We have so much to report on - Simone's first bike rides and our trip to Spain - but our camera is actually still in Spain. I'm jealous - we had a fantastic time and would also still like to be there. But fingers crossed that it comes back soon as promised, and we can share some photos and start taking new ones. Simone is so different than even a month ago, I'm actually feeling pangs about missing documenting her newest feats. Hopefully we'll be back soon with a real photo-riffic update...

Living proof world! That IS a picture of my brother Michael pushing the proverbial baby carriage. I have it caught on film too, in case it's the last time. And yes, he is walking the mean streets of Durham, for he and his girlfriend Denise came over from Germany to North Carolina, of all places - and we were lucky enough to score a visit. They had already spent time on the coast and were all sunburned and happy already so all we had to do was throw in some stereotypical American experiences to round out their experience, like BBQ and baseball.

Here we are at a Durham Bulls Game, on a warm summer evening. With decent and not-exorbinant beer on tap, hot dogs, peanuts and a bull that snorts smoke, you've got a recipe for one of my favourite things to do in Durham. If you look closely in this other picture, you'll see a little stuffed monkey in an argyle sweater, a Steiff monkey they brought over for Simone. Ask Michael to tell you the story of trying to find a pair of pants for the monkey. I almost cried from laughter over the image of my hulking big brother in toy stores, surreptisously trying clothes on Chuck the monkey. Pantless or not, Simone loves him and we love that she got to visit with her crazy Uncle.
It was too short of a visit and soon it was Mother's Day. I had two requests for the day:
No breakfast in bed and a day free of decisions. The height of luxury to me are clean, crumb-free sheets and a day planned for me, as long as those plans don't involve meetings, desk shifts or classes. Luckily Sergio kept those to a bare minimum and instead rustled up a fantastic day which started with flowers and chocolate croissants and a plan to head out to Winston-Salem to check out a new brew-pub and an arts fair in Mount Pilot. It was a beautiful day and Simone looked cute as a button...when we set out. This is just the first of three outfits I packed and she managed
to get dirty - I guess I've earned my Mom Badge if I've figured out that three is reasonable amount of outfits to carry along on a daytrip. This first fell foul to hastily gulped hot chocolate (check out her face in this second picture, it's a crazy face she make when she thinks she's in trouble and wants to charm us, I guess because we can't help bursting out laughing when her lower lip sticks out that way). The second outfit fell prey to a first case of car sickness, an interesting treat for Mother's Day, scrubbing down a crying vomiting kid and a car seat in a hot parking lot. I guess that's when I REALLY earned my Mom Badge.

Summer is upon us, free from homework, free to sit on the porch in the evenings, free to read books again, ready to go to Spain in 14 days! (though not so ready for the flight with squirmy Miss Demanding, I have to say) and hoping to see each and everyone of you before the summer ends.

Labels: Simone Michael

Spring is definitely in the air. On the down side: Our porch is constantly covered in green pollen that we can't wash off, we're coughing with each new allergen that blooms, it's raining all the time, and the bugs are back. On the up side: Friends and family have (or will soon) come to visit, better weather is around the corner, and Simone is going to have a fun summer now that she is walking and exploring more than ever.

Simone had her first easter egg hunt in our back yard and found all of her eggs after some helpful prodding from her parents.

Last weekend our friends Dan, Pam, and Jud came over from Vancouver and Seattle to visit us after driving down from DC. Jud (furthest right) appears a little sad in this photo taken at Milltown in Chapel Hill, although Simone appears to be having the time of her life. Cheer up, Jud, another beer is on the way. See? Pam is having fun - she's even throwing a double hang-loose! We had a great time at the Barbecue Joint, Milltown, The Federal, and our own front porch as we made a barbecued Mexican-themed dinner, complete with Dan's home made margaritas and delicious contributions from everybody.

We're expecting the arrival of Kyla's brother Michael and his girlfriend Denise in the next week or so, and we are hoping he will want to make a return visit to the Barbecue Joint and Milltown as they have become favorites of ours.
Here's a video of me reading to Simone, and her picking up some new words:


Reading Bug from Kyla Sweet on Vimeo.

And another exciting development this spring has been the building of a nest by some robins on our gate in our backyard, and the birth of at least one (of hopefully three) baby birds:


Robin's Nest from Kyla Sweet on Vimeo.