Snippets and Snappits

I'm so clever with titles.  Or something like that.

I mostly have a series of random, unrelated--except by the real and every day theme--pictures and quotes.  Most of these are duplicates of Instagram, but there are some never-before-seen.  I'd like things in one place for the day I print all this stuff out.

Eddy kept asking me to do things while I was practicing driving on London streets.  Collin, in the passenger seat, reminded him "Eddy, address your questions to me." After a beat Eddy said, "Dad, can you ask mom to change the CD?"

My aunts visited London for a few days after their trip to Paris.  It was fun to have a full flat (we really were at capacity but in a good way!) and explore during the mornings with them.  After several museums in several days even our good sport Eliza was done and showed us the way of things on the floor of the British Museum:

Eddy, after a year and a half in stage one (and a half, as we liked to call it), just today moved up to stage two.  He is thrilled about it and I'm proud of him for continuing to work hard.

Davy used to be the star of these quote sessions.  He's gotten old enough that if he does say something funny he's embarrassed by the attention.  He's cute and clever and we love him loads.  The lack of pictures and center stage time may not prove it, but it's the truth.

 

Eliza has her own opinions about what she wears.  I get it.  That's cool.  She is my daughter after all.  But the past few weeks we've been having fights about what I wear.  I'll come out of the shower and she will have set out my clothes for me to put on.  It was adorable the first few times and she actually chose well enough.  But then she started experimenting and she melted down when I told her I just couldn't wear bike shorts and a sheer decorative over shirt.  Now I think we've compromised and she gets to pick my socks.

I think it's almost time to take out Eliza's afternoon nap.  Which is a shame, because we both still really need it.  She's not settling down to bed until after nine, however, and that's almost worse.  She comes out repeatedly and has absolutely no respect for me or Collin asking her to return.  Last night she was out of bed rummaging quietly around the living room.  I looked up from my work on the computer and saw her wearing dress up clickity clack shoes, sunglasses, and a stethoscope.  I said, tiredly, "go back to bed, Eliza."  She looked at me, surprised that I could say such a thing and replied, "I can't, mom.  I'm a doctor."  And then I laughed and it all went down from there.  I can never hold a straight face around a two year old.

Eliza:  "My favorite is basking ball.  But I can't do the dribbles when I'm a little girl."

Eddy, oh Eddy.  He is always the one reminded many times to stay on track (reminded six times it was time to get dressed for school when I came in to find him half dressed and drawing on the winter window) but finds much more fun in doing his own thing in his own time.  I love that childhood seems to come so easily for him.  He just is a kid and happy to be there.

The closest Eliza Road is several hours drive away in Manchester and we likely won't get there, our itineraries never bringing us near there.  So we decided to just count this Elizabeth Street in London as her street name picture.

Sibling love gets me to my heart strings every time.  Eliza and Eddy are the best buds while Davy is in his football (soccer) class.  It's gotten so good that Eliza will not allow me to help her anywhere but has to have Eddy hold her hand and Eddy push her on the swings and Eddy pull her on the scooter and Eddy play with her.  Eddy is more than happy to oblige.

Her "skirt that Cinderella gave me" gets a lot of good mileage around here.  Also, her favorite color is pink, unless she's wearing blue and then it's blue to match.  The logic of a two year old.  I wish I could always had a two year old around.

London we love you.  Seriously, though.  Davy's already starting to mourn leaving London.  He says things like, "I wish we could have been born here and never have to leave."  And "couldn't we just live here forever?  America is so boring."  And "when I grow up I'm going to live in London and my kids will go to my school and I will never make them leave places they love."

Watermelon Dress and Little Tea Pot (video)

This watermelon dress was my mom's when she was little.  She and her sister had matching dresses for Christmas 1961.  Two thoughts about these old pictures.  First, can you imagine a world where children didn't have an image taking device thrust in their faces on a frequent basis?  (My mom looks uncertain what is going on with the camera, while Eliza at the same age knows exactly what is going on and either hams it up or runs away!)  Also, while I have no idea why hands are up in the family picture, isn't that the cutest family, that Kimball clan?

I love this dress, with the bright pink underdress and white pinafore.  The little puff sleeves, the collar, the little buttons in front and big bow at the back.  It's all just perfect.  I don't even mind ironing it because it's so adorable.  I love thinking of my Grandmother ironing this same dress many years ago, and my mom doing the same for her four girls.  Connections through the generations can't get much more real than that.  (I'm just grateful that--so far--I haven't scorched it, ruining it for all future generations.  This is heirloom material here.  And now I'm paranoid.  Fortunately/unfortunately Eliza has already almost outgrown it.  It will be safe from my hands for more little Kimball/Dollahite girls and their moms to enjoy.)

 

We found this little teapot and cup at a vintage market for a pound.  I already had in mind a video and Eliza helped me out by asking me "to make me a little teapot movie for me to watch."

Eating Paris (4th day part two)

Those bright green trees--and a no-coat-necessary moment!--make it seem like Paris in the spring.  We were so lucky to have the sun come out on Paris, making it shine even brighter, if that's possible.

So, the baguettes.  Some of the best Euro we spent.  One Euro for a loaf, but grab three.  One and a half for breakfast, the rest for easy snacking along the way.  All the kids were soon proficient at tearing off a chunk to nibble at a pausing point.

The boulangerie closest to the apartment we rented was the best we tried, both for baguette and croissants as well as sweets.  We were all as excited as Eliza demonstrates when it was breakfast time and we had made a run for fresh bread.

Eddy got to help make his own crepe at one stand.  Can you believe it? He wasn't quite sure what to do but he sure was happy to hold that spatula.

Choosing treats for our last evening in Paris.  Not an easy decision, though any which way you went it was sure to be good.

Two big and rich chocolate brownies, a large pink macaroon, an eclair, a chocolate torte, and a cheese cake later.  Crumbs lipped up, delirious with sugar, and ready for watching the sun set on the Monmarte neighborhood.  Behind us the Sacre Coeur's domes were golden and beside us the double-decker carousel spun round.  The little play area was overrun with children just out of school and wild to be free.  There was a football game going, scooters and balance bikes rushing in between, and several games of tag going simultaneously.  No collisions or confrontations, though I was sure a mess was imminent.  Our kids were in with the center of it all, happy as could be.  Good food, good place.  One of my happiest memories of traveling to Paris.