this morning, ava requested sushi at 8:30 am. i had some vegetable rolls that i had bought for the night before, but we hadn't eaten them, so i indulged her breakfast wish. i put everything out for her, and then she said "mommy, can i have chopsticks?" i said "sure, just a second."

"do you need help, ava?"

"nope."

and with that she picked up a piece of sushi, dipped it in the soy sauce, and put the whole thing in her mouth, all with the chopsticks. i was staring at her, not sure if i should introduce her to the phrase "RIGHT ON, AVA!!!!"

i did. i was so very impressed with my little sophisticate.

so, we are visiting PA again, and we hit the country club for the second day in a row. they have a fabulous pool there, and i can almost claim anonyminity there. i did run into someone from high school, but i was so oblivious as a teenager, this person's presence made absolutely no etching on my grey matter. i fessed up too--i said "i have absolutely no recollection of you." so polite of me.

anyway, ava and carter had an utterly wonderful time. they both were in the pool for hours, both days. ava managed to swim with her face in the water for a good distance, and was plunging in like an expert. she loved the slide today--it is essentially a water slide, and dumps you at the bottom with a flourish, and she could not get enough of it. i was so happy to be somewhere that had no dirt for carter to eat, and where i could completely exhaust him. it was 95 here, so my gratitude was profound. michaela came too, and today carlos came with her, so that was a treat for the kids as well as for me. they both fall under the heading of "A LOT OF FUN"

though there was the "mom deposits kids in the water, turns around and parks her butt on a lounge chair for the rest of the day while their child terrorizes everyone in the pool leaving it up to the parents of small children who cannot leave them alone to try to discipline them without appearing to discipline them parenting" going on. this is similar to "mom deposits kid on playground then goes to the picnic bench to smoke a cigarette while kid terroizes everyone on the playscape parenting" that i am already familiar with, but this was a bit tougher. one child, who was nice, but intense and in carter's face, nearly drowned as he followed us into the deep end. i turned around, and there he was, slowly sinking while frantically flaining his arms. i said "are you ok???" and he shook his head no and so i fished him out and to the side while asking him where his mom was. "over there." he pointed to a bank of mothers in halter top bikinis and big sunglasses basking in the sun. i pointed him out to the lifeguard, who grunted. the poor kid said to me "i can swim UNDER water though" i wanted to say, "yes, that is called drowning."

but all in all, a grand success. ava loved the food, and i have to admit to loving the ability to just sign for it. ahhh.....

thanks mom and dad--we all appreciate the experience!

however, never let your child put sunscreen on your back. you will get burned.

one other thing to note: carter climbs on everything. more on that later.