Patty Cake, Patty Cake

We had a big first this week. Lauren ventured headfirst (well, finger and mouth first, actually) into baking! Lauren, Kristen and I made mini cupcakes and bunny cakes (from a bunny cake mold). Yes, we used a cake mix (although I hope that when she's older, she will not take after her mother in the cooking department), but Lauren got to crack the eggs to add them to the mix, and also stirred her little heart away in the mixing bowl. She was so excited to see the baking process that she insisted on sitting on a barstool facing the oven until the oven alarm went off signaling they were done. We then gave her a bunny cake to decorate on her own. Oodles of blue, yellow and red icing gel, plus sprinkles and buttercream frosting adorned her masterpiece. We tried to convince her to wait until after dinner to sample her creation, but she kept poking her finger in the frosting, licking it off, and telling us, conspiratorially, "just a taste."

Here she is deep in concentration while decorating:

Proudly showing off the fruits of her labor:

Enthusiastically digging in:


We have been busy burning off all of the sugar and calories by swimming in our pool almost every night after work for the past week. The water has hovered at about 83 degrees without being heated, and Lauren loves it. We also heat the spa to about 89 degrees, and after hanging out in the pool, she stays in there until her fingers and toes are all wrinkled (ours too!). She adores her new "speed" boat and chases her Teletubbie plastic figurines around the water. She also loves running back and forth across the pool steps (she can already stand on the third step down with her head still above water!) and, of course, sings nonstop. She started swim lessons again this weekend, so hopefully will be going under water willingly really soon.

This is her "I'm sucking my thumb and relaxing in the spa so leave me alone" pose:

Allowing mom to get in on a shot:


This weekend we entertained a wonderful couple and their 2-year-old son Luke, who Lauren was instantly attached to. She proudly raced around the house to show him all of her toys, and they played together (both outside and in for several hours). It was so precious to see them sitting at Lauren's little table in the kitchen to eat dinner, and then playing in her play kitchen so nicely while the adults ate healthy bbq. After dinner, the kids wanted to go swimming, and Lauren was so cute because she normally goes in our pool in only a swim diaper, but because Luke was here, she insisted on wearing her new orange bathing suit.

Here she is showing it off:

And showing her pure joy at being waterlogged:

Here's Luke and his dad Chris splashing it up:

And Lauren getting a piggyback ride from daddy:

Couldn't resist one last shot because she looks so happy:


Other memorable moments this week: she continues to amaze and confound us with some of the phrases that come out of her mouth. Case in point: she turned to me on two occasions this week and said "You're kidding me" and "Mommy, get out of town!" She's also been telling Kristen, "I don't believe you!" In the aw shucks department, this afternoon we were taking turns dancing in our entryway "stage"with her silk flowers while singing "You Are My Sunshine" (still almost a daily activity). Norm had been playing her ukelele while Lauren and I took turns performing, when Lauren said, "Daddy's turn!" Norm asked her, "Would you like me to dance with the ukelele?" Lauren gave him this exasperated look and matter of factly announced, "No, Daddy, dance with your feet."