Fireflies and turbo charged

Sometimes living in Texas gives us the gift of outside, and I remember why we moved here in the first place.

It is almost October. On Sunday night, I opened the door to let the cat out and our front yard was awash with flickering fireflies. Zachary came running out in his pajamas and changed them around as night settled in. Eventually he ran inside, got his "bug" gear, caught one, and we let it fly around under a magnifying lens. Zachary observed that the beatle was a totally different shape than he imagined, not having a "big butt that glows", but just a normally tapering body. He also noticed that the firefly didn't glow while trapped, but as soon as we let it go it shot into the air, and gave a goodbye glow.

Backyard science is the best.

In baby news, Miriam is not only all kinds of mobile, she loves us. I KNOW. Surprising. I went to pick her up at daycare yesterday. All new, since Mark started his job. I walked in and packed her stuff up, chatting with her teacher. She must have heard my voice because suddenly from across the room she squealed and charged in "battle crawl" mode all the way to where I was, pulled up on the knee high divider that keeps them in their area, and reached up her arms to me. She was all hugs, and snuggles, and arms thrown around the neck nuzzling. It is *the cutest*.

As an aside...

Two things.

While I'm updating prolifically...

1) I don't write much about Zachary here now. Mostly because he can read, and I assume that means at least some of his classmates can read, and it just seems like a bad plan. He is beyond fantastic. He is getting contacts, and playing little league, and reading up a storm.

2) Miriam has six teeth. She's a biter. Sometimes she pretends she's going to kiss you (which looks a lot like a moray eel with a gaping maw coming towards you) and then inadvertently she gnaws on your eye socket. I keep trying to write it off to "teething" but at some point we're probably just going to have to admit she's a part-time cannibal. This also serves as a general purpose warning and liability waiver.

Mark Can Crawl!

I don't really feel like this requires a description. Stand alone awesomeness. 

Shake it Out

Last week, Miriam learned to clap. I think they had a very intensive "Patty Cake" training session at daycare. As one does. She burst out into applause spontaneously for several days running. It was quite funny. She would be crawling along and then would just pop into sitting, start clapping, and look around to see if everyone was appreciating her genius.

We were, of course.

But never managed to catch in on video. So instead you can see her here, wildly over tired and clapping. As well as violently shaking the high chair because it is all that is between her and Linus who is out of frame and JUST BEGGING TO BE HUGGED TO DEATH. As cats do. 

Clapping

skill unlocked ...

video to follow but this is clearly a trick she ahs pick up from Daycare. Pretty fun and she looks really pleased with herself each time she does clap.

trapped

Contained in a basket but not for long, she got her rock on, and tipped out (safely).

How to carry a carrot while crawling

This pretty much counts for anything she wants to take along but it has to be small enough to carry in her mouth! 

Goes Anywhere

Baby on the move. Her favourite destinations include, any nearby cat, the kitchen, cat food dishes, garbage/compost and now the bathroom.