sprinkler

I guess at any age, sprinklers are exciting. Several weeks ago it was very hot and so I brought the kids to Home Depot to chill out (they are very much into home improvement, tools, rakes, lawn equipment, perennials, non-perennials-turned-annuals, seeds, wood, paint and people in orange aprons). Its a large "That!" fest. And some charming customer service rep brought them each over a red ballon duct taped onto a paint-stick-stirrer. And it had AC. So it was like going to an amusement park only way cheaper and you can leave with a sprinkler and no one gets sick. 

This was also before I found out that swim diapers extend past infancy (!). H & S are wearing their regular out-and-about diapers as they could not wait to see the new toy (and bring the lawn mower over too for a look). NB the lawn mower has become a fixture in our daily activities. We have to "show" it everything. It even tries to make it into the bathtub and encroach on bedtime. 

Henry held the sprinkler for Sophia (I must admit, I pat myself on the back when I see this shot - as both I and the camera managed to stay dry - not to mention I got the shutter speed just where I wanted it!)

And Dad came home shortly afterwards. H & S showed him the lawn mower (again) and the sprinkler and three of them shared an ice cream sandwich. 

Ooops, I mean four. 

ice cream...

On Sunday I took out the ice cream maker and made Henry and Sophia the most incredible vanilla ice cream. We used whole cream from Cooper's (a local dairy) and my friend Christine's homemade vanilla extract. I more-or-less put the recipe below.

They had a dizzying time watching it in the ice cream maker going around...and around. 

It wasn't until last night that we actually served it. Ice cream a la one-year-olds is a commitment requisite of pre-messy clothes, outdoor space which can be hosed down and an ample post-cone bath-soak. So conditions were good last night and we were a-go. As Tony and I are somewhat insane (in a non-collateral sort of way) we made it into a production with the wagon, and even opened up the kitchen window and "served" H & S. They were hesitant at first...

 But clearly it was a hit; now comes the quest to find smaller sugar cones.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream for Two Beans

2 eggs (pasturized)
2/3 cup sugar 
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp the world's-best-vanilla-extract

Whisk eggs in a bowl and slowly add sugar; continue whisking until your hand hurts or it looks whisked. Add other ingredients. Put in ice cream maker. Put ice cream maker on the floor so kids can look in and scream for ice cream (which they will do). Put in freezer. Serve through open window. Clean up. Like a lot.

signs of Spring

I know – I took an entire month off of sharing stories of two of the happiest kids ever. I apologize. I had this vision in my head that as Henry and Sophia got older, they would be more independent and find me less entertaining leaving me loads of time to just write about them and observe them in their natural habitat. 

Instead they are interested in absolutely everything I do. So outside of work, hygiene and being endlessly fascinating, I have had little time to blog. And no free arms. Mea culpa. Mea culpa!

So while the twins are sleeping and work is done for now, I am going to post a few much-overdo pictures (with more to come shortly). And then fall asleep on the keyboard.

As a note - aside from me being interesting, they also have become acutely aware of the camera – so many pictures I take of them are when they are looking away. Because when they face me? They are attacking the lens. 

My contemplative little man has been helping water the plants, and then he walks with both hands behind his back. No really. He does. 

We bought one bubble lawn mower - but quickly realized we needed two (Henry hogged it). The laughable thing? Henry now hogs both of them (he has two working arms you know). 

I refuse to get a third.

I feel like these pictures are Henry-heavy - but how could I resist this? He loves Mama's (pronounced every so softly) piano. And his rough-and-tough truck underneath.

Ah yes, there is my other child. I forgot I had two.

 

 And one of my favorite sights? Two wee suits hanging up on the clothesline. 

*sigh*