Joy and I found our regular Wednesday evening hike at Palmer Park rained out (like flooding in the streets), so we wandered to the local mall to allow our progeny to climb all over germ-infested public equipment. Hey, at least it’s not cold/flu season, right?

We tried and tried to get a good photo of both kids in the canoe, but it just wasn’t happening.

By the end of our time in suburbia hell-land, Maya decided she liked being queen of her domain. Here, she gives orders to her minions below. Either that, or she’s reciting Shakespeare. I haven’t quite decided which yet.

Why are you starving me, mama?

Maya has three (count ‘em, 1, 2, 3) different snacks sitting on the coffee table. Apples, white cheese puffs, Luna bar…all relatively healthful (hey, I said relatively) and tasty. She also has milk and water readily available. Yet again and again, she comes to me and signs “more.” Or “please.” If I ask her what she wants, she leads me to the pantry.

No. We’re not opening snack number four. She is beyond mad at me right now.

Updated below.

Maya talks. Constantly. At this point, however, I might understand perhaps 10% of what she says, and the rest is babble that’s structured like sentences, has the tonal ups, downs, and pauses of a conversation, yet is still unintelligible.

That’s starting to change. New stuff:

• Oh, cool. The first time I heard this, I did a double-take, and thought I imagined it. Then I heard it again and started asking myself, “do I say that? Often?” Oh, cool.
• I fell down! This one was clear as day and in context with absolutely no question what was said (I had a witness who heard the same I did). We were walking along a sidewalk through the central part of Garden of the Gods, and Maya chose to walk *just* off the sidewalk. She tripped, then caught herself with her hands. “I fell down!” It was very matter-of-fact, and she got right up again.

I know that for some other kids Maya’s age, this is NOTHING. My nephew is speaking so clearly now that it’s stunning. But for us, this is something new, and it’s huge to me.

Update:

She’s reading. Sort of. At the very least, Maya is starting to recognize the shapes of words. I just clicked on the telly and pulled up the “Recorded Programs” screen from the DVR. Maya pointed at the correct block and said, “Oobi!” Gulp.

In the same way that she’s forming complete sentences from gibberish, I somehow wouldn’t be surprised if she learns to read whole words rather than individual letters.

I recently added The Parenting Post to my mommy blog read list (daMomma writes there, and I love her to bits), and this post by Daddy Daze cracked me up. I am *so* going to use that term.

I’ve still not gotten Motrin anywhere besides on either of us, but somehow, Little Miss is feeling better. And what better way to celebrate feeling better than running around in circles?

Even as I post this, she’s playing that song AGAIN. Always the same one, and always running in circles. Who can fathom the thought process of a toddler?

Maya won’t even let me get close to her. She’ll come within two or three feet, then hurl herself onto the entryway rug.

I’m fairly certain I’ve never seen anything quite this pathetic.

Poor baby.

Teething.

I can’t hear myself think.

All. the. screaming. Please. make. it. stop.

Dominic and Joy along the trail
somewhere around 11000 feet.

I finally got on the ball and downloaded Joy’s photos from our hike this past weekend…here are a few I particularly like.

This one should give you an idea why this is one of my favorite hikes. The scenery is spectacular along the top portion of this trail.

The first time we hiked together, Dominic walked right up to Maya and gave her an enormous hug. Joy and I, no camera between us, were sad to miss capturing the moment for posterity. Here, Dominic gives Maya a stealth hug at the top of the trail.

Ah, removing the backpack is SUCH a relief, if even a temporary one. Maya stayed on my lap for approximately two seconds before jumping off to explore the surrounding area.

I’m an auntie! (again)

My darling cousin Lani and her husband Michael welcomed little Asher Michael into the family today at 12:48pm. Asher weighed in at 7lb, 3oz and measured 20-1/2 inches long. He’s stunning, and totally missing that puffy-faced alien weirdness that so many newborns sport.

It was hard work (22 hours of labor — I’m tired just thinking about it), but he’s here now, and the family is all well and happy, if exhausted.

Too bad that’s the end of full nights of sleep for Lani and Mike in the forseeable future (grin).

I found the Pancake Rocks trail in a local guidebook shortly after I moved to Colorado, and it’s still one of my favorite hikes — one I typically hit at least twice per summer. Like Section 16, the beginning section is a steep (brutal, at times) ascent, and I find myself early on wondering, “why do I like this one, again?” Once I hit the top of the switchbacks, that’s no longer a question. The views are stunning, and the relatively flat walk through aspen-lined meadows is idyllic.

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Maya and Dominic play at the top lookout among the rocks. Joy and I were in the background, constantly herding the kidlets away from any sharp dropoffs. A relaxing stop, this was NOT.

View from the top, looking toward Cripple Creek.

Maya, two-fisting her snacks.

Whew, what a workout! We celebrated with a late lunch at The Loop in Manitou Springs afterward, and plan to repeat this one during September, during the Fall color explosion.

(Note to self: when hiking at 11000 feet, it’s pretty fool-hardy to forget the sunscreen — even if the trail is mostly shady. Can you say, “farmer tan”?)