back in the desert

The heat actually hasn't been as bad as I was fearing. Since the kids are still operating on East Coast time, we have a couple of cool hours in the morning and some time in the evening... our old Dora the Explorer sprinkler helps too...

I'm glad our sea turtle baby hasn't been too spoiled by the Atlantic Ocean to enjoy playing in it...

Backyard Bliss

I had to make a post about Nanny's backyard, where we have been spending so many pleasant hours this summer. It is a little slice of paradise, where the ever-expanding flower beds buffer you from the rest of the world... the deck is the perfect place to learn how to "backy down"

or have a happy hour with some appetizers and a Twisted Tea (I know Lili and Cindy look really depressed here, but trust me they were having fun)...

or admire the "jurassic" lettuce garden

or grill up a delicious dinner

or watch the hummingbirds and the butterflies in the beebalm (can you spot the hummingbird?)

or wash off the sand after the beach...

somehow it's cuter with the kids...

Row Row Row

Ok so I think the audio is totally off here...anyway this was an attempt to capture for posterity Kateri singing Row Row Rw your boat...she usually says "meh meh meh" for the merrily merrily merrily part but she gets disctracted and just starts making goofy faces....Nanny has been teaching Kateri loads of new songs and words...ah multigenerational living....

Breakfast by the Lighthouse

This morning the girls and I had an early morning picnic breakfast out by Scituate lighthouse...a beautiful spot to watch the boats come in and out of the harbor, swim in the calm water, and witness some amusing sailing lessons...

A long walk with Papa out on the jetties

Wobstas

For anyone who has not visited the Bird household, you need to understand that our Papa is pretty much an Italian mama... nothing gives him more pleasure than cooking enormous amounts of delicious food and pressing people to have seconds (or thirds.) He took us out to a sumptuous Asian meal and after Lili had demolished her fourth portion of spicy tuna maki asked quietly, "Why does Papa want us to eat so much?" But seriously, he always makes us feel so welcome and we have had so many memorable meals this summer. For one such meal, the main attraction was these gargantuan lobsters: yes, we played with our food before we ate it.

Kateri was really tickled by them...

Tuckered out

The kids get pretty tuckered out on these long summer days at the beach...here is Audrey passed out on the porch in Nanny's lap while Kateri pets her head...

Two nights ago Audrey asked me if I could carry her to her bed because she was too tired to walk. I said, "no I can't carry you. You're getting too big to be carried." She very seriously responded in her sleepy voice, "Can you just drag me to my bed, Mom? Drag me on the floor to my bed?"

I just had to throw this picture in of Daddy and his mini-me daughter. I seriously think that she is looking more and more like him as she grows, a process no doubt aided by her hair's stubborn refusal to grow.

Want to see what Lili in heaven looks like?

This:

Everyone is in love with the newest member of the Bird family, and sweet Fiona has nice laid back parents who let Lili stick her (well-scrubbed) finger in Fiona's mouth and hold her...

So cute!!!