Baby yoga!

Sylvia loves to do this.

Upside down and backwards

She saw another kid do this and had to try. That girl's mom apologized profusely, saying that the girl's older brother taught her to go down slides headfirst. Kids these days!

Our clothes are tasty

Two cows

Realness

Paul: Is this a real tractor?

Sylvia: Actually, not.

Chris and Jeff on the farm

Fixing the tractor, looking for worms.

Everybody clap!

Baseball!

The Royals lost, but we won - we had a fabulous day with Chris and Jeff Naff.

First selfie-on-purpose

Enough of that

Memory lane

At the pumpkin patch, the family had a huge collection of old farm machines. I don't have any photos that do the place justice, but it was a big setup, with lots of fun and very beautiful play spaces for kids, plus a ton of these old machines that you can walk up to and touch. It was heaven for Charlie and Paul. And Sylvia :) And you know what, we didn't even buy a pumpkin! But we did get doughnuts. Oh, the doughnuts ...

How farmers have fun

This amazing thing was at the pumpkin patch we went to tonight. It's full of CORN.

Tire swing in Gilham Park

Mom draws Sylvia

I don't have to tell you how many caveats came with this drawing (Mom, the most humble artist I have ever, ever met). And yet here it is, wonderful. Thank you, Mom! 

And.... Playground installed in backyard!

Happiness

One more

RIP

The End

On the last stop of the epic three-week adventure, Matt ends the life of our cheap red chair.

Prankster

Best friends

Art project

Pink?

It's red. For the Chiefs. But it really looks pink. I asked Sylvia the color and she confidently said, "Green!"

Evening walk

If you walk to get burgers and fries, the calories are burned before you get there and therefore you can also share a chocolate shake. Life lessons.

Pronouns and tenses

Paul: "Sylvia, want to ride on the hotel luggage cart?"

Liz, exasperated: "Of course she does!"

Sylvia, who can't believe her luck: "Ah course I does!"

She loved it. Of course.

Iowa wedding

"Cheeeeese" progression

University of Iowa

Martha, this one's for you

Favorites

Sylvia is learning what it means to have a favorite of something: "oh, my fayv-wit!" is becoming a common phrase on our house. She's also learning to say "I wuv you" and "I wuv it!" with great enthusiasm.

Tonight she picked up an al-anon book of daily meditations and perused it quietly, talking softly to herself. I heard her say, "oh, I wuv dis part."

It's my birthday!!

Birthday bagel

Followed immediately by a birthday doughnut.

Among the flowers

Faux camping

Our friends invited us to cook out at their campsite this weekend. Then we went home and slept in our own comfy beds. Win win!

Orange study

Sylvia and a friend at a Friday night art opening. With snacks.

Where is Sylvia?

There she is! (In Ikea.)

Last few hot days

At the Loose Park spray-ground. Sylvia doesn't really like getting sprayed with water, so mostly we sit on this bench and eat snacks.

First tree climb

Mardi Gras beads make any outfit better

Black sundress, brown sandals, pink and purple socks (two on one foot, one on the other), plus beads. Done.