Water Jets and Grizzlies

We hadn't been to the "New Zoo" since before the addition of the grizzlies (and sea otters, and wild boar), so I was pleasantly surprised when Eryn and I got there on Labor Day a few hours after Scooter and I put Sandy down - and found a beautifully designed new exhibit. Here is Eryn, clearly not enjoying herself at all, in the "lava tube" inside of which is the grizzly enclosure.































The new water jet/Russian animal sculpture area just before the entrance to the Russian Coast exhibits is the reason she is soaked to the skin:
















































The grizzlies:














When the bears come up to the glass (and they do it often), this is how close you are to the (HUGE) animals - no tricky camera zooming:















Pretty amazing exhibit. Reminder to Self: take Ben up on going Behind The Scenes to take pictures for Rony's room. That has got to be cool.

Six Years at The Fair

My favorite picture from the Fair:













It's my favorite because it's sweet and it will be the last photo of Eryn doing this. Eryn loves the Little Farm Hands area, where kids can have "real farm" experience: they feed animals, pick apples, plant seeds, and wear aprons and John Deere antler visors, just like real farmers. Eryn is only five, but she's almost too tall to ride the pedal-powered tractor. She'll be sad next year.

First Pictures with the Nikon D40

I'm so excited! Can you tell?

First picture taken: the owl intended to scare the dang bunnies out of the strawberry patch. I don't know if it's the owl or the fencing around the garden, but the bunnies are finally leaving the plants alone.




















Second: the garden crab that stands in monument to Eryn's favorite fish, LaurieFish I. (LaurieFish II is in residence in Eryn's aquarium).















Third: tulip from back garden.














Later: Eryn with the Snowdrift Crab Poppa got for her two years ago.














Later still: Collin, happily playing with his baby gym, even with me flashing a bright light in his face.

Let's Go Fly A Kite

Scooter will undoubtedly blog his and Eryn's geocaching adventure from yesterday, but I wanted to post a couple of pictures from her first kite flying experience. Well, her first involved running around the back yard a lot trying to get her Cars kite into the air, because I bought it early in the day when it was quite windy, but by the time we got home, there was almost no breeze.

On the way to Oak Terrace East ark to meet Scooter and Eryn with a picnic dinner, I realized it was perfect kite-flying weather, but I had left E's kite at home. A quick trip through Walgreen's, and I had a new $4 kite: a toucan with "Real Wing-Flapping Action!" Here are E and S flying "Toucany" (if you're Eryn), or "Kitey" (if you're Scooter and want to mock Eryn's propensity to name everything by adding a "y" to the end of the noun that describes it):



















And here is Eryn, already doing advanced kite tricks:




















Video is here on You Tube.

FIVE!

Eryn Simpson

Eryn as a Simpsons character, via Simpsonize Me.

Eryn and Papa Made the Thursday Daily!

...illustrating Eryn's very first school field trip. She and her classmates (along with my father) went to the Applewood Orchard in Lakeville. Dad said it was a successful trip, pointing out that it was a group of preschoolers and no one got lost, got hurt, had a meltdown, or threw up. Dad has some pictures posted on his blog.

Cars Jammies

Eryn was getting ready for bed two nights ago and was dressed in one of her sets of Cars pajamas. She has been big into rhyming - real words, created words - it doesn't matter to her (nor should it). She was dancing around, in a wonderful mood, and began singing "Mater Fellater, Mater Fellater..." I was going to tell Scooter, knowing he would chuckle, but I forgot about it until last night when we were watching Inside Deep Throat. His response was something like "Why didn't you blog that?! When she's 18 she needs to know she was dancing around singing about Mater Fellater."

So, to Eryn in 2021: I'm sorry, Honey; it had to be done. At four, you were funny as hell. I bet you still are.

So Big

Scooter and I took Eryn to Tesseract this morning, for the beginning of her formal education. She's in Preschool, but it's full-time...so she's in full-time school from now (age 4) until she's 18. I got most of the way home before I started crying, and the real drama hit when I shut off the car. Scooter is used to this - he said goodbye to her during the days a long time ago; I, on the other hand, have had two days a week at home with her. She and I called them "Stay Home With Mommy" days.

The first picture is Eryn on her way toward the school with Daddy.

At the front door:















With her new teacher, Ms. Jen:




















With her First Day Name Tag:




















Cousin J. (in the blue) in Morning Meeting, who is in 4th grade this year (his brother, S., is in 2nd grade, but I missed my chance at a photo):















And, back in the Orange Room on the group mat, ready to get going:















But...this is my little girl, when she was first "so big!"

Mommy Blogging

Because this is just a damn cute picture.

Birthday Gear

My folks got Eryn some spring clothes as part of her birthday present. As Eryn is so big for her age, she and I needed to exchange every item. (No matter how well you think you've got it figured out, if she's not along for the shopping, it's too small.) So, here's one ensemble. Those pants, by the way, Mana, are a size 8. I'm not kidding.





















