There have been so many developmental changes in just one short month, it's hard to believe. She drinks from a cup, all by herself (with a bit of spilling)! She's got six teeth! She stands up! All the time! And her "Quasimodo" crawl is speeding up (but showing no signs of evening out). She is also a VERY vocal girl these days -- she makes it extremely clear what she wants and does not want. And if the voice doesn't work, she uses The Point. Sue and Lynne and I used to practice The Point back in the 747 Baker Street days. Yes, Karolina is already working on those feminine wiles.
And Peter is learning how to turn on the charm as well. Here he is with his "girlfriend", Iris, at Pagalonthia on Leonard Lake in Mendocino County this past weekend:
They were inseparable for the duration of our lakeside vacation, driving trucks, canoeing, stirring up wasps' nests (valuable lesson there). I must admit she is quite a catch, but I am SO not ready for my children to start dating. Luckily there were lots of other things to keep him occupied: boating, fishing, swimming, dancing, and generally running wild outside in a pack of 15 other children including his buddy, Paxton, from our San Francisco days. Karolina got some social time as well with two other babies who are very close to her in age: Avery and Violet. I love all the old-fashioned names that are making a comeback.
We returned from four days of idyllic bliss to a frenzy of activity -- a Giants game in San Francisco with my parents to celebrate Papi's birthday, a business trip for Martin, business meetings for me, and slightly cooler weather, thank goodness. It has settled into the low 90s/high 80s. This is about the time of year that I am done with summer, and starting to look forward to sweaters and apples and changing leaves. I don't think I could ever live in San Francisco again, with down parkas as part of my basic summer wardrobe (even with the parka, I was STILL freezing in AT&T Park!). But these long, hot summers are draining, especially with two small children who don't know how to swim. Peter is almost there with the swimming thing, but it will be a few years before I can relax on the river with Karolina.
The Farm is cranking out tomatoes and eggplant, and even a few peppers. I made Baba Ganouj for dinner last night, along with a delicious heirloom tomato, cucumber, and pepper salad (all harvested from the farm yesterday morning), and unfortunately Karolina's face immediately broke out in the same itchy red rash that Peter got from eggplant at her age. Next year I really need to learn how to preserve, because my strategy of finding a million different ways to cook the over-productive vegetable of the moment is not ideal. I love ratatouille as much as the next rat, but my family can only take it so many times a week.
After a trip to the farm, where Peter learned how delicious green beans right off the vine can be, he has requested a winter garden. He already planted some sunflower seeds in "his" garden -- we'll plant a real winter garden if I can get my act together in time. I never did get the Butterfly garden in, mostly due to being stumped on how to water it. I'm not so good at the watering thing -- I think my much-abused oregano has finally bitten the dust. Thank goodness for timers.
I learn a little bit more about gardening each year, and some day, I'll have a long-term space to create something wonderful and learn even more. In the mean time, I am grateful for my little back yard plot, for my participation in the farm cooperative, for the fact that we have such great, healthy food to feed our family, and that my kids actually like and eat this stuff (so far).
What, you say? Not enough Cute Baby Pictures? All right, here's one more, slightly fuzzy, but precious shot:
I'm with you on the apples and changing leaves! Wow, she's so big, and she sure looks like another pretty lady I know ;).
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