Our commute just got shorter...

Mummy & Daddy no longer have to commute to work. Louise announced last night that Charlotte's room is GSK (keycard entry only, of course - "you don't have a badge, Mummy"). She then ran next door to drop off her babies at daycare. Next, we went to Mummy & Daddy's room ("Duke University School of Medicine, where babies go.") Finally, through to Mummy & Daddy's bathroom ("UNC! This is where I work. We put markers on our hair.")

Wild animals of North America

We went to the zoo today ("the North Carolina zoo") with Meg, Louise's former preschool teacher. Louise's favourite animal is still the polar bear, even though it was sleeping when we stopped by its house. The polar bear on the carousel was a close second. Claire preferred pictures of animals to the real things. Charlotte liked the tortoise, the playground, and the ice cream.

Here are a few pictures - of a toy safari jeep, loaded with animals, and a leaf-shaped slide:

Amaizing

We visited a Corn Maze today. There were animals (a donkey, four goats, and lots of chickens), a playground, and, of course, the maze. The kids, of course, were most impressed with the animals. ("Look! The goat climbed up on its house - and it's sticking its head through the roof!")

Louise's imagination has taken off. Mummy was impressed and amused when, a few weeks ago, Louise picked out a chew toy for her "baby", the stuffed lion named Ikea, and told us about how Ikea's feelings are hurt when people think she's a boy. Today, she invented a game involving a long sheet of paper, a Welcome mat, two upside-down buckets, crawling, and hopping, and she tried to teach it to Charlotte. She also put five toothbrushes, a cup, and a small quantity of water and soap in a large plastic bear (which formerly contained enough animal crackers to feed a small North Korean village for a year). She described in great detail the needs and preferences of her "pet fish." They are all girls ("and them all female"). They eat quite a wide range of things. Music "makes them crazy" - they dance and bump into each other. The whole family was invited to pet the fish, and Charlotte was instructed to kiss fish Savannah before going to bed.

Louise's curiosity is also blossoming. She is eager to ask "what does X mean?"

Thomas!!!

Louise & her friend Katie met Thomas this weekend at the NC transportation museum. ("He's REAL!"). Louise informed me that Thomas was "really happy" to meet Katie & her, because they're all "really good friends." It was a magical setup. There was a Thomas bouncy castle ("it's a bouncy castle, but it looks like Thomas! And it has a slide!") And there was a man with a white beard and a red cap and an apron that read "Santa". He was making lemonade in the POW-MIA concession tent.

Whilst Louise & Mummy were meeting Thomas, the music factory & daddy hung out with Ms. Meg, Louise's former preschool teacher. Charlotte broke character and held her arms out, insisting that Meg hold her. Charlotte clearly can't read yet - Meg was wearing a University of Michigan top.

Charlotte's favourite new game is to put a hand down the front of her diaper, grin, and say "Out!" ("Out" is of course the word that Mummy shouts at Charlotte whenever she sees the hand in the diaper).