On Peacham Pond

The girls are now home from Vermont, having made the most of their week-plus on Peacham Pond. Hanging out on the dock, they heard loons for the first time (as opposed to simply living with them). Uncle Charles mesmerized both girls -- but especially Maggie -- with his many flutes played both alone and in concert with Grandma Joan on keyboard and Dave on a rented cello. Charles also honed his skills as a baby comic (Borscht Belt jokes interspersed with funny noises that elicited fits of giggles). Aunt Mary took the fabulous picture of Bea in the sink.

Spackled in Vermont

Rice cereal and squash adorn the girls' faces as they enjoy their vacation on Peacham Pond in Vermont. They were slightly more presentable when they met their cousins Virginia and Abbi. The pleasures of the pond include corn-shucking with Grandma Joan.

Six months young

Hooray and hoorah, Maggie and Bea are cumulatively a year old! Why, it seems like only yesterday... Now Bea lounges around with her legs up on her dad, and Maggie shows off the chair-sitting skills of a six-month old. They celebrated with the introduction of multi-grain mush, having mastered the fine art of sampling rice cereal and then the much more popular oatmeal last week.

The life aquatic

The girls received their first post-partum taste of that oceanic feeling this past weekend, compliments of Grandma Joan and her retirement community's swimming pool. Eschewing the controversies over high-tech skintight plastic swimsuits that dogged the world championships (and took 30 minutes to put on), Maggie and Bea went with a flouncy skirted one-piece and swimming diapers. They were neck and neck coming down the lane, touching out at the same time, albeit both with a fairly considerable assist from mother and grandmother.

Foot in mouth disease

We have been worried for some time that daily strolls around the Capitol might have some negative consequences, and now it appears that Maggie has caught this affliction that is chronic in so many politicians. But her symptoms are literal -- she takes great pleasure in putting her feet in her mouth. No mis-statements or faux pas for this young girl. While Bea is just starting to discover her feet, she also enjoys sitting up in her chair (on loan from Emma in Philadelphia). Here she demonstrates admirable head control in a fetching pose!