Birds Of A Feather

So hip, these two, with the oh-so-trendy rooster feathers weaved into their hair.

The View From Up Here

Little Miss Teagan is now Little Miss Sitter!

Ham And Cheese

It turns out that Mia, ever the performer, is always thrilled to entertain a captive audience (also known as Teagan):


Meanwhile, Teagan is always thrilled to turn up the smile wattage whenever a camera is within ten feet of her. Here she is, sporting an outfit from the Mia archives:

History Repeating?

Attaching a giant flower to my daughter's bald head? Sounds suspiciously like The Great Holly Debacle of '76, when Connie Glasgow caused a rash on her eldest child's skull by taping a holly sprig to it for photographic purposes. No worries, Teagan -- this flower does not adhere with Scotch tape and, in any event, it was just a quick try-on at the mall today. We'll wait for hair before torturing you with accessories.

Tea Party: The Musical

Mia lives in a world where dogs have pillows, blankets, their own piggy (that's what is tucked under Otter's arm) and an alarm clock:


She also lives in a world where every conversation is conducted in song:



My favorite line, by the way, is the gibberish following "corn," when she illustrates a vague understanding that lyrics should rhyme.

Triple Feature

Mia and her school buddies, Henry and Mia, had a movie playdate today. Winnie the Pooh was the order of the day and judging from the number of times Mia used the famous bear's favorite phrase, "oh, bother!," I'm guessing it made a positive impression, as did the popcorn.

Pardon The Interruption

We've spent the last few days on a little road trip down to Santa Barbara, where we were greeted by gorgeous Pacific Ocean views and perfect weather. The kids (and adults) enjoyed plentiful family time with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. Here are some photos and videos:

Santa Barbara- July 2011

Meet Creepy Dan, The Sand Man

We were playing in the yard yesterday and Mia become very involved with a shovel and some dirt.


A few minutes later, this is what -- I mean who -- she produced. She named him Dan, the Sand Man, and this aeriel view is somewhat unsettling:

I look forward to the beach this weekend, where we can build some more normal looking sand sculptures.

Oh, There's Another One?

Otter seems to only now realize there is another human in the house, suddenly walking up to sniff Teagan. Because she is only too eager to respond with gentle pats, he seems pleased with this addition to the household.

Even A Tiny Merry-Go-Round Is Still Merry

Sweet Tea Rolls

Somebody is in a hurry to get moving:



Later, she tried to reach her toes:



Speaking of toes, I have a feeling this little mover and shaker might keep us on ours!

The Ones That (Almost) Got Away

Two photos just in from Aunt Sharon from our July 4th Napa weekend. Teagan is cuddling with Uncle Larry and Mia is striking a patriotic pose with Uncle Rich.

So Close...

Teagan practicing the tripod sitting stance, but looking more like a yoga stretch.

Two Sisters: A Dialogue

"Hmmm... what are we thinking about?"


Teagan: "How do I get fancy hair like Mia?"
Mia: "How do I stop Teagan's hand from grabbing my beautiful hair?"


"Ahhh, now I have the camera all to myself. Unleash the smiles."

Dining Al Fresco

I'm not sure why it never occurred to us to have a proper dining table on our porch, but we finally have one, providing us with the perfect way to enjoy all these warm summer nights. Inside or out, Otter continues his eternal hope of catching delicious table scraps.

Reading is FUNdamental

Nothing better than sharing some books and some giggles.

Happy One Third Birthday, Teagan!

Time is flying! Inexplicably, Teagan is four months today. During a weigh-in recently, she was thirteen pounds, three ounces -- much larger than her big sis was at the same age. She slept through the night all during our trip (ten hours the first night!), a pattern we hope continues now that we are back home. As for family resemblance, here's Mia at the same age.

She's also getting a lot chattier:

Happy July 4th

A lucky intersection of open schedules led to a rare and welcomed family gathering this July 4th weekend in Napa. Lara's Aunt Sharon, Uncle Frank & Cousin Matt (in from LA), Aunt Julie, Uncle Rich & Cousins Ryan and Christian (in from Florida), and Aunt Helene and Uncle Larry (also in from Florida) enjoyed a good old fashioned holiday peppered with swimming pools, wine tastings and tours, delicious food, bike rides, parades, fireworks and, most importantly, lots of bonding. Living far from almost all of our family (thank goodness for Brian and Chris!) makes these types of weekends few and far between for us, and we are feeling very lucky and fortunate.

Some photos:

Aunt Helene and Aunt Sharon cuddling with Teagan, who it should be noted was a champion sleeper and all around wonderful traveler during her first getaway:


Mia and Christian riding the train at Train Town in Sonoma:


Moving on to the plane:

Aunt Helene, a lifesaver during the trip who (along with Uncle Larry) was a very willing baby holder during meals so that Lara and David could eat with two hands:


The resort we were staying at hosted a July 4th bbq, complete with fireworks, on the golf course. The kids had the run of the greens. Ryan, Christian and Matthew played a little football with Mia:

Matthew, home from Wake Forest, was forced into many a family photo. His shoes provided much guidance during dark evening walks:


Uncle Rich's birthday was celebrated more than once, much to the delight of all the kids:


We managed a couple family pictures, although not everybody stayed awake for the photographers:


Cousin Matthew and Mia:

During dinner on our final night together, we were seated outside near a fireplace, which provided the kids with some much needed meditation time:


With zero planning, we managed great seats from our dinner table of the Napa fireworks:


This morning, I found Mia sleeping not on her travel bed, but on the floor next to it. She had more late nights than she's ever had before, a treat leading her to declare that she "had so much fun on her trip":