooooaaaarrrr!"

This was after she visited the Zoo with Nana and Wayne, several weeks ago. She still remembers, and pressed the bobcat again this weekend. 

Conversation #2

Also related to Nana and Wayne's visit:

"Go away fly" (as we are walking, Bluet on my shoulders, last week, a fly flies into Bluet's face)

"It's not a spider"

"I saw a jumping spider"

This was when we went looking for alligators with Nana and Wayne, also several weeks ago. 

Visitors

This weekend Nana and Wayne came to visit from Missouri. On Friday I was at work, so I don't have any photos myself, but I have it on good authority that Bluet went to the Zoo and pushed the button that makes the sound of a bob cat - or as Bluet said 'I push the bobcat button'. It makes a roar that used to startle her, but somehow she now enjoys that. Also, she saw this snake.

Then on Saturday we went in search of wildlife to the San Bernard Wildlife reserve. Some of you may remember we went there earlier this year and saw a real Bobcat, many alligators, a giant woodpecker of some kind and a cottonmouth snake. This time it was a bit hot, and aside from all the 'squitos (which bit me more than they bit Bluet), we managed only to see one Gator. 

Bluet, however, still found plenty of rocks

Spot the gator

Once we were home Bluet had lots of fun playing at home, and being a little bit silly

she also discovered a new game at the pool where she lies on the chair and is covered with a towel. Here she is a few days ago; on Saturday she tried to repeat the trick all by herself, and lay on the chair wrapped in a towel for many minutes. Maybe she was exhausted from all these activities