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

Panel at the Book Fair

Josh's panel at the book fair today included every single one of his colleagues. I took this picture for the historical records.


After a long day of playing with her new four year-old friend Harper, Lola relaxes and flaunts her evening paci. The paci will also be a matter of historical record after this December, when Lola turns three.