Oh well! If you put up with it and you're still here, I hope you enjoy some photos. Maybe someday I'll get around to posting some interesting anecdotes. Maybe. Don't hold your breath.
OK, so maybe I'll dig some up. Or at least some good dialogue. Here goes...
Aria [in response to a repeated but previously ignored request from me]: I’m not gonna argue about this, Mommy!
Aria [in response to something - I can't remember what, but does it matter?]: Oh, man! Come on!
Aria: [in response to my maybe 17th request of the meal to use her fork rather than her hands]: But, I have hands. So…[dramatic pause] I am eating with my hands. So… [more dramatic pause] That’s what’s happening!
Dinner conversation:
Aria: Do cows poops?
Mama: Yep
Aria [thinking hard]: How do cows poop?
[Some response from me probably not worth repeating.]
Aria [still thinking hard]: But where do cows poop?
[Some other response from me like, "wherever they are" or something.]
Aria [laughing histerically]: That’s silly! Cows shouldn’t just poop wherever they are!
While helping Mama make dinner:
Aria: I need something to stir with.
[Mama gives chopstick.]
Aria: That won’t do.
Mama, reading from a book: ...squeals with delight.
Aria: But delight doesn’t squeal!
Mama, reading from another book: ...pictures dance in her head.
Aria: That would hurt!
Mama [a little dense]: What would hurt?
Aria: The pictures dancing in her head!
Aria [tapping Mama on the clavical]: Mama, you are made of bones.
Mama: Yep. And skin. And muscle.
Aria [thoughtfully]: And nunus and arms and stars and tattoos!
[For those of you who don't know, "nunu" is our word for the producers of the milk. Numnums, to some. Boobies to others. To us, nunus.]
This monologue after a big scene involving screaming, hitting, pushing, and crying (almost entirely by Aria):
I just get mad, you know. And I do bad stuff. Sometimes I get mad. And I don’t know what I’m doing. But sometimes I do.
That's our funny, perceptive, curious, communicative, sweet, and challenging kid. Yep, I think we'll keep her.
Enjoy the pictures.
A now not too recent visit from Uncle Riley with his fancy iPhone.
Modeling the sweater that was a gift from Grandpa.
These are from Christmas! (Oh, do I feel shame!) But this is a lovely picture of Aria and Nana relaxing with the family.
And Uncle Ivan.
Modeling her Christmas present from Ivan.
Aria and Isabella:
and Victoria and Honey the rat:
and Snake (?) the snake:
Strolling along with Tara and Stella:
We had the good fortune to be part of the wedding of our dear friends Jessica and Seth. Aria and I were inspired as we prepared:
