My heart belongs to you

Miranda spontaneously made a heart on the floor last week with some orange ribbon. That's a pretty good job!

Learning her letters

Miranda was hanging out with me last week while I checked email. She asked if she could do "some writing of her own", so I said sure and pulled up a new document. I asked what she wanted to write, and she said, "I think I need to write Horsey's name." (Horsey is one of her "children", a favorite stuffed animal.) She typed the following letters, naming each one as she typed:

BOMXCAQWSZMT

I think it's interesting, the letters with which she particularly identifies. She's always liked O, Q, X, and Z.

Adventures with H1N1 house arrest

Miranda was diagnosed with "presumed but not confirmed" H1N1 last week, so she & Billy have spent most of the subsequent time under house arrest. Because of my pregnancy and asthma, I was voted off the island until her fever's gone. Billy's been good to send pictures of how they're spending their time.

Recuperating on the couch with Daddy

Recuperating on the floor

IT prodigy?

Miranda is cultivating a budding artistic talent. Here's a drawing from today, which she says is "a picture of Daddy." She's just recently started drawing little people. She did one of the new baby, which I'll try to post soon.

Who can reason with the wunchie? Part II (or buried in the concreteness of her reasoning)

So, Monday evening I'm driving home from the YMCA with Miranda and I decided that we would have a little fun. Because of the recent road construction on West Main we'd been using Manchester Street to get to our house for the last couple of weeks. In the process of utilizing the Manchester corridor to get downtown we'd become accustomed to passing some cook murals adorning one of the concrete walls next to the newly relocated Buster's. One of the murals is of a large skeleton that looks like it is emerging out of the wall. Miranda loves this skeleton and had commented on it several times. But we'd never gone to look at it up close.

"Miranda," I said, as we turned onto Manchester, "I think that I'm going to take you and feed you to the Skeleton tonight." "Why are you going to do that daddy," she rejoins. "Because I think it will be fun," I say. So, we pull into the parking lot and drive up to the mural at which point I roll down the window and tell the skeleton that we've brought him dinner. At first skeptical, I finally get Miranda to bite on my joke and she gets a little upset. I tell her that daddy is only making a joke for Halloween.

As we're driving out of the lot Miranda asks me why I took her to the skeleton. I repeat that I was only making a joke for Halloween. She says, "Daddy, it is not Halloween." I reply by saying that it is the season of Halloween. Indignant, Miranda asks me "Daddy, do you see any kids out here trick-or-treating?" I reply that I do not see any kids trick-or-treating. "Then daddy," Miranda replies with a confident sneer, "It isn't Halloween then is it?"

Random bits of preciousness

Helping Daddy spackle the basement stairwell.

Pink spackle is cool because it dries white, so you can tell when it's ready to sand. Plus... it's pink.

Miranda is beginning to enjoy Indian food again, provided it's not too spicy. Here we are at a local place, sampling the tandoori chicken, chicken tikki masala, cauliflower, basmati rice, pakoras, saag (spinach), naan (bread), and dal (lentils). To cool the palate, a refreshing mango lassi (yougurt smoothie). We brought her little book "Chaat and Sweets", and she told the waitress "Namaste!"

For some reason, she felt obliged to tie up Horsey.

I don't know why.

Holding hands and swinging with her classmate, Taylor. This is a precious picture.

As we left school in the rain, Miranda improvised -- a backpack umbrella.

Leaving the neighborhood flower stand with bargain, end-of-season mums in the basket of her birthday bike. This one found a home at the local bakery -- she loves those guys.

Overheard on the steps.....

So, I'm coming down the stairs at home yesterday and I hear Miranda (who is in the back of the house with our wonderful babysitter Marie) indignantly retort, as she stomps across the floor, "No, no, he is not going to die until the next chapter....." Hilarious! I have no idea what it was about, but no matter.....think I'm going to change my plans for Christmas and get her that Director's Chair........

Big Sister in Training

Holding a friend's newborn son. I'm so excited to get her into a Big Siblings' class at our hospital next month.

Sacrifice yourself for the cause, girl

Miranda is getting better & better at helping me in the kitchen, and just begged the other day to help me cut cabbage. So, against my better judgment, I handed her a real knife & let her rip. Look how intently she's making her little cuts.

Unfortunately, one of those little cuts ended up on her finger. But did you ever see someone so proud of an injury?? Look how she displays her battle scars. Yes, that's a BIG smile behind the wounded finger.

I just adore this kid!!!

Who can reason with the wunchie?

The other day Miranda and I were riding together in the truck. I'm not sure what prompted it, but she asked me "Daddy, why is my door locked?" I responed, "Honey, the door is locked because it always has to be locked when we're driving to keep us safe." She was quiet for a minute. Then she says, "Daddy, I don't think that you're telling the truth." I ask her, "Sweety, why are you saying that I'm not telling the truth?" She says, "Because of that," and points across the cab of the truck to my door which is unlocked. Busted.......I'm sure it won't be the last time....

Denver Adventures, part 3 -- the seasoned traveller

I meant to post these first, but just forgot. This was the first trip where Miranda carried on her own bag. She was amazing - -she wore her backpack and pulled her own suitcase for much of the trip, as well as carrying Ulee (the unicorn) and Horsey. Plus, she was stylin' in that awesome little outfit.She's as cute as she can be.

Denver Adventures, part 2 -- The First Sleepover

We've been wondering when Miranda would have her first sleepover. Littel did I know that I wouldn't even have to be the one to lose sleep over it! Sweet, brave Aunt Ellery hosted the inaugural slumber party with cousins Lauren and Ava while I was in England, and apparently everything went well. Ellery did report that she heard Miranda around 10:30, who said, "I'm just not tired, Auntie Elle." To which Ellery responded, "Well, you're going to sleep anyway." So there.

