Grandma Linda Saves Christmas (Pictures)

The weather was beautiful in Florida this Christmas.

Lola began her celebration by picking the ripe orange from the little tree. Her grandparents had saved it for her.


She liked sitting outside on the bench in 70 degrees and sunshine.


We are just barely awake in this picture of stocking-opening fun.


Lola liked bringing presents to lucky recipients.


Josh and I received this gift, upon which Lola had embroidered a Christmas tree at school. She actually did the embroidery (it was really basic).


Here, Ernie the pug gets into the fun of present-opening with Lola.

Slight Problem: Pictures Lost in Transit

While I was trying to download the pictures from the camera, they were lost (wiped from the camera, while they didn't make it to the laptop). Thank goodness I made a Christmas video for my parents! We lost all the pictures of Lola opening her wonderful gifts from relatives, but I will take some pictures of her playing with her new loot.--K

Oh My Goodness!

At 5:45 tonight, Lola awoke from a deep nap and was given a huge surprise. We let her open her biggest package from Grandpa and Grandma P., because it was too big to fit in the car for our drive to Tallahassee tomorrow. This package proved to hold one of the most amazing three-year-old presents imaginable--a complete Breyer stables--and Lola was euphoric. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa! She can't be hauled away from playing with it to thank you on the phone, however.

Too Smart for Oedipus

Lola had an Oedipal moment last night when she declared while we were all sitting on the couch that she was married to Daddy. I did what the development books say you are supposed to do, which is to assert the truth, calmly. "Well, Lola, actually I'm married to Daddy. Daddy is my husband." Lola replied, smiling, "No, he's my husband." Again, I followed the textbook. "I'm married to Daddy, but when you grow up you'll find someone very nice to marry." Lola didn't react as the books said she would, though. Instead, she looked very distressed and wailed, "But I want to stay with YOU," meaning both Daddy and I. Josh said, "Ooh, she is smart." I instantly tried to make it right. "Lola, you're going to stay with us forever. We'll always be your mommy and daddy, and we'll always love you." This tack calmed her immediately. I think the Oedipal instinct is a little more complicated than the books say!

Home for the Holidays

We've been doing a lot of fun things: tree-decorating, gingerbread-baking with friends.

The Christmas Tree is Here!

Below is our only Thanksgiving picture of Lola. We had such a great time at Thanksgiving with the grandparents that we forgot to take many pictures!


Lola had her hair cut on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. She likes to make faces for the camera, as you will see in the next few pictures.

We brought home a nice Fraser fir today. Lola is looking forward to the decorating.

"Is it for a Person?"

Surfing the internet mindlessly, Lola and I found a picture of this wedding dress. Lola wisely asked, "Is it for a person?" "Yes," I said. Lola: [pause] "Is it for a grown-up?"

An Eye for Detail

Lola wrote this shopping list (not the actual words, but the squiggles that are simulated words) as we dictated to her what we needed for Thanksgiving. We're very impressed by her artistic rendering of words.



Lola also applied Mommy's lipstick with an eye for detail. If you look at the second picture, I think you will agree that she knew perfectly well that it was an unorthodox job!

News Flash: Lola's Hair Officially Declared Difficult

Today I went to pick up Lola at school, and Miss Savannah had this story. When Lola woke up from her nap today, Mrs. Erni, the head honcho teacher, tried to put her hair back. Savannah said, "And it was all up on top of her head!," making the writhing motions with her fingers that my sister and I used to call "omelet hair" gestures. Savannah then gulped and looked worried that I would take offense at an implicit slight to my daughter's perfect hair powers. No chance. My sister and I had nightmarishly straight, fine, frizzy hair that could not be controlled or coaxed. I responded, "Yes, her hair is trouble." Savannah said hesistantly, "I've just known a few girls that . . . Well, it's thin." They used to call my hair thin too. What they meant was, "fine." Lola's hair is fine and thick and, as I told Savannah, has a slight wave to it that is just as difficult in its own way as my childhood greasy straight locks. I wonder what hair joys await Lola in adolescence.

Lola's Halloween Fun

Josh figured out how to cover the flash to get a good picture of our pumpkin.



Lola's first engagement was on Thursday night--Halloween story time at the library. Here she is with other regulars.




Friday night arrived, and Lola was rarin' to go with her new "I Want Candy" bag from the grandparents.



Our first stop was the retirement home, which puts on a great Trick-or-Treat every year.



This is the wig that Kathryn wore to teach her students on Halloween. Deep professor dorkiness.


Back at home, Lola goes crazy after consuming much of her haul. Here is her striped skunk back.

Pumpkin Carving and Lighting

We are ready for Halloween!

Pictures of Recent Adventures

Here are pictures from Lola and Leo's zoo jaunt--Lola is standing behind a "meercat" impersonation board. Leo has extremely long hair right now: it becomes him.




Here are pictures of our gas log and our new sofa. The gas log doesn't look as impressive as it does in real life, because of the flash effect from the camera. We hope the new sofa lasts as long as the old one (fourteen years). The old sofa is now comfortably retired in the basement.

Lola Learns to Delegate

Last night, Lola fell off our porch stairs. There are only three of them, total, but she somersaulted down them, so her overprotective parents were very worried. This morning she has no marks (immediately after her fall, she had a welt on her cheek). Last night, I was so relieved after she recovered from the fright (about an hour into the massive pampering we gave her), that I said, "Lola, come give me a great big hug." Lola, sensing she had the upper hand, replied. "No! Abdiel (to our dog), go give Mommy a great big hug." Considering the circumstances, I was glad to laugh at Lola's high-handedness.--K

Say "Spooky Halloween!"

Daddy helped Lola make these Halloween ghosts, and then Lola and Mommy hung them in the tree. It's Lola's first yard decoration for Halloween!--K

Lola's Thoughtful Night

Here was the best conversation of the night.

Lola: There's poop on your head.
Mommy: That's not nice. There are flowers on your head (kissing her on the head).
Lola: Mommy, I'll poop on your head.
Mommy: That's not nice. (sternly) Don't say that.
Lola: (nicely) May I *please* poop on your head?
(all social order breaks down into laughter)

Yippee! Lola Will Never Be Hannah Montana . . .

. . . because she is Joan Jett. After seeing one Christian rock band at the town food festival (gel-mohawk, wannabe Hootie-and-the-Blowfish singer and band) and one roots-folk band at an outdoor picnic, Lola knew what to do. She picked up her corn-popper (the ubiquitous blue and white vacuum-like toy of toddlers), put the bowl of it near her waist, put the "stem" up by her shoulder, and started fingering chords in a way more realistic than her mom could manage. Her dad has never been known to air-guitar either.

The true origin of Lola's rock-and-roll personality is hidden deep inside her mom's past. When I was in seventh grade in England, I earned some really poor "effort grades" (the equivalent of grades over here). I was called in by the headmistress of my year/class to discuss the problem. She asked me how I thought lack of attention to school would affect my future life. "It won't," I insisted in my obnoxious American accent, "because I'm going to be a rock star." At that point she gave me up as a lost cause and let me leave. Lola will never hear this story until she has safely reached her mid-twenties (or she has a record deal, offers Josh).--Kathryn