Just another CarleSpawn weblog

After reading the book Leonardo the Terrible Monster at naptime, Ezri pointed to the author’s photo on the back flap and said,
“This is Mo Willems.
He has a penis.
He is a grown-up.
He pees in the potty.
He is the author of this book.”

She is ready to introduce Mr. Willems at one of those events where he picks up his numerous awards for writing totally awesome kids’ books. Did you notice how everything she said was accurate and stated in complete sentences?

(photos from our family photo shoot with www.jodiellen.com)

Some collected comments of the past week or so:

While listening to Love Shack by the B-52s, Ezri asks, “Why bang on the dog? Why bang on the dog?” She is visibly upset, though I try to assure her that they are singing about banging on the door. No animals are harmed in the lyrics of this song.

Ezri has learned to recognize a false dichotomy:
Amanda: “You can EITHER have stories with me and then nap OR you can go straight to nap.”
Ezri: “I don’t want ANY of it. I am stomping away.”

Ezri asks in a distressed voice, “Why did I pinch you? Why?” Ummm. . . that’s for you to answer, Ezri. I suggest you don’t do it again.

Since learning how to play Blitzkrieg Bop on her Paperjamz quitar, Ezri when told it is time to leave sometimes says,
“Hey-Ho! Let’s Go! Hey-Ho! Let’s Go!”

Ezri knows about magic. She pointed her magic marker at me and said, “It’s a magic marker. I turn you into Zoe. I turn you back into mama now.” It was the orange marker that turned me into the orange muppet named Zoe.

It has been a bit of a heatwave, so Ezri felt the need to cool off as she took off all her clothes she said, “Let’s do naked.” And then she said, “Let’s do yoga.” She proceeded into an elegant nude downward dog. I may have a photo, though I will not be posting it here.

“Mama is Ezri’s mama. Amanda is Ezri’s friend.”
(Thanks, kiddo, you are most certainly Amanda’s Ezri!)

Ezri has a new love for magic markers. Or it may be that she is now mostly trusted to draw on paper and has more access to markers for this reason.

Her favorite thing to draw is spirals.

Here is a composition the artist calls “Spirals”

If anyone needs a drawing of spirals, just let me know. Ezri is willing to make MANY.

After a fast and violent storm that knocked down lots of branches and trees (and left us without power for three days), the sun came out and Ezri and I went out to play.
As soon as Ezri knew it was wet outside she found her boots and put them on all by herself.

Ezri really wanted to put all the leaves and branches back on the trees.
“Why are they broken? Why? Let’s fix it!”
I explained we could not fix the trees and Ezri asked. “Why?” and made this face.

She liked puddle stomping.

The playground was wet, but still fun.

It was really too warm and too dry for her raincoat afterall.

So simple . . . Kids decorate bikes and buggies and wagons and trikes. Then the police close a block of main street. The kids roll around the block with as much pomp as they can muster and then go to the park to watch a juggler do a show.

We decorated the wagon with balloons and some streamers.
Ezri said, “It’s Fancy like Nancy!”
We had her shake her tambourine down main street.

Towards the end of the block long parade, Ezri got tired, even though Eric provided the power to move her along.
It was a HOT day.

After our efforts, we needed ice cream.

This is only Ezri’s second ice cream cone, so she’s still learning how it all works.

Ever since seeing a magazine ad for Kool-Aid with kids sticking out different colored tongues, Ezri has been fascinated by the idea of a tongue color changing. I really wish her tongue would change color when she eats green peas or red grapes, but it took a yellow lollipop from the Trader Joe’s treasure chest to do it.

Then she wanted me to take her photo, but every time I snapped she closed her mouth.

Finally, we got this photo. Hello, yellow tongue.

Then she found yellow toys and the yellow stripe in her shirt and said, “Tongue – Match! Match!”

We met up with friends at the Taste of Westmont and Ezri was all about the carnival rides.

This first car ride went faster than I thought it would.
I thought that might be a problem, but Ezri thought it was grand.

Ezri the back seat driver:

Ezri and Eric up on the ferris wheel.

Eric decided to go on one of the fast rides with a friend. Ezri pointed, she waved and she kept saying she wanted to sit next to Daddy. There was an empty seat right next to him. “Ezri, you can’t go on that ride?” “Why no? I want to ride.” No fear. None. I am so glad she is not yet tall enough to ride this ride. Eric’s up there somewhere.

Say CHEESE!

While at her grandparents’ house, Ezri asked to go to see the cheese and quickly we figured out she wanted a walk to the Lincoln School playground. It has a cheese-shaped, concrete play structure and is just a few blocks from the house.

She made herself at home in the wagon Eric and his sister shared as children for the walk.

It was a very sunny & nice day and we all had a good time.
Ezri ran all over and proved that there is no playground equipment there she isn’t willing to try to tackle. Though, she definitely still needs a spotter.

Here she is doing something she called, “riding the cheese pony! Neigh!”

More cheese! She enjoyed climbing all over the cheese play structure. She had one small bump, but mostly has mastered the fine art of cheese climbing.

This is in a stagecoach shaped play structure. Ezri insisted it was a school bus and that everyone get on board. She was a little disappointed that the wheels did not go round and round in actuality, but being able to command all her adults to come onto the bus more than made up for that.

After the park it was back for a dinner on the porch with hot dogs, corn, potato salad, and WATERMELON. Yum.

Thanks, Grandma Liz, for taking these photos.