Pre-slumber activities. I'm not sure what she & Lauren are doing here -- Ali asked, "Did they just stick their landings?"

Yeah, it looks like they're going to get LOTS of sleep tonight...!

Aha, a co-conspirator -- Aunt Ellery!!

What an adorable face!!

Denver Adventures, part 1 -- Ladies' Day Out

Here is the first post of several about Miranda's trip to Denver last month. She spent over a week with my family during my trip to Durham, and by all accounts she had a great time. One of the highlights was a "ladies day" with Aunt Ellery. Nothing like an afternoon out for lunch and pedicures. Tres fabulous.

All dressed up and ready to go.

Doesn't she look grown up?

Her first time in the pedi chair. I just adore pedicures, and the wunchie seems to be following in my footsteps (no pun intended).

Hey -- I've never had a little flower on my toes before!

What a precious little foot!

And for dessert, a deliciously big cookie!

Woman and Machine.......

The large storm drain replacement work that has been going on in downtown Lexington has been inconvenient for motorists and harmful for businesses in the area. However, it did give me a chance to snap this photo of Miranda during a recent trip to the Farmer's Market. She's showing her mastery over this machine and excitement about being the subject of yet another photograph.

A "Good Lift"......

Last night I discovered that Miranda has a secret talent that will hopefully NOT serve her well someday. We'd just completed a trip to the local Kroger and were on our way home when I discovered that she'd successfully "lifted" two $50 gift cards and was examining her "take" in the back seat. I'd seen she was carrrying something when we went out the door, but in my haste to get to the car and steward us safely through the parking lot I did not look very closely. I thought it was just another apartment guide or related article that she frequently grabs. She likes looking at these kinds of things. But no, this time she'd grabbed the real goods and managed to make it out the door. I thought of that scene in "Oceans Eleven" where George Clooney's character tells Matt Damon's character "that was a good lift," after he witnesses him stealing a wallet on the subway. Anyhow, I returned the gift cards and on the way to school Miranda said, "I'm sorry daddy for taking those cards at the store." Our sweet kleptomaniac wunchie.....you better keep an eye on her if she shows up at your door!

Cheerleading Wunchie!

Our community has had monthly picnics at a downtown park, and some of the ladies got into the school spirit. Miranda was intrigued with their antics, and so was able to join them at their top of their pyramid. You go girl!!

Bringing them up right....

Maria and I were happy this week to have an opportunity to teach our daughter firsthand about the time honored Christian tradition of snake handling. As you can see, she is a natural at it and we're expecting great things from her...ha,ha,ha...seriously, we really love our home and the rich landscape of plants, insects and animals that the orginal owners of our home created. We've tried to continue adding to the richness of our little ecosystem and doing this with Miranda has been a real treat. She absolutley delights in snakes, praying mantis's, squirrel's, spiders and the various other creatures that we find. Occassionally she will step on or otherwise disable or antagonize them....but she loves most all of them and that has been really neat to see and experience (make sure you click on the picture to enlarge it-unless snakes make you uneasy).

Birthday narrative.....

Yikes....it has been way too long since I've posted anything on my dear Wunchie's blog. But I guess the week following her 4th birthday is not a bad time to make a belated entry. Here are a couple of pictures from events surrounding her 4th B-day. The one picture is pretty self-explanatory, a picture of Miranda getting ready to dig into the stack of strawberry and whipped cream topped pancakes that daddy cooked for her on her birthday. The other picture is the one that needs a little more explanation. In this picture Miranda is making the biggest deposit of her short life into the piggy bank. I was at McDonald's earlier that day visiting on the patio outside with one of my friends. My friends name is Leo and he is a wonderful older guy who was formerly homeless and is now living in his own apartment and gettting along fine. Leo is a guy that I've known for years and is someone, ably assisted by MANY others, that I've walked with and helped to find stability. So, I'm sitting there talking to Leo at McDonald's and he asks me how old Miranda is. I told him that actually her birthday was today and that she was 4. Leo asks me if she has a piggy bank, and after I reply yes, he reaches into his pocket, pulls out a 20 dollar bill, and tells me to give it to her to put in her piggy bank. I was really astonished and reminded again of the beauty and justice that is always present whenever we give to others. So, that is the story of the second picture...worth a lot more than $20....will tell to her one day, hopefully with interest!

Overheard

• "I've had a very active day, Mommy."
• (as she struggles to get her wet self into some clothes), "Mommy, a little help here."
• (Mommy) "Wow, it's hot out here." (Munchie) "Wow, Mommy, hace calor. It's hot out here."

Dive!!!

On their last day of swim lessons, they learned how to jump off the diving board. My girl cannot be stopped!

Exuberance!!! (aka the city pool)

Miranda began swim lessons this week. As a parent, it seems like you're constantly trying to discern what your child is ready to do -- gymnastics, swimming, art, music, etc etc. So when we purchased a family pool pass this summer, we decided to enroll her in lessons. Today was her second day, and she's loving it.

Hanging out on the side, waiting for her turn

"Mommy, I love this!"

Kicking her feet

Reports her instructor, "She has no fear." (Hmmm...)

Either she's exhausted, or she's imitating the nearby teenagers

Don't go unless you can go in style

We had the best time with our friend Hailey -- laughing, splashing, and making about 37 trips down the spiral slide. My favorite part was watching numerous bigger kids pull Miranda out of line and make her stand against the "You Must Be This Tall to Use This Slide" sign. (She is, just barely.) It was awesome.

Miranda hearts the Psalters