Austen Famous Rodey

Art projects include hammering holes for brads (first time assisting Mom with scrapbooking), watercolors, connect the dots 1-15, color by letter, and stickers.  

Mommy is amazed by some of her recent drawings:  A Mother's Day card done at preschool and a bug drawing done at Grandma and Grandpa's house.  

It makes Mommy think of her grandfather, John Lloyd, who did sketches while on tour in Europe during WWII as a medic and painted pictures of his daughters, Judi, Janet and June.  

A Mother's Day card scrapbook with drawings by Austen (and Dada).  "What you do best ..." was a picture of a Tetris screen; Dada always has to get in his digs.

Getting all dressed up to go out.  Austen wears her blue silk from Chasing Fireflies.  (Gets compliments all day long.)

Mommy drives to Queens (a first for me) to dropped Gage off for a day with Grandma Mindy.

Carmine's in Times Square for Spudini, Rigatoni with Broccoli, Shrimp Cocktail and Chocolate Canolis.  Mommy's favorite restaurant, period.

The Little Mermaid on Broadways.  Sebastion the Crab was the best (and had the best songs to sing)!  Got Austen a pearl-colored shell purse (which she later filled with nail polish, sunglasses and hair clips).

Back to Queens for time with Gage, Grandma, Grandpa and Chacha.  Keema Mattar with Poori.  Drawings with oil pastel arts supplies.  AUSTEN PAINTS MOMMY'S TOENAILS!!!!

Drive home in heavy traffic but Mommy and Daddy have time to chat.

A marvelous day. 

-By Mom

The initial shyness period can be painful and uncomfortable -- sometimes the person thinks Austen doesn't understand what they're saying or doesn't like them for some reason.  Mommy tries to be the middle man but Austen often withdraws to herself and refuses to engage.  This "warming up" period is followed by the wild and crazy period, when Austen is animated and a really exciting little person to have around.  When she talks, her feelings are so sincere and joyful.  Her laughter is contagious.  She loves to remind people of things:  "Remember!  Remember when the scary monster was at the window.  Boo!"  Or she talks about something she's recently seen or done.  "We saw Dean and Timmy and ... and we played on the merry go round and ..."  It's very cute when she talks about Gage, laughing at the things he can do and making pronouncements about the things he's not allowed to do, such as eat apples or play with "Big Girl" toys.  

Austen's always exciting and feisty.  

  

"I love it.  I love your game.  I played games in London."  (Austen played games on Dada's Iphone while in London.)

Mommy loses.  "I lost.  I lost the game."