Lola Rats Out a Friend

Hi friends,
Mama and I were reading Dada's boyhood manifesto, Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. We were reading in our usual way, which means that I was contributing descriptions like "grass," "sky," and "boat," while Mama read the narrative. When we got to the page shown above, all of a sudden, I exclaimed, "Andy!" and pointed in a vague way at the side of the page with the "wild things" on it. "Andy is my four year-old friend from a few posts back. Mama kept reading for a couple of pages, but then decided that I could not have meant what I had seemed to mean, so she flipped back to this page, pointed to the boy Max on the left-hand side, and asked "Andy?" I didn't respond. She said, "Lola, show me Andy." I pointed straight to the wild thing on the right, and said, "Andy!" I then pointed out the other wild thing and said again, "Andy!" For good measure I indicated a wild thing on the facing page (not pictured above): "Andy!" Mama couldn't believe it, but she pointed at Max and said, to confirm the identification, "Max." I responded firmly, "Dada!" I just wanted to make it clear that Andy is my first Byronic hero. I must be copying my four-and-a-half-year-old cousin Brooke, who just picked out her future husband, according to her mom's blog. Love (amongst the ruins)--LK

Spirit of my Ancestor

Hi all,
I had to post for a second time tonight, to tell you that a gray fox is living in my back yard. My Great-Grandpa was nicknamed "The Silver Fox." He was a World War II prisoner-of-war who successfully escaped occupied France. Although my parents are worried that the fox might have rabies, Mama was thrilled to see a two-foot Siberian husky loping out of sight, and, then, after conferring with the neighbor, to realize that she was seeing a living legend of our neighborhood. We have decided to name the fox "Featherston" after the pretentious new name that some of the neighbors have given to our area. Love, LK

Teapots in the Genes

No everybody,
This is not a rude blog entry. It is an admission that affection for teapots exists in children as well as in adults. Is it biological or cultural? I can't answer this question, because since I was born I have been in daily contact with the large family of teapots on Mama's display shelves. Recently, I have been lovingly playing with them, especially the 50's black poodle teapot and the zen frog pot. Mama and Dada were forced to acknowledge my teapot obsession and buy me a safe one, the "Cinderella" edition. Today I said these words, "sugar," "plate," "bowl." I changed my pronunciation of "teapot" from "pah-tee" to "tee-pah." Most thrillingly, I did prove to my parents that some preferences are hard-wired, by saying "Target," "Dillard's," and "blog.: Love, LK

Marti Reads to Andy and Me

Hi everyone,
Here I am with Mama and Dada's longtime friend Marti E. Unfortunately, her face is totally blurred, but you can see her four-year-old son Andy. He is my idol! I say his name over and over when we're together, but I prefer to pronounce it "Adny."--Love, LK
P.S. Tonight, at just about exactly eighteen months old, I did something for my parents that was a good demonstration of my "developmental stage." I picked up my "Bright Baby Colors" book, which I don't read anymore, and I started naming what was pictured on the pages. I said: "Cheese," "Duckie," "Ball," "Leaf," "Flower," "Girl," "Shirt," "Milk," "Bike," "Fish," "Mrow" (for cat), "Shoes," "Car," "Spoon," "Coins," "Bread," "Cookie," "Goat," "Hi" (which means "parrot") and "Bunny." The only two words I didn't know were "blueberries" and "pear." This is only a fraction of my working vocabulary. Today I learned and pronounced the word "Nasty." I also say the names of my schoolfriends: "Cody," "Olivia," "Raye," "Tiger," "Alex," "Fletcher." I say the names of "Bee," "Fly" (butterfly), "Horse," "Ele(phant)," "Bug," "Batman," "Diane" (my doll), and I say all the more practical things toddlers say like "Milk," "Eat," "Nigh-nigh" and many more. I'm not counting many words I know, including, offhand: "Truck," "Monkey," "Bear," "Bus," "Drink," "Ride," but if I were my mama, I'd quote to you from the child development book: "At two years old, your child will speak with a rapidly expanding vocabulary of fifty or more words." I'm admitting this lexicon online, but don't ask me to perform for you! Today the priest blessed me at the communion rail and I laughed at the funny man.

New Friend Chloe

Hi everyone!
Mama and I are sitting next to Baby Chloe, who is on the lap of her foster mom Patty. Sarah and Patty and Chloe are the best hosts ever: Sarah made me homemade play-doh and Patty showed me a bunch of wind-up toys and a collection of rubber duckies. Then Patty and Mama watched me take the stage (or step, as it were) and perform to the strains of "The Wheels on the Bus" and "ABC." Chloe is very cute, but she scares me with her itty-bitty baby sounds! I haven't been around a newborn since I was one, seventeen months ago. I am much keener on their socialite cat, Minuit. Love, LK

Swimming Pool in Our Front Yard

Hi friends and family!
I made Mama get into the pool with me to demonstrate that I am not in fact the whitest person on the planet. We had lots of fun playing with a truck and a boat, and watching the neighbors motorbike and drive off to their Friday night fun. Mr. and Mrs. Grass-Nut might be mad at us for not mowing the lawn today. Toodleooo!--LK

My Affianced, Elmo

Hi friends,


"There be none of Beauty's daughters
With a magic like thee."

