Summer days...

This summer has been a whirlwind, and I can't believe it is waning already. We have settled into our new house, and though we have a million projects on the horizon, are loving our new home and town. My girls are a source of magic to me every day...

Viola Mary, 3.2 years: A creative, impetuous and charming little lass is my Viola! She is a little artist, a dreamer like me, with a vibrant imagination. Lately she declares that she is "pretending" a lot--and her imaginings are vivid (and often hilarious). Though she worries that there may be a buffalo lurking in the unfinished attic (Bugaboo Creek restaurant obsession gone awry), she has settled comfortably into her new home, and of late, has been mad about dressing and undressing and changing her dolls, and doing their hair. As for her own strawberry swirl of tresses, she refuses pigtails and requests just one pony every day (apparently pigtails are too "two years old" for her). Though she downs sippy cups as if it's her job, she has mastered the potty (even the night is not a problem)--hooray! Viola is my best friend, and she is affectionate and demanding, complicated and angelic, and in every way amazing to me.

Maeve Sheridan, 9 months next week: Oh what a little curious explorer I have on my hands. Maeve is eager to drink in this world around her, and she has no patience for being bound to someone's arms, exersaucer, carseat or high chair. She doesn't even have time to eat and drink these days. She nurses for a minute (or not at all) to her Mommy's disappointment (I nursed Viola to 15 months) and then twists herself out of my arms, and tries to nose dive onto the floor. And she outright refuses the bottle--so she is this teeny-tiny peanut; but she is super-strong, nimble and fast, skittering down the hallways like she owns the place, and pulling up, creeping along furniture, and trying to climb on everything in sight. She also learned to clap last week and is now starting to wave! She has this big new house to explore, and every corner holds some new treasure to investigate (and taste). With her tiny orange-fluff head, long skinny limbs, and so-pale-it's-almost-translucent skin, she is the mirror image of her big sis at this age--except for her dark eyes. They have not settled to a single color yet, and are simply charcoal. If you mixed blue, green, brown and black, you'd get this color. I think they will be brown like her Mom and Dad's but we may have to wait awhile. Oh yeah, and Maeve has a raspy voice! Really, it's so funny coming out of such a daintly little sprite. It's low and raspy, unlike Viola's clear-as-a-bell feminine timbre. She growls and grunts to get your attention (or reject feeding attempts). Maybe she'll be a sultry jazz singer someday. And Viola will be doing Italian arias (okay, I may be over-reaching :)

I realize I am writing this for myself more than anyone else...These days are magical, and they are flying. My loves are are growing up before my eyes and I am desperate to remember these moments! So on to some photos of my lil' lasses lolling away the summer days at their new home in Lynnfield!










To the left, the "imagination room" (a tiny room between the girls' bedrooms), and to the right, a body painting of a little fairy with goldenred hair and purple wings.


I just took these two last pictures today in my yard and had to add them...

I just love this face.