Grandma Ellen and Grandpa John sent Eryn a Dora purse, which he loves. It went with her to music class this morning, stuffed with Littlest Pet Shop pets, a puppet, some jingle bells, and a prism viewer thingy. The bells, at least, were apropos.

That My Little Pony in the first picture? She bought that herself. I took her to Toys R Us because she had declared she wanted to use some of her Own Money to buy a couple more pets from the above mentioned Littlest Pet Shop (compliments Andrew, Jackie, Oliver and Arthur), but when she saw the walking/talking My Little Pony, she changed gears. "I saw a commercial for that and I have ALWAYS WANTED IT!"

FOUR!

Eryn understands what her birthday means this year. She's excited about turning four, she's excited about her upcoming party...she's excited about presents.

That's it: Eryn's excited. You were expecting more? This is my attempt at blogging. I think I've forgotten how to do it.

Hey! I was awake at this time, four years ago! Of course, then there was a little girl wedged inside me, daring me to just try it. Yes, I know I split my infinitive. Leave me alone, I am remembering labor.

Wife Swap Fans, Please Step Forward!

I heard there was an episode on last Thursday (3/1) in which the mother put a young boy into a box as punishment. The boy's father allowed this to happen, as did all the TV people hanging around. That's so messed up I can't even describe it. Anyone know the episode? Is there a clip of this online anywhere? I expected to see it on YouTube, but can't find it.

A Gorilla Mooned Me

...and I took a picture, because I'm just that kind of overgrown child.
















Eryn, LissyJo, Niece A and I went to Como for a couple of hours today.

Highlights included a snowball fight;
















- the construction of a snow sculpture on the path that Eryn entitled "Snowman with Scorpion Babies;"





















-evidence of why one shouldn't open the digital camera in the new tropical area;
















- a monkey feeling brave behind the glass; and
















- the same silverback from the first photo, peeing. Unfortunately, I stopped filming just before he turned around, walked to the "far" side of this little pool, and began to drink. I'm sure his urine wasn't in that part yet.

One more, because it's cute: Eryn and A, in front of the Spider Monkeys.




I don't want to talk about the tarantula (HUGE) or the mice (little, but running around loose in the tropical area.)

Blue Eye Shadow

The Scene:
Northern Twin Cities suburb Walgreens, 8:00 p.m., Saturday night. The register.

The Players:
Eryn, age 3.75, with mother on her way home from grandparents' home

Cashier with Fake Eyelashes and Copious Amounts of Blue Eye Shadow (henceforth known as "Blue")

The Background:
Approaching a Walgreens by car, Eryn's mother remembers they had used the last Pull-Up in the house the previous night, and inquires whether Eryn would be willing to use a diaper for one night. Indignant at such a suggestion, Eryn says they should stop and get some Pull-Ups. She adds that she wants to get Cars Pull-Ups, pointing out that "I know they are made for boys, but I don't care!" Her mother tries to make a point about silly sexist marketing schemes, to which Eryn responds "I don't care, I like Cars!"

Eryn [putting package of Cars Pull-Ups on the counter]: I LOVE Cars!
Blue: Ooo, me too!!!! Corvettes, and BMWs, and Cadillacs! Ohhhh, and PORCHES!!!!!!
Eryn: I was talking about the movie.
Blue: You're going to love cars, too, when you grow up!!!!!!!!!!














For tips on how to apply blue eye shadow, this will help.

Gymnastics II

This is Eryn monkeying around with classmates before formal class began today. Apologies for the terrible photo quality. It's tough to get good shots from halfway across a very large gymnasium.
































She did much better on the balance beam this time, despite a serious malfunctioning of her wardrobe:

Preschooler Gymnastics

Today was Eryn's first time at Gymnastics class. It was held at Rosemount High School, and she was fascinated by the Big Kids' School and the Big Kids' Lockers. She was far more fascinated by the trampoline and the bar.















































Video at this link is Eryn on the trampoline with Coach Jason. This one is Eryn on the bar.

Waiting For Fondue

Ankle

She's tall because she's Scooter's daughter, and she trips on stairs and sprains her ankle because she's mine.

It's not broken, but the GP wasn't comfortable diagnosing the three-year-old who won't put any weight on the injured foot, so Eryn and Scooter have an appointment with an orthopedist this afternoon. If it's not broken, and it hurts enough she won't step on it, doesn't that pretty much make it a sprain? Any reason to do anything other than wrap it? LissyJo?

SpinArt! (nothing to do with bunnies)

Eryn has discovered SpinArt, courtesy of Ming, Julie and Logan. (She loves it - thanks, guys!)










































Video demonstration of SpinArt technique at YouTube.