We were driving toward the playground for our evening stroll, and Mama was, as usual, pointing out the perfectly obvious: "Mama's wearing MAMA's hat; Dada's wearing DADA's hat; Lola's wearing LOLA'S hat." She then turned to me and said, "Does ELMO wear a hat?" I looked at her with disbelief for a second, and then said, with my usual economy: "EYES." How could Mama not have realized that Elmo's eyes are positioned on top of his head, and thus prevent him from wearing a hat? Hugz, LK

Photo Delay

Hi everybody,
I'm posting this photo to show my avid fans that I am still here and still drinking juice and eating goldfish crackers. Unfortunately, our beloved camera has given up the ghost, so we are using the back-up camera until we replace the first one. Love, LK

The Lady with the Pet Carrier

Hi everyone,
After a brutally hot day, we headed to the park at about 8 p.m. so that I could exercise my talents. We met some playground acquaintances, who were playing t-ball on the field. The older boy in the extended family (he looked to be about seven or eight) came over to us right at the moment that a lady was approaching from our left side, pushing a pink stroller. In the stroller, I noticed with amazement, was a Benji-sized cream colored dog. The older boy said out loud as she passed, "A dog in a stroller!" The lady said firmly, "It's a pet carrier!" Dada responded nicely to her, "She looks like she's having fun. "She" or "he"?" The lady retorted to the boy, "Check before you make fun!" as she passed beyond us all. A second later, Mama said to the boy, who had not seemed to be making fun of the dog, "It is never wrong to tell the truth." Mama told the boy's father what had happened. The father and uncle said, "He's five years old!" It's a hard-won lesson for the childless, which Mama says she learned only a few years ago (to her chagrin): "Check before you reprove."

Old Folks Writing Books

Hi everyone,

Mama told me that she just read a gorgeous new part of her old friend Thomas's novel-in-progress. Mama herself is working on a book that she hopes to finish before I am old enough to read it. The more I see of the publishing world, the less I believe that really good, original writing has a better chance of being published than schlock does. I am glad that family friends write beautifully. Without them, who would bring literary delight to Mama and Dada? And without literary joy, my house will be dim and possibly cookie-free. Or so they say. Love, LK

Mama's Toddler Meltdown

Hi everyone,
Dada said that since it was the first day of teaching, he'd probably be home early, and he'd call Mama when he was on the way home. At 4:15 p.m. (not early), Dada had not called. Mama had exhausted all of the legitimate resources: 45 minutes of "Elmo" on video, 45 minutes of coloring (Elmo, Lola, horse, and car), music for dancing, and kicking a ball around the yard. It was too hot for play outside--so hot the carpenter bees were dying on the carport floor. Mama put me in the back seat of the Honda Civic hatchback, drove half a mile to the town square, and parked. I had a great time in several of the chic boutiques on the square, namely The Vintage Flea and Other Side of the Moon. Mama bought some red patent leather shoes for herself, and two coasters for one of Dada's colleagues who recently married. I approved of all purchases, but especially of the coaster with the monkey on it. The other, with fish, is a bit more subtle. I am now skimming through Webster's Instant Word Guide. Dada is on his way home and has been informed of the spending coup. Love, LK

Some Say I Have a Problem

Good morning everyone!
My rap moniker is 2paci. Dada is very proud that he successfully caught me indulging. Love, LK

Aquarium Visit

Hi everyone,
We had a great time at the aquarium today. My favorite part was when I pretended Leo was my pet and fed him goldfish crackers (see picture above). Love to all, LK

Graffiti above Diaper Station

Good evening!
I hope you can see this wall art. Today I said the word "bizarre" several times. I wonder what it means. I also really like repeating the word "sucka" whenever my parents ill-advisedly use it. Say so long to slang, mama and dada, or should I say, "suckas"!--LK

Lola the Acrobat

Hi everyone,
My parents tell me that according to the authorities, it might be within the bounds of normalcy that a seventeen-month-old can balance on her rocking elephant as in the picture above. It is not within the bounds of normalcy that she can rock the elephant from this position without losing her balance. Like at least one of my parents, I could be a good draw for the circus.

I must also say about my parents that, when we went to the playground last night at about seven p.m., both of them were feeling rather depressed about human cruelty. Parachuting in from the blessed realms came four sisters to play, the oldest seven years old, the youngest about three years old. The seven year old would climb to the top of the play equipment and yell, "Hear me! Hear me! I'm going to tell the story of the three little pigs!" According to her story, the three pigs were living in a hotel before they began their building projects. This coterie of girls, plus an extra one from elsewhere, proceeded to lead me around by the hands, like a favored protegee. They called, "Lola, Lola come with me!" I had a great time, and my parents felt a whole lot better, contented and enlightened. Love, LK

Interpretive Genius

Hi all,
This morning I was sitting on the living room floor with Dada. Mama was sitting on the couch, teasing our dog Abdiel, who was standing on the padded arm of the couch, where her feet were. She kept saying, "Abdiel, bite my foot! bite my foot!" Mama was taking no risks here, since Abdiel does not bite people. However, I saw an opportunity for cosmic harmony, so I spat my pacifier out, leaned over, and bit Dada's toes, politely of course. Love to all, LK